Thursday, December 8, 2016

How to Use Special Herbs in Your Life to Increase the Odds of GettingWhat You Want!



When you stop to think about it and also do a little of reading you will discover or rather uncover the truth that everything on this planet holds energy.  Take for instance our human existence.  We are made of flesh and bone that has an intricate electrical system. This system send electrical impulses to operate all of our body systems.  This electrical system gives us energy.  The energy is a source of power.  Plants and animals hold the same energy and generate the same power.

Some people have a higher frequency than others and we all use our energy for specific purposes.  Take for instance even our different personalities.  Our personalities although shaped by how we are raised, how we handle our environment and our circumstance is really based on the energy pulses in our system and how they fire in our bodies.  These impulses are a source of power for us all.  Some people are more loving than other, some more sexual, some more open.  There are those that just seem sad, angry or flat out mean.  It really all depends on how you use the energy.  Plants however,  are provided a certain attribute to the energy they provide.  We however, are fortunate to have the power to choose how we use our energy, especially after we take ownership and responsibility for ourselves and our actions.  Some of us do, some don't. 

If we accept this in ourselves we can then realize how our herbs work.  They are energetically designed to perform a certain action.  Some herbs will energetically hold a certain property and function... Just like we do.  Ancient Mystics, science and religions have recognized this energetic function in our herbal friends and have learned to harness the power in the herbs for healing, harming and magic!  

Prior to our current medical system people relied on their village herb doctor or medicine woman to remedy their ailments.  These practictioners  were adept in the use of herbs, roots and minerals.  They prescribed herbs, tinctures and tonic for healing.  Another side to the story is these herb practitioners also understood the energetic power of herbs and used that energy to fuel magic workings.  Native American doctors, Hoodoo Conjure and Rootworkers, Voudon Practioners, Druids, Celts, African, Witches and Chinese Mystics all used herbal magic in several rituals along with mystic understanding of outer world powers.  They understood and harnessed the natural power.  Today although we have seemingly lost our sense and wonder of the magical natural world, but there is a culture of people from all walks of life, religions and national orientation that still use and understand the power in herb magic.



I would like to introduce you to a small list of herbs that are used in Hoodoo practice to this day.  I want you to revert to a time when the world still held fascination for you.  A time when magic still held a place in your heart and your were still part of the natural planet.  This time and space is the real space where we connect to the earth and the very spirits that guide us daily, if we allow it.  Lose yourself into a real realm of life that was gifted to us, prior to being swallowed up in the false world we have created.  

HERBS AND THE ENERGETIC POWER THEY HOLD

Most of us get sick physically, and most of the time it is because of an emotion stress that is wearing us down.  Our Mystics see past our excuses and get to the root of the issue.  They are connected deeply with the natural world and can see past our linear thinking.  People have, for centuries, sought out the help of our Mystics in all areas of their lives, form illness, love, finance and protection from evil or harm.  They prescribe according to the truth we allow and even prescribe exercises such as meditation to open our spirits back to our source... For healing!  

Let's take a look at some of the herbs used in Hoodoo.  I have compiled a small list of the usual requests.  We will take a look at herbs for love, sex, money, luck and protection.

LOVE SWEET LOVE


We have all been elated with love.  That sweet moment in time were the world is so perfect.  You walk around in a parade of butterflies and there is sweet music playing in the air.  You look long at each other with passion and desire burning from your eyes.  Everything she does is so cute and loving.  Everything he does is so perfect and he is so handsome your eyes water when you look dreamily at him.  All your desire is for each other.  You are each other's perfect company... And when apart all you can think about is one another.  Do you remember those times? 

The times where laughter and giggling, soft touches and sweet love were made?  What do you have now?  Do you still feel the same somewhere deep down under all of the crud you have allowed to come between you.  When you look at her or when you look at him does a love vibration flow from your eyes?  Or are your infrequent glances full of ice or pain now because y'all just don't get along?  Do you stay at work late because you just don't want to go home?  Back in the day, before we tolerated bad relationships and before therapy, one of the broken hearted lovers would take a visit to a Hoodoo Rootworker with their tales of woe and heart ache.  The Rootworker would give them a magical working to turn the tides.  (In another blog post we introduced Valerian root and it's magical use to stop fighting in a marriage.  You can read it here http://workwithdynamicduo1014.blogspot.com/2015/02/stop-fighting-in-your-marriage.html.). 

Whether the Hoodoo Rootworker gave a Mojo Hand, Spell, or a candle spell, herbs would be used.  

Herbs they may have prescribed for internal use, baths or to spread around your home would have the specific vibration for love energy.  They may have given specific instruction for a mojo hand that required specific herbs, prayers and something personal from you and your lover.  

Lodestones were often used because of their magnetic energy.  Two matching red or pink lodestones would be placed into the Mojo hand along with licorice for controlling, cinnamon to heat up the love affair and a bay leaf to promote a long marriage.  The couples personal items such as hair, nail clippings, blood, sexual fluids would also be added.  The hurt lover would be given a red candle to burn and a Psalms to pray over the mojo hand.  He or she would carry the mojo hand with them and watch how their loving relationship would be restored!


YOU LUCKY DEVIL

Another really hot topic that Hoodoo Practioners dealt with with the power of herbs was to bring someone luck.  When we think of luck it is definitely linked to financial matters.  We, whether we want to admit it, are hoping for that pot of gold or the winning lottery numbers!  Gamblers made lots of use of Lucky Hand herbs and Five Finger Grass oils (lucky mojo.com has the best Five Finger Grass Oil!).  The Hoodoo practioner would create a batch of Five Finger Grass for the client and give them a Mojo hand filled with other lucky herbs such as, allspice berries, alligator tooth (you have to be bold and lucky to gather one of these!!!) and nutmeg is a gamblers charm indeed as well as cinnamon and sassafras.  

Because we like you, here is a wonderful Lucky Money Mojo hand you can create for yourself:

Place a whole nutmeg seed in a green flannel bag with three silver dimes, allspice berries, cinnamon and Irish moss.  Before handling your money dress the bag with Money Drawing Oil and pray the 23rd Psalm.  Your luck and finances will change!  

The use of Lucky hand root and a rabbits foot dressed in Five Finger Grass will draw luck your way.   





There is a serious matter I want to bring up.  

There are some nasty people and spirits in this world.  The negative energy gets on us.  

We can simply walk into our favorite coffee shop and be witness to a nasty person having a negative interaction with the clerk.  The negative person turns to leave and gives you an evil glance from their angry heart and bam just like that you are now carrying that negativity.  That energy on you connects to any negative energy you may have stored in you and damn it all your day turns sour.  

Even worse is it may attach to you and wait to build more energy.  It may lay in wait till it has grown strong and then really fuck things up at a later date.  (Harsh word for affect ya'll.  worked didn't it!).   

You walk around wondering what the hell has happened to you and why things are going so wrong.  This energy loves for us to be confused and feel victimized and angry at how our circumstances are going bad.  The worse we feel the more power we feed it, the more trifling our existence.   All because some jerk was mad about coffee.  

You don't have to allow this energy to consume or control you.  You have the power to take charge and change your circumstances.  This is also true for people in your life that affect you negatively.  You have the power to stop anything negative that is affecting you, your life or those you love.  

Mother Nature and all of her magic give us the added power and protection for negative energy and our enemies.  We Hoodoo Practioners understand this completely and do not hesitate to fight back with the power she bestows us!  

If you are feeling the negative energy around you, you have the power to stop it.  A simple and extremely affective energy cleanse you can use once a week to cleanse your energy completely is a bath in Rue. Rue should only be used externally as it is toxic if taken internally.  Simply draw a bath and add an half ounce of Rue to the water.  Light white candles for purification.  Submerge in the protection water and visualize all negativity running like hell away from you.  You will energetically cleanse and your vibration will be back on your track.  No more derailing from others negativity.  




Using a sage smudge in your home once a week will cleanse your environment from negativity.  Light your smudge in a fire and heat safe container that is only used for your sage smudge.  I use an abalone shell. When it begins to smoke, walk from corner to corner in each room and closet of your home.  Be sure that all windows and exit doors are closed.  As you walk through you home clearly declare that all things that are impure and negative must leave.  Meditate on the motion and your prayer to cleanse.  Once you have smudged each room of your house, return to each room and open all windows and doors and state loudly, "Out!" as you're sweep the air toward the open window or door.  The evil or negative energy will leave.  Seal your house back up and be at peace that you have restored order in your home once again.  

Use of sage, rue, carrying bay leaf in a mojo hand (mojo bag) to ward off evil, Devils shoe string and eucalyptus are all herbs energetically engineered to help protect you from negative energy, people and places.  



Understand that herbs and plants were given to us to use not just to spice our food, but to heal our bodies and spirits.  Herbs are energetically charged with a specific purpose and connect with our energies to help and to heal.  

I strongly believe in the Power of herbs and plants and fully believe in their magic.  The magic is waiting for us to take it and use it.  I will continue to post blogs on how to use herbs and magic because it is real.  We as a people come from this earth crafted in the magical hands of this Universe.  Call it what you may.  It is real and does work.  You need only to tap into the energy.  We have all witnessed the energy of prayer and how it truly works.  Herbs channel that energy from above and move things into action.  Don't fear any longer and dive back into your magical world.  I'll be here for help.  

As you enjoy reading this blog share it with your social media connection!  

We love you.
Toulousse and Saint



 Go over and Favor our shop and enter to win a great prize!









Protection from Evil and from Someone Doing You Wrong.


Throughout the ages, whether dealing with Devils, demons, witch hexes, evil eyes or someone just doing you wrong, protective spells and amulets, rituals and prayers, seals and crossings have been used.  As we continuously desensitize ourselves to the real world around us or just simply chalk our bad luck and trouble to Karma, we continue to subject ourselves not only to misfortune but to evil around us.  Also, we allow others to cause us grief even if minut in nature, thinking we hold no power over the situation or circumstances, or we are just plain scared to take action.  

Some of us have subscribed to Karma and believe that when done wrong that the person will somehow "pay" for it through their Karma.  Some of us subscribe to Karma so deeply that we have become completely passive and allow terrible situations to unfold in our lives.  

In witchcraft there is the idea of the three fold rule that whatever you do comes back to you three fold.  

Fortunately in Hoodoo if someone does you wrong you can send that shit right back to them and in many cases with God's blessing.

Back in the day rituals performed and amulets that were worn were taken seriously.  The magic in the rituals cleared an area of negative or evil energy, or just prevented it altogether!  The simple act of sweeping your porch in the morning was a clearing ritual performed to remove evil from your home.  Amulets were blessed and worn on the body to protect from all sorts of negativity.  Now some of these magical amulets are now just sad fashion statement.  Let's take a look at a few shall we...

HAMSA HAND

Look familiar.  You may a t-shirt from Tilley's or Forever 21 with this symbol on it, or better yet a keychain!  But, do you have any idea what this symbol is or what purpose it serves?  This protective amulet dates back to Mesopotamia and has been found in Islamic, Jewish and in Christian cultures.  This protective amulet is used to ward off the evil eye of others and any evil eye supernatural forces.  Later this amulet was referred to has the hand of God.  Who wouldn't want to be protected by the hand of God?  A Jewish friend of mine, while we were living in Hawaii gave me a Hamsa Hand.  I hung it from our bedroom window.  I have since passed it on to our oldest daughter to protect her while she is out in the City.

At the beginning of this blog post is another protective amulet worn for protection against evil.  It is found in Greek and in Middle Eastern culture.  When I was growing up in Los Angeles one of my best friends was an Armenian girl.  Her mother and aunt were both psychic and read tea leaves.  As a gift, her mother gave me a necklace with an evil eye bead.  She told me to wear it whenever I went out and to hang it from my bedroom window when I was in my room.  She told me that it would protect me from the evil eye of jealous people and of the spirits that I couldn't see.  I still have and wear one today.  I especially gear up when having to meet with my husbands particularly nasty ex-wife or when visiting some of my relatives.  Works like a charm! 



We have all seen a Lucky Horse shoe somewhere over a door way.  We post one above our front door.   Do you know the story and power behind the Lucky Horse shoe?  The Folklore came about prior to the 1800's that if a horse shoe was hung above the doorway with the ends pointing up it would collect all of the good luck floating around and channel it to the home.  

The Pentacle

Now before you get all weirded out by seeing this symbol, let me disspell your ideas of what a pentacle is.  This, first of all is NOT a symbol for Satan or Satanism.  This is a powerful symbol for protection.  Yes, it is used by the Witch culture.  The symbol, when broken down is the four alchemy symbols for Fire, Air, Water and Earth.  The pentacle is used as any other protection talisman. It is used in ritual to guard the person working a spell AGAINST evil.  It is also placed in the home, in window seals to protect the home and the inhabitants.  I have always loved the pentacle.  The elements is portrays are of this earth and are powerful guardians.  I mean who wouldn't want Fire, Air, Earth and Water on their side.  Carrying a Pentacle doesn't make you a witch or devil worshipper.  It makes you a smart individual that understands the power of nature and how She protects us all.


Lucky Rabbits Foot

After you get over being PETA and open your mind to realize the lore behind this Taliman, you will understand it has a place and time in history where people felt the need for natural power.  Luck was far and few inbetween for our ancestors.  It is so easy for us to look down our technology advanced noses at these primitive folks with judgement.  Read history and discover where people were and how they used to live before placing your judgements.  

A lucky rabbits foot dates back to 600 BC and is spread across several cultures.  In Hoodoo the Lucky Rabbits Foot is a serious Taliman for gamblers.  To procure one is part of the magic!  Give this a gander...  This Talisman is taken seriously.  

"The belief in North American folklore may originate in the system of African-American folk magic known as hoodoo. A number of strictures attached to the charm that are now observed mostly in the breach:
  • First, not any foot from a rabbit will do: it is the left hind foot of a rabbit that is useful as a charm.
  • Second, not any left hind foot of a rabbit will do; the rabbit must have been shot or otherwise captured in a cemetery.
  • Third, at least according to some sources, not any left hind foot of a rabbit shot in a cemetery will do: the phase of the moon is also important. Some authorities say that the rabbit must be taken in the full moon, while others hold instead that the rabbit must be taken in the new moon. Some sources say instead that the rabbit must be taken on a Friday, or a rainy Friday, or Friday the 13th. Some sources say that the rabbit should be shot with a silver bullet, while others say that the foot must be cut off while the rabbit is still alive.". 

A lucky rabbits foot is carried by the person or the gambler and isn't a novel keychain! Do you now realize the seriousness in the processes that our ancestors went through for protection and the faith that they held in the Natural forces that are all around us?

As a Hoodoo Rootworker I want to share some of our herbal workings to help protect you or for you to use against someone that has done you wrong.  In Hoodoo as mentioned before, Karma does not apply nor does the Threefold rule that our cousin Witches uphold.  In Hoodoo you are allowed to strike back when done wrong.  We don't have to sit idly by and allow someone's evil to continuously effect our well being.  We can turn all that nastiness back to the person and stand clear of harm or backlash.

Now there are some powerfully nasty folks out there that practice some nasty magic.  They can do harm and will do harm.  One of the best resources you have to guard yourself from these people is #1, do your best not to associate with them.  If that can't be prevented then carry your talisman of choice, pray and read below some remedies for Protection against evil...

10 HERBS/ MINERALS YOU CAN USE TO PROTECT YOURSELF

1.  Salt - salt your window and door seals to ward of evil or negativity.  No, Supernatural didn't invent this.

2.  Sage - smudge your home and yourself often. Ask us how!

3.  Rue - a Bath in Rue cleanses your body and Spirit of evil/negativity.  Also placing a pinch of Rue in the four corners of your home will keep evil from your dwelling.  Place Rue in a torn 4x4 piece of brown paper bag.  Pray for protection.  Hide the sachet above your door to ward off evil influences.

4.  John the Conqueror Root - powerful mojo you carry in your pocket or in a red flannel bag especially if you are going into a potentially hostile environment.  The name says it all!

5.  Bay leaf - 
* carry in a red flannel mojo bag to ward off negative people.
* if laying tricks on someone that done you wrong, place a leaf in all four corners of your room so that the jinx doesn't come back on you.
* sprinkle crushed bay leaves on your floor when sweeping to clear jinxes or evil.  Sweep it out the door.

6.  Eucalyptus- bathing with a muslin bag full of eucalyptus will cast off evil.

7.  Balm of Gilead - this herb is mentioned in the Bible as a great comforter.  It is said to ease the plight of the broken hearted, to soothe lovers quarrels, and to ease troubles that someone is trying to cause in your marriage.  
* carry a matched pair of balm of Gilead buds in a red flannel mojo bag to protect against the evil eye, curses and hexes.
*. Place matching buds in all four corners of your bedroom and a fifth matching pair under your bed to reconcile sexual discord.
* place a matching pair of buds to steep in a bottle of wine and share with a friend to renew a loving friendship.

8.  Devil's Bit -  place the chips outside your door or under a rug to cast off evil, hexes.
* add the chips to a protective mojo hand along with Rue and agrimony to keep evil away and to return tricks laid on you!

9.  Devil Pod -  carry devil pod in a red flannel mojo hand dressed in Uncrossing oil when surrounded by negative folks or enemies.

10.  Rose hips - place in a red flannel mojo bag along with flax seed for protection.

Get back in tune with the vibration of the world that was created for us.  Use the power she so readily provides to aid in your health and healing.  Use her power to guard yourself.  Don't be fooled into a false sense of security and ignore the signs of your failing health, anxiety or depression.  There is evil out there.  It will affect you.  Take your blinders off and jump back into the stream of real life.  Know your power and connect with intuition.  All of the above mentioned practices have been around for centuries and are deeply rooted in cultures of Olde.  They are not outdated, just ignored... And we suffer.

Protect yourself.

After enjoying this blog post, remember to like and post on your Social media.


Please feel free to ask questions and leave comments!

We love you.
Toulousse




GET FOR RITUALS



Thursday, December 1, 2016

Why Meditate? Will it make me High?

MEDITATION
WHY DO WE MEDITATE?

“Without the help of meditation, you cannot attain the Knowledge of the Self. Without its aid, you
cannot grow into the divine state. Without it, you cannot liberate yourself from the trammels of the
mind and attain immortality.
Meditation is the only royal road to the attainment of freedom. It is a mysterious ladder which
reaches from earth to heaven, from error to truth, from darkness to light, from pain to bliss, from
restlessness to abiding peace, from ignorance to knowledge, from mortality to immortality.”
from “Bliss Divine” by Swami Sivananda



As mentioned in our blog post:   So you want to Meditate...well you can't and here is why. the first step in Meditation is the ability to concentrate.  We also need to cultivate a pure thought process and the ability to wait and watch as the waters of our thoughts cease to cause ripples.  Once the ripples clear we can then see into the pure waters...find the Self.  This process takes time, practice and consistancy.  Below are some simple steps we have put together and have learned from Swami Vishnudevananda in Meditation and Mantras.  This is our daily practice...notice I said Daily.  


PRACTICE





Follow this step by step guide when you practice meditation:

1. Get yourself into a comfortable cross-legged sitting position (Hip-opening exercises like butterfly        help to get comfortable in the sitting Asanas). Make sure that your hips are slightly higher than            your knees.  Use cushions/pillows if needed.  Be comfortable.


2. Consciously scan and relax all body parts.  Do a body scan.  Release any tension or negativity.

3. Get grounded by visualizing that you are as solid as a mountain.  Feel the stillness.

4. After taking a few deep yogic breaths  What is a full yogic breath?, slow the breath down until it         eventually becomes almost imperceptible.

5. Bring your mind to your Focal Point, your chosen point of concentration either between your            eyebrows or at your heart and keep your concentration there. ( So you want to Meditate...well you can't and here is why. )

6. Start with the repetition of your personal Mantra ,or the Universal Mantra OM. ( So you want to Meditate...well you can't and here is why.)



7. If you feel comfortable to go to the next level, add to the concentration the focus on the
meaning of the Mantra.  Contemplate the meaning.

8. Whenever the mind wanders, which will happen...often, Gently pull your concentration back to your focal point and the repetition and meaning of your Mantra. Notice that gently is in bold...don't forcefully bring the mind  back to your Mantra.

There are 14 points to Meditation that we will talk about in our next blog.  Take the time today to make a date with yourself for Meditation.  Keep the date and begin your practice.  Don't you think that it is about time to uncover who you truly are and to begin to think for yourself.  More on thinking for yourself as well.

Meditation has not only given both Saint and I a sense of calm, we have gained insight into who we are indivdually and as a couple.  We have gained ground with our mental capabilities and have become individuals that actually are no longer lead but think for ourselves.  The path of Meditation has given way to our individual experiences with the Divine.  Tapping into Divine energy has been amazing.


We practice daily at 5:30 a.m. and again at 6:00 p.m. (magical hours)  We try to get in an hour everyday.  Because we are worth the time and the effort,  again let me say that this is our practice daily...even when we don't feel like it, or when "too tired' or what ever excuse the mind tries to use to detour this practice.

Begin today and be on the look out for the 14 Points of Meditation in our next post!

Toulousse
Remember to Plus One this Post!
Go over and Favor our shop and enter to win a great prize!


Also join us over at Toulousse and Saint's Creative Sanctuary:  https://www.facebook.com/pages/Toulousse-and-Saints-Creative-Sanctuary/373902786115562



We love you.  Post your comments or questions below.



The 14 Points of Meditation. Open the Mind to Peace and Focus.

Meditation


Since we have gone through Meditation 101 I thought you might like to learn a bit more of the Practice of Meditation and since we are all big boys and girls in this camp I thought you might like to hear what Meditation is and what it is for in a higher level speak than in the previous blogs...baby steps for all, including us!  
We practice these 14 points of yoga as set down by Swami Vishnudevananda.  There are extra steps involved than in our blog So you want to meditate...well you can't and here is why.  If this blog is too much to grasp at the moment we have a kinder more gently version in our blog Why do we Meditate...Will it make me high?  Either way the important thing to remember is to practice and to practice meditation daily!  
Here we go...


THE 14 POINTS OF MEDITATION
1. Regularity of time, place and practice are important. Regularity conditions the mind to slowdown its activities and chatter (see #9).

2. The most effective times are early dawn and dusk, when the atmosphere is charged with
special Spiritual and Natural Force. Don't let what I just said freak you out.  Dawn is when the world is just beginning to stir and at Dawn is when it is getting settled.  These are perfect times when thought vibrations are low.  You are more apt to have a concentrated meditation full of just your own thoughts rather than your entire neighborhood.  We want to alleviate as much Monkey Chatter as we can.  If it is not feasible to sit for meditation at these times, choose an hour
when you are not involved with daily activities, and a time when the mind is apt to be calm.

3. Try to have a separate room for meditation. As meditation is repeated, the powerful vibrations  set up will be connected to the area; an atmosphere of peace and purity will be felt.

4. When sitting, face North or East in order to take advantage of favorable magnetic vibrations.  Sit in a steady, comfortable, cross-legged position with spine and neck straight but not tense.

5. Before beginning, command the mind to be quiet for a specific length of time. Forget the past,  present and future.  This is such a major and helpful step, you will notice as you practice that the mind will begin to repond...daily practice is required!

6. Consciously regulate the breath. Begin with five minutes of deep abdominal yogic breathing to  bring oxygen to the brain. Then slow it down to an imperceptible rate. 
How to Breath a Full Yogic Breathe

7. Keep the breathing rhythmical, inhale for three seconds and exhale for three seconds.
Regulation of breath also regulates the flow of Prana, our vital energy.

8. Allow the mind to wander at first. It will jump around, but will eventually become concentrated,  along with the concentration of Prana.  Just don't follow at thought too far down the rabbit hole Alice.

9. Don't force the mind to be still, as this will set in motion additional brain waves, hindering  meditation.  No need to create more ripples in the pond.

10. Select a focal point on which the mind may rest. For people who are intellectual by nature,  this may be the Ajna Chakra., the point between the eyebrows. For more emotional people,  use the Anahata or Heart Chakra. Never change this focal point.  Even when the mind gets bored and insists that you are doing something wrong and that you must change the focal point.

11. Focus on a neutral or uplifting object, holding the image in the place of concentration. If usinga Mantra, repeat it mentally, and co-ordinate repetition with the breath. If you don't have apersonalized Manta, use Om. Although mental repetition is stronger, the mantra may berepeated aloud if one becomes drowsy. Never change the Mantra.  Even when the mind gets bored and insists that you are again doing something wrong and that you must change it at once. 

12. Repetition will lead to pure thought, in which sound vibration merges with thought vibration,  without awareness of meaning. Vocal repetition progresses through mental repetition to  telepathic language, and from there to pure thought.  Pretty deep huh!

13. With practice, duality disappears and Samadhi, or the Superconscious State, is reached practice practice practice,  this takes a long time.  Be patient and practice daily.

14. In Samadhi one rests in the state of bliss in which the Knower, the Knowledge, and the
Known become one. This is the Superconcious state reached by mystics of all faiths and
persuasions.



The biggest obstacle I faced when beginning to meditate is being patient with myself and gently guiding my Monkey mind back to task.  I will tell you this...you are NOT wasting precious meditation time if you gently remind the mind to repeat the mantra or to redirect a thought.  In the beginning stages of meditation this is what it is all about.  You are getting to know your own mind instead of the thoughts you have had programmed.  You are getting the junk out of the way and clearing a direct path to your true Self.

Like what you are reading?  Leave us a comment or question.  We have a direct link to a really cool Swami and can get answers for you.  Why?  Because we can and we also want everyone to find liberation and freedom...we want all to attain the Self.  It is how we are meant to be.

We love you!

Toulousse
Remember to Plus One this Post!

Go over and Favor our shop and enter to win a great prize!







SO YOU WANT TO MEDITATE...WELL YOU CAN'T AND HERE IS WHY

SO YOU WANT TO MEDITATE...WELL YOU CAN'T AND HERE IS WHY
(references from Meditation and Mantra by Swami Vishnudevananda)



Our inability to meditate is due to our inability to relax and sit still.  We are overly stimulated and our nerves are entirely too active.  We attempt to sit and all we end up doing is inviting our Monkey mind to come forward.  We get frustrated because we haven't reached that blissful state of meditation  and give up.  Well let me break some news to you about Meditation.  Everything you believe about meditation being a blissful relaxation of your mind or a place to get a mental massage are WRONG!  That isn't what meditation is for.  Go ahead and have a fit or an ah ha moment then we will proceed.  

Meditation is the systematic approach to purifying our thoughts and the discovery of Who we truly are in the silence of the mind.  This process takes tons of time, consistancy and practice.  We must spend time in the Monkey chatter to decipher and dismiss the unnecessary thoughts.  Once we decipher the chatter from actual impressed thoughts we can begin the process of mind purification which will lead to the Blissful Meditation.  This is a journey and a process.  Take it on as such and you will have success.  Consistant meditation meaning every single day will yield results...do you have it in you to explore your mind?  

Before we even begin our Meditation processes we have a key function that we must master first.  

CONCENTRATION



Before we are able to meditate, we have  to be able to concentrate the mind. We are all able to
concentrate to a certain degree, but due to all of our lifestyle distractions we are used to a
multitasking mindset and a very short attention span.  And although we would like to believe in our ability to multi-task it has been proven in case studies that it isn't truly possible.  We end up stressing the mind and body out in over load.  We truly can only do one thing at time.   Learn to systematically concentrate.  Doing something systematically isn't multi - tasking...it is called smarts in my book! The mind works from perception so we must through concentration discover what impression we have in the mind.

• The essence of the mind is perception

• By increasing our ability of perception we increase our ability to understand the “bigger picture”

  • We won't be lost in the details

• There can only be one single thought in the mind at any given moment

• The mind can only focus on one thing at a time!
• Example: Focusing the rays of the sun through a magnifying glass

Most of us experience what we like to call Monkey Mind...
• Example: Monkey Mind - constantly jumping from one thought to another

The only way to control the mind is to sit in meditation on the regular and analyse the thoughts.  We can see where they come from and start the process of purifying our minds.  From here we will be able to see the "Big Picture" more clearly...like waiting for the ripples in a pond to subside before you can see into the pond.

Below I have listed some concentration exercise that we can use to begin our magical process of concentration that will lead us to true meditation...and not just peaceful sitting up sleep state!

• The aim of the concentration exercises is to:
- slow down the thought waves
- prevent the mind from jumping around

• For further information see the chapter on Concentration in “Meditation & Mantras”




CONCENTRATION EXERCISES 
Practicing these exercises will help you increase your attention span and enhance your ability to
concentrate, which can boost your memory and benefit your psychological health and help you on the beginning stages of your meditation journey
.
(1) Counting: Concentrate on the nostrils. Feel how the air gently flows in and out of the nostrils.
Hold the concentration for the full inhalation and exhalation, counting every full respiration. When
you reach to 10 or loose the concentration start all over again at 1.

(2) Metronome: Concentrate on the sound of a metronome (If not available try
www.metronomeonline.com) at 40 - 60 BPM.

(3) Tratak: Place a candle or oil lamp at about eye level 4-6 feet away from you. Concentrate
your eyes on the flame without blinking until tears start to flow and you can not keep them open
any longer. Then close your eyes and concentrate on the soft glowing image of the flame in your
mind until the image starts to dissolve. Then reopen your eyes and resume the practice for a total
of 10 - 20 minutes.

(4) Inner Focal Point: Concentrate on an inner point of concentration either on the point between
the eyebrows (Ajna Chakra), if you are more of a intellectual nature, or in the heart center
(Anahata Chakra) at the middle of your chest, if you are more of a emotional or devotional nature.
Whenever the mind wanders, GENTLY bring it back to the point of concentration.

(5) Nature Contemplation: Sit relaxed in nature and focus attentively on a tree, on the clouds in
the sky, the waves on the ocean, or the stars at night.

(6) Repition of a Mantra.  The universal Mantra is OM.  You can use OM (Aum) or a mantra of your own.  When you start to wonder in thought GENTLY bring your focus to your Mantra.  I like this technique the best.  You can repeat the Mantra out loud or silently in your mind.  Don't get tripped up the word Mantra either.  If you don't practice Buddism or are not a Hindu you can use a Mantra from your religion or Spiritual practice that suits you.  Remove the emotion from it and repeat it.

The beginning stage of focus and concentration can be frustrating.  Don't try to rush or conquer this all in  one sitting.  Be patient.  And by all means do not fall prey to the tricks of your mind..

1)  This is dumb and isn't working.
2)  I am too tired today.
3)  All I do is fall asleep why keep doing this
4)  I don't like this mantra, I'll try a new one
5)  Maybe if I switch up times

Blah Blah Blah...

Make a date with yourself and stick with it.  Learn the technique of concentration then come back and read our blog about Meditation and why we do it.

Like what you read and leave us a comment.  We would love to hear from you!

 http://www.cafepress.com/TeaWithToulousse




Do you Dosha?

Do you know your Dosha?  Dosha Know?



This is an introduction to Ayurveda...please study on because this is an ancient facinating art that can bring your health, balance an vitality!

AYUR-life VEDA-knowledge or science  Ayurveda is a medical science and its purpose is to heal and maintain the quality and longevity of  life. It is both systematize knowledge and practical wisdom combining all phases of life, body,
mind and spirit.


THE FIVE ELEMENTS
The building blocks of material creation
Space/Ether: empty, light, subtle, formless
Air: dry, clear, light, mobile
Fire: hot, dry, sharp
Water: fluid, heavy, soft
Earth: heavy, hard, dense

The five elements combine into 3 basic energies called Doshas. Dosha in Sanskrit means “fault”.
All people have all the three Doshas, but one is usually primary, one secondary and the third least  prominent. The Doshas are responsible for all our individual differences and preferences in life on  all levels of body, mind and consciousness.

VATA: composed of air and ether. Energy of movement

PITTA: composed of fire and water. Energy of transformation

KAPHA: composed of water and earth. Energy of lubrication

Each person's combination of the 3 doshas is determined at the moment of conception by the
parents genetics, diet, lifestyle, emotions etc. It is called Prakruti, which means nature, and
doesn't change trough out life except in some very rare cases. Example: vata1 pitta3 kapha2.
When the doshas are imbalanced, and in a different state from the original state of the
constitution, it is called Vikruti or unnatural.




VATA CHARACTERISTICS:
• small body frame
• dry skin
• hates cold, loves hot
• low appetite
• walks fast
• talks fast
• doing many things at once
• loves to travel
• loves change
• difficulty with stability and commitment
• creative
• learns quickly, forgets quickly
• joyful, happy
• may experience fear, loneliness, anxiety




PITTA CHARACTERISTICS:
• medium body type
• red flushed skin
• hates heat
• likes fame
• strong appetite
• leaders
• logical
• organized
• perfectionist
• sharp and bright mind
• may experience anger, judgmental, aggression




KAPHA CHARACTERISTICS:
• strong healthy body
• oily skin
• calm nature
• steady appetite
• walks and talks slow
• peaceful
• patient
• grounded
• stable
• may experience depression, greed, attachment


THE 6 TASTES:
Sweet = Earth+Water
Sour = Earth+ Fire
Salty = Water+ Fire
Pungent = Fire+Air
Bitter = Air+Space
Astringent = Air+Earth


THE 6 TASTES AND THE DOSHAS:

Beneficial for Vata: sweet, sour, salty

Beneficial for Pitta: sweet, bitter, astringent

Beneficial for Kapha: pungent, bitter, astringent


THE 20 BASIC QUALITIES:
heavy - light
oily - dry
stable - mobile
slimy - rough
gross - subtle
cold - hot
slow - sharp
soft - hard
dense - liquid
cloudy - clear


CERTAIN FOODS AND THEIR QUALITIES:
heavy: cheese, meat, beans
light: rice, popcorn, sprouts
cold: ice cream, mint
hot: chili peppers, alcohol, tobacco
oily: avocado, coconut
dry: millet, dry cereal
slow: meat
sharp: onion, garlic





MEAL TIME FOR EACH DOSHA:
Vata: Breakfast- 8 A.M Lunch-11 A.M-noon Dinner- 6 P.M

Pitta: Breakfast- 7:30 A.M Lunch-noon Dinner- 6-7 P.M

Kapha:Breakfast- 7 A.M Lunch-noon-1 P.M Dinner- 7-8 P.M


IMPROPER EATING HABITS:
1. overeating
2. eating soon after a full meal
3. drinking to much water during a meal
4. drinking very chilled water
5. eating at the wrong time of the day
6. eating fruits with the meal
7. eating without real hunger
8. emotional eating
9. exercise after eating
10. eating while driving



THINGS THAT WILL IMBALANCE VATA:
• Worry
• Fasting
• Not getting enough sleep
• Eating on the run
• Keeping no routine
• Eating dry and frozen foods
• Running around a lot
• Using drugs
• Repressing feelings




THINGS THAT WILL IMBALANCE PITTA:
• Drinking plenty of alcohol.
• Eating spicy food.
• Emphasizing on tomatoes, chillies, raw onions, sour foods
• Exercising during the hottest time of the day
• Using drugs
• Avoiding cool fresh peaceful places
• Repressing your feelings




THINGS THAT WILL IMBALANCE KAPHA:
• Taking long naps after meals
• Eating fatty, oily foods
• Overeating
• Denying your creative self.
• Assume someone else will do it
• No exercise
• Ice cream
• Beer
• Repressing your feelings


HOW TO BALANCE VATA:
• keep warm
• choose warm food and spices
• avoid extreme cold, and cold or frozen drinks and foods
• minimize your intake of raw foods
• emphasize sweet, salty and sour tastes in your food choice
• keep a regular routine


HOW TO BALANCE PITTA:
• keep cool
• avoid excess heat, steam and humidity
• avoid excess oils, fried food, caffeine, salt, alcohol, red meat and hot spices
• eat cooling, non spicy foods
• emphasize fresh fruits and vegetables
• emphasize sweet, bitter and astringent tastes in your food choice
• get plenty of fresh air


HOW TO BALANCE KAPHA:
• get plenty of physical exercise every day
• keep your consumption of fats to the minimum
• avoid iced foods, drinks, sweets and an excessive amount of bread
• choose foods which are warm, light and dry
• avoid dairy foods
• emphasize pungent, bitter and astringent tastes in your food choice
• indulge in fresh vegetables, herbs and spices
• change your routine


The Chompra Center has a fun quiz you can take online to get a general idea of the doshas which you consist.  http://doshaquiz.chopra.com/

The best way to discover your Dosha make up is to consult with an Ayurvedic Doctor.  

I hope you enjoyed this blog on the Doshas and Ayurveda.  Our goal is to expose ideas and practices that can be incorporated to help make your life better...give new things a try with a concerted effort...you may change your life for good!