Eat Pray Love - What Are You Searching For?

I watched Eat Pray Love today for the first time.

Originally incarnated as a book, written by Elizabeth Gilbert, I enjoyed it. If you haven't seen it, like me til today, you should try and catch it, though I know it won't be for everyone. Fans of Julia Roberts will adore it!

For me, the observations made in the movie about life, what we need, what fulfils us, what keeps us on our path and gives us a sense of purpose, all spoke to me deeply.

Never fully satisfied with life, I frustrate even myself.

Don't get me wrong. I love life. There are many things in my life I am grateful for. But I see room for improvement wherever I look.
However, I don't see myself running off to India to study under a spiritual Guru, or to Italy to eat my way through mountains of perfect pasta.

I feel like I'm searching for something. If I'm honest, I have to say I don't know what that something is. I have strong spiritual leanings, but I don't think I'm looking for God. I have been to Uni, emigrated and taken on many, varied, projects in my short time on this planet. But I still haven't found that something that fills the void.

All this would be fine, honestly it would, if the feeling of not being completely fulfilled wasn't accompanied by a mild panic. The panic comes from the sense of time "running out", and of me thinking I am in some way wasting my life. This sense has been with me for years.

I can't explain it. I can't forget it. It is always with me.

I'm in my early thirties. I know I have many years ahead of me. But years really don't mean much to me. I still recall vivid memories of when I was a baby and an infant. Therefore, projecting myself to a point where I am perhaps in my 70s, I can see myself looking back on "now" and thinking that it was "just like yesterday". Life will be gone in the blink of an eye.

That's scary!

And that's why it's so important to live life fully, consciously and find what fulfils you.

So what am I searching for? I don't have an answer. Well, nothing that makes any sense.

I had read an article a few months ago written by Steve Pavlina, on finding your purpose in life. Follow the link and read for yourself what he has to say. He suggests an exercise you can do yourself to help get you to a place where you can discover your purpose. None of my answers seem to be "real". Most seem like dialogue excerpts of a very wordy scene from Dawson's Creek or Grey's Anatomy, full of melodrama, faux poetry and heavy with emotive language.

If you try it, I would love to know if you get a "good" result. Otherwise, any tips for finding your purpose and engendering a sense of peace in life would be greatly appreciated.

What are any of us searching for?

Astral Academy

Astral projection is a skill most of us, given a choice, would love to have.

I have personally read so many websites and books on this topic, I have lost count. The whole topic fascinates me. Human potential is staggering.

A few days ago I came across a site, here, which seemed to lay all the information out in a very easy to follow, logical way. Those behind the site run classes, and report approximately two thirds of their students being able to astral project after only a few days.

They also actively research the phenomena and strive to raise awareness of this facet of the human condition.

If you would like to experience astral projection, have a read through their web pages. Even if you have already experienced a projection, you might still be able to pick up a tip or two.

I'd love to hear your projection experiences!

Tarot

The reader sits quietly, contemplating what The Fates have in store for the unsuspecting client.

The cards are spread across the table in the shape of a "t", or perhaps, as the client thinks, it is in the shape of a crucifix.

Turning the cards over one by one, the reader breathes deeper, tension creeps across her face and she begins to tell a story.

The client is the star of this story. The plot lines are etched out, with the beginning and the middle seemingly more accurate than the client can believe possible.

Then comes the end. The reader reveals "Death". The client gasps and quickly grows pale.

But the reader laughs, "This does not mean you are soon to be dead, but that a change is ahead for you. A big change. A new life."

The mysterious reader continues to explain the meanings of the individual cards and the reading as a whole.

 
History

There are many aspects of Tarot which are still not entirely understood by the average person. However, most will be familiar with the cards, and at least some of the lore.

Many believe the Tarot to be many centuries old, almost 1000 years by some accounts. Most sources across the Internet suggest the Tarot originated in Egypt, but the cards in question can also be traced throughout Europe.

Nowadays the Tarot is synonymous with "psychic readings", but were used in games (still are) in countries such as France and Italy.

The Tarot are used in psychic readings, and have a long history of being used in this way. Much mystery surrounds them not only because they are a tool for the "psychic", but also because of their association with secret societies and their other occult applications.

They are, more commonly, a tool to help the psychic, or the sensitive, structure and focus their reading. The psychic still "does the work", but the cards help guide their intuition.

The Cards

22 cards form the Major Arcana (dealing with deep and important issues), with 56 cards forming the Minor Arcana (in four suits, dealing with more "day-to-day" issues). Each card, though differing slightly from pack to pack, is decorated in great symbolism, open to interpretation by the reader.

The Major Arcana are most commonly:

The World, Judgement, The Fool, The Moon, The Sun, The Star, The Devil, The Tower, Death, Temperance, Strength, The Hermit, Justice, The Lovers, The Chariot, The Hierophant, The Emperor, The Empress, The High Priestess, The Magician, The Wheel Of Fortune and The Hanged Man.

The Minor Arcana suits are most commonly:

Swords, Wands, Pentacles and Cups.

There are many designs to choose from. How you choose a pack may depend on aesthetic appeal as well as on how you are philosophically aligned. Each design is associated in one way or another with differing systems of occult and magical training and history.

Choosing the right pack takes a lot of research!

My Experience

I have had a few people read for me. I have also given readings. I never fail to be completely fascinated at just how accurate a reading can be.

For me, Tarot is a great way to enhance an already existing natural talent.

When thinking about writing this post, I was reminded of a woman I once worked with.

Myself and a few others were talking about psychic ability and Tarot. The woman declared she was a born again Christian, was offended by us talking about this in her company and proceeded to warn us against such things. She told us Satan used such distractions to tempt and destroy us.

The conversation continued in this way. I can't help but ask questions! I asked if she believed people, some people, were at all psychic or gifted. She said no, that people seeing ghosts and the like were ways of Satan exerting his influence.

I asked why, then, if St. Joan Of Arc was canonised for hearing a voice (God!), if wee Jean down the road heard a voice it was a demon or Satan?

Her temper flared and she accused me of being sent by Satan to tempt her off her path!

This was maybe 13 years ago or so, but I still remember her eyes. She was so angry that I was asking her these questions! She resigned soon after.

Whatever you may believe, surely you can accept people are capable of so much more than we currently take for granted?

We are still learning about energy, how we are connected on his planet, and throughout the Universe.

Is the past, present and future so beyond us? I don't think so. My own experience shows me that we can access the seemingly unattainable. The Tarot, if respected and used properly, can assist us in such workings.

The Tarot is not evil. It is not a devilish ploy to destroy our mortal souls. It's a tool.

Have you ever had a reading?

Fun In Hahndorf

Lunch. Hahndorf. Lederhosen. Need I say more?

Gay People Are Spiritual Leaders?

All people have within them, the divine spark we sometimes call the soul. This spark, or
soul, is our very own personal spiritual star, burning with as much power as our Sun.

You are on the path to discovering how to tap that power. How can I know that? Well, you are here, reading this, a sign you are searching for that path.

Of course all people have the inner spark, and may be searching for their own path. Indeed, some of the teachings and guidance out there, in the ether, may be applicable to most people. The focus of this post is, however, on the GLBTQ (Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender, Questioning) community.

There are a few reasons for this. With the social, cultural and political pressures in this and in the previous century, GLBTQ people have found themselves much maligned, and the target of hate and discrimination.

Much has changed in the last 20-30 years, and it continues to change. But there was a time when GLBTQ people were respected.

Indeed, GLBTQ people were often spiritual leaders, shamans etc, in previous times. As women have been through a cycle of being suppressed, so too have members of the GLBTQ community undergone a similar cycle.

GLBTQ people are two-spirit people, carrying both the feminine and the masculine within them. As with anything in life, striking a balance between such forces leads to harmony and a grounded base from which to grow.

It is no real mystery that so many gay, bi-sexual and “alternate” people are so successful in the creative industries. This is a manifestation of the innate ability to channel gifts from the divine spark within us, bridging this world and the next.

There are a few core principles, giving support and focus to the spiritual advancement of the GLBTQ community, a community which is a tribe, spread far and wide across the globe.

What should be clear is that a lot of the following ideas are not new, and there is no attempt here to re-invent the wheel. In fact, the following truths are very old indeed -

God is real, but God is not an individual. God is all, is everything and everyone. God is the galaxy, the universe, all else within and beyond. God is energy. God is you and me, and the butcher around the corner.

Meditation, prayer, dance, music, sex and many other practices allow us to develop our spiritual selves, and access God, by broadening our consciousness.

We are immortal. Energy changes form, but never ceases to be.

GLBTQ people embody the ying and the yang more so than most other people. Being “two-spirit” people, we are said to be host to the male and female essence, the god and the goddess, energetically vibrating at a higher rate, more able to bridge the gap between this world and the next, and more suited to lead others on their spiritual paths.

Humans are both spiritual and sexual beings. Through sexuality and sex, a link with our true selves can be forged. Sex, spirituality and true magick all share a relationship. The male energy is the driving force, the female energy creates. When two men have sex, in the correct context, they can draw in to them great energy, and ground that energy for further use. In heterosexual sex, this energy is drawn in via the man and then released back to the cosmos via the woman. Two women having sex can accomplish much in a universe which is essentially female, and realising the womb is also an organ of sense, they can do limitless wonders. This is the basis and natural dynamic of sexual magic.

Members of the GLBTQ community, being more aware and sensitive (generally), have an ability to perceive life in a way few others could hope to. We see the potential, the possible. We know how fluid and dynamic people are, from sexuality, to opinion, from emotion, to thought.

People are powerful. We all have our roles in society, whether we are male, female, gay or straight. We have options and can determine our own path, with or without approval of the masses. We have the potential to be our own deities.

Earth is a living, conscious being. The GLBTQ community, when truly awakened, are the guardians of life here on Earth. Traditional dogmatic religions have created a void in mankind’s spiritual development, robbing society of their true link with the divine. They have suppressed those with the real spiritual, innate gifts – GLBTQ community members, and women in general.

For order and harmony to reign on Earth, the GLBTQ community must strive to be further recognised, not only as deserving of equal rights, but as the spiritual beings we truly are.

Developing Intuition

Intuition. We hear people talk about it a lot, especially when something bad has happened, or there has been a near miss.

But what is intuition?

Intuition, like so many things in life, is not easy to define. You can’t see it, or touch it or smell it.

Intuition is knowing, without knowing how you know.

It comes from various factors working together, without us even being aware of it. Our experiences and knowledge, mixed with an awareness which is often unconscious, come together to illicit a feeling, a sense. We then interpret this.

It is said to be a relation of instinct, coming from that same place within us that has existed since before time and before language. It’s at the very core of us, influencing who we are and what decisions we make.

Some also refer to intuition as the “sixth” sense. In addition to the main five senses that most people are aware of, we also have many other senses, giving us information about ourselves and the world around us every second. We can sense pain, temperature, we may feel nauseous or not, we can feel changes in the air around us, we can approximate how much time passes, the mood of others and we have many other abilities that we are capable of.

Most people can be “go with the head” people, or “go with the gut” people, when faced with choices. The latter rely on intuition to guide them, the former rely on their conscious analytical mind. Both are valid, both have their benefits and flaws. Harmony and balance between the two is the key to a fully able and functional individual.

When talking about intuition in real terms, it is important to be aware of the person we are – the personality, the job, the desires - is simply the tip of our true nature. A great deal of information is processed at a deep level, and we filter out the majority of it. We need to, in order to function in our structured society.

What actually reaches the surface, that we are aware of, and how we have processed it, can be referred to as intuition.

Why develop intuition?

In a world where our conscious mind is so occupied, with jobs, families, facebook and television, our mind is usually too busy to give attention and respect to intuition, sadly. Because of this, we are missing what could be a huge advantage in making our way through life. Using the analytical mind, most people look at an option, weigh up the positives and negatives, and make a decision. Using intuition, you may have access to greater wisdom, that may reveal a normally poor choice might actually be the preferable one.

Intuition can tell us about what kind of a person someone is, for example, that a man with tattoos and an unkempt beard is a kind man. Your “gut” might realise he has kind eyes, or moves in a certain way that we can’t put into words, but “sense” he means no harm. Using the analytical mind, you might look at the same man, remember the news programme the evening before showing a similar man shooting an old lady, and decide not to trust this gentleman in front of you.

Intuition can tell us more than we realise. We have all answered the phone, already knowing who it is. It might be, unconsciously, that you know your mother phones roughly the same time on roughly the same day, but it’s more than that. You might have seen someone answer the phone, see their face and know it’s their cousin that’s in trouble. There is no easy way to explain this, and it does lend itself the the term “psychic”.

In developing intuition, we develop our skill at evaluating situations and making decisions. Why wouldn’t you want to be better than you are? In developing these skills, you can learn to trust yourself and your power to make good choices, increase confidence and clarity of thought and purpose, and live more efficiently and holistically.

How do you develop intuition?

It’s easier than you might think, but as with any physical muscle, you need to exercise your mind to become proficient in your intuitive gifts.

First and foremost, pay attention. Be aware of yourself and your experiences, who you are and who others are.

Exercises

Sounds hard? Well, try this exercise. For 15 minutes, go somewhere public and just people watch. Take slow but comfortable breaths. Let yourself relax. There is no pressure or test. Try and feel the people passing by. Are the people you see honest, healthy, affluent? Your intuition will tell you about people and their nature. Is someone younger than they look, or are they grieving? Is the person on the corner in love, or perhaps they are in a rush? You will be correct more often than you think.

Those processes deep down under our surface of consciousness are ongoing.

To begin to gain better insight into those processes we have to close out distractions.

Try this exercise. Turn off that television, pull down your blinds and turn off the telephone. Wear something comfortable and loose fitting. This would be great preparation for a formal meditation session, but you don’t need to do this if you don’t wish to.

Lay down on your back, hands by your sides, and close your eyes. Have a blanket ready in case you get too cool. Just take 10 minutes to relax, to breathe, to simply be. Keeping the outside world outside is a great way to become more aware of your inner self. You might reflect on something that is worrying you, or you might think about any number of things. But this gives you time to yourself.

Of course, formal meditation and relaxation sessions will help you develop intuition. Creative outlets will also help, such as drawing, doodling, pottery, writing and any number of activities which involve you creating and delivering something that begun life inside you to the outer physical world.

Being kind to yourself is also important. Good diet and exercise is vitally important to developing intuition. If you are not functioning efficiently due to ill health you will not be able to intuit a great deal as your energy will be spent keeping you alive.

There are many ways to help promote and develop your intuition.

Perhaps you have ideas of your own?

Absent Healing

Many of you will have heard of spiritual healing.

I remember healing friends when I was younger, of ailments such as headaches. I would channel the energy through my palm chakras, visualising light and love flowing through me into them. Some said they felt warmth, others reported a tingling feeling.

Once, my sister had sunburn on her legs. I began to heal her and she began to freak out a little, because it was working!

This form of healing may be called different things, depending on the distance between the healer and the healed, and depending on the belief system the people involved hold dear e.g. psychic healing, distant healing, absent healing, laying on of hands, reiki and so on, but essentially it is a focusing, manipulation and transferring of energy.

We are all energy, vibrating at different frequencies. We are all made from the same atoms. We are all connected.

Thoughts affect the physical world. Anything we do, apply for a job, build a house, learn to drive...it all starts out as thought energy, and through focusing our mind we manifest it physically.
Emotions too can manifest physically, sometimes making us unwell.
Spiritual healing is not too different from this.

Whether you pray, meditate, chant, use visualisation or focus your mind through any number of ways, you can heal yourself and others. Healing energy is all around us, we just have to reach out and grasp it.

Therefore, I propose a healing list for this blog. If you or anyone you know would like healing energies sent, please send the details via the contact form on the Contact Me page.

With our collective mind power, my hope is to send out healing light and love and make a positive difference to peoples' lives.

Even if you are sceptical, why not try it? It couldn't do any harm, it's free and it just might work!

Let us pool our power as spiritual beings on a human journey, and contribute to members of our global family who are in need.

Any information you send will be treated with the utmost respect, and only the details you want included will appear on the Healing List page.

Samsorusia: A Land Pregnant With Promise

Social Media And iPhone Apps - Wishing I Was More Tech Savvy

I have been introduced to Instagram by beautiful "S". This is a great free iPhone app that allows you to take and share photographs. There are some filters available for you to use to edit and alter your shots, to enhance them as a "memory".

I have been able to link my Instagram account with Flickr, Twitter and Facebook, with even more options available. There is also the option to link up with people through Instagram, and follow each other, making your pics public or private.

I took my first photo using this app this morning, and it looks kinda cool. It's a nice way to tie my different social networks together, while sharing my life in images.

You might already have noticed I have a Flickr module at the bottom of this page too.

I just wish I was more tech savvy. There are so many applications out there, and a lot I don't understand.

Just a quick reminder, while talking about all these fancy shmancy things, there are a few different ways for you to follow this blog and for you to get in touch with me.

In the side bar you can follow me on Twitter and YouTube.

There is a link where you can subscribe to "Views" by just putting in your email address, or just clicking the RSS button. This saves you having to come back to the blog and having to remember the url etc.

Everyone uses Facebook now, right? Don't forget, you can also subscribe using the Facebook page for "Views". The Facebook link is also in the side bar. You can comment, ask questions and discuss anything you want on the Facebook page, whether it's related to any of the posts on this site or not.

Or, failing all that, you can click to "join" this site through the Google Friends Connect module.

The future of blogging is undeniably reliant on technology. I just hope I can keep up.

Oh, and in case you didn't know, there is also an app for Blogger, which I have now downloaded, so I can, if the spirit moves me, blog on the go. Wonderful!

If you have Instagram, feel free to link up with me. I'd love to see your photographs.

Oh, and if you have any tips and hints on social media, or an iPhone app I should be using, join me on Facebook and let me know!

My favourite iPhone apps at the moment, all of which are free, are -

Facebook

Ebay

Twitter

Google Maps

Instagram

(and now) Blogger

As you can see, I don't use anything too complicated or advanced. I think it's time to stretch my social media muscles.