2022 November

Retailing

OCEAN of BLISS vol. 2

• Award winning music

• Mother Earth’s healing rhythm of the waves

• Feat. Kristin Hoffmann, Jorge Alfano, Paul McCandless

CHAKRA SUITE (47th A nniversary

• Balances the 7 chakras with 7 keynote frequencies.

• The original #1 bestseller

• Over 800,000 sold worldwide!

• Often imitated, never equaled!

• Brainwave balancing music

• Rhodes electric piano, harp and bamboo flute

• Subliminal affirmations focus the power of the subconscious mind

Master Musician & Sound Healer Founding Father of New Age music GRAMMY® nominee, author

• 2012 GRAMMY® nominee

• 64 weeks on Top Ten New Age Chart

• Brainwave balancing music for mindfulness and inner peace

“ T h e s p i r i t u a l l i f e d o e s n o t r e m o v e u s f r o m t h e w o r l d b u t l e a d s u s d e e p e r i n t o i t . ” – H e n r i J . M . N o u w e n

The Power of Protection

and like to explore spiritual topics, you’ll enjoy reading this special issue exclusively dedicated

Before the year ends, explore some spiritual rituals and discover good ways to cleanse and protect your body, soul, and energy from bad vibes to help you enter a new age of awakening in 2023.

Discover how energy and spirituality is everything from prayers to spiritual practices, and learn how they can help to protect you. There’s also a witch’s guide to guard you and your business during the holiday rush and beyond. Plus engage in a journey of purpose discovering the last part of our limited series, The Four Bodies. We are so thankful for readers like you. Thank you for your amazing support. From our family to yours we wish you an amazing holiday season and a new year bright and successful.

GRATITUDE

Relaxing Native American Flute Music

The #1 selling Native Flute album.

DRUM MEDICINE

“The Gordon’s have simply outdone themselves with this melodic Shamanic global-fusion sound!” – Retailing Insight

“Our

“Atanymoment,you have a c hoice, t hateither

leadsyou closert o yourspiritorfurther awayfrom it .

FEATURES

Energy & Spirituality

SPIRITUAL PROTECTION is always a big topic with spiritually minded and sensitive people. It’s a frequency game. If for any reason you feel cursed, have bad luck, stalkers, abusers, feel drained or ill, it is time to take back your power and to clear the fear. Energy vampires, curses, and difficult, repeating situations are reflective of soul loss, trauma and fear that needs clearing. It is most important to get assistance in clearing these so you can restore to your natural state of love. Below you will find tips

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: KATHERINE SKAGGS is a creative, visionary artist and author, teacher, shamanic practitioner, and painter of souls. She brings beautiful heart-centered vision, words, and imagery to educate, to inspire, and to awaken the soul, and to heal the human experience. Katherine is the author of Artist Shaman Healer Sage - Timeless Wisdom, Practices, Ritual, and Ceremony to Transform Your Life and Awaken Your Soul, the 2022 COVR VISIONARY AWARDS BOOK OF THE YEAR as well as the author and artist of the Masters of Light Wisdom Oracle, coming out late fall 2022, both published by Satiama Publishing along with Mythical Goddess Tarot

and truths to restore harmony spiritually, mentally, emotionally, and physically. All are intrinsically connected and influence each other.

Some Rules of Being Human, Spiritual, Awake, and Safe

You are a soul having a human experience, born of ups and downs, good and bad, dualistic in nature. As soul, you are participating in your experiences and co-creating them by your beliefs, thoughts, emotional responses, and choices. Taking 100% responsibility for your life is essential to spiritual happiness and safety.

You as soul are dreaming your life. Our experiences are a woven tapestry, connecting everything to reveal the Divine. All is well, no matter the appearance of things. You are free (whether you believe that or not). There are no mistakes, only learning opportunities.

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Everything is Energy

To understand spiritual protection, we need to understand energy. Everything is energy, from the unseen world of Spirit to the physical world of matter. Everything vibrates at various rates and frequencies. The natural world expresses life-giving energy known as prana, chi, or Sami. Being full of and surrounded by this life force is the most essential component of spiritual harmony and protection.

Bad energy, otherwise known as “hucha” by the Q’ero shamans in the Andes, is deadening and harmful energy. Negative thoughts, upset emotions, trauma, fear, and fright are harmful low vibrations and toxic energies. Left uncleaned, they generate bad luck, illness, lack, physical injury, bad choices, addiction issues, and lack of harmony. Low-energy states of negativity, trauma, fear, and fright create the space for hitchhikers or energy vampires to feed upon you. Anger, fear, jealousy, hatred, resentment, and other negative emotions and thoughts generate matching energies and are refl ected back toward us. Facing our reactions to life’s challenges, then taking action to heal them is a crucial part of complete spiritual protection and wholeness.

Energy Hygiene

It is vital to keep your energy clean and as high frequency as possible. Low-frequency energy, i.e., hucha, cannot exist in the higher vibrational energies of light born of prana, chi, and Sami. Just as you brush your teeth regularly to keep away decay, it is essential to clean your energy and physical space.

Good Boundaries and Containers are Essential

Good boundaries are essential for spiritual and physical protection. Boundaries create a container that protects something inside and keeps it separate from something outside. Conversely, if you have poor boundaries, it is easy for foreign energies, negative attitudes, bad experiences, and energetic hitchhikers to disrupt your world.

Boundaries are not fearful walls thrown up to keep people out. On the contrary, healthy boundaries encourage a space for growth, positive energy, and a place to express oneself. They help us attain our dreams, protect us from the outer elements, and keep us healthy and nourished.

Create Clear and Clean Boundaries and Containers of Safety

Keep good boundaries and the containers they create clean as an essential part of living in high-frequency energy with good protection. A home unattended gets dirty and chaotic. The same

applies to your energy field, thoughts, emotions, and physical body.

The highest frequency for protection is Divine Love. When you embody Divine Love, you will be free of worry, fright, and fear. However, as humans, we constantly work with the dualistic energies of love and fear. Therefore, it is most important to consciously work on keeping our energy bodies and spaces full of light and high-frequency energy.

Practices to Set and Keep Good Boundaries

Define Your Limits

Work with clear intentions. Know what is good for you and what isn’t. Steer away from harmful messages, toxic people, and unhealthy lifestyle choices. Choose wisely. Learn to say no and step away from what lacks harmony. Permit yourself to be true to yourself. Respect yourself. You are the boss of what you choose. And please, ask for support. Healthy boundaries and beautiful containers are born are the highest expression of love.

Be Mindful

About your thoughts, beliefs, attitudes, emotions, words, and actions. Work with forgiveness practices to let go of anger, fear, jealousy, hatred, resentment, and all negative energies when they arise. Learn to focus only on your desires and feed them with love. What you give attention to creates in like manner.

Regularly Clean Your Body, Your Energy Bodies, and Your Spaces

You occupy with plants and herbs such as sage, palo santo, sacred tobacco. Speak or pray words of gratitude and clear intention to each plant ally. Sufficiently smoke your energy and physical body front and back, above your crown, and below your feet. Smoke your home, car, office, and land — smoke any places well where there has been conflict, arguments, or upset of any kind. Keep it clean. Fill Everything with Light, Prayers,

and Positive Energies

After clearing, shift your intentions to bring in high-frequency energy of love, harmony, peace, joy,

restoration, and all that pleases. Open the windows and let the outdoors in and burn sweet grass to bring the sweetness of life in. Place flowers around and items of beauty and spiritual significance. Light a white candle for positive energy.  Speak prayers and offerings at your altar or a particular location of meaning.

Salt

and Herb Sprinkle for Protection

This mixture of sea salt and herbs is an excellent protective agent to sprinkle around your home, especially at your doors and windows. Mix together

one cup of sea salt and a quarter cup of herbs comprised of rosemary to protect and keep safe, rose to attract fairies and bring in the energy of love; bay leaf to protect from negative energies and to make dreams come true, black pepper to banish and clove for protection and also for banishing unwanted energies. Add cinnamon for healing and protection, as well as thyme for expansiveness and love.

Octahedron

Visualization

Drop a grounding cord into the earth. An octahedron is two four-sided pyramids connected at their bases. Imagine an emerald-green octahedron large enough to surround and encompass your body. Fill it with pink and gold light. Program the octahedron to filter everything that is not

love and to allow only love inside. Once you get good at this visualization practice, create additional octahedrons to surround your home, your auto, and your place of business. Visualize daily to build the energy and protection.

Rose Visualization

Visualize a beautiful rose in front of your heart, outside your auric egg. Thank the rose for being your ally. Program it to filter out negative, low-frequency energy from outside of you, as well as in your inner world. Ask it to catch everything that is not love. Check-in on the rose periodically. If it is dirty, compost it into mother earth. Then put another rose up in your field. Do this regularly to build better boundaries and to become aware of the energy in and around you. Roses are an ancient symbol and one of the highest frequencies of unconditional love.

Call Your Allies for Protection

Having many allies you can call upon is essential for support and protection. Spirit allies may include angels, archangels, ascended masters, deities, elemental spirits, fairy beings, stone beings, plant medicines, animal spirits, and all forms of life. As with any ally, always say hello to them as you engage them. Honor them for their gifts and powers by acknowledging them. Then ask for their support and protection.

Angels and Archangels

Angels and archangels are well-known helpers who can support you in protection, healing, and guidance of many kinds. Each has its specialties.

Archangel Michael is excellent for protection. Ask him to wield his sword of truth to clear confusion and to cut cords to negative influences and energies. Call Archangel Gabriel for clear guidance and communication. Archangel Raphael is who you need to heal anything born of toxic energy.

Ascended Masters, Gods, Goddesses, and Divine Beings of Light

Ascended masters, gods, goddesses and divine beings of light are benevolent helpers for your soul’s evolution. These are a few to support you:

Green Tara is for protection and guidance when sick, traveling, or making decisions that affect success and wealth.

Petition Mother Mary for the ultimate protective power of Divine Love.

Mother Kuan Yin mercifully and compassionately protects us from harm.

Master Jesus gives us unconditional love and forgiveness to alchemize any situation.

Lord Ganesha is the Remover of Obstacles

Mother Earth is a powerful ally of fertility, creation, destruction, and mother of all creations of earth.

Kali Ma and Durga are both helpful in clearing you of the lower ego that you may be pure and centered in your soul’s light.

Lord Garuda is a divine creature who is half-bird and half-man, well-known for his powers of protection and removing negativity.

Animal Totems, Power Animals, and Animal Spirit Protectors

Animal totems, power animals and animal spirit protectors are well-known in both mystical and shamanic traditions to help keep you safe. Be open to who is available and capable of protecting you.

Four-leggeds: Bear, jaguar, puma, lion, horse, elephant, moose, badger, and skunk offer protection skills. Consider who you are most aligned with or attracted to and ask for their support in protection and guidance.

Winged ones: Owl, eagle, and hawk are wellknown for flying above the situation where they get a higher view of what is taking place. With this energy and wisdom, they can steer you in the right direction and out of harm’s way. Call upon owl specifically if you need support clearing fear.

Stone beings: Crystals, gems, rocks, and stones have great energy and power to protect your energy and physical being, as well as to protect your home, land, and office spaces. Several stones of protection are pyrite, obsidian, hematite, quartz, citrine, amethyst, and black tourmaline. Place upon your person, wear in jewelry or a bag you carry. Place at your desk, altar, and in your bedroom. Use your intention to program each stone as you work with it.

Plant medicine spirits: All plants have consciousness and varying vibrational energy. Many are known for cleaning, clearing, and protection.

Sacred tobacco is a male spirit plant well known for protection, as well as cleaning difficult energy. Never inhale. Use only pure tobacco.

Sage, palo santo, cedar, juniper, frankincense, and myrrh help purify and protect.

Create a protective herbal potpourri to ward off negative energy. Add 1/2 cup each of pine needles,

cedar needles, oak bark, and juniper berries, four cinnamon sticks, 4 tbsp. each whole cloves, and frankincense powder. Add up to 12 drops total of essential oils of pine, frankincense, myrrh, and juniper. Combine everything into a bowl and mix. Place in your home, office, bedroom, and wherever you like.

Ceremony and Ritual for Protection by your Allies

You can call your allies with intention, prayer, and conversation formally or informally at any time. Come with an earnest heart, and they will hear you and assist you.

First, establish your relationship with any ally by getting to know it and its powers. Mindfully set an altar space or focal point for your ritual. Burn smudge with sage, palo santo, cedar, juniper, or sacred tobacco. Light a white candle for purity. Place flowers on the altar as an offering. The other-dimensional beings love flowers. Place crystals of protection and meaning onto your altar or focal point for your ritual. Place other sacred objects upon your altar. Statues or images of your divine protectors are perfect. Other sacred objects may consist of feathers or wings, bones, talismans, or other magical objects imbued with power.

Put photographs of yourself and loved ones into your altar and ritual space for blessing, clearing, and protection.

Put a plate or place for offerings to your ally. These may include sweets, herbs, cornmeal, loose tobacco (pure), dried flowers, money, and all things symbolic of them and their powers.

Now, sit down and become still and centered. Say hello and thank you to your ally or allies. If you don’t have a specific guide in mind, ask who would like to help you and who is the highest and most divine light for you now. As you ask for help and guidance, be willing to let go and surrender your blocks, fears, and frights to them. Do your best to build trust as you let go of the negative energies that contribute to the challenges. •

Investing in Video & Social Media in 2023

WHILE MANY OF US are in the midst of our busiest season of the year, it’s natural to look ahead to 2023 and think of all the things we want to change or improve. Start taking down notes as you think of them throughout the coming months. That way, once January comes around, you can flesh out the plan you want to execute over the following year.

Many independent retailers and manufacturers want to better use social and digital media tools to connect with customers. They want to remind customers to shop local or independent, showcase new products and services or give them a sneak peek of things to come.

Ready to improve your social media game next year? Here’s a primer on how to make 2023 your best year when it comes to maximizing your social media engagement.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR – MEGY KARYDES is a Chicago-based writer. Her new book, 50 Ways to More Calm, Less Stress: Scientifically Proven Ways to Relieve Anxiety and Boost Your Mental Health Using Your Five Senses, will be available summer 2023. Sign up for her free monthly newsletter at megykarydes.com

Create a Plan and Work Your Plan

For any business or marketing plan to work, you want to have a plan in place. Not an overall arching idea but an actual plan, broken down by month and, ideally, by week. Jot down major events or holidays or seasons you want to highlight each month. Does your community have a huge event happening in the month of April or October? Write it down. Do you normally travel to a market in July? Note your market travel so you can consider posting live takes from market.

Invest In Social and Digital Media

So you don’t know how to use TikTok (or some other platform) yet but feel like this is a good way to reach your target market? Add it to your calendar! Professional development is one of those things that people talk about but rarely have time to do because they don’t plan for it. Learning anything new takes time and the more you practice, the better you get. If it’s learning a new social media platform and you feel overwhelmed, break it down into actionable steps. For example:

January — Learn TikTok

1. Week 1: Watch a YouTube video or hire someone to walk you through the basics.

2. Week 2: Set aside 30 minutes to watch TikTok videos to get a better idea of the type of content people or brands are creating and what’s popular. If 30 minutes a day is too much, try to find at least 10 minutes three days this week.

3. Week 3: Find accounts to follow and start watching those more closely this week. What are they doing well? What do you like about each post? What are you noticing? Captions? Are they videos or just images? Are hashtags being used?

4. Week 4: Create your first TikTok video and post it! See what kind of engagement you get. Next month, build upon what you’ve learned and start posting at least once a week.

February — Continue with TikTok

5. Week 1: Last month you created and posted your first TikTok so this month the focus is on posting more regularly. Try to post at least one thing every week (more often if you start getting the hang of it). Experiment with content.

6. Week 2: Start letting customers and friends know you have an account and ask their TikTok user names so you can follow them. They might reciprocate and follow you, too!

7. Week 3: ….

You get the idea. You don’t need to break down each week right now, but you do want to start building out your plan by identifying what you want to tackle in 2023. Again, if you don’t plan your work, you cannot work your plan.

Invest In Video

Video is no longer a nice to have in your social media posts. Today’s audience relies on videos daily and it’s not just TikTok. It’s also Instagram Reels and YouTube. According to Social Media Today, video is the most engaging content type online and thanks to better mobile device functionality, it’s easier than ever for people to stream content on the go. It’s changing the way we communicate, engage and interact.

And don’t think it’s just younger generations using these video-heavy platforms.

In the United States, almost 20% of TikTok users are 40-49 and 10% are 50 and better. On YouTube, 70% are users aged 40-49 and more than 65% are age 50 and better. Each month, users spend on average of almost 20 hours on TikTok and almost 24 hours on YouTube.

You do not need any fancy technology to create videos. Your smartphone works just fine. The goal isn’t to produce documentary-style videos to post. Rather, it’s to create content your audience would love to engage with, share with their friends or use to communicate with you.

Learning something new can be exciting and fun even if it’s challenging. The new year is always a good time for reflection and turning a new chapter. Let this be the year you try something new and reap all the benefits of your new insights. •

FEATURES

Safeguard Your Body, Mind & Energy

WE LIVE IN A TIME of difficult worldwide challenges filled with fear, leaving us feeling vulnerable. Throughout these uncertain times, our natural reaction is to look for protection for ourselves, our loved ones, and our homes. Global circumstances have affected us on a personal level putting us all through tests and trials. Finding ways to protect our energy is key to creating inner strength, but how do we do that? The answer lies within and through finding ways to unlock your hidden strength to summon the shielding, loving, wondrous magic that you are.

Now more than ever it is important to have the power to protect yourself. Life is full of stressors, mishaps, and people with negative energy. Throughout life we run into jealousy, nasty comments, hurtful words, judgmental looks, crowded spaces, and even our own negative thoughts. In this article I will give you all of my favorite ways to cleanse

and protect the things you love leading to a calm, secure, and safe aura around you and anyone or anything you love most.

Daily Intentionality

Before you even set your feet on the floor in the morning, it is great to start each and every day with a grateful heart and an intention and determination to surround yourself with impenetrable protection. Keep your eyes closed and while laying down, place your hands over your stomach. Visualize a circle of light around

you projecting from your core. Once you see it, start to extend your arms forward enlarging your sphere so that it covers your whole body completely. Feel the energy streaming all around you creating a protective defense. Either out loud or to yourself say, “I am protected. I am safe. I’m secure.” Now open your eyes and set out through the day carrying that light everywhere you go.

Boundaries

Caring for others is a part of our human nature. Some of us are more natural caregivers, but regardless, all of us have an

ABOUT THE AUTHOR – DESIREE ROBY ANTILA , author of Sun Signs in Love, specializes in sun signs and astrological relationships. She has been studying astrology for several decades and has written numerous articles on matchmaking, cosmic timing, forecasts, and more. Desiree also teaches astrology classes in her local community and has conducted hundreds of natal chart and synastry readings. Visit her online at SimplySunSigns.com / @simplysunsigns.

innate need to be loved and to love in return. However, to truly care for someone you must care for yourself first and foremost. Our boundaries are constantly challenged by friends, family, colleagues, and even through little interactions from strangers at the store or on the phone. This is why it is important to protect ourselves from burnout, making boundaries crucial for protecting your spiritual wellness.

Before engaging with someone who you know tests your boundaries, there are important things to do to set you up for success. Visualize and refine your limits parameters, openly communicate them, do not be afraid to say no,

and if someone makes you feel bad for saying no—reiterate your boundary. This can be easier said than done, because saying no to people you care about is hard. However, if someone throws a fit about a boundary you created, it should just go to show that the boundary was clearly needed.

Protection Crystals

Crystals have been used for thousands of years for magic, intentionality, and protection. Crystals interact with the body’s energy fields, also known as our vibrational energy, and can redirect

and re-channel energy flow with their unique sensations. Crystals absorb energy from pressure and movement and convert it into an electronic frequency. Within the unique vibe of each crystal is how one is able to utilize it while either wearing or working with them.

Protection stones are special crystals that keep you emotionally and spiritually safe. These crystals repel negative energy around you and expel negativity in your body, environment, and aura. There are several powerful protection crystals with exceptional qualities. Some of the best crystals to use for protection are black tourmaline, tourmalated quartz, black onyx, tiger’s eye, smoky quartz, and hematite. These

specific crystals are known to emit a protective shield conductive for a safe environment. They can also help achieve a healthy state of mind, harmonious relationships, and respect for other people and yourself.

Black Tourmaline

Black Tourmaline assists in adding strength to your energy, making you feel like you can take on anything. The crystal absorbs all negative energy, but also protects you from your own negative thoughts. Black tourmaline is connected to your root chakra, making you feel grounded and

secure. This powerful crystal also has excellent physical healing properties. It can act as a cloak of protection, keep you away from toxic situations and people.

Tourmalated Quartz

Also called rutilated quartz, is a stone with unique spikes of tourmaline shooting through clear quartz. This stone has all of the protection that comes along with tourmaline, but mixed with the expansiveness of clear quartz bringing a yin and yang energy to the wearer. It’s not only grounding, it’s also lifting—connecting one’s light and dark energy and creating a large forcefield around the wearer.

Obsidian

Is a protection crystal that wards of negativity. The crystal is created from magma giving the wearer the power of a volcano. Black Obsidian can mask one’s aura from anxiety, fear, and evil. It is a root chakra stone that keeps us in the present, gifting the wearer with strength and inner confidence. It also assists its owner in facing inner truths.

Smoky Quartz

Does a fantastic job at transmuting negative energies. The stone assists in both helping the wearer focus, while simultaneously dispelling undesirable vibes. The magic of this crystal is that it simultaneously opens up both the root chakra and solar plexus allowing for a grounded and peaceful focus. Smoky Quartz cleanses negative energy turning negatives into positives.

Hematite

Is one of the best crystals for dissipating electromagnetic energy making it great to take anywhere— especially on trips. Hematite has healing energy assisting with circulation in the body and immune system, making it a great option for those with high blood pressure and other circulatory issues. Hematite really pushes the wearer to get through difficult situations, keeping the user strong.

Tiger’s Eye

Is one of the best crystals for personal progress as it will help the wearer stimulate their veracity and willpower. The stone assists in

protecting the user from harmful and uninvited situations bringing fortune and good luck. Tiger’s Eye also has the protection of a tiger offering confidence, focus, passion, and determination. Nothing can stand in the wearer’s way with a charged-up Tiger’s Eye.

Cleansing and Charging Your Crystals

Once you find a crystal that speaks to you and feels like it will bring you the manifestation or protection you are looking for, it is important to cleanse, clear and charge your crystal to maximize its potential. It is important to connect your crystal with the Moon, especially on New and Full Moons. A great time to charge your protective crystals are under grounding Earth sings. The New Moon in Capricorn on December 23 is a perfect time to set your protective intentions through your stones.

Cleansing a Crystal

To charge your crystal it has to be cleansed first. You can do this by running it under cold water, burying it outside in the dirt for a night, or soaking it with salt and water. In fact, even if your crystal has just been sitting on your altar or shelf, it still has the potential to hold stagnant energy, so it must be cleansed every so often in order for it to do its best work. Crystals that are not cleansed can

be prone to breaking and can also be difficult to work with.

Clearing Crystals

The New Moon is a time of releasing and new beginnings, making it the perfect time to clear your crystals of any old and stagnant energy. The Full Moon is a time of reaping rewards of your hard work and marks the end of a cycle. Crystals absorb the energy that is around them, which is why it is always important to clear your crystal when you first receive it and after heavy use. This is especially true if you have been working with a crystal and have seen the manifestation occur in your physical life. In order to cleanse your crystal on the night of the New or Full Moon, all you

need to do is leave it out near a window overnight. This allows the crystal to be cleansed by the energy. You can leave the crystal out up to four days after the New or Full Moon has peaked, however one to two days is plenty.

Charging a Crystal

Once you have cleansed your crystal, charge it up by holding it in your hands and setting your intention into the crystal. Meditate your purpose into your crystal in order for it to be most effective. For the next few days, keep the crystal close to you and sleep with it beside your bed, this will help the crystal to be extra charged. When you charge a crystal on the night of a New or Full Moon, it helps it to lock in the vibration

of that Moon so you can work with the energy throughout the coming weeks or months. New Moons help us to release and purge built-up energy, events, and situations. Full Moons help us manifest and reflect on what intentions you set on the New Moon six months prior. When you charge a crystal on the New Moon, it allows you to use the crystal to do releasing work and start fresh with things in your life. When you charge it under a Full Moon it empowers the crystal to absorb the energy and intention of that Full Moon. Once the crystal has been cleansed, cleared, and charged it can then be used for the coming weeks and months to help you move through any of life’s ups and downs.

Smudging

Smudging rituals are a sacred and effective technique to protect and clear a space. Burning aromatic herbs and resins has been used in many cultures and spiritual religions for hundreds of years. You can perform one yearly, on special occasions, or whenever there is a need for protection of your home. They work wonders for when you move into a new space or need to rid a space of someone’s lingering energy. Smudging works in a way to rid negative energy and invite positive vibrations into your space.

Smudging consists of burning plant material which creates smoke that fills and purifies the environment. Common materials used are sage, cedar, sweet grass, and lavender. White sage is the

most commonly used as it is associated with purity and offers up a strong cleanse. As the smoke rises, it takes your requests and purpose into the cosmos as a way to create magical intentionality. Give yourself at least five minutes before you start to set clear intentions.

It is important to clean your space and throw away anything that is connected to the energy that you are trying to be rid of. Taking your time and using mindfulness is key to the ceremony being successful. Keep a candle nearby to relight the smudge stick during the ceremony. Have a fireproof spot for your stick to rest if needed. Use a small tray, bowl, or shell to hold underneath the smudge stick to catch any ashes or embers. Finally, a container with sand is highly recommended to properly end the ceremony and put out the smoke signaling a clear conclusion.

Starting at the main entrance of your house is suggested, followed by slow movements through your space in a clockwise

direction. Continue by going outside to make a full protective circle around your home. Do not forget the places that often have stagnant energy like closets and cabinets. During the entire ceremony, remember to repeat either out loud or in your head, your intentions for the ceremony allowing the universe to manifest your desires. When you arrive back at the front door, say your final wishes, and close your eyes and envision your home filled with a bright and protective light. Immediately, put the smudge stick in the sand to end the ceremony.

Protection Begins Within Yourself

Remember that you are strong, and that your most important source of strength comes from within.

It grows with self-love, self-care, boundaries, creating safe spaces for yourself, and surrounding yourself with people that have your best interests. Never forget to give yourself grace, because let’s face it, life is hard. Never forget that you are divinely loved and protected and reminding yourself of this fact every day will naturally create an aura around you that demands respect and protection. •

“You can 'thaveaphysicaltransformation until

youhaveaspiritualtransformation . ” –CoryBooker

LIFESTYLE

The Harmonics of Health

Jonathan Goldman talks about his life, sound healing and the importance of Healing Sounds

RETAILING INSIGHT: How did you get started in the field of sound?

Jonathan Goldman: I had this wonderful experience in 1979 while playing in a rock n’ roll band after I graduated Boston University Film School. I was performing at a seaside bar in Cape Code, Massachusetts. After a break, I came back onstage with my band. I strapped on my guitar and as we began to play, I remember looking out at the audience and realizing that the music we were creating was helping induce an ambience of negativity and violence. Now, no doubt, the alcohol and other intoxicants that were being imbibed was also helping create this. But I had been performing professionally for almost 15 years and this awareness was something new. My next thought was the question: I wonder if music can be used to make people feel good? Over the next week, this thought evolved and became: I wonder if sound and music can be used to heal? That began my journey into the realm of sound healing.

From there, I went on to form the Sound Healers Association, which held monthly meetings and featured presentations by well-known doctors, scientists, spiritual teachers and healers who worked

with sound and music. I got quite an education and decided that the subject of sound healing merited some credentials. I pursued a master’s degree from Lesley University in Cambridge, Massachusetts researching the uses of sound and music for healing. A few years later, I was meditating and I literally was shown the outline for a book that needed to be written. A couple of days after, I received a phone call from this couple I had made friends with who had become editors for Element Books in England. They asked if I might have a book that I’d like to submit. I sent them the outline I had received in meditation and it was accepted. Then, I was able to take much of the material used in my master’s thesis and from other sources and manifest my first book, Healing Sounds

RI: Now, Healing Sounds is getting its 30th Anniversary publication. Can you explain its longevity?

JG: At the time it was first published, Healing Sounds became quite a success—particularly in England. It has continued to stay in print and now with this 30 th Anniversary Edition, I believe a continued sonic rebirth may occur. With over half

a dozen books and 30 award winning recordings, I seem to have effectively shared a whole lot of positive vibrations in the world. I estimate personally teaching tens of thousands of people about sound and music for healing. What a blessing.

There were a lot of concepts introduced in Healing Sounds that seem to have become mainstays in the sound healing tradition. At the time of its initial release, it was being advertised alongside Deepak Chopra’s books. Thirty years ago, it really took off. I think it really laid the foundation for much of the extraordinary interest in sound healing that has manifested lately. For example, in the book, one of the subjects I focus on is the use of harmonically related vowel sounds to resonate the chakras. This is found in the chapter “Vowels as Mantra” and at the time, it was truly new. When I google “vowels as mantra” now, I fi nd the system I created and pioneered is being utilized all over the internet. And most of the time, it’s just taken for granted and universally accepted. But it came from Healing Sounds. I am honored and grateful that it’s been so widely accepted by so many.

Another example is my understanding of how sound can be used to heal. This premise actually came from one of my mentors, Dr. Peter Guy Manners, creator of Cymatic Therapy which uses direct application of sound on the body for healing. The basic idea is that everything in the universe is in a state of vibration. This is something that our ancient mystics and our quantum physicists agree upon. From the electrons moving around the nucleus of an atom to planets in distant galaxies moving around their suns, everything is in a state of vibration and thus, conceptually at least, creating a sound. This includes our bodies—every organ, bone and tissue is in a state of vibration. When we are in a state of health—sound health—we are like this overall orchestra that’s playing the “Suite of the Self.” But what happens if the 2nd violin player loses their sheet music? The string player begins to play the wrong notes. Soon the string section is off. And then the entire orchestra is affected.

It’s as though a part of our body has lost its natural healthy resonant frequency—it’s vibrating out of harmony, out of balance and out of ease and we

say it is diseased. The basic idea of sound healing is to somehow restore the correct resonant frequency back to that part of the body. It’s that simple and that profound. This idea is the basis of many alternative therapies including chiropractic, acupuncture, aromatherapy, homeopathy, chromatherapy and more. These are all different approaches to restoring the correct resonance to what ever is vibrating out of harmony. Healing Sounds presents various aspects of sound to do this, including harmonics. There are many aspects of sound that continue to be of extraordinary importance to our understanding of how sound can be used to heal and transform.

And many unique exercises and techniques in the book that can be embraced by the population of readers interested in sound. This is probably the main reason why the book continues to resonate with so many. And there are so many powerful secrets that have yet to be found and unveiled by new readers.

RI: What are harmonics? What is their importance? Why do you think it’s necessary to bring awareness of harmonics into the world of consciousness and sound healing?

JG: Healing Sounds is subtitled “The Power of Harmonics.” Harmonics are an amazing aspect of sound. Whenever we make or hear a sound that is natural (and not laboratory made), we are actually hearing a composite of different frequencies, called harmonics. This is an astounding phenomenon because it means we are not hearing just single tones, but these many simultaneously created sounds called harmonics. These harmonics are geometric multiples of the fundamental frequency.

Harmonics are responsible for why different instruments sound the way they do. They are also the reason why each of our voices is unique and different. They are responsible for the “timbre” or color of sound. Different combinations of harmonics create this tone color. It’s a bit like holding a prism to white light and seeing the whole bandwidth of colors emerge.

Understanding the concept of harmonic shifts our awareness from thinking of sound healing in terms of single frequencies and brings in a much more complex

and evolved understand of the power of sound. As we begin to perceive of harmonics—first to be able to listen to and hear them, and then to be able to create them (a relatively easy ability that’s taught in the book), we are actually able to shift and enhance our ability to perceive reality in a more advanced manner. Through experiencing harmonics, we are able to activate and enhanced one of our major senses—our sense of hearing—and this is life changing. This enhances our neural pathways, releases stress, enhances our immune system and much more.

Harmonics are sounds that display universal principles found throughout nature. This includes chemistry, physics, crystallography, astronomy, architecture, spectroanalysis, botany and the study of other natural sciences. Knowledge of harmonic principles is contained within the teachings of great mystics and scientists.

The harmonics of different sounds—different instruments and our voice—are truly unique. Harmonics may be that aspect of sound that truly has healing

elements. We need to explore and investigate this further. The best way to do this is to experience them. I trust that Healing Sounds will help manifest this.

RI: You developed the formula “Frequency + Intent = Healing” that was first featured in your book. Tell us about the power of intent and its importance.

JG: This formula came as a result of my accessing all the information from my master’s thesis at Lesley University. Over the years, I had compiled all these different systems of using sound and music for healing. I was compiling this information, thinking that I would be the first person to ever create a coherent system of which frequencies and sound worked for which organs and chakras.

The only difficulty was that as I looked at these systems (and I literally had piles of paper that were stacked about six inches high with different information), I realized that the systems didn’t align or correlate. Doctor X would be using one set of

frequencies for a specific organ while Doctor Y would be using a completely different set of frequencies. Spiritual Master A would be using a particular mantra for a chakra and Spiritual Master B would be using a different mantra for that same chakra. Or the same mantra for a different chakra. It didn’t make sense.

I was in a state of intellectual angst and then I heard an inner voice. This voice said: “It is not only the frequency of the sound that makes its effect. It is also the intention of the person making and receiving this sound. Then, I wrote down the words “Frequency + Intent = Healing.” This was over 40 years ago. This formula first appeared in Healing Sounds

At the time, when I approached different scientists and doctors about this idea, they dismissed it. It was very difficult when I first shared this formula, but as the years went by, more and more people began to focus on the importance of intention. Bruce Lipton (“Biology of Belief”), Gregg Braden (“The Isiah Effect”), Wayne Dyer (“The Power of Intent”), Joe Dispenza (“You are the Placebo”), Lynne McTaggart (“Intention Experiments”), Masaru Emoto (“Message from the Water”) to name just a few, really gave credence to the importance of intention—belief, visualization—however you want to name it. Now the concept of intention has almost become an accepted phenomenon—particularly as quantum physics continues to manifest in our consciousness and we begin to understand our ability to co-create reality.

While I was not the first person to understand the power of intent, I think that my formula was quite original. I have a couple of other formulas that express basically the same thing, including “Vocalization + Visualization = Manifestation” and “Sound + Belief = Outcome” which have also become very popular. The information on intention is truly profound and importance and has influenced many.

RI: What’s different about this new edition?

JG: Because the information, stories and ideas found in Healing

Sounds are so unique and important, I did not find it necessary to change anything. I made additions to different resources, including one of the most extensive sound healing bibliographies available. There’s also a new foreword and afterword, but the original text is the same. It is considered a classic in the field of sound healing and remains so for a reason.

However, there is a major new difference—in the 30 th year of its publication, it is now possible to add the element of actual audible sound to this edition of the book. I’ve included over 100 minutes of downloadable music, sounds, audible examples, guided meditations and sonic exercises that will greatly enhance every aspect of the book. This is called “A Celebration of Sound ” and includes recordings on teaching the techniques of “Vowels as Mantra” and “Fundamentals of Vocal Harmonics” that were released separately as “Healing Sounds Instructional.” There are also never before released recordings of harmonic tuning forks, overtone singers, Tibetan monks, harmonic chanters and much more that are quite exquisite. These are all downloadable as well. And there’s much written information about these different sonic selections.

Regardless of how well written the book may be, it still was not possible to actually hear the different sounds I describe—until now. This unto itself is an extraordinary gift which includes many different tracks that will truly help enrich the experience of Healing Sounds. Besides some new additions to the book, these audios are a real treasure trove of sonic offerings that really enable you to experience and embody the power of harmonics.

RI: Any last thoughts?

JG: I just want to acknowledge that the field of sound healing is continuing to blossom and grow. More and more people are beginning to understand their own innate ability to use sound as a vehicle for health and wellness. It’s been my great desire and purpose to help empower people with the knowledge and experience of sound to heal and transform. I trust that Healing Sounds will continue to be part of this extraordinary manifestation of light and love through sound that allows this to happen. •

ABOUT THE ARTIST – JONATHAN GOLDMAN , M.A. is an international authority and pioneer in the field of sound healing. He is author of numerous books including The 7 Secrets of Sound Healing, and the best-selling The Humming Effect (co-authored with his wife Andi Goldman) which won the 2018 Gold Visionary Award for “Health Books.” His classic Healing Sounds has just had a special 30 th Anniversary Edition released. Jonathan is director of the Sound Healers Association and president of Spirit Music, Inc. in Boulder, Colorado. A Grammy nominee, he has created over 25 best-selling, award winning recordings including: “Chakra Chants,” “The Divine Name” (with Gregg Braden), “Frequencies: Sounds of Healing” and “Reiki Chants.” Jonathan has been named as one of Watkins’ Mind Body Spirit Magazine’s “100 Most Spiritually Infl uential Living People.” Visit www.healingsounds. com to learn more.

TheFour Bodies Part 4: The Emotional Body

THIS IS THE LAST IN A SERIES OF ARTICLES about the four lower bodies. In the exoteric (secret) work there are at least 10 bodies that are part of our creation. These ten bodies are related to the planets and the sephira of the Tree of Life. Because the higher finer bodies are not affected or influenced adversely by the human condition, we are only dealing with the four lower bodies. This article will deal with the emotional body.

As emphasized in previous articles the four lower bodies are affected by the human personality. The etheric body is the “body electric” and is related to the fire element. (The other elements, Earth –physical body; Air – mental body; Water – Emotional body.) According to Joseph Polanski, “Each of these bodies is under the dominion of an Archangel. The etheric body, by Archangel Michael. The mental body by Archangel Raphael. The feeling body by Archangel Gabriel. And, the physical body by Archangel Uriel.)” Gabriel can be called upon to help you balance your emotions. He is the great communicator, having been the messenger that brought the news of pregnancy to both Mother Mary and her cousin Anne.

My two meditations to the Seven Archangel can help you with all of your four lower bodies. (Rainbow Angel Meditation has the corresponding biblical references, and The Seven Archangels and the Wheel is a very healing and proactive reminder of the power found within your requests to the Archangels!)

The Emotional Body is related to the planet Venus – and many of us can relate to that well known book by John Gray, Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus. Certainly, for women, we seem to be more in touch with our feeling nature, ergo, the Emotional Body than our fine counterpart!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: MAUREEN J. ST. GERMAIN is the founder of Transformational Enterprises and has led trainings in personal development and spiritual awakening in more than 24 countries. The founder of Akashic Records Guides International, she is also the author, musician, and producer of more than 15 guided-meditation CDs. An internationally recognized teacher and intuitive, she is the author of several books including her latest release Mastering Your 5D Self. Visit www.stgermainmysteryschool.com to know more about her.

Emotions are chi that you have filled with a purpose. E-motion is the ability to qualify or “color” chi (God Energy) based on your unique God Spark that makes chi, colored with a specific energy. Qualifying chi into emotion is one of the things that humans do well.

Robert Monroe, founder of the Monroe Institute, named emotional energy loosh. Loosh can be a fuel source for the energies that would have you fail. Loosh, being life force energy (chi, imbued with a purpose), can be either uplifting or down lowering referring to the emotional energy radiated by humans (and animals) who are in dire circumstances. And so, “loosh,” in this usage, describes a negative experiential spectrum. However, there is elevating loosh as we will see as well!

The Dark Side

Loosh from painful and difficult circumstances can be a fuel for the dark forces (for not-God energies) since it contains both the God Spark and the human creative spark. It’s a picnic near an anthill. Do you wonder who you might be feeding? When you re-experience some sad event, you may be “feeding” an energy that is misusing your light! Some call these ones “the powers that were” emphasis – on the past and now on the decline.

The Light Side

Our planet is being bathed in uplifting loosh, helpful, nurturing chi coming directly from sources of love and light, helping humanity transform the planet. This positive loosh is irresistible and elevating to all humanity!

Uses of Memory

Human memory was never intended to re-create agonizing emotions so that we would re-experience our painful pasts. This is why you can develop the

habit of only telling your sad story three times! This validates your experience, without re-creating the pain of the past. When you count how many times you have told a painful experience, you put a limit on the emotional body re-working your sorrow and disappointment. As a practice, I encouraged you to pick the three times you tell your story – not to just deliver it to some random friend that may be calling you when you are upset! You can save your sorry tale for a close friend or family member who will give you the empathy you seek!

All the four lower bodies influence each other. The emotional body does seem to have the least number of controls or natural discipline, but each of the four lower bodies can get out of control!

Make no mistake, this hologram we call third dimension does have both positive and negative emotions. Our goal is to pay attention to our joyful

happy moments, and laugh and optimize them, remaining balanced at every turn. As you will find in my manifestation book, Be A Genie, you can recycle your sad unresolved emotions by practicing twofers. Two-fers are a way of creating two positives to antidote a negative emotion or thought.

Our emotions are the strongest of the four lower bodies and can drive our physical and mental health. Memory of sad and painful emotions can re-create the pain of difficult circumstances making us sick physically or mentally. There are many attempts to influence humans through our devices and airwaves. It is up to us to keep our energy above the lower vibrational data sets that can adversely influence us!

We can control our emotional body by choosing wisely our mental body thoughts, by the company we keep, the music and electronic media we pay attention to and by meditation. This can be done easily if you will meditate regularly.

Once we have brought our well-developed four lower bodies into balance, they can be unified into your human dynamic body of light. This leads to you having balanced the seven lower chakras, the higher chakras (chakras 8-12) as well as with the secret ray chakras.

As your own mastery is developed, you become your Ascended Master self. This is where humanity is headed, to be Ascended masters, alive, in our physical bodies, utilizing all of our God-given powers. You no longer need to die to be an Ascended Master! •

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ourselves and cooperate with each other and the planet.

When it comes to the concept of protection, we are almost obligated to find something to fear, just to explain our fight-or-flight response. The global baptism occurring in the realms of self-acceptance and inclusivity of others naturally generates the anxiety we normally relate to as a fear-basedresponse, but it is not.

It is our spiritual body accessing higher frequencies of information that require a physical, mental, emotional, and energetic transition into a more peaceful and all-encompassing wisdom.

This amplification of the ebbs and flows of our subtle emotional-awareness is easily experienced as anxiety, depression, anger, a need-to-defend, and pervasive restlessness. In truth, it is not protection we seek but the inevitable expansion that comes from evolution—and comfort during the process.

There are many ways to approach and process the multiple physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual changes that are plaguing the collective transition from war to peace; from confusion to clarity; from judgment to acceptance; and finally, from blissfully unaware

to being present to everything. To begin our search for peace we must satisfy our need for safety by feeling protected. Throughout this issue, you will receive many helpful ideas and rituals to that end, but first a little more context.

The Spiritual Body is an Alarm System

The physical body uses the Islets of Langerhans (two glands found in the pancreas that govern our ability to respond with critical focus and strength when our life is threatened) as a megaphone. However, it is our last line of defense. Ultimately, it is our spiritual body that recognizes a threat based on our thoughts, beliefs, ideals, and spiritual imprints; and then originates the warning. A wave of energy is sent directly from our soul information or belief (mental body) to our feelings (emotional body), to the etheric body (energy body double), which in turn relays the message to our gut, heart, and brain for a directive on what to do. At any point within the process, our awareness can identify the intrusion and decide if it is indeed life-threatening. Historically, we have done this through our relationship to anxiety and our gut-feeling-of-doom, but in today’s collective awakening, anxiety and depression are a natural part of

Image: Lucas Pezeta

our growing awareness of the multi-dimensionality of our world.

When we are unaware of the spiritual beings or entities communicating with us, our thoughts and emotions of foreboding are triggered and we feel anxiety, not knowing why. When someone speaks or thinks of us, we will feel it on some level until we become present to the telepathic communication. If what they think and feel for us is in conflict in some way with our own beliefs and feelings about them or ourselves, it determines the intensity of the emotion we experience. Finally, when we are standing on the corner of a busy street and a car is about to jump the curb, a bolt of

lightning-energy moves us swiftly from its path.

At any point, the many layers of our spiritual body alert and direct us to what we feel can protect us in the moment and preserve our life—on any level from instinct to intuition. We begin the journey of awareness starting from fear and impulse, slowly but surely

cultivating our understanding, expanding it bit by bit until our hearts and minds are open, receptive, and free from fear. Then, we are ready and able to make a surefooted decision that is in the highest good for all involved.

Prayer: Claiming Your Energetic Space

The first step to protecting ourselves is usually the last way we learn as human beings. We are

conditioned in the physical world, to protect the body first; but when we protect the spirit first, the body follows suit and is protected— preserved for another day. It is all about our self-awareness and compassion and then integrating that loving-acceptance for others and the planet.

Prayer, or affirmation, is the first step to claiming your energetic space, and revealing your soul imprints. (The aspect of your soul information that offers a foundation to your subconscious perspective and opinions.) When we make a claim, for example: I am peaceful, or I am wealthy; our spiritual imprints reveal themselves to confirm or contradict what we assert. These revelations occur through emotions, thoughts, visions, or dreams (the spiritual dimensions), and express our deepest belief and understanding of the situation to this point.

Once armed with the information, you can decide what must come next to best support the manifestation of your declaration. If you contend peace, you must reconcile any previous conflict; if you contend wealth, you must adjust your relationship to making

and saving money. And with it comes a shift to all the history, emotion, belief, ideals, and behaviors that must change so you may become protected from future discord and scarcity.

Telepathy: Your Hidden Spiritual Authority

People talk all the time: we talk to ourselves, to each other, but when we’re not talking; we are thinking, and our thoughts are just as powerful a communication as speaking aloud. We negotiate, or process situations with telepathy. We say in our mind and heart, what we haven’t had the opportunity to, or were unable to communicate in the moment. We do this to reconcile our thoughts and feelings about our experience, and we do it over time and space until we feel comfortable to have the physical world conversation or the situation resolves.

The exciting part?

Those to whom we speak, hear us.

They receive the vibrational transmission of sentiment and feel it through the emotional body. Not everyone has awareness of this frequency of communication, but we all have access. Often, this spiritual discourse can be experienced as

“obsessive thinking” or “running thoughts” because a resolution was not chosen, or a boundary telepathically spoken.

They say good fences make good neighbors, so when I, with permission, built a little fence near the driveway of a neighbor (she and her husband were renters) everyone seemed happy with the small project, until the husband ran over a bit of the brickwork. My neighbor came to me, incredibly apologetic and asked if she could offer me some money in compensation for the mishap. I told her I appreciated it and would let her know once I spoke with my contactor on how much they’d charge to fix it.

A couple of weeks later, I crossed paths with the husband as he arrived home, and again, he extended his deepest apologies about the situation and asked if they could compensate me. At this point, I’d spoken with the contractor, and asked for the minimal

amount I needed to pay to fix the problem—a few days later a money order was left on my porch. I didn’t think a thing of it until…

To make a long story short: there was a miscommunication between my neighbor and her husband about the money and she was mad, somehow, at me. She began sending me every telepathic message she could to reveal her displeasure (about what I did not know) until finally I received several unfortunate text messages telling me to mind my own business (as a response to a completely different matter regarding a request of another neighbor.)

This is when the real psychic onslaught began. For months, she made extra effort to make sure I understood she was ignoring me. I was fine with it. She’d always been a good neighbor, and I’d been a good neighbor to her, so I wasn’t interested in having a conversation until she was willing to speak to me in the real world, peacefully, about her problem. I did not have the energy to help her work through her anger for me. Whenever I received her telepathic messages, I responded back in thought,

I’m happy to speak about what’s bothering you, when you’re ready to have the conversation peacefully, and then I’d move on with my day.

Finally, almost eight months later, she approached me as if she hadn’t a care in the world.

“Hi, I haven’t spoken to you in a while.”

“No, you haven’t, do you want to tell me why you’re upset with me?” I responded.

At last, the seal was broken! We spent the next 20 minutes uncovering (unbeknownst to her) the miscommunication between she and her husband that began the whole thing.

Every day, we make missteps, mis-speak, or have misunderstandings in situations and then spend countless hours having telepathic conversations with ourselves or others involved.

When you are on either side of the equation, all it takes is a clear and concise telepathic directive asserting what you will or won’t have in the circumstance, to reveal the truth. In this case, I made it clear I was happy to have a conversation when she was ready to discuss directly and without anger. I was unwilling to receive her harsh emotions pointed towards me. The

spiritual protection I asserted was not trying to change her, it was setting an energetic boundary to which she needed access to have the physical conversation with me, which was to work through her feelings on her own.

It is important, in any situation, large or small, to take the time to become clear on your needs first, and then claim it in your thoughts, emotions, spirit, and actions. Once you have affirmed your needs on a spiritual level, the rest is sure to follow—producing the spiritual protection you need.

Ritual: Your Active Declaration of Safety

The last level of defense or protection is decisive actions to maintain your own safety. This can be anything from visualizations, spells, and rituals to conscious behavioral changes. I am a fanatic about

creating altars for this work. There are times in life when you may not be clear on what you need, so the first order of business is to access information from your spiritual self. Set an intention for receiving the information you want. Let’s say you haven’t been sleeping well and you do not know why.

Your affirmation for your altar is: I sleep deeply and completely, and wake alert and refreshed.

Now, you can create a sacred space by cleaning and clearing an area in your bedroom to place your altar. You can also create a spell or other ritual using your affirmation along with a series of actions that declare your commitment to the positive outcome of the ritual. Think of your

affirmation as a monument you are building—for our purposes, sleep. Each action you take reaffirms your commitment on each level: mind, body, and spirit. If you do not know why your sleep pattern has been interrupted, this will be the first information to come.

Once you have a deeper understanding of the situation, it will become clear what future choices you can make to transform your sleep pattern with the said changes, or what you must do to build your monument. The point is to continue to sustain your altar or ritual until you have achieved the desired result. Any needed change takes work, and there is no stopping too soon,

there is only getting where you want to be, when you do. We have all we need at all times, to claim our protection on all levels; if we can recognize it comes with a series of awarenesses that change how we see ourselves and the world we live in. Part of this protection is allowing our reality to transform as our lens of it changes. •

— Deepak Chopra

Awakening is not changing who you are, but discarding who you are not.

Divination &Decks

A Witch’s Guide to Year-End Protection Magic

Quick and Easy Spiritual Hacks to Protect Your Business, Home, Loved Ones and Yourself

NO ONE UNDERSTANDS the hustle and bustle at the end of the year quite like a store owner. Between coming up with inventive marketing to get our customers to our doors, to making sure we have enough of that hot item in stock, it’s hard to find a minute to grab a bite to eat, let alone doing magic for yourself.

We might think of magic and rituals as something to be done when we have the time that never really seems to come around. Alternatively, we might view them as our personal “In Case of Emergency - Break

Glass” box – something we turn to when there is imminent danger looming (I can’t be the only one that’s set up a makeshift prosperity altar three days before that big bill was due). But when we start to think about magic as something worth investing our time and energy in to keep our lives on a smooth and even path, we see the value in taking the time to incorporate ritual into our daily lives.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: MADAME PAMITA is a Ukrainian diaspora witch, teacher, author, candle maker, spellcaster, and tarot reader. She has a popular YouTube Channel for teaching witchcraft, she hosts the “Magic and the Law of Attraction” and “Baba Yaga’s Magic” podcasts and she is the author of Baba Yaga’s Book of Witchcraft, The Book of Candle Magic, and Madame Pamita’s Magical Tarot. She is also the proprietress of the online spiritual apothecary, the Parlour of Wonders and lives in Santa Monica, California. You can find her at parlourofwonders.com.

The problem is that most people think of magic with a capital “M” – that whenever we do a spell, it has to look like a Vegas floorshow with music, lights, dancing, and extra pizazz. I love those big production numbers as much as the next witch, but those splashy extravaganzas probably end up being 1% of the magic that I actually do. The other 99% of my spiritual work takes the form of small mundane rituals that are seamlessly woven into my daily routine.

When it comes to investing your energy into your spiritual practice, I find that the biggest return on that investment comes from doing protection magic. And it makes sense to focus on protection at the end of the year, when we have more people

coming in and out of our spaces (and we’re going into theirs) and we’re working hard to make sure our business, our personal life, and our holiday celebrations all go smoothly.

Remember – rather than doing a spell to solve a problem, it’s better to avoid the problem in the first place.

That’s what these easy-to-do spells are designed for: magical protection. Now, no witch will tell you to leave your doors unlocked at night and just rely on a sigil on the doorframe. Spiritual protection is designed to enhance the normal precautions that you take in the physical realm. Think of it being that extra layer of insurance that shores up the common-sense practical approaches to protection that you take in your day-to-day life.

Protecting Your Business

Bells are traditionally used in ritual to drive away negativity and protect a space. While you could ring a bell any time the energy gets funky in your

workplace, you can set up a magical tool with a dual purpose: a bell to protect your space and also alert you to customers coming in. If you currently have a bell on your door, you can bless it for protection by applying a little protection oil on it (or make your own with Black Pepper essential oil blended with a carrier oil such as Apricot Kernel oil) as you speak an incantation for protection.

If you don’t have a bell on the door yet, you can make your own set of “witches’ bells” by stringing three bells on yarn, jute or ribbon, and attaching them to a loop or a ring that fits around the handle of your door. A small craft store wreath frame made of grapevines is the perfect rustic door hanger for your witches’ bells. Pass the completed door hanger through protective incense such as mint, eucalyptus, myrrh, sage, or wormwood to empower it as you speak your words of protection that you would like the bells to provide.

Protecting Your Money

Protecting your money can mean different things to different folks. For some, it’s protecting themselves

against fraud; for others it might be making sure their bank accounts are growing instead of shrinking; for still others, it might be all about making sure that they hold onto their business or job.

Whatever money protection means to you, there’s are specific rituals that can keep that money in your pocket and prevent leaks in your financial reservoir.

There are many culinary herbs that grow and protect prosperity. Try planting some of these easy to grow herbs in your garden or craft a little magical window box for abundance with any of the following: Spearmint and peppermint are highly protective herbs that keep negative people and energies away from your money. Thyme is a wonderful herb to protect your money and keep it flowing to you or your business. Basil is great for both protection of a

space and for prosperity. Chamomile, with its little golden centers symbolizing gold coins, is a favorite for bringing in luck and abundance. It is believed that as these plants grow, so will your prosperity and protection. After the plants get established, respectfully take a leaf or two and place it in your wallet amongst your bills to symbolically keep your wallet safe too.

Protecting Your Home

Spiny cactuses, thorny bushes or prickly plants all have a strong energy of protection that can be used for protecting your property. In some African countries as well as in Mexico, Aloe is used as both a good luck talisman and a powerful protector. If you live in a warm climate, you can plant sharp, spiky Aloe Vera plants around your home, or in colder climates, in pots inside your home. Ask the spirit of the plant to help prevent negative people or entities from lurking around your property. Every time you water the plant or wipe down the leaves, you can reinforce that protection wish by speaking it out loud.

Protecting Your Loved Ones

When it comes to protecting our loved ones, we might have some hurdles to overcome. Sometimes, we have kids who don’t want us to fuss over them or partners who may not be interested in magic. If that’s the case, you can still charge them up with a dose of loving protection every time they come home by burning incense in your house. Choose the scent that is most closely aligned with your situation and make sure to choose an incense with real herbs for the best results. Burn cinnamon incense if you need to protect and empower your loved ones. If someone in your house needs extra fierce protection, a dragon’s blood incense made from the dragon palm tree, will provide an extra layer of security. If you’re focusing on protecting health, then a eucalyptus incense will simultaneously clear the energy of those in the home and give support. If

you need to both calm and protect your loved ones (or even bring in a little romance), then a lavender incense will be your new best friend. If you would like to protect your family and also get a little more cooperation around the house, then try a rosemary incense. If you’re aiming to protect the prosperity of those in the home, then a pine incense will do the trick. And finally, you can’t go wrong with the strong spiritual protection and intoxicating fragrance of frankincense.

Protecting from the Evil Eye

The “evil eye” is a belief that a jealous glance can cause harm to the one being looked at whether or not the jealous person intended to send harm. While there are plenty of evil eye charms out there, an old-fashioned method for protecting against a jealous gaze involves using a cat’s eye shell. This special shell is an operculum, or a little round trap door that a turbinidae sea snail uses to safely close up the opening to its shell. Just as it protects the sea snail, it can also protect us when used in spells. Since the

cat’s eye shell resembles an eye, it is ideal as a charm for protecting against the evil eye.

A cat’s eye shell can be carried in a pocket or purse, or in a little charm bag to protect you from harm. You can find jewelry made from cat’s eye shells that is quite beautiful as well as protective. Apply a dot of a protection oil to your cat’s eye shell necklace or earrings when you want to add another level of spiritual security. If you want to bring the power of this magical shell to a space, you can glue some cat’s eye shells over doors and windows in the home or in your business to keep negativity at bay.

Protecting Your Relationship

Protecting your relationship can be approached from a number of ways: strengthening your bond, keeping away people who might try to interfere, and increasing the passion and connection between you and your partner.

You can cook foods the two of you can share that are blessed with that intention and reinforced with edible herbs that have magical powers. Bake cookies with cinnamon for protection, anise to keep away negative people and sugar, honey or molasses to sweeten the feelings between you. Not a fan of sweets? Then share a recipe with garlic, basil, tomato, bay leaf, dill, or onions as the ingredients to powerfully protect and solidify the commitment between you. If you think this sounds like a recipe for pasta sauce, you wouldn’t be wrong – I think those Italian grandmas might know a thing or two about protection magic.

Protecting Your Physical Safety

It goes without saying if you are entering a dangerous space, you should take proper physical precautions,

but if you’d like a little dose of spiritual defense along with your commonsense safety measures, then a magical belt can be a great way to bring it. In Ukrainian culture, a krayka is a traditional belt that is worn to protect the body from physical and spiritual harm. This sash is tied around the waist, but you don’t have to dress up in a costume to get the effects of a magical belt. Any belt you have can be passed through a protective incense to charge it with safety. If you want to go bigger with your belt, attach bells, charms, beads or tiny mirrors to enhance its protective powers. If you don’t normally wear a belt, you can get the same effect by taking a ribbon or piece of yarn, tying nine knots in it and tying it around your waist under your clothing.

Protecting Yourself

One of the best ways to simultaneously protect yourself and shed that negative funk you picked up

from frantic shoppers or cranky customers is through a cleansing bath. Start with a handful of sea salt and a handful of Epsom salt. Add them your bath water along with a drop or two of peppermint essential oil or a few fresh or dried peppermint leaves. Sink into your hot bath with a focus on the intention of releasing any negativity you may have bumped up against and providing protection for the days to come. The peppermint has a quality of not only protecting you from negativity of all kinds, it can also be used to protect your finances – something we all need around the holidays.

Protection Magic

The power of protection is something we might need any time of year, but it can really shine during the holidays. The foundation of any magic spell is the intention of the spellcaster. Keep your mental focus on protection and keeping the people and things that are important to you safe, and add in a few of these spells to reinforce and support those intentions.

Whether you are working your buns off or celebrating in style, incorporating these spells into the flow of your season can set things up for a fabulous new year. •

Playlist

REVIEWS OF GREAT MUSIC TO SELL & ENJOY

Soul Story Improvisations

Peter Kater, Point of Light www.peterkater.com

Just when one might think there is nothing new under the sun, we find out there is, indeed, something new. . . under the piano. “Soul Story Improvisations” by multi-Platinum selling pianist/ composer and two-time Grammy® winner, Peter Kater, is a collection of 9 piano pieces which were improvised while whomever Peter was playing for at the time was lying under his piano. Peter calls these “piano readings.” Refined, graceful, and elegant, with distinctive Peter Kater flair, this is breathtakingly beautiful, contemporary instrumental piano music. Peter has perfectly captured and portrayed the individual “soul stories,” nuances, and rich textures of life. Outstanding.

The

Forests

and Shores of Acadia

Jill Haley, Coranglais www.jillhaley.com

Jill Haley is best known as an English horn player, oboist, pianist, and composer who composes music inspired by her visits to various National Parks. The result is ultra-relaxing, transportive pieces, each delightfully melodic and carefully crafted in every note. This is her 9 th recording, as beautifully composed and impeccably played as all the others. This album is 11 tracks written while Jill was an artist in residence at Acadia National Park in Maine. Jill played oboe/ English horn, piano, and synths here, while guitar and bass were played by David Cullen, and cello by Graham Cullen. Spectacular in every regard.

Physics of Light

Vicente Avella, Pandora’s Boombox Records www.vicenteavela.com

An award-winning recording artist hailing from Caracas, Venezuela, Vicente Avella explores the classic, symbiotic interplay between light and dark in 16 solo piano tracks. An enchanting, and hauntingly beautiful album, the compositions are reflective of this interplay, as well as Vicente’s own life experiences viewed through the “eyes” of the “physics of light.” Excellent use of both upper and lower piano registers creates a wonderful balance throughout. Glowing, radiant even, and soothing to the soul, tracks like, “Ultraviolet,” “Infrared,” and “Penumbra,” help bring us into an easy equilibrium. Melodic and captivating.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: DYAN GARRIS is an award-winning New Age recording artist, award-winning author, and music reviewer, who has recorded and produced 14 albums. Garris’ recordings include a series of independently tested music and meditation CDs that earned The National Health & Wellness Stamp of Approval. Her music is found on Pandora, Spotify, iTunes, SiriusXM, Muzak, Music Choice, airlines, website, and more. Visit www.dyangarrismusic.com to know more.

Books

PRINTFINEPRINT

BY THE EDITOR

A curated selection of new & upcoming releases in body-mind-spirit

The Book of Superstitions: Black Cats, Yellow Flowers, Broken Mirrors, Cracked Sidewalks, and More Cultural Behaviors & Myths Explained by Shelby El Otmani

Published by Cider Mill Press

ISBN: 9781646433704

Pages: 192 I Price $14.95

Unveil the origins of some of the most universal and little known superstitions that have influenced cultures around the world for centuries. Including beliefs that gained a foothold in African and European folklore, notions from ancient Greece, legends of the British Isles, and beyond, this is a captivating read for people of all ages and backgrounds.

The Evil Eye: The History, Mystery, and Magic of the Quiet Curse by Antonio Pagliarulo, foreword by Judika Illes

Published by Red Wheel Weiser

ISBN: 9781578637973

Pages: 224 I Price: $18.95

A practical, modern-day exploration of one of the oldest, most universal, and storied forms of folk magic. The book defines the evil eye and traces its roots into antiquity and across an extraordinary breadth of cultures and traditions, showing readers how to diagnose the evil eye, how to cure it, as well as cast it on others. Plus explores the use of amulets and talismans bearing the “evil eye,” including its remarkable prevalence in popular jewelry designs. Also, includes the history and use of various talismans such as the Hamsa; the Italian cornicello and mano figa; the azabache stone; the Kabbalah red string; mirror pendants; jumble beads; the Assyrian evil eye, and many others.

Initiated: Memoir of a Witch by Amanda

Yates Garcia

Published by Grand Central Publishing

ISBN: 9781538763063

Pages: 368 I Price: $17.99

Descending into the underworlds of poverty, sex work, and misogyny, Initiated describes Amanda’s journey to return to her body, harness her power, and create the magical world she longed for through witchcraft. Hailed by crows, seduced by magicians, and haunted by ancestors broken beneath the wheels of patriarchy, Amanda’s quest for self-discovery and empowerment is a deep exploration of a modern witch’s trials - healing ancient wounds, chafing against cultural expectations, creating intimacy – all while on a mission to re-enchant the world. Peppered with mythology, tales of the goddesses and magical women throughout history, Initiated stands squarely at the intersection of witchcraft and feminism.

Burn After Writing, Magic Stars

by Sharon Jones

Published by Penguin Publishing

ISBN: 9780593543047

Pages: 160 I Price: $11.99

Instagram, WhatsApp, Snapchat, TikTok, VSCO, YouTube...the world has not only become one giant feed, but also one giant confessional. Burn After Writing allows you to spend less time scrolling and more time self-reflecting. Through incisive questions and thought experiments, this journal helps you learn new things while letting others go.

Help your heart by turning off the comments and muting the accounts that drive you into jealousy for a few moments a night. Whether you are going through the ups and downs of growing up, or know a few young people who are, you will flourish by finding free expression—even if through a few tears!

Push your limits, reflect on your past, present, and future, and create a secret book that’s about you, and just for you. This is not a diary, and there is no posting required. And when you’re finished, toss it, hide it, or Burn After Writing.

Five Sixth Sense Objects to Sell this Holiday Season

TIS THE MOST MAGICAL SEASON FOR RETAILERS – holiday sales time! Share this magic with your customers by showcasing your divination products for their gift giving needs. These stimulating tools assist your customers in awakening intuition, speaking to Spirit and tapping into the wisdom of the Universe. Prepare for the largest retailer sales extravaganza of the year by offering a diverse selection in your establishment.

Beginner’s Objects

Steer your customers that are dipping their toes into divination for the first time to these tools to raise Spiritual awareness and to unlock their intuitive skills:

1.

Pendulums – Pendulums are super fun and easy objects to use for any age or skill level. They are made from crystals, stones, wood, metals, beach glass and gemstones. Pendulums provide yes or no answers to a seeker’s basic questions about their current and future life. One may even connect to Spirit with a pendulum! Your customers that are beginners to an intuitive life will

enjoy mastering a pendulum. Up sell by promoting the velvet pendulum reading mat and pouches, or the guidebooks to using pendulums

2.Dowsing Rods – These simple and uncomplicated rods have been in use for centuries to locate water, Spirits and lost objects. Dowsing Rods are made of metal or wood – the most popular version is made out of copper. The seeker holds a pair in their hands and begins to walk and play the old game of “hot and cold.” When the seeker moves closer to the item of their search, the dowsing rods begin to move. Showcase these to paranormal teams and mediums, plus your intuitive beginners. Supplemental sales can be made by offering the leather or velvet rod pouches, plus books explaining how to work the rods.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: MELINDA CARVER is a Spiritual Business Expert and an award-winning author, psychic medium and speaker. She is the president of the Church of Radiant Lights located in Cleveland, Ohio. Visit www.PsychicMelinda.webs.com to learn more.

Intermediate Objects

Guide your customers that are seeking predictive tool, Universal messages and interactions with all Spirit forms to these tools:

3.

Tarot & Oracle Decks – Divination decks remain a top selling item in retail, landing right behind crystals and jewelry. Tarot is the very detail oriented version of a Left Brain – it focuses on the here and now and also predicts the future. For customers in search of clarity on timing, life issues and future events, suggest Tarot. Oracles are the gentle, arty version of the Right Brain – connecting to Spirit and Universal energies. For customers seeking gentle guidance and messages for the way forward, suggest Oracles. Supplement your deck sales by offering deck bags and card spread sheets, and carry a large assortment of learning Tarot books.

4.

Spirit Boards – Also known as Ouija boards, are experiencing growth with many companies coming out with themed art boards to attract new seekers. The artwork may vary, but Spirit boards feature an alphabet with a planchette to move across the board to spell out words from the deceased or higher level spirits. Some customers may be very wary of these boards, it is best to sell these to experienced intuitive customers rather than to beginners. People need to be careful of which spirits they interact with when using this divination tool. Special tablecloths featuring celestial designs would be a great add-on to this sale.

Advanced Objects

Suggest these tools to your customers that yearn to deepen their divination abilities or are seeking a challenge to their skill set:

5.

Crystal Balls & Scrying Mirrors – These divination tools allow the seeker to focus their Sixth Sense into the depths of a crystal to connect to Universal energies. Quartz crystal balls change colors in the light as the seeker gazes into them. Scrying Mirrors, usually obsidian, also provide a focal point to clear the mind and awaken intuitive thoughts. Point your crystal aficionados towards these tools this holiday season. Customers will be more willing to purchase these objects when they have a stand to hold the ball or mirror while working with them, so add wood, metal or plastic stands to your inventory.

Sixth Sense objects are the gateway for your customers to tap into universal intelligent energy, to predict the outcome of the issues in their life, and to feel a connection to oneness.

Their desire for this knowledge is at their fingertips when they utilize divination tools. May you prosper this holiday season! •

Advertiser

PROTECTION

Beyond Words

503-531-8700 I www.beyondword.com

Celtic Art Store

909-273-5285 I www.celticartstore.net

Coventry Creations

800-810-3837 I www.coventrywholesale.com

Crystal Earth Studio

866-345-1910 I www.crystalearthstudio.com

Crystalya www.crystalya.com

Esprit Creations 01,22 352-316-6130 I www.espritcreations.com 914 375-6100 I bob@fantgift.com

Gaia’s World 678-918-8403 I www.gaiasworld.com

Gifts of Nature www.giftsofnaturethestore.com

Goddess Design Studio www.goddessdesignstudio.com

Inner Traditions

800-246-8648 I www.innertraditions.com

Llewellyn Publications 877-639-97-53 I www.llewellyn.com

Mandala Arts 64

800-344-8072 I www.mandalaarts.com

New Leaf Distributing 800-326-2665 I www.newleaf-dist.com

Parlour of Wonders www.parlourofwonders.com/wholesale Psycards www.psycardsusa.com

Raiders of the Lost Art

800-527-4367 I www.raiderocks.com

Sanchi & Filia Designs

917-544-6425 www.sanchiandfiliapdesigns.com

Sequoia Records 04

800-657-0975 I www.sequoiarecords.com

Social Light

772-567-7887 I www.sociallighters.com

Soundings of the Planet

800-937-3223 I www.soundings.com

“What drains your spirit drains your body. What fuels your spirit fuels your body."

― Caroline Myss