Archive for July, 2009
July 24, 2009 at 4:37 am by Laura Lenhard
This posting is from Astrologer Jonathan Cainer’s website (www.cainer.com). While I’m not sure I agree 100% with his response, he is quite talented and I highly recommend his site.
Dear Jonathan, You recently published a letter from a woman who found a dog in her kitchen, staring at her, and later learned a relative had died at that moment. My mother was in our kitchen when a pigeon flew in and perched opposite her. Within the hour, my grandfather passed away. My mother knew of others who had been ‘visited’ by animals just before, or after, a loved one’s death. Mel
Dear Mel, I’m sure these stories about psychic creatures are true. But I don’t think we should worry each time an unfamiliar animal takes an interest in us.
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Reading this recent post from Mr. Cainer’s website made me think back to the night my own grandmother passed away. She was in the hospital, very end-stage COPD, and I had been spending my days with her there, then coming home to make dinner, take care of my young children, put them to bed then returning to the hospital for the rest of the evening. My grandmother half-raised me, and we were very close. Once she got sick, she came to live with us – up until she was admitted to the hospital, I had been working with Hospice at my home. And after all this, I had reached the point where I was simply bone tired. Earlier that day at the hospital I had walked out of her room looking for the restroom only to be stopped by two nurses who asked if I’d like something to eat from the doctor’s lounge, then suggested I lay down and take a nap - I looked THAT bad. So that last evening I was sitting on the couch getting ready to go back to the hospital and Brent (my then-husband) said, “Why don’t you just stay home tonight? Call the hospital, tell them to call you if anything goes wrong – but her condition hasn’t changed so just go in the morning and get some sleep tonight”. Well, it had been raining, the roads were slick with wet leaves and I was so tired – that’s what I did. I called the hospital and sat back down on couch and fell asleep in a moment – didn’t even lay down, just sitting there I was out cold.
I was sound asleep, still sitting upright, when at 11:35 pm I was awakened by the phone ringing. It was the hospital and the nurse said, “I’m so sorry, Laura, but your grandmother is gone …” . Trying to wake up, and make sense of what I was hearing, I said, “Gone? You LOST her?? Where did she go??? ” She said, “Oh, no – I mean she’s passed away, she died a few minutes ago.” Stunned, I thanked her and stood in my kitchen trying to collect myself. Dixie, my little dog, was dancing around in front of me needing to go outside and relieve herself - so I opened the kitchen door – and in walks a pure white cat who proceeds to sit down on my kitchen floor and just stare at me. It was one of those strangely defining moments. Meanwhile, Dixie – a tiny chihuahua who had attacked mastiffs, rottweilers, and many, many cats – was literally cowering in a corner of the kitchen, terrified.
This is quite poignant because since I had been a baby, my own mother kept white cats. At one point, we had a small herd of them. And her favorite cat, Vanilla, had been the source of a falling-out between she and my grandmother. My grandmother did not like cats. She came to visit us in California, many years earlier, and shortly thereafter Vanilla disappeared. My mother blamed my grandmother, literally to her dying day (she had died the year before).
So here I am, with this white cat staring at me. And honestly, in no mood to converse I said, “Don’t know who you are or who sent you, but I cannot do this right now!” and put her out. Done … or so I thought. Later the next day, my British neighbor Jill calls me (you may not know this but white cats are considered bad luck in England). Anyway, she says, “Laura I hate to bother you as I realize you are having a rough time – but there is a white cat, haunting about your back door. I am terribly afraid it is going to wander into our yard and our dogs are going to tear it to bits! Do you suppose you can do something about it?” I thanked her, reflected on her ironic choice of words, gathered up the cat (still near my back door) and brought her inside. She was an older cat with a lovely personality – we named her Chancey – and she lived with us for several years until she passed away.
Just an odd little story I thought I would share. If you have had a similar experience I’d love to hear it – share, please!
Blessings,
Laura
July 18, 2009 at 12:48 am by Laura Lenhard
 Just last week, I had yet ANOTHER person come into the shop asking if I would “remove” a spouse (yes, it happens as desperate times apparently call for desperate measures) so I guess it’s now time to review what it means to be a modern-day Witch. Allow me to state, for the record, that I am a firm believer in the “Three-fold Law,” ie what you put out there comes back to you … times three! I hold that Free Will is our divine gift and no one has the right to manipulate the Free Will of another. Lastly, I work strictly with the white light of the Divine for the good and health of myself and others.
I just read a little book written by Ariana called “House Magic: The Good Witch’s Guide to Bringing Grace to Your Space” published 2001, Conari Press. While it is not a deep read, it covers an interesting spectrum and contains a very nice presentation of Wiccan beliefs and ethics. I do recommend this book (we sell it at Talisman) and I am going to quote liberally from it as follows:
Wicca and other earth-based spiritualities (Native American, Shamanism, Asatru, etc) utilize belief systems that have been in use for hundreds or even thousands of years. These systems would have died out long ago if there weren’t some truth in what they do. We all have the ability to control certain aspects of our lives, which manipulates our present and activates auspicious energy for our future. Even if you do something as simple as slipping a rose quartz into your pocket, that act projects positive thought into the universe, and as a result you will see ripplings of positive action coming into play. Through the action of speaking your thoughts to the Universal Divine, you create a flow of positive energy that will enable you to control various aspects of your life. Yes, very much like The Secret, but with a few twists.
Before you start on any endeavor, you have to know what you want. It can be a general desire such as wishing for love or money; or specific, such as wanted a new house in an exact location. The key is knowing exactly what you want. Most people do not. You have to believe in what you want – but what you want must be for the good of all. There is no law that says that some people can have everything and other people can have nothing. The truth is, we all deserve to have whatever it is we believe we need. You have to take action to achieve results. You can’t sit around wishing something would happen, you have to go out into the world and get involved. You create your own luck, your own magic and by doing that you will ultimately find yourself in the right place at the right time.
Respecting yourself is the most important thing you can do in your life. Further, if you don’t take care of yourself how can you take care of anyone else? You have to eat properly, sleep properly, and act with honesty and integrity. Always treat others with repect – listen without judging, treat people the way you would want to be treated. All in all, try to bring a bit of light to all the people you encounter, even if you don’t know them. Respect the Earth – give back, don’t pollute, grow a garden, recycle and respect all the creatures that share this planet with us.
I believe there is energy hurtling through the universe and it is ours to tap into as we need to. God/Goddess is everywhere, and we should praise him or her whenever we can. When you pray, remember to give thanks. If you belong to an organized religion, that is fine – but respect your Religion. If you grow disenchanted with it, examine the reasons for this and give yourself permission to explore another path. Spirituality is a personal experience, and we all learn and grow from it in different ways.
You cannot manipulate another person’s Free Will. None of us has the authority to affect another’s Free Will, even if we think it is for the best. I hold to this – to the point that I will not ask someone if they would like a Tarot reading, they must ask me first because I feel the act of making the request infringes on their Free Will. Ethics encompasses respect and intent. For example, say your boss is giving you a hard time at work to the point you dread going to work each day. Instead of tryng to think of ways to get rid of the boss or modify his/her behavior, turn it around and direct the thought process at yourself. Don’t think about the boss, just think about yourself and how you approach your job. Don’t spend a lot of time overanalyzing the why’s and wherefore’s. Just be. Be who you are, and be all that you have the possibility to become Try to be aware of morals – your own and other people’s. If the Ten Commandments help, then by all means follow them. Don’t covet other people’s possessions. If you really want something, you can bring it into your life without taking it away from other people.
Last, remember that whatever we send out into the universe will come back to us three times. This is known as the Threefold Law. We don’t know what will come back to us or how. There is no way to know. This is why we have to be very clear on our intent, certain that we want it, and know that its coming to us will not cause harm to others. We have all seen horror movies (remember the old Twilight Zone episodes?) in which someone is granted a wish, and then what seemed like an innocent desire twisted into a nightmare that the wisher hadn’t foreseen? You must be careful of that happening. Who are you to think you can foresee what is really good for you or what the outcome truly should be? Maybe if things were left to unfold the way they should, the outcome would be desirable. Or maybe that thing (or person) isn’t meant to be, for you, at this time. Nobody wants to hear that, but I do believe, with all my heart, that when two people are meant to be together – they are. The universe conspires with fate and creates a magnetic pull which cannot be broken. Time, space and circumstance will not alter this. So it would make sense that there is no need for “Love Spells” to bring the one you are meant for into your life. He or she will appear – when it is time.
Oh, and one more thing: For Mister “Can you remove my wife and lover’s husband so we can be together” — like I said to you last week, just get a divorce! Be honorable, be honest and don’t lie, sneak or cheat. Yes, there are dark energies, and people who are willing (most often for a high price) to work with them. Havoc can be wreaked on the innocent and weak among us. But the price you pay is usually much higher, going far and above the money spent. I have noticed, in my 45 years of life, that the dark side takes keen enjoyment out of delivering as much pain as possible. So, perhaps spouses can be removed – but what then? These things rarely end happily ever after. You reap what you sow – they may be happy for a while, but if the union began with pain – so it will end. It may be as easy as simply realizing, after so much scheming, that they really aren’t happy together. Or as harsh as having to watch a “soulmate” die slowly of cancer. Karmic justice may find these two chasing each other through many lifetimes but never quite making the desired connection.
Remember the fairy tales (and Twilight Zone!) of our youth, and be careful what you wish for. Walk in the light and you have no reason to fear the dark.
Brightest blessings, Laura
July 13, 2009 at 12:03 pm by Laura Lenhard
Clear quartz crystals are undoubtedly the most popular of all the stones sold at Talisman. I keep a lovely selection of quartz crysal points, clusters and spheres just inside the front door of my shop. They are nestled (points up) in an old cement bird bath filled with pink quartz chips. Few people manage to pass this display without pausing to look closely or touch the quartz – it is a lovely and powerful draw.
In North and South America, Australia, southeast Asia and elsewhere, shamans ascribe a singular importance to these pointed, six-sided stones that are usually transparent to milky-white. The quartz crystal is considered the strongest power object of all among such widely separated peoples as the Jivaro in South America and tribes of Australia. Groups as distant from one another as the Aborigines of eastern Australia and the Yuman-speakers of southern/Baja California consider the quartz crystal a “living” stone. The widespread employment of quartz crystals in shamanism spans thousands of years. Quartz has been found in archaeological sites and prehistoric burials dating as far back as 8,000 years.
In modern physics the quartz crystal is also involved in the manipulation of power (energy). Its remarkable electronic properties made it a basic component in early radio transmitters and receivers (ie “crystal sets”). Thin wafers sliced from quartz crystals later became basic components for modern electronic hardware such as computers and timepieces.
I have been doing business with Lady Victoria who, along with her son Matt, owns Arrowhead Crystal Mine in Mt. Ida, Arkansas (www.arrowheadcrystals.com). Deeply spiritual, she drives to the mine several times a year from her home in North Carolina to personally hand-pick stones which she then carefully wraps, packs and sells to small shops such as my own. Metaphysically speaking, there is a big difference in obtaining a stone which has been lovingly collected in this manner as opposed to one that has been blasted out of its bedrock, thrown into an acid bath and summarily tossed into a box after being graded for size and clarity. I am pleased to say these stones have been cherished!
Quartz crystal has a myriad of uses. Longer “wands” can be used to direct energy for healing or clearing negativity. You can set other stones or objects on clusters to enhance their innate properties or help cleanse. For example, I rest my tarot cards on a large cluster or set a large point upright on the deck, then set them outside to be cleared under the full moon. Crystal spheres are popular divination tools, although one must either settle for a smaller size or make use of a glass ball, as a large clear quartz sphere is prohibitively expensive.
On the website for Arrowhead Crystal Mine, Matt notes that “No one who has ever seen a perfectly formed crystal emerge from the ground can say that quartz does not have “magical” properties. Each crystal is unique and they call to people in different ways. While one crystal may feel “dead” in your hands, another of similar quality might resonate so that you cannot keep your hands or eyes off it.” Indeed, I have seen this very scenario play out time and time again at the shop!
There are other specially-named quartz crystals – a brief list follows.
Record Keepers are distinguished by a raised trangle on one or more surfaces. They are called Record Keepers because they hold the wisdom and knowledge of the Universe. The perfect triangle represents the door to the perfect balance of mental, physical and emotional well-being.
Tablet or “Tabby” Crystals are recognized by two parallel flat sides that are significantly wider than the other sides. Held flat in your hand, a large tabby represents a book or tablet which holds access to information from other sources. These crystals can also be used as activators to help pull information from other crystals.
Window Crystals have a diamond-shaped face at the primary intersection that connects to the termination of the crystal. These crystals represent the balance between the physical and spiritual realms. These windows also allow self-reflection into your own being and so are great for meditation and self-seeking.
A Barnacle Crystal consists of a main crystal with many small crystals attached. The large crystal is considered “wise” and can assist in solving family or group problems.
Laser Wands are long, slender crystals that taper to a narrow point. They get their name from their ability to provide a focused, protective energy field around the user. These crystals can be used to pierce negativity or direct healing energy to oneself or others. Indeed, the Yualai and Tsimshian of North America used this technique to effect long-distance healings. They would “send” their quartz crystal or its spirit out at night to fetch the image of the sick person. When the image arrived, the shaman danced around the crystal, shaking his rattle, and then ordered the crystal (as his spirit helper) to extract a harmful power intrusion from the image. The distant person was thereby healed.
On the topic of healing with crystals, I woud be remiss not to mention the miraculous work being done by John of God in Brazil. His home, the Casa de Dom Inacio de Loyola, is set atop a fabulous crystal mine. His healings are legendary, as thousands flock to see him every week in hopes of instantaneous healing. My friend and colleague Lucy Walker has visited The Casa a total of three times, and can speak to the miracles being performed there. The book John of God was published by Atria books in 2007 or you can learn more at www.friendsofthecasa.org.
Personally, I keep a laser wand in my own medicine bag; and a few large crystals and clusters on my nightstand. They generate a wonderful protective energy which I believe to be very healing as I sleep.
Given their popularity, crytals and stones are surely providing benefits and aid to many – and the demand for these is not lessening. Why not bring one of these beautiful, blessed stones into your life … and see what transpires?
Yours in Light, Laura
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Note: The blog is written by a reader and is not edited by the Connecticut Media Group. The blogger is solely responsible for content.
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