© Josephine Laing 2018
Welcome to my blog. Here you will find whatever is bringing me joy right now. Please join me in this spiritual agreement, from my mentor and friend, Jana Massey: "Together we agree that everything that we think, that we say and that we do at this time will be of the highest good. And together we ask for truth, the understanding of that truth and the wisdom to use it in our lives." Thank you.
Showing posts with label sanctuary. Show all posts
Showing posts with label sanctuary. Show all posts
Sunday, September 30, 2018
Wake Up Your Psychic Ability
© Josephine Laing 2018
Thursday, August 2, 2018
Four Building Blocks for Developing Psychic Ability
© Josephine Laing 2018
Monday, April 11, 2016
Asking Within
There is no greater authority in our lives than our own self. Only we know all of the various situations and circumstances that have brought us to be who we are today. Of course, it never hurts to gather information and opinions. It's nice to see what our loved ones have to offer when we are faced with a decision. But when it comes to making choices in our life, we are our own best authority.
There have been times in my life when I have relied on the opinions of others, especially in my youth. And I have certainly done my fair share of offering up my thoughts and concerns to others. However, on some level, both of these situations are subject to illusion and projection, especially if there is emotional attachment to the ideas shared. We often think we know what might be good for someone else. But, really, most likely, that same advice that we'd like to share turns out to be something that would be good for us. And unless we take the time to ask within on our own behalf, we barely know what might benefit us best.
So, how do we ask within? It's really quite simple. We just need to get still and let ourselves be. No agenda. Just sitting somewhere, perhaps in a little personal sanctuary, or walking down a country lane, taking a momentary break from the hustle and bustle of all of our daily thoughts. Look at a flower, or a bug for a moment or two. Really look. Or take a bite of something, then slowly chew it. Let yourself thoroughly taste it. Or listen and see if you can hear a distant sound, try to find the one that sounds the most far away. Lend your ear to the task. All of these simple awareness techniques let your attention come to the here and now. Then, once you've had a few moments, just being yourself, think of something that you really love, it could be a puppy or a sunset. This engages our heart mind, our higher self, our super-conscious mind, and it puts us in the best part of our self from which to receive.
Now go ahead and ask yourself how you feel about the question at hand. Let your ears listen, give yourself the gift of introspection, let your eyes see using your vision center, notice how it feels in your gut. Our gut feelings let us also check in with any body memories that may be associated with the idea. Then settle back into your heart again. Ask your heart how it feels about the prospect. Listen there. You'll likely get one clear idea, something that resonates you. Or, maybe you will get an array of ideas. If you do make careful mental note of them all. Take the time to let them coalesce into a plan of action and then go with that.
We don't need a middle man when finding our way in life. We are innately born knowing what we came here to do and when we ask within we are guided on our way. I like to call this process, "Dialing Direct."
When we take the time to ask within and then honor what we receive with actions that are in harmony with our internal responses, our whole self comes more fully into alignment. We find our place in the world and in the Universe as well. Then as well, the simple act of letting ourselves 'ask within' engages the great spiritual law of asking and receiving. The more we ask, the more we receive. When we live our lives in accordance with spiritual laws such as this one, we find greater levels of self-fulfillment and we free ourselves to increase the joy in our lives. So, take the time to ask. I have found that it is a lovely practice.
© Josephine Laing, 2016
Monday, November 23, 2015
Just Being Me and Creativity
One of the best ways to increase our creativity is to do what we did so well in childhood. I referring to devoting little moments throughout our days to "Just Being Me." It is simple and easy and brings us adults great reward.
© Josephine Laing, 2015
Monday, November 24, 2014
The Power and Importance of Sanctuary
Hello everyone.
Please enjoy this little video that I created with my good friend Einar Berg. It's called The Power and Importance of Sanctuary.
The Buddha said, "Do nothing, time is too precious to waste." Time spent on our own is some of the richest time in life. Join me as I discuss the many benefits that I've received from time spent in sanctuary.
© Josephine Laing, 2014
Wednesday, September 17, 2014
Learning Self Love
I've just created this little video with my dear friend Einar Berg. It's called Learning Self Love.
We can not give what we do not have. Learning Self love is one of the most important things we do in our sanctuary. This let's us have more love in our lives and in our relationships. Join me for this brief video on how we can learn to love ourselves.
© Josephine Laing, 2014
Monday, September 8, 2014
The Answers to All of Our Prayers
I've heard it said that there are only three answers to prayer. The first is, "Yes, of course." The second is, "Yes, but later." And the third is, "No, I have something better for you.
The Country Western singer, Garth Brooks, titled one of his most famous songs, "Thank God for Unanswered Prayers." In it he describes his younger self's passionate plea to be able to marry a woman whom he thought would satisfy his life's desires. But years later, he sees her and realizes how grateful he is that his prayer went unanswered and how happy he is with his own wife and the life they lead together. I think his story was not about an unanswered prayer, but rather was about the third answer to prayer, "No, I have something better for you."
For my own part, in my early adult years, I settled into the life that other people had in mind for me. I achieved the required level of education, got the degree and began an acceptable career. But spirit had other ideas in mind and arranged for a course correction in the form of a major back injury that would not only change my life's direction, but would also give me the necessary tools to prepare me for what lay ahead.
Having to spend a year in bed mending my back opened the door that allowed me to fully develop my psychic ability. Knowing how important positive thoughts are in healing, I began with self-love. I also spent time meditating and interpreting my dreams in the sanctuary of my home.
I was nearly healed from the first injury when another big injury landed me in bed again. This one was so serious that I got down on my knees and prayed, to a God that I really didn't know, asking to be spared. I said that in exchange for granting me my life, I would do anything, whatever the Divine had in mind for me.
This is a very powerful experience. When we give ourselves over to Divine Will, we surrender our lives and subsequently find our true purpose. As Gandhi poetically said, "God demands nothing less than complete self surrender as the price for the only real freedom that is worth having. And when a person thus loses their self, that person immediately finds their self in the service of all that lives. Such service becomes their delight and recreation. They are now a new person, never weary of spending themselves in the service of God's creation."
Committing myself to God's will not only gave me a new and different life which was much more true to who I am, but it also taught me about the transformational power of prayer. This was the final ingredient that allowed me to truly step into the magic of my own life. It created for me my life's work as a Clairvoyant Healer. It has allowed me to thrive with joy. And it taught me the answers to all of our prayers: "Yes," "No," and, Surrender.
© Josephine Laing, 2014
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Wednesday, July 23, 2014
The Women's Spirituality Movement ~ Awakening to a New Era on Earth
| Dancing Round the Maypole at Beltane |
The
Women's Spirituality Movement is percolating up from the fundamental
consciousness of our collective human experience. Women the world
round are rising. Like sleepy children we are heeding Gaia's morning
call and preparing ourselves for a new era on earth. As we stand
together side by side in equality, expressing our hopes and dreams,
finding our joy and passion, we leave our fears behind and claim our
true power.
This
power, that we women cultivate in our circles, is not the false power
of holding dominion over another, it is the true power of knowing and
being ourselves. It is the essence of our soul's calling combined
with the loving support and interconnectedness of our sisters in
circle. It is from this stance, day by day, household by household
that women are claiming our place at the table and changing the
world.
We
have all seen the horrors of a world lead only from the masculine
point of view. War, destruction, mass extinctions and global warming
are all left in the aftermath. This doesn't work for anyone, men or
women, children or animals, forests, oceans or trees. Like waking
from a long nightmare, Gaia is calling the feminine and we women are
stepping up to embrace the new day.
Unlike
organized religion, the women's spirituality movement is a
spontaneous uprising of individual groups of women who gather and
meet together to reclaim the divine feminine. We meet in circles and
these circles ripple out and create more circles. We dance, we cry,
we sing and we share our hearts to find our ground. Meeting
regularly in this way, we grow in love and learn how to heal
ourselves with forgiveness and understanding.
It
is in the crucible of the circle that we begin to realize that our
challenges are really blessings as we help each other to see more
deeply. In the safe sanctuary of circle we find our voice for self
expression. We move beyond oppression and formulate new visions for
ourselves, for our families and for our world. It is within the
alchemy of the women's circle that we are calling forth a new world
view into being.
No
one started this movement. There are no rules, there is no one set
way of doing a circle. The format, structure, shape and timing are
all organically created by the various women within the circle. Time
of day, frequency, intention and focus all come into being naturally
from within the group.
Most
of the women in the circles I've been fortunate enough to be a member
of are eco-feminists, meaning that they have concern for the ecology
of our planet and believe in the need for full participation of women
both in government and the workplace. They see the need for women to
be key players in the creation of our culture. Knowing that the
personal is the political, they let their lives and choices reflect
their values. Aware of the repercussions of pesticide poisoning and
the cruelty of factory farming, many of the women in circles are
inclined toward organically grown, vegetarian or vegan dietstyles.
This holds especially true for the food that is brought to and served
within a circle after our ceremonial celebrations are complete.
Again there are no rules, but this one aspect seems to be a constant.
And, in this way we women are able to include all of our circle
sisters in the enjoyment of the wonderful dishes that we bring to
share.
Over
the twenty or so years that I have been participating in the Women's
Spirituality Movement, I've noticed that most of the women in our
circles are political or social or environmental activists, often
joining or forming one or more of the hundreds of thousands of reform
groups that have risen up throughout our world. Tending to home,
family, culture and career can be demanding. So the time spent in
circle gathering with like minded supportive women is cherished and
sacred. And we do create the sacred in our circles. We honor our
time together as holy.
When
we meet often we will begin by purifying ourselves in some way
leaving behind the troubles of the day. This can be as simple as
hugs from everyone. Or maybe we will sprinkle a few drops of the
water from a local hot spring over the heads of each woman as she
arrives. Perhaps we will choose to use a few grains of cornmeal
instead, to do the same. Often, using a bouquet of gathered
feathers, we will waft the smoke from the leaves of various
smoldering herbs around to the front and the backside of each woman.
While doing this, we may whisper words of encouragement and
appreciation as she enters the space we've created, acknowledging her
beauty and her contribution. The bundled leaves of sage, cedar or
lemon grass work nicely for this when held in a hand made ceramic
bowl or an abalone shell. Once everyone has been blessed into the
circle, it is considered closed. Then we do ceremony together.
There may be song, poetry and meditation. Frequently there is an
activity. Perhaps we honor the cycles of time. Maybe it is the full
moon or the new moon that calls us together each month. Perhaps it
is a weekly prayer or meditation group dedicated to peace. Women's
circles can be crone groups honoring and holding the wisdoms of women
who are in their elder years. Some women's circles meet only once as
initiations celebrating the first blood of menarche or the last of
menopause. These can be small family events or larger temporary
combinations of members from several women's circles.
Some
women's circles are educational groups with the members taking turns
presenting information about the Goddess cultures of pre-history.
Many celebrate the Solstices, Equinoxes and cross quarter holidays in
ways similar to those that were prevalent prior to the advent of the
Abrahamic religious traditions. Other circles may focus on actions
like writing letters for peace or finding creative expression through
dance. But the hallmark of the Women's Spirituality Movement is the
overarching theme of honoring the feminine mind and worldview and
holding our time together as sacred. As we do so, we look to each
other for support and validation. This increases our confidence and
fuels us forward on our path in our individual lives. We also
strongly encourage our intuitive nature and honor our feelings,
holding both of these as primary guiding forces in our lives. Our
time spent in circle, in the secure embrace of each other's love and
support, strengthens and renews us. It helps us to claim our power
individually and move forward with it into the world.
If
you are not already in a women's circle, they are easy to create.
You can put a notice up on the bulletin board of your local healthy
food store or at a yoga center. Or simply ask a few friends round to
tea and share with them your ideas. See what they would like to
offer. Ask each of them to invite two or three more women and set up
an initial time, place and date. Most circles meet monthly, some
meet weekly. One circle I'm in meets eight times a year, on the two
Solstices, the two Equinoxes and the four Cross Quarter Holidays:
Candlemas, Beltane, Lamas and Samhain. These are ancient markers for
the cycles of time. We celebrate them as “The Wheel of the Year.”
They also represent the cycle of life from birth to death. The babe
is born and the seed sprouts on Winter Solstice. The pattern for
that life is set and in place by Candlemas, February eve. The youth
is learning at the Spring or Vernal Equinox. By the “lusty month
of May,” young adulthood is reached and procreation is high. Come
Summer Solstice adulthood is in full bloom, the seeds for the next
generation are set. With Lamas the first harvest bread is shared.
The year is ripe and we round the corner into elder age with the fall
or Autumnal Equinox. Old age and death come with Samhain or
Halloween, as the seed drops to the ground and all appears to be gone
as winter's snow sets in. But then with the Midwinter Solstice the
babe is born again and the wheel of the year has germinated once
more.
Round
and round we go,
We
hold each other's hand.
Weave
our lives in a circle.
Our
love is strong.
The
dance goes on.
© Josephine Laing, 2014
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