Lightworker March by Hannah Phillips

MARC H 20 1 1 THE

OPTIMISM edition

EDITOR’S NOTE Optimism is not a subject I have considered at length in my life, probably because I’ve always approached life with a positive outlook - “where there’s a Willis there’s a way” is my personal motto! Nevertheless, when compiling this edition, life brought me a few challenges to highlight how I respond to them... with optimism, it seems! What struck me is that optimism or pessimism are ingrained responses that most of us may be unaware of. We just think, do or are a certain way, or so we believe. But actually, our realities are created by the zillions of positive or negative thoughts that flicker across our minds in every moment, and these are what shape our futures. The optimists choose to see the diamond in the rough, the pessimists the rough diamond. Note the word choose; you are free in any moment to become aware, make a choice, and keep making new ones if the present ones don’t bring happiness. Unbeknownst to me, I sit in the former category, and thanks to this edition I now gratefully understand quite how much that has contributed to the success, peace and love I enjoy in life. So, no matter where you are at this moment, here’s to heading onwards and upwards! Love and light

Rachel Willis Editor Rachel@LightworkerMag.com

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CO NTENTS FEATURES

COLUMNISTS

REGULARS

If Life Gives You Lemons!

The Five Word Legacy

Under The Spotlight David Hamilton

Lightworker in Training

Lightworker Challenge

Re-Routing To Optimism

The Journey Of A Thousand Miles

Meditation

Tapping Into The Power Of Your Inner Optimist

Glow with Health & Wellbeing

The Businessman

Studying at the University of Life

The Authenticity Diary

Moments of Light

Ask Sharon

Once Upon A Time...

Stars And Planets

Paulo Coelho

Lightworker Loves...

Words Of Wisdom

The List

Featured Lightworker

CONTRIBUTORS Thea Euryphaessa

Kay Gillard

David Hamilton

Thea was born on a full moon, can move her ears both together and individually (left on its own and right on its own) and has been obsessed with the number ‘5’ since she was five years old - and it continues to be her lucky number.

In all kinds of personality testing, Kay is an Introvert, which no one ever believes because they are fooled by her many splendid Leo qualities - but it is in fact true. She prefers animals to people, and never needs time away from them. And in her teens she was in an imaginary, silver catsuitwearing Bananarama and Andy Williams covers band called ‘The Army of Loveras’ - they created quite a little buzz about themselves until being booked for the Christmas celebrations at one quirky London club and having to declare a creative split before they printed the flyers.

David’s favourite book is ‘Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows’, he used to be one of Scotland’s best long jumpers and reached the final of the Scottish National Championships in 1996 - which was also the UK qualifier for the Atlanta Olympics - and he drives a mini.

TUNE IN EVERY DAY TO LISTEN TO YOUR FAVOURITE HOSTS FROM AROUND THE GLOBE SHARING WISDOM, LOVE AND JOY! This month’s featured shows: Love Changes Everything – Cate Mackenzie Cate Mackenzie is a Love Coach, Workshop Leader and Artist focusing on the Heart. She has worked since 1993 with people all over the UK and in France, Spain, Greece and the UK. She has been featured on BBC2, Channel 5, Sky, BBC Radio 5 Live and BBC London Radio as well as magazines such as Cosmopolitan, Psychologies, Harpers Bazaar, Spirit and Destiny and Prediction. Her heart paintings are being sold worldwide through IKEA and she has a CD out on opening your heart to your life purpose.

Adventures Through Time And Space – Lorraine Flaherty Lorraine is a personal development coach, using the tools of Hypnotherapy, NLP, Past Life Regression, Future Life Progression and the Life Between Lives to help people reach their full potential. She is a director of the Past and Future Life Society and is committed to bringing these techniques and the benefits they provide into greater public awareness. She also teaches Clinical Hypnosis to medical students and midwives at schools and universities all over the country, including Oxford and Cambridge. Her first book ‘Past Lives: Adventures through Time and Space’ will be out this summer.

The Alchemy Of Voice – Stewart Pearce Stewart is a world renowned Voice Coach with a career spanning three decades, enhancing the presentations of wonderful people like Vanessa Redgrave, Diana Princess of Wales and Anita Roddick. Stewart was Head of Voice at the Webber Douglas Academy from 1980-1997, then Master of Voice at Shakespeare’s Globe from 1997-2007. Stewart is also an inveterate Sound Healer, Clairvoyant & Angel Facilitator, having received a body of work through Angelic transmission during the 1987 Harmonic Convergence. This temple of sound healing is called THE ALCHEMY OF VOICE, & teaches the intelligence & compassion of the heart through the ‘song of the soul’. Listen and learn more at RadioLightworker.com

Sound Medicine Box WITH KATIE ROSE

Mantra Of The Month Theme : Healing Water OHM NAMO NARAYANAYA Pronounced - ohm nah-mo nah-rah-yah-nay-yah Meaning - the sound of creation, the vibration of divinity Namo - ‘name’, ‘salutation’, ‘not mine’ i.e. - it is not my name but the name of the divine which I am saluting. Narayanaya - a name of Vishnu, the preserving, balancing, healing, peaceful aspect of the divine in Hinduism. Vishnu maintains the energy of dharma - alignment with our truth in thought, word and action. Nara - ‘water’ and ‘human’ Narayan - ‘one who moves on the water’ - at the beginning of creation, in Hindu mythology, water exists before anything else, and this water is Vishnu who is often shown riding on water. Ayana - ‘resting place’, ‘eternity’, ‘goal’, ‘direction’, Narayanaya - the deep ocean of eternal rest and solace for all humanity, the direction and purpose of life. Ohm

This mantra attunes us to the core sounds of creation and re-aligns us with our truth. It is great for leaders, teachers, peacekeepers and healers, as they are the guides of humanity. It restores inner balance and soothes troubled waters. Listen to: Deva Premal - ‘Ohm Namo Narayana’ on ‘Love is Space’ S.P. Balasubramaniam - ‘Ohm Namo Narayanaya’ Visualisations: March 22nd is World Water Day, so I’d like to invite you to reflect on the preciousness of water. Everyday water is being polluted with devastating consequences. Water is an amazingly receptive substance and its crystals have been shown to change their structure in response to sound vibrations. So invite you to: * Sing this mantra whilst visualising clean, pure water for everyone and the restoration of a healthy environment within our seas, rivers and oceans. * Imagine this wonderful water flowing around and within everyone of your cells, cleansing and enabling the free flow of your energy on every level. * Meditate on what action is right for you around healing water: e.g.: bless every glass of water, support a water charity, choose eco-friendly products. Healing Water will be the theme of the next Miraculous Music show on March 22nd. Please tune in and join me in celebrating the power of sound to heal our waters. I will also be sharing live events to support water, following the release of the album Shiva’s Rain. More information at: http://www.radiolightworker.com/KatieRose.html

FEATUR

RES

If Life Gives You Lemons! GLENNYCE ECKERSLEY

The Five Word Legacy

REVEREND NOEL LOCKYER-STEVENS

Under The Spotlight Dr DAVID HAMILTON

Re-Routing To Optimism KAY GILLARD

The Journey Of A Thousand Miles THEA EURYPHAESSA

Meditation JIWAN SHAKTI

Tapping Into The Power Of Your Inner Optimist KYLE NEWMAN

FEATURES If Life Gives You Lemons! BY GLENNYCE ECKERSLEY You may be familiar with the saying “if life gives you lemons - make lemonade!“ In other words, we must make the very best of what we have. Many people feel they have been short-changed and have very little of worth, but often they are not looking in the right places. If we concentrate on the small blessings, they will certainly grow. It is sometimes difficult to always look on the bright side, so a little practice might be the order of the day. Positive thinking goes a long way toward solving problems and relieving difficult situations. The familiar expression “what goes around, comes around” is absolutely true. If we give out positive vibes to the world, the world will return them to us. I have a friend for whom the soundtrack of her life is ‘everything happens to me’. She has a most negative view of life with the result that, of course, everything really does happen to her! She sets herself up for rejection and failure, so much so that all her friends wait for the disasters to happen. She firmly believes that there is no point being optimistic because life will always let her down. No amount of trying to alter her perspective or cheering her helps. Mind over matter is hugely important, and it works - it will take us a long way towards our goals. You will be familiar with the concept of ‘cosmic ordering’; many celebrities have taken up the practice. The idea is to write down a list of things we wish the universe to deliver, and it will. We could just as easily ask our angel or go to the prime Source and pray! We are tuning in to the great universal energy, many names will be given to this cosmic force, different cultures and different religions will have their own ideas as to what this energy is. It all comes down to believe and receive.

Real life synchronicity I am a great believer in synchronicity, or coincidence. I find the concept fascinating because it happens to every one of us at some time in our lives. Once more, if we look optimistically for a message, the coincidences will happen more and more frequently. I do believe these amazing events are engineered from above and are signposts for us to follow. Let me tell you the true story of a lady who had just married for the second time. She and her new husband were about to leave England intending to start a new life in the United States of America. There was one great sadness however; her first marriage had ended when they were both young. There had been bitterness ensuing after the split and she told her new husband that her dearest wish would be to see her first husband, tell him her plans and say goodbye with an easy mind. His reply was to forget it, how unlikely is that since you have had no contact for the past eight years and he works abroad? Nevertheless, this lady was an eternal optimist and replied that she would ask the angels to help. Trying not to laugh, her husband just smiled fondly. The day arrived for their departure to begin their new life. Waiting at the airport for their flight to be indicated on the board, the lady decided to take a stroll around the airport shops. Imagine her astonishment when she literally bumped into her ex husband in one of them! It emerged that he had flown into London for just a few hours for a business

BIOG Glennyce Eckersley is an internationally acclaimed writer and broadcaster. Her first book, An Angel at My Shoulder, quickly became a best seller in many countries, and several more books have followed over the years. Glennyce appears regularly on radio and television, and is the resident angel expert on the hit Sky Real Lives series Angels.

CONTACT www.glennyceeckersley.com

meeting and was about to board the plane for his home in Sweden. He had not in fact been in England for several years. They chatted, forgave each other and parted with a lovely hug and wishing each other the very best in life. What were the chances of that happening I ask you, in a crowded Heathrow Airport with split-second timing? The lady was not at all surprised however, she told her dumbfounded husband that the angels had worked their magic!

A happy new you You may find this story rare and unusual, but in fact all my books contain several amazing stories of synchronicity, many simply spectacular. There are numerous ways we can become more optimistic in outlook and asking the angels for help is just one of them. I am also a great believer in signs from nature, all essentially at just the right time. We may have been feeling particularly down when we see a wonderful rainbow; a bird or a butterfly may appear when we need to smile the most. I recently had to face an emotional challenge and spent a sleepless night worrying about it. The following morning at daybreak I finally gave up on sleep and crawled downstairs to my kitchen, intent on making a cup of tea. I told myself I must practice what I preach in my workshops, to be optimistic and ask for a little help from above. Taking my cup of tea into the lounge I asked aloud for a sign that all would be well. I opened the curtains and there in the sky was an astonishing double rainbow! Due to the position of my house, rainbows never appear behind the property. I have lived in the same house for many years and never seen a rainbow in that location. It was not raining and the sun had not yet risen! I knew it was my answer - all would be well. I said a heartfelt thank you and am pleased to report that all was indeed well! This is the perfect time to spring clean, starting with your mind and soul. Tell yourself that from now on optimism rules - give out those positive and loving vibes and see them bounce back. You can do it and you are not alone, ask the universe and plug into that fantastic energy. It never fails, and whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s more it is free! Keep the glass half full and cheers to a happy new you!

FEATURES The Five Word Legacy BY REVEREND NOEL LOCKYER-STEVENS We usually think of a legacy as something we leave behind for family and loved ones when we die. Often this is in the form of possessions, the things we cannot take with us when we have left this earthly realm. However, we could think of legacy as the essence of ourselves that remains in the memory of people after they have had an encounter with us. That encounter may have been short or may have lasted many years, it may have been very intense, or may have felt an ordinary event. I believe there are five words that are linked together which produce a legacy that is healing to the world and that anyone at anytime can use to contribute to the well being of themselves and others.

Word One: Love Yes, love is the first word of the legacy. What definition does a person give of knowing love? We know what emotions feel like, not from reading about them, or hearing about them from another, or watching them on TV. We know what our emotions feel like from our own experience of them. When do we know if we are in a place of love? Love, a bit like charity, begins at home; it begins within. If I am loving towards myself and have healthy regard for myself as a spiritual being, living a human experience, I will want to take care of my inner self in order to achieve a loving and peaceful calm. How do I achieve such a loving state of being for myself? I do it with a vertical (up and down) connection with myself and that known as God, Allah, Baba, Great Mystery, chocolate or any other word that allows us to connect with the spirit within us and our spiritual belief. What do I have to do to create this connection? Actually, I do not have to ‘do’ anything, all I need to remember is to ‘be’ me. By being me, I use what A Course in Miracles calls ‘The Holy Instant’: an instant present moment, the ‘now’ connection that reminds me I am powerful in my calm and able to feel the love I have for God and for myself. For many of us, going to our centre gets forgotten, so spiritual practice is required. We can start in the morning with a prayer, a meditation and the affirmation that we are connected. Throughout the day we can remind ourselves that we are still centred beings and just before bed we can give gratitude for having maintained our feelings of love for God and ourselves.

Word two: Joy Psalm 46 from the Old Testament says “Be still and know that I am God”. If this means that I know I have the experience of joy because of the love of God within me, then how blessed am I within my daily life? What does joy feel like? Like love, it can be subjective and open to our individual interpretation.

BIOG Noel is an Interfaith Minister based in Dorset UK, his current mission is to spread The Five Word Legacy to as many people as possible.

CONTACT www.thefivewordlegacy. co.uk

However, I believe that it is an internal sensation and it is received in the vertical plane of the joy of knowing that I am - at my spiritual core - love and the ability to be loving. This joy is with me because it is the gift given to me by the universe, the state of being that glows within and is the reassurance that all is well and that all will be well, that I can accept everything I see as it is and even if I do not agree with what I see, I can continue in my state of joy. Joy is on the inside of us, it is the fire of the soul fuelled by love and nestled in the fireplace of courage. Sometimes it takes courage to be joyous amongst the external influences of the world. This courage to be joyful, despite the injustices of the world that we may witness, emanates from knowing that everything external in life changes, the Buddhist proverb that “that this too will past”.

Word Three: Happiness How does our internal love and joy make its way into the world? By becoming an external expression of happiness. How we behave on the horizontal (side-to-side) plane of our being; our interactions with others enable the expression of our internal love and joy. We do not need to know we are happy, we already know that we have inner joy. We may be smiling, our voice may be uplifted, our words kind and cheerful. The way in which we carry ourselves may appear lighter than air and we have a ‘Ready Brek’ glow for all to see. Happiness will attract happiness, people will want to seek us out and spend time with us, just for knowing us and the mutual exchange of happy energy fed by the love and joy within both parties. This sounds quite easy, to leave a legacy of love and joy with happy people. We go through a process of identifying our self as a loving being and then in our state of joy, mix with happy people and share this energy between ourselves. Then begins our spiritual purpose, to live with compassion and kindness.

Word Four: Compassion As happy people, we can view the world through our eyes and accept the world may not be perfect, or as we would wish to see it. Happy and unhappy people can see a world that is unjust. Both can see injustice through abuse of people, animals and the environment. The media continually churn out via our TV, computer and newspapers events that are happening and cause harm and fear to others. Sometimes all we can do is watch and know that such events exist, sometimes we can take positive action that reduces fear and harm in the lives of others, sometimes we can make small gestures that protect our environment and the beautiful planet gifted to us all. People with compassion - while not condoning violence - will not judge, nor will they be complacent to the need to make changes that reduce abuse and cruelty. Compassion is a gentle view, a way of looking at all situations, not wanting to be harsh but to find a way to bring healing. If you were to see a picture of a large man with a stick beating a small woman, where would your compassion lay? Certainly, the woman would deserve compassion as she is being harmed and is the victim of the situation. Would there be judgement towards the man as he is the perpetrator of violence towards someone who cannot defend herself?

FEATURES Can you stop? Stop judgement and think of your legacy as a loving being, full of joy and happy to be in the world no matter how cruel or harsh it may appear. The woman is our soul sister, the man our soul brother. Our role, through our legacy, is to offer compassion to both people in equal measure, not just to one as more worthy of compassion than another, but to offer the same amount of loving compassion to both. If we do not offer equal compassion we are judging members of our soul family. By changing our view of the world we will bring about the change we want to see. If we want a compassionate world to live in, we cannot judge how it works as either right or wrong. Such judgement would be a barrier to true compassion.

Word Five: Kindness Our final gift to the world, the word that makes the other words of the legacy real, are the actions of kindness that show people that we walk our talk, that we can undertake acts of continual kindness to the world. What can I do to be kind? Ask the question the other way, what could I do that is not kind and why with a legacy of the other four words, would I choose to undertake unkind actions? Unkind actions could be no action when action is possible. For example, I may hear the screams of the woman being beaten by the stick and not do anything about it. All I have to do is dial 999 and stop a harmful situation, but I may choose to ignore something I would rather not get involved in. There is another type of kindness I can consider, and that is environmental kindness. Not only can I help fellow human beings, but I can also consider all life on our planet by considering my ecological footprint. How much do I waste and how much do I recycle? How many miles do I drive, how many times do I walk instead? This kindness to Mother Earth could be rewarded with less CO2 emissions, lower planetary temperatures, and protection of wildlife and preservation of endangered species (including ourselves). There is no end to the kindness that we can undertake everyday to everyone we encounter. However, there is choice, whether to undertake a kindness or not. The whole legacy I have described is based on choice, a personal choice we can all make daily, to be love and joy and to leave happiness, compassion and kindness. What would you like the next person you meet to leave you, and what will be your legacy to them?

FEATURES Under The Spotlight DR DAVID HAMILTON Dr. David Hamilton worked in the pharmaceutical industry for 4 years after gaining his PhD. Now a bestselling author published in several countries around the world, he travels around the world offering workshops to help people understand the power of the mind on the body. In this chat with Rachel, David explains the contagious power of both positive and negative thinking, how he brought more light to his new hometown in South-East England, and proven practical tools to beneficially protect your energy levels around fear-based people. Listen to the interview here.

The Contagious Power of Thinking, published May 2011 and available here for pre-order.

Mind Body Spirit Festival Workshop Title: The Power of Contagious Thinking Wednesday 25th May 2.30pm – 4.30pm £16 (plus Festival entrance ticket) Description: Did you know that at least a quarter of the happiness of the average person is influenced by the happiness of the people they spend most time with? Just about anything you think, say, and do is contagious and spreads outwards from you, and to you from others, at 3 degrees of separation. Learn how your thoughts and emotions are contagious and how you can use this power to make a difference in the lives of others. Mind Body Spirit Festival runs from 25th – 30th May and takes place at the Royal Horticultural Halls, Victoria, London SW1P 2QD. Weekdays 11.00am-6pm, Weekend (incl. Bank Holiday Monday) 10am-7pm. Ticket prices: Weekdays £9 on the door (£7 advance), Weekend including Bank Holiday £10 on the door (£8 advance). Concessions for senior citizens, disabled, unemployed, students and nurses with ID £7 (Weekdays) £8 (Weekend and Bank Holiday Monday). Accompanied children under 15 free. Visit www.mindbodyspirit.co.uk or call 0207 371 9191 for the full workshop programme, ticket information and purchase.

FEATURES Re-Routing To Optimism BY KAY GILLARD You meditate. You feel gratitude. You read Louise Hay. You watch The Secret. You know that from a positive viewpoint you can create the life you want. But, just like all of us, sometimes you lose your optimistic outlook and fall prey to more negative thoughts. We’ve all been there. You have a clear idea of what it is you are trying to manifest, you visualise your perfect outcome, create vision boards and affirmations – you know you are going to achieve your goal. You are the very definition of optimism. And then suddenly, out of nowhere, it creeps up on you: fear, doubt, and worry… what if you can’t do it? Despite everything you’ve learned about positive thinking, once these niggling fears take hold it is easy to fall into a downward spiral of negativity. When this happens, you need to get yourself back on track and regain the optimism essential for creating your perfect world. So, how do you find your way back to optimism?

Finding your way back The first thing to remember is this: be kind to yourself. Yes, I know you know better than to dwell on the possibility of failure, to turn worries over in your head, to listen to the beliefs of unhappy people who tell you life is hard and you can’t create the life you want purely out of love and intent. Adopting a sense of optimism about life in general and your life in particular raises your vibration and helps bring you into resonance with that which you are trying to create. When negative thoughts, worries and fears come into your mind, it lowers your vibration, which can block your powers of manifestation. And, since you already know this, it is easy to become frustrated with yourself when you catch yourself being negative. But chastising yourself for making a mistake

only holds you back from regaining a sense of optimism, and lowers your vibration further. Being kind to yourself when you catch yourself in a moment of pessimism, worry or fear will bring you back into a positive space more quickly. Optimism helps us to manifest: if you believe in your power to manifest the life you want, and that the universe supports you in your aims, things will unfold easily in the way you want. But old fears and worries can crop up again and again. If this is the case, then it’s time to take positive action to find where negative beliefs come from, and release them for good. This will leave you a clearer channel for manifestation and make it far easier to maintain an optimistic outlook.

1. Identify the source Whose voice are you hearing? If there is an inner voice telling you to worry about the future, or that is fearful of the outcome of a project, it’s helpful to know where that voice came from. Is it yours? More likely it is a parent, teacher, or some other influence on our beliefs about the world. Once you realise that this isn’t truth, it’s just someone else’s viewpoint – and most likely one that you don’t agree with – this voice will lose its power.

2. Feel the energy Sometimes, you have done the ‘mental house cleaning’ to clear the way for a positive and optimistic outlook, perfect for manifestation. And yet something is blocking you. Perhaps, then, there is an energetic block held within your energy body, something outside of your conscious awareness but still capable of derailing your positive thinking. Here is a simple way of finding such a block in your body:

BIOG Kay is a healer and teacher focused on shamanic practice, Reiki, drumming and voice work, and manifestation through positive thought and energy. Based in south-east London, she works one-to-one with clients to restore lost power and essence, as well as running groups and teaching classes from absolute beginner to advanced teacher level. Her main aim as a teacher is to allow students to find their own unique style and path as a healer, and so help their light shine out into the world.

CONTACT www.starfirealchemy.co.uk

Set your intention: to find the block you are carrying in your energy body that allows pessimism, negativity and fear to creep into your mind and disrupt your positive thinking on the issue in question. Intend that this block (or blocks) be revealed in this light breathing exercise. Close your eyes and visualise yourself surrounded by white light. Settle in to a nice, gentle breathing rhythm and start drawing that light into yourself a little at a time on each inhalation, gradually filling your body with white light. As you do this, you notice that there are areas of darkness, areas of the body where light does not flow. These are your energetic blocks holding you back from the positive and optimistic energy you are trying to create.

3. Release the block Be a friend. Remember: be kind to yourself. We can be our own worst critics, so if you are struggling to stay optimistic about the outcome of a project, you might try imagining that it is a friend’s project instead, visualising a successful outcome for them and wishing them happiness and success from your heart. Once you have tapped into this energy, send some to yourself. Wishing success and happiness brings us into a higher vibration much closer to the optimism you are trying to regain.

4. Overwrite your fears Identifying the types of worries and other thoughts that draw you into negativity can be a useful exercise, not least because it shows you exactly the areas where rewriting your thoughts can be most effective. For example, if the belief in an outcome of failure arises in your mind, and you identify that this stems from a belief that you do not have the skill to achieve success (remember, this belief almost

certainly comes from something someone else has said anyway, and what do they know?) you can write an affirmation about having that skill. I am organised and run my business with ease; I am an excellent public speaker; I am good with finances… whatever it is you need.

5. Move the energy If the light breathing exercise above revealed blocks within you, it’s time to release them: Bring yourself back into the state where you are filled with white light, with an awareness of those blocked areas. When you are ready, focus on one block and use the light you have amassed within your body to remove it, push it out of you. Notice how it leaves your body – it may be broken down into pieces, it may become smaller or be stretched thinly, it may be pushed straight out of the body in one piece, or moved through the body and sent out through your hand or foot, or breathed out through your mouth. There is no right way, just intend that the block will be released and allow it to happen naturally. ‘Dispose’ of the block safely by returning it to the source of healing energy. You can do this by simply offering it to the white light, and stating your intention that it will be safely transformed back to pure energy by the source. Fill the space left behind in your energy body by breathing white light into it, ensuring that your body is filled with light once again. You can repeat this blockage removal exercise for as many blockages as you feel you need to. Take it easy on yourself though – you don’t need to do it all at once, there is plenty of time.

FEATURES The Journey Of A Thousand Miles BY THEA EURYPHAESSA When I first stepped out onto the street after signing up for the New York marathon, I held my head high, pulled my shoulders back, and walked tall in a way I hadn’t for a very long time. Until then, I’d been drowning in a quicksand of funk. No matter how many positive affirmations I tried, no matter how many pep-talks I gave myself, in my heart of hearts I believed none of it. Mind and body were at a disjunct – until, that is, I signed up for the marathon. It didn’t matter that I was grossly overweight, couldn’t run more than a few metres at a time without turning a vivid shade of puce, and the marathon was less than six months away – I had a goal. But I’d also had enough. I’d had enough of the all-too-many broken promises I’d made to myself and others. I’d had enough of my flakiness, my inability to see anything through to completion. I’d had enough of trying to be something I wasn’t – content, fulfilled, happy with my lot – when, in fact, I was rotting from the inside out. And so, on that hoar frost of a pitch-black morning, I gathered up what little resolve I had left and took it for a run. Or perhaps I should say, a galumph. I went galumphing. With breasts before me banging and clanging like beach balls filled with wet sand, and the fat on my back jiggling like jelly on a plate, I galumphed off up the street à la Quasimodo. As winter turned to spring, however, my galumph gained momentum and was gradually replaced by a smooth and steady jog. Rather than trying to change everything in my life at the same time, I concentrated on my one goal of completing the marathon – alive and in one piece.

Transformation begins… Soon, the fat began to melt away. Then, a curious thing happened: where the excess fat had once been, an inner strength replaced it, spreading through my physical body and into my psychic body – my soul. Unbeknownst to me, while schlepping around my three-mile route, the spirit of the marathon was feeding me, strengthening me, and firing me with renewed enthusiasm for life. Until then, I’d always attempted change from the head down; but I never believed what the face in the mirror was telling me. My words were hollow, lacking substance and body. When I began strengthening my physical body through jogging, however, that changed. With each step, I moved closer to a new reality. With each step, I proved myself to myself. With each step, I realised there was more to me than I’d previously dared believe. I was growing stronger, more confident. I no longer believed I wasn’t capable of being more, giving more, living more – I now knew I could be more, give more, live more, and I knew it from the soles of my feet, up. To withstand the often-precarious Winds of Change, we must put down roots to ensure our footing is firm. The mighty oak tree, for example, has roots that run as deep as the

BIOG Thea has emerged as one of the UK’s most grounded, accessible, and inspiring teachers who truly walks her talk. A freelance writer, Reiki teacher, life coach and scholar of archetypal psychology and rites of passage and initiation, she is author of the underground bestselling memoir, Running into Myself, available at Amazon UK and US.

CONTACT www.urbandeva.com www.runningintomyself.com

tree is tall. When the Winds of Change sweep through, whipping and cracking all about it, it remains resolute and unmoved. This is how we must be. We too must put down roots, and move deeper into our bodies so as to stand firm against the storm of trials we will inevitably face along the road.

And evolves… Transformation, you see, means just that – transformation. It is not a modification process. When you set out on the path towards greater consciousness and decide to transform an area of your life, what you must realise is change cannot be compartmentalised. When I set out on the road to marathon, I didn’t know the strength gained on the road would spill over into all other areas of my life. When I first started out galumphing, I wouldn’t say I felt particularly optimistic about my future; but with each step, each mile, what started out as a faint fantasy of going the distance became a distinct reality, fanning the flames of self-belief. When people made sly remarks, told me I’d never do it, rather than arguing back as before, I took myself for a run. Chewing over their words, I realised this was no longer about trying to prove myself to others, but about proving myself to me. And with every long run completed, with every relaxing post-run stretch and candlelit-soak, I basked in the warm inner glow that can only come from a renewed optimism and faith in oneself. It wasn’t all plain sailing. I met with a myriad of obstacles, setbacks, disappointments and failures. The changes that swept through my life over the coming months threatened to break me on numerous occasions. But I was stronger, better able to face and cope with them. My physical back and core were strengthened through running and Pilates – and so was my psyche’s backbone and inner core. Through my new Yin yoga practice, I developed greater flexibility and was better able to sway and move like the mighty oak tree. I became more grounded in my life. In the end, it took three attempts at the marathon to learn my necessary lessons. But three marathons and almost two years after first stepping out on the street on that hoar frost of a pitch-black morning, I crossed the finish line in Athens, Greece, a new woman. More importantly, a woman completely transformed – from the inside-out and from the bottom-up. I went the distance. The strength, stamina and endurance I’d gained on the road translated into the book I then went on to write – a book I’d never dared dream of writing two years before. By becoming a marathoner, I healed the broken bridge between body and soul. By becoming an author, I took back authority of my life. And so can you. Go the distance.

FEATURES Meditation BY JIWAN SHAKTI

BIOG Part-time poet; communications professional; trainee Kundalini Yoga teacher; and lover of all things creative, Jiwan Shakti believes that our lives are our ultimate work of art. On her blog Creative Alchemy Jiwan Shakti explores how claiming our creativity helps us to harness our energy and manifest our dreams.

Glide into stillness. The day now drifts away, feathers on the soundless breeze. Beyond time, beyond I is where peace lies.

Soar into vastness. The I slumbers silently, in sheltered acquiescence. Beyond space, beyond shape is where wisdom flies.

CONTACT www.shakticreative. blogspot.com claimyourcreativity@hotmail. com

Merge in ubiquity. Boundless continuity, confines illusionary. Intuition entrusted where One transpires.

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FEATURES Tapping Into The Power Of Your Inner Optimist BY KYLE NEWMAN How does what’s going on on the inside affect what happens on the outside? As I’m sure you’re already aware, as humans on this planet we live in two worlds at the same time. This duality is often the source of much struggle, frustration and pain for many, but when mastered, it can be a source of much joy. Whilst navigating our way through life in our external world, we have many practical tasks to juggle, from earning a living to caring for our families - plus a whole bunch more - and it’s easy to lose connection with our true heart and soul in the midst of the many competing priorities. On the inside, in the inner world of our mind, our experience is often similar with many different voices expressing their views and wanting ‘air-time’. Some louder than others and some so quiet, yet constant, that they dramatically influence our lives without us realising. So it’s no wonder that many peoples’ true spirit, hopes and dreams get lost. How do we learn to navigate in today’s increasing fast moving and complex world?

The delicate balance There is an undeniable relationship between our inner and outer worlds. Each influences the other, and I believe that mastering this relationship and balancing the two is the key to true peace, joy and happiness in both. This mastery begins by working with the aspect of this relationship that we are able to influence and control: our inner world. In my experience, this is the key to success.

Our external experience in life often calls and draws us to focus externally, and to work towards external goals - there is absolutely nothing wrong with that, in fact, it is an essential part of our human experience. What I really want you to learn and understand is that success in our outer or external world begins inside. Everything that happens on the inside affects and impacts our outer world significantly, and often in ways that we are unable to see. It’s a bit like an invisible ripple effect – but let me assure you it is there.

Who’s driving your bus? One simple way to think about this relationship is to view your inner world as a bus. The seats on the bus are filled with different versions of you, or different selves. I’m sure you’ve noticed that you spend much of your day having ‘inner conversations’. Your inner world is populated by many different selves or voices, each a different part of the whole you. These different selves encompass both the dark and the light - the good, the bad and the ugly aspects of who you are. The mastery is all about who’s in the driving seat. Who is driving your bus right now as you read this article? Is it the critic, the judge, the optimist, the dreamer? As your bus (you) navigates its way through your outer world, who is in the driving seat determines not only the destination but also what the ride is like. So if you want to reach exotic destinations and experience a smooth ride then you’d better pay more attention to who you let into the driving seat...!

BIOG Kyle Newman has dedicated his life to helping individuals, leaders, organisations and teams create, master and sustain positive change. As a leading coach, facilitator and speaker, Kyle helps his clients to imbue both their personal and professional endeavours with their heart, soul and spirit - whilst also learning highly effective tools and techniques to help them succeed on a practical level and make a real difference. Kyle’s message, to live untamed and unafraid, urges us to be who we truly are and bring our unique gifts and talents to the world – boldly and courageously, and to triumph in spite of our fears and doubts.

CONTACT www.kyle-newman.com www.kyle-newman.tv www.movebeyond.net

Take a moment now to reflect back to times in your life when things we’re either going really well, or way off track, and notice which ‘you’ was driving the bus at those times.

Choosing your drivers Given the significant impact the driver has on both your direction in life, and what the ride is like, I’d like to share a powerful technique with you that you can use to access your best selves. I call them your ‘Champions’. They are the aspects of you that are the most powerfully positive, most closely aligned to your true heart and spirit, and as a result most likely to get you where you want to go.

Imagine a cube with 6 faces. This cube represents your whole self, and each face shows an aspect of you at your best – your best selves or champions. Take some quiet time where you are able to reflect without interruption and think about who you are at your best. What are the different ways in which your most powerful self is expressed in the world? What are the different strengths, traits and characteristics of each? Describe them as if they were characters in book or a movie. Make them as real, alive and visceral as you can. You’ll know when you’ve got them right as you will feel an energy and power in your body that really brings you to life. You don’t have to come up with 6, but do try and come up with at least 3 or 4. As you explore this exercise, make sure you capture the full range of who you are at your best so that you have a full cast of characters and not several that are all very

similar. There will of course be crossover, as they are all parts of you. Once you have described each of your characters, the next step is to find a name for each that captures their essence and enables you to connect with them instantly. You can any name you wish – it might be something that describes their essence, like the Hero or the Rebel, or an archetypal character like Amazon Warrior or Oracle, or something more personal to you. You get to choose. This name gives you a way to tap into these powerful aspects of yourself at any time and can put them in the driving seat to champion your cause and move powerfully towards your hopes and dreams. This will require practice as it’s easy to become distracted and get knocked off course and end up with someone else in the driving seat. So take the time to connect with these powerful aspects of yourself and get to know them better so that you can access them in more difficult times when life has a habit of getting in the way. This is not role-play. Your champions are not an act. They are the real, authentic and powerful you; your heart, soul and essence expressed. When you connect with any of them it will feel like you’ve just plugged yourself into the mains and are fully juiced. They are your ultimate inner optimists! In the words of Marianne Williamson “Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us”. Your playing small doesn’t serve the world you are unique and special, so don’t hide it! Let your champions drive, tap into your power, and emerge into the world fully alive, free and strong.

COLU

Glow With Health And Wellbeing STU GATHERUM

Lightworker In Training HETTA ROGERS

Lightworker Challenge Rachel Willis

The Businessman MICHAEL CLARK

Studying At The University Of Life ELIZABETH VILLANI

The Authenticity Diary MELANIE DIAMOND

Moments Of Light TOM EVANS

UMNISTS

KN OW health Optimistic Health By Stu Gatherum Stu is a passionate and focused Strength and Conditioning specialist who is committed to delivering outstanding results in fitness, nutrition and total health and wellness.

CONTACT STU www.stugatherum.com Twitter: @stugatherum +44 7816 240137

Hello all and welcome back to Lightworker’s Optimism edition. I’m hopeful you all had a wonderful Valentine’s Day with the ones you love. I always like to get myself into a state where I can really embrace the theme of the current article in order to write it. As I write this one, however, it is 8am, I have been travelling for an hour and managed to drop my suit on the floor in a puddle (I don’t often wear a suit and as such am not the best at packing it to travel) as well as leave my breakfast at home! Hardly the optimistic start to the day I was looking for! However, I believe there is promise held in each and every day, whatever your day entails. Glass half full is the view I prefer.You need to be emotionally available to see the opportunities the day might bring. On this note, I am reminded of my recent holiday to New York City. By a twist of fate, my other half and I were in the city at the same time as her Aunt and Uncle and we had arranged to meet up with them. He is a vegetarian so for our last night there we agreed to go to a renowned vegetarian restaurant. Anyone who knows me knows I am a fan of meat, and particularly fish. I was excited to see them but not too enthused by the idea of tofu masquerading as meat! But, it ended up being by far the best meal of our holiday. Moral of the story: optimistically embrace things you might not normally do. As for exercise, I have studied at length and been a part of many difficult challenges in the gym, and

GLOW WITH HEALTH AND WELLBEING I firmly believe in a ‘can-do’ attitude. A positive mentality towards your abilities is a must if you want to achieve your goals. Want to lift a weight you don’t know for sure you can? I promise you, it won’t happen if you go into it believing it is too heavy. The human body is a strange set up. In the past, I have completed a set of a given exercise at a weight I knew I was used to. For some reason it felt a little heavier than usual, maybe accumulated fatigue from a previous workout? Nope, guess again… I had inadvertently loaded a bar I thought was one weight but was actually 10kg heavier, and due to my knowledge that I can lift it, I managed to complete a new personal best. All I’m saying is don’t deny it until you try it. Keep your optimistic mind and body open and available to embrace challenges... New, Old and... Vegetarian.

KN OW education Optimism By HETTA ROGERS Hetta’s background is in Art History and Literature. After spending seven years training to be and working as a lawyer, she left all that behind to go travelling, but has now returned to the bright lights of London to work in the communications industry.

CONTACT HETTA hetta@lightworkermag. com

I have always believed myself to be a natural optimist: from believing in the goodness of people to thinking positively in any given situation, optimism has proved a faithful companion. And yet everything I have read or researched in putting together this month’s column has made me realise that I’m not quite the “glass half full” sort I thought I was. Here are a few snippets of what I have discovered…

O is for OPPORTUNITY “A pessimist is one who makes difficulties of his opportunities and an optimist is one who makes opportunities of his difficulties.” Harry Truman. If ever you feel that life resembles wading through sharkinfested treacle rather than floating along on the breeze, remember this: in each and every situation, we have a choice. We can focus on the negatives and allow them to pervade our thoughts, or we can look for the positives and let them carry us forward, making us stronger and giving us faith.

P is for PHILOSOPHY “Pollyanna” was the nickname I was given at school after the character in Eleanor H. Porter’s classic children’s book (1913) and later played by the ever-cheerful Hayley Mills in the 1960 film of the same name. For those unfamiliar with Porter’s story, she tells the tale of a young orphan, Pollyanna Whittier, packed off to live with her affluent aunt in a small New England town. Undeterred by the dispirited outlook of the town’s residents, Pollyanna introduces them to her own philosophy of life, known as “The Glad Game”, which she learned from her father. The game consists of finding

LIGHTWORKER IN TRAINING something to be glad about in every situation, no matter what the circumstances. With her robust optimism and unflinching sincerity, Pollyanna brings so much gladness to her aunt’s disheartened town that she transforms it into a wonderful place to live. There is no denying that the term “Pollyanna” is often used to describe someone whose optimism verges on the naïve or is indicative of a refusal to accept the facts of an unfortunate situation. Truth be told, I’m quite certain that my own unerring willingness to be upbeat meant that some viewed me with the same cynicism. But why should we not each have a “Glad Game” of our own, or a way of lifting our emotions and our energies with positive thoughts? Finding something to be glad about does not mean denying emotions or switching ourselves off to difficulties or challenges; it means practising how to turn our attention to something we can feel positive about until it becomes second nature. Virginia Woolf gave a beautiful description of optimism: “I believe in forever altering one’s aspect to the sun”. The image I have in mind is of a sunflower tracking the path of the sun across the sky. So the next time you feel overwhelmed or out of your depth, look for the light and follow it.

T is for THOUGHT We are so quick to think negative thoughts about ourselves and others; to prepare for and expect the worst; to accept the unacceptable. But it needn’t be that way. It is never too late to alter your thought patterns and achieve an optimistic outlook on life. Step by step and day by day, you can alter your focus from negative to positive. The next time you have an urge to be defeatist or fatalistic, pause for a minute. Take a deep breath and allow yourself sufficient time to gather your thoughts and reassess your emotional state. This is what helps me: firstly, I look for something positive about the situation; next, I try to find something interesting about it (ask yourself, what didn’t I know before this happened?); then, I acknowledge the negatives in order to assess what I might do differently next time.

KN OW education To grow, optimism needs thought, practice and patience. To flourish, it needs only an open heart and an open mind.

I is for INSPIRATION Perhaps the most inspirational quotation I have found is by Leonard Louis Levinson, who said: “A pessimist sees only the dark side of the clouds, and mopes. A philosopher sees both sides, and shrugs. An optimist doesn’t see the clouds at all – he’s walking on them.” The next time you experience something wonderful or surprising – whatever it is – don’t attribute it to good fortune. Congratulate yourself on your achievement and trust that such outcomes aren’t only desirable, but possible too.

M is for MIRACLES There’s a rather pertinent line from Eleanor Porter’s Pollyanna in which she writes: “When you look for the bad in mankind expecting to find it, you surely will.” The same can be said of miracles: if you don’t expect them to happen, they won’t. You don’t have to see them to believe in them, but you need to believe in them to see them. Optimists allow themselves to aim high and dream big. So allow yourself to believe in the best possible outcome. Look forward to bright endings and delight in the overwhelming goodness of people.

I is for IMAGINATION I have seen variations of the same anecdote about optimism time and time again, whether in blogs or on greetings cards and posters. In all its guises, its message is delightful. It reads something like this: “A family had twin boys whose only resemblance to each other was their looks. If one felt it was too hot, the other thought it was too cold. If one said the TV was too loud, the other claimed the volume needed to be turned up. Opposite in every way, one was an eternal optimist, the other a doom & gloom pessimist. Just to see what would happen, on the

LIGHTWORKER IN TRAINING twins’ birthday their father loaded the pessimist’s room with every imaginable toy and game. The optimist’s room he loaded with horse manure. That night the father passed by the pessimist’s room and found him sitting amid his new gifts crying bitterly. “Why are you crying?” the father asked. “Because my friends will be jealous, I’ll have to read all these instructions before I can do anything with this stuff, I’ll constantly need batteries, and my toys will eventually get broken,” answered the pessimist twin. Passing the optimist twin’s room, the father found him dancing for joy in the pile of manure. “What are you so happy about?” he asked. To which his optimist twin replied, “There has got to be a pony in here somewhere!”

S is for SUCCESS Optimists focus on what they have achieved rather than lament what might have been. They also have a much broader definition of success than pessimists, and take any sign of progress as evidence of achievement. Allow yourself to celebrate your successes; even the small ones. Don’t pick over bad situations or adopt the belief that they will become the norm. Find the lessons, heed them and move forward with your head held high.

M is for MONTY PYTHON Finally, something light-hearted and joyous to end on: We have Eric Idle to thank for the upbeat and tongue-incheek lyrics for “Always look on the bright side of life”. My favourite verse is: “If life seems jolly rotten There’s something you’ve forgotten And that’s to laugh and smile and dance and sing.”

KN OW relationship Learning From Animals By RACHEL WILLIS

CONTACT RACHEL www.Rachel-Willis.co.uk Rachel@Rachel-Willis. co.uk Twitter: @RachelWillisUK

Rachel is a conduit for the Ascended Masters and guided to help others finetune their life path by fully stepping into their power and shining their light. She challenges anything that is out of alignment with your highest good and shares messages from The Masters about your Earthly purpose. She is also an inspirational writer and Editor of Lightworker Magazine.

What do animals do when they are wounded? Retreat. It occurred to me as I was talking with a friend who was reeling from a recent bereavement, job change and family fall-out, that we too could learn a lot from employing this strategy. With all the demands that everyday life tends to bring – the endless phone calls, emails and rush hour traffic, not to mention bills and mouths to feed – there can be precious little time to process your emotions. Yet, without the opportunity to truly feel your feelings and allow them to pass through, it is impossible for emotional wounds to heal. It can be a natural reaction when under emotional stress to bury yourself in busyness in a misguided attempt to find some relative normality, and create from this the structure and stability you so crave when your feelings threaten to overwhelm you. The day job you once loathed suddenly becomes the glue that holds your life together and the common denominator in an otherwise uncertain world. However, if you can instead take a step back and retreat completely from the world (even for just a few hours) you will save yourself a lot of pain in the long run. This ‘time out’ allows you to privately connect with your emotions and do whatever you feel is necessary to honour these. If anger arises, bash cushions, if it’s frustration, scream loudly, or if it’s grief, then allow all those tears to fall, uncensored.

LIGHTWORKER CHALLENGE What now? It can seem frightening to let these emotions out. Who knows what will happen? If they will ever end? Or how deeply they are felt? Just knowing these are normal fears that we all share can help you to firstly face and then move through your emotions. Emotions are not to be feared, they are simply energy in motion, and maintaining an optimistic outlook about your ability to connect with and then release them gives you all the courage required to take that first step of slowing down.

An interesting exercise can be to imagine what animal you are when you are feeling optimistic, confident and light – what do you see yourself as? A prancing horse? A proud peacock? Or a sleek panther? Then imagine what animal you are when you are feeling pessimistic, fearful and powerless – what do you see yourself as now? A scrabbling rat? An anti-social koala? Or a sarcastic hyena? In every moment, ask yourself, what would your positive animal do or say in this situation, and align with that, for then you shall gradually and naturally become that greatest version of yourself. So, make a commitment to being carefree, optimistic and confident, starting now, and be the light in the world.

Choosing not to retreat when the emotions are at their strongest will eventually lead to them impacting other areas of your life. Have you ever irrationally snapped at a customer services representative over the telephone? Or found yourself in uncontrollable tears whilst watching a film? These are indicators of old emotional wounds that were allowed to fester and are still causing pain. But they don’t have to. Learn from animals and make time in your diary for a private retreat – some choose to go abroad, an isolated spot in nature, or even ask your family to go out for a few hours of an evening – then air your wounds, and trust that they are now healing.

Moving on Having freed yourself from the weight of the past, it is healthy to become aware that happiness, lightness and optimism are lifelong choices. Every morning upon waking, you have the choice to see the light or the dark, the love or the fear, the joy or the pain. All that differs between optimists and pessimists is the lens they choose to view life through. There is no special formula to being light and joyful, it takes work, that’s why we’re called lightworkers! It takes the conscious effort to align with the positive in each moment – to see the gem in even the most painful situation – and to focus on that, with absolute faith that what we focus on becomes our reality. Those people who seem to live effortless lives are just the ones that grasped this opportunity a while ago and it has now manifested into their reality.

Tune into Rachel’s ‘Same Wavelength’ show every MONTH on RadioLightworker.com for interviews, discussions and free intuitive readings

KNOW business Pure Positive Thinking Attracts Negative Outcomes By MICHAEL CLARK

CONTACT MICHAEL michael@rippleeffectsales.com www.rippleeffectsales. com

Michael, the founder of Ripple Effect Sales, the UK’s premier online sales training company for entrepreneurs. Mike has worked with 1000’s of SME’s and startups across all sectors. His speciality is creating practical sales and marketing strategies that effectively create results tangible results. I use to be a believer in positive thinking... until I realised that my positive thinking attracted negative outcomes. Let me explain... Before I do though, here’s a quick question for you, how many poles are there to a magnet? There’s no trick answer, there are obviously two: a negative and a positive. Another question for you... How many poles does the planet have? Again, there are two: a North and South. Now let’s delve a bit further, at our basic cellular level we are made of atoms. What are the components of an atom? Well, we have a positron (a positively charged subatomic particle) and an electron (a negatively charged subatomic particle), which used to be called a negatron. So, our fundamental building blocks contain both positive and negative components.

And what does that have to do with Optimist thinking? Over the past years, there has been such a plethora of people coming out and professing to live a positive life and that by purely thinking about positive things, you’ll create your ideal lifestyle. This is absolute rubbish! Behind the scenes, these people will be attracting challenge into their life to balance out their lopsided perception (I know many of the speakers on the international circuit and know this to be true). Because, the reality is, it’s not possible to have just a positive perspective. If you choose to adopt that view or model

THE BUSINESSMAN of the world, just like a magnet, you’ll attract negative circumstances into your life.

to know that negative thinking, when used effectively, is crucial to success.

Even if you say you think positive, how often do you wake up fearful or scared or doubtful of your business’s success?

So, create a vision of what you’re inspired to achieve and know that in order to reach that outcome the universe will challenge you along the way to test your commitment. Just when you think you’ve seen the worst of it, you’ll be thrown another disaster that will test your resolve. It’s like the universe’s little joke. However, remember this...

Likewise, if you buy into the story that it’s possible to have a purely positive mindset all the time then you’ll find you’ll attract challenging events to balance you out.

So what’s the answer? Don’t get me wrong, having an optimistic outlook is important and critical to success, particularly in business. All that I’m suggesting is that you need to embrace both the positive and the negative and not be attached to either. It’s the attachment to positive thinking that often leads to people’s demise. They want everything to be just rosy and for everything to fall into place. For those of us in business, we know that the reality is far different from that. Business is all about failure. You have to fail in order to receive lessons that make you stronger, wiser, more experienced and adapt to your marketplace.

“Our greatest breakthroughs occur after our darkest hours” And, you’ll never be thrown a challenge that you can’t handle. When you come out the other side, you’ll be stronger for the experience and you will have moved closer to your desired outcome. Stay focused on what you’re looking to achieve. Get clear on how committed you are to your vision and what you’re prepared to sacrifice. Use both positive and negative thinking to aid your development and I look forward to hopefully meeting you when you can share the journey of your ups and downs on the pathway of your success.

The more you fail, the more you learn about what works and what doesn’t and you’re certainty for making decisions is increased, which leads to increased confidence, especially when you apply your lessons and see tangible progress and results.

What am I suggesting? What I’m really saying is... don’t live in a fantasyland. Understand that both positive and negative experiences are vital to the success of your business (and life). Don’t be attached to just good things or positive thinking. We learn our biggest lessons from our biggest mistakes. Without mistakes we wouldn’t grow. That is why people like Donald Trump employ staff members on a full-time basis to predict all the things that could possibly go wrong. He gets them to create multiple contingency plans (sometimes they create over 20 plans), just in case. He’s been around the block enough times

KN OW adventure Everthing Is Changing... By ELIZABETH VILLANI Elizabeth, the author of “Awakening”, o-books, 2010. An expert on positivity, coach and Reiki Master, a startling mystical experience in 2008 revealed to her the reality of humanity. She now writes to support our awakening. She is also the founder of www.fundsforjoy.com a non-profit organisation aiming to bring joy to every corner of the globe.

CONTACT ELIZABETH www.elizabethvillani.net

This month’s theme is Optimism. Rather than writing an article for you on awakening through optimism (after all, lifting positivity and self belief and being more conscious i.e. optimism... is what awakening is!) I have decided to ramble and channel and trust that whatever I ramble and channel through my own karmic knowledge or guides will be a message that you want or need to read. So here we go... I never thought that I would be a writer, at school I was never known to be a poet or particularly gifted at written English, if anything it was the opposite – English was one of my weakest subjects. It has been a huge surprise to me, this gift that I have within me to support the world. It shows how much of the feedback that we experience in our young human lives can be a total load of rubbish with regards to what our real purpose here is. Current world events are fascinating aren’t they? The solar flares are our source energy awakening, predicted by some to be about to knock out communications and electricity in parts of the world for short times (buy yourself some tins of food and candles). The democratic uprising in the Middle East – who could have predicted that such a wave of human uprising could topple these dictators 20 or even 10 years ago? Floods have devastated parts of Australia and Christchurch in New Zealand has just been hit by a second even greater earthquake than the previous one in 2010. When I visited the city in 2006, I took the coastal train north to Blenheim. What a beautiful journey; nourishment for the soul and a perspective break from my work. As the train travelled up the coast there was a breathtaking scene, pictured here for you...

STUDYING AT THE UNIVERSITY OF LIFE

I knew (never shared it with my husband – as he would think I was more loopy than loopy – he doesn’t believe in all of this mumbo jumbo...) anyway, I really am rambling, I knew that this was the angel’s gate. This was where the angels entered the earth. I was mesmerised and touched very deeply. The picture is just a hint of the real dramatic scene.... it was like magic, something which I predict we will experience more and more of in the coming months and years. If this place really is the angel’s gate then Christchurch is the largest nearby concentration of human population. So what is the earthquake all about? I sit and connect with Source and my guides and I ask... they answer... the quake is bringing in more light, more space for the angel’s gate and more earth energy for the gate to be grounded. They say that the devastation will bring the people of the area more together in heart and soul and that more angels will be seen in this area. The job of the newly entering angels is to bolster support for the Earth as the its awakening accelerates.

Everything is changing. The energies taking place in the world are also taking place in you. Those angel energies are entering you. I never dreamt in a million years that I would be a writer and speaker of truth, and look here I am writing truth, to you. Everything is changing. There is no going back to the old ways of doing things. The old regimes. The constant electricity. The wondering if there is more to life than meets the eye. There is one thing that is certain to be a constant in all of this. Change. For more and more of us, our lives are becoming completely different to what we imagined or anticipated. Everything is changing. The more of us that embrace the change and have the courage to awaken, the easier the changing will become. This is at an individual level and at a global level for we humans are human power pyramids. We generate huge energies that influence our reality to a far greater extent than we can at present possibly imagine. The changes in you as you awaken will open your heart and bring you closer to your purpose and the people around you. You will experience cleansing, anger, frustration, openness, belief, happiness, joy. It’s the same with the Earth. The ultimate aim is that we will come together to live in a new way that is actually the old way. One of love, awe and dreams becoming reality. One where greed and blame will have no ear. A life lived optimistically!

Whilst I was uploading the angel gate photo for Rachel, the Editor of Lightworker Magazine, I found an amazing photo that I had taken in Christchurch whilst I was there. It’s just a bridge (!) look at the beautiful angelic rainbow energies entering....

Tune into Elizabeth’s ‘Our Awakening’ show every month on RadioLightworker.com for more insights

KNOW living Cloudy With A Chance Of Optimism (And Butterflies) By MelANIE DIAMOND

CONTACT MELANIE www.indigohealing.co.uk Twitter - @Indigo_Healing Facebook

Melanie is a passionate advocator of the Indigo cause. She wants to speak out to help and inspire other Indigo adults to become aware of who they are. Mel is a Reiki healer and teacher, sound healer, writer, singer, neo-pagan and a student of the shamanic arts. Ah, optimism. Little chink of light through the grey clouds of a trying time. I’m an optimistic person. I think. Aren’t I? The truth is that lately it’s been a struggle to remain positive and I’ve felt many things, but optimism hasn’t had much of a lookin. It’s been a tough time to take, solar flare activity has affected my sleep patterns and this impacted my dayto-day sanity levels. Snappy, much? Guilty as charged. Optimism, where art thou? The momentum that 2011 brought with it swept me (and others) up in a big wave of uplifting energy, feeling like we could take on the World and change it in a week! And then it seems the wave crashed and left some of us temporarily stranded with the energy knocked out of us and wondering what the heck just happened. I have no doubt that some of you are reading this and nodding in agreement. In times like this, optimism is a vital tool. I think many of us forget about it sometimes and get caught up in feeling pessimistic, wondering why everything is so up and down and ‘why does this always happen to me?’, onestep-forward-two-steps-back etc. We are only human (I think?) so it’s natural that we get sidetracked. And let’s not forget that where there is optimism, there must also be a chance for pessimism. Like the eternal truths of yin and yang, dark and light they co-exist and stare each other down across the table of possibility and choice. I like to think of optimism as the ‘love-and-light’ hippie and pessimism as the moody goth - both phases I have lived through and never really left behind. Optimism usually wins the day but pessimism is always a worthy contender before it slinks off to lick its wounds and mumble angrily under its breath.

THE AUTHENTICITY DIARY Do not pass ‘Go’.... As Lightworkers, aren’t we supposed to be optimistic at all times? What if we fall into the pessimism trap? Have we failed, do we have to go straight to jail, not passing ‘Go’ and not collecting our £200 Lightworking bonus? Thankfully no, although I adore the idea of some sort of financial bonus for those of us that are doing the ‘work’... cool, no? Anyway, we know that if we remain in a place of pessimism, doubt or uncertainty then the Universe will reflect that back at us as quick as a whippet can emerge from a dog-trap. Time, then, to be optimistic and let the good times roll again.

To a butterfly There is so much transformative energy around at the moment it gets confusing at times. We are really being called upon now to come into our own, stand in our truth and spread the message. We are emerging from our chrysalis and becoming Lightworking butterflies, and when a new butterfly emerges it stands tentatively next to the shell of its former self and spreads its wings out to dry. It’s a delicate and sensitive time, precarious and vulnerable, but what comes next is oh so wonderful - I’m giving myself kudos for the rhyme there! Remember this and smile (with thanks to Wordsworth): “What joy awaits you, when the breeze Hath found you out among the trees, And calls you forth again!” Calling forth is about right! As well as providing a light at the end of the tunnel, optimism has direct psychological and physiological benefits. If you’re an optimistic person, you heal quicker and more thoroughly than if you nurture nagging doubt. So whether you are healing from a physical condition or just waiting for your wings to dry, be optimistic and it will come to you with ease and speed. Keep peeling those onion layers and lovingly release what is there but no longer needed, and welcome in a new and shinier you. I don’t know about you, but sometimes I wonder just how small and shiny the onion can get. Be grateful for your continued evolution and be the eternal optimist, your own little ray of sunshine.

Hear more Indigo and Crystal wisdom from MelANIE on her MONTHLYRadioLightworker. com show

KN OW source Optimology By TOM EVANS Tom is an author and wizard of light bulb moments. His new book on the subject is available from O-books early in 2011. He has just published his latest work on the nature of consciousness called Flavours of Thought: Recipes for Fresh Thinking.

CONTACT TOM www.tomevans.co

When I hear the word optimist, I am reminded of the phrase, “an optimist is a pessimist not in possession of all the facts.” When I first heard this I laughed and have ‘dined out’ on it more than once when the word comes up in conversation. I confess to being a born optimist - something I inherited from my mother, who always sees the bright side of everything. On reflection though, this phrase could be seen to show optimists in a dim light. It could be inferring that optimists are dreamers, Walter Mittys and that blind optimism is no more than wishful thinking. Optimists will always see a glass as half full. Pessimists see it not just as half empty but containing a liquid that is distasteful or even poisonous. Yet, sometimes optimists can become the target of those with a cynical disposition. Well, I think that such blind optimism does lend itself to being open to criticism, but it has too much of a bad press. To redress this situation, it’s time that we got a bit scientific about it. So much so that I’ve coined a new term called ‘Optimology’. In fact, I am really optimistic about this word as I Googled in and found nobody is using it for anything of relevance. This means that as soon as this article is published and I blog it, these viewpoints will even be on top of Google within 24 hours. It is this type of ‘creative’ optimism that the word refers to. If you simply take an optimistic view and do not act upon it, you will have a better life than a pessimist who will simple manifest the ‘not so good’. If you take an optimistic view and act upon it, you will have a Great Life. To ensure your optimism grounds into physical reality, it is important to use the Cascade of Creativity.

MOMENTS OF LIGHT If this is to be, I know the right team will materialise so that this won’t just fall on my shoulders. My role is as creative spark - and CEO. Where CEO stands for Catalystic Evangelist of Optimology. Now my ever-present optimism has already created a Pretty Good Life for me. I have no desire to ‘own’ this movement or even to lead it. This is a call to action for all of an optimistic disposition out there to come together to make a change. This is no new religion and the dogmatic need not apply. The philosophy will be freely available and distributed. Revenue will generated only where Added Value is delivered. The first step towards such greatness is to back your optimism with high intent, not just wishful thinking. For example, by simply coining this term I have the seed of an Inspiration to start a new movement training professional Optimologists who teach these principles. When enough people think differently, Mother Earth tilts her axis in recognition. The next step is to Dream where this might lead to… Imagine a world where companies employ Optimology consultants or even have one on the Executive Board. For each corporate action, only the positive spins will be sought. I was trained to facilitate meetings a few years ago with a wonderful tool called Appreciative Enquiry. In it you simply discover what works well and just make it work even better. No time is spent navel-gazing or on the Blame Game. Egos aren’t suppressed but harnessed and pointed in the right direction.

So, lightworking Optimologists, email me now and join the movement…

Tom’s new book The Art and Science of Light Bulb Moments is being published by O-books in June 2011. Advanced copied for review are now available.

In Appreciative Enquiry too, the outputs of the dream phase are then managed. This is the next crucial step in the Optimology process. Before acting wildly and running off with unbridled excitement, desired outcomes are defined and tested in an Evaluation phase. So to take Optimology to the next phase, I throw the gauntlet down and ask any trainee Optimologists to get in touch. Collectively, we will define a training and testing programme to see where this can go. From which, we can set some goals - they will be high ones. As I know already this works, all activity will be synced to the Moon Phase. Finally, there comes Action. My first action is to write this article and broadcast it. There will inevitably be the book to be written on the subject and all the training manuals.

Tune into Tom’s ‘Moments of Light’ show every other Friday on RadioLightworker.com to share in others’ light-bulb moments

R EGULAR

ARS

Ask Sharon SHARON LAW

Once Upon A Time... NIGEL BRAY

Stars And Planets ZOE HIND

The Warrior Of The Light PAULO COELHO

Lightworker Loves THE KINDNESS OFFENSIVE, 21 GOLDEN RULES OF COSMIC ORDERING, THE BLESSINGS BOOK

Words Of Wisdom The List MOST OPTIMISTIC PEOPLE THROUGHOUT HISTORY

Featured Lightworker DALAI LAMA

R EGULARS Ask Sharon Sharon Law is a Spiritual Counsellor, Healer and Medium. She dedicates her life to helping people on their spiritual journey get through difficult life experiences. Sharon works closely with many different Spirit guides, including Archangel Michael and her Native American Ancestors. Her motto is “Life isn’t short; it’s fast... so live it and live it well...” To ask Sharon a question of your own, please send them to asksharon@ lightworkermag.com. Please note that we are unfortunately unable to guarantee your question will be answered because of the high volume of responses.

What are the best methods/websites/ways to align with the new energy? Also, do we need to be concerned about our children adjusting? What are the physical manifestations of the shift? I’m wondering as I have been trying to clear a sinus/ headache sensation for the past two weeks. Lastly, feeling like I am disconnected and moving at a different speed than the rest of the world. Is this the change? Thanks! A Hi A, firstly our children are the last thing we need to worry about because they are already ahead of us, spiritually. We forget that their spiritual beings are in most cases more wise than our own spirit so they are more than prepared for the changes that are coming. I hope you don’t mind me being honest but I feel that you need to stop reading about different peoples’ views of spirituality and concentrate on how you see the spiritual world. We all love to read spiritual books and they have helped us all in many different ways, but we must all learn that these are other peoples perceptions of the spirit world and they are unique to them. I would advise that you do some selfhealing on your chakras as you have some blockages that are making it more difficult for you at the moment, but do not be tempted to pay someone else to do this as you are more than capable of doing it yourself, just ask your Angels to assist and guide you and you will be pleasantly surprised with the results. This will also clear your sinus and headache problem. The other answers will come shortly afterwards.

Is R, my boyfriend, a good life partner for me? Thank you, P Hi P, I feel that he is a very strong partner for you, but sometimes he feels that you judge him in certain situations. You are a very strong person yourself and you like to feel that you have a certain amount of control over your life but unfortunately we all know that this is not always possible. You need to allow him the space to show you his love in his own way and then I feel that your love will reach new heights and the connection between you both will become even stronger.

I seem to be lost at the moment and require some guidance/direction. It seems there is so much not going in the direction l hope for. Look forward to hearing from you. D Hi D, I connected with you immediately as I feel you are a very spiritual lady and you havenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t even begun to feel your true strengths yet. You have a lot of exciting happenings to come in your life over the next few years. I feel that you are a very relaxed and laid back person but sometimes get frustrated that things are not happening fast enough for you or that the results are not what you wanted. The reason for you feeling lost at the moment is because the people that are in your life at this time are not assisting you in your soulâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s purpose, which now means that the spirit realms are intervening and helping you to cleanse your entire life. This will leave you feeling lonely at times, which is not what you are used to, but you must start committing to meditating more often and on a regular basis to ensure that you are not alone and that your spirit guides and spiritual family are only a thought away.

R EGULARS Can you see where we will be moving and when, what the house might look like? 2 storeys, pool, big yard, verandas? When I will be pregnant? I always have tension in my right shoulder. I get neck pain up the right side of my neck (like some one is dragging a knife up and down, I thinks it’s when a spirit is around me but I’m not sure) my ears are sooo sooo sooo itchy… mostly at night (on the inside of my ears). Why is it I attract Virgos in my life and have I done the right thing by slowly stepping back form this particular Virgo? I always feel awful after I speak to her, she always puts me down and seems to be in competition with me... will I ever be able to see the deceased? Or what spiritual development will excel at? What do you see for me in my career short term and long term? Wow sorry.. just want to keep typing… thanks heaps…E Hi E, you feel like many of us feel, you want all the answers now, if only it was that easy. The first vision I got with your current situation is that you must simplify your life, which I feel you are already trying to do but it is causing you more stress than it was before you decided to make these huge changes. The tension in your shoulder is your frustration at things not happening fast enough. I feel that spirit has put a huge stop on your plans in order to teach you about patience. This will be a difficult learning for you, as throughout your life so far you have always reached a goal or dream that you have wanted, but this is different now. As readers will know, I am very honest with my advice and I hope you accept my guidance with love and light as it is intended. You have in your mind what your ideal situation should be with regards to home and family but this is only what society is pressuring you to have; Spirit truly wants you to take time away from all this pressure you are putting on yourself and connecting with your soul and ask it “what do you want?” You will be surprised with the answers and even more surprised with the results. This leads me onto why your ears are so itchy, it’s because you are not listening to your soul or to what spirit is trying to show you. Take time to sit and meditate or just do some basic breathing exercises to calm your emotions and mind down, this is important. I know you have many questions, we all do, but your answers will not come until you take the first step, which is to take time out and reconnect with your soul. We have all heard of soul searching, well now it’s your turn. I feel we need to talk more, so please join my facebook page “Ask Sharon” and we can keep in touch.

Will I see a positive change in my career path? I have a job at the moment but my dream is to work in a different field. I’m working on something I believe to be worthwhile but I don’t quite have the confidence to put it out there. Thank you, Love and light. D Hi D, I empathise with your situation but you must ask yourself, are you worth taking the risk for? What I mean by this is, what is holding you back and why? You know you have much more potential to do more with your life than you are currently doing. Our careers are more about our soul’s purpose than just paying the bills. So do you feel that you owe it to yourself to take the risk of following your heart and your soul’s purpose?Your confidence issues are only fear and we all have fears when change is on the horizon, but you will live in even more fear if you do not learn to follow your heart. I wish you all the success in the world D, I know you can do it.

Hello,Thank you for the opportunity to ask questions of this nature! I saw the post on facebook and thought, oh what perfect timing. What is next for me in my career? While I feel very blessed with my current situation, I feel stagnant - just wondering if there is anything different coming up for me? Thank you once again! With much light. A Hello A, the reason for you feeling stagnant is because you know that change is coming. There is an opportunity coming your way that you haven’t even considered before, but have faith because when the time comes you will know that it’s the right decision, for you will be excited and passionate about the changes and this is the best way that our soul can tell us it is the correct step in your spiritual journey. Sit back and enjoy, lots of exciting times ahead for you A, but be patient and clear out those drawers - I see paperwork needing to be cleared out and organised. Light and Love.

Any views or opinions expressed in this feature are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of Lightworker Magazine. Any reliance you place on such information is therefore strictly at your own risk. In no event will we be liable for any loss or damage including without limitation, indirect or consequential loss or damage, or any loss or damage whatsoever arising from loss of data or profits arising out of, or in connection with, the use of this feature.

R EGULARS Once Upon A Time... “Build It And They Will Come”, A Retreat In Rural France BY NIGEL BRAY

BIOG Simon and I are both reiki Masters, having come to this place – both physically and spiritually - from professional backgrounds but opposite ends of the UK. He worked in Social and Health care, I was a teacher. We met, in the way that was planned from the start…

CONTACT www.openingspace.co.uk ‘Le Berceau’ Couffy Rouvres – les – Bois INDRE FRANCE 36110

The retreat was ALWAYS going to be made. In the way that the planets move, the blueprint’s intent, Simon and I were moving towards each other, inevitably, so that we would end up in this place, doing this work. Simon had a busy professional life, in London, though he is a Yorkshireman by birth. He had been in London for twenty years, primarily as an advocate in the field of Adults with Learning Difficulties. I was in Cornwall, doing well professionally, climbing the career ladder, in Education. I was Deputy Head in a large school and had been teaching for almost twenty-five years. Both of us were doing well, in useful and meaningful jobs but… We both had been ‘experimenting with’ various alternative therapies but none of them were quite right until the day (and this happened for us both at opposite ends of the country) we discovered Reiki – or rather, IT discovered US. We felt like we had come home. We got involved, trained to Master level and then lived alongside it for a time. Simon was running his own business and needed a website. I had give up teaching, through ill health, and had retrained as… yes, you guessed it… a web designer! We made contact, quite randomly (or not!) via the Internet, and met to finalise the website at my house. I had a client booked in for some Reiki that day who agreed to let us both work with him and in THAT moment, all of those questions, all of those years of searching for answers, it became clear: we had met absolutely for a purpose, and that purpose was to be in France, live in the house that Simon already owned - dilapidated and unready as it was then - and develop the retreat together; ‘Opening Space’ was born – in that one crystal clear, spiritually resonant moment. All our hopes became possibilities; all the years of ‘travelling’ came down to that recognition in that Reiki Session.

Opening Space Opening Space is a small retreat, deep in rural France in the Loire Valley. People that visit us leave empowered, healed, refocused and refreshed; it is a very powerful place. The retreat consists of the Big House where the ‘community’ happens – the kitchen with it’s wood burning stove (and wine rack!), the Healing Room where treatments (if desired) are given and the Bathroom (long luxurious deep baths available!) and then the Barn, built in 1567, now the lounge, where people can simply relax, talk, not talk… whatever you want to do here, you can. In the garden sits the Little House where guests sleep and can be private, alone to reflect if they wish. In view is the Fire Pit, where many joyful gatherings happen and beyond that… endless horizons, deep night skies and silence. The silence of the countryside, as far from people’s normal lives as you can imagine.

is important that people should be able to come if they need to; and, it DOES balance out, as we always knew it would! It is a wonderful place here. It is the culmination of years, for us both, of knowing that there was SOMETHING we should be doing – the jobs we had were good ones, but not the RIGHT ones – but not being sure what, where and how. It’s been hard at times; living in another country brings its problems; the house needed much to be done but we KNEW through all of that what we going to be doing at the end, because we had been told, it was in the blueprint and we never lost hope. Opening Space is as beautiful as it looks. It is a wonderful place to come to and the result of that visit can be immeasurable; people’s testimony bear witness to that. They say they were well and truly ‘Couffied’!!

And here we are, four years on, with the space ready, the buildings ready, the reasons clear, full of optimism for our future and secure in the knowledge now that we are in the RIGHT PLACE and doing the right thing – for us, and our spiritual journey, and for the people who come here. The things that happen for them when they are here and after they leave are, to us, validation that we were right. The retreat time itself can take on many forms. People come for many reasons – they are lost; they have come to a time when they are not sure what’s next – Simon’s lifecoaching skills often provides answers. They come sick, in body or in spirit – the Reiki provides healing at all its different levels, or they just want some peace from their hectic lives and Couffy (the name of the hamlet) provides that absolutely – there is no noise but the birds if that is what you want. There are no ‘rules’ here – you can do what you want, receive treatments or not, eat with us, or not, sleep if you wish or have late nights at the fire pit, walk if you want or stay in your Little House. Each visit is tailored to suit the needs of the visitor. You will see on the website that there is no ‘price list’ – we believe strongly that this experience is SO important that we don’t turn away people because they can’t afford it. We have long dialogues before a visit to ascertain people’s ability to come and weigh that against their need to. That sounds very altruistic, I suppose, but we are sure that it

R EGULARS Stars And Planets BY ZOE HIND

The secret to life is good timing.

By tuning into the energy of the planets we can all live more harmonious lives. Every month I will be choosing a reader question to answer, so email your enquiries about Astrology to astrology@lightworkermag.com

Reader question – JUPITER I’ve heard that Jupiter represents abundance, how can I tap into this energy? Jupiter can represent the parts of your life that flow easily or help you to expand your consciousness. Travel, education and spiritual study all come under the rulership of this mighty planet. There is an abundance and optimism involved with a well aspected Jupiter. The house position and sign that Jupiter falls in (as well as the inter-relationship with other planets) will show you where you can put your efforts for maximum gain. For example, Jupiter in Virgo shows progress and inspiration (as well as income) through teaching or the healing arts. Jupiter in Leo points at centre stage activity where self-promotion and the dramatic arts are favoured. Jupiter in 10th can herald a powerful career and Jupiter in 12th could see you develop into a spiritual Guru. There are many options here and I should mention that a tricky placement or transit of Jupiter can also warn of excesses. See my website for more info and I also cover more Jupiter placements in my Radio Show – Stars and Planets.

As the biggest planet in our solar system, Jupiter’s red spot could house the earth 2 times over. Known for its magnetic field, which is 10 times stronger than that of Earth, this gas giant sweeps the Asteroid Belt protecting us from a barrage of debris. Jupiter thus merits his ‘protect and serve’ reputation and is said to clear obstacles from our lives to make space for bigger and better. This planet was once the ruler of Pisces as well as Sagittarius before Neptune was (re)discovered. As Pisces is the last sign of the Zodiac, their ability to see far and venture to the furthest realms is still a Jovian trait. Jupiter’s entry into Aries begins a new 12-year cycle. Joined this month by Uranus (which has not been in Aries for 80+ years), this is the most significant and exciting astrological aspect of Spring 2011.

PISCES

ARIES

With so much activity going on in your second house of income and values, your plans made and your shoes shined, it’s time to step out the door and show the world what you are made of. Success balanced with fun seems to be the order of the day. You don’t need to steam roller anyone - just dazzle them.

The Full Moon is a time for deep reflection. Try to differentiate between fact and fiction. Something or someone may not be quite what they seem. A little practical thinking will soon show you what’s what. Look out for messages in dreams and meditation. Your psychic powers are strong.

TAURUS

GEMINI

During these intense and revolutionary times we are asked to change and adapt on a daily basis. Sometimes this can mean that we grow apart from friends who no longer share our vibration. The blessing is that new people come into range who are able to help with our ascension. Try not to mourn any recent departures, you are on the right path and have much to look forward to.

With Saturn retrograde in your 5th house of love and creativity, you have until mid-June to reorganise your life to include more fun. The New Moon in Pisces highlights your career and no doubt you will be busy at this time but try to enjoy what you do or guide your ship towards a role that is in better keeping with your spirits.

CANCER

LEO

Security, fulfilment and inspiration await. Now that the crazy electric circus that is Aquarius is done for another year, you are back in your element in the Pisces waters. If you are rattled or frayed by recent events, take a breather now and soothe yourself while dreaming big plans. The heat will soon be back with the Aries cycle so this is your chance to rejuvenate and prepare.

Partnership issues may have arisen in February to show you where you need to draw your boundaries. Expressing your needs may have caused a few fireworks but if you stood strong and stayed aligned to your higher self, the connections that you now have are heartier and happier.

VIRGO

LIBRA

The Full Moon falls in the last degrees of your sign marking this as a very special time. You have learnt so much over the last few years. Give yourself some praise. Like a snake shedding its skin, there is a residue that still needs to be stripped away, but after you have achieved this you will emerge brand new and ready to enjoy the Spring energies to the maximum.

Looks like celebrations are heading your way. If you have been working hard then you could receive some long awaited recognition. You are talented and creative so make the most of all you have been given. Passion and partnerships are energised by Jupiter, Mercury and Uranus all in Aries - your 7th house, though you may need to keep a fire extinguisher handy.

SCORPIO

SAGITTARIUS

Saturn in your twelfth house of spirituality and the subconscious is calling you to explore you own inner universe. This is a potent time for revelations and communication from the other realms. You may feel called to change the way you live your life as exploring your spiritual truth becomes more important than holding down a day job that does not fulfil you. March begins a process of significant change.

March looks like an Aladdin’s cave of a month and yet you still have doubts that you can have it this good. Any work done on controlling limiting thoughts will be time well spent and clear the way for your great manifesting power to be activated. Focus and application are all that’s needed.

CAPRICORN

Aquarius

Of all the signs, you love a challenge. The thing with this Spring though is that the pace is much faster than usual. Can you take it up a gear? If so there is much activity and potential rewards. You will need to know yourself well in order to make quick decisions. Stay strong yet flexible and make your way to the starting blocks.

Uranus – your ruling planet – genius, eccentric and completely unpredictable, steals the show this month with his move into Aries on the 12th. No-one can anticipate what this will bring but your mental acuity, cosmic antennae and plain jammy-ness should put you in the right place at the right time to really make the most of this exhilarating ride.

R EGULARS Pisces Climate Uranus prepares to leave Pisces and begin a new Zodiac cycle. Before he goes there are loose ends to be tidied and goodbyes to be said. Outdated beliefs, limited thought patterns and following the crowd are not part of this new journey. It’s time to embrace and own our free spirit and celebrate our individuality from 12th March, for the next 7 years will accept nothing less.

BIOG

New Moon – 4th March - 13 degrees Pisces

Zoe works with your own unique birth chart and compares it with the positions of the planets today, revealing and explaining the windows of opportunity that are opening up around you and how to make the most of your time. Her insights help to give you a better understanding of yourself, your purpose, your loved ones, your talents and the best timing for effortless success in all areas of your life. Zoe also provides full chart interpretation services as well as running classes and workshops.

Mars and Mercury sandwich the Sun and Moon in Pisces in the 5th house of love, creativity and children. There may be a reminiscence to this moon as Pisces reflects on childhood fantasies and memories . As we stand on the brink of a Brave New World, we can take one last look over our shoulder to honour the lessons learnt so far. Society prepares for a shake up, for this to be positive the tone needs to be set in our own hearts first. Depth and sincerity reign.

CONTACT ZOE +44 7984 825928 www.astrozo.com

Full Moon – 19th March – 28 degrees Virgo There’s a harvest feel to this Full Moon in Virgo. We stand to reap the benefits of works begun in September. Express gratitude for abundance received in the Universal Flow. As the Sun prepares to enter Aries at the Spring Equinox and be reborn, the moon hovers at the last degree of this chart also waiting to cross over the threshold. The world pauses on its axis to reflect before the dawning of a new age.

PARITY We are all equal on a soul level. In what areas do you place yourself higher or lower than others? Reset to parity. Including: - Anne Jones, the channel and global healer - Angel Therapist Caroline Nettle - Jennifer Lynch, author of “The Silver Lining”

Available from 4th April at lightworkermag.com!

Next Month’s Edition 52

R EGULARS Warrior Of The Light The Aleph BY PAULO COELHO William Blake used to say that we can see the infinite in a grain of sand and eternity in a flower. In truth, a simple moment of inner harmony is enough for that to happen.

CONTACT PAULO www.warriorofthelight. com/eng Twitter: @paulocoelho

That is where the great problem resides: we almost never allow ourselves to realize that the present moment in itself holds all the glory. Sometimes, it expresses itself in a completely casual manner. You are walking in the street, sit in a certain place and suddenly the entire universe is right there. The first thing that comes up is a huge desire to cry – not for sadness, neither for happiness, but simply to show emotion. You know you are comprehending something, even if you are not even able to explain it to yourself. In the magic tradition, this type of perception is known as “diving into the Aleph.” Human beings have an enormous difficulty in concentrating their minds on the present moment; we are always thinking of what we have done, how we could have done it better, what the consequences of our actions will be and why didn’t we act as we should have. Or still, we worry about the future, what will we do tomorrow, what measures will we have to take, what dangers are waiting for us at the corner, how to avoid what we don’t want and how to attain what we have always dreamed of. And so, we begin to wonder if there is really something wrong with us. Yes, there is. It is called routine. You think there is something wrong because you are unhappy. Others live for their problems; they keep talking compulsively about them – problems with children, husbands, school, work, friends.

They don’t stop to think: I am here. I am the result of everything that happened and that will happen, but I am here. If there is something wrong I have done, I have the power to correct it or at least apologize for it. If there is something I did right, that makes me happier and I feel more connected to the present moment. Concentrate yourself in your Aleph and you will see that a little confidence in life doesn’t hurt at all – much on the contrary, it will allow you to experience everything with much more intensity. The things that disturb your life lie in the past and are awaiting your future decisions. They numb you and they pollute you and they don’t let you understand the present. Working with experience only means repeating old solutions on new problems. I know many people who are only able to have an individual identity when they start talking about their problems because these problems are connected to what they judge to be ‘their story’. Morihei Ueshiba, the founder of Aikido, a well known martial art, used to say, “The search for peace is a way of praying, which ends up generating light and warmth. Forget a little about yourself, know that wisdom and compassion lay in that warmth. As you walk through this planet, seek to notice the true form of the heavens and of the Earth; it is possible if you don’t let yourself be paralyzed by fear and decide that all your gestures and attitudes will correspond to what you think.” If you trust life, life will trust you.

Warrior of the Light, a www.paulocoelho.com.br publication

R E GULARS LIGHTWORKER

LOV E S THE KINDNESS OFFENSIVE With a name like David Goodfellow, you are born to create a project such as The Kindness Offensive! The aim of this brilliant initiative is to have fun, be kind and inspire as many people as possible to do the same by performing both small and large scale Random Acts of Kindness. We honour their light work.

THE 21 golden RULES OF cosmic ordering By Barbel Mohr Many of us are familiar with the concepts but it’s helpful to remind ourselves on occasion, or even learn afresh, and this easy-to-read book by the late Barbel Mohr contains both lessons and ‘homework assignments’, giving you every opportunity to create the life of your most optimistic of dreams!

THE BLESSINGS BOOK Created by British author Lizzi Vandorpe, The Blessings Book is an inspirational collection of thoughts, memories and sayings that will literally and figuratively lead you to count your blessings – perfect for helping us to maintain, strengthen and expand our light. Also in the series are The Blessings Books of Marriage and Baby Blessings, and we love them all.

REG ULARS WORDS OF WISDOM

“It’s better to be an optimist who is sometimes wrong than a pessimist who is always right” Anon “If you will call your troubles experiences, and remember that every experience develops some latent force within you, you will grow vigorous and happy, however adverse your circumstances may seem to be.” John Heywood “Having a positive mental attitude is asking how something can be done rather than saying it can’t be done.” Bo Bennett “A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.” Winston Churchill “Teaching is the greatest act of optimism” Colleen Wilcox

R E GULARS THE LIST

MOST OPTIMISTIC PEOPLE THROUGHOUT HISTORY

one two three four five six seven eight nine ten eleven twelve thirteen forteen fifteen sixteen seventeen eighteen nineteen twenty 57

Winston Churchill Henry T Ford Albert Einstein Andrew Carnegie Peace Pilgrim Charles Dickens Norman Vincent Peale Nicholas M Butler Helen Keller Ralph Waldo Emerson The Essenes Samuel Johnson Robert H Schuller Charles R Swindoll Emmet Fox Mahatma Gandhi Pat Mesiti Paulo Coelho Anthony Robbins Abraham Lincoln

Source: optimism4beginners.com

RE GULARS Featured Lightworker DALAI LAMA Inspire

www.dalailama.com

Traditionally, the Dalai Lama is thought of as the latest reincarnation of a series of spiritual leaders who have chosen to be reborn in order to enlighten others. The current Dalai Lama is Tenzin Gyatso (shortened from Jetsun Jamphel Ngawang Lobsang Yeshe Tenzin Gyatso) and he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1989 for his commitment to a range of issues from compassion to the environment. These are approached from a global perspective, “I always speak of the importance of developing a genuine sense of universal responsibility. When we are motivated by wisdom and compassion, the results of our actions benefit everyone, not just our individual selves or some immediate convenience. When we are able to recognize and forgive ignorant actions of the past, we gain the strength to constructively solve the problems of the present.”

Challenge The Dalai Lama takes his responsibilities to humankind seriously, and makes three primary commitments: firstly, “the promotion of human values such as compassion, forgiveness, tolerance, contentment and self-discipline”, secondly, “the promotion of religious harmony and understanding among the world’s major religious traditions” and thirdly, “a responsibility to act as the free spokesperson of the Tibetans in their struggle for justice”. He appreciates the challenge of committing to this life path, yet asserts that he “will carry on with the first two commitments till his last breath” and the third “will cease to exist once a mutually beneficial solution is reached between the Tibetans and Chinese.”

Educate There are numerous teachings that the Dalai Lama shares with his followers – he is active on Facebook! – and his words are grounded in practical reality, such as these he shares about countering stress and depression: “At a fundamental level, as human beings, we are all the same; each one of us aspires to happiness and each one of us does not wish to suffer. This is why, whenever I have the opportunity, I try to draw people’s attention to what as members of the human family we have in common and the deeply interconnected nature of our existence and welfare.”