What Happens When We Die?

What happens when we die? Where do we go? What does it feel like? It appears that patients, who have been hypnotized and regressed to a previous life, find themselves feeling just as "alive" as they were before their physical death. All their memories, perceptions and feelings continue. Some they carry into their next incarnation. When presented with these findings, we can begin to see our soul's immortality.

Studies conducted on clinical deaths and NDE (near death experience) are showing similar results to those who have undergone past life regressions.

Death is a natural transition from this world to that of Spirit and there appears to be no loss of consciousness. Rather it has been reported that people have an incredible sense of freedom once they have passed. As well, pains, aches, and negative emotions that were present in life seem to disappear once they leave their bodies. There is a sense of lightness and a feeling of well-being.

Many report floating above their bodies and able to view what is going on around them. They are conscious at all times. Some try to contact to those in the room that they are fine. However, they cannot communicate. The energy vibrations change once a person passes and this makes communication difficult.

The freedom they feel envelopes them and they find themselves drawn to a bright, white light. They are greeted by loved ones, who have already passed, as well as the Guides and Angels that have been with them in their present life.

Once a person has passed, they also find their body in perfect shape. It is whole and any flaws they had in life are now gone. They are free of any physical imperfections and look in the peak of health.

There are different stages a soul goes through after death; however depending on the soul’s evolution, the order may vary. This is the state where an accounting of past actions is reviewed. It is similar to a bank where there are credits and debits. After this phase, there is a cleansing of the soul and it is then welcomed into the light.

Sometimes we just HAVE to Believe!

It's no secret that I have an opinion on just about anything. I have this strange sense of justice and my nose gets tweaked when I sense something out of place. I rant and rave, but usually in the hopes of highlighting a wrong.

This post is not a rant ... I'm not trying to change someone's opinion. I just feel VERY sad about another type of injustice: suffering. Babies should never suffer.

I've been following the heartbreak of a family lately: a mother who's baby is gravely ill. The story of baby Stellan, and his family, is one of hope and courage and devotion and faith. And though the topic of faith is a very personal one, I know what it is like to be lifted through a critical time.

I have no doubt that her baby will be fine, but this woman's courage in sharing her pain with the world has left me scrambling for words to explain how I feel. I sent her a piece I designed years ago, when I had my own struggle with faith and needed to remember that we are never alone. It helped me to put one foot in front of the other, in the darkness, until I could once again see the light!

Keeping Connection to Spirit Clear

Elemental Balancing is based on the premise that the way we interact with our environment, and each other, is based on the interplay of four basic primary energies. These energy patterns are the same ones that have been attributed to everything from our astrological signs to the base archetypes of Jungian psychology. These energies have been known for a long time. As far back as Classical Greek times, they were categorized and their expressions defined in terms of the four Elements - Air, Water, Fire, and Earth.

Each of these energies must find expression in our lives. Each of them nurtures, or guides, aspects of our personality and human interrelations. When they are in balance, our spirit soars, and we are able to function at our maximum ability. This increases our chances of living happy lives. It doesn't guarantee that our lives will be free of stress or difficulty. It merely means that when trouble rears its head, we can bring the full brunt of our abilities against it with confidence, increasing our chance of overcoming it.

Each of these energies is linked to a particular part of our make up. They affect us singly, and in their interactions with each other. The interplay of these forces can create very complex forms. The subtleties of this interplay are beyond the scope of this article. However, anyone who doubts that four elements can create complexity, remember that our DNA, and that of all life on Earth, is compiled in sequences of genes that are all made up of combinations drawn from four nucleotides. If you can acknowledge the difference between a tiger, a sperm whale, and a rattlesnake, you acknowledge the power in the combination of four.

The energies balance along two axes. Fire primarily balances Water. Air primarily balances Earth. An interesting way to visualize this is as two teeter-totters set at right angles to each other, forming a cross. When a personality is in balance, each of these teeter-totters is nearly level on its own axis. Now, imagine further that you placed beams of wood of equal length on each end of the teeter totters so that they angled inwards and formed a pyramid.

When the energies are in balance, the ends of all these beams would form a small stable base at the top. This is where "spirit" sits. When our energies are in balance, it is easier for us to reach to spirit and thus be in contact with our higher selves. When our energies are seriously out of whack, spirit is having a hard enough time just staying on its seat. As a result, spirit isn't of as much assistance to us as it should.

Speaking of four archetypal energies is wonderful however, it is harder to teach one how to relate to and measure them in a clear and practical manner. Without such an understanding, there is no way for us to alter our balance and improve ourselves. These energies have to be reduced and simplified to a level that we can readily work with. One has to be able to identify what energies are most strongly at work in their lives and personalities before one can determine if they are out of balance. There has to be a way to feel the effect of the rise and fall of each energy so that there can be feedback to any of the changes that are induced.

Once there is a system in place for measuring the prominence of an energy, its balance in relation to the other elements, and means for altering that balance, then Elemental Balancing becomes a tool to foster positive change and growth.

Spells and Magick

Wherever you look today on the web, there is someone on some site trying to sell you a spell for love, a quick fix for money, or a charm to bring your long lost canary home. They draw you in with promises of making your dreams come true the fast and easy way. They have the cure for what ails you, an oil that saves toil, and a potion for your notion.

However, there is a simple truth to the order of the world. You only get out of it what you put into it. Real magick is just another type of work. It requires effort as well as an investment of time and faith. It is not simply something chanted out of a book, or mixed in a cauldron like a metaphysical cookie dough.

Because it takes time and effort, there is a limit to how many spells any true practitioner is going to be able to do for others, regardless of what they charge. If these miracle workers spent all their time chanting, praying, or throwing incense on the fire to the degree needed to accomplish their claims, they'd have no time left to eat, sleep, or use the little witch's room.

However the romance of the money spell and the love potion lives on. There is a strong lure to go out and buy books that teach one how to do spells, or to find someone to study under. You can't learn to do spells from books, at least not easily. Or to put it another way, you can try to do magick from a 'cook book', but it's likely to turn out in a way you wouldn't feed your dog.

Few books go through all the exercises and disciplines that must be learned in order to be effective. A book can not enforce discipline either. It can not tell you whether you have meditated on a given Element enough, or whether you've done a proper job of 'clearing' before a ritual. As well they do not always explain the traps and pitfalls inherent in doing 'spells'.

Finding the proper teacher is equally challenging. There is an old saying 'When the student is ready, the teacher appears'. Unfortunately, today that changes to 'When the wallet's pulled out, everyone's a Guru.' Not everyone with a towel on their head, or a pentacle on a chain has actually done the Work. Most of those who have done the work don't advertise.

Assuming you find your way into the Art or the Craft your next challenge is not HOW to do magick, but whether you SHOULD. Just because you can jump out a fifth story window, it's not always the wisest way to the ground floor. It may be quick, but you won't be in shape to do much else after the landing. magick is no different. For every effect you cause, you cause an effect on yourself. Is what you're striving for worth what it may cost you?

It's not my aim to try to teach magick here. A proper teacher teaches in person. There are a lot of strange, antiquated customs incorporated into true traditional teachings. Most of them are there to impart discipline, respect, and a sense of wonder. What I do seek to achieve is to educate and inform those who truly are interested in self-improvement, and positive empowerment.

We will be posting articles on various forms and traditions of magick, as well as guides to what one should avoid, what is more and less appropriate, and how to keep the chamber pot of Karma from emptying on your head.

Can I get another lightbulb? This one's dim ...

Who's brilliant idea was it to bring the likes of Sarah Palin on board? Was it after a particularly rough, drug-induced bender? It's frightening to think that anyone could have been of sound mind while deciding this.

And the mindless, white mob in attendance, applauding her empty rhetoric, had me very frightened indeed. Makes me want to change 'neighbourhoods' as I'm not sure I want HER, or anyone who doesn't see through her, as a neighbour.

For those who are socially and environmentally conscious, have a look at this news story. See if it doesn't make you cringe at the thought of having this woman anywhere near ANY post of responsibility. If you have an open mind, remember hers is closed. And that is scariest of all.

Her whole attitude is one where she feels deserving of accolades ... a Diva, if you will. Blame it on her numbers. Being a number 11 personality, combined with a 6 lifepath can lead to her feeling that hers is the ONLY way. She's astute and can play situations to her favour, but she is not open to new ideas, unless they're her own.

One Year Anniversary!

Time flies when you're having fun! We're coming up to the one year anniversary of our reopening.

As a result, we'll be celebrating by hosting a special event once a week. Each event will be held on a different day and time with a different set of rules. You will need to check our Chat Schedule for specifics.

These events will start next week, and most will be held in the Lobby so that both members and non-members can attend.

If you're looking for a free reading, this is the time to come by. Anyone who brings a friend to one of these events will have a chance to win a free 20-minute reading.

Help us make this a great anniversary and find out what we've got in store for the coming year.

Meditation

Meditation is both the simplest and most complicated thing you will ever do. In theory it seems easy. You need to quiet and focus the mind so that all the internal chatter dies away, leaving you free and clear to tune into the higher energies, re-visualize your life with clarity, and gain insight into your higher purpose.

In practice, it can be a frustrating exercise of fidgeting while trying to block out annoying thoughts about gossip heard at the grocery check-out line, what your fiancé really meant when he said that you don’t really look fat, or whether you remembered to change the kitty litter. Most resolutions to meditate die in the first five minutes of trying.

The number of possible meditations and methods for achieving mental peace are as numerous as the stars in the sky -- or the wanna-be gurus hanging out in obscure shops and downtown cafes. Most of these techniques even have merit. Before trying to determine which path you should follow, you need to come to an understanding of what your own needs may be, and why it is you are meditating.

I have always preferred to break any process into its most basic components. The first rule of empowerment is that you must Know Thyself. One way of gaining an understanding into what fundamentally shapes you as a person and colours your choices, is an exploration of the basic elemental energies, knowing how they feel, how well you relate to each, and how they express themselves in and through you in a balanced fashion.

In order to do this, one must first have a sense of how each energy feels to them personally. Everyone will experience energy in a unique way. While the energy fulfills the same function in each soul, we savour it through the masks of our past experiences. Thus our interaction with each energy is coloured by our past, and by whatever innate characteristics we possess.

There is an interesting side effect of seeking balance through meditation on the elements. A properly balanced state makes reaching deeper levels of awareness easier and more effective. It may seem amusing to think that you will meditate in order that you can meditate better.

But deeper states of meditation may also leave you open to unexpected outside impressions. A strongly balanced energy, self-awareness, and confident control will serve to protect you from unwanted outside influences.

This is not magic. It is not effortless. It takes great work and discipline. A talent or predisposition for mental quiet helps, but in the end, persistence counts for more. Only through repetition and attention will one gain facility with these skills.

Once a basic ease with meditation has been achieved, one can then turn their focus towards particular ends and effects. Specific meditations can be structured to aid or promote healing, to invite inspiration, to remove blocks to physical action, or to encourage emotional connection with others. Meditation is a synergetic skill. It can combine with, strengthen, and improve every other skill we have.