Do You Believe in Angels?

We seem to have an innate need to believe in benevolent beings and a mystical realm beyond what we experience in our everyday lives here on earth. For thousands of years, people around the globe, from myriad cultures and belief systems, have sought and received assistance from heavenly helpers. Today, when so much of our world seems baffling, overwhelming, or totally out of control, perhaps it’s no coincidence that angels seem to be showing up in large numbers to guide us on life’s perilous journey.

In 2008, the Washington Post conducted a poll of 36,000 adults from various religious and nonreligious backgrounds. It found that most Americans think angels actively participate in our lives, and more than 80 percent believe miracles occur.

Angels, it seems, can and do appear to all sorts of people––even nonbelievers. In fact, they may be present in our lives all the time, holding our hands, watching our backs, and whispering in our ears. If F. Forrester Church, author of Entertaining Angels, is right, “Every moment of every day is riddled by their traces.”

In my forthcoming book, The Angels Among Us, nearly 100 people contributed stories of their personal experiences with angels. Not only that, they took astonishing and beautiful photographs of the angels, which are included in my book. Seeing angels, they say, strengthened their faith––and in some cases changed their lives forever.

Thousands of people around the world have photographed what they think are angels––the website www.angelsghosts.com is a great place to see lots of amazing and thought-provoking pictures. Countless other people say they’ve experienced angelic contacts of some kind. You, too, may have encountered an angel, you just didn’t realize it at the time. Perhaps an angel is hovering beside you at this very moment. (Excerpted from my book The Angels Among Us, soon to be published by David & Charles Publishers, Ltd.)

Meditate for Health and Happiness

While you’re making New Year’s resolutions, you may want to consider adding daily meditation to your to-do list. Meditation could be the single best thing you can do for yourself. It’s easy and pleasant, anyone can do it, and it’s absolutely free. During the last four decades, more than 600 studies conducted at 250 universities and medical schools worldwide have verified meditation’s efficacy. More than 350 scientific and medical journals have published research showing the benefits of meditation for conditions including diabetes, coronary disease, cancer, chronic pain, and more. You’ll see positive results even if you just ten minutes a day.

This spring, my new book “The Best Meditations on the Planet” co-authored with Dr. Martin Hart, will be published by Fair Winds Press/Quayside Publishing Group. In it you’ll find 100 mediations of various types for relaxation, physical and emotional healing, enhancing success, improving intelligence and creativity, longevity, and lots more––something for everyone. The meditation given below isn’t included in the book, but you can try it yourself if you like––and check out the wonderful quartz crystal bowls from Crystal Tones, too.

Play a Singing Bowl to Soothe Stress

You’ve heard the saying “music soothes the savage beast,” and indeed, research indicates that listening to certain sounds can encourage relaxation and promote healing. As Mitchell Gaynor, M.D. explains in his book Sounds of Healing, "Music can have a powerful salutary effect on our cardio-vascular, immune, and nervous systems, not to mention our emotional

and spiritual selves." So it’s no surprise that many people find music or musical tones, such as those produced by singing bowls, increase the benefits of meditation.

In the East, singing bowls are a traditional tool used by monks to deepen meditation and induce healing. Singing bowls reduce stress by letting us “tune” ourselves, bringing our personal energies into balance. Usually made of metal or crystal, these bowls can be struck with a soft mallet to produce a ringing tone, like a bell. When you rub the mallet around the bowl’s lip, the bowl’s “voice” opens and it sings a harmonic chord.

1. Set a singing bowl on a firm cushion or folded towel. Your bowl may come with a rubber ring on which to position it securely.
2. Stand or sit facing the bowl. Position yourself so you feel comfortable.
3. Take a few slow, deep breaths and begin to relax.
4. With a soft mallet, gently strike the rim or side of the bowl to produce a ringing sound, like a chime.
5. Focus your attention on the pleasing sound. Listen to it reverberate, and gradually fade away.
6. Strike the bowl again and feel the sound waves vibrating in your body. You may notice the resonance is stronger in one particular section of your body.
7. Slowly run the mallet around the rim of the bowl to make it “sing.”
8. As you continue circling the rim of the bowl with the mallet, focus on how the singing grows louder and clearer.
9. Allow the waves of sound to wash over you and through you, dissolving the stress from your mind and body.
10. Circle the rim of the bowl until it sings, then strike the side of the bowl so the two sounds reverberate together. Listen to their harmonious interaction.
11. Feel the soothing sounds resonate through your body––not just your ears, but your head, heart, solar plexus, all the way down to your feet––gently melting your stress.
12. If you wish, you can lie down and place the bowl on a part of your body, such as your chest or abdomen, where tension seems greatest. Strike the bowl and feel the sound waves ripple through you, easing stress.
13. Continue playing the singing bowl for as long as you like.

Play your singing bowl as often as you wish, whenever you feel a need to soothe stress and restore balance to your body, mind, and spirit. Singing bowls come in various sizes, tuned to different notes on the musical scale. Each note produces a unique resonance that harmonizes with a particular energy center (or chakra) in your body. You may wish to play two or more bowls in combination to reduce stress in various parts of your body.

The Secret of Abundance

“Be content with what you have;

Rejoice in the way things are.

When you realize there is nothing lacking,

The whole world belongs to you.” – Lao Tzu

This quote seems to sum up the secret of abundance, in the simple and elegant way of Eastern mysticism and philosophy. Those of you who are familiar with the Law of Attraction know you attract whatever you think about. When you focus on the blessings in your life, you attract more blessings. But when you constantly worry about what you lack, you’ll create more lack. Easier said than done, I know, but true.

The great sage reminds us that the universe offers unlimited bounty and joy––it lacks nothing. All we have to do is open our eyes to it. By appreciating the goodness you already have, you tune your personal resonance to a vibration of acceptance and receptivity. From this place, all things become possible.

I find making “vision cards” like the one shown here helps me focus. I use these cards as meditation/visualization tools to attract whatever I desire. Vision boards overwhelm me with too many ideas and images––the small scale of a single card (4” X 6”) also enables me to carry the card with me. You may want to try it to see if it works for you, too.

New Aromatherapy Card Deck

I'd like to let you know about my new Aromatherapy Card Deck, published by Fair Winds Press. This is the third in my series of holistic healing decks, and it's beautifully produced. The boxed set contains fifty full-color cards that describe various therapeutic uses for aromatic plants, along with striking images of each plant. 

For thousands of years fragrant oils, gums, and resins have been used for both medicinal and cosmetic purposes. Ancient Chinese and Indian texts describe the therapeutic, philosophical, and spiritual properties of aromatics. The Egyptians employed them in all areas of life, from seduction to embalming. The Bible discusses special oils for anointing and healing; aromatics were so highly prized that the "wise men" gave them to Jesus at his birth.

French chemist and perfumer René-Maurice Gattefosse coined the term "aromatherapy" in 1928 when he discovered, quite by accident, that lavender oil helped heal a burn on his hand and prevented scarring.

Essential oils are extracted, usually by distillation, from the flowers, leaves, bark, or roots of aromatic plants. Some essential oils can be rubbed directly on the skin to provide therapeutic benefits. Others may be ingested. When inhaled, scents affect the limbic system of the brain, causing shifts in brain wave function that can trigger emotional and/or physical reactions. Here are some popular ways to use aromatic oils:

• Put a few drops of oil in a diffuser or vaporizer and inhale the steam.
• Add several drops of oil plus a half-cup of milk to bathwater.
• Make a massage oil by blending 10–15 drops of essential oil into an ounce of a “carrier” oil, such as almond, grape seed, olive, or jojoba.
• Combine 1 teaspoon of oil, 8 ounces of distilled water, and 1 ounce of isopropyl alcohol in a spray bottle and mist the room with it.

Only pure essential oils offer therapeutic properties––synthetic concoctions lack the plants’ natural vital energy. Some essential oils should not be ingested and some can be irritating to the skin––don’t them full-strength. Citrus oils can cause sensitivity to sunlight. Pregnant women, children, and the elderly, in particular, should exercise caution when using essential oils. Because essential oils are highly volatile, store them in dark, glass bottles in a cool place. Aromatherapy should be considered a complementary therapy, not a substitute for professional medical care.

New Acupressure Card Deck

I'd like to introduce my new full-color illustrated Acupressure Card Deck, which I hope you'll find interesting and helpful--it's now available from Fair Winds Press. One of the world’s oldest healing modalities, acupressure has been used in Asia for thousands of years to relieve a wide range of common ailments. Chinese medical texts dating back to 300 B.C.E. describe the practice of acupressure. Although virtually unknown in the West until the middle of the 20^th century, acupressure is becoming increasingly popular as a self-help and first aid treatment that supports the body’s natural healing ability.

Acupressure, it’s sometimes said, is acupuncture without the needles. This gentle and effective form of therapeutic touch follows the same general principles as acupuncture, but it’s less invasive. Instead of inserting needles into certain points on the body, you apply pressure with the thumbs and fingertips to stimulate the flow of life energy––or Qi, as it’s called in China––to the affected area(s).

According to Chinese medicine, disease results from imbalances in the body’s Qi. Acupressure facilitates the smooth, harmonious flow of Qi through a system of invisible channels known as meridians that run through the body. Hundreds of acupressure points lie along these meridians, like stations along a train route. Usually they are designated by the meridian name (abbreviated) plus a number to indicate their positions. They’re also called by colorful names, such as Sea of Tranquility or Three Yin Crossing, that describe their benefits or locations.

Using acupressure to treat common complaints

Acupressure is safe, easy, and virtually painless. You can use it to treat yourself or someone else, for all sorts of common problems––psychological as well as physical. Indeed, holistic healers generally believe that most physical ailments are linked with psychological issues. Therefore, it’s no surprise that a single acupressure point might benefit various disorders. “Heavenly Pillar” (B 10), for example, eases stress and helps heal acne––two conditions that often are connected.

Pressing a point can relieve discomfort locally––that is, at the place where the point exists––and/or in another part of the body that may be quite some distance from the point’s actual position. That’s because activating a particular point affects the flow of Qi through a meridian, generating healing along the way. For best results, you may want to stimulate several points together, as the cards in this deck suggest. Pressing both “Big Mound” and “Outer Gate,” for instance, can ease tendonitis in the wrist and arm.

Use your fingertips or thumbs––or both––to apply steady, gentle pressure to a specific point. Don’t tap or pump a point. Don’t grip it so hard you cause pain. If you wish, make small circles with your finger on the point. In most cases, you should hold a point for at least 30 seconds to a minute or more at a time. It may be necessary to activate a particular point several times a day to produce continued results. 

Many people experience acupressure’s benefits quite quickly. For example, applying pressure to “Intermediary” (P 5) quells motion sickness almost immediately. Some problems, however, require regular, repeated attention over a period of time. Daily treatment can produce long-term benefits and even help alleviate chronic conditions. (copyright 2010 by Skye Alexander)

I hope you'll check out my other colorful healing card decks, too: The Reflexology Card Deck and The Aromatherapy Card Deck.

The Sixth Sense

Psychic activity can occur when you are awake, asleep, or in between. Everyone experiences it differently. Some people have visions, some hear sounds or voices. Others feel distinct bodily sensations such as chills, twitches, or a tingling in the spine. Many just know something without understanding how they know it.

Psychic experiences fall into several categories. Clairvoyance (literally “clear seeing”) is the ability to see things beyond the range of ordinary physical perception, including events that have not happened yet. Psychic visions often come to us in dreams, but they can also appear in a shiny surface –– a crystal ball, pool of water, or the hood of a well-waxed automobile. Sometimes visions of nonphysical beings –– saints, angels, fairies, ghosts, elementals –– or even entire scenes emerge unbidden, seemingly out of nowhere, right before the eyes of the startled beholder.

Painter Marc Chagall was inspired to paint angels by a vision he had when he was a young man. Living in poverty and questioning his artistic calling, Chagall one night saw a huge, brilliant blue angel on the ceiling of his room. The angel, he believed, had come to give him the encouragement and confidence he needed to continue with his work. 

Clairaudience means hearing things that don’t actually resonate with our ordinary auditory mechanism. This includes sounds too distant to be picked up by the physical ear, such as a mother hearing her child’s cries of distress from miles away. Hearing things that have no physical source also falls into this category. 

Clairsentience or “clear sensing” is the term used for those inexplicable feelings we get when we know something without having seen, heard, smelled, tasted, or touched it. Sometimes clairsentience may be accompanied by a physical sensation, such as a tingling, prickling, burning, or chill, but the actual awareness arrives via a “sixth sense” instead of being received through one of our five physical senses. 

Precognition or premonitions about the future, telepathy or mind reading, communicating with entities in other planes of existence (also known as mediumship or channeling), psychic healing, intuitive medical diagnosis, psychokinesis (moving physical objects with your mind), psychometry (picking up psychic vibrations from an object), near death experiences, and past-life recall all fall under the “psychic” heading. 

These forms of enhanced awareness are often referred to as extrasensory perception or ESP. However, this implies that psychic ability is something “extra” when in truth it is as common as the senses of hearing, sight, and taste.

(Excerpted from 10-Minute Crystal Ball, by Skye Alexander, published by Fair Winds Press. Copyrighted material.)

Welcome the Spring Equinox or Ostara

Pagans and witches celebrate Ostara (also known as Eostre) when the sun enters 0 degrees of Aries, which this year occurs on March 20. In the Northern Hemisphere, the Spring Equinox ushers in warmer weather, days that are longer than nights, and the advent of new life. Christianity adopted this joyful period of the year for the celebration of Easter (which usually falls near the Spring Equinox). Ostara gets its name from the German fertility goddess Ostare; the word Easter derives from the same root. Both holidays celebrate the triumph of life over death.

In an old German story, a rabbit laid some sacred eggs and decorated them as a gift for the fertility goddess Ostare. Ostare liked the beautiful eggs so much that she asked the rabbit to share the eggs with everyone throughout the world.

Some popular Easter customs have their roots in Ostara’s symbolism. Eggs represent the promise of new life, and painting them bright colors engages the creative aspect of the sabbat. You might enjoy decorating eggs with magickal symbols, such as pentagrams and spirals. And rabbits, of course, have long been linked with fertility.

The Holiday’s Significance

The Sun King’s chariot continues climbing higher in the sky, reaching the point at which day and night are of equal length on Ostara. Therefore, this sabbat is associated with balance, equality, and harmony.

The Spring Equinox marks the first day of spring and the start of the busy planting season in agrarian cultures. Farmers till their fields and sow seeds. Trees begin to bud, spring flowers blossom, and baby animals are born. Ostara, therefore, is one of the fertility holidays and a time for planting seeds—literally or figuratively.

Ways to Celebrate

On Ostara, sow seeds that you want to bear fruit in the coming months. This is an ideal time to launch new career ventures, move to a new home, or begin a new relationship. If you’re a gardener, you’ll start preparing the soil and planting flowers, herbs, and/or vegetables now. Consider the magickal properties of botanicals and choose plants that represent your intentions. Even if you aren’t a gardener, you could plant seeds in a flowerpot to symbolize wishes you hope will grow to fruition in the coming months.

Witches connect each plant—herb, flower, and tree—with specific magickal properties. Sage, for example, is used for purification rituals. Mint and parsley can be added to prosperity talismans to attract wealth. White snapdragons insure protection and roses play an important role in love magick.

Excerpted from my book The Everything Wicca and Witchcraft Book, published by Adams Media (see Skye’s Books). Copyrighted material.