The slow mosey 'round.

I am the type of person that drives vendors mad. It isn't something I try to do on purpose, but I like to mosey and look at every-single-little-thing(!) before I commit to perusing their wares.

Now, the trick to this is that some Vendors are there solely to make money. Plain and simple. I'm sure there were some good intentions there when they started up their business but sometimes desperation takes over and before you know it you are being harangued and accosted by people trying to sell their "miracle make-up" and (much to my chagrin) "healing hair silks".

Don't get me wrong. I used to go to these festivals and be amazed at the wondrous spirituality of the whole shebang, but this year I was sorely disappointed with some of the stalls, but I won't dwell.

My travels around all of the stalls also gives me an idea of what I want to buy and where I can buy it from. The actual sale person is of vital importance at this point. If I don't like the sales person for any reason what-so-ever I will not buy. Simple. Apart from one of them but that's a long story.

I must admit though. There is a book shop that is at every single one of these festivals I go to. It's amazing and has books on everything spiritual and controversial. They must make a fortune, God only knows I always spend a good wad of dosh there every year. But these are books you would even struggle to find on Amazon. I will find a link and put it on my links page.

All in all there were approximately 80-90 stalls, and that's a lot of information to take in. On top of this there were performers and performances on the stage that were amazing! The energy created by some of these (particularly Jason Chan of Radiant Warrior and Infinite Tai Chi) would heat up the room like you wouldn't believe.

The thing is you never see everything on that initial walk about. I didn't see some of the stalls in all the hours I was there on Saturday, making me so grateful that I could be there for both days. And it's nice when the vendors recognise you and make conversation with you on that second day.

Aura-Live - jumping right in!

As soon as I arrived on Saturday morning I hot footed it to Dave and Sally's stand, Aura Live, to have my Aura photo taken.

I was so excited! Talking with Dave is like chatting with an old friend and he remembered me from last year, and from the Derby Uni festival in April, which was nice. I mentioned that I wanted to compare my Aura photo from today with that I have from last year, and that I'd like a full body photo done too.

Well. Dave didn't think that there would be a lot of difference between the two, because a year isn't really long enough for a person to change unless something very drastic has happened. I didn't mention my Reiki I attunement until after he had taken the photograph. There is such a huge change, and as we were chatting we got more and more excited about it. I was going to get a photograph of Dave and myself but sadly the opportunity didn't arise over the weekend.

I don't have a picture of the old one on this laptop yet so I will update at a later date with that so you can see the changes. It really is extraordinary.

What a weekend?!

Well, this weekend was nothing less than amazing. I'm almost dreading this blog post because I just don't have any idea how I'm going to condense everything into a blog post and actually make it readable.

It takes approximately an hour to get to Buxton from where I live. So it was an early start so we could get there in plenty of time before it opened.

The thing about going to Buxton is that it is so full of like-minded people and they are a complete and utter pleasure to talk and interact with. I met so many wonderful people that I only get to see once a year, and as much as it surprises me, some of them actually remember me!

I think the best thing to do would be to write a different post for each and every aspect that stood out. That way, with the tags, it will be easier to read about what you're interested in...

MBS Festival at Buxton tomorrow.

I have inadvertently had a pajama day today. I did however do some decorating earlier on and  I have finally chosen the furniture for my dining room, living room and hallway. I am going to use positive thinking regarding this because as previously mentioned I'm rubbish (<-- negative!) with money. I was pondering this when I received a phone call alerting me to my start date for my new job....... That says it all really!

This weekend is the annual MBS Festival in Buxton. I've been going most years since I was about 16. It is such an amazing atmosphere that I tend to crave going now. Being around like-minded people absolutely lifts me up and propels me into absolute relaxation, and dare I say, awareness.

I will be having my Aura photo taken by Aura Live (ran by David and Sally Abel). I had this done last year under protest as my Dad wanted to conduct an "experiment". He had his done in the morning and it was green with a white "halo" type thing going off (he has this "halo" in every Aura photo he has ever had taken). Now at the time, I was in quite a state emotionally and I didn't want my Aura photo taken. But my Dad persisted with the nagging and a couple of hours later we went back. I plonked myself down and said "take the photo tell me what it means but do not record anything." I didn't know why I felt so strongly about having the analysis recorded, but there we go. David was quite taken aback but did as I asked.

As an aside, I'd like to mention how wonderfully amazing David and Sally are. I usually find myself drawn to them whether I realise it or not. They are so friendly and welcoming and most importantly for me; they are not pushy. They respect your decision whether you have your photo done with them or not.

I was Turquoise. To me it looked more radioactive Hulk style green, but David assured me  it was turquoise and quite unbalanced (turquoise happens to be my favourite colour).

My Dad was very impressed with the results, since we were practically the same colour only I was missing the "halo".

I kept the picture and I keep it in my Reiki file with the Chakra and colour information.

I am quite excited to see what my Aura will be like when I get there tomorrow full of excitement and having been attuned to Reiki I. I'm hoping to achieve the "halo" at some point in my life.

I will be taking my camera with me and will hopefully get some photographs of the whole thing. I don't know how lenient they will be with my photo-taking as it is usually filmed these days.

I'm so excited!

Reiki I: My first 21 days.

Well, it has been exactly three weeks since I was attuned to Reiki I. Three wonderful, fabulous, enlightening weeks.

My life has been changed.

Self Treatments vs Case Study.

I have been doing my self treatments religiously since I was attuned to Reiki I on June 3rd. I have noticed that I am getting better at focusing on myself during these treatments and as a result my life seems to be flowing considerably better. I am however quite underwhelmed by it at times and feel as though I am lacking in terms of "power" for lack of a better term.

On the day of my level I attunement I was given the chance to direct some healing to my teachers partner. I knew about an ailment he had had for quite some time but didn't think much of his health or wellbeing as I was positioned next to him. I was thinking "as if this is going to work so soon". I was told that if all I wanted to do was Scan, that was fine and we could compare notes when she was done with her treatment.

During the scanning process I felt cold areas on his chest (lungs) and knees, and felt compelled to go to the soles of his feet. I placed my hands there for the duration of the  treatment my Reiki Master was giving. With my eyes closed. I felt as though I was swaying but I'm pretty sure I was still.

I felt hot all over, like all the individual atoms of my body were vibrating at such a rate I was boiling over. Even my eye balls felt like they were tingling. At the end of the treatment, our "patient" stood up and said "the heat from your hands travelled so fast up my left leg and into the base of my spine and was so, so hot.... and now my back doesn't hurt."

My Reiki Master and I confirmed our cold spots, the lungs and knees and I gave a bit of a treatment to my Reiki Master as she wanted to sample the heat from my hands. 

All in all it gave me a confidence knowing that I had helped someone, even though I doubted I was as strong as that. Doubt is easy in the first days and weeks of practicing Reiki, I think.

My Mother called me yesterday and gave me an update on our Buxton weekend, we are now going to be a group of four, with my Reiki Master and Aunty coming along with us. During the conversation she said, "By the way, your first Reiki patient has told me that his back is still fine and he has had no pain since he received a treatment from you, and come to think of it, neither have I."

Maybe I have a thing for healing backs.

I will discuss with my Reiki Teacher on Saturday when she will consider the second attunement. I am eager to learn it as I have read great things about it, primarily from Alice Langholt's blog Reiki Awakening.It is a fascinating read right from when she was Reiki I.

I'm eager to be able to offer distance healing. Especially as there are not a lot of people surrounding me who want a hands-on treatment.

As an aside.

Something I forgot to mention in this post: "Feng Shui and Law of Attraction at work." I have also been offered a full time position in a job that will lead to a career and take me out of retail since the money box thing and my attunement to Reiki I.

As much as I love working in retail it really doesn't pay the bills.

My life is amazing.

What some people would call a coincidence.

Just a short one.

Sam was driving me home tonight and he put Travis on the iPod as I haven't listened to them in some time. He said "I put this on so you can sing along" and I pointed out it had been enough years for me to forget the lyrics other than "Turn turn tu-uurn tuu-uurn turn turn!". He asked me which was my favourite and I said that I like them all, but would particularly like to listen to "Driftwood".

"Driftwood" came on next.

There are 18 songs on the album, "Driftwood" is number 2, "Turn" is number 17. The iPod was on Shuffle mode. If it weren't so late and I weren't so tired, I'd figure out the statistics of that happening again.

Sam said "It bugs me when you do that."

Feng Shui and the Law of Attraction at work.

This is my biggest success so far with the Law of Attraction (LOA), which was made very popular a few years ago by Rhonda Byrne and her book "The Secret". I read a review in Elle magazine and no, it wasn't a ravingly brilliant one, but it piqued my interest and my curiosity into the realm of this LOA "stuff" and I bought the book. That was 4 years ago now and since then I have read many books on the subject, the ones I really loved will be on that side bar thingy under "book list".
My bedroom is above the dining room, so as previously explained it falls over the prosperity Gua of my home (that bit is the Feng Shui) and Amethyst is the crystal for prosperity. The Law of Attraction is an "Ask and you Shall Receive" sort of aspect to the whole thing.

So I generally have issues with money. My love life is great and my job life could be better but money is my nemesis. I cannot hold onto it no matter how positively I think about it. But I digress.

I placed my credit and store cards into my little secret wooden box with the biggest chunk of Amethyst I could lay my hands on and placed it in my wardrobe, the prosperity corner of my room.

I thought nothing of it, as I am trying to pay them off and I figured if they weren't in my purse I wouldn't be continuously tempted to spend on them!!!

Two days later I received a letter from my store card alerting me to the fact that my credit limit had increased. I thought nothing of it until the next day, when I remembered where I had put my card and couldn't help but have a laugh at the way it was working out. I put them away because I wanted to pay them off and I felt quite uneasy about being so close to my limit and then my limit shot up, taking away the unease I felt.

Two days after that I received a letter from my credit card company again alerting me to a raise in my credit limit. This one a significant raise. Taking a lot of worry and pressure away from me.

So, I've been a believer for a long long time in the LOA and Feng Shui, and yet it wasn't until the weekend I was attuned to Reiki I that I finally could reach that point of allowing.

And I am so grateful for it!

Smoky Quartz.

I am a big fan of crystals although I have not yet tried crystal healing in any way shape or form.

My friend and I both happen to suffer with IBS, which can be an incredibly uncomfortable affliction at times. So I opened up The Crystal Bible (there is a link to buy this on the side bar thingy) and found that Smoky Quartz is ideal for helping with disorders of the abdomen. It is used to help ease cramps. So I am considering buying a piece for each of us, and my other friend who often suffers with headaches and is looking to starting a family.

Here is a passage regarding the healing benefits of Smoky Quartz, taken from the book:

"Smoky Quartz is particularly effective for ailments of the abdomen, hips, and legs. It relieves pain, including headaches, and benefits the reproductive system, muscle and nerve tissue, and the heart. Smoky Quartz dissolves cramps, strengthens the back, and fortifies the nerves. This stone aids assimilation of minerals and regulates liquids within the body."

So at the Buxton Festival this weekend I am hoping to either find a bit of jewellery made with Smokey Quartz, or individual pieces I can make into pendants, then each of us will have one. Something else to bind our friendship together.



Furniture and Feng Shui.

I'm quite particular about things like furniture. I'm one of those people who will spend a lot of money on something but only buy it once in my lifetime.The house in which I'm living at the moment is the house that my partner and I intend to buy. And while I am currently living in it with my Dad (it's my Dad's  house) I am decorating it in my own taste and to my own beliefs. Feng Shui is one of my beliefs.

The Bagua is a map or chart used to identify the 8 (9) areas of your home (or any personal space) and their corresponding relationships to your life and to each other.

"Ba" = 8 "Gua" = Area
(This is a really interesting and helpful site "Spiritual Feng Shui" )

I've been interested in Feng Shui since I was 10 years old. It became very fashionable around that time and books became dime a dozen so researching it was easy enough. However, being the flighty ten year old I was I swiftly lost interest. At 22 years old I was re-introduced, and I felt like it was just the most perfect timing ever.
Again I researched, and living in what is quite frankly, a blank canvas, I've really been able to sink myself into it and completely submerge myself and my home to this beautiful, relaxing, way of life.

The first room to be decorated was the dining room, which happens to fall in the Prosperity and Family part of the Bagua. I have chosen neutral colours for this room, and it gets so much sunlight because it is South facing that the floor is already fading.

Things that I need to incorporate into this room for Feng Shui purposes are: The colours Red, Gold, Purple and Green. Amethyst crystals. Wood. Family photographs.

So far I have shades of Gold in there, in the wallpaper and the curtains. I placed a piece of purple coloured crafting paper under the floor boards in the left most corner. Now I need to get my furniture. Furniture that will fit the room and fit the Feng Shui. I'd also love to have a massive family portrait done to hang above the sideboard.

The next room to be decorated is the living room. Which is in the Fame Gua and centre Gua which usually represents health these days. Wish me luck.

The changes.

I know this is my second post in a very short space of time but I want to share the changes that have occurred in my life since my attunement (June 3rd) to Reiki Level I.

During the attunement itself I was incredibly warm. My Reiki Master assured me that this was normal, and I would probably feel a lot more sensations over the next couple of weeks, as well as going into detox, which will involve the purging of toxins from my body. I'm quite an emotional individual so I expected to probably have a few random cries at things as well (as my consciousness lets go of the negativity I have been holding on to) and left her house floating on a stream of brand new and invigorating energy.

I was suddenly craving fruit, and must admit, detoxing was very easy for me, as although I am a meat eater and you will often find me chowing down on steak, I went off red meat. I don't drink or smoke anyway so that wasn't an issue. But there were some days where I would sit and cry and nothingness. I was assured this was normal and ok, I didn't have to know why I was crying and I understood that it was simply myself letting go of any negativity left over from any of my previous life situations or indeed situations from any previous lives. 

I have been a believer in positive thinking for some years now, although I have never been great at manifesting. My dad says it is a question of focus, and that my focus lacked focus. But since being attuned I have been manifesting all manner of things, from the small to the large, and my life is so significantly more amazing that it radiates from me in waves so strong, people remark on my "presence". 

Of course, there are always those who are threatened by this "presence" and I am learning to send love to these people. By sending love I hope they will see I am not a threat, but a friend, and I would never force my beliefs or opinions on anybody.

I'm also a much tidier person all of a sudden. My scatty messy self now has a place for everything and everything in it's place. Something my grandmother will be very pleased about.

Reiki has opened my eyes to so many new and wonderful things. Every day I find myself smiling and so very appreciative of all these new sensations, new feelings, new thoughts. 

Reiki didn't just change my life, it saved my life.

The single step.

I like to consider myself to be a spiritual person, although I have never been able to find a religion I have been comfortable enough with to practice full time.

The last year has been particularly tough for me although I couldn't pin down the reason for my dark days and instead of dwelling, I would sleep. Which is in itself a form of dwelling. My doctor prescribed me anti-depressants and counselling (which never came to fruition oddly enough) and after a few months of non-stop pill taking I decided enough was enough. I had been turned into a zombie, and worst of all, I was still very much unhappy and not myself.

One morning, I awoke with such a strong feeling it nearly pushed me out of bed. It woke Sam up and he asked me what was wrong. "I need to learn Reiki" was my reply.

Now, I hadn't received a Reiki treatment for years at this point. I had previously been treated twice by a Reiki practitioner, then Master regarding two previous health issues and I had benefited greatly from her healing. So much so that I hadn't bothered going back for more treatment as I didn't need it.

Sam of course didn't have a clue what I was on about and rolled over and went back to sleep. But I couldn't sleep! I was suddenly so full of energy and vitality that I had to get out of bed and find a way of being attuned to Reiki.

It was another couple of weeks before I was able to be attuned. And it was the most magical day of my life to date.

Whats surprised me is the different reactions and opinions people have towards Reiki. Sam, my boyfriend of 6 years refuses flat out to believe it is real or tangible. He thinks it is "fake" and that I am half way to crazy. However, after doing a self treatment (usually at night time) he cannot stand to lie next to me because I am radiating such intense heat it prickles his skin. And other people, such as my colleagues, who I thought would react much the same as Sam, are so receptive to it they will ask for healing there and then on the shop floor.

Being attuned to Reiki was my single step to what has become, and hopefully continue to be, an amazing journey.