Releasing Ceremony - Make Room For Your Best Year Ever!

Every December, I schedule a date with myself for my yearly releasing ceremony to review all of the major events of the past year – the good and the bad. By releasing the events of the recent year, I am acknowledging my personal path and I am able to put my life into perspective and refocus my goals for the upcoming year.

Releasing Ceremony in 6 Simple Steps

Supplies: All you really need is a pen or pencil, a few pieces of paper and a quiet place where you will have some privacy.

1. In a private place, find a comfy seat and begin to write down all of the major events of the current year. You will be creating two lists – one is for all of the challenges and disappointments. The other list will list all of your blessings and accomplishments.
2. Take your time reviewing all of the things you wrote down. Remember, all that has transpired over the past year has all been purposeful for your personal growth.
3. After you having reviewed 2015, it is now time to release 2015 with love, respect and the knowing that you do not need to repeat the mistakes and that the knowledge you have gained from these circumstances will help you make room for more blessings in your life. Repeat the following statement out loud, “I am grateful for all of my experiences. I use the knowledge I have gained to empower, heal and grow as an individual. I now am ready to release what no longer serves me.” 
4. You may dispose of these two lists however you wish. Sometimes I burn them, sometimes I shred them and sometimes I bury them.
5. Now it is time to write down your personal goals for 2016. Be sure to not include anyone else’s name on your list. Dream big, don’t settle and really take your time with this step.
6. Get ready for the most amazing year ever!!!

This activity can also be done with a group of people, but do keep in mind that when you perform any type of ceremony, the other people’s energy and consciousness are added to your own intentions. I personally prefer to do this activity alone. It gives me a chance to be alone with my own thoughts and energy and it is much easier to focus on the things I am releasing as well as bringing in.

Blessings and Light,

Laurie 

The 5 Most Common Mistakes People Make With Their Meditation Practice

It has been scientifically proven that a regular meditation practice is beneficial to the mind, body and spirit. Each one of us will have different meditation experiences. There will be days where we will experience profound insights during meditation and there will be days where we feel as if we are unable to quiet the mind. I have noticed there are 5 common mistakes people make in their meditation practice which causes them frustration with their own attempts at meditation. If they were to eliminate these behaviors, they would feel much more confident and be at ease when it comes to their own meditation experiences.

5 Common Mistakes

1. Meditating On a Full Stomach – A full stomach is not good for meditation because the body feels sluggish, uncomfortable and sometimes may cause you to fall asleep. Falling asleep during a meditation is not the worst thing that can happen, however the goal of meditation is for the mind to be awake and body asleep.
2. Compare Your Meditation Experiences To Other People’s Experiences – Each one of us receives information differently. By comparing yourself with others you are setting yourself up for failure because each  individual’s experience is meant to be different.
3. Not Unplugging From The Outside World – By not turning off your ringer, television or going into another room for privacy you will most certainly be distracted and not be able to fully enjoy your experience.
4. Judge The Length of Your Meditation – Just because you only have 20 minutes to meditate, it does not mean that you are falling short with your meditation practice. Sometimes, 20 minutes is just enough to reset your energy and reconnect with spirit.
5. Trying To Control Your Thoughts – Thoughts will come and go sometimes they will be about laundry and sometimes the answers to our dilemmas reveal themselves during meditation. It is best to allow thoughts to come and go without judgment. There is no right or wrong way of clearing the mind, simply allow the flow of ideas and thoughts to move through you. This is a natural process, thoughts come in and then leave us as another stream of consciousness flows in.

By avoiding these 5 common mistakes you should notice a difference in your personal meditation practice. Any time spent with the intention of going within is time well spent.

Blessings and Light,

Laurie Barraco

Laurie Barraco

How To Channel Safely and Consciously (and the 5 Potential Dangers to Avoid)

Channeling is allowing guidance, energy, and wisdom to flow through you. You may channel your higher self, guides, angels, and or the ascended masters. There are many different forms of channeling and some are safer than others. Channeling can be helpful to us as we bring through information that can be beneficial to ourselves as well as other. I first would like to discuss the pros, the cons and is it a safe practice?

We all channel whether we realize it or not. Channeling is the stream of consciousness which flows through us. Often the channeler steps to the side and gives permission for another entity to communicate through them for a short period of time. We all have randomly said things without consciously knowing where the information came from.We may receive information for ourselves or other people regarding the the next step to take or what may be seemingly random messages that have meaning to others. While many see this as a sought after gift, I caution those who seek to become channelers to not rush into the process without educating themselves and that they work with a mentor who can monitor their progress and keep an eye on them just in case any potential issues come up.

The Different Types of Channeling

• Trance Channeling is a form of mediumship where an individual grants permission for an outside entity to take control of their body as an instrument for communication. During these sessions, the channel has no knowledge or recollection afterwards of what has transpired. He or she simply "goes away" and then returns when the body is fatigued or when the session is over. This type of channeling is the one that many people seek out but can be the most dangerous form of channeling to the channel. You run into the risking of allowing a negative entity to take over your body. I highly recommend working with a seasoned mentor if you are interested in this form of channeling.
• Conscious Channeling is where the channel maintains conscious awareness of what is happening but allows another entity to bring messages through his or her body. At an time, the channel is free to edit material being presented, or to end the session when or if they feel uncomfortable with the information that is being offered.
• Automatic Writing, Painting, or Musicianship is the most common form of channeling that most people are familiar with. The channel allows their body (either in a trance or consciously) as a vehicle to create artistically through music, artwork and or writing.

Why Channel?

1.  To receive information and wisdom for the soul's evolution.
2. To bring forth messages or validation, comfort and wisdom.

To prove that you are super-psychic, gifted or to receive attention from others are not valid reasons as to why one should channel. Bringing through messages that facilitate healing and the evolution of the soul for the highest and best good of all are excellent reasons why one would channel.

Well-Known Channels

• Jane Roberts
• Esther Hicks
• Edgar Cayce
• Sheila Gillette

Possible Dangers Associated with Channeling

• You can easily fragment your soul as you come back to conscious awareness.
• An entity can takeover and cause you to lose control of your body which would then result in possible spirit possession.
• You run the risk of your body short circuiting as another energy enters your body, this can happen because your body was not created for another entity to inhabit it. Many trance channels have physical and mental difficulties as a result from channeling.
• The entity you are channeling may not be telling the truth and can cause chaos in your life.
• Many completely trust the information that other channels bring through simply because the person appears to be channeling. I caution everyone to use discernment when it comes to any entity that is telling people what to do. Always, always do an internal check to see if you are comfortable with the channel and the information, your instincts are always to be trusted.

How To Make Channeling a Safe Practice

1. Attune to Your Highest! I agree 100% with Edgar Cayce as he emphasized the importance of attuning to the higher self while remaining conscious. In this way, any person can channel the high self while at the same time, access his or her own individual creativity and heightened experience of connection with the universe while remaining an individual.
2. Educate Yourself - If you are interested in channeling, I highly recommend reading or taking Sandy Anastasi's System of Psychic Development, especially Level 4 if you are interested in learning how to channel safely with awesome results. Sandy's teachings provide the seeker with a solid foundation for psychic development as well as wonderful techniques to help you build your spiritual practice and gifts.

Blessings and Light,

Laurie

These 7 Crystals Are All You Really Need In Your Collection

I, like many other crystal junkies, am the proud owner of hundreds of different varieties of

crystals. They are all special to me and yes, I do use them all - for healing, protection, abundance, enhancing my intuition or simply for relaxing and meditating. After working with crystals for over 30 years, I have found that there are 7 basic crystals that pretty much cover all of your needs. These 7 crystals are also easy to attain and are very affordable which make them even more appealing to the metaphysically curious person. 

The 7 Basic Crystals

1. Clear Quartz - This crystal does it all! It enhances, restores, and regulates energy. It helps activate your psychic abilities, amplifies the energy of other crystals, stimulates the immune system, and aligns the chakras. I use clear quartz to energize my other crystals and to give my own energy a boost when I feel a little tired. I also keep a clear quartz in my car to improve my gas mileage.

2. Amethyst - Another crystal that has many useful properties. I use amethyst to help me relax, sleep, meditate, open my crown chakra, overcome unhealthy habits such as; eating too much sugary foods or drinking too much caffeine. Amethyst is great for breaking unhealthy addictions, brings in peace and balance, not only is it a psychic protection stone, but it also protects the user from thieves and it protects travelers.

3. Rose Quartz - Rose quartz is often used for healing emotional trauma and wounding. it has a gentle and loving energy that helps the user connect with unconditional love for self as well as others. Rose quartz has been used in ancient times for physical beautification working on the inner and outer aspects of feeling beautiful. Putting rose quartz by your bedside provides a peaceful and restful sleeping environment. A large piece in your workspace keeps away gossip.

4. Selenite - Selenite connects you with the angelic realm while clearing and cleansing your mind, body and spirit. Selenite brings in mental clarity and helps with decision making. I use selenite in my healing sessions to remove energy blocks in the physical and etheric bodies. I often use a selenite blade to comb the auric field. It clears and seals the aura. Selenite connects you with the energy of the moon. I love using selenite during the full and new moon to help enhance my intention with the moon's energy.

5. Black Tourmaline - I have  black tourmaline strategically placed in the four corners of my home and businesses and by the front door to absorb any stress of negativity from entering into these places. I also use black tourmaline to keep me grounded in my meditation so that I remember my meditation experiences. It guards against the influences of overly emotional and toxic people so that you do not take on their energy empathically. Black tourmaline is a wonderful stone for those who feel and take on other people's energy. It creates a healthy energetic boundary for the user with the outside world.

6. Fluorite - You will always find a piece of fluorite by my computer and printer to help it run smoothly. There is a lot of psychic energy around my computer due to the nature of my business. Fluorite is excellent for shielding the aura from outside psychic manipulation. It absorbs disturbances in your environment so quickly that you do need to clear it often with sage or a crystal cleanse. This crystal works with the upper chakras making it an excellent stone of enhancing psychic abilities.

7. Citrine - Citrine is the most popular abundance crystal that people use to bring in financial stability. I always have a citrine stone in my cash register and in the money corn in my home, the back left corner to keep the abundance flowing. Citrine balances the solar plexus chakra and energizes the will of the user. It is excellent in solving family or group problems bringing in resolution and healing to the group. Citrine is beneficial in sparking creativity of artists, writers and musicians.

As I write this article, many other crystals come to mind such as hematite, moonstone and tiger's eye, but for those who are beginners or if you are purchasing crystals for someone else, these 7 will cover the basic needs of the user.

Be sure to cleanse them often with sage, sea salt, or placing them on a slab of selenite or a cluster of amethyst or clear quartz. Cleansing your crystals will help you receive the benefits that come from working with them.

There is so much information out there to help you learn more about crystals. Some resources are - the internet, books and visiting your favorite crystal shop and learning from the people that work there. Learning how to use crystals can be fun, healing and empowering. 

If you haven't already worked with crystals, I invite you to do so beginning with the 7 I have suggested with an open mind and heart and then decide for yourself if your life has improved for the better.

Blessings and Light,
Laurie

Enhance Your Intuition with Essential Oils

I use essential oils in just about every area of my life - for meditation, relaxation, in 

healing applications, sanitizing rooms as well as helping with an occasional bout of insomnia. By using aromatherapy, you can enhance your intuition with essential oils. It is an easy and effective way to open up your psychic gifts.

In addition to using essential oils to enhance my intuition, I also use them to ground me so that I stay connected and focused with the earthly plane while having my intuitive channel open and bringing through through messages for my clients.

Essential oils usually provide you with instant results. As you breathe in the aroma, the fragrance moves through the sinus cavity which is right next to the third eye and brain.
Your reaction from the oil is so quick because the aroma doesn't have far to travel. Therefore, by using essential oils, you will experience immediate results.

Suggested Oils To Enhance Your Intuition

• Patchouli
• Blue Yarrow
• Frankincense
• Eucalyptus
• Angelica
• Clary Sage
• Sandalwood
• Wormwood
• Bay Laurel 
• Myrrh

Suggested Oils Used For Grounding

• Cedarwood
• Sage
• Young Living's Grounding
• Young Living's Valor
• Spruce 
• Pine
• Peppermint

I usually apply the grounding oils to the bottoms of my feet as my energetic anchor.

Different Methods of Using Essential Oils To Activate Your Third Eye

• Place a drop or two on the crown chakra, the third eye chakra, temples, and or on the heart chakra.
• In an oil diffuser.
• Place a few drops in a bowl of water next to you.
• On a cotton ball, then putting the cotton ball in your air filter.
• Place a drop or two in the palms of your hands, rub your hands together, then breathe in the aroma Instantly you will feel your third eye open up.
• Wear a locket that has a chamber for essential oils around your neck.
• Anoint a white or purple candle with your favorite psychic oil.
• Add a couple of drops of oil to your bath water. (Be sure to check to see make sure you are not allergic to the oil)

Before using any essential oil, please make sure you thoroughly read the labels and do your own investigation on the product to be sure the quality is of a higher grade so you do not experience a rash or allergic reaction to the oil. Some oils are of a synthetic quality and some people are extremely sensitive to different blends or single oils.

Blessings and Light,

Laurie

7 Ways to Connect with the Angelic Realm

Angels are messenger, healers, and protectors and help us with just about every area our lives. They can help us restore our faith, trust ourselves as well as our path and even help us open up to unconditional love. They are easily accessible with the human race. I have listed 7 ways to connect with the angelic realm that are so simple that anyone can use these tips for an instant connection.

Angels are a different frequency than spirit guides or crossed over loved ones. They have not had physical life experiences and we do need to invite them in to help us with our lives. They follow the do-not-violate humans' fee will code unless there is a situation where the person is going down a path which is not for the highest and best good of that individual. They are ready to jump into  action to the best of their abilities. They may reveal themselves to us as light, orbs, colors, feathers or even beings of light with wings.

Here are 7 Ways to Connect with the Angelic Realm:

1. Crystals- Holding or wearing certain crystals connect us with the angels. Some of these crystals are - hiddenite, angelite, celestite, amethyst, rose quartz, polite, petalite, lapis lazuli, orange elestial, elestials, selenite, sodalite, seraphanite, and prehnite.
2. Bells - Ringing a bell 3 times call in the angels instantly.
3. Aromatherapy - Aromatherapy in the form of using essential oils, burning incense, and or herbs such as frankincense, lavender, benzoin, rose, geranium, myrrh, sandalwood and geranium assists in the connection with your angels.
4. Prayers and Meditation - Prayer and meditation prepare you to energetically be in spiritual alignment with angelic beings. These practices also help you quiet your mind so you can hear, see and feel the angels more clearly.
5. Angel Cards - The use of angel oracle cards are a simple way to receive guidance and develop a dialog with the angelic realm. You can select a card a day for daily guidance, to see what an obstacle may be, before bed place the card under your pillow or next to your bed for a message to come through dream time or before making a decision - select 3 cards requesting guidance from the angelic realm.
6. Candle Colors - Using specific colored candles do make a difference in your connection with the angels. Blue - Haniel and Raguel, Pink - Ariel, Orange - Gabriel, White - all angels, Purple - Michael and Jeremiel, Magenta - Jophiel, Silver - Haniel, Yellow - Uriel, Green - Raphael, and Chamuel, Gold - Metatron and Zadkiel.
7. Ask and Trust - You instantly connect with the angelic realm by asking for guidance and assistance. You ma ask specifically for an angel by name or you can ask for whoever is in charge with this area for help. For example - Calling upon Raphael, can help you with healing matters. You may ask fro the angel who is in charge of finding lost items to help you find your keys. After asking for assistance, you must trust the divine process. Sometimes we see the results instantly and sometimes there are other factors that must be in place before we see results.

The most challenging part of connecting with the angelic realm is trusting that they are there and have heard our requests. Trust me, they are there, in fact each of us has thousands of personal helpers waiting to spring into action guiding and protecting each one of us. Simply knowing that they are doing their best within the laws of the universe and of free will of humans are the largest obstacles we, as humans will encounter as we invoke angelic assistance.

After your requests have been sent, be sure to follow up with gratitude and appreciation for their assistance. A grateful, heart opens the way for more healing, wisdom and assistance.

Blessings and Light,

Laurie

Receive a Piece of The Mystical Moon Every Month!

I am thrilled to announce The Moon Magic Box!

The Moon Magic Box - What is it?

Each month you will receive a uniquely themed box full of magic just for you. Each box has been filled with items from The Mystical Moon to assist you in raising your vibration and bringing a little magic from us to you. There will be an instruction card included with each monthly box so that you will be able to fully utilize the magic you will find inside. With 3 different options to chose from there is something for everyone!!

Visit MoonMagicBox.com Today

Be sure to contact us at The Mystical Moon if you have any questions about the Moon Magic Box at 239 939-3339.

Blessings and Light,

Laurie

Living Consciously Through Our Choices

Do our choices affect our destiny? Can't we simply fix things later with a do-over?

Shouldn't I be more spontaneous in my life and not over analyze, I thought that was what I was supposed to do?

These are some questions which have been coming up quite a bit in not only my own head, but with friends, colleagues and of course clients. 

Our choices affect our lives on so many different levels as well as our life's path. Yes, sometimes we must make quick decisions because of a once in a little opportunity presents itself or maybe we have a tendency to over analyze and are trying to move things along by making spontaneous decisions.

The seeds I am planting today have to do with consciously weighing our options by going within to see possible outcomes and what choice may be for not only our highest and best good but for the highest and best for all. 

By taking care with our destiny we are in the driver's seat of our lives. We are taking personal responsibility and are consciously aware of what are and aren't manifesting according to our choice. 

Here are some situations where we can be more aware of our choices, bring in more self-awareness and avoid regret because of our decisions.

Ways to Avoid Wanting That Do-Over:

• Say no when we mean no
• Decide to take a healthy step back from unhealthy relationships
• Clear the air when there is a misunderstanding -choosing to walk away without clear communication leaves room for unhealthy consequences
• Put forth your best effort in all endeavors
• Career decisions - move on when it is time - staying longer than you know you should creates disharmony and spirit is going to make you really uncomfortable until you are proactive
• Do work on your limited belief system when you know it is limited
• To eat healthy, good nurturing food
• Communicating after you have formulated healthier approaches to others 
• Check in with yourself to review what your true motives are - are you making clean and wise decisions or are you trying to prove a point to another
• Consider other people's feelings, opinions and take a moment to put yourself in their shoes
• Keep your ego in check
• Be sure you are complete with your current situation before you move on - you may be repeating the same life lesson if you haven't had closure or understood what the heck all of this was about

Hopefully a seed or two has been planted within at least a few of my readers and hopefully those seeds will bring forth amazing fruit from your hard work.

Our choices map out our life's path. It may be helpful to take a little time and reflect on how your choices from healthy and unhealthy places have affected your life. Please do use these experiences to grown and empower not only yourself but others.

Blessings and Light,

Laurie