As we enter one of the holiest and most beautiful days of the year, especially for Christians, I am feeling called to share some of my reflections on the deeper meaning of Christ that hopefully go beyond a particular religious tradition and apply to us as fellow members of the human family.
For me, Christ is a term that speaks into the core of where we are headed as a human race.
It’s about a capacity within all of us to literally become divine — to incarnate the upper octave of our Being into embodied form: to become expressions of God.
In the West, we’ve spent 2,000 years turning Jesus into THE Christ. I think the first and most important act is to tease the two apart and see Christ not as the singular title (or last name) of an extraordinary man from 2,000 years ago but a quality of Being that resides in all of us.
Christ describes a dimension of consciousness in which we are deeply connected with the entire shimmering field of God. Jesus demonstrated that in a beautiful way but he’s not the only one capable of it.
I believe this single shift is the key to evolving Christianity 2.0, where it becomes less about worshipping one man and rehearsing the stories of his life, and much more about our continued evolution as a human species.
Moving from Jesus THE Christ to Jesus A Christ removes a kind of glass ceiling that’s been hindering our growth. It opens the door to truly living and enacting what Jesus said, which was that we would not only do the works that he had done but that we would do even greater works.
What I love about that statement is that it implies multiple lifetimes in which to play out our soul’s evolution. It’s quite obvious that the people to whom Jesus was speaking did not go beyond what he demonstrated in that lifetime. I believe he was speaking to them as souls, who would have many, many more lifetimes to evolve into a more advanced humanity and thus fulfill his words.
He was urging us not to see him as the end of human potential but as the beginning of a new phase in which all of us are full participants.
It was easy and perhaps inevitable to turn a very, very advanced being like Jesus into a Deity since his words, presence, and abilities clearly came from another level of consciousness. But he wanted us to recognize that “I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you.”
In other words, he wanted us to recognize our oneness with him by embracing the Christ that is within us as well, which some teachers refer to as Christ Consciousness.
Now we may not feel the Christ within all the time — I certainly don’t every day — yet in our heart of hearts, we must remember that we have the same divine potential, the same tender relationship with God, the same ability to bless and heal and inspire.
It just takes time to unfold.
We have some deprogramming to do — moving from seeing ourselves as wretched sinners to radiant emissaries of the Divine... moving from obeying rules to following the truth in our hearts... moving from comfortable clans to embracing the full spectrum of humanity (every color, shape, gender, class, and sexual orientation).
And it helps a great deal to practice — prayer, meditation, and deep relationship are all portals into our Christ nature.
But the Christ potential within us is also not just about our spiritual growth or something we do in silence. It’s about creating a truly just, compassionate, and merciful world in which we tend to the sick, house the homeless, minister to the victims of violence, and design systems that allow for all to flourish.
Expressing the Christ within does not require that we become a renunciant; we need Christs in the boardroom and Christs in Congress as equally as we need them in the ghettos. We need Christ as Doctor, Christ as Entrepreneur, Christ as Artist, Christ as Healer, and Christ as Schoolteacher as much as we need another prophetic voice.
We need everyday Christs who are willing to roll up their sleeves in whatever their field of calling is. I believe that Christ Consciousness is about a holistic, integrated next level of our human potential, which will include how we engage relationships, families, communities, work, politics, and even technology.
Taking Jesus off the singular pedestal also opens the door to different flavors of what Christ Consciousness looks like — instead of one itinerant minister/healer, we can eventually have many examples of what becoming Christed looks like. This creates more space for each of us to express our unique gifts, which can include shouldering all the responsibilities of jobs, mortgages, families, and citizenship while also allowing a Christ quality to permeate our lives.
Christmas is thus not only a time to celebrate the birth of Jesus, as world-shaking an event as that was. It’s also a time to celebrate the birth of the Christ potential in each of us.
It’s instructive to harken back to the roots of Christ in Greek, which means “anointed” — we are being anointed with a more divine potential.
Regardless of the terms we use for this, we are the people who are now tasked with creating real healing in the world. We are the people who are tasked with putting an end to wars, hatred, and deprivation. We are the ones who have to figure out how to design and enact heaven on earth (with guidance and empowerment from above, naturally).
In this journey, we need a vision of our Christ self that is attainable, multi-dimensional, AND practical, allowing us to deal with the real human concerns and challenges of our day.
In my experience, the Christ within sources from the heart and expresses as a magnificent unconditional love. It has brought me to my knees in its wonder.
But it also translates through rigorous thinking about how we design a society that works. It’s not just right-brain mystical holism and bliss; it includes the more analytical and scientific left brain as well.
The Christ within is a window on the Infinite, a portal to God, and a gateway to the Divine Presence that pours forth unconditional love for all of creation...
And it’s also a very practical scientist designing the energy systems of the future.
The reason I write all this is because I believe that now is the time in which we’ve begun to see people living into their full Christ potential on a wider scale. It’s a natural outgrowth of our evolution.
That doesn’t mean the Christs of tomorrow will adhere to just one tradition. More likely, they will see, honor, and revere the sacred truths in every tradition and honor the wayshowers who have brought humanity this far.
They will be open to incarnate something new — to draw down more of the Soul into radiant embodiment, to design a world based on sacred principles, to take responsibility for healing the schisms in the human family.
That’s why I think it’s more accurate to talk of Christing than of Christ. Christing implies a continual journey of incarnating more of our divinity and evolving a more and more beautiful world. It’s not about a static set of rules but about the naked, vulnerable, and rigorous process of letting go of old ideas of ourselves and our world — and opening to the new.
That’s true whether we are Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, or atheist. It’s about showing up fully for our growth and our service. It’s about enacting a divine plan that we are co-creating as we go.
To me, that is the deeper story of what Christ means. Jesus was a wayshower and a demonstrator of what it looks like to incarnate Christ Consciousness fully. He has a central place in my heart and I have deep gratitude for him as a highly evolved being. But I love my fellow Jewish, Muslim, Indigenous, Hindu, and Buddhist travelers too much to think of myself as a Christian only.
Allowing the Christ within to take root in our own being means seeing everyone as a sacred expression — even atheists (which I also used to be) who do so much for the evolution of our world.
It’s about living from a sacred wholeness in which all truths, traditions, and beings are respected as emissaries of the Divine.
And it’s about taking clear actions that create a world in which all are able to truly thrive, with food, clean water, housing, and the opportunity to embrace, embody, and express their unique genius.
So as we enter Christmas, I offer a deep bow of gratitude to Jesus as a wayshower. I offer gratitude to the Jewish lineage in which he emerged and which has held strong for so many millennia. I honor the shamanic roots hidden in traditions like Santa and his reindeer.
And I pray that we can all learn to soften our identification with particular tribes and traditions and enact a world based on our oneness, living from the Christ Light that animates us all.
May the Christ within you shine forth in the coming year!
Love,
Stephen

SALT LAMPS, what are they and why should we use them?

Last night I had a client ask me what this funny looking lamp was in my treatment room.  I hadn't really stopped to think that people wouldn't know what they were.  So I launched into an explanation as to why I have several of these lamps throughout my home and figured it would be a good topic to blog about.

Salt lamps are natural Ion generators.  They emit negative Ions into the atmosphere.  Now hold on, I hear you saying..."WHAT...Negative Ions, that can't be good for us"?  Actually, they are very good for us.  Negative Ions restore and neutralize air quality and can be used to treat illness and improve overall health.  In this technological day and age we have filled our homes and offices with electrical appliances and electronics of all sorts (televisions, computers, florescent lighting, microwaves, heaters, air-conditioners and so on) As much as a lot of these devices have made our day to day living easier and more enjoyable it is also what is being blamed for lowering our energy levels and making us feel tired, cranky and depressed through their constant emmissions of Positive Ions.  That's right, we're being bombarded by positive ions and it's making us sick.  Keeping a Salt lamp in areas of your home or office where these Positive Ion emitters dwell will help to neutralize the air that you are breathing, creating a constant balance of Positive and Negative.  This has also been proven to help to reduce airborne infections.....so don't forget to put one in baby's room....there may not be a heavy load of electronics in there, but the Salt lamp will help to clean and purify the air that your little one is breathing.

SO HOW DO THESE LAMPS WORK?
I know there are those of you who just have to know how these lamps work, so here it is in simplest form.  The heat from a lighted salt lamp (can be candle light or the small bulb lights) attracts moisture.  The evaporation of water through salt emits negative ions.  Obviously, size matters in this case.  The bigger the lamp the more negative ions it will emit and the bigger the space it can purify.  For example a small candle holder or night light sized unit will be effective for an small room or office cubicle.  The larger the room the larger your lamp needs to be.

HEALTH BENEFITS OF EMITTING NEGATIVE IONS INTO YOUR LIVING OR OFFICE SPACE

Increased Chi (universal energy)
Helps to eliminate allergens
Can reduce the affects of SAD
Helps to support the immune system
Boosts Serotonin levels
Helps to improve mental alertness
Promotes general overall health

HIMALAYAN ROCK SALT LAMPS

Himalayan rock salt lamps are made from salt crystals that are approximately 250 million years old taken from the Himalayan Mountain Regions.  These mined crystals can come in shades ranging from white, pink, peach, orange and into the red hues.  You can usually find a variety of natural or sculpted shapes.

Put several of them throughout your home, but if you are going to place one in a high moisture room (bathroom or basement) be sure to keep it turned on at all times.  Left to sit turned off it will soak up the moisture and begin to weep. 

Breathe Free
xxx

  CRYSTAL OF THE MONTH

CELESTITE

 I just recently acquired a beautiful piece of Celestite from Madagascar and I’m loving

it’s gentle Celestial energy.  Celestite is light Bluish/grey/white in color (commonly) and the most common pieces on the market are from Madagascar.  Celestite’s gentle energy can raise one’s awareness into the higher realms and can facilitate communication between oneself and one’s Guardian Angels or Angel guides.  It helps to stimulate the third eye and crown chakras and the etheric chakras located above the head.  It can sometimes make one feel they are floating on a cloud just gazing at it.  Because it’s vibrations radiate around a room it is an excellent stone to keep in bedrooms, healing rooms or meditation spaces.  It not the best stone to do healing work with though for just that reason.  Typically for healing you want a stone with a more direct energy.  But just placing it in your healing space will allow the benefits to be felt.  This stone is a must for anyone wanting to start working with the Angelic realm.
 
Look for this celestial beauty in your favourite Crystal shop.

Rubies are excellent stones for energy, they
bring vigor to life and energize and help to balance us. 
This stone can be over stimulating in some delicate or irritable people so wear with caution.  Rubies bring about a passion for life improving motivation and encouraging the setting of
realistic goals.  Ruby also asks us to follow our bliss, this is because of its connection as a “heart chakra” stone.  It is the stone of abundances and aids in bringing and holding onto wealth and passion. 

Mentally – this stone will hold us in a positive and courageous state of mind, bringing a heightened sense of awareness and acute  concentration. Given this stones protective effect, it makes you stronger during disputes or controversy. 
Likely a good reason why all of the Kings and Knights of old carried or wore Rubies into battle. In fact, it’s said that wives sewed rubies into the
hem of their husbands clothing before they went off to battle. 
 
For healing purposes, Ruby detoxifies the body, blood and lymph system. It’s good for treating fevers, infectious disease and restricted blood
flow.  Its primary healing function includes its benefits to treating diseases of the heart and circulatory system.  Wear or carry this stone
to benefit from its healing or protective qualities. 
I have one with me always!

This is one of the Solitary Confinement Cells down in the basement of the Old Cobourg Jail.  As you can imagine, this place is loaded with spirits.  I was feeling a sense of fear (not mine) in this cell and I could feel spirit around me.  I was quite surprised though when I got home, looked at the pictures and when enlarged could clearly see the image of a small (child's I believe) face and hand peeking out from around the bottom of my skirt.

So what would a child be doing in a jail?  Did this jail house juveniles?  Not to my understanding it didn't.  The Cobourg jail housed inmates and homeless delinquents.  It was a holding facility for approximately ninety years....so can you imagine the number of spirits in this place?  Since it closed and was subsequently sold, it was re-opened as many things, a Pub, an Inn, a conference centre etc.  Regardless, Spirit will return to an area that they remember, had a good experience in etc. regardless of what buildings are now there.  Obviously, the property has been there much longer than the buildings.   

When we did an investigation of this jail with TV's star of Rescue Mediums Jackie Dennison, we did a séance while in the Mortuary.  I had the spirit of a young boy come through for us then.  His Grandmother used to work in the building as a maid and he would come to work with her and play in the rooms.  Could it be that young boy whose spirit can be seen peeking out from around my skirt??
 

Throughout the time I was walking around the different rooms in the jail, I clearly had the sense of a young Jail Guard accompanying me.  I was intrigued with the orb on the table in this picture.  Enlarged it looks very much like a Uniform button.  Was he sneaking into the picture with me? Photo bombed by a spirit, my kids would say! I'm sure he's smiling!

Here's another intriguing picture.  Looking down the Solitary Confinement hall.  The white glow on the Picture frame housing a guards uniform on the far wall, is the flash reflection from my camera....the orb to the right of that though again looks like my guards uniform button.  Can you find the other orbs in this picture??  Now look at the window in the Solitary Cell Door closest to the front of the picture.  Can you see what appears to be a spirit.  Best described it looks like a little entity sitting curled on his knees and looking towards the camera.  An interesting pic that I've forwarded on to my friends and members of the Ontario Paranormal team.

Apart from being really angry at my husband for closing the cell door on me.....I was intrigued that this and one other picture came out somewhat blurred.  The odd thing I find is that the left side of the picture and the bars and some of the items in the cell are clear, yet I am blurry!  Spirit manipulation??? Maybe!

This is the processing/holding room and would have been the first stop for any prisoners coming into the jail. Lots of activity in this room.

The Cobourg jail is preserved as a free museum and is housed below what is now a Pub and Inn.  The guest rooms on the main floor still have the original Jail bars as a part of the decor.  I've investigated some of these rooms too and I will promise you, you're in for a treat sleeping there. So next time you're in Cobourg stop by for a drink and a bite to eat at MacAllisters Bar & Grill and if you're feeling up to it....wander downstairs to the Jail for some spirits of a different kind.

Cheers!
Trish 

SMUDGE

I was recently asked my thoughts on how to smudge ourselves and whether there is or should be some ritualistic words accompanying the act.

The act of smudging is a ritual in and of itself.  I smudge myself on average 5 times a week, I aim for seven....but hey....I'm not perfect. lol  Personally,I liken smudging to bathing.  I bathe myself to clean away the dirt and chemicals etc. that I've come in contact with on a day to day basis, and Smudging cleanses our Aura's in the same way.  Everyday we come into contact with energy, some of which can have a negative vibration picked up from people, places and things that surround us.  Smudging with Sage clears that negativity from around us.  Our homes, rooms, office spaces and cars can and should be smudged also.

There are three common herbs used in smudging, Sage - Cedar & Sweetgrass, others may be added depending on what the intention and energy you wish to bring to the smudging, but for the purpose of this blog, I'm just talking about the three most common.  By burning these herbs we tap into the power of the energy they hold.

SAGE


There are many varieties of sage, and most have been used in smudging. The botanical name for "true" sage is Salvia (e.g. Salvia officinalis, Garden Sage, or Salvia apiana, White Sage). It is interesting to note that Salvia comes from the Latin root salvare, which means "to heal." 

Sage is used to clear ourselves or the space of negative energy, to drive out bad spirits, feelings or influences and/or to keep bad spirits from entering a space where a ceremony is to take place or in other words, creating sacred space.
Native American Indians commonly cover the ground in a sweat lodge with sage and participants in the sweat lodge ceremony rub the leaves on their bodies while in sweat.

CEDAR

There is sometimes some confusion about the names used for this plant.  In some areas Junipers are known as Cedars.  For the purpose of smudging though look for Red Cedar, that's not to say that Juniper hasn't been used in smudging.

Cedar is burned while praying either aloud or silently. The prayers rise on the cedar smoke and are carried to the Creator, the Great Spirit or the Universe (insert a deity of your choice and belief system).   In the Pacific Northwest, the native people burn cedar for purification in much the same way as sage - it drives out negative energy; but it also brings in good influences, and that's what I use it for.  I've cleared out the negative with Sage and then I bring in the good with Cedar.  The spirit of cedar is considered very ancient and wise by Pacific Northwest Native tribes, and old, downed cedar trees are honored with offerings and prayers

SWEETGRASS

Sweet grass is a tall wild grass with a reddish base and perfume-like, musty sweet odor. It grows mainly on the eastern side of the Rockies in Montana and adjacent Alberta, Canada. It also shows up in some small areas of Wyoming and South Dakota. Its botanical name is Hierochloe odorata. Some common names for it are Seneca grass, holy grass and vanilla grass.

 Sweet grass is usually braided together in a bunch in the same manner a persons hair is braided, but it can be purchased in some places loose. Either way, it is usually burned by shaving little bits over hot coals or lighting the end and waving it around, letting the smoke spread through the air. 

It is good to burn sweet grass after the sage or cedar have driven out the bad influences. Sweet grass brings in the good spirits and the good influences. As with cedar, burning sweet grass while praying sends prayers up to the Creator/Great Spirit/Universe etc. in the smoke.  Its fragrance is also well known in the Angelic Realm.  Sweetgrass is also put in pipe bundles and medicine bundles along with sage to purify and protect sacred objects.
Unfortunately,  Sweet grass is harder to find today, its territory severely cut by development, cattle-grazing, and wheat fields - Indians in the northern Plains are trying to protect the last remaining fields. The best way for most folks to get sweetgrass is to buy it at Native American retail outlets. This gives support to Indians who can help the fields from being depleted.

SO THERE IS THE WHAT AND THE WHY, NOW THE HOW.

In answering the question that was posed to me, there are no hard and fast words that MUST be spoken when smudging.  We do need to keep in our mind a sense of reverence as this is a sacred ceremony and we are seeking help from the Divine/Universe/Great Spirit etc.  The two most important components of smudging are "intent" and "prayer or affirmation".  So, here is how "I" smudge myself (and this is not to say that I hold the only route to smudging, it's simply what I've been taught to do and the way that sits best with my inner self).  House/Business/Car smudging is a slightly different process, below is simply smudging oneself.

I start by taking a moment to clear my mind and then bring in the intention of clearing any negative energies surrounding me and bringing in good influences.

I prepare my smudge:  I use an Abalone shell and loose herbs for self smudging.  There are some who disagree with the use of an Abalone shell as they believe the Abalone shell sacred to element of Water and feel it disrespectful to burn or add the element of fire to it.  In my own belief's I feel that I am using all of the elements in smudging and that is my intention.  The Abalone shell represents Water, The herbs Earth, The Burning represents Fire and the Feather and the smoke itself represent Air and my prayers of course representing Spirit.

I prepare my herbs in the Abalone Shell, starting by putting in my Sage, then the Cedar and cutting in some Sweet Grass.  At this point I would add in any other herbs that I would like to include to add their energy to my prayers.

I light the herbs and when I've got a good smoke going I blow out the flames and fan the smoke.  I use a feather for smudging, but it's not necessary, this can be done with just your hands.

I raise the Abalone shell to my heart space and confirm my intention and at this point I may add in a prayer or recite an affirmation.

I draw the smoke into my heart space an hold it for a moment.  Then I continue to bathe myself in the smudge smoke, starting with the ground at my feet, my feet, legs, abdomen, shoulders, arms an up and over the head so the smoke flows down the back.  Remember to do both sides of your body and waft it around the back as best you can.  This is actually much easier than it sounds.  Once I have completely bathed in the smoke, I again bring the shell to my heartspace, I bring the smoke to my third eye and hold and ask to be gifted with clear sight, then the throat Chakra and asking to be guided to speak my truth and ending with the Heart asking to be guided by pure love.

Give thanks to the Great Spirit/Universe/Creator etc. for these blessings.  And I end with Blessed Be.

By all means make this a ritual if that is what you are guided to do, or chant if you are so led............always follow your own inner thoughts and feelings that guide you.

Let me know if this has helped those who are new to smudging and/or given others some ideas to add to their own smudging rituals.  If you have any questions, feel free to contact me at my website: www.thepeacefulhealingtree.com

Namaste

RESCUE MEDIUM JACKIE DENNISON AND PARTNER STEVE FURLONG.

Sorry, this blog is going to be a long one, so much packed into one fantabulous weekend. Friday May 3rd and Saturday May 4th saw me heading to the Old Cobourg Jail to spend some time with popular world renowned psychic and TV star of the show Rescue Mediums ....Jackie Dennison and one of her partners ... Steve Furlong for a few workshops and a Psychic Investigation of the haunted Cobourg Jail.

The weekend started with a Kick Off dinner on Friday night which was a wonderful opportunity to meet and greet both Jackie and Steve, the Producer of Rescue Mediums Michael and Researcher Consultant to the show Edna and not to be forgotten Norman "the travelling gnome" he's got an eye for the ladies though so I was told.

I was attending this event on my own, but I wasn't on my own for too long.  I was shuffled about a bit then asked if I would mind sitting with a group of three other women Gale, Ellen and Darlene.  It wasn't long before we started conversing and discussing the types of things that I do and the "spirit" visitors I've had since I was a little girl.  They were loaded with questions that I tried to answer systematically before the next question came.  We had lots of laughs and a great meal and an opportunity to take a few pics.  Here's me with Jackie, she gave me such a cuddle.

This is Jackie with Michael the Producer of Rescue Mediums.  We couldn't help notice how he looked like a young Robin Williams.
Saturday morning I was first on site for the morning workshop and sitting on my own in the room we would be working in directly across from the Solitary Confinement area of the jail.  It was a bit spooky especially when the lights started to flicker....there was no mistaking that spirit was everywhere in that place.  We did some great mediumship exercises, some psychic exchange work and meditations to meet guides....I got to do some psycometry work, which I'd never done and it was pretty amazing how accurately you can pick up things about the owner from an object of theirs.  I was bang on with the girl I was working with (she'd given me a set of keys to work with).  Lunch and back to work....this time working with our Pendulums.  Items were hidden, we were given maps of the Jail and with our Pendulum set off to find out what the object was and where it was. We were also given a bag with items in and we were not allowed to touch them in anyway, just using our pendulum figure out what items were in the bag. A lot of work, a lot of questions, but a lot of fun too.  Got some great ideas for exercises for the Pendulum course I'm putting together.  Then time to nip home for a quick change to be back for the VIP dinner followed by instruction on preparing ourselves for a Psychic Investigation and then the thing we were all waiting for....the actual investigation of the hotel....haunted rooms, cells etc. culminating in a Seance in the Mortuary this was to run into the wee hours of the morning.
The excitement and energy in the room during dinner was over the top.  If you can imagine a room filled with Energy workers, Mediums and two (yeah two) Paranormal Investigation teams.  Again I was on my own, but not for long...Cody and her friend Karen came to sit with me and have dinner.  We clicked immediately.  They made up the women's Paranormal Investigation team and delighted in telling me all about the "haunted" room they were spending the night in.  I couldn't resist the offer to go and check it out.  Once inside (the rooms still have the original Jail bars in them) I could feel my throat tightening.  I mentioned to Cody, that I thought someone had hanged themselves in here and as I said it, the ceiling fan above us stopped dead.  Not slowed down and then stopped.....stopped dead.  We tried to start it by pulling the chains, but it wouldn't go...it wasn't until we switched the switch over by the door that it came back on. My first contact with spirit for the night.  We headed back to the dining room to eat and were joined by a friend of mine Darlene and another woman that had been on the morning workshop with me Maureen.  We all had a great time discussing everything Spirit.

Once the GuWe headed downstairs as a group and listened to the Parnormal people show their equipment and what it does EMF's, Temperature Guns, Infared cameras, Monitors, EVP's....you name it..they had it!  They'd be following us around and verifying with the equipment what we were sensing with our own abilities.  After some meditation/protection/opening of senses we were off.  I had been avoiding the Solitary Confinement cells all day because it was a very oppressive feeling in there, but I knew I'd come here for a reason and I was going for it.  I ventured down to the last cell and started to work...I quickly connected with the spirit of a Male Guard.  I was cold all down one side as he moved closer to me.  The team brought in the temperature gauges and there was a noticeable 5 degree drop in temperature around one side of me.  Next, the EMF meter that went crazy around me, infared cameras etc all capturing the moment and as I stood feeling this energy moving around me and talking with the investigative team that was with me, a pen dropped on the floor between us out of nowhere.  We all checked to make sure none of us lost our pens but nope....we all had ours in our hands.  Jackie came over and connected with the energy as well.  She confirmed as did Steve who'd been there with me also that it was a guard and then all at once we all felt a blow to the back of the head.  Our guard had been attacked by a prisoner resisting Solitary Confinement.

Next it was upstairs to the rooms to do some vigils in the haunted rooms.  We started oddly enough with Cody's room #20.  All the equipment was set up, lights out and we settled in and started asking for spirit to respond.  The voice recorder captured a little more than we wanted as we had made contact with the swearing ghost who told us in NO uncertain terms where we could go.  Next we were off to room #19 where we were all overwhelmed when we went in with a sense of un-balance, a couple of people felt very nauseous.  The whole room was out of whack, and felt like standing on a ships deck in a storm.  There were some knocks and bangs and our dowsing rods were spinning wildly.  We got a lot of answers to our questions and some possible names that we turned over to Edna for her to research.  We'll know the results of the research and all the Paranormal Investigators equipment in a week or two.  When we were done wandering the halls and rooms, we gathered again in the basement (Solitary Confinement) and prepared to head into the Mortuary to begin our Séance....it was just past midnight now and the old building was just coming to life....lights flickering, things going bump in the night....but we were all anxious to do more.

We could only sit eight at the table at the time, so we would have to do two seatings for the Séance.  We split into two and the first group sat while the second group watched quietly from the outer circle and then we switched positions.

When it was our groups turn, we took our seats had our hands touching, opened our Crown Chakra and starting sending the energy around the circle.  Jackie started us off asking questions then as the energy started to fade I felt a young boy come to me.  I told the group and Jackie handed over the Séance to me at that point as I was the one in contact with his energy.  He was a beautiful little blonde haired boy, aged 8...Steve had him too and verified his age.  He came around here to be with his Nana who used to work there.  We were able to ascertain that he died in a drowning accident in nearby Lake Ontario.  Again Edna our research assistant will be trying to verify that information, so I'll keep you posted.  He slowly began to pull his energy back, we thanked him and carried on.  Once we were done, we all headed back to the main jail to discuss our findings and wind down a bit.....the energy was still flowing wildly for most of us.  As a matter a fact it turned out Cody continued on investigating until well into the morning.  As I mentioned, Cody and I hit it off and you can bet there will be more joint investigations and adventures......So stay tuned.

xxx
Boo

May’s Crystal’s are The Emerald and Carnelian

EMERALD

Ok Ladies and Gents, we should all be wearing an
  Emerald in one fashion or another as it is the “stone of successful love”.  It’s a triple “I” stone….inspiration, infinite patience and integrity. This stone beams out domestic bliss and loyalty.  It encourages Unity, Unconditional, partnership and is a great stone for friendships too.  

So why do I suggest that we all wear one?? 
Because besides keeping a partnership in balance, it’s said that if the Emerald changes color that it signifies unfaithfulness. 
Now…. Hold on….don’t just really on the gem folks, but energetically it could be your first clue.  Given it’s power with relationships and it’s stunning color, its understandable that
it works with the Heart Chakra, having a calming effect on our emotions.  It really does balance us physically, mentally, and emotionally.  Many
psychics wear or have in their psychic toolkit an Emerald as it enhances psychic ability, opening clairvoyance and stimulating the ability to gather wisdom for mental planes.  Because of it’s
ability to clear negative emotions, it opens us up to enjoy life to the fullest.  If you’re the slightest
bit Claustrophobic, Emerald can be your new best friend.

Emeralds healing qualities include but aren’t limited to, helping us recover after infectious diseases. It works on the sinus, lungs, heart, spine and muscles and can even be soothing for the eyes.  I’d suggest wearing this stone on the little finger, ring finger over the heart on the right arm or over an infected area for healing.

CARNELIAN

Ahhhhhhhh Carnelian grounding and anchoring us in the present reality.  Carnelian is one of those stones that has the ability to cleanse other
stones.  This stone opens us up to accepting the cycle of life and removes the fear of death. 
This stone was often placed in the Pyramids as it was believed to protect the dead on their journey to the afterlife. 

This is a motivational stone, promoting positive life choices, it's a great stone to bring about success in business.  It gives us courage and moves us forward to our goal.  It is a great stone for overcoming abuse of any sort.  It will help you to trust yourself and your thoughts and perceptions.  It will help you to dig deep, get to the bottom of who you are and what makes you tick, then gently help you to overcome negative programming and encourage you to stand on your own two feet.

In healing, Carnelian is full of life force.  Simply holding this stone sends waves of vitality throughout the body.  It is a feminine stone and activates the Base Chakra.  Working with the female reproductive organs, it can increase fertility.  It also heals lower back problems, rheumatism, arthritis, neuralgia, and depression.  It regulates bodily fluids and the kidneys.

Wear Carnelian close to the skin.  And hey, if you're looking for a bit of protection and abundance and prosperity (and who isn't these days) place Carnelian near the front door.  


All in all, two really great stones......but then I've never met a stone I didn't like.

Trish
Namaste xx




 

Last night saw me and my
daughter attend an "Evening of Spirit" with Popular Psychic Medium Blair
Robertson.  What a great evening.  It was an evening filled with love, laughter and some tears shed too. I loved watching Blair work and make the connections to spread messages of peace, love and eternal hope to those on this side of the
veil.

 I understand the feeling of joy that he gets from doing this work as it is my Soul's purpose here in this lifetime too.  I get great enjoyment from my work in the Akashic records and the messages that have come through from a combination of the Akashic Records and mediumship for my clients.  I'm currently embarking on some new courses, always in an effort to enhance my work.  On top
of some mediumship workshops I'm involved with, I will be taking a course this coming weekend on IET (Integrated Energy Therapy) and will be able to add that healing modality to the services I offer, as well in the summer I will be taking
a course in Access Bars and will also be able to add that to the ever growing list of energy services I offer my clients.  

I'm also very excited to be taking part in a series of workshops with world
renowned Psychic Jackie Dennison, you
may recognize her better from her hit TV series Rescue Mediums.

I'm looking forward to completing a Psychic
investigation with Jackie, and the other participants, of the Old Cobourg Jail.  Watch my facebook page for updates, exciting details as well as special offers and promotions on my services available.  In light and love.....Namaste. 

Trish xx

Typical colour: light slightly-pinkish violet to a deep grape purple
 
Amethyst’s colour is unique and some would say seductive, but in actuality this gemstone is
said to protect it’s wearer against seduction. For many thousands of years this
stone has been coveted by royalty secular and ecclesiastical. Moses is said to have described the Amethyst as a symbol of the Spirit of God in the official robes of the High Priest of the Jews. It is a fact that the Russian Empress “Catherine the Great” once sent thousands of miners into the Urals to look for and retrieve Amethyst for her. Because of it’s ability to put the wearer in a chaste frame of mind and symbolise trust and piety, it held a very prominent position in the ornaments of the Catholic clergy over centuries. It is well known as the stone of Bishops and Cardinals. Many different cultures have exuded it’s miraculous powers to do everything from protect crops against temptests and locusts, bringing good fortune in war and the hunt and driving out evil spirits. It’s even been told that if you wear an amethyst around your neck on a cord made
from dog’s hair, it will offer you protection from snakebite. According to the Ancient Greeks, Diana turned a nymph whom Bacchus loved into an Amethyst; hence the term Bacchus stone.

I don’t know so much about all of the above, but I do know that Amethyst is my “go to” stone. When in doubt of what stone to use, I know I can almost always insert Amethyst and it’ll do the job I intend it to do. This is a stone that increases nobility, spiritual awareness, psychic abilities, inner peace and healing, promotes positive transformation, meditation, balance, relieves stress and is
good for communication.

The word Amethyst comes from the Greek “Amethystos” which translates to mean “not
intoxicated”. It is believed this is a reference to the fact that amethyst offers protection against drunkenness.


The Technical Stuff   

Amethyst is a variety of Quartz. However, this beautiful quartz has posed one or two riddles for Scientists that are still unanswered to this day. The amethyst has a hardness of (7), its moderate refraction and its weight in common with the other quartzes, but the crystal structure is different, and is most unconventional.

Some amethysts appear pale to colourless in daylight. Although the reason for this has not been discovered yet, it is possible to re-colour them by means of radium radiation. Knowing that these stones can loose their colour in sunlight indicates that Amethyst jewellery shouldn’t be worn while Sunbathing, or under prolonged black light. It would also not leave this stone in the Sun to clear and/or charge it.

Amethyst can be found worldwide in such places
as:
Brazil and Uruguay – deposits with
the greatest economic significance
Amethyst Harbor Canada – ample quantities, though
rarely gemstone quality
Germany –
Zillertal Alps
Russia – mainly mined
during winter in the Urals – know for their brilliance
Sri
Lanka
Britain
Mexico
Maine USA – a recent find contained over 1000
kiogrammes of cuttable amethyst
Madagascar – generally red or violet hues
found
Uruguay – the most beautiful and
deepest colour, but mostly blemished.

Mystical Properties

Amethyst is a very calming, soothing stone or more over a Natural Tranquilizer which aids to
relieve stress and strain, sooth irritability, balance mood swings, dispel anger, rage, fear and anxiety. It helps to alleviate sadness and grief and dispels negative energy. As already mentioned, it encourages sobriety, so is an excellent choice to help battle dependency on alcohol or drugs or other addictions. It calms and stimulates the mind, so has the ability to help us become more focused, enhancing memory and getting us motivated. Its serenity enhances higher states of consciousness and meditation. It relieves insomnia and aids in remembering and understanding dreams. It also encourages selflessness and spiritual wisdom. Have a difficult decision to make? Amethyst facilitates the decision making process by bringing in common sense and spiritual insight and moving the decision making process forward.

Healing Properties

Amethyst boosts hormone production, and tunes up the endocrine system and metabolism. It
strengthens the immune system, cleanses the blood, relieves physical, emotional and psychological pain or stress and trauma. It’s ability to relieve tension assists in easing headaches. Amethyst is a good choice to help reduce swelling
and bruising and to treat injuries. It is useful in treating hearing disorders. It heals diseases of the lungs and respiratory tract, skin conditions, cellular disorders and diseases of the digestive tract. At a very subtle level this stone has the power to balance and connect the physical, mental and emotional bodies and link them to the spiritual.
So by now you understand why it’s my “go to” stone. It is a wonderful healer.

Magical Properties  

Energy: Protective
Element: Air
Powers:Protection,Healing,transforming, Spiritual Awareness

Amethyst is a very powerful and protective stone. It is said to guard against psychic attack, transmuting that energy into love and protecting it’s wearer from all types of harm. It guards against geopathic or electromagnetic stress and ill
wishes from others. It activates spiritual awareness, opens intuition and has the ability to enhance psychic abilities, making this an excellent stone for meditation or scrying. Sleeping with Amethyst facilitates out-of-body experiences and brings forth intuitive dreams.

Zodiac Correspondences

Associations: Jupiter

 Amethyst is the traditional birthstone of the month of February. It is the stone of Virgo, Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius and Pisces


Chakra Correspondence


Amethyst is typically associated to the Crown Chakra, but is also closely associated to the
Third Eye Chakra. It has the ability to open the Crown Chakra to allow a deeper spiritual awareness and enhanced intuition. Stimulates Third Eye.


xx
 Trish


The information here is presented to you to use as you see fit, but is never to take the place of professional medial advice. Crystals, Gemstones and Metal can accent, help, negate, protect, encourage, strengthen and balance thereby promoting healing. Their effects can be extraordinary, but use in addition to medical advice, and not as a substitute for traditional care. If you are ill, I urge you to seek professional medical attention from a qualified physician.
Crystal Therapy is a wonderful adjunct to traditional Western medicine, but always seek out a certified Crystal Therapist for treatments.



 

GARNET – JANUARY’S STONE

Garnet – The “Warrior’s” Stone. A stone of
  great protection adorning crowns and swords of Kings and worn into battle by
soldiers and warriors of old. Wives often sewed Garnet gemstones into the cloaks  and capes of their warrior husbands for their protective value. It was believed  to heal injuries and stop blood flow in wounds. Known as the stone to
bring  Peace, Victory and Tranquility it’s not a wonder that so many of these were worn  into battle. It is even reported that Noah used a lantern from garnet in order  to safely steer his Ark through the darkness of the night. Many a
traveller wore  Garnet for protection, it was considered a popular talisman as it was believed  to protect its wearer from evil and could illuminate the night.

The word  Garnet is derived from the latin “granum” meaning “grain”. This refers to the  shape of the Garnet which was said to be
reminiscent of the seeds of a  pomegranate.

Garnets have been found in Jewellery from the ancient  Egyptian, Roman and Greek eras.

The Technical Stuff

The fact that  these stones have a hardness of 7 to 7.5 on the Mohs’ scale explains why they  are excellent gemstones to wear. They are
sturdy and resistant to bangs and  knocks from everyday wear and are easily
worked into jewellery.

Although  when we think of Garnet, a deep rich,
dark red springs to mind, there are also  Garnets in different shades of green, pale to bright yellow, fiery orange and  earth colors. Blue is the only color that is not naturally available in Garnet.

Garnet unlike some gemstones is not artificially enhanced in any  way.

Garnets depending on the chemical composition can be found the world  over. Below are the different compositions available and their color and Country  of origin:

Pyrope: Red, frequently with a brown tint – china, Madagascar,  Myanmar, South Africa,
USA
Rhodolite: Purplish Red or Rose – Brazil, India,  Sri Lanka, Thailand,
USA
Almandite: Red with Violet tint – Brazil, India,  Madagascar, Sri Lanka & USA
Spessartite: Orange to Red Brown – Brazil,  China, Kenya, Namibia & USA
Grossularite: Colourless, Green, Brown,  Yellow – Canada, Kenya, Mali, Pakistan, Russia, South Africa
Hydrogrossular:  Opaque greenish variety
of grossularite – Myanmar, South Africa,  Zambia
Hessonite: Brown-red – Brazil, Canada, Madagascar, Sri Lanka,  Tanzania, USA
Leuco Garnet: Colorless variety of grossularite – Canada,  Mexico, Tanzania
Tsavorite: Green to Emerald Green – Kenya,  Tanzania
Andradite: Black, Brown, yellow-brown – Russia
Demantoid: (the  most valuable garnet) Green to Emerald Green – China,
Korea, Russia, USA,  Zaire
Melanite: opaque black – France, Germany, Italy,
USA
Tapazolite:  Yellow to lemon yellow, topaz-like – Italy, Switzerland, USA
Uvarovite:  Emerald Green – Canada, Finland, India, Poland, Russia, USA

World Famous  Garnet

At the auction of the estate of Jacqueline Kennedy-Onassis at  Sotheby’s on April 24, 1996, a striking cabochon garnet flower brooch from the  19th century was sold for $145,000. In the same
year a university student  unearthed in central Australia what is believed to be the largest single garnet  find ever. The giant rough is thought to weigh thousands of tons and measures  nearly a hundred feet across. Can you just imagine how many pair of earrings  that would make?

Garnets Mystical Properties

This is a stone of  romantic love and passion. It is used to enhance sensuality, sexuality and  intimacy. It is said that garnet will bring positive thoughts and boost  energy.

It’s excellent for manifestation and can assist in boosting ones  self-confidence as well as building success in one’s chosen profession. The  Garnet is commonly known as “the” stone for a successful business. Place three  or more Garnets on your desk and success will be forthcoming.

Placed  under the pillow it is said to prevent bad
dreams, as well, wearing the gemstone  in jewellery is said to help generate popularity amongst peers, and alleviate  depression; it will also bring constancy to friendships.

When given as a  gift, it is said to grant loyalty and affection. If you wear garnet and notice  it has lost it’s luster, it is said that there is approaching danger or  disaster. And a stolen Garnet is said to bring the thief nothing but bad luck  until returned to its rightful owner.

As mentioned already, Garnet is a  protective stone and is believed to protect against evil.

Healing  Properties

Garnet is to be used for a gentle spiritual healing. It can  heal the blood, heart and lungs. And although, Garnet is found in a myriad of  colors…it is only in Red that we use for healing.

Garnet is associated  with the thyroid and spleen. Both organs may benefit with cleansing and  purifying with Garnet when the gemstone is held directly over the  organ.

Held in the hand or placed atop the head while searching or  meditating on past lives can be quite useful in bringing about what is being  sought. Beneficial information for the searcher may be released, although the  information may be painful, it will be what the searcher needs, the garnet is a  stone of truth and purity as well as a symbol of love and compassion.

For  women, wearing Garnet through your menstrual cycle will help relieve  cramps.

Magical Properties

Energy:
Protective
Element:  Fire
Powers: Healing, Protection, Strength

It is said that Garnet  holds not only the power to protect its wearer from negative energies, but to  send those negative energies back to where they
originated from. If you are  suffering from malicious gossip and lies, wearing a garnet will send the  negative vibrations directly back to whence they came.

Zodiac  Correspondences

Associations: Mars

Garnet is the traditional  Birthstone for the month of January. It is the stone of Scorpio, Capricorn and  Aries. It symbolizes constructiveness. It’believed to brighten dark souls and  bring hope to people.

Chakra Correspondence

Garnet is typically  associated with the first or
Root/Base chakra, but also with other chakras  depending on its color. Garnet is a stone that can connect with the kundalini  energy of transformation. It can regenerate and transmute, and at the same time  lift depression and help keep thoughts on a higher level.

Trish

The information here is presented to you to use as you see  fit, but is never to take the place of professional medical advice. Crystals,  Gemstones and Metal can accent, help, negate, protect, encourage, strengthen and  balance thereby promoting healing. Their effects can be extraordinary, but use  in addition to medical advice, and not as a substitute for traditional care. If  you are ill, I urge you to seek professional medical attention from a qualified  physician. Crystal Therapy is a wonderful adjunct to traditional Western  medicine. Seek out a certified Crystal Therapist for  treatments.

Information Sources:
The Crystal Bible by Judy Hall,  2003
Wheels of Life by Anodea Judith PhD 2000
Crystal Enchantments by D.J  Conway, 1999
Smithsonian
Handbooks Gemstones by Cally Hall, 1994
Crystal,  Gem and Metal Magic by
Scott Cunningham, 2002
Chakra Healing and Karmic  Awareness by Keith
Sherwood, 2005
The illustrated Directory of Crystal  Healing by Cassandra
Eason, 2003
Healing Crystals and Gemstones by Dr. Flora  Peschek-Bohmer,
Gisela Schrieber, 2002

 

  I've got a nasty summer cold but I've been taking Oil of Oregano and it's kicking butt. It tastes absolutely horrid, but it works really well.

What are the Benefits of Oil of Oregano?
The ancient Greeks were one of the first people to recognize this oil for its health benefits and medicinal qualities. It is known to be a potent antiviral, antibacterial, antifungal, and antiparasitic oil that can... reduce pain and inflammation and effectively fight off infections.

Some of the specific benefits of Oil of Oregano are:

•Destroying organisms that contribute to skin infections and digestive problems.
•Strengthening the immune system.
•Increasing joint and muscle flexibility.
•Improving respiratory health.

Uses of Oil of Oregano

Skin Infections
Oil of Oregano can be applied directly onto the skin to treat itches, skin infections, and irritated gums, but only if it has been diluted. Always follow the instructions on your particular bottle before applying topically onto the skin, since highly concentrated oils may first need to be mixed with Olive Oil or Coconut Oil before application (usually one teaspoon of Olive Oil or Coconut Oil per one drop of Oil of Oregano).

Digestive Problems
The high concentrations of thymol and carvacrol in Oil of Oregano have been shown to calm upset stomachs and aid digestion. Therefore, a quick home remedy for mild indigestion is to drink a glass of milk or juice that is mixed with 2 or 3 drops of the oil.

Sinus Congestion
Oil of Oregano is a wonderful natural remedy for sinus congestion. A common solution is to add 3 drops of the oil into a glass of juice and drink this mixture daily for 3 to 5 days.

Colds and Sore Throats
Oil of Oregano is an excellent early defense mechanism when you feel a cold or sore throat coming on. Simply take 3 drops of the oil once per day (you can mix it into a glass of orange juice) and you should notice results within a few hours. Repeat this once per day for up to 5 days until the symptoms are gone

Trish
Reiki Master/Teacher ~ Akashic Record Consultant