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What is the Role of Tools in a Spiritual Life?

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Good question.  Most people would assume, based on some internalized, globalized sense that spiritual means anti-material, or vows of poverty based on a Judeo-Christian model, that things have no place in a spiritual life. (The place of the material is not universal for all spiritual beliefs, so it could vary.)  So what is, then the purpose of spiritual tools?  And just what makes a tool a tool for spiritual purposes?

When and if you embrace a belief that there is a world beyond the seen, physical world, that there are forces and things that seemingly defy gravity and other scientific explanations, you become enthralled with the seduction of possibility.   This is sort of how  many  embraced  the idea of the Law of Attraction, the big premise of the movie “The Secret”, that many of the things we wanted and desired were truly possible, if you could activate your mind to do that.  Was it as big of a secret? No, but the movie did bring out how so few of us can think like that.  Of course, for many of us who have been studying things like this for years, we all said to ourselves “but there is more to manifestation then that.” (Mostly, it is the ways we contradict and undermine what we want to manifest, but that is for another day.) Possibility is a great place to generate visions, but it is not the substance of sustaining them or the getting them to manifest.  And, that is where tools come in, as aids in spiritual practice.

Spiritual tools either reflect a sacred relationship by illustrating a dynamic of the relationship in symbolic form, or help us imagine something we want or desire in aiding in the formation of goal intent, or in the directing of the energy for that intent.  They can also be aids in those purposes, in helping us to get to the state of mind required for this, or to help us contact to our spiritual selves. From these definitions, a lot of things can fall into the categories of spiritual tools.

Depending on the tradition, some of us have unique items in our spiritual tool box.  We may have figurines of animals or fur or feathers, to help us connect to the animal and its spirit.  Some of us may have collections of art on cards, to form a visual oracle, such as tarot, or some of the modern oracle decks featuring crystals, mythological creatures, such as dragons, or fractal art. We may have plant materials we burn or hold or use in some talisman fashion, or glass marbles, or crystals and gemstones themselves.  We may make or buy wands, or use double edged knives called athames.  We may use candles, incense sticks, or play instruments such as drums or singing bowls.  We may even use our own voices and chant, or follow or listen to a CD with music to help enhance the mood.

At any rate the tools do not take the place of the spiritual work, or make the relationships or the magic. We do.  While the tools do not define our magic, it can certainly help us in the process of making changes occur in alignment with our wills and divine will.  So, what is a tool in your Spiritual Life, and why?

 

 

JK4EF23UGH7M

What Makes You Tick?

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One of the things I find myself talking to people about is identifying what makes them tick.  Getting to where we want to go or be in life means clarity, and that clarity can take a lot of work, time and emotional energy.  We can use the tarot to identify in more detail the depths of what motivates us and what makes us tick.  Once we know what kinds of issues we are looking at, we can then take a step back and ask in our divination what the solutions may be.

Now, tarot can be a fairly complex system to learn, but it is not impossible with the right attitude and approach.  My Introduction to Tarot course breaks down the task of learning the cards by learning the patterns and trends of the deck, with keywords and symbols.  We also do some fun practical stuff as well.  It is a way to learn to know the tarot, not an exercise in memorization of keywords for the cards,  or some other method like that.  I have found that reading the cards with a book right next to you can be helpful, for a little while.  Eventually, it will hold you back.  To truly work with Tarot, you need to wonder what the symbols are trying to tell you, what they represent for YOU.  Because in this set of symbols are choices that have been made.  Why this card and not another?  What does that card tell me?  What impression does that picture give me?  Is there some reason I am picking that symbol?  Does the meaning of the card shift relative to other cards chosen? (And so forth if you are reading for someone else.)

Because once you get at what the card means, and its meaning for you, or your client,  the wonder of symbolic clarity and meaning play out, challenging your preconceived ideas.  Symbols have the ability to convey meaning at many levels simultaneously.  Ask anyone who has engaged in the process of vision boarding for goal setting or achievement.  What and how the pictures come to mean is just as much a process of clarity as any other exercise.

So, how do you sort it out?  With a card deck? Tarot?  You may want to consider learning tarot.  I have a course I have developed online that can help you learn.  It is more than learning about the cards. It is about engaging with symbols. You can check it out here.

Change takes Action…applying Magick and Spiritual Tools to Your Processes

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Last Wednesday, having a bite to eat with Shauna Harper and Susan Kelly Easton, both former chapter directors with Enterprising Moms (now a part of Entrepreneurial Moms International), one of the things we discussed was how some of the card decks that I carry in my store are becoming a part of the mainstream corporate world. The card decks and affirmation work I am talking about is the work of Louise Hay. She was a pioneer in using affirmations for not only the improvement of self esteem, but also for healing the body, and in more recently, with her fight with cancer. I pointed out to them that her work has been around since at least the eighties, and really peaked in the nineties.  While, I know that her work has been around that long, but the use of these tools would have seemed “not corporate” not too long ago, and may I say, a little “woo woo.”   Using oracle decks, for more than just divination has now long been established as a reasonable use of a deck.  The decks feature great art, the write ups in the booklets or books included are quite informative, and the use of these in team building is very light and great way to break the ice in a non-threatening way, by highlighting the power of words as affirmations.  It started with Louise Hay’s work, and goes on with others now.

Why?

Because with some of the refinements of more recent times, affirmations work. In fact, Shauna developed affirmation magnets with her company Colour The Universe Inc., and learned a whole lot about attraction, channeling her creativity into the ability to  make a product and make good money doing it. Susan Kelly Easton still runs her business Competitive Edge Career Services, and now has been scooped up by Fortis BC locally as a regional human resources manager. Still, what we are talking about are ordinary people who are and have used affirmations in both connecting to people who can build their businesses, and themselves.

In my work, affirmations, or your self talk in a positive way, has been helping me transition my knowledge and experience of healing and magick into building this business. There are a lot of things I can do, but the truth is, if I have a low confidence day in my business, I not only have fewer customers, I also have a harder time undoing it. I know full well when I do a reiki session with someone, there is a healing result. (I feel it and they usually tell me.) I know how to use the money manifestation box in the store to get work done, but I can do money magick till the cows come home and undo all of it with a lack of confidence, which can create inertia, which is a physics term for inaction.

I once talked to a card reader years ago who set up an office with no business plan. She followed what her intuition told her. (For what it is worth, she had a plan, but it was in her mind. She also introduced me to feng shui and what its general teachings are, and I actually use it still.) And that works if you have experience and skills. Truth is that most of us are good at doing the services, but there is a whole new level involved in running it as a business. There was a tried and true method of ‘going pro’. But, as time has gone for me, and other aspects of the business are challenging me in ways that I need to grow.  So, while I do my manifestation work with my spell candles, I get cracking on learning more about business, and what I can do to make this work. I can serve you better if I can learn to bridge the so called divide. What I am finding though is that the divide is not that big, and manifesting a dream takes planning, skill, experience and knowledge. (Thanks ladies for inspiring me with your work on Enterprising Moms Network.)

People perform better when they are valued and validated. Human Resources people like Susan know that. And both of them know that clarity makes visability and change happen. So, are you of the belief that there is no connection between mundane and spiritual ideas, or is it just psychology in action? Because at the time Louise Hay was doing her practial work with affirmations, there was not yet a lot of experience to back up the idea that belief affects performance, except maybe in something like sports. And if real change is what you want, you may need to start with what you tell yourself. Today Louise Hay’s cards are being used in “team building” and other corporate offices to set a stage for developing a positive work environment, but in the terms I use, team building is creating an positive group egrore or group energy field and that raises their collective vibrations, which attracts business and customers. So, are we finally seeing the wisdom in acknowledging that we are spiritual beings having a human experience, even in our worklives? Finally? Great. So shifting in 2012 should be that much easier.

Nameste.

 

What will 2012 Bring?

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A friend of mine shared this link with me on Facebook, and I thought I would share this message with you in this way.  It is a little long, but certainly worth the listen and watch.  I like how this does not tell us that the world is ending.  The line from Revelation is that the world is supposed to end “as we know it”.  That line is so open for interpretation. So, I believe that I will still be paying off my student loans in 2013, and so forth.

Enjoy.

 

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There is also free audio gifts for you as well on this page here.

Psychic Self Defense tips #1

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Hi all.  I just put together a video for you, and I wanted to share this with you.  I hope this helps you with some of the challenges you are having with psychic self defense.  For more information, check out the online course I have running right now.  It will certainly help you with your skills, and give you some materials and techniques to create greater peace of mind in your life today.

 

 

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The New Beginnings News for 2012 from a friend, and Happy New Year

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There is a lot of new stuff happening around here.  There has been talk about the store about having talks in the evenings on different topics of interest.   We have a lot of local folks that have cool talents and skills and lots to offer in terms of a talk or two on different things, and so I thought we could annouce starting in January discussion nights.

From there we will see what develops. I am excited to see what develops in this way.  Truthfully, I am a bit concerned about organizing workshops without people to support them by committing and registering for the course.  It would seem that a model of pay when you show up, if you show up, has been tolerated in the community, and that is so disrespectful to the teachings and the work we are doing.  If just dropping in if it is convenient worked, I would be ok with it.  I know that it is not.  I also know that we tend to value what we invest in, and we are all worth investment… I know that value needs to be held, and so there are ways and means to do that.  For sharing nights, keep your eyes posted for news from us about what we bee doing.

I also have a couple of courses that I have offered in the past, online for you to take from the privacy of your  home, Psychic Self Defense and Intro to Tarot.  I have been working on converting the materials so that people can take them from the comfort of home, on a home study basis.  Basically, as you progress, the course forum board will open up with the next lesson, and then the next. The forum board also allows you to interact with other classmates in the classes as they log in and complete the work as well.  I am sure you will enjoy the materials.

But for now, I wanted to share with you something different.  This is by a local woman in our Community who is a local practitioner, and this was the message from spirit she was given to share with all for 2012.  Enjoy.

Merry Christmas!

May you find the beauty in the silent moments between the tasks of the season. As we leave 2011 behind we are grateful for the growth, both personal, and in the world around us. The organized chaos is orchestrated by the Divine to make us accountable and responsible for our thoughts, words, and deeds. It also brings us into awareness that whatever we say or do affects the whole of creation and the impact is not always small. Leaving this year behind we leave the color of gold and purple. The transition into 2012 will be the color of red. Then we step up to the vibration of magenta and teal. This puts us on notice that we are being called to go on an inward journey and discover our souls purpose for being here in this lifetime. It is also a call to release what no longer is for our higher good and to integrate our body, mind, and spirit. We need to know now that we are spiritual beings having a human experience. As such any lower vibrational behaviours (i.e. anger, greed, jealousy, etc.) must be transmuted or let go. To do this a look at our shadow side and an acceptance of it is mandatory. The number vibration for 2012 is number 9. The body part is the throat and the heart. Our task is to connect truth through the heart before we speak. Sound is the vibration for this coming year. We will all vibrate at an octave higher than we are at present. We will look more closely at what we are co-creating with creator. Everything in your life has been co-created by you. Because it exists outside of you, it exists outside of creator. We need to infuse it with heart truth and see behind the illusions. This demands that we seek out how it feels, not just what we see. As you look within, realize that what you see is what you have chosen to nurture and bring your attention and intention to. Does it still serve your highest good? Do adjustments have to be made? How are we connecting to the whole living system? How are we serving it? How are we destroying it?

The animal guides for 2012 are the leopard, and the second animal will be sent to each individual as the teaching and wisdom will be specific for each person. Stay in gratitude and love; it brings you instantly into heart space and simplifies the journey. Enjoy the transmutations, the ups and downs, the peace and chaos, the quiet snow, the steady rain, the sun’s heat, and all the creator’s miracles of which you are one.

My best wishes to you and your families. Take 2012 in your stride because it too shall pass very quickly. Embrace it! Enjoy it! Use it well!

Namaste,

Sue

 

Yuletide Celebrations

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I am planning a Yuletide Celebration at the store, with readings and healings and a wish tree.  What is a Wish Tree?  Let me explain.

Yule is about the return of the light.  At one time, it was a celebration at the end of December I believe celebrating Saturnalia.  The Church moved the birth of Jesus to also coincide with the Winter Solstice, the return of the light from the Sun, and the shift increasing darkness to increasing light.  At any rate, after the Winter Solstice, the light of the sun will increase, slowly bringing up back to spring.

This is also the time of year so many of us are pressured or feel pressured around gift giving. The nice thing about what I sell is that the items and books help with re-orienting the person to the deeper meanings in life.  While it may not all be about stuff, some things help.

I have an event planned to help.  This year, we have a Yuletide Celebration with psychic fair, energy healing, and sales throughout the weekend of Dec 17th and 18th. We are also trying to collect canned goods for the foodbank, and those folks who bring in canned goods will get a tag from the store tree for all kinds of customer appreciation specials.

We will also have a Wish Tree.  On a small piece of paper, a person can come in, write down their wish for their intentions, and we will add it to the Yule celebrations in a special ceremony.

So, I hope to see you all.  Peace and Blessings of the holiday season to you.

Charlene

 

 

Some Thoughts on Online Shopping this Holiday Season

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Last night, at a networking meeting where I was talking to a small group of women about what I do in my business and what we had to offer, I was told that my retail sales could be down because “we are going to do our shopping for the holidays online.”  I operate a retail store as well as the online store, and other than a few tweaks and such, there are some folks that are not willing to buy online, but lots are thinking that buying online is problem free, and that there is consumer protection.  There is and there isn’t.  Check this recent article about the topic by CBC News.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/technology/story/2011/11/14/technology-returning-online-purchases-piac.html

This recent article highlights some of the dangers of online shopping, just for “stuff.”  Imagine going on a vacation, researching it all online, putting it together, charging your card, and then you go, and everything is a disaster.  You miss your flight, it gets cancelled because of volcanos, or what have you.  Now what?  That cheapy reservation may have saved you $10 to $50 dollars instead of going with an agent, but that agent did all your research.  Sure, you killed some time online doing the same research too, but could you have been going to the gym, hanging with your kids, or something else?  And, when you book yourself and the screw up fairy shows up while you are away, can you call your agent to fix it?  Oh, wait that was YOU.  Your agents have connections to the trip suppliers you may not have.  They can likely fix it quicker.  I guess you get what you pay for, and that little extra you pay the agent is for their time.  Do you think it is worth it now?

But I, as a brick and clicks retailer, metaphysical teacher, and student of all that spiritual stuff, see the need to update my policies on sales and returns.  (Actually I have one—any defective item I will refund, even at a loss, and fully.  Shipping included.)  I have not actually stated one in the store policies, but given what is online and this article, it is high time I did.  So, I get that online shopping means no rubbing shoulders with crowds at malls to find out that the retailer has no more of xyz brand gizmo.  I wonder how I will get my own shopping done.  But belonging to that group of owners who are downtown businesses, small businesses, and of course, one woman running it all, I get how much goes into pricing my merchandise, and while someone else may undercut me, at what cost?  You can buy the book here after you flip through it—I have even read most of what I stock, so I can tell assure you about the content.  I even have a couple of leftovers that the big boys only have in used books.  But that book buys the store’s light, space for workshops and community events, buys you a connection and service to an experience and resource not just online, but face to face. Seeking and confused? Call me.  That expertise comes with a fee, and I know I am worth it, and so are the other businesses offering you something locally accessible.

The Occupy Movement highlighted the discrepancy between the 1% and the 99%.  It starts with where you vote with your money.  Elections aside, real changes will happen when we consider what our dollars do. Sure, US stuff is cheaper, and anyone importing it will pay a 22% duty on clothing, on top of other sales taxes, so, consider if it really a deal. Use your money to show what you value. Some folks will buy gift certificates or the like, or gifts of a real practical nature (grocery cards, or tires for a vehicle), this season.  You decide what you value.   I have come to understand that when folks are not buying it is not because they do not want to; it is because they cannot right now.  I see that in my sales, and I am learning to take it in stride.  Running a business is a little bit of faith and a whole lot of work, but I love what I do so much, the idea of working for someone else is not a reality I want.

So, with extended hours at the store this holiday season, if you are in town, drop in, and if not, check out the website.

Peace and Blessings

Redefining Wealth: Thought on Thanksgiving 2011

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It is health that is real wealth and not pieces of gold and silver.- Mohandas Gandhi


Redefining wealth

America is the richest nation on the planet. Daily, the importance and value of monetary wealth is reinforced to us–cars, celebrity, pampering, exotic travel, a desirable wardrobe, and money beyond comprehension are constantly before our eyes as the goals you “should” strive for. Money is power, they say, but is it really? Studies show that the wealthy are no happier than anyone else. In fact some would say people in such circumstances are even more prone to addiction, depression, and feelings of low self-worth. The real goals you should desire are a healthy body and a positive lifestyle. Eating well, exercising, and getting adequate rest gives you an edge against cancer, diabetes, heart disease, and other ailments that are wrecking our society and cutting lives short everyday. A long, healthy life and taking care of yourself should be your new marker for wealth.

 

That is quite the quotation.  On this Thanksgiving, I am challenging everyone that follows my blog to consider what wealth means and should mean.  We have Occupy Wall Street and similar protests going on around , well, at least North America anyways, based on protesting the disparity between those that have and those that have not.  I know in the work of my business, that wealth, abundance and money are ongoing issues.  Cash flow is an absolute necessity in running a business, and this week, I have been absorbed in developing plans for generating cash, because when you own a business, marketing it is full time.

But it is more than that.  Owning a business has forced me to look head long into the shadow of self worth, deservability, manifestation and more.  To be honest, I know that this is my path, although at times, I feel like it has been uphill. The more I listen to mentors, and other women entrepreneurs, doing what I am doing, I know that I have part of the solution already, but I still block it because I think money and wealth should not be related. And, I much as I know that money is energy, and I do work with energy directly, I still struggle with money–why?  Because as an energy worker, druid, pagan, spiritual person in the process of learning more, money and having it is the one place, the last bastion, where my shadow hides out.

I also know that failing to address the shadow issues with money interferes with my ability to manifest my financial goals.  So, my job is to pay the bills, manage the numbers, and get back into visioning, planning and imaging.  So, I am re-writing my business plan, (more like revising, but it is about time.)  And, as I go, I find running a business is just as much work spiritually for me, as another other training I have undergone, because to make the business succeed, I have to go beyond myself to do it. I have to be healthy, I have to balance my family life and my spiritual life, and more to be able to address the challenges.  So, at times, there are projects that do not get the attention they deserve, but going to the doctor to get my medication sorted out is just as important as marketing copy writing.

What are you doing to be wealthy in your life?  I know that today, and everyday, I have gratitude for my life and the path I have taken.

Food Security, Dumpster Diving, and Some Thoughts.

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I would like you to check out this video first.

http://bit.ly/o4SpmD

Now, what do you think?  We know that there are a lot of people that are struggling with higher food prices.  It is harder and harder to feed a family.  I remember my mother feeding a family with four kids on roughly $700 a month, including bread and milk.  It now costs me almost $1300 a month for groceries to feed a family with three kids, one less than my parents.  Our income, for the record, is easily double what my father earned.

But the idea that grocery stores cannot donate good but not sell-able food is sad.  I know that in BC, it is done, even with stock that cannot be sold coming close to expiry, is donated to local food banks.  There are even collection boxes year round in the local stores here, and we can also donate rhubarb, apples and the like to food banks when we grow them in town.

Sigh.  I think we we need to pay a little more attention to trying to eliminate waste.  I give my kids the gears each time they throw away half eaten food.  I make them save it for the next time they need a snack. What do you think?  Deep down, do we live in a consumer society that anything not perfect is waste?  When is this too much?