Universe

TAROTSCOPES: JUNE 2015

Posted on by Louise Androlia

Cast by Louise Androlia using the Tarot Of The Holy Light deck

Gemini / Gemini Rising – Three of Pentacles

I’m going to be blunt with you this month birthday babes. It’s time to step into those dreams, grab onto what feels good and holy cow it’s time to own your voice. Please. Your purpose in this life is not to be unkind to yourself. Your purpose in this life is not to not show up for your journey. The start of a solar year is like your own private new year celebration, a time to spin that wheel again. Last month I encouraged you to get clear about what you need, rather than want – so what came up for you over the last few weeks? It’s likely a few intense feelings, and that is GOOD. Feelings link us directly to our intuition, so do not de-value any of them.

Over the next few weeks I feel that you have the opportunity to step up, especially where your career is concerned. It feels to me that people want what you have to give, whether you are willing to own a sense of confidence in this or not. You have a voice and it is time for it to be heard! No, this isn’t a call to step up on your soapbox, but it is a time to own your talents and also consider how you might want to be of service in this world. Life is your teacher and as you learn and heal through the cycles you experience, you are called to share and teach from your experiences – in order to keep the circle turning.

This sense of stepping up is wide and expansive, and it might be that you need to step up and honor the feelings you’ve been having recently. It’s also a perfect time to ask for help (in fact it always is) – so please don’t be afraid. Recognize that your light and dark are always aligned perfectly for you to move forwards. Allow the sunshine to be your anchor, and let your fears be free to fly away.
This is a wonderful month for you to educate yourself and others, and I believe any time you feel stuck or disconnected this month you’ll be able to guide yourself back onto your path by reading and researching.

As an Air sign, your brain needs to be kept well oiled. You need to feed your intellect and respect your ideas. How can you design your days and your space to complement your internal landscape? Finally – congratulations on being you! How often do you stop to congratulate yourself on having made it today? Do it now. You are on target, keep holding your steering wheel.

Have you downloaded your full 2015 Tarotscope? Questions? Come and chat with me about how your month is going @louniverse

Cancer / Cancer Rising – Nine of Pentacles

Last month was a huge learning curve, wasn’t it? You were flying free, travelling, exploring externally and internally. What have you learned about yourself? Where do your roots want to dive in and grab hold of the Earth? Where have your thoughts been leading you? Are you still in flight or are you seeking a new home? The self-exploration earthquake has become familiar territory for you recently – a sense of shifting and shaking, versus steady grounding. Which do you prefer?

I can’t assume all of you want to be rooted in one spot, but home is your theme for the coming weeks – so consider what that really means to you right now. The energy here speaks of material successes, hinged on a theme of accepting what you need to feel at peace in your environment. Some of us need our favorite furniture, a huge space, the sea, the city. Some of us feel safest on the move, around unfamiliar spaces and absorbing new scenes. Where do you feel you sit right now?

I am uplifted by the energy for you over the coming weeks as I sense there will be a few moments where you can’t help but take that huge deep breath as you truly drop into the moment. Sometimes we miss these feelings if we are distracted, so keep yourself aware of moments that bring a slight tingling in the chest, a tear in your eye, or the urge to smile and weep at the same time. At these points, something is connecting, something is hitting home. Don’t be afraid, just observe and take note.

Recognize that you will grow in the spaces that feel like home, even if only for a few passing weeks. If you are feeling displaced in your location, you’re allowed to explore alternate options. And there are always alternate options – so think expansively. The coming days are in place for you to shout about your ideas and your discoveries. You will find great peace from voicing anxieties, epiphanies and victories, so share abundantly. Everything becomes stronger when it is able to breathe – you, your passions, your voice and your relationships. Notice any parts of your life that are feeling strangled and ask yourself what you need to free them up? You might feel the need to physically stretch, a lot, so stand and spread your arms out wide, open your chest, or lay on the floor in a star shape. Be fluid.

Have you downloaded your full 2015 Tarotscope? Questions? Come and chat with me about how your month is going @louniverse

Leo / Leo Rising – Six of Pentacles

I’m surprised you haven’t had this card come up in the two years I’ve been writing these ‘scopes, but perhaps it means that this message and theme wil hit you even stronger over the coming weeks. You are being pushed to honor the concept of giving and receiving and the knowledge that this is how harmony is achieved.

Firstly, in relationships – which means friendships and all other points of human contact. How do you feel your communication is aligned? Are you running on empty whilst giving and giving? Do you often step into ‘martyr mode’ and complain that no one is supporting you, that everyone is draining you? Our energy levels are OUR CHOICE. Stepping into the ‘everyone is an energy vampire’ mindset is to step into victim mode, and forget that you are the director of your experience. If you truly feel that someone is draining you, then it’s time to shift your boundaries and support yourself, not complain about the person in question. Empower yourself with self-care, it is always the answer.

Moving onwards, up your energy with either more time alone spent inwardly exploring, and also more time with those who make you feel like you can fly. Your time is valuable and precious; spend it with people who make you feel alive and inspired. In times of energy crisis visualize that bubble of light around you! Energy protection works via awareness, the more you discover that you are an energetic being the more easy it is to keep yourself in your brightest space.

In matters of romance and dating, you want someone who can show up in person, not just via an emoji in a text. Think about that and claim your self worth. Do you find it difficult to ask for help or accept love in your life? Practice the art of receiving with simple steps. Allow friends to buy you coffee, and say thank you without an excuse when someone pays you a compliment. Finally this month, feel empowered from learning to say NO to things that don’t feel good for you. This creates space for things you want to say YES too! You are not require to do things to just please others, This is your story, so ask yourself – does this work for me? And if not – what are you going to do about it?

Have you downloaded your full 2015 Tarotscope? Questions? Come and chat with me about how your month is going @louniverse

Virgo / Virgo Rising – Page of Wands

Last month there was a strong theme of loss for you. Some of you faced heartbreak in all it’s forms, empowered and otherwise, others of you moved onwards physically with environmental shifts and career highs and lows. As the energy blends and shifts over the coming weeks, I feel you will start to feel your Fire element rise back up, as you gain positive energy from the changes that have occurred.

It may seem crazy to think that strength can be what shows up after a dip in energy, but know that your shifts are in place to strengthen your energy and give you tools for moving forwards. So firstly, how are you feeling? Self-care should always be a priority, which means looking after yourself and valuing and nurturing whatever you are feeling in the moment. If you need to take a break, a hide away, or simply to lay down a little, it’s safe to do so at the start of the month. Take that break now to allow the Fire element to keep building – and don’t worry, things aren’t going to start zooming ahead without you!

The energy in place for you is more about the return of your life force, your mojo, that inner drive and will that you know and love. Your wish to manifest big ideas and fun experiences is creeping back to you, and you are beginning to feel the light emerge from the shadows. How to honor this energy? Dip your toe in. This means taking note of your creative ideas, your smiles, and your passions. Nothing comes into your consciousness without reason – these are things to work with. So what is on your mind? What is ready to explode from your heart? It is seed-planting time, and I feel you might want to nudge a few powerful soul urges out of hiding.

Your dreams may also be visionary this month, so keep a notepad by your bed and scribble away in the morning, enjoy un-puzzling the symbols into concrete ideas. Finally, choose your company wisely this month. It doesn’t suit you to downgrade your personality or try to ‘fit in’. Where are your soulmates at? Melt into good company and note how it expands not only your experience, but also your visions for your future – share your biggest ideas, let others support you until your wings strengthen again. Be powered from your darkness but catapult yourself towards the Sun.

Have you downloaded your full 2015 Tarotscope? Questions? Come and chat with me about how your month is going @louniverse

Libra / Libra Rising – Eight of Wands

This month brings in a brighter and more joyful energy for you, especially with many of you having been wading neck deep through quicksand recently. It feels like a lightning bolt effect coming in. It may be that you become very present with the lessons that have been chipping away at you since the start of the year, and some ‘ah ha’ moments just suddenly swoop in. These might be way more simple than you think too -often we expect (and sometimes desire) everything to be so complicated, but the answers we are yearning for are frequently so simple, it’s easy for us to miss them.

In moments of self-sabotage it may be hard to discover and accept that your goal is merely to be kind to yourself. How can that help me, you ask? Enlightenment is reached through self-awareness and knowledge; and you may need to try out some deep and loving compassion for yourself and your experiences to understand this.

On a creative and communicative level, this month is a good time to reconnect with others, especially if you’ve been hiding out in your hermit’s cave for a while. Just put the feelers out to those nearest and dearest, suggesting a coffee or maybe even requesting a shoulder to cry on. Career wise, how about returning to that project you abandoned, but still love? Can you infuse it with a renewed sense of positive energy and loving commitment? Don’t fear failure, only remember that there is no such thing.

Following in this vein, keep prepping for the rest of the year – but with no restrictions, and less pressure than you sometimes put on yourself. Just enjoy doing what you do, or discovering what you enjoy doing. The Fire element is very strong for you at the moment, so finding some time to put into fun and passion projects is encouraged, as well as the confidence to share them with the world. I always love the energy of this card because it brings assertive movement and is here to remind you that things are moving ahead, even for those of you who feel well and truly STUCK. In fact, have you considered how that stuck feeling is also a form of movement, as time is still passing, you are still learning, your thoughts are still valuable. Something is brewing, and everything is a perfectly aligned now to propel you into your superhero self.

Have you downloaded your full 2015 Tarotscope? Questions? Come and chat with me about how your month is going @louniverse

Scorpio / Scorpio – Two of Swords

The Scorpio/Taurus axis is particularly strong this month, in regards to inner questioning and fear recognition. It feels a little like a whirlwind right now, and frustrating for you, because as an intuitive you aren’t so comfortable with so much thinking. Where are all the feelings? It’s time to work with your thoughts though, to respect that headspace, even if your brainwaves are pushing your limits at the moment and clarity seems just like a fuzzy idea you were familiar with once.

A practice of of patience within your impatience is going to be the challenge. To remember that perhaps the various crossroads you see in front of you are perfectly placed, and that any feelings of frustration are indeed of value.If it feels like you are at a crossroads, then there must be a sign post; whether you can see it or not is a different matter. It’s easy to feel unsupported or disillusioned when you aren’t sure where you are headed, and that’s okay. How about you start by remembering the web of the past and how it got you here today. Was everything predicted? Did it all go the way you planned? Maybe not – but was it perfect? Hell yes, and right now is no different.

How tight is the blindfold you’re wearing? Looser than you thought, I believe. It feels to me that the answers are right in front of you if you’d like to tune into them. This is where it’s time to blend what your head is telling you with what’s going on in your heart space, remembering that clarity is a combination of a perfect thought and a strike of intuition. So it’s time to open your eyes fully and reconnect. The last month may have sidelined you from your meditation practice, with a lot of being there for others and not as much alone time as you’re used to.

June is the month to reclaim your introvert, slam back down on that cushion, start journalling and get back to listening to all the guidance you know you already have inside of you. Remember there are no bad choices, so don’t be afraid to commit to one thing and just see where it takes you. You may find that all your other inspirations start to pivot and blend together, and it really isn’t the mess that you thought was taking over. Most of all, remember you’ve got this. This isn’t a crisis point, it’s a power shift.

Have you downloaded your full 2015 Tarotscope? Questions? Come and chat with me about how your month is going @louniverse

Sagittarius / Sagittarius Rising – Three of Cups

Did you know that compassion is pretty much the solution to everything? This month is about pouring love and kindness upon it all, you included. It’s also a chance for the most skeptical and morose of you to engage in an energy experiment. This experiment is about perception, and about choosing to see everything from your most loving place. For those of you who fear or sneer at the prospect of thinking positively, I’d like to reframe the concept of thinking ‘high.’

Approaching life or experiences with a wide-eyed outlook does not set you up for loss, or in some way lower your IQ. All that happens is that you are afforded the best possible viewpoint; to think positively is to view the world as if you have climbed that little bit higher. You get to see everything a little more clearly and with a wider lens. Which sounds GREAT to me. So yes, June is a rose tinted month, and with this in mind I hope you’ll be inspired to balance out any challenges with some serious fun. Again, you need to be of full creative vision to remind yourself to notice the small but great moments that sometimes pass you by every day.

A great example of this is PAWS. Cat paws, dog paws, animal feet in general – works of pure joy, right?! But on a more serious note, the Universe is quite interested in you diving into the good stuff and also patting yourself on the back. I feel a few of you have things to celebrate, even what you deem as a small victory is still a victory, right? On the romance front meanwhile, this is the ideal energy for a swoon alert to be sent out. Practice some good old-fashioned dates with your nearest and dearest, focusing on creating a no pressure kind of comfort zone. If you’re currently pursuing someone where even you can’t even force the spark to ignite, then it’s not worth your time. Be in love with yourself instead – it’s much more fun.

And on the subject of self-love and going hand-in-hand with this compassionate theme, you may find yourself in the throes of some nostalgia-induced waterworks at the start of the month. Don’t fear that this is a sign you’re going backwards, these feelings are coming up and out as part of a much needed clearing process – leaving an open space that’s now ready to be filled with new opportunities and connections.

Have you downloaded your full 2015 Tarotscope? Questions? Come and chat with me about how your month is going @louniverse

Capricorn / Capricorn Rising – King of Cups

As you continue to be pushed out of your restrictive comfort zone, there’s no let up in June. These next few weeks feel to me as though they are going to bring a cascade of feelings, full on Water element waves and waterfalls. As a water sign myself, when I think of this I get uplifted and excited but I know as someone who likes to exercise a little more control can seem like you’re losing it when tears are shed or you’re experiencing feelings of overwhelm.

I’d love you to approach this part of being human in a new way. Think about adrenaline, and how we get a rush of it when we’re anxious but also when we feel the freedom and excitement of a rollercoaster. These feelings of fear and love mirror each other, and are therefore perfectly connected. If you feel waves of overwhelm, consider how you might be able to channel them into pure unbridled excitement. It is possible and you are totally able to experiment with that idea.

Mastering the water element also means employing a judgment free mindset, and being unapologetic about boundaries and desires this month. It’s important that you call in a positive selfishness and commit to following intuitively what you need. It’s not a time to keep putting others first, or to downplay your thoughts and feelings. In fact, it’s time to up the stakes, put the crown upon your head and own your worth. You see, when you truly value everything that’s within and around you anxiety dissipates. Rather than suddenly lose control, accepting yourself as a human with a full rainbow spectrum of vulnerabilities and emotional responses is to discover the true meaning of self-empowerment.

The experiences you have over the coming weeks are in place for you to connect to a deeper level of your soul and to finally shift yourself out of a more static place into a way of living and thinking that is more ‘in flow’ for you. Yes, change can make you insane, but it’s always a good thing. Never forget that you are designed to evolve, and that you aren’t supposed to know what the future holds. To have everything set in stone would mean that life – a place to explore and behold – would lose its purpose. Enjoy it all.

Have you downloaded your full 2015 Tarotscope? Questions? Come and chat with me about how your month is going @louniverse

Aquarius / Aquarius Rising – Three of Wands

Following on from last month’s manifesting action theme, June brings in the magic of expansion along with some Fire energy, which are essentially the cogs on the wheel to all you’ve been pondering and planting recently. This brings the boost you need, along with an influx of fun. I always feel a deep sigh of relief when I pull this card because it is so expansive, so generous and so full of growth potential. This is how I would love you to see your life right now – and yeah, I know that may seem a little too full of the joys of spring, but still, I hold that thought for you.

Expansion has become such an important word for me, in fact it’s the word that I’ve allowed to become the master of my life. Along with a steady surrender practice, thinking expansively has the potential to turn most challenges into something you can work with and most blocks into a breakthrough. This is what’s in store from you this month, if you can be willing to switch to this mindset too. I’d like you to cast your eyes to the rest of this year and over some of the ideas you’ve been having. How many of them have you already sidelined because of a fear of failure or disappointment?

I want you to pick up any lost creative passions and see how you can infuse a sense of gallant excitement back into the game. Recognize that areas of your life that feel lack luster and stale require a different approach or perception. It’s no use repeating a tired pattern that you know doesn’t work for you. Whether it’s in your career, your health or your relationships, there is always a new way you could be looking at something; which goes hand-in-hand with an attitude of, well, why the heck not? Most things that could be beneficial are worth a try, right?

I always feel that if things aren’t feeling that great, or you aren’t feeling that well, then you may as well give change a shot, because chances are it will lead you somewhere better than the mud you’ve got stuck in.
So June is here for you to play with, to stretch out your fears and dream tremendously high, to expand your horizons, to travel, internally and externally. Open up the windows of your subconscious and let yourself loose. I’m excited to see what new opportunities might fly in when you set your default to ‘YES’.

Have you downloaded your full 2015 Tarotscope? Questions? Come and chat with me about how your month is going @louniverse

Pisces / Pisces Rising – Ten of Swords

Oh yep, another shift of cycles for you my watery companion – do I say that a lot? Well that’s exactly as it should be when youre the most free-flowing member of the zodiac. You are perfectly designed to shift from one space to another; you just don’t always realize it. The month of June kicks you into a new energy that will carry you away from recent bumps and clunks. The feeling is that your lower level feelings will become a distant memory as something much more exciting and creative takes over your brain waves. I am feeling rainbows and light when I tune into you, and to receive this energy you do need to burst the restrictive bubble you may be sitting in right now.

It could be the Mercury Retrograde that’s at play until June 11, or just the old romantic in you, but it seems like some of you have been paying a little too much attention to the past, in a kind of rose-tinted lens kind of way. Know that if you chose to move forward then, you didn’t do so in vain. You made an empowered choice and it’s okay to stick with that. There are better things ahead, especially better than melancholy nostalgia trip. You also are encouraged to not replay events and try to rewrite them in your mind. There is no need to ‘fix’ a failure – everything aligned as it was supposed to. Trust in this.

Okay yes, I know you’re the master of the dream state and I’m not here to rain on that parade. I’m just pushing you to allow your intuition and artistic elements to step boldly into the future. Isn’t it more exciting to create the new than replay the old? This is the central theme of the month I feel, you having one eye on designing the months ahead as you intend them to play out; using a combination of super vision and concrete clarity.

I feel that you have the option to really shift what has seemed like never never land, into actual concrete form and I soooo love the sound of that. I feel that by the end of the month you will have received some serene clarity on the confusion of recent months, and along with that a big injection of confidence. I also feel that you have the opportunity to accept a shift in your relationship with your own subconscious, especially those of you who are out of touch with your own psychic gifts. A final thought: tune in = turn on.

Have you downloaded your full 2015 Tarotscope? Questions? Come and chat with me about how your month is going @louniverse

Aries / Aries Rising – Four of Wands

The perfect follow on to the ‘match striking’ aspects of May; as all those ideas are now expanding and developing into reality, perhaps even at quite an alarming rate. The energy you’re channeling right now is very much that of the juggler, and I feel that some of you might also be feeling a little afraid that everything is about to fall down on top of you? A LOT of deep breaths have probably been required in the last week. But do you know the very best thing to do when you feel like you’re holding everything by a tiny thread? Let it fall, give it up…surrender, of course.

Trust that releasing your anxiety-ridden grip won’t cause chaos, but rather will give you a chance to rub your eyes and see with a clearer and more expansive perspective. It does kinda make sense, right? Anyway the true essence of this energy is celebration! So it seems that some of what you have up in the air is pretty damn impressive and full-on exciting. You might not be able to see the benefits while your head is down in the trenches working away, but know that bit-by-bit your empire is building and things are coming into effect; yeah yeah probably not on your time frame of course! Blame Mercury Retrograde (until June 11) if you like – everyone else does!

So yes, June sees good times, parties, wellbeing, love and joy all flooding in, so I’d also like to float the idea of taking a mini break. Should I whisper that? I see your head bob up, ‘wait, can I really take a vacay and STOP FOR ONE MOMENT?’ Yes, in fact I’m encouraging it. When you have so much on your plate it can feel like there’s no way you are allowed to do something for yourself, but I promise you it will enable you to get even more done. You need these breaks and you are granted permission.

It’s also this little nudge to remind you that often you get your best ideas when you’re out socializing and chatting to people, right? Don’t some of your best epiphanies come in the midst of conversation, when your mind starts whizzing and you feel the need to grab your iPhine and make a few notes to self? So allow yourself those social prompts to get you into your best flow. It’s a win-win situation really, and I’m pretty excited to see what you come up with.

Have you downloaded your full 2015 Tarotscope? Questions? Come and chat with me about how your month is going @louniverse

Taurus / Taurus Rising – Eight of Swords

Okay so we have a repetition on our hands, as this is the same card as last month – so of course your energy is on a similar wavelength, and that is truly okay. You are going through a process and having some more time to work on this will be very beneficial. I feel lke things have moved into a new space though, as you’ve been getting present with your fears and may have experienced some inspiring nudges out of your comfort zone recently – which have been pretty eye opening, right? It’s very beneficial for you right now to be dipping your toes in all that’s new and unfamiliar, as it’s just so good for your self-development.

As you experiment with different ways of thinking and communicating, it’s likely you’ll discover new and maybe improved methods that enlighten and brighten your experience. I’d also like for you to think about the concept of ‘crossed wires,’ as this seems to be prevalent for you right now. In the past six months, have there been some major shifts based on to’ing and fro’ing via text and email? Perhaps even too much communication not in person. It’s easy to get into this habit, but it’s not always the best way to get your authentic voice or message across. Over the next few weeks it will help you to practice actually voicing your plans, dreams and adventures IN PERSON.

Sharing without fear of judgment helps you really step into a new type of confidence in your own personality and weird (but completely valid) ways. You may also discover that people aren’t as annoying as you thought; remember, everything is based upon perception, and assumptions truly can cause chaos. So with all this in mind, just keep going as you were, working on everything you’ve already got going on, but a little more open to new perceptions having redesigned a few of your own stagnant thought patterns.

You are still working on a few personal blocks, and by approaching them with new thoughts and new forms of expression you are bound to receive some sort of breakthrough. On the other side of your most bewildering blind spots is your own bright and beaming light, your own superpower and route to success. The intriguing discoveries you make over the coming weeks are fertilizer for your best self – keep remembering that this life is your schoolyard and playground. So what can you learn today?

Have you downloaded your full 2015 Tarotscope? Questions? Come and chat with me about how your month is going @louniverse

OPEN TO THE POSSIBILITY: A YOGA SEQUENCE FOR GEMINI

Posted on by Ash Bonelli

With the Sun conjunct Mercury retrograde in Gemini, the stage is set to review the conversations you have with yourself and the world this month. Ash Baker shares a simple yoga sequence for Gemini to aid the process…Images: Hanne Gaby Odiele by Serge Leblon for Mixte Paris (S/S 2012)

 

e30caf023764c32e8bea1f313366b7ce-1GEMINI: May 21 to June 21

Ruler: Mercury
Element: Air
Modality: Mutable
Anatomy: Hands, arms, shoulders. lungs & nervous system
3rd sign of the Zodiac

Interesting times ahead as the sun enters Gemini while Mercury is also retrograde (May 18th – June 11th) in the sign he rules, Gemini! That’s a high quota of twin energy, and communication will be a key theme for the next month.

And all of this Mercurial energy vibing in the air, this relates both to the dialogue we keep with others as well as ourselves. So use the retrograde to your advantage. RE-view, RE-establish, and RE-connect with areas of yourself and your life that could benefit from a slowed-down perspective.

This retrograde period is the Universe’s way of forcing us (granted in very frustrating retrograde ways sometimes!) to take a pause and ponder all that’s occurring around us, and everything that brought us to this point in our journey.

Below are some yoga tools to connect with your breath, strengthen your body and create the space to spend time within. Give yourself the gift of perspective through grace. And remember, we’re all in this together!

Hanne-Gaby Odiele by Serge Leblon (Darling Buds - Mixt(e) Paris #2 Spring-Summer 2012) 12

 

:: Sun Salute ::
Come to stand at the front of your mat. Feel your feet grounding downward by pressing your big toe mound, little toe mound and heel firmly against the floor. Scoop your tailbone slightly, giving the abdominals a slight inward moving squeeze. Draw your shoulders back, allowing your collarbones to widen. Lengthen your neck by raising the crown of your head up towards the sky. Arms are softly at your sides with slightly open palms. Now you are in Tadasana or Standing Mountain Pose.

Take a deep inhale inflating the entire belly while simultaneously reaching the arms out and up, bringing the palms to kiss. Exhale and begin to fold forward with your arms following out to your sides like wings. Remember to create a hinge at your hips when you fold and keep a slight bend in your knees. Keep your back nice and flat until you reach your edge in the stretch. Then you can gently round the spine as you surrender to the fold. Inhaling, come up halfway, placing the fingertips on the floor or the palms to the shins. Exhale, and fold down again.

As you inhale again, place your hands on the floor and step or jump back into Plank Pose. Keep the tailbone tucked, engage your abdominal muscles. Exhaling, either bring the knees to the floor or keep legs lifted while slowly lowering down through Chaturanga push up position. Come all the way to the floor.

Inhaling, with hands next to your shoulders, press up into Cobra or Upward Facing Dog. Exhaling, bend the knees and press back and up into Downward Facing Dog. Root down through all ten fingers especially the thumbs. Press your hips up towards the sky and ground your feet into the floor – energetically at least if the heels don’t reach.

Stay for three rounds of full belly breath. On the fourth inhale, raise onto your tiptoes and on the exhale bend your knees and either step or jump your feet to meet your hands at the front of your mat. Inhale and come into the flat back position, hands on your chins or touching the floor. Exhale and fold over your legs. Inhale and stand up straight, bringing your hands to kiss above your head as you do, and then to rest in front of your heart in prayer position. Repeat the whole sequence three times.

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:: Supine Pigeon ::
Come to lie on your back. Bend the knees so both feet are flat on the floor. Take the right foot/ankle and place it just above the left knee and focus on opening the right knee and hip. Now gently draw the left knee towards your chest and interlace your fingers either around the front of the left shin or behind the left thigh. While you press the right foot/ankle into the left leg, keep drawing the left knee towards your chest creating resistance. Keep the shoulders and neck on the floor. Jaw should be soft. Relax and allow the right hip to open up. Hold for up to 1 minute. Switch sides.

:: Viparita Karani with block/bolster ::
Come down on your back and bend your knees. Lift your hips up and place a block or bolster under your sacrum for support. Let your arms rest out to your sides with palms facing up or down. Gently begin to extend both legs straight up towards the ceiling. You can have a micro-bend in the knees but keep the legs slightly firm. Let your face and belly soften. Stay here for up to 1 minute.

Monthly Mantra: I go within to begin.

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DO “THE WORK,” HAVE YOUR BEST YEAR EVER

Posted on by Ruby Warrington

Real spiritual “work” = practise + action – and 2014 was the year I finally signed up, says Ruby Warrington.

Numinous founder Ruby Warrington shot by Thomas Giddings for TheNuminous.net
Portrait: Thomas Giddings

“Doing the work”. It’s a phrase that gets thrown around a lot in holistic / alternative wellness circles – but what does it actually mean? Is it like the time I went for acupuncture and was given “homework” to do – little sticky packs of Mugwort, called “Moxa”, to affix to my liver meridian and set light to like incense each night? Fair enough, I had been drinking quite a lot to avoid dealing with a stressful work situation, but wasn’t the state of my liver my practitioner’s to deal with?

Apparently not. If I’ve come to understand anything about how real healing, both physical and metaphysical, works in the past year, it’s this: ultimate wellbeing – just like ultimate abundance, ultimate freedom, and, ultimately I guess, ultimate bliss – is a collaborative effort between myself, whichever practise I happen to be working with at the time, and the all-loving, all-knowing Universe itself.

Looking back over the past twelve months, I can honestly say I’ve had one of the best years of my life. And not because everything just “worked out”, or opportunities fell from the sky like globules of golden bird poop. But in terms of my personal evolution, I feel like I’ve busted through blocks (to borrow just a little self-help speak) I wasn’t even aware were holding me back. Well maybe I was aware…but there’s NO WAY I was going to admit it and deal – not in this lifetime at least.

But deciding to face my demons, be my own knight in shining armour and slay the freakin’ dragon once and for all, looking ahead to 2015 I feel simultaneously like I’ve aged a decade and like I’m ten years younger. And it has not been easy. There have been tears, and there has been anguish. There has been much meditating, much journaling, and much reading of books with “Conversations” and “God” in the title.

But above all, there has been a very conscious decision on my part to actually “do the work”.

When I used to hear that phrase, I’d think it was referring to some kind of mystical alchemy that went on inside the body if you did enough yoga, took enough gong baths, or had enough therapy. As if the divine oneness was watching on, and would do some divine laying on of hands to absolve all your issues once you’d reached a certain quota of zen / worthiness.

2014, which shall forever more be referred to as “the year that changed EVERYTHING”, showed me that it’s actually way more prosaic than that. You want to change something? Move forward in your personal development? Bring about the internal “shift” that’s gonna raise your vibration to attract all the abundance you just know is out there waiting for you into you life? Then babe, the buzzword here is action.

For example, it’s one thing to accept that perhaps your cash flow issues are more to do with your attitude to money than the fact accounts clerks get off on withholding checks owed to you – and a whole other deal to weep buckets in a Family Constellations Therapy session as you see how it’s actually intrinsically linked to your Grandmother dying young, and your own mother not really knowing how to give you love as a result.

But the real work? That happens when you then do the Landmark Forum, and realize you actually have to call your mom and tell her it’s never really been okay that she loved your brother more than you, because she’d basically learned how by the time he came along. And then you actually do call her, and there are buckets more tears, but you end the conversation by telling each other how you feel like mother and daughter for the first time you can remember.

Phew! That’s what I call work. And it’s also where the “mystical alchemy” part comes in, because you know what? I’m facing down 2015 in a better financial position than ever. “Money” equates to “mother” in Jungian therapy after all.

And if dealing with my lack mentality was what I decided I wanted to work on in 2014, once the floodgates had opened it turns out it was time to tackle all the other niggling issues I began to realize were all a part of the jigsaw puzzle. Those feelings of lack…well weren’t they also contributing to my inability to share (the load, my visions, my real feelings)? This was another Landmark revelation – the full story / trauma of which I’ll share (now I’m getting better at it) in a later post.

One of my favorite things of all has been learning to work with my intuition this year – you know, actually act on my gut feelings about things, even if this often means taking the scarier, hairier route. If I started to meditate because I thought it would help me get more clarity and focus, little did I know the work my practise was prepping me for was the ability to first notice my truth, and then go stand in it, no matter how many people it might piss off.

And by meditation, I don’t just mean the ten minutes I manage on a good morning. By bringing the practise of being able to step back from my thoughts to everything I do – a hard core workout, a complicated writing assignment, my super intense / difficult / transformational experience at Burning Man, and, yes, my relationship with my mother, has been some of the most important work of all.

I actually predict that “work” and “money” are going to be big themes for us all in the coming months. In numerology, 2015 is a universal “8” year (you add 2+1+5), which is the number of challenges, personal power, and hard-earned reward for your efforts. In other words, do the work this year and the compensation could be bigger than ever. So here’s how…

First up, you need to define what you want to work on. And I say, go big. No shying away from that “thing”, it’s time to drag the monkey off your back, look it right in the eye and declare: GAME ON. (Oh but clue – the real monkey might not be what you think. Like my money issues turned out to be mother issues, the fact you have a hard time holding onto a relationship is, undoubtedly, all about your DAD).

Now just start looking around for the “way in”. Besides the Family Constellations work and the Landmark (which is pretty hard core, FYI), last year I also tried acupuncture, breathwork meditation, had regular visits with a shaman, hit the mat at The Class with Taryn Toomey, and worshiped at the church of IntenSati. Not to mention that transformational trip to Burning Man. Each and every one of which provided an insight, a tool, or a doorway for me to see into.

WALK. THROUGH. THE. DOOR. Don’t just stand there looking at the portal of opportunity any one of your practises has opened for you. Where the rubber meets the road, is where you choose to take action. It’s one thing to get an intense download about your relationship with your father after a particularly crazy Kundalini kriya, and a whole other ball game when you then send him an email laying out all the deets (yes, this also happened to me last year).

Don’t be shy. As in, don’t shy away from taking the necessary action. And if you’re having trouble working out what that is, it’s probably the thing you least want to do. But you know you have to. In fact, if it makes you cry just thinking about it, that’s probably it. Tears – of emotion, of compassion, of release – are often how you know the work is working.

Finally, you’d better embrace feeling a little bit weird, while all this is going on. Our brilliant Tarotscopestress Louise Androlia (aka Louniverse) is also a holistic life coach, and one of her favorite things is to remind her clients it’s actually normal to feel abnormal when your life is transforming, inside and out. So expect to doubt yourself, expect to feel vulnerable, expect to question your sanity sometimes – just don’t expect it to be a breeze, is what I think she means. After all, if it was meant to be easy, it wouldn’t get called The Work in the first place. But it’s worth it.

DIAL 111: HOW TO WORK WITH YOUR SPIRIT GUIDES

Posted on by Ruby Warrington

Do you know how to work with your spirit guides? Ruby Warrington gets a lesson in life’s celestial helpers from spirit-guide-whisperer Rebecca Campbell…

There follows a lesson in how to work with your spirit guides by Rebecca Campbell. Read more at Thenuminous.net
Inviting them into your dreams is one way to work with your spirit guides…

It happens fairly often among my Numinous circles that somebody will casually drop into the conversation that they’ve been working with their “spirit guides.” At which point I’ll nod and be like, “that’s rad, dude” – because, conceptually, I’m totally down with the idea that there are benevolent Universal forces working on our behalf all the time, and that we get to choose how and when we interact with them. That’s called “creating your own reality,” right?

But then I meet Rebecca Campbell, an Aussie author, mystic, coach, and co-founder of The Spirited Project, who insists that our guides are actually more like real entities – angels, I guess – who are just kind of hanging out, polishing their wings, until we call them into action. Learn to work with them, and they can offer assistance in every area of life – in fact; “no request is too big or too small, too specific or too broad,” she says.

It’s a pretty out there idea, even for me. And I (obviously) embrace a LOT of out there ideas. But I LOVE the concept (I’m already picturing my guides like a kind of spiritual Spice Girls, with the dance routines and everything), and so I asked Rebecca for the full low down. Here’s what she had to say…

Your guides - kind of like a spiritual Spice Girls? Read more about how to work with your spirit guides at Thenuminous.net!
Your guides – kind of like a spiritual Spice Girls?

So does every individual on the planet have their own spirit guides?
Yep, everyone has their very own team of spirit guides who are completely devoted to their growth. I like to think of them as a group of amazing cosmic beings who have our back no matter what. But because of free will, in order to receive their support, first we need to ask. Asking is super simple (like, you can do it right now).

For general guidance:
“Hey spirit guides…I am open to receiving your loving guidance in all areas of my life. Thank you, and so it is.”

For more specific guidance:
“Hey spirit guides…I am open to receiving your guidance surrounding (insert specific request here). Thank you for guiding and supporting me.”

The thing about spirit guides is that they’re always there – we just don’t notice them. When you’re devastated by a terrible break up, they’re there. When you’re looking for a spot to park your car, they’re there. If you’re trying to make a difficult decision, they’re there. They’re by your side right now. What do you want their help with right now? Go on, ask them right now!

Okay, but first I need to know how they actually do their work?
Our spirit guides work with us through signs, people, nature, synchronistic events and our intuitive senses (inner seeing, inner knowing, inner hearing and inner feeling).

So the best way to start working with your spirit guides is to ask them for a sign. When I first started working with my guides I asked them to send me a light peach feather to prove to me that they were really there. Within half an hour I had received two peach feathers, which was pretty amazing – and what I needed to open my mind and heart up to noticing the support they could offer me. (nb: I tried this last night by asking for a blue crystal – nothing yet. I’ll keep you posted. Update: two hours later I was working out and found a mini crustal on the studio floor – but it was mauve. Close!)

The more you work with your spirit guides, the stronger the connection gets. It’s just like working out – you can’t expect to have a six-pack like J-Lo if you only do one sit up.

Okay, so is there one team of spirit guides working for us all, or are they individual for each person?
Everyone has their own team of spirit guides, which are assigned just to them. We are born with spirit guides and also recruit them as we go about our life.

I find that most people have around six spirit guides in their “inner circle.” These are the guides who are completely unique to us. Some spirit guides have had lifetimes here on earth (often appearing as “people” e.g. an American Indian teacher, a Tibetan monk, an inspirational business leader etc.) – while others may just appear as beings of light.

I believe that our purpose on Earth is twofold:
1. Evolve as a soul (learning, growing and raising our vibration)
2. Be the light (light up the world by following what lights us up)

Our spirit guides are assigned to us to help us do both these things. The more we allow and receive their guidance and support, the easier our path becomes.

A lesson in how to work with your spirit guides from Rebecca Campbell. Read more at Thenuminous.net!
Accept their support, and move forward more smoothly on your journey

I like the idea of us being “assigned” out guides at birth – how does this happen?
Your soul recruits your spirit guides based on your unique soul calling and the path you are here to walk. Your guides are perfectly suited to your highest calling, and waiting to guide you as much or as little as you wish. No matter what you’re facing, their presence means you always have the support around you to make it through.

I believe that we are born with one main guide (also known as a Guardian Angel) who stays with us throughout our lives – and by the age of 18-25 most people have recruited their spirit guide “posse.”

We can recruit more guides as needed though. For example, while writing my book Light Is The New Black I recruited two light beings and a new teacher guide to help me – in exactly the same way as I used to call on famous ad men to help me present my creative ideas in a way that would most resonate with the client when I worked in advertising.

What if I’m still having a hard time getting my head around the concept…
What holds most people back from developing a relationship with their spirit guides is their need for hard core visual “proof” that they exist. For a long time, I was waiting for my spirit guides to ring my doorbell and chat to me over a bottle of vino (clearly that never happened).

I wanted to know their hair color, their favorite movies and where they grew up. But the moment I Iet go of any need for them to appear in a certain way and just opened myself up to the possibility and trusted, the more my relationship with my guides grew and the more evidence of their presence I received in other ways.

Everyone’s experience with their spirit guides is personal, and because they work in the subtle realms, it takes practice to sense them. We are all six sensory beings, but we need to work our intuitive muscles each day to strengthen our intuitive connection with them.

Most people experience their guides through their predominate intuitive sense: Clairvoyant (clear seeing), Clairaudient (clear hearing), Clairsentient (clear feeling) and Claircognizant (clear knowing).

Can you give us some tips to start working with them on a regular basis then?

1. Start asking them for guidance…right now
2. Thank them for guiding you – they love a bit of positive reinforcement!
3. Ask them to send you a sign (e.g. a feather, a butterfly, elephants…whatever you fancy)
4. Keep a little notebook by your bed, and jot down any experience you might have had with them and any signs you spotted throughout the day. The more your book fills up, the more you will notice their support
5. Before you go to sleep ask your spirit guides to come to you in your dreams. The moment you wake up, note down any experiences you may have had with them

A lesson in how to work with your spirit guides from Rebecca Campbell. Read more at Thenuminous.net!
“She’s behind you…” Your spirit guides have always got your back

I’m almost convinced – can you share any amazing experiences you’ve had working with your guides?
These days I speak to my spirit guides every day – but my favorite story of working with my guides happened earlier this year, when I’d handed in my book proposal to Hay House (twice) but hadn’t heard anything.

One of my spirit guides is a woman (spirit) named Charlotte. Charlotte appears as a terribly English high society lady from the 1920’s who wears big dresses, hats and gloves. A gifted gossip, with her fingers in all the most influential pies, Charlotte is here to help me get my message out there and name spoken about in the right circles. Knowing that getting some publicity might increase my chances of being published, I called on Charlotte her for help and then surrendered it.

That same day I was connected with a journalist – and one week later she was commissioned to write a story, “Like a Prayer”, for the UK’s Sunday Times Style Mag (which also happened to feature the who’s who of Hay House authors, as well as The Numinous).Two weeks later, I got the phone call from Hay House offering me a deal!

When I went into Hay House to meet the team for the first time, the Publicity Officer mentioned that she’d seen the Sunday Times article and asked who my publicist was. Without thinking I responded “my spirit guide Charlotte!” Now, I’ve sat around a lot of boardroom tables in my life, but that was the first one that I was able to casually drop the name of one of my spirit guides and credit them for their work. I love it!

For one-on-one guidance on connecting with your guide, Rebecca Campbell offers spiritual mentorships and readings. Alternatively, you can attend one of her regular group workshops in London.

@rebeccathoughts

MATERIAL GIRL, MYSTICAL WORLD: RUBY WARRINGTON

Posted on by Ruby Warrington

Regular new post alert! Every Friday we’ll be featuring a different Material Girl, and the things in her Mystical World. To kick things off, it’s me! Your Chief Numi Ruby Warrington. Plus a round-up of what’s been rocking my Universe this week. Portrait: Thomas Giddings

Ruby Warrington shot by Thomas Giddings for Thenuminous.net
Just chillin’ at home in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Chakra shirt…coming back soon!

Has this been the weirdest week or what? On Monday I posted about how I like to use Mercury retrograde to revise and re-evaluate key areas of my life. But man, it’s been like scheduling spaghetti out there – for pretty much everyone I know. Head-spin!

I’m gonna blame my inability to concentrate on anything useful for the fact I had a total retail therapy moment on Matches Fashion. New Isabel Marant jacket, check. New Marant sheepskin-lined booties to match, check check (see below). I don’t shop that often since I found a more spiritual path to fulfilment, but when I do, I do it properly 🙂

This was also the week I totally cried at Under The Electric Sky, a documentary about EDM mega-rave the Electric Daisy Carnival (WTF) :: discovered THE most beautiful “intention setting candle” (and fell in love with it’s creator – watch this space for a collaboration!) :: picked up my lapsed meditation practise :: finally watched the Vagina Monologues :: and got stuck into Launch by Jeff Walker – essential reading for anybody running or starting a business online (thank you Gala Darling).

So what have you tried distracting yourself with while Mercury does it’s thing? I actually do wanna know, so Tweet me or connect on Facebook!

Isabel Marant Knowles bootie, available at Matchesfashion.com. Click to read more at Thenuminous.net!
Isabel Marant Knowles bootie, Matchesfashion.com

So here it is – all the things that make me a MATERIAL GIRL, living in a MYSTICAL WORLD…

:: MATERIAL GIRL ::

My Look When I went to get a hug from Amma with Gabby Bernstein, I wore Lululemon yoga pants, a vintage rock-chick tee, biker boots and a Marc Jacobs bag. Gabby described my look as “rock ‘n’ roll yogi” – and I’ll take that, thanks. So lots of yoga pants from brands like Teeki, Vie Active and Vimea, and lots of fashiony, grungy tops. And I love a good Helmut Lang blazer.

Ruby Warrington's favorite Sacred Feather yoga pants by Teeki. Click to read more at Thenuminous.net!
My current fave Sacred Feather yoga pants made from recycled materials, Teeki.com

My Shoes Isabel Marant shoes (specifically boots, actually) consistently make me feel pretty special. My friend Psychic Betsy has this meditation where you meet your highest self, and you’re meant to visualize “the best version of yourself”. That’s how I feel in my Marant boots – sexy, cool and powerful.

My Fragrance My ego hates the fact it’s not “cooler”, but the one that gets me the most comments is Sensuous by Estee Lauder – I think it just mixes well with my pheromones. I also love stealing a squirt of my husband’s Patchouli 24 by Le Labo.

My Jewels I always wear the Numinous necklace my husband got me, and this summer I also acquired a pretty special ‘Lemurian’ crystal from Vega Jewelry. Buying myself my first pair of diamond studs (they’re about a millionth of a carat, but still) at ABC Home last year was also a pretty special moment for me.

Charging up the Lemurian crystal from Vegajewelry.com at Rockaway beach this summer. Read more at Thenuminous.net!
‘Dem jewels…Charging up the Lemurian crystal at Rockaway beach this summer

My Pampering I have one of those bodies that “needs” a monthly massage, and I go to Lorraine at Greenhouse Holistic in Williamsburg. She does the best deep tissue and barely speaks a word the whole time. I’m also deeply into my Theraputic Balancing Oil by Vered Organic Botalicals right now, which feels super special and nurturing.

My Movie Anything that makes me cry. Most recently that Electric Daisy Carnival docu (seriously, WTF…)

My Food I could eat salmon and avocado, prepared every which way, for days. Ditto the Montana salad at the Jivamukea café in Union Square. And a scoop of vegan peanut butter ice cream from Lula’s in the East Village for dessert.

:: MYSTICAL WORLD ::

My Awakening I wake up with my cat’s meow at about 6.30 or 7 am, make myself a HUGE mug of hot water with lemon and then “try” to meditate for ten minutes. After that I get right onto my machine to write, while my brain is still clean of email static.

My Sign Aries Sun and Sag rising with a Cancer Moon thrown in to cool things down a little. I read it this way: Sun = mind (self-directed and impulsive), rising = body (outgoing and active) and Moon = soul (super sensitive and security oriented). #confusing.com

My Mantra “You’ll never know unless you ask.” And most days, at some point: “I forgive myself.”

My Healer Acupuncture with the amazing Lisa Levine at Maha Rose in Greenpoint, custom flower remedies from very special Kerri Aab, and, recently, breathwork with Numi contributor Erin Telford. But some of my greatest healings have happened on my yoga mat, if you subscribe to the belief (as I pretty much do) that all healing begins at a spirit / emotional level.

Burning Man 2014. Image: Simon Warrington. Read more at Thenuminous.net!
Burning Man 2014. Image: Simon Warrington

My Reading I wish I could say there was one book that really shifted my perspective, but maybe I just haven’t found it yet. I read every night before I go to sleep though, preferably fiction. It helps my mind shift gears from the material to the mystical realm (where sleep happens).

My Transformation The second half of 2014 has been ALL ABOUT transformation. Beginning July on a retreat with Taryn Toomey in Martha’s Vinyeyard, I then hit up Burning Man for the first time, did the Landmark Forum and also just completed Gala Darling’s Blogcademy. Each of these experiences has made me stronger and more resilient, more certain of myself and my place in the world, more comfortable expressing myself and more confident about my goals.

My Home Is wherever my husband Simon is, something I became aware of from the moment we first met. Past life connection for sure…

Facebook.com/thenuminousmagazine

@The_Numinous

MY MYSTICAL LIFE: ARIANNA HUFFINGTON

Posted on by Ruby Warrington

Forbes’ 52nd most powerful woman in the world, Cancerian author and spiritual activist Arianna Huffington is at the forefront of the mindfulness revolution. Initiated into transcendental meditation by the Maharishi himself when she was just 13, here she reveals the details of a successfully Mystical Life…

Do you have any recurring dreams and what do you think they mean?
“I had a dream that has remained very important to me but is not recurring. I am on a train going home to God. (Bear with me!) It’s a long journey, and everything that happens in my life is scenery along the way. Some of it is beautiful; I want to linger over it awhile, perhaps hold on to it or even try to take it with me.

Other parts of the journey are spent grinding through a barren, ugly countryside. Either way the train moves on. And pain comes whenever I cling to the scenery, beautiful or ugly, rather than accept that all the scenery is grist for the mill, containing, as Marcus Aurelius counseled us, some hidden purpose and a hidden blessing.

I’ve always been fascinated by dreams and my younger daughter and I regularly exchange our dreams. One of her recurring dreams is a good metaphor for what a good night’s sleep allows us to do. She imagines herself as a living “Stop” sign, forcing people to come to a complete stop before moving on with their lives.”

What is your morning awakening ritual?
“My perfect morning begins the night before, with a good night’s sleep – which, for me, means seven to eight hours. And a big part of my morning ritual is about what I don’t do: when I wake up, I don’t start the day by looking at my smartphone.

I make sure I have my phones charging far, far away from my bed, to help me avoid the temptation to check the latest news or emails. Instead, once I’m awake, I take a minute to breathe deeply, be grateful, and set my intention for the day.”

What is your favorite feel-good breakfast and why?
“I have terrible breakfast habits. I basically love breakfast foods but not at breakfast – the only thing I like at breakfast is a soy or almond cappuccino.”

What mantra do you leave the house with in the morning?
“’Don’t miss the moment.’ This was one of my mother’s favorite sayings and it embodied the philosophy of her life.”

Arianna’s daughters Christina and Isabella: “My healers”

What’s your lucky charm?
“Flat shoes!”

In what ways do you most embody the traits of your sign?
“If one of the signs of being a Cancer is being a homebody, then there is nothing I like more than staying home with a good book and my favorite music.”

And the healer you have on speed-dial?
“My daughters!”

What’s the one universal message you wish we could all could get our heads around?
“It’s a lesson I learned when I had my painful wakeup call in 2007: not only is there no tradeoff between living a well-rounded life and high performance, your performance will actually improve when your life includes time for renewal, wisdom, wonder and giving.”

And how do you deal with negative thoughts?
“I call my negative thoughts the obnoxious roommate living in our head. It feeds on putting us down and strengthening our insecurities and doubts. I have spent many years trying to evict my obnoxious roommate and have now managed to relegate her to only occasional guest appearances in my head.

Educating our obnoxious roommate requires redefining success and what it means to live a life that matters, which will be different for each of us, according to our own values and goals (and not those imposed upon us by society).”

Retail therapy is…?
“Nice, but ultimately not the answer!”

What’s your power outfit?
“A simple beige dress that I wear with a cotton bolero.”

And what makes you feel beautiful, why?
“What makes me feel beautiful is an 8-hour sleep, half an hour of meditation and a great yoga class.”

Your last conversation with the universe went something like…?
“It was me putting the universe in its place: ‘Sorry, I know I have an obscene number of unanswered emails, but I’m putting my phone away and going to bed!’”

For upcoming Third Metric events go to www.thrive.huffingtonpost.com.

Thrive: The Third Metric to Redefining Success and Creating a Life of Well-Being, Wisdom, and Wonder by Arianna Huffington is out now. 

@ariannahuff

WISHES FULFILLED: HOW TO MAKE A PRAYER FLAG

Posted on by Monica Ruiz

Looking for an alternative New Moon manifestation ritual? Artist Monica Ruiz makes prayer flags for herself and her friends as a way of reppin’ her love for the life she gets to live. Main image: Larry Louie

Home made prayer flags – Numi style

When I think of prayer flags, fabric panels ranging in sizes and colors with spiritual images, hanging and swaying in a breeze in a secret garden or a cute storefront, I always see and feel peace, wishes fulfilled, Universal love and freedom.

I had given to friends and also received the mini-squares from Tibet that represent light and all the elements, thus bringing health and harmony to all. After the panels naturally fade away due to the elements, it is believed that the mindful loving intentions within the flag fade into the Universe, contributing to an ongoing cycle of the flag’s blessings.

I wanted to re-create my own using images I had already saved from magazines, old books and stamps, and even just cool paper that felt special to my heart. After I made a quick one just to see if my vision was as easy as it seemed (it is!) I kinda went prayer-flag crazy. I made them for everyone around me, including many for myself.

The two that hang in my studio today represent the surfing elements for my Pisces ocean-loving soul-surfer boyfriend, along with some “Marie Antoinette/ French masquerade” vibes pour moi!

And then I have one hanging up in my vanity room / lounge reppin’ my love of books, writing, and my job at the library that supports my life and allows me to live out my daydreams. While I’m putting on my mascara in the a.m. I can glance up and give thanks with a smile.

My flags are small pieces of art that I feel serve as sacred reminders of the simple things that make us smile and lift our spirit. While I like to hang ours on our year-round blue fairy lights in our bedroom, doorways and windows are fun too. I have also hung them up on bulletin boards on my desk at work and on a huge collage at home. There was even one point they were nicknamed “Purr Flags,” by a friend who felt all warm and fuzzy on receiving hers.

“It felt good to give away something beautiful that I loved”

Having got such a great reaction gifting them to people I know, I decided to make a special one as a birthday gift for my spiritual teacher Gabrielle Bernstein a couple of years ago. I’ve written about my gratitude for her before, as she’s kinda been the vessel for many hardcore lessons I’ve needed to start receiving, and for learning more about forgiveness, love and how to listen to my heart and angels.

I felt compelled to make a prayer flag a la Gabby, with images that included her love of street art, the cosmos, her recent engagement in Paris, sacred Buddha statues, mystical silhouettes, powerful words, vibrant energy and of course just lots of LOVE.

Only Love is Real is Gabby’s motto, and I felt like I wanted this flag to have my love and appreciation for Gabby literally bursting through because of the gifts she has shared with me. It took all day, but it was so enjoyable and groovy to create. I was also happy and excited to put many of the images I’d save for future flags of my own on my guru’s flag, because I actually felt the transfer of love: it felt good to give away something beautiful that I loved. It was a true gift of appreciation from the heart.

Because of Hurricane Sandy that year, Gabby didn’t actually receive my flag until May 2013, while her birthday was November 1st! Regardless, my birthday/gratitude gift cosmically made it to her six months later. The morning I woke up and saw it unexpectedly on her Instagram feed, I felt like I was lucid-dreaming. She had it hanging up already and was allowing the magic and love from my home into hers. She loved my gift and I loved making it for her, and the prayer flag looks so cool in Gabby’s “zen den”.

The flags Monica made for Gabby hanging in her guru’s zen-den

Are you inspired to make one now? Let’s do this…

Here’s how to make a prayer flag for a sweet soul in five simple steps.

Supplies needed:

  • Paper images (magazines cut-outs, computer graphics, old books, saved stamps, cards, clip-art, etc)
  • Scissors
  • Double-stick tape
  • Glue stick
  • Twine (pre-cut to the length you want your flag)
  • Card stock or construction paper
  • Paper clips (optional)
  1. Think about how many panels you’d like to work with. I’d start small at first with either three or five (odd numbers work best and the traditional flags come in sets of five, but remember there are no rules!) However many you choose you will need enough images to cover both sides.
  2. You can either pre-cut your card-stock and then alter your images after or cut your card-stock around the image leaving about an inch as a border. Remember, this is not about being “perfect” or having exact straight lines – you’r e creating something from the heart to bring joy into your heart and home!
  3. Glue one image to each panel’s center, one side of the panel only.
  4. Grab your double-stick tape and twine. Lay the panels down in a row, with the image just glued on face down with a little space in between each panel. Now along the top, lay the twine across about one inch below the top edge and place a piece of double-stick tape in the center of the twine on each panel.
  5. Glue the remaining images in the center of each panel, on top of double-stick tape/twine combo.

Voila! Your flags are ready to be shared and invoke feelings of peace, spirit, strength and magic.

Sacred and simple, have fun bringing the tradition of prayer flags into your home. Tie some little loops at the end and use a couple of twisted paperclips if needed and they can be draped wherever you like. Enjoy the process of making each panel personal but keep the process simple.

Whether you make a prayer flag for yourself or for someone special, just remember to use images that make you feel good, because whatever is made with your heart is your art. And don’t forget they are reversible! Switch ’em up depending on your mood or needed inspiration. Sometimes I will do an opposite theme on each side, like maybe sweet dreams contrasted with powerful sun energy. Use your intuition and just pick art and pictures you like! Be whimsical.

When I commented on the prayer flag I made for Gabby the last time I saw it on IG, she sweetly replied; “I look at them every day and I love them!” Wishes-fulfilled and blessings received, Amen.

Island dweller Monica Ruiz is a collage artist, hardcore daydreamer, HayHouse book reviewer, bloggess, burrito lover, cat enthusiast, librarian assistant and wanderluster who is obsessed with good hip-hop beats, Lana Del Rey and Paris, France. She owns way too many black clothes, swoons over Sofia Coppola films and loves the concept of protecting your magic with an open heart.

www.lechat808.com

@LeChat808

LIVING IN A TECHNICOLOR DREAM WORLD

Posted on by Ruby Warrington

 

IF the following passage from Aldous Huxley’s seminal work, The Doors of Perception: Heaven and Hell, in which he quotes mystical Irish poet George Russell, doesn’t give you chills, then this blog probably isn’t for you. But if you find yourself there on the sand with Russell, feeling like a Goddess and getting down to some serious business with Mama Nature and her technicolor crew, then welcome. Sit back and enjoy the ride. This is The Numinous.
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