Celebrating Spirituality
On this day: This
was the proper time for Wassailing in the apple growing regions of southern and
western England. Large parties gathered
in the orchards by night to sing to the trees, drink to their health, and pour
cider over their roots. Pieces of toast
were soaked in cider and ten placed on the branches of the trees for the
guardian birds. Near midnight, horns
were blown and guns fired, and everyone would give a great howl to frighten off
any angry or evil spirits that might blight the crop.
Old
apple tree, we wassail thee, and hoping thou wilt bear,
For
the Lord doth know, where we shall be,
Till
apples come another year.
To
bear will, to bloom well, so merry let us be,
Let
every man take off his hat and
Shout
to the old apple tree.
Old
apple tre, we wassail thee, and hoping thou wilt bear,
Hats
full, cups full, three-bushel bags full,
And
a little heap under the stairs.
-
Charles Kightly,
Perpetual almanac of Folklore.
Medical tip of the day: Learning to heal
Everyone possesses the ability to
heal, though some people are more gifted than others. You can use healing to soothe all types of
injuries, aches, and pains, but you should always consult a doctor in causes of
serious or unexplained pain.
The best way to develop your own
healing powers is through meditation or prayer, using the visualization
technique below. But first you must
learn to relax physically, since it is difficult to channel your healing energy
if your body is tense. Practice relaxing
for a few minutes, at the same time each day.
When you have finishes healing, you should always complete the session
by returning your consciousness to the physical world and giving thanks for the
healing.
To heal others directly requires a
little practice and preparation. You
need to develop your hands as an extension of your mind so that you can pick up
sensations from the ill person while healing.
Start by learning to sense your own energy field, as shown below, then
you can move on to working on others.
While you are giving healing, the
reason why the person you are treating is ill may well come into your
mind. If this happens, don’t talk about
what you think, but use the information to guide your questions so that the
person begins to uncover the problem for themselves.
Prayer and affirmations:
Prayer in the form of a request for divine intervention can be very powerful,
especially when it is combined with the understanding that a change in attitude
may be necessary. It has been used since
time immemorial by those seeking healing for themselves or for other people.
Affirmations are positive
statements or incantations you repeat to yourself in order to reprogram your
beliefs. Like prayer, they are a way of
focusing the mind on a problem and opening yourself to the possibility of
change. Think of a statement that crystallizes
a belief you wish to include in your life – it should be positive, and
formulated in the present tense, such as “my body is strong,” “I am free of
pain.” Repeat your affirmation verbally
(or write it down) as often as you like, each day, and ask that it may be
eased. Practice twice a day for 10
minutes each time at first, working up to not more than 30 minutes a session.
Visualization and self-healing:
This is a powerful tool for increasing concentration and bringing your mind
into a state of tranquility. Sit
comfortably and focus on your imagination, forgetting the body altogether. Allow your mind to remember a scene where you
felt particularly happy or peaceful – a place in the countryside, perhaps. As you explore the scene, begin to observe
the sky, the clouds and the sun. Be
aware, especially of the light, since this will help you get what you
need. Make a conscious decision to open
yourself out to receive the healing, feeling yourself bathed in light. If you have a specific problem, gently focus
the light on it and ask that it may be eased.
Practice twice a day for 10 minutes each time at first, working up to
more than 30 minutes a session.
Absent healing: To send
absent healing to others you must first relax yourself, as described
above. Visualize the healing light and
the person you wish to help. See him or
her standing in a pool of light and mentally request that the person receives
the healing he or she needs. Keep the
person in the light for a few moments, then gently return your attention to
your surroundings and open your eyes.
Repeat this every day.
Sensing your energy field:
The aura or energy field normally extends up to anything between 8-44 cm (3-18
in) from the physical body. In someone
who is ill, this field diminishes. To
sense your own field, close your eyes and feel the air around you as you gently
wave each hand about. Then starting
about 60 cm (24 in) from your head with the palm facing you, gradually move
your hand toward your head. At some point,
you will feel the atmosphere change – usually it will feel a little warmer and
as you move your hand away again, it will become cooler. This very slight change in sensation signals
the edge of the energy field. Don’t be
disheartened if you don’t feel it the first time. You will eventually succeed and, with
practice, you will be able to detect areas where the field changes, especially
over organs that are distressed.
For more information on this
topic, check out: The New Natural Family Doctor by Dr. Andrew Stanway; pg
304-305
Herb of the day: Flax
Folk Name: Linseed
Gender: Masculine
Planet: Mercury
Element: Fire
Deities: Hulda
Powers: Money,
Protection, Beauty, Psychic Powers, Healing
Ritual Use: Flax was used in rituals to Hulda,
the Teutonic Goddess who first taught mortals to cultivate flax, and to spin it
into linen thread and weave it into cloth.
Magical Uses: Flax seeds are used in money
spells. A few can be placed in the
pocket, wallet or purse, or a jar should be placed on the altar and a few
coins, plus some flax seed, added. This
should be repeated each day to attract money.
A bit of flax in the shoe wards off poverty.
The blue flax flowers are worn as a preservative against
sorcery. To protect yourself while
asleep, mix equal parts flax seed and mustard seed and place this mixture next
to your bed. On the other side of the
bed place a pan of cold water. You will
be guarded during your slumber.
Alternatively, a combination of red pepper and flax
seed, kept in a box somewhere in the house, prevents evil from entering.
To ensure that your child grows up to be a beautiful or
handsome adult, let him or her dance among growing flax at the age of seven
years.
Sprinkle the altar with flax seed while performing
healing rituals, or include it in healing mixtures. To help cure lumbago, tie a hank of flax
around the loins.
Physical use: If you suffer from dizziness, this
is a somewhat drastic cure: run naked, after sunset, three times through a
field of flax. While you do this the
flax will take to itself your dizziness and you’ll be cured. You may get a cold, but you won’t be dizzy!
Although flaxseed contains all sorts of healthy components, it owes its
primary healthy reputation to three of them:
·
Omega-3 essential fatty acids, "good"
fats that have been shown to have heart-healthy effects. Each tablespoon of
ground flaxseed contains about 1.8 grams of plant omega-3s.
·
Lignans, which have both plant estrogen and antioxidant qualities.
Flaxseed contains 75 to 800 times more lignans than other plant foods.
·
Fiber. Flaxseed contains both the soluble and
insoluble types.
More information about Flax can be found at: http://www.webmd.com/diet/features/benefits-of-flaxseed
Stone of the Day: Carnelian
Attributes: Carnelian
grounds and anchors you in the present reality.
A stabilizing stone with high energy, it is excellent for restoring
vitality and motivation, and for stimulating creativity. It is useful for dramatic pursuits. Carnelian has the ability to cleanse other
stones.
Psychologically, Carnelian imparts
an acceptance of the cycle of life and removes fear of death. In ancient times, it was used to protect the
dead on their journey to the afterlife.
It gives courage, promotes positive life choices, dispels apathy, and
motivates for success in business and other matters. Carnelian is useful for overcoming abuse of
any kind. This stone helps you to trust
yourself and your perceptions. It gets to the bottom of what makes you tick,
overcomes negative conditioning, and encourages steadfastness.
Mentally, Carnelian improves
analytic abilities and clarifies perception.
It removes extraneous thoughts in meditation and tunes daydreamers into
everyday reality. It sharpens concentration
and dispels mental lethargy. Emotionally,
this stone is a powerful protector against envy, rage, and resentment, yours or
other people’s. It calms anger and banishes
emotional negativity, replacing it with a love of life.
Healing: Carnelian is full
of the life force and vitality. It
stimulates the metabolism. Carnelian
activates the base chakra, influences the female reproductive organs, and
increases fertility. This stone
overcomes frigidity and impotence, heals lower back problems, rheumatism,
arthritis, neuralgia, and depression, especially in those of advanced
years. It regulates bodily fluids and
the kidneys, accelerates healing in bones and ligaments, and stanches
blood. Carnelian improves the absorption
of vitamins and minerals and ensures a good supply of blood to organs and
tissues.
Position: Use as a pendant
or belt buckle, or place in contact with the skin as appropriate. Carnelian near the front door invokes
protection and invites abundance into the home.
Specific Colors:
Pink Carnelian – Improves the parent-child relationship. It helps to restore love and trust after
abuse or manipulation.
Red Carnelian – Warms and
energizes. It is particularly useful for
combating sluggishness and for invigorating the mind and body.
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