What is Self-Hypnosis?

Self-hypnosis is similar to what people experience when they go to a hypnotherapist, with the one biggest difference of not leaving with slightly less money in their pocket. The biggest thing is that people need to understand the brain controls emotions, which is what actually makes it possible for someone to heal themselves mentally. In order to have a successful regimen, it is important for the person to find a quiet place and time, so they will not be disturbed by others. To begin the routine, the person should close their eyes and imagine some really calming scene, such as ocean waves or a beach, and visualize all of the stress just floating away. The routine can be done as frequently as the person likes, and most people practice this regimen for at least 15 minutes.

Why it Works

As previously mentioned, the brain essentially has a bunch of waves that send signals that create emotions. When these waves begin to receive interference, certain emotions may become falsely triggered. In reality, people should never feel stressed out, but the emotion occurs due to brain wave interference.

People can relieve all of their stress by practicing self-hypnosis. It is important for them to actually believe the practice works, which should not be hard, because if people think about it most stress is the result of them controlling their brain. People may find that it takes a while to begin seeing results, because the brain has to adjust, but self-hypnosis will definitely produce excellent results in the long-run.

Olivia Miller is a health, beauty and fitness blogger who takes a particular interest in psychology and understanding how the mind works. She is also a big believer in using self hypnosis to elevate stress.

The Most Dangerous Confidence Sucker

For men, one of the most common sources of poor self-confidence lies in their personal size. We live our everyday lives bombarded with repeated messages about what it is to be a man—about being big, hard, and powerful all the time. The culture of size is so powerful, so pervasive that most men don’t even know what the average size is, let alone if they are over or under. In fact, most men firmly believe that their size is underwhelming, if not inadequate. Popular perceptions drive them to completely undervalue themselves and attempt various penis exercises to correct the perceived problem. This is exactly the kind of confidence drain that you must avoid in order to be truly confident and happy in yourself.

Facing Size Issues Head On

Fortunately, there are concrete ways to deal with these types of issues. You may to be able to totally tune out society’s messages about masculinity, but you can change your physical reality along with your perception of your body. Face up to your concerns about size with the aid of male enhancement. While they won’t solve a deep-rooted problem instantly, they can help you to change the way you see yourself both in and out of the bedroom. Not only do you gain confidence by actively working to change your size and your size issues, you will be able to see an actual change in your physical size. Your self-confidence should rebound in the face of real and tangible signs of growth—both in your person and your perceptions.

When More than Bones are Broken

The ticking of the clock is something that cuts across the grain of all cultures and languages. People are constantly watching the clock; we’re either on it or we’re off it. Some of us are accused of milking the clock, because time is money, and it waits for no one. And when we are hit with even the most catastrophic of personal events, it may (at times) be the only solace – the notion that time heals all wounds. It doesn’t just apply to the six weeks it takes for a broken bone to knit.

A Time of Stress

Those aforementioned pyschologists have also sold our society on the idea that our lives are a constant battle with stress, which they say can have a deleterious effect on our physical health. Divorce, losing your job, or having a loved one die or take ill are all major stressors that can lead to increased blood pressure and hypertension – maladies that have much to do with a little thing called heart disease. Time may indeed heal all wounds, and it is important that people manage these times, rather than endure them.

Particularly in those unfortunate instances when relationships come to an end, there is no substitute for the passage of time before one becomes ready to see other people again. Some broken-hearted folks will turn to “comfort food”, which exacerbates some of the health issues related to stress. Others choose a better path forward, going to the gym to get back in “dating shape”. Exercise has been found to ease the pain and duration of depression… All you have to do is make the time.

Are you looking for a gift idea? Maybe a clock, such as Harley Davidson clocks.

Think Of It This Way

If you are a lazy, hopeless, careless person, you may go around with wrinkly clothes, uncombed hair and a sloppy appearance – which will make you feel even more hopeless and lower your self-esteem. Yet, if who you are (or who you choose to become is) someone who cares about how you look and is capable of making good choices, your appearance will reflect these positive traits as well. You have a choice in every aspect of your appearance – whether you go out into the world clean and smelling nice or dirty and unkempt; whether you wear clothes that fit you well or look too big or small; whether you have combed hair with no split-ends or a tangled style that resembles a bird’s nest; or whether you choose to take care of your skin and keep it looking youthful and glowing or allow yourself to look old before your time. Show the world that you are capable of making good choices by choosing the best options for your appearance – and soon you will also take pride in yourself.

Juvederm Harley Street

To get moving on your way to high self-esteem, start caring about yourself. Get plenty of sleep, eat right, drink a lot of water and stay hydrated. To look even more youthful and healthy, limit your alcohol intake and stay away from tobacco products. Always protect your skin from the sun to minimize damage from UV rays and keep your skin looking healthy by applying products that contain anti-aging ingredients (such as retinol) at night. Juvederm Harley Street is an amazing procedure that fills the wrinkles and lines you may already have with gel and has results that last up to a year (the procedure also is FDA-approved and only takes about fifteen minutes). By taking the time to take care of yourself and appearance, you will begin to take pride in who you are and love the real you.

So, How to Deal with Life When it Gets Hard?

When you find that your life is not going the way you would like it to go and you find that you’re disappointed most of the time, you can look at the disappointments in a different way by seeing the disappointments as opportunities that can change your life for the better and a way to grow and mature. Disappointments, if you allow them, can make you a more negative person or you can turn those disappointments into positive opportunities such as finding a better job, making a new friend, or going back to school and finishing your education.

Stop and Listen!

Listening to that “still voice” inside of you can be quite helpful when wanting to solve a pesky problem. When you face a problem that looks insurmountable, stop for awhile, think about what is happening, why it’s happening and then come up with some solutions to the problem. Keep in mind, that no matter what hardships come your way, it is how you handle these hardships—for if you handle them well, you will grow and develop into a better and stronger person. And, always remember that hardships don’t usually last a long time—they come and go sporadically throughout our lives. It is comforting to know that hardships are temporary and that gives hope for a better and happier life.

In addition, if you find that you cannot come up with a solution to a problem, then seek help from your spouse, a family member, a professional counselor, minister or seek help from a higher power. Always remember, too, that you’re never alone. We all go through trials and tribulations every day and there is always someone who can relate to you on what you’re going through. Many feel that there is not a problem or concern that cannot be solved.

Passionate Walls

Painting the walls in your home a different color can do wonders for a sad or depressed state of mind. If you have recently experienced a life-altering incident, such as a divorce or job loss, changing the wall colors in your home can make you feel like you are starting fresh and anew. Eliminating the past by painting over it with lush colors is an exhilarating experience. In addition, adding some new home decor items will also enhance that sensation of jumping over a threshold that was holding you back. Some best paint colors to soothe your soul and enliven your home are:

Yellow

This color inspires such energy and lightness that you will be dancing just for the sheer joy of it after painting your walls with yellow. Psychologically, research has shown that yell actually stimulates your endocrine system which contains those hormones that are known to elevate mood.

Green

Green also energizes but in a different, more harmonizing way that helps promote mellow states of mind and emotional healing. Green is the color of growth, living things and the natural world. Being surrounded by green may inspire you to decorate your home with plants, mini-fountains or wildlife paintings.

Blue

For lowering blood pressure, reducing nervousness and nourishing the ability to meditate, blue is a wonderful color that many people consider their favorite of all the colors. Just imagining being able to take a long, relaxing hot bath surrounded by candles, a glass of wine and the hushed tranquility of soft blue walls is enough to vanquish anyone’s anxiety level!

White as a wall color also will give your bedroom, bathroom or den peaceful ambience. However, choose an off-white color such as light beige or ivory if you plan on leaving the walls unadorned, as this will counteract the appearance or sterility that pure white tends to extend to an area.

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Merry Meet!

It’s also the time to celebrate the symbol that is the god Lugh.  Lugh is the god of crafts and skills.  Now is the time you begin to see craft fairs where skilled craftsman brought their wares to be sold.  In earlier times, guilds would set up their workers in booths around castle grounds and tie brightly color ribbons on the tents.

Lugh is also considered by some to be a patron of bards and magicians.  This is a good time to begin a new skill, learn or get better at a musical instrument, write a story or poem, and maybe try canning vegetables or fruits.

This is the season when our agrarian ancestors began to prepare for winter.  Preserving the foods and baking breads for the coming famine of winter.  A farmer would not harvest any of his grain until Lammas.  On that day, they would gather the grain into sheaves and that evening the women would bake the first loaves of bread.  Early Christians would have the loaves blessed to keep their family from starving

Today, many still bake bread and muffins, can vegetables and fruits, and prepare themselves for the coming winter not just physically, but mentally and spiritually as well.   The loaves are still blessed.

Many celebrate the day by playing games or participating in sports events to celebrate the strength and good health the abundant harvest brings.  Grain gods and goddesses figure in the celebrations as well.  It’s also a time to “Harvest” any workings you’ve sent out over the year, especially more complicated ones such as revealing your spirituality to friends and family.

Throughout the year, you’ve hinted at who you are, maybe told a few trusted friends and family, and perhaps even dared to reveal it to a stranger.  Whether you’ve realized it or not, those are workings you’ve sent out.  You’ve informed the universe with thought and deed, what type of life you want.

Now you need to consider if the time is right to walk out of the broom closet.

Depending on how your conversations have gone with others, now is the time to decide whether or not you will live your faith fully.  Beltane, a time when many relationships are begun, will be back around again.  So the seeds you planted earlier this year are most likely beginning to bear fruit.  Those you’ve told have had time to analyze their feelings and will either stand by you or not.  That is something no one knows until it actually happens, until it ripens.

As you can tell, I’m using a lot of farming and harvest imagery.  It’s appropriate for this time of year and will help you with your next exercise.

If the reactions have been positive, congratulations!  The energy of the universe, of the creator(s), shows you are on the right track.  Use this time to harvest those new aspects of your relationships.  Think about how it makes you feel not to hide who you are and take note of what you did to achieve this.  That way you’ll be able to plan for a bumper crop next year.

Bright blessings and merry part ‘til merry we meet again!

Asha

The Goddess Eoster and Her Chosen Animal

Merry Meet!

It’s said that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. If that’s the case, then we Pagans get more flattery from the major religions than you can shake a stick at! Even when they actually shake sticks at us to chase us a way.

Let’s take the most recent holiday, Easter. For Christians, it symbolizes renew, resurrection, new beginnings, and the like. The egg symbolizes new life and the rabbit…

The rabbit???

This was always the question I asked as a child. What the heck does the rabbit have to do with eggs? I’d get vague answers or a change of subject in most cases. When I was older, people told me the rabbit symbolized life because of it’s fertility.

Yep. I could see that. Maybe the poster child for population overgrowth. There may, however, be another explanation. Christians copied or took over these symbols from Pagans. For many of us, the egg does symbolize life and, boy oh boy, does the rabbit symbolize fertility!

But there is still another reason. One of our myths tells of the Goddess Eoster, calling all of the animals together. She wants them to search the world to find the greatest gift for her. The one gift that best symbolizes life. The animal that brings her the one most worthy will be her chosen animal.

The animals scurry away only to return with elaborate gifts, each one more fantastic and ornate than the next. The Goddess despairs of every finding a truly remarkable and worthy gift capable of expressing how wondrous a life they live.

Just as she begins to weep, a small bedraggled mess comes limping up to her. As it nears, she can see that it is the rabbit covered in mud and footsore. The bunny pulls an object from a tiny sack and places it before the Goddess. All the animals burst into laughter. The bunny has a plain, small egg.

“Nothing remarkable about an egg,” the birds caw. “We can make those any time we want!”

“Nope, not a thing,” agree the snake and the turtle. Soon all the animals take turns telling the shamed rabbit how bad a gift he has.

As he hangs his head, the Goddess whispers a single word that rolls across the world like rumbling thunder.

“Silence!”

The animals back up a bit, not understanding. They look up and see tears in the Goddess’ eyes. They watch her reach down and gently take the egg from where Rabbit has left it. Then she bows to him.

“Rabbit is the only one of you who understands the meaning of life,” the Goddess’ quiet words reach every ear. “It is fragile and delicate. It can be crushed in an instant, yet it gives its bounty as it may. From life we have beautiful flowers, abundant food, and joyous companions.”

With that she touches Rabbit, and he is clean. His fur fluffs up. His feet no longer ache. He takes his place at the Goddess’ side as her chosen animal.

Since then, Pagans have celebrated life with the symbols that nature gives us. The egg and the rabbit. Flowers and food. So next time you see the Easter Bunny, congratulate him on being so clever!

To think about:

Sit in a quiet place and try to imagine the symbols of life. What do they have to teach you? How can you share this with others?

Simple Spring Ritual:

Boil an egg. You may want to invite friends and family over to share in your ritual, boil an egg for each person.

Tell the story of the Goddess Eoster. Make a small blessing of thanks to the earth and her animals for the food she provides. Pour out some water. Peel the egg and eat it, being sure to keep the shells. Crush the shells and spread them around the plants to help feed them.

By sharing some of your rituals with those who love you, you build a bridge of understanding that they can cross to get to where you are. With understanding comes acceptance. And this is just one of the ways you can help your non-Pagan friends and family understand the reverence you hold for nature and all the things the Creator gives us.

Bright blessings and merry part ‘til merry we meet again!

Asha

Merry Meet!

Last time we talked about the “An it harm none, do as ye will” law that most Pagans follow. I’ve said before that this is the ultimate responsibility law. By my actions or inactions I may not cause harm to others or myself. As a Pagan, you really have to weigh the consequences of your actions and how they affect not only the people around you, but you yourself.

We’re going to look at a few of the ways that Christians and Pagans are alike. So many of us focus on our differences and forget the things to celebrate that make us part of the whole of humanity. We all love, grieve, laugh, cry, the whole spectrum of human emotion is shared by the average human. They can also be gateways into the conversation you’ve wanted to have with your friend, spouse, parents, “insert your person here;” whoever you’ve been contemplating sharing your spirituality.

As a former Christian, I was a bit surprised that most of my still-Christian friends think I’ve gone to the “Dark Side.” They don’t realize how similar our beliefs are. Our love of community. Our commitment to service. The ties that bind a community together weave through the Pagan community just as they do the Christian or Muslim or Jewish.

Here is my take on how Christians and Pagans share many similarities. I’m paraphrasing from the Christian Bible. First, the one I’ve spoken of before. An it harm none, do as ye will. This nearly mirrors the Bibles “Golden Rule” of Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.

Likewise, On Earth as it is in Heaven correlates perfectly with As Above so Below. Both of these sayings speak to harmonizing our spiritual life, our inside self, with the outside. Jesus of Nazareth taught tolerance, peace, love, and equality for all. Pagans believe this, too.

Take time over the next week or so to read some religious texts. Find passages in them that speak to the similarities in their belief system and yours. Read with as open a mind as you want others to find in your own words. Write down some of these passages as reference points to anyone who asks about your spirituality. Think about ways that Pagans and those of other religious backgrounds can work together.

Sit down for a few minutes every day to breathe deeply, relax, and reflect on what you’ve found that day. You’ll be surprised at how quickly the chasm you thought divided you from everyone else begins to close. Those reflections will be the gateways you can use to speak to others. To help them understand and alleviate their fear about what they think they know.

Don’t be afraid to question yourself, too. By asking questions, we learn who we are and what we believe. We also build a solid foundation from which to show others our faith.

Bright blessings and merry part ‘til merry we meet again!

Asha

Merry Meet!

Okay, you want to tell the world you follow an Earth-Centered Spirituality.  You are a Pagan.

My first suggestion is don’t.  At least not right away.  Many of the problems I’ve encountered when telling people about my spirituality is that I don’t know enough about it.  I know that the general practice of those under the Pagan umbrella resonate with me the most.  I feel more alive, connected, and in tune with the Creator.

But know what you’re talking about.

As a whole, humans live by definitions.   There is a need to define “Otherness.”  To know who is part of their group and who isn’t.  In prehistoric times, this saved our lives.  It helped us become strong as a species.  So strong, we changed the face of the Earth.

Today, that evolutionary defense can manifest itself as prejudice and fear.  By knowing why someone fears you, you can help to alleviate that fear.  To do that you need to know what you’re talking about.

Deciding who to tell about your spiritual awakening should be done with great thought and care.  Remember, you are part of the “An it harm none” Crowd.  And that tenet creates a great starting point. You’re first thought needs to be for the person you’re getting ready to tell.  Will knowing harm this person?  Will it harm me?  Will it harm my family?

I don’t mean to pick on Christians, but they do tend to be the people who accept us the least.  Muslims, Jews, Hindus, and other non-Chrisitan practitioners I’ve encountered tend to be much more willing to listen before they decide I’m going some place unpleasant.  So most of my advice will come from that perspective.  Also, I grew up Southern Baptist and understand Christian views better.

Let’s take a look at that tenet or “Law” I just mentioned. “An it harm none, do as ye will.” Many people believe this means that I can do whatever I want.  In a word…No.  The rule means that by my actions or inactions, my thoughts, words, or deeds, I may not cause harm to others OR myself.

Here we have pretty much the ultimate responsibility law.  As a Pagan, I must understand the consequences of my, well, pretty much my whole existence.  You’ll go nuts thinking about it too hard, but the bottom line is a sort of “Dear Abby” approach.  Like her advice to consider if you are better with or without the person, we need to seriously consider whether we are better off telling or not telling. someone.

The same applies to the person they want to enlighten.  I have a friend who would never be able to accept my beliefs.  I will never be able to share the joy I feel with her.  The connection I feel.   This makes me sad, but I’ve also fulfilled my belief in the law of “An it harm none.”  Can I discuss other topics with my friend?  Of course.  Can we still be friends?  Absolutely.

But this “Law” isn’t exclusively a Pagan concept.  The Christian Bible contains the same sentiment in I Corinthians, only with different wording:  “All things are lawful for me, but not all things are expedient.”  Here the Bible shows that eating meat might be okay for me as a Christian, but if it causes someone else to do something harmful or “wrong,” then it is wrong for the Christian.

By becoming Pagan, you have also become responsible.  Whether you meant to or not remains to be seen, but, for me, there is something rather wonderful in knowing I have become part of those responsible.  For my fellow man, for the Earth, for myself.  Now it’s your turn to start on your path.

To Think About:

Take a few minutes to sit quietly.  Call to mind the people in your life you would like to tell.   Start with the person you think will be easiest to tell.  Hear yourself talking with them and their response.

Now go tell them.  You can do this one of two ways. You can just blurt it out one day. No prelude, no warning. For many, this will be the only way you can work up the courage to tell someone. Just understand this might set the scene for some reactions you didn’t count on. We’ll talk about dealing with negative reactions in another entry.

Another way, you can call them and say, “I really have something I’d like to tell you.  I’m really happy about it and thought of you to share it with.”  Then meet them somewhere they feel relaxed and comfortable.  Start the conversation with how you’ve been feeling about your spirituality lately.  Your search for a good fit for your spiritual beliefs.  How you feel about your new path and why you’re happy with it.

Then tell them about your Earth-centered belief system.  And this is where knowing about yourself and your chosen path will help the most.  Don’t use the word Pagan at first.  Most people see Pagan and Devil in the same light.  Too much TV and propaganda.

Now that you’ve told them, ask them if they have any questions or concerns.  Address them honestly, and without judgment as much as you can.  Don’t get angry.

Until you know that you can talk about their misgivings without getting angry or offended, don’t tell them.  If you can’t show your joy, how can you expect them to believe it?

Next time, we’ll talk about more of the similarities between Christian and Pagan ideals and look at some simple things you can do to bring more joy to your life.  In the meantime, take a look at www.sacred-texts.com.  It’s a great resource for learning about spiritual path including Pagan.  If you have questions, leave them in the comments section, and we’ll explore them together.

Bright blessings and merry part ‘til merry we meet again!

Asha

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