March is Pisces month

From Neil Spencer in the Guardian.

★ PISCES 20 February-20 March

Make yours the loudest cheer on New Year’s Eve when you bid farewell to two years that, for all their fine achievements, are unlikely to have been your easiest. Meanwhile, 2010 comes roaring in on a wave of excitement.

Saturn in opposition (from late ‘07 to late ‘09) invariably signals the need to handle property issues and to work incessantly while the dullards in charge take you for granted, even though you’re the one with the cutting-edge ideas. Don’t fret, you still are.

Saturn hasn’t quite gone away – the ringed planet slips back between April and July to ensure you have professional alliances in place and your lovely home in order, a process that applies chiefly to birthdays from 16 to 18 March. For now, however, you’re off the hook.

Moreover, on 18 January Jupiter, Pisces’s ruler, arrives in your skies to supercharge the opening five months of the year. Where Saturn is constriction, Jupiter is expansion, handing you a free ticket to distant shores or introducing you to a helpful big shot (this is the planet of presidents). By tradition, a Jupiter transit is “lucky”, a “get out of jail free” card, though what it calls for is a spirit of optimism and self-belief rather than expecting pennies from heaven. You can review 1986 and 1998, previous Jupiter years, for comparison.

2010 is different, however. The giant planet zips through Pisces at top speed before heading into Aries’s patch of the cosmos, meaning the summer may feel like a flat spot. Keep faith: in September Jupiter returns for the rest of the year – indeed this could be a pivotal month, bringing unforeseen work offers or a surprise love affair as Jupiter meets the other planet dominating your skies, Uranus.

Uranian themes, strong in Piscean lives for the past six years, emphasise independence, the future, dramatic change. Add this year’s Jovian largesse and you have a recipe for personal revolution, at least a chance to overhaul your image, reinvent your professional act, or walk out on a glum spouse for an affair with a glamorous quantum physicist or guerrilla gardener.

You have, in short, to put faith in your high ideals, canny antennae and creativity. This year you’re the fish with the brightest ideas in the think tank. February is sweet, but the new Moon of 15 March (dazzling date for a birthday!) is the real start of your year, after which it’s a mad, exhibitionist dash to summer. From mid-September you have lift-off again, with autumn a high spot for romance, especially for long-distance love affairs. With Jupiter in residence you can fly clear through to January 2011.

Dispatches – Kids Don’t Count

A Dispatches TV documentary ‘Kids Don’t Count’ about the lack of basic Maths skills in primary schools really hit a nerve with me. Most shocking were the findings that many primary school teachers have trouble with basic Maths themselves and also the methods of teaching are sometimes inadequate. This means that kids simply don’t understand what division or multiplication or fractions etc. mean in the real world. They just see symbols.

Traditional maths teaching (pre 1970’s) used to involve chanting the times tables for example - drumming into the heads of young minds the basic principles of maths. I know that even now I lack some basic skills in Maths and I can trace this back to being told to ‘go away and learn your times tables’ over the summer holidays - before the final year of primary school. I never did. This meant that I was a step behind in secondary school but no-one really thought it was a problem because I was ahead of the game in all my other subjects. Judging by the TV programme and talking to teachers I know, I am not alone in ‘hating Maths’ at school and never really addressing the problem - you only need a Grade C in Maths GCSE to be able to teach.

It also seems that if you are bright and literate, you can kind of get away with little Maths, we all use spreadsheets and calculators these days anyway. But when it comes to working out percentages, splitting the bill at a restaurant or maybe even working out your credit card bill or mortgage rate… maybe this is one of the reasons people get into financial problems or just don’t ask the right questions. Knowledge is power after all.

If you need help with Maths, the BBC skills wise website is very useful… also ties in with adult literacy, my pet hate is people using words out of context so try the Free rice quiz for words and meanings. There’s also a quiz on the Channel 4 site to test your Maths knowledge but it’s probably best not to try this if your confidence with numbers is already low.

Try this sum with people in your office - 1/2 ÷ 1/4 = ? You may be surprised at the answers. (answer is 2 by the way : 2 x 1/4 = 1/2)

10 top ways to manifest your goals

Happy New Year! 2010 is going to be a lot better for all of us - some very exciting developments are just around the corner. I was asked for some advice on keeping resolutions - so here are my Top 10 ways to manifest a more positive and fulfilling year. All of these methods are tried and tested, I’ve been working with these techniques for years and they can work for anyone. I also recommend the Artist’s Way and Creating Money if you want to do more manifesting work. Also Doreen Virtue’s recent newsletter about her struggles and triumphs studying as a single mum with 2 small kids, is an inspiring read especially for those of us thinking of returning to study.

10 top ways to manifest your goals by Rifa Bhunnoo

1. List key things you want with as much detail as possible. Use a pen and paper: writing by hand is more powerful energetically than using a computer. Use headings such as Career, Spiritual Development, Travel, Health, Relationships, Possessions, Home, though not necessarily all of these or in this order! Add your own headings and then list as much under each heading.

2. Refine your list regularly. Add to it, and visualize it by cutting out pics from magazines or images from the internet. Travel brochures are good for this! e.g. if you want to travel to India, stick a pic of the Taj Mahal on your list. I use notebooks to help me keep all my ideas and thoughts together.

3. Have fun and keep positive. Don’t hold on to your lists with any kind of worry or frustration if your goals aren’t manifested quickly enough. It’s when you let go and forget about the detail that they manifest at the right time. Refining your lists helps you see the patterns in your life, and will explain why things might not be working out exactly how you want to.

4. Surrender to the process. Sometimes you’ll get what you wished for but it might not be in the exact form you wished for. It might be a small step towards something even bigger and better. The Universe is bringing you everything you need at the right time, delays mean you may not be quite ready for the big time yet.

5. Say thank you to the Universe when you receive each and every thing you feel grateful for. This helps bring even more good things into your life.

6. Feel rich. It’s not just material things that make you feel abundant, but also time with good friends and family, ideas and inspiration for creative endeavors, resources for travel or study, opportunities for personal or spiritual development. What is the ‘quality’ or ‘essence’ that you want from your goals? A feeling of richness and abundance can come in small but meaningful ways.

7. Ask for signs to check you are on the right track. Acknowledge the signs pointing you in the right direction: ‘chance’ encounters, significant names, unexpected gifts, in logos, pictures in magazines, on posters, on the TV. Don’t worry if you think you’ve missed an opportunity, another chance will come along shortly!

8. Don’t be afraid of naysayers and sceptics. All kinds of people use manifesting techniques and various forms of goal-setting such as business people, sports coaches, spiritual gurus. Positive thinking is a psychological and spiritual truth. Writing a list of your goals helps you focus, it doesn’t harm anyone and you are not losing anything from doing it. If you don’t try it- then you don’t gain anything either. We all know what happens if you go to the supermarket without a list! Focusing on a positive plan for your life, reviewing and refining it regularly can only be a worthwhile exercise.

9. Ask for help and guidance from the Universe, God, Angels, Ascended Masters anything or anyone that resonates with you. Asking a teacher, guru or guide, your reiki master or receiving an angel card reading can be beneficial too. You don’t have to do this spiritual work on your own. Be generous with your compliments and encourage others with kind words and free smiles.

10. Take every opportunity and invitation. Find time for yourself, release any guilt, put yourself first and create some adventure in your life. Find your own passion, talents and abundance. Stop apologising, stop waiting for approval, validation or permission. Move forward and you’ll bring everyone else with you effortlessly.

Earth Chakras and 2012

Diana Cooper is a British author of many books about Angels and she recently spoke in London about her new book 2012 and Beyond. I recommend this book as it gives useful meditations as well as predictions about the economic, social and environmental changes that are on the way. It’s not a ‘doom and gloom’ book, but aimed at anyone interested in helping to send positive energy around the world. Lightworkers, healers, Reiki masters and anyone who wants to help, can send love to the 12 Earth Chakras - the energy centres of the world.

According to Diana, the 12 Earth Chakras are:

1. London, UK - Earth Star
2. Gobi Desert, China - Base Chakra
3. Honolulu, Hawaii - Sacral Chakra
4. Fiji, Pacific Ocean - Navel Chakra
5. Whole of South Africa - Solar Plexus
6. Glastonbury, UK - Heart Chakra and Guatemala is the Cosmic Heart
7. Luxor, Egypt - Throat Chakra
8. Bamyan Valley, Afghanistan - Third Eye
9. Machu Picchu, Peru
10. The Himalayas, Tibet - Causal Chakra
11. Agra, India - Soul Star
12. The Arctic - Stellar Gateway

The Olympic Games in 2012 will bring plenty of positive energy, enthusiasm and excitement to London - raising the vibration of the city to radiate around the world. In 2010 the World Cup is in South Africa, also uniting people from around the globe, focusing on the solar plexus of the world.

Places which have been affected by war hold negative energy in the very earth, that needs to be purified. There will be a 20 year transition period and it will be 2032 before we are able to globally shift into a new way of working and living. Nothing happens by chance, we will all be in the right place when the purifying of the earth takes place. This will be through natural disasters such as flooding, to purify areas that have negative energy due to past events. We will see new technological advances that help the good of all, and we will all work more from our own heart centres instead of from ego.

Canada, New Zealand and the Scottish Highlands are some of the purest places on earth. We can recharge our energy by visiting these places or  any of the ancient sacred sites. I sometimes visit sacred places ‘by accident’, for example on a recent roadtrip from San Francisco to Portland, we stopped for lunch at Mount Shasta. I’d never heard of this sweet little town, with it’s stunning backdrop of snowy mountains. When I read in Diana’s book that Mount Shasta is the Archangel Gabriel’s spiritual retreat, I knew I was divinely guided.

The Cosmic moments are times for celebration! so put these dates in your diary to have a big party with your friends, family and community… 11.11am, 11 Nov 2011 and 11.11am, 21 Dec 2012.

The Artist’s Way – unlock your creativity

I recommend The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron to my reiki students as she has helped millions to unlock their creativity, usually in surprising and unexpected ways. It’s laid out as a 12 week course with each chapter ending in a number of exercises. These exercises are not necessarily about ‘writing’ or any particular art form. They are designed to help you lead a richer, more interesting life. They also help you overcome the negativity that may be stopping you from trying new things.

The most important ‘tools’ are ‘The Morning Pages’ and ‘the Artist Date’. I like both these concepts. Each morning you splurge onto the page, 3 full pages of all the rants, rubbish and repetition in your life and then stop. Don’t re-read or worry if someone will find the pages. Keep them in a safe place and get on with your day. After a few weeks, your world feels lighter and you let go of some of the unwanted baggage, leaving you clearer to be more creative.

The Artist Date is all about having fun! On your own, you plan a special treat for yourself, experimenting with something new. It could be a visit to the zoo, a museum, a gallery. It could be a riding lesson or a one-off dance class. It could just be allowing yourself to browse in a bookshop or art shop. This stuff sounds simple, but when did you last push yourself to go and try something new, something you’ve always wanted to have a go at? ON YOUR OWN!?

I’ve done the Artist’s Way three times. The first time it led me to learn Reiki. This is because of the spiritual aspect to the book. Everyone of us has the potential to be creative: whether it’s through the outfits we wear, how we experiment with making food,  or with our poems, songs or paintings. The second time I read the book, I started painting, years after being told by my art teacher I wasn’t good enough. I did a few different  art courses at Phoenix, the City College and at Sussex Uni.  I now use my artwork to decorate my walls at home, on my website and in all my manuals.

The third time I read the Artist’s Way, I started learning the sitar, with a local teacher and later took a course in London with a world-class sitar player, Purbayan Chatterjee. It gave me a wonderful sense of achievement to take part in the final concert and did wonders for my confidence. Learning an instrument helps you to understand music better, to hear more clearly and also helps you to think with more clarity.

Julia Cameron has taught the Artist Way for 25 years but this weekend was the first time she has ever run a workshop in the UK. It was incredible for a group of creative people to do the intense exercises together and then to share the results. Strangers giving each other positive feedback and encouragement is incredibly powerful. The most personal details of what was holding them back - their worries, their fears and their resentments - were challenged and transformed into positive plans and inspiring ideas.

I have already begun to feel the effects of the workshop, just a few days after the event, I am experimenting with new art forms and moving into a new phase of learning. Throughout the weekend, Julia was asked by the audience: … is this right? should I..? could I..? am I allowed..?? And her answer was always: “I teach Adults.”

Sometimes we should just DO instead of worrying if it’s RIGHT. What’s wrong with giving yourself permission to make a mess or to be a bit wrong and to make up your own rules? Maybe, just maybe, a little gem comes out of all the mess and makes you smile.

The Body, The Soul and The Earth

This week I went to see Deepak Chopra speak about his forthcoming book ‘Reinventing the Body, Resurrecting the Soul’, at the Friends Meeting House in Euston. It was an enjoyable evening, mainly because the audience was made up of excitable Chopra fans and he is a likeable kind of guy. No wonder he hangs out with pop stars and tycoons. His talk included amusing stories about arriving in America from India in the 1960’s, with nothing in his pocket except his Medical qualifications.

He later bamboozled most of the audience with his theories of quantum physics. Essentially Chopra explains that because we are all just made up of tiny cells of pure light, and the whole universe is made up of pure light, pure energy - then we are all connected on a deep level.

This means that our physical bodies and physical environment can only be affected by our consciousness, by our individual perception. So if we all start thinking more positively and treating ourselves and each other with more compassion, we can have a quantum effect on the whole world. We could change everything from world poverty (just 4% of the US budget spent on Defence could end poverty in Africa) to climate change. We need a global shift in consciousness to change the world. Deepak is the President and Founder of the Alliance For A New Humanity, you can pledge to take a vow against non-violence.

I bought Deepak’s book on Ayurvedic healing techniques Perfect Health and he very kindly signed it for me, and we had a short chat. You can follow Deepak on Twitter.

The same week I found myself in the Brighton Friends Meeting House, to hear Alistair McIntosh, author of Soil and Soul speak about climate change and the collapse of society as we know it.

We still need to continue to make efforts to contain climate change but we can not reverse it, according to Alistair. This means the world will inevitably change out of all recognition.

The only way to survive is to return to a sense of community and reconnect with our neighbours and with the land. We are already seeing enormous changes, economically, culturally and to the environment. Clearly the old ways are dying and we can take this opportunity to reevaluate our values and embrace the changes by adapting to a more authentic way of living.

Both speakers were basically giving the same message, the message of a universal way of thinking, a message of hope and enlightenment if we are up to the challenge.

Learning through experiences

In the business book How to Lead, there’s lots of helpful advice about working in organisations. I was struck by one simple exercise, that seemed a little ‘new-age’ for this particular book. But as I continually say to my reiki students, the Divine is in everything and you can find Universal Truth in the most unexpected places.

All you have to do is think over the last 5 years (or 10 years if you can think that far back) and consider the single most memorable event of that year. You’ll see a definite pattern emerging. Apart from moving to Brighton and getting married, the most memorable experiences have been visiting other countries and experiencing other cultures, most significantly going to Nepal, and also living in an Indian ashram to become a yoga teacher.

Experiences are the only things worth remembering: Nobody lays on their deathbed wishing they had spent more time in the office.

A more frugal way of ‘travelling’ is to go on courses or attend events, with teachers or speakers you feel drawn to. You can never regret learning something and you never know how you will use that information in the future. This year, I’ve let the teachers come to me. I’m very impressed at the quality of the speakers in the current programme at Alternatives in London. I’m going to see Deepak Chopra speak, I like his books as he explains ancient Indian healing techniques and philosophy, in an accessible style. This makes applying these methods to a modern way of life easier.

Doreen Virtue is doing one of her one day workshops in October, after we’d all given up on her returning to Europe. If you haven’t seen her in action, I’d recommend it as spending all day in a room full of angels can be extremely be beneficial and the healing effects will stay with you for months.

The Artist’s Way fans will be delighted to know Julia Cameron is doing a two-day workshop in London on creativity and unlocking your potential. It will definitely be an experience to see these teachers, you just don’t know where it will lead but mainly it’s worth going now, because who knows when they’ll return to the UK. Catch them while you can.

Racism – Challenge yourself

I went to see comedian Richard Herring recently. He’s doing a controversial show about reclaiming the ‘toothbrush’ mustache for comedy: Charlie Chaplin used it first before it became known as ‘Hitler’s mustache’. It’s a very sophisticated show in which he tackles race and racism head-on.

I found parts of the show challenging but completely necessary. Recently I find myself being told by ‘white middle-class English’ people “race isn’t an issue anymore”. Well it may never have been an issue if you are white. I live in the most liberal city in the country, but I recently worked in small town in Sussex, where I got called a ‘n*gger’ in the street, a colleague referred to Obama as ‘coloured’ and I was asked ‘why did your parents come to this country?’. This is a town that despises Catholics, so I’ve got no chance.

Racism is subtle. It’s about having a preconception of someone based on their race or religion. It’s about stereotypes: hardworking Poles, shoplifting black girls, Asian drama queens. Is a black man ‘trouble’? Herring gives an example of how the Police restrained the wrong man when he called for assistance after his iPhone was stolen. If I tell this story by saying ‘a man’ you might assume he is white. If I say a ‘black man’ all sorts of connotations run through your head.

I remember in primary school, I was never touched by the white teachers and not allowed to bake cakes with the other kids as the teachers thought there was something unclean about me. I was 4. (Don’t worry, I’ve got over the trauma of this now). I know that Asian kids, a generation younger than me have had a completely different experience growing up in England. Racist words and stereotypes may affect them differently. They don’t remember in the 1970’s and early 1980’s when there were hardly any black people on the TV, when we’d get over excited when an Asian family was introduced on Eastenders. I remember when MTV and commercial radio refused to play black music, when hip-hop, soul and even Michael Jackson was considered unsuitable for mainstream audiences.

Herring has a whole debate with himself onstage about the word ‘Paki’. For me listening in the audience, it was like scratching on a blackboard. I am a bright person. I know he is making a point that to a racist we are all ‘pakis’ if you have brown skin. A racist doesn’t care about whether you are from South America or the Middle East, India or Pakistan - we all look the same so we are all treated the same - with contempt. But of course, these feelings I have about the word, that maybe doesn’t affect my 16-year old cousin or my 50-something mum - make me and my (white, middle-class) friends uncomfortable watching it. Especially as Herring is a big white man, saying it with such venom (If I was up there, doing the same act, no-one would care).

These issues should not be brushed under the carpet. Herring rightly says people should have voted in the European election, it was by not voting that England sent 2 fascist BNP representatives to the European parliament. Racism should be laughed at, talked about and challenged. Herring is a brave man to get up on stage and clobber us over the head with it. Wake up Britain!

Shamanism and the Environment

Last weekend I attended a 2 day Shamanism workshop with Leo Rutherford. He’s in his 70’s now, he’s written loads of books on shamanism and he runs the Eagle’s Wing centre in Forest Row. He studied in San Francisco - all good signs. I went on a shaman weekend about 4 years ago with Howard G Charing, also a member of Eagle’s Wing and despite my scepticism I had some very powerful experiences. I’d been waiting for some time to go on a course with Leo and the time was obviously right last week.

Shamanism is a term used to describe the rites and rituals of ancient cultures around the world, usually referring to Native North and South American Indians. The Shaman serves the community as healer, priest and adviser. Common elements may include rites of passage, ceremonies and festivals, use of herbs and crystals, use of dance, drumming and chanting. There are meditative practices, which involve releasing the mind to ‘travel’ or ‘journey’, meeting spirit guides, deities and accessing other realms. There is always a strong connection to Mother Earth and the cycles of Nature and the elements.

All ancient cultures share these elements: Australian Aborigines, the Maoris and Polynesians, the Tibetan people, native cultures in Siberia, as well as Wiccan and Pagan practices. As shown on a recent BBC documentary the Incredible Human Journey - all of these practices have their roots in ancient Indian and African cultures. All of these cultures also use symbols and healing practices as a way of life - which is why Reiki (universal energy) is so strongly linked to shamanism.

The aspect I enjoyed most on the workshop was ‘journeying’. It’s similar to a guided meditation but instead of someone talking to you, it’s the rhythmic drumming that sends you into a semi-hypnotic state. You ‘dream’ an alternate reality which represents your authentic self. You ‘meet’ various guides or animals who can give you answers or guidance. I dreamed of a 3-headed dragon which represented the 3 negative qualities I would like to get rid of (or at least dampen down!): anger, greed and envy. I also dreamed of my various power animals, which I have met on other journeys, such as Dolphin, Owl and Peacock. This time I merged with all of the animals and became a huge being, rather like the Nightwalker in Princess Mononoke. I whizzed off into space and looked back at the world and gave it a big hug.

The message was loud and clear: You are called upon to help with environmentalism. What more can I do? I don’t have a car, a dishwasher or a tumble dryer. I use Ecover cleaning products and I rarely eat meat. I try to conserve fuel and water at home - no ordinary lightbulbs in my house. I have cut down on the amount of flights I take and the amount of stuff I buy. I am also making a move to using better toiletries, usually found in holistic clinics and health food shops such as Infinity. I recycle and donate clothes, books and CDs to friends, Freecycle and local charity shops. (Traid in Brighton sell good quality recycled clothes, and Magpie collect unwanted furniture). I am planting bee-friendly plants in my little city garden. And every day I send distant healing to the whole Earth. Any more tips on how I can help the environment are gratefully received, add a comment below.

San Francisco and Oregon trip

On the spur of the moment, I booked a flight to San Francisco and spent 12 days with very good friends. It was an amazing trip, where everything fell into place. Sometimes logistics can be a nightmare, but I’ve learned that if you go with flow, things usually work out for the best, for all concerned. This is by working with not against the flow of energy. For example, my friends were already planning a break to Oregon, the beautiful state above California with magnificent beaches and stunning countryside. Instead of thinking this was a problem, I changed my flight and tagged along with them on their camping trip - taking in a stop at spiritual town Mount Shasta and a overnight stay in trendy Portland. It was obviously ‘meant to be’ as we also met up with another couple from Brighton, now living in Vancouver: celebrating a milestone birthday by a open fire on a Pacific beach can’t get much better.

In the past 6 months, I have tried to stay positive and open to opportunities, despite being affected by the recession: not as many people coming for treatments and workshops and not as much freelance project management work. As it’s been quieter, I have spent the time seeing more of my close friends and family, going on courses for self-improvement and to improve my professional skills. I have been fitting in some volunteer work and getting back into networking for business. But I still felt as if I was scrimping: not spending money sometimes creates a stagnant energy and a feeling of resentment. So the trip to the US felt like an opportunity I had to grasp with both hands.

The lovely couple I stayed with, represent the two aspects of my life: the digital/creative world and the complementary/spiritual life. Sometimes it’s not a course or a book that can be inspiring but the good friends that are around you. I felt so nurtured by the good healthy home-cooked food, I loved watching how they work as a team, and we also debated new digital developments. I gave them both Reiki treatments and also completed their Reiki training.

I came back with my head, heart and suitcase crammed full of gifts and ideas. There were so many great places I visited, but among the most memorable was the vegan raw food Café Gratitude. ‘What are you grateful for?’ we were asked by the waitress. I am so grateful to my good friends and I appreciated every moment of my trip.

Highlights:
De Young Museum
Nightlife at California Academy of Sciences
Mount Shasta
Ace Hotel
Powells book store
Cannon Beach
Bandon Beach
Alloro Restaurant
The Redwood Groves
City Lights book store
Chinatown
Spectrum Festival
SF Pride
SF Museum of Modern Art
Café Gratitude