Vision 6

Vision

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Competitions are open to all residents of the UK aged 18 or over except employees of Vision Magazine Ltd, their families, contributors, its printers and anyone else connected to the competition. There is no cash alternative unless otherwise stated. The editor’s decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into.

A

s we enjoy the hazy days of summer, it is only fair that we examine an ancient culture which stems from a continent renowned for its sun, sea and surf – Australia.

The Australian aborigines are one of the oldest civilizations on earth and their rich and diverse culture is almost on a par with the Native Americans.

Discover their spiritual beliefs and origins (P18), the significance of the didgeridoo (P22), traditions such as face

painting (P30), art (P35) and dance (P54).

Plus learn all about faeries (P6), read about author Hazel Courteney’s search for scientific evidence of the sixth sense (P8) and discover Bush Flower Essences (P50).

Don’t miss the chance to win a place on a Champneys spa break (P45), or the new game Gift of Enlightenment.

So crack out those shades as the spiritual sun is here to stay.

Clare Editor

Letters

Each letter published will receive a copy of Pure Calm from the Pure Series worth £10.95, courtesy of New World Music. Let Stuart Jones’s fluidity and perfection on keyboards clear your mind.

The Star Letter will win four titles from the Pure series including Pure Calm, Pure Dreaming, Pure Love & Light and Pure Tranquility - worth a total of £43.80.

For further information and a free catalogue, contact New World Music on 01986 891600, or visit www.newworldmusic.com We reserve the right to edit letters.

Star Letter Creative angel Thank you for your lovely magazine. I’ve read all the issues and each of the themes have been close to my heart.

All the subjects are helping me as I am currently writing a book on religious beliefs.

I have enclosed a poem I wrote when I asked for guidance, which is where the idea for my book came from. It has really helped me and I would like it to help other people: Why is the world so fearful, angry and sad, When there’s such beauty, love and joy to be had?

Why does the world perceive everyone as distrustful and bad, When in reality everyone is equal, so united we should be glad.

Each soul on this place we call earth, Is here for one reason – to realize our true worth.

But we strayed off the path that leads to true love, That comes to us in answer to prayers on the wings of a dove.

Forget all your troubles, worries and tears, Pack up the thoughts you’ve kept for years.

Let go of anything that came from fears, Get control of your life through adjusting your gears.

Forget about time and earthly pleasures, Look in yourself for the greatest of treasures.

Anna-Maria, Kent.

Career inspiration Thank you Vision magazine – you have given me the inspiration to become a journalist!

All of you have put together a great magazine.

What makes it interesting is that you don’t just stick to one subject, you cover many, and that’s what I like about your magazine.

You have shown me the light at the end of the tunnel and I am now looking for a job in journalism!

Jaymie Thomas Smith, the Wirral.

Egyptian explanations Your April issue was brilliant. It explained a great deal about a papyrus I have at home. As I read the articles about ancient Egypt it was like the pieces of the jigsaw had fallen into place, especially the articles by Peter Lancett.

From his article on the magical paper papyrus, I can see the criss-cross pattern of the thin strips of fibre quite clearly on my papyrus. There is the pharoah’s name, Tutankhamun, and a cartouche depicting a scarab on the left-hand side of the papyrus – what a spellbinding little insect the scarab is.

Peter made all its symbolism so understandable and relevant. Then Cordelia Brabbs’ article about Egyptian deities clarified the inclusion of the jackal-headed god of the dead, Anubis, on our papyrus. The image depicts one of the treasures found in Tutankhamun’s tomb, which finally linked in with Antonia Behan’s article. If future issues of Vision are as interesting and informative, you have a winner on your hands.

Mr S Whymark, Chorley, Lancs.

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P8 A divine journey -

Hazel Courteney’s search for scientific proof of a sixth sense

P6 Away with the faeries P11 Visionaries P14 Write on cue: automatic writing P16 Experiences Explained

And the rest...

P26 Destiny Doctors P44 Competitions P75 Subscriptions P76 Reviews P82 Day Tripper

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P18 Living in the Dreamtime P22 The sound of creation: didgeridoos P24 The shaman spirit

P40 Call of the wolf: meet healer/channeller Simon Wolf

P28 Claircognizance P30 Putting on a brave face: aboriginal masks and face painting P32 In tune with totems P35 Aboriginal artistic flair P39 Spirit of the landscape: readers’ divination methods P42 Visions of the ancestors P43 Dream Directory

P47 A human bridge of healing light: healer Shabdan P50 Beneficial bush tucker: Bush Flower Essences P52 Shaman stones P54 A Corroboree culture: aborigine dance P56 Heal Your Pet P58 Coven Corner

P60 Written in the stars - aborigine astrology P63 Horoscopes -

your September forecasts

by James

Christie Vision 6

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Faeries have long been thought of as something only children believe in. Author Alicen Geddes-Ward (pictured), ‘the UK’s leading exponent on faeries’ explains their spiritual significance and how we can all contact them.

I

have always believed in faeries. I continued to place a belief in them when as a child my parents told me that the tooth faerie did not exist.

The tooth faerie may in fact be our parents, but the faeries I continued to believe in are the beings that are the living consciousness of the earth.

Open your heart to the belief in faeries and they can take you on a wonderful journey of discovery and touch every part of your life.

Faeries are an aspect of the divine and are the intelligent embodiments of nature. They are the sacred custodians of the land, the keepers of the trees, the whisper on the breeze, the guardians of the sea and the spark in a fire.

Faerie is the name given to describe all those beings that dwell in Faerie Land and they belong to four main groups. The elemental faeries are the spirits of nature which dwell in every living thing upon the earth. They are known as the sylphs of air, the undines of water, the salamanders of fire and the gnomes of the earth.

The Faerie People are a race of magical beings, some of whom are thought to be descended from gods, others are said to be blessed humans, who had a special connection to the fey (Faerie Land) in their earthly lives and after death have continued their work in the realm of faeries. These are the faeries we hear of in legend and they dwell in faerie hills, islands or mounds concealed beneath the sea or enchanted lakes. They live in faerie courts presided over by fey kings and queens and these Faerie People are known as the Trooping Faeries.

The other types of Faerie People are known as the Solitary Faeries and are the peasantry beings of Faerie Land.

Magical creatures are also faerie beings, although many people would not instantly place them in this

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realm. They take on such forms as unicorns, centaurs and dragons. Some humans are also considered to be aligned to the faerie race. They are people naturally bestowed with psychic, empathic, compassionate or creative gifts from the faeries. They are known as Faerie Enchanters or Enchantresses and they are ambassadors for the faerie realm, helping them in many ways.

are an aspect “ofFaeries the divine and are

The faeries’ quest Faeries are here to remind humans of our spiritual connection to nature and how we can all discover a deeper relationship with the earth.

The faerie realms at the present time are drawing nearer to the human race they wish to reach out to us, partly because of the jeopardy of our planet. By seeking connections with faeries, we remember our relationship to the spiritual consciousness of the earth and raise our vibrations as a planet and as humans.

How to make contact Seeing a faerie is very rare, we are much more likely to experience them through impressions given to us in meditations and visualizations, dreams and even daydreams.

There are also favourable times to experience messages from the fey, as they are

the intelligent embodiments of nature.

”

known to contact us especially at between times, some of these are: dawn, midday, dusk and midnight.

Contacting faeries is an act which should always come from the

heart. The best way to build a relationship with them is to create a faerie altar. This can be in the home or garden and is a special place which is devoted to contact with the fey.

The faerie altar can be decorated to reflect the changing of the seasons, rather like a nature table.

Common adornments for faerie altars are swathes of muslin, moss, crystals, candles, feathers and seashells. Little bowls can also be left on the altar containing gifts for the faeries.

Whenever you leave a faerie a gift, you reach from your heart to Faerie Land and they will receive the message.

Their favourite things are honey, cake, butter, cream and milk.

Letters and poems of thoughts, wishes and prayers can also be left on the altar for the faeries to receive.

After creating a faerie altar, meditation and visualization are the next steps.

When we meditate we build a sparkling bridge to Faerie Land with our imagination. The faeries’ realm exists partly in the same place that our imagination does. This is why young children, who still live in their own imaginative world, are well-known for interacting with the faeries. Nurture your daydreams and creativity once more can help you to make contact with ‘The Little People’.

Here is a simple visualization for you to try: Relax in a comfortable sitting position and close your eyes.

Imagine a meadow in summer with tall grasses, poppies, oxeye daisies and buttercups swaying in the light breeze.

Now imagine beautiful orbs of small coloured lights hovering above the flowers. These are known as faerie lights and are the fey in their purest form.

Relax within this calm and beautiful scene for as long as you wish. In this simple way, you have connected directly with the faeries.

Communication is the key and after a while the faeries will make themselves known in their special ways, and always when you are least expecting it! All you have to do is ask the faeries to guide you, use your creativity and trust in your intuition.

Th book Faeriecraft: Treading the Path of Faerie Magic (Hay House) by Alicen and Neil Geddes-Ward is available now, turn to p77 for a review.

Visit www.hayhouse.co.uk or Alicen’s website at www.faeriecraft.co.uk for more details.

All images © Neil Geddes-Ward.

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A divinee

Hazel Courteney’s world was turned upside down when she went through a near-death experience and tuned into the spirit of the late Princess Diana.

Clare Sheridan talks to the award-winning journalist about her subsequent search for scientific proof for the sixth sense.

H

azel Courteney could never have imagined the amazing journey she has been on in the past 7 years. From award-winning health journalist to spiritually enlightened person in the space of a few moments – she would never look at life in the same way again.

A routine shopping trip to Harrods in Easter 1998 turned into a lifechanging moment for her: “It was just an ordinary day. I walked into the turnstile situated at the entrance to the bread hall, but it wouldn’t go forward or back. Then a volcano erupted inside me,” she said.

“I was so disorientated. I could hear various voices in my head and I knew they were not from me. One voice said ‘See a doctor now’. I felt like my chest was being crushed. I thought I was dying – having a heart attack,” said the 56-year-old wife and mother.

The doctors found nothing wrong with her. However, paranormal phenomena suddenly became a part of her everyday life: “I started levitating, my eyes changed colour, I became telepathic and I even manifested ash through my hands – my husband freaked out!

“My energy field was so powerful that lightbulbs shattered and the TV changed channels when I was near. I now believe that my kundalini energy (mystical energy stored at the base of the spine) blew open in that turnstile.”

Awareness “What a monk might go through over a period of 30 years, happened to me in seconds and neither my mind nor my body were prepared. It was like being plugged into the ultimate computer that contains all knowledge. Anything I wanted to know in the moment I needed to know it – I knew!” she said.

“I experienced a hugely

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Hazel Courteney.

heightened awareness of all the senses. I could see other dimensions and people who had died. The shock was too much and with a medical doctor present I actually left my physical body at one point.”

She also heard messages from a departed royal, Princess Diana: “Before this happened, I’d started to get one or two messages from an expert in psychic phenomena, Dr Richard Lawrence. He said you’ll never believe who wants to work with you – the late Princess Diana!

Other mediums said the same thing but I took no notice.”

But Hazel was forced by events to take notice after Easter 1998. Her spiritual ‘awakening’ had turned into a crisis, it was so powerful: “I asked Diana directly what had happened to me and she said that the Spirit world had decided to make my experience dramatic – she said it was called ‘Divine Intervention’ – hence the name of the book!

“She told me I had agreed before I re-incarnated in this lifetime to go through that really dramatic experience. For a few months afterwards I was still very psychic, but 85 per cent of it went away in an instant.”

Thankfully her knowledge of nutrition was part of what helped ground her and bring her back to ‘reality’. But when Hazel recorded her experiences in the book Divine Intervention, her

reputation as an alternative health journalist took a beating. “The first book destroyed my credibility as a health journalist. But then all sorts of weird synchronicities happened and I have taken it to the next level,” she said.

Now her follow-up book, Evidence for the Sixth Sense: Divine Intervention 2, charts Hazel’s scientific search for an explanation of what happened to her. Through an amazing series of synchronicities, Hazel has had the fortune to work or interview several eminent scientists around the world.

Experiments She took part in Professor Gary Schwartz’s Afterlife Experiments in Arizona and psychiatry professor Stanislav Grof explained the difference between a spiritual awakening and psychosis. She even consulted biophysicist Harry Oldfield and witnessed first-hand how our full energy imprints can remain with the body even after limbs have been lost: “Stanislav has been studying spiritual emergency situations for more than 50 years. These people know what they are talking about.”

Her investigations unearthed proof that consciousness does survive physical death, evidence of energy patterns of ghosts and the science behind miracles! “The most mind-blowing thing for me was interviewing neurologist Dr Fred Travis in America – they can now scientifically measure the brainwaves of people who claim to be enlightened.

They now have proof of higher forms of consciousness,” she said.

“It’s about total coherence of the brain. When a person knows they are well, every cell of the body can heal in an instant. Automatically cells become coherent too. An enlightened person is coherent all the time.”

journey

“

I started levitating, my eyes changed colour, I became telepathic and I even manifested ash through my hands!

”

Her search took her to India to meet with spiritual gurus including Sai Baba and Satguru Shree Shivkrupanandji who have themselves, performed ‘miracles’, and these experiences all led her to one conclusion: “We all create our own reality. I’ve witnessed how I could heal myself instantly first-hand. We are all so much more than we think we are.”

She believes that a positive outlook is the key. Her experiences have so inspired her that she hopes her book will help others going through similar experiences: “It’s amazing how many people all over the world are going through their own unique awakenings,” she said. “This affects people’s lives.

Their families may not be open to it and some people are sectioned. But with the right help, so many people’s lives could turn out so differently. I’ve tried to validate what so many people are going through so they know they’re not crazy.

I have lived through that experience.”

So with talk of Divine Intervention being turned into a Hollywood film, will there be a Divine 3?

“My outlook now is to spend the rest of my life teaching others what I have learned,” said Hazel. “I’m being contacted by scientists from all over the world with phenomena they want me to see. When it’s right there will definitely be a Divine Intervention 3!”

Turn to p76 for a review of Evidence for the Sixth Sense and p75 for our exclusive subscription offer.

Visit www.hazelcourteney.com

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Call 0113 286 6557

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The time: A wet summer’s evening.

The place: Mother Shipton’s Cave & Petrifying Well, Knaresborough, North Yorkshire.

The Visionaries: Diana Jarvis, Rachel Lacy, Georgia Mead & Nance Turner.

by Nance Turner

H

ello and welcome once again to another Visionaries monthly Vigil. This time we paid a visit to the Mother Shipton’s Cave in the North Yorkshire town of Knaresborough.

Mother Shipton was England’s most famous prophetess and was born in the infamous cave. The geological phenomenon that is The Petrifying Well is England’s oldest visitor attraction - it has been open since 1630. Both attractions lie in the heart of the ancient site of Knaresborough Forest.

Mother Shipton’s Cave

Georgia, Nance, Rachel & Di.

On first entering the cave, Di sensed the presence of a female, who she described as very insightful and intelligent. Di felt that this lady was very good at reading people but may have had a problem with her eyes. Di also picked up on a porthole next to the statue of Mother Shipton, which had some very prickly energy around it. When we used the dowsing rods, the rods crossed over when we were near the statue.

When I entered the cave I started to feel quite sick, and felt a pain in my stomach, but I also felt happy and wanted to burst into song! There was a very strange atmosphere indeed. I also picked up on a

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lady who decided to tell me off! She shook a finger at me, and in a serious tone said she didn’t like people taking the mickey! She said that she was too young to understand, and wished she had been around longer, and that she was annoyed about all the fairytales and stories that had been written about her. She wished that things had happened differently. At this point I got very emotional and overwhelmed and just wanted to cry. I also picked up a connection to the Knights Templar.

When Georgia entered the cave she picked up on some people huddled together, singing and praying. She did not get a good feeling. She felt trapped and uncomfortable, and sensed lots of women and children. Georgia felt that these people had starved and had maybe been there for protection, perhaps during the Second World War.

Walk at the top of the cave As we walked around, Di picked up on a beautifully dressed lady from the 18th Century, and the name Maud, who it

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Above: the Petrifying Well with items people have left behind to be preserved by the water; Below: Could this be a spirit light captured on 35mm film inside Mother Shipton’s Cave?

Top left and opposite page: walkways between the two locations.

seemed was a bit of a tease where men where concerned. She rode a horse and had a title, although Di couldn’t quite make out what it was. Di also sensed a possible connection to King James II. When I walked down the path all I could pick up on was lots of people in Victorian dress, circa 1830s. There was a calm atmosphere. Many of the women wore bustles and the men had top hats.

Georgia sensed that the area had once been a hiding place for smugglers or bandits. She had a strong sense that lots of people had used the place for illegal activities. She saw people running down the hill into the water. She also felt that the trees on the walk were a marker for a

meeting place, and felt that whoever was here, the river was very powerful for them. Georgia also sensed some kind of connection with the crusades, and had the feeling that to live on the other side of the river was a better option.

Wishing Well When Di was stood near the wishing well, she felt calm and comfortable. But suddenly she was seized by an agonising pain in her left wrist, her hand then went claw like, as if crippled with arthritis. Di then got the feeling that a gentleman who had died of a stroke or a heart attack was near – she felt more pain, this time down her left side.

When I stood near the well, I also felt calm. I could also sense someone on the steps leading to the well, which was a female presence, but I couldn’t understand why she just stood there. I then felt pressure on my head – this was not an unpleasant feeling, just a strong energy. It could possibly have been the female on the stairs. I also picked up on smuggling and people hiding in the nearby woods, as they wouldn’t be found there. I didn’t get the feeling that they were pirates. I think there had always been activity in this area and it had always meant something to someone.

Again like Di, I got pains – particularly a stabbing sensation in my left shoulder. It felt like someone wanted to pin me to the floor – it felt very weird.

When Georgia entered the well, she said that she couldn’t look up, and again sensed people in hiding. The entire area

was a hiding place, but she didn’t know what they were hiding from.

Georgia sensed that the location had a lot of rumours and folklore attached to it, and felt that much of it wasn’t true – just there to scare people away.

When we tested the dowsing rods in the well area they crossed again indicating that there was a concentration of energy in that area.

Waterfall When I stood in front of the waterfall I sensed that at some point there had been a medieval settlement nearby, maybe dating back to the iron or bronze age. It was a contained settlement: the houses were round with pointy roofs. There had been 5 or 6 big houses, with more women than men in the population. The dwellings appeared to be very close they lived on flat or open land, made crafts and wore plain but rough clothes.

Equipment The gauze meter showed no significant readings and the trigger objects we used in the cave didn’t move. We tried to use Di’s pendulum, however, it kept falling off the chain and eventually smashed.

So there you have it my friends, a varied report. However, who knows what else might be lurking within the woods near Mother Shipton’s Cave?!

Once again we would like to thank the generosity of Liz and Adrian Sayers for letting us hold our vigil there.

History of Mother Shipton’s Cave & the Petrifying Well Rachel Lacy unearths the legend behind the birthplace of England’s most famous prophetess.

Ursula Sontheil (aka Mother Shipton) was born in 1488 in a cave near Knaresborough, the illegitimate daughter of 15-year-old Agatha, who was financially supported before and after Ursula’s birth, possibly by Ursula’s unknown father Stories were told of poltergeist-type activity which centred around her as a child, which she had control over. Known to be an intelligent woman, although possibly deformed, she married Toby Shipton in 1512 thus becoming Mother Shipton (mother was a customary title at the time). The marriage was childless. She died in 1561 and was buried at Clifton near York. Her gravestone was later taken to a York museum, but has long since disappeared.

Cardinal Wolsley sent the Duke of Suffolk to question her. He allegedly threatened to burn her at the stake for witchcraft, however, in England witches were not burned (they were hanged).

Her book of prophecies was first published in 1641. Until then her prophecies were passed down through word of mouth. Joanne Waller, who would have been a young girl in Mother Shipton’s later years, retold the first published ones.

A number of her prophecies were proved later to be fakes, including the famous one predicting the end of the world in 1881, later amended to 1991. It was actually written by Charles Hindley in the middle of the 19th Century. She did, however, prophesise that “The world shall end when the High Bridge is thrice fallen”. This particular bridge, which crossed the River Nidd in Knaresborough, has already fallen twice.

The area was inhabited by the Celtic Isurium Brigantum tribe 2,000 years ago, although their huts were usually solitary

they had a few towns were several huts would be grouped together, such as at their headquarters at nearby Aldborough.

The Knights Templar were a Christian military order formed to protect the new Kingdom of Jerusalem from its hostile neighbours and also protect any European pilgrims who travelled there. In the early 13th century Robert de Ros gave his manor of Ribston and much other land near Knaresborough to the knights, where they had the Chapel of St Andrew. The Chapel of Our Lady of the Crag, near the Low Bridge, is guarded by a knight (possibly a Templar).

In 17th and 18th century England, smuggled goods were common, especially alcohol and tobacco but also tea, coffee, silk and printed matter with smugglers operating not just on the coast. The River Nidd joins the Ure about ten miles to the east of Knaresborough, becoming the River Ouse, which eventually joins the Humber.

River trade was went as far as Knaresborough certainly into the 14th century.

In the early 12th Century St Robert, born Robert Flower in 1160, lived as a hermit in a riverside cave on the outskirts of Knaresborough.

The Petrifying Well, formerly known as the Dropping Well, is one of only a handful of similar waterfalls, but it is unique in the speed at which it petrifies objects left hanging in the stream of water. It belonged to the crown, and only went on public display in 1630. Around this time it was examined and the water was declared to be a cure for any “Flux of the Body”.

A ferry used to run to the Dropping Well so the public could access from the water as well as the land.

When the Black Death swept the country in Tudor times and in the 17th Century, it touched just about everywhere in Britain except west Wales, Cumbria and the odd part of northern Scotland.

NEXT MONTH: The Visionaries visit Avebury stone circle and the Red Lion pub.

The park is open annually from March 1 – October 31. Admission is £5.50 per adult, £4.50 for senior citizens and £3.75 for children (admission free for under-5s).

Visit www.mothershiptonscave.com for more details or call 01423 864600.

Would YOU like the chance to take part in a Visionaries’ vigil? Do you have the nerve to stay up all night in a haunted location? If you think you’ve got what it takes, email your reasons to visionaries@visionmagazine.uk.com and you could become part of the team for a night!

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Diana Jarvis examines the phenomena of automatic writing.

T

he skills of the psychic have fascinated the public for centuries.

They are many and varied. No two psychics will work in exactly the same fashion or use the same method to pass on information from the Spirit world.

Perhaps one of the least known and least used skills in the 21st Century is that of automatic writing – that was not the case in Victorian times. The Victorian era was the birthplace of Spiritualism, a faith system which still flourishes in many towns in Britain.

Automatic writing is a method of communication, allegedly from the Spirit world, that is conducted by the writer in an altered state of consciousness. A pen, or more often, pencil is held lightly in the hand and the psychic will trance or simply ‘tune in’.

With practice, the pen or pencil will move of its own accord, or sometimes, the messages will come into the psychic’s head seconds after the word is written.

Very often the writing is in a hand completely unlike the writer and even more often, the writer will not know what they have written.

One of the most famous cases of channelling through automatic writing is that of Pearl Curran. Pearl was an American housewife from St Louis who had little education. In 1913 Pearl started taking tea with her mother and her mother’s friend, Mrs Hutchings. They had dabbled with the Ouija a few times but with no luck.

One day their luck changed.

“Many moons ago I lived. Again I come.

Patience Worth is my name.” From this and other sessions on the Ouija, ‘Patience’ described herself as a woman who had lived in ‘Dorsetshire, England’ in either 1649 or 1694 (the pointer had marked both those dates). She spoke using old English, using ‘thee’, ‘thou’ and ‘ye’. The more Pearl and her companions used the Ouija, the more they learned about Patience. They also learned that it was Pearl that Patience seemed to be attached to, as no matter who sat at the table, as long as Pearl was there the messages would come.

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Pearl was fascinated with the messages being received and spent more and more time on the Ouija, until she reached a point where she realised that the messages were coming too fast for anyone to write down. But she no longer needed the board as the sentences seemed to form in her mind before they came out. She began to dictate messages from Patience and then to write them herself using either a pencil or a typewriter!

For the next 25 years, Patience dictated a total of around 400,000 words. They included novels, a play, poems and short works, many of which were published to critical acclaim.

“

The pen or pencil will move of its own accord, or sometimes, the messages will come into the psychic’s head seconds after the word is written.

”

Pearl attracted the attention of many, and she and her husband graciously entertained strangers in their home allowing them to see her ‘dictating’ – they never charged a penny. Much of the material that came from Patience was so archaic and contained words and objects that hadn’t been in use for hundreds of years, that it seems unlikely that Pearl was faking it, with her very limited education.

When Pearl was dictating, words came into her head and images would appear. She would see the details of each scene. Often the perspective of the scene was from above, or to the side, in some cases she felt she was in the scene as an onlooker. She always felt she was part of it, and became familiar with

17th Century items she could never have known about.

What is unusual about Pearl is that, unlike many users of the automatic writing technique, she could carry on taking tea or smoking and still dictate Patience’s words. She did not seem to need to sink into any kind of trance and was always aware of her surroundings.

Many tried to debunk Pearl’s writings as Patience but no-one was ever able to prove her a fraud. But neither could they prove the existence of Patience either.

However, most have agreed that it is extremely unlikely that a woman of little education who was not well travelled or well read could have come up with such a remarkable series of works.

An eminent American classical scholar

examined some of the works of ‘Patience’ and found that there weren’t any words used in any of the works after the 17th Century and that 90 per cent of them were derived from Anglo Saxon. As with most cases in the paranormal field, we will never know if the works of Patience Worth were really those of the discarnate spirit of a 17th Century English woman, or if a housewife in St Louis was just trying to make a name for herself in literary circles, but without doubt, the story will continue to fascinate.

If you would like to try automatic writing yourself, try the following exercise: Say a prayer and/or visualize your aura enlarging before you start; Find a place to work where you will

not be disturbed or distracted. Take the phone off the hook and switch off your mobile; Take a few moments to clear your mind; Put the pen or pencil to the paper; Try not to consciously write anything.

Allow your mind to stay clear and let the pen/pencil move if it will. It seems to work better if you almost forget it is there!

Avoid looking at the paper, or keep your eyes closed; When you feel ‘done’, stop; If you have not had any luck, don’t give up! Try again at another time; Don’t just look for clear writing but look for numbers, single letters and pictures too;

Be aware that this technique, as with the Ouija board, may produce negative results. If you are not able to deal with this, don’t start. Protect yourself psychically and if you don’t know how, read up on it or don’t do it. If you want to try but start to get a negative message . . . stop!

With any psychic technique, just as in day-to-day living, you may ‘meet’ someone unpleasant. They may wish to scare you or upset you just for fun. Don’t take things at face value and don’t let them get to you.

If you don’t think you can cope – don’t give them the opportunity in the first place!

Be safe and have fun.

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Diana Jarvis explains your weird experiences.

Puzzling photograph I have a photo of my niece, Lauren, and little granddaughter Kayla taken at a birthday party. There are some orbs in this picture, one of which is very bright. However, the puzzling point is at the left side of Kayla - there appears to be a face with an orb on it - could it be a shadow?

It may well be a flaw in the picture. I took it with a digital camera. I know children have Spirit with them. Can you explain it?

Eleanor, Carnoustie, Scotland.

Diana says: The small white sphere in the picture appears to be moving and if I didn't know better I may assume it was a table tennis ball! On closer inspection it quite obviously isn't. I, along with many others, have a healthy disrespect for most orbs, but moving ones are another matter. Also, the general appearance of this orb does seem similar to those that are alleged to be ‘real’. My gut instinct is that you do have a paranormal photo here, and from the swift movement I think it's likely that you ‘scared’ it! Orbs often move away from cameras and seem to hate flashes.

A watchful eye When I was three, I lived in an old terraced house. A tall man used to stand under the bedroom light at night, he was dressed like the Sandeman Port advert (Zorro-style silhouette, for those of us not old enough to remember – Ed).

When I got married, the Sandeman Port man visited my mum in a dream and said that my husband would take care of me so she shouldn’t worry. Do you think he is my guardian angel or just a spirit who lived with us?

Pam Wassell, Birmingham.

Diana says: I would certainly think he is watching over you. He could very well be either and is probably both! My own feeling is that he was attached to the property but took a shine to you and has kept an eye on you in the Spirit realm. He may still be attached to the site of the building, but he can visit. He may still be with you, but now you’re older you may find it harder to see/feel him. Think of him as your guardian angel. Talk to him and see if he will tell you more.

Sudden spirit A few weeks ago something happened which unnerved me. I had my eyes closed but was awake. Suddenly, I saw a door in front of my face. It opened and a man put his head around the door, smiled, backed out and shut the door. It took seconds but it made me jump! How can I stop this happening again? Who are the faces which flash before me and why are they coming to me? I would love to see my family who have passed over, why don’t I see them?

I enjoyed the angel meditation on your free CD. I didn’t meet angels but I saw an African man who told me he was a new guide who would be working with me. He gave me a pearl – I think pearls are for wisdom?

Pauline Simpkiss, Birmingham.

Diana says: The man you saw was probably a spirit guide! The hypnogogic state (between sleeping/waking/daydreaming) is when our brainwaves drop to a level where our brain dumps excess – a bit like ‘think waste’. We become closer in ‘wavelength’ to the Spirit world.

Many images will be brain ‘rubbish’, we all get this. However, if we stay in this meditative state we may experience Spirit.

Psychics ‘tune in’ by doing this.

Spirits come when they come, you may well see your family yet!

Pearls are wisdom or tears. I think that to gain wisdom you have to shed tears so if you’ve been given a pearl, your tears may be over. The pearl is also symbol of the divine.

If you would like to share your experiences, send them to Diana Jarvis at the Vision address or email: experiencesexplained@visionmagazine.uk.com Please give as many details as possible – tell us what you saw, how you felt, and what you sensed etc. We reserve the right to edit letters.

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+44(0)207 5264804 www.patriciamilner.com

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Michael Looking Coyote traces the roots of the Australian aborigines.

This page: Karijini National Park, Western Australia; Opposite page, top: aboriginal rock paintings at Kakadu Park, the northern territories; Opposite bottom: the aborignal flag.

Landscape images Š Shari Timms.

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o-one knows the true origins of Australia’s aboriginal peoples.

Theories abound, but hard facts are extremely hard to establish.

Nevertheless, a sojourn into the ancient history of Australia may provide us with clues that will at least give us some pointers.

For the last 680,000,000 years continental Australia has been on its travels. It has witnessed frozen wastes and tropical climates, plus high and low sea levels, as it has slowly but persistently floated around the globe. Currently, Australia is taking a well-earned rest and has settled in well with its nearby neighbours, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea. Bordered by the Pacific, Southern and Indian Oceans, Australia is separated from the rest of Oceania.

However, the cultures of numerous peoples have managed to traverse the seas and stamp their mark on a continent which is second only to Antarctica for its inherent harshness.

Origins

There are two basic theories as to where the aborigines came from. In one scenario, they were all descended from one group of settlers who came from ‘no-one knows where’. In another – the ‘tri-hybrid’ theory – Australia was populated by two or even three successive waves of people from different biological and cultural backgrounds.

There is a suggestion – hotly disputed – that the first ‘wave’ of settlers were small, pygmy-type people who were later named ‘Negritos’ due to their dark skin and black, tightly-curled hair. Their origin is uncertain, but they are believed to have arrived in Australia between 60 and 70,000 years ago at the latest.

“

Like Native American spirituality, Australian aboriginal spirituality comes in many forms.

A second influx comprised of smaller, lighter-skinned people from Asia 40,000 years later. According to the theory, these newcomers (sometimes called the Spear Warriors) displaced the ‘Negritos’ into the rainforests of North Queensland, Tasmania and New Guinea.

A third wave of settlers, nicknamed ‘Carpentarians’ by anthropologists, arrived 6,000 years later. These hunter-gatherer types were also of uncertain origin.

The problem is that there is little hard evidence to back up the ‘tri-hybrid’ theory, plausible though it may seem. However, the fact is that the scattered aboriginal communities in Australia do differ widely in skin colour, stature and physiognomy. What the experts have always argued over is whether these variations have occurred because of millennia of separation, or because they are all descended from different ancestors.

Further DNA testing, linked with other types of research, should help settle matters. However, the aborigines themselves much prefer to think of themselves as ‘one people’, despite their widely varying appearances. They worry that the ‘tri-hybrid’ theory – whether or not it is true – paints them as a fractured people with no common centre.

”

Whatever their origins, the aboriginal peoples of Australia are now trying to speak with one voice. Their spiritual beliefs have much in common, and have helped to create a bond between them that sets an example to us all.

Like Native American spirituality, Australian aboriginal spirituality comes in many forms. Some aboriginal tribes have maintained ‘pure’ spiritual traditions which date back millennia. Other indigenous Australians have seen their spiritual practices evolve and have allowed them to be coloured by outside influences. Christianity and other faiths have certainly had a significant impact. As with Native American tribes, these imported faiths have acted as subtle catalysts, slowly but steadily eroding the older ways. Many aborigines now worship in ‘Bush Chapels’; essentially Christian churches dressed with aboriginal trappings.

Most aborigines, however, have clung on to their ancient ways to some degree. We should be thankful for this, for these proud and perceptive people can give us an insight into a strangely beautiful world that offers us hope – a hope that our own planet can be saved from both pollution and ignorance if we can only muster the desire.

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Belonging to the land

Like other indigenous cultures, the original Australians have a deep love for the land. More than this, they feel as if they actually belong to it. To Europeans the Outback may seem like a harsh and unforgiving environment. To the aborigine it is a place filled with wonder and blessings. Europeans just don’t know how to look, or what to look for. The first Europeans to see Australia would hardly have seen the Outback as a well-stocked larder, but to the aborigines it was simply brimming over with ‘bush tucker’; an infinite variety of food that would sustain anyone who was hungry or thirsty. The original Australians respected the land, and, in turn, the land gifted them everything they could ever want or need; shelter, food, water and natural medicines.

Indigenous Australians were extremely suspicious of the first Christian missionaries, and with good reason. In theory they were simply spiritual teachers attempting to convert the aborigines to the Christian faith. In reality, however, they often acted as agents of the government, removing children forcibly from their homes in an

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effort to separate them from their cultural heritage.

Despite their trials, indigenous Australians have managed to take great comfort from their spiritual beliefs and practices. Their spiritual ways are called the Dreamtime or the Dreaming, although different tribes use the phrase in a number of different ways. In fact, explaining just what Dreamtime is can be a rather taxing business.

‘Dreamtime’ or ‘the Dreaming’ are not accurate translations of the aboriginal concept, but they are the best we can come up with within the confines of the English language. The Adnyamathanha tribe call the Dreamtime Nguthuna, whilst the Pitjantjatjara people use the word Tjukurpa and the Arrernte tribe call it Aldjerinya. The question is: what does Dreamtime mean?

The Dreamtime concept has its origins in the ancient Creation tales of the aborigines. Part of the Dreamtime, then, is history. For instance, the Dreamtime tales speak of how the world was created, how humans and animals were brought into being, and so on. This ancient period of creation is itself often

referred to as ‘The Dreaming’. Aeons ago, during this time, the Ancestor Spirits walked the earth and worked with it.

Mountains, rivers, plains, deserts and forests were created at their behest.

These landscapes were then populated with animals and people. This period of creation is sometimes identified with the terms Alchera and Aldjeringa.

The Dreamtime stories also contain details of subsequent human history; the migration of the tribes, the development of different languages and, intriguingly, how specific rituals and spiritual practices were brought into being and why.

One famous Dreamtime legend revolves around a rock formation in the Blue Mountains region of Australia called ‘The Three Sisters’. The legend tells the tale of sisters from the Katoomba tribe called Meehni, Wimlah and Gunnedoo.

The sisters’ forbidden love for three brothers from the Nepean tribe caused a battle between the tribes. In an effort to protect the girls, the Katoomba witchdoctor turned them to stone.

Unfortunately he was killed before the end of the war so the girls remain in their stone form to this day as a grim reminder

of the battle. But the Dreamtime is not just about the past. It is also very much about the present. Dreamtime hearkens not just to the then, but also to the now.

In this sense, all time is in the Dreamtime.

Culturally and spiritually, the Dreamtime or Dreaming dictates all aspects of aboriginal society. Because indigenous Australians have an intense relationship with the land, they see themselves as being in partnership with it. How we live affects the land, they say, and therefore we need to be careful how we live. The Dreamtime, therefore, guides aborigines during their daily lives.

It tells them what rituals need to be enacted, such as the Corroboree dance ceremony and the Bora male initiation ritual. It tells them how to treat their neighbours, emphasising concepts such as honesty and integrity. It also tells them when to speak and, conversely, when to be silent. The Dreamtime is like an ever-present friend, always available for advice and wise counsel.

And the Dreamtime, as a source of advice and counsel, needs to be taken seriously. In times past, those who flouted the Dreamtime and disobeyed its edicts were routinely punished by the community.

The Dreamtime, then, is at the heart of aboriginal thought and practice.

It carries echoes from their ancient past, allowing them to learn lessons from their ancestors, but also floods their present with a deeply moving spirituality.

We can all learn from the Dreamtime. We can learn how to treat Mother Earth and how to treat each other. In short we can learn how to become whole.

This page: Lichfield National Park in the northern territories; Opposite page top: the Three Sisters in the Blue Mountains; Opposite bottom: the Olgas rock formation at Kata Tjuta, central Australia.

Images Š Shari Timms.

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M

any cultures credit some kind of deity with the unenviable task of creating the world, but the aborigines lay it solely at the feet of an ancient wind instrument.

The often haunting sound of the didgeridoo is unmistakable. The low drone is one of the most instantly recognisable sounds associated with Australia.

It is just one of several artefacts the aborigines used in their daily lives, but it is perhaps the most spiritual. It is also one of the oldest musical instruments in the world. Its origins have been traced back to the beginnings of the aboriginal people – and speculation on their origins could date as far back as 40,000 to 150,000 years. This would tie in with the meaning of the word aborigine, which reputedly means ‘people that were here from the beginning’.

The aborigines were famous for wandering around the Bush searching for sustinence so they needed a collection of artefacts which were portable and easy to carry. Made from hollowed out wood from wherever they set up camp for the night, the didgeridoo was ideal. Also known as the yidaki in the Yolno aboriginal language (there are thought to have been 500 or 600 aboriginal languages), there is some speculation that the word ‘didgeridoo’ has European origins and actually represents the four beat rhythm you get when you say the word.

Originally found in Arnhem Land, Northern Australia, it is not merely a musical instrument, it is also an integral part of the aborigines’ Dreamtime. It was reputedly used by the great Dreamtime Creators to form the world through sound. There is also an aboriginal tale that tells of the first man’s creation of the stars with a didgeridoo. In a bid to please the sky, he started to play a eucalyptus branch, and the termites that had hollowed it out, were catapulted

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into the sky and subsequently became stars.

The instrument resonates with a great frequency, yet they are relatively simple to make. They are usually manufactured from the stems or branches of Mallee eucalyptus trees which have been hollowed out by termites, although there are some today made from bamboo.

The word Mallee is taken from the aboriginal word for eucalyptus. The wood produced by the tree is exceptionally strong and extremely dense. Once the branches have been hollowed they are then cleaned, stripped and painted with vibrant designs, before a mouth piece is attached.

Traditionally the instrument could only be played by men to create music for ceremony and ritual. The separation of the responsibilities of male and female aborigines were strict and

Clare Sheridan looks at the sacred artefacts of the Australian aborigines.

Pictured left to right: clapsticks, didgeridoos & a boomerang.

even today it is taboo for a female to play one in a traditional aboriginal setting.

The tones can reportedly induce trances to help the listener transport into an altered state of consciousness and it can also be used in meditation (for both players and listeners), as well as in healing. Listeners report witnessing visual images and feeling bodily sensations as the sound enters their consciousness. Most of the healing practices, however, are still steeped in mystery. There is no doubt though that the drone can have a calming or uplifting effect and it is very useful in meditation work.

The length of the instrument determines the pitch – long and narrow ones give off a lower pitch, while short and wide ones give off higher pitches.

Some players are adept at imitating animal sounds on the device, but the best way to play one is the circular breathing

method developed by the aborigines – which allows players to play continuously by breathing through the nose without pausing for breath. The tongue can be used to add depth to the sound and the side of the apparatus can be lightly tapped to produce a rhythm.

This particular breathing method is an excellent treatment for asthma. It clears the lungs and is also useful in treating those with sinus problems by clearing the nasal passages.

It has even been known to balance the hemispheres of the brain.

The boomerang does not have such a spiritual story attached to it. Used mainly for hunting, there are two types – the returning and the non-returning type. The hunting boomerangs were called kylies and were a similar shape to a banana, about 3 feet in length and they did not return when thrown. They have been known to fly 150 yards in a straight line and were used to hunt food in open country. Although they were used to kill creatures, the aborigines didn’t just kill for food: every part of the animal was used in some way – baskets and tools were commonly made from animal remains.

The returnable boomerangs (the shape we are familiar with today) are now a sport in Australia, however, originally, they would have been used as a cooking tool, to make music (by banging them together), to dig, as clubs or just in play. Aborigines also used a variety of other implements in their daily lives including percussion instruments known as clap sticks. These two wooden sticks were intricately decorated and were beaten together (or one was beaten against the ground or such like) to provide rhythms in corroborees (sacred ceremonies).

So next time you see a digeridoo player on the street, just hope all the termites have been removed from the instrument!

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Clint Denyer (Dip. Ppsy. Ppsc. Dip. RV) reveals the role of the shaman in aboriginal life.

T

he aborigines are one of the most mysterious and secretive cultured societies. The knowledge they have of nature and of the earth and its connections to the universe are immense.

Their elders hold the secret knowledge of the history of their people.

Their spiritual understanding with the earth and the universe are put together to form the basis of the aboriginal shaman, and the shamanic history of its people. To understand the concept of the aborigine shaman we have to first look at what a shaman is.

A shaman, in all shamanic cultures, is portrayed primarily as a healer and a spiritual consultant for his/her community. Shamans often have many other roles in their communities: sorcerer, medicine man, priest, and psychiatrist; although their primary role is to interact between the community and the spirit world.

They are there not just for the healing and spiritual side of their tribe, but also to predict the growth of crops, foresee disasters, and they are multi-dimensional beings who can dip in and out of the 3rd dimension they physically live in, connecting to 5th dimension and beyond.

Let us look at the aborigine initiation into shamanism. The ‘true’ initiations of shamans all have a common theme: ritual dismemberment and

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replacement of organs either by spiritual means or with other matter ie. crystals.

The Australian Bushmen initiation includes drinking of water that contains crushed crystals; he is then led to a grave to begin his symbolic death.

There is also assent to the heavens with the use of a magical cord, and in some instances a rainbow bridge.

The use of the entrance of a cave instead of a tree is one of the major differences in Australian shamans to others. There is a common theme among tribal shamanic initiations: Time spent alone, away from the tribe, in wilderness; Being symbolically made to look like a corpse; Symbolic burial; Descent into the ‘Otherworld’; Self-induced or drug-induced trance; Period of training; Rites of passage and torture.

The ‘otherworld’ is the aborigines’ Dreamtime. This initiation opens the doors within, connecting to his physical body, mind and soul. This death and rebirth process is vital, it is like the shedding of skins in both the physical and non-physical sense – facing demons and fears within.

It is also a transition of purification and cleansing. As the aborigine goes through this process he opens his mind and soul to infinite wisdom and knowledge of the universe and his elders, spirit guides and animals.

It is a great fusing, joining and linking of strands to the three worlds the aborigine shaman will work in. He/she will work to help his tribal people overcome disease,

disasters, and above all provide the guidance and knowledge from the three worlds for the general benefit of individual tribal members and the tribe as a whole.

These three worlds are: The Upper World: This is a place where the spirits and gods reside – where the shaman visits his ascended masters and teachers to gain infinite wisdom and knowledge of past, present and future events.

It is multi-dimensional and is also known as the astral palace or temples. It is where the shaman divines the future, learns from his/her guides, and communicates with the dead; The Middle World: This is the world of the here and now where the shaman finds answers to everyday problems.

They would again gain entry through the cave, which is a living library of universal connections, which can be seen in the artwork of deities and gods from higher worlds displayed within them.

The aborigine uses various tools to go into trance and reach these worlds. The didgeridoo is an ancient aboriginal instrument typically constructed from a hallowed out eucalyptus branch. It is an instrument native to Australia and has been used for thousands of years as a trance-inducing instrument for ceremony and journeying within the aborigine culture; The Lower World: This is located deep in the ground and is a very powerful place. Entry would be via a sacred cave tunnel system. This is also a multi-dimensional place where the dead

reside and where lost information is retrieved.

Here the shaman is guided by his power animals, spirit guides and spirit helpers.

It is a place where the shaman learns what ails those he/she is treating.

Once initiated, the aborigine will use other shamanic tools he has within himself. Many of the hunting and gathering tribes had the ability to heal with plants indigenous to their area. This is one of the oldest forms of healing and was used in conjunction with spirit healing to hasten the patient to a speedy recovery.

A hands-on healing uses the energy and the spirit of the shaman, which works with the energy or spirit of the patient. The shaman uses ancient traditions passed down from the elders to remove manifestations or blockages and illness from the patient. The shaman places their hands on the patient’s body and draws out the energies that should not be there. In extreme circumstances, he may even physically suck the entities or blockages from the body. The shaman will blow cleansing energy to heal and may also use drums and rattles to cleanse the body once he has completed his

work. Some even work with psychic surgery. Divination is the means by which the shaman will foretell the future, locate hidden objects, and predict the weather.

DreamWorks or dream interpretation is also another shamanic device to assist with healing. Shamans will listen to the dreamer’s dream, sometimes for several days, until they fully understand it. Then they will dream the dream themselves before they can interpret it.

Soul leading is another important function of a shaman. This is the process by which the shaman will escort the recently deceased to their place in the ‘Otherworld’. The shaman will heal and cleanse the deceased one during this journey to his final resting place. The shaman would do this while in a trance-induced higher state of consciousness.

The aborigine shaman is a multi-dimensional being, who taps into the mind, body and soul. He/she has a greater understanding of nature and the earth they stand on, also the wisdom and knowledge of the soul in themselves and others.

“

As the shaman initiate goes through the process, he opens his mind and soul to infinite wisdom and knowledge of the universe and his elders, spirit guides and animals.

”

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Anna Kaye.

Michael Looking Coyote.

Do you have a problem which you lack intuition to solve? Do you have any spiritual questions to which you seek answers? Native American Michael Looking Coyote will use his Spirit Stones and clairvoyant medium Anna Kaye will consult her Tarot to offer a fresh view on matters.

Angelic dream

I had a dream that I was visited by a huge pink angel, and he said to me: “Hold out thy hands and be healed”. I held out my hands, palms upwards, and he pressed his hands against them. The heat and love that I felt engulfed my whole body.

Afterwards I ‘saw’ a phoenix rising from the ashes and heard the words “You have been reborn”. Was this just a dream, or was I really visited by an angel? If so, what did the message mean? I think about this regularly and it is still vivid in my mind.

Deena, Leicestershire.

Will I find love?

I’ve been a single mother for seven years and I have the most wonderful daughter. I love her so much, but can you tell me if and when I will meet a man who will love me?

Anonymous.

Looking Coyote’s Spirit Stone reading – the Coyote & the Turtle: You have certainly endured your fair share of disappointments in life, although not as bad as some. The Coyote tells you that not everything in your dream was quite what it seemed to be. The pink angel doesn’t really exist, but, like the phoenix, is a powerful image created by your subconscious to teach you a lesson. “Be healed” and “be reborn” were the themes of your dream, right? Turtle says you can achieve that by going within and asking yourself what you want to do for the rest of your life. When you’ve decided, seize your “new life” with both hands and enjoy it!

Anna’s Tarot reading – the Pope, the Lovers & Judgment: Pink is associated with love and angels are guides and protectors. Your dream speaks of the need for love and protection in your life – or your need to love and protect others, as you have a sensitive nature. The Pope is associated with healing and spirituality, whilst the Lovers is about choices. For you the choice is between the spiritual side of life and the material side.

The Judgement card tells me that, like the phoenix, things are “on the up” for you after a time of much turbulence on a personal level. Follow your intuition, and good luck.

Looking Coyote’s Spirit Stone reading – the Sacred Hoop & the Canyon: The Sacred Hoop speaks of fulfilment, so yes, I see you meeting someone who will indeed love you.

However, the Hoop also cautions you to be patient, so you may have to wait until ‘Mr Right’ comes along. The Canyon speaks of permanency and dependability, but navigating a canyon can be treacherous if you don’t watch where you put your feet! Don’t be surprised if you have one or two ‘false starts’ then, but rest contentedly in the knowledge that your prayer will eventually be answered.

Anna’s Tarot reading – the World, the Empress & the Lovers: The World and the Empress together tell me that for too long you have felt that everything in your life was complete with just you and your daughter. You have made a lot of sacrifices for her and you’re a very good mum. However, the Empress also talks of expansion and your last card, the Lovers, tells me you are about to meet someone. I feel that you already know this man. There will be friendship first, but I can see love developing eventually through mutual trust and respect. Your hurt is in the past - leave it there.

Michael Looking Coyote’s Spirit Stone reading - the Fox, the Blue Heron & Crossed Arrows: Exciting times lie ahead, Anne. The Fox indicates an unexpected change of direction, while the Blue Heron indicates a position that will put you in the public eye. Your future career – whatever it may turn out to be – will be one in which you deal with “real” people far more than you do now. Even better, the Crossed Arrows indicate that you’ll make new and exciting friendships. On the home front, its “steady as she goes”, as they say. As your work changes direction, keep your family life stable and consolidate the good relationships you already enjoy.

Anna’s Tarot reading – the Pope, the Hermit & Temperance: You will not be sitting back on your laurels for long. the Pope and the Hermit together tell me a period of learning is about to be embarked upon. I also see a celebration regarding close personal relationships, which is the message of Temperance.

Please put yourself first a little more often. I feel a strong link to a Gemini male around you and I feel this is a positive link and a good move forward.

What does the future hold?

I’ve been regressed and have had a number of happy past lives. This is not the case now, though. Last year I split from my fiancé, whom I know is my soul-mate. I’m looking forward to new beginnings, but I’ve been told on many occasions, and have also dreamt myself, that my soul-mate will come back to me. I think I am on the verge of meeting someone new – my intuitive side coming in there – but know that if my soul-mate were to return at the moment, someone new just wouldn’t get a look in. What does the future hold for me?

Anonymous.

Anna’s Tarot reading – the Fool, the High Priestess & the Hermit: The Fool card is telling you not to be held back by anything or anyone, but in this case you’re actually holding yourself back from future happiness. The High Priestess is the goddess of the Underworld.

She tells us we must use our intuition wisely. The Hermit card is telling you to withdraw and do some soul-searching. It is not fair of you to go into another relationship as long as you feel so strongly about your ‘ex’. Give yourself some more time to get him out of your system and don’t deny yourself future happiness with someone new.

Anna’s Tarot reading – the Devil, Death & the Emperor: You’ve been suppressed for too long and have given your power over to others. The Devil card tells me you feel trapped and lack confidence.

The Death card indicates you must make personal changes. Start by getting enrolled on an assertiveness and confidence-building course. The changes must start with you.

The Emperor says you’ll be in a much stronger position as you move forward, and I do see you starting to speak up for yourself. It’s a beautiful world out there and this is your life – start living it.

For the past six months my life has been turned upside down. I have bad memories of my childhood which I thought I had laid to rest, but they’ve resurfaced. They are stronger now, and they have made me paranoid of everyone.

I am going to see a counsellor but need help with my paranoia. Please help guide me in the right direction.

Sharon, West Lothian.

I'm about to be made redundant after a full 18 years of doing the same kind of work, although not for the same people. I feel that I'm at a crossroads in my life and that I don't know in which direction to head with regard to career, home and relationships. I would very much value some guidance, if at all possible.

Anne, Newcastle.

Looking Coyote’s Spirit Stone reading – the Horse & the Raven: The Horse indicates the possibility of a forthcoming journey, but not a physical one; more a metaphorical journey into a new relationship. However, until you have made your mind up what to do about your former fiancé, new relationships are unlikely to be problem-free. The Raven urges you to make a firm decision; determine whether there is any realistic prospect of a reunion with your fiancé, or move on. Is he really your soul-mate, or could this be wishful thinking? Once you have made your decision, don’t think back to the past; concentrate on making your future the best it can be.

Michael Looking Coyote’s Spirit Stone Reading – the Coyote & the Wolf: “Take our side or move out” is not a loving ultimatum; it’s emotional blackmail. Talk to a counsellor, employment advisor or some other professional and see whether you are really as financially dependent on your parents as you think. Coyote indicates that this may not actually be the case.

Wolf is the teacher, and urges you to look at your current circumstances, learn from them and then change. Your parents’ ill-health should not be used to prevent you enjoying your life as you see fit. Don’t abandon them, but make it clear that you have a right to determine your own future.

Paranoia plea

Life guidance

Trapped within my own family

My sister has made my life hell for years. My parents believe her husband hit her (he didn’t, I listened to her making the story up with a friend to try and get a better divorce settlement) and that my fiancé, whom I nursed through terminal cancer, did not abuse me. He did.

I am not financially independent and my parents have threatened to evict me from the house I live in if I speak out against my sister.

I live as a recluse. I realise I should forgive but she has always bullied me and got away with it.

Anonymous.

Looking Coyote’s Spirit Stone reading – the Coyote, the Wolf & the Arrow: Coyote indicates the need to take a fresh look at things, and Wolf says that there are lessons to be learned; namely, that you cannot rewrite the past but you can learn to view it differently. The Arrow urges you to reinforce positive friendships, as the presence of good friends will help ease what you refer to as your paranoia. The resurfacing of old, troubling memories can be dealt with by learning positive lessons from them and then moving on. Focus on the positive things around you, keep seeing your counsellor and, although it will be hard, your happiness will return.

Anna’s Tarot reading – the Moon & the Star: Your paranoia is due to painful childhood memories, and the best person to help you overcome them is your counsellor. The past can’t hurt you anymore; only the way you think about it.

The Moon portrays you as a very emotional person, but also a strong one. ‘Don’t give up’ says the Star card. Brightness lies ahead.

Stop letting negative thoughts control you. Write them all down on paper, put them in an envelope and then burn them in a heat-proof container. Then, tell yourself that your bad memories have been laid to rest once and for all.

Send your letters to: Destiny Doctors, Vision, Amadeus House, 6 Lidgett Lane, Garforth, LS25 1EQ, or email destinydoctors@visionmagazine.uk.com

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S

hakespeare once wrote “What a piece of work is a Man!” and few would suggest that we human beings exist only as a collection of flesh, bones and blood wrapped in skin.

Even though our physical body is the only one that we are able to see, touch, hear, taste and smell on the physical plane, we are all aware that there is so much more to every human being.

In fact, we actually have four bodies. The physical body is home to three other bodies — our emotional, mental and spiritual bodies — all of which exist as energy fields, but are “invisible” to our five physical senses.

And just as we have five senses in the

from a relationship with a claircognizant, as much good comes from paying attention to these gifted people.

Some go through life frustrated because they cannot understand how they get this information. Although they always seem to know the answer, they cannot trust the information, because they do not understand the source.

Claircognizance provides guidance in the form of ideas, concepts and thoughts. You do not see, hear or feel it, you simply know. It is not like a ‘gut-feeling’ because it comes from the brain rather than the stomach. Therefore it is less emotional, but should be just as stoutly defended. When your intuition comes in the form of claircognizance, you

“

This “clear knowingness” is the ability to know something without knowing how or why you know it.

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physical world, so we have four senses in the metaphysical or spiritual world. The three other clairs (ie clairvoyance, clairsentience and clairaudience) have been covered in previous articles, but the remaining one is claircognizance, which oversees the other 3. This “clear knowingness” is the ability to know something without knowing how or why you know it.

Claircognizance can relate to the past, present or future (premonitions). A phrase you will often hear from people who have this ability is: “I don’t know how I know, I just know.”

An example of claircognizance might be that you are on a train and overhear a stranger talking about their daughter. Immediately you know the girl’s approximate age and that she is, or will be, a dancer. You cannot explain why, you just do.

Claircognizance does not seem to provide insights on one’s own situation, but rather aids others. Friends and acquaintances will typically gain much

must face the challenge to develop your confidence and faith in what you receive.

The location for this sense is on the top of the head, where the crown chakra is located. Claircognizant people are usually good at problem solving, creating new ideas and understanding abstract concepts because their special ability is rooted in the brain. Other benefits of this ability are accurate insight and successful idea generation.

Just as the brain is the organ that controls the body, so claircognizance has double or even triple the power when used in combination with other clairs, for then it works in conjunction with all seven of the body’s chakras.

It is the goal of all psychics to get all four clairs working in conjunction with each other. Although it is challenging, this should not be dismissed out of hand. Meditating, stilling the mind and focussing on the crown chakra are the keys to developing this intuition.

Relax your thinking, rational mind and let go of expectation. If you would like to

improve your claircognizant abilities, try the following meditation: Find a quiet comfortable room in which to meditate; The room should be light and airy.

Natural light is obviously best, but artificial is acceptable; You may wish to light scented candles or joss sticks. Lighter fragrances, such as lavender are more suitable than heavier ones. White or pale blue candles are best; Subdued mood music or silence will complete the mood; Sit quietly in the middle of the space for about 2-3 minutes. Close your eyes and centre yourself; Focus your attention on the crown of your head. You will not be able to see it, so visualize yourself coming out of your body until you are outside and looking down on yourself from a distance of 2-3 feet; Visualize a cone or speaker about a metre wide above your head. I always visualize something like a wizard’s hat, but with a wider brim. You will sense energy being pulled into the wide part of the cone and speeding up as it moves down the body of the cone to enter your mind so ideas start to flow; Open yourself to any impressions you receive, no matter how faint or unusual they may be. As something comes in to your mind move towards it and open yourself up to receive further information; As you develop your abilities you will be able to direct your thoughts to a specific event or situation to predict specific things; You should also be receptive to claircognizance in your daily life. As impressions leap into your head, take note of them and give them the freedom to develop and expand.

As with any ability practice is the key – with practice your accuracy will improve and you will become one of those who “just know”.

NEXT MONTH: Scrying.

For more information about Samantha’s courses on how to develop your sixth sense, contact the Metta Centre on 01529 460426 or visit www.mettacentre.co.uk

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Complementary therapist Karen Aitken from Willow Lodge Healing Therapies explores the significance of face and body painting for the Australian aborigines.

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eople have adorned their faces and bodies with paint on virtually every continent of the world for thousands of years.

The purpose of this can be both aesthetic and social. Face and body painting is typically performed to express a wide variety of cultural characteristics.

In some areas face painting is a part of everyday life, while in other areas, it is used only on ceremonial occasions. The colours, patterns, and decorations vary among regions and tribes. In many cultures, age, gender, and social status determine the style, colours and extent of face and body painting. This is a unique art, which uses the human body itself as a moving canvas for cultural, spiritual and artistic expression.

In the Australian aboriginal society and culture, face and body painting are important features that are integrated into a range of ceremonial occasions, some of which are highly secretive such as initiation rites. These features are utilised alongside a wide variety of animal masks and other adornments such as cloaks made of animal skins. Leaves and native plants are also used artistically to adorn the body during ceremonies.

Art in general is not simply for enjoyment or used as an individual’s method of self-expression, but a means of passing on ideas and values that have complex social significance. The painting, decoration and even scarring of the face and body is no exception.

Traditional aboriginal body art uses only earth colours, which are produced from naturally occurring pigments in the soil, and charcoal from burnt sticks. Ochre is a vital ingredient in art and religious practices as it is an iron oxide. Ochre is a natural mineral

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consisting of silica and clay that can be mined in the earth. From a wide variety of the earth pigments, aboriginal artists can make red, white, yellow, deep yellow, red with a purple tint, pink, cerise, dark grey and blue.

The ochre is ground to a powder and then wetted, usually with water but sometimes with saliva, blood, or the fat of fish. The resulting pigments are used for face and body painting, artefact decoration, and cave painting. Red ochre has great significance to desert cultures, which believe it to be the blood of ancestral beings. Because of this, it is thought to cure, protect and strengthen.

White was made from pipe clay and was the colour used most often during face and body painting.

Though rarely performed in modern times, body scarring was once a common practice, performed during initiation ceremonies or to mark the achievement of a higher status among the tribe. Incisions were made into the skin with rocks or shells, then ash was rubbed into the flesh. Animal teeth, bones, feathers, shells and even red ininti beans from bean trees were used for ornaments. In many ceremonies, the arts Below: Face paint markings depicting life and death or a new beginning; Below right: A variation of dot style painting; Right: A representation of a Dreaming experience about the channelling of healing energy.

of face and body painting, adornment, scarring and wearing of masks, allowed individuals to feel transformed so they could ‘become’ the spirit ancestor they were portraying in the dance.

Traditional aboriginal people do not have a completely free hand when it comes to ceremonial face and body decoration. They must respect the pattern that they are given either in dreaming or by the tribal elders, because it is likely to represent a certain totem, ancestor or even spirit. At other times the use of particular designs and motifs can also denote social position and the relationship of the individuals to their family group.

In traditional ceremonies, the patterns used must conform to the

Above left: A typical paint blowing technique of face paint used in the ‘coming of age ceremony’; Top right: A pictorial representation of a dreaming experience; Right: A ceremonial mask showing images related to the Dreaming.

Images © Karen Aitken.

ceremony being performed. Elaborate ground constructions (sand paintings) are also made. Usually during ceremonies, an individual’s body painting depicts similar linear designs as those illustrated in the ground paintings.

It is important to understand the origin of ceremonies that involve face and body adornment. They are not performed just for fun. Each ceremony aims to teach the young, or to exchange and pass on ancestral knowledge between families. Even where tribes lived relatively close to each other, this could often mean a journey of several days or even weeks. Where these distances are involved, a social or spiritual ceremony was often the means of bringing everyone up to date on the new developments in their respective tribes, as well as celebrating age-old customs and enduring beliefs. These events could most closely be likened to attending school, university, and church to people of modern times in the UK. An example of a traditional ceremony is the Bush Medicine Ceremony. Women perform this healing ceremony at several different times of the year. In preparation for the ceremony, the women will paint their bodies with special markings that are appropriate for that particular ceremony. Ochre and spinifex ashes are mixed with kangaroo or emu fat to make the body paint.

Body painting is done in a range of styles, from simply smearing clay across the face, to individual full body patterns. The Bush Medicine Ceremony involves singing, dancing and body decoration. The individual aspects of each ceremony is dependent upon the knowledge and tribal status of the women present.

It is also interesting to look at the ways in which this facet of the ancient aboriginal culture is incorporated into the modern world.

Non-aboriginal schools in present day Australia include aboriginal studies as part of their curriculum, and children are encouraged to participate in lessons where they get the opportunity to try bush tucker, make dot paintings and try their hand at face painting for themselves and their classmates.

The practice of face painting has become popularly known throughout the world and at every fair, fete and public gathering children run around with wide assortments of patterns and images painted on their faces. Some even growl, pretending to be the animal that they have been painted to resemble. How many, I wonder, are aware of the traditional roots of this practice? And how many adults would benefit from the stress-busting aspects of the freedom of expression that comes with mask wearing in the form of face and body painting?

Visit www.healinglodge.co.uk or call 0845 226 3132 for details about Willow Lodge Healing Therapies.

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Clare Sheridan examines the importance of totems in aboriginal life.

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he Australian aborigines have a deep respect and relationship with the land. Every aspect of their lives are interconnected with this, from ceremony and initiations to hunting.

Much like the Native Americans in philosophy as well as way of life, they are also similar in their use of totems.

These symbols are often adopted as a tribal or clan emblem, although every member of the tribe can have their own totem. Some clans can be recognised via their totem – some clans even share totems, which bonds them in spirit even if they speak different languages. Many clans consider themselves to be related as a result of their shared totems – regardless of the fact they may not be related by blood.

Totems are the aborigines’ unique way of worshipping the natural world and can be anything found in nature, from a plant or a turtle to the stars or even body parts. They believe that each totem holds a unique power which becomes part of the ‘owner’s’ essence.

As a result of this, many clans

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have individual totems as well as clan totems – some clans even have more than one totem. They were also used to inspire their rituals and even form their social groups.

It works in tune with their natural surroundings and it even serves to protect species: if a clan member has adopted an animal totem, the members of that tribe cannot kill that animal when on that man’s territory, so collectively, that animal is adopted by the clan.

A person could not eat that particular animal – this applied to both the tribe as well as the individual – if this rule was breached, it was believed that sickness or death would follow. If any injury was caused to the totem, the man who committed the act was the one who suffered as a result.

Totems are also an important part of the myths of the aborigines. The Aruntes clan believe that their young are reincarnations of spirit ancestors (animal or plant) that inhabited the land. Earlier generations believed totems were families who lived in a certain part of their territory.

The Churinga Stones were the sacred stones which these groups kept in a sacred storehouse. Churinga translates as ‘soul’ and when the carrier died, their spirit remained in the stone and haunted the place where the item was kept. They are made from stone or wood – the wood churingas are predominantly found in Western Australia and central Australia.

They are so sacred that women and children are forbidden to see them.

Churingas house not only the spirit of an ancestor, but also the spirit of its owner.

As a result of the abundance of churingas, areas where there had been settlements became clogged with spirits.

This is how children inherit their totems: if an expectant mother feels her unborn child stir on one of these locations, she believes the ancestral spirit of that location has entered her body. Whatever object caught her eye at that moment becomes the churinga of the child. It will be placed in the tribe’s store house – and the totem of the location where the item was taken, becomes the child’s totem.

Aboriginal children are given

totems from an early age and this encourages them to conserve the symbol on that totem, but also the symbols of other family members or friends – this, in turn, protects the environment as a whole. In this way, the tradition of working and living very much in conjunction with the land is preserved.

There is legend that the human totems created the land, and these Wandjinas can be found all over in things as obscure as mountain ranges or even gorge holes.

The medicine men of the tribes had a special relationship with totems and they usually identify themselves with their individual totem. It was believed that the totem had a duty: to protect the medicine man during his sleep and also to inform him of the arrival of strangers, danger, and even to stand guard near his

Typical churingas made of stone (above) and wood (left); Examples of totem stones (below).

Background image is The Pinnacles Desert of Nambung National Park, Western Australia.

Background image © Shari Timms.

grave after the medicine man’s death.

The medicine man can also utilize the totem to collect intel while he is asleep, or even to kill an enemy!

Totems are as important to the aborigine way of life as the Dreamtime – every sacred ceremony, belief and care of the land is integral to their culture. It is this meticulous care for land and the life on it that provides an example to us all.

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Graphic artist and complementary therapist Karen Aitken examines aboriginal Dreamtime in relation to art and healing.

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boriginal Dreamtime is immersed in the people’s links with the land.

It helps them to live their lives in a way that is tailored to the highest good of all. Aborigines have an obligation to respect and preserve the spirit of the land and the lifeforms that are a part of it.

Their colourful artwork is a prime example of the richness of their lives and the surrounding land they live in. Dreaming permeates every aspect of daily life, as it provides a framework for living. It is an integral part of the making of artefacts, and in the essential survival skills of hunting and food gathering. Its influence can be seen in many of the creative arts such as painting, song, dance and storytelling. Many of the aboriginal paintings, sculptures and dances for example, depicted stories of the ancestors. Much was a reflection of the simple, enduring relationship with the land.

The aborigines call Dreamtime the ‘all-at-once’ time. This is because they experience Dreamtime as the past, present and future coexisting together.

Dreamtime experiences are therefore more easily assimilated through dreams or recurring visions, where inspiration, revelations or insights are more easily comprehended.

Art is an accessible means through which these experiences can be understood and communicated. It is also one of the ways that aboriginal people maintain a connection with dreaming.

Artists are not a select group, as with many other cultures. Any person may create art, as an expression of normal daily life and their links with dreaming.

Traditionally, art in ceremonies was important. It was generally linked to dreaming in that there would be symbols from the Dreaming painted on the body or on headdresses that were worn as part

of the ceremonies. The painted symbols were believed to confer power upon the person or the object.

The variety of different types of traditional aboriginal art reflects the traditional use of what was most readily available. Ochres from the land, ground to a paste and mixed with water were the traditional materials for painting. The first aboriginal people at Kakadu, the Nayunyuriggi, began the practice of the rock art and passed the methods down from generation to generation. Ochre is a natural mineral consisting of silica and clay that can be mined in the earth. From the earth pigments, they could make red, white, yellow, deep yellow, red with a purple tint, pink, cerise, dark grey and blue. The reds, yellows and whites were the ones most used and those that are best absorbed into the rock.

Unsurprisingly, due to easy availability, body painting was a standard method of artistic expression throughout Australia. Styles varied in different areas, as did the methods and the meaning of the symbols used. Rock art and paintings on tree bark were also generally popular, with ground drawing and ephemeral

paintings in sand performed mainly in the central desert area. The aboriginals have been creating art in these simple ways for more than 20,000 years. South Australia has some of the oldest art in the world, which is believed to date back to 42,000BC. Traditional artistic styles relied heavily on iconography, with symbols being used to represent common items or situations. Concentric circles represent campsites, waterholes or other significant places. Curved lines were often used to represent rain or underground water reserves. Straight lines indicated travel routes. A small ‘U’ shaped figure most often represents a person. Human or animal tracks would be shown from a bird’s eye view, with lizards and snakes, for example, also being shown from above.

In modern aboriginal art, the medium has kept apace with changing times, and many artists use oils and acrylic paint on canvas or commercial fixatives on bark. The dotted motif is a modern style, first used by Luritja elder John Warangkula Tjupurrula. Dots may represent many things – including stars,

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sparks or burnt ground. Because of the innovativeness and brilliance of his style many modern artists have emulated this style. It is now believed that many choose to use this style in order to hide the meaning behind the symbols in their work from non-indigenous viewers.

Contemporary artists have become renowned for their work with dotted motifs and x-ray styles in design work, based on traditional dreaming practice. Many people are familiar with another aspect of modern art: The x-ray style. There are, however, two different techniques of traditional x-ray style: one that shows internal structures, such as bones, and the other which shows external features in high relief. A modern type of x-ray style has also developed as a result of new medical technology that allowed the internal form to be seen in greater detail. It has become fashionable in modern art to show people and animals in this style.

Healing is another area where the aborigine culture facilitates individual responsibility. Aborigines believe that individuals have the ability to heal themselves. Each member of the tribe is taught simple healing, combining herbs, plants, and minerals with sacred chants and amulets. Only under extreme circumstances is an elder or shaman called in to affect a cure.

Many plants provided medicines. Very little preparation was required. Leaves were bruised, roots or bark pounded to use as poultices. To be taken internally the chemical in the plant material were extracted using hot water.

Many Australian plants such as tea-trees, eucalypts, boronia and mints are rich in aromatic oils. These oils are very useful in treating respiratory illnesses. Treatments for common ailments included: To ease sores and ulcers: The juice and crushed leaves of the Australian Bugle (Ajuga australis) were applied directly to affected areas.

To ease stomachaches: Infusion of the roots of the Prickly Fanflower (Scaevola spinescens) was drunk.

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Interpretations of aboriginal art on these pages by Karen Aitken. All images Š Karen Aitken.

Head colds and general illness: The young leaves of the Broad-leaved Paperbark (Melaleuca quinquenervia) were chewed. Brewed in warm water this makes a liquid which is helpful in treating headaches and general illness.

Headaches: The leaves of mint bushes (Prostanthera species), were crushed and placed on the temples. The head could be cleared by inhaling the vapour from crushed Eucalyptus leaves.

Through Dreamtime the limitations of time and space are overcome. Often, intuitive knowledge of healing is revealed to individuals in dreams. Death is seen as part of a cycle of life in which one emerges from Dreamtime through birth, and eventually returns to the timeless, only to emerge again.

It is also a common belief that a person leaves their body during sleep, and temporarily enters the Dreamtime.

As an artist and a healer, it is the merging of these two fundamental aspects of life within the context of dreaming, which have fascinated me for many years. My graphic design is accomplished mainly via electronic media, and therefore this is the medium that I have used to explore ideas from my dreaming experiences. In the area of healing therapies, I have had profound experiences that I am continuing to explore within dreaming, which inspire

creative works as well as new methods and different approaches for therapeutic work.

In many respects I think that everyone, everywhere can benefit from an awareness and proper understanding of the practice of Dreamtime, so that it can be incorporated into our daily lives in a way that allows us to get closer to ourselves and to the voice of our inner spirit. By understanding ourselves within the context of our environment and our culture, we can explore our unique human potential and the development of our own spiritual heritage.

There are many similarities between Dreaming and the shamanic practices of the Native Americans, and to the practice of lucid dreaming as described in books by Carlos Castaneda.

There are clear connections also to the practice of Reiki, which has captured the hearts of many healers in the West. This is a practice, which also encourages the healer to travel to the limitless dimensions, outside of time and space, to become a conduit for universal life energy, which by no great stretch of the imagination could be comprehended as the Great Spirit.

Whatever the culture, and however the methods and language, the timeless messages are there to be seen.

All it takes is willingness and an openness to see the similarities and not the differences in our respective cultures.

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Clare Sheridan meets a Vision reader who has a unique divination talent.

She reads the photographs by opening her chakras and inviting her spirit guides and angels to help her. She then relays whatever information comes through to her – all this without meeting the person. “A lot of the time when I look at photos, I’d love to know who these people are.

“Sometimes I will see things and it might take a while for it to come about. I told one lady she was going to meet someone and she didn’t believe me – but she did and now she’s engaged!”

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any people read tarot, angel or oracle cards. Vivienne Curl (above) reads cards too – but not the usual types that saturate new age shops. She reads landscape photographs!

Vivienne swapped a hectic life in the big city two years ago for a caravan in Norfolk. It was after this move that the 47-year-old greetings card rep discovered she had a unique talent as she went about her daily job.

“I went into one of the shops I visit in my job and while I was waiting for the manager I was drawn to a set of cards with beautiful landscape photography on them. I just knew I could read them! It escalated from there really,” she said.

“People send me photographs they have taken – they don’t have to be professional shots. As long as there are no people or pets in them, I can read them. They can be black and white or colour, it doesn’t matter.

“I call them my Spirit of the Landscape readings. I love photographs and artistic things. I do have an artistic eye. I’ve got an eye for landscapes, everyone has a niche,” she said.

It is only over the past couple of years that Vivienne has become interested in spiritual issues. “When I think back I suppose it’s always been there,” she said. “I must have been about 6 or 7 and I can remember my sister getting a screw stuck up her nose. I had to wait outside the hospital in the car with my uncle Tom, but I can remember being in the hospital with my parents and the doctor taking me away. That was my sister!

“I also saw my uncle after he had died and I have also astro-travelled to see my friend in Australia. I have been doing angel card readings for a couple of years and I go to psychic development classes every week.”

Readings: Reading 1 for Kelly Horton. Kelly is an art student and Vivienne has not met her.

Vivienne’s reading: “I feel this person is very fuzzy! The tree in the foreground is a mass of unfocussed energy. They are artistic and creative.

“Any slight wind will ruffle this person, although I feel they would like to be more solid and grounded with some direction.

“The tree in the background has that stability – maybe they are a little envious of a more structured lifestyle? The branches on the Cedar tree are firm, solid and grounded but the leaves are still fluffy and easily moved. This is not a bad thing. I feel this person is creative and is always looking for a new dimension in their life. This ability to not be set in their ways gives them freedom to explore. Even the low wall and the small wooden barriers around the tree are no threat to this free spirit.”

Landscape prediction: “There could be a couple of people who would like to stop you, but you will listen to your heart and run with your ideas – there is no limit to what you can and will achieve.”

Reading 2 for Lorraine Walker, a Reiki Master and clairvoyant. Again, Vivienne has not met her.

Vivienne’s reading: “The first thing that I am drawn to in the photo is the tree in the background – it is strong, grounded, but with many talents – represented by the branches spreading from the tree trunk.

Maybe at times they have felt alone but this person is a survivor.

“I feel this person is a teacher and the mass of growth behind the tree are people who have been touched with their wisdom and teachings.

“In the foreground there are tangled thorns and entwined stems. I feel the path hasn’t been easy at times for this person, and this shows with the brambles. But there is fruit on the brambles, which represent the current success which is the fruit of your labours.”

Landscape prediction: “There is nothing blocking your path. You will bend over backwards to help people and you will always have people around you. You will always find a way in which to help people.”

Do you have a unique divination talent that you’d like to share with Vision? Call 0113 286 3939 or write to the address on page 3 marking your letters ‘Divination Talent’. If you would like a reading from Vivienne, please address a brief letter and photograph to her, care of the Vision address on P3.

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Simon Wolf (below) has a rare ability. Through his transfiguration you can see and speak to guides and loved ones on the other side. Nick Richardson (left) tells his remarkable story.

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ave you ever wanted to speak face-to-face with your spirit guides? Several years ago, gifted healer and channel for Spirit, Simon Wolf, was told by his guides to begin demonstrating transfiguration. During transfiguration the face of Spirit appears over the channel’s face and Spirit are able to talk directly with the audience.

“I move my consciousness out of the way, and they work through me,” Simon explained. “Transfiguration can be really rewarding; people generally want proof of life after death, and for most people, seeing is believing.

“Some see everything, but others see nothing at all.

Paradoxically, sceptics often see more.” One lady recently told him: “I came here a non-believer, but you’ve turned all my views upside-down.”

A demonstration takes place in near-darkness. A red light glows upon Simon’s face, but don’t expect his features to change, as the face coming through appears separately, about 2 inches in front of Simon. Having seen this for myself I can verify what an amazing sight this is.

Sometimes different audience members see different faces – but many times it is universal. Various people come through from spirit guides to famous faces – I have seen John Lennon, among others, come through before now.

“I have two main guides: Dr Mikao Usui, the Japanese man who rediscovered the ancient art of Reiki healing, and Red Cloud, my Native American. They are in control of the evening, they act like bouncers; no-one comes through who isn’t supposed to.

“You can put questions directly to these guides. Dr Usui is only too happy to give information on Reiki.” There’s nothing like going straight to the top!

However, Simon’s life wasn’t always this ordered. As a young man growing up in London, times were hard and Simon got involved with drugs. He became addicted to cocaine and his life began to spiral out of control. Subsequently, Simon headed for Cornwall.

“It wasn’t long before I couldn’t go on,” Simon revealed. “One blustery day I walked along the high cliffs on the north Cornish coast, and sat down to make my peace with God. This was when I told Spirit that if they wanted me to live they would have to hold me up, because I had come to the end.

I walked to the edge and leaned over.

“I went far beyond the point where I should have plummeted to my death. I was almost horizontal, but

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something held me. A powerful force stopped me from going over. It pushed me back onto the grass and I lay there dazed.

That was the moment my life changed.”

Having failed in his attempt at suicide, Simon was told of a woman who could help him. “When I arrived at her house, the first thing she did was hug me,” said Simon. “This was not something I was used to; back in London, the only time anyone hugged you was if you’d scored a goal!

“I went for healing once a week and I would always leave with a big grin on my face. The treatment fascinated me.”

When fully recovered, Simon joined a healing class and discovered he had an aptitude for it. It gave his life new purpose.

Music was also part of the healing process and Simon

began singing in a band. But he quickly realised that he could only concentrate on one aspect full-time: “I was at a crossroads in my life. I’d been invited to a London recording studio, but I felt passionate about healing,” he said.

“I knew of Native American healers that used eagle feathers, so I asked Spirit for a sign. Out of a clear blue sky a perfect buzzard feather floated down to rest at my feet. I dropped the band and concentrated on the healing.”

Simon enrolled on a Reiki course and joined a psychic development circle.

Within weeks he was channelling Red Cloud.

“I realised he’d been with me since childhood. We worked together for a long time, until one day I woke up and he’d gone. It really upset me; I couldn’t understand why he’d left.”

The reason for Red Cloud’s departure soon became apparent.

Another energy was coming forward.

This new guide was Dr Usui. They both had powerful, but quite different personalities. Before long both energies were working together through Simon, and the transfiguration soon followed.

Nowadays, Simon has patients referred to him for healing by health professionals. One particular case stands out: “I’d had a request to see a young woman who’d been in a coma for 5 months following a car accident,” he explained. “Everyone had given up hope and I was asked if I could offer any help.

As I approached her hospital bed I was aware of a powerful figure overshadowing me.”

Simon made contact with Spirit who likened the girl’s body to a computer that had been dropped. “Tell the mother she is not ill, she is broken, we’re going to fix her,” they said.

Simon was told to place his left hand behind her head. He was then directed to bring his right hand down to her forehead: “My hand got to within two inches of her head and her eyes opened.

It was as quick as that,” he said.

Spiritual healer Simon Wolf (above and left) often demonstrates transfiguration with the help of Spirit before members of the public.

“

As I approached her hospital bed I was aware of a powerful figure overshadowing me.

”

Simon continued to visit the girl and within a week she started to regain her speech. After a while she requested that Simon stop treating her. He couldn’t understand why, until she admitted her reservations. She said: “Are you aware that when you work on me, you change into other people?”

Simon demonstrates

transfiguration around the country as well as Native American Healing Circles and is always happy to work with a private group. He conducts healing and Reiki attunements in Cornwall.

Contact him for a booking on 01209 891079 or email him at simonwolf@hotmail.co.uk. Visit www.simonwolf.co.uk for more details.

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by psychic Samantha Hamilton.

S

ince the beginning of time the Australian aborigines have lived by their creator’s rules and laws.

They feel that for true spiritual connection with Mother Earth one should live in harmony and peace with respect for all living things and nature.

For years they have survived principals and rigid rules laid down by some who have tried to take away their beliefs. The aboriginal culture has no formal religion but they do have a spiritual belief which descends from their ancestors and is part of their existence.

They believe that animals, creatures and plants, should never be killed or destroyed. They are the creatures of the earth and have important messages for those who seek to understand the reason for living. These totems are their spiritual guides for clarity, vision and truth, leading to an understanding of their wholeness, of who they are.

According to legend, the aboriginal ancestors were mythical figures – spirit beings who took on various forms, particularly animals such as wombats, lorikeets, magpies and kangaroos.

The ancestors created the landscape and created the format for the future – this period was known as the ‘Dreamtime’. The Australian aborigines have followed in the footsteps of their ancestors and walked the same paths and

42 Vision 6

marked their sacred sites. This is the place where the ancestor left the world of death and went into the earth. The great power of the ancestors is brought back to life from the sleep of death. Legend states that if no-one remembers the Dreamtime, they shall be trapped in the earth when they die.

The Dreamtime of the aborigines is a complex concept: the people relied upon memory to relate their Dreaming and spiritual laws. The culture was passed on through storytelling – a creation myth, fables and spiritual belief system.

Life has its evolution in the Dreamtime for the native Australians, and for them everything around us is brought to life by the dream. They believe the world is a magical place, infused with forces which they see as mystical and supernatural.

They understand that we are at all times “Dreaming the Dream”, so that it becomes impossible to know the difference between the waking and the dreaming state. They believe humans inhabit a place where the past, present and future exist simultaneously in an eternal “now”.

The Dreams of Uluru One of the most famous Dreaming places is the monolith rock called Uluru – known by many today as Ayers Rock.

One Dreaming describes two boys who

Uluru image © Shari Timms.

had been playing in the mud after a heavy period of rain. One of the boys threw a rock which became the giant monolith. Other Dreamings say the rock is the egg of the Rainbow Serpent. It is also said that the creation of Uluru marks the end of the creation of the energies of the Dreaming.

To dream of the Uluru represents finding your inner balance and personal power. The aborigines say sometimes you must stand alone so that you can become grounded. To find your inner source you may require a period of refuge or solitude.

There may be a feeling of uneasiness as the psyche can experience challenges from opposing forces from the light and the dark of your being. Issues relating to personal dignity and strength could be put through a testing time on many levels.

The tougher the test, the greater the spiritual growth. This dream can also indicate frustration, stagnation and restrictions to the psyche. The aborigines believe that this quest is a homecoming, when symbolically Uluru appears as an enlightening gift bringing personal power, security and energies traditionally linking you to Mother Earth.

‘Those who lose Dreaming are lost’ is an Australian aboriginal proverb – they believe that once you lose you ability to dream, you lose the ability to know your truth.

Intuitive astrologer, psychic and dream interpreter Samantha Hamilton continues Vision’s monthly alphabet round-up of the most common dream scenarios.

Common dreams beginning with the letter Gallery (art) The interpretation of this dream is dependant on its details. If it contained old paintings, you may see the revival of an old relationship. But if they were new, your social life is going to improve and new friendships could well be formed. If there were pieces of sculpture this indicates a suggestion of unprofitable ventures. If you get lost in the gallery, expect domestic and/or lovers’ quarrels.

Gambling This dream does not relate to the outcome, ie whether you won or lost, but how you participated in the game. If you enjoyed the game, expect positive times ahead. However, if you were anxious or fearful, expect a period of irritable encounters.

Garden An immaculate garden which is devoid of flowers denotes an easy lifestyle.

A neglected, overgrown garden predicts a life of difficulty. A dream of a garden in full bloom indicates health, wealth and happiness including spiritual satisfaction, love, and security in your finances – in other words, bliss!

Gargoyle Gargoyles represent a fear of the unknown, of possible deceitfulness and trickery. It also denotes a refusal to see the blessings and gifts of those who are unconventional or do not follow an expected path.

Gate To see yourself at a gate is an obstacle dream. If the gate is open then this signifies opportunities ahead. A closed gate foretells of obstacles that can be overcome if you manage to see the hidden opportunities in your day-to-day

situations. Insurmountable obstacles will appear if the gate is locked, although if you climbed over it or found a way around it, the problem will only be temporary.

Gift To give or offer a gift means generosity and predicts happy possibilities. A token of love such as a box of chocolates or jewellery from an admirer indicates wishful thinking. If the gift is from a stranger, be aware of your vulnerability.

God To dream of God means that you are searching for your inner truth. Expect pleasant, peaceful experiences and reassurances that everything in your life is for the best.

To see God foretells that you are unconditionally loved. To hear God predicts a calling to serve. To dream of being healed by God suggests you have let go of past hurts and grievances and moved into forgiveness of yourself and others.

Gold Looking for gold indicates that, by your own initiative, you can change an unpleasant situation. Finding gold is a reminder that you must be wary of a tendency to be too easily taken in by appearances. Dreaming of hiding it suggests that you need to be more careful about protecting your own interests.

Stealing or counting gold is a warning that money is the root of evil and can lead to misery. Gold, in the form of cutlery, jewellery or coins are a suggestion of steady financial gain.

Goldfish When goldfish appear in a clean, clear pond this suggests wealth and power.

‘G’: When the water is muddy then the outcome will be difficulties and uncertainty, and your status will not reflect your inner truth. Catching fish indicates great success: the bigger the fish the bigger the success. Baiting a fishhook in a dream is a prediction of a passionate new love – it will be someone close. But you must be prepared to lower your sights or find a new liaison if you dream of trying to hold a fish which wriggles out of your hands.

Ghost A ghost appearing in your dreams can indicate a past life memory returning to haunt you, or to help you with emotional and traumatic difficulties which are currently causing you pain. A ghost can be a gift from your past in the form of an old friendship or relationship who returns as a guardian and protector. The ghost may also represent memories of previous occupants of the property you are sleeping in.

Grapes Images of grapes in your dreams means you are being told to watch your appetite and your overindulgence with pleasures of a sensual and sexual nature. Picking or eating grapes, on the other hand, as well as harvesting or growing them, are omens of future comfort.

Guardian If you see yourself as a guardian in a dream, you can expect an opportunity to help you rise up the career ladder.

To see your godparents as guardians can foretell of anxiety and the need for support from those you look up to or admire.

There may be problems, however, if you see yourself as a guardian, as you will take on the responsibilities of others.

WIN a luxury break at

Champneys Health Resorts

P

amper yourself and book some time in one of Champneys 4 UK Health Resorts.

All are truly inspiring and set in idyllic calming surroundings, from the hideaway seclusion of Forest Mere in Hampshire, or the Georgian grace of Henlow Grange in Bedfordshire, to the innovative Springs in Leicestershire with state-of-the art facilities. The choice now includes the ever-charming Champneys in Tring.

Once at the health resorts, experience the luxurious treatments carried out by highly trained, caring therapists, sample the superb cuisine and enjoy the fantastic health and fitness facilities.

Chill out or kick start a new healthier lifestyle and get in trim for the holiday season. Sample the tasty and nutritious food prepared by master chefs. The healthy buffet breakfast, the hot and cold buffet luncheon and three-course waiter service evening meals are enough to prepare you for a range of relaxing classes.

Yoga and pilates are on offer as well as more energetic pastimes including aerobics, spinning and dance. Each resort

has a pool, steam and sauna, a gymnasium, whirlpool, lounge areas and stunning grounds to stroll around. Cycle hire and guided walks of the grounds are also available at each resort.

We have a two-night, mid-week break at the Champneys resort of your choice for one lucky reader plus their guest give away. The break will include two night’s accommodation, all meals, unlimited use of the facilities (swimming pool with whirlpool, steam/sauna/gymnasium and complete programme of exercise and relaxation classes) together with a full body massage and facial per person.

To enter simply answer the following question: How many Champneys resorts are there in the UK? Send your answer, name, address and daytime telephone number to Champneys Break Competition, Vision, Amadeus House, 6 Lidgett Lane, Garforth, LS25 1EQ, by September 14.

If you are not lucky enough to win this superb prize, call the reservations team on 08703 300300 or visit the website at www.champneys.com to book yourself a break.

Terms & conditions: The first winner to be picked after the closing date will win a two-night break for themselves and a friend; winners must be aged 16 or over; this prize is non-transferrable and subject to availability; this prize is non-redeemable for cash and is not available on Friday, Saturdays or Sunday; no more than one entry per person; Vision accepts no responsibility for the fulfilment of prize obligations or the distribution of prizes.

DON’T MISS next month’s Vision for a review of the Eastern Wellbeing retreat at Champneys Springs, Leicestershire.

Discover a healing treasure Some treasures are worth discovering. Find your true pathway with the Gift of Enlightenment board game.

This fun-filled game and healing experience is an easy to follow journey – the first one to get to the Pathway to Enlightenment wins!

Players are dealt out five ‘Humanity’ cards each and throughout the game they must strive to lose negative traits such as ‘Blame’ and ‘Ingratitude’ in favour of positive cards such as ‘Wisdom’ or ‘Humour’.

Choosing the right cards to discard is sometimes a moral dilemma! ‘Pathway’ cards are there to help, as are ‘Life’ cards. Everyone has an ‘Aura’ card on which to place the seven chakra crystals after successfully completing the Chakra Challenges which all rely on the player’s insight and intuition.

A player makes it to the Pathway to Enlightenment when their ‘Aura’ card is full and they are holding five positive ‘Humanity’ cards. Through a simple process of divination, one ‘Humanity’ and one ‘Chakra’ colour card are chosen which determines their personal ‘gift’ or message from the Book of Enlightenment.

Vision has 10 games to give away. To enter, simply complete the following saying ‘Some treasures are worth _____?‘ Send your answer, name, address (including postcode) and daytime telephone number to: Gift of Enlightenment Competition, Vision, Amadeus House, 6 Lidgett Lane, Garforth, LS25 1EQ. Entries must be received by September 14.

For more information visit www.giftofenlightenment.com or call 01242 530250.

Terms and conditions: The first 10 names to be drawn after the closing date will each win a copy of the Gift of Enlightenment; no alternative prize will be offered; winners must be 18 or over; no more than one entry per person; prizes will be sent by recorded delivery to the addresses shown on the winning postcards; Vision Magazine Ltd cannot be held responsible for the fulfilment of prize distribution.

44 Vision 6

Cordelia Brabbs talks to clairvoyant healer Shabdan.

T

he air around me suddenly felt as still, clean and cool as it would on the peak of a mountain.

I felt centred, peaceful and light. A smile spread across my face as I realised that a great deal of whatever had been holding me back in life had just been lifted. “You’ve released seven thousand entities from your energy field,” said Shabdan, a clairvoyant healer who took me through a clearing session via telephone. “That’s good work. The average is around three to four thousand.”

The rest of the session continued in a similar, deeply esoteric vein. I cancelled spiritual contracts with negative energies within and without myself, and we cleared a vortex from my solar plexus that had been shrinking and contracting my ‘I AM’ power.

Finally, Shabdan helped heal my sacred space – the area between my heart and solar plexus – which had been perforated to allow negative energies through. The weight that had been sat in my chest lifted, and when the session was over, I sat in my chair for another half-hour, happy to enjoy the feelings of peace and wholeness which washed over and through me. It was the most profound healing experience I’ve had.

Shabdan (whose name means ‘Bridge of Light’) was born as Graham Wyllie in Salisbury to a Scottish father and German mother. He settled in Dundee – where he is now based – when he was 13. As with many lightworkers, it was a serious wake-up call that started him on his healing journey. The first incident, when he was working as a musician, was a serious car accident that he was lucky to survive. “I spent the next 10 years trying to understand what was

Clairvoyant healer Shabdan. Image © Iona Light.

happening in my life. I had a great deal of fear,” explained Shabdan. “Instead of being still, I turned to alcohol.”

His second awakening came when he was struck down by three strands of the Cocksachie virus, a severe illness that left Shabdan wheelchair-bound. “It took me to a place where I had no choice but to be physically still,” he said. “I was forced to face my demons.”

Shabdan found himself in a “heck of a state”. It was in this place of fear that he started to pray, an action that led him to his first clairvoyant experience: “As I prayed I put pen to paper, and as the pen began to move a guide called Johansen appeared. After communicating through automatic writing he said ‘You don’t need the pen to hear me’. And that’s how my connection with Spirit started,” he said.

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Shabdan discovered his skills for clairvoyant healing when a recently bereaved friend visited him to make a connection with his wife, who died aged 24 from cancer. “We had long, inspired conversations that came through my heart, and it was through helping him that I discovered a great deal about myself, and what I needed to heal within me,” recalled Shabdan. “Word spread that there was a guy doing this sort of healing and other people came to me. It was an amazing journey of self-realisation.”

Throughout the 1990s Shabdan continued to heal himself using spiritual tools that his guides gave to him. These included Ascension Reiki, and an

eight-foot pyramid structure that he was told to build in his garden by Joseph of Aragon. He was also shown powerful symbols that he could draw on fabric and step onto to clear his energy space. “I dealt with all the emotional issues and energy blocks that had ground me to a halt,” explained Shabdan, who by now had, amazingly, recovered full mobility.

He attributes the moment when he truly consolidated his spiritual power to his partner Shastra (Fiona Mackenzie), whom he met on a spiritual retreat to Iona following the death of his father.

Together they formed spiritual company Iona Light, which now runs powerful transformational workshops, provides energy and entity clearing

Music is just one of the many ways in which Shabdan heals. Images © Iona Light.

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services, and offers sound and angelic energy healing. It sells spiritual tools and products including Shabdan’s healing CDs, Energy Matrix Cushions and Chambers of Light (including angel chambers).

“I can trace everything that I’m doing now back to my meeting Fiona,” confirmed Shabdan. “She really crystallised the power of the mastership within me.”

Shabdan now works on numerous projects that see him living up to his name ‘Bridge of Light’. One of these is a prayer scroll covered with light language symbols of peace and love, which empowers prayers by a hundred-fold. Having designed it to send

“

I am simply standing in my full power and serving from my heart.

”

positive energies to survivors of the Asian Tsunami, Shabdan also hopes it will bring greater enlightenment to earth.

“Each one of us is capable of making a difference to any situation through the simple act of prayer, which can bring emotional healing and support long after physical lives have been re-built,” he explained. To use the scroll, simply visit www.iona-light.co.uk (free of charge), print it off, then read out the invocation by the side of the symbols before rolling it up, tying it with a ribbon and making your prayer over it.

Another important project is The Keys of Metatron, a high-vibrational music CD that, when played in sequence, will invoke energies at quantum level and radiate powerful healing energies for 100m from the CD player.

“The light patterns that are encoded in the CD provide the necessary connections for enlightenment and transition into higher planes of consciousness,” he said.

Shabdan and Shastra also run The Circle of Light, a distant healing group that ‘gets together’ every fortnight for etheric meetings. Each member is sent a CD containing encrypted programmes, which links them into a healing wave of energy that radiates for the two-week period. People can tap into the energy as many times as they wish, and can access the library of healing programmes at any time. “People have found the circle to be incredibly powerful,” said Shabdan. “Their reactions have ranged from feeling euphoric to being tearful – depending on what they

need to heal and balance within themselves.”

Despite having these numerous projects on the go, Shabdan is also writing The Book of Keys which will contain many of the healing tools that he uses during his workshops, as well as inspiration from the angels, archangels, ascended masters and Elohim. He is also being guided to build a centre of universal peace in Scotland, to act as a channel for the light of Source.

Even with all his achievements, Shabdan is incredibly humble, modest and heart-felt about his role in bringing more light into the world – qualities that are instantly felt when you meet or speak to this incredible healer. “I am simply standing in my full power and serving from my heart,” he says. “Everyone can do what I’m doing.”

To download a peace prayer scroll visit www.iona-light.co.uk To join The Circle of Light (£10 a month), or to order the Keys of Metatron CD (£13 including p&p) call 01382 581951 or write to Iona Light, PO Box 10070, Dundee, DD2 5YT.

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F

lower essences are a fast-growing popular holistic therapy increasingly used by both therapists and the general public alike.

The Bach remedies are perhaps the most well-known, however, Australia has its own strong contender in the form of Australian Bush Flower Essences.

Flower essences can be classified in the field of vibrational medicine, not unlike homeopathy which seeks to address the underlying cause of any imbalance of body, mind or spirit.

They contain the energetic imprint of the flower, not its scent. Flower essences have a very long history spanning many cultures. They are used to help physical, emotional and spiritual health, working on the understanding that a physical problem is nearly always the result of an emotional or spiritual imbalance.

The process of making flower essences is very simple and anyone can do it – simply soak a flower in pure uncontaminated water and leave it for a short period in direct sunlight. The water is then the essence which can be preserved with the addition of a little brandy. However, the real skill comes in tuning into the flower to know what its gift is.

The pioneer of flower essences was Dr Edward Bach (1886-1936) whose range of essences are still in popular use today. However, in the last 10 years a great deal of research has been done in various parts of the world, and now is the time for the flower essences to be recognised as one of the most important systems of healing.

So what is so special about Australian Bush Flower Essences? The Australian remedies work quickly and deeply and are unsurpassed for the speed and effectiveness of their action. Many of the flowers live and thrive in extreme environments and so their gifts and energies are extremely strong and vibrant.

When living in the Bush, aligned with the natural world, the Australian aborigines obtained the beneficial effects of a flower essence by eating the whole

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Psychospiritual counsellor and complementary/beauty therapist Diane Burgess, explains the roots of Australian Bush Flower Essences.

A mixture of over the counter Bush Flower Essences and ones made up specially by a trained therapist.

flower, thus benefiting from the nutritive properties as well as the essence in the form of dew made potent by the sun. If a flower was inedible, they would sit in a clump of those flowers to absorb the healing vibration.

Ian White is the originator of the Australian Bush Flower Essences. For the past 20 years he has been practicing as a naturopath and homeopath and is a fifth generation Australian herbalist. He travels Australia extensively researching and developing the range of 68 remedies which are now used by therapists and practitioners of every kind, as well as medical doctors and the general public.

By tuning into the plants through extensive meditation and intuitive abilities, Ian discovers the gifts of the plants which can help us on all levels: physical, emotional, psychological and spiritual. Dr Bach is known to be supporting, guiding and inspiring today’s practitioners from Spirit to develop new essences.

My first encounter with Bush Flower Essences was 8 years ago when I was at an all-time low in my physical and emotional energy, partly as a result of a head injury. I went for a massage and the

therapist had just done her training with Ian White – she was keen to use me as a guinea pig. She laid the Flower Essence cards out and asked me to pick whichever one my eyes were drawn to. I scanned the beautiful array of unusual and colourful flowers in front of me and immediately picked one which looked rather phallic.

Luckily my sense of humour was still intact as I remarked, “I’d like some of that!” And indeed it turned out to be the perfect remedy for me: Old Man Banksia – for those who are low in energy, disheartened and weary.

I took the remedy for two weeks and I was infinitely more optimistic and enthusiastic about life, and most importantly, I had regained the feeling of being able to cope with my situation. I felt more vitality than I had for a long time. I was hooked. I signed up for Ian’s next two workshops. Old Man Banksia is also great for revitalising the libido and I have since prescribed it for a client for this reason – with very positive results!

I now use the Bush Essences in various ways, mostly in supporting my clients in their work with themselves, whether they come to me for counselling, massage or Reiki. The essences can be

The following essences are available ready-made from selected outlets:

Essence

Negative Condition

Positive Outcome

Space Clearing

Negative energies.

Creates a sacred, safe and harmonious environment.

Travel

Travel fears.

Helps a person arrive at their destination feeling balanced and ready to go.

Good for all forms of travel.

Woman Essence

Imbalances during menstruation and menopause.

Harmonises, calms and stabilizes.

Solaris

Fear and distress Reduces effects of fire and associated with fire, heat sunburn. and sun.

Meditation

Awakens sprituality, Depleted aura or psychic enhances intuition, access to Higher Self and attack. provides psychic protection and healing.

Cognis taken internally in the form of drops, or can be mixed into creams and massage oils.

The Bush Flower Essences have endless potential in which to help us: combatting a wide range of problems ranging from addictions, anxiety, depression and dyslexia, right through to issues with relationships or sexuality. See the tables right for examples – although this is merely a taste of the wide range available.

In a wider sense, the main purpose of the essences is to help people get in touch with their Higher Self – their own intuitive centre which knows their life’s purpose. It is now time for people to know that they have the power to make positive changes not only for themselves but also for this planet. The more people use the essences, the more they will experience clarity and quality in their lives.

Diane is proprietor of the Beverley Natural Therapy Centre, East Yorkshire, with her hypnotherapist husband Steve Burgess. For more details or to book treatments call 01482 870874.

A wandering mind or inability to focus.

Gives clarity and focus when working, speaking, reading or studying.

The following are essences which can be mixed by a qualified practitioner:

Essence

Negative Condition

Positive Outcome

Bauhinia

Resistance to change & reluctance.

Acceptance & open-mindedness.

Black-eyed Susan Bluebell Crowea Five Corners Jacaranda Red Helmet Orchid

Impatience, ‘on the go’, Ability to be inward and continual expenditure of still, slowing down, inner energy, constant striving. peace.

Opens the heart, belief in Emotionally closed, fear abundance, joyful of lack, greed & rigidity. sharing.

Promotes peace, calm, Continual worrying & a vitality, balance and feeling of ‘not quite right. centres.

Love and acceptance of Low self-esteem & self, celebration of own dislike of self. beauty.

Scattered & changeable.

Decisive, clear-minded.

Rebellious, hot-headed & Male bonding, sensitivity selfish. respect & consideration,

She Oak

Hormonal imbalance, inability to conceive.

Hormonal balance, conception & fertility.

Sturt Desert Pea

Pain, deep hurt & sadness.

Letting go, diffuses sad memories & re-energises.

Wisteria

Frigidity & sexual abuse.

Sexual enjoyment & openness.

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Clare Sheridan investigates the role of crystals in the life of the Australian aborigines.

I

t is surprising that the often barren Australian landscape can be home to any precious gems, however, opals and quartz crystal have been found among the earth.

The use of crystals as a healing or shamanic tool seems to be inherent in the fabric of ancient cultures, and the Australian aborigines are no exception.

Opal, tourmaline, clear quartz and concretion were used by the tribes in rituals, healing and also to ward off evil spirits.

Not only did they use them in a healing and ceremonial capacity, but also as artistic materials. The Ang-Gnarra aborigines in the Cape York area of north Queensland used crushed hematite in their cave paintings. They administered it with their fingers and the metal gave them a blood red colour. There was also the added bonus that the iron element ensured the markings permanently stuck to the cave walls. The paintings are thought to be at least 35,000-years-old but are still vibrant.

They used quartz crystal to keep

This page (left to right): Mookaite & pink tourmaline.

Opposite page (left to right): pink, watermelon & green tourmaline.

Tourmaline crystals available from The Holistic Experience.

Visit www.theholisticexperience.com

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the Quinkans (supernatural spirits) at bay – the stones were thought to be positioned around fires at night to reflect the light and blind any Quinkans which tried to sneak up on the tribe.

The ancient Churinga Stones were made from concretion – a mass of mineral – and were revered by the aborigines. These sacred boards were often made from this type of stone (although they could also be made from wood) and were decorated with tribal markings and linked to the Dreamtime.

They are a lifeline to the spirit world and acts as a totem – incorporating the spirit of the owner. When the owner dies, their spirit is thought to remain in the stone, and haunt the immediate vicinity of the item.

Each tribe member had one and they were kept hidden in a storehouse of some kind – which could have been as basic as a simple hole in the ground, under branches or even a cleft in rock.

Only the initiated of the tribe were allowed in the vicinity of the storehouse –

women and children were forbidden and threatened with death! They were reputedly used in pairs in magic rituals – one represented the nurturing Great Mother, and the other the strong Great Father.

Concretion is a stone of protection and can shield emotional bodies, can help to understand messages and promote a feeling of calm and well-being.

Opal has many variations but is mainly used by aboriginal shamen to help induce visions and in the Dreamtime rituals. It is known to awaken psychic abilities and can purify the blood and kidneys, strengthen eyesight and drive away infections.

The aborigines use clear quartz as a meditation tool – not unlike the inhabitants of Atlantis and the Native Americans. They believe that their god, Baiame, is connected to the quartz crystal and his throne was made of that particular stone. The aborigines also

Abovc: Opal set in a silver bangle.

believe that fragments of this fell to earth – hence the origins of clouds, rain, rainbows and heaven.

They see the stone as sacred and associate it with their mythical creature, the Rainbow Serpent. Those who undergo the initiation rituals to become a shaman, must drink water containing clear quartz, so that they have ingested some of the light contained within them – which enables them to see spirits and also to contain part of the sky – then he can journey wherever he needs. It can be used mostly in meditation and for recognizing a disease’s origins.

The Aranda aborigine tribe believe spirits use the ‘atmongara’ or fragments of crystal to heal by replacing the person’s internal organs with the fragments.

The aborigine shamen also use tourmaline. This comes in many colours, including black, blue, brown, green, colourless, neon, orange, pink, rubellite, yellow and watermelon. It protects the shaman from physical danger and also helps to promote healing. Tourmaline balances each of the chakras and also energizes and stimulates them. It is used to enhance healing and to help encourage visions.

Mookaite is also an aboriginal healing stone. Its colourful exterior looks not unlike the vibrant paintings they daubed on cave walls and has benefits for strengthening the immune system, helps in meditation and emotional protection.

It also helps in decision-making, dealing with negative situations, and bestows strength.

So next time you put on that piece of opal jewellery, just think of its possible aboriginal origins and spend some time in the Dreamtime.

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An interpretation of aboriginal dance through aboriginal art.

Clare Sheridan explores aboriginal song, dance and ceremony.

H

ow many of us in the West regularly go out at weekends to dance the night away?

Just as we have our weekend rituals, the Australian aborigines have been dancing since their race began, they just don’t have to wait until the weekend to let their hair down.

Traditional aboriginal dance is perhaps one of the most spectacular aspects of their culture.

Song and dance are encouraged from an early age and aboriginal children learn their group’s individual songs from puberty. Each clan has its own distinct melodies, history and mythology and there are songs which cover a range of topics. It is passed down to each generation through performance (each generation may add their own touches and flair) and some songs are believed to hold magical powers affecting rainfall, healing and victory in battle.

Tied in with ceremonies, rituals, festivals, funerals or just for fun, dance is an integral part of the different aboriginal communities. The most common type is the corroboree: during these events, the traditional Dreamtime stories are brought to life via song, dance and music.

Usually held at night, each corroboree is sacred to the aborigines.

Each dancer uses ochre which they produce locally to paint their bodies with sacred symbols – these represent people and animals integral to the stories they tell.

During these meetings, the children and women sing and the men dance for extended periods – sometimes for as long as three or four hours. The ceremonies are not always open to everyone, however, corroborees are the only type of sacred ceremony in which men, women and

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children can take part together. There are many different types of songs and music which range from sacred songs to non-sacred songs. The sacred ones are only performed (and witnessed) by clan men who have been initiated (women have their own separate ceremonies) and are usually performed to commemorate an ancestor.

The semi-sacred songs are performed by both men and women.

These are saved usually for the intiation rituals performed on young male members of the groups. The men sing and the women dance during these initiations which are usually carried out at a specific ceremonial spot.

The non-sacred music are songs sung mainly for entertainment purposes – these are the corroborees – public performances. Any clan can join in and

many of them often swap non-sacred songs at these events. This also happens at regular festivals where different aboriginal communities meet up to share their distinctive non-sacred dances.

The youth ceremonies represent the first steps towards adult responsibilities within the tribe and are not attended by adults. Here they learn the rules and philosophies of the tribe and they are encouraged to dance and sing about everyday tasks from an early age.

Although many of the dances tell ancient tales, there are always new ones being invented which often incorporate recent events, as Dreamtime is in the past, present and the future.

There is a lot of diversity in dancing styles and different types of percussion across Australia. Techniques

include mime, imitation of animals or birds, foot stomping, and a series of set arm, body and foot movements.

Corroboree dances include the Munga Munga (for women), the Wangka (a festive corroboree) and the Joonba (a heritage event). Many of these are passed from generation to generation and it is an honour to ‘own’ one.

Percussion instruments also vary from region to region. These can range from skin drums, stick percussion and didgeridoo to clapsticks (boomerangs clapped together), and simple hand or body clapping. Each dance would have leaders and there would also be a songman to compose the songs. He is revered and will know the ancient songs handed down by previous generations to enrich any performance.

Many ceremonies were

conducted for specific purposes too – such as trade, friendship and for informative purposes. But song or dance on their own were not the most important element for the aborigines; it was the combination of all these that were sacred to the tribes.

Songs were of course important in their own right too. Groups would often make up their own songs to sing while carrying out everyday tasks, and special songs were created for funeral ceremonies or for anyone who was sick.

Stories would also evolve into songs over the years and down the generations.

Despite the diversity of the tribes and cultures, music and ceremony, like totems, bonded the different clans in spirit. A connection which still holds today and is a worthy reminder that we are all brothers.

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When angelic animals return to help us

by Margrit Coates - the UK’s number one animal healer and communicator.

I

was talking to a client about his much-loved, middle-aged dog recently when his ten-year-old son, who had been sitting thoughtfully beside his father, suddenly looked upset. I asked him if he would like to ask me something.

“I’m worried about my dog dying. He’s getting old now and I don’t want him to leave us,” the boy blurted out. My chest tightened as my heart chakra connected with the boy’s. It was a delicate situation, and I used my counselling skills to reply to the boy’s fears. He was too young to go into much depth about the afterlife, but I said “Even when your dog isn’t here anymore, he’ll still watch over you, because he’ll become your guardian angel. Love him in the moment and that will be the bridge that will always connect you two together, no matter what happens in the future”.

In my work I frequently give healing to very sick, terminally ill animals, and have been present many times when clients’ animals (cats, dogs, rabbits and horses) have passed away as the vet put them to sleep. As upsetting as this time is, it is also very uplifting. I always feel the life-force energy, the soul, leave the body, and other people around me have experienced this too.

I personally feel a pulsating under my hands as the soul gathers momentum to rise up and leave the physical body, which cannot function any longer. This pulsating can become like a drumming sensation and on more than one occasion I have actually lifted my hands up expecting to see the body moving – yet it was still.

Frequently I have ‘seen’ or sensed animals around me as they return to help me in my healing work with other

pets and horses. People ask me what this ‘seeing’ or sensing feels like, and I tell them that what we can pick up very strongly is the essence of the animal.

The essence is the animal’s individual energy signature and with that comes an image in my mind of the actual animal. I have long known that energy cannot be destroyed but converted from one form to another. This visiting of animals that have passed away is the confirmation of that. There is definitely, from my experience, an afterlife for animals.

I have asked the animals that return whether they are with animals or humans once they have passed over, and they reply that they join the humans. I was hoping that this was so because I want to meet up with all the animals that I have been involved with again one day.

Often during healing sessions I see or sense an animal (bird, dog, cat, horse etc) helping me connect and channel the healing energy to whatever animal I am working with that is in need.

Sometimes I ask the angel animal to remain after I have gone, to watch over the sick or troubled pet, so that it feels the comfort of a loving presence.

Sometimes people ask me if animals have more than one incarnation on this earth planet of ours – and even whether animals can come back as humans. I have, I must admit, sensed from time to time that an animal that I am giving healing to has been here before in a previous life. I have had sudden flashes of images from the animal’s mind of an earlier life. However,

this does not seem to be the norm, just with an occasional animal.

I have never picked up a crossover form animal to human, and indeed why would an animal want to reincarnate as a human? Animals are perfectly in tune with the cosmic soul intelligence and with nature, and are adept at telepathic communication. It is we humans who struggle to be in touch with the universal energy, so for an animal to experience human form would not have any benefit for the animal. It would be like taking a step backwards! I believe ultimately that human and non-human animals are separate ‘nations’ and here to complement each other, and that animals are our guides in this incarnation.

We can take much comfort from knowing that animals come back to support us, guide us and offer us their wisdom and strength. Each animal that we have known has individual teachings to offer. For this reason, although nothing can ever be replaced as the same, when one of my pets passes away, I always open my heart to another coming into my life. I am an imperfect human and need as much help, teaching and guidance from animals as I can get, so that one day I may draw as spiritually close to nature as they naturally are.

Margrit Coates is a registered healer and partner in a clinic offering natural therapies for animals. Her partners are a homeopathic vet and a veterinary physiotherapist. Margrit is the author of 2 groundbreaking books on animal healing, and a CD of animal healing music.

Sensations that we can experience when an animal angel draws close to comfort or guide us. These include: A sensation of air moving over the back of the neck, over the face or the hands; A sudden cold sensation on the face, neck or hands; Finding something that had belonged to a pet when it was with us, and that we had either lost or misplaced. I once had a collar tag turn up by my feet as I sat in the garden, which had been lost several years before in a previous house!

A feeling of love pervading your being; A feeling of great peace and an image of the animal in your mind.

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Mabon/Autumn Equinox (Harvest Festival - 21st September)

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eptember is the month when people who want to return to education can take that opportunity to learn new things; perhaps with a wiser and better established mind.

Thus this is the ideal opportunity for lapsed witches to return to study the Craft. For me, it’s about learning and embracing new ideas now that I have an older, wiser and more highly selfmotivated head on my shoulders.

People come back to witchcraft at many different times in their lives, but there’s no rush, don’t feel pressured by exterior influences. Enjoy what you learn, feel the seasons change inside and out, and make your own unique magic.

Georgia.

Mabon is pronounced [ma’-bon] and means ‘great sun’. Some people refer to it as the Witches Thanksgiving or Second Harvest - a time when the remainder of the crop is stored for the coming winter. Mabon or the Autumn Equinox is a time of balance when days and nights are equal. As with the other equinoxes and solstices, the date may move slightly from year to year. It’s a good time of year to let go of old arguments, pay debts before the cold weather comes and let go of any regrets keeping them alive helps to feed no-one.

The Autumn Equinox is also a time of healing, so put mistakes behind you and move forward.

Mabon Ritual You will need: 1 slice of bread; 1 teaspoon of honey; 1 cup of bird seed.

Spread the honey liberally over one side of the bread then carefully arrange the birdseed on the honeyed side of the bread to spell out the word release.

Now stand outdoors with the bread held on the out-spread palms of your hands (honey side up!).

Stand and visualise for a few minutes the regretful conflicts you’ve experienced over the past 8 months and feel the sweetness of forgiveness touch your heart as you symbolically watch the pain of those conflicts slowly drift away into the distance and over the horizon. Now place the bread somewhere where the birds and animals will help you release all the unwanted worries and take them away.

Goddess of the Month

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Ma’at is the Egyptian Goddess of justice, truth, law and the divine order. She rules the natural order of the universe, not the imposed version of mankind. She serves justice where it’s truly and honestly needed.

She is the goddess to ask for guidance when you feel that you have been unjustly treated.

a i g r o e Ask G

Ask Georgia

An answer to anger

Sibling bully

I don’t know if this would be appropriate, but is there a spell to stop a family member making my life a misery and causing a rift because of her actions? I want the bullying to stop. I also believe this sibling is trying to take advantage of our parents. I want to forgive and move on but I really don’t want to be in her presence. Please can you help me?

Audrey, via e-mail.

Georgia says: In magic, we always work by the rules and these are summed up in eight words: “And it harm none, do what ye will”. This simply means that whatever you may do, don’t hurt anyone in the process. Now, it isn’t appropriate to perform a spell on someone else, but there are many things that you can do to protect yourself.

What you can do is create a type of amulet to protect you from thoughtless words and actions.

You will need:

1 locket on a chain or neck thong large enough to carry a few ingredients (glass or silver lockets are best); 1 small obsidian crystal to absorb and reflect negativity; 1 flourite crystal to impart the ability of enlightened speech; A small amount of dried sage for personal and spiritual protection.

I am sorry to say I have suffered very badly with anger issues in the past and needed to find a simple way to get rid of these feelings.

One day I had terrible heartburn from feeling annoyed and as I stood in my kitchen holding onto a soluble antacid tablet, I started to feel the anger I was suffering move down my arm into the tablet. I dropped it into the water and as I watched it fizz I imagined all my problems dissolving and I felt better.

I now do this every time I feel overwhelmed and I have found anger less and less of a problem as time goes on.

Guy, Wellingborough.

Georgia says: This gives the antacid industry a whole new market! Anger can be such a destructive thing. Not just to ourselves but to the ones we love. Being able to visualise the anger leaving you and the symbolic dissolving of the tablet is a brilliant, original way of working.

Tell us how spells have made a change in your life, and each month the prize spell wins a personalised spell kit from For The Witch In You to the value of £49.99. Visit www.forthewitchinyou.co.uk

During the full moon, put the crystals and dried sage in your locket and recite these words: Power and strength, love and light, Bless this amulet, on this night.

Protection and clarity are what I seek, To show myself I am not weak.

The strength of lions, the ability to see, That I am now whom I need to be.

Place the amulet round your neck and wear it in the presence of those who would try to make you feel weak and inferior. If you can’t wear it then keep it in your pocket or handbag.

If you have a question or need help with a problem, you can write to me, Georgia at the Vision address or email me at covencorner@visionmagazine.uk.com Please remember that I may not be able to respond to all your letters, but I will try to cover all the subjects on these pages.

The Witches’ Kitchen Each month we’ll bring you tips on herbs and their magical and healing properties for you to build up your own witches’ kitchen.

Fennel

Fennel is believed to guard the wearer from unwelcome spirits when worn in a pouch around the neck.

It is said that when eaten regularly, it can increase the length of your life.

Fennel served to guests not only feeds them, but provides them with protection and well-being.

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Author Jenny Smedley charts the Australian aborigines’ relationship with the night sky.

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t seems that all races on earth have looked for their gods and their future in the night sky, and the aboriginal people of Australia are no exception.

Extensive research in the 1840s by John Morieson uncovered a complete astrological system. It has 40 symbols in total, compared to the European 12, which it pre-dates.

Daisy Bates, an Irish lady who lived much of her life in Australia during the last half of the nineteenth and first half of the twentieth century, wrote articles and investigated the cruelty dealt to the Aborigines. She died in 1951, but spent her life compiling an aboriginal zodiac. By examining the findings of these two scholars it is possible to make sense of the Australian sky as interpreted

by Australia’s indigenous people.

They did not use the zodiac in the same way in which we do – their country is in the southern hemisphere and therefore they would have seen a different night sky to us. There are some similarities in constellations, however – they saw the mixture of planets and constellations (whichever were the most prominent in their sky) as essential to their existence and used them for much more practical methods, such as telling their creation stories or assessing the fertility of their females.

The main areas of the zodiac were represented by the following animals in aboriginal astrology: Jupiter (morning star) – a red kangaroo (Maalu); Venus (evening star) – a grey kangaroo (Kulbir); Scorpio – a giant emu (Genyornis); The Southern Cross – an eaglehawk (Walja-jinna) – or a ringtailed possum (Bunya); Mars – a black cockatoo with a red feather in his tail (Kogolongo);

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Altair – a mother crow (Kangga Ngoonju); Aquarius – a brush fence (Bailgu); Antares – the Fire Carrier (War-roo-boordina); Rigel – a Red-backed spider (Kara); Canopus – a night owl (Jurr-jurr); Rigel – a curlew (Weerloo); Horn of the Bull – a dingo (Babba); Gemini twins – a tortoise and fantail cuckoo; Clouds of Magellan – a pair of brolgas (cranes); Capella – a red kangaroo; Lyra – a mallee fowl (Neilloan).

Crows, eagles, parrots lorikeets, dancing men and song men are also included in this version of the stars’ characters.

Ernestine Hill Kabbarli detailed a corroboree (ceremonies of the history of the people, most commonly mimed) in A Personal Memoir of Daisy Bates.

Orion, is the cowardly hunter (N-yeeruna) – his impotence and shame are the Awful Example and the moral of the man-corroborees. Through eternity, he chases the giggling girls of the Pleiades, only to be defied, waylaid and kept forever at bay by Kambu-gudha, their elder sister, the V in Taurus, who laughs him to scorn.

N-yeeru-na, Hunter of Women, is an aboriginal ballet of all the brightest stars in the southern skies. They believed if a woman saw it she would die. In the initiation corroborees, Kambu-gudha and the Mingari were played by young men and boys.

N-yeeru-na dances, his body reddened by lust and fire. He waves to the Mingari girls to come to his camp.

Returning home from gathering food, they huddle together and refuse.

N-yeeru-na stamps and tramples, he strides them down, his gestures and

dances angry and obscene. In fear of him they trip and fall, and tremble, spinning like a swarm of bees in silver clouds of pollen to confuse him (in the brilliant Australian skies at night the Pleiades are many more than seven).

Kambu-gudha stands naked before him, her feet and legs wide apart, her left foot, Aldebaran, filled with fire magic; kicking up a dazzle of light to blind him. She dares him, exciting him and flaunting, showing contempt in calling a line of puppies between them – the faint wavy line of stars between Orion and V in Taurus. Soon he is jeered and laughed at by all the neighbouring stars and constellations, until all the camps in the sky are laughing.

Kambu-gudha wins!

N-yeeru-na’s fire grows dim, his manhood and his fame as a mighty hunter are gone. Pale and wan, he limps away to the west with all the Mingari women screaming their triumph and scorn, hunting him.

In all aspects of cultural aboriginal life, their astronomical knowledge is at the forefront. But, even though Europeans tend to compartmentalise anything of such a spiritual nature, the zodiac still has enough comparable material to make it interesting that so many cultures came up with such similar structures. The sky itself is called Skyworld by the Australian people, inferring that to them the creatures in the sky were very real and merely lived in another space.

The Glass House Mountains near Brisbane play a big part in the aboriginal astrology belief system. This mountain is said to be where a spirit father, Baiame, lived in a cave at the top of Mt Beerwah. This site was used as a birthing spot, and whenever a female child was born, the midwives recorded

the star constellations directly overhead by dotting them out on a piece of bark.

This would be given back to the child when she herself reached childbearing age. The dots showed her coming down time and when the stars lined up that way again, that would be her ovulating time. Aboriginal men had several wives, and the wives would then use this record to give proof that it was their turn to sleep with the husband, to have the best chance of becoming pregnant. This mountain served as a focal point for cultural identity and mythology for tens of thousands of years.

Mount Beerwah was chosen for this due to its overcast skies at night, which would often prevent the people from accurately recording the positions of the constellations. The day-gathered heat from this high rock naturally dissipates the clouds above it, so guaranteeing a perfect view of the heavens.

The aboriginal elders believe that because their people still honour the earth, and maintain a bond between it and the skies, they will eventually be the chosen people to lead the planet.

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Let Vision’s no-nonsense astrologer James Christie guide you through the month ahead...

September forecast

Y

ou might have been wise to keep some of your thoughts to yourself throughout August, but the winds of change are whistling through your ears, and now is a good time to switch tactics and be very open with your thoughts and feelings.

Loved ones may be a bit upset with some of the things you have to say to them but we have come to a time when those things are better said than left unsaid.

This clears the air and opens the door for a bit more mutual emotional support in all affairs of the heart, and let’s face it, life is so much easier when people are pulling together towards a common goal.

A short and temporary separation (we’re talking a couple of days here, not weeks or months) may bring a degree of benefit to emotional situations and that old adage of “absence makes the heart grow fonder” will prove to be true. If someone close to you is asking you to give them a little space to get their head straight, for

23 Aug – 22 Sept

God’s sake oblige them with a big kiss and a smile of understanding.

Cash & career: While I wouldn’t necessarily describe September as a tense month, it may, in a number of ways, be quite a suspenseful month while you wait on tenterhooks for a number of key situations to fall into place.

Some of you will be fretting about property, wondering if it’s ever going to sell, while others will be waiting for some kind of job confirmation, which if it comes through could change your life quite significantly. A boss or business partner could be dithering and blowing both hot and cold at the same time, so a good tactic here would be to confront them (politely) and ask them outright just what exactly is going on and what their intentions are. It is only by taking this gentle direct action that you will be able to clarify your own career position at this time.

Look out for a chunk of money coming your way any time after the 22nd and this will, I think, be money that is owed to you by an ex-employer, or an ex! If you’re one of those

people who work from home expect a degree of claustrophobia to set in around the 20th that will literally push you out of the house a lot more in the latter days of the month.

Romance & relationships:

On one hand emotional relationships seem sound enough but if you are in business with an emotional partner, there could be a number of tensions creeping to the surface that you won’t know how to deal with.

There are going to be a number of occasions when you feel trapped and hemmed in – and the secret here is to take just a little time out for yourself so that you can get your head straight.

There needn’t be arguments, but in deep personal conversations you should be very open and candid with your innermost thoughts and emotions, even at the risk of hurting a loved one’s feelings.

Such conversations will probably crop up on the 11th/17th and 22nd. However, there is nothing here that cannot be resolved, but only on condition that you make sure that a partner knows how you really do feel and exactly where you’re coming from.

T

September forecast

here’s certainly a change in the Libran weather this month… that calm and placid period seems to be getting blown away with a sense of excitement, intrigue and adventure.

Librans looking for the bright lights should be pleased and Librans who are looking for that quiet life are going to have to hang on tight to the arms of the rollercoaster that whizzes them up and down like a rocket-powered yo-yo.

Married Librans have to deal with the issue of quality time with their partners and older male Librans have to make certain they don’t poop on their own doorsteps when it comes to any aspect of illicit sexual adventure.

Single Librans have the best of it when Cupid’s arrow finds its mark any time between the 10th and 17th and with very special emphasis on the 11th when Venus is promoted in all affairs of the heart.

Cash & career: You’ll come under a wee bit of financial pressure around the 3rd and the 4th but apart from this mini glitch, September seems to be quite a profitable month.

Travel in connection with business will be relevant on or around the 8th and do be

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warned that this scenario could cause some jealousy among colleagues. Why should you get to swan off while they’ve got to keep their noses to the grindstone?

Workloads may cause friction on the home front if someone thinks you’re putting your job before your family.

Lump sums of money in connection with wills and legacies will also become relevant before the month is out and I would expect you to put some cash into private medical and health care schemes.

Anything to do with portfolio investments is well starred, but if I were you I’d stay with the blue chips and avoid any get rich quick schemes.

If you’re a female who has had some awkward problems with a male boss, we’ll see the death of that situation long before the 30th when this rather misogynistic gentleman gets what’s coming to him.

Romance & relationships:

Echoing some of the above, married Librans will come in for some stick from their partners for putting their jobs first too much of the time.

This time round you could just shrug it off and ignore the complaints, but this is

23 sept – 23 Oct

a problem that isn’t going to go away and you are going to have to deal with it sooner or later.

If you are under work pressure at the moment, later will do, but not too much later. At the other end of the Libran spectrum there are some beautiful romantic aspects for single Librans, and especially females of the sign who know what they want and who they want it from.

I’d expect there to be wedding plans for some and arrangements for sharing homes for others.

Emotional promises are made during this September that are easy to make and easy to keep if the heart is in the right place. There should be some special celebration on the 11th (this could be an enormous party in a five star hotel or a tryst for two with a bottle of champagne in a hotel bedroom).

Some Librans may find that September turns out to be a month of moral challenge, and this trend will affect older people who are sick and tired of being “older” people and who want to recapture the magic of sowing wild oats. Careful lads!

I

September forecast

t isn’t entirely surprising that September is a month wherein you’ll be more inclined to follow your heart rather than your head, as it is set against a backdrop of frustrations on the work scene and a new sense of enthusiasm in romantic relationships.

What is of greater astrological interest, however, is what is coming out of your soul at this time, because it is this energy that dictates your long-term direction.

Plans are made in these few weeks that might not be put into immediate action, but the very fact that these plans are being made with a whole plethora of new ideas being chucked up for discussion, makes me feel very excited on your behalf.

This buzz of energy opens the door of sexual opportunity, and there’s a lighter more humorous aspect making its presence felt in your lovemaking. Just as importantly it puts career and the treadmill or work routines into perspective and you will come to see that these are not the most important issues in life at all.

Cash & career: Some tiredness or a mini pocket of ill-health could cause

24 Oct – 23 Nov

you a minor problem on the workscene during the first few days of the month. If you’re not in a happy emotional state, this will also reflect in your attitudes to your work.

There is a greater subliminal malaise here, with you examining your whole position in life and trying to figure out just what the hell it is you’re working for – fun, pleasure, or just being in the position to pay your bills?

Some of you will be thinking about a change of job, others will be thinking about early retirement, and a few of you will be dreaming of beautiful sunlit beaches a thousand miles away from the British treadmill of life.

It is important that you examine your thoughts and feelings carefully and honestly, for it may well be that your subconscious is telling you that it is time to get off the roundabout and do something different with your life, but at the same time, avoid being impulsive.

Make your plans carefully.

Put a timetable in place and work out just exactly how you can turn your dreams into reality. If it takes a year, 2 years or 3, then that’s okay. You’re

moving in the right direction all the time and your present state of affairs is put on notice.

Romance & relationships:

On a superficial level, life carries on in much the same way, but beneath the surface there’s new excitement as you examine your long-term future.

Some of you will be formulating and discussing new plans with an emotional partner, and the very fact that you are making these plans together is enough to make anyone feel good.

Single Scorpions will also formulate longterm plans with various options attached that enable them to proceed alone or as part of a couple if the right person should turn up.

On a parochial level, some new friendships should give your social life a boost from the 5th or 6th onwards and young single Scorpions may well find themselves getting sexually involved with an older member of the opposite sex.

Mrs Robinson for the fellers and Michael Douglas for the girls. So if you’re Benjamin Braddock from The Graduate or Catherine Zeta Jones, you’re in for a really good time!

T

September forecast

here are some issues creeping to the surface in September that need to be dealt with and added to this, I would expect there to be some legal issues that need your attention around the 9th/10th or 11th.

The period between the 14th and 20th highlights relationships with children and you can be expected to enter into some sort of conspiracy with a younger member of the family, which is all good fun but full of secret intent. If nothing else this indicates a degree of special harmony in all parent and child relationships.

Despite earlier words, finances appear to improve somewhat towards the end of the month, (22nd/23rd onwards) but if someone is offering you a great deal, do watch out for a hidden agenda and make a point of reading the small print on contracts. Some concern for an elderly relative will manifest itself on or around the 18th – nothing too serious here, but it’s enough to tell you that your 99-yearold great, great granny ain’t gonna live forever.

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24 Nov - 21 Dec

Cash & career: The old business adage that “time is money” takes on special relevance this month because you’ll be measuring your input of time against the money that you receive, and not finding yourself very happy at the conclusions you come to. You will arrive at the inescapable conclusion that your time is worth a lot more that you’re being paid for it, and this sets up a resonance of discontent that pushes you into looking at longer term issues.

How much more time do you have to put in before you can retire? Is there any merit in taking early retirement? Are you in the right job? What do you really want to do with the next 8 or 10 years of your working life? How valuable is that precious pension plan of yours? In dealing with these difficult imponderables, some Sagittarian parents may seek to hide behind the needs of their children, but this throws up another barrage of questions along the lines of “Would my children get a better private education in France, Spain or Australia than a public education in Britain?”

Someone else’s dissatisfaction with the British way of life and their determination to find

something different may well act as a catalyst to your own thoughts and longterm ambitions.

Romance & relationships: There is no real threat to the sanctity of emotional relationships during September, but it must be said that a partner may become just a little concerned about what they would perceive as your moodiness. They’ll ask you what’s wrong and you’ll come back with that casual “oh nothing” retort, when truth to tell, there are going to be a few things on your mind.

You need to pluck up courage and talk to a partner about your innermost thoughts and feelings, and rather than being criticised you may find a plethora of compassion and understanding, and a lot more support than you might have imagined possible.

This pattern of energy applies to Sagittarians across the board, but it is particularly relevant to married members of the sign who have children. On a different note there may be some news in the wind about pregnancies, and any Sagittarians who are waiting for sprogs to arrive may find they choose to arrive 3 or 4 weeks early.

September forecast

S

eptember isn’t a bad month for affairs of the heart, it’s just a bit sticky at times when different people have different priorities and agendas. There’s nothing that can’t be resolved here if you’re willing to make a few small compromises.

Half of the niggles come from your unwarranted concern over finances and if you could just leave your business head in the office, I promise you things will run much more smoothly in your domestic environment. There will be some conversations about property and especially overseas property, and I’d expect there to be further plans being made for your long-term future.

A birthday celebration could represent a major social highlight towards the end of the month, but some of you need to be on your guard. When Capricorns get drunk they don’t get just a little bit drunk, they get very, very drunk and usually end up puking all over the carpet. If this is you, have one glass of champagne and then go on to the lemonade!

Cash & career: Capricorns are natural worriers, they worry about everything, especially money… and you

22 Dec - 20 Jan

will spend the better part of September worrying about money, even though in this poor astrologer’s opinion, there’s no need to worry at all. Sure, there will be some hefty bills to pay, especially the credit card variety, and you’ll feel under pressure to replete some of your drained resources, but against that September is a busy month.

Cash flow is extremely high with unexpected bonuses coming from unusual sources and there should be plenty to pay those bills, shove something in a sock for Christmas and still have a good time!

On the business front there could be some interesting links with people born under the star sign of Leo, and there may be some disappointment in the third week when a female colleague lets you down or drops you in the manure. If, in the period between the 21st and the 29th you feel you need to change some long standing plans, don’t be afraid to do so, even if it causes some inconvenience to others.

Romance & relationships: Between the 1st and 5th of September ladies of the sign will have a specific

problem dealing with a partner’s demands and there may be some controversy with regard to what is and what is not acceptable behaviour in a relationship.

Expect to have to deal with divided loyalties around the 13th when you can’t be in two places at the same time or dance to two different tunes. There may be some extra pressure put on you at this time by a feeling of added responsibility towards parents and older people in the family circle.

The patterns start changing around the 18th or 19th when you enter a more harmonious period, but there will be a temptation to splash out on expensive luxuries… and I’m thinking here of health spas, top restaurants and weekends in Paris rather than mink coats and sports cars.

This appertains mostly to female Capricorns but even the gentlemen might decide that they’d benefit from spending a little more money on pleasure and leisure, especially, chaps, if you’re with someone who thinks that exciting sex is doing it in the missionary position with the lights out.

S

September forecast

eptember will be an important month for getting things out into the open, for clearing the air, and for seeing people and situations as they really are.

It might not be an easy or a calm month, but it is a critical period for blowing away any number of old cobwebs and acquiring a fresh perspective on the things that really are important to you. If you have been dithering this way and that with regard to making certain key decisions, those decisions will be made now with an emphatic degree of commitment, and although nobody is likely to give you an argument, there will be some who will be surprised by your unswerving determination. Rifts in relationships will now be healed one way or the other and you will not be displeased by the amount of support you receive from present day partners and lovers.

Cash & career: Something either comes to an abrupt end or goes through a radical and sudden process of change, almost certainly during the third week of

68 Vision 6

the month. I must be quite honest, and say that I don’t know exactly what this might be, but I’m damn sure you’ll know what it is when it happens. It would seem that some major adjustments will have to be made very quickly, and while you may be under some extreme pressure, the very best thing you can do is keep your head down and do nothing until you see which way the wind is blowing. One thing’s for sure, and that is you won’t be alone in this situation. It’s going to affect everyone else around you as well.

The period between the 1st and the 7th will see some delays to travel plans or indeed a cancellation. Between the 8th and the 13th you will find yourself having to deal with something to do with insurance – either the underwriting of new policies or claims made on old or existing ones. Health and safety regimes in your place of work may well need to be tightened up, and even if not, you should make a point of following them to the letter.

21 Jan – 19 Feb

Romance & relationships: Given the rather weird things happening on the work scene thank goodness there’s a degree of normality hanging around you on the home front. The first few days of September are really quite lovely for all romantic aspects and affairs of the heart.

Young and old alike will be getting their act together and enjoying an unusually intense degree of intimacy. Something starts going just a little bit wrong around the 7th or 8th when we have that old scenario of “two’s company but three’s a crowd” and therefore if you found yourself jealousy guarding your privacy and deliberately going out of your way to avoid somebody who was getting in your way, this, to me, would seem to be a very natural tactic to employ.

Everyone has got an old flame burning away somewhere in their history and if one of your present partner’s old flames pops up out of the blue they’ll be as welcome as diarrhoea on your wedding night. Having said that you should be on the receiving end of lots of reassurance from a partner and this scenario will be nipped in the bud relatively quickly, possibly leaving you feeling a bit silly about having made such a fuss over nothing.

September forecast

S

ome doors open and some doors stay closed. Do yourself a favour and go through the open door.

New sexual agendas come on line for younger members of the sign, and there is a new sense of sexual energy manifesting itself across the board and affecting all Pisceans from 14 to 94. On the 5th of September there will be a disappointment or a setback, but remember that as one door closes another inevitably opens.

You’ll be on the receiving end of important news or information on the 13th or 14th which will enable you to solve a mystery and which will help you make an important family/money decision that’s been on your mind for at least a few weeks, and possibly even a couple of months. Not for the first time this year, property and property investments will be examined in some depth and this may well be a time to move some of your money around; if you’ve got finances tied up in stocks and shares, sell them quickly at their current market price.

Cash & career: I need to break Pisces into different sections relevant to age. Older and elderly members of the sign will look at

20 Feb – 20 Mar

their bank accounts and then they’ll look out of the window at the billowing grey clouds and a lot of them are going to say “bugger this for a game of marbles, I’m off to Spain for the winter” – or words to that effect, anyway. Pisceans in their 50s and early 60s will now seriously contemplate retirement and it may well be with a small degree of anger that they choose to get off the treadmill and quit the rat race.

Career-oriented fishes between 28 and 48 will enjoy a sudden infusion of ruthlessness that makes them determined to cut a few corners and get richer quicker at any cost – and watch for this trend hitting like an express train between the 13th and the 23rd . Younger Pisceans, say 15 to mid-20s, will be least affected by these powerful astrovibrations, but even they will be looking at the coins in their pockets and the zeros on their bank statements and find themselves thinking “bloody hell, there’s got to be a bit more than this, hasn’t there?”

All Pisceans need to be aware of the fact

that they can and should be doing something else with their money and this is not the time to save up for the rainy day. Hasn’t anyone noticed? Go look out of the window. It’s pouring down, isn’t it!

Romance & relationships:

Single Pisceans can cope very well right now with the idea of being single, and if there’s someone out there trying to persuade them that being single isn’t such a good idea, then Pisces is going to wriggle and squirm like a slippery eel to avoid getting caught on that particular hook.

This trend is relevant throughout the month but will probably be highlighted between the 9th and the 13th and then again around the 23rd and 24th. Pisceans who are in relationships may feel just a little trapped throughout the latter part of the month, and regardless of how solid the relationship may be, some independent time out for personal projects might not be a bad idea. Travel opportunities towards the end of the month can do a lot to calm some choppy waters, but should you really have to go all the way to Majorca just to get laid or to get your head straight?

S

September forecast

eptember is quite an interesting month. There seems to be a lot going on in different departments of your life, and it is a very positive period for weighing up pros and cons and making choices and decisions that you feel happy about. The fact that you can make these choices and decisions in your own time without external pressures adds to the odds of your pleasure and success.

Partnerships and relationships become calmer and smoother, and while the sexual agenda is still very high, there is a steady increase in all levels of emotional and romantic thoughts and feeling. You will not take too kindly to being pushed into any kind of emotional corner, but at the same time you seem to be acquiring enough confidence not to allow your future to be held hostage by your history.

Cash & career: September should be a very encouraging month for Arian finances, especially if you heeded last month’s advice and tightened the belt.

While there is still not a lot of scope for wild parties and spending sprees, there is some new money coming on line around the 3rd or 4th and a new work scheme

70 Vision 6

should start working out to your advantage around the 10th or 11th which will make you significantly more optimistic about your mid-term future.

Travel aspects auger well for the last week of the month as long as you’re content to go three star and don’t insist on the five star package. If you find you have to rob Peter to pay Paul between the 14th and the 21st this is okay as long as you see it as a very short-term tactic.

Legal aspects may have some influence on your thoughts and actions between the 11th and the 17th – this may well just turn out to be a period wherein you feel that the scales of justice are starting to balance themselves out a bit more in your favour. I don’t like the concept of “luck” but where money is concerned September could quite easily turn out to be something of a lucky month for you.

Romance & relationships:

There is a warmer emotional energy throughout September which should bring greater harmony to established relationships and far more opportunities for those Arians looking to find and establish relationships.

21 Mar – 20 Apr

New people arouse your sexual interest between the 1st and the 9th and while this is all very nice, gentlemen do please be advised not to try and over impress with your cheque book or your plastic.

Ladies of the sign would do well to keep all of their options open, and girls, while you might be having a totally splendid time between the 7th and the 21st it might be good to apply the breaks during the latter days of the month until you’re absolutely sure what you want.

There will be something of a conflict of interests between the 22nd and the 28th – not so much between people, but between what’s going on inside your head. Natural caution clashes with the deep abiding desire to be loved.

I think the secret may well be to keep things light and be spontaneous with your actions and open with your thoughts.

Do not cut off your nose to spite your face, but at the same time don’t allow yourself to be cornered into a position where you have to make promises that you are not certain you will be able to keep.

September forecast

W

hat a change from those doggy days of August when nothing seemed to fit or fall into place!

September brings focus and greater good fortune, both in business affairs and bedroom affairs, and as the month progresses you will really feel that you are achieving something worthwhile.

Even if you occasionally get overtired from burning the candle at both ends you’ll ride with this, knowing that it’s necessary if you want to see bank balances improve. There is an unusual sense of understanding and support from partners, and a feeling of sexual gratification above and beyond the norm for those Taureans who don’t have partners but who like the idea of having one. A situation involving property will need some careful thought towards the end of the month, and if at all possible you should avoid acting hastily or on impulse. Some concern for a third party’s health may also become relevant in the last few days of September.

Cash & career: There is a tremendous shift of energy falling into place between the 2nd and the 4th which

21 Apr – 21 May

catapults you into the month of September at a great rate of knots. Cash flow will be high and work loads will be heavy but you should revel in this, rubbing your hands with glee (or quiet satisfaction, depending upon which kind of bull you are) as your plans fall into place more or less exactly as you planned. Long-term projects that may have been launched much earlier in the year seem to pay off some handsome dividends and there is a clear indication of new money coming in. Artistic Taureans will be in receipt of some special recognition and reward (13th/14th/15th) and all business partnerships take a few giant strides forward from the 17th/18th onwards.

Transport will cause a problem in the first week of the month but this is hardly insurmountable – and of greater concern will be matters appertaining to property in the latter days of September. Whether it’s to do with property or something else, I’m not certain, but there is a nagging question hanging in the background. Do you do something yourself or get a professional to do it for

you? My advice? Go with the pro.

Romance & relationships: September is quite a nice month for affairs of the heart, but having a bit more ready cash in your hands might have a lot to do with this, and the fact that you’re going to be sufficiently busy on the work scene to give your leisure time greater value won’t do you any harm either.

Taureans who are in any kind of business with their emotional partners enjoy a powerful feeling of camaraderie – two heads are better than one and joint spending power buys bigger and better things – although there may well be a wee bit of tension creeping in during the last week of the month when fiscal priorities do not always coincide.

Younger members of the sign, and especially the footloose and fancy free, will experience a notable boost to their social lives from the 16th of the month onwards, and although there could be a lot of flirting and conspiring and promising (enough to raise an old man’s blood pressure, anyway) I reckon that that will be about the extent of any sexual adventure – at this time.

S

September forecast

eptember isn’t going to be boring!

While career choices may dominate and demand attention at the beginning of the month I really do think it is the emotional and personal aspects that make September so volatile and memorable.

Innocent young lovers might not be nearly as innocent by the end of the month, and parents who were pulling their hair out on the 1st/2nd or 3rd will be having heart attacks and palpitations by the 21st/22nd and 23rd. Take heed though – once a bloody great snowball has started rolling down the hill there ain’t much you can come up with to stop it!

On a different note, any career or job decisions that are made at this time (whether you’re 20 or 50) will have a long-term affect and will certainly influence the shape of your life for the next 3 or 4 years, so think things through and do have a long, hard look before you leap.

Cash & career: A very interesting coalition of planets involving Venus, Mercury and Mars put Geminis in the 15

72 Vision 6

to 21 age bracket under the spotlight.

This has everything to do with jobs and career pathways, and a choice between following one’s heart and instincts and following the safer, common sense route.

Parents, teachers and advisors will advocate the latter pathway but your own heart and gut instinct will push you towards the other.

Consider the young man who wants to be an actor coming under parental pressure to “learn a trade first” because, of course, the acting profession is so precarious.

This is true but the young man who learns the trade never becomes the actor because he’s always got that damn trade to fall back on if things get rough.

Older members of the sign are caught on the same hook – do you play things safe and by the book or do you break the rules and reach out for innovative short cut?

To the victor goes the spoils, and although we’re not talking about relationships here just remember that the faint heart never won the fair lady.

Romance & relationships: Now that we are talking about relationships I need to sub-divide the

22 May – 21 June

aspects. If we are talking about relationships with mothers, fathers, aunts and uncles, parents and kids, and relationships with friends, colleagues, bosses etc, then there may well be a bit of turbulence (probably flatulence as well) coming to the surface over the next weeks, and probably for one good reason.

When we talk about romantic and sexual relationships the influence of the planet Venus scythes through the crap like a hot knife through butter and gives you a green light all the way to your heart’s deepest desires and you will not want anything to get in the way of that agenda or dilute that particular brand of magic.

Everyone else may have their own needs, opinions and agendas, but anything that prevents you from being with the person you want to be with is going to get blown out of the water.

So are we saying that you’re entering a particularly selfish phase? No, not really (although there may be a few folk out there who will ardently disagree with me) – but we are saying that Gemini is in love or in lust or in both and nothing is going to be allowed to stand in your way.

September forecast

Y

ou might think I have a bit of a downer on Cancerians, and honestly, this really isn’t true, but I do get annoyed sometimes when members of this sign fail to recognise that before they can get a bit more of what they’re looking for out of life, they’ve first got to give a bit more than they are inclined to give. And it’s no good just giving. You’ve got to give what the other person wants to receive from you and not just what you think they need.

Yes, certainly some of this has got to do with sex and sexual favours, but it isn’t just sex – more an overall attitude that needs a reality check. You have some very high personal standards, and that is commendable, but when other people fail to measure up to your expectations of them, don’t berate them. Maybe you expected too much. Maybe your standards are too high!

Anyway, on to the parochial… problems with red tape arise around the 13th or 14th while children and their welfare take the spotlight from the 18th onwards. If you are involved in any way with Pisceans there will be some unexpected surprises before the end of the month.

22 June – 22 July

Cash & career: There are profits

Romance & relationships:

to be made this month and also a degree of career progression but it is conditional to the following: (a) you do not let your heart rule your head; (b) you fight like hell for principles most precious to you; (c) you’re prepared to take legal action against someone who has wronged you, and; (d) you say yes when someone offers you a great deal even though it may involve some risk.

The best period of the month for financial gain is the last 7 or 8 days, but that won’t happen to the extent you’d like it to unless you implement the above agenda. While what is happening right now is important enough, some of you are going to be looking 12 months up the road and recognising that your actions today will have a profound effect on your situation a year from now.

Anything to do with overseas property and off-shore trading will have some relevance, and all Cancerians should make a point of being squeaky clean with their accounts. Some interference from IRS or the VAT boys on or around the 22nd should be expected – and therefore countered in advance.

Ladies of the sign will be placed in rather an ambiguous position… what do you do, girls? Follow your heart or follow the money?

Wouldn’t it be lovely if these two pathways were one and the same? The trouble is, they’re not, and there are some hard choices to be made.

Gentlemen Cancerians have a much less dramatic time of things without too much conflict, but this is only because gentlemen Cancerians are happy to be dominated, and there are plenty of females out there who are only too willing to crack the whip and put in the boot if their blokes don’t do what is expected of them.

Elderly crabs have a relatively peaceful time, but then to be perverse, they’re inclined to complain about being bored.

Wedding or engagement plans may get delayed or cancelled when one party comes down with a case of icy cold feet, and the only Cancerians who get anywhere close to having any fun are the younger unattached members of the sign whose priorities are sharply focused on having a good time at any expense.

S

September forecast

eptember will be a bit more spicy and spiky than August will have been, but any calm and composure you may have found over the last few weeks will now become a bit stretched when you’re trying to make your mind up about key emotional relationships or trying to find some extra cash to pay for family celebrations and commitments.

Fellers, you might have to make a point of wearing the trousers in affairs of the heart but this most certainly does not give you the right to behave like a male chauvenist – try that one on and you’ll get trounced by a very strong lady with an agenda of her own.

This could be relevant any time throughout the month, but the 17th is important, as will be the period between the 22nd and the 28th when someone else’s emotional attitude and romantic priority is bound to take you a bit by surprise.

In all probability lady Leos achieve more in this rather exciting period of the year, regardless of whether they’re looking for new jobs or new men. There’s quite a party mood bouncing through the third week of the month so look for a major

74 Vision 6

boost to your social life between the 15th and the 23rd.

Cash & career: This should be a harmonious month on the work scene with one of the key factors being the way in which you are able to integrate and work well with colleagues towards common goals. A little office romance may well perk things up for you, especially between the 2nd and the 9th but this is probably no more than a flirtation.

A minor change to work routines around the 7th or 8th might not be entirely to your liking, especially if you are having to adjust your hours and commuting schedules to comply with someone else’s agenda. This is hardly a major problem, so please don’t over-react to it. The period between the 23rd and the 30th brings a fresh mood of confidence and determination and if there are some changes of personnel around you, you won’t be too displeased. If there are going to be any promotions or money-making short cuts they will fall into place within this 23rd/30th period. Older Leo parents may find themselves looking around for some money to pay for expensive

23 July – 22 Aug

engagement parties or weddings.

Romance & relationships: I suspect that it may be a secondhand situation in which you are getting involved in someone else’s love story rather than writing one of your own.

Having said that, there’s a blast of bright and breezy energy coming your way on the 17th and this is one day in particular when you shouldn’t be backwards in coming forwards.

Be direct in your approach to members of the opposite sex, and don’t beat about the bush. Leo males probably benefit most from this positive situation, but this shouldn’t put the ladies off.

Girls, if you want to say yes to someone, say yes. If you need to say no, don’t be afraid to say no. Just avoid the maybe’s and the “I need some time to think” attitude.

Of course, you could go that route, but other people (and that one person in particular who really is interested in you) will take that to mean a no, and will react accordingly. Now, if you did mean no, nothing of great value is lost. But if you meant yes, then sorry kiddo, the whole game is blown!

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by Clare Sheridan

Recommended Evidence for the Sixth Sense: Divine Intervention 2 by Hazel Courteney (£9.99 Cico Books) Have you ever noticed how powerful our intentions are? Well this is exactly the point that Hazel Courteney makes in her sequel to Divine Intervention.

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Through an amazing number of synchronicities, Hazel ventured to India to meet gurus Sai Baba and Satguru

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Thoughts and intention are the keys – as soon as we realise this, we can basically do anything. Every thought we produce goes out into the universe, so we need to be more positive. We don’t need spiritual avatars to become enlightened – the ability is already within all of us.

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Understanding the Planetary Myths by Lisa Tenzin-Dolma (£9.99 Foulsham Publishing) We all have a ruling planet at the time of our birth – Lisa Tenzin-Dolma has put together this handy tome to explain that how those planets influence all our niggling little character traits!

If you’ve ever wondered about the foundations of the planetary myth stories, this is the book for you. It contains all you ever wanted to know about the sacred stories that chart the spiritual journeys of the Greek and Roman gods who had the skies named after them.

Many of the stories have roots in ancient Greece and are all surprisingly similar in nature throughout various cultures.

Lisa puts the case that the key to self-

Awakening your Psychic Skills: Using Intuition to Guide your Life

by Joanne E Brunn (£9.99 Godsfield Press) If you’ve ever wondered how to hone your intuition, this is the perfect guide.

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Time is the key – there is no room for rushing where intuition is concerned.

Joanne specifies which areas of your life you can improve with intuition, ie

76 Vision 6

relationships with family and friends; and she also covers various divination methods in which you can try out your newfound skills.

Clairvoyance, clairaudience and clairsentience come under the spotlight, as do numerology, tarot cards, psychometry and relaxation techniques such as T’ai Chi. One of the most important points Joanne gets across is that you have to trust yourself and use your body as a vessel to do this. She also points out how to use these skills in everyday life, ie at work, travelling on the road, in your relationships with others and also in dream interpretation. So venture into a completely new world of intuition and enjoy!

understanding is to view the planets and asteroids as aspects of yourself. There is even a history of the universe and a geneology chart of the ancient Olympians!

Everyone can have a natal chart done, showing the planets’ positioning at the time of your birth: this chart shows you how to develop your potential to its fullest.

She provides a step-by-step guide to each planet and asteroid and its appointed god: ie the sun and Apollo, fiery Aries and Mars, or even emotional pisces and Neptune/Poseidon. She then charts the story of the god, the different qualities of the planet and which star sign each one rules.

A revealing insight into exactly what makes people tick!

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It was recorded on a still, clear, starlit night on a Scottish beach and if you listen carefully you can even detect the odd seagull in the background! This is a great tool for meditation, relaxation or simply background music. I’m not sure how it works, but whichever way you use it, you’re sure to benefit.

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This is the ultimate guide to working with the fey (ie the faerie realms and everything in them). Alicen’s perfectly presented prose is beautifully complemented by her husband’s delicate faerie drawings.

Much of the fey compliments the Wiccan path and the two disciplines overlap each

The Angel Garden meditation CD

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For further information on Music and DVDs for relaxation and well-being, including a free catalogue, contact New World Music on 01986 891600, or visit www.newworldmusic.com.

other surprisingly closely. Alicen carefully explains the different inhabitants of the fey including faeries, goblins, faerie queen and even kings.

It is rare for humans to actually see faeries, however, Alicen specifies how to get closer to the fey through meditations or what she terms ‘pathworking’. She also explores the realms of chakra work, protection and rituals for those who may be unfamiliar with such practices.

One surprising element is that metal is actually poisonous to the fey – so any altar instruments or ritualistic work should try to avoid the inclusion of metal. There is also guidance on baby naming, weddings, coming of age and birthday celebrations, faerie-style.

So spread your wings and enter the realms of the faries – you won’t be disappointed.

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Send your events to: Day Tripper, Vision, Amadeus House, 6 Lidgett Lane, Garforth, Leeds, LS25 1EQ or email editor@visionmagazine.uk.com Every Monday: Meditation class, Healthy Spirit shop, 37 Barlow Moor Road, Didsbury, Manchester. 7.30pm. £4. All levels are welcome. Call 0161 434 6784 for more details or to book.

August 19/20/21: Flower of Life Workshops: The Teachings of the Merkaba and Sacred Geometry with Reiki Master and Kwan Yin Magnified healer Amarna Sinclair, will be held between Wadebridge and Bodmin, North Cornwall. £175 (lunch and refreshments included but please bring water). For full details of the venue contact Rita Westlake on 01208 850204 or email ritawestlake@rivendell2.fsworld.co.uk August 20: Mind, Body and Spirit show, The Camden Centre, Market Square, Royal Victoria Place, Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent. For details call 0774 636 5980 or email mysticallinks04@aol.com.

August 20: A Day with Angels, Seven Way, Above Kismet, 13 Queensway, Dunstable, Beds. £60. Meet your Guardian Angel and spend some time with the Archangels and Ascended Masters. Call 01582 667744 or visit www.7sevenwayhealing.co.uk August 20: Reiki II attunement with Reiki Master and angel therapist Diane Whittingham, Healthy Spirit shop, 37 Barlow Moor Road, Didsbury, Manchester. 10am5pm. £160. Students should bring a notebook, pen and light lunch with them. Call 0161 434 6784 for more details or to book.

August 21: International Academy of Consciousness (IAC) Scale of ‘Continuous Consciousness State’ – short course, 45 Great Cumberland Place, Marble Arch, London.

5–8pm. For more details call 020 7723 0544, visit www.iacworld.org or email London@iacworld.org August 22: Meditation and wisdom circle, Healthy Spirit shop, 37 Barlow Moor Road, Didsbury, Manchester. Spiritual counsellor Minister Fay Barratt will host a group meditation and a wisdom discussion afterwards. £5 (paid on the night). Call 0161 434 6784 for more details.

August 22: International Academy of Consciousness (IAC) free lecture on Astral Travel as a Tool for Personal Development, 45 Great Cumberland Place, Marble Arch, London. 7.30pm. For more details call 020 7723 0544, visit www.iacworld.org or email London@iacworld.org

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August 24: Uncover your true Soul Purpose, Hove, East Sussex. 7.30-9.30pm. £10 per session. Uncover your true soul purpose and your own unique path in life. Call 01273 410389 or visit www.rebirthingforthesoul.com for more details.

August 27: 1-day Hopi Ear Candling Practitioner Training with Willow Lodge Healing Therapies in association with Rytel Therapies, The Atholl, Main St, Bankfoot, Perth, Scotland. 10am–5pm. Cost £85. Call 0845 226 3132 to book or visit www.healinglodge.co.uk for further information.

August 27/28: Natural Health Show, Elsecar Heritage Centre, Wath Road, Barnsley, South Yorkshire. 10am-5pm. Adults £3.50, concessions £2.50, admission is free for children under 16. For more details visit www.elixir-events.co.uk August 28: 1-day Indian Head Massage Practitioner Training with Willow Lodge Healing Therapies in association with Rytel Therapies, The Atholl, Main St, Bankfoot, Perth, Scotland. 10–5pm. Cost £85. Call 0845 226 3132 to book or visit www.healinglodge.co.uk for further information.

August 30/31: Spiritual readings, psychic surgery and past life regression with international medium and healer Vicki Marriner, Healthy Spirit shop, 37 Barlow Moor Road, Didsbury, Manchester. Spiritual readings/psychic surgery cost £30, past life regression costs £42.

September 2: Thai Foot Massage course, The Priory Street Centre, York. £110. Learn this ancient healing tradition still taught in the temples of Thailand. For details call 020 8460 1213 or email info@lstm.co.uk September 3: Reiki I attunement conducted

by Reiki Master and angel therapist Diane Whittingham, Healthy Spirit shop, 37 Barlow Moor Road, Didsbury, Manchester. 9.30am5.30pm. £120. Attunements will be to the Usui and Tibetan forms of Reiki. Students should bring a light lunch with them. Call 0161 434 6784 for more details or to book.

September 3: 1-day Hopi Ear Candling Practitioner Training, Willow Lodge Healing Therapies, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire.

10–5. Cost £85. Call 0845 226 3132 to book or visit www.healinglodge.co.uk for further information.

September 4: Mind Body & Spirit Event, Quality Hotel, Whitney Way, Boldon, Tyne & Wear. 10am-5pm. Free car park and free talk at 1.30pm. Readers, therapists & stalls.

Admission £2.50 (children under 16 free when accompanied by an adult). For more details contact John and Ann on 01609 770225 or 0776 614 5353.

September 4: 1-day Indian Head Massage Practitioner Training in Indian Head Massage Willow Lodge Healing Therapies, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire. 10am–5pm.

Cost £85. Call 0845 226 3132 to book or visit www.healinglodge.co.uk for further information.

September 5: Aqua Cleanse Detox Practitioner Training, Willow Lodge Healing Therapies, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire.

10am–2pm. Cost £700 (includes full therapy kit and therapist referral system). Call 0845 226 3132 to book or visit www.healinglodge.co.uk for further information.

September 6: Reiki circle, Healthy Spirit shop, 37 Barlow Moor Road, Didsbury, Manchester. £5. Participants must be tuned to Reiki level 1 or above. The evening will include a group meditation and participants will practice Reiki on each other. Call 0161 434 6784 for more details and to book a place.

September 10: 1-day Hopi Ear Candling Practitioner Training, Willow Lodge Healing Therapies, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire.

10am–5pm. Cost £85. Call 0845 226 3132 to book or visit www.healinglodge.co.uk for further information.

September 10/11: Love and Relationships: a Psychic Healing Seminar with Samantha Hamilton, The Metta Centre, Boston Spa. £118 for two days. Call 01529 460426 or visit www.mettacentre.co.uk for more detail. 20% discount for groups of 4 or more.

September 11: 1-day Indian Head Massage Practitioner Training, Willow Lodge Healing Therapies, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire.

10am–5pm. Cost £85. Call 0845 226 3132 to book or visit www.healinglodge.co.uk for further information.

September 12: Aqua Cleanse Detox Practitioner Training, Willow Lodge Healing Therapies, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire.

10am–2pm. Cost £700 (includes full therapy kit and therapist referral system). Call 0845 226 3132 to book or visit www.healinglodge.co.uk

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