Little Bit of Magic

Today is the new moon - and a good time to cast spells or set intentions for those things you would like to draw into your life.

The general rule of thumb for casting and setting intention is that if you want to get rid of some aspect of your life that is unwanted, you 'cast' as the moon is waning (getting smaller) and by the time of the new moon it should be gone. If you want to attract something into your life, cast on or just after the new moon and watch as it sprinkles into your life in greater quantities as the moon fills up, climaxing on the full moon.

So ask yourself what it is that you would like to attract more of in your life and write it down on a piece of paper. Put it somewhere, under a mirror or a candle and set your intention of attraction. By the full moon it should be more plentiful in your life.

In general, I plan to set my intention on abundance. I find it's best to ask for blanket things rather than specifics.

For the single girls out there, an easy but effective spell/intention to do is to charge your perfume with intention.

Back before I met my husband, I set my intention on a full bottle of perfume. I said that before the perfume was finished I would meet the man of my dreams. Every morning, as I sprayed it on I was reminded of my intention, and calmed by the knowing that it would be so - but that it would take time. No one goes through a bottle of perfume in a day.

Sure enough, I was about 2/3 done the bottle when I met B. The rest is history.

And that, my friends, is a little bit of magic.

Live and Let Go...

I probably couldn't count how many times I had to ask myself to 'let go' yesterday. Letting go is such a powerful tool for so many situations, I find. It's simply the act of allowing yourself to be. I've heard some speakers refer to it as trusting god - or the universe - and trusting that everything will happen exactly as it should. You know, just letting go of expectations, letting go of worries about outcomes, just letting go of everything that keeps you from your peace.

In my case, yesterday, it was my need to stay in the moment. During yoga, I found my mind wandering to a million places - no surprise since I leave for our Vegas holiday tomorrow... But it was interfering with my practice. I had to let go of all of the worries, the distractions, the lists my mind was making.

Us control freaks have a hard time sometimes, letting go and letting things happen - but I think it can be a truly liberating experience for us when we finally do start 'letting go'.

Why the need to control everything? Out of fear, I would guess. I read somewhere that there are really only two emotions: love and fear. Every negative feeling, every worry, every anxiety is fear-based and every positive feeling is love-based. Looking at it this way, to let go is to let go of the fear.

We fear many things, on a basic human level, I think. We fear death, pain, loneliness, poverty, separation, failure, rejection, humiliation, persecution, judgment - some even fear the opposite: success, power, wealth (I know I do to a certain extent). These fears are the root for so many neuroses. And they cripple us daily.

To become more actualized in our spiritual lives, we have to start dealing with our fear. We have to start letting go of it - realizing that it's an artificial barrier, it exists only in the mind, and the mind has the power to overcome it and live a fuller life. Because we are so much bigger than our fears.

So just for fun, let's all let go of one negative thought today. I plan to let go of the constant whining happening in my head about how little sleep I got last night. Goodbye groaner!

Love Is In the Air

You'll have to forgive what promises to be an equally sappy and scattered entry as my mind is split a million different ways, what with my getting married in less than a week and all.

I wanted to talk about the other side and it's connection to love.

No doubt we all have questions, concerns even, over the fate of loved ones who've passed on. Where do they go? Is there a heaven? Is there a hell? Or do they recycle? Will they come back and see me? Do they watch over me? Do they still love us?

I've written before about the huge transformation that happened to me as a result of my close friend's death two years ago. But the greatest gift it gave me was a little bit of comfort about the nature of life after death.

Because I do believe we live on - in one form or another... And we retain the best of ourselves, the part of you that does not fear or doubt or worry. The part that does not know anger. The part that does not hold grudges or resent, or envy. It just is. And it is just love. That's all we take with us. Love.

I've been very fortunate to have met a very talented medium, a suburban mom of three, who drives a minivan and packs her kids lunches is also extremely tuned in to the other side. Her experiences would convince the most hardened skeptic, but she's not out to convert anyone or convince anyone. She just kind of does readings to pay some bills.

Through my many conversations with her, I've glimpsed just a slice of what goes on there. And it's not exactly what you might think.

For one, my friend - who committed suicide - was not in hell or anything remotely like it. And I know you've all wondered, who hasn't. Because at the heart of religion is just a lot of people showing up every week 'just in case' the church is right about sin and repentance and stuff. And a lot of us (myself included at the time of my friend's death) silently wonder how much the church and the bible got right... Including that little part about where suicides go when they die.

But I'm here to vouch for the fact that my friend is fine. He's hanging out on the other side, taking in some lessons, learning from all of his lives, taking stock of things and preparing for his next shift. And he still loves us - he still cares about the little things, like who his sister is dating and how his mother is coping. And he even cares that I'm tying the knot.

In fact, I know he'll be at my wedding on Saturday. I intend to say hello.

If I had to guess I'd say we're all divine. We're all little pieces of God. Because in my perfect universe, God is love. Nothing more. Nothing less.

To be in love, to love someone unconditionally makes you just a little more divine, doesn't it...