ARE BODY VIBES STICKERS THE NEW CRYSTALS?

Forget your middle-school collection of holograms. Body Vibes are grown-up, Now Age magic stickers designed to change your frequency for optimal health …

Body Vibes Energy stickers The Numinous
Body Vibes Sacred Six “Energy” stickers

What if you could tap into the mind/body connection with just one touch? 

When we first heard about the new sticker collection from Body Vibes, we could not have been more intrigued. The stickers have been designed to invite more self-love, soothe anxiety, or up your creative game. All you need to do is apply one of their super sexy stickers, emblazoned with unicorns, mermaids, third eyes, and more.

And then just let the sub-harmonic signals do the rest …

Wait … WTF?! 

Uh yeah, we needed to get the full low down on how these babies work, too! So here’s what we learned when we sat down to chat with the babes behind Body Vibes …

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Science meets magic: Because you’re electric, baby 
Just like all of nature, every part of our bodies exists in a state of vibration. When we’re healthy, the body broadcasts overall harmonic health. But when an unhealthy frequency sets up shop in our body, it creates a disharmony we call “disease.”

Similar to crystal healing and Reiki, Body Vibes “Sacred Six” Smart Stickers are designed to bring us back into optimal frequency, based on the basic belief that we are electrical and energetic beings, and that it’s possible to move blocked energy.

How? The stickers have been programmed by scientists with actual frequency signatures taken from organic and living botanicals in a form that our body’s own electricity can read and mimic.

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The actual science part
Bio engineers capture frequencies found in nature. These are then condensed into the same unit of frequency found in the human body, and imprinted into special Mylar material that can hold an energetic flux for two years.

Each sticker is then embedded with up to 33 distinctive vibration patterns, including one of the “Solfeggio” frequencies. With roots in the Gregorian chants of the early Middle Ages, Solfeggio frequencies come from the pure tonal notes that made up the ancient musical scale, and are said to have harmonizing effects on the body as they unite us with Divine.

Oh yeah … science + magic= energetic nutrition for your cells

Body Vibes unicorn beauty stickers The Numinous
The Sacred Six “Beauty” Sticker

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The back story
Body Vibes founder Leslie Kritzer was first introduced to the technology when her husband’s naturopathic doctor gave him a bio-energy disc to help manage his arthritic pain. After his pain was dramatically reduced with no apparent side effects, she immediately started to utilize them to manage her own chronic anxiety.

After a month, she became aware of the little things—less road rage, more patience, more relaxation and ease. The big “aha” moment came when she decided to quit for a few days. By day 3 of sticker-free life, she was feeling much more anxious again and able to identify her “OCD” thinking in a brand new way.

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How do I tell if they’re working for me? 
Since all of our bodies are different, the technology can affect everyone differently. For example, the more energizing blends may leave you feeling immediately stimulated, while others may not notice the change until after they remove their sticker and realize how productive and energetic they felt. The same goes for the calming frequencies—the effect for most people is immediate and for others, becomes apparent after the sticker has been removed.

*Read Numinous Founder Ruby’s Body Vibes verdict at the end of the post!

sacred six smart stickers at the beach magic stickers body vibes leslie kritzer madison declercq ruby warrington the numinous material girl mystical world skin worship
The Sacred Six At the Beach Sticker

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The Sacred Six: Stick to how you want to feel  
Leslie and her partner Madison DeClercq (who also own hip LA skincare line Skin Worship) designed the different Body Vibes stickers based on the chakra system.

Each of our chakras vibrates at a different frequency—from the lowest, deepest, slowest at the root to the highest and fastest at the crown.

So, how do you want to feel? Pick it and stick it! 

Less Anxious (Root Chakra): Stick this lightening-bolt-emblazoned Anti-Anxiety hummingbird on to liberate guilt and fear, and reduce feelings of nervousness.

Empowered (Sacral Chakra): Create lasting change with the endurance and empowerment of the open-palmed Energy sticker

Loved (Solar Plexus Chakra): Transform your self-care practice and summon miracles with this gilded heart Self-Love sticker.

Connected to others (Heart Chakra): Heal conflict and harmonize relationships with a lounging mermaid At the Beach blend.

Focused (Throat Chakra): A golden pyramid and third eye imprint on the Focus sticker increase productivity, and enhances expression, creativity, and problem-solving.

Gorgeous (Third Eye): Unicorn power restores spiritual order, and reflects light, beauty, peace, and strength in the Beauty sticker.

 

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MY WEEK GETTING HIGH ON (BODY) VIBES by Ruby Warrington

Obviously, we had to put Body Vibes stickers to the test—and so I decided to wear a different one for each day this week. Read on for the verdict!

Ruby Warrington Body Vibes Stickers The Numinous
Photo: Caitlin Mitchell for A Wild Dove

MONDAY
Mondays have been coming around WAY too fast lately (anybody??) and I kind of wanna carry on the weekend vibes, so I go straight for the new Flower Power stickers—designed to promote “relaxation, coping skills, and muscle relaxation” (and emblazoned with a cannabis leaf). My afternoon is pretty chill, and that evening I find myself giggling all the way thought Mindhunter. Huh? I also have to eat an extra piece of avo toast before bed. #Munchies?!

TUESDAY
A busy day of meetings means time to up the ante with the Energy sticker. Notably, my usual afternoon dip doesn’t happen and I’m able to stay super chatty and … energized … for two back-to-back podcast interviews. That night I wake at 4.30am and can’t go back to sleep, and find myself peeling the sticker off in an attempt to stop my mind whirring with tomorrow’s to-do list.

WEDNESDAY
A bad night’s sleep is not gonna help me ace the first promo push for our New Year, Nu You retreat, followed by a 2-hour in-depth business call, another podcast interview, and cooking dinner for a friend this eve. What I need is some Focus! I slap the sticker featuring a pyramid with an evil eye right above my heart. WOW. Not only do I power through all the above, I also create a super-detailed 20-story IG promo for the retreat, and manage to fit in a yoga session before dinner. That night … I wake up, mind racing, at 3.30am! I feel like I spent the day downing espresso.

THURSDAY
Chatting with Numinous assistant editor Bess about our Body Vibes post, she tells me that the “strong coffee” effect is apparently a common way some of the stickers are described—and on the pack, “sensitive types” ARE advised to wear the stickers further away from the heart. That must be me. Feeling exhausted from two nights with no sleep, I opt for the Anti-Anxiety sticker today. Perfect for back-to-back meetings with three of my favorite women. I find myself focusing 100% on enjoying the moment with them, and barely thinking about the emails I know are stacking up in my inbox.

FRIDAY
I still didn’t sleep great last night, and woke up with a stiff neck—so it’s back to Flower Power for me (which I place on my left shoulder right where it hurts). It is Friday, after all!

THE VERDICT
Some of it could be psychosomatic, sure, but I have definitely noticed subtle shifts in my energy using the stickers this week. And that word is always key when it comes to energy work: subtle. We live in a world of such sensory overload, it can be hard to hear the gentle messages we’re receiving from our energetic body day-in-day-out, and it’s like wearing these stickers helped remind me to tune in. Plus the energy surge I felt using the Focus was undeniable! I’ll definitely be using them again …

Discover more about Body Vibes stickers and shop the collection at Shopbodyvibes.com

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***How to stick ’em 
Place the stickers on the left side of your chest, close to your heart—or on the left side of your arm, back, or shoulder. For those who are more sensitive to changes in their homeostasis, place on the lower inner arm above the wrist, or on the right side

And for magic multiplied, you can also create your own “cocktail” with more than just one. The Third Eye and Solar Plexus stickers are particularly good for adding an additional positive well-being frequency to any other vibe.

*Please be advised that once the sticker is removed, it loses its adhesive property and a new one will need to be used. 

NUMINOUS WEEKLY HOROSCOPES: JUNE 26—JULY 2 2017

What’s the cosmic symbol for your sign this week? Find out in our Numinous weekly horoscopes from Sandra Sitron, a.k.a. Strong Eye Astrology

Numinous weekly horoscopes dressage horse strong eye astrology June 25

Cancer :: Cancer Rising
Showing a horse in a dressage competition. It’s time to compete. Show off your skills. Shine. You are supported — it’s not just you out there on your own. Sit tall and sit high on your prancing horse. Look for a way to feel confident enough to put yourself out there. Is it scary to be seen and lead the way? If it is, that’s okay. But if you don’t do it now, then when? And what do you really have to lose anyway?

Want more wisdom? Book a reading with Sandra here or follow her on Instagram.

Leo :: Leo Rising
Mowing the lawn. Do something routine that lets you get away from it all and have some time to daydream. You need to go inward. Allow yourself to recede. You can mask it by doing everyday chores, as the symbol suggests. But do break free from the mundane world and let your imagination take you on a journey. Too much time spent chained to the grind or the social media feed will suck the joy out of you. Replenish.

Want more wisdom? Book a reading with Sandra here or follow her on Instagram.

Virgo :: Virgo Rising
Writing in hieroglyphics. Ancient languages. Future languages. Early written languages were a huge breakthrough in communication, which had previously only been spoken. It’s possible that reading and writing even changed the way we humans use our brains, by helping us think more abstractly. You may be ready for a mindset shift right now. How can you advance into completely new thought territory? Get outside of your norm and communicate with a new group in a new way. Surprise yourself with innovative thoughts and ideas. Be inventive.

Want more wisdom? Book a reading with Sandra here or follow her on Instagram.

Libra :: Libra Rising
Jumping on a pogo stick. Higher and higher. You keep reaching for more, And it looks like you can have fun while you’re doing it! Don’t stop, you’re just getting started. If you keep jumping like this, you may find yourself on a new platform. And you may find that you have a new audience. Let it be a game and let it bring you lightness.

Want more wisdom? Book a reading with Sandra here or follow her on Instagram.

Scorpio :: Scorpio Rising
Fireworks—wheels of light spinning off into the air. Illuminating the sky? You? Yes. Do it. Get out there and light it up. Share your most fiery message — your spirit, your ideas, your philosophy. It’s not time to hold back. It’s time to light it up. Just take action. You know where you belong right now. Where everyone can see you.

Want more wisdom? Book a reading with Sandra here or follow her on Instagram.

Sagittarius :: Sagittarius Rising
Waves on the surface of the ocean and stronger currents below. What are the waves on your surface? Meaning, what are those minor emotional irritations that are easy to ignore or resist? If you ignore the surface waves, they will show up as bigger problems—procrastination, resistance or confusion. If instead, you follow the emotions down to discover the deeper emotional patterns below, you might experience a breakthrough. Learn more about your patterns so that you can heal. Experience calm, peaceful waters.

Want more wisdom? Book a reading with Sandra here or follow her on Instagram.

Capricorn :: Capricorn Rising
A ship with full sails. Can you find a way to communicate with love? Even when under pressure? Even when irritated or fatigued? Sail forward quickly. In astrology, the Air element represents communication (among other things). Let your communication propel you forward. Fill your sails with the desire to connect. Let nothing get in the way of creating harmonious partnership.

Want more wisdom? Book a reading with Sandra here or follow her on Instagram.

Aquarius :: Aquarius Rising
You are a cannonball. Ready to fly. Position yourself well as you move into battle. What’s the battle? Think of it as your upcoming challenges. Now, what would help you position yourself to take that on? Do you need to carve out time? Get help? Take care of some details of your life, like nutrition, exercise, organization? A little planning and positioning can go a long way.

Want more wisdom? Book a reading with Sandra here or follow her on Instagram.

Pisces :: Pisces Rising
Instead of a bouquet of flowers, you hold a bouquet of dancing butterflies. Are you ready to become more dynamic? More joyful? Even more than you imagined possible? Look for the unexpected in everything. Look for opportunities to be creative, intuitive and playful. Find the people who will appreciate your zany, unique, individual, self-expression. Maybe they will even give you a little recognition, and wouldn’t that be refreshing?

Want more wisdom? Book a reading with Sandra here or follow her on Instagram.

Aries :: Aries Rising
A child’s drawing. So innocent. So perfect in it’s fresh and unencumbered expression. That part of you is still there, deep inside. That pure, unconcerned and vital part of you. Connect with your inner child. Remind her that she is safe, that life is a blast. Let her remind you that other people’s opinions don’t matter. She knows what the opposite of self-conscious is. Let her teach you.

Want more wisdom? Book a reading with Sandra here or follow her on Instagram.

Taurus :: Taurus Rising
Skiing down slopes. Your curiosity helps you build momentum. This is one big learning adventure, are you ready to hit the slopes? As you slalom in your imagination, you groove lines in the snow. Those lines are the synapses in your brain, the connections of the dots. What do you need to learn about? What ideas do you need to connect? What neural pathways need to be formed? Do it with speed, adventure and finesse.

Want more wisdom? Book a reading with Sandra here or follow her on Instagram.

Gemini :: Gemini Rising
A hedgehog eating grass roots in a meadow. The hedgehog knows how to protect itself while keeping cool, calm and in control. This tiny spiny mammal has a built-in security system. When danger nears, it simply rolls into a ball and is protected by it’s spiky spines. How efficient. You are capable of taking care of yourself too, as long as you just keep things simple. Don’t stress out about money or let your self-worth tank. You are safe. You are protected. You are abundant. Call on protective and healing hedgehog medicine to help you feel grounded.

Want more wisdom? Book a reading with Sandra here or follow her on Instagram.

5 WAYS TO FIND YOUR OWN CRYSTAL MEANINGS

Think you have to endlessly study your crystal bible to tap into your stones’ powers? Leave the bible behind, take your rocks out on a date, and find your own crystal meanings says Wolf Sister.  Main Image: Beth Hoeckel 

find your own crystal meanings wolf sister beth hoeckel ruby warrington the numinous

The meanings of crystals aren’t literally set in stone. Despite what the dusty description from your local crystal dealer says, the medicine doesn’t end there …

Crystals are formed from of the deepest parts of Mother Earth, so of course there’s so much more meaning to them than just inviting love into your life, warding off anxiety, protection from some less than desirable energies, or waking up your third eye.

Here’s how to start finding your own crystal meanings …

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1/Discover Your Crystal’s Personality (Yes, Your Crystal Has a Theme Song!)
Just like Tinder dates, crystals are individuals with their own personalities that go WAY beyond the profile pic. Instead of playing out the relationship in your mind before you’ve even met them, go out on a few dates with your crystal.

Keep the crystal’s bio info in mind and the reason you initially choose it, but then take the time to listen …. Even holding a crystal in your hand for a few moments in silence with your eyes closed can reveal its personality. So how does it make you feel? Stay open to any ideas and epiphanies that download in your mind at that moment.

The first time that I initiated myself with Rose Quartz, Florence + The Machine’s version of “You’ve Got the Love” drifted into my consciousness. This had nothing to do with the crystal bible’s traditional meanings of romantic love or fertility. Instead, through the lyrics, Rose Quartz was showing me that I had all the support that I needed to get through a project when I’d lost my confidence.

Now every time I hear that song, it’s as if Rose Quartz is talking to me.

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2/Open Your Full Body to the Magic
When you’re getting to know your crystal, actions speak louder than words. Your crystal won’t do all the work—you need to play your part in this deal and put some muscle in! 

For example, if you buy Citrine because you wanna get on with your dharma, then you need to start taking physical action towards it. Instead of endlessly researching courses and workshops about your chosen field while secretly hoping that the Citrine in your pocket is listening, it’s time to actually book the course and do the homework!

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3/See Life Through a “Crystallized Lens”
Seeing your day through your crystal’s eyes can help guide you towards innovation when you’re feeling stuck.

This kind of experience comes from actively imagining, “If I was this crystal, what would I do?” Rather than just keeping it by your bed or at the bottom of your make-up bag, imagine, for example, that you’ve teamed up with Smokey Quartz and can fully step into your power and take up all the space that you deserve!

If you were the actual embodiment of your crystal, how could your perspective radically change?

Society 6 Crystal Phone Case

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4/ Supercharge your Meditation with Crystals
During your meditation practice (if you’re new to meditation, just find a quiet space and focus on your breath!), you can choose to place your crystal on your third eye, somewhere in the space, or in your left (receiving) hand.

Imagine the energy and colors of your crystal infusing and permeating throughout your body. Invite the crystal to recalibrate any distracting energies so that you’re recharged and nourished. Take as long as you like in this crystalline space that you’ve created to integrate these new frequencies. When you’re ready, ground yourself back into the here and now. Again, ask how the crystal you’re using has made you feel, and what new perspective it’s granted you.

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5/Spark a Conversation With Your Crystals  
The best way to find out what your crystals really mean is to start asking questions!

Why did you ask for this crystal to come into your life? What does it mean to you? How does it make you feel? Why did you choose this one instead of the others? What action can you take to bring it to life? 

Keep your crystal with you and free-write the answers to these questions in a journal. If you have Tarot or oracle cards, ask the crystal to communicate with you through the cards. Think of what you’d like guidance with, or use the questions from above as you pull the cards.

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We’re here to create our own experience. Guides are a wonderful starting point, but the only way to find out what your crystal means is to get to know them personally. Be curious so you can work with them, and you’ll soon realize what it wants to guide you towards!

Starting this Friday, June 9th, join Wolf Sister for Get Your Rocks Out—a free online crystal healing workshop where you’ll learn to listen to what your crystals want to say!  

STRONG EYE ASTROLOGY: NOVEMBER 27—DECEMBER 4

A symbolic reading for the week ahead, direct from the third eye of Sandra Sitron, a.k.a. Strong Eye Astrology

strong eye astrology pine trees the numinous

Sagittarius :: Sagittarius Rising
A stand of pine trees. You are ready to grow tall and you are ready to combine forces. Gather with like minds. Identify yourself among a group of peers. Don’t shy away from the truth of who you are. Embrace yourself. Be loud and bold and be fully you. If you’ve felt pulled in different directions, now is your time to get really clear about your course. Sit quietly and breathe this week. Be quiet like a tree for awhile. Find your center. and then move definitively in one direction. Adjust, adapt and then lead.

Want more wisdom? Book a reading with Sandra here or follow her on Instagram.

Capricorn :: Capricorn Rising
A wave pool. It’s time to soak up positivity and love. Can you open to receiving love? The more that you open your heart to universal and inclusive love, the more that the waves of irritation will subside. Some trivial, everyday things may be taking up too much energy. That energy could instead be used for higher purposes. Nobody is perfect, that means you and me and everyone else. You don’t have to teach the lessons, or hold anyone to a high standard right now. Instead, choose to focus on waves of intangible love. Let the everyday annoyances go. Put yourself in the flow of acceptance.

Want more wisdom? Book a reading with Sandra here or follow her on Instagram.

Aquarius :: Aquarius Rising
A crystal mountain. It’s time for you to charge up. Charge yourself with positivity and get your highest dreams and goals in motion. Think of yourself as a conduit right now. What kind of energy are you wanting to channel? Get clear and focused about your dreams, hopes and aspirations. Something about how you are thinking is ready to shift. Be careful not to take yourself too seriously. Keep your energy light. If you have been too concrete and fixed in your thinking, try to be a little bit more philosophical. If you have been distracted, try to focus. Most of all, keep your thoughts positive. We’ve all got issues, but you don’t need to get bogged down in yours right now. Stay focused on the dream.

Want more wisdom? Book a reading with Sandra here or follow her on Instagram.

Pisces :: Pisces Rising
A trapeze artist working the aerial hoops. Allow yourself to soar. People see you right now. You are very visible. You must take up the mantle of responsibility. You must show up. This is the time when you get called out if you aren’t being perfectly accountable. So, use this heightened visibility it to your advantage. When you are accountable, you are also respected and remembered. You have the power right now to reach great heights in your career. Make a plan and execute the plan. Follow through. Clear up those issues that keep popping up and have never been resolved. Get all your ducks in a row, so to speak. It will require some work. But you should have the attention span. Any work you do will pay off, so go for it.

Want more wisdom? Book a reading with Sandra here or follow her on Instagram.

Aries :: Aries Rising
A hunter moving stealthily through the forest. You are yearning for something. You can let the feeling lead you. Explore it. What does this yearning mean to you? Does it show you something you are lacking (a need,) or does it show you a desire (a want?) It’s good for you to have wants and needs, because they will help you create your future. But it’s also good to be philosophical about your wants and needs so that they don’t drive you to compulsion. This is a time for you to become very philosophical. Find the inspiration that sits just right with you. Seek out new ideas. Learn from the great teachers. An important thing to remember about philosophy is that it must be adaptive and not fixed. Don’t get stuck in a philosophy that is no longer serving you. Keep upgrading. Keep learning. Keep hunting.

Want more wisdom? Book a reading with Sandra here or follow her on Instagram.

Taurus :: Taurus Rising
Tadpoles swimming. It’s time for transformation. Inside-out transformation. Who are you ready to become? You must be ready to let go if you want to move forward. Let yourself flow in the pool of your feelings. Feel them all deeply so that you can move on. Poise yourself to forgive. This is deep work. It takes time and commitment. Carve out some room to nurture your evolving soul. Don’t push yourself too hard, but be determined to shift. You may not be comfortable during the process. Embrace that! Don’t let a little emotional discomfort stop you from growing. Lean into the chaos of emotions and the unknown. Let go.

Want more wisdom? Book a reading with Sandra here or follow her on Instagram.

Gemini :: Gemini Rising
Square dancing. This is your chance to set intentions about how you want to be in partnership. Don’t stay stuck in the same old dance moves. Surprise yourself by rewriting the steps. In relationship you detest boredom and stuck-ness. So make sure that your vision for an ideal relationship is not being bogged down by the status quo. You are the creator of your life. Get out the pen and draft it to your liking. Don’t focus on what you assume is possible, given the circumstances, or the existing patterns. Think about what you desire. And then share and communicate that vision. Meanwhile, practice being a good listener. It’s a dance.

Want more wisdom? Book a reading with Sandra here or follow her on Instagram.

Cancer :: Cancer Rising
Tea and cake. You may be inspired to improve yourself. Form healthier habits. Let go of habits that are no longer serving you. You are ready to take yourself to the next level in efficiency. Your current goal is to refine and improve your life. The symbol of “tea and cake” reminds you to keep a little sweetness in your day. Don’t forget to stay stimulated. But balance these out with the most elegant form of of nurturance— moderation. Create a moderate approach to daily planning. For example, if you want start an exercise program, don’t over-do it— start small. But be consistent. Think of yourself as “improving.” These aren’t big gestures. These are micro-improvements balanced out with fun and pleasure. Make changes that will get you to where you want to be.

Want more wisdom? Book a reading with Sandra here or follow her on Instagram.

Leo :: Leo Rising
A sunflower. Your desire to be creative can at times be overwhelming. This may be one of those times. Lean into it anyway. Don’t be afraid. You are here to shine, and now is the time. Keep looking toward the sunny places. Keep responding to hate with love. Holding back your creative spirit is only being ungenerous. So be loving and creative. You may choose to avoid stimulants for a few days early this week, to heighten your intuition and zero in on what you truly desire. Aim to clear your mind so that your spirt can shine through like a flower reaching toward the sun.

Want more wisdom? Book a reading with Sandra here or follow her on Instagram.

Virgo :: Virgo Rising
A repetitive drum beat. Use sound to help you break out of your normal mindset. You are ready to set up new patterns in your home life, or with your family. This could even apply to restructuring the belief systems you developed in childhood. Sound can help you create a meditative zone so that you can zero in on what is ready to shift. When you do this kind of deep restructuring, it is good to have support. Make a list of all of the different people who support you in your life, they can be people you know, or people you are inspired by. Trust your intuition to guide you to the kind of sound that will best help you break into a deeper state of meditation and healing. Let your emotions flow and know that you are safe and supported in your process of growth.

Want more wisdom? Book a reading with Sandra here or follow her on Instagram.

Libra :: Libra Rising
An operator’s switchboard. You are making new connections. Learn. Grow. Don’t stop striving for the kind of knowledge that will sustain you. Improve yourself by continuing your education in whatever field is most relevant to you right now. You may receive information from unexpected sources. Your close friends or immediate family may be a source of education. Ask yourself where you can improve your understanding of the basics in a way that might be most helpful to you now. There is always room for improvement in the basics. Now is the time to seek it out. This is also a good time to journal. Organize your thoughts. Make concrete plans. Discuss. Share your knowledge with others.

Want more wisdom? Book a reading with Sandra here or follow her on Instagram.

Scorpio :: Scorpio Rising
The earthworm tills the soil. Get grounded. Dig in real deep to the core of who you are. Meditate on your root chakra. Remind yourself that you are secure, even if it is a spiritual security. Your symbol suggests that you are ready to feel stable. You can feel nourished by Mother Earth. You can feel that what you are doing is sustainable. You just have to be sure that you deserve to have your needs be met. Make it into a prayer. Let go of any fears that your needs won’t be met. Trust. Create a simple mantra that reminds you of safety and wholeness. Repeat it to yourself in times of doubt. Let it sink in.

Want more wisdom? Book a reading with Sandra here or follow her on Instagram.

SELF-CARE: A RITUAL BATH FOR REIKI HEALERS

Healers and empaths – sometimes you gotta give yourself some TLC, as recommended by Deborah Hanekamp… Artwork: found on Pinterest

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This bath is medicine for the empath, some healing for the healer, and a way to soak up the power and presence of your own energy.

Taking a ritual bath combined with the self-healing treatment of Reiki has been a gift for me over the past 15 years working as a Medicine Woman and Reiki Master. And my heart is fed by sharing it now, for it is essential for Reiki Practitioners to regularly balance our chakras, clear blockages and call in our abundance as light workers.

I believe that the more people there are practicing Reiki, the more peaceful the world will be. To effectively share the enduring magic of Reiki, we must strengthen our “Reiki muscles” – beginning with self-healing, self-care, and personal ritual.

:: INGREDIENTS ::

Fresh pink roses, rosemary, and basil, to cover the surface of the bath water

Baking Soda: 1 TBSP
Apple Cider Vinegar: 1 TBSP
Epsom Salt: 1 Cup
Crystals of: Peach Moonstone, Fluorite and Amethyst
Cedar Wood, Jasmine and Rosemary essential oils: A few drops each

Combine all ingredients in a tub of water as hot as you can stand

:: RITUAL ::

Clear your energy by smudging your body with sacred Palo Santo smoke, including the soles of your feet and back of your head

For practitioners of Reiki 2 and up draw Se Hey Ki over the tub water

Step into the bath and dunk your head under the water

Place the Peach Moonstone crystal on your solar plexus, the Fluorite on your heart chakra, and the Amethyst on your third eye

Begin a self-healing treatment, combined with deep, rhythmic Ujjayi breath

When your self-healing treatment is finished, dunk your head under the water again and chant the sounds of the seven chakras from root to crown; LAM, VAM, RAM, YAM, HAM, AUM (the crown chakra’s sound is silence).

CHAKRA HEALING FOR THE HOME

You know how important it is to keep your chakras balanced for optimal health – but have you thought about chakra healing for your home, asks Jennifer Stevens? Artwork: Paul Oparin
Paul Oparin chakras on The Numinous

Whether you’ve studied Buddhism, meditation or Kundalini yoga, you’ve probably come across the concept of chakras before. But how do they relate to your home?

But before we get started, let’s first define exactly what we mean by the word “chakra.”

Chakras are energetic centers within the etheric (subtle) body. The word chakra itself originally meant “wheel” but they are thought to function more like vortexes: either open and spinning correctly, open and spinning backward, or closed entirely.

Healthy chakras are an essential part of mind, body and spirit living in alignment. A closed chakra is the result of an energetic blockage – typically an emotional or spiritual issue – and just one blocked chakra will affect the rest of your system, causing it to go into overdrive to compensate. This ultimately results in feeling lethargic, scattered or burnt-out. Leaving your chakras out of balance for too long can eventually lead to physical illness.

So how do the chakras relate to interior design?

Chakras are ultimately driven by our own energies; and since our home is an extension of our self, they are also accurately represented within our space. And just like in our bodies, it’s important for the chakras in our homes to stay happy and healthy. There’s no need to redecorate from scratch; the idea is simply to show each chakra zone the proper care and respect.

It’s always best for you to interpret the chakras in your own home in a way that works best for you. So go with your own intuition on this, but here are a few examples of home chakra healing to get you thinking…

:: Muladhara – Root Chakra – Kitchen, Toilet, Basement, Crawl Spaces::

The Root Chakra represents stability, balance and physical survival; it is also our connection to our ancestors. An under-active Root Chakra is characterized by excessive worries about money, paranoia and feeling disconnected.

The Root Chakra is about survival and sustenance; and since we literally sustain ourselves with food, the kitchen is the perfect representation of this. This chakra is also where any energy is eliminated from our body, so the toilet and basement can represent this aspect.

Take a look at your kitchen: is it neat, tidy and ready-to-use, or is it a cluttered and dirty mess? Is it bright and filled with fresh food or dark with barren shelves? Excessive clutter or general messiness indicate that it’s time to put more effort into the self-care of this chakra.

It’s also important when working with the Muladhara Chakra to be mindful of plumbing issues or leaking pipes and especially any issues that concern the toilet (such as broken handles or a constantly running toilet.). Schedule a time right now for any necessary repairs.

Stones to include here: Garnet, Jasper, Onyx or Rubies

Paul Oparin on The Numinous

:: Svadhisthana – Sacral Chakra – Creative Centers ::

The Sacral Chakra represents our relationship with ourselves, but this extends well beyond us since we project this onto our perception of the world around us. The big lesson here is simple: you cannot love anyone else until you love yourself. It is also the chakra of sensuality and sexuality.

Potential signs of an imbalance in the Sacral Chakra include boredom (with life or your relationship) and inhibition.

In our homes, the Sacral Chakra is represented by any center of creativity. You might have a thriving business running out of the spare bedroom, a blog run from the computer in your home office, or maybe you just really love spending your weekend afternoons creating treats for a dinner party. Choose the zone that best represents your own version of creativity and take a careful look around. If clutter or improper storage is impeding your ability to create, then get to work at finding some solutions.

If you don’t have a creative center in your home, then how is a great time to create one! What classes have you been meaning to take or interests have you been waiting to explore? How can you express this energy in your home? Your creative energy is an integral piece of your soul, so devote some time to honoring it.

Stones to include here: Carnelian, Moonstone or Hematite

Paul Oparin on The Numinous

:: Manipurna – Solar Plexus Chakra – Bathrooms, Laundry room, Living Room or Family Room ::

The Solar Plexus Chakra represents our personal power. It governs both self-esteem and self-discipline. An activated Solar Plexus Chakra results in being confident, reliable and responsible. Those with a Solar Plexus that is not in balance will be prone to emotional outbursts and stress (excess chakra activity) or passivity (blocked or slow).

Since this chakra represents multiple parts of our lives, it can also be represented by a number of ways in the home. Areas associated with water are highly associated with emotional energies; so your bathroom or laundry room are a great place to examine for signs of distress (think: faulty plumbing, faucets, lighting or messiness).

Another choice could be your living room – since it’s where we go when we’re entertaining friends or curling up with some vegan ice cream and Netflix.

Cast a constructive eye toward your living areas. Is there adequate seating and lighting? Can you comfortably hang out there with a few friends? If your living room is too messy for guests, it’s likely an accurate reflection of your own self-confidence and esteem.

Stones to Include Here: Topaz, Tiger’s Eye, Amber or Citrine

Paul Oparin on The Numinous

:: Anahata – Heart Chakra – Dining Areas, Hallways ::

The Heart Chakra represents love as well as the consciousness of Divine Love. Problems with the Heart Chakra are characterized by troubled relationships, being overly critical or being stuck in the past.

Sharing food with others (whether family or friends) is an act of Divine Love; on a fundamental level you are nurturing them and contributing towards their survival. We are naturally inclined to eat with those who we value the most, so the act of sharing food is very symbolic of this type of love.

Choose your dining room (or kitchen table) as your representation of the Heart Chakra only if you actually use it for eating (whether alone or with others). Make sure that everything is in working order and that you have enough supplies to make the overall experience comfortable.

But if you mostly eat take-out and never entertain, the dining area might not be the best choice for you. Hallways are similar to the veins in our body; the heart is the pump that creates circulation. In your home, a hallway is the way for you (and for Chi) to get from one room to the next. All but the tiniest of apartments will have some sort of hallway; if you don’t, choose a major footpath in your home (for example: from the sofa to the kitchen or the bedroom to the bathroom). So always make sure that this hallway or path is clear of clutter and obstructions.

Stones to Include: Fluorite, Malachite or Rose Quartz

Paul Oparin on The Numinous

:: Vishuddha – Throat Chakra – Study or Home Office ::

The Throat Chakra governs clear and concise communications. An open Throat Chakra allows you to find and express your authentic voice. If you are experiencing problems with expressing your feelings, finding your true voice or understanding what those around you are saying, then this might be a key zone for you to take a closer look at.

In the home, the Throat Chakra is best represented by your computer zone. Computers are now our main communication channel; whether you are Skyping, emailing or vlogging you are doing it through a computer (or similar device). Finding your zone is super simple if you have a desktop computer – but if you use a laptop, think about where you use it the most. On the sofa? At the kitchen table? Find the zone that is the best representation for you and make sure that it’s clean and de-cluttered.

It’s also great time to pause and look at the device itself. Are your files in order or is your desktop a mess? Are the screen and keyboard clean? Taking even a few minutes to restore order will put you on the path to a more open and balanced Throat Chakra.

Stones to include here: Aquamarine, Turquoise or Angel Aura Quartz

Paul Oparin on The Numinous

:: Ajna – Third Eye Chakra – Spiritual Center, Library, Home Office ::

The Third Eye Chakra is the master chakra; all other chakras must be open and balanced before this chakra can fully activate. It is the chakra of wisdom, spiritual devotion and intuition. An imbalanced Third Eye Chakra is coupled with insomnia, nightmares and indecision.

Any spiritual space in your home is an obvious choice to represent this energy center. That could mean many different things: a meditation corner, small altar or even (lucky you!) yoga practice room.

A home office or library is another excellent representation (even if it falls on the logical side of the brain). But it is where your business, bills or schedule are maintained and therefore represents knowledge and control over your life in general. Libraries literally contain knowledge, but since owning a real library is probably unlikely, a large bookshelf is another ideal choice.

But whichever space best corresponds to this chakra for you, take a look around for any hot button issues (like clutter) or ways for the functionality to be improved.

Stones to Include Here: Sapphire, Lapis, Azurite or Amethyst

Paul Oparin on The Numinous

:: Sahasrara – Crown Chakra – Bedroom, Front Door ::

The Crown Chakra is our link to unity, oneness and group consciousness. It’s where the finite (body/ego) and the infinite (universe/soul) meet. This is the chakra that represents spirituality and enlightenment; signs of an imbalanced Crown Chakra are depression and anxiety.

Since we are the most open to receiving messages (whether from our own soul or from a higher power) while we are sleeping, the bedroom is a natural choice for this chakra. This is one of the most intimate rooms in the home and also one that we spend a lot of time in. It’s where we retreat to not only when we are tired, but also when we are feeling sick or sad. The bedroom is home to our deepest emotional centers.

Take a look around your bedroom for any key issues. Is your bed an inviting place for you to retreat to every night? Do you typically get a full nights sleep in it? Make sure your bed is neat, comfortable and nice to look at.

The Crown Chakra can also be represented by the front door to our home. How open are you to receiving new visitors—or new knowledge?

Assess the state of your front door and entry. Again, look for any obvious problems: locks that are sticky or squeaky hinges. Maybe the door mat needs to be replaced or the door itself needs a cleaning. If your front door is blocked by clutter (or furniture), it’s time to make some changes and welcome some new energy into your home (and life).

Stones to Include Here: Amethyst (clusters are great!), Lepidolite or Clear Quartz

***

Even if there’s one particular chakra that’s of particular interest to you, make sure that you take a look at every chakra as it is represented in your space. Just as in your body, one area that’s out of whack can create bigger problems for the entire system. As such, a healthy home represents a healthy human, with a fully balanced, flowing chakra system.

11 WAYS TO MEET YOUR SOULMATE

Ready to meet your soulmate? Then leave your inhibitions at the door, and arm yourself with some of these spiritual ice-breakers, says Gabriela Herstik. Image: Kazel Lim via Behance.net

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We’re totally for that cosmic connection you feel between other members of the Numinati. You know, that sweet vibration you get in your heart chakra when you meet someone else who just gets it. Yet the way in which we meet our soul sisters (or brothers) can be pretty funny. Read on and let us know – do any of these soulmate chat up lines sound familiar to you?

“Oh my god, your dogs a Scorpio? Mines a Cancer. Let’s plan a play date.”
It all takes a turn for the better when you astrologically analyze your pets.

“You have a really strong heart chakra. I can feel it.”
That moment two girls in the Trader Joe’s checkout become besties.

“That’s selenite, right? Aww, and you’re wearing it near your heart to raise your consciousness to a higher level.”
How did she know?

“I don’t mean to interrupt, but I’m getting a vibe like I knew you in a past life.”
And you thought it was just another lunchtime wait in line at Sweetgreen.

“Has anyone ever told you what a beautiful energy you have about you?”
No, but I’ve heard that about my aura.

“Did I just hear you say your spirit animal is a raven? Mine’s a crow!”
Welcome to the tribe.

“Girl, is your lucky number 13? Because you’ve killed me and shown me a new way to live…”
Death card pick-up lines are too cute.

“My third eye feels especially open when I look at you.”
I know, I’ve been working on clearing my psychic energy field

“Let me guess – you take your coffee black, iced, and bitter. Like your soul before your last past life regression.”
When your barista just gets you.

“Is the energy of this coffee shop just off to you too?”
Well, now that you mention it…

“You totally look like the kind of chick I need in my coven.”
It’s a summer goth thing, isn’t it.

How did the convo go when you met your last Numi soulmate? Give us some lolz when you share on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter and tag it #shitnuminousgirlssay…

SILENCE, PLEASE: DIARY OF A VIPASSANA MEDITATION RETREAT

Man it can get LOUD out there. Have you ever considered shutting down the noise and embarking on a 10-day silent Vipassana meditation retreat? Sarah McKinney shares the experience that left her “more integrated, and whole.” Images: Karolina Daria Flora.

I’d always been fascinated when people said they’d gone on a 10-day silent meditation retreat, in the same way I’m fascinated by people who tell me they run marathons, my usual reaction being: “That’s so awesome — for you.” But this past October, when one of my yoga teachers strongly recommended Jack Kornfield’s 37th annual spring Vipassana, something inside of me sparked, and I knew it was time for me to experience it for myself.

I’d been trying to “should” myself into establishing a daily seated meditation practice for a while, but couldn’t get it to stick. I’d rationalized that yoga was a moving meditation. I’d done maybe a dozen or so 30-minute guided meditations, and had sat quietly for five-minute meditations countless times.

But I knew that meditating in silence for hours every day, for 10 days in a row, would be like learning to swim in the deep end. I felt a little nervous, but also confident that I had the tools needed to process whatever thoughts or emotions might come up. And I was comforted by the fact that Jack’s retreat didn’t require 100% silence.

We were allowed to talk during three different meetings with teachers — one small group, and two one-on-ones, when they would check in on how we were doing and offer some perspective and advice. There was a brief Q&A period at the end of one morning and one afternoon sit each day, giving students the opportunity to ask questions that pertained to their practice. And during the working meditations we could exchange words related to our jobs.

We were also told it was okay to jot down some notes if we felt the need — particularly permissible during the Dharma talks every night, when the teachers would share various lessons from the Buddha. But we were told to avoid eye contact whenever possible, the point being to help us stay focused on our internal experiences. There would also be no reading or use of technology, and any kind of sexual conduct was disallowed.

I’d been warned that the first few days on retreat were often the most difficult — the “settling in” period, they called it. I’d assumed this was because people had repressed traumatic or abusive experiences from their past that suddenly rose to the surface, and I half-hoped I’d be gifted with something surprisingly dramatic and juicy. But instead what I experienced was intense boredom, impatience, fantasy thinking, planning, sleepiness, and intermittent frustration that there wasn’t more instruction given.

The teachers said they were intentionally keeping it simple to start us off, telling us to just keep coming back to our inhale and exhale, and our right and left foot, as we alternated between 45-minute sitting and walking meditation periods.

The walking meditation was not like walking for exercise, or even walking to get from one place to the next. The point was to maintain single minded focus — feeling the weight shift from heel to toe, or from the left to right side of our body, stopping if we noticed something in our surroundings to really observe it before returning to our footsteps.

By afternoon I could hear the cars zooming down the nearby highway and pictured myself running across the desert, yelling; “Save me! Take me away from the land of the slow, where people walk like zombies of the night!” I was entertaining myself — preferable to maintaining single-minded focus, apparently.

When the teachers would release us from sitting meditation saying, “enjoy your walking period” with their Buddha smiles, it felt mildly torturous. Like being told to go enjoy just one sip of wine, or one chocolate chip. But I practiced contrary action, and tried to do what I was told.

On the second day we began receiving more instruction — my thirst for guidance, quenched! During one of the morning walking meditations I became momentarily captivated by the most beautifully bright little yellow flowers growing on a tree, surrounded by soft white fluff. And then a few steps later, by a delicate purple flower growing out of a brittle cactus — the symbolism made me smile.

I sat on a bench during lunch, mindfully chewing and savoring the different textures and flavors per the teachers’ suggestions, and noticed that the Koi pond I was gazing at was particularly green — like a Matcha green tea latte. Looking up I observed a large bush covered in white flowers, and then another one with pink flowers. How had I missed all this the day before? I watched a tall narrow tree bend in the wind as I listened to the chirping birds, my hand clasping a warm cup of tea. I felt the weather beginning to shift.

My working meditation was breakfast set up from 6 — 6:45am. I was grateful for something to do. My working partner was a woman named Margo who I had an immediate affinity for. She was in her late 60’s and (I later learned) a poet, and a writing teacher. She had a son around my age and lived in San Diego with her husband — a man who’d been going on silent meditation retreats for decades. This was her fourth.

We’d occasionally break the rules and whisper to each other; “How are you doing?” Knowing she was having a hard time with the meditations too made me feel less alone. Margo felt like my version of that guy in Eat Pray Love who called Elizabeth Gilbert “Groceries” — she was my friend. Occasionally we would make accidental eye contact when passing each other on the grounds, and sneak smiles.

Throughout my entire life people have commented on how cold my hands are and my go-to response has always been; “cold hands warm heart!” But during the seated meditations I could feel my hands burning with heat as they rested on my thighs, and I remembered an energy worker telling me once that the hands become warm when you are in your body and out of the analytic mind.

And so I began using my hands as my barometer for how much I was “dropping in”, and allowing myself to feel. As that was apparently what we were here to do. “How does that feel in your body?” the teachers frequently asked, when students would share their various mind states, and laughably relatable neuroses. The goal was equanimity, which merely means  to observe our feelings with a balanced perspective, to enable us to respond appropriately.

I was less sleepy by day three, but still pretty bored, and the fantasy thinking had been going into overdrive, carrying over into my sleep. I dreamt I was having sex with someone I’d though about going to bed with, and quickly thanked my subconscious for having taken note before realizing some old familiar feelings were present  too— insecurity, performance, validation seeking. Leftover residue from a life so busily lived that not everything can be fully processed.

Lying in bed, I decided to envision how I’d like to feel having sex with this person — safe, comfortable, playful, fully in my body, ripe with desire, generously giving, the embodiment of “yes.” “Much better,” I noted to myself, as I reached down to my suitcase for some clothes, and then began my walk to the dining hall.

I was surprised that I didn’t miss technology at all, given how obsessively I tend to check it at home. Or exercise. We did have Qigong at 3:15 every afternoon, which gave us a chance to move our bodies, albeit slowly. It was taught by a German man named Franz Moeckl who was so charismatic that all the ladies started giggling the moment he appeared, and then again when he spoke. It became one of my favorite parts of each day, but after about 15 minutes I was still checking my watch — what’s next.

I came to enjoy the simple foods. No seconds. No desire for more. Though I did find myself hoarding a bit — taking an apple at breakfast in case I wanted it later, and one night I wrapped three dark chocolates in a napkin and slipped it into my bag, anticipating a future desire for sweetness, or simply something to look forward to.

I placed them in the freezer of the mini fridge in my room, and took some comfort in just knowing they were there — like an active alcoholic stashing bottles around the house, or a smoker who’s trying to quit but keeps a few cigarettes in a secret drawer, just in case.

I also discovered that one of my roommates was from Australia, due to her being an active sleep talker — it’s like her subconscious found a loophole and was going to town. She had full on conversations that began around 4am, and one morning I nearly laughed out loud when she blurted out in her thick accent; “Well yes, that’s a very large hemorrhage.”

As for the internal work I’d been expecting? On day five I was greeted with an onslaught of anger and resentment, and found myself intensely preoccupied with planning a conversation that I’d decided I needed to have with a friend about how I couldn’t show up and be authentically supportive of her recent decisions.

I explored every angle, and couldn’t seem to find a way to say it that wasn’t charged with judgment and righteousness. In the afternoon we were guided through a forgiveness meditation, and it became clear that the person I’d been planning to “de-friend” was actually an undeniable amalgamation of all of the wounded parts of myself that I’ve worked hard to heal.

She was all of my jagged edges and broken pieces hanging in a wind chime, clanging just outside my door. The walking instruction given was to silently say with each step; “I forgive you. Please forgive me. I forgive myself.” The anger dissipated.

By now I couldn’t seem to access the fantasy thinking anymore — I missed it, and even when I reached out for it, there were no hooks to reel it in. Instead I was left with a near-constant internal narration of my present-time experiences. A ladybug would crawl on my shoe and I’d hear myself say; “Today, a ladybug crawled on my shoe.”

The voice sounded a little bit like that of an older man, maybe Billy Collins or Garrison Keillor — someone with a lot of time on their hands, and a keen attention to detail. It kept me company, but was also kind of annoying.

I also found my mind frequently drifting to things I’d written — poems, mostly — or ideas for new things, based on what I was experiencing on retreat. I’d notice their presence and label them “reciting” or “writing,” letting them float away like clouds so I could return to my breath, or footsteps.

I mentioned this pattern to a teacher during one of my meetings and she asked me to explore how it might feel if I didn’t write about my retreat experience. Little daggers shot out of my heart; “No, I’m not interested in not writing. This is my first silent retreat — maybe next time,” was my response.

She asked me to explain why, and it really came down to a feeling that all of my experiences must be productive. Who am I, and what is my value, if I don’t have anything to show for it?

I smiled when trying to imagine any of my family members doing this retreat. Particularly my Dad — a man who attempted to weed my Grandma’s entire front garden while we were locked out of her house for 20 minutes once. I sat on the front step and watched. He eventually looked up at me, both hands filled with weeds, and evaluated his work, saying, “Well, I’m not sure how much I’ve really accomplished here.” I responded, “But at least you kept busy, right?”

I tease them all for being so Type A. In our family, the question, “How are you?” is most often answered with a list of things you’ve done since you last spoke, followed by another one of everything you plan to do in the immediate future.

Both my parents grew up in households that were very unpredictable so they’ve created a pretty structured approach to life, and it’s worked well for them. I on the other hand, grew up in a household that was very predictable, so have been left craving less structure and more fluidity — the pendulum swings.

By now I was beginning to experience some pretty blissed out states — my body nearly always tingly and pulsing with my heartbeat. Like when you just wake up from a deep sleep, and just lie there, too peaceful to move. I could also feel a strange pressure in my forehead, like it was opening up and pushing dense material off to the sides.

I still refuse to call this my third eye, but I know enough about energy centers to understand that’s what it was —and that I  was tapping in to that concentrated spaciousness, a dark expansiveness, the limitless sea of consciousness.

As the retreat began to inch closer to the end, and my excitement about returning home reignited my planning mind, the mantra I kept repeating to myself during the walking meditations was simply; “I love you. Keep going.”

One day during a sit I decided to kill some time by scanning my entire body, starting at my toes and traveling all the way up to my head, and apologizing for what I’ve put it through — the pounding, twisting, spraining, scratching, bruising, burning, devaluing, starving, pushing, prodding, betraying, withholding, criticizing, ignoring and abandoning — and then thanking it for continuing to be there for me. Tears welled up in my eyes.

The mindful eating was also very healing. Being able to really tune into my body and feel the various stages of digestion, I realized that I often misinterpret digestion as hunger — back in my life of busyness — and don’t wait for it to pass. But in meditation, I could sit with those sensations and feel them as they moved through me. I was eating plenty, but my body continued to feel lighter, healthier and more free.

We broke silence the afternoon before our final day. We were told to partner up with someone and take turns listening and talking for three minutes each. Apparently I had been developing a silent friendship with the woman to my left over the course of the retreat, because once we spoke there was immediate comfort. She was here with her husband, and was four months pregnant. She’d had a hard time, and wanted to know how it was for me.

I struggled to adequately articulate what felt like such a diverse and detailed experience. “It was good,” I started in with, “It felt like a detox, and a self-amends. It was very healing, and very challenging at times, too.” We chatted on a bit more and were then asked to sit in silence again, and to feel the buzzing energy in our bodies that the talking had produced.

We were allowed to continue talking during dinner that night, but then it was back to silence for the 6:30pm meditation, the final Dharma talk, and through breakfast the next day. After packing up our rooms we all met one final time in the meditation hall for a closing ceremony — the teachers each giving us some advice on how to have a smooth re-entry, and keep our meditation practice up.

We were each given a red string, and asked to tie three knots in it — one to represent where we take refuge, one to represent compassion, and one to represent a promise we were making to ourselves. We then partnered up to tie them on for each other, and exchange a blessing.

Before heading back to Los Angeles I asked someone to take a picture of me standing out in the desert, so I could have something visual to remember the retreat by. I had the same dress on that I’d arrived in 10 days prior, but the woman wearing it felt different — more integrated, and whole.

I realized after driving away that I’d left the chocolates I’d taken from the dining hall in my room’s mini fridge. I guess I found the sweetness I expected to crave somewhere deep within myself instead.

Sarah McKinney is a poet, entrepreneur and songwriter, and the founder of Amp, an online directory of sustainability resources. She lives in Los Angeles. Follow her @sarahmck

For a full diary of retreats at Jack Kornfield’s Spirit Rock Insight Meditation Center click here.

NEW YEAR, NU YOU: THE SPIRITUAL DETOX

Beyond green juice for fashion’s sake, transcendental fasting could take your detox to the next level, says Ruby Warrington. All images Karolina Daria Flora.

In the late summer of 2013, yogi, healer and spirit and lifestyle coach Raquel Griffin designed for herself the ultimate spiritual detox. Negotiating changes in various areas of her life, she found she’d hit a roadblock in her personal development, and so she embarked on a week-long juice fast.

But she didn’t stop there, also incorporating transformative daily mind practice and physical activity, a self-help blast, a daily ‘conversation’ with the Universe (putting all the big questions out there), and what she calls a ‘negativity diet’ (“avoid negative people like the plague, skip the trash talking at the water cooler and leave the rag mags at the checkout”).

“7 Days to Transformation (7DT) was a seven day mind, body, spirit boot camp that I created to generate massive shifts in my life…And boy did it ever!!! Kind of like a giant cosmic reset button the MASSIVE shifts I’ve experienced on 7DT are nothing less than ASTOUNDING,” she wrote on her site Granola Glamour at the end of the week. More than your average detoxer’s high, “I’m talking SEISMIC changes in the landscape here, people…and this coming from someone who’s meditated with the best of ’em and gone on MANY M-A-N-Y a mystic/yoga/health/wellness retreat….”

As Vanessa Grigoriadis noted in an in-depth report on juice fasting for New York magazine later last year, “you will, perhaps, meander down the road to transcendence. When you see people at the end of a long juice fast, they reach a special kind of accommodation with their bodies. It’s out of this world.” And beyond a desire to lose weight, experience increased energy or align yourself with the funky philosophy at Juice Press, 2014 is about fasting for a spiritual experience.

But taking your fast to the next level isn’t just a case of drinking greener juices for longer. “People are juice fasting every day of the week in America and not everyone is having a ‘spiritual’ experience,” says Griffin. “Heck, I’ve been fasting for seven years and it was only until I added intention, energy work, meditation and a serious negativity diet that I had these amazing results. Fasting opens you up but it’s what you do with that opening that really makes the difference.”

She has since been coaching clients through the same process she went through, with similarly enlightening results. “By cleansing my body and releasing anything negative, I was able to consciously choose what I put back in,” says Jillian Villafane, who embarked on 7DT at the beginning of January. “Fasting with conscious intent allowed me to change and transform without limitations, which resulted in a deeper connection to my true self.  As a result I have a clarity and awareness that I don’t remember having since I was a very small child.”

But transcendental fasting does still begin with the physical – specifically with decalcifying the pineal gland, or third eye. “Our ability to connect to higher frequencies is related to the openness of our pineal gland – and it’s when we clean it out that it starts to awaken,” says Griffin, who also points out that it was only last year that scientists reported finding DMT – the consciousness expanding psychoactive molecule in ayahuasca – in the pineal gland of rodents.

Drain your body of toxic mucus the theory goes (or “mucoid plaque” if you want the technical term) and you drain your third eye – which exists in the sinus cavity. From there on in; “you begin to tune in to the fact that miracles are happening all the time. That’s what blew me away – it’s like a constant conversation with the Universe! It’s answering all your questions – mundane things like ‘what shall I have for breakfast, should I sign into this business deal’ – ALL THE TIME. But most of the time we can’t hear the answers, because our pineal gland isn’t open enough.”

On a deeper level; “Having all this input from your angels, your guides, or even God, whatever you want to call it, you realize, ‘I’m not alone.’ And that the Universe is always trying to give us the information that will lead us to the life of our greatest good, which is essentially our purpose.”

Heady stuff – and an idea Elizabeth Gilbert explores in her latest novel, The Signature of All Things. One character, Ambrose Pike, describes his experience of living for several months “on sunlight and rain alone.” “I met he divine,” he says, “Or, I believe I did. I had the most magnificent thoughts. I could read the language hidden inside the trees. Also, there was a full fortnight when I could hear people’s thoughts. I was kept joyous by exalted feeling, by rapture.”

Which sounds not unlike the experience of Matt Monarch, founder of The Raw Food World and something of an expert on extreme fasting. Over Skype, he describes the physical sensation of his third eye opening following an extreme 7-day psyllium bentonite cleanse, after his first year of eating 100 percent raw; “As soon as all this stuff came out of me I started to feel this magnetic vibration right here (he gestures at his brow point) almost like 2 magnets opposing each other. The sensation is bliss…it just feels really, really good, it’s almost orgasmic.”

For the stinky details of what exactly a psyllium bentonite cleanse involves click here, but suffice to say; “it’s designed to take out all the mucoid plaque, and really scrape out your small intestine.” Monarch believes that the only way to “get over the hump” of fasting, and take it into the transcendental, is with intensive colon therapy; “it’s not the raw food or the juice that increases your spiritual experience, but the removal of all toxicity.”

Is it any wonder that yoga preacher Seane Corn joked to attendees of a “detox flow” session at Wanderlust Vermont last summer that; “you know you’re a true yogi when you can openly discuss your bowel movements,” or that there’s an exercise called “Unblock Your Bowels, Unblock Your Life” in Gabrielle Bernstein’s upcoming book Miracles Now? “I believe that the flow of our bowels has a direct correlation to the flow of our life,” she writes. “Skeptical? Ask yourself if when you’re feeling super stopped-up, your life is stopped up too.”

This could be because, as Clean Gut author Alejandro Junger puts it; “Your body has two brains: one in your head and one in your gut. While your first brain serves as your intellectual hardware, your second brain—the gut—is your spiritual and emotional GPS. Without it, you’re lost.”

Authors of the website Astro Dream Advisor, where you can find information on different ways to clean the gut, advise; “While doing (a psyllium bentonite) cleanse it is helpful to imagine that with each elimination you’re having you’re getting rid of any old outworn, un-needed thoughts, ideas, feelings…”

Which comes back to Raquel Griffin’s approach. “Our emotions are stored in our tissues, so when we detox we start to shift all those cell memories – which in turn can change the way you relate to the world and be a building block towards a ‘spiritual experience.’ Because once we remove the emotional lens through which we see the world, we’re able to see how it really works.”

For Monarch, this meant the beginning of a lifelong spiritual journey; “And trust me I’m not religious, but once you realise that god is in everything about our existence…then he has the ability to bring you through that door, and up and up and up.”

To experience 7-Days to Transformation with Raquel Griffin visit www.granolaglamour.com
@granolaglamour

FEELING IT: FASHION FROM THE THIRD EYE OF IAMVIBES

iamVibes is a street fashion label from singer songwriter Tom Hardless, with designs revolving around the Islamic symbol of the Hamsa, believed to provide defence against the Evil Eye. In other words, essential kit. And from our email conversation, Tom also seems like the mystical kind of guy you find yourself getting deep and having a “moment” with at some random house party. Enjoy.

Third eye beanie, £25

SO WHAT’S THE STORY BEHIND IAMVIBES?
iamVibes was created officially in 2012 through a vision that came to me in a heightened state of awareness whilst meditating. I was in a very clear headspace and this image of a hand with an eye in the center of it came to me. I did not know what it was or why it was meant for me, but following this, I had a channelling of the word “HAMSA.” When I say channelling I mean that  in opening your mind fully to the universe, it shows you things and makes you feel things to help you be a creative, happy, balanced human. With a little bit of research and learning, I came to understand what this symbol stood for, what it meant to me and how I could incorporate my energy into this symbol to make it my own.

White geometric HAMSA tee, £30

WHAT DOES THE HAMSA MEAN TO YOU?
This Hamsa is me. It is my life experience of where I have been and where I am going. It is every thought and feeling. It is every connection, good and bad, accumulating into a beautiful symbol to inspire myself and others around me. It is my creative freedom and tool of sustainability. It is everything I am and wish to become.

White cosmic leotard, £35

WHAT MADE YOU DECIDE TO TAKE THE PROJECT TO THE NEXT LEVEL?
Over the course of the next two to three years, I found myself connecting to two very interesting beings, both dealing with some dark traumas as a result of abuse at a younger age. One of these beings became my main muse for turning iamvibes into a serious creative endeavour. As a young model, struggling to make her mark, she made me realise you really have to push your creative channels, even if you’re hurting. That sometimes you must endure tough times to reap great cosmic rewards. She is now one of the most well known models out there and has walked for all the top designers and is best known for the colours in her hair.

Men’s varsity jacket, £165

SO THIS IS ABOUT MORE THAN JUST FASHION, RIGHT?
When my beautiful journey with this being came to an end, I felt the need to stay connected with her by holding onto the emotions she inspired. So I took it upon myself to really push my creative vision, without any education of business or fashion and only pure emotion and creativity to guide me. Through these experiences and more, I realised the clothes I produced could represent protection against negative forces as well as projecting positive energy to hopefully inspire others to look for a deeper perspective and understanding of this life.

Unisex Cosmic Karma sweater, £50

HOW DOES YOUR THIRD EYE INFORM THE DESIGN PROCESS?
The actual eye in the designs is there as a representation of the Universe at your core, projecting pure energy. But my physical third eye (the pineal gland) and my metaphysical third eye guide me through the design process. Both these “eyes” have to be relaxed so I can tune into higher realms of creativity to move forward. Everyone is different and has different techniques to learn to do this, each must find their own way of opening their “eyes” but a good place to start would be learning some breathing techniques which resonate with you, and help relax and open your inner Universe.

www.iamvibes.co.uk
@iamvibes

INTUITION 101: HOW TO BE YOUR OWN PSYCHIC

Last week at the Golden Bridge yoga center in NYC, Gahl Sasson, a.k.a. the Cosmic Navigator, hosted an evening called Becoming Your Own Psychic. If “intuition is like a muscle, you have to strengthen it,” Ruby Warrington reports on a practical session that was sort of like a workout for the third eye.

The evening kicked off with a round of names and signs. Why? “We can’t do this without water. Intuition is ruled by the water signs, Pisces in particular.” In fact, wherever Pisces shows up in your chart, “is where you will benefit most in life from what your intuition is telling you.” For me (an Aries but with six planets in water signs throughout my chart), I have Venus (romance, taste, personal style) in Pisces in the 3rd house (communication, friendships, community). No wonder I just did a psychic closet clear out, and my friends often tell me they’ve just been thinking about me when I call.

There’s even a theory that Pisces was actually the first sign of the zodiac, and that all the others are just a figment of Pisces’ potent imagination. And in fact, any activity that gets you closer to your inner Pisces is a good way to get your intuition (“the ‘tuition’ that comes from ‘in’ side us”) flowing – “so go for a swim, take a salt bath (“a little temple of Pisces”), take a yoga class or read some poetry.” Particularly before bed. Pisces also rules our dreams, so tune in just before you set sail for the land of nod and expect much more clarity when you try to interpret whatever messages your sleeping psyche has for you.

And never forget, the opposite sign to Pisces is Virgo. By being fastidious with our daily habits and our analysis of the world around us, and working to maintain good health through diet and exercise, will we create the right internal environment for our intuition to flourish.

There follows a series of practical exercises, drawing on cultures from the Kabbalah to the Aborigines to the C.I.A. (yes, really) to flex your psychic muscle.

THE DREAM QUEST
“Pose a question to your higher self while you’re asleep, and you brain is not impeded by logic.”

  • Refrain from drinking alcohol for three days prior to your quest
  • Refrain from eating food four-five hours before you go to bed
  • Right before you go to sleep, pose a very specific question to your higher self. Use the words; how, when, where, what…(as opposed to why)
  • Drink half a glass of water, and go to sleep
  • On rising, drink the rest of the water and immediately write down what you can remember from your dreams
  • If you find it difficult to remember what you saw, set your alarm for four a.m. to interrupt your dream mid flow, and write then
  • Repeat for up to seven nights, until your answer is revealed by the symbols in your dreams. Think, how do the images feel to you, and what do these feelings relate to?
  • For extra insight, find a poem that relates to the most potent symbolic messages by plugging them into Google

THE ANGEL IN A CUP
“Use this to allow your higher self to locate something that’s gone missing.”

  • Take one angel, and one glass
  • Holding the glass out in front of you, ask the angel to hop in, and then place it upside down on a table to trap the angel inside
  • Search for whatever it is that’s missing – your keys, your passport, your child
  • As the boundary of the glass creates “focus” for your psychic energy (represented by the angel) you will likely hit your target in record time
  • Release the angel and let it fly away

DISTINGUISH INTUITION FROM FEAR
“How do you know if it’s your gut or your fear telling you to act? The sensations can be similar so train your body to tell the difference.”

  • Download some music you know you will really hate. For some people this might be gabber house, for others, anything by Justin Bieber
  • Force yourself to listen to it, loud
  • Take note; where do you feel the sensation of disgust in your body? What does it feel like?
  • Repeat with a piece of music you really love
  • Take note; where do you feel the sensation of pleasure and happiness in your body? What does it feel like?
  • Remember the difference between your physical experiences of aversion and attraction. This is your body’s way of communicating what you need to know

(N.B. this experiment can also be conducted using food)

THE SORTES VIRGILIANAE
“Named for the ancient Roman poet Virgil, when mystics would use passages from his Aeneid to predict the future.”

  • Chose a book you feel emotionally connected to, or that resonates with you in relation to your situation
  • Pose a very specific question to your higher self
  • Open the book at random, and select one sentence from the page
  • Using this passage,  work with your intuition to find the answer to your question

AUTOMATIC WRITING

  • Take a blank piece of paper and a pencil
  • When you are very tired and by the light of a candle, spend five-10 minutes writing down the first things that come into your head
  • Without reading what you have written, go to sleep
  • Repeat for 30 days
  • Only at the the end of the 30 days, read everything
  • Circle the things you have no recollection of writing down, and string them together to create a message or poem from your higher self

DEVELOP YOUR INTUITION, C.I.A. STYLE
“In 1995, President Clinton revealed records of a C.I.A. investigation into the validity of psychic activity by the intelligence community, instigated as a counterfoil to similar activity by the K.G.B.”

  • Close your eyes and relax deeply
  • Focus on a background
  • Focus on a colour
  • Focus on a symbol
  • Focus on a smell
  • Focus on a sound
  • Think, are there water, plants, people, food or animals in the picture you are creating?
  • Think, are there round shapes, patterns, hard edges, is the image soft, linear or cloudy?
  • Open your eyes and draw the picture your higher self has created. This is where you will find your mark.

Like any muscle, with your intuition it’s a case of use-it-or-lose-it, so practise these techniques regularly. Start an “intuition diary” to make a note of symbols, noises and smells that light a psychic spark in you, so you can track the daily workings of your higher self.  After all, who doesn’t want know how to be your own psychic?

You should also be aware that as you open up your own energy field and begin to blur the boundaries of time and space, you’ll become more susceptible to negative vibes sneaking their way in along with the insights you now have access to. So here are some practical tips for creating a cosmic force field to protect yourself as you delve into the unseen.

www.cosmicnavigator.com
@gahl1

“MY PSYCHIC AWAKENING”: HOW IT FEELS TO GROW UP WITH THE GIFT.

Betsy Cohen, a regular contributor to The Daily Love, is New York’s hippest psychic medium. She shares the story of her psychic awakening and tells how working with her gift has helped make a profound diference in the lives of others.

“I’ve always known I was a little different. As a child, my older siblings encouraged me to be as weird as possible. “How about I put jelly on this meatball?” I’d say. “Yes, Betsy, that’s a great idea!” But I also remember holding hands with angels at age four. When I was seven I had an experience of knowing ahead of time that someone was going to die. And at nine, my bedroom was moved upstairs and I began hearing footsteps coming up the stairs every night. When I would look out the bedroom door, no one was there. At the time I was unaware of  how “different” these experiences were, and so I never shared them. I thought they were normal.

Continue reading ““MY PSYCHIC AWAKENING”: HOW IT FEELS TO GROW UP WITH THE GIFT.”