“I believe the very purpose of life is to seek happiness.  That is clear. Whether one believes in religion or not, whether one believes in this religion or that religion, we all are seeking something better in life.  So, I think the very motion of our life is towards happiness. 

 Happy Thanksgiving and may peace find rest in you…

Pendulums can be invaluable tools to connect you with guidance and your own intuition.  I use my pendulum not only to clear chakras and negative energies, but also for problem solving and decision making.  Sometimes I can not be neutral about a specific topic - the pendulum helps me to get out of my ego and become open to spirit.

 Getting to know you…The pendulum is like any quality relationship – it takes time to find that comfort level and trust. 

 First establish your “yes” and “no.”  Hold the pendulum with the weighed side hanging free from your hand (able to swing 360 degrees) - then ask the pendulum to show me my “yes.”  The pendulum could begin moving in a certain constant motion like back and forth or a circle.  However, beginners often psych themselves out, so ask the question, then instead of staring at the pendulum for movement – look away, maybe out a window or close your eyes and imagine a chalk board being erased (any clearing image will do…)  Remember to breathe.  Now return your attention to your pendulum.  Chances are it will be swinging in a certain direction.  If the movement doesn’t seem noticeable enough ask to see a “big yes.” 

 Once you are able to establish your “yes,” use the same technique to discover your “no.”  If you are running in to difficulties, relax, it takes time and maybe try working with a friend.  Both of you can find your “yes” and “no” together, but remember your “yes” and “no” may not swing the same way.  It is very individual. 

 Try to keep to more neutral subjects for guidance in the beginning.  For example, instead of asking the pendulum if you should dump your relationship, try asking questions about which restaurant to go to or vitamins to take.  By keeping to the lighter subjects that you are not invested in the answers and you can more readily accept the results.  Try to follow the guidance that you receive and begin to see what happens…Like any friendship, you are building a foundation of trust.

 Oh, and expect to be surprised.  You will soon discover as you work with a pendulum the answers you receive will not always be what you are expecting.  Sometimes the answers you receive will be contrary to your view point and I encourage you to keep an open mind. 

 Your most important quality when working with this tool is discernment.  The pendulum will not be right 100% of the time.  I think sometimes the answers force you to examine what is really going on internally and discover your own truth.  That is your part – discernment.  A friend does not make all the decisions in your life, but a great friend helps you to discover your own truths. 

 Please let me know any specific questions as I am sure you are not alone.  Happy Penduluming!

Thanksgiving represents a mixed bag for many of us – the excitement of seeing your relatives and friends along with your anxiety/stress of seeing your friends and relatives…This year, using these easy tips, make a shift in your perspective and enjoy a more peaceful holiday.  May it be so.  

Where to Go?  Try new age bookstores, alternative shops and some jewelry stores carry them too.  I bought mine at a high end crystals and jewelry shop.  Ask the sales clerk for help, as often pendulums are  a niche market not usually on display.  I do not recommend buying a pendulum through the internet as there must be a certain energy between the user and the pendulum for it to work properly.  You know the scene from Harry Potter when he is picking a wand?  There had to be a match between owner and wand for things to flow and not cause havoc.  (And no, do not expect anything that extreme!)

 Also, you can make your own pendulum using a shell, rock, wood…really anything that can be hung on a string/chain.  The benefit of this is you are directly connecting and infusing your pendulum with your own certain magic.  However this isn’t necessary for everyone and is best left to those who feel called to do so…

 What to look for?  Hold the pendulum in your hand for a moment – feel anything?  Twinges?  Heat?   Then let the pendulum hang down and in your mind ask the question, “Are you my pendulum?”  Watch for positive movement.  This is all really subjective at this point.  Something will just push you to buy it if this is your pendulum.  You may even leave the store and have to come back a few days later to buy it because you can’t get it out of your head. 

 So relax and shop around, your pendulum is waiting for you - you just have to go find it. 

You want to transform your life?  Try guided meditation.  Why?  To transform your life, you must first change your thoughts and that’s the rub – how to change your thoughts from what is not working to what is…and again I answer with guided meditation.

 Guided meditation helps create the space within yourself to identify thoughts that are not working and replacing them with new thought patterns that enhance your life.  Meditation isn’t a quick fix, but a foundation for real transformation

 Several years ago I went to a lecture by Marianne Williamson.  A person in the audience wanted her guidance on why her life wasn’t getting any better.  This person had struggled with eating disorders and depression in the past, but she just couldn’t quite find her way out.  Williamson asked her what she was doing to help herself.  The woman responded with, “I go to therapy and have asked God to help me.” 

 Williamson responded, “Not enough.”  I was stunned.  Then Williamson continued, “If you had a failing liver, you would be taking medicines every day, where is your medicine for your ailment today?  Not a once a week plan, but every day?  Changing your life isn’t something you do a couple times a week, but every day.”  Williamson suggested specific prayer (she’s a proponent of A Course In Miracles) and meditation as a place to start. 

I absolutely and whole-hearted agree with Williamson – transformation doesn’t happen overnight, but as a result of many steps.  This is not to say transformation is difficult as much as it is a habit – some habits are easier than others to change.  To change a habit,  first identify something to replace it with.  For instance, you’ll see a lot of quitting smokers chewing gum.

 For many people, their bad habit is how they are thinking about themselves or life, i.e. I’m unlovable or life is unfair, there’s never enough money.  Both these thoughts cripple the individual and manifest incident after incident in their own lives to valid these negative beliefs.  So like the smoker that quits cigarettes, one must quit negative thinking, but what to replace it with?  Guided meditation allows you to replace negative thought patterns with ones of success and peace. 

 Try falling asleep to guided meditation and discover for yourself how these new ideas slip into your dreams and your language easily and effortlessly.  Whenever I am needing a little extra support I listen to  I Meet Success or I am Safe.  Guided Meditation has transformed my life, how ‘bout you?

Want to instantly feel better – listen to Faulkner’s song “Gone In the Morning.”  Every time I hear it, no matter the where I am – in a clothing store or a car  – I’m dancing like a gyrating fool.  This CD is quirky, creative and unbelievably sexy.  Why?  It’s his voice.  My favorite tracks are: “Feels Like Home,” “U.F.O,.” “Ageing SuperHero,” and “Gone In the Morning.”

 I had to laugh yesterday when I googled Faulkner and saw he was a dread-locked, red-haired singer from the UK – my favorite artist is Van Morrison.  I’m a sucker for a Celtic balladeer with smiling eyes…One of my best friends would always joke, “Give Quasimodo a guitar and a mic and you’ve got instantly hot.”  Anyway, I’m hooked…

This podcast explores gratitude and how it connects you to your most abundant life.  Learn simple ways to live a more gratefully and welcome a new peace into your life.  Enjoy!

After the 2000 and the 2004 election I was depressed.  The divisive politics of the campaigns hinged on this idea of “red and blue states.”  We were told by the press/political parties how “wrong” the other view point was and encouraged to look warily on the other. 

 I was raised a New England Democrat – the Kennedy deaths were mourned as if ‘family’ by my Grandparents.  Like most people, no matter where you live presently, you gravitate towards like-minded people; hence I didn’t know too many Republicans in my private life.  Who were these strange Republicans voting for the idiot known as Bush?  I couldn’t believe these people known as Republicans could be so different from my belief structure.  I refused to buy the rhetoric. 

 So in 2004, I decided to go out of my way to engage with Republicans and discover for myself the truth…And the truth was just as I suspected – good people, good hearts, and sometimes they had different opinions that I didn’t agree with and that’s ok.  Learning to disagree with anyone – pleasantly, well, I think that is a step towards enlightenment.

 A couple years ago, I was in a discussion group and one man said, “What if I am wrong?  What if I can’t see all the angles or have all the information – what if the other person is right?  Can I leave that sliver of space for the possibility there is another way?”  I liked that.  I liked the flexibility of thinking that expands your life instead of limiting it.

 So whether you’re guy won or lost yesterday, please remember the truth - both Democrats and Republicans are good people, with good hearts and sometimes, there are disagreements – and today, hopefully we are learning to do that a little more kindly…Peace.   

Gritty, sexy, funny and violent, oh and don’t forget the accents – this movie is an all-around good time.  It is a true guy’s flick and I loved it.  Violent, but not bloody.  Crass humor, but not without surprising and amusing undertones.  I liked the quick dialog and twisting plot – I still want to see that damn lucky painting!  And the movie’s characters are sensational.  As much as the crank-head rock star is detestable, he is sympathetic…

 Only problem – the movie is kind of like all the rest of his films.  So if you are fan, you’ll see a lot of the same actors from his other flicks and a similar, yet fun plot.  You won’t be disappointed, but if you didn’t like his other flicks, don’t bother…However specifically for any dubious ladies, Gerald Butler is pretty easy on the eyes for two hours and funny too…Think of all the points you could get for going along with his movie choice this time?  It will come in handy in December when all the Oscar contenders come out…