"Don't compare your life to others'. You have no idea what their journey is all about."

Writer Regina Brett's life lessons are great little nuggets of wisdom.  There's something for everyone!  I'll be reflecting on this week's lesson:  "Don't compare your life to others'. You have no idea what their journey is all about."

Does your life feel like it's so much harder than everyone else's?  Are you constantly looking around at your friends, your family, and those people on Facebook that you went to school with and thinking, "Damn, these people have perfect lives!"  The truth is that we really don't know what someone's life looks like on the inside.  The person in public who brags about their wealth, their great marriage, or their amazing kids may be doing just that -- bragging.  Who knows what really happens when they walk through their front doors?  The same can be said for someone who smiles and tries to seem brave when life is throwing them some hard times.  We can also try to be more understanding of those who complain when their lives seem so effortless; the truth is that we just don't know what someone else's life is truly like.  Stop comparing your own to something that you don't fully understand.  Don't judge.  Life is hard enough for all of us.




Visit Regina's website here.

Red Aura

One of the most popular colors of aura bearers everywhere is red -- and red auras can come in all shades from the darkest burgundy, all the way up to light and bright reds.

Red is a warm color within the auric spectrum.  It corresponds to the element of fire and to the Root Chakra.

Keywords to describe a red aura person would be:  passionate, loyal, competitive, loving, aggressive, strong, versatile, powerful, stressful, physical, sexual.

A more in-depth analysis of what a red aura means can be found in my previous entry here.  Many shades of this color are listed, so you can find your specific shade meaning easily. :)

The Magickal Properties of Garnet

Garnets are loved and revered the world over for their breathtaking beauty, their lustre, and their mystical powers.  While they have similar physical characteristics to crystals (such as structural formations), garnets are actually composed of crystal silicate materials that can vary in hardness.  They are found all over the world in a stunning array of shades.  The most commonly known garnet hues are red and pink, but they are also seen in oranges, yellows, greens, blues, purples, browns, blacks, and even clear.  Some garnets even change their reflective color depending on how much light is reflecting off of them.

Because of the common red color of garnet crystal, it is often associated most with the more aggressive emotional moods, such as anger and aggression.  Long ago, it was known as the "warrior stone," as it was carried into battle to protect soldiers and warriors from injury and illness, and to help them come out as the victors in their battles.

Garnets are also often used in love spells, to keep a man or woman faithful to the garnet's owner.  It can also enhance the wearer's sex life, making him or her appear more physically attractive to the one she or he desires. It’s also the January birthstone — and can be used for all birth months as a powerful talisman.

Like most crystals and minerals, garnets have some great healing properties as well.  Garnets are great for detoxifying the body, drawing out negative physical elements as well as bad energies from the bearer.  It is also great for reviving the libido and rekindling emotional passion, not just for sex, but for anything where the bearer feels the need to focus and get down to business.  Try garnets for giving yourself a bit of extra drive in business and personal endeavors as well.

"It's OK to let your children see you cry."

Writer Regina Brett's life lessons are great little nuggets of wisdom.  There's something for everyone!  I'll be reflecting on this week's lesson:  "It's OK to let your children see you cry."

You may not realize how naturally intuitive children are.  Although they're human like the rest of us, kids have not yet been conditioned to think as adults do.  Their innocence gives them a refreshingly honest, loving view of the world and its inhabitants.  Because of these things, kids are naturally more in tune with the feelings of other people.  Children can perceive your fear and sorrow whether you express it or not, but doing so may be reassuring for them.  Kids don't always realize that adults can feel scared, sad, or indignant at the ways of the world just as they may do sometimes.  Crying isn't always a sign of weakness; it takes strength to show someone how vulnerable you are as you're shedding tears.



Visit Regina's website here.

Some Basic Facts About Ostara, the Spring Equinox

Ostara is also known as Eostre, or the Vernal Equinox. It is pronounced "oh-STAR-ah." Ostara is one of 8 major Pagan holidays.  It falls on March 21st, the first day of spring.  Many ancient cultures celebrated the first day of spring.  We still celebrate it today in many forms!  Ostara's name comes from an Teutonic goddess of springtime.  This is how the Christian holiday of Easter got its name.  Pagan people often use eggs, hares, lambs, and birds as symbols of celebration for this holiday.  The word "Equinox" means "equal night" in Latin.  During Ostara, the days once again begin to get longer, and nights shorter.  Hot Cross Buns are another popular treat for both Ostara and Easter celebrants alike!  Ostara is the season when things start to grow once again.  It's an excellent time for beginning new endeavors.

Signs & Symptoms of Emotional Eating

You feel guilt, fear, or shame about the way that you relate to food.

Food is a constant thought or obsession.

You snack when you are feeling bored, worried, or other times when you aren't really hungry.

Food is a source of comfort to you.

When you're feeling happy, you "celebrate" with certain types of food.

You consume food in order to make yourself feel happier.

Even if you are full, you continue to eat.

You are unable to stop yourself from overeating.

You continue to obsess over food long after you have finished eating; you think about food even after your stomach is full.

You crave food at random times, and have trouble functioning without it even if you are not really physically hungry.

When emotions of any type run high, you choose to eat.

Because of the way you eat, you have a problem with your weight.

"Make peace with your past so it won't screw up the present."

Writer Regina Brett's life lessons are great little nuggets of wisdom.  There's something for everyone!  I'll be reflecting on this week's lesson:  "Make peace with your past so it won't screw up the present."

What's in the past is over and done forever, but that might not stop some of us from reliving those painful memories.  It can be really hard to live with past regrets, past hurts, and past transgressions.  If you have done wrong, seek forgiveness from others as well as from yourself.  If someone else has wronged you, strive to forgive; even in cases where forgiveness seems like light-years away, you can at least forgive yourself for allowing feelings of resentment or distrust to rule over you.  Instead of being a victim and a slave to your past, try to examine things with the intention of learning valuable lessons that can carry over into your present and future.  Don't allow previous traumas to break you.  Be brave.  Be strong.  Put the past in its place, and embrace the future with a renewed sense of self.




Visit Regina's website here.

Negative Self-Talk

Do you know that little voice inside your head that tells you "you can't do anything... you're not worth anything... life sucks..."?  We all have self-chatter that goes on inside our own heads.  But, for some people, this little voice is consistently negative, damaging, and dysfunctional.  It's like a toxic friend, a bad parent, or a boss that never seems to have anything nice to say.  It can ruin lives, hearts, and relationships with ourselves and other people.

These toxic thoughts can seriously mess up our progress on days where we're doing fine.  It can hinder the ways that we see the world, it can mess up our interactions with other people, and it can freeze us in our tracks -- instantly.

Negative self-talk is easier to control than you might think.  Some people may need extensive therapy for it, but most people who experience these toxic thoughts, it is actually not too hard to chip away at the bad thoughts and to replace them with good ones.

During those times that you call yourself stupid, stop and correct that voice.  You're not!  If you make a mistake, don't criticize yourself -- and if you do (because you can't yet help it), try saying something nice or consoling to yourself.  You might also try affirmations to say after these damning thoughts rear their ugly heads.  Another way to handle nasty self-talk is to add the word "yet" after a sentence where it's appropriate.  For example, if you're telling yourself "I can't get anything done!," add "...yet!" as a sort of punctuation to the end of the sentence.  Over time, your self-esteem will improve as you shrink that little demon who's whispering inside your ear.  Try it!

"When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile."

Writer Regina Brett's life lessons are great little nuggets of wisdom.  There's something for everyone!  I'll be reflecting on this week's lesson:  "When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile."

Regina has sure said a mouthful here!  You should always try to take the best possible care of yourself.  As we all know, chocolate isn't exactly health food for the body, but it sure can make the mind and soul happy!  They say that dark chocolate can actually be good for the heart; don't take my word for it, though, feel free to Google away!  I think that her point is that sometimes, a little indulgence in a guilty pleasure is what makes life worth living.  Go ahead, enjoy your life a bit!



Visit Regina's website here.

Prophecies of Nostradamus: Century X

Century X

1
To the enemy, the enemy faith promised
Will not be kept, the captives retained:
One near death captured, and the remainder in their shirts,
The remainder damned for being supported.
2
The ship's veil will hide the sail galley,
The great fleet will come the lesser one to go out:
Ten ships near will turn to drive it back,
The great one conquered the united ones to join to itself.
3
After that five will not put out the flock,
A fugitive for Penelon he will turn loose:
To murmur falsely then help to come,
The chief will then abandon the siege.
4
At midnight the leader of the army
Will save himself, suddenly vanished:
Seven years later his reputation unblemished,
To his return they will never say yes.
5
Albi and Castres will form a new league,
Nine Arians Lisbon and the Portuguese:
Carcassonne and Toulouse will end their intrigue,
When the chief new monster from the Lauraguais.
6
The Gardon will flood Nîmes so high
That they will believe Deucalion reborn:
Into the colossus the greater part will flee,
Vesta tomb fire to appear extinguished.
7
The great conflict that they are preparing for Nancy,
The Macedonian will say I subjugate all:
The British Isle in anxiety over wine and salt,
"Hem. mi." Philip two Metz will not hold for long.
8
With forefinger and thumb he will moisten the forehead,
The Count of Senigallia to his own son:
The Venus through several of thin forehead,
Three in seven days wounded dead.
9
In the Castle of Figueras on a misty day
A sovereign prince will be born of an infamous woman:
Surname of breeches on the ground will make him posthumous,
Never was there a King so very bad in his province.
10
Stained with murder and enormous adulteries,
Great enemy of the entire human race:
One who will be worse than his grandfathers, uncles or fathers,
In steel, fire, waters, bloody and inhuman.
11
At the dangerous passage below Junquera,
The posthumous one will have his band cross:
To pass the Pyrenees mountains without his baggage,
From Perpignan the duke will hasten to Tende.
12
Elected Pope, as elected he will be mocked,
Suddenly unexpectedly moved prompt and timid:
Through too much goodness and kindness provoked to die,
Fear extinguished guides the night of his death.
13
Beneath the food of ruminating animals,
led by them to the belly of the fodder city:
Soldiers hidden, their arms making a noise,
Tried not far from the city of Antibes.
14
Urnel Vaucile without a purpose on his own,
Bold, timid, through fear overcome and captured:
Accompanied by several pale whores,
Convinced in the Carthusian convent at Barcelona.
15
Father duke old in years and choked by thirst,
On his last day his don denying him the jug:
Into the well plunged alive he will come up dead,
Senate to the thread death long and light.
16
Happy in the realm of France, happy in life,
Ignorant of blood, death, fury and plunder:
For a flattering name he will be envied,
A concealed King, too much faith in the kitchen.
17
The convict Queen seeing her daughter pale,
Because of a sorrow locked up in her breast:
Lamentable cries will come then from Angoulême,
And the marriage of the first cousin impeded.
18
The house of Lorraine will make way for Vendôme,
The high put low, and the low put high:
The son of Mammon will be elected in Rome,
And the two great ones will be put at a loss.
29
The day that she will be hailed as Queen,
The day after the benediction the prayer:
The reckoning is right and valid,
Once humble never was one so proud.
20
All the friend who will have belonged to the party,
For the rude in letters put to death and plundered:
Property up for sale at fixed price the great one annihilated.
Never were the Roman people so wronged.
21
Through the spite of the King supporting the lesser one,
He will be murdered presenting the jewels to him:
The father wishing to impress nobility on the son
Does as the Magi did of yore in Persia.
22
For not wishing to consent to the divorce,
Which then afterwards will be recognized as unworthy:
The King of the Isles will be driven out by force,
In his place put one who will have no mark of a king.
23
The remonstrances made to the ungrateful people,
Thereupon the army will seize Antibes:
The complaints will place Monace in the arch,
And at Fréjus the one will take the shore from the other
24
The captive prince conquered in Italy
Will pass Genoa by sea as far as Marseilles:
Through great exertion by the foreigners overcome,
Safe from gunshot, barrel of bee's liquor.
25
Through the Ebro to open the passage of Bisanne,
Very far away will the Tagus make a demonstration:
In Pelligouxe will the outrage be committed,
By the great lady seated in the orchestra.
26
The successor will avenge his brother-in-law,
To occupy the realm under the shadow of vengeance:
Obstacle slain his blood for the death blame,
For a long time will Brittany hold with France.
27
Through the fifth one and a great Hercules
They will come to open the temple by hand of war:
One Clement, Julius and Ascanius set back,
The sword, key, eagle, never was there such a great animosity.
28
Second and third which make prime music
By the King to be sublimated in honor:
Through the fat and the thin almost emaciated,
By the false report of Venus to be debased.
29
In a cave of Saint-Paul-de-Mausole a goat
Hidden and seized pulled out by the beard:
Led captive like a mastiff beast
By the Bigorre people brought to near Tarbes.
30
Nephew and blood of the new saint come,
Through the surname he will sustain arches and roof:
They will be driven out put to death chased nude,
Into red and black will they convert their green.
31
The Holy Empire will come into Germany,
The Ishmaelites will find open places:
The asses will want also Carmania,
The supporters all covered by earth.
32
The great empire, everyone would be of it,
One will come to obtain it over the others:
But his realm and state will be of short duration,
Two years will he be able to maintain himself on the sea.
33
The cruel faction in the long robe
Will come to hide under the sharp daggers:
The Duke to seize Florence and the diphthong place,
Its discovery by immature ones and sycophants.
34
The Gaul who will hold the empire through war,
He will be betrayed by his minor brother-in-law:
He will be drawn by a fierce, prancing horse,
The brother will be hated for the deed for a long time
35
The younger son of the king flagrant in burning lust
To enjoy his first cousin:
Female attire in the Temple of Artemis,
Going to be murdered by the unknown one of Maine.
36
Upon the King of the stump speaking of wars,
The United Isle will hold him in contempt:
For several good years one gnawing and pillaging,
Through tyranny in the isle esteem changing.
37
The great assembly near the Lake of Bourget,
They will meet near Montmélian:
Going beyond the thoughtful ones will draw up a plan,
Chambéry, Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne, Saint-Julien combat.
38
Sprightly love lays the siege not far,
The garrisons will be at the barbarian saint:
The Orsini and Adria will provide a guarantee for the Gauls,
For fear delivered by the army to the Grisons.
39
First son, widow, unfortunate marriage,
Without any children two Isles in discord:
Before eighteen, incompetent age,
For the other one the betrothal will take place while younger.
40
The young heir to the British realm,
Whom his dying father will have recommended:
The latter dead Lonole will dispute with him,
And from the son the realm demanded.
41
On the boundary of Caussade and Caylus,
Not at all far from the bottom of the valley:
Music from Villefranche to the sound of lutes,
Encompassed by cymbals and great stringing.
42
The humane realm of Anglican offspring,
It will cause its realm to hold to peace and union:
War half-captive in its enclosure,
For long will it cause them to maintain peace.
43
Too much good times, too much of royal goodness,
Ones made and unmade, quick, sudden, neglectful:
Lightly will he believe falsely of his loyal wife,
He put to death through his benevolence.
44
When a King will be against his people,
A native of Blois will subjugate the Ligurians,
Memel, Cordoba and the Dalmatians,
Of the seven then the shadow to the King, New Year’s money and ghosts.
45
The shadow of the realm of Navarre untrue,
It will make his life one of fate unlawful:
The vow made in Cambrai wavering,
King Orléans will give a lawful wall.
46
In life, fate and death a sordid, unworthy man of gold,
He will not be a new Elector of Saxony:
From Brunswick he will send for a sign of love,
The false seducer delivering it to the people.
47
At the Garland lady of the town of Burgos,
They will impose for the treason committed:
The great prelate of Leon through Formande,
Undone by false pilgrims and ravishers.
48
Banners of the deepest part of Spain,
Coming out from the tip and ends of Europe:
Troubles passing near the bridge of Laigne,
Its great army will be routed by a band.
49
Garden of the world near the new city,
In the path of the hollow mountains:
It will be seized and plunged into the Tub,
Forced to drink waters poisoned by sulfur.
50
The Meuse by day in the land of Luxembourg,
It will find Saturn and three in the urn:
Mountain and plain, town, city and borough,
Flood in Lorraine, betrayed by the great urn.
51
Some of the lowest places of the land of Lorraine
Will be united with the Low Germans:
Through those of the see Picards, Normans, those of Main,
And they will be joined to the cantons.
52
At the place where the Lys and the Scheldt unite,
The nuptials will be arranged for a long time:
At the place in Antwerp where they carry the chaff,
Young old age wife undefiled.
53
The three concubines will fight each other for a long time,
The greatest one the least will remain to watch:
The great Selin will no longer be her patron,
She will call him fire shield white route.
54
She born in this world of a furtive concubine,
At two raised high by the sad news:
She will be taken captive by her enemies,
And brought to Malines and Brussels.
55
The unfortunate nuptials will be celebrated
In great joy but the end unhappy:
Husband and mother will slight the daughter-in-law,
The Apollo dead and the daughter-in-law more pitiful.
56
The royal prelate his bowing too low,
A great flow of blood will come out of his mouth:
The Anglican realm a realm pulled out of danger,
For long dead as a stump alive in Tunis.
57
The uplifted one will not know his scepter,
He will disgrace the young children of the greatest ones:
Never was there a more filthy and cruel being,
For their wives the king will banish them to death.
58
In the time of mourning the feline monarch
Will make war upon the young Macedonian:
Gaul to shake, the bark to be in jeopardy,
Marseilles to be tried in the West a talk.
59
Within Lyons twenty-five of one mind,
Five citizens, Germans, Bressans, Latins:
Under a noble one they will lead a long train,
And discovered by barks of mastiffs.
60
I weep for Nice, Monaco, Pisa, Genoa,
Savona, Siena, Capua, Modena, Malta:
For the above blood and sword for a New Year's gift,
Fire, the earth will tremble, water an unhappy reluctance.
61
Betta, Vienna, Emorte, Sopron,
They will want to deliver Pannonia to the Barbarians:
Enormous violence through pike and fire,
The conspirators discovered by a matron.
62
Near "Sorbia" to assail Hungary,
The herald of "Brudes" (dark ones?) will come to warn them:
Byzantine chief, Salona of Slavonia,
He will come to convert them to the law of the Arabs.
63
Cydonia, Ragusa, the city of St. Jerome,
With healing help to grow green again:
The King's son dead because of the death of two heroes,
Araby and Hungary will take the same course.
64
Weep Milan, weep Lucca and Florence,
As your great Duke climbs into the chariot:
The see to change it advances to near Venice,
When at Rome the Colonna will change.
65
O vast Rome, thy ruin approaches,
Not of thy walls, of thy blood and substance:
The one harsh in letters will make a very horrible notch,
Pointed steel driven into all up to the hilt.
66
The chief of London through the realm of America,
The Isle of Scotland will be tried by frost:
King and Reb will face an Antichrist so false,
That he will place them in the conflict all together.
67
A very mighty trembling in the month of May,
Saturn in Capricorn, Jupiter and Mercury in Taurus:
Venus also, Cancer, Mars in Virgo,
Hail will fall larger than an egg.
68
The army of the sea will stand before the city,
Then it will leave without making a long passage:
A great flock of citizens will be seized on land,
Fleet to return to seize it great robbery.
69
The shining deed of the old one exalted anew,
Through the South and Aquilon they will be very great:
Raised by his own sister great crowds,
Fleeing, murdered in the thicket of Ambellon.
70
Through an object the eye will swell very much,
Burning so much that the snow will fall:
The fields watered will come to shrink,
As the primate succumbs at Reggio.
71
The earth and air will freeze a very great sea,
When they will come to venerate Thursday:
That which will be never was it so fair,
From the four parts they will come to honor it.
72
The year 1999, seventh month,
From the sky will come a great King of Terror:
To bring back to life the great King of the Mongols,
Before and after Mars to reign by good luck.
73
The present time together with the past
Will be judged by the great Joker:
The world too late will be tired of him,
And through the clergy oath-taker disloyal.
74
The year of the great seventh number accomplished,
It will appear at the time of the games of slaughter:
Not far from the great millennial age,
When the buried will go out from their tombs.
75
Long awaited he will never return
In Europe, he will appear in Asia:
One of the league issued from the great Hermes,
And he will grow over all the Kings of the East.
76
The great Senate will ordain the triumph
For one who afterwards will be vanquished, driven out:
At the sound of the trumpet of his adherents there will be
Put up for sale their possessions, enemies expelled.
77
Thirty adherents of the order of Quirites
Banished, their possessions given their adversaries:
All their benefits will be taken as misdeeds,
Fleet dispersed, delivered to the Corsairs.
78
Sudden joy to sudden sadness,
It will occur at Rome for the graces embraced:
Grief, cries, tears, weeping, blood, excellent mirth,
Contrary bands surprised and trussed up.
79
The old roads will all be improved,
One will proceed on them to the modern Memphis:
The great Mercury of Hercules fleur-de-lis,
Causing to tremble lands, sea and country.
80
In the realm the great one of the great realm reigning,
Through force of arms the great gates of brass
He will cause to open, the King and Duke joining,
Fort demolished, ship to the bottom, day serene.
81
A treasure placed in a temple by Hesperian citizens,
Therein withdrawn to a secret place:
The hungry bonds to open the temple,
Retaken, ravished, a horrible prey in the midst.
82
Cries, weeping, tears will come with knives,
Seeming to flee, they will deliver a final attack,
Parks around to set up high platforms,
The living pushed back and murdered instantly.
83
The signal to give battle will not be given,
They will be obliged to go out of the park:
The banner around Ghent will be recognized,
Of him who will cause all his followers to be put to death.
84
The illegitimate girl so high, high, not low,
The late return will make the grieved ones contended:
The Reconciled One will not be without debates,
In employing and losing all his time.
85
The old tribune on the point of trembling,
He will be pressed not to deliver the captive:
The will, non-will, speaking the timid evil,
To deliver to his friends lawfully.
86
Like a griffin will come the King of Europe,
Accompanied by those of Aquilon:
He will lead a great troop of red ones and white ones,
And they will go against the King of Babylon.
87
A Great King will come to take port near Nice,
Thus the death of the great empire will be completed:
In Antibes will he place his heifer,
The plunder by sea all will vanish.
88
Foot and Horse at the second watch,
They will make an entry devastating all by sea:
Within the port of Marseilles he will enter,
Tears, cries, and blood, never times so bitter.
89
The walls will be converted from brick to marble,
Seven and fifty pacific years:
Joy to mortals, the aqueduct renewed,
Health, abundance of fruits, joy and mellifluous times.
90
A hundred times will the inhuman tyrant die,
In his place put one learned and mild,
The entire Senate will be under his hand,
He will be vexed by a rash scoundrel.
91
In the year 1609, Roman clergy,
At the beginning of the year you will hold an election:
Of one gray and black issued from Campania,
Never was there one so wicked as he.
92
Before his father the child will be killed,
The father afterwards between ropes of rushes:
The people of Geneva will have exerted themselves,
The chief lying in the middle like a log.
93
The new bark will take trips,
There and near by they will transfer the Empire:
Beaucaire, Arles will retain the hostages,
Near by, two columns of Porphyry found.
94
Scorn from Nîmes, from Arles and Vienne,
Not to obey the Hesperian edict:
To the tormented to condemn the great one,
Six escaped in seraphic garb.
95
To the Spains will come a very powerful King,
By land and sea subjugating the South:
This evil will cause, lowering again the crescent,
Clipping the wings of those of Friday.
96
The Religion of the name of the seas will win out
Against the sect of the son of Adaluncatif:
The stubborn, lamented sect will be afraid
Of the two wounded by A and A.
97
Triremes full of captives of every age,
Good time for bad, the sweet for the bitter:
Prey to the Barbarians hasty they will be too soon,
Anxious to see the feather wail in the wind.
98
For the merry maid the bright splendor
Will shine no longer, for long will she be without salt:
With merchants, bullies, wolves odious,
All confusion universal monster.
99
The end of wolf, lion, ox and ass,
Timid deer they will be with mastiffs:
No longer will the sweet manna fall upon them,
More vigilance and watch for the mastiffs.
100
The great empire will be for England,
The all-powerful one for more than three hundred years:
Great forces to pass by sea and land,
The Lusitanians will not be satisfied thereby.

How To Be Sexier For Your Man, Lesson #1: Confidence

Let's talk a little about how to be sexy for your man -- whether it's a new boyfriend that you're just connecting with, or your lifelong husband who knows you all too well.

Before we begin, I do want to state that in a relationship that's based on love and respect, it's healthy to take your lover's needs and wants into consideration. Please the one you love, and be pleased in return.

Have you ever noticed that some girls seem to attract a lot of guys, even if they aren't particularly beautiful, and don't seem really special in any way? There's a secret that they know, which I'm going to let you in on right now.

The real key is confidence. Confidence can make anyone -- from the beautiful to the downright ugly -- seem exceptionally intriguing.

The best place to start is within your own mind. If you project a sexy energy and try to keep a positive, confident mindset, your man will definitely feel that energy. And he'll sense that sexy inner glow that you're projecting for him.

Faith For a Spiritual Awakening

Faith is a vital ingredient in a spiritual transformation.  It's easy to have faith in practical things.  If we fall, we know that there will be solid ground underneath to catch us.  If it's supposed to rain, we merely need to open an umbrella or seek shelter.  Whether we possess this faith or not, the ground shall always exist.  A strong shelter will always protect us from the elements.  However, believing in what we cannot see or know is much more difficult.  You do not need to believe in God or any one religion in order to experience a spiritual transformation, but you should have an understanding that the universe is filled with mysteries that you cannot yet comprehend.  The understanding and faith in a higher power, or the might of the universal energies around us, must be present in order to commune with the divine.  There is a love and a spiritual connection that bonds us all to one another.  Faith will open your eyes and help you to see the spiritual meanings in everything around it.  Just as a key can unlock a door to the unknown, your faith can unlock the powerful spiritual mysteries around you.  It can also unlock your heart and allow you to connect with others, as well as with the divine love which binds us all.

"Save for retirement starting with your first paycheck."

Writer Regina Brett's life lessons are great little nuggets of wisdom.  There's something for everyone!  I'll be reflecting on this week's lesson:  "Save for retirement starting with your first paycheck."

I'm sure that most people reading this have already gone well beyond their first paychecks by now!  But if you haven't, do consider starting to save now.  100 years ago, the average human life expectancy was less than 50 years.  We're living well into our 80s now in many parts of the world!  However, old age can be expensive.  Even though we think we'll be young forever, we will all eventually need to slow down and grow up -- if we're lucky!  Do the best you can to take care of yourself, physically, emotionally, and financially.  Remember that needs must come before wants. 



Visit Regina's website here.

Try to see the big picture and put something away for those far-off rainy days.  You will thank your past self someday.

Green Aura

One of the most popular colors of aura bearers everywhere is green -- and green auras can come in all shades from the darkest "nori green", all the way up to pale minty green shades. 

Green is a cool, soothing color within the auric spectrum.  It corresponds to the element of earth and to the Heart Chakra.

Keywords to describe a blue aura person would be: friendly, healing, positive, sociable, spiritual, stubborn, tenacious, natural, connected, communicative.

A more in-depth analysis of what a green aura means can be found in my previous entry here.  Many shades of green are listed, so you can find your specific shade meaning easily. :)

Magickal Properties of the Pearl

Pearls are the gemstones of the sea. Not a crystal but can still be used in crystal therapy. There are various myths that tell the story of a pearl's formation; they are said to have been formed by a tear from Venus, the Goddess of love. However, the truth is that a pearl is made grain of sand or other object manages to get inside the shell of a mollusk (oyster, clam, etc.). The foreign object becomes covered with a calcium substance that is secreted by the animal. Over time, it becomes hard and smooth, with a radiant luster. Pearls come in many shades; the most popular are white, but pink, black, yellow, brownish, and other colors also occur in nature. They are found in bodies of water all over the world.

Because of the pearl's shape and luster, as well as its origin, it is considered to be a gemstone of the Moon. Pearls are also said to have aphrodisiacal qualities and boost feminine powers, as well as ability to make the bearer immortal. Legend has it that pearl powders are a key ingredient in elixirs of immortality as they are a talisman of youth and beauty. Pearls are the gem of choice to strengthen the heart, kidneys, and lungs.

Yellow and green pearls are said to bring prosperity and abundance, while brown hued pearls give their bearers intelligence and foresight. White pearls are worn to give strength, female power, and happiness. All pearls are powerful in blocking the evil eye, curses, and negative energies; they are all also instrumental in enhancing psychic abilities.

"It's OK to get angry with God. He can take it."

Writer Regina Brett's life lessons are great little nuggets of wisdom.  There's something for everyone!  I'll be reflecting on this week's lesson:  "It's OK to get angry with God. He can take it."

Some may see this musing to be somewhat blasphemous.  But remember, you can love someone and still get angry with them at the same time.  Think back to when you were a child.  Sometimes, you wanted things that weren't good for you.  Did your parents agree to give into your demands, throwing caution to the wind and ignoring your safety or well-being?  Of course not!  Did you get angry with them, failing to see what their intentions were?  Heck, yes!

Our relationship with God is much the same way as the one with our parents.  It is His job to guide and protect us.  Sometimes, the things that He does are beyond our comprehension (and may well always be!), and getting angry about loss or pain is natural.  God knows and understands this.  Remember to make up with Him once your anger has subsided, though.





Visit Regina's website here.

"Cry with someone. It's more healing than crying alone."

Writer Regina Brett's life lessons are great little nuggets of wisdom.  There's something for everyone!  I'll be reflecting on this week's lesson:  "Cry with someone. It's more healing than crying alone."

"Misery loves company."  This old chestnut is pretty well-worn into the collective subconscious.  When we share our disappointments with someone who can relate, life doesn't seem to hurt so much.  People who are hurting over the same loss can find strength and comfort in grieving together.  Even if you're crying and the other parties involved are not, accept the love and help of those around you who wish to be there for you in your time of emotional need.  Chances are good that in the future, they'll need to be with you, too, when their time comes. 


Visit Regina's website here.

"You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree."

Writer Regina Brett's life lessons are great little nuggets of wisdom.  There's something for everyone!  I'll be reflecting on this week's lesson:  "You don't have to win every argument.  Agree to disagree."

It's never easy to argue with someone unpleasantly, especially someone that you love.  However, because we're all human, we've all got our own personal convictions.  Sometimes, these are so deeply held that we just can't understand why someone else's would be any different.  When the person is close to us, or is someone that we really respect, it can be really hard to wrap our minds around this difference.  We may get wrapped up in trying to "convince" others that our way is the right one.  But guess what?  That other person's thoughts and feelings likely run just as deep as yours do.  You won't always be able to convince everyone of everything.  Don't worry about it.  When you put your ego's need to be right on the back burner, you can agree to disagree.  This is a big world, and there's room for opinions of all kinds.

Visit Regina's website here.

Casting Spells on Other People

As a professional psychic and spirit worker, I have been asked to cast spells for people.  I'm happy to do so, with certain conditions.  If you're unsure about whether or not to cast a spell on someone, feel free to go by my list of three important self-imposed rules for safe and successful spellcasting.

1.  The first rule of casting a spell on someone is this:  In order to stay safe, to make sure you're not doing something "evil."  Spellwork that comes from a place of light, or positivity, or "The Source" will not harm other people.  In your magick, as well as the rest of your life, take care to "harm none" and you'll be much safer.  Avoid casting hexes or curses, as the negative energy that you emit from this is bound to come back to you -- according to some traditions, threefold, tenfold, or even more!  No one wants that!

2.  Don't cast a spell on someone which forces them to do something against their will.  This is the case with things such as love or breakup spells.  While it is possible that they can work, their actions will not be motivated by their heart.  A spell such as this never really creates lasting love, or any lasting feeling, nor will it create the feeling in a sincere and heartfelt way.  Instead, what you'll get is a hollow echo of the real thing, and you'll wind up miserable.  Trust me, I've seen it happen!

3.  Never cast a spell on someone without their permission.  Even if you think you're helping that person, it is a violation of someone's personal boundaries for you to determine what you think is best for them.  If they come to you and ask, then it's fine!  If you ask them ahead of time and they're OK with it, it's also fine.  But imposing your will on other people can actually become more harmful than helpful.  The one exception to this is when you know that someone is experiencing a real emergency or crisis; just as "implied consent" in an emergency compels medical professionals to treat seriously ill patients, so can spiritual workers imply consent for those experiencing major crises as well.

Prophecies of Nostradamus: Century IX

Century IX

1
In the house of the translator of Bourg,
The letters will be found on the table,
One-eyed, red-haired, white, hoary-headed will hold the course,
Which will change for the new Constable.
2
From the top of the Aventine hill a voice heard,
Be gone, be gone all of you on both sides:
The anger will be appeased by the blood of the red ones,
From Rimini and Prato, the Colonna expelled.
3
The "great cow" at Racenna in great trouble,
Led by fifteen shut up at Fornase:
At Rome there will be born two double-headed monsters,
Blood, fire, flood, the greatest ones in space.
4
The following year discoveries through flood,
Two chiefs elected, the first one will not hold:
The refuge for the one of them fleeing a shadow,
The house of which will maintain the first one plundered.
5
The third toe will seem first
To a new monarch from low high,
He who will possess himself as a Tyrant of Pisa and Lucca,
To correct the fault of his predecessor.
6
An infinity of Englishmen in Guienne
Will settle under the name of Anglaquitaine:
In Languedoc, Ispalme, Bordelais,
Which they will name after Barboxitaine.
7
He who will open the tomb found,
And will come to close it promptly,
Evil will come to him, and one will be unable to prove,
If it would be better to be a Breton or Norman King.
8
The younger son made King will put his father to death,
After the conflict very dishonest death:
Inscription found, suspicion will bring remorse,
When the wolf driven out lies down ion the bedstead.
9
When the lamp burning with inextinguishable fire
Will be found in the temple of the Vestals:
Child found in fire, water passing through the sieve:
To perish in water Nîmes, Toulouse the markets to fall.
10
The child of a monk and nun exposed to death,
To die through a she-bear, and carried off by a boar,
The army will be camped by Foix and Pamiers,
Against Toulouse Carcassonne the harbinger to form.
11
Wrongly will they come to put the just one to death,
In public and in the middle extinguished:
So great a pestilence will come to arise in this place,
That the judges will be forced to flee.
12
So much silver of Diana and Mercury,
The images will be found in the lake:
The sculptor looking for new clay,
He and his followers will be steeped in gold.
13
The exiles around Sologne,
Led by night to march into Auxois,
Two of Modena for Bologna cruel,
Placed discovered by the fire of Buzanais.
14
Dyers' caldrons put on the flat surface,
Wine, honey and oil, and built over furnaces:
They will be immersed, innocent, pronounced malefactors,
Seven of Bordeaux smoke still in the cannon.
15
Near Perpignan the red ones detained,
Those of the middle completely ruined led far off:
Three cut in pieces, and five badly supported,
For the Lord and Prelate of Burgundy.
16
Out of Castelfranco will come the assembly,
The ambassador not agreeable will cause a schism:
Those of Riviera will be in the squabble,
And they will refuse entry to the great gulf.
17
The third one first does worse than Nero,
How much human blood to flow, valiant, be gone:
He will cause the furnace to be rebuilt,
Golden Age dead, new King great scandal.
18
The lily of the Dauphin will reach into Nancy,
As far as Flanders the Elector of the Empire:
New confinement for the great Montmorency,
Outside proven places delivered to celebrated punishment.
19
In the middle of the forest of Mayenne,
Lightning will fall, the Sun in Leo:
The great bastard issued from the great one Maine,
On this day a point will enter the blood of Fougères.
20
By night will come through the forest of Reines,
Two couples roundabout route Queen the white stone,
The monk king in gray in Varennes:
Elected Capet causes tempest, fire, blood, slice.
21
At the tall temple of Saint-Solenne at Blois,
Night Loire bridge, Prelate, King killing outright:
Crushing victory in the marshes of the pond,
Whence prelacy of whites miscarrying.
22
The King and his court in the place of cunning tongue,
Within the temple facing the palace:
In the garden the Duke of Mantua and Alba,
Alba and Mantua dagger tongue and palace.
23
The younger son playing outdoors under the arbor,
The top of the roof in the middle on his head,
The father King in the temple of Saint-Solonne,
Sacrificing he will consecrate festival smoke.
24
Upon the palace at the balcony of the windows,
The two little royal ones will be carried off:
To pass Orléans, Paris, abbey of Saint-Denis,
Nun, wicked ones to swallow green pits.
25
Crossing the bridges to come near the Roisiers,
Sooner than he thought, he arrived late.
The new Spaniards will come to Béziers,
So that this chase will break the enterprise.
26
Departed by the bitter letters the surname of Nice,
The great Cappe will present something, not his own;
Near Voltai at the wall of the green columns,
After Piombino the wind in good earnest.
27
The forester, the wind will be close around the bridge,
Received highly, he will strike the Dauphin.
The old craftsman will pass through the woods in a company,
Going far beyond the right borders of the Duke.
28
The Allied fleet from the port of Marseilles,
In Venice harbor to march against Hungary.
To leave from the gulf and the bay of Illyria,
Devastation in Sicily, for the Ligurians, cannon shot.
29
When the man will give way to none,
Will wish to abandon a place taken, yet not taken;
Ship afire through the swamps, bitumen at Charlieu,
St. Quintin and Calais will be recaptured.
30
At the port of Pola and of San Nicolo,
A Normand will punish in the Gulf of Quarnero:
Capet to cry alas in the streets of Byzantium,
Help from Cadiz and the great Philip.
31
The tin island of St. George half sunk;
Drowsy with peace, war will arise,
At Easter in the temple abysses opened.
32
A deep column of fine porphyry is found,
Inscriptions of the Capitol under the base;
Bones, twisted hair, the Roman strength tried,
The fleet is stirred at the harbor of Mitylene.
33
Hercules King of Rome and of "Annemark,"
With the surname of the chief of triple Gaul,
Italy and the one of St. Mark to tremble,
First monarch renowned above all.
34
The single part afflicted will be mitered,
Return conflict to pass over the tile:
For five hundred one to betray will be titled
Narbonne and Salces we have oil for knives.
35
And fair Ferdinand will be detached,
To abandon the flower, to follow the Macedonian:
In the great pinch his course will fail,
And he will march against the Myrmidons.
36
A great King taken by the hands of a young man,
Not far from Easter confusion knife thrust:
Everlasting captive times what lightning on the top,
When three brothers will wound each other and murder.
37
Bridge and mills overturned in December,
The Garonne will rise to a very high place:
Walls, edifices, Toulouse overturned,
So that none will know his place like a matron.
38
The entry at Blaye for La Rochelle and the English,
The great Macedonian will pass beyond:
Not far from Agen will wait the Gaul,
Narbonne help beguiled through conversation.
39
In Albisola to Veront and Carcara,
Led by night to seize Savona:
The quick Gascon La Turbie and L'Escarène:
Behind the wall old and new palace to seize.
40
Near Saint-Quintin in the forest deceived,
In the Abbey the Flemish will be cut up:
The two younger sons half-stunned by blows,
The rest crushed and the guard all cut to pieces.
41
The great "Chyren" will seize Avignon,
From Rome letters in honey full of bitterness:
Letter and embassy to leave from Chanignon,
Carpentras taken by a black duke with a red feather.
42
From Barcelona, from Genoa and Venice,
From Sicily pestilence Monaco joined:
They will take their aim against the Barbarian fleet,
Barbarian driven 'way back as far as Tunis.
43
On the point of landing the Crusader army
Will be ambushed by the Ishmaelites,
Struck from all sides by the ship Impetuosity,
Rapidly attacked by ten elite galleys.
44
Leave, leave Geneva every last one of you,
Saturn will be converted from gold to iron,
Raypoz will exterminate all who oppose him,
Before the coming the sky will show signs.
45
None will remain to ask,
Great Mendosus will obtain his dominion:
Far from the court he will cause to be countermanded
Piedmont, Picardy, Paris, Tuscany the worst.
46
Be gone, flee from Toulouse ye red ones,
For the sacrifice to make expiation:
The chief cause of the evil under the shade of pumpkins:
Dead to strangle carnal prognostication.
47
The undersigned to an infamous deliverance,
And having contrary advice from the multitude:
Monarch changes put in danger over thought,
Shut up in a cage they will see each other face to face.
48
The great city of the maritime Ocean,
Surrounded by a crystalline swamp:
In the winter solstice and the spring,
It will be tried by frightful wind.
49
Ghent and Brussels will march against Antwerp,
The Senate of London will put to death their King:
Salt and wine will overthrow him,
To have them the realm turned upside down.
50
Mendosus will soon come to his high realm,
Putting behind a little the Lorrainers:
The pale red one, the male in the interregnum,
The fearful youth and Barbaric terror.
51
Against the red ones sects will conspire,
Fire, water, steel, rope through peace will weaken:
On the point of dying those who will plot,
Except one who above all the world will ruin.
52
Peace is nigh on one side, and war,
Never was the pursuit of it so great:
To bemoan men, women innocent blood on the land,
And this will be throughout all France.
53
The young Nero in the three chimneys
Will cause live pages to be thrown to burn:
Happy those who will be far away from such practices,
Three of his blood will have him ambushed to death.
54
There will arrive at Porto Corsini,
Near Ravenna, he who will plunder the lady:
In the deep sea legate from Lisbon,
Hidden under a rock they will carry off seventy souls.
55
The horrible war which is being prepared in the West,
The following year will come the pestilence
So very horrible that young, old, nor beast,
Blood, fire Mercury, Mars, Jupiter in France.
56
The army near Houdan will pass Goussainville,
And at Maiotes it will leave its mark:
In an instant more than a thousand will be converted,
Looking for the two to put them back in chain and firewood.
57
In the place of Drux a King will rest,
And will look for a law changing Anathema:
While the sky will thunder so very loudly,
New entry the King will kill himself.
58
On the left side at the spot of Vitry,
The three red ones of France will be awaited:
All felled red, black one not murdered,
By the Bretons restored to safety.
59
At La Ferté-Vidame he will seize,
Nicholas held red who had produced his life:
The great Louise who will act secretly one will be born,
Giving Burgundy to the Bretons through envy.
60
Conflict Barbarian in the black Headdress,
Blood shed, Dalmatia to tremble:
Great Ishmael will set up his promontory,
Frogs to tremble Lusitania aid.
61
The plunder made upon the marine coast,
In Cittanova and relatives brought forward:
Several of Malta through the deed of Messina
Will be closely confined poorly rewarded.
62
To the great one of Ceramon-agora,
The crusaders will all be attached by rank,
The long-lasting Opium and Mandrake,
The Raugon will be released on the third of October.
63
Complaints and tears, cries and great howls,
Near Narbonne at Bayonne and in Foix:
Oh, what horrible calamities and changes,
Before Mars has made several revolutions.
64
The Macedonian to pass the Pyrenees mountains,
In March Narbonne will not offer resistance:
By land and sea he will carry on very great intrigue,
Capetian having no land safe for residence.
65
He will come to go into the corner of Luna,
Where he will be captured and put in a strange land:
The unripe fruits will be the subject of great scandal,
Great blame, to one great praise.
66
There will be peace, union and change,
Estates, offices, low high and high very low:
To prepare a trip, the first offspring torment,
War to cease, civil process, debates.
67
From the height of the mountains around the Isère,
One hundred assembled at the haven in the rock Valence:
From Châteauneuf, Pierrelatte, in Donzère,
Against Crest, Romans, faith assembled.
68
The noble of Mount Aymar will be made obscure,
The evil will come at the junction of the Saône and Rhône:
Soldiers hidden in the woods on Lucy's day,
Never was there so horrible a throne.
69
One the mountain of Saint-Bel and L'Arbresle
The proud one of Grenoble will be hidden:
Beyond Lyons and Vienne on them a very great hail,
Lobster on the land not a third thereof will remain.
70
Sharp weapons hidden in the torches.
In Lyons, the day of the Sacrament,
Those of Vienne will all be cut to pieces,
By the Latin Cantons Mâcon does not lie.
71
At the holy places animals seen with hair,
With him who will not dare the day:
At Carcassonne propitious for disgrace,
He will be set for a more ample stay.
72
Again will the holy temples be polluted,
And plundered by the Senate of Toulouse:
Saturn two three cycles completed,
In April, May, people of new leaven.
73
The Blue Turban King entered into Foix,
And he will reign less than an evolution of Saturn:
The White Turban King Byzantium heart banished,
Sun, Mars and Mercury near Aquarius.
74
In the city of Fertsod homicide,
Deed, and deed many oxen plowing no sacrifice:
Return again to the honors of Artemis,
And to Vulcan bodies dead ones to bury.
75
From Ambracia and the country of Thrace
People by sea, evil and help from the Gauls:
In Provence the perpetual trace,
With vestiges of their custom and laws.
76
With the rapacious and blood-thirsty king,
Issued from the pallet of the inhuman Nero:
Between two rivers military hand left,
He will be murdered by Young Baldy.
77
The realm taken the King will conspire,
The lady taken to death ones sworn by lot:
They will refuse life to the Queen and son,
And the mistress at the fort of the wife.
78
The Greek lady of ugly beauty,
Made happy by countless suitors:
Transferred out to the Spanish realm,
Taken captive to die a miserable death.
79
The chief of the fleet through deceit and trickery
Will make the timid ones come out of their galleys:
Come out, murdered, the chief renouncer of chrism,
Then through ambush they will pay him his wages.
80
The Duke will want to exterminate his followers,
He will send the strongest ones to strange places:
Through tyranny to ruin Pisa and Lucca,
Then the Barbarians will gather the grapes without vine.
81
The crafty King will understand his snares,
Enemies to assail from three sides:
A strange number tears from hoods,
The grandeur of the translator will come to fail.
82
By the flood and fierce pestilence,
The great city for long besieged:
The sentry and guard dead by hand,
Sudden capture but none wronged.
83
Sun twentieth of Taurus the earth will tremble very mightily,
It will ruin the great theater filled:
To darken and trouble air, sky and land,
Then the infidel will call upon God and saints.
84
The King exposed will complete the slaughter,
After having discovered his origin:
Torrent to open the tomb of marble and lead,
Of a great Roman with Medusine device.
85
To pass Guienne, Languedoc and the Rhône,
From Agen holding Marmande and La Réole:
To open through faith the wall, Marseilles will hold its throne,
Conflict near Saint-Paul-de-Mausole.
86
From Bourg-la-Reine they will come straight to Chartres,
And near Pont d'Antony they will pause:
Seven crafty as Martens for peace,
Paris closed by an army they will enter.
87
In the forest cleared of the Tuft,
By the hermitage will be placed the temple:
The Duke of Étampes through the ruse he invented
Will teach a lesson to the prelate of Montlhéry.
88
Calais, Arras, help to Thérouanne,
Peace and semblance the spy will simulate:
The soldiery of Savoy to descend by Roanne,
People who would end the rout deterred.
89
For seven years fortune will favor Philip,
He will beat down again the exertions of the Arabs:
Then at his noon perplexing contrary affair,
Young Ogmios will destroy his stronghold.
90
A captain of Great Germany
Will come to deliver through false help
To the King of Kings the support of Pannonia,
So that his revolt will cause a great flow of blood.
91
The horrible plague Perinthus and Nicopolis,
The Peninsula and Macedonia will it fall upon:
It will devastate Thessaly and Amphipolis,
An unknown evil, and from Anthony refusal.
92
The King will want to enter the new city,
Through its enemies they will come to subdue it:
Captive free falsely to speak and act,
King to be outside, he will keep far from the enemy.
93
The enemies very far from the fort,
The bastion brought by wagons:
Above the walls of Bourges crumbled,
When Hercules the Macedonian will strike.
94
Weak galleys will be joined together,
False enemies the strongest on the rampart:
Weak ones assailed Bratislava trembles,
Lübeck and Meissen will take the barbarian side.
95
The newly made one will lead the army,
Almost cut off up to near the bank:
Help from the Milanais elite straining,
The Duke deprived of his eyes in Milan in an iron cage.
96
The army denied entry to the city,
The Duke will enter through persuasion:
The army led secretly to the weak gates,
They will put it to fire and sword, effusion of blood.
97
The forces of the sea divided into three parts,
The second one will run out of supplies,
In despair looking for the Elysian Fields,
The first ones to enter the breach will obtain the victory.
98
Those afflicted through the fault of a single one stained,
The transgressor in the opposite party:
He will send word to those of Lyons that compelled
They be to deliver the great chief of Molite.
99
The "Aquilon" Wind will cause the siege to be raised,
Over the walls to throw ashes, lime and dust:
Through rain afterwards, which will do them much worse,
Last help against their frontier.
100
Naval battle night will be overcome,
Fire in the ships to the West ruin:
New trick, the great ship colored,
Anger to the vanquished, and victory in a drizzle.

What is Imbolc/Candlemas?

Imbolc is also known as Candlemas, or the Feast of St. Brigid.  It is pronounced "IM-bolk."  Imbolc is one of 8 major pagan holidays.  It falls on Feburary 1st or 2nd, the midpoint between winter and spring.  Many ancient cultures celebrated some form of Imbolc, including ancient Eqyptian and Celtic people.  Imbolc honors St. Brigid, and celebrates fertility, fire, and youth.  Pagan people often use candles and bonfires as symbols of celebration for this holiday.  Celebrants often use straw fools in rituals.  These dolls may be kept throughout the year for continued good fortune.  St. Brigid's Cross, a symbol which honors her, is often associated with this holiday.  Imbolc is a time of renewal; it's a great time of year to make a fresh start! :)

"Pay off your credit cards every month."

Writer Regina Brett's life lessons are great little nuggets of wisdom.  There's something for everyone!
I'll be reflecting on this week's lesson:  "Pay off your credit cards every month." 

Oh boy, this one's a toughie for some people!  I do my best to pay my bills on time, but hey, sometimes it's hard to remember every last thing.  And we've all had our share of financial crises from time to time.  Things happen sometimes.  Cars break.  People get sick and need things that their insurance may not cover.  Things at home need to be fixed.  Clothing emergencies occur (and I'm talking about actual wardrobe malfunctions, not "Oooh my favorite store is having a shoe sale!).  Holidays come and go, along with the often high expectations of our loved ones.  And... let's face it... sometimes our favorite store has a shoe sale that we just can't resist!  When money comes in slow, it seems to go out quickly.  The trick is to live within our means.  We need to take a look around us, and really prioritize what we need over what we want.  Paying our bills are a legitimate "need."  If you're able to pay off your credit cards 100% every month, you'll sleep a lot better knowing that your charges aren't out there garnering crazy amounts of interest.  If you cannot do this, at least get your minimums paid... but then consider doing the work to get as far out of debt as you can.  Life is so much sweeter when you have lots of room on those credit cards for rainy days.

Visit Regina's website here.

How to Have a Spiritual Awakening

Maybe you want to know how to bring about your own spiritual awakening.  The invocation of your own spiritual awakening is a difficult and ambitious undertaking.  You cannot turn a spiritual awakening on and off; it must simply happen.  However, you can get yourself into the right mindset to become ready for it.  When you open your heart and mind, you are in a much better position to receive direction and enlightenment from the divine.  Because the spirituality of every individual is completely different, you cannot expect that what works for another person will work for you, and vice versa.  If you're letting nature take its course, you cannot force a spiritual awakening.  Just relax.  It'll happen in its own time.

"Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does."

Writer Regina Brett's life lessons are great little nuggets of wisdom.  There's something for everyone!
I'll be reflecting on this week's lesson:  ""Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does."

People often worry unnecessarily about what other people think of them.  It's human nature!  We want to look just right; we can become consumed with looking the part, acting like we know everything, speaking with confidence.  "Fake it 'til you make it" is an oft-heard mantra in the self-help game.  It's not terrible advice at all, but sometimes you have to take a step back and realize that most people are too absorbed in their own needs to be confident, to look great, and to sound intelligent -- just like you are!  Learn to laugh at yourself sometimes.  Realize that you are good enough as you are.  Aspire to your dreams, but never feel the need to put on airs or to feel shame for the person you are.  If you screw up, laugh and learn.  Then, when you're ready, try again!



Visit Regina's website here.

Opal and Its Mystical Properties

The opal has a rich and mysterious history behind it.  Many people revere this powerful gem... some are even afraid of its amazing virtues.  The pale milky opal often has a flash of colors within it; some of the prettiest opals actually have sparkling flecks and multicolored facets that can show every color of the rainbow.  The word itself is derived from a Sanskrit word, "upala," which means "precious stone."

It is said that those who are born in its ruling month, October, are doubly blessed to enjoy its powers.  However, those who are born other times of the year -- watch out!  The opal can actually give you the opposite of what you desire, or even be dangerous to you.  Is this legend based in truth?  Read on to find out the whole story.

Opals were actually prized at one time for their other amazing abilities.  One ancient legend has it that a necklace made of opals will prevent blonde hair from darkening or fading into other colors.  Opals were also known as "patronus forum," the patron of thieves, as it was said that opals could make the wearer invisible at will.  Opals are also associated with religious fervor, thought to strengthen the power of prayer and to instill hope in those who wore it.

The opal crystal has healing powers as well.  Like many stones, it has been thought to help ailments of the eye, as well as prevent more serious diseases.  It can also provide its bearer with good dreams, as well as loyalty and love from others.

By the way... that reputation for the opal to be harmful?  Completely false!  The opal's so-called evil reputation can actually be traced to one source only:  A novel called Anne of Geuerstein by Sir Walter Scott is actually to blame for this myth.  A character in the story called Lady Hermione was proven to be a demoness when a drop of holy water removed the color from the opal she wore in her hair (which turned red when she was angry, and sparkled when she was happy) and turned it black.  The opal was then seen as an evil gemstone with the power to harm others.  Within months of the novel's completion in 1829, the value of opals declined significantly as no one wanted to buy them.  But don't let this fictional story stop you.  Enjoy opals -- even if you don't believe in the myths and legends, they're just gorgeous and wonderful gemstones!

"Life is too short to waste time hating anyone."

Writer Regina Brett's life lessons are great little nuggets of wisdom.  There's something for everyone!
I'll be reflecting on this week's lesson:  "Life is too short to waste time hating anyone."

If we're very lucky, most of us will see about seventy years worth of laughter, tears, fun, fear, garbage, and awesomeness.  We'll have dreams and we'll see them through, or maybe they won't work out at all.  But we should all aspire to fill our lives with as much love as we can -- love for ourselves, for each other, for the world.  Hate is a difficult emotion to handle, because it poisons everything that it touches.  Emotions like hurt and fear often turn into hate.  It can be hard to control.  I'm not going to say "If someone hurts you, forgive them and everything will be wonderful and you can love them again!"  It doesn't always work like that.  Stuff's complicated.  But one thing I do know is that if you dwell on all of the bad things which are done to you, and obsess over the people that you dislike or even hate, you'll be taking time away from doing what you love -- and you could also be spending that time with the ones who love you.   Hating can be a tempting thing indeed.  But even if you can't forgive or forget readily, remember not to lose sight of the fact that you are in control of how you share your emotional time.  Don't harm yourself with negativity.  Try to rise above it and place your focus elsewhere.


Visit Regina's full list of life lessons on her site, here. :)

Physical Signs and Symptoms of a Spiritual Awakening

When physical manifestations of a spiritual awakening occur, you may or may not be feeling like our muscle-bound friend here!  But there are some documentations of what a spiritual awakening feels like in your body, as well as how to deal with the repercussions.  Enjoy!

New and unusual physical changes.  Physical issues or complaints that you thought were long resolved may be popping back up, or perhaps the reverse is true; issues which seem to plague you on a regular basis seem to be fading or, at least, not bugging you as much.  You may experience tiredness, muscle cramps, changes in hearbeat, libido changes (for good or ill), migraines or back pain.  It's always best to talk to your doctor when you experience physical changes, illness symptoms, or pain, and it is what I always recommend.  However, do not panic (unless your medical professional advises you to do so!).  Many times, spiritual awakenings will tax our bodies in ways that we would not realize or expect.

Surprising and unexpected energy bursts that prompt you into action, along with periods of overwhelming lethargy and tiredness.  You may feel like you're ready to leap out of your chair and go slay a dragon one day, followed by a wave of fatigue only moments later.  Your energy levels may be shifting and it will take you some time to get used to those changes.  The best way to handle such energy shifts is to go with the flow.  When you have an energy burst, use it to your advantage.  Try to recognize a pattern so that when you do have bouts of energy, you can accomplish things without getting stuck halfway through.  If you feel tired and need to rest, do it.  Sleep when you need to sleep, even if you happen to require more rest than you previously did; if you're tired but not able to fall asleep, try doing something soothing but productive; I like to read, catch up on my emails, blog or work on whatever book I'm writing.  Find ways to occupy your mind and get things done until you are suitably ready to rest.

Feeling more in sync with cyclical changes in nature.  As the moon goes through each of its phases, you may be experiencing certain physical or emotional sensations that are associated with those phases.  You may notice that you are increasingly aware of weather patterns and seasonal cycles.  A stronger connection to nature and a heightened sense of awareness of the earth's changes can be beneficial to you.

Nails and hair growing faster than usual.  This may be a sign that you're also craving additional protein in your diet, and the body is making use of it.  You may also notice that the quality of the hair and nails has changed as well.  Perhaps your nails are stronger and break less.  Or your hair is smoother and more luminous, with less breakage and more durability.

Fluttering heartbeat.  Spiritual awakenings can cause disturbances in several of the body's natural processes.  The circulatory system, and the major organs, are no different.  When you heart chakra becomes extremely full and sensitive, you may experience what is known as benign PVCs.  A racing, pounding heart which begin and ends with no rhyme or reason can indicate stress or an opening of the heart chakra.  Always check with your doctor whenever you have any cardiac issues, however.  Make sure that there are no other issues which may be making you ill, as heart conditions are serious business!

A heightened sense of physical sensitivity, especially with the skin.  A spiritual awakening can cause dermatological issues such as rosacea, shingles, breakouts, and hives.  Many of these conditions are often caused by stress and nerves; spiritual changes are no different.  Some psychological issues, when left unchecked, can come out through the pores as people tend to bottle up traumatic or problematic issues.  Try to de-stress as much as you possibly can.  Treat both your symptoms as well as your underlying emotional issues.

You may also experience more physical sensitivity with your other senses.  Eyesight may be clearer and more keen, though the sensitivity could also become painful where there are bright lights or with visuals that require more focus and concentration.  Your senses of smell and taste can also become quite intense, particularly the sense of smell.  With a sharper sense of smell, you can pick up on a great many additional things, however, you must be careful; scents that you usually love may become too intense for you, and may make you ill.  Sense of touch can also manifest a great deal more sensitivity; textures and temperatures that are ordinarily pleasurable or at least tolerable may be too difficult for you to handle.  Hearing may also be sharper and you might find that you can hear things much more easily than you used to do, but noises and sounds which are too loud or intense may become harder to tolerate.


Migraines, headaches, and other unfamiliar sensations of the head or scalp.  You may be experiencing more frequent sensations along your crown chakra as it begins to accept new information.  These can come in the form of migraines, pressure, tingling, or itching.  Some people have reported feeling a gentle pressure or the feeling of "picking up" new energies from this chakra.  If your doctor rules out any other conditions, and you feel it is your crown chakra opening to accept new energy, simply wait it out.  The sensations become less stimulating over time.

New eating habits, unplanned weight losses and gains, unusual cravings.  Your weight may fluctuate in unexpected ways.  Or, your eating habits might change; you may be experiencing cravings that you never used to have.  Perhaps you've developed the adverse reaction, and have been having issues tolerating something that you used to enjoy.  Maybe you're famished during each meal, when before you'd merely pick at your food.  Regardless of the new changes in your food and weight habits, these are all signs of other spiritual, physical, or emotional changes in your life.  Try not to worry so much about the weight issues, unless you're approaching unhealthy over- or underweight states; these may be temporary.  Take some exercise, make sure you're staying healthy and keeping in touch with your doctor or nutritionist, and pay attention to the signals that your body is sending you.  It is telling you what it needs.

Unexpected surges of energy.  You may be getting hot and cold flashes at random times, or perhaps you feel waves of power or energy surges coursing through your body.  These may be gently felt, or they could be more powerful waves of energy.  Rather than worry about the source of this energy, embrace it and appreciate that it is just your body changing and reattuning itself to a new spiritual level.