Art by: Garry Brennand
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INDIGO MAGAZINE
Issue one - Aug 2015
Hello and welcome... ...to our very first edition! I realised while sitting here and writing this introduction that it was a year ago to this day that I picked up a little gem of a book called Trees of the Goddess by Elen Sentier. And traced month-by-month the Ogham ways and Shaman Pathways to our changing calendar.
At Indigo, we believe that each of us create our lives from the thoughts we form and allow in, the dreams we sleep with and the actions we take forward. Indigo Thinking is about creating and colouring life in the way you wish to live it. Indigo Magazine is a platform for writers, artists and creators. Bringing together the holistic community to spread a new way of thinking and being able to fully enjoy life in the modern world in which we live.
August being the month of wisdom and “knowing”. Represented by two trees: hazel and apple. This concept of “knowing” is not about having learned something but to know it deeply, like a deep blush that travels down through your cells. This kind of knowing, may have no logic or place in society’s constructs or within your disciplined mind, but once you have it, no will can pull it asunder. You just “know” and the connection is made come what may... So, we wish for you to have Indigo Magazine as a month-by-month place to visit. To come and be a part of our community. We want to be inclusive to all people: those starting out on their journey or others who are attaining Hermit’s heights. Who knows we might pick up people who are looking for a sign, a white rabbit to follow down the burrow hole and further spread consciousness... We hope you enjoy reading our pages...
Nicky & Karrie xx
What’s inside... Co-Founders Nicky Crowe & Karrie Brown
August and Lammas Once in a Blue Moon Lionsgate Portal 08-08-08 Bringing in the Harvest Energy Energy and the Internet Animals Can Read Our Mind’s...
www.socialholistic.com nicky@socialholistic.com indigomags groups/indigomanchester indigomags indigothinking
Spirit Near Death Experience The Absence of Someone To Infinity and Beyond
Mind-Body Healing How Sound Can Heal Yoga, Am I Doing It Right? Nourishing Ourselves Interactive Your Dreams Interpreted Power Animal of the Month Butterfly & Transformation Artist’s Corner What’s Coming Up
Soul Soul Purpose Earthing We would just like to let you know that we take every care in preparing this magazine. With a lot of love gone into its pages. All articles, artwork, directory listings & advertisements are published in good faith. The publishers, Indigo Magazine, cannot be held responsible for the accuracy or the opinions held in the articles and listings or the claims of the advertisers.
By: Freya YGwyn
We are so lucky to have had two moons this last month! What is called a BLUE MOON. The last blue moon was 31st August 2012. And 3 years later we experienced another on Friday 31st July 2015 – a very fortuitous occasion indeed... As you will read in Freya’s article below “the Aquarian Blue Moon was made for change. It has the kind of energy that makes us want to strike out on our own, have an adventure, and shake up the status quo.” We at Indigo believe that nothing is impossible. And as the energy from our full blue moon stays with us into August, let’s believe in those miracles and make them happen. As the saying goes, it only happens “once in a blue moon” ~ Nicky & Kaz x A full moon ritual... Many people like to mark a special occasion with ritual. A way to celebrate the moment and to use the enhanced energies to further their own personal development. A ritual is performed in a ‘sacred space’ that has been prepared beforehand for the purpose, and its sole purpose is to prepare you to access the energies. My teacher used to say that you can be naked in a desert and still perform ritual – that everything you add, over and above, is merely decoration and pomp. And this is true to a certain degree. However, we are all at different stages on our journeys and some people need more or less personal attunement to be able to access these wonderful energies. Creating the ritual can be as complex or as simple as you need it to be to get you into that sacred space where magic happens... In all ritual, the important factor is the strength and clarity of your intention. And a blue moon is a wonderful opportunity to work with slightly more intense moon energies to really add a boost to your intentions. However, because
we are all different and our needs may not be the same as the next person, the ritual I have added to this article needs to be very generic. This ritual is suitable for both the inexperienced and the more experienced alike. For those who are inexperienced and would like to try to perform a ritual on this coming blue moon this basic one is a good first step which can be performed exactly as it is to acknowledge the event. For those with a little more experience, you can personalise it by using symbols, words, decoration that correspond to the intentions you wish to focus upon. It can be performed in the days following the blue moon’s presence as well as on the day of the full moon. CLICK THIS LINK TO THE BLUE MOON RITUAL to access the ritual script and I would recommend printing this to have this ‘script’ with you during the ritual. I send blue moon blessings . Namaste Freya is a Reiki master, practitioner and teacher. She is a practising Druid and a great friend. To meet her on facebook here is her link: www.facebook.com/FreyaYGwyn3
Art by: Garry Brennand
once in a blue moon
Lionsgate Portal 08-08-08 By Orion Diamond
We now have entered the star sign of Leo, in this infinity year of 2015 (8 numerological value). 2+0+1+5 = 8 It is the 3rd such portal since, the “Opening of the 2012 new harmonics” and represents a completion of energies and experiences, which we have all been working through since 2012 blew up (quite literally) in our faces. This Portal energy which peaks, on the 08-08 and ends on the 12-08, will bring to our attention huge energies to realign with. Many soul groups during this time, will take the next shift towards unified awareness, with telepathy and pure sight becoming clearer by the day. Gnosis and the higher mind will take more precedence in your lives, revealing much to each individual, about their path and the next steps which are to be taken to enact the group plan. Purging of Fear During this period and especially at the Leo Full Moon (at the end of July), your remaining shadow aspects will show themselves, in all of their Dark glory. So breathe deep and go through this integration with as much grace as possible. Or use any means necessary (that doesn’t create more karma) to let this out and let more love in. This will only be temporary and is needed to prepare you for the 08-08 receiving of harmonics.
“Daily meditation and journaling is recommended during this period” Unity is very much a theme for this portal. It is of paramount importance that the manifestations happening, are working with the group mind for the highest good of all. The inner child blue print within you, will be most successful when you are engaging in the group plan. Alongside physical souls in your sphere of influence, this also means the off planet souls whom are assisting you from above. Daily meditation and journaling are recommended during this period, as much information will flow that may not make sense now, but will in the near future. Photography by: Lesley Wood
“The message here is to go with the FLow....” Empathy for other souls will also increase alongside a loving detachment. As it is important that you do not drop into the drama, karma and pain bodies of those whom are starting to awaken. If you are still in the mode of the rescuer/saviour, then you know that there is more work to be done to ensure that you remain centred in your heart and influence only what feels right to you. Kundalini activations will continue to increase and upgrade the circuitry within your physical vessels. This can feel incredible and horrendous, so make sure you stay centred and follow your intuition always. Low impact body work and stretching will become more important, as you try and assist your body with the new energies. The day of 08-08 where Harmony Descends
TIPS ON PREPARING FOR THE 08-08-08 PORTAL OPENING... Purging of fear: In the run up to the 08-08 your Dark aspects may arise, so breathe deeply and release to let more love in... Daily meditation and journaling are recommended:
On this auspicious day many downloads will happen and they are all Coded harmonies (sonic codes), which will enrich your lives and bring much acceleration to your path.
Remain centred in your heart and influence only what feels right to you. Resist diving into other people’s dramas and choose wisely where you use your energy to assist.
During this day try to do as little as possible, going into your heart deeply. Become vulnerable to your higher light and let love in. This energy feels very liquid in its nature, deep and expansive. The message here is to go with the flow....
Low impact body work and stretching is recommended, as you try and assist your body with the new energies.
During this Lionsgate period I am offering a series of 4 distant sessions for those who need some cosmic assistance to clear the way for this great day. Please do see www.oriondiamond.me/lions-gate-distant-series for full details of this 4 part distant energy series which starts at the beginning of August.
On the day itself 8th August: Try to do as little as possible, going into your heart deeply. Let love in... and “go with the flow”. Whatever you do, open up and just BE.
Much love - Ryan Facebook @oriondiamond Ryan has been working in the realms of energy alchemy all of his life. Seeing things that most people are not aware of and being able to guide others with heartfelt advice on how to bring more balance and joy into their lives and to release what is holding them back. Positive occurrences are common in those whom are ready to take the next step in their lives but they have just been missing the guidance on how to do such a thing. Ryan is a deeply calming therapist who has committed his life to the gifts he has been given in healing others. www.oriondiamond.me
Bringing in the organic harvest... By: Muriel Lismonde
Fruits of the first harvest... Lammas at the beginning of August is the harvest festival and the promise of what is to come. A time to gather in all the crops and a month for hard work. Giving ourselves the time and energy to devote to the harvesting of our intentions. This is true in our lives as well as the fields. There is also a theme of sacrifice in Lammas. The question to ask would be: what would we give to make sure that our lives bear fruit and that all mouths are fed? This is a wonderful time for a ritual to give thanks for the fruit we will receive, to give something back as a sacrifice/pledge to consecrate the spell you are making, as well as a lot of hard and fulfilling work! A very powerful Lammas following a blue moon...
From the day we first planted our vines at our Domaine in France we have been wholeheartedly committed to producing our wines to organic methods. At times the Tour De Belfort journey has been difficult as we have battled the trials and tribulations of nature without resorting to conventional solutions to the challenges of the elements. But we have never wavered from our resolve and are delighted that we have won through and that our wines are genuinely organic. It all started 10 years ago, lightly around a glass of wine. My parents, Eugène & Sylvie, were finally admiring the result of 15 years work renovating the ancient tower and remains of 13th century Bastide of Belfort du Quercy. My mother Sylvie guided the works in and around the ruins, carefully mixing old and new and achieving a warm and welcoming home with lots of guest rooms for friends and wine lovers. Meanwhile my father patiently dived into the local history, collecting information, documents and testimonies on the history of the small Bastide of Belfort du Quercy. Well, not so tranquil in fact as it hides ferocious religious wars, dangerous poisoning of husbands and a merciless revolution. All to be told to you when you visit us...
But that particular evening, in the soft hour of wine o’clock time my parents felt they had not finished their project. Old stones are beautiful but as Adrian Edmondson said on TV “If I take a bit of soil with me I would take the heart of France”...this was the beginning of our most audacious family project to create a truly organic vineyard of distinction and to share the heart of France with Britain. How? with love (lots of it to keep cheerful in not so cheerful moments) passion (lots & lots of it to climb the very steep learning curve), respect for nature (all organic and blending in with the striking natural reserve) and a great team! We replanted the village’s vineyard over 5 years and in the first harvest achieved a Gold medal at our state competition, Concours General Agricole 2010, followed by 5 more harvest and 17 medals for Tour De Belfort wines. Being organic is a crusade! To achieve a quality wine by natural methods requires starting with healthy grapes. With a strict policy of no pesticides or herbicides being used in the vineyard. This is our resolve and intention set. And because of this, there is inevitably a significant loss of production each year as we patiently weed by hand around our youngest plantations and then constantly prune, cut and sort to ensure only
our best juicy berries make it to our winery. Organic also means that apart from low levels of sulphites - essential for stability in our wines and for transportation - we use no additives in our winemaking. Unlike us, conventional winemakers are permitted to add a large variety of additives and implement a range of winemaking methods to artificially influence the taste of their wine. Here at Tour De Belfort we only have the quality of our grapes... the reward of 14 medals in 4 years of winemaking.... and now, at last, official recognition of the effort that has gone into ensuring Tour De Belfort is truly organic!
At the moment we are expecting to pick in early September, but the final date for harvesting will be decided only when our grapes are absolutely right. Towards the end of August we will walk between the rows, picking berries at both sunrise and sunset. We will taste the grape in three stages - skin first checking the tannins for the reds; the pulp for its sweetness and juiciness; and then the seeds, to see whether they are unripe, chewy, green or crunchy, nutty and brown. The juice of these picked berries will be checked for acidity, sugar and their pH levels. We can then judge day by day what the alcohol content will be like; the more sun and sugar, the more alcohol and less acidity.
August 1st is the celebration of the beginning of the harvest - and for us, back at our vineyard in France, it’s an exciting time of hard work and reaping in the intentions we have sowed earlier in the year. With a particularly warm spring this year, our vines have already undergone in June the important stages of pollination and fertilisation, flowering early and filling us with hope for a bumper crop of healthy, juicy grapes in readiness for our 2015 vintage.
It’s a fine balance and this will ultimately influence the wine style and body of our wines. All winemakers are at the mercy of the weather, so until September comes we’ll be keeping a firm eye on the skies! But so far (fingers crossed) all’s looking positive for a great 2015 vintage.
As winemakers, it’s always important for us to note when half of the flowers have opened, as we can then plan ahead the expected dates for harvesting, though with eight grape varieties to watch, it’s never a straightforward calculation!
“Any great alchemist will know the perfect moment for harvesting, they will wait until the grapes are absolutely right. Lessons for our own lives and decision-making at this time...”
Muriel Lismonde owns Le Vin La Table wine shop in Hale, Cheshire. Where she sells Tour De Belfort organic wine from her parents’ independent organic vineyard in the South of France. Muriel is business owner, daughter, wife, mother and hostess to the most exquisite wines. She will make you feel so welcome and at home in her beautiful shop for wine tasting, socialising and wine buying. And above all the passion she has for her wines will overflow and seduce you. www.tour-de-belfort.com
Energy and the Internet By: Amanda Clarke
The internet is a true representation of collective consciousness. Every day we log in to check our social media and connect with a vast number of souls. The internet can be used as a virtual playground for those wanting to expand their knowledge and learn about their spiritual path. On the contrary the internet can also be used as a playing field for one’s ego. As with any reality the duality and existence of higher energy or lower energy will exist. For many reasons this is why the internet can be utilized as a spiritual tool, teacher, and guide. The evidence of your vibration is always found in what you are currently experiencing. Look around you and you can clearly see the state of your energy and what you are attracting. The energy you are emitting attracts every experience and this includes your experiences when you use the internet. This is how powerful you are and the thoughts that you have. The internet itself resonates with its own spiritual laws as well as working with universal laws. Have you ever had an experience where you were thinking about someone either from your past or present and they later contacted you through social media? You attracted that experience. Whether you judge the experience as “good” or “bad” it is teaching you something. A monumental lesson when inspecting any situation including one that has occurred online is to accept things as they are and delve deep into the reasons why you attracted this. The internet can potentially teach us to remove judgment and accept things as they truly are with a clear perspective and newfound awareness. Have you ever chatted online with someone and you could feel their feelings as they confided in you? Or maybe you have read an inspiring post that left you moved and deeply touched by that person’s story? Or perhaps you magically came across a music video from a friend’s post and it delivered you the message you needed to receive? All of these situations are evidence of you feeling energy. The universe loves to give us little “signs” while we are surfing the net as its ways of validating the guidance we are asking for. We are all receiving and giving energy all of the time! Our ability to sense and perceive energy is far greater than we give ourselves credit. Photography By: Luis Llerena
Each time we login to our social media we are also connecting to a multitude of souls. We are exchanging energy with people now more than ever! We can potentially make divine connections with people from all over the world, which allows us all to develop spiritually in profound ways. The internet is serving as a platform for healing. Every soul you interact with is acting as a spiritual teacher. Many people are awakening at an advanced rate due to the amount of information being exchanged. People are choosing to repair karmic relationships, heal old wounds, and even reuniting with their twin flames. We live in an age where people are awakening to their unique soul journey and seeking enlightening experiences. The internet is a wonderful tool that can aid us in our awakening process and all the while bringing us spiritual mentors, teachers, and guides to assist us along the way. The connections that people are making with one another online have caused a movement in the spiritual community and an acceleration of one’s ascension process. This is mostly due to people being reunited with their soul family, soul mates, and twin flames (even from lifetimes gone by)! While chatting with like minded people from all over the world it is easy to have an experience where you are feeling and sensing the other person’s energy. This is a wonderful opportunity to explore your healing abilities and to give someone distant healing. The possibilities for soul ascension in using the internet as a tool are endless. This is a time of revelation where illusions are falling away and genuine connections are being restored. The masks are falling away because many are realizing that they do not serve us or others for the highest good.
The internet can act as a mirror revealing where we need healing especially as we develop our intuitive gifts. This causes us to use our higher Chakras and sometimes exhaust these sacred energy centers. The need for balancing of your chakras is highly important and so one must unplug from the internet and ground in nature. The lower Chakras must not be neglected as they are an important part of our energy system. After one has spent a large amount of time on the internet it is crucial to spend time out in nature reflecting on one’s own wisdom for manifestation. Clearing your energy is essential for your spiritual health and as we expose ourselves to so much energy online this must be regularly maintained. [See Chris McDermott’s article on “earthing” in this edition]
The age of sharing wisdom and sacred knowledge is teaching us to decipher things for ourselves using our own inner guidance. We are blessed with the gift of the internet’s ability to answer any question we ask, yet our intuition is crying out for us to refrain from using internet search engines and look within. Everyone has an answer for something but the questions your heart is asking can only be answered by your own soul’s wisdom. The sacred and infinite wisdom within you is eternal. Yes, we are being guided to seek out spiritual teachings and metaphysical studies, which help us understand, but we must not give away our inner power. We must appreciate our soul’s own ability to answer our questions and use the spiritual gifts we have always had. Your intuition is asking you to take time to truly listen to it. Go beyond the vast majority of guidance on the internet and tap into your own guidance system. Trust me and trust in yourself, as you will find it more helpful than any search engine!
Amanda Clarke is an American Artist, Writer, Angel Intuitive, Healer, and Spiritual Guide. Amanda currently resides in Manchester, UK with her husband. Besides channeling divine guidance, Amanda is an ethical vegan who consciously assists in the awakening and healing of the planet. www.facebook.com/amandaclarkeartist
Animals can read our mind’s...energy By: Nicky Crowe and Milo
Have you ever trusted your pet’s reading of a person before your own? As humans in the 21st Century, many of us value rational thought and intellect above other forms of intelligence. Living with a dog, however, and you cannot help but be reminded of how small our own intellect is and how limited compared with a dog’s powers of smell, energy and love intelligence. I have been to one of the top universities on this small island and yet on graduating, my powers to read other’s minds was limited. Because what I didn’t understand and what only animals have been able to teach me is that to read a mind, is not actually going to tell me very much. To be really intelligent is to draw on all aspects of our intelligent being with equal measure. To be able to call on the mind, the senses, spirit, energy and our heart’s intelligence. To look beyond our sight and our mind talk. To the “knowing” within. For example, if I see a dog barking in an offensive way at my dog, I would be inclined to intervene. To take action, presuming that the dog is aggressive. However, this is not always the case. Instead, if I look at how my own dog is responding I can read the truth of the situation. I see beyond the illusions of my mind. The preconceptions I have built around the breed of that dog, the noise I hear it making. Milo, he doesn’t judge that dog on the coat that he/she wears. He sees instead, an animal who is anxious, nervous and making noise as an expression of these emotions. Without taking offence to these wider observations, Milo has no fear approaching the dog. Because he is using an intelligence unlimited by the mind. An emotion reading and smell intelligence, an energy reading. If on the other hand, Milo reacts with a rigid body and tail, his head in stalking position or his eyes wide and his body in avoidance, then I know something is wrong. And even though I am getting better at reading “through” Milo there are still times when I am cut off from access to my further intelligence. Take the time, when I was on a 6 mile walk with Milo in Lancashire countryside. And I had a choice of two paths, one to the right and one to the left. As I contemplated, I saw a crow launch into flight up the right path. And so of course, knowing my connection to crow, I started to make steps that way. Past the sheep and their lambs grazing in the field. And up a small incline. Milo by my side. (He is very accustomed to mum’s “Power Animal sat navigation”). Ahead of us, was the beautiful stature of a ram with encircled horns. Standing in the middle of our pathway forward. Milo stopped and stared - this image of a meeting between two beautiful animals was too much for me to resist, so I reached in my pocket to get a picture. Taking a few snapshots of Milo and the ram, I was so engulfed by the electro magnetism of my phone - with my sight contained behind a camera lens - that I became disconnected from my other senses. Immediately as I put my phone away, these other senses kicked in. Something was not right...
Photography by: Nicky Crowe & Karrie Brown
Milo’s body language told me he was uncertain... I looked at Ram and he was as stiff as a ram could be. Alarm bells went off as I watched him slowly starting to paw at the earth and lower his head. And as quick as a flash, I scooped Milo up into my arms, so fast that he let out a ‘squeak’.
M
I then stood as tall and wide as I could – stretching my free arm out to embody more space - and I glared with clear intent at the ram. Telling him to “move on” both verbally and energetically. I repeated “move on”. And I felt my energy communicate my absolute love for my dog, that I would fight to the death to keep him safe. I projected this out - not just physically in my stance, mentally with my eye contact but also energetically, it exuded out of my every cell - sending this information with full force. The ram hesitated. He turned his head to his babies on the embankment to the right of us (something I had completely failed to notice!!) – a whole line of lambs hovering on an embankment above. All squished together, indicating that they had been scattered up there by their dad when he first spotted us. Ram turned his head back to me and back to them again and then it clicked, from one parent to another, we understood each other. And he moved aside and scrambled up the embankment to his babies. As I continued forward with my baby still in my arms, I sighed in relief. Two animal parents, reading each other’s intentions, body language and feelings - energetically - and coming to a compromise that achieved both our wants. I have learned that it takes more than one element of our being to be fully intelligent. And if we are unable to connect to all of our being, our senses, both physical and not. How can we say we are intelligent. Intelligent in one thing, maybe yes, at what cost to another...
“To be intelligent, using all of our being, now that would be something.” That’s not to say that Milo can’t sometimes lose himself to his emotional intelligence as much as I can to my mind. When this happens, we both help each other to re-connect and balance. What I admire in Milo, is that he can read the smell a person emits in response to a situation, the emotional vibrations in their energy field, (multiplied by ten, if that person is holding on to a lead attached to him) the emotions literally run down the lead to him. Milo is not limited by a mind’s perception of what is “real”, or “how things work”. He does not hold back his actions when he doesn’t understand how he is “supposed” to act. He acts on energy impulses that are often beyond human comprehension... Especially if we are so out of touch with our physical bodies, our senses, our intuition and blocked by the pollution and electro-magnetic charges of technology around us... And on the rare occasion when his actions could get him into trouble, that’s where I step in to balance him with the logic and reason and socially influenced protection of my mind. An equilibrius relationship. What I love about the place that my mind has come to rest, is this: my main priority is to love and keep my dog safe. And the actions I take are aligned to this: my heart’s intelligence. My heart’s intent. An intention which can best be achieved by connecting in to all of my senses and those of my beautiful wondrous dog. Nicky Crowe is Editor of Indigo Magazine and dog mum to Milo. She is qualified in Animal Integrated Energy Therapy, dog massage, canine nutrition and is currently learning Equine Sports Therapy and Reiki level 2 as the first steps towards becoming an Animal Healer. To earn money to feed her dog, she has worked as a Marketing Consultant for over 13 years and runs a marketing promotions business for ethical enterprises called Social Holistic. Nicky has lived with dogs her entire life. www.socialholistic.com
Near Death Experience... By: Neyeli Moon
I first met Spirit Guide who I call Grandfather when I had a Near Death Experience after developing septicaemia during my 7th miscarriage. He was the one that took me by the hand and brought me back but it was several years later before I realised it was him and finally met him face to face... Grandfather to me is many things and has been with me during many lives. He is grandfather, my family, my friend, my advisor and teacher. My memories of the NDE are as vivid today as they were then. The first thing I can remember is being up by the corner of the ceiling, looking down at myself, and the doctors working on me. I hovered for what seemed an eternity yet was probably only seconds until it felt like I was in a very fast elevator, travelling upwards at the speed of the light growing brighter and brighter. When the motion stopped I was stood in a place of light, a place that was so peaceful and full of love I didn’t want to leave. I don’t think there is any feeling or emotion that we feel as an earth walker that could be compared to the feeling of being completely surrounded and enveloped in pure love. As I stood there surrounded by brilliant light I could see the silhouettes of many people walking towards me.
After my NDE I got on with life but several years later I was diagnosed with cancer and I think it was the shock of being told that it was very severe that somehow opened up the spiritual channel. I remember returning home and sitting in the quiet thinking about the events of the morning. I then realised I was not alone, looked up and saw an elderly Native American man standing in my room. Logically you would think seeing a stranger in your room would be scary, but I felt completely at ease with him. He then walked towards me and put his hand on my shoulder, he told me not to worry and that all would be well, and what was happening to me was my ‘awakening’. I had looked into many paths before, such as Buddhism, Shinto and even Native American spirituality but never felt a strong enough pull to any, until I saw Grandfather and then everything fell into place, like a missing piece of my soul was suddenly returned. For the first time in my life I felt I knew where I belonged and it was like coming home after a very long journey away. Grandfather has taught me about my ancestry, about healing and more specific self-healing and of course he inspires my creativity. That was the first and last time I saw him through my physical eyes and heard his talk through my ears. Now he is with me all the time and I constantly talk with him during the day and journey to see him on the prairie at night before I sleep. Before my NDE I had read articles on how they changed people and their lives and I was never really convinced with what I was reading, that is until it happened to me. I definitely came back with more than I left and discovered I had artistic and healing ability, was much calmer and happier within myself and had a strong desire to learn about all and anything spiritual.
A man at the front wearing a trilby had his arms as if ready to give me a big hug and others around him were waving. At that time all I could think about was going to them and as I stepped forward it was then I felt someone take my hand and say, it is not your time yet little one, you have much to do. The next thing I remember was waking up in the recovery room and the memories of this event remained hidden in my subconscious for several years.
Nelly (Neyeli) Moon is a UK based artist and designer specialising in holistic arts and crafts, creating a unique, exclusive and personalised line of products. Using over three decades of knowledge and experience as a Shamanic Practitioner, Energy Therapist, Crystal Healer, Naturopathist and Master of Ethereal Crystals, Herbs and Flowers, she provides every client with an exclusive hand-crafted and healing product for Mind, Body and Spirit.
Photography by: Dawn Shallcross
www.vanillamoon.co.uk
The absence of someone does not mean they are not present... By: India Redman
Living in the absence of loves who have passed to the other side, India explains how loss is not absence... For us at Indigo, India’s writing provides comfort, as we too get signs from those we have lost. We hope you get the same comfort and inspiration from India’s column... Love to you all India writes: I walk every morning at about 6am when it is quiet and cool in the Hollywood Hills. A few days ago, I turned a corner, and coming towards me was a man with a dog — a German Shepherd that looked identical to my beloved Dakota (now Everywhere). I was struck with the joy that filled me as I haven’t seen a GSD in a very long time and I so missed my fur boy. As they walked past, I heard my John…“My lady… before you turned the corner, you didn’t know that that dog was there, but he was. He was just out of your sight. He existed where you could not see him. Imagine if you had been on the top of the building on the corner and looked down. You would have seen him then. Aye love, all you have to do, is take a broader view from a higher perspective. I am here. I’m not ever leaving, and I love you.”
The next morning...
particularly happy at first… but I quietly said, “Well, hello there. It’s nice to really see you. Will you walk with me awhile?” He calmed and we walked like two old friends. Occasionally, he would trot before me, but he would keep looking back and keep pace. When I got to the top of the hill, he veered off and stood in the driveway of a house. I could tell that this was the parting and so I stopped and bowed to him and thanked him again for such an amazingly beautiful blessing. I began to walk on and as I turned, he had moved back down into the road and watched me. I continued a dozen more yards and saw a man walking his little dog and stopped them and told them there was a coyote just round the bend. They decided to turn back and I felt the gratefulness of the coyote that said, “Thank you for allowing me peace this morning.”
We are the Yin and Yang, love, perfect, separate, but always together
I was thinking of my John (as I always do) and wondering what gift he would bring me (I am such a glutton!) As I looked down the road, I saw the flash of a coyote as he crossed the road and disappeared into the brush on a hill. When I walked by that area, I looked up into the brush and KNEW that he was watching me. I said, “Good morning darling. Thank you for letting me see you.” and felt the blessing of the brief encounter and I walked on... About another 100 yards, I sensed something behind me and there he was again! The coyote trotted slowly up beside me and kept looking at me. I didn’t feel that he was
P.S. One more for the hard-core among you...
As I began my walk, I asked my John to let me know (physically) that he was with me… no license plates this morning… something else… something unexpected. I said this aloud and just as I finished the sentence, a raven over my head let out a loud “AWK!” I laughed, said “thank you” and continued on. Within 200 feet, after saying “Good Morning” to all the morning glories, hibiscus flowers and geraniums I passed, I looked down to step off a curb and there was a big, black raven feather in a bit of water. Clean as can be. I felt the rush go through me as he had indeed, let me know ‘physically’ that he was here. Then his words came in an avalanche…
“We are the Yin and Yang, love, perfect, separate, but always together. The Yin (you) is a whole being capable of existing on your own. But, in the presence of the Yang (me) movement exists. This dance has been on since the beginning and it won’t never end. There is nothing missing in you. I am here. I exist in the void, in the unseen. We all do… all of us that have gone before and wait for the return of our Yins. The purity of the Yin comes full with the knowing that love is all that exists. That peace and stillness and calm helps you to integrate with me, your Yang. Look UP.” When I did, there above me, was the moon. It was 6:30am and the moon was exactly where my eyes landed in the sky! It was exactly a half moon, and then more came... “Yes, love, here is the visual that you always so need. The full, entire moon is there. You know that, but you can only see half of it right now. The other half is invisible to your eye, but your KNOWING that I am still here, right beside you is what’s important. Just because you cannot see me, does not mean that I am not here, that I somehow ceased to be. When we were physically together, it was like a Full Moon, bright, shining and beaming our love. Now, you are there and I am here, but we are still one. Someday, we will be together here and we will be like the New Moon, invisible to those with physical eyes, but still here for those that use their hearts to see. We never cease to be.”
“Death leaves a heartache no one can heal, love leaves a memory no one can steal.”
Art by: India Redman
To InfInity and Beyond! By: Jay “The Heartist”
We are very honoured to have a submission from mother earth herself. Jay “The Heartist has an ability to be a direct translator for “The Mother of All Creation.” Here is a message from Mother... As the waves of Ascension continue to ripple throughout the Universe you are bound to be feeling continually buffeted by the effects of these vibrational shifts and energetic upgrades. To offer a perspective that might help to integrate you more with all of this confusion… you are simply beginning to feel more of who you truly are, and as such cannot turn back. You are quite literally morphing from tadpole to frog, caterpillar to butterfly and so on. From limitation born of the womb of earthly confinement, you are feeling the greater expression of your true nature. It is maybe no coincidence that pregnancy is referred to as ‘confinement’ for that is what it feels like as a limitless expression of Source to be suddenly in the density of human form. You are now feeling the rush of birth into the Womb of All Creation. This miraculous birth leaves behind all that is not Love for you are being born into more Love than you have ever known in your life on Earth. The world as you have known it has been understood for so long as a place of struggle, duty, obligation and conflict. Relationships have been strained to the max; and by this I mean all relationships, whether they be with partners, family, friends, work or other. Many have found themselves unable to cope with the pressure of that which they so easily dealt with before, and many are finding that they are letting go of those things which no longer bring Joy.
You will find that when you cling to old beliefs and old patterns of behaviour that you deemed necessary for your survival, you will miss the wonder of Living in the Now. Your past, if you will, is simply a snapshot, or photo album, of all you have experienced till now. It is entirely possible for you to take new snapshots in the digital age of instant manifestation. If you reflect upon how, when you were younger (many of you, not all of you) the mode of making memories was a camera that needed to be loaded with film. Then, after you took your picture memories, you endured a seemingly endless wait for the pictures to come back to you and when they did, they were usually accompanied by negatives. Think about that! Negatives. Shadow images of the pictures you took. In the present day, newer and more accurate digital photography has taken precedence. In other words, you have access to instantly available and instantly deletable records of your NOW... there is no waiting time and by the way, you can also add and subtract things to enhance the pictures at the touch of a keyboard or software programme. In other words, you have no further need for anything negative to be in your experience. So ditch the negatives!
Movies you once watched and enjoyed now seem dated and archaic. You can see the strings quite clearly working the characters of your childhood favourites and the monsters that once terrified you now make you laugh as you can observe with greater clarity the attempts of the makers to make them seem so real. You can see so much more of the illusion that was created for your pleasure! And so it is with Life in the Now... you are learning so rapidly to see beyond what is being presented to you and realising that Energy precedes all manifestation and that you are indeed creators of your own movie. You can choose the stage, the set, the cast and the roles. If you don’t like the production, you can change it right Now. You can set the ticket price and the seating arrangements. You can be the leading light in your own life, once and for all. “Miracles are nothing more than misunderstood energy. Once a thing is understood, it is no longer a miracle.” All that eluded you is now available, for as the old world dissipates and those outdated, outmoded creations of yester-year leave the stage once and for all, you feel liberated. Liberation does not always, at first, feel wonderful. It can feel incredibly scary and for a while you feel unsafe in your new surroundings, much the same as when you move house and have to get used to new neighbours and the neighbourhood. A new car, when you first learn to drive, feels as if it is driving you, not the other way around. But pretty soon you are on your way, you’ve found your feet (or your wheels) and you feel the excitement of new boundaries opening up to you. Miracles are nothing more than misunderstood energy. Once a thing is understood, it is no longer a miracle. To a tiny bird emerging from the egg, flight may seem impossible. It will make several attempts and may even fall out of the nest, until the day its
wings are strong enough and then flight is no longer impossible, but a reality. Ascension is not a lot different. As you move through the density of misunderstanding and break free from the bonds that tie you to limitation, you are birthed into greater understanding and ALL possibility. It is said by many wise souls that there are only two things you need consider in life... Love or Fear. Whenever a thing feels uncomfortable and dense or heavy to your heart, you can rest assured it is Fear that is present. When you feel yourself soaring above it all, with a heart full of joy you can rest assured that Love is guiding and leading you to greater things. Love always calls you to be more than you feel you are. Fear will keep you in confinement. But as you know and are shown with each new birth, a baby cannot stay in the womb forever any more than the bird can stay in the egg or the caterpillar remain on the ground. So, if you are feeling the pinch of confinement and the irritation of knowing that there is more of you yet to discover, call upon Love to help you move beyond and into the birth canal of freedom. Embrace the pinch and the squeeze of your soul as it moves from its chrysalis into the light and warmth of the sun... and then be exhilarated by FLIGHT! Emulate the wise and wonderful guru, Buzz Lightyear, and take yourself “To Infinity... and Beyond!”
As a medium, Jay uses her beautiful gifts to connect with those that have moved into “the Everywhere,” as she calls it, offering a way to ease the transition for both the one that has finished with this lifetime and those who are still here experiencing. The Heartist is currently scheduling readings! www.theheartist.me
SOUL Purpose By: Emma Gibson
Why Bother Getting To Know Your Soul? The soul. For aeons humanity has grappled with its meaning, its significance and at times, its very existence! Fortunately, now as human consciousness is rapidly expanding, we are becoming re-acquainted with the true nature of the soul and the reality that it is not something that is separate to us; it’s not a diaphanous, external entity floating above us in the ether like a balloon! Our soul is within us; it IS us. As the vibration of our collective consciousness continues to rise, we are identifying more and more as spiritual beings living within the human experience. We now understand that there is more to our existence than what lies at the mental level of the ego and we are beginning to integrate this higher dimensional awareness of ourselves into our human experience. This is why many people are now ‘waking up’ to spirituality and feeling the call to explore their soul purpose. But why bother really getting to know yourself at soul-level?
Understanding Your Soul’s Unique Identity Your soul is as unique as you are! Just as we all have a very personalised egoic identity, through which we experience and understand ourselves on a mental level, our soul also has its very own unique set of characteristics, talents, desires and even a memory system all of its own, which carry forward lifetime after lifetime! The soul’s identity is often referred to as the Divine Soul Blueprint, which can be accessed via the Akashic records. This blueprint can be thought of as an energy spectrum, containing information about the soul’s origination and the unique energies that it is literally made of. On a human level, this energy spectrum, which is unique to each and every soul, translates into very discernable soul-level preferences, characteristics and gifts. Knowing our blueprint really helps us to gain clarity around our soul purpose and move into alignment with how our soul desires to be expressed in life; for a soul some career choices, relationships and lifestyle practices actually are more in alignment than others! Living our truth by aligning our real life choices to the energies we possess at soul-level enables us to create fulfilment, joy and abundance in every aspect of our human experience, as it provides us with a fast track to our divine manifesting power! It’s far easier to manifest when we know that our intentions are aligned with our soul-level energies, because when we’re aligned we’re literally drawing on the energy that flows most abundantly to us from divine source. Coming into this alignment feels as though we have the weight of the universe supporting us!
Moving Beyond The Level Of Ego – For The Sake Of Your Health! Who we identify as at an egoic level is often very different to who we truly are as souls. Egoic identification is something that we gain during our human experience and while it certainly has its practical uses, it is also largely comprised of societal conditionings that we have either directly experienced, or have had passed down to us through our ancestry. Most of these conditionings are fear-based and don’t at all reflect the truth of who we are as divine beings. Cultural aphorisms such as: “Better safe than sorry,” “Beggars can’t be choosers” and “You can’t have it both ways” are so ingrained into our collective awareness that, for generations, they have assisted us in upholding the limiting beliefs that consistently direct us towards staying in lack, obligation and fear. However, making choices based on fear, rather than trust, is what takes us out of alignment with the truth of who we are as souls and this separation creates all sorts of dysfunction and disharmony in our lives. Many alternative therapies are now in support of the idea that disease is ultimately a manifestation of being out of alignment with our truth, while healing is an inevitable ‘side effect’ of moving into alignment. I would go as far as to say that separation from our divinity is at the root of the majority of human suffering on the planet; it creates a false perception of disempowerment and it limits our divine creative potential to a shocking degree! Creating An Empowered Life In Partnership With Your Soul As divine beings we are here to experience ourselves as the powerful creators of our human experience. Therefore our soul will always desire experiences that offer us expansion and growth. The soul will propel us forward to take scary leaps so that we can experience ourselves in new and expansive ways; leading us to discover evermore our unbounded, creative potential! To the ego, which favours the safety offered by stasis, opportunities that offer expansion and growth can look like unnecessary trouble and even just plain dangerous at times!
Understanding who we are at soul-level allows us to bridge the gap between our temporary egoic identity and our eternal soul-level identity and effectively mediate between the two! It allows us to intuitively navigate the rocky waters of uncertainty and resistance and become masters of stopping the ego sabotage that holds us back from exploring and expressing our greatness! Our soul is always in agreement with our heart and when we’re able to identify the difference between the voice of our soul and the voice of our ego, we’re able to distinguish whether we’re being motivated from a place of love and expansion or a place of fear and constriction and we can really make sure that all of our action is in alignment with our highest good. Once we master this understanding, the opportunities for growth, empowerment and authentic self-expression are limitless! I believe that self-knowledge, or in this case soul knowledge, is the path to true empowerment. Sometimes we can get so lost in the drama of the human experience that our view of life becomes narrow and we forget how powerful we are as divine creators. We forget that we chose to come here to experience this ride called the human experience, in all of its beauty. Regaining this higher awareness of ourselves as spiritual beings who chose a human experience empowers us to reclaim control of our lives and embody the knowing that no matter what we’re experiencing in life, we have the power to change it... or make it even more delicious! If you would like to discover your Divine Soul Blueprint… Emma is a Soul Realignment Practitioner who specialises in Akashic record reading and soul-level healing, to connect people with their soul-level truth and assist them in living their bliss. www.liberateyoursoul.com
Photography by: Zack Minor
Earthing: bringing the body into balance By: Chris McDermott
As Summer arrives, as a practising druid I like to get back in touch with the Earth – literally. I begin to feel the urge to go barefoot, touching the earth more regularly with my bare feet. When I do so, it only take a few minutes of contact and I feel better. Why is this? Through a combination of increasing electro-magnetic charge all around us, and our ‘disconnected’ cycles of home – car – workplace – car – home, there can be extended periods where we have no direct connection with the forces of Nature. In recent years the build-up of electrical, magnetic and electro-magnetic fields has risen alongside reports of an increasing “workload”, incumbent stresses and a profusion of confusion. This “rising tension”, “invisible fog”, “creeping lethargy” – these are some of the descriptions I hear concerning the phenomenon of increased exposure to un-earthed electro-magnetic charge. Our bodies have their own natural charge and pulse – a subtle energy field which surrounds us, and which many call an “aura”. This field is naturally tuned at Extremely Low Frequency (ELF) to synchronise with the pulse of the planet, and with the movements of the Sun and Moon. We are tuned to stabilise at a frequency of 10 Hertz, a pulse which is present in the rhythms of the planet as the Schumann Resonance. The pineal gland in the brain controls the production of the hormone melatonin which is used to modulate sleep patterns in relation to both daily (circadian) and seasonal rhythms. As our body is tuned to a fine degree to maintain a delicate balance in chemistry and
charge, only tiny changes are required to affect our sleep, our attention and our stress levels. Several research groups have shown that applying a magnetic FIeld of half a gauss or less, oriented so as to add or subtract from the earth’s normal FIeld, will increase or decrease production of pineal melatonin or serotonin. “Earthing is a cure that is drug free, pain free and stress free, but it does involve the effort of going out to do it!” So how can we naturally and easily recover our synchronisation, our flow? We have to re-balance the difference in electrical potential – to ‘earth’ ourselves in every sense. The Build-Up of Charge Earthing in the electrical sense means to use the natural properties of the ground beneath our feet to allow surplus charge to be taken away, thus avoiding a dangerous build-up – a “body shock”, if you will. In our daily lives we rarely encounter situations where a sudden influx of charge happens (perhaps a thunderstorm building, a blazing row, or a solar flare). Instead we gradually build up an electrical charge which clings to us like an invisible layer of dust through everyday interactions with people, places and the atmosphere of them. The strength of the pulse, the amplitude of the waveform, swings us back and forth between “highs” and “lows”, positives and negatives.
“We are tuned to stabilise at a frequency of 10 Hertz, a pulse which is present in the rhythms of the planet as the Schumann Resonance.” Photography by: Chelsea Francis
Each time we encounter more sources of charge we either add to our existing difference, or switch polarity to the opposite type, and our bodies and minds try to adjust to this new “stress”. We may view this as “normal” over time, but sometimes, when we have had a time away from these build-ups (a holiday by the sea , perhaps) our charge levels get dissipated and we return to a more balanced and happy state of being. That’s all very well, but we can’t be on holiday every day! So how can we integrate something similar into our daily lives to achieve the same effects? “The human species has changed its electromagnetic background more than any other aspect of the environment. For example, the density of radio waves around us is now 100 million or 200 million times the natural level reaching us from the sun.” The Body Electric Becker and Selden. These “swings”, this “stress” reveals to us that we are out of sync with the natural rhythms of Nature. It can lead to bad luck and ill health over time as the polarities battle to move our thoughts and our body chemistry this way and that, and we begin to react strongly to external forces like news, opinion and events. We are physically, mentally and spiritually exhausted by the contrary forces acting upon us. By earthing we are getting back to a centredness, a still point, a stable axis. By dis-charging our energy field we bring ourselves back to a balanced point of view, a safe confident place of knowing. Our responses become measured, thoughtful, mindful and purposeful. Easy Ways of Earthing The solution to bring us back into synchronisation with our own natural rhythms and the pulse of the planet are amazingly simple. They are things that we once used to do all the time, but have been led away from by our increasing civilisation. They are simple, quick and effective, and you already know them! You perhaps just haven’t allowed yourself to do them? 1. Touching the earth • putting our hands in soil, walking barefoot through a meadow, or on a beach • sitting on rocks on a hill or mountain 2. Dis-charging in water • breathing in the ionised salty air of the seaside, paddling in the sea or a rock pool • going for a swim in a lake, or sitting in a place where water flows over rocks 3. Meditating and relaxing outdoors • slowly bringing the mind back to a point ofcentredness and stability • stilling the mind to feel the connection with the world around you. Taking the opportunity to do some simple acts of re-connection using the power and the pulse of Nature can bring our body and mind back to a point of centredness, calmness and ultimately bring it back to its natural state of wellness. It’s a cure that is drug free, pain free and stress free, but it does involve the effort of going out to do it! www.hedgedruid.com
Spirit In Nature My FREE guided outdoor Nature meditation aimed at bringing people back into alignment and connection with Nature’s forces. Hedge Druid blog The accounts of my friend Kal and I as we connect to ancient sites around these islands in search of healing, inspiration and the recovery of ancient wisdom.
Reconstellation My services as an energy healer, house dowser and spiritual guide. Chris McDermott is a druid working to recover the ancestral knowledge of subtle energy forces. In addition to his regular Hedge Druid blogging and free meditation sessions, he does megalithic site tours, energy healing, dowsing courses and public speaking on spiritual subjects.
ART THERAPY Get your felt tips and crayons at the ready and summon your inner child! We hope you enjoy colouring in this creative pattern. Pop the kettle on, turn up the radio and get lost in art for a few hours! Download and print your copy on our website www.socialholistic.com Post your finished creations on our facebook page www.facebook.com/indigomags
This beautiful pattern was illustrated by our friend Lynsey Sinclair. You can see more of Lynsey’s work on her website www.flyingpigcreative.wordpress.com
The Carers Prayer By: Alice Bergin
Help me to learn how to handle the person I love who doesn’t want any help but really needs it. Show me how to be inconspicuous in assisting, giving everyone their perfect right to personal space and choices. Teach me to steer gently around the objections, resistance and unspoken resentments, not taking them personally. Guide me to accept this isn’t about me. It’s about someone else’s journey home to You, and that You have it all in Your safe Hands. Bless us all on this rocky path. Hard as it may seem with only one destination, Remind me that, while I have my precious beloved, my job is quite simply to Love as closely and as dearly as You would have me do. In trust that all is well. Alice is a one-woman publishing house called Angel Books www.angel-books.co.uk
How sound can heal By: Chris Thorn
The Didgeridoo is one of the oldest musical instruments known to man. It creates a sonic sound 500 times greater than a normal sound system. The low frequencies have a noticeable effect on living tissue and organs. It was used by the Aborigines who played nearby the sick to help them heal. There is plenty of circumstantial evidence that the low vibrations of the Didgeridoo have a healing influence on our bodies and indeed our mind. Studies dating back to the 1970’s using sound healing with the Didgeridoo showed remarkable beneficial effects on people with chronic back problems with a conclusion that the Didgeridoo bypasses the central nervous system and goes directly to the parts where the problem areas lie. People, previously completely paralysed, could actually move their limbs after a series of controlled sessions. HOW DOES DIDGERIDOO SOUND HEALING WORK? The Didgeridoo has been used for healing for around 40,000 years, we know this through recently discovered cave paintings in the Northern Territory of Australia. These clearly depict a sick person lying on the floor amongst broken bones and an unmistakeable Didgeridoo being held by a man playing it over the lying figure. The Aborigines found that people suffering from any ailment, be it physical or mental, would recover faster if they were at least in the vicinity of someone playing the Didgeridoo, but with faster recovery if the Didgeridoo was held over and close to/pointed at the person. They found it had profound beneficial effects on living tissue.
“The Didgeridoo has been used for healing for around 40,000 years”
So why is this? I call it a ‘Sonic Massage’, when you think we are made up of 75% water, the vibration of sound ripples through the body similar to the effect of throwing a pebble into a pond. Every part of your body vibrates as the cells move and clamber around to the sound. Interestingly, our different organs vibrate at different rates, for example our liver vibrates at a different rate to your bladder. These vibrations can now be heard with modern technology and thus allowing the skilled Sound Healer to work with whatever key or note suits the area of the body which needs healing. The theory is that illness will affect the vibration of the body creating the sound of an inbalance. Sound healers can detect whether the body is not sounding how it should and where the problem areas occur. EEG recording devices used on people having Sound Healing with the Didgeridoo showed that during the sound healing session, the brainwaves changed to ‘theta’ and ‘delta’ the same as sleep and dream-like states. A big part of pain management is to try to relax the body, or meditate, easier said than done when one is in severe and chronic pain. Where the Didgeridoo is useful is that it performs this action for you. Also in this altered state of consciousness, where you are totally relaxed, people ‘journey’. Feedback like “meeting guides”, “meeting ancestors”, “swimming with dolphins”, “flying with eagles” are not uncommon. Also in this relaxed and altered state it is as though a release of negative emotion is enabled, it’s not uncommon for people to burst into tears and cry uncontrollably and then afterwards ask themselves, “where did that come from?” The ancient Egyptians knew all about it! With discoveries of chambers being found underneath pyramids for toning (chanting/singing) that would create a resonance that could heal a certain part of the body...
Further reading for you if interested: ‘The Healing Sounds of the Didgeridoo’, Binkey Kok Publications (with CD) ‘Sound Bodies through Sound Therapy’, Dorinne S Davis ‘Healing Sounds, The Power of Harmonics’ Jonathan Goldman ‘The 7 Secrets of Sound Healing’, Jonathan Goldman (with CD) www.didgeridoohealing.co.uk Chris Thorn moved up to Shropshire from Gloucester in 2008, where he worked as a Psychiatric Nurse for over 30 years. Chris has had a passion for the Didgeridoo since 1996 when he was given a Didgeridoo as a gift. He has studied with a Didgeridoo and sound healing master, Sam Bloomfield. Chris is also a Reiki Master and combines both Reiki and Didgeridoo sound healing.
Yoga, am I doing it right? By: Nikki Hambrook
When we read or hear of yoga many say, myself included, that yoga is a great way to de-stress, release tension and quiet the mind. These statements are true. However for those of you starting yoga you might have your doubts. I mean, how can putting your body into different and unusual positions really provide so much benefit for the mind? Well, let me tell you more... As I write this article I can remember so clearly the days when I too could not see the link. 10 years later and so many more layers of the practice have absorbed into my being - providing me with an understanding of the benefits from yoga beyond just the physical.
“how can putting your body into different and unusual positions really provide so much benefit fi for the mind?” I remember in the beginning, taking a class and a certain relationship problem I was going through went round and round in my head, seemingly shouting louder as I slowed down my pace of mind. I also had classes where I solely became focussed on achieving a look in certain postures which once achieved I wondered what the point was. Am I wasting my time? The thing with sharing yoga, is that my early experiences of “not getting” the practice are equally as important to my teaching as is understanding the practice itself. I can fully relate to my students feelings of frustration, their busy minds and impatience. Here are a few problems that may arise and stop you from pursuing yoga as a path for spiritual and body growth. Overcoming these obstructions is part of the whole process. Knowing what can stand in your way will hopefully help you, with the gift of hindsight...
1. “I can’t calm my busy mind” If the mind is busy, accept it as it is. The nature of the mind means it will never be completely quiet but it may be for just a few moments. If we get impatient with our busy mind then we send more attention to it. The thoughts seem louder and more persistent. To combat this: redirect your focus and attention to your breath and the effect through sensation that the posture is giving your physical form. Thank the thoughts that are coming up as they are giving you a clue as to where your anxiety stems from and then let them go. 2. I can’t get into the positions that others achieve in class. The challenge for our growth is to fully accept things as they are in each moment. Anxiously trying to push yourself further has the opposite of the desired effect. Anxiety naturally tenses the body as a protection mechanism, preventing further movement. If you have tight hamstrings or limitations in the hips then learning to accept this will help us energetically relax which in turn helps us to stretch deeper and ultimately achieve the required position. It’s about self-love, ultimately.
can result in feelings of impatience. Those of us that lead active and busy lives are in a constant heightened adrenalin fuelled state and will undoubtedly feel bored in the yoga setting. Ask yourself whether this feeling of impatience is really who you want to be. By pushing through the boredom and continuing with the practice you succeed against the obstacles set before you. Yoga is a test of your commitment, drive and endurance. Its results are powerful on all areas of your life and relationships with the outer and inner worlds of your being. Eliminating the effect of stress leads to deeper feelings of prolonged contentment. A place where boredom is naturally eliminated. And the blood which normally rushes to your extremities through the stress response, reverses and goes to the nourishment of the deeper organs of the body.
If you firstly accept yourself just as you are then change can occur, this applies on and off the mat. This is your journey, fully commit to yourself and competition with others will fade away.
5. Sometimes after yoga I can feel worse mentally or physically. On a physical level, yoga works to realign the posture. Think of the analogy of correcting the position of teeth with a brace - it is uncomfortable for a while but eventually everything is aligned as it should be. The discomfort of making space in the body for alignment is well worth enduring, as the benefits give long-term comfort, well-being, greater energy levels and mobility and better health into old age. Recognising yoga as a journey to change may help you overcome these pains quicker and stay you on your path. It does get easier!
3. I feel uncomfortable in the yoga postures. Although yoga generates lots of blissful feelings and is a real relief once you have moved the body’s tension, to actually move the tension you need to bring it up to the surface. Therefore in some of the yoga postures you may feel the tension heighten, (as long as you are not over stretching, this is perfectly normal).
On a mental level when we quiet down the chatter of everyday thought we make space for deep rooted emotional issues to surface. These need to come up for the chance for them to be cleared, as they have an effect on our body which manifests in our posture. By giving these feelings space we are initially going to feel worse but we have to give them space to allow them to clear.
Try to feel that by bringing tension to the surface you are enabling it to clear away so you can be free from it. Some aches and pains may remain with you a couple of days after practice and it is how we react to these tensions that is the key to progress.
6. I don’t have the time to do yoga. By doing yoga we train to be in the moment and address each task with our full attention. How many times do we find ourselves rushing around each day attempting to multi-task, trying to get everything done only to find we haven’t achieved much. The “on the mat” training to be fully present in each moment teaches you to be more efficient off the mat when tackling these daily tasks. So you will find yourself with more time and not less. Leaving you more room for yoga!
4. I feel bored when doing yoga. We have so much stimulation in our modern day world with phones, emails and constant activity that to slow down our usual pace and remove the stimulation
Nikki Hambrook founder and Yoga teacher at Manchester Yoga Central. 500 hr Yoga Alliance accredited teacher in Hatha, Yin and Ashtanga. To have a look at her beautiful indie-themed warehouse retreat go to www.manchesteryogacentral.co.uk
Nourishing ourselves in the moment By: Julie Silver
I have found so many contradictions and so much confusion around nutrition. I am sure you have too. Just when you think you are doing something right, someone you know (or someone you don’t!) or the media will tell you otherwise. Whoever is giving you advice is usually saying it with so much conviction that it really is believable. If only someone would tell us the right answers always! Well good news, there is someone that will tell you what’s right for you … It is YOU – well, your higher self, intuition, inner guidance, or whatever you want to call it …
“What nourishes us in the moment might not be the healthiest choice, and this might be puzzling to the conscious mind.”
In order to appreciate the NOW, sometimes we need to become out of balance and to experience pain in order to be inspired to find ways to bring ourselves back into balance – almost like losing our way to find it again. If we don’t experience the negative, then how will we know and appreciate the positive?
Initially, I was taught that certain things are bad for us and others are good for us. I have now realised that there is no ‘good or bad’, or ‘right or wrong’. There are no mistakes: everything happens for a reason, and things are ‘meant to be’. If we choose something that we believe is ‘wrong’ or ‘bad’ for us, then this causes more harm, through having guilty feelings about eating a certain food. What nourishes us in the moment might not be the healthiest choice, and this might be puzzling to the conscious mind. However, if we were truly living in the moment, we wouldn’t judge our actions and would just trust what was coming from the heart and not the head. I would recommend that you follow your heart and inner guidance, doing your best to let go of any restrictions you have put on yourself in the past. Get creative, intuitive and make magical creations from foods you are drawn to, which will tantalise your taste buds in a healthy way. Clear all the conflicting advice you’ve heard and instead, listen to your inner voice. Whatever you decide to eat, eat with presence, love and acceptance, chew well and enjoy. This will make any food more alkaline, easier to digest and have a more positive effect on every cell of your body.
If you feel there is a food or drink that you want to give up at the moment but you are struggling to do so and instead are beating yourself up about it. Try these tips that my clients tell my have helped them nourish themselves in the moment... When eating the food or drinking the drink (you can also do this with smoking), mentally ask your body if it’s what it wants. You might feel a sensation, get a message mentally coming to you or have a physical reaction such as a cough or a pain in your body. Don’t try to force anything; just let it be as it is. Carry on eating the food or drinking the drink if you want to. You may notice over time that by simply identifying and acknowledging (without judgement) the feelings you have when you eat the food, that in fact you go off the food or drink or forget to have it altogether. You may even be drawn to something healthier or to an activity you love doing instead.
8 tips to nourishing yourself moment to moment: • Bring in healthy alternatives to a food/drink - rather than give something up - as this will make you feel deprived and want it even more. • Choose natural products rather than processed ones that contain additives which are likely to cause weight gain and health issues. • Look for healthy wheat-free alternatives. Wheat is the most acidic and dehydrating of the grains and more likely to cause bloating, lethargy and inflammation. Gluten free wholegrains will be healthiest and easiest to digest. • Try going dairy free for a week and see if this makes any difference to your digestion and health. It has made a massive improvement to my health! • Wean yourself slowly off caffeine (so you don’t get withdrawal symptoms) and introduce naturally caffeinated drinks such as Rooibos/Redbush, occasional herbal tea and filtered water instead. • Eat mineral rich foods such as vegetables, especially green leafy ones and also sea vegetables (seaweed). • Get advice as to what supplements would be best for you. Natural ones are more beneficial. • If you eat animal foods try introducing vegan meals as too much animal protein can be acidic and cause more inflammation. Julie is a Nutritional Therapist with 14 years experience and published author of Food Awakening. She offers nutrition workshops, talks, 1-1’s and corporate nutrition. www.juliesilver.co.uk
Photography by: Zoe Magee
Your dreams interpreted... By: Wendy Stokes
Everyone dreams for many hours each night during which time they may have several dreams. Many simple dreams have accepted meanings but all dreams are subjective to the dreamer and are very powerful windows into our subconscious.
Some common dreams and themes for interpretation... You may for instance, dream and be shocked to discover that you are not wearing any clothes in public, this can mean you are unprepared for an appraisal or important occasion. If you dream that you are being pursued, it might mean you need to exercise greater control over your life circumstances so you can reduce your anxiety levels. If you dream you have a loose tooth, something important needs attending to. Teeth are our life long companions and if you dream you have lost a tooth, you might also have lost a close friend or lost someone/ thing close to you.” “Is it possible I was astral travelling in a dream?” Prophetic dreams are fascinating. Premonitions most frequently occur in dreams and many have been well documented, such as that of President Abraham Lincoln who dreamed of his assassination and funeral the day before his murder occurred. When people email me dreams they can only be assessed on the information given, a personal consultation cannot be achieved, however, as we all possess much in common, an interpretation might, by coincidence, hold insight for all readers. Below are some example dreams and my interpretations that I hope will help provide guidance and insight into your own dreams...
Dear Wendy: I regularly dream of houses, homes and rooms I have never seen before. I can draw floor plans and describe colours of the rooms, the furniture and other details. There are always different ‘feelings’ associated with these dreams according to the house or room. Is it possible that I am astral travelling? If so, how can you tell the difference between that and a regular dream? Or could I have travelled back in time to visit a place I once lived? SR Dear SR: Dreams of houses are very common, perhaps one in every twenty features a homestead. These dreams are about your most valuable property, the one you permanently live in - yourself! As the house is a symbol for your life, your feelings are associated with what is going on for you at any one time; stress, ill-health, optimism, every emotion will be reflected. Some people have had dreams that have led to the discovery of a previous life but these dreams usually have period features and historical details that can be checked. Like yours, there is a repetitive quality to these dreams and the feeling of observation is also strong. I would suggest you record your dreams and see if a pattern emerges. Your dreams could be a lucid, astral journey but usually there is a clear intention and result, for instance, to overhear a conversation or oversee a situation.
Try an experiment in remote viewing while you are awake. Ask permission first and find out if you can ascertain what a friend is doing at a particular time and then confirm any details you receive. If you have this skill, it can be developed... The U.S conducted a number of successful experiments but Russia is thought to be a world leader in astral projection. Perhaps you could consider whether you would like to move to the house of your dreams or whether you are happier in your present home. Contentment is a blessing. Because I think dreams reflect how you feel today, feel good now and you will have happy dreams to reflect this. Dear Wendy: I dreamt I lost my handbag with a great deal of money inside. I was panicking and someone said impatiently “Hurry up!” Then I heard some friends say “Come to France with us”. I had no money but they didn’t realise this. SD Dear SD: We often dream we have lost our valuables when we have received a shock and loss of some kind. This can be a divorce, bereavement, illness, or other change of circumstances that have reduced our quality of life. In your case, you were stressed by other people’s needs during this time. In the dream you are reminded that you still have friends who want to take you away from your distress. However, they do not understand how they can help at the moment. Try to tell them how you feel so they can be more understanding. Use the affirmations: I can cope with this transition. My friends will understand.
Dear Wendy: Last night I was troubled by a dream. I tried to speak but the sentences came out as gibberish. The harder and louder I tried, the more garbled my words became. P Dear P: This dream relates to faulty communication and a difficulty in explaining yourself when things really matter to you - especially in relationships - and how difficult it is for us all to express appropriate feelings, words and actions in our life. I would suggest four action steps. The first is to write down what you would like to say to each important person in your life. If you could only say one sentence to each, what would it be? The second is to have courage and say these words kindly and calmly. The third is to write down what you think each important person would like to say to you, what are their needs, wants and expectations of you? Next, write down what you would like them to say to you. These are the people you need to focus on: family members, friends, work colleagues and social acquaintances. Wendy Stokes is based in London and is a qualified counsellor with a special interest in dreams. She uses an intuitive and eclectic approach. www.wendystokes.co.uk
If you would like your dream interpreted by Wendy in the pages of Indigo Magazine, please send a description to nicky@socialholistic.com
Dance of The Blue ButterFLy By: Kam Tunningley
The inspiration behind the painting Dance of the Blue Butterfly was born from a vision in my mind on waking one morning in summer 2010. I knew that I needed to paint these gorgeous Blue Morpho Butterflies just as I had seen them. However, that time was not to come until several months later, having by then, gone through a very difficult emotional and physical time in my life. When I began the painting, in January 2011, I soon became aware that as I painted, I was working with very beautiful energies and in time; my spiritual guides told me that the painting was healing me as I painted it. Having worked as a healer and channel for many years, up until this point, it had not occurred to me the two aspects could be brought together doing something that I loved, painting. This painting was the beginning of my new work as a spirit painter, an artist who channels the energies of both subject’s spirit and high vibrational healing energy into the piece of art. “Dance of the Blue Butterfly” was the beginning of my relationship with the Blue Morpho butterfly. In the summer of 2011 I was given a spiritual vision, with hundreds of Blue Morpho butterflies who lifted and transported me to the tip of an impossibly high
mountain. The vision gave me insight into how I would work with the blue butterflies in a healing capacity, and how the healing energy of the blue butterflies would touch people all over the world through my work. If you’re interested in reading about the vision, I share some of it on my website below, under The Blue Butterfly Story. Butterflies are perfect symbols of transformation and change. When we work with butterfly energy, our lives take on a transformative process, often major, which lifts and gently but powerfully, heals us. If we look at our process in relation to the butterfly’s life-cycle, it gives us a greater understanding of our own evolution. The butterfly begins from an egg, which for us is the idea or catalyst for our change. Then comes caterpillar, which points to things taking form as we begin exploring and experiencing our process. Followed by the pupa stage, we begin to reflect upon our experiences and journey so far, go inward, pause and make any necessary changes. Finally, the delicate, beautiful, butterfly we know and love is born and in our process we emerge into our new way of being in the world, to spread our wings, to share and fly in a new way. Butterfly demonstrates an exquisite, natural transition that is for the most part hidden in each of our soul’s journeys, but undoubtedly reflects the phases we all go through each time we evolve. If you are in a state of transition, at what stage of the process are you? A little meditation or reflection on your current situation should show you. Are you at the egg, caterpillar, pupa or free flying stage? Call to Butterfly and ask it to share its healing magic and let it help you move more easily through any process you’re finding tough and help your life to flow more freely. Of course, you could always tune into “Dance of The Blue Butterfly” and let it also work its magic on you. The original painting now hangs in my therapy space, it is too precious to me to sell, it’s almost my Soul Purpose spelled out on canvas, however, prints are available and many have ‘flown out’ to those who are drawn to them. If you would like a print visit my website... www.bluebutterflyspirit.com Read more about Kam on our contributors page.
The butterfly is our power animal of the month. Would you like to submit your power animal suggestion or article for future issues? Email nicky@socialholistic.com
ARTIst’s Corner We would like to give special thanks to the art and photography within our pages provided by our community of supporters. Please pass this forward by supporting these beautiful people and their creations. We all need a little help to keep us going... Indigo Magazine included!
Art by: Karrie Brown @MsBanditWood
Kam Tunningley
Spiritual Healer & Spirit Painter
Kam Tunningley is an experienced Spiritual Healer and Channel of almost 25 years, Spirit Painter and Access Consciousness Practitioner.
www.bluebutterflyspirit.com
Lynsey Sinclair Designer & Illustrator
Lynsey has been a Graphic Designer for over 15 years. You can veiw her inspirational design and illustrative work and creations on her website. “Everything is Possible…”
www.flyingpigcreative.wordpress.com
GarRy Brennand Artist
Owner of Crimson Witch Crafts. Garry has been painting since he was about 12 and launched his artist’s page 8 weeks ago. We send him luck and abundance!
www.facebook.com/crimsonwitchcrafts www.etsy.com/shop/crimsonwitchcrafts
Dawn Shallcross Photographer
Dawn is a photographer based in Greater Manchester who specialises in Abstract, Macro and Fine Art work, and often a mish mash of all three. Odd Bar in Manchester is displaying a selection of her work throughout August so do pop along to visit...
www.abstractmacrotractor.wordpress.com
Fiona Bunting Artist
Fiona Bunting owns Art Therapy for the Soul. So called for her love of nature and of creating art. Each piece that Fiona creates is done so with love and with positive energies that contain part of her heart and soul. She hopes that these positive energies come through in her work so that her art is not only therapy for her soul but also for those viewing.
www.etsy.com/uk/shop/heARTofNatureStudio
Lesley Wood
Professional Photographer
Professional Photographer: Pet, Animal and Wildlife photography by Lesley Wood, Cheshire “Overall Natural World Photographer of the Year 2013”
www.lesleywoodphotography.co.uk www.wildearthfineart.com www.facebook.com/WildEarthFineArt
Karrie Brown
Co-Founder of Indigo Magazine & Freelance Graphic Designer
Karrie is a freelance designer and loves working with people on their branding, wordpress websites and all things design. She also loves to sit surrounded by her pens, ink and paint (and a glass of wine!) - getting lost in the world of creativity.
www.karriebrowndesign.co.uk www.msbanditwood.com
Nicky Crowe
Co-Founder of Indigo Magazine, Owner of Social Holistic and Dog Mum
Nicky has worked within Magazine Publishing, Video Production and Marketing for over 13 years. She currently runs a small business called Social Holistic helping those companies who have an ethical viewpoint with their online promotions as well as marketing consultancy. Together with Karrie (see above) they produce beautiful websites, marketing material, Search Engine Optimisation and Social Media promotions.
www.socialholistic.com
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Art by: Fiona from HeARTofNatureStudio
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