soulintraining

Posts Tagged ‘soul train’

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Angel Altars

In Living a Life Off-Center on September 7, 2010 at 2:27 pm

Ready to be the hostess with the mostest!

I recently completed a Wishing Angels ritual. The whole idea behind it was to “host” a group of wishing angels in your home for approximately five days. A friend had to pass on her guests to 2-3 friends and she chose me to be one of the recipients. The ritual itself was fairly simple, although there had to be some preparation involved. When I mean wishing angels I truly mean our winged guardians but these ones were primarily to help grant three of your most heartfelt wishes. These three wishes had to be personal ones, and not for other people.

To prepare, I had to dedicate an area in my bedroom to house my divine guests. This was going to act as an angel altar, which required a few things. The first was that it had to have a vase or a pot of fresh white flowers, a candle, an apple and then a white envelope with a letter containing my three most heartfelt wishes. They were going to arrive at 10:30pm and I was to welcome them with an opening mantra of gratitude. That morning, I went to the local flower shop to pick the brightest, whitest flowers I could find and also a shiny green apple. I was lucky that I had a battery operated candle (you have to keep a candle burning for five straight days) because this is obviously a safer option than a real candle. Two of my other friends did the same thing, they used a battery operated candle. I spent the afternoon thinking of my three most heartfelt wishes and wrote them down, placing the letter in the white envelope and under the apple. For an extra special touch, I placed a ceramic figure of an apple on the altar. This is what it looked like:

Ready and waiting for my guests of honor!

My candle worked out well being battery operated, it flickered almost like the real thing plus it was vanilla scented which made it even more realistic.

Even better (and safer) than the real thing!

I also added some of my crystals that had angel-like properties:

Barite with watermelon tourmaline

For extra measure I also put a quartz cluster  just to amplify the energies:

More power!

At around 10pm that night, the rains started to pour and the ritual specified that I would have to open the front door and any main entrance to allow the angels in. In my case that meant the gate at streetlevel of my house, my front door and of course my bedroom door. I was worried about the rains, how was I going to stand outside and wait for them without getting wet and without looking ridiculous in my nightwear and an umbrella? By 10:28pm I waited by my front door (inside the house) wondering what I would do when the clock struck 10:30. All of a sudden, the front door “trembled” as if a strong wind at hit it I noticed several bright red lights blinking from outside my house, my heart leapt and I ran to open the door. I saw my brother, returning home from work at this late hour and alighting from his car-which meant, he was going to open the front gate since he had to enter. Problem solved! With umbrella in hand I watched him open the gate and felt a thrill I kept the front door open as I waited for my brother to climb up and go inside. He was giving me a quizzical look wondering how I could have opened the door for him without him having to ring the doorbell. When I glanced at my watch again it was exactly 10:30pm. There are no coincidences in this life, my guests had arrived, and had hitched a ride with my brother.

I felt like a giddy teenager as I welcomed them into my room and gabbed on about how I hoped they would like their little space. They seemed to approve and I went to bed that night with a huge smile on my face. Throughout the course of the day my friends and I shared stories about how they welcomed their angels and their experiences with them. I asked them to email me their angel altars, so here are a few versions:

Angel figurine already with an electricity fueled candle

Angel altar with disco light instead of candle

There were some who opted to put a more personal touch on their altars by surrounding it with photos of their loved ones:

Personal touches make it even more special

For the next five days, I used my imagination in entertaining my celestial guests. A friend of mine who could “see” them told me that mine were a mother and daughter tandem, and quite big in size (which I felt) and also quite old and regal (something I also felt). One friend had about three angels who visited her and they seemed more youthful and a little more playful. Another friend had a group of female angels, probably about five or more who were noisy and seemed to chatter like a bunch of highschool girls. I took my guests to my office, to the mall, flower shopping, to a bridal shower and always gave them the option to go back to my home and rest if they wanted. I know this sounds crazy but it gave me a sense of love whenever I spoke to them (sometimes out loud but in public places mentally) and I was quite sad on the 5th day when I knew it was time to say goodbye to them. That goodbye night was also special with a farewell ritual. As I walked them to the front gate (and thankfully it wasn’t raining this time) my dog followed me and he started to bark at noone and nothing in particular. When I opened the front gate he ran out, barking, and I panicked a bit as he rushed to the right side of the road barking, and then to the left side of the road. All of a sudden he stopped, and just ran back in. For the rest of the time I spent outside completing the ritual he stoically sat on the front steps looking into the distance. Eventually he lay down but with his eyes still focused straight ahead. This time I knew that my guests had really left and had moved on to their next host (2 of my good friends).

All in all it was a lovely experience, I am now waiting for my angels to surprise me with my 3 most heartfelt wishes granted beyond my wildest expectations. :-)

One more altar option for the road

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Angel sign language

In Living a Life Off-Center on September 5, 2010 at 2:11 am

Just finished a great book that I wanted to share with everyone.  It’s called Signs from Above by Angel Therapists Doreen Virtue and her son Charles Virtue. It’s a small book and I thought I’d whizz through it, but the stories shared in this book required a slower, more indulgent read. The book revolved around the premises that Angels are all around us and more than ready to give us divine “signs” of affirmation and guidance. Doreen shares stories from people who have experienced such signs like clouds in the shape of angels, feathers and rainbows that have comforted them especially in times of doubt and grief.

Signs from Above

What I enjoyed most about reading this was that I did get clarity on certain situations of my life by asking for signs. I also told the angels to surprise me since my overactive imagination would begin to anticipate signs already documented in the book. And you know what? They did surprise me, three times in fact in one day.

The book ends with specific prayers for specific situations, which would be helpful to anyone who didn’t grow up in a prayerful environment. They are short, simple requests (dependent on situation or need) that one can say at any time of the day or night.

This would make a great gift or have by your bedside, in your office for those days or nights when it seems you don’t know what to do next. If you believe in angels, you will be greatly comforted by the ways they use in which to communicate that they are there for you, all the time. Be prepared to notice the signs they give because in most instances, they are, instant. The most challenging aspect is trusting that those are signs, just remember there are no coincidences and that when in doubt, ask again, and again. Unconditional love embodies every angel so until they get the message through to you, they won’t stop trying, it’s up to you to keep listening, seeing or feeling.

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Bug Begone!

In Living a Life Off-Center on September 2, 2010 at 1:57 pm

To be scared is normal, to be fearful, is a little more serious but relatively normal, to have a phobia-which evokes an emotion that goes beyond words but the closest would probably be terror is God-awful. There have been accounts of people who go into hysteria, some as extreme as dropping dead, right on the spot when faced with that one thing or situation that throws them right off the sanity meter. Yes, I know, this all sounds overly dramatic, but that’s what a phobia can do, bring out the telenovela in you, all at once you have no concept of vanity or poise, so even if you’re in the most anticipated, glamorous event of the year in your fight worthy ensemble you will be reduced to a big old mess, worthy of a straitjacket.

So what freaks you out the most? You’ve heard of agoraphobia-fear of open and or crowded spaces. There’s zoophobia-fear of animals and the rather amusing cacophobia-fear of ugly things (beauty is really in the eye of the beholder). Fear is not alien to me but I have found that there is nothing else that makes me turn around screaming and running awat like a complete and utter lunatic than a cockroach.  It sounds silly right? I disagree, a cockroach, roach, ipis, cuca, whatever you want to call it is akin to the spawn of Satan. Seriously, that’s how I view them, practically indestructible sneaky little things that can creep through any hole, probably go through walls, and have the balls to go straight at you, even if you’re 200 times its size.  I’m not going to even get started on the flying ones which can send even the bravest, macho man screaming for his life (trust me, I’ve witnessed this) as this hideous winged menace makes an aggressive beeline for his head.

Roach no more!

As there are many ways to skin a cat, there are of course many ways to kill a cockroach, but more of them involve sprays with toxic fumes. Grab your supermarket brand of bug or roach spray, and spritz away, the smell alone is enough to kill you. This is especially detrimental in times of panic when you are trapped, alone in your bathroom and a roach decides to launch a surprise attack, if you are like me, you aim and fire that spray in all directions (because you’ve closed your eyes in fear) and what’s left is a fog that cloaks you and besides killing that six legged little beast you’ve probably also poisoned your lungs and goodness knows what else. Worst of all, if you’ve gone and emptied out half a can in one area of your abode, the smell stays for hours, even the whole day, and probably, so does all the toxins.

Thankfully, there have been less dangerous (to humans but not to roaches) alternatives in the market. One of which is the Anti-Roach Spray of Messy Bessy. Messy Bessy is well-known for its environmentally and people friendly line of house cleaning products and has expanded into handwashes, and repellants. Their roach spray uses a patchouli oil blend that seems to freeze a roach on the spot with one go and its smell will not cause you to gag or your eyes to tear. Again, you have to exert a little self control here, a spritz or two is enough if you empty the bottle out the patchouli’s scent will be overwhelming, but not toxic at least.  Herbal pest controllers have been recommending essential oils or certain herbs to get insects or other unwanted critters to bug off.  Citronella oil for example when mixed with a little water can be used to fight off mosquitoes and you can even spray it on your furniture as it gives off a pleasant smell and will not stain if diluted properly.

I have to admit that my newfound weapon of roach destruction has been effective. Even with a regularly cleaned house or office, the rains and overall crappy sewerage keep bringing my fears to the surface (literally) so I make sure I always have a bottle within arm’s reach. The cockroaches may never go away completely but at least I’ve found another way to fight them off. Ironically, when I did an online search for “phobia of cockroaches” the term used for this was Katsaridaphobia. Ah, the irony.

For more information on Messy Bessy products and where to get them visit: http://www.messybessy.com

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Crystals as works of art

In Living a Life Off-Center on September 1, 2010 at 4:50 pm

I recently visited a good friend of mine who is a collector of healing crystals. I was welcomed by the sight of the most breathtaking works of art ever made by Nature. Most of these are naturally formed, sculpted by God Himself, in my opinion.

Whether you like crystals or not, I’m sure you will find the beauty of these pieces undeniable.

Aquamarine with Muscovite

Ajoite in quartz

A beautiful ajoite "master" crystal

An assortment of other really gorgeous hard to find crystals...drool

These ones above are smaller in size but still big on WOW! I would love to write about the properties about every single one but words aren’t enough, it makes a huge difference when you actually see them and hold them. The bottom left is a pink tourmaline in one of the most beautiful shades of pink I have ever seen and perfectly shaped for a pendant. Just above it is another pink tourmaline in twin flame formation and with what looks like rutiles inside, making it even more powerful. Right top is a baby version of the previous aquamarine with muscovite, doesn’t it look like a brooch? And last but not least, a very, very rare twin flame formation rutilated quartz. Not only will it help you find your twin flame or soul mate but rutilated quartz is known for its anti-aging properties, so find love, while staying youthful is a pretty good 2-1 kind of crystal!

Atlantean Citrine

I loved this one as well. I feel like I must have been from the city of Atlantis is a past life. This one just has a sheen that catches your eye, it’s almost gem-like but it has never been through any polishing process of any sort. The bonus, it also has citrine, which is what’s used to attract abundance,especially financial abundance.

Golden Calcite with Rose Amethyst

This just looks like a piece of heaven fell from the sky. I’ve never heard of rose amethyst, but I am so grateful I’ve actually gotten to see one!

And, just for an encore, the piece de resistance, and definitely not for sale is once again the aquamarine with muscovite cluster. All the terminations are perfectly formed and never touched by man. It looks like a bouquet, or, as I said in my title, a definite work of art. I would rather invest in something like this than a man-made piece of art to be honest, at least with a crystal of this quality you know it is truly one of a kind!

Aquamarine with muscovite detail

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Airplants ambiance

In Living a Life Off-Center on August 29, 2010 at 1:50 am

I can’t say I’ve ever really been big on flowers, until recently. Not quite sure what changed, but hey, change is always good right? Flowers, like plants do give off an energy and when treated with love can brighten a home or an office. I have been making weekly visits to our local market where there are freshly cut and potted flowers in abundance. It’s akin to active meditation where you focus on color, size, scent and of course, the flowers respective energies. Cut flowers are beautiful when arranged with love and have certainly given my bedroom a prettier and more feminine vibe. When I started playing flowers in various parts of the house I noticed that there was an overall sense of harmony, flowers belonged inside as colorful and “live” accents to the more solid and still furniture and art pieces. There is nothing like bringing a living thing to enliven a quiet, somber space.

When I brought a cheery combo of cut flowers to the office I noticed more of my co-workers would pass by desk and smile. Some would compliment the arrangement in passing and others would stay for a moment and stare, their eyes lighting up. Yes, flowers do have powers and it does sadden me a little bit when they no longer bloom and begin their can’t-be-helped wilting. I was contemplating on buying more potted flowers over the weekend until I made a very welcome discovery.

Living Airplants…or called among the flora-fetish’d- Tillandsia.

A tillandsia "Stricta" is so low maintenance

My good friend turned me on to these rather “cute-sy” air plants as we were scouring a streetfull of garden accessories and plants yesterday. She squealed in delight when she saw a whole bunch of them displayed nonchalantly on a table in a place selling expensive Koi (carp) fish. “These are so low maintenance” she said with a huge smile. There were two types we found, the Stricta and the Cotton Candy.

Cotton candy Tillandsia are a bright pink eyeful!

Now, the magic of having these so-called living airplants is that if you are not green thumbed( I certainly am NOT) is that they need minimal care. As they don’t have roots you can place them on a pretty plate or shallow bowl (use your imagination) or you can even hang them. To keep them alive you just need to spritz them lightly once a day or even every other day. Perfect!

I should have gotten a whole bunch (because where we got it was dirt-cheap, in the US they sell this for about USD6 while I got mine for about…my goodness if converted to dollars it would be FREE!! No joke.

A fresh water spritz a day is all it needs

I am now in the process of creatively trying to display them, from ceramic mugs to colorful plates as I plan to bring the cotton candy variety to my office. (My desk is rather drab-well the whole office is, painted in a monotonous blue) and I will keep the pair of strictas at home.

Living airplants are a soul in training’s perfect start up tool to have a little flower power and positive energy in this life! Grab a bunch if you can find them :-D

A great accent for a drab living or working space

There are several varieties of Tillandsias out there, so it would be good to do an internet search on what is available in your country. This is really a plant you can literally hang out to dry.

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Mercury in retrograde

In Living a Life Off-Center on August 28, 2010 at 2:05 am

The Planet Mercury

Around 3-4x a year I get emails or texts asking me WTF is going on with the world? These periods normally fall around the time when the planet Mercury is in retrograde. You might then ask me WTF does that mean? Well, in a nutshell, Mercury, the planet that “rules” communication, travel and a whole bunch of other things like the industries of broadcasting for one, draws its energy back. So, this affects abovementioned  whole bunch of things. It’s also not a good time to buy anything expensive especially if they are electronic, like a cellphone, a laptop, Ipad, you name it, and I would also refrain from purchasing an automobile during this time period. I have also personally experienced that anything that is started at this point in time doesn’t reach fruition. Contracts that are signed are not honored, or, must be renegotiated after this time period, or, you could also wait til the retrograde is over before you sign anything. Miscommunication is also prone to happening so if you need to give instructions, give them as clearly as possible, as in K.I.S.S. and repeat as often as you can without being annoying. People will misinterpret one another, during this period so don’t be surprised if your friends, family (or even you) get into an argument or plans fall through when everything seemed to be perfectly planned. Traveling? Confirm, confirm, confirm, double check, double check, do everything doubly or even, triply.

But, let me leave a better explanation to the experts. Here are a few links that I’ve found that may help explain this phenomenon that affects EVERYONE in the planet. Some more than others, depending on where the planet Mercury falls in your natal chart.

Again, (since it is Mercury in Retrograde as I post this) I want to remind all of you that this period occurs 3-4x a year and last for about 3 weeks so, I would highly recommend you check out when it happens for the remaining months of 2010 and be prepared by noting down when it occurs in 2011. I particularly like Susan Miller’s page as it is quite friendly and has Mercury in Retrograde dates.

Be patient everybody! Mercury’s greatest lesson is to teach you how to become more reflective to enter a time of introspection since it seems, no one else in you outside world is cooperating, and this includes your cellphone, the internet, the TV etc! :-P

Mercury in Retrpgrade reference 1

Susan Miller\’s Astrology Zone site

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Ready, set fast!

In Philippine Star Column on August 26, 2010 at 11:35 pm

You’ve all done it before: gone overboard, that is. Over-ate, over-drank, over-smoked, over-indulged — whatever it is you’ve overdone, your body becomes the receptacle of everything you plugged into your system over the weekend or over the course of your adult life. We’re all in the habit of giving ourselves a break, like a vacation from work, a spa day for our skin, etc., so why not give our digestive system a little time off as well? Common sense says you need to eat and drink for nourishment but the simple truth is a majority of the “stuff” we stuff ourselves with is far from healthy and we’ve been clogging up our system for years. It’s also now common knowledge that a bad diet can lead to all sorts of illnesses and ailments so, sadly, what tastes really, really good is probably really, really bad for you in the long run.

Get some good juju!

So, what to do when you feel like your body is slowing down? (The symptoms: sluggishness, lethargy, bad skin, insomnia , indigestion, chronic pains.) Go on a fast. A liquid fast, one that consists of nourishing your body with something that isn’t hard for it to process. I have tried several fasts in the past, like just a whole day of water and lemon or the Beyoncé-famous “Master Cleanser” or “Lemonade Diet” that takes a minimum of 10 days of drinking a special concoction of water , lemon, cayenne pepper to be effective, but which whittled down the singer/actress’s size for her role in Dream Girls.

There are, of course, friendlier versions for the first-time faster, and even for the “refresher” faster such as myself. I signed up for a one-day liquid fast via Juju Cleanse, which promised to deliver a whole day’s worth of freshly squeezed and blended organically grown fruits and vegetables, powered up with other ingredients rich in anti-oxidants such as Himalayan Crystal Salt and Honey. If you check out their website, http://www.jujucleanse.com, you will be welcomed by a very professional and information packed website. I decided to do the Level 1 cleanse for one whole day, choosing a quiet Sunday and basically closing my social calendar out to everyone and anything to avoid foodie temptation. The Level 1 cleanse as explained to me, was the mildest in terms of taste and intensity, incorporating more fruits (ergo sweeter) than vegetable juices which would make the drinks go down with a lot more ease.

Great blend of fruits and veggies

Delivered to my home the night before, I was impressed with the environmentally friendly bag my eight juices came in that also had a reusable ice pack (which could also be used as a heating pad in the future), a list of instructions and ingredients of each of the juices and a bag of fresh mint so I could start my “fast” morning with a nice cup of mint tea. The schedule was basically to take a juice every two or three hours throughout the day, and not much else. I needed to stay hydrated during the day so it was recommended I supplement this with a lot of water and herbal teas; and if — and only if — I could not fight off the hungry pangs, some healthy snacking was allowed in the form of a few carrot or celery sticks.The concoctions were a delight to look at, all in glass bottles and in rich, bright colors of green, red and yellow; it made fasting look like a lot of fun.

What is the main benefit to this kind of detox ? First off, when you give your body a holiday from eating, you’re actually allowing your body’s energy and enzymes to focus on the absorption of nutrients and the elimination of toxins. In other words, on a normal day, your body would have to work extra hard to “find” the nutrients you need from your usual, probably not-all-that-healthy breakfast, lunch, snack, dinner and work even harder to eliminate what is slowly poisoning your body. Yes, I said “poisoning.” So, when you give your body a chance to just zero in on absorption and elimination, it actually gives your insides a much-needed (and much-appreciated) tune-up. After a fast, one normally feels they can sleep better and have an improved metabolism; the only precaution while in the middle of a fast is to go easy on the exercise. Your body will really need to rest up, inside and out.

Go green!

A planned lazy Sunday had me first on the weight scale and then sipping my fresh mint tea. The rest of the day had me going from drink to drink, ones with names like Green Bomb (green veggie juice that pumps you up with enzymes) to a Red Giant (a delicious combo of beets, pineapple, carrots and ginger) that helps you, er, “eliminate” all the yuckiness inside you. There were times that the Cheetos (my weekend guilty pleasure) seemed to be yelling at me from within the pantry door, but I stayed with it, all the time focusing on how much better I would feel the next day knowing that I had given my internal organs a little spa day.

I fell asleep relatively early that night, and it was a deep sleep, a welcome change to my normal “wake-up-at-a-drop-of-a-pin” sleeping pattern. I didn’t feel hungrier than normal and wasn’t craving any particular food (especially not the ones I thought I’d indulge in ones the fast was over). And, oh yes: I lost about two pounds.

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Call 0905-262-2529 or e-mail info@juju.com.ph for more information.

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Ghost Month 101

In Living a Life Off-Center on August 21, 2010 at 2:41 am

We’re about to hit the Feast day of Ghost month. Many of you have been asking me what Ghost Month is all about and what to do, so I thought I’d rely on an expert to explain. I’ve been to Princess Lim Fernandez of the Yin and Yang Shop of Harmony at the Mandarin Hotel and this is what she had to say:

**The start of the second half of the lunar year which is also the 7th lunar month is known as the “The Ghost Month” or officially the “Chinese Hungry Ghost Festival”.  This is an annual festival during which ghosts, spirits and demons roam freely around the earth.  This year 2010, it starts on August 10 until September 7.  In a way it is quite similar to our celebration of All Soul’s Day (although this one lasts a whole month) wherein we can go to memorial parks to offer to our dearly departed and other souls in purgatory although we should not be so noisy nor stay too late.

According to Chinese legend, Emperor Yim Lo, the ruler of the underworld, opens the gates to allow all the “hungry ghosts” (souls with no descendants who pray for them) to come out from the underworld into the earth to receive offerings from people every 7th lunar month of the year.  They have to be invoked, propitiated with food and other offerings, entertained with performances of opera, movies, puppet shows etc and then cathartically released back into the spirit world.

Offerings are done on the eve of the Feast day which falls on August 23 this year.  With this offering, we feed the spirits with special gifts and in return ask for their help to bring us more luck.  Offerings made are usually candles, joss sticks, some fruits and some food.  All temples have a special ceremony and special prayer which one can participate in during this month for offerings to the spirits.

Believers are wary of this “unlucky period”; thus business in real estate, home renovation, and wedding banquets are known to slow down during this period because it is believed to be inauspicious to move house, start construction, start renovation, get married, or just generally start a new project.  But it is okay to travel this month, although one should try to avoid traveling on August 23 & 24.  Make it a point to go to Church or Temple to pray.

During this period, everyone should try to go home early and not stay out so late especially on August 23.  This especially applies to those born in the year of the Fire Tiger, Wood Pig, Earth Pig, Fire Snake & Wood Monkey, all other Monkeys and Tigers because it is during this day that their luck is at its lowest and their Ch’I is low and in tune with yin energy.  Although technically all signs are affected but some signs are more affected than others therefore they should try to avoid attending wakes during this period.  For protection, they should wear or carry with them a Jade Protection Pendant and a Safety Medallion. **

I am not quite sure what Princess is referring to with the above mentioned protection stones, but these are a couple of my recommendations. (Of course, if you really want to be safe you can go to her shop) but I personally use these whenever I need to feel more shielded.

Jade Dreamstone neckpiece

This is a jade Dreamstone neckpiece. I love the carvings on it, plus it makes a good “accent” to my work ensemble. This also works in the evening when you know you’re going to have to go to an event or a special occassion that will end late. Jade has special protective (and prosperous) qualities. Oh, and Princess did say wear a jade pendant so this fits the bill. I got this at Accessory Lab in Rockwell and there are different designs, all unique.

Tibetan black quartz

This is a Tibetan Black Quartz pendant. The belief is that a tibetan black quartz actually houses entities or energies from Tibet. It’s said that Tibetan Monks used this crystal for meditation and therefore left their energy and good will in it so that whoever uses it next will be protected and shielded from negativity. This particular one is of a twin flame formation and not easily found. I got this from a collector.

Turquiose pendant

Turquoise is not only pretty in terms of color but has very high protective energies especially for journeys and long trips. This was given to me by a good friend who said I should wear it whenever I was traveling. This is indeed a travelers stone and is my birthstone to boot so I decided to attach it to my favorite charm bracelet so I don’t forget it. This stone also helps dispel negativity and tension.

Star of David black tourmaline pendant

Ok, most of the accessories I’ve shown here are quite feminine in nature. So, what would I recommend if you’re not into girlie type designs, are male or want to gift a protective pendant to a man? This one on the right is for me my go-to pendant when I’m going to a new place, or meeting with new people and I have no idea what their intentions are. I also use it when I know I’m going to be in a crowded area for a long period of time or if I have to stay somewhere overnight and it’s my first time there. This is a star of david pendant in black tourmaline and it is very, very powerful yet very gentle for the wearer. Black tourmaline absorbs a lot of negativity (of all kinds from physical to non-physical) therefore shielding the wearer from those energies hitting him or her directly. Wearing this when you go to wakes and hospitals is akin to putting a forcefield around you, although some vibrate better to labradorite, especially when grief is concerned. Like the turquoise charm and the jade neckpiece, this is available in Accessory Lab in Rockwell, but you can also get a black tourmaline bracelet (they have then in different shapes and sizes) and also as a charm so you can attach it to a chain or to a bracelet.

To conclude, Ghost Month can be quite rough, and because of all the chaotic energies out there, (not to mention we’ve also just entered a mercury in retrograde period) it’s highly recommended that you be extra vigilant not only of your surrounding but also on your internal well-being and state of mind. Tempers may flare up, you may feel more irritable than normal and trust me, there’s going to be a lot of miscommunication and misinterpretation going around so just make an extra effort to be more patient and be very clear and concise in your instructions or in your decisions (especially when delegating them). Prayer is a must in our daily lives, and I don’t necessarily mean in the religious sense but in the spiritual sense. Send good and positive thoughts to yourself, to your friends and family, to your community and to the world. If you envelope your surroundings with love, white light and happy energy, no harm can come to you, pendants or not.

Happy Ghost Month everybody, be safe!

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An Avellana Afternoon Part 2

In Living a Life Off-Center on August 16, 2010 at 3:30 pm

It was time for lunch, so we were graciously invited into the beautiful home of desinger Eric Paras. And the first thing I noticed was this stop-in-your-tracks painting by Lexygius Caliph. It left me lightheaded!

framed by our hosts Albert Avellana and Eric Paras

Lunch was complete with curator Boots Herrera, photographer Cocoy Sarmenta and Ateneo Art Gallery Managing Curator Yael Buencamino.  Part of Avellana’s staff, Yoy Baldemero prepared heartwarming (and stopping):

Monggo with....

crunchy chicharon! And...

bitter but better ampalaya!

So after that absolutely delicious meal we decided to burn some calories by continuing our art tour around the compound. The wonderful thing is that almost every object you see can belong to you, and Avellana patiently explains each piece, the artist, and even seems open enough to negotiate if you really fall in love with anything!

a reFRESHing fruity juice!

Garlicky fish!

This is an installation art by Ral Arrogante. If you’re familiar with Philippine folklore you will know that this is not really our version of batman…or batwoman.  A lot more macabre in fact!
There’s a naked manananggal out there folks!

Next  up, the works of Ryan Rubio:

This can actually dance!

this one doesn't...I think

Next is what I call the tabagochi series (various artists)

Well-fed warrior women!

and Cocoy ogles this beauty:

Luscious lady!

Fat bottomed girls you make the rocking world go round....

So, I left the compound that day feeling a lot more cultured and inspired. If you’re ever in the Pasay area, this place is a no-miss. Even the surrounding grounds are art-fested!

Garden sentinels say goodbye

See this place for yourself! Contact Albert Avellana at (632) 833-8357 or (63) 920-9505759 or email: avellana_gallery@yahoo.com. The gallery and a 11 (Eric Paras’ designs) are all located in 2680 FB Harrison St., Pasay City. Look for the red gate!

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An afternoon at Avellana

In Living a Life Off-Center on August 15, 2010 at 2:16 pm

There is something to be said of the impact of art on the spirit. Like most souls in training, I always find myself amazed and impressed by how others express themselves. Whenever I can, I allow myself to be taken in by the unexpected and that is the magic of modern art. The use of materials that are deemed as common and everyday to create something of surprising beauty or at least intrigue are by all means a great way to give the soul a little shake. Resonance can happen at every level and for me, a visual one is still the one of most impact. I would love it if I could make my artsy trips a weekly treat, but sometimes life does get in the way.

A true relief (for me) by Allain Hablo

Another sojourn into the heart of Pasay City had me revisit the Avellana Art Gallery which is part of an uber creative little compound on Harrison St. If you’re into high ceilings, well cut rooms and a breeze that seems to remain within the compound, then you owe this place a visit. Oh, and be prepared to be wowed by the artwork, furniture and home accessories you can purchase here.

First, the exhibit of Mac Valdezco:

Space Ghost...in plastic

And look at this serious of drawings, my favorite is the one on the right:

Nice series

I couldn’t resist taking a solo shot of it, hey, dreams are free right?

Love the color and the drawing

Other works that can work alone include:

This reminds me of dragons

So much movement

there is something about her drawings that pulls you in. And all the sketches are subject to interpretation. The colors are muted so they could fit into any space, and you would think that the combination of tones would be discordant but it all works. I love her stuff, it makes me wish I had a loft like apartment and of course deeper pockets :-)

She also works well with plastic, like this “throw” rug that according to gallery owner Albert Avellana can also be hung so you don’t step on it.

Made out of cupcake wrappers, how clever!

More work in plastic, talk about carry-everywhere art

This installation, is a work in progress but look at how original it is. Plastic stick-ons working their way up a wall, and around its corner, and can go even progress beyond that. Again, there is movement, and colorful movement at that!

Wall climbing art

Details...details

Cute isn’t it? Sorry am running out of artsy-terms. This tapestry, located in a 2nd gallery in the compound is an old work of her. Again, the colors and the perfect mix of the mismatch are intriguing. The eye doesn’t stop moving.

Lines, colors, fabrics. Fabulous.

After this, we were invited to a delicious, comfort food lunch at the beautiful home of designer Eric Paras.  Yes, also in this compound of uber creativity. Stay tuned for part two!

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