Increase Self-Awareness and Find Inner Peace with Vipassana (Stillpoint) Meditation

Vipassana  is the practice of stillness.  The stillness is symbolically expressed as the watchful, unmoving awareness that observes the coming and going of the in-breath and out-breath.  The mind observes the breathing and the moments in between the in-breaths and out-breaths.  It is said that the truth reveals itself in those moments.  Moreover, truth reveals itself constantly if we can drop the mental chatter that obscures it.  It is also known as Stillpoint Meditation as you are observing the still point, or space, between the thoughts.

"Vipassana" means clear insight into the real characteristics of body and mind, or ‘to see things as they really are’.  Vipassana meditation comes from the tradition of Theravada Buddhism.  It is one of India's most ancient techniques of meditation and was practised by Gotama Buddha more than 2,500 years ago.  The technique aims for the total eradication of negative thoughts, or mental impurities, and the resulting joy of liberation from negativity.  Its purpose is healing from human suffering.

Greater Self-Awareness

Vipassana is a way of self-transformation through self-observation. You start to become aware of the thoughts that you have, the majority of which are usually negative, either about yourself or others.  Initially you will be aware of the general mind chatter that is going on at the surface level of the mind, such as “I must remember to do such and such”, “Did I lock the door?”, “I must remember to put the bin out”, “Is my phone switched off?”.

As you start to relax and go deeper into meditation, other thoughts will start to come up from your subconscious mind.  These are the thoughts that are usually negative in their vibration and effects and include such things as “I’ll never be able to do this”, “I can never do this as well as him/her”, or “this is a total waste of time”. When you start to meditate on where these thoughts come from, you will find that they relate to other things you have tried to do in life where you perceived you failed or weren’t good enough.  It is so important to be aware of our underlying thoughts and beliefs because they condition your behaviour and the way you think about yourself and the world around you.

Letting Go of Negative Thoughts

With Vipassana Meditation you can see and actually remove the causes of suffering, which you will come to see are within yourself. Now that you have identified the negative thoughts you carry around in your subconscious, it is important to let them go.  The aim is not to repress or deny the existence of negative thoughts but rather to let them come up and just dismiss them.  When meditating, I often visualise a stream flowing in front of me where I deposit any negative thoughts that arise and watch them be carried away in the stream out of my consciousness.  By doing this, you are starting to consciously detach from them and, in time, they will have less influence over your conscious, day-to-day behaviour.

Finding Inner Peace

As your meditation deepens, you will notice that gradually fewer and fewer thoughts arise and you will spend more time in the silent space between the thoughts.  At this stage you reach the place of perfect peace and tranquillity that lies behind your own subconscious mind.  You have risen above and beyond your own sense of self/ego with your personal issues and behavioural conditioning and have entered the realm of pure mind, oneness and unity that is the ultimate goal of meditation.

Benefits

Regular practice of Vipassana meditation helps you to control your thoughts but, more importantly, choose your thoughts.  Long term this will help you become a more positive, effective and creative individual. Remember that your thoughts create your experiences: positive thoughts with positive energy attract positive experiences and create opportunities for you to grow as an individual; negative thoughts carry a negative energy and will attract the kinds of experiences that justify your negative beliefs. This can leave you feeling ‘stuck’ in one or more areas of life or with a feeling that your life isn’t turning out as well as it should.

Regular practice can lead to greater peace, self-control and compassion for yourself and others.  It eventually eliminates the cause of mental pain, purifies the mind and leads to a stable happiness that isn’t affected by your moods or outward circumstances.

 

 

Helen Shortland is a Reiki Master Teacher, Meditation Teacher and Holistic Therapist based at Little London Herbal Stores on Kings Walk in Nottingham city centre. Her website is http://helenshortland.com.

 

Helen is currently running a 4 week Vipassana (Stillpoint) Meditation course on Wednesday mornings (beg Wed 10^th April) 10.30-11.45am which is open to all with a basic knowledge of meditation. Cost is £28 for full course or £8 for individual classes. If you wish to attend on a drop-in basis, places are still available. Each weekly class includes a relaxation exercise, a guided visualisation and Vipassana Meditation practice.  Please email helenshortland@live.co.uk or contact her on 07748 591690 for further information and/or to book a place.

 

The Power of Intention applied to Healing

A couple of months ago I came across an article about a new therapy called Resolution Magic which was based on the idea that we can firmly tell painful conditions such as stomach ache, back ache, joint pain, migraines and headaches to go away.  Could something so simple actually work I thought?  Well I tried it with my own lower back pain, on another occasion when I had stomach ache and with a sore throat and runny nose when I thought I was going down with a cold, and I have to say that I was very pleasantly surprised!  I found I had to repeat the phrase “pain go away now” or “runny nose be gone now” every now and again when the symptoms seemed to return but the effectiveness of this totally natural approach to pain management and healing was truly remarkable.  When saying the words, I said them silently to myself, (ideally they should be said out loud), with a real force or energy behind them.  According to the article, you can also use this technique to say “Go away!” to conditions like anxiety, low mood and bad memories.
 

How It Works

The theory behind Resolution Magic states that abnormal electrical waves in our nervous system are the cause of symptoms of dis-ease, for example epilepsy is known to be caused by a disruption to the brain’s electrical activity. Electricity travels along the nerves to the various parts of the body, causing painful symptoms.  Memories and unwanted feelings can trigger this movement of electricity.  By telling our bodies to stop the pain, we are aiming to retrain the subconscious part of the brain so that it gradually stops sending out abnormally strong electrical waves.  I believe that when we send a new command to a part of the body that is functioning incorrectly, the energy that travels with that intention creates new neurological pathways that bypass the old ineffective ones.

 

A Combined Approach

It is however worth bearing in mind that pain arises in the body for a reason, and except in cases of mild headache, stomach ache from over-eating or eating the wrong food, or backache from postural aches and pains, symptoms should be checked out with a doctor for any other more serious underlying conditions.  This ‘mind over matter’ technique is a natural approach to healing which, along with other therapies such as Reiki, Reflexology or Meditation, should be used in conjunction with other general conventional medical treatment/medication you are already using.

 

Using the Power of Intention in Daily Life

We can all use this power on a regular basis to help bring about the best possible outcome for any situation.  In Reiki Level 2 you learn to visualise events turning out well, for the highest good of all concerned, then send Reiki to that image.  Whenever you have a health problem, set the intention by stating to yourself that you will receive all the help and support you need.  When you do this, doors can metaphorically open and you will find that you draw the right people to you, find an article or book that can help, discover a different medication or supplement to try, or just find new ways to cope.  When visiting the doctor, ask your guides and angels to assist him/her with their diagnosis and help you get the best possible treatment. Help doesn’t always come in the way you expect it to but you will always get the help you need if you remain open to all possibilities.

 

Using the Power of Intention to Optimise Healing

I believe that the theory behind Resolution Magic can be applied to other forms of healing such as creative visualisation, Reiki and spiritual healing.  According to the way energy flows, action always follows intention.  You are in effect creating an opening, space or energy pathway which can deliver the greatest possible results.  All Reiki healers tap into the power of intention when they give a Reiki treatment.  At Reiki 1 you set the intention that they energy flows for the recipient’s highest and greatest good and at Level 2 you use the symbols to establish the same intention.

You can also use the power of your mind to send healing energy to a particular body part.  Sit quietly and take some deep breathes in and out then visualise a beam of pure white light shining down upon you, entering your crown chakra and moving down your body to the part that needs healing.  (You can also send it to a particular chakra or an area of your mind that needs clearing.)  Set the intention for the body part to be returned to its perfect divine blueprint and visualise it healing and repairing itself.  Here is where you can start to get creative …! You can visualise a weak organ glowing with health and vitality and functioning effectively; broken or fractured bones knitting together; compressed spinal discs stretching out; lubricating a painful joint with a liquid healing balm; tight, tense muscles relaxing and stretching out, soothed by a blue healing balm.  If you have cold or flu symptoms or other infection, visualize your white blood cells attacking an army of invading bacteria and dissolving them.

You can also put the power of intention to work to heal psychological states of mind.  For example, if you are prone to shyness, anxiety or anger, you can visualize yourself acting in a more positive manner, thinking the associated positive thoughts and feeling more positive emotions such as serenity and being in control.  Repeating this exercise over several days or weeks leads to a marked decrease in the negative emotion concerned and an increase in positive states of mind.  Gradually the positive quality will manifest more and more in your conscious behaviour.  You will be able to cope with all stressful real life situations more calmly and effectively.  The visualization gradually sinks into your subconscious mind, resulting in a new behavioural pattern or ‘program’.

Repeat these exercises regularly and you will be amazed at the improvements you can make to your health, your wellbeing and your life.

 

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.
Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.”

From ‘Return to Love’ by Marianne Williamson

 

Helen Shortland is a Reiki Master Teacher, Meditation Teacher and Holistic Therapist based at Little London Herbal Stores on Kings Walk in Nottingham city centre.

Notes:

Helen Shortland runs courses in Healing Meditation.  Her next workshop will be one Saturday afternoon in the summer (date tbc – please see website www.helenshortland.co.uk or see newsletter for details).  A Healing Meditation CD will also be available to purchase from May 2013, priced £12 plus £2 p&p, for use at home. If you wish to purchase one, please send a cheque made payable to Helen Shortland to Little London Herbal Stores, 9 Kings Walk, Nottingham, NG1 2AE with a note of your name and address.

Helen’s next meditation course is a 4 week Vipassana (Stillpoint) Meditation course commencing Wed 10^th April 10.30-11.45am which is open to all with a basic knowledge of meditation. Cost is £28 for full course or £8 for individual classes.  Please email helenshortland@live.co.uk for further information and/or to book a place.

For more information on Resolution Magic, visit www.resolutionmagic.com.

 

The Benefits of Meditation

Meditation is a practice that is currently gaining more recognition for its importance to health and wellbeing  but, first of all, what exactly is meditation?

Meditation can be described as a state of being where the mind remains alert and focused while the body is relaxed and resting.  It can also be described as a spiritual discipline promoting balance, peace, inner strength and ultimately self-realisation.  It can also be regarded as a method of training the mind to become more focused and productive. 

It is also helpful to state what meditation isn’t and to allay some of the fears and misconceptions that have arisen around this subject.  During meditation you will not be hypnotised or controlled.  Some people fear 'opening up' in some way but you are in control of your experiences at all times.  Other people worry that they have to empty their mind altogether and switch off their thoughts completely.  With meditation, the idea is not to empty the mind altogether but to give the mind just one thing to focus on rather than letting it wander and jump from one thought to another.

Regularity of Practice

Many benefits can be gained from a regular meditation practice but the key point to note is that your practice must be regular!  Ideally you should aim for 20 minutes a day but even if you only manage 10 minutes at the beginning or end of the day, you will find that you are in a much more positive and productive state of mind.

Mental Health Benefits

Meditation is often used as a method of relieving stress.  It is calming for the mind and body so is excellent for combatting the symptoms of stress.  Meditation reduces anxiety, releases fears and improves depression.  It generates optimism and motivation and improves self-esteem and confidence.  It frees the mind from self-doubt and the internal chatter which is usually very negative in nature.  Meditation is calming and grounding – helping to put things into perspective and bringing you back to a place of peace and stillness.

With regular practice your thinking becomes clearer and quicker, leading to increased productivity and creativity. This is one of the reasons why meditation is being introduced into many workplaces nowadays as bosses hear about and recognise the benefits to their workforce.  Meditation also provides greater concentration and focus in daily life and can aid in achieving goals: for this reason it is valued as a method of improving performance in both study and sport.

 

Physical Health Benefits

Meditation can improve physical health in many ways.  Studies have been carried out to prove that it lowers blood pressure and reduces tension. The immune system is given a boost as it is under less stress when the mind is calmer.  Meditation relaxes the nervous system, reduces the intensity of headaches and migraines, relieves muscular tension and improves insomnia.  When the mind is more relaxed, digestion improves with improved absorption of nutrients, so meditation can have a very beneficial effect on conditions such as IBS.

 

Spiritual Health Benefits

Generally meditation promotes inner harmony, peace and balance. It can encourage greater inner strength, serenity and self-confidence, which leads to positive changes in all areas of life.  It increases intuition and self-awareness and encourages us to live in the present, develop forgiveness and release the emotional baggage of the past.  People often report a greater sense of wellbeing and a stronger sense of connection to others and to the world around them.

 

Helen Shortland is a Reiki Master Teacher, Meditation Teacher and Holistic Therapist based at Little London Herbal Stores on Kings Walk in Nottingham city centre.  Her next meditation course is a 4 week Vipassana (Stillpoint) Meditation course commencing Wed 10^th April 10.30-11.45am and is open to all with a basic knowledge of meditation. Cost is £28 for full course or £8 for individual classes.  Please contact Helen by emailing helenshortland@live.co.uk for further information and/or to book a place.

 

Spring Cleaning the Energy Field

One of the things we associate with Spring is spring-cleaning the home but we can also do this on an energetic level.  Spring is an excellent time to let go of the old and let fresh new energy in.  It is a time for releasing pain, anger and sadness that you have been holding onto from the past and which is weighing you down and affecting your energy levels in the present.  Is there someone you need to forgive?  Or is there a situation or person in your life now who you need to release?
 

Aura Cleansing

Anyone can benefit from cleansing the entire aura every now and again, thereby improving vitality. However anyone working as a healer needs to be particularly aware of their energy levels and cleanse themselves of any negative energies they may have picked up during the day.  It is particularly beneficial to do this before and/or after giving a healing treatment or after you have been in a negative environment. 

First of all, sit comfortably with eyes closed. Make sure your feet are flat on the floor, regulate your breathing and relax the body.  Visualize a ball of radiant white healing light just above the crown of your head, which radiates all around you, filling your auric field.  As you inhale, visualize and feel that you are drawing in a stream of pure white healing light through the soles of your feet up to your head, energizing and revitalizing your whole body and the chakras as it flows through you.  Pause and hold your breath when you reach the crown.  As you exhale, visualize a stream of pure white light flowing down from your head to your feet, cleansing all the toxins and impurities from your body out through the soles of your feet.  Pause and hold the breath.  Practice 5 more rounds.

Return to normal breathing, but breathe with long, slow, deep rhythmic breaths.  Inhale and visualize healing energy flowing from the soles of your feet up the back of your body to your head.  Exhale from your face down the front of your body to your feet.  Repeat 3 more times, circulating the energy from back to front.  Now visualize the healing energy flowing up the front of your body as you inhale and flowing down the back as you exhale.  Repeat 3 more times.

Inhale and visualize the healing energy flowing up the left side of your body. Exhale and visualize the energy flowing down the right side of your body.  Repeat 3 more times.  Inhale and visualize the healing energy flowing up the right side of your body. Exhale and visualize the energy flowing down the left side of your body.  Repeat 3 more times.  Relax and become aware of the flow of energy in and through your aura.

Cord Cutting

Cord cutting only cuts out the unhealthy aspect of a relationship or situation so please don’t worry that you will cut a person out of your life completely!  It does however result in a noticeable improvement in the relationship or situation, especially if this exercise is repeated several times.  When faced with a difficult, challenging situation, it is always more useful to do something proactive to improve things rather than just worry and fret about it constantly.  Doing an exercise like this will help you feel a little more in control of the situation and less of a victim.

Sit comfortably, close your eyes, breathe slowly and deeply and rhythmically, for a few minutes. Visualise the person or situation concerned, then visualize an energy cord, like a tube if you wish, connecting you to the person or situation. Now call upon Archangel Michael and visualise him with a sapphire blue sword. Say firmly, out loud or to yourself, “Archangel Michael, Archangel Michael, Archangel Michael, I call upon you now and ask you to cut the cords of fear and negativity that connect me to _____ that are draining my energy and vitality. Thank you.”  Sit quietly for a few moments while the cords are cut.  You can also visualize the cord(s) being severed by the sapphire blue sword.  Now say “Archangel Michael, Archangel Michael, Archangel Michael, please place your blue cloak of protectoon all around me to send healing energy to any gaps or holes in my aura and to protect my energy field.  Thank you, thank you, thank you.”

Afterwards you may feel like a weight has been shifted, you may sense increased energy or just have a feeling of peace and/or a reduction of anxiety.

Strengthening the Energy Field

To complete your cleansing and releasing exercises, the energy field should be charged with loving pink and protective golden light. 

Sit comfortably, close your eyes, breathe slowly and deeply and rhythmically, for a few minutes.  Become aware of the space surrounding you, your aura, and feel that you are a part of that space.  See the space surrounding you as sacred, holy ground, an area which no-one, whether seen or unseen can enter.  Allow the space surrounding you to become slowly flooded with vibrant white light, shining down from above, coloured with pink.  Feel overwhelmed with pink energy and allow it to infuse your mind, your heart and your soul with gentleness, compassion and love.  Make your surrounding space strong and impenetrable by creating a high wall of golden light around its circumference.  Infuse the wall with more golden energy, making it even more vibrant and powerful.  Feel yourself totally submerged in the surrounding pink light and know, without any shadow of a doubt, that this is your space, your sacred and holy space, in which nothing and no-one can enter.  Spend 5 or 10 minutes in this space then start to become aware of the sounds in the room and your physical body in the chair.  Stretch a little and, when you are ready, open your eyes.

You can also visualize all the things you wish to do and achieve as if they are actually happening now.  Try to include as much detail as possible in your visualisations, such as how you would feel, act and look, but do bear in mind other people’s free will and only focus on yourself in this exercise.  If you have time, visualize these goals once a day and you’ll soon be drawing the opportunities you need to you!

 

Are These The Healthiest Chocolates Ever?!

Peanut Butter and Chocolate Balls

High protein, high fibre, low in saturated fat, and they taste absolutely delicious!

Made from Whey Protein Powder (for growth and repair of muscles, bones and skin and helps you feel fuller for longer), flax oil and ground flax seeds (rich in omega 3, protein, iron and zinc), peanut butter (protein), honey, cocoa powder and rolled in chopped nuts. They are very simple to make too -just combine the ingredients in a bowl, form into balls and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

The full recipe is on the Little London Herbal Stores February newsletter.  If you would like to receive this newsletter detailing special offers, in-store promotions, events and a monthly recipe made from some of our healthy ingredients, please email sales@all-ages-vitamins to be added to the email database.


Helen Shortland is a Reiki Master Healer/Teacher, Holistic Therapist and Meditation Teacher based at Little London Herbal Stores, 9 Kings Walk, Nottingham, NG1 2AE.  Please visit her website www.helenshortland.co.uk or visit and 'like' her Facebook page Helen Shortland Holistics.

Little London Herbal Stores products can also be purchased on line - please visit their website www.all-ages-vitamins.co.uk

Positive Change with Reiki

Over my ten years giving Reiki treatments, I have seen dramatic improvements in the lives of many of my regular Reiki clients.  The first sign of improvement is usually in the area of self-esteem as blocks are gradually released from the energy field.  People often change the way they react to situations and notice that they behave in a different, more positive, manner than they would have done previously.  They become stronger and cope better, as the following two case studies show....

Client A had a very demanding, stressful job with targets to meet and strict guidelines to adhere to.  She was always absolutely exhausted when she came to see me at a weekend for monthly treatments.  She had been on anti-depressants for the previous year, had high blood pressure, poor sleep patterns and arthritis in the right knee which required a walking stick for support.  For the first two treatments she felt very good for the day of the treatment and the day after and slept very well around this time.  After the second treatment she was starting to feel more balanced.  She also realised she had coped very well with a particularly difficult month and her sleep pattern had improved.  After four sessions she was feeling stronger and brighter in herself and her sleep had improved to the extent that she was not falling asleep in the early evening (or day time at weekends).  Stress at work continued, and she also had family health matters to worry about during this time, but on the whole she coped much better than she would have done before.  After six treatments the treatments changed as the Reiki energy addressed her physical health conditions including joint pain and a long term cough/chest condition.  After a year she felt confident enough to make the change she really needed to make - to change her job. Although initially there were frustrations in the new job, she remained in control, coped well and never doubted that she had made the right move.  A year on she was much more settled.  She is now looking very well in herself, is sleeping well, no longer uses a walking stick for support and only has occasional twinges in the knee joint.  She realised that for her health to improve fully and consistently, she had to make a real change in her work life.

Client B was suffering from anxiety and felt she had to be 'on alert' all the time.  She was struggling to work her part-time hours and was often tearful at work.  She was also a carer for another family member, was tired all the time, suffered with menstrual irregularities and had been diagnosed with anaemia.  Initial treatments focussed on balancing the reproductive system.  During these early treatments she also had a lot of realisations and insights regarding herself and what she does for other people.  She also had a lot of vivid dreams at this time - a sign of significant releasing taking place at a subconscious level.  After the fourth treatment she felt much more decisive and was feeling much more positive at work.  After the sixth she was coping much better with life in general, things that used to bother and upset her didn't really affect her anymore, and she was feeling considerably stronger in all areas of life.  She is receiving conventional medical help for fibroids and anaemia but at the same time has also been able to go back to work full-time.  She is now enjoying her job and realising how valued and appreciated she is.

It is worth pointing out here that, with Reiki, the most important conditions are dealt with first, in this case the clients' mental/emotional state which usually contributes significantly to many physical problems they may be suffering from.  The Reiki energy has an intelligence of its own and always addresses the most important issue first, followed by recent health problems, then seems to work backwards as it gradually clears the energy field of blockages.

Both clients had regular monthly treatments over a period of 18 months - 2 years and then continued on a less regular basis.  Both have made significant changes in their lives: one found the courage to leave a job that was making her stressed out and exhausted and move into a new post, something she wouldn't even have had the energy to contemplate when she first came for treatments; the other was able to go back to full-time work and is not only coping well but is enjoying her job and is highly regarded by her boss and colleagues.  Both clients were prepared to commit to their healing on a long term basis rather than just expecting a quick fix and the results have been worth waiting for.

Reiki Attunement

Neither of these clients were attuned to Reiki themselves.  If they had been, and been able to give themselves self-healing on a regular basis, the results would have been evident much more quickly.  Once attuned to the Reiki energy at Level 1, the necessary releasing and processing takes place usually within 3-6 months, depending on the amount of healing the student needs to do. Once attuned, you can give yourself regular self-healing treatments which speeds your healing and spiritual development along considerably.  Being attuned to Reiki doesn't mean you will never encounter problems in your life again but it does give you the means to cope and deal with things much more effectively.  Just remember to make time to do your self-healing and you'll find you stay much more calm, centred and balanced as a result.

Reiki Level 1 Training

If you are interested in learning Reiki and taking your Reiki 1 attunement, please don't hesitate to contact me via email at helenshortland@live.co.uk for further course details.  Information can also be found on my website www.helenshortland.co.uk. 

The first level of Reiki training is particularly concerned with self-healing but you will also learn how to give a treatment to family and friends. If you've been thinking about doing someting to improve your health and wellbeing, now could be the time to finally do it. Your Reiki 1 training can be the start of a whole new journey of personal development and self-improvement!

My next Reiki 1 course is 16 & 17 March 2013 and will be held at Little London Herbal Stores, 9 Kings Walk, Nottingham, NG1 2AE, cost £100.


Helen Shortland
Reiki Master Healer Teacher, Holistic Therapist & Meditation Teacher

The Power of Intention & Synchronicity

At the end of 2012 I was asked if I had any resolutions for the New Year and this question set me thinking about what I wanted to achieve during 2013.  I decided it was time to get myself and my work more widely known.  The next morning I woke up with the inspiration to start writing blogs.  I realised I have a lot of experience of the healing journey and a lot of knowledge of healing and other spiritual topics.  Within the next five minutes I had 'channelled' the introductory section for my blog spot, then the first blog came through within the next fifteen to twenty minutes.  The next day I received the draft outline for another blog and ideas for five more!

So what exactly could be going on here?  All I had done was set an intention and the ideas came through.  We all have intentions all the time, which can be likened to the energy we give out.  Everything we expect, good or bad, conscious or unconscious, is being attracted to us and brought into our energy field.  Our intention is an energy or power that emanates out from us in all directions.  Most people constantly change their minds about what they want and how they think about themselves and others, so the energy is contradictory and too weak to attract anything in particular.  On the other hand, people who seem to achieve a lot in life, who are very creative and successful, have a strong field of energy.  Often they grew up in an environment where success was expected and taken for granted; other times they may just be driven to pursue a chosen career path or achieve a certain goal.

For me this highlights the importance of (a) not giving in to negative thoughts but stopping them and replacing them with positive ones and (b) the importance of healthy self-esteem, self-belief and self-worth which allows us to believe that we deserve the good things we want out of life.  I believe this is the essential underlying principle behind the success of all forms of manifesting and cosmic ordering.

The most important thing to be clear about is what you actually want - always bearing in mind of course other people's free will.  If you constantly change your mind or are only half-hearted, there isn't enough energy behind it to manifest the goal.  Start with small things like desiring and visualising an empty parking space.  Another common example of the power of intention is when you know you have to wake up especially early and you wake up well in time of the alarm clock going off.  If you have set the intention to come up with ideas for a new project, you must make the time to sit quietly to receive the 'guidance'/inspiration you have asked for.  Otherwise you've made the request and placed your order but aren't letting the universe deliver your goods to you! 

The intention I set to get my work more widely known was, I believe, linked to my higher path or destiny and I asked at a time when I was ready to take the next step.  When something is right for you, everything just flows along and falls easily into place.  Which leads us on to synchronicity ...

Getting into the Synchronistic Flow

Synchronicity can be described as the meaningful events, thoughts and intuitions that occur when you pursue a particular line of action, in other words, the seeming 'coincidences' that occur to give us information relating to our question.  When your energy level is good and you maintain a constant intention, it's as if you get on a roll, when opportunities come your way and doors open.

The first step is to increase your energy: on a practical level this can be done through eating more healthily and exercising.  You can also start to clear your energy field of clutter by deciding to let go of painful emotions of the past and practicing forgiveness.  Increasing your energy can also be achieved by setting the intention to connect with the divine inside us all.  Go out into nature and notice the beauty all around you.  Look at the flowers, trees and leave; notice their unique shape and colour.  Your perceptual ability will gradually heighten, the colours will become clearer and you can breathe in even more energy.  Then look for the increase in the beauty around you as you breathe.  According to The Celestine Prophecy series by James Redfield, the degree of beauty we see around us is a measure of how much divine energy we have within us.

You can also ask God, your guides and angels to assist you with your goal if you wish.  Let the inspiration come to you, then get creative and start taking action.  When the time is right, opportunities will arise and your goals will start to manifest.

Setting your own Intention

I have now set my intention to boost my intuition to help me make the right choices and draw to myself the opportunities I need to move forward in my healing work.

If you haven't made any New Year resolutions, or are starting to lose heart with the ones you did make, why not take the time now to think about what you really want to do with your life, what goals you want to achieve and where you go from here, and start putting the power of intention to work right now!



Next time...
March blog - Spring Cleaning the Energy Field with Aura Cleansing, Cord Cutting and Recharging.
April blog - The Power of Intention applied to Healing.


Helen Shortland is a Reiki Master Healer/Teacher, Holistic Therapist & Meditation Teacher based at Little London Herbal Stores in Nottingham city centre.  Please visit her website www.helenshortland.co.uk for further information on therapies, courses, workshops etc and/or visit and 'like' her Facebook page Helen Shortland Holistics for special offers on therapies etc.