The colour green is often associated in the west as mid way in the colour spectrum, having a sense of balance, calm and peace and in the east it is the colour energy of the heart chakra. Johann L Fleisicher writes "In the Koran mention is made that coloured lights occur to the initiate during his spiritual training in the form of dots, spots and circles; the soul passes through periods of black colour and black and red spots until the appearance of the green colour, indicating that divine grace is near - green has always been considered the highest and heavenly colour" Emerald green is thought to avert evil and the colour is the colour of paradise, giving emeralds a special place in Muslim thought.
Body Mind for Children
So much of our modern lifestyle and what dominates our environment encourages imbalance in our body/brain integration and body/mind function. When we look at the typical school, work and home environment today, many activities and qualities attributed to the left brain emerge as dominant. An ever increasing number of school assignments, coupled with the rapidly escalating stream of information overflow into the home environment, which instead of being a place of rest, is now an extension of the school room. Children are under more and more pressure to keep up and this encourages a stress response - a left-brain activity. Even athletics, sports and music, all right-brain activities, often pressurise children to compete and perform
Cream Blending Workshops
Why buy “off the shelf” products when you can create your own range of creams and salves, tailored to your own specific requirements without the use of chemicals & pharmaceutical preservatives. Discover more about the healing power of plants with this introductory workshop on topical uses of herbal creams.
EFT is al its tapped up to be?
EFT, otherwise known as Emotional Freedom Technique attracts controversy, credits and curiosity. The name itself can raise eyebrows of incredulity - is there any such thing as an Emotional Freedom Technique? An examination of the anecdotal evidence (of which there is plenty), would suggest there is and that EFT is indeed the “greatest healing breakthrough of the 20th century”. On the other hand there are those who view the ritual as more new age non-sense and its practitioners, at best, as dubious. To a strongly rational mind, the concept of tapping the body while making Californian type affirmations in one breath and loving and accepting yourself with the other, borders on the silly.
Meditation stimulates brain activity
A study of Japanese monks has shown functional brain mapping during meditation and chanting. The invocation Namu Amida Butsu (Nembutsu), voices the hope of rebirth into Amida’s Pure Land. In the Nembutsu, Buddhists imagine that they are absorbed into Amida’s Pure Land. Shiritori, a Japanese word chain game, is a common task used to activate language related regions in Japanese. The purpose of this study was to identify the regions activated during praying of the Namo Amida Butsu (Nembutsu), and the reciting of Buddhist scriptures (Sutra).
Tarot made easy
Tarot is made up of 78 cards, 22 of which are the major arcana, the remaining 56 are divided into the 4 suits of the minor arcana. Arcana means secret or mystery although the tarot has become less shrouded in mystery over the years which can only be a good thing. The major arcana reflects those significant lessons we all need to learn in life, whereas the minor arcana are basically the mirrors of everyday life. The tarot acts as a messenger, and through its symbolism, which has deepened throughout the ages, it is uncannily able to give us messages and insight about our own lives and specific situations, helping us see what we are unable to see, or unwilling to face.
Secret of Home by Lindsay Halton
Your home is the Theatre of your Soul. Journey beyond the drama and the pain of life, under the stairs, into the cupboards, and behind the pictures on the wall. Like Alice through the looking glass, enter deeply beyond the way things appear to be, find more wonder than is at first apparent. Within each home there is an invisible plan - it holds the clues that point the way to a life filled with wonder and abundance. Lindsay Halton won the Spiritual ConneXtions Award for popular Welsh author/book 2008, and her design for a home featured in the book has also won the Channel 4 Grand Design Eco Home of the Year 2008. We have 5 copies to give away in the Soothingminds ezine quiz so before 31 August, 2008 for your chance to win a copy.
Herbal support for women's hormones
Anne McIntyre recommends the oil of evening-primrose seed which contains GLA (gamma linoleic acid), a fatty acid vital for healthy functioning of both the immune system and hormones making it good for menopause and PMT. Evening primrose is used for easing arthritis, lowering high blood pressure and cholesterol, allergies and can be taken internally for skin problems, such as eczema. It will help to quieten the mind and reduce nervous tension with its sedative actions.
Creative Visualisation
"The most powerful thing you can do to change the world is to change your own beliefs about the nature of life, people and reality, to something more positive... and begin to act accordingly." Shakti Gawain
Look out for the next newsletter at the beginning of September and in the meantime,
Bright thoughts