5 Mindfulness Exercises To Strengthen Your Relationship

DatingRelationships  by Kaitlin Vogel June 15, 2018

5 Mindfulness Exercises To Strengthen Your Relationship

How to listen and be truly present for your partner

I remember when I met my boyfriend and the reason why I knew he was right for me. When I was with him, I was completely in the present. It was effortless. I wasn’t stressing about work or money, or dwelling on the usual day-to-day nonsense.

Think back to when you were a kid, when you didn’t have a care in the world and the simplest things made you happy. That’s the feeling I have when I’m with him – a total escape from reality.

While I do feel content in my relationship most of the time, it’s not always rainbows and butterflies. Mindfulness is something I have to practice and work at every day.

Here are five simple mindfulness exercises you can try today to strengthen your relationship:

1. Put your phones away when you’re together.

How many times do you check your phone every day? Honestly, I don’t think it’s possible to keep track. I think most of us are plugged in 24/7 – compulsively checking our emails, social media notifications and the latest funny cat videos on YouTube (well, maybe that’s just me).

“Studies show that when two people are talking, the mere presence of a phone on a table between them or in the periphery of their vision changes both what they talk about and the degree of connection they feel,” according to The New York Times.

In other words, even if you aren’t on your phone, the fact that it’s near you can negatively impact your conversation and time spent together.

So when you get home, disconnect from your devices. Have dinner with your partner and talk to them about their day without any digital distractions. Be completely in the moment.

2. Really listen.

couple listening to eachother

Being able to truly listen is a virtue. I admit it – during most conversations, my mind is usually 50 steps ahead. Or I’m thinking he looks really cute, and I can’t focus.

Many of us think we are listening when, in fact, we are too busy planning what to say next, anxiously awaiting our turn to speak.

Active listening “means adjusting our mindset and disconnecting from our gadgets. It means centering our attention instead of splitting it. It means trusting that we can get everything done – and done better – if we go about tasks sequentially rather than simultaneously,” Forbes reports.

Listening is the cornerstone of any successful relationship – whether with a family member, friend or significant other – because deep down we all want to be heard and understood.

3. Take a moment to reflect and appreciate when your significant other makes you feel good.

You know the moments I’m talking about – when he says something so funny you laugh until you cry, or he surprises you with a kiss on the cheek while he thinks you’re sleeping. You need to cherish those brief and beautiful moments, and be grateful while you are experiencing them.

4. Sit in silence comfortably together.

success-relationship couple having a silent moment

You don’t always need to fill the empty space with conversation. In fact, when you are truly comfortable with someone, you can sit without speaking for a few minutes and feel a special type of closeness. Comfortable silence is a sign of intimacy.

5. Respond, don’t react.

Many people don’t understand the difference between a response and a reaction.

A reaction is immediate and unconscious – it’s a defense mechanism and is often what causes us to experience regret later on. When we react emotionally during an argument, we aren’t taking into consideration the consequences of what we are saying.

A response, however, is conscious. It involves processing the information and coming up with a thoughtful answer. When you come up with a response, you have thought about the long-term effects and how it will influence those around you.

So, rather than react emotionally in the heat of the moment, stop, take a deep breath and respond in a calm, rational way.

Are you ready to be more mindful in your relationship? Try these techniques and let me know how they work for you!

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Your Intuition is the Key to Personal Growth and Success

Channel it for wisdom and clarity.

Originally written by Keisha Blair on Thrive Global.

Conquering your goals — Listening to your intuition

Have you been sidetracked lately and lost touch with your goals? Remember Your Intuition!

The intuitive mind is a sacred gift, and the rational mind is a faithful servant. We have created a society that honors the servant and has forgotten the gift. — Albert Einstein.

Life is truly a precious gift — and the number one way of knowing if you are fulfilling life’s purpose is by following your intuition. Its so easy to get sidetracked in today’s world — there are just so many distractions! In addition, we live in a society where our personal value is tied to traditional (old-school) metrics like salary/pay grades and not to mention classifications! We are lumped into broad classifications that stand as proxies for overall measures of where we “stand in the organization”.

The problem with this approach is that there are bound to be disappointments — we set ourselves up for a fall by putting our lives in the hands of others — with disappointing results and a cycle that perpetuates stress and anxiety — and sometimes illnesses.

In a talk filmed at Awesomeness-Fest, Mindvalley founder, Vishen Lakhiani,explained his alternative model of success: a life based on mission, meaning, and discovering your true calling… instead of blindly following the will of society or even our parents.

Among each and everyone of us is that yearning to find a purpose-driven life where we are the authors of our lives and not just characters in a scene. How will you determine your own destiny if you are not 100% in control?

There are two key things to remember in achieving personal growth and success:

You are 100% responsible for your life.

You can achieve immense joy and abundance.

More than half of what I’ve learned and have been able to apply to my own life comes from learning to follow my passions and realising that trusting my intuition is a sure way of keeping my life on track. I’ve also learned the hard way as loss and grief made me realise that living life “business as usual” — constantly in survival mode — is no way to live.

Live the Life you’ve always dreamed of

What is it that makes you truly happy? Have you yearned to be a writer, film-maker, world-traveller, entrepreneur or something else? Are you on a path to fulfilling your passions — or are you on a detour route away from a purpose-filled life? The problem with the detour route is that its filled with stress, anxiety and it is a one-way street away from your true calling. The chances of long-term success and happiness are also slim. If you don’t follow your dreams and passions — the detour route is empty, meaningless and will lead to a cycle of disappointment. Listen to the calling of your soul and answer it — it may or may not fit well with the route that your family and friends have taken — but we are all unique and each one of us has different gifts and talents — and surely a unique path.

Don’t let your life be dictated by just traditional norms and standards. Searching for the perfect job or that next big promotion are all good goals but they are often determined by someone else. If it means totally giving up on who you truly are and the things you are genuinely passionate about — you might be walking away from your purpose in life!

Learning the techniques to listen and follow your intuition will be critical to finding your true purpose in life
Clear the clutter and stress in your life. Listen to that little voice. Learn to meditate and find time away from everyone else to be alone and to reflect on your passions and goals in life.

Prayer and Meditation will sharpen your intuition

Prayer and meditation are essential to gaining clarity about your goals and keeping a positivity mindset. After I emerged from the fog of tragedy and loss, I realised that any obstacle or trial in life can propell us to greater things. Prayer and meditation allows us to be in a state of anticipation for abundance. It also allows us to have greater gratitude — known as “the mother of all virtues”.

The most successful figures in history have used obstacles to propell them to greatness. Abraham Lincoln was known for “the swiftness and the correctness of his intuitions”, and had to overcome immense adversity.

Take a personal inventory and outline your goals and timelines.

Formulate a process to re-examine your goals as you go along and establish methods to make your goals a reality. Give yourself a step by step process with short, medium and long-term goals with clear to-dos to keep yourself accountable.

Join a master-mind group or find a mentor that can help keep you on track and keep you accountable. Get advice from people who have actually “walked the walk”. Establish a support system (your “personal growth eco-system”) that you can draw on for ideas, networking and strategies for success.

Most importantly — listening to your intuition will keep you laser-focused and on the right path.

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Essential Fatty Acids & Women’s Health

Originally published on http://drtorihudson.com/articles/essential-fatty-acids-and-womens-health-part-1/ by Dr. Tori Hudson.

Low fat, no fat, bad fat. Such is the mantra of today’s dietary guidelines. No one is making more efforts to comply with this barrage of confusing information than women. For themselves, their children, their parents, their partners, their husbands, women are the disciples of the fat phobic teachings of modern nutrition. Besides misinformation and confusing labeling which lures the consumer into thinking that no fat pretzels and no fat cookies are healthy foods, two important concepts are being sacrificed:

  1. a low fat diet of 30% may not be enough for the prevention of certain female cancers;
  2. the importance of quality oils and fats in maintaining our health and the prevention of certain diseases.

Estimates have been given that approximately 80% of Americans consume a diet deficient in essential fatty acids. Essential fatty acids play an important role in producing hormones, cell membrane function, regulating pain, inflammation and swelling, dilating or constricting blood vessels, mediating our immune response, regulating smooth muscle responses, preventing blood clots, regulating blood pressure and nerve transmission, regulating cholesterol levels, and much, much more. Deficiencies of essential fatty acids can lead to many health problems for men and women and some that are particular to women.

Essential fatty acids (EFA’s) must be obtained from the diet or supplementation because our bodies cannot make them. It has been reported that 3-4% of the total daily caloric intake of normal adults should be from EFA’s. For children, pregnant and lactating women, the recommendation is 5-6%. Although all fatty acids are the major building blocks of all fats, the most important ones are linoleic acid (LA) and alpha-linolenic acid (ALA). LA is an essential omega-6 fatty acid and ALA is an essential omega-3 fatty acid. We need both omega-6 and omega-3 oils but the balance of omega-6 to omega-3 oils is critical to the proper metabolism of prostaglandins. LA and ALA can be converted to prostaglandins which are important for the regulation of inflammation, pain, blood pressure, fluid balance, blood clotting, steroid production and hormone synthesis, heart, kidney and gut function, and nerve function. Under ideal conditions, the body converts LA into gamma-linolenic acid (GLA) and converts ALA into eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA). GLA and EPA are then converted into the prostaglandins. GLA becomes prostaglandin PGE1 and EPA becomes prostaglandin PGE3. The body has to constantly supply the EFAs so that they can be converted to the prostaglandins that are needed. Without adequate amounts of GLA and EPA, prostaglandin 1 and 3 production will be reduced. With an improper balance between omega-6 oils and omega-3 oils, too much prostaglandin series 2 (PGE2) will be produced which is a pro-inflammatory prostaglandin. Both a reduction in the anti-inflammatory prostaglandins and an increase in the pro-inflammatory prostaglandins lead to problems. For women, these problems may include premenstrual syndrome, menstrual cramps, abnormal menstrual bleeding, pregnancy related problems and fetal development, osteoporosis, cardiovascular disease and breast disease.

Premenstrual syndrome

Women who have PMS typically have dietary habits which are worse than the standard American diet. A nutritional analysis published by Dr. Guy Abraham, reported that PMS patients consumed 62% more refined carbohydrates than women who did not have PMS, 275% more refined sugar, 79% more dairy products, 53% less iron, 77% less manganese and 52% less zinc.1 Diets high in refined carbohydrates, sugar and dairy products are also diets that are high in saturated fats and hydrogenated fats, which means subsequently low amounts of essential fatty acids. Diets high in saturated and hydrogenated fats are also high in omega 6 oils which mean a greater production of PGE2 and a reduced production of PGE1 and PGE3.

Excessive and incorrect prostaglandin (PG) synthesis has been implicated in the pathogenesis of PMS, and a deficiency of PGE1 at the central nervous system has been proposed to be involved in PMS.2 There are many nutrients important for the synthesis of PGE1, not just GLA. These include magnesium, cis-linoleic acid (an essential fatty acid), vitamin B6, zinc, vitamin C, and vitamin B3. Another acid, arachidonic acid, is a precursor to PGE2, which has antagonistic effects with regard to PGE1. Vegetable oils are rich sources of cis-linoleic acid and animal fats are the main dietary sources of arachidonic acid; therefore, patients with PMS would be wise to decrease their consumption of animal fats and increase their consumption of vegetable oils so they have more PGE1. Likewise, a diet high in the other nutrients mentioned would also promote the synthesis of PGE1.

The main strategy of supplementing with essential fatty acids for PMS is an attempt to raise the body’s own formation of PGE1. The most popular method of doing so has been to supplement with evening primrose oil products in order to supply increased levels of gamma linolenic acid. Although there are several studies that show positive results, some of the studies did not include a placebo group and other studies did not show a statistically significant difference between the treatment group and the placebo group. The studies by Puolakka et al, 19853; Ockerman et al, 19864; and Caspar, 19875 were all double-blind crossover controlled trials where evening primrose oil (EPO) demonstrated an effect that was significant over the placebo group. One of these studies used 3 gm per day and three of the studies used 4 gm per day. The effects of EPO have been shown to be best for clumsiness and headaches although all symptoms including depression, irritability, bloating and breast tenderness showed a marked improvement. Other sources of oils that contain gamma linolenic acid and raise PGE1 include borage oil, black currant oil and rape seed oil.

Menstrual cramps

Menstrual cramps are one of the most common problems that women face and indeed it affects over 50% of menstruating women. Foods that are high in arachidonic acid may be a contributing factor to menstrual cramps. Arachidonic acid is the fat our body uses to produce the series-two prostaglandins; the pro-inflammatory and spasmodic prostaglandins. In this case, prostaglandins that can cause uterine contractions and cramping. Dairy products are a main source of arachidonic acid. In addition, many people are allergic to dairy products or lack the enzymes to digest them. Digestive problems such as bloating and gas can intensify with menstrual cramps which adds to the overall discomfort. Reducing or even eliminating the intake of milk, cheese, cottage cheese, butter, ice cream and yogurt may be enough to have a significant impact for as many as one third of women with menstrual cramps. Saturated fats from non-dairy sources can also intensify menstrual cramps by stimulating the prostaglandin two-series. Most of our saturated fats come from animal products although a few are from vegetable sources such as palm oil or coconut oil. Animal foods contain saturated fat and should be reduced or avoided. They include beef, pork, lamb and even chicken and turkey. Even though chicken and turkey are lower in saturated fat, they are actually higher in arachidonic acid than red meats.

The best medicinal foods for menstrual cramps are those foods that increase the antispasmodic prostaglandins, the PGE1 series and the PGE3 series. Certain fish, like salmon, tuna, halibut, and sardines contain linolenic acid, which is a fatty acid that helps to relax muscles by the production of these prostaglandins.6 There are many seeds and nuts that are sources of linoleic acid and linolenic acid, which also then produce these muscle relaxing prostaglandins. The best seed sources of both these fatty acids are flaxseeds and pumpkin seeds. Sesame seeds and sunflower seeds are excellent sources of linoleic acid. The oils from the seeds of flax, pumpkin, sesame and sunflower are then good oils to eat on salad dressings if menstrual cramps are the concern. Flax and pumpkin oils should not be used when heated, but sesame and sunflower are acceptable cooking oils.

In the second half of the menstrual cycle, omega-6 fatty acids, particularly arachidonic acid, are released. Subsequently, an increase in PGE2 occurs, causing uterine contractions leading to a lack of oxygen to the uterine muscles and the subsequent pain. Omega-3 fatty acids, EPA and DHA, compete with omega-6 fatty acids and result in the production of the PGE-1 and 3 series. Based on these observations, the use of essential fatty acid supplementation can be very effective in the prevention and treatment of menstrual cramps.

Supplementation with flax oil (high in omega-3 fatty acids), borage oil (high in LA and GLA), black currant oil (high in LA and GLA), evening primrose oil(high in LA and GLA), and fish oils (high in omega- 3 oils), is one way of favorably altering the synthesis of the beneficial prostaglandins; the end result likely will be less uterine contractions and less menstrual pains.

After the rise of progesterone in the second half of the menstrual cycle followed by its decline right before menstruation – progesterone withdrawal – omega-6 fatty acids, particularly arachidonic acid, are released. Subsequently, an increase in PGF2 alpha and PGE2 occurs, causing uterine contractions leading to ischemia and pain. Instead of inhibiting ovulation and therefore the progesterone effect, or inhibiting the synthesis of prostaglandins with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agents, the omega-3 fatty acids, eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid, compete with omega-6 fatty acids and result in the production of the PGE1 and PGE3 series. Based on these observations, the use of fish oil containing omega-3 fatty acids as a supplement seems logical and attractive. Dietary supplementation with fish oils was tested in 42 adolescent girls with dysmenorrhea.6 The first group of 21 girls received fish oil (1080 mg eicosapentaenoic acid, 720 mg docosahexaenoic acid), and 1.5 mg of vitamin E daily for 2 months followed by a placebo for an additional 2 months. In the second group, 21 girls received placebo for the first 2 months, followed by fish oil for 2 more months. At the conclusion of the study, on a 7-point scale (a score of 4 being moderately effective and a 7 meaning totally effective), 73% of the girls rated the effect of the fish oil and vitamin E greater than or equal to 4.

Many combination EFA products are currently available in the professional and retail market. These include borage oil/flax oil, EPO/flax oil, and EPA/DHA, and are well balanced formulations designed to deliver the optimal balance of EFA’s ideal for the treatment of menstrual pains.

Abnormal menstrual bleeding

Changes in the amount of menstrual blood, duration, and pattern are among the most common of health concerns that women face. Although these changes cause a lot of anxiety for women and do warrant a medical evaluation, most cases of abnormal bleeding are due to benign and easily addressed conditions. Even so, prompt evaluation of abnormal menstrual bleeding is highly recommended.

Flaxseeds stand out as a food that has an ability to regulate the menstrual cycle. Flaxseeds contain a group of phytoestrogens called lignans that have been shown to have weakly estrogenic properties as well as antiestrogenic properties. Two specific lignans, enterodiol and enterolactone, are absorbed after formation in the intestinal tract from plant precursors particularly abundant in flaxseeds. The ingestion of flaxseed powder and their effect on the menstrual cycle was studied in 18 normally cycling women.7 Each woman consumed her usual omnivorous, low fiber diet for 3 cycles and her usual diet supplemented with 10 grams per day of flaxseed for another 3 cycles. All women were instructed to avoid soy foods. The second and third flax cycles were compared to the second and third control diet cycles. Three nonovulatory cycles occurred amongst the 18 women during the control diet (36 total cycles) compared to none during the 36 flaxseed cycles. The ovulatory flax cycles were consistently associated with about one more day in the luteal phase when compared to the ovulatory non flax cycles. This may not seem like much, only one day longer before you bleed and slight increase in the number of ovulations. However, over a period of months and years, the cumulative effect not only has implications for regulating the menstrual cycle, but may in fact play a positive role in reducing the risk of breast and other hormonally dependent cancers.

Supplementing with flax oil, borage oil, or EPO may also help to reduce heavy bleeding by increasing the anti-inflammatory prostaglandins. This anti-inflammatory effect can reduce heavy bleeding about 1/3 of the time.

Some women who have no menses or very infrequent menses in their reproductive years may be suffering from insufficient calories, insufficient dietary fat, and/or low cholesterol. Eating disorders are obviously detrimental to health but even extreme diets low in fat, such as vegan diets or macrobiotic diets, may present problems for some individuals. Adequate EFA’s and cholesterol are needed to make hormones. If no cholesterol is found in the diet, and the liver is not manufacturing adequate cholesterol, then these women may have a lack of menses due to insufficient hormone levels because they have not had enough cholesterol for their body to make the hormones. Supplementing the diet with EFA’s will be important in women with inadequate menstrual cycles that are due to a low fat diet. Using fish oils and the seed oils in combination products would be a well balanced approach in supplying the necessary nutrients in addition to dietary changes.

Summary

This short review hopes to increase awareness about the fundamental role of essential fatty acids in some of the most prominent health problems women face. The next column will address breast diseases, cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, and pregnancy.

The best oils and fats are those that are found in nature rather than those that have been manipulated and altered by manufacturing. High quality vegetable oils such as olive, canola, flax, sunflower, and pumpkin oil in our diets and cold water fish such as tuna, salmon, halibut, sardines, mackerel and herring in addition to whole grains are the best ways of getting adequate essential fatty acids from the foods we eat. Essential fatty acid supplementation provides an important addition to a whole foods diet and particularly beneficial if you are at higher risks for certain health problems or have a chronic health problem such as the ones that we have discussed. These supplements include flax oil, EPO, borage oil, black currant oil, and the fish oils rich in EPA and DHA. So, it’s not just no fat and low fat, and avoid bad fats, it’s also a matter of increasing and supplementing with the good fats of essential fatty acids.

References
  1. Abraham G. Nutritional factors in the etiology of the premenstrual tension syndromes. J Reprod Med 1983; 28:446-464.
  2. Jakubowica D. The significance of prostaglandins in the premenstrual syndrome. In: Taylor R, ed. Premenstrual syndrome. London: Medical New-Tribune, 1983, p. 16.
  3. Puolakka J, et al. Biochemical and clinical effects of treating the premenstrual syndrome with prostaglandin synthesis precursors. J Rep Med 1985;30(3):149-153.
  4. Ockerman P, et al. Evening primrose oil as a treatment of the premenstrual syndrome. Rec Adv Clin Nutr 1986;2:404-405.
  5. Casper R. A double blind trial of evening primrose oil in premenstrual syndrome. 2nd international symposium on PMS, Kiawah Island, Sept. 1987.
  6. Harel L, et al. Supplementation with omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids in the management of dysmenorrhea in adolescents. Am J Obstet Gynecol 1996; 174(4):1335-1338.
  7. Phipps W, Martini M, Lampe J, Slavin J, Kurzer M. Effect of flax seed ingestion on the menstrual cycle. J Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism 1993; 77(5): 1215-1219.
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Simple Energy Healing Techniques

Originally published at Gateways to Inner Peace .com

 
Why Practice Energy Healing Techniques?

Everything that we experience or come into contact with has an effect on our energy system. This effect is usually small, and our vibration corrects itself after a short period of time. However, some experiences can have a profound and long-term effect on our energetic body.

alternative energy healing

Our energy field is constantly being affected by both internal and external influences. Our life force responds instantaneously to bring our energy body back into balance. Our Spirit is aware of our personal energy blueprint and does its best to keep the whole system stable.

However, there are many things in our life that can chronically disturb our energy which, over a period of time, can lead to emotional, mental and physical dis-ease. 

Without practising some simple energy healing techniques on a regular basis, I believe we are neglecting a part of ourselves that is vital to our overall health, happiness and vitality.

What are some things that can lead to chronic disruption of our energy systems?:

  • Unchecked emotional or mental stress, such as from home or work related situations. This can accumulate over time and have an insidious affect on our subtle energy body. This imbalance then filters down through our energy layers and can eventually affect our physical body.
  • A sudden, severe shock can severely disturb the alignment of our subtle bodies and make it difficult for the life force to reach our physical body.
  • Prolonged physical exhaustion from overwork and inadequate rest.
  • The use of alcohol, cigarettes and recreational drugs.
  • Nutritional deficiencies and sensitivities.
  • The environmental and chemical pollutants that now fill our everyday lives.
  • Electromagnetic pollution from all of the man-made electrical and magnetic fields, from things such as power cables, televisions, computers and radio transmitters. The accepted safety levels for these, and chemical, pollutants, do not consider the effects on our energy body.
  • Physical trauma can cause accompanying damage in the energy body which may leave the physical area weak.
  • Our thoughts are also energy and so negative thoughts, emotions and beliefs that have become long-term and ingrained can impede the flow of higher spiritual energies into our bodies.
    The occasional negative thought or emotion is part of being human and is no cause for concern. But most of us have long-term negative thought patterns or self-deprecating feelings that have become ingrained in our energetic pattern.
  • Coming into contact with the negative thought patterns others have created in the energy field around them can also subtly affect us, as can working in an environment of negative thought energies.
    Our chakras pull in energy from our environment, including the energies from other people, and distribute them within our body.

So you can see that there are many factors, both internal and external, that can affect the health of our energy.

To maximise our wellbeing, our physical and subtle bodies need to have a healthy rate of vibration, which means that our vital force is stronger. Everything we do affects our vibration – what we see, hear, taste, touch, smell, eat, drink, think, feel, experience and believe.

It was proven by Albert Einstein that what we perceive as physical matter is merely low frequency energy, and the vibration of that energy can be changed.

You can raise your vibration and you can improve your wellbeing!

If you’re looking to improve your well-being on all levels – emotional, mental, physical and spiritual – and work toward achieving your full potential, why not try incorporating some simple energy healing techniques into your life? It’s easy, and the benefits are well worth it.

alternative energy healing

Simple Energy Healing Techniques

Energy healing uses a variety of naturally occurring vibrations to help create positive changes to our own energy patterns.

Below I talk about of some of the different energy healing techniques that I use myself.

1. Flower Essences

Flower essences are a powerful and easy way to help improve the health of your energy system, and they are my personal favourite. They capture the healing vibrations from flowers into water, and when we take this essence into our bodies, the vibrations have the capacity to harmonise our own vibrations.

To learn more about this wonderful form of energy healing, please go to my flower essence pages. I am a qualified Flower Essence Practitioner, and you can buy flower essences through my website.

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Goddess Tarot Deck Review

The Goddess Tarot uses goddess stories and imagery to update traditional tarot symbolism, addressing women’s contemporary needs. Described on Aeclectic Tarot as “possibly the most beautiful tarot deck ever to be created” Goddess Tarot is ornately illustrated with evocative details that bring tarot to life in new ways.

Each card in the Major Arcana depicts the story of a different goddess. Each suit in the Minor Arcana corresponds to one of the four elements — earth, air, water, and fire — as well as to a particular goddess. The suit of cups is associated with Venus, the Roman goddess of love. The suit of swords relates to Isis, the Egyptian goddess of magic and redemption. Pentacles portray Lakshmi, the Hindu goddess of prosperity, and the suit of staves depict Freyja, the Norse goddess of creativity. Artist and author Kris Waldherr also provides a beautifully written instruction booklet to help you get the most out of The Goddess Tarot.

Originally published at

The Namaste Bookshop

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Astrology Forecast for September 2018

Originally published in The Minds Journal

by Zodiac Stars

What do stars have planned for you in September 2018?

After a long spell in retrograde, Mercury goes Direct on September 16.

Mars remains in Taurus till next February and Venus moves from Virgo into Libra on September 17.

Jupiter aligns with Saturn, Uranus and Neptune.

Not just this, the month of September is packed with many planetary changes.

The highlights are as follows:

1). Uranus goes retrograde in Taurus on September 7

Uranus going retrograde can test your patience in matters relating to your love life or finances. However, you can tap into your calmness to find creative solutions to any problems.

Stay open minded, grounded and flexible.

Tough times can also be a window for breakthrough and fresh starts; it just depends on your perspective.

2). New Moon partial Solar Eclipse in Leo on September 11

New moon partial Solar Eclipse in Leo is mainly influenced by a conjunction to Mercury Retrograde.

The major themes that will be brought out in your life by this eclipse will be thinking, introspection, discussion and debates.

There could be disagreements and debates around power or control issues between people.

Remain calm and try to have a balanced perspective before jumping guns in arguments.

3). Mercury goes direct on September 19

Mercury going direct after a long spell will indicate a sigh of relief for all the zodiac signs.

With no fixed star influence the peace loving aspect of Mercury sextile Venus will shine through in this phase.

Mercury direct will calm your nerves and open a gateway for relaxed communication and help to solve the problems that might have been caused in your relationships due to miscommunication and anger displayed during  the Mercury Retrograde phase.

This fun loving and relaxed phase will make it easier for you to express your love and affection.

Make the best of this opportunity to express your feelings and resolve any conflicts with your loved ones.

4). Jupiter Trine Neptune on September 19

Jupiter trine Neptune will bring out the good Samaritan in you and encourage hope, generosity and compassion.

It will encourage you to embark on spiritual path whether through dreams or encounters with other people who might act as a catalyst on your spiritual journey.

You will be more inclined to live up to your highest moral standards and help the poor or the needy. You may gain more interest in charitable cause, human rights, and environment issues and will extend yourself for causes bigger than yourself.

5). Full Moon on September 26

The full moon of September is beautifully symmetrical. It forms a kite pattern.

The energy of the full moon along with five other harmonious aspects surrounding this full moon makes this an ideal time to hone your skills and nurture your talents.

The September full moon is also in alignment with two powerful and fixed stars.

Full moon 2018 will bring amazing opportunities for personal and professional success.

So, make the most of this time by reaching for your biggest dreams and highest potential.

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How to Manifest Your Desires

Originally published in Positively Positive.
By Gabrielle Bernstein

We are always manifesting.
Each thought we have creates an energy flow within and around our physical being. This energy attracts its likeness. So if you’re thinking, “I suck,” then your energy kinda, well, sucks—and you attract sucky experiences.

The opposite experience occurs when you think high-level thoughts like, “I rock!” When you think and feel, “I rock,” you exude an energy of confidence and in turn attract great experiences into your life. Each thought you have informs your energy, and your energy manifests into your experiences . . .

Your thoughts and energy create your reality.
Manifesting Mishaps
Manifestation has become a buzzword lately. Though it’s totally awesome that the Law of Attraction is now trendy, it also can be a bit misleading for folks who are unwilling to do the heavy lifting. If you truly want to use your energetic power to manifest greatness, you must clear all that blocks you from believing in your greatness.

A Course in Miracles teaches that on some level, you’ve asked for everything that happens in your life. Your intentions create your reality. There’s no need to beat yourself up: simply recognizing how your low-level thoughts negatively affect your life is the first powerful step toward changing your experiences. Begin your manifesting process by getting honest about how your low-level thoughts, energy, and feelings of disbelief block you from receiving what you desire. Once you get clear about the blocks, you can begin to clean them up to clear space for positive manifestations to occur.

Many people, when trying to manifest, focus too much on the outside form rather than the internal condition. What’s important is our internal experience: whether we choose to experience love or fear. When we commit to our internal experience of love, we begin to attract more love. Many people approach manifestation from a place of “How can I get something to feel better?” Instead, the focus should be: “How can I feel better and therefore be an energetic match for attracting more greatness into my life?” The emphasis must be placed on healing the internal condition, not getting a hot new car or boyfriend.

The Five Principles for Manifesting Your Desires
Below are my five key principles for genuine manifesting. When practicing these steps, make sure to stay committed to the goal of feeling good first and attracting stuff second. Continue to remind yourself that when you feel good you energetically attract goodness into your life. When your primary function is to be happy, then whatever comes to you is irrelevant. Happiness is your true manifestation.

Principle One: Clear Space
Before you begin the manifestation process you must take the necessary time to release all your disbelief in your power to be happy. One of the best ways to clear the blocks of disbelief is to pray for release. Begin a daily prayer practice of asking the Universe to set you free from all the limiting beliefs that block you from believing in your greatness. Stay open for signs from the Universe and show up for the assignments that are brought to you. Universal assignments come in many forms. Maybe you’re guided to the relationship that brings up all your shit so that you have to finally heal your fear. Or maybe you lose your job so that you can learn the lessons of self-reliance and strengthen your self-love. Trust that these assignments, however tough at times, are incredible opportunities for you to clean your energy and clear space to call in what you desire.

Your job in this step is to pray for guidance to clear all that blocks you from believing in your greatness. Then allow the Universe to help guide you to whatever assignments you need to aid in the healing process. Show up for the assignments and trust that the more you clean your thoughts and energy, the more positive experiences you will attract into your life.

Principle Two: Get Clear

Clarity is king when it comes to manifesting your desires. You must have clear intentions for what you want to call in—otherwise you can manifest a lot of what you don’t want. Focus on what you desire and then make a list of all that goes along with it. If you’re getting clear about the job you want, make a list of all the things about the job that make you happy: the office, the people, the salary, etc. Be unapologetic about what you want. This list helps to clarify your intentions and access a vibrant mental picture of what you desire.

The most important part of this step is to clarify how you want to feel. When you get clear on how you want to feel, you can begin to access that feeling. That feeling is what makes the manifestation come into form. You can write a thousand lists and make a million vision boards, but if you don’t clearly feel what you want to experience, it will never truly manifest into form.

Principle Three: Think It, Feel It, Believe It!
Now let’s put these steps together. Take your clear intention and spend time every day sitting in the feeling of what it is that you desire. You might access the feeling through meditation and visioning exercises. Or call on the feeling when you’re in nature or doing a form of exercise you love. Let the thought inform the feeling and let the feeling take over your energy. The more you feel the feeling of what you desire, the more you believe it is on the way. From a metaphysical perspective, if you believe it then it is already here. So make time for contemplating, thinking, feeling, and believing.

Principle Four: Chill!
The next step is crucial to the manifestation process. In order to truly manifest your desires into form, you gotta chill out! A Course in Miracles teaches: “Those who are certain of the outcome can afford to wait and wait without anxiety.” Take this message with you and allow your faithfulness to guide you into the belief that what you desire is on the way. Also trust that the Universe has a much better plan than you do. Though you are clear about what you want, you cannot control the timing or the form in which it comes. Stay calm, relax, and trust that the Universe has your back!

Principle Five: Know the Universe Has Your Back
When you’re in the know you’re deliberate about what you want. When you’re in the know you no longer vibrate energy of fear or disbelief. You just know. As your disbelief wilts away, wanting is replaced by knowing. Getting into the know happens naturally. When you diligently practice steps one through four, you will clean house, get clear, and feel happier. This process is healing and powerful, and it leads to a deep inner knowing that you are right where you need to be. Accepting your greatness in this moment, right now, is what manifests more greatness. Being in the know helps you accept that you already are living in your desired manifestation. When you feel it, you live it—regardless of what is happening on the outside. In time, the Universe catches up with your energy and your desires come into form. This process of allowing the manifestation to follow your internal faith is the true process of co-creation.

Stay Committed to Happiness

Stay committed to this five-step process and trust that you’re exactly where you need to be. Is your main desire to feel good? Trust you will be given everything you need to create that feeling. Know that feeling good is the true manifestation—and everything else is the icing on the already delicious cake!

Do you want to deepen your understanding of the manifestation process? Join me on April 27 in NYC and Livestream video for my awesome Manifest Your Desires lecture. Get the details HERE AT GABBYB.TV.

 The book, A Course In Miracles, Gabby refers to in this blog can be found HERE.

Featured in the New York Times Sunday Styles section as “a new role model,” motivational speaker, life coach, and author Gabrielle Bernstein is making her mark. Expanding the lexicon for the next generation of spiritual seekers, Gabrielle is the #1 bestselling author of the book, Add More ~ing to Your Life, A hip Guide to Happiness. In September 2011 Gabrielle launched her second book, Spirit Junkie, A Radical Road to Self-Love and Miracles. In 2008 she launched her social networking site HerFuture.com for young women to find mentors.

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