Angelic Alignment

This is a meditation to bring you into contact with your guardian angel and will help you to open up to his/her guidance. The relationship with your angelic guardian places your feet firmly on the road to enlightenment.
Sit in a comfortable meditation posture. Do some deep breathing exercises, relaxing further and further with each breath. Clear your mind and do not dwell on any passing thoughts, just briefly acknowledge them and then release them as you again clear your mind.
Once relaxed, imagine you can breathe energy up and down your spine.
On the in-breath move Earth energy from the root chakra (base of the spine) to the crown chakra (top of the head), and on the out-breath, move spiritual energy from the crown to the root. This technique cleanses and removes energetic blockages.
Once you have mastered this technique and your ‘spiritual’ spine feels clear, bring the energy up your spine as you inhale and send it up to Heaven. With it send gratitude for all the good things in your life. As you do so, imagine an overcast day. See the clouds part, as a ray of brilliant white light comes through and settles directly on your head.
Absorb that brilliant white light into your being through the top of your head. This is your link with the angels.
Allow celestial light to pour in through your body; feel it nurturing every cell.
Bring in the angelic blessings that are meant for you. feel this positive energy coursing through your body. Allow it to bathe you internally and externally.
Now focus your awareness on your heart chakra where the angels most strongly connect with you, visualize it as rose pink.
Allow your consciousness to transcend the ordinary senses and go into a state of heightened awareness. This is your link with an unlimited realm of angelic wisdom.
It is now time to make full contact with your angelic guidance. From the deepest center of your heart where your divine spark dwells, send out your longing for an angel to be your guide.
Feel your angel drawing closer. Experience the change as you link into the higher consciousness of the angelic realms.
Imagine your angel standing beside you and enfolding you in his/her wings. Experience the unconditional love your angel is directing towards you.
You may wish to ask for guidance or even your angel’s name; be still and wait patiently for an answer.
To close the session, bring yourself back to everyday waking reality.

Making Flower Remedies and Herbal Tinctures.

Herbal Tinctures.
"Tinctures can be stored for a long time, making them the perfect way to harness the restorative power of flowers and herbs"
Tinctures are prepared by steeping fresh or dried herbs in pure alcohol. The plants' active constituents are dissolved in the alcohol, which acts as an excellent preservative. Herbal tinctures are stronger than infusions and decoctions. They are an effective and convenient way to administer herbal remedies over extended periods of time, especially when travelling. It is standard to make a tincture from a single herb and to blend tinctures from your herbal medicine cabinet as required. They have a shelf life of up to two years, so it is well worth the effort of preparing your own home-made tinctures.
Simple Steps To Make A Tincture:
1. Chop 300g fresh herbs (or 200g dried herbs) and place them in a large, clean glass jar.
2. Pour 1 litre of pure alcohol (vodka or rum) over the herbs. Place a screw cap on the jar and shake well to ensure that the herbs are fully submerged.
3. Keep in a cool dark place for 10-14 days. Shake the jar for one minute each day.
4. Sieve the mixture through a muslin or linen cloth. Discard the herbs and pour the liquid into sterilised screwtop glass bottles.
5. Label the bottles with the date, the name of the herb and the concentration.
Making A Herbal Tincture With St John's Wort:
1. Collect 250g of the flowering heads of St John's Wort.
2. Place the flower heads containing the buds, flowers and leaves in the alcohol as per the recipe.
3. Take 5ml of the tincture, diluted in water or fruit juice, three times a day to combat anxiety and tension headaches.
Flower Remedies.
"Flower remedies take their power from time in the sun"
Flower remedies are a form of homeopathic tincture.They are a subtle treatment that captures the essential qualities of flowers or herbs by infusing them in water. Alcohol is then used as a fixative and preservative. Flower remedies are effective for treating the emotional imbalances that underlie many illnesses, and they also raise your energy.
Simple Steps To Make A Flower Remedy:
1. Place 50g of freshly picked, whole flower heads in a shallow glass or earthenware basin.
2. Add approximately 350ml of pure spring water. Ensure that all the flowers are submerged and cover with a muslin cloth.
3. Place the basin in a sunny spot for one day. This can be a sheltered spot in the garden or a sunny windowsill.
4. In the evening, remove the flower heads and measure the remaining liquid.
5. Add an equal amount of pure alcohol (vodka or rum) and pour the remedy into sterilised bottles.
Making A Flower remedy With Marigold Essence:
1. Submerge 5-6 freshly picked Marigold flower heads in spring water as described in the flower remedy recipe.
2. It's best to grow your own Marigolds, but if you are purchasing them, you should ensure that the flowers are organic.
3. Apply 4-5 drops of the essence under your tongue 4 times a day to restore a positive frame of mind.
Ideal Herbs And Flowers For Tinctures And Remedies:
Marigold; St John's Wort; Red Chestnut; Willow; Dong Quai; Ginger; Ginkgo; Raspberry; Oak; Pine

Choosing The Right Scent

"There are a bewildering array of aromatherapy fragrances to choose from, but it's easy to get the hang of picking the one that's just right for you"
Some fragrances will ease you off to sleep, others will help to wake you up in the morning. Some relax you, easing away stress and anxiety, others are revitalising and will gee you up for that important job interview.
Follow Your Nose: - Oils that smell similar often have very different effects. Lemon is a stimulant, yet lemongrass is a sedative. Rosemary and peppermint, on the other hand smell nothing alike, but both are excellent for fatigue.
Aromatherapy And Your Body: - The active ingredients of essential oils can ease muscle tension, raise your mood, improve your circulation and clear respiratory problems, such as hayfever, stuffy noses and sore throats. By rubbing your oils over or onto the affected area, you can begin to feel their healing effects almost immediately. You should always use the oil with a carrier oil or some variety of cream. Some essential oils work better on certain areas of your body than others, use this checklist to find out where each oil is best applied.
To ease hayfever: Chamomile; Eucalyptus
To relax sore and aching muscles: Frankincense; Ginger; Sweet Marjoram; Rosemary
To ease stomach/period pains: Aniseed; Clary Sage; Juniper Berry; Lavender; Marjoram
To ease stomach upsets: Ginger; Mandarin; Peppermint
For hair: Cedarwood; Cypress(for oily hair); Rosemary(for dry hair); Tea Tree(for dandruff)
To ease headaches: Eucalyptus; Lavender; Peppermint; Rosemary
To clear a blocked nose: Bergamot; Eucalyptus; Ginger; Rosemary
To ease a sore throat: Frankincense; Jasmine; Sandalwood; Tea Tree
To ease eczema: Chamomile; Geranium; Juniper Berry; Lavender
To moisturise dry skin: Bergamot; Chamomile; Jasmine; Rose; Sandalwood; Y'lang Y'lang
To improve cellulite: Juniper Berry; Geranium; Rosemary
Aromatherapy Massage:- Combine aromatherapy with massage to get the best out of both natural techniques. Rubbing healing oils into your skin allows their active ingredients to pass directly into the tissues of the affected area, while healing massage strokes also work to alleviate pain and stiffness, as well as improve circulation. A quick and easy way to get the benefits of essential oils is to add a few drops to your usual body lotion or moisturiser and then rub it into the affected area.

Obsidian: "The Stone of Justice"

Obsidian is a dark, glassy, non-crystalline rock of volcanic origin and is formed when lava cools particularly quickly. It is usually black but it may be red, brown or grey or a combination of these colours. Sometimes it has lacy white flecks and is then called snowflake obsidian. It was discovered in Ethiopia, although almost all of the stone used in Ancient Rome and Greece came from the island of Melos. Obsidian is found in places of volcanic activity, such as Hawaii, Japan and Iceland. Aztecs used Andean obsidian to make magic mirrors for divination, masks and personal adornment. Other native americans made arrowheads and knives from flakes. Today it is sculpted, or used in jewellery in the form of a cabochon. It is mined in Mexico, Guatemala, Ecuador and the USA, where it can be found in solid, glassy blocks known as 'Apache Tears'.
Ties & Associations:
Root Chakra:
The root chakra is also known as the base, because of it's location at the bottom of the spinal column.It is associated with the element of earth, and physically it corresponds to our most basic instincts and the id or the subconscious. In the body, it controls the adrenal and reproductive glands and the intestines. Obsidian's blackness exerts a beneficial influence over this chakra, bringing our deepest desires and inclinations into the light.
Tarot: The Hermit
The ninth tarot trump, the hermit, represents deep concentration and isolation. It is linked with obsidian because it sheds light on hidden conflicts. It favours clarification of the ability to asses the positive and negative aspects of a situation and helps co-ordinate the strengths that will remedy that which does not work.
Astrological Relations:
Earthy obsidian is connected to the cardinal earth sign, Capricorn. Those born with the sun in Capricorn tend to be too fixated on the material and concrete aspects of life and to devoting themselves to the pursuit of things. This gem lends them the ability to meditate before they act and helps them understand that spiritual goods can be just as valuable as material ones. Some Capricorns are also prone to excessive pride or egocentricity - obsidian can also help here, guiding them towards an attitude of greater humility and generosity. Saturn, the rigid ruler of the sign, finds help in obsidian in reducing aggression or coldness. increasing the Capricornian's sometimes underdeveloped sense of compassion and justice. As a planet with a slow rhythm, it benefits from the flexibility conferred by the vibrations of this gem.
Obsidian:
Confers humility.
Clarifies bewilderment.
Favours equanimity.
Stabilizes the emotions.
Encourages just behaviour.
Protects from danger.