I began the steep climb and with each step my mind checked off my safety items: rubber gloves, mask, hair tied back tightly and a baseball cap for extra caution. Multiple trash bags tucked into the back pocket of my jeans, two rags and some multi-purpose cleaner were my arsenal. I hesitated for a moment and a step creaked urging me on toward my final destination.

Reaching the top step I quickened my pace lest I falter in my determination. The doorway that loomed before me opened to a brilliant stream of sunshine and for a moment I was lulled into believing that what lie beyond that opening was less terrible than my mind thought it would be. Suddenly, I heard a crunching sound as my foot reached beyond the threshold and the fantasy was shattered! My heart stopped and my breathing felt shallow as my mind whirled around the possibilities that could have caused such a sound.

There before me lie the debris, clothing and leftover food items of a tweenage girl. She was the same tweenage girl that had once been my mischievous toddler and before that, my chubby baby. And, yes, I mean tweenage. It’s the latest term to describe those budding years ranging from 10 to 12 where a child is no longer a child, but isn’t quite a teenager. For mom, the tweenager can be shocking, loving and confusing all within a matter of minutes. Not to mention a slob, which is what I was facing today.

I know all about the responsibility that I have to teach her about keeping her room clean, her clothes taken care of and her bed made. I’ve calmly explained it, other times shouted it, created consequences for the failure to make it happen, screamed, cried and finally, come up here to do it myself. You might say that I’m giving in. Failing to keep her nose to the grind and teach her a lesson. And all of that is probably true, but then, there is something else.

While tweenage is difficult, I foresee teenage to be something more of a challenge. Her room might look worse then and if we fight about it, she’ll have the ability to spirit herself away somewhere far from me where she can fume about all the years that I’ve been nagging her about her room. She’ll stop talking to me about the things that make her sad, mad and generally confused and she’ll completely convince herself that I don’t love her.

And there, lies the real reason that I’m here all decked out in my own version of a HAZMAT suit to clean her room. I’ll clean it because I love her and having it clean is more important to me than it is to her. Maybe some day, when she has her own place it will mean something to her to see things clean and orderly. She’ll certainly remember when I taught her how to clean a room, she’ll remember the times that I, in frustration, sometimes cleaned it with her and also the times when I just went and did it by myself and said nothing. Those times when, instead of choosing to have a brawl, I just did something to show her that I love her.

It won’t be the clean room that matters to her all that much, but it will be one less time that I nag her about it, and that has some meaning. She might not put all the pieces together now or even when she’s a teenager, but some day, it will occur to her that I could have nagged more, I could have yelled more and instead, at least sometimes, I just chose to clean her room.

I won’t give up trying to get her to do it on her own. That would be shirking my responsibilities, but every once in awhile, I’ll don this ridiculous outfit, make my way up the intimidating staircase and begin the job of lovingly removing unidentifiable goopy stuff off of her carpet. Soon enough, whether she keeps it clean or not, she’ll have her own place. I hope she’ll invite me for a visit. When she does, it won’t matter to me if it’s clean or if it isn’t. I’ll remember that I did my best to show her love and we’ll have that to show for it, which has a lot more mileage than a clean bedroom.

I think that’s what love’s got to do with it.

It is important to recognize changes that could jeopardize your employment.  Once you understand the signs, you can take steps to overcome the challenges and find ways to maintain your employment.  Here are some ideas for you to consider:-

• Is your job is dependent on travel?  The easiest line item to decrease without effecting the overall operation of  a business is to cut travel.  Propose ways to decrease your travel before you are eliminated and consider other forms of face-to-face communication such as web conferencing.
• Is your job is focused on one skill or function?  Those who are not versatile are not valuable employees.  Identify all of your skills and abilities then find ways to utilize them within various other projects, departments, and needs of the company. Let everyone know that you are willing to expand your current job description by sharing your plethora of abilities.  Also consider investigating low-cost training opportunities to expand your talents.
• Has your boss has been laid off?  More then likely the department that you currently work within is viewed as expendable if its leader has been kicked to the curb.  One of two things will occur next a) the staff will be absorbed under other departments or b) everyone will be laid off.  As with the previous scenario, make it known that you are able to function above and beyond the assigned job description.  Identify ways to not only accomplish your job duties but to be useful to other departments.

Despite your proactive approach to handling major changes within a company, being let go due to financial constraints cannot always be avoided.  Here are a few signs that your time is limited and steps are being put in place to let you go.

• You are asked to cc your boss on everything that you do.
• You were not given an incentive bonus or pay raise.
• You are not assigned new projects or given new opportunities.
• You are not kept in-the-loop about the activities of the department.

In the unfortunate event that a pink slip is imminent, recognize these signs quickly and take steps to secure your future.  Update your resume and begin a job search.  Make copies of your work that highlight your skills and talents.  And most importantly, hang in there.  There are bigger and better opportunities for you on the horizon.

To help you update your resume, we are offering all subscribing readers a resume template - send us an email at nicole(at)moderngoddessmagazine.com and we’ll send you the resume template asap.

Sound familiar? For those of us in the southern hemisphere this is the way we are starting our days now that winter is here. The body is feeling a little sluggish in the mornings and energy is low. Motivation is even lower.

Luckily for most of us this is just a general reluctance to go out into the cold. That first time in the morning when you roll out of bed and put your feet on the icy floor is a real shocker. For some people, however, this is the onset of SAD.

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is a recognised phenomenon that hits many people throughout the winter months. SAD shows itself in symptoms such as tiredness, weight gain, lethargy and mood swings. In some people it can result in real depression.

Scientists say that the onset of SAD occurs in winter when the days are less bright and the nights are longer. The lack of exposure to sunlight can alter the chemical balance of our bodies, resulting in SAD. I can feel the change in people now that winter is here.

Most of us feel that we slow down in winter. That nice cosy fire is calling you, isn’t it? We are not as active and tend towards hibernation. We eat differently and look for hot and hearty meals that we then digest more slowly. We don’t play as much sport and look for indoor pursuits to keep ourselves occupied.

Sadly, it is this inactivity that can be one of the main culprits behind SAD.

The best way to survive winter is with activity. Like it or loathe it, getting active and outdoors is the key to good health even in winter. Why not rug up and go for a brisk walk? There are lots of outdoor sports in winter so why not go and watch some if you don’t want to play? Take your dog for a walk. (I wonder if pets suffer from SAD?) Do some gardening; prune those roses. Throw a Frisbee with your children.

There are lots of things that you can do that will get you outdoors. The activity is great for releasing those warm and happy hormones into your body. The exposure to natural light will help to keep you balanced. Just remember to wear shoes and clothes that will keep you warm and protected. It is also a great idea to wear a hat to keep your head and ears warm.

When you get back home feeling fresh and energised just think how good it will feel to sit on a cosy sofa with a nice hot drink. Instead of just sitting like a lump in front of the fire you will be feeling happy and ready for life.

Don’t waste your winter season with SAD. Go outside and enjoy the light.

Thumbnail Photo Credit: The Winter Scene is by Tony the Misfit.

But, have you ever wondered where in the world psyche these sayings emanate from?  Have you ever mused over where inspiration comes from?  Why is it that some people are always fonts of inspiration and yet so many others don’t even believe they have a creative bone in their body?

To address this issue we need to understand about the dual flow nature of energy in our universe.  We live in a universe where polarities (polar opposites) both positive and negative exist.  There is both a masculine and feminine flow existent within all living things.

Science knows that 90% of the known universe out there is invisible, but it does exist, because it holds the visible together. If we follow the modicum, as Above, So Below, then there is also 90% of everything that exists that is invisible around us, down here.  Part of this invisible matter is the feminine and masculine force.

When we speak of inspiration or being “in-spirit” we are referring to the feminine flow of nature.  Within both women and men exists a dual-flow of feminine and masculine energy.  Some women are very polarised in their masculine energy with a reduced flow of femininity and vice-versa and indeed some men are very polarised in their feminine flow with a reduced flow of masculinity.

When we meet women and men who are overly polarised one way or the other they may come across as overly feminine or overly masculine.  We may feel a sense of imbalance and unease within them; they almost become a parody of popularised male and female stereotypes.

However, it is possible and indeed entirely healthy and whole making to embrace both our feminine and masculine natural flow.  When we meet a woman or man who is working with both their feminine and masculine energy hand in hand, we feel at ease, uplifted, and connected beyond words.  We are given permission to unblock and release years of self-sabotage which we may have been conditioned to use based on the female and male role models we had around us growing up.

So how do we recognise a healthy balance of feminine and masculine flow within us?  And more to the point how do we achieve it in our own lives?

If you can imagine that the human body is a giant electrical receiver and transmitter of cosmic energy (masculine) flowing in from above and earth energy (feminine) flowing in from below.  The two flows mix and become one within the body via a tube of light which runs up and down our spinal column.

Now imagine the body split into two halves with the right hemisphere of our brain responsible for the left side of the body from the left eye down.  The right hemisphere of our brain processes vast amounts of the feminine flow.  It is our creative, imaginative and intuitive feminine centre.

When our right brain is engaged we are sparking with ideas constantly.  Our soul loves the right brain to be alive and vibrant and we can nurture this centre by using our imagination everyday via daydreaming, meditation and appreciating beauty in all its forms.  The right side of the brain is also never in a hurry; it knows ultimate patience, as it truly believes in timelessness.  Thus, it is an utterly feminine quality to be trusting and patient.

The left hemisphere of the brain works with our logical, linear, action based, masculine flow.  It awaits its cues from the right brain’s activation of feminine ideas and creativity. Once the feminine has come up with an idea it passes this vibration onto the masculine flow, which then says “Thank you for coming up with the idea, now I will action it for you”.

Our masculine energy then takes the idea and turns it into a concrete viable reality.  The left side of our body receives energy and messages and then gives them to the right side to give out.  It is a dual flow system working in constant co-operation with the natural cycle of in and out.

Thus, both women and men have within them their own muse and their own hero of ideas and creativity. There is no such thing as requiring a muse to be outside of you. We can and do receive inspiration from within everyday. We have only to tap into this vibration and then engage our masculine to be a complete soul based unit.

This is the secret of genius. To be functioning in both the feminine and masculine flow as one. It takes courage and wisdom because you will no longer require your needy selfishness of others energy to inspire you. You will be your own little powerhouse, an individual who will stand out in the crowd.

Begin integration of the two flows today by making the decision to truly stand in your power as a complete person with nothing missing. Ask the divine (of which you are a part) for both your feminine and masculine flow to be fully activated and then run with the information and insight that flows to you. The universe is awaiting your call. When will you pick up the inter-dimensional telephone and dial?

(c) Elizabeth Peru 2008

Elizabeth Peru is is an Australian Sound and Colour Healer, Soul Teacher and regular columnist with Australia’s top spiritual lifestyle magazine, Insight. To read more about Elizabeth, visit her website www.deltawaves.com.au

Ingredients:

• 4 cups (about 2 lbs) of seeded and cubed watermelon
• 1/3 cup of minced fresh mint
• 3 cups of fresh raspberries
• 1 tbsp honey
• 2 tbsp lime juice

Instructions: 

Divide the watermelon cubes in a large bowl and sprinkle with minced mint. Top with raspberries and sprinkle with remaining mint. In a small bowl, mix honey and lime juice with a fork and drizzle over the melon and berries. If you like, you can refrigerate for about 30 minutes to allow the watermelon and raspberries to marinate in the lime juice.

****

And for our readers who live in the Southern hemisphere, I discovered a delicious Quinoa and Vegetable Soup while I was travelling around Peru with my husband.  If you have never heard of Quinoa, it is a grain grown in Peru and contains no gluten.

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 bay leaf
• 6 black peppercorns 
• 1 medium onion, chopped finely
• 1 large carrot, chopped finely
• 1 large potatoe, chopped finely
• 200g beans, chopped into small pieces
• 1 tsp fresh rosemary, or 1/2 tsp of dried rosemary
• 1 tsp fresh thyme, or 1/2 tsp of dried thyme
• 1 tsp fresh marjoram, or 1/2 tsp of dried marjoram
• 4 cups of vegetable stock
• 2 cups of water
• 1 cup of quinoa
• 310g can creamed corn

Instructions:

Heat oil in a large, heavy based pan.  Add the onion and carrot and cook over a medium heat until onion is soft.  Add the potato, beans and herbs, and stir over a medium heat for 1 minute.  Add stock, water and quinoa; season with salt and peper and bring to boil.  Reduce heat, simmer 15 minutes or until vegetables are cooked.  Add creamed corn and stir 2 minutes until heated through.

Note: you could use a variety of different vegetables or add in shredded barbequed chicken.

Summer time produce has a more to offer us than just great taste to enjoy. Fruits and vegetable hold their nutritional content at the highest the fresher they are. Their taste is at their peak, as well as their vibrant colors and smells.

One of the first vegetables to appear on the stands is the cold crops. These are vegetables that are planted when the temperatures are colder to start. Lettuce and greens are in this category. They provide great taste and vibrant color to our diets. They are full of fiber. We all need more fiber. Lettuce, dandelion, spinach and other dark leafy greens provide us with sources of calcium, Vitamins A and C. The rule of these vegetables is usually the darker green they are the better they are for you. Many stores offer a great variety of green spring mix loaded with a vitamins, minerals and fiber.

Who can forget one of the very first fruits of the season, Strawberries? These little red gems are a favorite in many families. Who doesn’t have memories of strawberry shortcake, homemade strawberry jam or just plucking these fruits and popping them in your mouth on one of the first days of summer? Strawberries are packed with Vitamin C. They also are a source of calcium and iron. Eight medium strawberries are considered a serving with only forty-five calories. They are great for people on diets that are craving sweets. Their iron content helps to treat those that are tired from anemia. Strawberries are also a source of Magnesium and potassium. These are important minerals for heart health and other body functions. So eat up, these things are good for you.

The king of the summer time fruits has to be the melon. Who can picture a picnic without slices of watermelon or honeydew? These wonderful, juicy fruits are delicious forms of desert at any gathering. These fruits are full of vitamin A and C. Watermelon is also full of beta-carotene. Honeydews are full of Vitamins A and C as well as magnesium, potassium and calcium.

These are only a few selections of the great variety of summer produce that is available. The fresher they are the better the nutrients. There is also the fact that fresh fruits and vegetables bought from your local farmers market is considered by many to be better for you. Grown locally you can speak to the people who actually planted and harvested your food. You know you are getting the freshest available. Many are grown with little or no pesticides. It is also a wonderful way to support your local community and economy. So shop your farmers market. Try something new in the fruit and vegetable isle.

Enjoy summer time produce knowing you are getting great taste and nutrition.

For a great salad recipe, check out our Just for You article.

The Great Silent Grandmother Gathering

It is “a little story about peace for anyone who thinks she can’t save the world,” says author, Sharon Mehdi. Written as a gift to her newborn granddaughter, she never expected it to be embraced so warmly in her Oregon town. Sharing the story with friends, she discovered each one found it so powerful and moving that they, in turn, wanted to share it — with the world.

Without fail, each person who has had the chance to read The Great Silent Grandmother Gathering has been touched by its simple message of hope. An evocative demonstration of how changing the world can start with the smallest action, The Great Silent Grandmother Gathering is the perfect gift for mothers, grandmothers, and anyone who hopes we can one day achieve world peace.

We are giving away two copies of this lovely book to our readers.  To be in the running to win The Great Silent Grandmother Gathering email us at competitions(at)moderngoddessmagazine.com and tell us what is so special about your grandmother.  Please read our Competition Terms and Conditions prior to entering.

All of this comedic chaos is converging on me as another Mother’s Day is approaching and I’m wondering if I couldn’t use a view my own mother with a little more humor. I know that I’m not alone when I say that my relationship with my mother has been, at the very least, complex and rarely humorous.

I have come to understand that I need humor in my day to keep the balance. As often as I’ve wished for a rulebook or instruction manual for mothering, I’ve also spent just as much time being grateful that there isn’t. It just never occurred to me that my mother would have had any doubts of her own. She’s my mother. Isn’t she the source of all things? She isn’t allowed to have faults? Looking at it from the point of view of a child is a little different.

Think about it. Our children BELIEVE in us! They expect that we’ll have an answer for them when they don’t have one of their own and this continues into adulthood. The problem is that we don’t have all the answers and we’re bound to disappoint our beloved children when they realize that we are as human as they are. Isn’t that the core of most of the difficult mother-child relationships?

It hadn’t occurred to me until now that my mother spent just as many sleepless nights wondering if she did the right thing. As a young adult, I could have made a list of all the things that I thought that she did wrong and maybe I even had answers for how I thought that she should have behaved. I never accounted for the fact that she did the best that she could. She mothered with all of the knowledge and ability that she had. I wasn’t abused or mistreated, but for a very long time, I thought that she could have done a better job.

So here it is, another Mother’s Day and I’m projecting into the future. I see my children and I realize all the areas where I could have been a better mother and I’m realizing how hurt I will be when they remind me of that. I’ve loved them and wanted all of the best for them and basically, done the best that I could. It isn’t perfect and no matter how much I wish to be perfect, I never will be. Won’t I want some understanding from my children when they get to sit in the adult seat?

Do we ever take the time to consider how young or how old our mother might have been? What was she experiencing in her life that would have impacted her ability to pay attention or care for us? What were her needs?

My own mother was only 21 when I was born. When I look back, I put enormous expectations on what I think she should have been, but I would never expect so much from someone so young now. It takes the doubts that you experience being a mother to appreciate how scared and uncertain your own mother must have been when she stood in the shoes that you now stand in. I can honor her now, let go of all that baggage of expectation that I’ve carried around and allow her to be all that she is. A wonderful, beautiful, magical human being and… mother.

Either response would be appropriate - red is a power colour that is related to the base chakra - the energy centre that gives us a sense of grounding, of security, of loving our path in life, and of course, sex.

There are seven major chakras, and yes, everyone has them. They are spinning wheels of light that respond to colour, essential oils, musical tones and gemstones. When the seven chakras are all vibrating at their ideal level, you are apt to feel a deep-seated contentedness, even bliss.

Below are the attributes of each chakra and goddess tips on how to get yours energised.

Base - Foundation

Your base chakra forms your foundation - it is related to survival instincts, your sense of grounding and connection of your body and the earth.

If your life is in turmoil, or your self-confidence is under threat, ask your inner-Kali to energise your willpower.

Kali is the ancient Hindu goddess of destruction but represents strength, intention and insight. She helps you purge elements of destruction in your life and reclaim your independent spirit by directing your life onto a new path - your true path where you can discover health, prosperity, security and a dynamic presence.

Do this: As the base chakra resonates to the colour red and is located at the base of the spine, wear red underwear, paint your toe-nails red, or stomp your feet in the earth to the beat of a primal rhythm. Use an affirmation such as “I am grounded and secure” to achieve a solid foundation for your life.

Sacral - Passion

Passion for what you’re doing inspires creativity and a sense of self-worth. Passion is about living with intention and being able to prioritise what really matters.

It’s also about looking in the mirror and loving the person you see. The feminine divine is housed in the sacral chakra, so learning to accept that you’re a wondrous woman no matter what your size or shape is an area a lot of women like to work on.

The Babylonian goddess Ishtar is one goddess that inspires lovers everywhere to connect with the feminine divine. Her energy encompasses all that is ‘woman’ - nurturing mother, loyal companion, playful partner, dear friend, wise advisor, insightful leader and wild woman.

Do this: In my Goddess Playshops I remind people that it’s OK to let their wild woman get air-time every now and then. Hips start rolling and gyrating and the laughing gets louder and more spontaneous, which of course are both great ways to energise the sacral chakra.

Solar Plexus - Vitality

Personal power is housed in the solar plexus chakra - the place where anxiety manifests as ‘butterflies’.

If you’re feeling manipulated or ignored, this threatens your self-definition resulting in reduced vitality. But when the solar plexus chakra is charged, it is easy to feel invincible as the life of the party.

I liken this to goddess Pele’s energy. She is the maiden goddess whose spirit dwells inside the largest active volcano in Hawaii. Subdued one minute, fiery the next.

Pele lies dormant until her energy is harnessed and unleashed - just like a woman who has asked herself the question, “is this situation really deserving of my fear?” Once a situation that has been crippling vitality is resolved, inspired energy is the result.

Do this: Carry a tiger-eye gemstone, wear yellow, breathe deeply and consciously. Remind yourself that ‘butterflies’ are here to help you fly and deal with the situation in spectacular style.

Heart - Connection

If you look in the mirror and only see faults, that’s what others will see too. You won’t exude that aura of self-acceptance that promotes connection with others.

And that, I firmly believe, is one of the main reasons hearts get broken.

How can you expect someone else to love you if you don’t love yourself first? Get your heart chakra pumping with the Butterfly Goddess from the Pacific Islands, Hina.

Hina represents meaningful communication and the sharing of truth between women and men. Her message is to forgive past transgressions and give up negative attitudes that prevent you from growing as a person. In short, she helps you make the choice to be more heartfelt with others and fly free from the cocoon that binds you.

Do this: Make ‘joy’ your mantra; create a love mirror and hang it in your bathroom; look for things that make you feel light and bright; carry rose quartz, aventurine or beautiful banded green malachite; smash a mental sledge hammer through the wall around your heart.

Throat - Expression

There is a Celtic goddess called Rhiannon that caught the attention of her future husband while riding her mare one day. According to the myth, he rode for days to catch up with her, but it was only when he yelled out for her to stop that she did. When he complained, she simply said, ‘it would have been better for your horse had you asked long before this.’

Her lesson is to ask for what you want. Don’t expect it to land in your lap. Read that bit again and take it on board, because Rhiannon scorns those who do not, or will not, ask for what they want.

Practice using your voice to express needs on smaller projects (for example, ask for a seat on the train) and work your way up (ask for a pay-rise to get what you’re really worth). Find your voice and speak your truth to get your throat chakra primed.

Do this: One tool to help you find your voice is to wear lapis lazuli or topaz pendants. Express what is bugging you, or what it is you need - swallowing your words and keeping your voice locked inside doesn’t help anyone, let alone your cause.

Third Eye - Trust

How many times a day do you find yourself churning over a decision you’ve made?

Any self-doubt is a guaranteed way to block the third-eye chakra. A healthy third-eye chakra lets you see the big picture and understand your place in the world, but first you must accept that your intuition, your inherent wisdom, has led you to make the right decisions.

For assistance in trusting your decision, call on the Egyptian High Priestess, Isis. She helps you trust in your own intuition and wisdom and gives you the courage to act on your instincts.

Do this: Access Isis’ energy by using a divination tool to confirm what you already know. This way you can prove to yourself that you are making the right decisions. Carry indigo coloured stones such as sodalite and sapphire, hum your mantras in the tone of A, and listen to those voices in your head!

Crown - Wisdom

There are many forms of knowledge - cognitive, emotional, intuitive, for example. But ‘wisdom’ is a whole new level of understanding that transcends the physical plane.

It’s about understanding yourself and others, having a connection to the Universe, and finding a sense of oneness with all.

By entering the greater world beyond, that timeless, spaceless place of all-knowing, be warned: you may experience a sense of profound bliss.

Nuit’s a great goddess to call upon for this purpose. She’s the Egyptian goddess connecting heaven and earth, giving you access to her heavenly plane.

Do this: Visualise Nuit as a bridge between heaven and earth, spanning the velvety night skies. See yourself reaching for the stars and falling into her loving embrace. Allow her to take you to where you need to go. Carry amethyst on your journey; wear purple; and give yourself permission to dream.

More information: www.goddess.com.au/ChakraPower.htm

End © Anita Ryan-Revel 2005

Anita Revel is the creatrix of the stunning “i Goddess” meditation movie that can be viewed at www.igoddess.com . She is also a columnist for United Press International, and has written hundreds of articles pertaining to women’s wellbeing.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Anita_Revel

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