Tag: energy

Pump Up Your (Protective) Volume

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I had a client here the other day who felt every little thing, way too much. She cried for no reason, couldn’t sleep and generally didn’t feel comfortable in her own skin.  I could see – and feel—that her energy layers were too, for lack of a better word,  “thin.”

We all have a barrier that protects us from the slings and arrows of daily life.  It’s like an extra skin and helps us stay balanced when stuff is being thrown at us.  When its healthy, we feel strong and stable.

But when the world throws a haymaker, that energy layer wobbles and thins out.  For me, I’ll feel like I have “holes” punched in me.

Like this....
Like this….

I feel raw, sore on the outside and the inside.  Everything hurts.

This is a real phenomenon.  Most of us will feel this weak, sick sensation only when we’re struggling with loss, grief, hard times.  But other people like my client are habitually in this state.   They need to pump up the volume on this energy layer.  Like putting mousse in your hair to achieve 80s-level fabness.

HELL, yeah....
HELL, yeah….

This is a great exercise for anyone who’s feeling a little pummeled, or who needs to achieve greater daily “stability.”  It’s also a sweet trick to do before heading into any sticky family encounters, meetings with irritating people or situations that make you feel vulnerable.

First, settle down and take some deep breaths.

Continue to breathe quietly and steadily.  Now envision a small bubble of white light starting to emanate from your center.  See it growing a little bit more with each breath.

The bubble continues to grow from your center until it reaches outside your arms.  Another few breaths and it reaches your knees….down to your feet, over your shoulders, over the top of your head.  You’re now inside a protective egg of light.

With each breath, this beautiful bubble extends outside of you a little bit more.  The inside of this bubble is peaceful, sheltering, warm.  You feel strong and safe with this healthy, whole layer of energy surrounding you.

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Nothing negative can get past it to affect you; bad energy, harsh words, whatever, just bounce right off it.    Know that you can move through your day feeling strong and centered.  You are clear and protected.

Now go through your day like the Warrior Princess (or Prince) that you are.

Categories: Change Intention Psychic Phenomena Uncategorized

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Tips for the Law of Attraction

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I admit  it:  I have a serious love/hate relationship with The Law of Attraction.   I get the physics behind it, that if we properly align our energies with the Universe, we can attract whatever we want into our life with a lot less sweat.  That makes sense to me.  That’s the “love” part.

Buuuuttt……then why hasn’t my Porsche shown up in the driveway?  Am I a complete loser with the Law?  Are my energies not operating at full capacity?  That’s the “hate” part.

Like most of us, I’m still working on going fully operational with manifesting, but here are two things that have helped me so far.

1)            START SMALL.  REALLY SMALL.  REALLY, REALLY SMALL.

The book, The Secret, suggests first trying to “manifest” a cup of coffee. See if someone offers you one, shows up with an extra mug, whatever.

You could also attract a great parking spot.  Or finding a quarter.  The point is, not to overwhelm yourself.  It’s like learning to walk:  you didn’t go from crawling to running the New York Marathon in one fell swoop.  Baby steps, people.

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2)            LEAVE THE “HOW’S” TO THE UNIVERSE

This is by far the biggest obstacle to manifesting.  We disperse our energies in trying to direct how things are gonna show up, rather than keeping an eye on the prize itself.

Look at it this way:  say you’ve waited months  to get a table at a five-star restaurant.  You look at the menu and choose your meal, something sinfully delectable.  The waiter takes your order and heads off into the kitchen.  Would you get up from your chair, follow him, then proceed to tell the chef how to make your dinner?   Granted, I was once a waittress and had a couple of obnoxious customers who came close to that – but seriously.    Leave the chef alone to work his magic.

Throw in a foot massage and a mariachi band, and my night is complete.
Throw in a foot massage and a mariachi band, and my night is complete.

If you want to direct that control-freak energy somewhere, focus it on how you’ll feel when this goal arrives.  Picture yourself as already having it. Bask in it.  But dial back the need to shape the  “when” and “how.”  That just slows your power down.

By the way, finding your focus is something I wrote about here.

I read somewhere that just  sixteen seconds of really soaking in the feeling of what you want puts as much juice towards making something happen, as doing 100 hours of actual labor towards that same goal.  Mind. Blown.

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So don’t beat yourself up if your manifesting powers aren’t working at full bore.  Start small, take baby steps, and leave the details to that awesome Chef in the Sky.  Because you might get a free dessert you weren’t expecting.

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Simple Moon Spells

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My given name is “Cynthia.”  Which I’ve always hated.  The family story goes that my sister picked it out of a baby name book ‘cause she thought it “sounded funny” (bitch).  But my parents liked it and I was stuck with it.  That’s what sucks about being a newborn – no say in anything.

"As God as my witness, I will cut you when I develop hand-eye coordination."
“As God as my witness, I will cut you when I develop hand-eye coordination.”

Anyhoo, I’ve since done some research and found that the name means “Of the moon” which, given my metaphysical bent, seems appropriate.   I’m fascinated by the ancient, timeless passage of this glowing orb through the night sky.  It has its own rhythm and definitely its own power.  Anyone who’s worked with the public can attest to the effects of the “full moon” – people get crazy, irritable, a little nuttier than usual, amiright?  So Moon Energy is a real thing.

Wiccans and pagans drill way down into the subject of moon cycles. But for the rest of us, a simple working knowledge of the energy that’s right over our heads is enough.  Check the weather report for the current moon phase. Let it help you with the daily workings of life.  And you get a do over every 28 days!

THE NEW MOON

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The dark of the moon is the perfect time for planting the seeds of something new.  It’s that empty space where a project, plan, dream can begin to take root.  The New Moon gives a little “oomph” to anything that’s just beginning.  It’s a good time for planning a project, making a move or learning something new.

Here’s a little ritual to try.  On the night of a new moon, write out your goal on a piece of paper.  Light a candle and visualize it coming true.  Look up at the moon and ask that it be granted, then burn the paper in the candle flame (be careful!).  Repeat this over 12 nights (if you miss one, you have to start over).

THE WAXING MOON

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As the moon “grows,” so does the energy of anything you want to “increase.” This is a great time to try to get pregnant, look for a new lover (or start counseling with your existing one) or ask for a raise.

To “grow” more money, cut out a picture of a frog, tell it what you need, then keep it in your wallet.

THE FULL MOON

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The moon is at its most potent, so when you need extra power, this is the time.  The full moon helps with legal issues, looking for work or healing.  Because the light of the moon is so bright, this is also the time to focus on anything spiritually-related (like developing your intuition or praying for world peace).

To help someone (or even you) heal from an illness, take a white candle, a sprig of rosemary and a photo of the person.  Light the candle and envision its healing light streaming into that person’s body.

THE WANING MOON

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As the moon begins its journey back to the dark, use this dissipating energy to let go of something.   I once timed a surgery to the waning moon to help the doctor rid my body of an unneeded tumor.  This cycle will help you gracefully wrap up any relationship that’s run its course, or a part of your life that no longer works.

I like this little ritual for ending a bad habit:  take a piece of black string and tie four knots.  The first is the mental aspects of the habit, why you keep it. The second represents the actions around this habit.  The third is the emotions around the habit, how you feel about it – and about giving it up.  Finally, the fourth knot represents the practical aspects of the habit – like how much it cots for those cigarettes.  During a waning moon, untie one knot each day, symbollically ‘releasing’ the habit.  Then destroy the string when you’re done.

Any questions?  Hit me up in the Comments section.  And remember to check out the website.

Now to sing us out, Karl Wallenberg and the Waterboys with one of my faves.

Categories: Change Intention Magic Psychic Phenomena Uncategorized

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Never Too Late: How to Fix the (Seemingly) Unfixable

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There’s a house up the street that’s stood vacant for the last 25 years.  I’m told that, on his deathbed, the owner made his wife swear she’d never sell it.  She didn’t.  Instead, she moved to Georgia with her daughter, leaving the house to rot.  The weeds grew up, raccoons were spotted inside.   My neighbors and I complained, and every so often, someone would show up to cut the grass.  But it was a sad little sight, and I figured that one day, the house would just be leveled.

Yeah, it looked kinda like this. A hot mess.
Yeah, it looked kinda like this. A hot mess.

Last week, some trucks showed up.  They began cutting away the overgrown shrubs.  The roof was repaired, the shingles scrubbed.  I can see painters working away inside.  This poor little house that everyone had given up on is getting a second chance.  It makes me smile.

This Extreme Makeover is a reminder that its never too late for any of us to make some changes.  I have so many clients who feel that the ship has sailed, that their situation — whether its a job they hate or a relationship that’s dead — is a done deal.   Not true.  Maybe our brains have gotten used to covering the same tired tracks, but that’s essentially the only thing holding us back: the way we think about the situation.

I love this particular card:

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The Hanged Man looks pretty pathetic; he seems trapped, but look again:  by hanging upside down, he can see his situation from a different perspective.  That’s why there’s that “glow” around his head — its an “aha” moment that comes from flipping something on its head.  Literally.

Everyone on our street had gotten it into our collective heads that no one would buy that broken down property. But someone else thought differently.  They saw possibility and began taking the steps to turn things around.  Each day, they come closer to realizing that vision.

What part of your life needs a makeover?  Now don’t go to that default impulse that you can’t change it:  take another look.  Then start clearing out the weeds.  If that raccoon camp up the street can be turned back into a home, anything is possible!

Cut down some weeds and see your situation differently. Get to it!
Cut down some weeds and see your situation differently. Get to it!

Categories: Change Intention Tarot Uncategorized

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Psychic Health & Protection

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Being a psychic is humbling, exciting, eye-opening, cool and inspiring.  It can also kick your ass.

They don’t call us “sensitives” for nothing: psychic or mediumistic work requires a shift in your personal energy that leaves you “open” to both the good vibes and the bad.  When I read, I can feel my client’s joy, angst and heartbreak.  It’s a fascinating experience, and it’s a huge lesson in empathy – but it can take its toll on the physical body.

Over the years, I’ve learned a few things for taking care of my psychic self and preventing burnout.

1)  White Light.  Before I read, I make a practice of visualizing an “egg” of protective white light around both my reading space and myself.  Because I’m about to open myself up, this keeps any janky energies or entities from getting in.

Better than a bulletproof vest and a bottle of Purell.
Better than a bulletproof vest and a bottle of Purell.

Here’s what I say before starting a session:  “I surround myself with the white light of love and protection.  I ask that only positive energies be present as I do this work, and help me to be a clear channel for the information which my client seeks.  I ask that they help me receive, discern and relay that information in the kindest and gentlest of ways, for the highest good and the good of all.  I accept nothing less.”

I don’t recall where I learned this prayer, and it’s evolved over the years, but it sets up a safe, healthy space to work in.

2)   Washing hands.  I do this both before and after a session, visualizing any stale energies leaving my body (in the TMI category, I also pee beforehand just in case – so I def need to hand wash!).  It’s also a sign of respect and honor for the tools I’m about to handle (cards, crystals, etc.).  Washing my hands after a session also brings me back to earth.

Not an OCD thing -- just good psychic hygiene.
Not an OCD thing — just good psychic hygiene.

3)  Food.  I try to eat something light about 45 minutes before reading.  I need the energy.  After reading, I also have a snack.  Food helps ground me.  In that same vein, many psychics are vegetarian.  Good for them, but this girl needs her Big Mac.

As a matter of fact, I DO want fries with that....
As a matter of fact, I DO want fries with that….

4)  Where I read.  Early in my development, one of my teachers warned that psychics should never read in bars.  Besides the noise and the random assholes, you’re dealing with some crazy energy.  People go to bars for a reason, and their problems or pain is amplified.  I made the mistake of doing a few quickie reads when I was out with some friends one night; they went fine, but the next morning, yours truly was absolutely knackered.  And it wasn’t from the chardonnay.  I felt like I had holes punched in me, and it took days for me to feel normal again. So now when I go to a bar – white light or not – my shingle reads “Closed.”

Seriously. Jello shots and readings do NOT mix.
Seriously. Jello shots and readings do NOT mix.

5)  A Process.  Intuitive energy or the energy surrounding a mediumistic session kind of has a life of its own.  Learning to control it is a little like learning how to ride a bucking bronco; there’s a rhythm and unpredictabiltity.  A routine for opening up and closing down puts a framework around that energy and makes it easier to handle.  The bronco may still buck, but at least its in the corral versus hauling ass across the painted desert.

Just call me the Psychic Cowgirl.
Just call me the Psychic Cowgirl.

When I begin, I’ve put the white light around myself; when I complete a session, I envision a little curtain being pulled across my crown chakra, as a way to terminate the link.

"Thank you! And good night!"
“Thank you! And good night!”

Then I wash my hands and eat, and I feel like I’ve come back to earth.  Doing something grounding – gardening, petting my cat, taking a shower – also works.

Having a process for your psychic work is vital.  I’ve seen too many of my students go a little nuts with their blossoming abilities.  They walk around with their channel wide open, reading anyone and anything that comes across their path.  I think they like the attention. One woman was thrilled to tell me about the two people she’d read while standing in the Express Checkout Line; no mention of how her unwitting subjects felt about it.

Does an inadvertent reading count as item #16?
Does an inadvertent reading count as item #16?

Not only is that just crazy intrusive, its not healthy for the reader.  When your energy isn’t controlled, its like an ungrounded power line.  Sooner or later, you will get burned but good.

So use these tips to stay healthy and focused both in and out of the intuitive realm.  And I’d love to hear what you do for yourself to stay sane and centered.  Hit me up in the comments.

Categories: Mediumship Psychic Phenomena Psychics Seances spirit guides Tarot Uncategorized

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5 Must-Have Spiritual Stones

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I first got turned on to crystals back in the 80s (didn’t we all?).  At one point,  they were everywhere in my tiny apartment.  My roommate would just roll his eyes when he saw another added to the collection.  I was about 4 stones away from officially being declared a hoarder.

All these years later, I still have plenty of beautiful little stones, but there are a few in particular that I work with the most.  They’re my go-to crystals when I do any psychic work.

QUARTZ  CRYSTAL;  Like a Chanel suit, this stone goes with everything.  It’s the kind of crystal that can serve any purpose you assign it.  Yup, you can “program” it so that it’s electromagnetic properties help attract whatever your intention is.  Just hold it in your non-dominant hand, envisioning your goal uploading into it.  When you feel a “click,” you’re done.  You can re-program it for something else, by envisioning that you’re clearing it, then repeating the upload process.

I keep these on my reading table, simply because of the positive energy that seems to flow from the little buggers.

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ROSE QUARTZ:  The soft pink color aligns with the heart chakra.  I love the gentle vibe surrounding rose quartz.  It’s not throwing off hot monkey-love vibes, more of a gentle, patient energy.  It’s the kind of love vibe you have for your pet, or your grandma has for you.  Unconditional, sweet, giving.  It’s the Aunt Bee of crystals.

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This is a good stone to work with when any sort of grief or loss is going on.  It heals the heart, which makes it great to carry after a breakup, a death or anything that makes you feel like you’re walking around with a giant hole in your chest.

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LAPIS:  I can get lost staring at this gorgeous blue-gold stone.  It’s powerfully spiritual, used to help connect with higher realms and energies.  th

Lapis throws off a really strong metaphysical energy and really helps open up my channel.  It turns up the volume in a major way.  Nigel Tufnel (all hail, Tap!) breaks it down for ya….

AMETHYST:  Like lapis, this is a spiritual stone.  The energy of amethyst, however, isn’t quite as macho.  Amethyst resonates with the crown chakra, helping us connect with the channel of enlightenment and awareness.  It just makes me feel good to have around, ’cause its so purty.

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OBSIDIAN:  Of course, when I’m having trouble staying spiritual, this repels/absorbs any negative energies.  When a client requires some seriously heavy work, obsidian is like an anchor in turbulent waters.  The dark color works like a super-magnet for grounding me when my head is all over the place.

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Not for nothing, obsidian is helpful for blocking someone’s icky vibe from affecting you.  I had a boss who was, shall we say, an idiot with a heaping side of Pain in the Ass.  I hated going to work, but once I put a giant chunk of obsidian on my desk, he didn’t come around as much — and I   stopped wanting to punch him in the throat.

This was what I wanted to do all damn day....
This was what I wanted to do all damn day….

At any rate, these particular crystals are must-haves for the spiritual life.  As Bob Dylan once sang, “Everybody must get stoned.”  In a good way.

Categories: Change Intention Psychic Phenomena Psychics Tarot Uncategorized

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A Secret About “The Secret”

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I’ve recently been revisiting that book, The Secret.  It’s not quite as trendy as it was about 5 years back, but its discussion of the Law of Attraction is as relevant as ever.

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The book’s thesis – that thoughts are magnetic –feels right to me, and is being backed up by science.  Focusing your mental and emotional energy on a particular goal helps align it with the creation energy all around us.

Buutttt….how do you focus all that awesome energy when you don’t really know what you want?  Or your “wish list” changes from week to week?  Let me tell ya, as a kid, writing my list out for Santa was a bitch.

"Wait, I also want a Barbie...and, oh, wait, maybe not that, but...."
“Wait, I also want a Barbie…and, oh, wait, maybe not that, but….”

Needless to say, when your goals change as much as Madonna’s face, the Law of Attraction is just busy trying to keep track.

Yeah, I went there.
Yeah, I went there.

So here’s an awesome exercise I learned from Miss Oprah:

1)  Pick an area of your life you’d like to change:  your body, your lovelife, your work,  Whatever.

2) Take a piece of paper and draw a line down the middle.  On the one side write “What I Never Want Again.”  On the other, “What I Do Want.”

3) Now think about your goal.  Let’s say it’s a better love life.  Think about your last (or current) partner.  What about that relationship really, really bugs/bugged you? Go for the first things that come to mind:  the fact that he/she drank more than Snooki?  The way they clammed up whenever you really needed to share your feelings?  The back that had more hair  on it than a Yeti?

"I never want a girlfriend who maintains a blood-alcohol level of 3.0."
“I never want a girlfriend who maintains a blood-alcohol level of 3.0.”

Don’t drill down into every pesky little annoyance; stick to broad strokes to begin with.  Write them down on the one side of your list.

4) OK, so the things that you NEVER want to experience again?  The exact opposite is what you DO want.  Example: “I never want someone who drinks ‘til they puke” leads to “I want a partner who’s sober or only drinks a little.” Example: “I never want someone who ignores me when I need a hug” becomes “I want someone who is affectionate and attentive.”

This is a really fascinating exercise.  I find that it really helps you zero in on the core essence of what you want.  Its kinda like a dose of Ritalin for a jumpy brain.

And it will help the Law of Attraction know where to find you.

Categories: Change Intention Psychic Phenomena

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Grounding Your Psychic Energy

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I admit it – when it comes to nurseries, garden centers or roadside plant sales, I’m like a crackwhore.  My happiest mornings are when, coffee in hand, I can walk up and down the rows at my favorite garden place, picking up a new plant or flat of annuals to brighten up my yard.

Screw Disney -- this is the Happiest Place On Earth.
Screw Disney — this is the Happiest Place On Earth.

Gardening is what I call “dirt therapy.”  And it serves an additional purpose, grounding me after spending time in the psychic realm.  Many times after a reading, I will get down and dirty – literally – throwing on my work shoes for a quick round of weeding.  Putting my hands in the earth balances out the buzzy energy in my head.  If I can’t weed, I’ll step outside and just place my hands on the ground.

Working in the psychic realms involves raising your vibration; I always feel a little spacey afterwards.  You need to balance that out, because too much time in that place, and you’ll end up like those ladies who talk to themselves in the produce aisle.  Or THIS guy…

WTH?
WTH?

Even if you’re not psychic, we’re all under a heightened barrage of energy these days, the kind that keeps us in our heads.  Texting, email, watching cat videos on YouTube – all the time we spend “connected” does a number on us.  Exhibit A:  look at any kid at the mall, zombie’d out on their phones. Need I say more?

Anyway, I think that’s one reason we see so much anxiety and depression.  Yes, there may be other medical reasons, but when your brain is jumping all over the place, looking for the next bit of stimuli, well, that can’t be good.  In fact, I read of a new phenomenon called “popcorn brain.”  The name says it all.

Balancing out all that mental energy with something physical is good for you in so many ways – and will keep you psychically healthy.  I tell my students that they should do something grounding after reading:  play with your dog, go for a walk, eat something, share some hot monkey-love with your honey, or plant up a pot of geraniums.  The point is to keep your channel from going all flookey.

The antidote to Flookiness
The antidote to Flookiness

Psychic energy has a component of electricity to it.  One needs to ground that special brand of electricity or you’ll burn your mental house down.  I’ve seen it, especially among people just opening their channel.  So be responsible with your instrument.  And meet me at the garden center for some dirt therapy.

Got questions about this?  Hit my website for more info.

Categories: Mediumship Psychic Phenomena Psychics Uncategorized

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The Psychic’s Guide to Handling Pains In the Ass

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Let’s face it:  no matter how spiritual you try to be, at some point, you will encounter people who are — to put it bluntly — pains in the ass.  They push your buttons, work your last nerve, make you want to  punch something.  They can be a co-worker, neighbor, boss, family member, client.  They are someone you can’t easily get away from.   Here’s how they dealt with it on Seinfeld:

Other than “Serenity now!”, there are some practical tricks you can try.  Like the Ice Cube method: write your personal PIA’s (pain in the ass) name on a slip of paper.  Put it in any small container filled with water and stick it in the freezer.  Their ability to interfere, aggravate or otherwise drive you nuts will be sharply curtailed.

This is an old bit of sympathetic magic that  doesn’t harm the person, which is very important.  According to the laws of nature magic, whatever you put out will come back to you “three times three” — this is why Wiccans include “with harm to none” in  their workings.  So as much as you’d like to punch them in the snoot, please control yourself and head for the ice tray.

For all you "Goodfellas" fans, this is not the kind of "ice" I'm suggesting....
For all you “Goodfellas” fans, this is not the kind of “ice” I’m suggesting….

My sister has a boss that would make the Dalai Lama lose his shit.  She had tried everything to make their working relationship better, but he continued to belittle, insult and interfere.  I told her about the freezing method; she went home and stuck his name in her big downstairs ice chest.  Guess what?  The next day, he started heading towards her in the hallway, with that look on his face indicating that he was about to deliver his usual morning beatdown- but all of a sudden, she saw him stop dead in his tracks, turn around and go back to his office.  Since then, he’s largely stayed out of her hair.

There’s a variation on this technique involving water.  If there’s a PIA you need to sit near, say for a meeting or event, put a glass of water between the two of you to block the negativity.  I read about a fellow psychic who did outdoor fairs.  There was one other reader no one ever wanted to work near; she was a raging PIA and her negative vibes kept customers away.  Well, our psychic found herself stuck next to the PIA, and there was nothing she could do about it.  So she poured a cup of water and set it between their tables.  Guess what?  She got more business than any one who’d ever been placed in that slot before.

If you have a really irritating neighbor, put water in mason jars and dot a few along your property line. If you live in an apartment, put it against a common wall.  Just make sure to dump the water down a sewer drain and NOT in your home’s system.  Don’t want that janky vibe coming back into your domain.

Crystals are another helpful tool to block the aggravation of a PIA. Wearing them or keeping a chunk in whatever space they may show up in works. Rose quartz has a gentle, loving vibe that will increase your understanding of why a person is being so obnoxious.

When all else fails, you could chunk it at their head, too....
When all else fails, you could chunk it at their head, too….

If you need to up the protective wattage, black obsidian will absorb the bad juju coming off that person. One of my friends who read in bars –not something I recommend — used to keep a giant piece of black obsidian in her bra to protect her heart chakra.  Kinda made her look like she had a third breast, but it did the trick.

You could chunk this one, too!
You could chunk this one, too!

For that matter, wearing something black will also have a shielding effect.

Creative visualization is also useful for dialing down the irritation of the PIA.  As tempting as it might be, don’t visualize them getting hit by a bus (remember that “three times three” rule); better to envision yourself not being affected by whatever it is they do that makes you nuts.

These are all stopgap measures.  Over the long term, consider that when someone in your life is rubbing your fur backwards, they’re giving you a chance to learn something — if its only to learn creative ways to swear silently.  “Serenity now!”

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Five-Minute Feng Shui

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I just did a major purge of old books, DVDs and some truly hideous gifts.  It wasn’t so much to provide shelf-filler for the local Goodwill as it was to make some feng shui fixes in my house.

Feng shui is essentially the art of placement:  where you put the stuff in your home and office influences everything from your health and finances, to the state of your relationship or whether you can even have kids.

The Chinese take this so seriously that the construction of major office buildings won’t begin without the go-ahead from the feng shui master after he/she has scoped out the lay of the land –literally. Hey, if its good enough for the Donald Trumps of Hong Kong….

Like Mid-East politics or the romantic life of the Kardashians, feng shui can get complicated. There are tons of good books on the subject*,many of which I have partially read before giving up and turning to Star magazine.  But to give you a taste, here are a few super-easy things to try in your own space.

The main principle is that energy must flow freely; when it gets blocked, your life gets blocked.  Walk into each room of your home: stand in the center, take a deep breath and see how you feel. Try and look at the room as if  for the first time. Is it cluttered, dark, dusty?  Do you trip over cat toys (wait –that’s MY living room).  Do you feel energized and happy, or anxious, sad and in need of a Jello shot?

Three –or six–of these always makes space clearing fun!

Really pay attention to how the space makes you feel.  Then make a few fixes:

HEALTHY PLANTS  Fresh greenery bring new life into a space. Bamboo plants are low-maintenance, and a traditional symbol of good fortune.  I’ve put one right by my front door, to encourage luck to enter my home.   NOTE:  Artificial or dried arrangements are frowned upon for their absence of life force.  Not to mention the dust.

MIRRORS  Mirrors are the “aspirin” of feng shui.  They can reflect good energy back into a room, or deflect bad energy away.  One of my favorite tricks is to place a mirror behind your stove.  The Chinese view the stove as the heart of the home;  a mirror symbolically “doubles” the number of burners, increasing the wealth vibe.  And you can put your makeup on while you’re stirring the marinara.

WIND CHIMES  They sound pretty – and serve a purpose.  Hang a chime anywhere you’d like some fresh energy.  Every time you move past it, that pretty sound will also move the molecules around.

LEAKS, DRIPS, CHIPS  Leaks and drips drain your energy – literally and figuratively. Items that are held together by duct tape are just a big drag on your mood. Make a list of those things that are not in good condition and either fix, toss or replace them.

Really? Just give it up already….

KITCHENS AND BATHS  According to feng shui, these are the two most important rooms in the home.  The kitchen is where food is prepared (our microwaved, if its my kitchen), ensuring our survival; the bath is where we care for our bodies, and represents the state of our health.  Keeping these two rooms clean, tidy and with all appliances/fixtures in shipshape order will go a looooong way towards making you feel good.  NOTE:  keep the toilet lid down.  This symbolically keeps family finances from being “flushed away” [hey, that’s one way to get the men in your home to finally do it!]

BEDROOMS This is where we sleep and, uh, ya know…  That’s what it should be about – so TVs, iPads and other distractions interfere with those two main objectives.  Feng shui says that the electrical energy of these items will keep you awake all night, even if only on a subconscious level.  So if you can’t ditch them altogether, store them in a cabinet or armoire. NOTE: if your own love life is lacking, encourage a fresh shot of “sumpin’ sumpin’” by getting new sheets.

….a little of THIS guy’s music couldn’t hurt either….

CLUTTER—THE BIG “NO NO” As I mentioned, feng shui is all about the free flow of energy through a space.  So clutter is not cool (another reason I just did my own closet purge).

This not Feng Shui. This is A Cry for Help.

You know how great it feels after you’ve done a major spring cleaning?  That’s what you’re going for.  Start with closets and cabinets; clearing out those little energy suckers will inspire you to go room by room until your whole house is Feng Shui Fabulous.  Or at least a little cleaner.  Have a Jello Shot to celebrate!

*One book I like is Move Your Stuff, Change Your Life/Karen Rauch Carter or anything on feng shui by Lillian Too.  She’s written a ton of books.

Categories: Change Feng Shui

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