More on Psychic Addictions

I’ve been asked to help with the following info…..

Has contacting psychics started to rule your life?

Has getting psychic readings begun to seriously affect you financially?

Hello

I’m currently researching a documentary for US television looking at the growing phenomena of psychic addiction - people who develop a costly and emotionally damaging habit of using psychics on a highly regular basis. The film will serve to not only raise awareness about this problem but will also provide treatment that could help its thousands of sufferers.

At present there are very few options available to those afflicted with this dependency. But with help and advice from experts and recovering addicts alike, this television special aims to explore the very latest hands on methods of addiction treatment and therapy (both alternative and traditional) tailored specifically for the needs of sufferers of this little known field of addiction.

If you consider yourself to be developing an addiction to using psychics, or know someone you’re concerned might be, then I’d very much like to hear from you. Also if you have any suggestions for any other people whom you consider a positive or negative force in fighting psychic addictions I’d also love to hear about them too. We are looking for people based in the USA to film taking part in small-scale one-on-one treatment programmes from mid August to early September.

I would like to stress that this film will have neither a pro or negative stance on the issue of the paranormal - it’s the harmful addiction that we will be striving to get to the root of in the film.

Please do get in touch if you would like to find out more. Email me at emma.wilkinson@itn.co.uk and myself or one of our small team will get back in touch for a confidential, obligation free chat in which we’ll be happy to go into any further detail for you.

Many thanks for taking the time to read this…any and all help gratefully received!

Best Wishes

Emma

Simple Ways to Detox Your Body Naturally

There are tons of detox diets and products on the market. It’s big business and therefore; a business creates a “need” for the consumer and the product is bought. Anytime I read an advert or see a commercial the first thoughts I experience are skepticism. We really need to do more research on the miracle products out there.

We have to realize is that the human body is amazing and that it has full capability to detox on it’s own. Most of our internal organs have a “job” and the job is to cleanse the body. Unless your internal organs are not functioning properly… (and that is something you would know about hopefully) there really isn’t a need for most of these unique products.

It is true that the world in which we live in is full of pollution, imbalanced processed foods, and that we are exposed to toxins that we may not even be aware of. But for me, I have found simple things that work, that are not strange hippie new age fluff, and still can make you feel better. To state it better, these are things that anyone can do even if you are opposed to the big business or idea of detoxification.

So here are some very simple basic ideas on how to detox your body and life. Surely no one wants to cut out all of it, so reducing things or selecting better options you will help your body. The best thing to do is to make informed choices and decisions about what things you can change and what things you refuse to live without.

Reduce the things you inhale from chemicals to natural products. Anything that goes up your nose goes inside your body. The list can range from perfumes to cleaning products.

Anything you put on your skin is eventually absorbed into your body. Your skin is essential to protecting all your internal organs from pathogens. The things we put on our skin may include… make up, body lotion, bath oils/salts, deodorants, nail polish, skin care products etc. Look for quality products, read ingredients. Just remember that while price doesn’t always dictate good ingredients… that more often the cheaper the product the cheaper the quality.

Change from store bought cleaning products to homemade ones. White vinegar is cheap and effective, and Grapefruit Seed Extract mixed with water is a natural disinfectant. Organic or Green types of cleaners can be bought too, but check labels because they may not be as safe as you think they are.

For years I have been doing a weekly detox bath in Epsom Salts. It’s not just a good way to start or end the week with relaxation… the Epsom salts contain Magnesium sulfate which has many benefits and scientific uses and is absorbed into the skin. A bath in Epsom salts allows your skin to absorb, but also to pull out impurities. For the last 3 years I’ve been using Dead Sea Salts in addition to the Epsom Salts in my bath, same principle involved. If you color your hair do not get bath water with any salts in it, as it will pull the color out and cause dying. If you don’t use color… go ahead and get your hair wet in it because it also removes chemicals from other products we over use.

Because of the importance of our skin, and because I’ve been prone to many issues with my own… I have also for years been a huge fan of exfoliation. Dead skin cells reside on the very top layer of our skin and if they are not regularly removed they can block important nutrients from being absorbed. There are many treatments and products on the market for this, but most contain chemicals. A much cheaper and easier option is to obtain one of the many loofahs available. Coal tar soap is cheap and available at any health food store and is a great antifungal. Antibacterial soaps are harsher and not good for your face or private parts.

Invest in a water filtration system. Tap water is not pure in many areas. I did this a few years ago and omg the difference in the taste is amazing. You can also see all the nasties on the filter after a few uses.

Sleeping is natural way to allow your body to detox and yet it is something that none of us are really getting enough of. You need to get sleep that is deep enough to dream on a regular basis. If you do not think you are dreaming at night or are not remembering your dreams it means you are not getting enough sleep. Dreaming occurs at a certain stage in our sleep all the time, even with a few hours per night you still reach that stage… but it may not be LONG enough. If it isn’t you won’t have a deep refreshing sleep and it can/will totally screw you up in many way from aches and pains physically… to having clouded thinking. I have found that the best rule of thumb is this: can I remember my dreams? If not, I didn’t get enough sleep.

Get on a normal schedule. How can a schedule help you to detox? The body has a natural clock all it’s own. This means that night it regenerates more than it does in the day. So even if you think you are a “night time” personality… it’s not really healthy for your body.

When your body is not healthy, it will let you know in many ways. You don’t need “products” or supplements to obtain good health. If you take good care of yourself through simple ways, your body will cleanse itself NATURALLY.

Say Goodbye to 2008

I say goodbye to every year by expressing my gratitude to my patron Goddess. I write her a personal private note and this I will share portions of publicly.

I am thankful as 2008 closes out.

I am thankful for my mind and intelligence, which give me the ability to see beyond the obvious and the foresight to see down the path of reason.

I am thankful that I know myself so well, and that I can use what I know, to create my own happiness.

I am thankful that work is plentiful and always growing.

I am thankful for the soft furry babies in my life and the laughter that they bring to me daily.

I am thankful that I have an open mind and a willingness to put it to use.

I am thankful for my husband’s job and raise this year. His comfort and love for his job bring many rewards to our home.

I am thankful that my husband understands me and that we treat each other with a mutual respect and true friendship. I am proud to have his constant support.

I am thankful that my life is quiet, that I know how to eliminate “noise” that is unwelcome.

I am thankful for several positive people in my life.

I am thankful that life has been so content as of late, and that I don’t have much to complain about anymore.

I’m Dreaming of a Green Christmas

Having a Christmas Tree at this time of years is common and expected. Most Pagans I know have one too, but call it a Yule Tree. Religions other than Christian of course do not do this ritual.

So a few tips for the holiday season and other tree huggers out there like me. Stay away from artificial trees… get yourself a real one instead.

We grow Christmas Trees at special farms every year which gives farmers work and 100,000 jobs to many people who rely on that business. You are supporting local farmers when you buy one. In my area, a pretty major nursery that grew Christmas Trees is going out of business, probably because they didn’t get enough local support. Many people believe they are living a “greener” lifestyle by not having a tree at all. But that choice means that farmers don’t have business!

2-3 seedlings are planted for every harvested Christmas tree on local farms, and they are specifically planted to be cut down. So there is no need to worry about harming the planet or forests! The more trees cut down and purchased… the more that are planted! In 2004 sixty million Christmas tree seedlings were planted by Christmas tree farmers. While they grow, they clean the air and benefit the earth! They also benefit the earth once we are done with them!

http://www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/trees/treefacts.html

Artificial tress actually hurt the earth because they do not recycle. A live tree will decay while the artificial can last for years in landfill. http://www.christmastree.org/benefits.cfm Recycled Christmas trees can be used for many things like paper, wood chips, mulch, wild life habitats which allows us NOT to cut down other trees. IMO you live a greener lifestyle when you cause a chain of events that leads to many benefits!

Happy Holidays!

The Wisdom of Maturity

I love inspiration quotes, tidbits of wisdom, fables, poems, etc. While they are pop psychology I still enjoy them for what they are. I save anything I find in my Book of Shadows which is now huge and partly due to my crazy enjoyment of “wisdom”. I am sharing a few things from my personal collection just for fun.

I think originally this may have come from an oooooold Ann Landers article.

Maturity

Maturity is the ability to control anger and settle differences without violence or destruction. Maturity is patience. It is the willingness to pass up immediate pleasure in favor of the long-term gain. Maturity is perseverance, the ability to sweat out a project or a situation in spite of heavy opposition and discouraging set-backs. Maturity is the capacity to face unpleasantness and frustration, discomfort and defeat, without complaint or collapse. Maturity is humility. It is being big enough to say, “I was wrong.” And, when right, the mature person need not experience the satisfaction of saying, “I told you so.”

Maturity is the ability to make a decision and stand by it. The immature spend their lives exploring endless possibilities; then they do nothing.

Maturity means dependability, keeping one’s word, coming through in a crisis. The immature are masters of the alibi. They are the confused and the disorganized. Their lives are a maze of broken promises, former friends, unfinished business, and good intentions that somehow never materialize.

Maturity is the art of living in peace with that which we cannot change, the courage to change that which should be changed — and the wisdom to know the difference.

CHARACTERISTICS OF EMOTIONAL MATURITY

1. The Ability to Give and Receive Love
Emotional maturity fosters a sense of security which permits vulnerability. A mature person can show his vulnerability by expressing love and accepting expressions of love from those who love him. An immature person is unduly concerned with signs of “weakness” and has difficulty showing and accepting love. The egocentricity of immaturity will allow the acceptance of love, but fails to recognize the needs of others to receive love. They’ll take it, but they won’t give it.

2. The Ability to Face Reality and Deal with it
The immature avoid facing reality. Overdue bills, interpersonal problems, indeed any difficulties which demand character and integrity are avoided and even denied by the immature. Mature people eagerly face reality knowing the quickest way to solve a problem is to deal with it promptly. A person’s level of maturity can be directly related to the degree to which they face their problems, or avoid their problems. Mature people confront their problems, immature people avoid their problems.

3. Just as Interested in Giving as Receiving
A mature person’s sense of personal security permits him to consider the needs of others and give from his personal resources, whether money, time, or effort, to enhance the quality of life of those he loves. They are also able to allow others to give to them. Balance and maturity go hand in hand. Immaturity is indicated by being willing to give, but unwilling to receive; or willing to receive, but unwilling to give.

4. The Capacity to Relate Positively to Life Experiences
A mature person views life experiences as learning experiences and when they are positive he enjoys and revels in life. When they are negative he accepts personal responsibility and is confident he can learn from them to improve his life. When things do not go well he looks for an opportunity to succeed. The immature person curses the rain while a mature person sells umbrellas.

5. The Ability to Learn from Experience
The ability to face reality and to relate positively to life experiences derive from the ability to learn from experience. Immature people do not learn from experience, whether the experience is positive or negative. They act as if there is no relationship between how they act and the consequences that occur to them. They view good or bad experiences as being caused by luck, or fate. They do not accept personal responsibility.

6. The Ability to Accept Frustration
When things don’t go as anticipated the immature person stamps his feet, holds his breath, and bemoans his fate. The mature person considers using another approach or going another direction and moves on with his life.

7. The Ability to Handle Hostility Constructively
When frustrated, the immature person looks for someone to blame. The mature person looks for a solution. Immature people attack people; mature people attack problems. The mature person uses his anger as an energy source and, when frustrated, redoubles his efforts to find solutions to his problems.

Relative Freedom from Tension Symptoms
Immature people feel unloved, avoid reality, .are pessimistic about life, get angry easily, attack the people closest to them when frustrated — no wonder they are constantly anxious. The mature person’s mature approach to live imbues him with a relaxed confidence in his ability to get what he wants from life.

CHARACTERISTICS OF EMOTIONAL MATURITY was written by Dr. Jerome Murray,(10) and there is more personal development material at his web site: http://www.betteryou.com/

Every Problem Has a Solution

More than One Way to Skin a Cat: Adventures in Creative Thinking

How many times have you caught yourself saying that there could be no other solution to a problem – and that that problem leads to a dead end? How many times have you felt stumped knowing that the problem laying before you is one you cannot solve. No leads. No options. No solutions.

Did it feel like you had exhausted all possible options and yet are still before the mountain – large, unconquerable, and impregnable? When encountering such enormous problems, you may feel like you’re hammering against a steel mountain. The pressure of having to solve such a problem may be overwhelming.

But rejoice! There might be some hope yet!

With some creative problem-solving techniques you may be able to look at your problem in a different light. And that light might just be the end of the tunnel that leads to possible solutions.

First of all, in the light of creative problem-solving, you must be open-minded to the fact that there may be more than just one solution to the problem. And, you must be open to the fact that there may be solutions to problems you thought were unsolvable.

Now, with this optimistic mindset, we can try to be a little bit more creative in solving our problems.

Number one; maybe the reason we cannot solve our problems is that we have not really taken a hard look at what the problem is. Here, trying to understanding the problem and having a concrete understanding of its workings is integral solving the problem. If you know how it works, what the problem is, then you have a better foundation towards solving the problem.

Not trying to make the simple statement of what problem is. Try to identify the participating entities and what their relationships with one another are. Take note of the things you stand to gain any stand to lose from the current problem. Now you have a simple statement of what the problem is.

Number two; try to take note of all of the constraints and assumptions you have the words of problem. Sometimes it is these assumptions that obstruct our view of possible solutions. You have to identify which assumptions are valid, in which assumptions need to be addressed.

Number three; try to solve the problem by parts. Solve it going from general view towards the more detailed parts of the problem. This is called the top-down approach. Write down the question, and then come up with a one-sentence solution to that from them. The solution should be a general statement of what will solve the problem. From here you can develop the solution further, and increase its complexity little by little.

Number four; although it helps to have critical thinking aboard as you solve a problem, you must also keep a creative, analytical voice at the back of your head. When someone comes up with a prospective solution, tried to think how you could make that solution work. Try to be creative. At the same time, look for chinks in the armor of that solution.

Number five; it pays to remember that there may be more than just one solution being developed at one time. Try to keep track of all the solutions and their developments. Remember, there may be more than just one solution to the problem.

Number six; remember that old adage,” two heads are better than one.” That one is truer than it sounds. Always be open to new ideas. You can only benefit from listening to all the ideas each person has. This is especially true when the person you’re talking to has had experience solving problems similar to yours.

You don’t have to be a gung-ho, solo hero to solve the problem. If you can organize collective thought on the subject, it would be much better.

Number seven; be patient. As long as you persevere, there is always a chance that a solution will present itself. Remember that no one was able to create an invention the first time around.

Creative thinking exercises can also help you in your quest be a more creative problems solver.

Here is one example.

Take a piece of paper and write any word that comes to mind at the center. Now look at that word then write the first two words that come to your mind. This can go on until you can build a tree of related words. This helps you build analogical skills, and fortify your creative processes.

So, next time you see a problem you think you can not solve, think again. The solution might just be staring you right in the face. All it takes is just a little creative thinking, some planning, and a whole lot of work.

Free Tarot Reading

I have been working with a super cool mentor learning a pretty unique style of tarot readings that very few people know how to do. It’s a combo technique that includes the tarot (of course), astrology, numerology, (the usual stuff)…. but also a different kind of deck that is totally amazing at reaching into your soul and defining for each person the root cause of their problems in this lifetime. It’s not for the faint of heart… I’ve seen people get a reading and really burst into tears, or I’ve seen people get truly ticked off at hearing the truth. This is NOT your usual tarot reading with the flowery terms, it’s blunt and in your face stuff. However… it’s also EXTREMELY deep, personal, healing, and has a big wow factor if you can admit the truth to yourself. On occasions, it can include some past life issues from lessons that still remain unlearned. I don’t want to reveal too much about it just yet… as I may offer readings of this type for sale once I have perfected my style. I still feel I need additional practice, and I don’t like to read for people I know too well.

Here are my rules…..

You have to be a legal adult over the age if 18
You have to be a United States Citizen
You need to use AOL or AIM, Yahoo, MSN, or Gmail as a chat program
You need to accommodate my hours of availability (9am – 4pm EST only)
You need to be reachable by email so we can set it up
Readings will be done by chat for FREE!
Telephone Readings CAN be arranged for a fee of $7.00 thru paypal and I will call you hence the reason for a payment. But a telephone session is only optional.
Readings will not last any longer than 30 minutes.
I reserve the right to deny you a reading for any reason.

How can you get a free tarot reading? Send me an email, and introduce yourself. Just tell me some basics like your date of birth, your name, and where you live. I will respond with some questions to you and if all goes well we will try to work out a time.

I don’t know how much response I will get, I am assuming a ton by offering a free reading so I may only be able to pick a few people and time may become an issue. It won’t be a personal thing, just could be more than I can handle.

I am going to end this offer on Oct 31st 2008 at which time I will no longer do these readings for free. If I decide I want to and still need practice, then I will offer it again!

Get Smart Because Your Creative Imagination is Exaggerated

Ok so my title is a little pun because I have two great book reviews and suggestions. The title applies by putting them together lol. I’ve recently finished both books and I have to say they were thought provoking and maybe even life confirming in some ways. I’ll provide the links to both books at amazon in case you stumble across this post and have an interest in them.

Don’t Believe Everything You Think: The 6 Basic Mistakes We Make in Thinking by Thomas E Kida. Loved it. This book should be required reading for the world. It will show you point blank (and with no apologies) that you need to re-think your beliefs, thoughts, your memory, your opinions, your decisions, and your perceptions of the world, people, yourself, religion etc. Sound intense? It is intense if it rocks your world, and it should pretty much do that for you. It debunks pseudosciences and provides evidence to back it up. It defines what a skeptic is in a positive light as being a “questioner”. It also brings critical thinking to the table in a step by step way. We’re human, we can screw up our own thinking and yet we can learn pretty easy solutions to our faults. We rely way too much on hearing another person’s story to shape what we believe, instead of believing in facts. (Can someone please teach that to Oprah? I think she and all her groupies need to know!) Think about this…. What if you could only believe in something that you had physical evidence of? Would you lose your identity? Who would you be? In essence, that is the intent of this book… to show you how to be a better critical thinker and maybe a lot more humanistic. We’re far too creative in our thinking, we rely too much on comparisons, stories, images, concepts, and evoking emotions rather than probing the intellect. Are you ready to grow up mentally and intellectually? If so, then you’ll need to read this book!

Emotional Vampires: Dealing With People Who Drain You Dry by Albert J Bernstein. Get it now. Omg I loved this book. Haven’t we all encountered people that are passive aggressive, people that hang on to your shirttails, people who use you to get what they want, and people who have every excuse under the sun for their bad behavior? I liked this book so much because it delves more into personality disorders and better yet… how to COPE with the damned blood suckers. The book is written with humor, dry wit, and yet it’s easy enough that anyone can read it. The analogy of personality disorders to vampires is fun but interesting too. No, it’s not pop psychology… instead this book will put the last nail in the coffin and have you seeing people in your life past and present who FIT it. I’ll just leave you with this thought to intrigue you…. Emotional Vampires are very “immature” and many of the techniques used to cope with them are similar to how you’d handle a 2 year old. Think about it. Interesting eh? I have known a few vampires in my time… and when I pondered it deeply… I realized the author has a great point. The vampires I have known lacked maturity … mind, body, and spirit. They were/are stuck in a certain time frame in their life and never really advanced past it. Kind of like being locked into age 24 and not maturing. It is most likely just as obvious about someone in your life too, as I discovered it was in mine!

Exploring the Dark Side a Bit More

I got some awesome feedback about my post Knowing The Darkside. Seems to have rung a bell with many people, not all of which were Wiccan I might add. I wanted to take it a bit further only to enhance what I said with some different ideas. My primary focus in this post is going to be about the feel good New Age movement of The Secret and “positive thinking” and “law of attraction” stuff. First off in general most Wiccan’s, including myself, believe in the principle. The difference is that we don’t really water down these principles into “think happy thoughts”. We know better.

EVERYONE and I don’t care who you are, or how spiritually evolved you are… you have negative thoughts. They happen to everyone and on a daily basis too. Negative moods and thoughts are definitely coming from our darkside… however, we have to recognize these emotions and for good reason. And not only that, we can USE these thoughts and emotions because they are often the key to our own creativity and intelligence.

What can we use negative moods for? Knowing fear, anxiety, depression, sadness etc are positive things, they allow us to recognize these emotions in other people. Fear, for instance, is also an important emotion. Sometimes it is a defense mechanism and it isn’t one that should be ignored. Feeling fear around a certain person is a sign, and maybe if we recognize it instead of suppressing it then we can stay out of harms way. We feel these types of negative emotions for a reason so to shun them away would be foolish. We have to find the source of them, and then address them. When we recognize the why and how of “negative feelings” then we can make positive changes in our own behavior, or even avoid a possibility dangerous situation. Emotions and feelings are connected to our intuition, and sometimes a negative reaction turns into a positive thing. There are tons of examples that could be stated or thought of.

Negative thinking can often be beneficial if it causes you to examine problems more closely. Through examining the problem or the potential, you can find a solution. Before attempting to alter a negative mood, you’ve got to know the cause of it and why it is happening.

Sometimes you also have to find the fault with something in order to see the “potential” problem it can create. Sometimes spotting the “potential” of something in advance can prevent you from making foolish decisions. In business for example, you may have a creative idea, but you then must examine it and find the potential problems to know if it is truly brilliant or not. That’s how you avoid failure.

Rice University did a study on how negativity and bad moods actually make people far more creative and productive than positive happy thoughts. Imagine that! Negativity can be MOTIVATING in our lives. http://www.explore.rice.edu/explore/NewsBot.asp?MODE=VIEW&ID=9163

In another study… People in a positive mood such as happiness were shown under experimental conditions to have relatively unreliable memories, and show poorer judgment and critical thinking skills. http://www.news-medical.net/?id=4420

A study done in Australia provided research that shows “positive thinking” doe NOT help to fight cancer. http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2007/10/24/2068339.htm

Negative thinking is no good in and of itself….. the same is true for positive thinking too. Connecting the two together is one key to being balanced. Negative thoughts that occur all the time are a message…. that you need to stop and analyze them.

Thinking positively all the time can bring emotional and social benefits, that is true. But there are many situations where making friends and feeling good is not enough. Positive thinking can literally be self indulgent and even delusional because you lose a sense of awareness to problems, you can stop seeing reality. You’ll never even see a problem coming if you pretend everything is a happy day. Positive thinking basically makes you FEEL good, not DO good. Your awareness of negative things/problems is what causes you to gather data and take action….. rather then to accept something on blind faith. Spiritual growth is a lot more then feeling better about yourself too. Nobody actually needs “positive thinking” in order to grow… not if you have and use your intelligence.

Using your intelligence means you have to have a balance in your thinking. When you do, it would be called “Rational Thinking” that isn’t neither positive or negative. Or perhaps it is Critical Thinking where finding fault guides us to successes. This is where things such as “The Secret” and the “Law of Attraction” can fail miserably when misunderstood by the masses. It’s nothing more than pop psychology and fluffy spirituality in my opinion. Why would you want to transform, manage, or release your negativity….. when it can benefit you in many ways? It’s a part of who we all ARE, it’s a part of the our darkside which is a fragment of our core being and one of the great mysteries.

Keeping Busy

I got invited on a Vegas trip (all expenses paid) by the lady I work for today. I’m not the type to abuse the generosity of others, nor do I even accept ‘gifts” too well… so it was quite a shock to be offered such a huge memento from someone! Even a gift that good… comes with a little “consequence” I suppose. I have the next two months to train some fill in people to answer phones while we are gone.

This past weekend I caught a little “bug”, the kind that inspires me to start remodeling. I swear I have this problem, I decide to do one little thing and then we end up expanding it until it’s a huge project. It all began as a change in light fixture and has now become a complete kitchen remodel lol. Ultimately it’s good, it’s all how I motivate myself to get it done and I prefer it done all at once.

I’ve been busy with summer stuff, and ending my work days at 4pm now. I’ve been spending lots of time reading and having some “me” time. Some of the current books on my reading list are:

egonomics: What Makes Ego Our Greatest Asset (or Most Expensive Liability)

Magic, Witchcraft, and Religion: An Anthropological Study of the Supernatural

Love & Death: My Journey through the Valley of the Shadow

And I have to start doing some shopping for some new clothes for my trip. It’s gonna be an all out girls week…. I wonder if we’ll get strippers too. Um it is a distinct possibility knowing my boss.