Lessons During the Year of the Dragon

 

“Now that we are fully into the “Dragon  Energy” of 2012  these  comments from my Chi Gong teacher Lee Holden  resonated with my  heart.  Being fully who I am and not going into my old patterns, as the opportunities arise daily is a lesson in watchfulness and evaluation.   Working in San Diego this week I found myself in a tizzy response, and called a dear friend for a “reality check” so I could get some clarity on the situation I found myself in.  Viewed without my emotions from her eyes I was able to see the scenario I was playing out and make new choices for my response.  Finding friends who will give us honest clear feedback, and not just agree with us are invaluable during these changing times. The idealistic response is not working nor is second guessing or game playing,  and the only true retrospection is with someone else’s unemotional eyes.

 

Thank you to all my friends who take the time to provide that clear, unemotional, “say it like it is” space for me.

From Lee Holden.com

YEAR OF THE DRAGON

Yang = it has vigor, vitality, it moves with energy and flows through change.

Water = it is sensitive and in touch with emotion and true feeling.

Dragon = is related to inner power and potential, giving birth to what inspires us.

General Character: Time for BIG change! The energy of the Dragon is huge and it will move forward with a force that may seem a bit overwhelming. Grab your trusty board and get ready to surf. In other words, fully surrender to your true character and nature and move forward unabashedly. Don’t try to be more than you actually are; and certainly nothing less.

Idealism, second guessing, blame, and retrospection are of no avail this year. The key is to bring forward our true humanity and make alliances with real people. The systems of corrupt politics and hypocritical religions will continue to crumble on their own. That era is ending, and there will be some social chaos as a result. Cataclysmic change shakes the ground!

Is Self Love Selfish?

Tags

caring for others, criticism, Flower Essence, healing, self confidence, self-love, unconditional love, Valentines Day

Is Self-Love Selfish?

• Self-love: Taking time to care for our body—a luxurious bath or exercise.
• Self-love:  When working hard, taking time to relax— a 10-minute nature walk.
• Self-love:  Quiet time—meditate, pray, connect with Spirit; our God Self.

When we don’t love ourselves, we’re telling the Universe (and everyone else,) that we believe we’re unworthy or undeserving of positive experiences such as joy, love, happiness, or abundance.

Our ability to offer unconditional love begins with self- love.  Self-love includes forgiveness and the release of judgement, against our self and others.    When our self-Love well is dry we’re unable to offer sustained love and support to others; acts turn into sacrifice, which becomes a burden.

Steps to Self-Love

• Stopping the critical voice inside our head.
• Forgiving ourselves and trusting our own good judgment.
• Being grateful for all the wonderful things in our life.
• Focusing on creating our dreams.
• Finding balance in our life.

Some folks think we need to love others first. That can’t happen until we love ourselves.

Demonstrating Love

• Listening to a friend’s problem, without the need to judge it or fix it!
• Showing you care, by being 100% there!
• Conveying your love through a thoughtful gesture, sincerely given from the heart!
• Offering unconditional love, with no expectations!
• Being 100% present in the moment!
• Forgiving ourselves and others─instantly!
• Allowing others, the freedom to be who they are!

For most of my life, I was my most severe critic.  I used unkind phrases about myself, that I wouldn’t consider saying to a friend.  A few years ago I realized I needed some support to change, so I created a flower essence spray to support myself in giving and receiving love.  Appropriately, I chose the name LOVE.  My Flower Essence Energy spray contains Bulgarian Rose oil, which helps to open the heart.

I can honestly attest to the fact that self-love is not selfish!  With self-love, I find it easier to forgive myself and to love others unconditionally.

Soup and Dreams for the New Year

Tags

Charlotte Carrera, creating, dreams, goal setting, goals, Kimberly Marooney, New Years, setting goals, visions

The world is celebrating another New Year, the Chinese celebrate the Year of the Dragon on January 23, 2012.  For several years I have invited a few friends to come to my home for “Soup and Dreams” during the first few days of January.  We have lunch and take our magazines, glue sticks and scissors and create a dream board and focus on what we want to manifest this coming year.  Everyone went home with a bottle of Manifest — to set their dreams in motion.

What do we want our lives to look like, what direction are we going to go.

I find that where I focus my attention is where my life takes me whether  it’s my  “dream vacation” or  my “worry and fear”.  Where I spend my “mind time”  is where my life goes.  The New Year is an opportunity to let go of the mind stuff we drag around, the stories we tell over and over about how it was, and reach out to find the joy of possibilities and opportunities that are in our future.

If you want to join us, just take 15 minutes to renew your vision of how wonderful you life can be—I start by looking at  what did not work for my dreams last year.  Then focus on your theme for this year—mine is “flow” as in allow myself to be carried along by the flow. Next write your goals—– for  loving  relationships,  a healthy body, your financial goals, and quiet time to connect with Spirit.  Or even better start cutting out pictures and attach them to a poster board and watch you year unfold.

Wishing you a Happy and Joyful 2012.

Blessings, Maggie

FROM SURVIVAL MODE TO JOY

How quickly our lives change.
Two weeks ago I was without electricity and my entire focus for the  week was on how to keep the fireplace going to stay warm, make sure the generator had gas to keep the food cold, find a place to go check my emails, and be sure to be home before dark.  A little Anxiety Relief and Breathe Easy spray helped turn the stress down a notch or two.  Not much time left for work related stuff, just survival mode.

The Cookie Factory

This Sunday my daughter and I kicked off the Holiday’s by  baking Christmas cookies. We dug out the old family recipes and for 5 hours we baked while  listening to Christmas Music. We could not get the old mixer to work so we resorted to the old fashion mixing by hand that I remember my grandmother using. We baked lots of cookies, “blackened” a few, and are now trying to fit the rest of them into boxes so we have room to eat at the dining room table.

Mountains of Cookies

What simple things determine our joy, or our stress—-How fortunate I am to get beyond the survival mode that thousands are feeling this year.  A holiday full of joy is there for me if I choose to let go of my old Christmas  “Have To’s”  and just “Have Fun”. My Release Spray will be at my fingertips.

Here is one of my  family cookie recipes—
SPANISH DIAMOND COOKIES

• 3 lbs Palm Oil –9 cups
• 3 lbs flour –9 cups
• 3 lbs powdered sugar—9 cups
• 3 tablespoons vanilla or almond flavoring
• 3 tablespoons cinnamon 3 lbs ground almonds

Roast nuts in slow oven at 200 degrees for 45 min, cool and grind. Cream palm oil and sugar then gradually add flour, nuts, cinnamon and vanilla. Work with your hands, then roll into long hot dog size logs, on a slightly floured Board.  Cut at an angle
Bake 300 degrees  on parchment paper until they start to crack on top 10-15 minutes.  You can cut this recipe into thirds, otherwise you will have mountains of cookies.
May your Holidays be filled with Joy, Peace and Love.

Gratitude during the Holiday Season

Tags

Flower Essence, gratitude, Thankfulness, Thanksgiving

I have a glass water bottle on my kitchen counter etched with the word “Gratitude”. I use it every day and I feel it has increased my appreciation of my “Wonder Filled Life. “
I would like to express my heart felt thank you to everyone who connects with me, whether in person, by phone or wireless.  I very much appreciate your presence in my life.
A few of my blessings I wish to acknowledge and some of my pictures to share:

T~ Time to enjoy my beautiful home in the tree’s with my wonderful husband.

H ~ Having healthy food and a healthy body.

A ~ Abundance of loving family, caring friends,

N ~ Nature brings joy every day outside my window,

K ~ Knees that allow me to go for walks and dance

F ~ Faith that God/Spirit is guiding me in the right

U ~ Unconditional love for everyone who crosses my path

L ~ Loving my life that is filled with abundant opportunities

Flexibility At Any Age

Tags

aging, flexibility, Flower Essence

I was told as a child that my great grandmother Brigid, at age 88, could bend over and place her hands flat on the floor.  That’s pretty flexible for an old lady.  As I approach my very senior years, I strive to be as flexible as her in my body.  I also believe that creating and maintaining a flexible body has a lot to do with the flexibility of my mind.

A beautiful example of flexibility appears in the form of the Redwood trees in my yard.  The tops of the trees will sometimes bend 10 feet each way when the wind blows.  This flexibility has allowed them to remain standing, even in the face of the 40 to 50 mph winds we have had over the last ten years.  Like the Redwood trees, being flexible allows us to find a route around the obstacles in our path,  and helps to keep the energy and momentum flowing.  On a personal level, I find if I stay loose and flexible in my thought process, it is far easier to recognize a solution to a problem, when it appears, then it is to force a solution “into a box.”

I am very focused when I’m working.  However, if obstacles come up, I choose to view them as bends in the road instead of boulders, which hinder my progress. I practice flexibility  by recognizing that it’s never a “big deal” unless I make it a “big deal, ” it’s never upsetting unless “I” make it upsetting, annoying, yes. However, nothing to lose sleep over. Whether I fret, worry, get upset, talk about it or just let it be, it will still be there tomorrow —-or it won’t.

Keeping our mind and body flexible allows us to thrive in difficult times; like the Goddess, who is always pictured with her hands open and in front of her. In contrast, the Warrior is pictured as strength and power, moving forward. The goddess is allowing life to flow through her, and the warrior must fight to the end.

Challenge yourself to let go. Let go of doing things the same way you did ten years ago or even last month. Become more flexible and less stressed, because things do not fit “your” pictures. See yourself as flexible, like the redwood trees, bending and flowing in harmony with what is going on around you. Trust your inner knowing, that still small voice within, take a deep breath and let it flow!

Flower Essence Energy aromatherapy products that support flexbility: RELEASE, for moving past the obstacles in your path.   TRANQUILITY, for  grounding the physical body and flexibility.   BREATHE EASY, to facilitate a deep breathing and the will to start over.

This Holiday Season, I’m pleased to offer…

THE PERFECT LITTLE GIFT – AT A SPECIAL LITTLE PRICE

THREE Flower Essence Energy Sprays for the Price of TWO

YOU SAVE $22.00

Choose three Flower Essence Energy sprays from any of our Collections (including the Pet Collection.) Set of three, packaged in a White Organdy bag for $32.00 plus $3.00 shipping and applicable sales tax.  Please email your order to magsflowers@earthlink.net to take advantage of the special.

Offer valid through December 31, 2011

Autumn at Thomas Jefferson’s Estate

Enjoy your tour of Monticello, Thomas Jefferson’s estate in Virginia.  I took these photos of the gardens last week.

Step Into Nature

Tags

Flower Essence, healing, nature, stress, trees

“A walk will do more good for an unhappy but otherwise healthy person than all the medicine and psychology in the world.” Wayne Dyer

Did you know that the pace of our lives is about 30mph faster than it was 30 years ago?  Taking the time to break out of today’s fast paced, stress inducing world and stepping into a natural environment, is not only a delightful experience, it’s a necessity.

I recently spent a week in San Diego.  I enjoyed seeing my friends, visiting my Henrys/Sprouts  stores, presenting a seminar on flower essences to the San Diego Massage Therapy Association and stopping at the beach to watch a beautiful sunset.  Although I enjoyed all of these activities, I noticed how stressed I felt with all the driving and the heavy traffic on the freeways.

San Diego is a large city with some lovely parks, and the Pacific Ocean a few
blocks away.  However, these environments tend to be very busy with activities.
For me personally, silence is golden, it instills within me a sense of peace and calmness.  The sounds found in nature are so different from the noise level of the freeways and street traffic; when I’m in nature surrounded by trees, green plants and bushes, I feel nurtured.

When you’re in a stressful situation the best thing you can do for yourself, is to
go outside —rain or shine—and play for at least 5 minutes.

If that is impossible use Flower Essence Energy
sprays such as Serenity, which will help transport you into your own private garden, or Tranquility, which brings the energy of the trees to you. Simply close your eyes, mist around your body, take a few deep breaths and feel the calm.

I recently read an excerpt from the book “The Nature Principle” by Richard Louv. It explains his groundbreaking research, anecdotal evidence, and compelling personal stories, to show us how tapping into the restorative powers of the natural world can boost mental acuity and creativity; promote health and wellness; build smarter and more sustainable businesses, communities, and economies; and ultimately strengthen human bonds.  Read more about The Nature Principle here.

I am off to play in the garden for 5 minutes, won’t join me?

“Becoming conscious of stillness whenever we encounter it in our lives
will connect us with the formless and timeless dimension within
ourselves, that which is beyond thought, beyond ego.” –Eckhart Tolle,
“A New Earth.”

Flower Essence and Back to School Success

Tags

back to school, Flower Essence, kids, stress

Teacher, teacher I declare, I see someone’s underwear.  Remember when
this charming little ditty was considered outrageous?  Those were easier times for us, and starting a new school year was perhaps less complicated and stressful than it is today.

Whether your child is going to preschool or grade school for the first time, entering junior high, high school, or college, it’s a time of change. The prospect of making friends, getting to know teachers, and learning new skills, is often overwhelming. For parents, shopping  for the right clothes, books,
binders, and backpacks, can also be stressful.

An Associated Press/MTV survey shows that among 13 to 17 year olds, the most commonly mentioned source of stress is school, and girls are more stressed than boys.

Practical Tips: Before you shop, make a list of what is needed and set a dollar limit for clothes and school supplies. If your children are old enough to participate, share the process of creating a budget and watch their confidence rise, as they make choices based on “their” budget, and experience you trusting their judgement.

Get Organized.
Hang your child’s calendar where he can keep track of assignments, test dates and events in an easily seen location. Discussion helps  save everyone
the headache of a Sunday night project deadline.

Flower essences can help ease some of the stress and anxiety associated with balancing school, homework, extra-curricular activities and rest. Using these products will make the back-to-school transition a little easier on all concerned.
Flower Essences work on fearful, stress filled emotions in wonderful subtle
ways.

• Our Anxiety Relief flower essence blend is a perfect antidote to stress. It comes in both a spray and appliqué. The Anxiety Relief Applique` can be kept in a backpack or purse, and applied like perfume between classes.
• Create a calm study environment.  We learn easier if our stress level is low. Tranquility Spray is a great study tool, it helps keep our mind focused and grounded. Spray Tranquility in and around the homework area.
• Get Enough Sleep. If you want to do well in school (or work) you need to get enough sleep. People who are sleep-deprived have more trouble learning and
  remembering, and perform more poorly in many areas.  Our Sweet
  Dreams spray is a natural sleep aid. Spray Sweet Dreams on your pillow for a better nights sleep─naturally.
• Breathe to relieve stress. If you are feeling tense or stressed, breathing slowly and deeply several times a day will help calm you when you feel tense, angry or worried.  Our Breathe Easy spray will relax the tension in the chest.
• Practice Visualization.  You can help your children reduce stress and improve test performance by helping them imagine─achieving their goals. Take a few minutes each day to visualize, in detail, what you want to happen. Our Manifest spray is often helpful in this process of turning dreams into reality.

Two final tips for students and parents:

Find time to exercise. You will think more clearly if you exercise in some way, every hour or two while studying.

Determine your child’s learning style. Everyone is born with a dominant style of learning. We are either visual (reading), auditory (listening/talking) or kinesthetic (experiential.) Trying to learn information by reading is difficult for an auditory person like me. I need to hear or talk about the information. Visual learners will read the instruction book, and kinesthetic learners will take the bike apart.  Find out which style of learning works best for your child, and support that process. Your child will find school much easier.

Animals in Distress ̶ Flower Essences to the Rescue

Tags

Flower Essence, pets

Miss Molly loves her Flower Essences.

I often hear my neighbor’s dogs howling when they’re left alone for the day. My solution is to close the windows and turn up the music when I can’t stand it any longer.  The best option, in my opinion, would be to treat the dogs with Flower Essence Energy Pet Remedies to help calm their stress.

Dr. Edward Bach first discovered the use

of flowers in healing his patients during the 1930’s.  Dr Bach was a bacteriologist, pathologist and homeopath, who lived and worked in London.  He believed that the dew found on flower petals retained the healing properties of that plant.  By first healing the feelings and emotions connected to the illness, Dr. Bach found the body could go on and heal itself.

Humans and animals both benefit from flower essences. Our pets have emotions just like us. They may feel jealous when a new baby arrives on the scene, stress when another pet is brought into the home, or depressed, when a beloved friend is suddenly gone from their lives.  The negative emotions they feel are similar to ours, when we’re “out of balance.”  Our pets can’t tell us how they are feeling.  However by paying attention to their actions, such as eating habits and behavior we can evaluate their emotional health.

Individual flower essences as well as flower essence blends are used to address a wide range of emotional issues in people as well as pets. Flower  Essence Energy blends are matched to the specific mental and emotional needs of your animal, whether it’s a dog, cat, rabbit or horse. They are 100% natural, organic and never cause side effects.   Flower essences are safe for all animals in any condition, including pregnancy and those with medical ailments. Many holistic veterinarians successfully treat animals with flower essences.

Maybe your pet is not used to being left alone and wants it’s human around, like my neighbor’s dog.  Maybe you adopted a pet from a shelter and it is terrified of loud noises, or it gets the July 4^th jitters.  Individual flower essence tinctures or flower essence blends added to your pet’s water dish over time will support the changes you want.  This is not a “magic bullet” cure. It is a slow and gentle form of healing, although I have seen pets get over their July 4^th jitters within weeks of adding the daily dose of flower essence blend to their water.

Methods of Administering Flower Essences to a Pet

Every time you change the your pets water

• Small water bowl:  Place 4 drops into water bowl
• Large water bowl:  Place 10 drops into water bowl
• Oral Application:  Place drops between the lip and gum
• External Application:  Rub on paws or on the head above eyes

When I take my daughter’s dog Molly to the veterinarian, I first spray myself with flower essences to help me get calm and centered.   I am then able to tune into her needs and fears and sense which flower essence tincture will help her the most.  I also reassure her with a calm loving voice and gentle touches throughout the entire visit.

I hope this has given you some ideas for dealing with your pet during times of emotional stress.  I’d love to hear your comments and/or questions.  If you have a story to share about how your pet was helped through the use of Flower Essence Energy Pet Remedies, please share it with me.