Our sense of smell holds a lot of power. It can entice us, seduce us, arouse our hunger and evoke memories from our past. But it can also help to heal, calm and de-stress us. Here are some practical ways to use aromatherapy in your life.
Calming Spray: Add 10 drops of Lavender Essential Oil and 10 drops of Tangerine or Lemon Balm Essential Oil to a 4 oz. spray bottle. Shake and mist around the house, car or office and to effect a calming mood.
Car Sickness: If your child often experiences car sicknesses, try adding a few drops of Ginger Essential oil or Peppermint Essential oil to a tissue and have your child inhale the scent frequently throughout the trip.
Colds: Add a few drops of Eucalyptus Essential Oil to a vaporizer to reduce stuffiness.
Cuts and Scrapes: Mix 50 drops of Lavender Essential Oil with 50 drops of Tea Tree Essential Oil. This can be stored in a small bottle for up to two years. To sooth a cut or scrape, add 10 drops of the mixture to a 1/2 cup of water and use it to wash off the scrape. Then add 1 drop to the bandage.
Diaper Rash Cream: Add 1 drop of Lavender Essential Oil and 1 drop of Tea Tree Essential oil to to teaspoons of Almond Oil.
Earache: Add 3 drops of Thyme Linolol and 3 drops of Lavender Essential Oil to a warm washcloth and hold over the child's ear.
Headache Relief: Add a few drop of peppermint essential oils to a carrier oil such as Jojoba and rub into temples.
Holiday Spray: To get in the mood for the holidays, try making this lovely concoction that will have you dreaming of sugar plums in no time. Take a 4-ounce bottle and fill with distilled water. Add 4 drops of pine essential oil, 2 drops of cinnamon essential oil and 1 drop of mandarin essential oil to the spray bottle. Shake vigorously and spray.
Sponge Cleaner: Sponges are teeming with germs. Get into the habit of microwaving yours for 1 minute every few days. When it's cooled, add 2 - 3 drops of orange or lemon essential oil. The oil not only smells great, but its antibacterial properties will keep your sponge (relatively) germ free
Trash Can Fix: To keep your garbage can smelling as nice as possible, mix 2 cups of baking soda and a teaspoon of Lavender Essential Oil. Store in a shaker container and sprinkle on the bottom of your trash can every time you change the trash bag.
TIPS FOR USING ESSENTIAL OILS:
1) Buy only pure essential oils
2) Store in their original bottles
3) Never apply directly to skin. Essential Oils must be blended with a carrier oil first.
4) Essential Oils are for external use only.
Wednesday, November 28, 2012
Sunday, November 25, 2012
Crystal of the Week: Green Quartz
Green quartz is a gentle healer and helps to enhance one's spirituality making it a great stone for meditation.
Physically, it's said to balance the endocrine system.
As it's known to work as a stone of prosperity and abundance, Green Quartz can be used in prosperity grids. Keep one in your wallet to assure abundance in your life or place one with your check books. If your bills feel out of control, place a Green Quartz with your bills to help balance the energy and absorb any fears those bills can cause.
Sunday, November 18, 2012
The Snowball Effect
Mercery is in Retrograde. We are dealing with eclipses, and the holidays are fast approaching. This is not an easy time for many. So many clients and friends that I talk to are going through lay offs, financial worries, relationship problems and many are just feeling a generic stuck feeling -- stuck in their job, or their relationship or their financial bracket.
Sometimes when we're feeling this way, we tend to talk about it. A lot. To anyone who will listen. In the beginning this is good and therapeutic but after a few days, it tends to build and create a bigger than life problem in our mind. I call this the Snowball Effect.
Our words hold immense power. In the bible it says God created the world with the spoken word. We use words to create vows, contracts and partnerships. New research proves that words and sound can physically heal our body. All of this illustrates how important our words are that we say to ourselves and to others.
As we head into the holidays, if you're feeling the stress that's running rampant out there, take a moment each day to be mindful of your words. Good words invite good things. Negative words invite more of the same.
I hope you all have a wonderful and peaceful week. To all of you celebrating Thanksgiving this Thursday, I hope you have a great holiday. I am thankful for all of you reading this!
Sometimes when we're feeling this way, we tend to talk about it. A lot. To anyone who will listen. In the beginning this is good and therapeutic but after a few days, it tends to build and create a bigger than life problem in our mind. I call this the Snowball Effect.
Our words hold immense power. In the bible it says God created the world with the spoken word. We use words to create vows, contracts and partnerships. New research proves that words and sound can physically heal our body. All of this illustrates how important our words are that we say to ourselves and to others.
As we head into the holidays, if you're feeling the stress that's running rampant out there, take a moment each day to be mindful of your words. Good words invite good things. Negative words invite more of the same.
I hope you all have a wonderful and peaceful week. To all of you celebrating Thanksgiving this Thursday, I hope you have a great holiday. I am thankful for all of you reading this!
Tuesday, November 13, 2012
The Doubting Psychic
It happened again. Just this morning. I couldn't make a connection with a client and her loved ones in heaven. Nothing came through. Well, that's not true. A few things did come through -- none of which were validated by my client. In my years of doing readings this has happened to me twice. Now I can say it's happened three times.
I hate it when this happens. My client was understandably upset. I stopped the reading 15 minutes in and said, "I am so sorry but I can't make a significant connection and I don't want to waste your time. Can I please mail your payment back to you?" I felt just terrible. I tried to explain that this had nothing to do with her or her loved ones in heaven who were trying to link in with me.
I wish I could explain to her, to myself, why this happened. But I can't. My reading before hers went great and my reading after hers went very well too. I have no idea why this happens. I just know that it does. Thankfully it's not often.
So why am I sharing this sad story with you? For two reasons. One, to let you know that if you get a reading with a medium and they can't make a connection with you, please don't take it personally. I know my client today had family members that wanted to talk to her. The problem was with me -- not them and not her. Our loved ones in heaven always want to talk with us. But the medium has to be perfectly on. I have to be aligned physically, mentally and spiritually. The other reason why I'm sharing this is to inspire all you budding intuitives out there who sometimes get a miss and then feel as though you should throw in the towel and stop trying to do this work. I believe this happens to all of us and who knows why? Maybe our energies just didn't align. I don't know, but it happened. And unfortunately, it will probably happen again. Does that mean I'm going to stop doing readings? No.
The Scottish medium Gordon Smith tells a story in his lectures of a woman in his development class who stopped doing readings for six years because once she couldn't make a connection with a client. Six years. I know how this woman feels. The first time I couldn't connect with a client, I did throw in the towel. I stopped doing readings for three months.
Doing this work can be difficult. It pulls on your energy; it's very emotional and personal. The messages are sometimes spot on; other times a bit vague. Sometimes a spirit comes through so strongly, I feel like offering them a cup of tea. Other times, it's like I'm mud diving in the Cape Fear River. I can make out the message but it's pretty vague. I never know why it works so easily and why other times it's so hard.
But it's also very meaningful work. I've had non-believers write to tell me that they are now considering believing in God. I've been able to make wonderful connections for parents who've lost their children and give them the assurance that their child is happy and safe in heaven. I've been able to pass on lovely messages of forgiveness and gratitude from parents to their adult children. So I will keep on keeping on.
However, I will always be honest about my work with you all. I want people to know that this isn't science. It can't be measured or proven. You have to believe in it and in yourself. Once that happens, anything really is possible. So if some of you out there are reading this and you think you're intuitive but maybe you've had a few misses lately, please keep on keeping on. I hope you take this blog post as a sign that being intuitive is our God given right. It's our safety net in scary times, our compass in troubling times and our connection with our higher power in all times.
I hate it when this happens. My client was understandably upset. I stopped the reading 15 minutes in and said, "I am so sorry but I can't make a significant connection and I don't want to waste your time. Can I please mail your payment back to you?" I felt just terrible. I tried to explain that this had nothing to do with her or her loved ones in heaven who were trying to link in with me.
I wish I could explain to her, to myself, why this happened. But I can't. My reading before hers went great and my reading after hers went very well too. I have no idea why this happens. I just know that it does. Thankfully it's not often.
So why am I sharing this sad story with you? For two reasons. One, to let you know that if you get a reading with a medium and they can't make a connection with you, please don't take it personally. I know my client today had family members that wanted to talk to her. The problem was with me -- not them and not her. Our loved ones in heaven always want to talk with us. But the medium has to be perfectly on. I have to be aligned physically, mentally and spiritually. The other reason why I'm sharing this is to inspire all you budding intuitives out there who sometimes get a miss and then feel as though you should throw in the towel and stop trying to do this work. I believe this happens to all of us and who knows why? Maybe our energies just didn't align. I don't know, but it happened. And unfortunately, it will probably happen again. Does that mean I'm going to stop doing readings? No.
The Scottish medium Gordon Smith tells a story in his lectures of a woman in his development class who stopped doing readings for six years because once she couldn't make a connection with a client. Six years. I know how this woman feels. The first time I couldn't connect with a client, I did throw in the towel. I stopped doing readings for three months.
Doing this work can be difficult. It pulls on your energy; it's very emotional and personal. The messages are sometimes spot on; other times a bit vague. Sometimes a spirit comes through so strongly, I feel like offering them a cup of tea. Other times, it's like I'm mud diving in the Cape Fear River. I can make out the message but it's pretty vague. I never know why it works so easily and why other times it's so hard.
But it's also very meaningful work. I've had non-believers write to tell me that they are now considering believing in God. I've been able to make wonderful connections for parents who've lost their children and give them the assurance that their child is happy and safe in heaven. I've been able to pass on lovely messages of forgiveness and gratitude from parents to their adult children. So I will keep on keeping on.
However, I will always be honest about my work with you all. I want people to know that this isn't science. It can't be measured or proven. You have to believe in it and in yourself. Once that happens, anything really is possible. So if some of you out there are reading this and you think you're intuitive but maybe you've had a few misses lately, please keep on keeping on. I hope you take this blog post as a sign that being intuitive is our God given right. It's our safety net in scary times, our compass in troubling times and our connection with our higher power in all times.
Clear Quartz Shapes
Clear quartz comes in a variety of shapes and sizes, so I thought it would be fun to give a quick overview of some of the varieties of quartz you might encounter and what they can do for you.
Abundance Crystals: These are large quartz with an abundance of smaller crystals at the base. This shape helps you manifest more money into your life. Keep them around your desk at work, place in the kitchen or in your money corner.
Crystal Clusters: This shape features a lot of crystals clustered or grouped together, so they help groups to work as a team. It's a great idea to have a crystal cluster at work and at home. Place it on your desk or in the conference room. At home, place one in the kitchen, living room or relationship corner of your home.
Bridge Crystals: These crystals feature a smaller crystal penetrating through a larger crystal. Bridge crystals help you access the other side for connections with your loved ones as they act as a bridge through meditation.
Channeling Crystals: If you have a clear quartz crystal with at least one seven-sided face on one side and triangle on the other, then you have a channeling crystal. They are great stones for meditation and work wonderfully for writers and musicians to help them channel information for their creative pieces.
Dolphin Crystals: Dolphin crystals feature a large crystal with smaller stones growing up the sides of the larger stones. They represent nurturing and unconditional love. They will help your relationship with younger children to grow and flourish.
Rainbow Crystals: These clear quartz stone have a rainbow prism inside them and hold the energy of hope, joy, optimism and forgiveness.
Record Keepers: These crystals have small triangular marks on at least one side of the stone. Each triangle is associated with a lesson the holder needs to learn.
Scepter Crystals: These crystals actually look like scepters with a long, thin base and wider head. They are to be used when you need to feel powerful and in control of a situation.
There are dozens more crystal shapes I could discuss here, so for more information check out these books:
Abundance Crystals: These are large quartz with an abundance of smaller crystals at the base. This shape helps you manifest more money into your life. Keep them around your desk at work, place in the kitchen or in your money corner.
Crystal Clusters: This shape features a lot of crystals clustered or grouped together, so they help groups to work as a team. It's a great idea to have a crystal cluster at work and at home. Place it on your desk or in the conference room. At home, place one in the kitchen, living room or relationship corner of your home.
Channeling Crystals: If you have a clear quartz crystal with at least one seven-sided face on one side and triangle on the other, then you have a channeling crystal. They are great stones for meditation and work wonderfully for writers and musicians to help them channel information for their creative pieces.
Dolphin Crystals: Dolphin crystals feature a large crystal with smaller stones growing up the sides of the larger stones. They represent nurturing and unconditional love. They will help your relationship with younger children to grow and flourish.
Rainbow Crystals: These clear quartz stone have a rainbow prism inside them and hold the energy of hope, joy, optimism and forgiveness.
Record Keepers: These crystals have small triangular marks on at least one side of the stone. Each triangle is associated with a lesson the holder needs to learn.
Scepter Crystals: These crystals actually look like scepters with a long, thin base and wider head. They are to be used when you need to feel powerful and in control of a situation.
There are dozens more crystal shapes I could discuss here, so for more information check out these books:
Wednesday, November 7, 2012
A Mother's Love
I've made no bones about my relationship with my mother. Those of you who listen to PsychicTeachers know of my struggles to have a harmonious relationship with my mom. It's just one of the crosses I have to bear this go around. Still, an incident occurred this week that made me realize the power of a mother's love.
I've also never hidden the struggles I've gone through dealing with my husband's brain injury. For the last seven years, I've learned first hand the difficulties of living with someone with a frontal lobe brain injury. I can handle the headaches, the short term memory loss, the difficulty being in large groups, the disdain for social settings, and the inability to handle stress. All of that I've taken in stride even though it means I don't get to host as many parties as I would like to -- it's a small price to pay. What I almost can't handle is my husband's complete lack of empathy. One of the reasons I fell in love with him all those years ago was because he had such a huge and caring heart. But with this brain injury, he has a very difficult time empathizing with others. This is no fun for the spouse -- especially when said spouse has been diagnosed with cancer.
So this past week I had my reconstruction surgery. My husband forgot the date three times, but eventually he remembered long enough to drive me to the surgery. It was a horrendous surgery for me. I woke up in terrible pain and my blood pressure was soaring. Eventually, they sent me home but over the weekend I developed an infection and had a fever wavering between 102 and 103. Monday morning, I did my best to get the kids ready for school. As I ushered them out the door, my husband followed behind and said, "Oh by the way, you'll have to find someone to pick up the kids today. I have to go out of town."
I just stared at him as my jaw dropped.
"I am sick. I just had major surgery. I can't drive for a week. And you're leaving town?"
My husband smiled and kissed my cheek. "Yeah, work sucks, huh? So, call your sister or a friend, okay?"
I nodded and closed the door behind my family. I should have known by now not to get upset. He didn't know the pain he was causing. I think that's the most frustrating part. I can't even get mad at him. Although, trust me, I do. This time though, I settled on a proper pity party and simply sat down for a good cry. I felt truly sorry for myself. I knew I could ask my sister or one of my friends, but what I really wanted was my mom. But we had a falling out over the summer and hadn't spoken since. I hadn't even told her about my surgery. She had no idea what I'd been through, and I wasn't about to call her now. With my mother, well, you just never knew how long she'd stay mad. So I just kept crying and feeling so sorry for myself with no husband to help me and not even a mother in sight bearing the requisite chicken soup. I am sure I made a pathetic sight sitting on the bottom stair of my house with my dog Lily on my lap and a box of tissues by my side.
Finally, I said allowed to God, "You know, I just wish I had my mother here. I really could use some help. You have to send someone to help me."
Almost instantly, the phone rang. I sniffed and got up to look at the caller ID. I almost dropped the phone when I saw my mother's name. I clicked the phone on and said, "Mom?"
My mom said, "Samantha, what is wrong? I just got the strongest urge to call you. Are you ok?"
I started in on my crying again and said, "No, I had surgery and I need you."
My mom said, "Give me 20 minutes to put my face on and I'll be right over."
I smiled because my mom will always be my mom -- with her elaborate makeup and designer clothes and angry outbursts -- but she is my mom. And somehow, in some crazy way, she felt my need for her that morning. She came right over -- yes, in full makeup and looking beautiful as always -- and she took care of me the whole day. We sat in my bed all day catching up as she made me lunch and got dinner ready for my girls. Later, my sister came home with my daughters, and I knew that even though my life is far from perfect, I have my very own imperfectly perfect family. And together, with God's help, we can survive anything. Even each other.
I've also never hidden the struggles I've gone through dealing with my husband's brain injury. For the last seven years, I've learned first hand the difficulties of living with someone with a frontal lobe brain injury. I can handle the headaches, the short term memory loss, the difficulty being in large groups, the disdain for social settings, and the inability to handle stress. All of that I've taken in stride even though it means I don't get to host as many parties as I would like to -- it's a small price to pay. What I almost can't handle is my husband's complete lack of empathy. One of the reasons I fell in love with him all those years ago was because he had such a huge and caring heart. But with this brain injury, he has a very difficult time empathizing with others. This is no fun for the spouse -- especially when said spouse has been diagnosed with cancer.
So this past week I had my reconstruction surgery. My husband forgot the date three times, but eventually he remembered long enough to drive me to the surgery. It was a horrendous surgery for me. I woke up in terrible pain and my blood pressure was soaring. Eventually, they sent me home but over the weekend I developed an infection and had a fever wavering between 102 and 103. Monday morning, I did my best to get the kids ready for school. As I ushered them out the door, my husband followed behind and said, "Oh by the way, you'll have to find someone to pick up the kids today. I have to go out of town."
I just stared at him as my jaw dropped.
"I am sick. I just had major surgery. I can't drive for a week. And you're leaving town?"
My husband smiled and kissed my cheek. "Yeah, work sucks, huh? So, call your sister or a friend, okay?"
I nodded and closed the door behind my family. I should have known by now not to get upset. He didn't know the pain he was causing. I think that's the most frustrating part. I can't even get mad at him. Although, trust me, I do. This time though, I settled on a proper pity party and simply sat down for a good cry. I felt truly sorry for myself. I knew I could ask my sister or one of my friends, but what I really wanted was my mom. But we had a falling out over the summer and hadn't spoken since. I hadn't even told her about my surgery. She had no idea what I'd been through, and I wasn't about to call her now. With my mother, well, you just never knew how long she'd stay mad. So I just kept crying and feeling so sorry for myself with no husband to help me and not even a mother in sight bearing the requisite chicken soup. I am sure I made a pathetic sight sitting on the bottom stair of my house with my dog Lily on my lap and a box of tissues by my side.
Finally, I said allowed to God, "You know, I just wish I had my mother here. I really could use some help. You have to send someone to help me."
Almost instantly, the phone rang. I sniffed and got up to look at the caller ID. I almost dropped the phone when I saw my mother's name. I clicked the phone on and said, "Mom?"
My mom said, "Samantha, what is wrong? I just got the strongest urge to call you. Are you ok?"
I started in on my crying again and said, "No, I had surgery and I need you."
My mom said, "Give me 20 minutes to put my face on and I'll be right over."
I smiled because my mom will always be my mom -- with her elaborate makeup and designer clothes and angry outbursts -- but she is my mom. And somehow, in some crazy way, she felt my need for her that morning. She came right over -- yes, in full makeup and looking beautiful as always -- and she took care of me the whole day. We sat in my bed all day catching up as she made me lunch and got dinner ready for my girls. Later, my sister came home with my daughters, and I knew that even though my life is far from perfect, I have my very own imperfectly perfect family. And together, with God's help, we can survive anything. Even each other.
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