A snapshot of heaven...

This week I went to a Reiki Share, which is where a group of reiki practitioners gather to share ideas and healing with each other. We started with a group meditation before embarking on group healing. We were asked to think about a particular block or issue in our lives that we wished to remove and to focus on that. This time it was a Super New Moon Reiki Share, which is a time that is excellent time clearing blocks or anything that is not serving us well. For me it was a block on daily meditation. I usually meditate every day as I find that life goes more smoothly if I do. However for the last two months I have struggled. Consequently I have been feeling as if life is running away with me. I never seem to have enough time to get everything done, including meditation. This is what happens when I don't meditate. So, I put this block into my focus and asked for assistance with the problem, having no idea how eye opening the experience was going to be.

Our leader began the meditation by reading out loud to set the scene in which we were to meditate and afterwards we were left sitting with our eyes closed, visualising ourselves lying on the grass at the top of a hill.  I felt the grass beneath me as I lay on the top of this hill, with gentle music playing in the background and then I felt my body rising up towards the sky. Up, up and up. Next I noticed my daughter was next to me. I lost my daughter three and a half years ago at the age of 20, after a four year battle with Leukaemia. We were incredibly close during her life here and I am extremely lucky that I can still connect with her, especially during meditations and when undergoing or carrying out healing. The next thing I was aware of was that we were in a field. A field that often appears when I am in deep meditation and I turned to her and said "What is this field? It keeps appearing but I don't recognise it". "It is our field!" she replied, as if I was mad not to recognise it, "We always come here to plan and make decisions on what we want to do next. This is where we decide our missions!". She told me she was going to take me to see Nure. Nure is the lady who brought me up. She was our nanny but she was the one I had my true mother relationship with, as for a variety of reasons my true mother was not able to bond with me in that way. Nure taught me complete unconditional love and finally passed away at the age of 94 and I wondered if I would ever recover at the time. She and my daughter had always been close. The thought of going to see her was incredibly comforting.

As we walked across 'the field' we came across a relation who had recently passed away. A woman with a warm heart and a beautiful soul who had also left us all too soon. She stood in a wildflower meadow and we hugged and talked for a while. She asked me to pass on her love to her family and to tell them she was safe. My daughter and I moved on and as we neared our destination we were pulled aside once again. There I saw an old friend who we had lost quite a few years ago. She was sitting under a blossoming cherry tree, beckoning to me. We hugged and chatted for a while and she asked the same, that I tell her family she was safe and I pass on her love to them.

Next I found we were standing outside a quintessential English cottage adorned with pink climbing roses. We stepped inside, as if stepping into the kitchen of Bilbo Baggins and there she was. Sitting at the kitchen table with a large pot of tea. My heart filled with love for her. She loved her tea, always in a pot, she also loved to have a special china teacup and saucer. And there it was, all just as I remembered. It crossed my mind that she finally had her own cottage, having always wanted a place of her own. When we were children she would solve any crisis by wrapping us in a huge hug and then sitting us down in the kitchen to a large cup of tea and toast. The toast would be cut into tiny little squares to make them easier to eat as a child. There was something about those little squares that we loved and even as we grew into adults she continued to do this. There she sat, tea, pot, special cup and saucer, toast in squares and brownies which were a speciality of my daughter's. I can't fully describe what it felt like to find myself sitting there with her and my daughter, the three of us chatting away. Peace, a pure kind of happiness and serenity are just some of the feelings I felt. Almost as if they had never been away. Certainly no pain from having lost them or not having them around me on a daily basis anymore. I then noticed the dogs under the table, some sitting looking expectantly at Nure, some seemed to be wandering in and out. Every dog that my husband and I have owned in our lifetimes was there. Plus the ones from my childhood, which were of course part of Nure's life too. I teased her that she was still feeding them under the table and she still firmly denied it saying "I don't know what you mean, I never feed them, they just sit here, I don't know why". We always knew why!

I see a wonderful psychic every year on my daughter's birthday and this year he told me that my daughter was soon to evolve to the next level in heaven. He and I both believe there are seven levels in heaven and that we work our way up through learning and evolving. I realised that this might mean that she may not be there to greet me when my time came, as according to his book the spirits on different levels are not always able to connect. This had niggled at me, even though he had assured me that there are houses you can go to where different level souls can mix. As I sat in that cottage with Nure and my daughter, I could hear her saying "you see, when the time comes we can sit here, the three of us, in this cottage any time we like. This is one of the houses where we can meet". She seemed to now that I had been worrying about this and I could feel relief sweeping through me. Before the next thought had properly formed in my head she said, with a big smile on her face "And don't worry, I will be there to meet you, we have ways of arranging these things you know". She also seemed to know that I had been worrying about her not being there to greet me when the time came, but then people who have had near death experiences do say that everything is telepathic in heaven so I shouldn't have been surprised that she had read my mind. Everything certainly appeared very simple sitting at that table, in that cottage.

In what felt like too short a time I was off again, I passed my father walking along the beach and we stopped and talked for a short while. Then we met my father-in-law by the bank of a river. I think he may have been fishing but it wasn't clear. My heart lifted to see him, as it had been a while. In the seven years I knew him he was almost a father to me and sadly died 26 years ago. It was wonderful to see him again.  I then found I was heading back to the grassy hill that I had been lying on when my journey began. My daughter seemed to be saying to me "You see, this is how easy it is for us to connect with you, all you have to do is meditate daily".

As our reiki share leader was telling us to be aware of the room once more to bring us out of meditation, I felt myself reflecting on the journey I had just been on. The ease which I had drifted into that reality and how it had actually felt like being with all those people in life as we know it. I can always rely on my daughter to give me a nudge when I am off balance but that snapshot of heaven felt so real and so effortless that I have meditated every day since. It takes the longer meditations to connect in that way but the simple act of meditating, even just for 10 minutes, every day seems to untangle life for me and allows everything to fall back into place. It makes daily life so much more effortless, just like my quick trip to heaven.

15 tips to help you sleep better

It seems that two of the biggest issues my friends and clients suffer from these days are anxiety and sleep problems, with the former often being the cause of the latter. So how can we calm the mind and help our body give us a better night’s sleep? Different methods work for different people but over the years I have picked up quite a long list of tips which I thought I would share with you.

Preparing your body and mind for bedtime

You would be surprised how many things you can do to let your mind and body know it’s time to wind down. 

1. Warnings on sugar, caffeine and alcohol

Everyone has different thresholds but eating sugar before you go to bed is not only going to fire up your system, it will also create a sugar low a few hours into your sleep which will probably wake you up. Some people can’t eat sugar an hour before bed, others will find they need to leave it as much as five hours. The longer the better if you are having trouble sleeping. It is worth experimenting to see what works for you. With caffeine it is best to stick drinking it in the morning if you can’t avoid it completely, or try de-caffeinated coffee and tea bags. If you didn't know they were de-caffeinated you would find it hard to tell the difference. Alcohol also causes sugar surges and makes it hard to get into a deep sleep so if you can’t avoid it try to keep it to a minimum if you want to wake up feeling refreshed.

2. Tryptophan rich foods

Eating supper early and then having a small bedtime snack helps maintain sugar levels during the night. Making your bedtime snack a tryptophan rich food such as an oatcake with marmite, peanut butter, a slice of turkey or chicken is even better. A banana, a handful of almonds or a bowl of cereal (as long as not a sugar laden cereal) with milk is also good.  There is more information on tryptophan foods to be found at: https://sleepfoundation.org/sleep-topics/food-and-sleep

3. Teas

Valerian and Chamomile teas are calming. Just make sure you don’t have too big a cup or you may find you need to get up in the night. There are also two other great bed time teas on the market, Snore & Peace by Clipper and Night Time by Pukka. They can usually be found either in your local health food shop or supermarket.

4. Warm bath

A warm bath (not too hot) before bed helps, especially if you add some Epsom Bath Salts or Himalayan Bath Salts and a few drops of lavender oil and/or any of the essential oils listed below. A bath before bedtime is a signal to your body that it is time to wind down.

5. Essential oils

You can also put a drop of essential oils on a cloth next to your bed, use a room diffuser or add a few drops to your bath. Good oils for sleep are:

• Lavender

• Neroli

• Vetiver

• Sandalwood

• Marjoram

• Roman Chamomile

• Ylang Ylang

• Bergamot

6. Pillow spray

This Works do a very good Deep Sleep pillow spray – see link below. Many friends have reported that it really does work! http://www.thisworks.com/deep-sleep-pillow-spray.html#sthash.31pahEiQ.dpbs

7. Legs up the wall!

One of the most effective yoga positions for sleep is lying on the floor with your legs up the wall before bedtime, whether for just a few minutes, ten minutes or longer. This pose is called Viparita Karani and you can see how to do it with the link below. If you have lower back problems placing a pillow or bolster under your hips is also helpful.

http://img.mindbodygreen.com/image/upload/c_scale,w_770,q_80,f_auto,fl_lossy/crp/HopeKnosherLegsUpTheWall-825x496.jpg

8. Avoid technology 

So many of us are guilty of checking our phone or iPad in bed or, worse still, when we wake in the night. This is a really bad idea and in an ideal world neither of these should be allowed in the bedroom. I find that hard so, as a compromise, I now set my morning alarm on my phone before I get into bed and then don’t pick it up again until the alarm goes off in the morning. If you can find a way to either minimise or cut out technology in the bedroom that will really help. You would be amazed how much these things fire up our brains. 

Do you wake and then struggle getting back to sleep? 

Some of the tips below might work for you:

9. Keep your clock covered

Cove your clock face by placing something in front of it before you turn your light off top stop yourself looking at the time when you wake up. It might sound odd but I think this is one of the most important tips because the minute you check the time your brain will start fretting  – “It is so early, why have I woken now? I have so long to go before morning”, or “ugh, it is too early to get up but if I don’t get back to sleep soon it will be too late and I will wake up groggy” and so it goes on...  It is worth being strict and making sure you can’t see the time to give you the best possible chance of getting back to sleep.  

10. Seven/eleven breathing

This breathing technique seems to work well for so many people. The main aim is to breathe out for longer than you breathe in as this calms the mind and slows the heartbeat to induce sleep. Some people say this sends you to sleep immediately. Whether it does or not, it generally allows you to fall asleep shortly after you stop, even if not immediately. I often think "this is not working" then realise the next morning that I must have gone back to sleep very soon after.

11. Relaxation tapes

A relaxation or hypnotherapy tape can also be useful at calming the over active brain, helping you get back to sleep. Caroline Outterside does a wonderful version – see below – which will hopefully result in you dropping off before you get to the end, or soon after.

Daily activities to improve sleep

Taking some time out in the day to do any of the suggestions below is bound to help.

12. Exercise

A little physical exercise daily helps tire the body so that you sleep better at night, whether it is going to the gym or walking the dog, choose something that suits your lifestyle. If you can get some fresh air at the same time, even better, as it helps sleep and increases feelings of well being.

13. Yoga 

If you can take regular yoga classes that is fantastic but if that is too time consuming or expensive even one class a week can make a big difference to your sleep. If you only do one class a week you can still continue to practice at home the rest of the week, if you feel inclined. A Friday night Restorative Yoga class can be a wonderful way to close the week and start your weekend and help you wake up refreshed on Saturday morning. 

14. Meditation

Meditation is known to work wonders for sleep. If you are not familiar with meditation or mindfulness it may be worth finding a course locally or downloading some of the apps. There are many different types of meditation on the internet which can be downloaded for free.  You don’t need to take a course or be an expert, you can simply listen to guided meditations if that suits you better. In addition to the Caroline Outterside relaxation tape mentioned above, Solara An-Ra also does a wonderful guided mediation taking you on a journey into a forest. You can listen to her free mediation here: http://www.solara.org.uk/userfiles/files/03_Earth_Connection_(A_Guided_Journey).mp3

Later in the year I plan to launch some of my own guided meditations as well as start running some simple meditation courses for all ages. I will keep you posted.

15. Homeopathy 

Homeopathy can also be very helpful with sleep issues and a whirring mind. For women of a certain age waking with night sweats can be an issue and homeopathic remedies are incredibly effective in this area too. It may take one or two attempts to get exactly the right remedy but once you do, problem solved, so well worth making the effort. Also, at risk of being the bearer of bad tidings, alcohol usually increases night sweats.

See which of these tips appeal to you and give them a go. The more the better of course. If you have any questions feel free to ask me and I will help where I can. Please note that these are simply suggestions, so if you have a serious problem it is always wise to seek professional guidance from your doctor.

Equally, if anyone has found other methods which work well for them please share them in them in the comments box below as they may be useful for others.

Sleep tight!

xoxox

Setting New Moon Intentions

You can set new intentions any time you like. However, today is a particularly good day for it as we welcome the Piscean New Moon today. If you have completed your clearing of old patterns and issues since the Full Moon just over two weeks ago, then now is the time to manifest your new intentions. Even if you didn’t go through that process, you can still set new intentions today, or any day for that matter. Doing it today will bring even more powerful energy as the new moon is an excellent time for creating shifts and bringing about change.

Start by writing on separate pieces of paper what you would like to achieve over the next lunar cycle. Some say the list can be as long as you like but personally I think it works best to keep it to your top 3 or 6 most important wishes to keep the focus clear. It is very important to write as if this wish has already been achieved and express how it makes you feel that this wish has been granted. 

If you are not someone who meditates that’s fine just find a quiet space to sit, light a candle and focus on the items on your list, one at a time. As you read each wish/intention close your eyes for a moment and really let yourself feel your emotion when that goal or wish has been accomplished. Reading out loud can help affirm your intention or you can simply do this in your head. Spend a minute on each, or more if you are able. 

You can further enhance the experience if you start off by saying “I ask for the highest guidance possible in manifesting these intentions”. When you are done it is always nice to finish with saying “I send love, light and gratitude to all higher beings who assist me”. If that doesn’t come easily to you, then simply holding your hands in the prayer position, dip your head and say “Namaste”. This is a perfectly acceptable way of saying thank you to those that assist you. 

If you have any questions let me know and I would be happy to help.

How you can make 2017 your most productive year yet!

Call me crazy if you like but I love January…

Rather than feeling a need to deprive myself in the New Year, I love that ‘clean slate’ feeling where you can draw the line and start again. This year I want to finish my book, de-cluttering my house and fulfil a multitude of business projects before Christmas looms again.

Starting with good intentions is easy but before you know it January slips by as does the rest of the year. Not having a clear plan is fatal as it allows us to drift and before we know it we are back to January and wishing we had been more productive. Well, the good news is, we are still in January and it’s not too late to do it differently this year.

This year I had so many things I wanted to achieve that I felt I needed more than the usual list on my phone, which realistically is looked at in January and then left until the following January. I started telling friends that I was going to spend a day working out my goals for the year with the help of a Spidergram and a few people mentioned Vision Boards to me. They sounded a great idea and one of my friends said she felt she was drifting and would love to get some focus, so we booked a day last week to create our Vision Boards together. The entire exercise was so exciting that I had to share it with you!

Me being me, the exercise ended up including a colour coded Excel spreadsheet. I just couldn’t help myself but before that puts you off, it doesn’t have to be a spreadsheet. That’s just me – I love them!  A chart showing each month of the year is the essential to avoid unrealistic timings and overlaps but it can just as easily be done on A3 paper or a large notepad. I have re-named my spreadsheet version the Vision Chart. You can create your own Vision Chart in whichever way works best for you. I am going to stick mine in the front of my A4 diary.

So, I started with The Overview, then I drew the Spidergram of the different areas in my life so that I could be sure I achieved ‘life balance’. As a healer I strongly believe that lack of balance in our lives is one of the main causes of stress and ill health.

Having completed the Overview and the Spidergram, I created my Vision Chart. I am now going to find beautiful pictures of the topics I have listed and stick them on a Vision Board and hang it where I can see it throughout the day.  I am great believer in visualisation and this will help me visualise achieving the goals on my chart.

So here you go, it’s this easy:

1.     The Overview – sit and think about where you would like to be in the following time frames:

Write down where you want to be in relationships, health, career, location and any major goals you would like to achieve in that time. It is useful to do this first but if that is too hard, come back to it later and just deal with this year for now.

1.     The Spidergram – create one sheet for Personal and one for Business/Career and list the components of your life that create a balanced lifestyle. Below each component list what you would like to achieve in that area this year. Here is a very simple example but you can create your own version.

1.     The Vision Chart – below is an example of the Vision Chart. List the months of the year along the top and the components from your Spidergram down the left column.

Next start to insert into the chart the things you wrote below each component on your Spidergram, month by month. You will start to build a picture of how long you need to complete certain tasks, which are your top priorities, the ideal spacing between projects and how to spread your projects across the year. Be realistic. Packing too much in at once will put you off the task in hand and put you under undue pressure. You can always create a separate “2018” list, if your chart is too full.

1.     The Vision Board - Find beautiful pictures that remind you of the tasks you have listed on your Vision Chart, stick them on a cork board forming a collage. Place this board where you will see it several times a day and each time you see this board focus on one picture, stop for a minute, close your eyes and imagine the wonderful feeling of that task being accomplished and the pleasure that brings you. You will be creating that reality for yourself by visualising in this way.

I was literally buzzing by the end of the afternoon. I knew what I was going to do and when I was going to do it. I had planned in realistic timings, avoided overloading certain months and had managed to find a balance in all important aspects of my life across the year – and in less than a day. Wow!

Go on, give it a go before January is over. There is still time. And I would love to hear if you found it as inspiring as I did, or if you have any other tips please leave me messages on Facebook or below.

Enjoy!