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Editor's Note
Welcome to the August edition of Spiral Dance News, a monthly ezine published byThe Whindleton Institute.
Happy Birthday to all who are born in the months of August and September!.
Well, it has been awhile since I sent out the last Spiral Dance News. It has been on my mind but there have been some great changes in my life and I did not have the time to send the newsletter as I had before...monthly.
So...I am sending this one, which I hope that you will enjoy and I do intend to continue sending Spiral Dance News but it may not be monthly. I have not yet decided whether I will publish every two months or every three months. I shall let the Spirit move me in the right direction regarding the decision.
Be forever mindful of what you take into your mind and heart and remember that "thoughts are things and word makes them manifest".
Love is the answer. Know that to be true.
Let us continue on our path of the Divine Femi9, with a light and joyous heart.
May all of your lessons come with grace and may your blessings be abundant!
Sending love and (((((hugs))))) to all of you and thanks for your continued support.
Enjoy the articles, the music and the loving vibrations that are being sent to you all.
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Spirit Directs the Flow
In the past few months, I have been doing my work on a more full time basis at a metaphysical bookstore in Roswell, Georgia. It has been a wonderful time and continues to be so.
Let me tell you how it all began...
Back in Februrary of this year, my beloved husband and I were out discovering the metaphysical community here in Georgia and we were searching for one particular bookstore and could not find it. We stopped in a gas station and asked someone who directed us and then we passed it the first time.
Finally, after being off course for about an hour, we found Synchronicity and are happy that we did. It is one of the greatest things to happen in our lives, besides our love of course and we are forever grateful.
Oh, don’t let me leave out our car, Stella, because if we did not have her, we would not have been able to get around like we needed and wanted to.
We met the store manager first and she was happy to see the workshops that I was conducting at another bookstore at the time. Well, those did not go well at all but it gave me an opportunity to have as dress rehersal, as my beloved stated.
A little while after we arrived, the owner of the store came and we sat and talked for a long while. The energy was and still is real good. It is so much like a family, a community. So few places that we are familiar with have that kind of flow.
Terri, the owner, informed us of the grand opening of a new location for the store. Larger and more on the main road. That took place in June. We went and met some others who were doing the work and making a pretty decent living at it.
I began conducting Dance to Heal the Earth workshops, which again didn’t go too well...but their was faith in my ability and after all it was Summer and that can be a slow time for some businesses.
On July 18th my beloved Bill, aka Sadaka, held a workshop in AtMu Ra Reiki. He had one student.
I was ready to assist him during his class but then the store manager asked me if I wanted to do a reading. I said, “Yes, I would love to!” It was a phone reading and the time was twenty minutes.
There was a little nervousness on my part at first but I was broken in with that call. A little while later, the owner, Terri, as me if I would like to work the psychic fair that was coming up the last Saturday in the month. This was something that was on my mind. I desired that and it was given to me without me asking her. Then there was another reading and I had earned some money for the day.
What I like about working as an independent contractor, is that I do not have to set a price for my services, there are standard prices. I also like being around others who are doing the work because we have discussions daily with anyone who is working that day. It is such a growing and enlightening experience. I love it!
Let me back up a bit, Diane, the store manager, asked me if I would like to work there a few days a week and I jumped at the chance. Here I would be doing my work on a regular basis and getting paid! I could not have asked for anything better than that. The opportunities are endless.
Since my husband was driving me there and staying, they asked him if he would also like to work those same days doing readings and energy work and of course he said yes. We are now there four days a week and there’s more.
We became Karuna Ki Master/Teachers and it was a gift from the owner. We are also going to be taking a numerology workshop that will last for eight weeks and that is at no monetary cost to us because we are staff members. Talk about continuing education! We can take any workshop that is offered by a staff member in exchange for readings or healing energy work, or a workshop.
The money is steady and though we are not earning a lot of money yet, still have to build a clinetele, we are earning enough to take care of the important things. That is a good thing.
This month, I am conducting a three hour workshop, Ancient Mysteries for Modern Women. I already have women who have signed up and paid in advance. That makes me feel real good because there is an interest in the subject matter.
I look forward to that day, October 16th and sharing my knowledge with those that are interested.
There is also a book in the works and I hope to have that ready by Spring if not before.
It was not easy for awhile but we knew that we were born for something more than a job in the corporate sector. We prayed and did what we could along the way to manifest our dreams, desires and goals. It is an ongoing journey as we work towards being the best that we can be and to give our clients what they need to move forward in their lives. It is a wonderful feeling.
Remember this, when you are about to give up and let it all go, don’t especially if you are doing what you love to do or working towards what you love doing.
There are many tests that we go through and if we just have the faith to continue to move on, with love in our hearts and a prayer, ritual or cermony, what is desired will manifest and it will be more than you could have hoped for.
May the Spirit continue to direct the flow in your life and may you be forever grateful for all that comes your way. It is not what we go through, but how we go through it.
(c) 2004 by Tonya K. Freeman, DD, MsD, DM - All Rights Reserved
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| Breasts: Beauty, Power and Desire
(c) by Amy E. Fraser
Physiological and Psychological Aspects
The breast is either of the two mammae occurring on the chest of human beings and other primates, especially notable on the female after pubertal development. They are the most pronounced and variable aspect of female anatomy. Although the breasts' primary function is reproductive, to nourish the offspring with milk, it is their prominence and vulnerability that make them the chief badge of gender. The breasts command attention, independent of a woman's intention to command it. In Western culture, to 'breast' something means to meet or oppose boldly, one must contend with or advance against it. Breasts lead the way, they are bold and obvious and there is no place for them to hide. The subject's breasts are the location of culturally defined beauty, female power, masculine desire, as well as gender and sexual identification.
The Significance Of Breasts
Unlike the contained secrecy and forbidden aspects of the vagina, breasts are public and have an existence outside of the body. At times, if they are not properly supported, breasts seem to be possessed by a momentum of their own, bobbing, bouncing, shifting, teasing, tantalizing, swinging and swaying. This sensuous movement has the power to captivate, thrill and even immobilize interested viewers. It is this very magic that makes breasts both a dangerous and powerful female entity.
For many, breasts symbolically represent the ancient and magical powers of fertility and feminine sexuality. In ancient times, man was amazed by woman's procreative and nourishing abilities. Sculptures from the time exaggerated and celebrated these powerful aspects of femininity. The artifacts illustrate the significance and fascination that female breasts have provided humanity since the beginning of time. Fertility figurines were not considered demeaning or degrading; they were made to show respect for woman and her precious power to continue the existence of man.
Attraction to the female breasts is indescribable. Our desire for and connection to this aspect of femininity is beyond conscious comprehension. Breasts provide a fascination and attraction simply by their existence. They are magical and powerful. We like how they look and feel, and we enjoy the sensations they provide. The breasts are tactile, life affirming and desirable.
Ignorance, Shame, Abuse and Embarrassment
Today in Western culture, breasts are considered to be one of the main elements of feminine beauty. However, somewhere along the path to current civilization, the breasts stopped receiving the respect they once earned. Current misconceptions include that, the larger a woman's breasts, the more 'feminine' she appears. She is often treated with less credibility and seen as having less intellectual power in a male dominated society.
Womens' breasts have been ogled, pointed at, laughed at, drooled over, worshipped and disgraced. They are pulled, prodded, stuffed, pierced and mutilated to satisfy the whims and trends of Western society. Breasts have been conceived of as decorative sex objects to be abused, objectified and manipulated. Breasts have also been overly glorified, deified, exalted and praised for legitimate reasons. For centuries, Western womens' breasts have been objects of unlimited attention, degradation and humiliation. They have also been a source of pleasure and entertainment. For many women, this confusion has made their breasts a source of competition, insecurity and shame.
When a young woman's breasts begin to show, she discovers that their development sparks public regard. It is common for parents and relatives to shamelessly comment and mark their arrival as a landmark event. Parents, in their effort to protect their daughters from unwanted attention, often end up objectifying the breasts further. Schoolmates, teachers and even strangers may take notice of the new arrivals. A woman begins to fear her breasts belong to everyone but herself, but, most especially to men. Later in her life, she may discover that her breasts have become the claimed property of her husband or lover, jealously guarded from the penetrating stares of the competition.
Redefining Western Femininity
If femininity were based on the female breasts in the same way that masculinity is based on the erect penis, then women would be conceived of as soft, curvaceous and nurturing, but also be defined as forthright, aggressive, sexual and bold. 21st century women are better suited to this revised version of femininity and should use it to 'breast' against past societal misconceptions.
Women should celebrate all aspects of their female physical nature, including the breasts. Women can work together to change culture's perspective on the female breast and help both sexes to view them as objects of both beauty and power. I believe the breasts are a very important aspect of feminine beauty because they represent both our sexuality and our maternal capabilities. As aspects of our feminine sexuality, they stand as identifiers of our multi-dimensional sexual nature. They are one of the many layers to feminine erotic pleasure. Celebrating the breasts is a way of celebrating female sexuality and expressing it from a woman's perspective. The breasts are also signifiers of maternal power. To be enveloped in the matriarchal bosom is to feel safe and secure. Babies, pets and loved ones all instinctually gravitate to this part of the female body seeking comfort, feminine warmth and release from emotional pain.
Breasts In Relation To My Own Art
The large full breasts on my figures is often a point of controversy. Many feel that representations and idealizations of large breasts perpetuates misogynistic male fantasy as well as unrealistic ideals for the average woman. Some feel that such images play upon womens' insecurities and encourages them to mutilate their bodies with dangerous cosmetic surgeries in an attempt to conform to these ideals. Also, many critic's argue against any 'beautified' female representations because they reduce womens' bodies to the status of purely sexual objects. This is obviously not the intention of my art.
Some believe the large breasted women I create are the subconscious result of my years spent waitressing in a topless club. This is the same type of woman I have created since I was first able to draw a figure from my imagination, so I know this is not the case. I am not sure where I acquired this influence. My mother had an average chest size, however, I was constantly exposed to her nudity. Her breasts in comparison to my own adolescent body must have seemed extreme and may have distorted my perception. In addition, my grandmothers on both sides had ample bosoms and maybe it was their power, influence and matriarchal control over the family that I attribute to my female figures. My large breasted figures may be a product of my culturalization or many other factors, but the fact remains that this body type has been in my visual vocabulary since I was first able to express it.
Intelligence, in combination with attractive female attributes, such as large breasts, continues to threaten those in power even as we enter the 21st century. That is why I choose to exaggerate the breast size of my figures. I am expressing their personal as well as political significance. In addition, from the artist's perspective, the breasts are points of visual interest and desire, much like the hands, eyes or feet. The intention of the images I create is to destroy the common misconceptions people have about large breasted women and to encourage them to reconsider other stereotypes they may have. The women in my work are about sexuality, but, they are also about female strength and intelligence.
My works express our matriarchal lineage and fresh perspectives on being a woman in the 21st century. My women are not passive victims of consumption, degradation or humiliation. The works draw upon and revitalize humanities first notions of breasts as symbols for fertility, magic, procreation and nourishment.
Understandably, those who argue against representations of nudity and the female breasts, do so out of fears of inequality and objectification. However, I believe women can reclaim the rights to their breasts as objects of power, sexuality and identity. Women cannot be forced to feel shame over their breasts. Women can have pride in their physical appearance and feminine sexuality. 21st century women should be able to be as feminine as they desire, without having their status or power removed for doing so.
Check out Amy's site at Amy Fraser
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Fertility After 40
(c) 1999 by Susun Weed
The most fertile years of a woman's life are those between 18 and 28. Even into the mid-thirties, it is usually fairly easy to conceive and carry a pregnancy to term. During these years the hormones that control ovulation, enhance conception, and ensure a healthy pregnancy are usually made easily and in generous quantities. And detrimental life-style choices have not had decades of repetition to create chronic problems. The previous section deals with disturbances to that pattern; and the section following deals with herbal ways to decrease or control the teeming fertility of the twenties and early thirties.
But more and more women are waiting until their late thirties, early forties, even late forties, to have children. Is this too late? Are these destined to have high-risk pregnancies? Will these children have more birth defects?
The answer to these questions - and others like them - is "no!" for wise women who enlist the help of green allies to increase fertility, ensure conception, prevent birth defects, and promote a healthy pregnancy and an easy delivery.
Increasing Fertility; Ensuring Conception
Increase your chances of conception by meditating. Cultivating a calm attitude, not surprisingly, enhances fertility. Even taking a quiet five minutes alone just for you, free of all responsibilities, can bring big results if done frequently enough.
Use lunaception to time your ovulation so you have the best odds of conceiving. It's fine to have sex in the weeks before ovulation, especially if the sex is focused on the woman and her orgasm, but do save your best efforts for those three nights when your "moon" is full and bright and ready to frolic.
Orgasm on the part of the male is necessary for fertilization. The woman's orgasm does increase the possibility of conception. Women who experience orgasm after their partner (up to 40 minutes after his ejaculation) have the very best chance of becoming pregnant.
Red clover is the single best remedy for women over forty who want to conceive but can't - even if there are medical reasons for not conceiving such as blocked tubes, diabetes, ovarian cysts, internal scarring, or endometriosis. There are many heart-warming success stories I could share about red clover! But suffice to say, drinking 2-4 cups of the infusion of the dried blossoms (neither tincture nor tea nor pills will work for this application) seems to do wonders for fertility, no matter what your age.
Preventing Birth Defects
Boosting your nutritional status makes birth defects less of a worry. Women who drink 2-4 cups of stinging nettle infusion daily and eat cooked leafy greens as well as lettuce salads are getting the abundant folic acid, calcium, magnesium, and other minerals needed to create a healthy baby. (Tinctures, pills, and teas contain little or none of these important nutrients.)
Vitamin E is an especially critical nutrient for fertility after forty and freedom from birth defects. Freshly-ground wheat flour, cold-pressed oils, and nut butters are all good sources of vitamin E, as are stinging nettle infusion and most cooked seaweed, such as kelp. The man's vitamin E level has as much, if not more, bearing on freedom from birth defects as does the woman's vitamin E level.
Avoid heat, both of you. Hot tubs, even prolonged soaking in a hot bath, can cause temporary (up to several months) sterility in some men. In women, it can endanger the early embryo and trigger a miscarriage or birth defects.
Avoid drugs, both of you, including alcohol, tobacco, coffee, as well as over-the-counter drugs and prescription drugs (except those you absolutely need). Your liver needs to be strong and so do your kidneys, so you can conceive and gestate a child. Instead of alcohol, which damages the liver, drink herbal infusions or alcohol-free wine or beer. Instead of tobacco, which may contribute to birth defects and low birth weight, try smoking a little dried peppermint, or, better yet, go for a walk. Instead of coffee, which challenges the kidneys, you may wish to drink green tea or black tea, or try coffee substitutes, especially the one made with dandelion roots. Instead of drugs to ease everyday aches and pains, use the gentle herbal remedies in this book instead.
Emotional Issues
Ambivalence about pregnancy and parenthood is normal and natural. But the older a woman gets, the more complicated her emotions about it may be. Add to her emotional soup pot strong opinions from family and friends, confusing information spread by the popular media, and fear-inducing pronouncements from "helpful" medical professionals, and that pot will be in danger of boiling over. Herewith then, some wise woman hints for keeping your cool in the midst of overt and covert confusion.
Contrary to current opinion, having children in your forties is ordinary and common worldwide. The Bible mentions several women having children in their fifties. What is unusual and unique to our time is having a first child in one's forties. Our mother’s, mother’s, mothers were having their fifth or eighth or tenth child when they were in their forties, not their first. If people tell you it just isn't done, close your eyes and call upon the spirit of your great-great-great-great grandmother, then smile and tell them it seems utterly ordinary to you.
Feeling tense and distressed about choosing or refusing motherhood? Motherwort tincture is my favorite calmative. A dose of 10-20 drops helps clear your mind, eases your tension, and assists you in discerning the best path to follow.
Bach flower remedies excel as helpers when you are feeling emotionally overwhelmed. Try:
1.Aspen when you feel anxious, apprehensive, or afraid of the unknown.
2.Mimulus when you are dwelling on a specific fear.
3.Elm when you feel overwhelmed or inadequate.
4.Red Chestnut when you are afraid for or worried about your baby to be.
5.Rock Rose when you are trembling, shaking, or weeping from anxiety or fear.
Regular gentle massage or Reiki treatments not only help you calm your distress, they also guide you in creating a strong center that's resistant to being pushed around by other people's opinions. Massage and/or Reiki also help prepare your mind/body for a healthy pregnancy and a safe birth.
Special Allies for Pregnant Women over Forty
The single most important herb for pregnant women over forty is comfrey (Symphytum uplandica hybrids). The leaves of the mature plant contain an abundance of constituents beneficial to mother and babe, including generous amounts of minerals, alantoin, proteins, and many vitamins. The minerals in comfrey help ensure healthy nervous system growth; the fetus’s developing brain uses the proteins. And the alantoin helps the mother's tissues become stretchy and elastic.
Aging can lead to increased stiffness and brittleness in bones and muscles, making pregnancy more arduous and painful, labor slower and more difficult, and injury more likely during birth. The hormones of pregnancy, which help soften and relax the pelvic tissues, may not be produced in adequate amounts. Comfrey comes to the rescue! Comfrey creates flexible and strong tissues throughout the body especially mucus surfaces (including intestines, uterus, bladder and vagina), the bones, the ligaments and tendons, and the skin.
Regular use of the leaf infusion, at least a quart a week, promotes a safe delivery by
:
1. strengthening uterine muscles and preparing them to work easily and well
2. strengthening perineal tissues so they become resistant to tearing
3. strengthening uterine ligaments so the uterus does not prolapse
4. strengthening the bladder and increasing resistance to bacterial infection
5. strengthening the vagina and helping to promote an environment hostile to infection
6. providing easily assimilated minerals to prevent eclampsia and other complications
helping the bones of the pelvis flex and open during birth
7. increasing iron in the blood and thus forestalling post-partum hemorrhage.
I harvest the flowering stalks when they are fully formed; and I am careful to use the cultivated garden comfrey, which grows very tall and has purplish, pinkish, bluish flowers. I avoid wild comfrey, which stays rather small even when flowering, and has cream-colored, white, or yellowish flowers.
Some people feel that comfrey is not safe to use during pregnancy. Some people feel comfrey is not safe to use internally at all. I disagree. The roots of comfrey do contain compounds that are best avoided during pregnancy (as do all parts of the wild plant). In fact, I rarely use comfrey root because of the possibility of liver congestion, and I strongly caution those who have had hepatitis, chemotherapy, or alcohol problems to strictly avoid comfrey root. Yet even these people can benefit from use of comfrey leaf infusions.
Another important herbal ally for women over forty who desire a child is chaste tree (Vitex agnus-castii). It has been used in Africa and parts of Europe for several thousand years to discourage the male libido. In women, the effects seem to be the opposite! It may also be a fertility enhancer. Most importantly, chaste tree is a strengthening tonic for the pituitary gland, the master control gland for the endocrine system. Daily use of the tincture of the berries (1 dropperful/1 ml 2-3 times daily) had been shown to increase progesterone - the hormone of pregnancy - and luteinizing hormone - which promotes conception. Because it can lower prolactin levels, chaste tree is best discontinued during the last trimester of pregnancy.
Dong quai (Angelica sinensis) is not recommended for women over forty. In general, this herb promotes blood flow to the uterus and surrounding tissues. This can promote the growth of fibroids and increase the risk of post-partum hemorrhage. Ginger is a better warming tonic; motherwort is better at relieving pain; and raspberry is better at preparing the uterus for birth.
Legal Disclaimer: This content is not intended to replace conventional medical treatment. Any suggestions made and all herbs listed are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease, condition or symptom. Personal directions and use should be provided by a clinical herbalist or other qualified healthcare practitioner with a specific formula for you. All material on this website/email is provided for general information purposes only and should not be considered medical advice or consultation. Contact a reputable healthcare practitioner if you are in need of medical care. Exercise self-empowerment by seeking a second opinion.
Vibrant, passionate, and involved, Susun Weed has garnered an international reputation for her groundbreaking lectures, teachings, and writings on health and nutrition. She challenges conventional medical approaches with humor, insight, and her vast encyclopedic knowledge of herbal medicine. Unabashedly pro-woman, her animated and enthusiastic lectures are engaging and often profoundly provocative.
Susun is one of America's best-known authorities on herbal medicine and natural approaches to women's health. Her four best-selling books are recommended by expert herbalists and well-known physicians and are used and cherished by millions of women around the world.
Susun Weed
PO Box 64
Woodstock, NY 12498
Fax: 1-845-246-8081
For permission to reprint this article, or to schedule a radio interview, contact us at: susunweed@hvc.rr.com
Susun Weed - PO Box 64, Woodstock, NY 12498 (fax) 1-845-246-8081
Visit Susun Weed at:
http://www.susunweed.com and http://www.ashtreepublishing.com
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The Mature Spiritual Personby Myriam Maytorena, M.ED.
"This is my simple religion. There is no need for temples; no need for complicated philosophy. Our own brain, our own heart is our temple; the philosophy is kindness."
Author: The Dalai Lama
There comes a time when one is no longer just a child of God, but a mature and equal partner sharing the message of Love which is manifest as kindness.
Awakening to the inner light of divine love and kindness evokes our soul awareness that we are no longer suffering the illusion of being separated from the divine infinite energy that comes under many names from Buddha to Christ to Harry down the street. Spiritual maturity comes when one recognizes not just the divine in the other, but the divine in self. When this awakening comes, love and kindness become natural actions and not conscious choice.
However from the time that one is reborn to awareness of being on the spiritual path it may be often necessary to make choices to be kind rather than to respond in fear or anger. On the day-to-day maturation of spiritual development, it may seem that things become more difficult. People present more situations that make us want to react with fear or anger, rather than to act with compassion. We personally will create situations that will test our new resolve to live the mature spiritual life that is based in love and kindness. Many times those who are reborn to the awareness that the true mission in life is to live the message of love and compassion, find that all of a sudden life becomes more difficult. Challenges seem to be rising up to meet us at a faster rate. This is good. Yes the pain, the suffering, the anger, the fear are all good because they indicate that we are truly on the developmental path to becoming a more mature spiritual person.
"We must be the change we wish to see in the world."
Author: Gandhi
Many today are concerned with the pain and anger that is being manifest on both an individual and a global level. The mature spiritual person does not turn a blind eye to the suffering in the world but instead focuses on what he or she can do to spread an epidemic of love, compassion and kindness. True we can do it through prayer and meditation but these activities without action are limited. We are what we think about all day long is an old axiom. What are you thinking about on a daily basis? Are you thinking about all that is wrong and hurtful or are you replacing these thoughts with loving kindness? An important weapon in the arsenal of love of the spiritual warrior, is to act with kindness in all situations. You hear negative gossip, what do you say or think? You visualize love and healing both for the messenger and the target of the message. You see a person suffering, you reach out with love even if you are limited by only thinking with love and compassion in your heart. You see someone is hungry, you share your food. You see an animal being mistreated, you reach out and rescue it. A friend is sad, you hold out your hand and witness with compassion, love and non-judgmental acceptance their journey to becoming a more spiritually awake person. You see a person facing difficult issues in order to learn self-empowerment, you know to stand back and let them solve their own problems. You no longer worry about your mission or sharing a message, because living your life in compassion is your message and is your mission.
While it is wonderful to read inspirational essays and books, unless these books lead you to act from a natural essence of loving kindness you are but avoiding your personal evolution to being an authentic and mature spiritual person. You do not need a guru or teacher other than the one that resides within you and is the seed of your soul. If you do something and it makes you feel good or lighter than it is right action. If you do something and it makes you feel sad or heavy, than it is wrong action. If you do something and it makes another feel good or lighter than it is right action. If you do something and it in someway harms another than it is wrong action. You have your own spiritual feedback system and all you have to do is listen to your own teacher. It all boils down to intent and learning. If you make your mantra "I do all with kindness and love" you have created a new reality that will have a ripple effect.
One of the finest examples of the mature spiritual person putting into action compassion and love is Mother Theresa who said "Let now one ever come to you without leaving better and happier. Be the living _expression of God’s kindness: Kindness in your face, kindness in your eyes, kindness in your smile."
The only way to be a mature spiritual person is simply to live a life that is imbued with kindness.
Myriam Maytorena, M.ED., is a writer and teacher. Sometimes a counselor but always a friend to those who wish to awaken one’s inner spirituality. You may learn more about Myriam’s journey in her book Spirituality: True Odyssey ISBN: 0-595-26207-4 at Barnes and Noble or at http://iampublishing.us
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Full Circle: the Evolution of Mother-Child Relationships
(c) by Susie Michelle Cortright
"Little children disturb your sleep;
big ones, your life."
--Yiddish proverb
As a mother was tucking in her daughter for the night, the child reached up for a hug. Locked in her mother's embrace, she whispered, "Mom…Do you love me as much as I love you?"
Her mother replied, "Only when you have a little girl of your own, and you are tucking her in at night, will you know how much I love you."
I'm not certain where I first heard this story, but it has become one of my favorites. The boundless nature of human love is definable only when you have a child.
Before we had children, I’m sure we all heard the cliché: becoming a mother will change your life more than you ever thought possible. And only after we have children can we truly understand the truth of the statement.
Children open our hearts. I heard a quote recently that likened having children to growing a new heart and allowing it to walk along on its own. To go to kindergarten, to fall in love, to experience the thrill of leaving home for the first time. All the while making our own heart completely vulnerable to entities and forces we never even experience firsthand.
When we have children, our perspective broadens. No longer do we look at the world in terms of our own lives and well-being, but of that of another. With this in mind, it might be easier to understand the frame of reference from which our parents view us.
How do our relationships with our mothers change once we have children of our own?
Most of us report a growing understanding. A greater sense of respect. More empathy for our parents. The classic words ring true: “If I had known what it meant to be a parent, I would never have put my parents through the things I did.”
This renewed and broadened understanding extends to a more complete conception of what it means to be a woman. Of femininity and of the full circle of identity that binds generations of women together.
When we become parents, our own mothers take on a renewed role in the family structure, as well. They become the stabilizers, working to weave the threads of a family together.
Grandmothers are always there to lend an ear. And some things don’t change: At my grandmother’s house, there were always homemade sugar cookies and ice cold Pepsis. At my daughter’s grandmother’s house, there is homemade caramel corn and ice cold Cokes.
Children tend to bring out the best in our own parents, as well. Some grandparents act like kids again, playing peek-a-boo, making dolls, coloring in coloring books alongside the children. When a new baby comes into a household, we spend a lot of time reminiscing about our own days of youth...and new grandparents reflect fondly on the first days of their own children.
Our parents get a special thrill from watching their grandchildren grow up...and think of the thrill it must be for them to see their own children nurturing another child. Imagine the flattery of seeing parenting styles that reflect their own.
Let us be grateful to the mothers of the world. The mothers who have raised us, loved us, and taught us what it means to be mothers ourselves.
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Susie Michelle Cortright is the author of several books for women and founder of Momscape.com, a website designed to help busy women find balance. Visit Momscape today and get Susie's *free* course-by-email "6 Days to Less Stress" as well as "Spa Recipes for All Seasons" in PDF.
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A Healing Time
by Mysti/Fran Hafey
"Healing old wounds and allowing new growth is the way we create
and manifest Miracles everyday."
~Fran Hafey/Mysti
What in your life is being healed right now? Strife and waves are
a part of life and can herald healing in all areas of your life.
Do you feel you’re up against a wall or that life has passed you
by? What can we do to change what’s happening or is the best
thing to just go with the flow of change?
Many people are now realizing they’re in a space and place in
their evolution in life that they no longer need or desire a
teacher or guide.
They feel they’ve reached a level where they now can help others
and teach and share what’s been here for a very long time.
There are still others that need guidance and to learn, so this
information and wisdom abounds and springs from others all over
the world to help us all heal and make ourselves whole within the
light.
Some may choose not to accept the lessons they’re going through
and not to evolve or let the waters of change flow over and
through them. We all have choices.
Healing can be a long process and sometimes we fly through some
changes with speed, others we have to give more time and effort.
We’re all connected and what we do and say can affect all of us.
We may all together be like the huge ocean, but we are still each
individual droplets of water. Together we make up the healing
waters that cover so much of this earth. My light is just one
light, but together with many it can light up the world.
As beings of light we are very capable at this time to heal
ourselves and to help others. Each of us knows our limitations,
the answers… and medicine we need to heal… is right within each
of us. We can heal ourselves. This doesn't always mean from a 3-d
perspective as in healing just our bodies. Our illnesses and
bodily ailments may be something we agreed to take on in this
lifetime and they're used as tools to teach us many lessons of
love, patience and kindness. Take the time to pay attention and
do what you feel is right for you.
Yes… we are all healing and sensing the changes within and around
us, some faster and harder than others. Take a look at what is
reoccurring in your life at this time that may need to be healed.
Be good to yourself… loving and allowing time for healing.
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Copyright: Mystickblue (c) August, 2004 All rights reserved.
This article may be freely published so long as the author's Bylines and resource box remain intact.
About the Author:
Fran Hafey is a Minister, Reiki Practioner, Writer, Healer, Spiritual Counselor and Teacher. She provides guidance and inspiration via her Website, groups and newsletter on the World Wide Web. To read more of her articles visit the Author's Website: http://Mystickblue.com or http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SpiritualPathways/join
She's currently working on publishing her own books about love, inspiration, magic and nature stories for Children of all ages.
From the desk of Mysti/Fran Hafey at Mysticblue
~Where we believe in Miracles and Magic~
"The task ahead of you is never as great as the power within
you!"
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The Power of Love and Your Subconscious Mind
(c) Dr. Laura De Giorgio
Would you like to know the fastest way to get results and the fastest way to
remove any inner obstacles in hypnosis? It is by practicing the awareness of
Love.
I realize that the word "love" to some men brings to mind ideas of some
mushy and unmanly feelings, but that's not it. Love of which I am speaking
here is just another aspect of "allowing" about which I wrote in an earlier
newsletter.
If you are working with hypnosis and are not getting the results you desire
or you're not getting them as fast as you'd like, if you are experiencing
financial difficulties, feelings of undeservingness, if you are sabotaging
your success, if you seem to be stuck with some challenges and nothing
seems to be working - it's because of lack of awareness of love. In a
moment I will provide you with few examples, to make it more clear.
It is the nature of the sun to shine. It doesn't shine to please anyone. It
doesn't shine to get anything in return. It shines merely because it is
allowing itself to express its nature. It is not doing anything else other
than expressing itself effortlessly. It is not doing anything else but
allowing itself to be itself.
This way of doing and being is sometimes also called non-doing or the
way of effortless action or the perfect action. It is also called living in tune
with the universe, living the Tao, or God, expressing from your superconscious
- or whatever label you deem appropriate to put to such experience.
Whether you have any spiritual affinities or you don't - Love is the supreme
Law and it works in your life just like gravity does. Whether you believe in it
or not, if you obey the Law of Love, everything you can possible need will
come to you effortlessly, if you don't you'll struggle in life.
What has Love to do with hypnosis? Everything. You may remember that
subconscious mind is also called "HEART of the mind". It is the realm of
feelings and the Law of Love is the supreme ruler here. And if you don't obey
it, it will find its way to make you obey it. And if you do obey it, your life will be
filled with miracles and all the obstacles will melt from your path. All that seemed
hard or impossible to accomplish will be easy because it will accomplish itself
of its own accord, without the necessity of you doing anything else other than
let Love, which IS your true nature, express freely through you.
And just like the sun doesn't shine to please anyone or to get anyone in return,
neither the true _expression of Love has anything to do with pleasing anyone or
getting anything in return. When you let Love express through you, it may feel as
if it were not you, but this Love that is doing whatever needs to be done, whatever
IT desires to do - you are merely allowing it to use your body as an instrument,
to express itself. That is why it is effortless and easy. That is why all the obstacles
will melt from your path.
I will now give you few examples. Let's say you need to speak in public and
the thought of speaking in front of others terrifies you. You can only experience
feelings of terror or discomfort if you have disconnected from Love and you
begin contemplating what are those people going to think and what are you
going to get in return (praise or blame). You may want to examine your motivation
for giving your speech. If your motivation is because your heart desires to share
a message that is meaningful to you and your whole focus is on sharing your
gift of Love, on letting the love for your message express through you, then you
will feel just simply grateful for the opportunity to express yourself and you will
not care less who will like it and who won't. If you just keep on letting the love
in your heart speak through you, some people are bound to appreciate it. But,
even that is not the true purpose of your speech. There is one and only purpose
and that is to allow the Love to express through you in any way that it wishes.
If you are experiencing financial difficulties, even if it seems that it's really
money that you need and that money is the problem, you have somehow lost
touch with Love within you. In some way, you are not allowing it to express
freely through you. Your can only feel undeserving if your focus is on what are
you going to get. You can not feel undeserving if your only object is to let the
Love express freely through you.
There is no judgment in Love. You are not deciding when and who and what
to Love, you are just letting Love express in any way it wishes. All you need to
do is allow it and as you do whatever you need will be flowing to you effortlessly.
Love is your true nature. It is not something that you are for a two minutes at a
time, or at some particular occasion, or with some specific person - it is what
you are ALL the time. And again, it has nothing to do with loving or not loving
any specific person or condition that may not be your cup of tea. It has everything
to do with listening to your heart and letting the Love within you express itself
in any way It desires. Let the Love in your heart lead you and be your guide.
Then everything will be perfect in your life because Love is the fulfillment of the
Law - it is the fulfillment of all the laws and it will conquer and melt all obstacles
on your path.
Before you can experience the blessings and reward of Love in your outer
world, you must get in touch with It within you. You will never find out outside
of you, unless you first discover It within you and let it flow our freely. Love is
already everywhere - within you and all around you, but what you will experience
in your outer experience is only a projection, a mirror reflection of the Love you
let express through you.
If you are having difficulties with your studies at the university or are having
difficulty mastering some ability, you have lost touch with Love within you.
Perhaps you have enrolled at the studies that your heart wants nothing to do
with, perhaps your purpose for mastering an ability is on what you will get
instead of on what you will be able to offer. Love always seeks to give of
itself. It is its nature. It is your true nature. If you are filled with delight at how
much more Love you will be able to express through that particularly ability,
mastering the ability will be easy. You will enjoy every moment of learning the
skill because you will love it. Love opens the way. It opens your mind for new
learnings. It makes your mind receptive to new learnings. It makes your mind
easily absorb new learnings. And you can learn anything if the main purpose
behind your learning is to be able to express more and more Love. Love will
do the work for you.
Love is already within you and Love is already all around you, but you must
practice living in awareness of its presence and the way to do this is by giving
it, by letting it flow freely, by listening to the Love in your heart, by letting the Love
in your heart be your guide. You will get EVERYTHING you can possibly need
by letting the Love flow freely through you.
You will get the most out of Love if you put aside some time every day to fully
dedicate to projecting Love, not only through your heart, by through every cell
and atom or your being (remember your subconscious mind IS in every cell
and atom of your body, not only in your head) toward the entire creation. Not
toward any specific thing, but rather just like the sun shines its Light upon
everyone and everything. If you do this daily, with all your strength, you will
feel even the cells and atoms of your body changing and rearranging and you
will notice that you are feeling lighter and that you look younger. If you had any
ailments in your body, they will dissolve on their own accord.
And if you were looking for a secret of the fountain of youth and for the secret
of becoming irresistibly magnetic to every good thing, for the secret of
unleashing incredible power of your mind, this is it. Now you know. You just
need to practice being aware of your true nature, by being aware of Love and
you need to be true to your true nature by letting it express freely through all
that you think and say and do.
Check out how you can
"Discover the Amazing Power of Your Imagination"
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by Lisa
My pregnancy had been going great. I was four days overdue and as big as a house! I had had a bad hospital experience and decided to have a homebirth.
It was about 3 p.m. when I awoke from my nap and noticed I was having some mild contractions. They were not bad, but they were coming every seven to 10 minutes, and I knew this was it. I called my midwife to give her the heads up. She said to call when the contractions were five minutes apart, and she would come over. I was so excited that my baby would be coming soon, but I could never have guessed it would come as soon as it did!
About a half-hour had gone by since my first contractions, and they were coming five minutes apart. It was time to call the midwife. She was surprised that I had progressed so quickly. She said she would be over in an hour and a half (she lived pretty far away). It was a beautiful July day, and I decided to go in the backyard with my 3-year-old daughter, Kelly, and tell her what was going to happen.
She played in her sandbox and listened as I told her that Mommy was going to make lots of noise and not to worry, that Mommy had to make noise to get the baby out. She understood but was a little confused about where the baby was to come. She pointed to my belly button and asked, "Baby come out here?" I then told her where the baby would come out.
The contractions started to get uncomfortable, so I tried lots of different positions. I found that standing or squatting in the hot tub was the best. I really enjoyed the water, but lukewarm water on a boiling July day was not very comfortable, so I would go back and forth. The contractions were really picking up, and I could no longer talk or walk through them. I was glad that the midwife would be there soon.
I was squatting in the hot tub when I felt the urge to pee. I climbed out and only took about two steps when my water broke, my baby dropped, and I had this horribly strong contraction that left me doubled over screaming for my husband to come help me. He came running and knew exactly what was going on. All I could gasp out before another contraction hit was "Mark, the baby."
When the next contraction hit, I went into a full squat while holding onto Mark and screaming, "I HAVE TO PUSH. I HAVE TO PUSH." All Mark could say was, "NO don’t push yet. The midwife isn't here." I tried not to push, but I couldn't NOT push – it was almost involuntary. In between pushes, Mark helped me to lie down. Two more pushes and the baby was crowning, I could feel its head!
The next contraction came, and the head was pushed out. Mark glanced down, and I swear I thought he would faint. All he could say was, "Oh my god." After four contractions, the shoulders still had not moved. I didn’t know what to do. "Mark, the baby is stuck," I said. "What should we do?" We knew that the baby got air from the umbilical cord for 10 minutes, and so far we had used about five of those minutes. I faintly remembered that the hands and knees position was supposed to be good for releasing stuck shoulders.
I did this for two minutes, but it was to no avail. There was only one last thing to do. I had Mark help me to my feet, and I went into a full squat. I then reached inside of me and tried to hook a shoulder. I did finally, and with the next contraction, I pushed like a mad woman and gently pulled the shoulder down and out. The rest of my baby slipped out into my arms.
He started crying right away and pinked right up. I called Kelly over to announce the sex of the baby. "It's a boy," she said with an excited gasp. The midwife arrived about 10 minutes later (right when she said she would) and was terribly sorry she had missed the birth. She delivered the placenta and checked the baby, who we decided to name David Andrew. Everything was fine, and David weighed a whopping 11 pounds, 5 ounces. No wonder he got stuck!
My whole labor and delivery only lasted two hours! WOW! David is now 18 months old and doing great.
Birth Stories.com
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Eclipses October 2004
At a Solar eclipse the Sun is momentarily obscured and we feel ‘in the dark’ and lost. As the light of the Sun is gone, it's as if the light of our consciousness has been extinguished.
As far back as the 4th century BC Babylonian seers knew that eclipses were part of a much larger cycle lasting thousands of years.
The eclipses in October 2004 are part of the 6 South Saros series, according to Bernadette Brady in The Eagle and the Lark. The dates of this series are 1914, 1932, 1950, 1968, 1986, 2004. If you were born in those years this eclipse is of particular importance to you.
The original eclipse had a Pluto/Mars opposition with the eclipse conjunct Venus on the Uranus Node midpoint.This suggests that:-
"This eclipse series is about being forceful and taking power. It has a manic flavour about it, with great force or strength manifesting in the relationship area. Individuals experiencing this Saros Series may experience sudden events like falling in or out of love, or sudden sexual encounters. The individual may also exert a huge effort in some group activity"
Bernadette Brady The Eagle and the Lark.
LUNAR ECLIPSE
Tuesday Oct 28th 2004 at 3.07 am GMT for about an hour. If you can stay awake this total eclipse should be a spectacular sight in the UK, with the Moon tainted dark red by the Earth's atmosphere. Don't miss it!
The Lunar Eclipse is at 5 degrees 2 minutes Taurus in the Western zodiac. In the sidereal zodiac it's at degrees 11 degrees 7 minutes Aries. (Lahiri) In Vedic astrology the moon is in the lunar mansion called Ashwini, ruled by Ketu and the gods Ashwini Kumaras, the doctors of the gods.
MEDITATE ON PURITY
The lunar eclipse affects the mind and the emotions. Our peace of mind is disturbed. Be aware not to make long term decisions on Oct 28th, because the mind isn't clear. But it's a good time to do inner work, to meditate and reflect.
Healing Stars
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Words of Wisdom
If you can walk you can dance. If you can talk you can sing.
-Zimbabwe Proverb-
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New Workshop With Dr. Tonya
in the Greater Atlanta Region
All workshops will be held at:
Synchronicity - A Metaphysical Dynasty
Heritage Walk
861 Holcomb Bridge Road
Roswell, Georgia 30076
Ancient Mysteries for Modern Women
Come and hear...how you, as a woman can be more empowered by identifying and embracing the mysteries of the Sacred Feminine energy and principles.
Saturday
October 16th, 2004
Time: 2 PM - 5 PM
Investment $35.00
Tonya K. Freeman
Workshop Facilitator
Sacred Feminine Consultant
Intuitive
Energy Facilitator
Medicine Woman Tarot
* *
Don't forget to stop by Mama's House and do a little shopping. Okay, I wouldn't mind if you did some shopping. It will help support this newsletter and The Whindleton Institute as well.
Always, I wish to thank you for being a subscriber to this growing publication. You are greatly appreciated.
Oh, and don't forget about those Free Chinese Recipes that you can download. They're at the top in the editorial section.
Looking forward to sharing some more with you. Continue to be blessed all ways and always.
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Please feel free to forward this issue to
friends and associates. Anyone can subscribe for free: Send email to truthseeker1950@yahoo.com - Write "subscribe" in the subject area.
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Tonya K. Freeman DD, MsD, DM
Editor, Spiral Dance News
3720 Steve Reynolds Blvd. Suite 211
Duluth, Georgia 30096
770-381-5989
mail@drtonya.ca.tc
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