Find the Greatest in You

Tip 30 Don’t leach on the greatness of others – find the greatness in you.

“The hope for humanity is that we may retrieve our shadow from our neighbour.” -Carl Jung, Swiss psychologist

By being around other people who are manifesting their greatness in the world, you may hope it will rub off on you. It may, but not because you have taken from them, but because you have found within yourself what you enjoy and admire in them.

Let something awaken in you.

A great teacher is one who creates more teachers, not more students. The greatest inspiration is the one who creates more inspirers. Let inspiring and great people help you awaken to what is in you, not only what is in them.

Meeting others is great – meeting yourself is the best. So all your resistance, ultimately, is to stop you showing up authentically in the world with what is great in you. There are some gifts you have, some talent you have, some beauty, some love to share with the world, and the whole point of resistance is to stop you showing up.

Your fear is that you’ll be a disappointment, your strength is not as good as you think it might be, you’ll be rejected. So rather than risk the pain, you hide out. But then it’s a lose/lose. You are diminished and the world is robbed of you, your talent and your gifts. Resistance allows you to keep your stories running rather than bust through them and show up and find out the actual reality.

Tip – so what is the cost of you hiding out and leading a diminished life? Reverse the pain and access your inspiration. Make the pain of hiding out greater than the possible pain of showing up.

Freedom project: Acknowledge that what you admire in others is also in you, maybe hidden or in embryo. Commit to finding the spirit in you, which is no more or no less than anyone else.

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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: Give Up Your Worry That You'll Be Copied, Tip 28 Recognise the difference between an obstacle and an excuse, Tip 27 Don't Use Your Problems and Your Suffering to Define You, Tip 26 Recognize that Resistance Can Be Really Nasty, Tip 25Resist the Temptation to "Just Need to Know a Little Bit More" Before You Start, Tip 24 Art, Callings and Addiction, Tip 23 Over Planning is Procrastination in Disguise. Tip 22 Recognize and Relinquish Your Need to Be Special, Tip 21 When Can Your Great Intelligence Also Be A Great Impediment?, Tip 20 Recognize that You Might Be in Recovery,  Tip 19 Step Out of Your Own Shadows onto Centre Stage, Tip18 Own Tip Your Fear so it Doesn't Own You, Tip 17 Become the Initiating Force in Your Life, Tip 16 Have Long Term Goals, Tip 15 Recognize the Real Purpose of Resistance, Tip 14 Become a Servant of the Great Mystery, Tip 13 Do Believe in Heaven, Tip 12 You Can't Take All the Credit for Your Brilliance, Tip 11 You Are the Custodian of Projects and Gifts, Tip 10 Who Did I Promise to Be in This Life? Tip 9 You Are Here to Do Something Beautiful, Tip 8 Are You Resisting Your Own Life Purpose? Tip 7 The Battle for Your Brilliance - Will Resistance Win? Tip 6 Were Your Talents and Abilities Used Today? Tip 5 Resistance Can Be Your North Star, Tip 4 Do You Know the Difference Between Resistance, Necessity and Intuition? Tip 3 Something Wonderful Came Before Your Resistance, Tip 2 Can You Recognize Your Own Resistance?, Tip 1 What Wants to Come into Existence through Me?, 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

Answering The Call

Riding on the back of the dry, dusty desert winds, the forest had been howling my name for the past five years. On every vision board, a waterfront house set in the trees was the central theme. There were many reasons to ignore the burgeoning wind: the new business, no health insurance, intermittent cash flow, and twelve-hour days at the computer trying to launch my dreams. Finally dried out and withered by the barren landscape, I summoned the Santa Ana wind and requested a home in the NW to spend the summer. Within a week, the call was answered.

As dreams go, no sooner did I set course toward the island home, when the wind shifted and the plans heeled right. The business for the first time in seven years was successful. Taxes were due. The air was sucked out from the sails. As I reconsidered the summer, an inner voice screamed, "The money will come." Often when we head up to the wind, nature responds to the call first with full forward motion, followed by a side-wind that when adjusted will get the boat on course. As I realigned the details, everything shifted and the boat moved forward, including perfect renters for my home and a comfortable getaway with a view of the bay.

Soon, I will pack up and prepare to sail away, again, this time heading south to mystical Peru.

Are the winds of Peru calling your name? Next month, there is an opportunity to set your sail toward fulfilling your own prophecy. Flatten your sail, surrender the resistances and excuses of why not this trip and not now.

The winds of change are upon us, and it is time to set a course that is in alignment with your goals and dreams. You are needed to be the best you possible, and this trip is one way to align to your highest destiny.
The Sacred Valley is one of those magical places pure of heart which helps people shift in order to sail full on toward their dreams. Last year's trip had a positive impact on every person who traveled south. One traveler, who debated going on the journey even after sitting in a meeting where a woman spoke up out of the blue, saying if anyone here has an opportunity to go to Peru, you should, is now leading this trip. Another couple got married, while the new bride's writing career has moved to new heights with a blog readership of over 60,000. Three others are writing books, and one tourist is now seeking a medicine bundle and has returned to Peru two more times.
Why Peru? There is magic in the mountains, an ancient innocence that allows people to explore their own authentic heart. The people are genuine and friendly. Ever since my first trip over ten years ago, I am still known by my first name. Our world is in trauma and it is essential to heal ourselves individually to be of service to the collective. The shamans (Paqos) in the Southern Andes engage in rites of passage to develop their medicine bodies. During this journey, local shamans will initiate you into their traditions. In truth, the entire journey is an initiation into the energy of rebirth and the wisdom available from the human-earth bond. A few spots remain for this life-changing journey. Today, go outside and stand in the breeze. Is Peru in your wind?

This summer as the ship sailed north, everything aligned. What I did not know was that my soul was waiting in the forest for me. As I allowed the time to unfold, grace found me at concerts in the trees, walks along the cliffs and sea. The more I answered yes, the lighter I became and the clarity of the work ahead became clear. Letting the wind blow through my life has made space for a book to flow free. Ask yourself, is Peru on my vision board, and if so, raise the daggerboard and let your boat sail.

Mountains, Mysteries, and Magic
Machu Picchu "Sacred Valley" Cusco
September 27 - October 5, 2012

More information: http://practicalshamantravel.com/travel/peru/

Renee Baribeau, The Practical Shaman offers unique travel experiences that will shift your consciousness. Join fellow seekers as we travel with medicine people and elders to unspoiled communities in Peru, and Mexico. Our journeys are not your typical vacations, but expeditions where we immerse ourselves in the rich, colorful landscape and cultures of Mexico, the Andes, and Sacred Valley of Peru.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR 

Renee is a mentor, healer, coach, teacher, and writer. She has trained with a long list of traditional shamans and modern-day mystics.

To transform your life, sign up for one of Renee's Tools for Awakening Coaching & Mentoring Programs and experience The Practical Shaman for yourself. There are several programs to meet your individual needs: one-on-one individual sessions, shamanic healing, 12 weeks to self-mastery, a one year focused Tools for Awakening program, Soul Card readings, and Trinifinity 8 sessions. In addition, The Practical Shaman offers journeys to sacred sites around the world and weekend workshops. Learn More.

Upcoming Sacred Journeys and Retreats:

Mountains, Mysteries, and Magic: a heart awakening adventure to Machu Picchu and to the Sacred Valley of Peru, September 27 - October 5, 2012. Learn More.

For a current list of Renee's workshops and events, visit the calendar.

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.

She can also be reached at http://practicalshamantravel.com/

Other Blog Posts by Renee: Life on an Island: Building Authentic Relationships in a Complex World, From Darkness, A New Dream Emerges, Undoing - Laughing with the Trees, Buried Alive - A Shamanic Death and Rebirth, An American Ceremony, A Recipe for Summer Serenity, Where Does Faith Live in the Body?, God is Not Found in the Bottom of a Bag of Potato Chips, Stop Fighting! Surrender!, Confessions of a Cell Phone Junkie

Jana Bibi's Excellent Fortunes: Book Review

I met Betsy Woodman, the author of Jana Bibi’s Excellent Fortunes, at an event in New Hampshire about six months ago. She happened to mention that she was having a book published during my conversation with her. I was strolling through the local Barnes  and Noble Bookstore recently and saw her book displayed on one of the tables. I purchased the book as I like to support the people that I meet on my journey if I can.

Her biography on the back of the book says in part that she, “…spent ten childhood years in India, studied in France, Zambia, and the United States, and now lives in New Hampshire.” It is her ten years in India that was the source of inspiration for this book.

Set in 1960 India—the India of independence from England and after the separation from Pakistan—the book is about the adventures of Janet Laird, a Scot by background but an Indian citizen by choice. The story begins after her husband has died, and she has done a number of things including playing in a dance band in what was then called Bombay and teaching violin to a nawab’s (Muslim prince) children to earn a living. She receives a letter that she has inherited her grandfather’s home in a town in Uttar Predesh region. She was living in the Nawab’s palace with only one child left to teach violin to at the time she received the letter. Her staid son Jack writes at the same time to tell her that he wants her to move back to Scotland where he is living. She decides instead to move to her grandfather’s home taking Mary Thomas, her Indian maid, and her parrot, Mr. Ganguly with her.

The rest of the book deals with her having her home repaired, making friends and finding a profession. It also involves plans by the Indian government to build a dam which would flood the town which is now her home. This leads to her entering into an alliance with some of her neighbors to try to save the town. The other characters include the tailor, the emporium owner, the corrupt police officer, their family members, the students at a local private school, and an American diplomat among others. The characters are also a mix of Christians, Hindus and Muslims as well as Nepalese and Tibetan immigrants living in the town.

I do not know India, either the India of 1960 or of today, but I found the novel evocative without feeling overwhelmed by detail. She provides enough historical and cultural information to provide a context without the book becoming tedious. I found myself rooting for the residents in their fight against the dam as well as hoping that the various characters would find a resolution to their problems or disputes.

I look forward to the next in the series to find out what happens to Jana Bibi and her friends.

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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:  Please Keep Me from Taking Myself too Seriously, No One is an Island, Being in Time, What Comes Before Happiness? Small Businesses as a Sign of Hope, When is Enough Enough?, Just Because We Can, Should We?, 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,

Does Your Inner Child Feel Abandoned?

If you feel alone, empty, anxious, depressed, hurt, angry, jealous, sad, fearful, guilty or shamed, you are abandoning yourself. - Dr. Margaret Paul, Ph.D. Psychology

A feeling of abandonment, as a child, creates our first major wound. This abandonment can out picture as loneliness, loneliness in groups, or feeling unseen by our parents or siblings or peers. This feeling then becomes subconsciously active in all of our relationships, tainting them.

Choose to become aware of how your inner child feels by going inside yourself. Do you feel; overwhelmed, out of control, lost, little, lonely or just plain sick and tired? This tells us our inner child needs attention.
Simply take a breath and imagine connecting with that small child within you at any age that comes to you.

Imagine talking to your child and asking them:

What do you feel?
What do you need?
What would you like to do?

The minute we have awareness and ask the energy starts to move. For example, just noticing that in this moment we don’t feel safe, we can also be aware of what would help us feel safe and then imagine giving that to ourselves. We take responsibility for our own needs and take actions that support both our and our inner child’s growth.

The wound I mentioned has the gift of connection within it. Hold your child and then imagine holding yourself also with tenderness. Honor you pain. Allow the Light of the Divine, in whatever way this comes to you, to shine upon the wound until it is ready to dissolve on its own without you forcing anything. This may take some time, days or weeks.

We tend to feel shame about our wounds and keep them hidden. By connecting with our wounds and allowing Divine Light to shine upon them, healing occurs. Healing emotional abuse also occurs.

All of this strengthens our central core, the foundation of our being. We can imagine this as a pillar of golden light through the center of our body from head to toe.
Ponder This:

Cathryn L. Taylor writes in The Inner Child Workbook, The inner child embodies the characteristics of the innocent part of the self… what you do not master in childhood reappears in your adult lives as inappropriate responses to people, places, or things.

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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 13 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. Michael offers Bowen Therapy in person in Sedona, Arizona for easing physical and emotional pain. See http://emotionalhealthtips.com/bowen-therapy

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

Other Blog Posts By Michael D. Lawrience: 

Your Pain Body: Friend or Foe?, 21 Qualities to Cultivate for Spiritual Awakening Part 4, 21 Qualities to Cultivate for Spiritual Awakening Part 3, 21 Qualities to Cultivate for Spiritual Awakening Part 2, 21 Ways to Cultivate Spiritual Awakening Part 1, 7 Tips: How Does Emotional Abuse Damage Children’s Self-Esteem? Part 2, 7 Tips: How Does Emotional Abuse Damage Children's Self Esteem Part 1, Energy Healing: What Everyone Should Know About Emotions, Emotional and Physical Pain: The Only Way Out is Through, Emotional Health and Solar Flares: The Miracle of Our Feelings, Do Solar Flares and Earth Magnetics Affect Our Emotions?, 5 Tips to Overcome Self-Sabotage, Self-Sabotage - Why Do Our Intentions Fall Short of Our Desired Results?, What Self Sabotaging Behaviors Create Stress? 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
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Awakening the Luminous Mind - Book Review

Awaking the Luminous Mind by Tenzin Wangal Rinpoche is about incorporating awareness into your everday life with a focus on Tibetan practices. The goal, according to the author, is to discover the hidden jewel  in ordinary experiences. The focus of the book is on how to overcome difficulties through the practice of stillness, silence and spaciousness. Those who enjoy Eckhart Tolle's work, will enjoy this book as well.

There's nothing new here but it does reinforce the concept of having an Empty Mind to move the reader through difficult emotions such as fear, jealousy and anger. Similar to Tolle, Rinpoche refers to the the low energy state of dis-ease as The Pain Body.

In Chapters 1-4, Rinpoche discuses the principle of Inner Refuge: Pulling in for self reflection when life feels like it's off  course

In Chapters 4-8 Rinpoche gives Heart Advice: Facing the experiences of your life directly and with authentic awareness. The goal is to integrate your spiritual practices and values into your everyday life.

What I liked

Rinpoche says, "We need a sense of where to turn when we become confined or encounter difficulties. In my tradition, we obtain this help by going for inner refuge."

I liked the concept of Inner Refuge. It's something I hadn't quite heard from Eckhart Tolle as a strategy for dealing with life's troubles. What I got from this concept is that you go into Inner Refuge by getting quiet and removing yourself from every day issues by spending time alone in silence. Then, there is the Inner Refuge in every day life--when you can't take time off to sit in the silence for an extended period of time. Rinpoche shows the reader that Inner Refuge can be found in the middle of life's craziness. It can be practiced at work, in a loud airport, in your home when your family members are making demands of you.

Attempting to practice Rinpoche's Inner Refuge myself when I was thrown a few curve balls recently, I had a hard time shifting my energy from the chatter monkey mind where fear resides and the still mind where peace resides...but eventually I did. It takes intention to put yourself back in the driver's seat but it works. It takes conscious consciousness.

If you really want to be at peace and find the space where solutions reside, the author and many before him will tell you that consciousness is the answer. To move yourself from pain to consciousness, you must have a willingness to shift the energy which is sometimes difficult. Rinpoche shows you the way to get to that space.

What I didn't like

I was looking forward to the meditation CD that came with the book but found it uninspiring.

Because of the issues I was dealing with in my own life, I had a hard time focusing on the concepts. When  I made time to sit and focus, I recognized that this was a book I should have read BEFORE I was in the eye of the storm and so should you. The concepts work to dissolve pain and conflict in your life and open up the energy for new solutions to flow through you. The only challenge is that you've got to want peace more than you want pain. Your intention is what will get you into the empty space where solutions reside.

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Disclosure: I am a Hay House Book Reviewer which means I may receive a book free of charge for review. My credibility is extremely important to me. This site is independently owned and the opinions expressed here are my own. Sometimes that's very obvious. I am also an affiliate of Hay House Publishing and Amazon. This means I receive a commission if you purchase Hay House or Amazon products linked from this website.


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 R. Ann Rousseau on Twitter @RAnnRousseau 
Facebook. www.facebook.com/PortsmouthALoveStory

Other Blog Posts by R. Ann Rousseau: Follow Your Dreams - Interview with Photographer Sharon Seaward, The Gift of Criticism - Does it Belong to You?, The Real Rules of Life Book Review, Tales of Everyday Magic - My Greatest Teacher (My Dad) Movie Review, What Did You Do Tomorrow? A Hay House Radio Show Discussion, Yes! Energy Book Review, Are You a Women’s Libber? Oprah’s Next Chapter with Gloria Steinem Discussion, What is Spirituality? - Oprah's Life Class Tour with Deepak Chopra, I Believe - Book Review,  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, 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, 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,    Impossible Situations are Great Opportunities, Do You Have Enough?,  A Wright Brothers Moment! The Sacred Promise Book Review

A Gardener’s Dream: No Soil? No Problem!

I didn’t expect to be a convert but I am. It’s still hard to believe.

My husband and I have lovingly tended our 30 x 50 foot garden for decades, growing organic, vine-ripened food for our family, and to share with friends and neighbors. Our most cherished memories are raising our boys with garden-grown foods all summer and into late winter with Butternuts and tomato sauce. Our sons grew up to be wonderful gardeners. One son and his wife can jam and make maple syrup. The other son and his wife are Pesto Masters. Although we downsized our garden now that our nest is empty, we repeat the annual rituals of ordering seeds, tilling, fertilizing, seeding, watering, pruning, weeding, harvesting and the joy of eating fresh foods that we grew.

So, what’s not to love?

To be honest, a lot. Ever since my back injury, my husband must do all the heavier work that I used to help with, like power-tilling the beds. And although the kneeling pad helps, my knees and back complain after liberating our parsnip, carrots, beets sprouts, etc from their jumble of weeds. I no longer love watering the garden due to today’s more dangerous sunlight, to quench the plants’ thirst before they wilt. To avoid that, I water early morning or at dusk, which brings relentless attacks of bloodthirsty mosquitoes and black flies. Bug sprays give me headaches so my choices are tough-or-toxic. Last summer I contracted Lyme’s Disease, a horrible tick-born disease. It was caught early and treated, and I am now gratefully cured. As a result, I no longer love to thin overgrown brush or pick wild berries. The thought is never far: where are the ticks? Did I put on enough spray to deter them? When I get back in the house, throw my clothes in the wash for a hot cycle, double-rinse, and hot dryer, will it kill the ones I didn’t see? Will a shower get the rest?

We were ‘Locavores’ before the term existed and my woes made me want to learn about a new “vertical” gardening technology that is Hydroponic and Aeroponic with NO soil, bending, weeding, bugs or daily watering. We’ve been watching our vertical garden thrive on our front lawn for a week, and neighbors we’ve never met are stopping by to check out this new system. Now, instead of being isolated in our garden far from the road, we’re making new friends and having fun, inspiring non-gardeners to see that they can garden without getting their hands dirty … on their decks, porches, rooftops, patios and sunrooms.

If you’d like to learn more, please visit ashapiro.towergarden.com and send me your questions!

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

For 40+ years, Astrologer Amy Shapiro has nurtured soul growth with skills and services drawn on her training with Astrologer Isabel Hickey, William Swygaard, Jo Onvlee, John Chung Li and Dr. Oskar Adler. Amy was the first Clerk for NCGR and an early President of NCGR- Boston. She co-discovered a technique with Astrologer Ron Davison called The Relationship Chart or as she calls it The Conception Chart of the Relationship due to its esoteric implications.

Her TV and radio show, "Good Heavens!" won her wide acclaim with the public and her Good Heaven’s column appeared monthly in Dell Horoscope Magazine. She founded the Cape Ann School of Astrology and has been a consultant, editor and writer for Para Research, Astral Research, Cosmic Communications and Dell Horoscope. After earning her MA in Education and Psychology, she earned an M.Ed. in Counseling, and trained in stress management, T’ai Chi, meditation, visualization; reincarnation, hypnotherapy and nutrition. She has been as a Head Start Advisor, taught at Wheelock and Endicott Colleges, and trained at Harvard’s Mind-Body Institute and New England Society of Clinical Hypnosis.

She has dedicated 20+ years to The Testament of Astrology, a 7-volume course by Austrian Astrologer Dr. Oskar Adler, and has now published a comprehensive Curriculum Guide for the entire 7 volume series. She has also written and published Dr. Adler's biography called Dr. Oskar Adler: A Complete Man. Her other books include One Sex to the Other – Reincarnation and the Dual-Gender Soul, The Dis-Appointment Book –A Human Therapy Guide to Conquering DisappointmentsShe coauthored the book Questioning the Oracle—The IChing and The Gift of the Tortoise-New Insights into the I-Ching.

Her newest book with Jay Hickey called Never Mind, is Isabel’s last book, never before published. Along with the book, she has written an Astrological Natal Report adapted from Issie’s Astrology A Cosmic Science, called “Your Cosmic Blueprint: A Seeker’s Guide.” The Natal report and program are available at http://www.newagesages.com/.

With her husband, Ed Kaznocha, Amy raised two sons in Gloucester, MA, where they enjoy gardening and landscaping. 

Other Blog Posts by Amy: The Mercury Wave: Retro Direct, Astrological Forecast for August 2012, This Pivotal Year ~ Uranus goes Retrograde on July 13th, 2012 A Pivotal Year, 2012 - A Pivotal Year - Coping with Changes, Whose Astrologer Are You?

Tarot for the Modern World: Book Review

We are an incarnated aspect of our Higher Self, and the more we learn to (1) tune into “that little voice within,” and (2) listen to the gut feeling that is the voice our Higher Self communicating with us, then (3) the better off we will be. When we listen to that little voice within, we will make better decisions and we will expedite our spiritual growth.

Most people believe that tarot cards are for fortune telling, but a more accurate description is that they are a significant tool that we can all use to communicate with our Higher Selves. Therefore, if we read our own cards, and I believe that we should, the information gleaned from the tarot should be used as a guide to help us make better choices and decisions. Alternatively, if someone else is consulting the tarot for us, the same advice still applies to the information we receive—use it as a guide and ultimately follow our gut.

People from all walks of life have consulted the tarot for centuries. In times of flux, I’ve been known to consult my cards on a daily basis—sometimes several decks. Humankind is continually evolving, and so, too, should our tarot methodology and cards. I say this because the world that we live in is most certainly not the same world that our Grandmothers inhabited. And as much as I love the comfortable and familiar meanings of the Rider-Waite deck, the 100 year-old esoteric language and interpretations could definitely use an update. Fortunately, Justine Alessi and M.E. McMillan felt the same way, channeled modern interpretations for the Ryder deck, and brought us Rebirth of the Oracle, Tarot for the Modern World.

I first came upon this easy-to-read and understand, updated version of meanings for the Ryder deck, when Justine and I spoke at Ozark Mountain Publishing’s 2009 Transformational Conference. Justine was the first presenter and I was in the front row—I couldn’t wait to hear what she had to say. Later that day, I bought her book and had the honor of learning from Justine which “Queen” I embody (I’m a Queen of Wands—read her book to see which Queen or King you embody!). If you are thinking about working with the Ryder deck, or are currently working with it, I highly recommend that you get yourself a copy of Rebirth of the Oracle, Tarot for the Modern World.

The Ryder deck may be the most commonly-used tarot cards, but there are many, many other types of wonderful decks available to 21st century diviners. Today I’d like to introduce you to two modern decks that I particularly love, both from psychic Cinnamon Crow: The Chakra Zodiac Healing Oracle and the Teen Oracle. Cinnamon and I both spoke at a metaphysical conference in 2011, where I had the pleasure of meeting her in person. What attracted me to Cinnamon, and to her oracle cards, is that she understands we are not our Grandmothers—and as such, we need modern tools. I’ve found Cinnamon’s decks to be both easy-to-use and relevant to twenty-first century human beings of all ages and skill levels.

Interestingly, Cinnamon designed the Teen Oracle after searching unsuccessfully for a tarot deck that would be suitable for her teenage stepdaughter. When she couldn’t find one, she created Teen Oracle and made sure that it explains basic spiritual principles and concepts in easy-to-understand terms. Her Chakra Zodiac Healing Oracle teaches us about the basic functions of our chakras, characteristics of the zodiac signs, the ruling planets and their functions, the ruling planets of the chakras, and how to channel planetary energies into specific areas for maximum healing and balance.

Learning to communicate with our Higher Self, and sharpening our spiritual communication skills should be at the top of our spiritual “To Do” list. As a tool to facilitate such communication, utilizing the ancient and modern wisdom of the tarot makes a lot of sense.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Sherri Cortland, ND is the author of two metaphysical books, Windows of Opportunity and Raising Our Vibrations for the New Age, and is currently working on her third book, tentatively titled, Wake up! It’s time to put on our BIG Lightworker Pants! 

Sherri’s website: http://www.sherricortland.com

Sherri’s Examiner.com twice weekly column: http://www.examiner.com/metaphysical-in-orlando/sherri-cortland “Like” Sherri’s Facebook Author Page for daily postings, wisdom from her Guides, and contests: http://www.facebook.com/#!/SherriCortlandAuthor

Other Blog Posts by Sherri: The History of God - Book Review, Create Positive Energy and Raise Your Vibration with Acts of Kindness, Walk-Ins: Lightworkers that Skip Childhood and Incarnate as Adults Part One, Walkins: Lightworkers that Skip Childhood and Incarnate as Adults Part Two, Walk-Ins: Lightworkers that Skip Childhood and Incarnate as Adults Part Three