Winter Solstice

shutterstock_116489731The Winter Solstice will take place on the 22nd December this year at 04.38 (GMT), exactly as the Sun is overhead the Tropic of Capricorn. It will usher in the shortest day of the year and welcome in the longest night for those in the Northern Hemisphere.

The Night Has a Thousand Eyes

The night has a thousand eyes,

And the day but one;

Yet the light of the bright world dies

With the dying sun

 

The mind has a thousand eyes,

And the heart but one;

Yet the light of a whole life dies

When love is gone.

 

By Francis William Bourdillon,

Ref: Best-Loved Poems

 

The word ‘Solstice’ hails from two Latin words – ‘Sol’ meaning Sun and ‘Sistere’ meaning to stand still. The solstice is actually an astrological event that happens twice per year. The Sun will briefly be stationary before changing direction.

The word ‘Yule’ often described the Winter Solstice period, and for thousands of years people have celebrated the season as a time to come together, to be with family and to look forward to the New Year to come. The Suns rebirth was rejoiced as it meant the end of another harsh cold winter and a celebration of having survived.

Even though for most of us the changing of the season is not as important to our survival; many still like to celebrate the solstice period and to draw on the positive energy the cycle brings.

For many this will mean a trip to Stonehenge which has a sightline that points to the Winter Solstice Sunset. It is believed that both the Summer and Winter Solstice were marked by the layout of the stones and the position of the Avenue. Standing in the centre of the circle you can see the Sun rise next to the Heel Stone during the Summer Solstice and for the Winter Solstice the Sun sets between the stones of the tallest trilithon.

If you can’t go to Stonehenge there are other ways to celebrate: You could burn a Yule log (traditionally oak) in a fireplace. Decorate your home with seasonal colours of red, green and white – think holly, ivy, mistletoe and evergreens. Lastly write your goals, dreams and resolutions on a piece of paper for the coming year and keep it safe.

Inspiring Books you might have Missed…

The Five People You Might Meet in Heaven Book JacketAt this time of year the shops fill with every type of cook book imaginable, along with celebrity autobiographies and the latest block busters. But if for yourself or for a Christmas gift you want a more inspiring read, then sometimes it helps to turn back in time. Here are some fantastic reads that you might just have missed the first time around:

The Five People You Meet In Heaven, by Mitch Albom

Eddie was a war veteran who fixed amusement park rides for a living. From his early optimistic years, he now felt lonely, full of regret and as if his life had no meaning. On his 83rd birthday he dies trying to save a girl on one of the rides. He awakens in the afterlife, not to the Garden of Eden but to a place where five people from Eddie’s life would explain how their relationships changed his life path forever. The answer Eddie seeks is was his life a success or a failure and did his last act become his redemption. The answer comes from an unlikely source and is as inspiring as you imagine heaven to be.

Late Fragments, by Kate Goss

At first glance this book sounds like a depressing tale, and certainly the ending is sad, as Kate Goss is diagnosed with colon cancer and she dies on Christmas morning two years later. But this is a timely reminder of the things that should matter most to us, but that sometimes only come in to sharp focus when time is short. Kate filled her life with hope and joy in the face of tragedy. This book was a gift to herself, cancer could take a lot – but not her creativity. But in the end she left a gift for her husband, her children and all of us. She offers us thoughts on how to live a great life full of friendships and love and most importantly how to find the wonder in every day.

The Alchemist, by Paulo Coelho

For many people seeking a spiritual message, The Alchemist is one of the first places they will start and for good reason. This story is simple and yet powerful with inspiring wisdom. In the book Santiago is an Andalusian shepherd who travels from his home in Spain to Egypt in search of treasure buried in the Pyramids. On his quest he meets several people: a Gypsy woman, an alchemist and a man who calls himself King. They do not know if the treasure exists or if Santiago will be able to overcome all of the obstacles in his way to find it, but as it happens the journey turns more in to the power of listening to what’s in our hearts and following our dreams than it does about discovering worldly goods.

Jonathan Livingston Seagull, by Richard Bach

The website that accompanies this book states “This is a story for those who follow their highest love, who follow their hearts, who yearn to fly their own way, who are the pilots of their own lives and live brightly for themselves.” The book is a fable based around the premise that the path we should follow is written within. Each of us must find our own passions, loves and live a life of our choosing. The one freedom we have is to choose exactly how our lives should be, every day and to ensure that it is a life that we want to lead. Surprisingly these points are made by a special seagull, who wants to fly higher and faster than any other, but he is banished from his flock for wanting to be different!

Anne Hathaway – Scorpio

Anne HathawayAnne Hathaway has been promoting her latest film ‘The Intern’ alongside Robert De Niro. He is known for not suffering fools gladly, and you get the impression that having to do these press jaunts is something he feels is beneath him, so it is testament to Anne’s character that they go so well when they are both present. Scorpios are known for being very sensitive and so meeting someone with such a gruff personality may be not that easy. Equally Scorpios feel happiest when they are in control of a situation, something I’d imagine Anne had to learn to let go of, when Robert goes off script during an interview and gives one word answers only!

Anne can be seen as very shy and quiet, but you should not be taken in, this is just Scorpios way of protecting themselves and those important to them. This can be seen as being secretive, but generally it is because they have a fear of letting people in. In love Scorpios want their partners to be friends as well as lovers, but the relationship will be intense. In 2012 Anne married Adam Shulman, a fellow actor and jewellery designer. She has said that at the time she was not looking for love and that “Adam totally ruined my plan. I was really looking forward to a little alone time, and then I fell in love like a fool!”

Scorpios are tenacious and ambitious, and you can see from Anne’s career that she is not afraid to put herself out of her comfort zone in order to achieve. Prior to The Intern, she starred alongside Matthew McConaughey in Interstellar as part of a team of explorers that travel through worm holes in space! In 2016 she will reprise her role as the White Queen in Alice Through The Looking Glass.

In the last 24 hours the press have been reporting some diva like behaviour (exercising that need to be in control), by sending her breakfast back 4 times at the Paramount lot in Los Angeles. I’m sure this was just a blip, as previous co-stars have had nothing but kind words for her. Emily Blunt (in the Devil Wears Prada) said “Hathaway was so nice in real life it was hard to be mean to her character.”

Anne Hathaway Photo Credit: Helga Esteb / Shutterstock.com

Halloween Quiz – Answers

Halloween Carved Pumpkin

Having written about Halloween for many years, I was wracking my brain for a different take on things for this October. When it came to me! I should test how much you remember from my previous articles + what else you might know, so a Halloween quiz was born. If you missed the Questions post, then visit here first – and only come back to the Answers when you have tried your best!

Answers

A1. All Hallows Eve; All Hallows’ Day, All Saints’ Day, All Souls’ Day, Samhain, Hallowe’en & Days of the Dead.

A2. Turnips originally, now pumpkins.

A3. Souling.

A4. It would mean that your house was haunted and that ghosts had let in the bats.

A5. Because it would mean the spirit of a deceased love one was watching over you.

A6. The Crone (also known as the Earth Mother).

A7. They believed that after death, all souls would enter the cauldron and stirring would bring about reincarnation.

A8. Festival of Pamonia – Pamona being the Goddess of nature – fruit and trees.

A9. Black, navy or deep purple – all used for letting go of fear. Orange for joy and immortality.

A10. Cypress, ferns, nutmeg, sage, dittany and pine.

A11. Bobbing for apples.

A12. Saturday – October 31 – 2020.

A13. So that when evil spirits came, they would not recognise you.

A14. Samhainopobia.

A15. River Phoenix & Harry Houdini.

Halloween Quiz – Questions

Halloween Skyline

Having written about Halloween for many years, I was wracking my brain for a different take on things for this October. When it came to me! I should test how much you remember from my previous articles + what else you might know, so a Halloween quiz was born.
It’s just for fun – but no peeking and no checking Google, until you are finished!

Questions

Q1. Around the globe and within different faiths there are alternative names/dates for Halloween – name 3.

Q2. What were Jack ‘O’ Lanterns originally carved from? And what are they carved in now?

Q3. In England and Ireland a form of trick or treating began many years ago where children would go from door to door singing and saying prayers for the dead in return for cakes. What was this activity called?

Q4. If a bat flew in to your house on Halloween – what would that mean?

Q5. Many of us dislike spiders, but why might we want to see one on Halloween?

Q6. The symbol of a witch during Halloween is actually depicting which Pagan Goddess?

Q7. What does the ‘witches cauldron’ mean to The Celts?

Q8. What Roman festival are candy apples associated with?

Q9. What colour candles should you use as part of your Halloween celebrations?

Q10. What herbs/incense would you choose for Halloween rituals?

Q11. What Halloween game is associated with finding out who will marry next?

Q12. A full moon on Halloween does not occur very often – when will the next one be?

Q13. Why did dressing up on Halloween first start?

Q14. The fear of Halloween actually has an official name, what is it?

Q15. A famous American actor and a famous magician died on different Halloween’s – can you name them?

Answers in the next post…

Alesha Dixon

Alesha DixonAlesha Dixon is a Libra Star Sign

Alesha Dixon has often cited Madonna as an idol of hers, and this is interesting as Madonna is the queen of reinventing herself, and Alesha has had to go through several transformations in her career to keep going. Librans like to keep things on an even keel, so this will not always have been easy for her.

Alesha shot to fame as part of the girl band Mis-Teeq, when they disbanded in 2005 she became a solo artist. Unfortunately her solo endeavours were not as successful, and she faded somewhat from the spotlight. But this was righted in 2007 when she won Strictly Come Dancing. As a Libra Alesha would have been keen to please, it is natural to them to be team-players and cooperative, something that no doubt pleased her dance partner, judges and audience.

Librans are preoccupied by how they look; they always want to present the best version of themselves to the outside world, so it is not unusual to find a Libran celebrity in the limelight. Having said that they are not known for diva behaviour; relationships are a very important aspect of their lives and they will want to keep a harmonious balance with work colleagues, family and loved ones.

In 2009 Alesha was back in the press, but this time caught in the furore of Arlene Phillips being let go from the judging panel on Strictly with Alesha taking her place. She joined the panel in the 7th season and left after the 9th, quitting to become a judge on Britain’s Got Talent. The press widely reported that this was a financial decision with her salary likely to have been tripled to make the move. Librans can be impulsive and emotional, but this is more likely to happen in their love-lives. It is likely that this job move was well calculated and logically thought out in the Libran way.

Librans are hugely interested in others and this has stood her in good stead as a judge on both panels. But her true love is still with music and the theatre of performing, she launched a single in June 2015 called The Way We Are, and this has paved the way for a new studio album to be released on the 23rd October 2015. This is her 4th album and the first in five years. Learning from the mistakes of her past, she is releasing her music on her own record label – Precious Stone Records.

Photo Credit: Featureflash / Shutterstock.com

Pendulums

Crystal PendulumA pendulum is simply a weight attached to a piece of thread; many people use their favourite healing crystal as the weight. Used correctly it can be one of the simplest and yet most effective forms of divination.

Often a pendulum that is made by you will give you a more enhanced psychic reading. The weight and the way the weight hangs is the most important factor. It should be symmetrical so that the swing is not distorted and it needs to be heavy enough to oscillate with good momentum. Often a long pointed shaped weight will give the best results – try making one with a crystal, a pendant, a ring or even keys.

Pendulum readings have been done for over 5000 years!

Pendulum readings are based on a simple premise of the pendulum giving you a yes or no answer. When you first start you will need to establish which direction means yes and which means no. Try a few practise questions to confirm all is working as it should.

There are two other forms of questions – search and silly. A ‘search’ response is a wide swing and this means that the pendulum is busy trying to find an answer to your question. A ‘silly’ response is generally a dithery undetermined swing, which means that you have either asked it a question that cannot be given a yes or no answer or it feels it has answered the question albeit in a way that you do not yet realise. Sometimes a silly response can mean that the pendulum and you are not working well together, it is important for this reason to go through the four responses at the beginning of each session and occasionally you have to accept that it is just not a good time for a reading.

You need to come to the reading with a clear mind, so that you do not influence the outcome of the reading. The pendulum will connect with your thoughts and your spirit guides. When people are more experienced they may work with the pendulum when dowsing, to find ghosts and spirits and even as a form of hypnotherapy to create a deeper state of awareness.

When you are ready, either think of a question or say it out loud – then ask the pendulum to show you a no or to show you a yes answer in response. The possibilities are endless…

Meditation

lady meditatingMeditation sounds simple in principle – focus on one thing and block out all other thoughts! But in reality it can be harder to achieve and takes dedication and sustained practise. However the benefits far out way the commitment needed.

In some cases you may think of meditation of being a hippy thing to do, or a perhaps an extension of yoga practise. But in reality the world is a confusing and very busy place for all of us these days. Strides in technology are fantastic, but they have also created an environment where we are ‘always on’, smart phones and tablets have made it in to the bedroom that once would have been a tranquil place to rest. Just doing everyday tasks like getting lunch and coffee now provide many choices and with it many decisions.

All told many of us are stressed both in body and mind perhaps without even realising it. And this is where meditation comes in. It gives you a safe place to crowd out all of the pulls on your everyday life. In that moment you just get to concentrate on you – not your partner, your kids, or your job – just you…

A traditional pose for meditating is sitting cross legged on the floor – but find a space and position that is comfortable to you. Some people prefer a dimly lit room, others will like light, some will close their eyes, others prefer to focus on something like a lit candle – again, do whatever feels right for you. Try to carve out a period of time that will be quiet and where you will be undisturbed – and turn off any technology!

You may find it easier to relax if you do some gentle stretches and an important component is your breathing – very gradually slow down your breathing, so that you breaths in and out are calmer and more controlled.

When you first start meditating you may find it difficult to clear your mind, you will no doubt have to sit in the position for a while. Random thoughts will try and enter your head – what you are going to cook for tea, a friend you must remember to call, a sick relative, an email you forgot to send. It is not unusual for you to feel guilty for taking the time out, and to begin with you may tell yourself that you could be better spending your time on a million and one things from your ever growing to do list…

The whole point of meditation is learning to resist this inner chatter, there is no need to feel guilty for taking a small amount of time for yourself each day. With practise you will find that following your sessions any decisions that were troubling you now seem easier to take, and you will be able to prioritise what really needs to get done and frankly what can wait.

Some people find it easier to take themselves on a guided tour of their imagination – you might think of a place that you felt really happy (perhaps a beach on holiday), then can you imagine the salty taste on your lips, the gentle breeze on your skin, the smell of the suntan lotion and the gentle chatter of people in the background, the warmth of the sun and the relaxed glow you felt…Gradually allow this visualisation to carry over your whole body until all of the tension in your muscles melt away and your mind goes quiet. Keep breathing deeply and slowly and keep working to keep your mind clear of any thoughts.

Regular practise should see you reap the benefits; you should feel more enlightened and happier on a deeper level.

Gratitude Diary

grateful imageMany of us could probably write a list quite easily about the things that we consider to be wrong in our lives or things that we would like to change, the list would be different for all of us:

Feeling like your work/life balance has got out of kilter

Feeling as though there is never quite enough money coming in

Wondering if your relationship is going to go the distance

Feeling worn out and in need of a break

Struggling to manage all of your responsibilities

The list goes on…

But what if instead of making endless lists in your mind about what is wrong, you turn things around and write down on a weekly basis everything you are grateful for!

When you are stressed, tired, ill, short on time or are just going through a difficult patch it can be incredibly difficult to think you are grateful for anything. But even thinking of one thing can have enormous benefits to your health.

Dr Emmons has been studying the effects that gratitude can have on our health, wellbeing and our relationships with others for over a decade. People that keep a gratitude journal for even three weeks show positive benefits.

On the Physical Side:

Stronger immune systems

Better quality of sleep and a feeling of being refreshed on waking

Lower blood pressure

A desire to look after themselves and exercise more

On the Psychological Side:

People feel more optimism and just generally happier

They feel more joy and are able to take pleasure in more things

A general feeling of being more alert, alive and open to positive emotions

On the Social Side:

They forgive themselves and others more easily

They feel less alone and isolated

They are more helpful, generous and compassionate

To get started, you could try writing down five things you are grateful for three or four times a week. There is no need to feel pressure to write something big down, it could be as simple as ‘I am glad my neighbour has grown sunflowers this year as they make me smile every time I pass them.’

In time if you want to you can extend the practise to others, for example sending a note to a person to thank them personally will benefit both them and you? Rather than writing things down, with certain people for example your partner you may choose to tell them: try telling them three things before bedtime that you are thankful for, for example ‘I really appreciated you texting me after my meeting today to see how it went.’

Over time it is okay to alter the schedule of how often your write in your gratitude journal, but be specific, honing in on details stops you getting fatigued over the task and seeing it as a chore.

After a while you should be able to create gratitude in your head as well as on paper. When negative thoughts creep in to your day, you can counteract them with ‘What is good about my life today?’

Fun in the Sun

burnt toast representing sunburnA recent poll carried out by The Royal Pharmaceutical Society demonstrated that 80% of us did not know what SPF protection means! 56% did not realise that SPF is only in relation to UVB rays and not UVA. The end result – clearer labelling is needed on sun protection products, perhaps moving to a much simpler system of low, medium, high and very high protection taking in to account the UVA & UVB components.

Perhaps equally as concerning was that over 50% of the people are never using sun protection and 15% of those with children were not checking for a UVA rating.

So, this cause for different labelling is a great idea but it is not going to help us right now. So whether you are staying in the UK or are jetting off on holiday here is the lowdown on what you need to know to protect you and your family in the sun:

1) Go for a broad spectrum sun screen that has UVA & UVB Protection.

2) Use an SPF factor 15 as a minimum to protect against UVB rays. Sun factors rely on you knowing how long it would take for you to burn without using sun screen. So if you would normally burn in 10 minutes (unprotected), then using a factor 15 would allow you to be protected for 150 minutes. When in doubt – go higher.

3) In the UK, UVA protection appears as a star rating on the bottle, from 0 – 5 stars. The higher the star the greater the protection.

4) When purchasing sun screen – check that it is not past its expiry date. Sometimes it is okay to use last year’s sun screen; they can have a life of several years. They need to have been stored in a cool location out of direct sunlight. Check the bottle, as there will be a manufacturing logo on it showing how long it can be used for after opening.

5) You should aim to spend time in the shade when the sun is at its hottest – between 11am – 3pm.

6) Apply sun screen before you go out and reapply regularly. Most people miss bits and also use a lot less than the recommended amount. Don’t forget to protect your scalp. Sweating in the heat and swimming will also remove the product, even if you are using a waterproof version, so keep topping up.

7) It is a misconception that a ‘base tan’ will protect you. Also do not be lulled in to staying in the sun longer or applying lotion less frequently because you have used a high factor product.

8) Lastly, remember to also protect your eyes. Look for a CE or British Standard mark when purchasing. You want glasses with a 100% UV protection.

None of us want to get burnt in the sun, but occasionally we do get caught out. If you are worried, then regular checking of skin and keeping an eye on any moles is a good idea. For moles follow the ABCD route:

A = Asymmetry, check if the two halves of your mole look different.
B = Border, check to see if the border of the mole is blurred, irregular or jagged.
C = Colour, check if the mole is uneven or has more than one shade/colour.
D = Diameter, look to see if any of your moles are wider than 6mm (which is about the size of an eraser at the end of a pencil).

You are now all set, for safe fun in the sun – enjoy!

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