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    “The more he looked inside the more Piglet wasn't there”

    ~ A. A. Milne

Wise is as wise does!

By Diana Neff | Published: June 5, 2010

Know what I never knew until recent years?  What chiropractic is really about.  I always thought you went to a chiropractor for sore muscles and out-of-place vertebrae.  And that’s it.  My dad had his buddy Dr. Derr.  My dad visited him so often they became friends.  My dad was a block and brick mason; lots of things go out when that’s what you do for a living, eh?

Well, since being partially enlightened on the subject, I have found that the practice of chiropractics is to keep one’s body in alignment so its functions can carry on properly.  Meridians can flow, organs can operate, and life can be healthier for it.  A regular maintenance program is recommended for maintaining health.

A couple of days ago a client introduced me to something called naprapathy.  It is an offshoot of chiropractic and osteopathy. Thanks to Wikipedia, I know that and I also now know what subluxation is … medically and chiropractically!

This is a website with good explanation.  Mt. Lebanon Chiropractic.

And here’s a video that makes it so simple to understand!

So much in the way of naturopathy!  All seem to be gaining ground as awareness grows and people learn to look for natural ways of healing themselves and empowering their bodies.  I’ve even heard that some medical and naturopathic practitioners are joining forces and some insurance companies are covering alternative medicine treatments.

It is always good to ask for advice from an informed person and licensed naturopaths are the ones to seek out for this.  So much information is available online, but to be sure, find a naturopath you trust who doesn’t mind your asking a ton of questions.

Decisions are yours, of course, and better informed makes for more wisely decided.

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What’s inside your car?

By Diana Neff | Published: May 23, 2010

I always say you can tell a lot about a person by looking inside their car.  No vehicle belongs to just me anymore.  There is a family van that gets used by everyone and it is a mess.  My cars were always neat and clean, what I put in them came out when I got back.  No garbage, no clutter.  I’d even dust the dash if I was stuck in traffic.  I’m nowhere to be found in this family now.  I’ve finally taken on the maximum of my capabilities and can not keep up the pace of getting everyone else to do as I do.  So, a lot of clutter piles up in nooks and crannies.  I know darn well that that has happened on my inside as well.  Just like many of you, I look for ways to keep the energy flowing.  That’s why I like this work.  I know the energy is flowing because I intend it to all the time.  I am able to wash out negative emotional buildup in a jiff now, and it’s a good thing too.  I would have popped a long time ago.

So what to do about clearing the clutter?

Boosts of energy from others’ channeling are always of benefit and get things going faster, but the work basically lies within us.  Attunement was an empowering time for me.  In my opinion, attunement helps individuals see more clearly where their paths lie and aids with their decision making processes.

Meditation is another way to work with energy.  This brings a marvelous balancing into our lives.  Most often, guided meditations will have to do with clearing our energy by being somewhere and doing something and then returning to the present.  This gives us a little break from the daily grind and, after freshening our energy, returns us in a much better frame of mind.

I wrote a guided meditation that is listed under the Free Gifts tab.

As a Reiki Master, I am blessed to be able to assist with teaching the Reiki classes for Hospice volunteers and staff.  I handle different parts of the class; the Chakra teaching portion, the practice session, half of the attunements, and the meditation at the end of the class.  “One with the Universe” is one of the meditations I use.  I love writing meditations and enjoy painting a picture of peace and tranquility within my own mind.  It is fulfilling to know that others appreciate hearing me read them as well.

(I think it’s about time I start creating some mp3′s to post on Curative Energy.  I just have to find a decent microphone.)

Grounding is a stupendous energy moving/de-cluttering technique as well.  Some will cook/eat, garden, exercise, or help others to keep their feet on the ground.  Grounding relaxes us in the long run, helps us feel good about ourselves, and jumpstarts our creative juices.  If we aren’t feeling creative, it’s difficult to want to “spring clean” anything…Our homes, our spiritual insides, or our cars.

So, what does the inside of your car look like?  Time for a little inner space cleaning as well?

A side note regarding attunements brought to mind by a dear client:

I don’t recommend multiple attunements for anything more than an artist’s changing the technique she is working with…I’m an oil painter, I do water colors, I sculpt clay, I weld… The energy is the same even though the way energy workers use it differs.  Any additional attunements would basically say that you are now able to change techniques and to tell others what that technique is.  I know this sounds less than spiritual, but I think people get way too wound up in labeling energy work.  It is a gift from God; each of us is an individual in who we are as well as in how we communicate God’s loving energy.



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An apple a ___ keeps the ______ ____ !

By Diana Neff | Published: May 2, 2010

I don’t know, maybe it’s the blue color? Just the sight of one of those performance / energy drinks in the hands of anyone, child or adult, makes me wonder at our sensibilities.

I was reading an article from the Associated Press. Poor man’s Gatorade saves Bangladeshi kids. The ingredients are, according to the article, “A pinch of salt. A fistful of sugar. A half liter of water.”  This simple mix saves the lives of children who come down with diarrhea. In the United States, we probably can’t quite wrap our minds around dying from such a mundane ailment as this, but it is fact and Bangladeshi moms pass down the recipe from generation to generation.


Because of this article, I flew back a few years into my first child’s babyhood. One day, due to his having a high fever, I called my brother, who lived a block away and who was also a fireman/paramedic, to ask him to pick up some things at the nearby health food store. On the list was an “all natural” performance drink. He dutifully bought that, but also included apple juice in the bag. He had determined, by reading the labels, that apple juice had far more of the needed electrolytes than the performance drinks. I’ve remembered this ever since.

When my kids were very little, they never drank pure juice, I always watered it at least ½ way. It was far more refreshing for them, especially since we live in Florida and were usually at our lumber mill all day long in those days. Little did I know how perfect this recipe really was.  I thought it might be interesting to look up some information on this subject and typed in “electrolytes in apple juice” as a Google search. There it was, “Rob Declares War on Gatorade.” Yahooie Louie.   It’s true!  The blue stuff (orange, green, yellow, purple, red) just isn’t all it’s made out to be! You might like to take a peek for yourself, so click here.

Then I checked out the videos available for the same Google search and found one telling about how apple juice is good for enhancing memory.  Something about its preventing loss of the essential neurotransmitter, acetylcholine.  Hmm.  A word I can pronounce.  So, maybe I can understand the information too!  Let’s see.

Yes, sounds very sensible.  An apple a day… we can make sure to add one for our kids and ourselves…keeps the doctor away.

Flickr Creative Commons image credit:   svacher

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Crystals, Gemstones, and Plain Old Rocks

By Diana Neff | Published: April 25, 2010

One thing I love more than anything else about crystals, stones, and plain old rocks is that friends and family give them to me as gifts.  It’s wonderful to know that something so simple can bring me to their minds.  It’s also delightful to know that something as beautiful as a piece of this earth can bring me to mind as well.  I’m honored whenever one of these pretties finds its way into my hands.

I remember when I was first delving into crystals and gemstones information.  It was a huge subject to attempt.  Since the beginning, I’ve come to the conclusion that too much info is not needed.  Once one has the basics down, such as color and chakra matching, the rest comes in bits and pieces as you need to know it.

A really fun way to get started with crystals is to go to a shop and touch them.  Most of my friends ooo and ahhh over how this one feels or that one vibrates or the energy that one is calling to them with.  Yes, it all sounds ridiculous at first, but after a while it becomes easier to notice little tugs or tickles or sudden emotional switches when you pick up the next stone.

Scientifically there are different densities and, of course, mineral makeup, as well as precise frequencies produced by crystals.  For some sensitives, it is a matter of course to be able to feel these, even if only coming within range, not necessarily touching.

One stone that is a favorite of mine is the Kyanite.  It heats up quite noticeably when held for a short period and is known for cleansing the mind of negative thoughts and emotions, removing anger and frustration.  Some even agree that it helps raise one’s vibration and amplifies communication with Spirit.  On a more physical note, it is known to be a pain reliever and helps heal infections.

I had an ahha moment when I read that it was an aluminum silicate.  Aluminum is an excellent heat conductor.  If we heat an area of our body, we draw the blood to it and that naturally brings a concentration of antibodies which then stimulates the healing process.  Vascular headaches are from the constriction of blood vessels.  If the blood flow is increased, the headache dissipates.  There is nothing magical about that, all quite natural.

Quartz crystals are known for their high vibration, diamond crystals are used in many technological applications.  Remember the old diamond phonograph needles?  High technology for its time.  How about the Crystal Set or Crystal Radio?  Ever heard of those?  They don’t need batteries, running off the power of radio waves.  The detector was made of a piece of crystal.  And then the quartz movement watches!  Wowzer, they sure are accurate!  Why is that?

Well, click here for the larger version, but this is a brief part of the answer.  The property that makes it [quartz crystal] an electronic miracle is the fact that, when compressed or bent, it generates a charge or voltage on its surface. This is a fairly common phenomenon called the Piezoelectric effect. In the same way, if a voltage is applied, quartz will bend or change its shape very slightly.

Just a thought — this is a good example of how Old Wives Tales can be based on scientific truths.  Quartz crystals are perfect conductors/receivers.  Some energy workers use them to boost communication on higher levels.  While it may all be in their minds, how much truth might there be in the fact that our bodies are mostly water, which is a conductor, and holding a crystal may very well amplify that conductivity, allowing our thoughts to be shared with others?

By the way, this article’s subject matter came up because I was blessed with a charming polished amethyst at the Energy Works Circle we have at Hospice once a month.  Our leader, Marianne, picked stones and put them out with the candles we light.  We were gifted with whichever one we were led to.

Crystals, gemstones, and plain old rocks…for me!?

As an aside, I’m not all for the depletion of our earth’s body.  I think a found stone is just as worthy as a bought one and while it may not be a crystal or gemstone, we can name what we want to use it for.  Our mental powers are that fantastic.  Quite often, I use Ethereal Crystals during distance healing energy sessions.  I don’t go in intending to use them, but am led to when the time is right.


Flickr Creative Commons image credit:  Orbital Joe

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Now for the Other Now

By Diana Neff | Published: April 18, 2010

I heard a term in one of the books my kids read.  Wait, how can that be?  Well, we are listening to a cd of the book one of my kids read.  The book is called “Soul Eater” by Michelle Paver.  Written in the third person, we are able to know the thoughts of all the characters.  One character happens to be a wolf and we hear his thoughts which are different from those of humans.  He thinks and focuses on the present only.  There are memories of the past, but no pre-thought of the future.  What he calls simple things is quite interesting.

One item is something Wolf calls, “The other now.”  I fell in love with that term instantly.  Can you guess what it is?  Where is it we can be present, but not here?  We can use all our senses and even determine what we, as well as others, are doing in this other now.  But, most often, we follow along and then wonder what it was all about later.  Dreaming!  Yep.

Prospero:

“We are such stuff
As dreams are made on; and our little life
Is rounded with a sleep.”

The Tempest, Act IV, scene I, William Shakespeare

Dreams, visions, prophecies, does anyone have a corner on that market?  Don’t think so.  I think most people are blessed with the ability to dream.  Not everyone does though.  I just found this great website called The Quantitative Study of Dreams, with some pretty in-depth FAQ’s about dreaming.   They are pretty darn sensible with their answers, even bludgeoning my whimsical ideals of dreaming into submission at some points.  However, I rise undaunted and stick to my guns on my beliefs regarding the positive information we can glean from our dream time.  Who knows from whence our dreams come?  Who knows for sure they are or are not passing on information from a higher source?  It may be that we are talking to ourselves; revealing our innermost thoughts, desires, fears; and encouraging ourselves onward through our lives.   I often wonder if we can control this “now” as much as we can the “other now” of dreams; pay a bit of heed to what we are dreaming and then lead ourselves toward success.

“A dream which is not interpreted is like a letter which is not read.”  ~The Talmud

What fun it is to share our latest, wackiest dreams with the first person who will listen.  Perfectly natural.  Dream interpretation drifted in along with human awareness and has gone on since man began to speak, I am quite sure.  What better stories to share around the clan fire?  The clan mage, now known as my friend the psychic healer, would have the final say in interpretation, but we could all hedge our bets as to whether the dream would come true or not.  We may even have based our very survival on the interpretations, believing in the mage’s healing powers and accepting, come what may.

The other now. Isn’t it just the most wonderful term?  I love to sleep and to dream.

Demetrius:

“Are you sure
That we are awake? It seems to me
That yet we sleep, we dream.”

A Midsummer Night’s Dream Act IV, scene I, William Shakespeare

Hamlet:

“To die, to sleep—
To sleep—perchance to dream. Ay, there’s the rub!
For in that sleep of death what dreams may come,
When we have shuffled off this mortal coil,
Must give us pause—there’s the respect
That makes calamity of so long life.”

Hamlet, Act III, Scene I, William Shakespeare

My, my, wasn’t he taken with sleeping and dreaming?  Here’s another.  John Keats.

WHAT is more gentle than a wind in summer?
What is more soothing than the pretty hummer
That stays one moment in an open flower,
And buzzes cheerily from bower to bower?
What is more tranquil than a musk-rose blowing
In a green island, far from all men’s knowing?
More healthful than the leafiness of dales?
More secret than a nest of nightingales?
More serene than Cordelia’s countenance?
More full of visions than a high romance?
What, but thee Sleep? Soft closer of our eyes!
Low murmurer of tender lullabies!
Light hoverer around our happy pillows!
Wreather of poppy buds, and weeping willows!
Silent entangler of a beauty’s tresses!
Most happy listener! when the morning blesses
Thee for enlivening all the cheerful eyes
That glance so brightly at the new sun-rise.

Sleep and Poetry, John Keats

Absolutely incredible and astounding metaphors; the number of ways he thought of describing the beauty of sleeping!  Maybe it’s my age that has allowed me to know how enticing this nightly ritual really is.  The lack of sufficient rest, the deprivation of dreaming, filtering, creating in our other state of consciousness can be most discombobulating.  I do crave that “Silent entangler”, “The other now”.  Thank you, William Shakespeare, John Keats, Wolf and Michelle Paver, for your thought inducing bibelots.  Now for “the other now”.  Off to slumber land.




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Agapism – a standard unit of measure

By Diana Neff | Published: April 8, 2010

I found a new word today!  Well, a few days ago, now.  Agapism.  I know the root word, but never knew it was an “ism”.  Thanks goes to my friend Charles at Adelioux.com who has been doing some very creative writing in Spirit that you might like to take a look at.  Rhyming back in a comment on his blog, I realized I needed a word that ended in the sound “m”, and looked up words that ended in “ism”.  There are a lot.  Finding Agapism, I plugged it into a Google search and…

Here’s what I found on Wikipedia.

Agapism professes that love (or “agape”) should be the sole ultimate value and that all other values are derived from it, or that the sole moral imperative is to love. Theological agapism holds that our love of God is expressed by loving our fellow man. As the ethics of love, agapism indicates that we should do the most loving thing in each situation, letting love determine our obligation rather than rules. Alternatively, given a set of rules, agapism indicates to follow those rules which produce the most love.

So, what do you think?  Love is the ultimate value against which all else is measured.  Incredibly, simply put, yet what depth!  I’ve had this discussion with my children on a number of occasions.  They “love” to say “hate”.  I usually come to the conclusion with them that hate is far worse than the lack of love, but now that I’m rethinking the terms, I’m wondering if that is actually true.  Isn’t some kind of feeling better than no feeling at all?  I really don’t know.

Remember the quote, “’Tis better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all?”  Who said that?  Hmmmm.  I’ll have to go search.  But not right at the moment, I’m having to move things around from one hard drive to another once again and can’t get on my browser.  Typing here while waiting for files to be moved, I’m not one to waste a moment.

Have you heard of the different names for love that the Greeks had/have?  I’ll add them in here too in a little bit.  It’s quite an interesting subject, one that many pastors love to talk on about.

Have you ever tried to find the love in a situation that is difficult?  For instance, someone cuts you off in traffic and your child’s head gets bumped against the window even though he is safely buckled in his booster seat in back.  Do you get angry?  Do you just wave the emotion away?  Or do you, possibly, try to imagine where the other driver was in their world?  I usually give the benefit of the doubt and tell my children that the other person may have just heard of a death in their family, or their boss may have fired them, or some other catastrophe may have thrown them into a bad mood.  The best thing we can do is send love their way and hope no one else suffers for their poor attitude.  That’s usually; sometimes I use a bit of sarcasm and mention how much more of the road they own than I do and that they are far more important than I.  So you have it, I’m far from perfect; far, far, far from it.

The second portion of the trifle on Agapism from Wikipedia is intriguing too.  If we have a set of rules or laws to live within, we must infuse the following of those rules with as much love as we can muster.  That sounds mightily like we should be love, live love, think love, speak love, love love, love hate, love pain, love stinking neighbors, love sore teeth, and love our captors…Here I am in church again.  Wow.  I feel guilty.

I think what it was saying up there was that we should follow loving ways beyond what the rules say.  If you are asked for a quarter, give a dollar.  If you are asked to pay income taxes of $1200, pay $2400.  Ha, I’m going a bit crazy here with finding the meaning in the words.  I hope you are gathering what I am finding out, that we need to act in a loving manner, but keep our head about us and love ourselves at the same time.

Okay, the person who wrote the quote about loved and lost iiiissssssssss:  Alfred Lord Tennyson.  Isn’t that something?  I always thought his name was Alfred Lloyd Tennyson.    And here’s another great one by Kahlil Gibran:  Ever has it been that love knows not its own depth until the hour of separation.  Thought his name was Kahil.  I’m strickin’ out hea.   I like that one, but I lean more toward changing love to remorse.  Ever has it been that remorse knows not its own height until the hour of separation.  Wouldn’t it be nice to never feel remorse or guilt over things said and done when we lose someone close?  Well then, I guess the best thing to do is look at our lives and get measuring against that good old yardstick called love.

I said I’d look up the Greek words for love and here they are as spelled out and defined on Wikipedia.  I love that place.

Ancient Greek has four distinct words for love: agápe, éros, philía, and storgē.

  • Agápe (αγάπη agápē) means “love” in modern day Greek, such as in the term s’agapo (Σ’αγαπώ), which means “I love you”. In Ancient Greek, it often refers to a general affection or deeper sense of “true love” rather than the attraction suggested by “eros“. Agape is used in the biblical passage known as the “love chapter”, 1 Corinthians 13, and is described there and throughout the New Testament as sacrificial love. Agape is also used in ancient texts to denote feelings for a good meal, one’s children, and the feelings for a spouse. It can be described as the feeling of being content or holding one in high regard.
  • Éros (έρως érōs) is passionate love, with sensual desire and longing. The Modern Greek word “erotas” means “(romantic) love;” however, eros does not have to be sexual in nature. Eros can be interpreted as a love for someone whom you love more than the philia, love of friendship. It can also apply to dating relationships as well as marriage. Plato refined his own definition: Although eros is initially felt for a person, with contemplation it becomes an appreciation of the beauty within that person, or even becomes appreciation of beauty itself. It should be noted Plato does not talk of physical attraction as a necessary part of love, hence the use of the word platonic to mean, “without physical attraction.” Plato also said eros helps the soul recall knowledge of beauty, and contributes to an understanding of spiritual truth. Lovers and philosophers are all inspired to seek truth by eros. The most famous ancient work on the subject of eros is Plato’s Symposium, which is a discussion among the students of Socrates on the nature of eros.
  • Philia (φιλία philía) means friendship in modern Greek. It is a dispassionate virtuous love, a concept developed by Aristotle. It includes loyalty to friends, family, and community, and requires virtue, equality and familiarity. In ancient texts, philos denoted a general type of love, used for love between family, between friends, a desire or enjoyment of an activity, as well as between lovers.
  • Storge (στοργή storgē) means “affection” in ancient and modern Greek. It is natural affection, like that felt by parents for offspring. Rarely used in ancient works, and then almost exclusively as a descriptor of relationships within the family. It is also known to express mere acceptance or putting up with situations, as in “loving” the tyrant.

For the love of Mike!  Alright already!  Not really, I find it all fascinating.  It seems Greek is a very emotional language; certainly much more specific than ours in pointing out the subtle nuances of what we designate as a single word.  We all know every one of these meanings for love, and yet, we hide the meanings within ourselves and hope others know just what we are meaning when we say things like, “Love your neighbor as yourself.” “Share the love.”  “Make love, not war.” “You’ve lost that lovin’ feelin’.”

I use love as in God’s loving energy.  God’s energy is love in my mind.  I share love when I do distance healing energy sessions.  When I use the EFT – Emotional Freedom Technique tapping, I fill myself and clients with God’s love and encourage it to overflow onto others we come into contact with.  God’s love is perfect love and, I do believe, is the sole, ultimate value against which all things can be measured; just as the first quote said.  It is the deepest sense of affection there is and we should share it freely.

Agapism, a standard unit of measure.

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For Things to Change, Things Must Change

By Diana Neff | Published: March 29, 2010

I was watching a show on Hulu the other evening and a 30 second advertisement came on.  It was from Allstate insurance, I believe; and was totally focused on saving money and doing / being with family.  How utterly joyful everyone was while doing these things.  I was momentarily shocked and then realized they were merely playing to the public, as all good advertising should; BUT, it was so pleasant to watch the activities and facial expressions of the actors, I found myself replaying the ad in my mind.  I was impressed.

You probably haven’t noticed the categories I’ve placed this article under, but they include Currently Minded, Life Modeling, and All Things My Children. Are you keeping all these topics ever present in your mind too?

I am positive that all of us who are engrossed in daily existence are doing what we can to be conscientious – more conscious, more economical in all areas of our lives, perhaps wondering why all that “Secret” stuff on abundance has gone awry.  We are adjusting our aspirations to fit in with our new economical life styling.  We are a bit more aware of our earth and have striven to tackle human awareness with a vengeance.  We can be proud of our efforts!

Isn’t there a little tug, though, that is whispering, “I hope the rough stuff doesn’t last forever?”  There is for me, and yet, even though life has been tough for most of my life, I can assure myself with complete conviction, “I have it good.”  I’ve been reading some of Byron Katie lately.  I can see from her view and have worked hard to do just that in most of my adult life.  Taking the approach that all things are the way they are supposed to be is a giant step toward freedom.

Finding joy is paramount to actualizing that freedom.  If we think that isn’t true, then we need to analyze what part we think should change and see that changing it won’t necessarily bring joy either.  We need to be ever present and find joy in every aspect of our lives.

Doing what we can and finding joy in every action and moment will bring changes.  Find the joy.  We know, for things to change, things must change.

Flickr Creative Commons image credit: laihiu

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Conscientious is as Conscientious does

By Diana Neff | Published: March 22, 2010

Visiting my bank recently, I found a stack of small, 6″ round cards on a table in the waiting area, placed there by the bank.  They were full of great ideas.  Each idea is thought provoking and brings to mind many other ways to be more earth and people friendly; ways to raise our consciousness; to be more conscientious human beings.

If you’re like me, routines change.  Our life is in a constant state of morphing.  Kids grow and nothing remains the same, but I’m constantly trying to create new routines, schedules to help keep us on track and organized for my peace of mind.  I can always use little reminders or nudges to push me in a good direction and to help me know that I’m not alone in wanting to keep a thoughtful and considerate feel to the way I respond in this world and how I raise my children. I’ve also found satisfaction in knowing there is a certain freedom that comes with taking responsibility and a definite warmth that comes from nurturing our awareness.

So, you’ve probably already had and done these ideas, but the list may serve to remind you or encourage you to get back into putting some of them to use.  Fill yourself with gratitude for the abundance which exists in your life.
Gather a group of bookworms and swap books back and forth.
Get out!  Discover the great outdoors in your town for little to no cost.
Create a tradition of family game night.
Schedule some downtime.
Enjoy a hobby or pastime you used to love as a kid.
Embrace your creativity and re-purpose everyday household items.
Host a neighborhood potluck for a fun, affordable night in.
The 30-day rule — Before splurging on a big-ticket item, wait 30 days.
Volunteer in your community.  You’ll have a positive impact and make friends in the process.
Hold a clothing swap meet and shop your friends’ closets.
Enjoy the new trend of exchanging services with a neighbor, friend or other small business owner.
Take advantage of your local library and discover faraway places without spending a dime.
Clean out your movie cabinet or bookshelf and sell unwanted items online or at a used book store.
Challenge your kids to help create budget-friendly, family meals.
Stash some snacks in your car to keep your tummy and your wallet from running on empty.
Try alternatives when money is tight, such as movie night in or sandwiches at the park.
Buy in-season fruits and vegetables, they are healthy delicious and often the most affordable.

Conscientious is as Conscientious does, a contemporary slogan we should all get comfortable with.

Flickr Creative Commons image credit: sarahnw

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Automatic Writing – the key you’ve been searching for?

By Diana Neff | Published: March 11, 2010

or….Writing in Spirit, as some people call it, is another method of spiritual and emotional healing which can ultimately lead to physical healing as well.

It is a very simple task, one that we can complete in as little as a few minutes.  The most difficult part is setting the time and sticking to the routine.  As with all things learned, it takes some effort at first, but will quickly become a ritual you will not want to set aside or have interrupted.

In my case, nightly before bed has worked best.  Some enjoy a morning time spent in prayer and meditation and will find this writing fits in perfectly as another instrument to further their spiritual walk.  Whenever your choice of perfect time, make sure to keep your appointment.  System is paramount for a feeling of success and strengthening within ourselves.  It serves as a triggering as well as measuring mechanism, just like a physical exercise program does.  Our minds, like our bodies, will get used to the daily exercise; and will be better able to step into the pattern of meditation and writing more easily as we keep to the set format.

If that sounds boring, believe me, it’s not.  I have found that my inner botherings appear more effortlessly and possible modes of  alleviating them become obvious.  Some may say the words come from Spirit, others claim they are from our Higher Selves, Inner Selves or Souls; from ourselves at another level of understanding.  This sounds the most plausible to me, as I understand we are all part of a Higher Consciousness anyway.  We tap into a source of information and use the material gathered there to better examine our lives.

Ever heard of the Stream of Consciousness?

–adjective
of, pertaining to, or characterized by a manner of writing in which a character’s thoughts or perceptions are presented as occurring in random form, without regard for logical sequences, syntactic structure, distinctions between various levels of reality, or the like: a stream-of-consciousness novel; a stream-of-consciousness technique.

This is a writing tool used by some very well known authors, as a matter of fact; especially post-modern writers like: Virginia Woolf, and James Joyce who would write, focusing on the emotional and psychological progression of their characters, while maneuvering through time and place as best fit in with their development.

Basically, there may be no pre-planning or outlining, but instead, a fluidity and feel that comes from allowing the imagination, or psyche, or intuitive nature of the writer to take the reins without prejudice toward the possible outcome.  There is a natural flow that can be felt and an artistic breath of life that is given to this type of writing.

The same with Automatic Writing.  You will be giving your Inner Self permission to express what has been hidden.  At first it may seem that what is appearing is mere drivel, but give yourself time.  Perhaps there will be but one phrase that will have a ring of meaning to it.  My suggestion is that you don’t worry about punctuation or sentence structure.  I’ve found that in the reading, there is a subtle change in direction if we change where we thought the sentence began and ended.  Allow your hand to flow without pausing to think about what is being put on the paper.  Don’t stop, or analyze, or judge the product.  Think of it as finger painting.  The words are already there, you’re just arranging them, pushing the pen as you give your mind its independence.

As a method of creative outlet as well as an in-depth hunt for hidden mysteries within us, Automatic Writing can be taken lightly or as a profound way of connecting with God.  The feel of each session will be different.  Some days may be playful, some days may be highly emotional.  It all depends on what we need to hear and focus on.  Don’t belittle the silly moments, but take care not to allow those to take away from the attitude you approach your daily ritual with; a state of humbleness and gratitude will affect a deeply fulfilling experience.

A point I’d like to insert here is that you should make the writing experience as special as if you were giving a gift to one of the most important people in your life; ’cause you are.  Find a special way to make the time a treat.  Maybe you’d like to make a book by binding some paper together in a homemade method that speaks of you.  Maybe you’re the one who enjoys making a special purchase for yourself on occasion.  Find a perfect pen that makes you feel powerful or unique or in tune with the universe.  Maybe an extraordinary box you found at a garage sale will be the perfect place to keep this bit of you that you will be creating each day.

Welcome to another method of natural self healing.  Remember to keep your journal close at hand and give yourself a tiny push to get started with a new daily habit.  This could very well be the key you’ve been searching for.

I salute you as you walk your path and accept responsibility for your life. 

Flickr Creative Commons image credit: Ernst Vikne

I’ve created a page for this as an article.

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Am I psychic?

By Diana Neff | Published: March 9, 2010

Could I be?  Naw, none of that hokum is real.

I had a feeling you were going to call!

My tummy hurts the day before a catastrophe happens in the news.

I feel dizzy just before finding out one of my kids is hurt.

My dreams seem so real and I get great ideas for something that has been bothering me.

What can these things be attributed to?  Angels’ whisperings, God’s still small voice, luck, or maybe it’s just one more of your senses doing what it’s supposed to do.

Why not try to accept this sense is real and allow it freedom to practice itself?  Simply observe.  Observe your body’s little tells and start remarking them to yourself.  There are all kinds of places online that will tell you how to develop your dreaming time.  Most of them will stress using a dream journal.  This is a great way to keep track of your body’s messages as well.  Writing down oddnesses or out-of-the-ordinaries will help you have a greater belief level in your sixth sense.  Every sea captain keeps a log.  Ledgers, journals, diaries are all common place ways of keeping track and then going back to find patterns.

Allow yourself some time to meditate on a particular idea or question; keeping a pad and pencil next to you.  I used to worry during distance healing energy sessions that I would lose the connection if I stopped to write.  Not true.  I love to capture the images that come into my mind and then share them with a client.  Most often (although not 100%), the images have some pertinent information that helps with part of life’s trials and questions.  Sometimes the images speed by so quickly that, as soon as I realize there is one, it is gone and I am off seeing another one.  In this case, I try to get a feel for the general message/picture of them all.  The point is that I have to write them down.  Because I do this, I can not only share the images, but see that they really have some substance to them.  I am building my belief level, my foundation and faith base, my trust in myself.

Imagine how much we miss by not developing our skills from childhood.  Why were we not allowed to pursue that which comes naturally?  Lack of knowledge, lack of belief, fear of things we don’t understand, fear from religious propaganda…fear and lack…very negative words.  Can you remember mentioning things to your parents when you were preschool aged?  Our psychic abilities and pre-life memories are lost at about age seven unless they are used and talked about.  This is the age when we become aware of our actions and how they impact the world around us.  We figured out how to manipulate when we were infants.  We found out consequences and could reason through them starting at about age four.  At age seven we begin to start feeling who we are and how we want to be.  Reality has become the concrete that anchors us in this plane.  We have learned to believe our parents and our parents, no doubt wanting to protect us, told us we were imagining things.  No such thing as that little friend, no you’ve never been to that house before, no that man is not a bad man, there’s nothing in that room, they’re just dreams and aren’t real…on and on and on.  I remember all these very well; and the confusion of being told so.  It was all real to me and I had to learn to filter and sift through my reality and make decisions on what to ignore and what to hold onto.  My doubts still persist.

I’m not saying we should fall for or even believe every little thought that flies through our minds, a discerning nature is a great tool, but I am saying we should stop, examine, and make an informed decision as to just how psychic we really are.  It is a very useful sense and can help us make choices in life…who we will marry, where we will live, what foods are best for our particular metabolism.

Another point I’d like to add here is that there are some different ways people tap into their psychic ability and we don’t need to be afraid.  We know that we are only using them as tools to find out what our sense is telling us.  Pendulums are easy access to the sixth sense and subconscious.  Crystal balls, bowls of water, flames…all good ways of scrying – another way of saying meditating.  Dowsing for water or oil, or whatever else you want to try, is just a way of asking the sixth sense to show an answer.

Global Consciousness.  Mass Consciousness.  Inventions happening simultaneously half way around the globe from one another.  Indicators piling up all around us, showing that there is something more and, yes, we can tap into it.  We can use our abilities and we can make a difference.  We can share what we feel through our sixth sense, our psychicness, and not be afraid or embarrassed.  We can be wrong or right and take it as a matter of course.  We don’t have to hide in a closet and wonder what others will say.  Who would argue over what emotion you’re having?  If you say you’re happy, you’re happy.  If you say you have a feeling something is going to happen, you have a feeling.  So it goes.

Am I psychic?  Everyone is.  Ever heard someone say that God put it on their heart to do something?  Is it a sin to use your God given gift?  Nope.  It all boils down to what you do with it.   I am always thankful and eager to find out more about my gift.

Flickr Creative Commons image credit: circulating.

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