The Elephant of My Heart

'The Elephant of My Heart' is a book about a journey that the author, Jessica Clements embarked upon at the age of nine. It was a very difficult time as she faced a frightening illness.

But in this time, she was greeted by the animal of her heart, her elephant. This elephant that represents the essence, energy and spirit of her heart took her on an adventure to find her other animals; to a place where they all could help her find the strength to heal.

This courageous and beautiful story truly struck warmth in the whole of my body, for it posed the question: what is the animal of my heart?

In times when a little courage, healing or love is needed, we can look into ourselves and greet our animals, who will give us what it is we need to cleanse our energy, rid ourselves of disease and stress.

Jessica Clements now works with people, using simple and relaxing techniques to get them to 'that door' to meet their wonderful and playful companions.

They are always waiting for us on the otherside of that door; we must visit as often as we can.

Not only is this book beautifully written, its imagery and its warm and playful narrative coaxes out that inner child warmth and playfulness in the reader. We reconnect to that child in us that is curious about the world and has the courage to find joy in all that is new to us.

I encourage all to meet their animals, for we live in them and them in us. The love that exists between us is nourishing to the soul in itself. Using Jessica's simple but very effective visualisation methods, we can learn to eliminate stress from our everyday lives in a matter of minutes.

Jessica's website: www.animalofyourheart.co.uk offers more information about the workshops she holds, her book (which can also be purchased at Amazon), her visualisation CD and anything else you wish to know about her works.

I have had the privilege to meet her and work with her where she enabled myself and my sister, a very dear kindred indeed, to be taken on the very same magical journey she had, to meet our animals. Jessica's energy is full of love and light and these are the tools for her practice. I was elated after meeting my animals and certainly had a shift in my being, like murky energy had been dusted out of my heart...I am very excited to spend more time with Panda, Raccoon, Butterfly and Owl.

Thanks to Jessica and her beautiful and brave story, I too have found a new way to heal.

Celestial Love

When some people think of Angels, they think of perhaps messengers of God that are exclusive to Christianity or the 'voices' of good conscience on the shoulders of characters in movies...when I think of Angels, I think of pure light, absolute love and powerful healing energy.

I find it unfortunate that plenty of people aren't really aware of them or they resist the need to understand them better because of religious barriers. But each one of us has a Guardian Angel. It is up to us how we perceive them but our minds tend to picture them being dressed in delicate white clothing with wings emanating from their shoulder blades. This is of course, how we make sense of them in our mind's eye because of how they have been presented to us in books, films and ornaments etc.

Angels are ascended beings that communicate with us only if we ask them to. They are our guides and our helpers but will not make themselves known to us unless we acknowledge them. I've known my Guardian Angel for roughly nine or ten years now. I asked for a name and I got one, in black block capital letters stamped in my third eye. I said my Angel's name out loud and the resonance in the sound connected like a cord into the core of my soul, as if I'd known it all along.

I am very familiar with her energy, she has been with me this whole lifetime. I refer to her as female because she projects a feminine energy in my presence; but of course Angels have no gender. I can confirm that she is with me with a simple acknowledgement; my fingertips instantly tingle in response.

Amazing results come from inviting our Angels along with us in our daily lives. They can point us in directions we may have missed, or they may convey a message to us in a way that we will recognise it. They never judge and never meddle. They love us purely and entirely, no matter what our vibration or psyche imprint...this idea in itself makes them glorious and unique companions.

It is hard to find a good source of information about Guardian Angels online although mine pointed me to a very good set of oracle cards that are very effective to use to receive messages. Messages from Your Angels: Oracle Cards by Doreen Virtue leapt out at me at The Mind, Body & Soul Exhibition and I immediately picked up the display pack to look at the set and my finger marked a random page, when I flipped to read that page, there was an interpretation of my Angel! She urged me to buy them, knowing that this would be one way for me to start communicating with her. Sure enough as soon as I got them home, I did a reading. A sign was given within minutes in answer to my chosen question.

I find some peace and a sense of 'home' when I think of these celestial beings of pure light and love and the more I work with them, the more I know that we are capable of being the same, lightworkers and healers.

They are simply here to help us harmonize our lives and for this thought, we do not need religion to justify the reason.

Number Two: ...and the truth shall set you free

...and the truth shall set you free by David Icke is the next book I recommend on my enlightenment reading list.

This profound and marvellous piece of work is not only bold and daring, but pretty much fool-proof. In this book we are taken on a journey through time; history in the way we think we know it. Then Icke tells us what we don't know, or better yet, what we actually do but never really gave enough thought. The Global Elite or otherwise known as The New World Order, is the focus in his research; showing us just how manipulated we have been by the material world we live in now; blanketing our right-sided brain therefore stunting our natural, spiritual, creative and very capable selves.

You can either take this is as a calculated and somewhat crazy idea, or you can, like me, finally comprehend the material agenda that has taken a hold of mankind for centuries...whatever your opinion, you cannot deny the sheer dedication David Icke has given to his work and research. And while reading it, you will actually struggle to find anything inconsistent or incorrect about his information.

Having said all this, Icke's work is not a fundamental point of my faith or any of my spiritual practice. It is about having a 'wake-up'...paranoia about money, power and mankind I must stress, is not the key to enlightenment. The ability to remove the veil and shift our global conciousness is. To truly know our world and ourselves is to seek truth and light in everything...this book certainly gives us a great start to finding that.

The Mind, Body & Soul Exhibition

On Saturday 3rd, I went to the Mind, Body & Soul Exhibiton at Kensington Olympia; a marketplace of health, well-being, craft and spirituality.

I spent the whole day browsing and soaking in each therapy and way of life. There were lectures every hour that were free to attend and demonstrations up on the main stage. Unfortunately I didn't make it up to the meditation rooms but I did buy a meditation CD called 'Nature Angels', a wonderful flute and acoustic guitar based relaxation album themed around Elementals, Forests and Spring Awakening...the bird song takes me away deep into the countryside where I meet the Flower Faeries, dance with butterflies and talk to the animals...my cat seems to love it too. Whenever I put it on, he lays down and falls into a deep, peaceful sleep...

It must have been the theme of the day for me as I also purchased a book by Elemental expert Fiona Murray called 'Messages From Nature's Guardians'; an autobiographical book about how she came to discover her clauraudience (the ability to receive messages from spirits audibly or through thought form) and how she uses it to channel Elemental creatures such as Pixies and Woodland Guardians...it's absolutely magical.

With so many wonderful people to talk to and so much to see, I was overwhelmed. I tried to take it all in, there was so much great energy there that at some points my heart chakra was activated and I felt totally emotional. I met with an amazing medium named Jerold Donington; a spiritual artist that channels your spirit guides, your past lives, your karma or your passed over loved ones but sketches what he connects with, giving you the picture to keep. I had seen him at the Mind, Body & Spirit Festival in Victoria back in May and never had the courage to approach him. I had regretted it ever since but this time I booked a reading with him. It was a wonderful experience, he tuned in by placing his palms under mine; within minutes he was using chalk pastels to draw what he was channeling. I ended up with a beautful message and a meaningful picture that I can't stop looking at...I am eternally grateful to him for the healing connection he made for me.

Autumn Equinox

On Tuesday night, I celebrated the Autumn Equinox with a few of my dearest kindreds. Equinox is when the day and night are equally long, same as Spring Equinox. This is Harvest festival time, a rejoice for nature's bounty...I looked out my window last night and saw the Harvest Moon...did you see it? It was gloriously golden, like orange liquid had been poured into it...

It was my first Equinox celebration with Solara An-Ra and her tribe; it was so dear of them to welcome Jamie and I as they did.

In the most magificent garden you're ever likely to come across in South London, we grabbed musical instruments, sat around a fire pit and made magick and gave thanks and praise to Gaia. Bundles of Sage singed in the fire; causing a hypnotising smoke to dance around us. Affirmations were made to the elements and we gave away to the fire something we no longer wished to possess in ourselves.

As I sat there holding hands with kindreds, a guide of mine stroked my hair and made me feel like I was closer to knowing myself...I may return to my Witchy ways and get the old athame and wand out and invoke the elements and give praise to Goddess, all the while awakening the one within. I'm certainly closer to being able to connect with my guides, I hope they know how much I appreciate the gentle pats on my head and the tingling in my fingers.

Here's a pretty Goddess wheel I found when looking for paintings of goddesses. It's like a calender wheel; you turn it each season according to celebration: Summer Solstice, Spring Equinox etc...I may have to get one, just to remind myself to give thanks to the elements and mother nature.

Autumn leaves begin to fall, they are our old ways. We may kick them to one side or crunch them under our shoes. When the trees are stripped naked, ready to start again, we must aim to do the same...brave the cold and dark and begin growing anew.

Belle & Boo and the Connected Child Within

I've ordered this notebook from Belle & Boo after stumbling across the gorgeous artworks of Mandy Sutcliffe. Belle & her bunny Boo appear in a story board of outside play amongst other adorable characters...

The reason I decided to mention this was the thought that it prompted about children and their awareness of nature, their connnection to imagination and play, their observation of colour, animals and even other beings...not all imaginary friends are imaginary, I'm sure.

Perhaps children see what we really wouldn't like to. We were there once, didn't we sometimes insist to our parents that we were in the presence of something unusual?

I used to lay awake at night and watch the 'moving tv screens' float across my walls, the wardrobe and the door; like ten overhead projectors making animated pictures sail around me. They were transparent too; they would bend and curve in the grooves of my bedroom.

The floating pictures stopped by the time I was ten, roughly the age where we rationalise away our visions as 'make-believe', after our parents have been telling us that earth is dirty and we shouldn't stick our hands in soil, or that we shouldn't play with our baby toys anymore because we're becoming 'big boys and girls' and whenever we think we see something, it's not real.

I had a pet caterpillar once, I named it and claimed it as my own...it passed away two days later but the point is, I was more connected to the earth when I was small. There were things about it that I deemed special and they helped me understand growth and the beauty in everything.

I was sad to grow up without my 'moving tv screens' and it's something I still can't define. I'm not sure what those experiences were and why I experienced them but now I am trying to reconnect as much as possible to what I know as Gaia, and the wonders beyond her...the powers of our higher selves.

And so back to Belle & Boo...'Belle Hugs Boo' was my first print. I have framed it and shall put it up on my wall in the spot where I tend to work on my projects. Not only is it a pleasure to look at, it makes me want to crawl back into my childlike mind; my totally connected and creative self and explore and play.

And to remember what it was like to have absolute love for the things around me; the things I called my own and the things I swore I'd always care about.

Number One: Caduceus

So here we are, the first of the 20 esoteric spiritual books I recommend for enlightening reading.

Caduceus was given to me on my 25th birthday by my most beloved kindred Jamie. My hand buzzed and tingled with energy as I held it in my hands, I knew it carried information I had been seeking.

In the simplest terms, it covers everything! It makes a great reference book to esoteric subjects, it's great for rounding off a general interest in spirituality...I'd even recommend it to an atheist who wishes to know 'what we're all on about'; it has some compelling arguments may I add.

Caduceus is layed out wonderfully, sub categorised areas such as 'Stephen Hawking on God', 'Spiritual texts from the Middle East' and 'Astronomical anomalies in ancient times' are condensed into easy reading but very informative paragraphs. I particularly enjoyed the coverage on all sacred texts: the least tampered with and the most tampered with and the whole chapter dedicated to Science and its theories vs esoteric belief; revealing comments and claims by Darwin and Einstein themselves that were manipulated to make Scientific explanations sound 'concrete'.

Robert Hamilton introduces the reader to the fact that this book was the product of his own Kundalini experience (his awakening) and years of research and therefore concludes the book on the same note, it feels impossible to find any flaws and holes in his well studied discussions.

Caduceus covers only a little of each philosophy, theory, idea and experience but it lead me to think about what I wanted to explore next. You start to recognise what resonates with you, whether it's Taoism or Plato's Atlantis, you know what is right for your own path and where to look next.

Eye of the Centaur

It had been a while since I'd read a book that truly had me clawing for more of the same; a very long time since I had read a book that I was totally emersed in and washed over with thoughts, insights and desire. Then I read Eye of the Centaur by Barbara Hand Clow.

Barbara, astrologer, author and channeler has given us so much from her own experiences and works in the way of seeking enlightenment that I dare not try to review her as an author, I fear I wouldn't be giving her enough credit but what I can say is that after finishing Eye of the Centaur, book one of the trilogy (The Mind Chronicles), with hindsight this was a fundamental piece of reading for my spiritual growth.

This book tells very story-like regressional experiences. You would even be forgiven for forgetting that you are reading about one of her many past lives and thinking that you are in the midst of a gripping fairytale or historical novel. But you cannot deny that your perceptions of your own psyche, your own imprints and layers of your conciousness shift when reading of oracles at Delphi and ancient Egyptian initiation rituals. Our own experiences are there too, just calling out to be remembered.

This text however, isn't a glory journal of what great names Barbara can say she lived amongst or what authority she had in exciting times, nor should past life readings ever been seen this way. It is an intergration of her past life memories and her purpose now, an awakening to the reasons she knows of them now in this lifetime and a reflection on how it connects her to her higher self.

I have always wanted a regression and have done some dabbling in past life readings, all the while learning to trust my psyche to bring forward the memories; remembering never to rationalise away anything my mind gives me to the simple explanation of imagination. Imagination is a powerful thing but soul memory is far greater. After reading this book, the excitement is still vibrating within, I cannot wait for a full regressional session with a therapist...I truly wish to know myself and understand my eternal now, a guide to help me shape this lifetime for its higher purpose.

Anyone who wishes to expand their esoteric and spiritual reading must add this to the list...in fact, I shall post up 20 books that I think are not only fantastic reads, but important texts for spiritual growth.

Herbalism

I am approaching the end of my distance learning course in Herbalism and I am halfway to being qualified to practice...it's something about a bunch of fragrant leaves and flowers that stirs enthusiasm in me about the goodness our Mother Earth has grown for us.

Chamomile for an upset stomach, Lavender for insomnia, Coriander for colic, Peppermint for nausea and Rosemary for headaches...if only we thought of the natural remedies we have laying around the house first for such ailments before reaching for painkillers and necking down a chemical solution.

Planting herbs in the garden is not only an excellent way of grounding yourself and connecting with nature, its cost effective and soul enriching; such staisfaction comes from plucking a bit of Basil for your dinner that night, or keeping a pot of it in the kitchen to attract deserved success into your home. If you don't have a garden, then indoor herb garden kits are available.

For me, it started with drinking Chamomile at night to help me get a good nights' sleep before waking up to be at work by 7:30 in the morning...I found it worked and with a tea spoon of honey, it was pleasant to drink and a nice change from tea. Then I moved onto Nettle for energy and Fennel for digestion, the interest grew from there and I learned about topical remedies, poultices and herbal pillows; even the use of them in skincare made absolute sense and I was able to advise friends and family about herbal teas and ointments...each came back with great feedback on the remedy.

So here I am about to take my Certificate level exam and next I shall be onto Practitioner Diploma...along with Physiology & Anatomy and Colour Therapy...oh I want to do them all! The more I learn, the more I can spread the love and light I reckon!

BSY Group do fantastic esoteric, spiritual and complimentary therapy courses so do take a look; you won't know which to do first!

Colouring Through

Writing. An old flame of mine that I met when I was ten years old. I thought we had drifted apart...for years we fought and I walked away far too many times. I tried to carry on without it but couldn't imagine what I'd do in life if it wasn't there to keep me hoping.

So I've made a stronger commitment and decided to rekindle the love. I have to get it back. We are meant to be...

'I See it All in Rainbows' is the title of my book in progress; a collection of poems about spirituality, colours, psychadellic visions and soulful ideas...here's one as a preview:

Fresh in bloom
For you
Like flowers we are
Sprouting
Colouring Through.

Upon your bed we lay
Shaken
Hoping to be pretty
Smiling
Until the spotlight has moved.