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We are very happy to announce that on Friday 7th July we have an Iriologist coming to Destiny Rising to give readings. Come and find out about your health and character analysis. It’s so very interesting. Eyes have long been referred to as the “Windows of the Soul.” But few people are aware of just how true this observation is. Accurate analysis of iris structure and pigmentation provides information about you or your clients that is hard to find through other methods. This information is so valuable that Iridology deserves to become a widely practiced assessment tool in both the physical and psychological health fields. There are a multitude of factors that influence our health and personality, and many of these factors are reflected in the iris. Look closely at your eyes in a mirror, and then at the irises of those around you. You will see many different patterns of iris fibers and colors. Like fingerprints or faces, no two are exactly alike, and neither are we! The iris structure is so unique; it is now being used for security identification at ATM machines and airports. Microsoft’s house of the future will use an eye scanner to identify residents and unlock the door. What is an Iriologist? Iridology is based on the scientific study of the iris – the colored part of the eye. Like markings on a map, the iris reveals physiological conditions, psychological health risks, challenges and/or strengths of various organs and personality traits. Through iridology we can get an understanding of your past, present, and potential future health conditions by assessing the various body systems. Your inherited tendencies compounded by toxic accumulations in various parts of your body are also revealed. The Science of Iridology is based on the analogy of one of the most complicated tissue structures of the whole body – the iris. It is a method whereby the doctor or health practitioner can tell, from markings or signs in the iris, the reflex condition of various organs and systems of the body. These markings represent a detailed picture of the integrity of the body; it’s constitutional potentials, areas of congestion or toxic accumulations and inherent challenges and gifts. The four principles that form the cornerstones of iridology are: – The condition of the nerves – The condition of the blood and lymph system – Adequate circulation – Nutrition – rest quality, breathing – state of mind. Call us at the shop to book your appointment 01923 852522

There are so many reasons why we do not always sleep well. Either we have trouble falling asleep, or we cant stay asleep, or both! This is something that I have experienced myself and it can be just exasperating! Some say if you cant sleep get up and do something, others say, stay in bed and read. I used to listen to sometimes 2 or 3 guided meditation cd’s a night, read endless chapters of a book, drink chamomile tea until it was coming out of my ears, and still I’d be awake! And the more I asked myself “am I feeling sleepy yet!” the more I felt awake! Sometimes I would get up and do something (cleaning, paperwork etc) and by the time I decided to go back to bed, it was inevitably getting light, which used to make my heart sink, since I knew I was in for another day of tiredness and frustration due to my sleep deprivation. It becomes a horrid frustrating cycle! And bedtime becomes an intimidating prospect. I decided to look into this subject quite deeply, I tried and tested many practices and remedies of varying kinds. Eventually, I am ecstatically pleased to say that I effectively conquered this problem, and here are my findings… Firstly, here are a few fundamental offerings that are so important to know. And info that I can literally witter on about to people in my shop endlessly, if someone tells me that they cant sleep. Technology has given us connection to the worldwide web at our fingertips by way of computers, I phones, tablets etc which are more often than not, ON, 24/7. You will find them in every room, including the bedrooms, especially in children and teenagers rooms. We have cordless telephones probably by the bed and wifi that’s left on constantly. We now know that racing pigeons struggle to find their way home these days and research has suggested that its because radiation waves from the transmitters in Britain interfere with the pigeons natural homing instincts. In the last few years since vast amounts of mobile masts have been erected, nearly half of racing pigeons become lost or don’t make it back at all. Not so long ago most of them would return home. Bees are also suffering as colonies collapse, experts looking at bees specifically say that apart from insecticides and gm crops having a devastating effect on bees, bee populations may also be vulnerable to other factors, such as the increase in atmospheric electromagnetic radiation as a result of growing numbers of mobile phones and wireless communication towers. The increased radiation given off by such devices may interfere with bees ability to navigate. A small study at Germany’s Landau University found that bees would not return to their hives when mobile phones were placed nearby. So how does all of this affect us? Well without getting too technical, electrical equipment creates EMF’s (electromagnetic fields) which interferes with the brains sleep patterns. It can seriously keep you from not only falling asleep, but staying asleep. So definitely turn off computers, mobiles, cordless phones and switch off your wifi on a night before bed. Make it a rule in your house; it will be an excellent habit. You might say, “well I use my phone as an alarm clock” well invest in an old fashioned alarm clock or a battery operated one, it could mean all the difference to your sleep! After I read all about this, I had an epiphany and decided to investigate further. I actually made an appointment with someone who measures the amount of emf’s active in your home. The results were staggering and I then understood why I wasn’t sleeping. The findings were, that my wifi was transmitting all night in the room below my bedroom, the neighbours wifi was directly in the adjacent room to my headboard and my cordless phones were directly next to my bed. To top it off, my TV was constantly on standby next to my bed. My bedroom, which is supposed to be a haven of peace and tranquillity, was an electromagnetic frequency hotspot, in fact the guy said he had never taken such a high reading on his monitor. So I began the process of working out the solution, which involved purchasing new ‘green’ cordless phones that do not transmit radiation while not in operation. Blocking the neighbours wifi intrusion through my wall, which was more of a problem, since I had to have the wall painted with emf blocking paint and papered with a specially manufactured material. Turning off my wifi completely while not in use and switching my mobile phone off on a night and making sure that the tv was also off and not on standby. This might seem like an extreme length to go to, but guess what? it worked! I had a hunch after reading all that I had on this subject. Needless to say I slept, it took a week or two to return to a normal sleep pattern. But what bliss! after five or so years of not sleeping properly. It was transformational on many levels. You may not need to go to such lengths, but certainly I now know that EMF’s are a problem for lots of people. Check your diet – are you consuming food and drink that interrupt your bodies natural patterns? Alcohol, caffeine and additives after 8.00pm are really unhelpful and will very likely keep you awake. Have a cup of Chamomile tea in the evening, it gets you mind and body relaxed, or there are some really good herbal tea infusions available specifically blended for bedtime. The brain also needs a few hours before retiring, to wind down and switch off from the flashing images on the TV and computer screen. Doing these few things maybe all that you need to do to get a proper refreshing nights sleep. Try it! But don’t give up after a couple of nights, it may take a while for a new sleep pattern to emerge. If your problem is a busy head and stress. You still need to factor in the above, but also take a few other steps towards de-stressing yourself. A meditation cd that takes you on a journey set to gentle music will help to stop that inner chatter, long enough for you to fall asleep… Nelsons night rescue remedy can be quite helpful. There are also some very peaceful cd’s of tranquil music to induce sleepiness. Sometimes a handful of skinned almonds that have been soaked in mineral or filtered water for the day and eaten an hour or so before bedtime, help to balance cortisol in the body and thus aid sleep. Or one of our little crystal sleep pouches that we put together at the shop often does the trick, very popular with mums that have sleepless babies and tots. If you would like one please give the shop a call on 01923 852522 and we can post one out to you @ £10.95 plus postage. I hope this info is helpful to you gaining a good night's sleep. Sweet dreams Dana x zzzzz

Although ‘stress’ is seen as a negative emotion, it actually plays an important role in our survival. It’s the body’s response to threats and dangerous situations. It can get us motivated, get us to perform better and even save our life. When your body recognises a threat, your brain releases hormones, your body responds by increasing the amount of oxygen and nutrients to your muscles, brain and heart. You are now primed to think and act swiftly. This is called the fight or flight response. You are ready and able to fight the threat or run away from it, your body will return to a state of calm when the danger is over. These responses are normal every now and again and don’t cause any serious harm. However, frequent bouts caused by life’s demands will eventually become harder to deal with and may become a chronic stress situation. Stressful situations can come from many sources. External Relationship problems Over work Financial worries Business demands Concerns over children Moving house Parenthood Internal Feeling Negative – feeding ourselves negative self talk Unrealistic expectations – of self and others Trying to live up to your own perfectionism Unable to accept uncertainty The signs and symptoms of overload can affect the mind, body and behaviour in many ways. The longer that we endure stressful situations, lifestyles, responsibilities, work schedules, etc., your body is reacting as if it was dealing with a life or death scenario; and this response system may well be switched on most of the time, and become harder to turn off. In this instance, it can lead to physical and emotion issues including, sleep problems, increased risk of heart attack or stroke, high blood pressure, aches and pains, skin problems, weak immune system, obesity, depression, speed up the aging process. So, what can we do about it? All situations that we find ourselves immersed in can often leave us feeling that our lives are out of control and seem impossible to manage. I know it’s pretty much impossible to eliminate all stresses in our lives, unless we sell up, ship out and become a Buddhist on a mountain top somewhere………but failing that, managing stress is very possible and taking a good look at how we respond to it in our lives. Firstly, to start and control how much stress we allow ourselves to undertake is part of stress management, taking control over our emotions, our thoughts and taking better care of our physical selves, plus our environment are the first stages. Making time for rest and relaxation, changing stressful situations wherever you can, or if you just can’t, then learning to change the way in which you react to it. There are many good therapists out there that can help you to become familiar and practiced with many stress busting techniques that work very well. Yoga will help you to think clearly under pressure and release tension. meditation and deep breathing are fantastic for bringing about states of deep peace, calm and relaxation. In fact these practices activate and boast the body’s immune system and happy hormones. Many books have been written on the subject of stress. Feeding the mind material that helps us to grow on an optimistic attitude or being able to embrace challenge instead to being devoured by it, is a positive move to being in control of stress. Learning ways to soothe and relax our selves is also a key tool when under pressure. So, how can we help? We carry books on positive thinking, stress relief, self empowerment and therapies Meditation CD’s; written especially for stress, sleep, confidence and relaxation. Aromatherapy Oils – can be very helpful, they can help induce sleep, relaxation or have an uplifting effect. A good way to make use of these oils is to inhale from a tissue or diffused into your environment through use in an oil burner. We suggest Lavender oil, plain and simple, to help relax and entice sleep. On a tissue to inhale: 3 drops of Clary Sage 1 drop of Lemon Oil 1 drop of Lavender Oil On a tissue to inhale: 2 drop of Roman Chamomile oil 2 drops of Lavender oil 1 drop of Vetiver On a tissue to inhale: 3 drops of Bergamot Oil 1 drop of Geranium Oil 1 drop of Frankincense Oil In an oil burner: 12 drops of Clary Sage 4 drops of Lemon oil 4 drops of Lavender oil In an oil burner: 8 drops of Roman Chamomile oil 8 drops of Lavender oil 4 drops of Vetiver oil In an oil burner: 12 drops of Bergamot Oil 4 drops of Geranium oil 4 drops of Frankincense Oil Oils for Depression Geranium, Lavender, Bergamot, Clary Sage, Grapefruit, Ylang Ylang & Vertiver Oils for Stress Relief Bergamot, Chamomile, Cypress, Frankincense, Geranium, Lavender, Palma Rosa, Ylang Ylang, Juniper Oils for Exhaustion Petitgrain, Rosemary, Basil, Lemon, Clary Sage, lavender, Vetiver, Geranium, Peppermint We also stock ‘Nelsons Arnica Bath & Massage Balm’ great to massage into achy stiff muscles or add to your bath; soaking away tensions and stress. Evening Primrose oil and rich sweet Almond oil, naturally hydrate the skin, whilst lavender and grapefruit essential oils help calm senses and relax the mind. If you have a willing partner, a nice massage on tight shoulders with this nourishing blend would be a gorgeous treat before bed, along with a nice warm cup of relaxing chamomile tea which is available from health food shops. Warning: Remember that aromatherapy or any or our suggestions should not be used as a substitute for medical treatment and please obey the following safety information when using oils. We offer the following safety guidelines, but these are not fully comprehensive, so if in doubt please consult a trained aromatherapist. Essential Oils should not be ingested unless prescribed by a trained aromatherapy practitioner. Some oils should be avoided during pregnancy. also by those who suffer from epilepsy, asthma or other conditions. Essential oils should not be used undiluted directly onto the skin; contrary to popular belief that certain oils, such as lavender and tea tree are fine. But, as with all oils, they can potentially cause some people to have an allergic reaction; so always dilute and keep essential oils away from children, as some oils smell as inviting as a fruit drink! Crystals are also very beneficial for health, healing and relaxation. For more information about their healing properties, please see my previous blog on ‘crystals’ and find out how they can help you. I hope this information is helpful to you in some way, or leads you to find the first steps out of a difficult or challenging place in your life right now. I know from experience that mastering the way we think, thus feel, about many situations in our lives is the key to having the life that we love and above all, being gentle with ourselves. I wish heartfelt love and healing to all that read this…. Dana x 2015 Dana Morgan/Destiny Rising. 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The word Reiki (loosely defined) means free passage of universal life (force) energy. Reiki is a Japanese word, but is represented by characters from the Chinese character system. The word Reiki, pronounced ‘ray-key’ in Japanese, and pronounced ‘Leaki’ in Chinese, originated in Tibet. The syllable ‘rei’ in Japanese means spirit, ghost and soul. In Chinese, the syllable ‘lei’ means subtle influences, the force, ethereal, supernatural power. ‘Rei’ can in interpreted ‘free passage’, The syllable ‘ki” means life force energy (as in akido). In Chinese, life force energy is called ‘chi’ , in India, ‘Prana’. there are many names for life force energy, each culture seems to have its own. A Brief History of Reiki Reiki originated from the words ‘raku-kei’, which is the art and science of spiritual self improvement. Reiki came originally from ancient Tibet thousands of years ago. The Reiki calligraphy, in Sanskrit was used in meditation in Tibetan monasteries and was the centre focus in their practises toward enlightenment by Tibetan holy men. A Tibetan Lama would sit on a four legged wooden stool in the centre of an oval earthenware container that represented the etheric egg filled with three inches of water. The stool was made of wood with silver inlay which ran up a channel in each of the stools legs, which connected with a silver plate inlay upon the stools seat. On the silver plate, inlayed with amethyst and rubies, was the master frequency symbol. In front of the stool was a mirror of polished copper. Behind the stool hung a tapestry containing the Lama’s prayer and the Reiki symbols. The symbols were reflected in the copper wall and meditated upon by the lama as he sat on the stool. The Tibetan Lama concentrated on the Reiki symbols to implant them deep into his subconscious, thereby purifying the mind/body, raising his consciousness and increasing awareness. What is now called Reiki, was re-discovered in the 1870’s by Dr. Mikao Usui. As the story goes, Dr Usui, the president of a small Christian University in Japan, was asked by his students “how did Christ heal?” This question lead Dr. Usui to resign from his university position and begin a ten year search for the answer. His quest lead him to many parts of the world to study in many different languages and finally to original Sanskrit Buddhist sutras where he found ancient symbols that he believed to be the formula to healing. At this point Dr. Usui felt that he had the keys to healing, but did not know how to awaken his healing power. He decided to go to a mountain for 21 days, to seek the power to heal. On the final day he saw a beam of light rushing towards him. The light struck him in the middle of his forehead and at that moment he saw the Reiki symbols and felt them enter his mind and memory. Dr. Usui spent the rest of his life sharing Reiki. Before his death, Dr. Usui passed the keys over to his closest friend, Dr. Chijiro Hayashi, who ran a Reiki clinic in the early 1900’s in Japan Reiki as brought to Hawaii by Mrs. Hawayo Takata, who was born on the island of Hawaii in 1900 and lived on the islands until 1970. In her mid thirties, Mrs. Takata became widowed and very ill and travelled to Japan to seek treatment. While she was guided to Dr. Hayashi’s clinic and healed with reiki. She then studied Reiki for a year in Japan and later was made a Reiki Master (one who can fine tune or empower others with Reiki energy). Mrs Takata spent the rest of her life sharing Reiki and in 1970 moved to California and began to train other Masters. How does Reiki work? When you are attuned to Reiki energy, your channels are opened to universal life energy. Reiki atonements are much like tuning into a desired radio station. the atonements you receive tune you into Reiki energy so that you can channel in for yourself or others at any time, for the rest of your life. All of us have universal energy, essential for health and life and all of us have some amount of healing energy coming from our hands. During the Reiki attunement process, the Reiki symbols are used to permanently restructure aspects of your energy bodies. Allow you access to a reservoir of Reiki energy set up by Reiki masters of the past. Increase the flow of life force energy through your energy body for the benefit of yourself and others. Access a consciousness factor that connects to the symbols. Implants the symbols for the rest of your life. Reiki energy and the bodies you treat have an intelligence of their own. You cannot will Reiki energy to go to a certain place or treat a certain ailment. It is best to trust in the innate intelligence of the energy and the receiver and merely act as a channel, staying neutral and out of the way. Reiki is a beautiful healing practise that works for oneself, other people, animals, plants, even food and water can have the benefit of Reiki healing using hands techniques or absently. If you happen to live near Destiny Rising, our Reiki Master, Jo, teaches regularly at the shop. Please call if you would like details 01923 852522. We are open 7 days a week from 10am – 5pm. If you are sharing this blog, please be mindful to share the message in its entirety 2015 Dana Morgan/Destiny Rising. All right reserved

Say bye bye to negative energy… The ritual of burning herbs has been around for centuries and is common to many cultures all over the world. Smudging is the common name given to the sacred smoke bowl blessing, a powerful cleansing technique from the Native American tradition where burning herbs calls on the spirits of plants to drive away negative energies and put you back into a state of balance. It is the psychic equivalent of bathing yourself in water to cleanse or washing your hands before eating. From the rich scent of frankincense in the churches, the heady incense of Asia and the middle eastern Bazaars, the raw energy of bush burning in many native cultures, the ancient Celtic druids who used sage and oak moss besides, to the indigenous peoples of the Amazon whose Palo Santo (sacred wood) burning ceremonies are still in practise to this day; one thing is for sure, there’s a common theme that links them all… purification and cleansing! Many people think that when we burn incense its just making our homes smell nice, well yes, but its so much more than that and smudging with sacred sage which is the most well known of the herbs for cleansing is where I shall begin to explain; so how does smudging work? The answer lies in the sub-atomic world of subtle or spiritual energy. Our bodies and homes are not just constructed out of purely physical matter, they also vibrate with subtle invisible energy. Cleansing our bodies or space with sacred smoke can clear away all the emotional and psychic rubbish that we or a space may have gathered over years and possibly hundreds of years. You can use it for space clearing your home where there has been illness, arguments, sadness or just to keep the energies uplifted or vibrant. in fact a few centuries ago, even we in the west would have energetically cleared our homes ready for new occupants and done the same when we moved into a new home. It can be used to keep therapy rooms clear of negative energy left unknowingly by clients. Or used to cleanse a space in readiness for a ceremony. Busy spaces can accumulate lots of energy that can become stagnant and unwelcoming, which brings me to mention that my shop ‘Destiny Rising’ is smudged every morning to clear the hustle bustle energy from the day before and welcome in a clear fresh energy for the new day to begin. Smudging is truly wonderful. If you are not familiar with it, why not give it a try! Lots of our customers have become converts to it since we have explained it and showed them how its done. Often people will come rushing into the shop and say “please smudge me, I’ve had a lousy day!” We of course always have a sage bundle to hand. I love it for its simplicity and its effectiveness, I’ve witnessed how different a person can feel after clearing their Aura with the smoke of the sage, they feel lighter and often feel calmer. Homes and spaces feel clear and energetically fresher after being cleansed, which makes sense in that burning sage also releases negative ions, which research has linked to a more positive mood. I see it as a beautiful and effective esoteric practise that seems to be being adapted to fit into life in the 21st century. It can be kept extremely simple or as ceremonial as you like, but whichever way a weekly smudging will keep you, your home or healing room nicely clear and balanced. We don’t just save it for special occasions or ceremonies, this fast pace frenetic world needs all the help it can get! Objects can also be smudged, tools for majickal purposes, therapy couches, computers, phones and one of the best ways to cleanse crystals is to wash them in some filtered or mineral water or a stream if you’re lucky enough to have one close by and then run them through the smoke of a smudge stick, before charging them up in the glow of the full moon or sunshine. Its not surprising that the Latin for sage is ‘Salvia’ which originates from the word ‘to heal’ and apart from cleansing, purifying and removing old static energy, sage is known for its ability to bring about clarity, wisdom and spiritual awareness. Its no coincidence then that we refer to wise folk as ‘sagely’ I really love it when I can explain to people that something is not airy-fairy or new age waffle and this is one of them! Native American tradition dates back millennia as does loads of traditional cultures, from the Maoris to the Balinese, the Chinese to the Zulus, all have age old blessing and cleansing traditions. Even here in the west as I have mentioned had them, although mostly long forgotten! The incense that even now wafts through the churches began life wafting from a pagan alter, the bells that ring out on a Sunday morning were intended to cleanse the parish through sound and invite the community from everyday space into worship, just as the shamans drum beckons us on sacred journeys into other worlds… Smudging yourself So, lets get on with the practise of smudging. I’m going to keep it simple to get started. I’m going to talk about using a sage stick, bundle or wand as they are often referred to, as opposed to lighting sage leaves in a bowl. Sage sticks are bundles of dried sage leaves, often white sage is used for purification although there are many others which I will mention later. I always like to start a house or space cleansing by clearing myself first. What you will need is your smudge bundle, a t-light and a largish feather if you feel you would like to use one to waft the smoke, but its not essential if you don’t have one, or you could even use a little fan that you have made. Sit quietly before you start and fix your thoughts gently on your intension, which is to clear you and your space of all old unwanted lingering energy and purify yourself and the space that you occupy. (note: be careful if you suffer from respiratory problems or asthma, please experiment cautiously) Light your t-light and use that to light the tip of the smudge bundle, (the fat end) do not untie the string that holds it together. Now let it burn for a few minutes until it starts to smoulder, you may need to fan the flames for a while to get the smudge really smoking. Then extinguish the flame by fanning out the flame, so that the bundle is now just smoking. I like to start my ritual by wafting the smoke towards my heart, asking the sacred sage to help me to release any grief that I am holding and calling in unconditional love. Then take the smudge (always using little clockwise circular motions) over your head into the crown chakra, down in front of your face, down the top of one arm, around your hand and back up under your arm, then the same with the other arm. Run the smoke down the front of your body, down both legs, under both feet and then back up the back of your body. As you smudge visualise yourself being surrounded by gentle loving energy. Imagine the smoke taking away with it any negativity and being taken away into the earth or out of the window into the air where it will be transmuted or dissolved. This may sound simple but its very powerful, don’t underestimate this practise. Put your smudge bundle on a abalone shell or in a saucer is fine until you are ready to use it again for your space clearing. If you have finished with the smudge bundle, always take it outside and stub it out on some sand or soil, make sure it is extinguished, I always wrap it in some tin foil and keep it for next time. Smudging your home or space. Sometimes when life feels stuck or things aren’t going to plan, you may find that a space clearing session will do the trick, old energy of whatever has been going on in your home, or even before you inhabited your home can effect what’s going on now, old stagnant energy is sticky and the content of it is still vibrating at some level that can have an effect on you and your family. Sometimes I will sprinkle sea salt around the skirting boards of a house before I start to cleanse because of its ability to soak up the old static energy that I am removing, if you decide to do this sprinkle it always walking clockwise, we want to go forward in time, not backwards! I will then Hoover it up after I have finished smudging and make sure the Hoover is emptied and the bag removed from the house immediately, as I don’t want this old energy lingering in the house any longer. If you would like to get really thorough, you can clap, drum or ring a bell around the walls, to help to break down the energy, ready for smudging. (again always walking clockwise) I like to keep the windows open to allow the smoke to escape taking with it whatever is leaving. Light your smudge bundle once again as above. Then using little clockwise motions up and down the walls, wafting the smoke with either your feather, fan or just allow the smoke to billow around the walls, walk clockwise slowly and pay special attention to the corners of rooms. You can call upon the spirit of the sage once again to drive away all negativity from this space. When I do this I feel a sense of taking my space back ready to fill it with my energy and my good intentions for all who live there including pets, they are very sensitive to energy. We all love a good spring clean don’t we? Well think of this as just as important… energetic cleaning! Your home becomes a fresh clear space and you will really feel the difference. Smudge every room in your house, clear doorways and windows, waft smoke into cupboards and wardrobes, but obviously be careful that pieces of lit sage do not drop off into these spaces, you might like to use a little bowl underneath your smudge bundle for this. When you have done the whole house or space, safely extinguish your smudge bundle. You can then walk into each room and touch the walls asking whatever higher energy that you believe in, be it angels, guardians, deity’s, higher power to be present in this space and fill and bless it with love, happiness, protection, peace, health and harmony. This is my way of doing it, but you can adapt it to fit your ways. There is a space blessing that I like to use by bringing in the four elements of earth, air, fire and water, but I will save that for another blog soon. We get asked about space clearing all the time at my shop, so what I have explained here has been repeated many times, so I thought this would be a great topic to put out there for everyone. Of course there are many ways of doing this, this is the way I like to do it. After you have completed your space cleansing, its quite nice to balance the male/yang energy of the sage with a little female/yin energy by burning some sweetgrass, lavender or vanilla to attract in positivity, balance and peacefulness, I always think of the scent of Vanilla as representing the sweetness of life. As I have mentioned there are many other herbs and combinations that can be used for clearing:- Desert sage (also known as sagebrush) :- transforms energy and brings change and healing. Cedar :- deeply purifying, good to clear negative emotions, great to clear a new home before moving in, revives a tired mind, body and spirit. The medicine of protection. Cedar trees are very wise, old and powerful. Juniper:- used to purify and create a safe and sacred space. Copal :- tree sap from Mexico, considered the blood of trees. Given up to please the Gods by the native peoples of Mexico. It is offered to honour the enormous gift given to us by all the tree people of our planet. Lavender :- restores balance and creates a peaceful atmosphere, attracts loving energy and spirits. Sweetgrass :- said to be the breath of the earth mother, bringing the blessing of mother earths love, burnt to remind us of the essence of the feminine and that the earth provides us with everything we need. Also known as holy grass and vanilla grass for its sweet vanilla like scent. Before I end this particular blog I would like to add something interesting and intriguing that I noticed many years ago when I was working in the property industry, that in those days I didn’t understand, but it was something that came up over and over again! Over many years of selling property I noticed that certain houses seemed to have an effect over its occupants, sometimes gradually and sometimes quite swiftly. I don’t wish to impart this to cause alarm, because as much as some of the stories had negative outcomes, many were of a positive nature. The point is that I witnessed changes to people and their circumstances by way of where they lived. I started to recognise certain addresses whereby I knew that that particular house would be coming back on the market yet again, probably due to divorce, since the pattern kept on repeating itself. I used to think it of it as coincidence, but after many years I realised that this was not the case. There was a property whereby the man of the house would be become quite poorly. I have many of these stories, but I don’t want to recite them all. On a positive note, one extremely lucky address comes to mind whereby the occupants, in fact three in a row, became multi millionaires in not too short a time. Big brand names that we all know and love! Or the house that people in disharmony moved into to find things improving dramatically. Since my endeavours into the realms of metaphysics and quantum energy I understand a few things but certainly wouldn’t claim to have discovered the mysteries of life and the universe, but what I have discovered is that spaces where people have lived seem to be powerful generators for change, there seems to be a direct correlation between your environment and your situations, health, successes and luck in life. Behind every front door is a story of peoples lives that may to some extent play out in yours. But of course we have to ask ourselves why have I been drawn to this house? and its not just for the large garden or the sink being the right height! Its a matter of your vibration and the vibration of the property. Matter, substance and consciousness vibrating together, a huge subject for another time… However, what I would like to get across is the importance of clearing your home, yourself and the spaces that you work in. I am forever explaining to newly qualified therapists that are setting up therapy rooms in their homes or working in clinics to keep their spaces energetically cleared. A lesson that I have had to learn myself over many years. Don’t we all know on some level how we feel when we walk into a space, weather it be a house, a place of worship, a theatre, a museum, or somewhere where atrocities have taken place? we don’t always know perhaps with what senses we are feeling it, but we feel it! that’s the energy that is lingering and speaking to us on a vibrational level. So lets make your space a happy one to live in and fill it with good vibes! Smudge sticks are available from our shop in Radlett, Hertfordshire, or from our online shop www.destinyrisingshop.com or you may have a local new age shop that stocks them or a favourite online supplier of esoteric products. Wherever they are from… Get Smudging! In Joy! love and blessings Dana x

I am Eve the Astrologer with Destiny Rising. I hope to keep you up to date with what is happening in the heavens and how it is affecting all of us. Today I am concentrating on Jeremy Clarkson from the show Top Gear, as he is in the news at this time. It is interesting to look at someone in the public eye who is going through some sort of crisis and then look at their birth chart to get a different angle on what is going on. Jeremy is an Aries with his Moon in Libra. At this time he has Uranus and Pluto making difficult aspects to the Moon in his chart. With Uranus you can expect sudden unexpected changes. Pluto has a powerful effect and transforms the planet it touches in a birth chart. Jeremy split from Frances his wife who was also his agent, after 21 years of marriage in May 2014 as Pluto was squaring his Moon and Uranus was opposite his Moon. These planets are still affecting him today and for some time to come. This shows he will be going through immense changes and challenges on a personal level and when these planets move away in his chart, they will leave him in a very different place than he is now. With these planets in aspect to his Moon in Libra (the Moon in Libra very much needs a partner to stay in balance) he could be going through a great upheaval in his emotional life. Now we can understand the emotional turmoil he is going through and what is causing him to vent his anger in his outspoken ways. Beneath the bravado he could be feeling very confused and lonely. These planets can bring up the emotions he felt as a child. What is interesting looking at his chart, is he has a very spiritual/mystical side to him. He may be in denial, or trying to ignore it as he wants to appear as the macho man. It is easy to see with Numerology that he is born on the 11th which is a master number. This is not an easy number to live with and he may have had a difficult childhood as he was so sensitive. The 11 is very aware and sensitive and can be very emotional and temperamental. Also if you add up his birthday 11+ 4 + 1960 = 1975 = 22 this is his life path, another master number. With this number enormous power is available to him to produce on a significant scale, for the benefit of humanity He can be aware of the forces within him, aware also of the nervous tension that accompanies these forces. He can spend his time grappling with powers that are difficult to comprehend and use. Many famous people have these numbers including Oprah Winfrey who was born on the 29th2 +9 = 11 and she has a 22 life path.

Did you know that ‘What is Love’ was revealed as the third most popular Google search of 2014. I might have wondered myself after one particular breakup with a boyfriend, but really! are we so confused or know so little about it that we ask a search engine? It did make me smile. Perhaps we are trying to re-evaluate the term ‘Love’ in the modern world as we call it! After all, there’s little doubt that we seem to be a nation of soul searchers in GB, I wonder what the French were Googling last year? I have many conversations in my shop covering hundreds of topics, love is often one of them. We have women of all ages asking, is there anything they can do to help to draw love in to their lives and how they can get a boyfriend, strangely enough not so many guys, but well… a few. The thing that I have noted is how differently the older generation regard love in comparison to younger women. I get the feeling that lots of younger women see love as a grand passion which will sweep them off of their feet and that a life without a boyfriend and LOVE is fundamentally flawed. At this point I will don my mother crone hat and explain that grand passions are a beautiful thing, and something all consuming and wonderful to experience and, why not! But, it would seem that the older generation have come to understand that, as we age, the judgement of whether it’s ‘LOVE’ is not clouded by need, expectations or sexual longings quite so much. Of course sexual longings have certainly not gone out of the window, but our awareness of our connections with others and especially the mate in our lives is founded on many other things. That’s why it is more than just a powerful feeling. Without the commitment of a relationship, it is mere infatuation. Without the passion, it is mere dedication. Without nurturing, even the best can wither and die eventually. I personally think that lust is a cheeky little trick of nature, leftover from the stone age when cave dwellers had to spread their genes around to procreate and get the numbers up. Even they eventually evolved into family units and got loved up! It is of course biologically proven that love is a powerful neurological condition, like hunger or thirst, only more permanent. We talk about love being blind or unconditional, in the sense that we have no control over it. But then, that is not so surprising since love is basically chemistry. While lust is a temporary, passionate, sexual desire involving the increased release of chemicals such as testosterone and oestrogen, where true love is concerned; the brain can release a whole set of chemicals: pheromones, dopamine, serotonin and oxytocin and probably a few others. From an evolutionary view, love can be used as a survival tool, a mechanism we have evolved to promote long term relationships, mutual support and parental support of children and to promote feelings of security. Unlike us, the ancients did not evidently lump all the various emotions that we label “love” under the one word. They had several variations, six to be precise… Philia which they saw as a deep bonding, between close friends and family. Ludus describes playful affection or flirting. Pragma is the mature love that develops over a long period of time between long term couples and involves actively practising, commitment, compromise and understanding. Agape is a more generalised love, it’s not about one to one, but about love for all of humanity. Philautia is self love, which isn’t selfish, as we have come to understand, that to care and have a healthy love for others, we first need to be able to care and love the self. Last, and probably least, the one that causes the most trouble… Eros is about sexual passion and desire and unless it transcends into philia or pragma, Eros will burn itself out. It might be unrealistic to expect love to deliver us all of the above, so that is why family, friends and community are so important to us. For me the wholeness of life can only be found through love. When I feel love, that ecstatic feeling that is almost indescribable (unless you’re Italian) is when I experience a deep, delicious coherence and harmony, for which I can’t help but believe we were created and for which we crave. Love expresses the desire for togetherness that is rooted in the heart. Expressing love through action and deed serves up a wholesome and fulfilling cake! whereas fluffy, romantic gestures (which are lovely, don’t get me wrong) only represent the icing on top!