Directing The Energy Current

It’s one o’clock in the morning and I am tossing and turning while fighting the storm that has entered our atmosphere. With a storm comes lightning and thunder, a combination that stirs up energy, and that atmospheric pressure affects our own personal energy. Depending on the length of the storm, it can be hard not to ride it out by staying up all night, eyes wide open, body buzzing as the mind fights that desire to slowly flutter off to dreamland. It is this “fight” with one’s energy that causes us to toss and turn in insomnia.

Rather than toss and turn, I have always used these times as the perfect opportunity to be productive, and most times, I find myself writing about the things that are most important to me. That opportunity does not lend itself only to storms, but includes new moons, full moons, retrogrades, and even eclipses, that can contribute the same seemingly disruptive energy. It amazes me that someone would think that the moon can move large bodies of water to create tides, yet that it could not possibly affect the movement of a human body, which is almost 75% water! There is a reason why emotion and ocean rhyme. It’s to remind us our that lunar connection has an affect on our responses and we have to consider those responses as we move through our daily existence if we want to establish emotional balance.

People reacting through emotional outburst (and we all have those moments) have allowed themselves to be tempered by the vibrations around them. No matter what shakes you up, the fact remains that your energy is still shaken up, and it would behoove you to use that distraction to your advantage, rather than to toss and turn, literally losing sleep over it. Instead, use that energy to your advantage: journalize, color, read--do whatever you need to so that you expend that energy. If you are determined to get back to sleep, then put soft music in your player and tell yourself, by way of personal “suggestion," that this will ease you to sleep.

My late uncle used to say that awareness is everything in life. So, in my best effort to help you become more aware via my study, trial and experience, I have uncovered ways that help me to not only go with the flow during these energetic times, but to direct the current for what lies ahead so that you are aware of the way your energy ebbs and flows. The easiest way to track your progress is to use a calendar and a journal. It doesn’t matter if you keep records on printed paper or if you use your computer. Let your instincts tell you what feels right for you. The idea is to use it faithfully so you have a heads up on the months ahead, so choose something user-friendly. Mark up your calendar with the dates of the moon cycle, retrogrades, eclipses, and anything you read about that would cause an energy shift in our skies (like comets, for instance). Ultimately, this tracking will help you avoid some of the more negative aspects that touch upon our energy. In this way you will be able to understand your own energy and how you, personally, work with the world.

A New Year, A Fun Project!

SAMPLE COLLAGE



As we enter into a New Year and a new decade, it’s important to maintain focus on what we really want to achieve with this “fresh start,” being afforded us. Since the age of 7, my way of doing that has been by creating a collage of words and pictures that represent my wants and goals. The process is empowering and, though I’ve shared it here before, it is worth repeating. I hope you will gather up some time, material, and create a collage to help you embrace 2011.

You will need the following: poster board, scissors, glue and a lot of different magazines, newspapers, and photos.

The size of the collage is up to you. If you are doing this as a project with family, friends or business partners, you might want a larger piece so that everyone in the can participate.

Cut out images and words of what you want to manifest. Be sure to cut out the New Year date, and remember to include a photograph of yourself and your loved ones. I have seen these collages take on a life of their own and I am amazed at how they become a source of comfort and peace. A collage helps us to do more than “go with the flow” of our intentions. It helps us to direct the current so that we arrive at our destination!

Though you can do a collage on any topic: business, health or relationship and at any time, starting the New Year off with one is effective and powerful in setting a positive tone for the months ahead. God bless. Enjoy a Happy, healthy New Year!

The Chain Gang

Chain, Chain, Chain…

Every year, at this time especially, I am inundated with emails that are “chain letters that should not be broken,” because they promise that if you “break the chain” you will have bad luck or you will not get whatever wonderful thing these chain letters claim to promise. So, they expect you to infiltrate your address book and dump these chain letters by forwarding them to “people you care about,” as one letter boasts. Well, it is because I do care about those people on my address book that I don’t send them this piece of intrusive mail, and instead, file it in my Trash or bounce it back to the sender. (This includes the chain letters that say "this is not a chain letter..!")

Chain letters are fear based. They feed upon the instinct of desire in a way that prevents one from being open to the very “gifts” the so-called chain letter promises. Trust me when I tell you that if you don’t send the chain letter to five friends, nothing bad will happen to you, except you might get a computer virus (for those with PCs, anyway) and infect your whole list.

Chain letters just promise more chain letters. I would much rather use the Universal Laws of Attraction and Abundance in a more positive manner, so that it benefits rather than detracts from my intention for a better life.

Nothing will happen to you by sending or not sending a chain letter. The most that will happen is you might lose some friends and a great deal of time forwarding mail, rather than manifesting what you want in life.

Blessings…count them…you have many, but you won’t find them in a mass-emailed chain letter.

HEALING FROM WITHIN

You heal the body and mind by administering to the spirit. It sounds simplistic when you speak it aloud, but the strength behind this statement is a clear indication of where true healthcare lies. It lies in our own hands.

Illness is usually treated for the symptom, sometimes the physical or mental cause is actually discovered, but rarely is the spiritual cause recognized, defined or even addressed.

If your mind is troubled, you might see a therapist. If your body is in pain, you would most likely seek out a doctor. These two experienced professionals of the field of mind and body will forge together to try to help put you back together and ultimately ‘heal’ you.

So, it’s safe to say that body and mind are covered, but what about Spirit? We hear the phrase often in healing that it is “important to keep the patient’s spirits up” for full recovery. But who is doing that, and do they realize how important it is to integrate the recovery of spirit into the one of mind and body?

Spirit is defined as the essence of our being, the light within us that allows us the emotion of sad, happy, or bad, good. It is how we treat our spirit and how we allow our spirit to be treated that decides whether we are healthy, happy and well adjusted.

Chances are that the issue you have of the mind and body are the result of a direct hit on your spirit because it was in a weakened state. There was no one to take you full circle and connect the spirit with the body and the mind. There are many practitioners of the spirit you can seek out and avenues of healing that will act to help guide the healing of the spirit.

The artwork above is part of my Linda Lauren's Energy Art™ and the vibration it embraces is one of deep healing for overall prosperity. Having something so powerful in positive intention is an example of a way to heal the spirit.

Only through the integration of the healing of spirit with that of the body and mind, can true healing take place. Your spirit is in your hands, integrate it into your healing process by administering to its nourishment and including it in your personal health care plan.

WE’VE GOT THE SPIRIT IN US!

I am excited to write this today because it is about how group meditation is a vehicle for sharing love and energy, and how it can not only raise the vibration in a room, but it can raise spirit as well!

Last week, I had the pleasure of attending an invitation-only event given by Karen Robinovitz of Purple Lab in NYC. Her events are usually in line with spirit and this one was no different. Each guest was treated to yoga and meditation that was facilitated by Libby Weintraub, and afterward I embraced the group by doing readings as they sat in a peaceful circle.

The energy that emerges when collectively meditating with a group of people is truly a magical experience of soft, loving vibrations at its highest intensity. We were blessed with the inclusion of The Didge Project, to provide our meditative music. The didgeridoo is an amazing instrument used in healing, meditation and music, and promotes peaceful harmony. At the very end of the meditation, we took a short break, and listened as the didgeridoo sound continued in our circle. At a certain point, my business partner, Susan Dolinko, got up from the circle and took some pictures to share on the Internet.

The photo above is the result--an amazing display of what happens when spirit surrounds us in peace and love and embraces us in the lavender light. That is not dust, reflection or even moisture that you are looking at. It is the color of spirit and energy generated by a group of like-minded people who enjoyed every metaphysical moment.

We had the spirit in us that night…and I, for one, am grateful.

Managing Mercury In Retrograde

I am so tired of people stressing out and running scared because someone told them we were in “mercury retrograde” and that somehow is negative. We don’t have negative planets; we have negative people who use the planets as a great excuse for negative thinking, and in some cases, even negative behavior. My mother always said for every down there is an up, so let’s clear the decks, and get a better understanding of this phenomena and how best to flow with it.

Mercury is the planet governing communication, transportation and truth. When it is in “retrograde” it’s movement appears to be streaming backward in the skies, and that backward intention affects all forms of communication: whether that be via computer or person to person. Just because there are more misunderstandings and bad judgment calls made during Mercury Retrograde periods than any other time, does not mean that Mercury is singularly responsible. I am beginning to suspect an uncomfortable pattern. By the very virtue of the Universal Law of Attraction, many people are actually encouraging the frustration experienced during this time, rather than working with the blessings of it.

Breaking it down:
Don’t sign contracts or commit anything in writing, or any other important agreement papers while Mercury is Retrograde.

Back up your computer files regularly because Mercury wreaks havoc with any form of technology, whether that is a computer or a toaster oven. Keep that in mind.

Avoid travel when Mercury is Retrograde, and if you can’t, then give yourself a lot of extra time and confirm your itinerary several times and check all reservations.

Be extra mindful of your words. Be clear and concise about what you are conveying or need and not make or take things to a personal level. Even the most innocent requests can take on total miscommunication with neither side thinking they were wrong.

Favored activities when Mercury is in Retrograde: editing, revising, reviewing, research relaxing, and regrouping. Cleaning out clutter, organizing and catching up on paperwork are highly favored during this time.

Now, take a nice, slow deep breath. (link here) and take a little 60 second breather as you begin to go with the flow, while directing the current to make this the positive that a Mercury Retrograde should be.

Something To Consider...

I have wanted to write this particular blog post for a long while, but waited until the Mercury Retrograde was over so that it was not misunderstood.

When I refer to “no dumping” I am referring to the escalating (and alarming) practice among friends, family and (especially) strangers, to unload their problems, issues and/or general disgruntled (negative) feelings/conversation on people who do not ask, nor want to share it. If you think you can’t handle it, imagine what you are doing to the person you dump on. They are not prepared for the negativity you want to impart, and therefore will not be of much comfort to you because they may not be in the position to give advice. All you will succeed in doing is passing on negativity to make yourself feel better. That is not sharing, that is dumping. If you want to unload, it is spiritually important that you ask permission before doing so, and then do so in a private venue as a courtesy to others.

The most notorious dumping is done via cell phones. For instance, I was at the local beauty parlor, nail salon or spa, where (unfortunately) people are not reminded to turn off cell phones so as not to disturb others. We are there to decompress, relax and enjoy being pampered, not to take in the negativity of someone else. Imagine what it feels like to hear someone talking loud, for all to hear, about the latest disease or death the caller is relating to them over the phone. One such woman carried on so much about how their family member died, that we were all treated to a wonderfully negative blow-by-blow description of the horror of it all. No one told her to stop. The depression just filled the place as a result. No one bothered to ask her to take it outside. We were all held hostage in her little personal phone booth.

In this economy, the owner of the salon was only interested in not offending (thus losing) the ONE customer, in favor of losing the 10 others who were reduced to listening to this. Ultimately, one by one, each person simply got up and left the place. They were angry, and one woman was SO angry that on her way out the door, she actually ripped the phone out of the person’s hand and threw it in the trash, sending shock waves through the salon.

If you want others to be sympathetic to your plight, you have to be sensitive to the fact that they didn’t sign up for your “news,” and should be asked if it’s okay to listen to it. That applies to whether you are on the phone or sitting at the nail dryer chatting with a fellow customer.

Establishment owners please take note: We pay to be pampered. We are not paying to be put upon. We all have things in our lives that we would rather not deal with, but the misery loves company adage no longer works in the world we live in today. The rage, disrespect and outright rudeness needs to stop. NO MORE DUMPING! Ask first. Or, better yet, BLOG it, because only then is it ok because the person has to seek your blog out, and that is by their choice, and by their permission.

A Rose By Any Other Name Is Still A Message From Mom

I have had a lot of things to consider in my personal family life in the past few months, which caused me some undue stress. My father had some serious health issues and was in and out of the hospital. For age 88, he went through a lot of pain and shuffling around, before he was finally settled and happy in a nursing home. Whenever family issues come up, I often sit back and meditate on thoughts of my mother and I ask her for signs that she is with me. She crossed over almost ten years ago, yet if feels like only yesterday.

My mother’s favorite flower was the gardenia, but she had a secret passion for growing roses. She had several rose bush varieties in an array of colors that ranged from red to vibrant pink, all growing along the fence on one side of family home. Each season, Mom would cut a few for me when they were in full bloom. I can remember her cutting the pointy thorns, before tenderly wrapping a wet paper towel around the stems. In remembrance of her, I keep flowers in the small Lenox vase she gave me.

I don’t generally buy roses, but I do try to have the mixture of red and pink in the arrangements of flowers that fill the vases at my Metaphysical Center. An offering of flowers is considered a “thank you” to the angels, guides and loved ones who watch over us.

Right after Mother’s Day, we put new flowers in the vases. In the Lenox vase was an arrangement of 5 pink carnations and one red carnation. Though I know the flowers are there, I rarely look at them specifically because I am usually busy in readings or focused on what I might be writing. Sue, my business partner and personal assistant, came into my office to ask a question and pointed to the vase.

“OMG! That’s weird!” She pointed and we both looked in the direction of the vase.


The pink carnations around the vase were deliberately broken in the very same place on each stem. The red carnation was standing proudly in the middle, unbroken! I approached it to investigate and took a photo. Then “something” (someone) told me to look up the meaning of carnations. Here is what I discovered:

Carnation (General) - fascination, woman's love –which I can understand because my mother shared a passion with me in my work, and we were very close.

Pink Carnation - I'll never forget you, always on my mind.
This would also be true of both of us, even though she has been gone so long.

At first the broken stems alarmed me, and I quickly scanned the web site for the meaning of the only one left standing. I “knew” the message was from Mom, and it was somehow in that red flower. There had to be a reason for it being the only survivor.

Then I saw it. Red Carnation - my heart aches for you.
In that single moment of recognition, her message was received. She was telling me that no matter where she was, she was aware of what I was going through. It gave me pause, and I sat back into my chair and allowed her love to embrace me.
Thank you, Mom, for always being there. I love you.

New Facebook Sites for me!

Hello, again!

I have just finished creating two more sites via Facebook. I want to connect with all of you!

My fan link is: Linda' Fan Site

I am so excited to have an even broader way to create a connection to extend my reach.

Feel free to create discussion and ask question on the fan site, as I will be visiting there often and hope to get us into some really great topics of discussion. Let's learn and cultivate spirit together!

God bless, Linda

EMBRACING CHANGE STARTS WITH *YOU*

I was reading a blog this morning, and I was shocked at the hate and venom that was contained in the comments section from people who read the blog. In fact, I’ve been pretty appalled for a long time at the whole reality craze, and the way people treat other people in this country. Now that we have this new administration, I am grateful for at least the kindness it will restore to our country.

I don’t understand why American people have to make negative comment on the looks of a person because they don’t like what the person is doing on a TV show. Just because you don’t like someone on a show, does it mean that you get to insult them for the way they were born. The way they look, the features of their face or the size of their body, are not the factors that are important for critiquing a television show. I can’t believe that people don’t look in the mirror and see their own flaws! I am amazed that the person with a big nose and a potbelly themselves, has the audacity to write a negative comment about someone else’s looks simple because they don’t like the television show. Or the 50 year old man who hasn’t looked in the mirror in 30 years dating a19 year old, and believing she wants him for him! God help everyone. Its time to turn the TV off, get some exercise so you lose weight and perhaps you wont be so angry at someone on TV!

It’s time we all banded together and pulled up positive energy. It is time to restore peace, love and good vibrations to the world. The anger, rage, and appalling use of other people for personal gain that we had during the previous nasty administration is going to stop. And I’m so grateful for that! We have too long lived in an insulting environment that takes advantage of those less fortunate.

If you want positive energy, you have to help create. You can’t expect everyone else to do it for you. It takes a village to raise a child, as they say, so it takes all the citizens to help change the vibration of a country. So let’s start with ours, and set an example of peace and goodwill so that others will follow around the world.

This is not only the time for change, but also the time to create what we really want in life because for the first time in this country is up to us again. And isn’t that wonderful?

So let’s not fall prey to the panic, let’s not fall prey to the anger and rage of the past, and instead move ahead to create positive energy and positive awareness so that we have better lives, better jobs and live longer. After all, isn’t that what we all really want?