♥ “In her heart, she knew it was true.”
♥ “It broke my heart to see him so sad.”
♥ “His heart wasn’t into it.”
♥ “This comes from the bottom of my heart.”
♥ “He has a heart of gold.”
♥ “They are middle-aged but young at heart!”
In languages in all cultures, expressions place the heart as important and essential to our connection to life.
Interesting associations with the heart have been held throughout the history of the world. In Asian culture, it is believed that the body is one’s palace and the heart is the emperor. All organs are considered lieutenants to the heart, and the heart is considered the “home” of the person’s spirit.
The heart symbol itself can be traced to a time before the last Ice Age when Cro-Magnon hunters in Europe used the symbol, yet it is unclear what meaning it held for them. Egyptians believed that the heart was the center of morality and life. Ancient Greeks began to associate the heart with medical connections in approximately 400 BC, holding the heart to be the center of the soul and the source of heat within the body.
In cultures of ancient Mexico, it was believed that every human contained different spirit forces within them, and while some forces leave the body in the dream state, the heart’s spiritual force had to remain in the body at all times or the person would die. In Christian theology, the image of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, seen as emitting light and suffering, was a symbol of love.
May your heart be filled with love on this Valentine’s Day and wherever you go, may you go with all your heart!
While a healthy diet and adequate rest are beneficial in building your immune system, a number of natural ingredients can help you heal a cold should you get one. Here are a few tips:
♥ Get plenty of zinc in your diet (most often found in whole grains).
♥ Pack your meals with foods that are rich in Vitamin C (for example, citrus fruits and vegetables).
♥ Remember that caffeine is dehydrating, so if you are losing body fluids as a result of a cold, choose herbal, caffeine-free teas.
♥ Drink fresh fruit juices. Grapefruit, orange, and lemon juices are antiseptic and cleansing.
♥ Eat soups, and drink plenty of water to keep hydrated.
♥ Inhaling the smell of eucalyptus can soothe your respiratory system.
♥ Adding garlic to your diet increases antibacterial action and builds your immune system to fight infection.
♥ Honey can relieve sore throats and coughs.
♥ Ginger made into tea is considered both an antiseptic and expectorant.
♥ Echinacea and olive leaf can strengthen the immune system and shorten the bout of flu or cold.
Remember if at all possible to reduce your stress and to get enough sleep since it boosts your immune systems and allows you time to heal.
[A]s we are in the year 2012, there is so much in the popular media about what may occur at the end of this year. A few prophecies are:
The Mayan belief that the calendar end date is in December 2012;
A South African shaman who reports that a star with a large tail will soon return, indicating that thousands of years ago it turned the Earth upside down;
Peruvian elders who say that we are in the “age of meeting ourselves again” and that all worlds will merge into one with the highest level of consciousness possible;
A Pueblo Indian from New Mexico who states that the Purification process began in June 1998 and continues until December 22, 2012, in which it results in the era of Emergence–a rebirth of the Earth.
More than what may happen in 2012, let this be your year to get “right with the world.” How can you shift into a heart-centered consciousness?
Practice a heightened appreciation for life.
Focus on the present moment.
Allow yourself to feel worthy.
Increase your concern for others and have less concern for material things, outer success, and self-image.
Become less dogmatic with your judgment and more spiritual in your application to life.
Be kind to yourself and others.
Above all, be kind to our world.
What regrets would you have if the world were to end tomorrow? Get right with the world today. The time is now.
Families gather over the holidays, and even the most “healthy” families can have difficulty trying to balance getting along with each other and not feeling stressed by expectations.
A few suggestions may go a long way in helping you create a happy holiday:
Don’t strive to be perfect or have a “perfect” holiday. While you can plan and prepare that special dinner and event, allow things to flow and don’t worry so much about controlling outcomes. Not everyone is going to live up to your expectations (probably not even yourself), so let go of those expectations for perfection. Remember “all is well” in the greater scheme of life.
Reach out to others. If you feel lonely or isolated, seek out people and events that can support you. Or volunteer to help someone else or an organization. This can be a good way to lift your own spirit while you are helpful to another.
Practice healthy boundaries.Be sure you are saying “yes” to what you really want to do. Many requests can come during a holiday, so be selective and don’t overload yourself and your schedule. Commit to what you know makes sense and keep those commitments.
Manage your time. Keep a notepad in a designated place to schedule errands, items needed, etc. This will be the “go to place” for new thoughts and ideas that come up.
Don’t abandon healthy habits. Be sure you are taking good care of yourself, whether it’s continuing to exercise, meditate for 10 minutes a day, or whatever helps you stay grounded. Even though many more delectable delights are available, you can still eat in moderation or make a different choice one day over another. Let go of guilt and know that you may eat a little more home-made sweets if that is your tradition. You will get back on track through intention.
Allow yourself to trust your feelings. If something has occurred (loss of a loved one, divorce, illness) that has made you sad, it is normal to feel and to express your feelings. You can’t make yourself happy just because it’s the”season to be jolly.”
Be love. I like to think of the holidays as a special time to be kind and loving to all people you meet on your path, whether it’s the person at the grocery store in front of you in the long line, or the one who takes the last item you really wanted in the bin at the department store. Know that “things” are just things and that how you are being is what counts in the greater scheme of life.
Laughter is good for your health. When you hear laughter, travel toward it. Spend time with fun, playful people. Be able to laugh at yourself and life’s absurdities by finding humor in everyday events.
What are the benefits of laughter?
Laughter:
♥ Increases our DHEA levels (anti-cancer fighting).
♥ Relaxes the whole body and relieves physical tension and stress, leaving your muscles relaxed for up to 45 minutes after.
♥ Boosts the immune system and decreases stress hormones and increases immune cells and infection-fighting antibodies, thus improving your resistance to disease.
♥ Triggers the release of endorphins, the body’s natural fee-good chemicals and promotes an overall sense of well-being that can even relieve pain.
♥ Protects the heart by improving the function of blood vessels and increasing blood flow.
Laughter can dissolve distressing emotions. You can’t feel anxious or sad when you’re laughing. It can help you recharge and shift your perspective into a less threatening light. Remember your thoughts become things.
The word “angel” is derived from the Latin “angelus” and the Greek “angelos” meaning “one going” or “one sent,” also “messenger.”
The belief that God sends a spirit to watch over every individual was common in ancient Greek philosophy. In the Middle Ages it was believed that the heavens and the stars and all of the cosmos were alive, full of angels and God. In numerous faiths, angels are mentioned.
Since the beginning of time, angels have delivered God’s messages to humankind. From a spiritual, academic standpoint, angelic messages were primarily intended to provide:
♥ warnings of impending danger
♥ instructions as to what to do in a particular situation
♥ information that angels are there to protect
♥ joyful announcements.
In metaphysics, angels are said to have great power and long to be made use of, desiring us to call on them to request assistance. So in addition to requesting assistance from the angels, how might we know signs from them?
Signs that the angels are drawing close or making contact include:
♥ unexpected, intuitive knowledge that comes to you
♥ an instant feeling of well being or love
♥ a warmth in your heart
♥ a movement of energy like a “breeze of light”
♥ a fragrance in the air like a presence
♥ soft strands of music that may linger as if floating in the distance
♥ a movement of material or physical matter (something is missing and then found)
♥ appearance in the clouds of an image
♥ the sound of birdsong
♥ a dream in which an important feeling or message is given.
According to some angelologists, the most angelic signature of an angel, however, is the white feather!
♥ “In her heart, she knew it was true.”
