Maria Duval - Spiritual Tourism is a Real Crowd-Puller to India

Spiritual Tourism is a Real Crowd-Puller to India
Spiritual Tourism is a real crowd-puller to India! India and other culturally rich countries are fast finding out the importance of their spiritual traditions and beliefs in context of tourism; though, India has always been looked upon as the universal truth-finder's path and a land of inherent spirituality. This view has been reinforced by the many overseas tourists to the country who return with memories of individual sanctification and weary souls rejuvenated after having stepped on the many legendary Indian worship sites and pilgrimage centers. How the Celeb-factor has turned around the fate of Spiritual tourism: word of mouth and great publicity! The global gypsy feet owner with a penchant for finding again the reassurance of religious feelings and those on spirituality scouting for inner peace find India the ideal Yog-bhoomi (land of yogic science). Many celebrities have found the ancient wisdom of Indian spirituality personally rejuvenating and have made it world-famous by giving it publicity and international exposure in action, dressing-style, using Indian meditation and other forms of spiritual peace that is predominantly Indian; some of these youth icons include Madonna, Bruce Springsteen, Sting and Meg Ryan. Indian counterparts like Shiv Khera, Swami Ramdev, Deepak Chopra and other motivating speakers and preachers of spirituality helped in building a brand image of India as a delight for spiritual tourism seekers with their inspirational discourses, seminars, public appearances and other related promotional and educational efforts for reviving interest in Indian spiritual tourisms. A tryst with spiritual tourism in India proves to be a balm to the global traveler's soul. India's innumerable saints and seers, success at peaceful attainment at enlightenment and strong emphasis on cultural diversity in various religious monuments such as Temples, Mosques, Monasteries etc having all received benevolent patronage has resulted in many places of worship being present for curious visitors from the tourism sector. Now, thanks to proper management and eco-tourism factors, this sector of spiritual tourism has gained more recognition.

Manoj Gursahani is the Chairman of India's first ecommerce travel portal- TravelMartIndia. Visit the blog for more travel related issues, travel tips and destinations

Why Metaphysics? Part 1
What is metaphysics, and why should we bother studying it? What benefits does it have for humanity? What is its purpose? How will its teachings help advance society? How will it assist our civilization and culture to progress? How will our lives be re-created individually and collectively with the application of metaphysical principles? Questions abound concerning metaphysics, for people intuitively feel that it may have something precious to offer in terms of facilitating personal growth and self-empowerment. Among those spiritually inclined, it has become a "prime directive" to understanding their lives in terms of metaphysical principles and concepts such as multi-dimensional realities, the Higher Self, love, karma, reincarnation, etheric energies, psychicism, oneness with all, cosmic beings, the ascension, etc., and some of the causes of this higher thinking and awareness is the thinning of the cosmic veil between dimensions; the increased contact with invisible forces; the influence of intense electromagnetic cosmic energies bombarding upon our planet and solar system at this time; the influx of higher spiritual beings incarnating in the physical realm; the discoveries of many ancient secrets left hidden in monumental structures and time capsules; scientific developments in hyper-space technologies, and shifts in its paradigms, etc.

All of these are occurring on a global scale, in every nation of this planet, and it is affecting every human being. So it would seem that humanity is awakening from its long sleep of forgetfulness and ignorance. The Tree of Life of immortality, enlightenment, and illumination will be found hidden in the seeds of the Tree of metaphysical knowledge--using the word "metaphysics" in its most spiritual, gnostic sense.

For thousands of years we have sought for truth, and most of the time from the wrong persons and in the wrong places--what we received were man-made opinions and beliefs which were forced upon our minds to be accepted as the "word of God," or the way that Nature had decreed, and that there is nothing that anyone can do to change it. While in our infancy, physically and spiritually speaking, we accepted everything told to us by organized religion, elders, and pedagogues as gospel and truth and we based our philosophy of life on the indoctrination imposed upon us and which subsequently formed our false sense of "conscience," and a poor understanding of spiritual values. This caused us great soulful sufferings and torment in succeeding years in our everyday life--an intense sense of shame, guilt, fear, and sin whenever we "violated" any so-called law of God formulated by theology; and it never occurred to us to question the systems, the mechanisms, and their origins that brought about our morbid condition. This naturally lowered our self-esteem. Conscience is not similar to the concept of the "still, small voice." The latter is the silent voice of the Spirit, whereas conscience in part, is simply the engrams or programs imprinted upon the subconscious mind. Conscience is also partially our memory of the negative consequences of our past actions impinging upon our conscious mind whenever we are about to act in a negative way resembling that of the past.

But to return from our digression: in past centuries we were told lies by false prophets and the ministers of religions that mediators between God and men were necessary; that theirs was the only way to God; that their race or sect were the chosen one of God; that everything that God would reveal to humanity lies in a single book; that God punishes us for sinning and perhaps in the afterlife casts us into hell; that illness, old-age, and death were a natural part of life; that one no longer receives any new revelation from God, etc. We were told to fear God, to see everything as separated from us, to believe that we were born in sin, that the sexual act is shameful, that we were simply mortals subjected to the whims of God for the determination of our fate, that we were inherently bad--and even more--that the world was flat! While at the same time heinous crimes against the Holy Human Spirit were being committed by those very same representatives of religions such as the crimes of persecution, torture, and murder of innocent human beings who simply were more spiritually and psychically inclined or conceived the universe from a different viewpoint--and all these atrocious acts were carried-out in the name of Religion, Love and God. The Crusades and the Inquisition are dark chapters in the history of man.

One of the points that we wish to put forth here is that since time began the dark, retrogressive forces have infiltrated or have tried infiltrating every institution that have sought to improve the condition of the soul, and the expression of the human spirit in our mundane lives. They have always opposed and attacked the true representatives of God and steered seekers of truth away from them. Their purpose is to stall human evolution and progression indefinitely, that human beings cringe and cower under their manipulative control, that humans be made into slaves and automatons answering to their every whim. They work openly and subtly, physically and psychically. They make us believe that we need them--their services and wares--and we are psychologically controlled to be dependent upon them and return to them again and again for their assistance--usually for a large fee or with some loss on our part. We will not be too specific here, we simply caution our readers to "be wary, be very, very wary!" Treading the spiritual metaphysical path will assist one to be more discerning as to the understanding of what is True and what is false, what is Real and what is illusory.

Generally speaking, a portion of humanity is now more experienced in the ways of men and the world than in bygone days, and they seek for that which will release them from all their mortal limitations and errors, from that Gorgon we call "the human ego," from concepts that bind one to personal illusions and glamour, and from that state of human mortality. Many of us are beginning to realize the existence of different dimensions and multifold realities. We seek ways for improving the human condition, for perfecting human expression, and the generation of a new type of Homo sapiens whose intelligence and heart matches those of the immortal gods.

Human beings are basically seekers. Some of us thirst for that which we know not what. The "curiosity instinct" impels every one of us to learn everything we can of our environment, of ourselves, of the universe, of Nature, and of God. What fascinates and intrigues us most are the phenomena caused by forces and powers that transcends the perceptual capacity of the physical senses and the apprehension of the human mind. Humanity is intensely interested in the Intelligence that shapes human destiny--whether this "Intelligence" be considered as a being, a force, a Universal Mind, an omnipresent energy, or a collective consciousness. People are seeking explanations to their "inexplicable" experiences in the field of psychicism and the paranormal. Such occurrences as coincidences or "synchronicity" also baffles the mind as it begs for enlightenment. Those of elderly years wonder what lies for them in the "after-life," as the youthful ones wonder of their place in this world. A questioning being is a thinking being and it denotes, whether consciously realized or not, as a desire to seek, to know, and to be aware of Truth. The curiosity instinct mentioned above could well be the primitive stirrings of the divine will of the highest aspect of Man seeking to be aware of Its essential nature. The teachings of the Ageless Wisdom as taught in metaphysical, esoteric, occult and arcane schools are filled with principles that would help us understand ourselves and our omniverse.

Humanity as a whole, is jaded and sickened by the constant wars and conflicts; with the materialistic and hedonistic life that do not offer any permanent peace and happiness or solutions to the various problems facing us as we approach a new millenium with its tremendous supernal and mundane challenges. Many seek for a more profound meaning in life, for they see through their mundane activities as a brittle illusory facade presenting itself as reality. We often ask "why am I here?" "why do I exist?" "where will I go from here?" Our present systems of religion, philosophy, and science offer no real solution, consolation, solace or comfort to our hearts and soul-search, instead they tend to mislead, confine, and circumscribe the soul and mind to a certain area of life; to a limited way of living and thinking; to a sense of separatism; to a dualistic judgmental attitude; to a sense of fear and helplessness; and to a state of external dependency--it especially confines man to a mortal sense of existence--and we say this not from a sense of judgment but from an observational standpoint.

Conversely, metaphysics as a repository of "New-Age" concepts, the Ageless Wisdom, divine energies, power-centers, and angelic and cosmic support, seek to liberate us from self-imposed limitations as it offers answers to questions that troubles the human soul. The soul loves freedom for freedom is ingrained in the soul. God gave man the liberty to choose, and this privilege should not be taken away from man by any being for it is a violation of the natural order of things.

Freedom may be considered as an instinct for it is to be found in animals as well. No creature enjoys being confined in a cage. Every creature love to be free and to express the genetic joy programmed in its DNA. Nature has granted all creatures their freedom of expression but some of us would impose our will upon Divine Will by creating cages of man-made laws and regulations that do not reflect the laws of Heaven. Man-made laws may easily be manipulated by the unscrupulous for their own heinous purposes. Crimes may be committed that are "lawful," that goes undisciplined in our courts of judgment. In the laws of our society, the innocents are often made to pay for the crimes of another. Where is the love (religion), and rationality (science), and justice (philosophy) in that?

We are writing intuitively here and our statements may be interpreted and applied in various ways. In fact, statements in our literary works may seem to lack any logical structure or sequence. They may appear to be non sequitur. Logic may appeal to the thinking mind, however it is more than conceptual reasoning that we have to develop. There are higher faculties of the soul that should be cultivated and made used of, such as intuition. The cliché "reading between the lines" may seem irrational to the scientific type and yet it is this particular mode of perception that has to be practiced as a spiritual stimulus to the Soul.

There are many scholarly definitions of metaphysics and they are all valid; however, for our purpose, without explaining metaphysics in an overly-academic way, let us say that metaphysics in its more modern connotation, deals with cosmic laws and principles, with unseen forces and powers influencing ourselves and the circumstances and conditions of our daily lives, and how we may take advantage of those laws and principles by re-directing them so as to improve our holistic lives for the better. Metaphysics teaches us how to harness and apply the cosmic power lying latent within us. In its most profound spiritual aspect metaphysics teaches us the nature of Reality and how we and Nature relate to it. Metaphysics instructs us how to harmonize ourselves with the Divine Plan of God, and it reveals the true purpose of life. Metaphysics, therefore, has a dual function: it helps us to improve our lives secularly now in this physical dimension, and it also prepares us for a glorious life in the higher cosmic realms. Actually, as seen from a spiritual perspective, life has no divisions: life is one, as it is continuous. There is no death only a constant change.

The application of certain metaphysical principles assists the acceleration of one's evolution and the quantum leap to a higher level of intelligence and spiritual awareness. We emphasize the word "application," for knowledge of principles or techniques alone is of no value. Knowledge of itself is not power, it is the application of knowledge that empowers one. Spiritually, it is not what we know or the psychic powers that we possess that counts, it is what we are. We know many people possessing a little knowledge or power feel themselves highly superior to their fellow men. This is arrogance and carries the seeds of peril. The saying that "a little knowledge is a dangerous thing" is literally and evidently true; we can well understand how insufficient knowledge and a disregard for life may result in catastrophes. It was the cause of destruction of previous high-tech civilizations, historically unrecorded, as it is the cause of our present social, political, and ecological unrest.

To understand the above concept of incomplete knowledge, consider for instance the knowledge that we have to construct nuclear weapons--how much do we really know of the impact that it will have upon us and the universe should we choose to detonate one? We may presently believe that the effects of a nuclear blast be localized causing the exploded area to be radioactive for centuries to come. This is an obvious effect, but what about the not-so-obvious rippling, chain-reaction that it would cause in the physical and not-physical universes to the very end of our galaxy?

Copyright © 2006 Luxamore

Leonard Lee aka Luxamore
Metaphysical teacher, counseler, healer and merchant of occult/magickal items of Indonesia.
Magickal Items from Indonesia: talismans, mustika pearls, kerises, etc.
Magickal Bezoar Mustika Pearls from Indonesia.

Meditations: For Those Who Gossip About Others
Have you ever caught yourself gossiping about another? Have you ever talked to a friend or stranger about your next door neighbor who you thought was having an affair with the pool man? Have you ever stood around the water fountain and talked about what a colleague did at the previous nights Christmas Party? Gossiping about each other, the stars and especially the neighbors have become a common past time for us human roamers of this planet. The act of gossiping whilst may give you an immediate high this high is only short lived and over time the resentment will build inside of you between you and the person you are gossiping about but also within your own mind. The act of gossiping in the work place is a very common act but it is also a very destructive one to the harmony of that workplace. See, gossiping feeds on the negative thoughts of both you and others and as a result generates a state of mind that is negative and in all cases unproductive. Whilst one single act of meaningless gossip may not seem to have any consequences, you will find that your mind will get used to the negativity and over time this will build up and the impact on your karma can have dire consequences on your ability to grow and nurture your life and to be happy. The Meditation �" The first step in this meditation is to reflect on the act of gossiping during your meditation. Focus on the effect of the negative state of your mind whilst you gossip. Reflect on the pain that the gossiping is causing on the person not just hearing the gossip but also is the focus of the gossip. Now that you have reflected on the first account, take a moment when you have attracted a group of people to a gossiping account. Whilst you are reflecting on your gossiping account look into the eyes of the people around you. Look at how they are reacting to your gossip. Is it positive, or is it negative? Remember that gossiping cause's pain, look into the eyes of the person the gossip is about. Do you see their pain? In the third stage of this meditation it is now time for you to develop a sense of regret for your actions and for having absolutely no control over the power of your mind. To help you in developing this sense of regret reflect in your meditation on a period in which your gossiping has caused a person to break out into tears. Feel the pain that this person is feeling. Now that you know the pain your gossiping has caused it is time in your meditation to resolve that you will avoid gossiping and that you will only engage in spoken thought on topics that are positive and that will help your fellow man benefit and find a state of happiness.

Meditation Music is a great tool to help in your mediation session. Our Baroque Meditation music will help in meditating through the issues outlined in this article.

How to Rise Up after a Fall
How do you rise up after a fall? You know how easy it can be to trip and fall. Once you're down, it's not always easy to scramble to your feet or grab an extended hand to rise again. An emotional or spiritual fall can be just as sudden and painful as a physical one. "The Lord upholdeth all that fall, and raiseth up all those that be bowed down." (Ps. 145:14) What caused you to fall? Maybe it was insecurity, fear or loneliness? You may feel that you just cannot rise up from under the sheer weight of despair. Have you been lugging a heavy burden for a long time, and tried over and over again to lift it off your back, only to fall down again and again? When you fall, negative, defeatist thoughts tend to come rushing in, don't they? Do you hear yourself saying that it's no use, you're no good, or why bother? Who told you that you would never amount to anything? Who planted those seeds in your head? No matter what others have said to you or about you, you have no right to listen to them. Yes; that's right! If you're a child of the Most High God, then you are very, very special. People may have done or said things to put you down, but God says that he has a future for you. Do not listen to others or your own negative thoughts. Instead, find out what God has to say about you and speak His Promises for you into your life. God's Word says that no matter what has caused you to fall, "all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose." Yes; you are here for a purpose! He knew you before the foundation of the world, and has made you to be conformed to the image of His Son, whom He delivered up for you! (Rom. 8: 28-29; 32) If God gave you His very best; would He then not also want you to have the very best? God is not distant. If you know Him, He is living inside of you! "In him we live, and move, and have our being." (Acts.17:28) However, you cannot always be in perfect step with God. David found that out. He fell numerous times, even though he was anointed to be King over Israel and had a close walk with Him. Throughout the Psalms we find him crying out to the Lord to deliver him from the power of his enemies. In Psalm 142 he cries out loud that his spirit is overwhelmed, there is no one to help him, and that he feels as if his soul is in prison. David was depressed big time and had almost given up all hope. But by the time he finished telling the Lord about his problems, he ends up saying, in today's terminology, "Listen to me, Lord, you are my protection and all that I need. I've been doing it my way and look where it has got me. You fix it for me, and I will give you all the praise; I know without a doubt that you will send upright people to help me because I know that it's your nature to always give more than I can even think or ask!" Oh David knew God so well! Yes, he had allowed himself to stray away and do his own thing, but in his distress he knew what to do. Allow his experience to be a valuable lesson to you. What worked for him will work for you! So, how do you rise from your fall? Cry out loud to God, and tell Him all your troubles. He's your Daddy; He's there for you and wants you to tell him �" even though He already knows what you're going through. Then speak the Word of God to Him, reminding Him that you know His promises for you. You can find a verse that applies to your situation and fill in your name. For example, you can paraphrase Jer. 29:11: "For I know the thoughts You think about me, Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give me an expected end." In the process of talking to Him and meditating on His Word, your faith will be stimulated and, like David, you will feel the assurance and peace that God will come through speedily and powerfully. Remember always that: in all things you are more than conquerors through him that loved you! (Rom. 8:37)

Author of With Wings As Eagles, a testimony of living a life of abundance and miracles. Her e-zine teaches how you can do the same: http://www.lifealteringwords.com

Archetypal Symbology: For the Renewal of the Body, Mind and Soul
According to modern research, the mind operates at all times on some electro-magnetic frequency. These vibratory frequencies are measured in brain waves or other types of waves from the electromagnetic spectrum. These frequencies are determined by the level of consciousness upon which the individual is operating. Dr. David Hawkins, who mapped the human consciousness, outlined the vibrational frequencies of various states of mind. His map was designed to help us determine the frequency upon which our minds are ordinarily functioning. Beliefs determine the style and level of our daily electromagnetic functioning. My hypothesis here is that we can raise our consciousness-level significantly by changing our belief systems through the meditative practice of symbology. Certain pictures carry archetypal energy frequencies. By exposing our right brains (which respond to picture language) to certain images or symbols while in a meditative state, we can un-program, or re-program, our subconscious mind where many of our negative belief systems are stored. The theory behind archetypal psychosymbology can be expressed in this simple manner: All phenomena either conceal or reveal the Infinite. When you use your finite sight, the Infinite is concealed; when you use your Infinite Vision, the Infinite is revealed. Sight is the activity of the physical eyes and the programmed human mind. With sight we only see what we already believe, as we perceive through the left-brain and the subconscious mind. Vision is the activity of the observer or the spirit, which is perception through a less programmed right brain and through our superconsciousness. Archetypal symbols are images, which have universal meaning and value which are hardly known to the left-brain, but to which the right brain has direct access in the Superconscious. These symbols, if flashed to your right brain in a quiet meditative state, will work to bring about a change in your state of vibratory frequency, which includes your feelings, behavior and circumstances. In other words, your beliefs, your feelings, your body, your mind, your health, and your life circumstances seek to function in an integrated manner, although the ego system is basically in conflict with our original nature. This conflict is registered according to our chronic bioelectrical level of adaptation. For example, if you are chronically angry, functioning at 150 (as per Dr. Hawkins's map), it will affect your body, your relationships, your finances, and your environment (car, house, job, sex life, etc) accordingly. My thesis is that our entire ego belief system with which we have been brain-washed is in conflict with our basic essence and that this conflict is registered for our benefit through our stressful vibratory energies and symptoms. By meditating on any of these selected archetypal images on a regular basis, you will raise your vibratory energy level, and your entire life will improve. These archetypal pictures include the Door Symbol, Fire and Light Symbols, Water Symbols, Love Images, Power Symbols, Abundance Images, Color Images, Relaxation Symbols, Transformation Images, Sound and Music Symbols, Breath and Rebirth Symbols, Health and Healing Symbols, Peace and Joy Images, Wisdom and Balance Symbols. For the best results, select one of these symbols per month and flash it to your right brain for five to ten minutes before going to sleep, while you are in a calm, relaxed state of mind, following a two minute period of continuous inhales and exhales, with no breaks in between. Follow the same relaxation procedure when you first awaken, using a different symbol or image each day. During the day, feel free to recall and flash either of these symbols to your right brain to re-enforce their impact. Incredible experiences of change have been reported through this simple practice of re-programming the often negative subconscious mind. I have posted a gallery of archetypal symbolic images on a special blog: Archetypal Symbols Spend ten minutes in the morning and ten mintues before going to bed with over a period of a week with each of the images posted in my blog. Keep in mind…"One picture is worth a thousand words." And consider how you might benefit if you do this exercise twice a day. The effort is not a no-brainer; it is a right-brainer. The practice is designed to be: Magical, not logical; Symbolic, not literal; Metaphorical, not verbal; Integrative, not analytical; Circular, not sequential; Absorbed, not just read; Transformative, not just informative; a Right-brainer; not a left-brainer; Meditative, not argumentative; Revelatory, not repetitive.

Carroll J. Wright, Ph.D. is a professional counselor, spiritual psychotherapist, and researcher in the field of transpersonal psychology,as well as author of several books. He can be reached at: http://myspiritualpsychotherapy.com

A General Introduction To Meditation
Meditation is the primary means of cultivating the inner peace and happiness that we all long for. Inner peace and happiness are found to be resident parts of our inner nature when we are able to take away the barriers in our nervous system from the purifying influences of yoga practices. Inner stillness is the essence of enlightenment, and how do we nurture this in ourselves? - Through deep meditation. Scientific studied even found explanations to confirm some benefits of meditation. These studies point out that meditation shift the brains activity from the stress-prone part to the calmer part of the brain. This mind exercise lessens the effects of stress, anxiety, and depression. They further found out that the brain processes lesser fear due to the changes in the brains activities. Meditation is merely conscious relaxation. It is a process which involves the mind to achieve a state of serenity or bliss. This may sound like someone being sedated. Actually it does. Meditation is a deeper form of concentration. If we are to give a concrete way to illustrate it, lets use water as the example. If you start pouring water from the pitcher to a glass, the first few drops would be considered concentration, however a steady flow is obtained after that which is likened to meditation. The unsteady first drops and the small splash they make are considered the distractions in concentration. A deeper state, which is the steady flow in the example, characterizes meditation. Thus, it clearly frees the mind from any clutter and distractions. Stress has always been one of the reasons that people are resorting to meditation. A lot of unpleasant consequences have resulted in ones inability to cope up with stress. Some have found solace in taking calming medications or pills to temporarily get rid of these thought s and feelings. But unfortunately, these only provide fleeting relief. After the medicines wear off, it is back to the pit again. Unless you try to overcome these negative thoughts and feelings with your mind, it will always succeed in getting the better of you. So how do you go about meditation? It is simpler than people thought it to be. You only find a quiet spot, sit comfortably, relax your emotions and concentrate on an object to meditate on. It is important to just think of a single object and concentrate on it. Some distractions like other objects will come into focus. Drive your mind away from those. They will only break your concentration. You can still hear the sound around you, but when youre deep in thought about your object of meditation, even those will not disturb you. It is always important to prepare yourself before doing meditation. Getting yourself in the right mind set and setting a spiritual atmosphere will help a lot in the practice of meditation. To do this sit in Easy Pose with a straight spine. Hands are in the lap, palms up, right hand resting on top of left and the thumbs touch and face forward. Overall meditation is often cheaper than a other forms of relaxation. If you use tools like CDs or cassettes or if you ask the help of a friend to guide you, it wouldnt cost you as much as a private session would. Though, these private sessions are considered as meditations as well. Meditation can make you understand the basics of meditation more clearly. It can help you get rid of all distractions and meditate more effectively. Most of the meditation has particular goals, from physical healing to spiritual-related goals. While meditation may be used to achieve healing, the guides are not the healers though. Your naturally healthy state is just being restored through the flow of energy freed by your meditation.

Jason Story found his lifestyle change when he found Pilates & meditation and uses a mari winsor pilates techniques as much as possible. You can visit his sites at: Pregnancy Winsor Pilates.

The Pros And Cons Of Witchcraft Covens
The upside of joining a Coven is that it can give you some discipline when practicing your craft. For example, you will be celebrating every Sabbat, and making sure to do your daily devotions. It can be a rewarding experience to meet with like-minded people �" no matter what you do.
Also, the High Priest and High Priestess will always be there to help guide you on your path.
The downsides of joining a Coven are mostly the politics involved. There can be squabbles, and problems within the group (for example, arguments over who should lead, etc). There may also be people who join who have a lot of emotional baggage, and actually bring negative energy into the group. This can corrupt the energy that the Coven is working with �" in short, it may bring everyone down.

The last downside of belonging to a Coven is that it can be a large commitment of time and energy. You will be expected to participate and even donate some money towards expenses and materials.

Where To Find Covens

You can easily find Covens in your area by checking them out online. To start, just go to www.witchvox.com and sign up if you aren’t already (it’s free). You can also try to “google” the name of your city along with the word “Coven”. For example your search may be “New York Coven”.

You may have many covens in your area, and may have a choice as to which one you want to join.

Once you have at least once Coven to visit, contact them and find out if you can join. Then go visit and talk to the High Priest/Priestess and find out what the Coven is all about, and if you feel comfortable with it.

Here are some of the questions you can ask on your visit to the Coven:

1. What does your group have to offer me?
2. What is your philosophy of witchcraft?
3. What tradition do you practice?
4. What do you feel that I have to offer your group?
5. What are your requirements for degrees?
6. How long is the dedication period?
7. What are the expectations of members in your group?
8. Are there membership dues?
9. What is your lineage?
10. What is your teaching style?
11. How do you define covenstead?

What Covens Do Together

It would be more accurate to ask what covens do not do together! Make ritual candles one full moon. If you do not practice skyclad, make your robes together. If you do practice skyclad, make robes for when you do visit other covens. Make soap or other Yule gifts together. Buy a case of tomatoes from the Farmers market and can them as a group. Throw parties. Make ritual bath salts, make incense, go visit other covens or Renaissance festivals as a group. Cook a weeks’ worth of meals for somebody mourning a loss or celebrating a baby. Become active in the pagan community. Make ritual jewelry together. Design and build a sacred space in your covenstead. Go to movies. Go out to dinner. Switch off babysitting. Adopt a road and pick up the litter. Hold a group yardsale. Help your fellow coveners move. Practice random acts of kindness. Enjoy!

Rose has been practicing different forms of Witchcraft for over 27 years. For more information on witchcraft schools visit her site The Ask Rose Ariadne Witchcraft Site"

Face Your Fear
Have you ever asked yourself “why do some people just find it so easy to talk” I have stood back so many times and just watched people talk. They looked so natural. It seemed so easy for them. As for public speakers �" well they were just in another league. How could they just stand there in front of so many people and the words flow out of their mouths so easily, the confidence they oozed. It just wasn’t fair. How did I end up with the stumbling, speechless mouth? This was my belief for many years. That was until I started to really really want to conquer this communication thing. I wanted to find out why I was different. I started searching and asking questions and found that I wasn’t so different. Most public speakers I have talked to said they were so nervous before they did their speech, even the ones I thought were brilliant, I overheard asking for reassurance as they left the podium “was I ok, did you hear the bit when………., I stuffed that up” etc etc. As for one on one conversations when someone knew no one, I found out that people usually have 2 or 3 key questions they ask before the conversation starts to flow. For example, hi I’m ……… do you mind if I join you? Or hi I’m …………. isn’t this a great party/meeting/event ……..…… So I started to really, really listen and observe how people looked so natural. I slowly stepped forward and started talking, I built up my confidence and soon talking became so much more natural. I reflected back and realized the following: I had put all the fear in to my own head. There were many people who felt the same way. I asked myself these key questions. What am I afraid of. What is the worst thing that can happen if I speak up? I thought back to my childhood, what had happened all that time ago that could have affected me for so long. It was quite simple really. As a child I was told “children should be seen and not heard”. I was raised in a family where we were not allowed to have an opinion as children and if we said anything, “out of line” we were punished! So I learned to “shut up”. Fast forward to adulthood, in my subconscious I still had the thought that if I said the wrong thing at the wrong time then it would cause conflict. I am still not a confrontational person, I love peace not war. So instead of saying the wrong thing, I said nothing. In a group or big crowd, I would so want to contribute so badly, but my fear kept me paralyzed. Until I asked myself those key questions What am I afraid of ? What is the worst thing that can happen? So I stepped outside of my comfort zone and took the first step. I opened my mouth and talked!! I have never looked back. Now I can speak up in front of people, even in a crowd. Saying that though, I still do not speak up if I feel there will be confrontation. This is something I still need to learn to deal with and feel comfortable with. I have no hesitation now asking a question or becoming involved in any conversation that I feel comfortable in. In fact I am finding it fun and surprising myself by becoming quite the chatterbox!! So ask yourself “why can’t I say what I really want to say”? It is only sounds coming out of your mouth that make words Are you afraid of the words, or are you afraid of the consequence and what may occur if you say what you really want to? Ask yourself “what is the worst thing that can happen if I say this?” Expect the best outcome (9/10 times the worst never ever happens) and Face your fear. Speak up and feel the freedom. To say what you have always wanted to say visit www.alwayswantedtosayit.com

Annette & Tracey have overcome obstacles and wanted to share their insirational lessons with you through their website www.alwayswantedtosayit.com

Trust the “System” �" It Works!
The “System” �" the overall structure and organization of this great creation that we’re a part of… including our ability to personally interact with (and benefit from) the spiritual aspects of this creation (universal consciousness, God, whatever you’d like to call it). Here’s the story behind our move to the Ozarks. It all started with a single comment as we merged onto the 101 and pointed the van westward from Phoenix toward a short vacation in California. “What the hell are we doing here?” I had lived in the Phoenix metropolitan area for over 30 years and was ready for a change to a slower-paced lifestyle, less traffic and congestion and yes, a lower summertime temperature. Don’t get me wrong. Phoenix is a great place to live �" a great climate, good employment opportunities and plenty to do year around. It’s just that now, on that early September morning, I was starting to feel an urge to be somewhere else. Where �" I had no clue. “So where would you like to be?” I asked my life companion. “Well, I remember driving through a small town in Missouri about 30 years ago that I thought was really nice. I can’t remember the name of the town but maybe if I look at a map it will come back to me.” Obviously since we’re talking about changing zip codes, she recognized the name of the town and to make a long story really short �" we moved. Pretty simple, huh? We moved �" to a town I’d never been to and that she had spent maybe all of seven minutes driving through. And �" we bought a house �" without ever having seen it in person. Sure, we did our research and were fortunate to have someone available fairly close by to check out the house. And we were fortunate to have complete strangers work closely with us to make sure the process was completed in a reasonably efficient manner. We moved �" and are now living in an absolutely beautiful part of the country, in a great small town in a nice older home surrounded by absolutely super neighbors and friends. No big deal you say? Thousands of people move every day. You’re absolutely right. But how many thousands don’t move �" or don’t do those really nice things they could do because they’re afraid to make a change? Because they’re afraid that things might not turn out as well as they’d like? Because they’re afraid to step outside of their comfortable little womb to experience a different lifestyle, a different job, a different group of friends, or a different environment? How many people hold themselves prisoners in their present situation because they lack the confidence in themselves �" and in the “system” �" to carry them on to a more enjoyable destination? To new opportunities to experience new situations and to learn from them? The likely answer is “far too many”. What a pity. I am thoroughly convinced that each one of us has the ability to interact with what I have referred to as the “system” to a degree that will provide us each with tremendous benefits. All we need to do is follow our instincts, our gut feelings, our “knowing” and let the system work for us. Sure, we need to do our part and do our research and sometimes even really bust our buns to get to wherever we feel we should be. But that’s just the normal doing �" the actions that are a necessary part of making any change or achieving any goal. Are you ready for a change? So go for it! The system is already in place to help you…

Gene Simmons, through NuPathz.com, provides an easy reading self-help blog, articles, quotations, thoughts and links along with affordable personal growth and self improvement books & materials - all designed to help folks find the road to a more enjoyable lifestyle, to pass on some of life’s “secrets for survival” in a chaotic world & offer a few smiles along the way. It's a down-to-earth, simple approach to discovering a better life. You can visit Gene at http://www.nupathz.com/

Dawning of a New World
Whenever I speak with people, I find the greater majority are concerned about the state of the world today. There does seem to be a great deal of crime and confusion. What do you think? I contend that in spite of all the badness that the word is getting better. First of all, we hear about the evil goings on because the world is so much smaller. Bad things have always happened. It is that now technology brings this news to our ears. There isn’t a small town or large city, which doesn’t have its gruesome tale of some atrocity. In former times they did not necessarily reach the ears of the entire world, in fact, sometimes never reaching past the invisible walls of its own inhabitants. This article is not to elaborate on the evils in this universe. Instead, I contend that in spite of the wickedness, which has existed since the beginning of man, the world is improving. We are in the dawning of a new world, one where truth is sought like never before. It is true that men have always sought after truth. In part they have found truth. Once having found truths man wrapped it up in neat little packages with elaborates labels. We are no longer satisfied with bits and pieces of Truth. Time has come when we want real Truth, not pretty wrappings. We today want the essential reality our human soul craves. We want a truth we can use in the building of our lives. Today the world is moving forward towards an accurate adjustment of the human soul to truth. We are seeking the supreme truth that the body demands for health, the mind for development, and the inner self for peace and power. It is this drive for Purity of Truth that is bringing a new dawning. A new enlightened condition is developing as we seek and find the reality of Truth. A new day of splendid, happy and growing spiritual life is bursting over the earth. Souls are coming free. Hearts are growing in courage. We are learning to think in purer form. We see this new Dawn evidenced in the hunger for spiritual enlightenment. Self-help, motivational and inspirational information is sought after like never before. We are seeking Truth with mightiness, and producing courage and power in our lives as a result. As man continues to seek the essence of Truth it will serve to produce higher thoughts. These loftier thoughts will then contribute to greater worldwide happiness as we consciously harmonize with the true and good and beautiful. As we become more solidly founded in Truth I would look forward to evil being eradicated from our lives. Evil is a derangement in an individual’s life induced by his wrong thinking. As Truth grows more in each of us evil will in time be banished forever, along with the other fruits of erroneous thinking, such as physical diseases. May we all practice higher thoughts in our pursuit of Truth and make application of it in our lives. In this way we can make our contribution to the happy, peaceful, enlightened New World in which there will be, “…no more death, or mourning, or crying, or pain, for the old order has passed away”. Revelation 20:4

Doran Roggio, writer and entrepreneur provides resources for success in life and business at http://personalsuccess.healing-truths.com and http://self-improvement.healing-truths.com