Astrology Forecast for May 2012

We should all welcome the month of May as she will bring in the relief of stress. Can you feel it yet?

It has been two weeks since Mercury, our planet of communication, finally started to communicate with us again along with the planet Mars. Mars is about the action we take and the progress we make, and it is back on the right path again making it much easier for us to navigate our way through life with more conviction. The last few months have been more difficult, moving slowly, with very little forward motion.

On Saturday, May 5th we have a Full Moon in the sign of Scorpio. If you follow the energy of the zodiac signs you should know this Full Moon is about releasing anything that we feel overly attached too, the things we obsess about that are not healthy. Now this is subjective which means we may need to call a close friend who will be honest and able tell us we are being overly obsessive about something. Don’t take this personally but use it to take some time to honestly look at what you are obsessed with and see what needs to change.

What do you need to let go of? This is perfect behavior for a Full Moon, releasing what no longer serves us. If you are not familiar with this ritual ,then email me for more information, I will happily share. One reason that it is so important to release during this Full Moon (it is important to release during every Full Moon) is that both the next New and Full Moons will be eclipses. An eclipse is a super-charged energy and we will want as much open space as possible to allow us to manifest as much as possible. This begins by first releasing what no longer serves us thus allowing us to free up our hands so we may receive.

Some other big news the first week of May is Mercury moving into the zodiac sign of Taurus. He will be in this sign for the remainder of May, reminding us that our words are powerful and each and every one of us has the power to change anything with one word.

Adding to this mix, from May 5th through the 17th, we have three planets that are connected. They are making a triangular shape in the solar system with us (the earth) in the middle. The planets involved in this triangle bring a wonderful energy to us, allowing us to communicate well and easily understand things that may normally go over our heads. We are more able to make those practical and down to earth changes that will impact our lives for the better. The details of these influences do depend on where these planets fall in your own personal horoscope but, overall, expect May to more helpful than any of the last two months have been.

On Sunday, May 13th (Mothers Day) the Sun and Jupiter will be in the same location so we will not be blessed by his presence in the evening sky anymore. It was lovely to see Venus and Jupiter together during March but now the Sun and Jupiter are in the same place in our solar system, at least from our perspective here on earth. What that means for us is that we feel overly abundant, generous, optimistic and enthusiastic about most things presently. The same day the Moon and Neptune are in the same location and Mercury and Mars are in a trine aspect. All of this indicates that we have a wonderful day ahead of us celebrating with Mom, lots of conversations, traveling, and for some of us, memories of those no longer with us.

Sunday, May 20th the New Moon is also a Solar Eclipse beginning at 7:47 p.m. This is in the sign of Gemini which means our words are even more powerful then I explained in the first paragraph. Pay attention and be very careful what you say, think and wish for during this eclipse as we will manifest very quickly no matter what. The eclipse, unfortunately, will not be visible here on the east coast. The Sun moved into Gemini (May 21) and we are in the last month of spring. Everything is moving much faster now. We can feel it and see it. Take advantage of this time of year to plant new seeds of opportunity for yourself.

The next eclipse is June 4th as we always have two in a row--the science behind how our solar system works! The eclipse on June 4th is a Full Moon in Sagittarius. After all, the new conversations and open communications that we have been having over the last month involves this Sagittarian Moon which is looking for the truth. I am hope revealing this ahead of time will assist you in preventing yourself from becoming overzealous and a little too talkative. If you may have stretched the truth a little in May, it is time to pay for it. With this glimpse ahead, avoid any white lies in May or you will pay in June.

For a more detailed report (weekly) you can subscribe at http://www.nhastrologer.com/

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Dorothy Morgan has been a Professional Astrologer for over 20 years. She currently teaches Astrology classes at Circles of Wisdom in Andover, Massachusetts and writes a weekly astrological column through her website offering New and Full Moon forecasts. She also provides monthly astrological reports for a number of New Age retail shops, Yoga centers and a variety of newsletters distributed globally. She also does a monthly internet radio show on Achieve Radio, "Walking the Path" with Dawn and Laura and a few local TV shows as well as numerous New Moon and Full Moon Forecast videos on You-Tube.

Dorothy is available for consultation appointments by telephone or Skype. You can reach her via email at mailto:nhastrologer@gmail.com Her website is www.nhastrologer.com 

Where's the Hidden Blessing? Hay House Radio Show Discussion with Wayne Dyer and Sara Blakely of Spanx

Those who know me know I love to listen to Hay House Radio. I've been listening to it since it was first on the air. If you're having a rough day, rough week, rough year, turn on Hay House Radio and you'll be back in the saddle in no time.

This week, I listened in on Wayne Dyer's radio show Wishes Fulfilled where he had the founder of Spanx on, Sara Blakely (April 2, 2012 show). Sara was just on the cover of Forbes magazine (March 2012) as the youngest self made billionaire.

She talked about going through some rough times in her life and she told how she listened to Wayne Dyers tapes from the 1970's How to Be a No Limit Person. She listened to all ten tapes morning, noon and night. She laughed telling the story. Her friends in high school knew that they couldn't get in her car without her making them listen to the tapes.

The core messages Sara got from the tapes which changed her life were:

• Everything Happens for a Reason
• Always ask, Where's the Hidden Blessing? Where's the Opportunity?
• There is intention and purpose in everything
• You may not be able to control the things in your life but you can control how you handle it.

Wayne Dyer said that he also had a desire not just to know this information for himself but to get everyone to know the listen to it so they could have a better life. He said that real leadership is about not only wanting something great for yourself, but wanting it for others as well.

Sara said she often talks to people about running and starting a business. She acknowledges that it isn't easy and says you should always ask, where's the hidden lesson? Where's the opportunity? Every day there are obstacles when you own a business. She advises to see the struggles for what they are. Focus on the people you meet and the experiences you have instead of the outcome.

She talked about her father teaching her a very important lesson about failure. He would ask her, "What have you failed at this week?"

If she told him about something she failed at, he would high 5 her. If she didn't have anything, he was disappointed. He taught her that failure is not trying, and not the outcome.

Wayne chimed in and talked about Edison who some people thought was a failure after trying to invent a light bulb 25,000 different ways. He said that he now knew 25,000 ways not to make a light bulb.

Sara Blakely's business, Spanx took off when she saw Oprah talking about cutting her pantyhose at the ankle. She too did that and decided it was time to invent pantyhose where the foot was cut out. She got Oprah's attention and her business took off like wild fire. On the radio show, Sara said that she first visualized herself on Oprah then it became a reality.

Wayne called that the Power of Intention working in her life. He said intention isn't something that we do.It's something we connect to. He talked about all of us being able to reconnect to source energy where e get plugged into a grander plan.  When we're connected to source energy, the universe supports us.

Sara said she believed that everyone has a rare uniqueness. She told about writing in her journal that she wanted to be self employed and wanted to do something she loved. She knew in her core that her life would be different--that she would be doing something big. When she started her new business, if someone said it couldn't be done, she refused to see it as an obstacle and looked for the opportunity and blessing in the challenge.She said she had an Inner Knowing about her product idea and wouldn't give up on it even if she didn't have the money to get it made and advertise it.

She started the business with $5,000 in savings. She said she had no money to advertise because of all the product prototype changes then (very synchronistically) Oprah called her and the company took off. Wayne Dyer referred to Napoleon Hill's Burning Desire concept. He says that self actualized people have a burning desire...like a candle flame that flickers but refuses to go out. This burning desire propels them forward when others would give up.

As an American women, Sara says that she's driven by gratitude for the opportunity to fulfill her dream. She sees many women in the world without this opportunity. Her burning desire now is help other women in the world to succeed and join her in reaching their dreams.

Wayne says there's something in the world moving the pieces around...there's something bigger we're connected to.  He recapped by saying that he gave a talk in 1977. It was recorded and put out into the world. Twenty five years later there's a woman who listened to those tapes and started a very successful company which is now making a huge impact on the lives of women around the world. The little decisions he made were really being orchestrated for a larger purpose.

He said that we all have the ability to make an impact on other people's lives in a positive way. When we encounter what seems to be obstacles in our life, we need to ask, where's the hidden blessing in this? And, listen for the answer.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

R. Ann Rousseau writes about metaphysical, spiritual and astrology topics on her blog Explore Beyond the Usual. She is author of the new novel Portsmouth, A Love Story.  Follow her on Twitter: @RAnnRousseau and Facebook: RAnnRousseau and https://www.facebook.com/PortsmouthALoveStory

Other Blog Posts by R. Ann Rousseau: I Believe - Book Review, Do You Have a Paralyzed Will? Hay House Radio Show Discussion, Living On Purpose - Oprah's Life Class Tour Discussion, My Titanic Family Legend, Pearls of Wisdom Book Review, Enough Already - The Power of Radical Contentment Book Review, Astrological Forecast April 2012, What Do You Really Love to Do? Wishes Fulfilled - Oprah's Super Soul Sunday Discussion with Wayne Dyer, A Facebook Message from a Friend in Spirit, Are You Having a Life Crisis? Do You Know What Integrity Is? Wishes Fulfilled -  Mastering the Art of Manifesting Book Review, Authentic Power - Oprah's Super Soul Sunday Discussion, KEM - Sophisticated, Sexy, Soulful and Spiritual, Are You Out of Alignment? Choice Point Book Review, The Middle Lane, Clean Your Mirrors, Three Feet From Gold - Book Review, Do You Need a Most Benevolent Outcome?, We Are All Connected Oprah's Super Soul Sunday Discussion, Release the Anger: Oprah's Super Soul Sunday Discussion, One Big Global Blogging Family, Book Review - Psychic Exploration A Challenge for Science, Hay House Radio's New Show SoundWave A Bit Hit!, Do You Believe in Soul Mates, The Future of Astrology, You Always Had the Power- Oprah's Life Class Discussion, Love Doesn't Hurt - Oprah's Life Class Discussion, The Unconditional Love of Animals-Oprah's Life Class Discussion, Your Life is Whispering to You. Pay Attention. Oprah's Life Class Discussion, The Power of a Second Chance: Oprah's Life Class Discussion, Aging : Oprah's Life Class Discussion, Connecting the Dots- Steve Jobs' Stanford Commencement Speech, The Truth Will Set You Free, Discussion of Oprah's Super Soul Sunday Premiere: The World Beyond, A Women's Bodies, Women's Wisdom Moment, Breaking Out the Top Shelf Advice for Rough Times, Eat Dessert First -The Art of Extreme Self Care, Queen of the Law of Least Effort-Seven Spiritual Laws of Success Book Review, The Secret of Instant Healing Book Review, Transforming Fate into Destiny Book Review, Awakening the Lightworker Within Book Review, The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane Book Review, Trust Your Gut Book Review, The Spirit Whisperer Book Review, Astrology for the Light Side of the Brain Book Review, My 9/11 Story, How to Be Inspired Book Review, Infinite Quest Book Review, Biology of Belief Book Review, The Morning Breeze Has Secrets to Tell, The Gentle Way II Book Review, Do You Fear or Respect Mother Nature?, You Can Heal Your Life Movie Review, Hereafter Movie Review, North Wind Blowing -Time for a Change, Presence University, Impossible Situations are Great Opportunities, Do You Have Enough?, Moon Tides Soul Passages Book Review, Compromise with the Varmints! Yankee Doodle Discord Book Review, A Wright Brothers Moment! The Sacred Promise Book Review

What Self Sabotaging Behaviors Create Stress?

Janie Behr, a life coach, talks about ways we create self-sabotage. Self-sabotage involves beliefs buried in our subconscious mind, which counter our conscious intentions. Janie says, Over reacting to stressful situations is a form of self-sabotage that causes emotional stress. Do you know people who create unnecessary conflicts and emotional drama?

Do you engage in a lot of negative self-talk inside your head? Do you interpret positive events as negative? Do you sabotage yourself by creating self-fulfilling prophecies to prove your negative beliefs? You can learn how to change the negative self-talk into positive self-talk.

 

Do you sabotage your relationships by being aggressive rather than assertive? Do you know the difference between aggressive and assertive? Do you let others walk all over you for fear of saying no and sabotage your own self-esteem?

 

You can learn how to be assertive and speak up and say no to begin establishing good personal boundaries.

 

Do you sabotage yourself by taking a pessimistic view and seeing things worse than they are? This undermines your esteem, health, and success.

 

Which of the self-sabotage methods apply to you?

 

Do you want to reduce the stress in your life and quit sabotaging yourself? If so:  

• Break through your denials
• Discover and express your unmet needs
• Strive to uncover your unconscious patterns of pain
• Face your fears
• Take back your power

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

 

Michael David Lawrience is the author of Emotional Health: The Secret from Drama, Trauma, and Pain. His book provides ways for improving emotional health, easing pain and stress, healing physical and emotional abuse, and spiritual awakening. He is a Holistic Health Practitioner, Self-Esteem Coach, Personal Growth Writer.

 

Michael is a certified Residential Coach III with over 12 years experience teaching teens self-awareness, self-esteem, and self-reliance. He has over 35 years experience as a holistic health practitioner with a B.A in Sacred Healing and is a certified Bowenwork Practitioner. His niche is emotional health with extensive personal experience related to codependency recovery, strengthening self-esteem, healing the inner child, stress management, and meditation practice. Michael’s spirit radiates healing, inspiration, love, and peace as an energy healer and a Professional Bowenwork Practitioner. As a personal development seminar leader, he has taught professionals as well as nonprofessionals in the United States, Canada, and Brazil. He also has over a decade of experience as a Residential Coach mentoring and teaching teenage girls self-awareness, self-reliance, and self-esteem.

 

Michael David Lawrience's website is http://www.emotionalhealthtips.com/

Other Blog Posts By Michael D. Lawrience: What is the Difference Between a Subpersonality and a Multiple Personality?, Discover Your Subpersonalities: How Do We Heal Them? Part 3 Continued, 8 Steps to Discover Your Subpersonalities: How Do We Heal Them? Part 3, A Meditation for Discovering Your Subpersonalities, How Do We Discover the Subpersonalities That Run Our Lives? 12 Steps to Recovery from Codependency Traits - Part 3, 12 Steps to Recovery from Codependency Traits -Part 2, 12 Steps to Recovery from Codependency Traits - Part 1, Angel Light Healing, How Many People Does It Take for Planetary Awakening? What is the Phenomenon of Spiritual Awakening Sweeping Around the Planet? How Does Sedona, Arizona Assist with Emotional and Spiritual Healing? Top 10 Tips Indicating Signs of Spiritual Awakening, What Are the Benefits of Living Your Life Purpose?,How Do You Find Your Life Purpose? Self Love: Twin Souls Twin Flame Relationships, Spiritual Awakening and Enlightenment: What Does it Mean?, Spiritual Planetary Awakening and Enlightenment: How Many People Does it Take?

 

Recognize the Real Purpose of Resistance

Note: This article is one in series of tips from Inspired Entrepreneur Nick Williams

Tip 15 - Recognise the Real Purpose of Resistance.

“Before the dragon of Resistance reared its ugly head and breathed fire into our faces, there existed within us a force so potent and so life-affirming that it made Resistance freak out and load up the sulphur and brimstone.” Steven Pressfield, Author of War of Art

It claims to be your friend. Resistance whispers in your ear that it is saving you from pain, failure, looking stupid, being rejected, going broke, wasting your life on fruitless ventures. On a bad day, you do actually believe that. But in your heart, you know that resistance is actually keeping you from your juice and from the magnificence of your life. It is deceiving you into believing that you are a purely physical being rather than an amazing spirit in a body. It is keeping you from your talent and power. It is trying to keep you afraid and asleep. It’s got some pretty convincing arguments, but none of them is true.

Freedom project: Remember - whatever resistance may whisper in your ear, it is not your friend. It does not have your best interests at heart. Listen to another voice.

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Click Here to read Nick Williams book Resisting the Soul

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Nick Williams travels the world sharing a life-affirming - and profoundly spiritual – vision of work and entrepreneurship. A sought after speaker, best-selling author and broadcaster, Nick is on a mission to help people move beyond their fears, play-bigger in their lives, and transform their passions into profitable businesses. He is the author of six books including the best selling The Work We Were Born To Do and most recently The Business You Were Born to Create. He lives in London and his web site is http://www.inspired-entrepreneur.com/, @nickwilliams1, http://www.facebook.com/entrepreneurclub

Books By Nick Williams:

        

Other Blog Posts by Nick:  Become a Servant of the Great Mystery, Do Believe in Heaven, You Can't Take All the Credit for Your Brilliance, You Are the Custodian of Projects and Gifts, Who Did I Promise to Be in This Life? You Are Here to Do Something Beautiful, Are You Resisting Your Own Life Purpose?The Battle for Your Brilliance - Will Resistance Win? Were Your Talents and Abilities Used Today?Resistance Can Be Your North Star, Do You Know the Difference Between Resistance, Necessity and Intuition? Something Wonderful Came Before Your Resistance, Can You Recognize Your Own Resistance?, Your Precious Impulse, Does Your Soul Want a Renaissance Career, 5 Tips if You're Afraid of Losing Your Job, Why I Really Quit My Corporate Job, Comunity and the Inspired Entrepreneur, Beat Your Resistance and Honour Your Creative Impulses

A Course in Miracles - Songs for Healing

To go along with my Explore Beyond the Usual blog post, Healing Relationships Through A Course in Miracles I have two songs written and sung by an A Course in Miracles (ACIM) troubadour Donna Marie Cary who will be preforming at the 2013 ACIM Conference. And I have a Lesson read by Maz Weber-Caspers along with his original music.

In Marianne Williamson's book Return to Love we find the quote: “’The Face of Christ’ is the innocence and love behind the masks we all wear, and seeing that face, touching it and loving it in ourselves and others, is the experience of God. It is our divine humanness. It is the high we all seek.”

The first song is one of my favorites. It's called “Will’s Song” from Cary's album: No Solid Ground and illustrates this beautifully.

WILL’S SONG – Listen here

When you hear me laughing
Don’t always be fooled by my disguise
Don’t forget to look twice in my eyes
Hear what I’m really saying
I don’t always tell the truth
Embarrassed and ashamed of the past
Too afraid to ask for help
I need help
Won’t someone hear what I’m really saying
Will you be a light Shining through the dark
Will you be the Voice calling out
It’s OK ~ It’s Safe ~ You’re alright
Don’t forget to look twice in my eyes
It may appear I’m fighting you
I’m only tryin’ to claw my way out
Suffocating in this tomb of fear and doubt
When you hear me shout
Hear what I’m really saying
Don’t believe in what I do or say
I’m more than just the actor in the play
Look beyond and see what I truly AM
Help me remember
What I truly AM
Will you be a light Shining through the dark
Will you be the Voice calling out
It’s OK ~ It’s Safe ~ You’re alright
Don’t forget to look twice in my eyes
Don’t forget to look twice in my eyes
“Help me to REMEMBER what I truly AM.”

In preparing for the workshop I gave on Healing, I was using our On-Line Searchable edition for “brother is my savior”. (The search goes through all 365 lessons, 600+ pages of the Text & Manual.) The search results came back and revealed that this phrase only appears in one place!

It appears in only one of the lessons. I saw that it was in the 200’s and knew that was toward the end of the year but didn’t notice anything in particular about it.

Then I got goose bumps. I went over to my Study Guide to see what lesson everyone would be doing on the day of the workshop October 15th and it was that very same Lesson ~ Lesson 288. OMG I just burst into tears! I love synchronicities!

Here is Lesson 288 from A Course in Miracles read by maz Weber-Caspers, CIMS member & musician:

Lesson 288 - Let Me Forget My Brother's Past Today

♪ ♫ Listen Here -♫ ♪

Let me forget my brother’s past today.
This is the thought that leads the way to You,
and brings me to my goal. I cannot come
to You without my brother. And to know
my Source, I first must recognize what You
created one with me. My brother’s is
the hand that leads me on the way to You.
His sins are in the past along with mine.
And I am saved because the past is gone.
Let me not cherish it within my heart,
or I will lose the way to walk to You.
My brother is my Saviour. Let me not
attack the Saviour You have given me,
but let me honor him who bears Your Name,
and so remember that It is my own.
Forgive me, then, today. And you will know
you have forgiven me if you behold
your brother in the light of holiness.
He cannot be less holy than can I,
and you can not be holier than he.

~ Original Handscript of ACIM

The Course in Miracles tells us that there are no accidents. Perhaps the Course is calling to you, beyond your thoughts, beyond your dreams. Angels are calling you home. Allow this song to open your heart to the Love that is already there! It is a song exquisitely sung by Donna Marie Cary without any musical accompaniment.

Echoes in the Silence ~

♪ ♫ Listen here -♫ ♪


Beyond my thoughts, Beyond my dreams there is a voice calling.
Truth is what it speaks. Love is all it seeks.
Breaking down the walls around me.
And it echoes in the silence.
Rolling back the tides. Lighting up the night.
Opening up my eyes to love.
Seeing what is real. How it feels to know I’m only love
And it echoes in the silence.
Beyond the world there is a home where we all live as one.
Angels sing a long forgotten song.
Singing us home. Can you hear them singing us home?
Love is revealed. I am healed. Beyond the Silence.
Beyond my thoughts, Beyond my dreams.
The world I see.
And it echoes in the silence.

 ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Reja Janaki Joy Green is one of the founding members of the Course in Miracles Society (CIMS), publisher of A Course in Miracles – Original Edition. Reja has facilitated Course in Miracles study groups since 1983 and is in the 2nd year of the CMC Ministerial program. Currently Reja resides with her loving husband Chris Green in Omaha, NE.

http://www.acim-original.com/

http://www.jcim.net/

Click Here to Purchase the Kindle Edition of A Course in Miracles

A Habit of Writing

Gramma Hedlund gave me a Steno Pad when I was eleven for Christmas. In the beginning, the scribble on the pages resembled the news feed onmy Facebook wall, a warped report of a teenager’s life, make up’s and break ups. Over the years, the filled notebooks spilled over into dozen of boxes and were shuffled from coast to coast. The illegible markings left a pen trail tracking a life that was like a whoopie pie: gooey cream caked between hardened shell of love and heartbreak. Little did Wilma know that her gift would begin a dance that would last a lifetime, long before "morning pages" was a fixture in common New Age vocabulary.

Writing on demand, however, was a challenge. Taking out the pen to fill the empty pages with wishful notions of wit and wisdom took practice. Many mornings were spent staring at the blue lines propped on my knees, pen in the right hand and mug in the other, waiting on the muse. As I grew emotionally, the writing in the spiral bound notebooks bore witness to the transformation that took place in my life.

Sometimes the darkened room became light and the words became lists. While other mornings words flowed doing cartwheels and somersaults, scrambling children in the schoolyard, lining up at the bell to be accounted for.

Whatever the outcome of the morning scribbles, by the last sip of coffee, the page would bear witness to another day. Sometimes there was little more than a to-do list, ideas for a new chapter, a newsletter in the offing, and occasionally my next great idea. The early morning pages are illegible, and if not immediately transcribed to the computer become forgotten banter.

Over the last forty years that single Steno Pad was replaced by numerous, colorful spiral bound notebooks lining shelves in the garage. One time I revisited my works documenting the timeline for my memoir, The Shaman Chef: My Life and Other Recipes, about how cooking saved my life.

About a year ago the city had five big trucks lined up in the parking lot in the local park shredding paper. On that day the weighty boxes were stacked into the car , driven to the park, and the energy set free. After all, most of what was stored there was unreadable even to me and had long been committed to my memory and memoir.

Several years ago, I began the process of rewriting. To me the process was like preparing a glace de viande , refining and reducing to make words that stick to the back of your tongue, leaving a fragrant taste after your last bite. This process took discipline and many hours of sitting and examination of every smell, texture, and personality that I had ignored. In addition, there was now the external critic, the editor who required reading of book after book on writing. So what came easily at eleven became refined at fifty. Then the work began. Still today I am grateful that my grandmother gave me the first glued pages that began my dance with the bear. So today, after all these years, I write.

I encourage you to begin a daily ritual. It could be a walk, a meditation, or yoga. It is a one day at a time proposition. Many years ago, my friends stashed me away at a house in the woods to heal in solitude. He was a painter. I was amazed that he had so many canvasses lined in a bin. I wondered, How he had done this; in the silence of the woods? The answer: one painting at a time.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Known as The Practical Shaman, Renee Baribeau is a mentor, healer, teacher, and writer. Over the past fifteen years, she has trained with a long list of traditional shamans and modern-day mystics. She has received rites of passage from Q’ero elders in Peru and a Mapuche shaman in Chile, and apprenticed with a Lakota elder in Southern California for ten years. A graduate of the Healing the Light Body two-year program with the Four Winds Society, she studied directly with Jose Luis Herrera. She has also received the healer’s blessing from Swami Kaleshwar.

Renee is Director of Desert Holistic Network/Holistic Helping Hands, a growing health and wellness chamber of commerce and virtual marketing portal based in Southern California. Former resident shaman for the We Care Holistic Spa, she now runs a private practice that serves individuals, including numerous high-profile and executive clients in Beverly Hills and New York City. Possessing an entrepreneurial spirit, Renee has owned two successful restaurants and catering companies, and spent ten years as a corporate executive. Walking comfortably in two worlds, she is both a successful business leader and a humble servant of her community and the earth.
 
In 2010, Renee’s healing memoir, The Shaman Chef; How cooking saved my life scheduled for publication in autumn 2012, placed her among the top 25 finalists in The Next Top Spiritual Author competition, emerging from a field of over 2,500 candidates from around the world. Her Recipe for a Creative Awakening was chosen to be a chapter in an anthology entitled Pearls of Wisdom, Thirty Life Changing Ideas featuring Jack Canfield.

Other Blog Posts by Renee: Confessions of a Cell Phone Junkie

Just Because We Can, Should We?

This is a question that I ask every once in awhile, particularly when I read something or watch a program about some scientific research or breakthrough.

The latest bout of asking myself was generated when I saw part of program on research to help extend human life to possibly 200 years—with the goal of limiting illness and degenerative disease for an easier life. Really, 200 years? Should we?

I started thinking about some possible unintended consequences. What about population growth? Harm to the earth for an explosion of population with out humans learning to live more lightly on her? Jobs for all these people? Where would everyone live?

Then, I asked myself something else. If part of life on earth is some struggle so that we learn and grow, what would all this mean if part of the struggle is eliminated because the “trials” of aging are limited or even eliminated?

Another question that I had is what would this mean in terms of soul growth if everyone is hanging around, so to speak, for 200 years and not moving on?

So, just because we might some day be able to live to 200 years, should we? My inclination on this one is no.

If you would like an angel reading with channeled messages from your angels and guides, please go to:  http://www.explorebeyondtheusual.com/Navigation/ExploreReadings/KathyrnSamuelson.html

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Kathryn Samuelson is an intuitive who channels messages from your angels and guides through spiritual or automatic writing. She is also a life coach certified by the University of New Hampshire through its Professional Development Department. Kathryn does workshops based on the set of meditation cards and book called Opening the Heart: Meditations on How to Be that she created with her friend, Linda Lewis. For more information: http://www.kathrynsamuelson.com/, klsamuelsonATyahoo.com, or 781-799-7332

Other Blog Posts by Kathryn Samuelson: Choosing a Slower Path, My Journey with the Angels, Odds and Ends, Dissolving Limits, Brave Spending, Mindful Spending, Would You Have the Courage to Act?, Growth in the Winter, Book Review: Find Your Spirit Animals, As We Grow Through the Season, Simple Ways to Give, Turning Left Rather Than Right, Giving Thanks, Nurturing the Ego, Letting Things Go, Real Energy Book Review, Living with Doubt and Uncertainty, Bardo - The Things In Between, Musings On Mindfulness, You Are Here: Personal Geographies and Other Maps, The Choices We Make, Beyond: Buddhist and Christian Prayers CD Review, Riding Out Irene: A Practice in Maintaining Balance,

I Believe - Book Review

Definition of Believe: 1. To accept as true or real; 2.To credit with veracity I believe you; 3. To have confidence in, trust. 4. To expect or suppose; think 5. To have firm faith

In the winter of 2011, I commuted from New Hampshire to San Diego to be an Interim Controller for a plastics manufacturer. Once a month, I would stay over for the weekend and see the local sites. Those who know

me know I’m directionally impaired.

My time in San Diego was no exception.

I decided one Saturday morning that I would try to find Ocean Beach from my hotel in Mission Valley. I trusted and believed my GPS would get me to my destination without an issue. 

After 15 minutes on the road, the GPS lady sent me in circles, and we quickly got into an argument. As she yelled, “Recalculating…Recalculating,” I was yelling, “Yes, but which ramp do I take while you’re recalculating?!”

Even though you (or I) might not think so, you’re always exactly where you’re supposed to be (I think the GPS lady is in on this grand scheme). While I was screaming, I passed a sign that read, SEA WORLD ahead. I was frustrated and had no idea if I would ever find Ocean Beach and the meter was running out on my fun day off. As a side note, I’m single with no kids so a trip to Sea World would never make my top 10 places to visit while on vacation. I decided this is where the Universe wanted to take me that day so there I was—me and thousands of little mini me’s wearing neon sneakers with flashing lights carrying stuffed whales—all excited about spending the day at Sea World.

All in all, it turned out to be a fun relaxing day. I got a high out of watching how excited the children got seeing the dolphins and whales perform. You can’t help but feel joy in the presence of an ecstatically happy child. Personally, I fell in love with the Polar Bears. I have a soft spot for these beautiful animals. I didn’t think Sea World would've been their top choice for a vacation day either but we both made the best of it.

It was 4 PM when I attended my last show of the day—the killer whales. It was a show I will never forget. Instead of the usual announcement with whales racing around the pool jumping through hoops, there was an inspiring introduction called Believe. They taught the children (and adults) in the audience that if they believed in themselves and what their potential could bring, they could do anything. They told the story of a whale trainer on their staff. The trainer had loved whales since he was a kid. He lived in a spot where he could see them and ride along in his boat with them. He always dreamed of growing up and working with these animals. The program showed how his dream came true. He came out and waved to the crowd. It was a truly inspiring story. I get chills today thinking of it. It inspired me (and I read a lot of inspirational books) and I have no doubt it inspired those in the audience.

I started tearing up when I thought of how I got there that day. The prior year had been particularly rough for me financially, as I tried to inspire friends through the recession and stay inspired myself. The San Diego consulting contract came in just when I needed it. I thought the Believe presentation was there just for me, as a treat, to tell me to never give up even when things look bleak, because in short order you could find yourself across the country working with wonderful people having an exciting day at Sea World with polar bears and whales. Life has a funny way of winking at you when you least expect it.

If that wasn’t synchronistic enough, I pulled out of the Sea World parking lot and guess what I saw? A sign that read Welcome to Ocean Beach. I was exactly where I was supposed to be.

When I saw the release of Eldon Taylor’s new book I Believe – When What You Believe Matters! I got the chills again. I was hoping this book would be as inspirational as the Sea World presentation I had seen a year ago in San Diego.

The book is split up into twenty-six chapters where Eldon discusses what he thinks or believes about each topic such as Goals and Ambitions, Instinct and Intuition, Afterlife and End of Life, and Relationships.

The last paragraph of the book jacket states that, “Eldon Taylor has spent more than 25 years researching the power of the mind and developing scientifically proven methods to enhance the quality of your life. I Believe is a book that will not only inspire you, but will highlight the kinds of beliefs you hold that may be causing you to fail. In the process, it will provide you with the opportunity to choose, once again, that will drive your life.”

What I Didn’t Like About this Book

That’s six you’s or your’s in one book jacket paragraph. Problem is, there was nothing about the You that is Me in this whole book. The reader is an afterthought. I started counting how many times Eldon started a sentence with “I Believe,” but then lost count. For someone who has spent 25 years in science, I wasn’t expecting to read parables, quotes and some Bible stories to support his thoughts about how he arrived at his beliefs. Does the reader really care what Eldon believes? Some people might. When a reader picks up a book with this title, they want to gain a deeper understanding about themselves, what they believe and then be inspired to pursue that belief. The reader should not be an afterthought in the last paragraph of each chapter in a section called Reflection where Eldon asks, “So what is it that you believe?” Do you really care?

What I Did Like About this Book

I liked Eldon’s personal stories. I liked where he used real examples to support his belief or position. I loved his mention of his wife and his devotion to her. That was lovely.

There was nothing new here except if you care to know what Eldon Taylor believes about various aspects of life which might be best put into an autobiography. I don’t think what I believe matters at all to the author, therefore I was not inspired by this book. I was hoping for a book that would prompt some introspection but instead I got talked at. My recommendation-Pass.

Explore Beyond the Usual gives this book 2 stars.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

R. Ann Rousseau writes about metaphysical, spiritual and astrology topics on her blog Explore Beyond the Usual. She is author of the new novel Portsmouth, A Love Story. If you would like to be notifed when the novel is available for sale, please email us info@explorebeyondtheusual.com

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