Working with colour: Orange

This week the Pagan Blog Project is up to 'O' and I thought it was about time I posted about one of my favourite colours! Orange... I did a bit of research into colours, their chakra correspondence and their energetic vibrations, a while ago and this is what I came up with:

Orange is associated with the Sacral Chakra, found a few inches below the navel. It is the centre of creativity, vitality, sensuality, appetites and desires. In the tarot, it represents passion, creativity and family connections. If you see orange a lot, it may be a message to further enhance these qualities in your life. It can, according to Inna Segal, indicate that shock or trauma is holding you back from moving forward in life and using orange can help bring up associated emotions for healing. On a physical level, it can help with digestive issues, breathing conditions and fertility. It also helps with fear and depression by creating optimism, enthusiasm, courage and determination. It helps to create bonds of love and connect you to your wisdom and intuition.

Orange clothes are a good way to utilise the energy of the colour. Orange directly on your Sacral chakra will help balance this chakra, however any orange clothing will do the trick!!

Wearing orange, particularly around the Sacral Chakra, can help to alleviate these issues and increase your vitality and optimism for life. You can also visualise breathing orange into your Sacral or Heart Chakra with the intention of healing any associated issues. You can also wear an orange crystal, such as a Carnelian or Orange Calcite, or eat more orange food. Remember, intention is key! Just ask that the orange clothing, food or crystal heal your ailment and trust in the universe to provide! 

There is a lot more to Orange than the above, I am sure, however, I find that it is great for increasing courage so when I am feeling a bit fearful, I wear it with the intention it increase my courage and allow it to do its work. There are a lot of changes going on in my life at the moment, so perhaps this is why I have been drawn to it for some time...

The Importance of Indigo - Pagan Blog Project

I am not sure if you are aware, but apparently scientists have taken Indigo out of the colour spectrum as it is not a definable colour between the blue and purple (this is only rumour for me, but considering the fate of Pluto, I am assuming the worst!). It got me thinking about the impact of this on the chakras and other aspects of paganism, spirituality and life in general.

Also, the Pagan Blog Project focus this week is 'I' and it seems 'coincidental' to me now that I should choose this week to think about colour therapy and my relationship with indigo in general... so here goes!!

For me, it appeared at first to have little impact as my brow chakra had always appeared as purple anyway, and my crown white, so I was not really used to working with indigo for this. So I forgot about it and got on with my life.

Lapis Lazuli, what I affectionately call my 'Atlantis Temple'

Then, very recently, I started to look at the meanings of particular colours, their vibrationary meanings, healing ability etc etc and stumbled upon an important personal truth. Even though I do not work with indigo, and very rarely have I since seen my brow chakra appear this colour (it has happened once or twice), it has it's own merits in the world and should be included and honoured among the basic colours used in healing, magick and other aspects of life. It is used to increase spiritual knowledge and awareness, intuition, inspiration and imagination and also has been said to soothe physical pain (through visualisation and intent of course!). And although it is a tertiary colour and I usually only work with primary and secondary ones, I still feel it has it's place in our lives. To me, colours like violet, turquoise and to come degree pink (although I do like to use this to differentiate between the types of love you would want to encourage) just seem to be watered down versions of their primary or secondary counterparts. Yet,  indigo seems to have its own specific vibration and magickal use, separate to the others. It just 'feels' as if it is important enough to include in my 'colour chart'! 

Perhaps this will lead me to further explore tertiary colours on a larger scale in time, but for now I'm taking a 'keep is simple stupid' attitude... I'll revisit the tertiary colours issue when and if it arises.

For now I am happy with my inclusion of Indigo in my work, and I hope you all do too, no matter what 'scientists' say!!!

Chakra Fundamentals: Heart Chakra - H is for Heart Chakra

If the other weeks brought confusion or indecision about what topic to write for the Pagan Blog Project, this week was easy! I am working on going through all the chakras eventually, but will wait til the appropriate letter to submit something (obviously...lol). I have also worked on its western name, for ease of access more than anything else... So, here goes......

The Heart chakra, also known as Anahata (usually pronounced anna-hat), is located in the centre of the chest, vibrates green, sometimes with pink flecks, and its symbol is the 12 petalled lotus flower. On a physical level, it is responsible for the heart, ribs, chest, upper back, circulatory system, lungs, immune system, the respiratory system and thymus. Emotionally, it governs all matters concerning love, including unconditional love, forgiveness, relationships, compassion and tolerance, however, negative emotions such as anger and hate can dwell here as well. Any imbalances in the heart chakra are indicated by physical pain or illness in these areas as well as feelings of being unloved or unlovable, issues with hate, forgiveness and compassion.

As with the other chakras, there are a few very simple ways you can balance this chakra. Possibly the easiest is to wear green, such as but not limited to a t-shirt or bra as it sits directly over the chakra, with the intention of balancing Anahata. Crystals, such as rose quartz and malachite (among many others) will also help to balance this chakra. I have also had some success with Tiger’s Eye. Specifically used for the Solar Plexus, I find that whenever I wear Tiger’s Eye I laugh a lot more, and that has got to do something for my heart as well right?? Play around with a few other crystals and see what ones make you happy or more prone to laughter and use these in conjunction with other heart chakra methods, after all, isn’t happiness the key to love? Or one of them anyway...

You can also balance Anahata through the food you eat. Eating green food with the intention of it balancing your chakra will be of great use, however, what might work more is to have an appreciation and love for the food you are eating. Take a few seconds to thank the universe, or the tree or animal themselves for providing the sustenance for you. This prayer is about giving gratitude for what you have and being more aware of the good in your life. This will also lead to feelings of happiness and love which will open your chakra more!

Here is a list of a few other easy ways to balance your chakra:    

• Breathe into the heart chakra
• Hug people. You will need to be IN the hug. Some people just put their arms around others and hope for the best. The next time you hug someone, be in the moment and feel the love inherent in the hug! Open yourself up and allow yourself to feel and be love!! 
• Write letters of appreciation to those who have helped you
• Apologise to those you have hurt
• Offer to help people
• Tell loved ones that you love them
• Own a pet and play and pat them
• Own plants and water them with love
• Be willing to forgive

Another interesting issue with the heart chakra is receiving love. It is all well and good to give it to others, but in order to have a properly balanced chakra you need to be ready to receive love. This has been an issue for me my whole life it seems, especially self-love in a culture that frowns upon people who ‘love themselves’ as ‘stuck up’. Love of self does not mean you think you are any better than anyone else, it just means (among other things) you have self-respect and understand your own worth. I have recently discovered that love of self gives you a deeper understanding and appreciation of love when you experience it for yourself from yourself. It helps you to better understand what it means to love and what your own expectations are concerning receiving love from others. Through the self-acceptance that comes from self-love, you can more easily accept others for who they are (tolerance and acceptance) which increases your capacity for unconditional love on a much larger scale.

But how to rectify these issues? There are a few easy ways, some may seem weird, difficult or unnatural but start small and work your way from there. 

1.  Look in the mirror and find one thing that you like (at first, later turn it to love) about yourself and focus on that aspect for a few minutes. If you can find more than one, then by all means honour them all! If not, after a week, make it two things, then three etc etc.
2. Wear clothes that make you feel good about yourself, that you feel are flattering for your figure or emphasises your assets. Include any make-up or particularly flattering hair styles.
3. Stand naked in front of a mirror and admire your body for what it is, lumps, bumps and all. Remember, you are the God or Goddess manifest! Loving yourself and accepting yourself for who and as you are allows you to accept them on such terms and gives you a closer relationship with them. 
4. Number 3 also works in a bath or shower situation, and may be a better first step for you if you particularly loathe mirrors. As you wash yourself, note your body shape and tone, any blemishes you have, honour any scars you have and just feel the love and acceptance wash over you as the water falls over your skin. You must, however, graduate to the mirror scenario eventually!!
5. Write down a list of your characteristics, flaws and all. Do not categorise or judge them, just write the list down. When you are done, read over them and send love to each of them. They all make up who you are and you must honour them. The one/s you do not like, you can work on (or may be at this very moment!), but in the meantime they are who you are, they make up a part of you, so honour them all and accept them. 
6. Put on your favourite music and dance around the house. Do not judge yourself, just feel the movement of your body and let the love flow!
7. Record your voice and play it back to you. This will need to serve a purpose though... it would seem silly just to record a random conversation and play that back!! I remember reading in one of her books that Doreen Virtue learnt to love her voice, and herself more, by recording and listening to a list of affirmations every day! This may work, but if affirmations are not your thing, then why would you start now? So, the next time you find a meditation in written form, instead of memorising it and doing it this way, record yourself saying it over nice music. Do the meditation to your own voice and remember to give your voice and yourself love as you hear it! If there is a ritual or anything else that you could record and complete in this same way, then do so! I am sure the added love you feel will serve to empower your ritual.
8. I recently read a book called Unleashing the Sex Goddess in Every Woman by Olivia St Claire. It was very confronting to me, whose own views on sex and masturbation have been in conflict throughout my life. The one thing I learned from this book is that love of the physical self is important for loving and accepting yourself and who you are (it will also help you to understand how your body works so you can tell your partner and make your love making all the more exciting! Anyway, back to the issue at hand... ) So, the next time you take some time out to pleasure yourself, instead of seeing your favourite movie star in your mind’s eye (although this can be very fun!), just be with yourself and feel what you are doing to yourself. Be in the moment and feel the love as you bring yourself to climax. This brings your spiritual and physical self closer together, giving you a better understanding of how the two are actually one, inseparable. A lot of people honour their spiritual selves and neglect their physical body (or vice versa), which to me now is an example of gross misconduct! OK, so I over exaggerate... again... But there is still truth in what I say. You can’t have one without the other in this life, so acknowledge, honour and love both!!
9. Do #8 in front of a mirror... Send yourself love and acceptance as you watch your body and facial expressions. This is not for the faint-hearted, so be sure that you are comfortable looking at yourself in the mirror before doing this. Remember, the goal is to increase your feelings of self-love. Do not do this if you feel it will shatter everything you have worked for... It can wait until you are ready!
10. This may be the most important one… Sit in a quiet place, where you will not be interrupted and put yourself into a meditative state. Play your favourite meditation music, burn incense (possibly rose for love!), light a candle (again, rose or a red one!) and wear or have on your person one of the aforementioned crystals. When you are ready, send the love out of your heart chakra into the universe or to a person, animal, place or situation that inspires love for you. Just send it out there for a few minutes. Then, draw it back into yourself. You can do this by seeing Anahata's green and pink flecked colour circling to the object or situation and back into yourself (through your back may help if you are particularly visual). Also, breathing out the love and then back in can help if you are not particularly visual. The how does not really matter, what is important is that you send it out and also RECEIVE IT BACK free of judgement or category, just allow it to come back. Sit in this energy of love for as long as you feel the need then bring yourself back. Thank the universe and deity for the experience and whenever you are feeling a bit down or overly negative about yourself, remember this moment and allow the familiar feelings to wash back over you. For a particularly fun twist, combine this with #7 and do the meditation this way! 

This one was longer than I thought it would be, but in writing it I realise the heart chakra is about more than just giving love, but also receiving it. The two aspects work hand in hand to promote love on a daily basis. It has definitely opened my eyes to the true nature of Anahata and love in general, as I hope it does for you. So a big THANK YOU to the PBP for allowing this to happen! 

If you have any other ways of balancing Anahata, please feel free to include them in the comments below.

Blessed be and Love to all!! 

(Most information is gathered from personal experience and discussions with teachers and like minded people, however, a good book to read to get an overall idea of the chakras is Janet Boyer’s ‘The Chakras’. Also, the following website is also of great use - Chakra Balancing - Heart Chakra Anahata) 

G is for Gossip

I have looked through the prompts for this fortnight's Pagan Blog Project and most, if not all, seemed alien or personally uninteresting to me. (no offence intended!!) Probably more to the point, I harboured an assumption that they would all be addressed elsewhere in due course. So I got to thinking about 'G' words and what I could write about, what was most interesting to me. Then it hit me - Gossip.

Now I do not want you to think that I like gossip or that the act of gossiping is among my hobbies, because this is far from the truth! I have an intense dislike for gossip, mostly as it seems to me a sign of an uninteresting life. If someone has to talk about other people's lives, then to me it is a sign of an unhappy life! They are probably a) bored with their own lives or b) need to deflect attention off of themselves and what they are doing, which may be against their outward morals!!

Most people avoid gossip out of some sense of superiority or as a part of an unwritten code to which they only half heatedly adhere. Others choose to live by the code 'do unto others...' And in my first draft I counted myself among them. Upon further reflection I realise that I don't care if people gossip about me, which in my mind invalidates the saying all together! If what I do is so interesting to others they want to spend their valuable time gossiping about me, so be it!! I send them all love and compassion and hope to the Gods they will find their way! 

For me, gossip avoidance is about two main personal needs. Firstly, I think not is as simple as not having enough time to worry about what others are doing! Time spent gossiping is time better spent talking about something of worth to me, i.e. what we will do on our next Sabbat, what awesome meditation experiences we have had or helping someone gain clarity in some area of their life. 

Secondly, and to me most interesting, I can actually feel the energies in the room plummet when people start to gossip. I have recently become aware of the energetic value of gossip and choose to participate in something a little more UP! 

I understand people need help with some things that often involve other people, and as long as the conversation remains solely on you and how you will fix the situation, then vent away! A lot of people, myself included, gain great clarity from discussing their feelings about situations with others. My line is usually drawn when people start discussing things that have nothing to do with them! There is a difference between gossiping and seeking guidance in a situation, and energetically you can feel it!!! 

So next time you are around people who gossip, be aware of the energy in the room and feel it shift with the change in topic!! Try your best to bring it back up and remember, you have a right not to be involved in the conversation!! :)