For anyone who read my last post knows that I was blessed to receive information during a meditation with eagles on my purpose.    In short….

The council’s purpose is to pass on knowledge and lead the way.  They emphasised to me that sharing of knowledge is important and necessary for my own personal growth as well as others.    

Today I found myself sharing some information on my understanding of meditation with some colleagues.    So as advised by the Eagles, here is my thoughts on Meditation!   Sharing is caring.

Meditation:        is not just a trend, people have been meditating in different cultures throughout the world for thousands of years, usually as a way of finding inner peace and in more modern times as a way to relax, find clarity and reduce stress.  There is countless evidence that meditation is good for you and has a wide range of health benefits.

Never meditated?    Wonder what it’s all about?   The most important thing to remember it’s not just for gurus but something that’s healthy, doesn’t cost money and can be done almost anywhere.

So what is meditation?      There are many definitions of meditation and these vary depending on the form you are practising.   However at it’s most basic level it’s about slowing the thoughts and training your mind to pay attention.   Contrary to some beliefs it’s NOT about stopping your thoughts and having a blank mind.   We are human with a brain, a brain that’s supposed to think and process.   Meditation is about training yourself to help control your thoughts, stopping yourself from jumping from one to another, and learning to simply acknowledging the thought and let it go.   Meditation is a discipline and with practise helps turn the minds attention inwards to bring clarity of thought, and your attention to how your body feels.

3 ways to use your thoughts: 

1)    knowing what your mind is paying attention to,

• When you try to still your mind and it continues to jump to a particular area or concern constantly?
• Are you wasting energy on past events? Or projecting into the future what might happen?
• Are you simply jumping from one thing to another, to another?

2)   working out where your mind’s attention needs to be focused.   (While this sounds the same as above, it’s quite different because you now acknowledge the thoughts and during your next meditation you focus on ONE thought)

• In the case of past or present thoughts,
  • Focus your mind on the here and now…the present moment, your breath and while you sit and meditate feel reassured that during those moments all is well
• If it’s the same thought repeating
  • Focus on what you are avoiding and why.
• Jumping from multiple things.
  • Are you stressed by being stretched in too many areas? Focus not on all you have to do, but perhaps how your body feels.   It’s amazing when we give our body a chance to ‘speak’ how during a meditation shoulders can become tight as a sign of stress, or we feel a knot in our stomach when something doesn’t feel right.

So now you’ve acknowledge all the thoughts, decided on your focus for your next meditation and now you start training your mind to maintain focus

3)   Maintaining attention on what you want your mind to be focusing on.

• When you first start, try setting your phone alarm for just 5 minutes.  You’ll be surprised how your mind wants to jump about and the number of thoughts that will pass through in only 5 minutes.   Again it’s about becoming aware of the thoughts….NOT acting on them, jumping onto that train of thought, but simply acknowledge the thought and letting it go.   If you find you’ve wondered off on another thought, that’s okay.  Come back to counting your breath is always a good way to refocus.

As the saying goes, practise makes perfect.  The more you do it the easier it becomes and the longer you can stay in meditation.

Different Meditations;      There are many kinds of meditation, one to suit everyone.  They all help train the mind and all forms of meditation encourage you to focus your attention.  Give each a go and find what works for you or why not mix it up.

A few different types include:

• your breath  (simply counting your in, hold and out breath)
• an object (such as a candle, a flame or picture)
• a mantra (a repeated word or sound, sometimes called kirtan)
• a visualisation (mental images)
• an affirmation (positive statements).

Surroundings:     Don’t think you need to sit crossed legs, atop a mountain or in a monastery.   Some of the best meditations can be done sitting outside in the garden, under a tree, near the beach or just in a quiet area of the house.    You need to be relaxed and not get hung up about distractions:  noise from kids, outside traffic, life in general going on.   It’s not about trying to ignore or shut them out completely but rather simply let them be in the background and simply bring your attention back to the focus.  Obviously turning off your mobile phone or telling the kids you are having quiet time and not to disturb you is a good idea before you start.

Recently I was fortunate to spend time with 2 of my closest friends in a lovely part of Queensland; Maleny. We had an absolute blast and for me there were 3 call outs:

1) Spending time with girlfriends who are totally honest and open, who share values, listen without judgement, are supportive and nurturing brings joy to my life that feeds and heals my soul.
2) Don’t wait for the life you want, rather start setting plans in place e.g. Long before a train can arrive you have to lay the tracks. Without the tracks your train will never arrive. When you act, life starts and manifestations begin.
3) Stop waiting for the ‘bad patch’ the ‘difficult year’ to end and realise this IS life! It’s not about periods of hardship, loss and frustration versus happy, positive and fulfilling times but simply its life. A reminder that life happens and all we really can control is how we manager our emotions. There is no end to the roller coaster of life until the very end! Until then, strap yourself in, throw your hands in the air and enjoy the ride. As with all rollercoaster rides there are highs and lows, fast and slow but ultimately one hell of a ride.

Recently I was fortunate to spend time with 2 of my closest friends in a lovely part of Queensland; Maleny.     We had an absolute blast and for me there were 3 call outs:

• Spending time with girlfriends who are totally honest and open, who share values, listen without judgement, are supportive and nurturing brings joy to my life that feeds and heals my soul.
• Don’t wait for the life you want, rather start setting plans in place e.g. Long before a train can arrive you have to lay the tracks.   Without the tracks your train will never arrive.   When you act, life starts and manifestations begin.
• Stop waiting for the ‘bad patch’ the ‘difficult year’ to end and realise this IS life! It’s not about periods of hardship, loss and frustration versus happy, positive and fulfilling times but simply its life.    A reminder that life happens and all we really can control is how we manager our emotions.   There is no end to the roller coaster of life until the very end!  Until then, strap yourself in, throw your hands in the air and enjoy the ride.   As with all rollercoaster rides there are highs and lows, fast and slow but ultimately one hell of a ride.

How many times have you heard “2016 the year of change?”       Personally, I’d say too many.      Why, well simply it’s because it’s always associated with the negative. I get that change can be scary, goodness the start to my year has been anything but smooth sailing. Change forced upon me in a work capacity despite my best efforts to rationalise, change in my elderly family’s health, change even in the mundane everyday expectation that I have a car to use. So yes, 2016 is absolutely a year of change.
But is it something to be scared of? Something to fear? Absolutely not.

Just like the rejuvenation of nature, the change in seasons, it’s all necessary if we want to continue to be bigger, stronger and more vibrant…..more importantly survive! Think of a tree whose leaves change colour in a splendid array of beauty only to shed them and be left naked and vulnerable while the new growth takes hold. Only by shedding the old, exposing our vulnerability can we really hope to blossom bigger bolder and stronger than before.
Stress of change is really fear of the unknown. My recommendation for 2016, is to forget the negative connotations and embrace it.     Live in the moment, manage what you can control and don’t jump forward to what might or might not happen. Why waste energy on speculating the worst of the future, or reminiscing on how things were yesterday. Concentrate on today, this moment, this wonderful gift call the present. Love those around you, love yourself and most importantly remember….The Universe gives us what we need, not what we want.    What we need in 2016 will become evident as the year goes on, but for today, in this moment in time…..take a deep breath and know that all is well.

Do you ever get one of those questions in your head, one of those big universal mind blowing questions? I mean a question that could change the world as we know it! HEAVY I know. So here is my big question for today……who decided black was the base colour for clothes, the conservative colour, the slimming colour. Why not green?     I mean have you ever walked through a garden full of green and thought, gosh those colours clash, this garden looks too risky or this garden is fat!     When you look at it, what garden with a spectrum of different shades of green and a multitude of colours doesn’t look just awesome?
So that’s my big question as I head to work and of course the universe to prove a point does this. … I’m wearing black trousers a white top and red jacket.    As I walk up the path to the office it’s not an array of black, white and red I see but green, white and red. First a bush with red flowers, next to a bush with white flowers. There in the middle is a combination of green shrubbery highlighted with red and white. Looks awesome of course, why wouldn’t it it’s designed and created by Nature.     Mother Nature my designer of choice.
So ask yourself… should green be the new black?

Something to ponder for sure.     While you consider removing all traces of black from your wardrobe and replacing with green I’ll be taking a couple of weeks break as I move house.   Feel free to make a booking now for mid-November when I’m back on board.    Phone, email or book an appointment via the website for reiki healing, clairvoyant chakra balancing, tarot readings and much more.

Coincidences, don’t you love them? Or are you even aware of them? If you’ve read any of my previous blogs you’ll know it makes me laugh at how my guides communicate with me. At times the message is so darn obvious, repeated in many ways, that I can’t help but ‘get it’. Is it really just a coincidence when you keep seeing or hearing the same topic over and over? When you start to notice those little coincidence here and there it’s amazing how quickly you become aware that well maybe it isn’t really a coincidence but just how it’s all meant to be, that things are happening exactly as they should. No amount of pushing and shoving is going to change things, so start noticing the messages and coincidences and go with the flow. Let me share my day yesterday and see if you can pick up any coincidences or a common theme.

Public holiday Monday therefore no rush or stress and with no one at home I can do exactly as I please. Some alone time, me time. First a walk with the dogs followed by a coffee on the veranda with time to just sit and ponder whatever comes to mind. To add to my already serene mood I decided a meditation in the sun would be perfect. A tarot card meditation was my choice and the card chosen was The Hermit. For those unfamiliar with the Hermit he represents a time of inner retreat, contemplation, soul searching, quiet reflection and meditation (ok that’s very top line) all of which assist with a spiritual journey. But wait a minute….quiet reflection, pondering, meditation…..……mmmm isn’t that exactly what I’m doing!  He can represent deliberation over those big dynamic questions such as ‘what’s my life purpose’ down to those equally important but not so daunting times in our life when we need to reflect and sense check career, relationships and even our way of life making sure it’s in line with our changing values and growing spirituality. The Hermit can also indicate that we ourselves having travelled the spiritual path, gained a level of knowledge and a growing sense of purpose can in fact help others on their path too. The Hermit most often appears in a reading when we need to stop, reflect and reassess. So with my Hermit meditation done I make another coffee and sit enjoying the peace and quiet. As I contemplate and ponder my day ahead I look down at my Fitbit and see I’ve walked 7777 steps. Oh that’s so odd I thought (really I should know better!) as I’d noticed the day before when it also registered exactly 7777 and even made comment to my husband. Being curious as to why 2 days in a row I notice the same number I went in search of more information and knowledge. For those unfamiliar with numbers, the ‘Idiot’s Guide to Numerology’ states that 7 represents: Time alone, privacy, the search for truth and wisdom, solitary retreat! When I’m doing a tarot reading and 7’s appear my own list of ‘seven words’ include: reflection, assessment, spirituality, discovery and knowledge.   Sounding familiar?
As if I hadn’t gotten the message in the morning that “Rose be like the Hermit”, last night as I watched Star Wars the original first one, a character Old Ben is mentioned and described as a Hermit. Old Ben turns out to be Obi Wan Kenobi and doesn’t Obi Wan help Luke on his spiritual journey to trust his feelings, his intuition and find the Force? Like so many I’ve lots happening in my life at the moment and the Hermit card was a perfect reminder to take a leaf out of his book, validation so to speak that not only is it ok to retreat, ponder and meditate its crucial if we want to heighten our intuition, search for answers and continue on our spiritual journey. So regardless of what’s happening in your life at the moment you need time out.  Start looking for the coincidences, trust your intuition and as the Hermit Obi Wan Kenobi would say…may the Force be with you.

I’m sure most of us associate the Fool tarot card with new beginnings, starting a journey and even taking a leap of faith. But did you know that the World card can also mean a new beginning?

So what’s the difference you ask? The Fool is truly about new beginnings, starting from scratch, being full of wonder and enthusiasm and often associated with naivety. Whereas the World card, yes it’s about new beginnings too, but this time, you’ve already done one (or more) laps, been around the block so to speak and it’s time to start again. The World card coming at the end of the tarot deck signifies completion and attainment, the end of a project, that you’ve learnt or at least experienced all the highs and lows, up and downs and challenges life has to offer and you’re now ready for a new start. The green laurel signifies success & praise, the female in the middle reminds us to take centre stage and be proud of what we’ve achieved. Ahhh that’s all well and good I hear you say if you’ve just finished a major project or your Uni degree but what if the card appears in a reading and you’ve just come through some tough times, not your favourite few years, in some ways even ‘the worst’ and you’re glad they’re behind you… how is that interpreted as success & praise? Well you got through them didn’t you? Did you learn a thing or two along the way? Do you feel stronger, wiser and maybe a little less gullible or naive now? I bet you learnt some new life skills too because you had to.
I feel the World card is about knowledge and attainment of the ‘life experience’ kind, the kind you can’t find in a book. The World card is praise indeed, a time to celebrate all you’ve achieved and importantly it’s about starting another journey. The Fool is so excited he simply takes a step without too much thought, a leap of faith and off he goes on his journey. The World card while a very positive card heralding a new life journey, like every tarot card, has a flip side or negative connotation and that is, that it’s very easy to get trapped in the feeling of self accomplishment and you actually forget to move on. Look at the female again, one leg is up as if ready to step over the laurel to a new beginning but is she hesitating? There is no denying this can be hard, you’ve been on journeys and they ain’t always easy! Isn’t it so much easier to just languish in the praise and sense of completion? Yes perhaps for a while but not indefinitely. So just like the Uni student facing the reality that it’s time to put the books down and take all they’ve learned and find a job they can apply their knowledge to, so must you.  After all haven’t you just completed a degree from the University of life. Think on the strong person you are now, the resilience you’ve shown when faced with adversity and ask yourself…. ‘What do I really want to do with my new found confidence, resilience and experience?’   It’s too good to waste now by not moving forward.
So one chapter has come to an end, you’ve survived and now it’s time to take the leap of faith and start a new journey.    This time you’re wiser, made a conscious decision to take a challenge of discovery to whatever YOU desire knowing you’re experienced and are ready for whatever life throws at your way.  The World truly is your oyster…….so bring it on!

When I decided to write a blog for my webpage, I thought I love chatting and emailing friends on what’s going on and sharing some insights, this should be easy! But boy, as soon as it’s for a blog….I’m blocked. Every time I thought about what and how I should write I felt blocked. So let me ask you, is there someplace or some activity that seems to always bring out your most insightful moments? Those light bulb ideas? Well this is where the toilet comes in; – it’s my light bulb place. When I said blocked, you didn’t think I meant the you know what kind of blocked did you?
For me when I’m performing my morning routine; shower, teeth, hair, texting friends etc., most of which at the same time I’ve come to realise over the years that this is when I get my most insightful messages. Thoughts of people to contact, behaviours to be aware of for the day, creative ideas etc. Fresh and relaxed I’m at my most open and receptive to my guides and their prompts to assist me be the best I can.

This morning as I dried my hair and brushed my teeth I realised I’d picked up an almost finished tube of toothpaste and then proceeded to get annoyed with myself as there was a full one right next to it.  I mean really, if only I’d picked up the full one I’d have saved myself some time instead of trying to squeeze the end of the thin used one. At that moment, there in the bathroom, that’s when it happened that thought in my head out of the blue……why not blog about our ongoing frantic need to save time, increasing stress levels and its impact on our ability to receive messages. In all honestly how much time would squeezing toothpaste from a new tube have saved me compared to an old one, a second or two, but more importantly in today’s society of stress, rush, disposable this and that, too busy, too anxious etc., are we missing out on all the glorious messages and insights that are there if we just stop and listen?
When we are relaxed we are more open to receiving messages and it gives our guides a chance to cut through all the normal noise and bustle going on in our heads. So find your light bulb place, be it the garden, in the shower, on the throne or in the bathroom. Quiet your mind, relax, be present and let the thoughts and ideas flow. It may take a while but over time the messages will become stronger and you’ll intuitively know they’re your guides and not just your busy head voices.
So next time I’m blocked on what to write for a blog I know exactly where I need to go. But next time a lovely bath with candles might be in order. Ahhhhhh bliss x.