Saturday, December 30, 2017

Awakening the Seer

Is it appropriate to ask for a vision?
         I have only asked for a vision once.   That was of the birth of the Savior.  I was hoping for a movie version.  What eventually came to me was way different than I expected, but much more. Instead of just viewing like a movie, I "became" a participant and "felt" what it was like to give birth in a stable.  I am still in awe of that experience.
      
           Mel Fish talks about our "two sets of eyes" in his book, Healing the Inner Self.  "What you see is what you get.  There is much more to this than people realize.   We all really have two sets of eyes.  Physical or outer eyes…and inner or mind's eye.  With our inner eye, we view the pictures or images in our mind.  It is the inner eye which leads us to use the expression, "I see" when we suddenly understand something.  It is much the same way with inner eye.  We do not always choose the images that pop into our mind.  But we can choose to focus our attention upon that image and dwell, or focus on something else.  Mel gives an example of listening to the radio as a boy.  The same stories viewed on TV were disappointing.
He also discussed why seeing terrible things which have a bad effect is the result of the inner eye.
It is seen only once by the physical, but the emotional breakdown comes when the same terrible scenes are seen over and over in the mind's eye."


          Kirk Duncan talks about "imagining" your higher power.  Seeing  as having a body…a really good loving Dad who really cares, answer questions, is fit, laughs, looks good…a loving Dad, who really cares, clear eyes, big smile, smells good, hands soft, gentle but thick hands.  Creating all the details.
 He says that if you go to pray and  don't feel connected, it feels shallow.  You know it's shallow if you fall asleep. 
   What goes on in the mind is REAL. He gets bigger results, tangible proof that things are happening in his life
Do you imagine Him Far Away on a shiny glass throne?  Do you sit on a throne?  No, hardly ever.
Watch him walk through a field with a bunch of kids.  He's interacting, touchable, relatable.  The image comes of playing, smiling.  Create those moving pictures in your mind.  Kirk says if He is not moving, then I am not moving.

 Where does He live?  How about the coolest castle ever?  Front door lined with flowers, animals, a moat…or  a cabin in the mountains with an incredible view over the lake.  If Kirk needs one on one close connection, he goes to the cabin, smells the cookies.  There's mom, who welcomes with a plate of cookies. There He is in overalls, red checkered shirt, hiking boots, scruffy beard, bandana around neck.  Thanks for loving the people he says.  Tight hugs.  Safe.  Just melt.  God in his cabin is watching over.   (Kirk Duncan, notes from CD, Seeking a Higher Power)

          To stay active, the Seer in us requires creativity that pushes our visionary senses into expression as Kirk talks about in the previous section.   Visualization, art, writing, composing, building, sewing, designing all tap into and activate those senses.
          Countless hours of TV and video games dull those senses.  These days the only time many of us feel visually fulfilled is when we are sitting in a dark theater with popcorn on our lap.  We crave car chases, explosions, gunfire, sharp obnoxious images hurled into our brain.  A tree is not enough.  We want an angel to come blazing through the air, a pillar of light to knock us off our feet.
          Most of us have forgotten that this life is an adventure, a challenge, a saga.  We will spend hours playing Myst on our computer, decoding symbols to solve the game, but won’t give our own journey the same attention.  


          The author of the Pure Revelations blog asks and tells the following:   "What is a vision?


Have you ever had a daydream where your mind drifts off into a fantasy and you see something that isn’t really there? Sometimes we experience this as we read a book, listen to someone talk, or do a mundane task. We see in our mind what our eyes cannot. The difference between a daydream and a vision is that the Holy Spirit directs the “vision.” It is holy, it has purpose, it is vivid, and anything is possible…
I teach art classes in Provo Utah and often I am asked, 'What is the most important ability an artist can acquire?' … my answer is that the ability to visualize and create a unique concept is the greatest aspiration of any artist; to see beyond the earthly realm, to behold the 'artist’s vision.' How can this relate to us in our quest to draw closer to God? As we open up our minds to such things, the Spirit can teach us beyond anything we have experienced.

…I suggest my students do two things to help them develop this skill. One is to gather images that inspire them. Study them and try to figure out why they are meaningful. For those on a spiritual quest, this could be to ponder upon subjects that are meaningful to you. …
     The second exercise …is to hold a photo of someone they love; perhaps a picture of a famous painting. Stare at the photo for a couple of minutes. Not just gaze at it, but really examine the shapes and tones and colors and study what you see. After a couple of minutes close your eyes and try to remember as much as you can. You’ll be amazed at your ability to remember details. For those on a spiritual quest, do the same exercise, but in addition to that, allow the remembering part to flow into a vision. If one were to practice this exercise for even a few minutes daily they would be amazed at the results.
      As a seeker of “vision” you will improve your ability to formulate images in your mind. Your dreams become more vivid and your ability to remember images improves. Our brain is like a muscle that can be enhanced with exercise—and so is our spirit. You will learn to receive the Lord’s gifts as you reach out for them. Each of you is like an artist in the making."


And there are many among us who have many revelations, for they are not all stiffnecked. And as many as are not stiffnecked and have faith, have communion with the Holy Spirit, which maketh manifest unto the children of men, according to their faith.” (Jarom 1:4)
 The word, “stiffnecked” implies that they will not bend or look or do things they are unaccustomed to doing. Like a child who learns as they grow up that certain things are senseless (Santa, Easter Bunny, etc.), often the Gifts of the Spirit are placed in this category by the “older and wiser.” If you can’t touch it, feel it, or see it, don’t believe it. Is it no coincidence that Christ said we are to become as a little child?
Can we open our minds to receive overflowing visions?  YES.
I have put together Ten Steps that I believe will facilitate a vision to those who are prepared to receive it.

STEP ONE: Have a purpose. Are you seeking answers regarding a particular question, topic, or problem? Have you sought it out and come to the conclusion that only the Lord can help you? This is an appropriate reason to seek a vision from the Lord.

STEP TWO: Get comfortable. Honestly, a vision can happen anywhere and anytime, but when going out of your way to seek a vision, it may be a good idea to sit down and relax. Relax your mind and body. Breathe deeply and remove the stresses that may inhibit the Lords Spirit. I like to sit on the ground, but you can be most anywhere that it is quiet and where you can concentrate.

STEP THREE: Ask the Lord if you can shield yourself from the Adversary to prevent deception. If you hear the affirmative, say in your mind, “In the name of Jesus Christ, by His authority, I command that a shield be placed around me to shield me from any unclean spirits that would try to deceive me or cause harm.” Ask the Lord if you did it correctly. I would suggest reviewing “Pure Revelation.” https://purerevelations.wordpress.com/2014/12/01/pure-revelation/

STEP FOUR: Ask the Lord if he will share a vision with you through His Spirit. Be specific and ask with faith. As with any revelation, you must pray for what you desire. I would suggest reviewing “Four Steps to Powerful Prayer.” https://purerevelations.wordpress.com/2014/12/01/four-steps-to-powerful-prayer/

Art by Amberle Stoffers
STEP FIVE: Be patient. It may take some effort on your part. We often expect the Lord to just drop it in our lap. When Lehi had his vision of the Tree of Life he had to wander in the wilderness of his mind for three hours before the vision unfolded. (1 NE 8:8) Nephi sat pondering for an unknown amount of time and others often have to wait, but perhaps YOU won’t.

STEP SIX: Begin the vision. Learn the art of visualization. (Refer to exercise below.) Visualize yourself, from your vantage point, walking up to a door. Try to see it as vividly as possible. Open the door and look where it leads. Do not be startled by what you see, do not retreat. Simply let this self-imposed vision go wherever it will. Continue to pray as you experience the vision. At some point, the Spirit will likely begin to control the vision and it will reveal the Lord’s will to you.

STEP SEVEN: Don’t be hasty. Explore the surroundings of your vision. Look at details. Think of colors and smells and feelings. When there is nothing more there, look on, move forward, and keep asking.

STEP EIGHT: Immediately after your vision ask the Lord if it was from Him. Get a confirmation. You may already know it is, but perhaps only part of it was. If nothing happens it may be that you need to follow the steps on the “Praying with Power.” It may be that your thoughts are too cumbered with stress, worry, or the Spirit hasn’t been able to reach you for some reason. If you struggle, fasting may be the solution to open the door. But more than likely you will have an amazing experience to ponder.

Art by Amberle Stoffers
STEP NINE: Write down the vision. Think of as many details as possible. Remember feelings and impressions. Allow the Spirit to guide your writing. This is personal scripture to you and may be seen by your posterity. Much of what you will receive will be answers to direct prayer, prophecy of future events, and what the Lord wants you to know personally.

STEP TEN: Express gratitude to the Lord in prayer. Review with Him what you have written. Ask Him if there is anything false in your writing. Ask if there is anything else he wants you to know and understand. Don’t be surprised if another vision opens up to you. Expect the unexpected."



           Pete Sanders gives ideas on dream interpretation:
"Dream images are seen with the mind, not the physical eyes.
Focusing in the forehead region is the best way to activate 3rd eye.  This skill has atrophied because we have been trained over the years to use the physical vision exclusively.
…  Dream impressions tend to be more symbolic than literal.  You can use your other senses to help interpret symbols.
Art by Amberle Stoffers
…  Dreams are messages encapsulated like mental crystals.  You can go back and interpret any dream at any time.  All you need to do is remember the dream, shift to your third eye, rescan it and tune in while you review the images.     Write down your sense of the meanings of the images as you review them.  Write down all meanings as they come to you.  Continue scanning and reviewing until you feel complete about the interpretation.  At some you will feel a click of certainty.  The only limiting factor is how well you remember them.  Record them as soon as you awaken.  Interpret it later as part of your morning meditation.
The same process applies to visions received when awake.  They are equally as valid and important.  …
           Some people fail to make full use of seeing abilities because they look for the wrong quality of image, expecting brilliant, intense pictures that block out everything including physical senses.
Trying to force it, won't work.  Take the pressure off by giving up any preconceived notions of what you should see."

Andrei Ridgeway in Psychic Living, gives some excellent detailed information on interpreting and using dreams:
"First, write it down…  Act out the dream in your mind's eye.  Place yourself in the psyche of the main character.  Insert yourself as the third person.  'I am the man with the fishing pole in Andrei's dream.' Pause and allow the symbol (the man) to talk to you telling you what it represents.  You go back to the character and ask how it feels or ask why it is doing something in the dream.  Travel through the other symbols one at a time  Take the role of the fishing rod.  Imagine it can speak to you.  Make it come alive.  You may at this time remember other details in the dream that will aid you in doing this.  Each component talks to you and each symbol or action is a word or sentence that the subconscious is trying to impart to you.   …  
So, you would say, 'I'm the little critter.' Ask the animal what it symbolizes to you.  …  What are the dominant issues on my mind?  Eventually you can unravel things for others by asking the same questions of them.  Watching life's symbols is important.  Write down, remember and analyze.  If you can't unravel it right away, put it aside in your notebook for later.
 Imagination and day-dreaming are not the same thing. Creative imagination is different than ego pleasing.  TV deadens the imagination.  We don't have to imagine Niagara Falls or the plains of the Serengeti, we can watch it all in living color on TV.  Trivial chatter, same stuff over and over, machismo violence and crud..making the broadcasters rich and the nation ill.  Concepts that disempower people and make them easy to control.  There are those on this planet…that seek to control ordinary folk by getting them hooked on debt, drugs and dysfunction and by desensitizing them.  Most people day dream a lot yearning for a lottery win or for someone to come save them.  They wait passively, often pathetically, for an oversized dollop of good fortune to fall on their heads from the great goo-goo bird in the sky,  Plop, I am rich.
The goo-goo bird is cool, for it creates instant millionaires.  The problem is its bowel movements are few and far between.  You're more likely to be hit by lightning.  You can ruin your life wasting time, energy and money for something that might never happen.
Daydreams are ego pleasing…Imagination allows you to see a future for yourself, but for it to make any sense, and to be real, there has to be a path from today's circumstances…"




Art by Amberle Stoffers
          Teresa Brady says Dreams are sources of inspiration and information.  She advises to use knowledge from your own life to interpret dreams.  Don't rely too heavily on dream interpret books.  Go with your own feelings, thoughts, experiences. And don't forget to write it all down.  Keep dream journals. 
Ultimately, ASK God for an interpretation.
          Some of us may feel that our "third eye" doesn't work or is blocked.    I have "seen" people with energetic blocks or devices that have hindered this gift.  I have seen "walls" and blocks that look like "silly putty cement."  Here I would advise much prayer and fasting and asking for heavenly help to remove these spiritual blocks that are put there by the adversary.  Often a blessing is in order.  And always remember to "ask" for permission. Spend fewer hours in front of the TV and more time in nature, attuning vision to what is seen through the physical eyes. Be aware of the subtle beauty of flowers, trees and running water.

           



References: 
Pure Revelations Blog
Brady, Teresa, Ignite Your Psychic Intuition 
Duncan, Kirk, CD of Seeking a Higher Power
Fish, Mel, Healing the Inner Self
Ridgeway, Andrei, Psychic Living
Sanders, Pete A., You Are Psychic  










Friday, December 29, 2017

Invoking the Warrior

  One reason we make poor life decisions is that we are not practiced at making good moment to moment decisions.  We run our lives on cruise control.  We get to a crossroad and have to make a choice between a, b, and c, we feel crushed.  We don’t trust ourselves to make the right decision.  We panic and call our friends, our therapist, post on facebook or twitter.  


Art by Amberle Stoffers
 To overcome the problem, Invoke the Warrior.  
It is only our separation from nature and God that has thickened our skin, made us need caffeine and sugar to feel alive.  Society's addiction to violence is in some ways a call of the wild.  When the animal in us isn't fed, we need to watch Rambo movies or join a gang to satisfy the craving.   

When we were young, most of us loved adventure.   Something about the unknown draws us in. Which is why we like stories so much. But many of us like to leave the theater at the end of the play, knowing that the dilemma of evil has been resolved by the characters on the stage or screen. Like Peter, Susan, Lucy, and Edmund, to find ourselves not as spectators but as central characters in the play itself is somewhat daunting. The stakes are truly high, sometimes literally life or death, and God rarely if ever yells, "Cut!" just as the dangerous or painful scene descends upon us. No stunt doubles come onto the set to take our places. Many of us feel that we have been playing these kinds of scenes ever since we were children. We wonder if the hero will ever show up to rescue us.

We like to picture goodness as being synonymous with safety. When we think of God being good, we perhaps picture someone like Al on the popular TV program Home ImprovementHe was someone who carefully planned out each task ahead of time and had all the proper tools and safety equipment in place; someone who thought out every possible danger ahead of time and made allowances to ensure our safety as his workmate; someone who goes to bed early, gets plenty of rest, and wears flannel shirts as a mark of his reliability.

Being in partnership with God, though, often feels much more like being Frodo's sidekick in the Lord of the Rings…

      If you're not pursuing a dangerous quest you don't need a Guide. If you haven't found yourself in the midst of a ferocious war, then you won't need a seasoned Captain. If you've settled in your mind to live as though this is a fairly neutral world and you are simply trying to live your life as best you can, then you can probably get by with a Christianity check list. Maybe… 

But if you intend to live in the Story that God is telling, and if you want the life he offers, then you are going to need more than a handful of principles, however noble they may be. There are too many twists and turns in the road ahead, too many ambushes waiting only God knows where, too much at stake. You cannot possibly prepare yourself for every situation. Narrow is the way, said Jesus. How can we be sure to find it? We need God intimately, and we need him desperately…Most of us have a hard time sustaining any sort of devotional life because it has no vital connection to recovering and protecting our strength; it feels about as important as flossing. But if we saw our lives as a great battle and knew we needed time with God for our very survival, we would do it…"
 (The Sacred Romance, John Eldredge)


"If you have any doubts as to whether or not God loves wildness, spend a night in the woods . . . alone. Take a walk out in a thunderstorm. Go for a swim with a pod of killer whales. Get a bull moose mad at you. Whose idea was this, anyway? The Great Barrier Reef with its great white sharks, the jungles of India with their tigers, the deserts of the Southwest with all those rattle-snakes-would you describe them as "nice" places? Most of the earth is not safe; but it's good. …It's his way of letting us know he rather prefers adventure, danger, risk, the element of surprise. This whole creation is unapologetically wild. God loves it that way." (Wild At Heart, John Eldredge)

  "A woman is a warrior, too… But she is meant to be a warrior in a uniquely feminine way. Sometime before
the sorrows of life did their best to kill it, most young women wanted to be a part of something grand, something important. Before doubt and accusation take hold, most little girls sense that they have a vital role to play; they want to believe there is something in them that is needed and needed desperately.


Image result for women from lord of the ringsThink of Sarah from Sarah Plain and Tall . She is needed; their world is not right until she becomes a part of it. She brings her courage and her creativity to the West and helps to tame it. We are awed by the nurses in Pearl Harbor, how in the midst of a horrifying assault they bring their courage and strength to rescue the lives of hundreds of men. The women in The Lord of the Rings trilogy are valiant and beautiful - women like Arwen, Galadriel and Eowen bring change to the fate of Middle Earth. And what about women like Esther and Mary and Ruth, biblical characters who had irreplaceable roles in a Great Story." (Stasi Eldredge, Captivating.)


Art by Amberle Stoffers
  "Why are we not wild?...In the Shamanic traditions in America, people call themselves warriors because they are in a war with the parasite in their mind.  The warrior rebels and declares war…How do we become a warrior?  Have awareness.  …It is when we lose control that we repress emotions, not when we are in control…difference between a warrior and a Victim.  Victims repress because they are afraid to show emotions, afraid to say what they want.  The Warrior refrains..which is to hold the emotions and express them in the right moment."  (Don Miguel Ruiz, Four Agreements)

 Thoughts from Kirk Duncan given in a "Master Your Influence" seminar--  "If you're not being challenged, you're not pushing hard enough.  Lukewarm gets spit out.  Welcome to the earth, messengers.  As long as you pack the sword, no one argues.  Don't flinch in the face of doubt.  Join an army of people who pack their swords." 

 The following exercises are from Psychic Living by Andrei Ridgeway.  They are good enough to summarize and reprint.
"As children, our bodies crave a feeling of wildness.  If we don't experience this through a sport or physical challenge, it is difficult to feel confident and grounded in

the world and act from our own foundation.   Develop  a practice that keeps the warrior alive, keeps us breathing through our bellies, alerts to all that will help us stay on our soul’s path.  Martial arts, archery, mountain climbing, hiking.
Art by Amberle Stoffers
Warrior exercise;  Go to a place in nature where as a child you felt invigorated and alive:  the ocean, the mountains, desert.  If that is not possible, go somewhere that reminds you of that place. 
Pick out your favorite animal, one that gave you a feeling of strength, wildness and protection.  Write about that animal—its eyes, fur or scales, how it defends itself, walks, hunts for food.  Don’t write scientifically.  Get into the Spirit of the animal, the secrets of its being.
Once you have written a page, close your eyes and meditate on the life force of that animal.  How does he perceive the world? What is he thinking?  What part of the world stands out to the animal the most?  Stay in this meditation for about 10 minutes.  Merge with its rhythm and breath.
This meditation is similar to some Native American traditions of animal totems.

Next, without thinking, write down a list of all the physical activities you were drawn to as a child that stimulated the Warrior in you.  Sports, hobbies, games.  Look for activities in which you felt intensely alive and dynamic in your body.  Begin bringing as many as you can back into your life.
If you desire, find a symbol or picture of the warrior—that will remind you of this intelligent fire that lives inside you. 

Instinct Exercise;  Take a minute before each activity you engage in during the day and determine what your instincts are telling you.  When you look in your closet for clothes to wear, see if you can feel what color represents your mood.  Do the same with breakfast. Ask your body what it wants to eat and in what order.  Take your time, go purely by instincts.
It is not about fantasy escapes, it is about fine tuning.  If you get something really far out, like burn all your ties and move to Bermuda, make a note in your journal.
Later on while you are lying in bed, review how your day was affected. Take time to write notes if possible.

MOVEMENT
Walking:  When you bring more awareness into your walking, it excites the instinctual channels in your body, increasing alertness to events before they happen, accidents, crimes, chance meetings.
If you are open, you can feel the presence of a lot of other travelers.  Walk with a straight posture, relaxed open chest.  Breath is important.  Be aware of rhythm and mood and speed.  Merge with the environment.  Look at the horizon rather than the ground
Be aware of your posture.
Breath is also important. Keep it deep and steady.
Each landscape has its own music.  See if you can sense what pace is calling you, what rhythm and mood.
Look at the horizon when you walk, rather than the ground in front of you. Keep your eyes on the treetops and buildings rather than the cracks in the sidewalk. (refer to the movie Dead Poets Society, scene where teacher has them find their own walk)

  Driving:  What better time to practice being receptive?
1.     Before you get in the car, check your emotional state. Don’t take frustration and anger with you. If your destination can be reached by a method other than driving, consider the alternative.
2.    Before you start the car, visualize your destination.  See yourself already there, happy and refreshed.  Then imagine a field of protective energy, shielding and surrounding you and the vehicle.  When ready, pull out slowly and mindfully.
3.    Once you are on the road, feel a cord of magnetism reaching from the base of your spine into the concrete. Feel yourself centered on this cord.  Feel it straightening your posture and making your whole body brim with alertness.
4.    Travel a speed that doesn’t interfere with your intuition, a speed at which you can monitor everything around you and stay focused.  See if you can feel this speed without looking at your speedometer.
5.    Allow a comfortable space between yourself and others  “Own a piece of the road”, but not in an aggressive way.
6.    Trust your instincts moment by moment.  Be conscious every second whether to stop, change lanes, change your route, accelerate, slow down.
7.    Once a month, or so, go for a psychic drive. Just get in and drive, following instinct.  Go places you wouldn’t normally visit.

Dancing:
Give yourself a few moments each day to move to music.  Dance a color.  Dance a character. Dance opens the eyes on our skin.
Each of us has style of movement in which we are most psychic—it could be flying in a plane, skiing, swimming, riding a horse, gardening.

Other Ways to invoke the warrior.
1.    Practice silence.  Go on a hike or eat dinner with someone without saying a word for two hours.
2.    Go to the zoo and study the animals.  Which do you relate to and why. Discover ways to activate their awareness in your body, ways that are subtle and discreet.
3.    Be more aware of smell.  When you are with people, take in their scent. Smell never lies.  Smell the world everywhere and find out which smells you like the best.  Smell, smell and your instincts will become more refined.

When feeling stiff and out of tune with your instincts, lie down somewhere and visualize effortless movement.  An animal, a wave, leaping flames. Climbing stairs, dancing,  (I also add here--hang gliding, rock climbing, rappelling, ice skating, skiing, horseback riding, running, playing tennis.)

Give the body a color and let it rush through your being.  See the body as firm and grounded, but also weightless and full of light.  The quickness of a jaguar and the fluidity of water.
Art by Amberle Stoffers


The ELEMENTS:
Fire:  in the presence of fire, messages that stir inside us, become easier to interpret or speak. Think of “sitting around a campfire” or watching a candle burn—the feelings and expressions that are invoked.
Water:  purifies the body, wipes away static in your magnetic field, so your perceptions are clearer.  The cells relax whenever we return to a liquid environment.
Soaking in warm springs
 Hands in bowl of water during meditation. Add salt to give the qualities of the sea.
Wading in the waves on the ocean beach, wading in a creek, etc.
Run a bath, go swimming, dance in the rain.
Earth:  the more psychic you become, the more you need connection with the earth to keep you grounded.
Sculpt clay.
Work in the garden, plant flowers and vegetables.
Hike anywhere in nature. Walk on the beach.
Spend time around large animals such as horses or cows. Just hang out around them or even pet them if possible.  (Watch them graze.)
Hug trees.
Air:  All thoughts are air.
Make up stories.
Perform skits with your friends.
Walk through a new city without a guide.
Air means letting go of agendas, control, plans.
Have a spontaneous poetry gathering. Gather in a circle with friends. Make up poetry on the spot. 
Air is also about humor. 
We each have a style of movement in which we are most psychic..might be flying a plane, swimming, skiing.  Go back in your life and remember what movement as a child made you feel closest to your instincts.  Pretending to be a wild animal or a tree, a bird to bring ourselves closer to nature, to feel in our body the same intuition we felt before we were born."


 References:
Eldredge, John, Wild At Heart, Sacred Romance, Way of the Wild Heart, Waking the Dead
Eldredge, Stasi, Captivating
Ridgeway, Andrei, Psychic Living
Ruiz, Don Miguel, Four Agreements
Duncan, Kirk, notes


Thursday, December 28, 2017

Revealing Through Aroma


Sometime in 2007, I had what is called a "clairaliant" or "clairfragrant" experience. I was in the waiting room of a Life Coach. She had a small water fountain, which I enjoyed. As I got closer to it, I could smell a great fragrance blend emanating from the fountain. I inhaled it, and felt an immense rush of emotional healing. Wow, I thought, this is a wonderful blend. She is a genius! Having this blend in the fountain of her waiting room. 
     I tried to identify the blend in my experience. I could tell it had palmarosa, geranium, rose and many other components. I sat there and memorized the smell, so I could put it in context with one of my 90 plus blends. When she came out, I asked what blend she had in the fountain. She was surprised, as she had put some Eucalyptus in it several hours ago, but that it should be gone now. I told her what I could smell. She tried, but couldn't smell anything. After going home, I asked for heavenly help in re-creating that blend. Got a basic recipe, came close, but didn't quite make it. I set that project aside, but kept it in the back of my mind. 
     About a year later, as I got involved in making all my blends again, I brought out the recipe and tweaked it, worked on it. I had a few new oils, including Muhuhu (African Sandalwood) and Frangipani. I came up with a recipe, tried it for a while, but it still wasn't quite right. I took turns combining it with previous blends, to see if I could come up with the "right" one. Finally, I came up with the recipe, that is as close as possible, close enough to perfect. This fragrance was manifested to me through the gift of the Spirit. I was able to create a version of it literally. It is for emotional release and meditation and is rich in oils that allow reaching for angelic realms.

     Then, I needed a name. Nothing seemed right. I was reading in Craig Child's book, House of Rain, and came across a description of Sitalpu. That was it!  
This is a Hopi word referring to the Flower World, a luminously colored spirit realm that exists along side this one. They believe it allows ancestors to move out of the ground they are buried in and flow into clouds, flowers and stars, where they are free to follow their children on long migrations.

The following notes are from Fragrant Heavens, by Valerie Worwood.  This book has been a profound inspiration to me in dealing with essential oils and fragrances.

"p. xviii, Aroma evokes memory and we can identify the part of the brain involved, but nobody has any idea how the aroma of jasmine, say, can make a picture of a garden on a warm starlit night jump into your head.
Plants are the interface between cosmic energies and the earth, upon which we depend.
 p. xx, Essential oils ARE captured light, passed from the heavens, by plants, to us.
…activate the receptors of love, compassion and empathy.  They are an informational network, carrying messages and crossing boundaries, operating on many different levels.  through them, we can contact the wisdom of nature, the power of light, the energy of the universe and the love in our hearts…if molecules could be angels, they would surely be essential oils.



p. 8, Edward Bach, the man who invented Flower Remedies, attributed certain medicinal qualities to plants because the plants themselves told him what they were…the spiritual realm is seen as the source of accurate information…if you want to know what a plant can do, go to the source and ask it.

p. 10, The difference between our approach and indigenous peoples' is the effort we put into learning about plants.  We'll spend time reading gardening books, while they sit with a plant for hours, days even getting to know it…they go to plants as a pupil goes to a wise person to learn.
When people use stones, sound, dance, and plants, they are seeking to make the connection with something they know is there…people want to reconnect…incense is burnt to experience enlightenment directly, to connect with something they know is there.

p. 55, People have always used fragrance to contact spiritual realms.  Fragrance performs many roles.  Helps the mind to focus and concentrate, relaxes mind and body and opens heart to receiving…creates a link between the conscious and unconscious mind…expands space between thoughts.

p. 58, Angels have their own aromas and can be difficult to replicate with earthbound fragrances.

p. 67, If angels are a link between the minds of man and God, fragrance is one language we speak.  Fragrance stimulates and releases truth, opening our higher self, making us receptive to angels as we vibrate more spiritually, aligning our energy more closely with the angelic realm.

p. 71, By using the fragrances of nature with clear intent and purpose, it is possible to use essential oils to bring angels closer to us…shouldn't we take the thread of light offered to us; grasp it within our hearts, and give praise and thanks for such help…the angel is the driver of the bus, travelling to different realms.  Fragrance is the route.  It puts us on the right track, but we need to signal as well.  At a bus stop this is done by putting out our arm, when using fragrance, the signal is a mental one, and so when using angelic vibrations, we need to use prayer, meditation and good intent and purpose.

p. 72, Heavenly vibrations are different than those on earth and to find them, the most likely route is through making blends, which have a vibration different from those generated by the plant world.

p. 85, Everyone has a unique spiritual fragrance that carries the vibrational frequency of our own spirit and is in harmonic resonance with our inner selves…one that we are at ease with but, at the same time, the capacity to affect us emotionally on the very deepest levels, stirring and moving us in ways that can be exciting, provocative, illuminating, and liberating.

p. 95, Nothing gets closer to the brain than aroma…Aroma is one of the means by which memory is laid down by its as yet mysterious recording mechanism.

p. 102, When dealing with invisible forces and despite differences in belief, location and time, people have used fragrance as a protective shield between them and the perceived negativity.  Cedar, pine and juniper have been widely adopted this way…Native Americans have used sage, wormwood, cedar and sweet grass.

p. 104, Fragrance and spirituality have always been inextricably linked.

p. 117, Aside from the physical body, we have an "aura", a light that surrounds the body and is often depicted as a halo in paintings of saints and holy people.  We also have energy centers in the body known as "chakras" and some say, "etheric" or "astral" or "mental body", all usually invisible energy fields that connect us to the universe.

p. 121, Auras are an aspect of our natural selves and the natural world.  There is nothing weird or magical about them.

p. 124, Essential oils are a way of connecting cosmic energy to us…

p. 129, The oils can stir or agitate the auric field, stimulating it to reorganize itself into a state of harmony…it "lifts" the spirit by raising the vibration, but it is not the oil itself that causes the lift, because the human organism does that for itself.  The oils do, clear the quagmire in which we may have got stuck, allowing us to shift our perspective, change our spiritual position, and move on to a higher state of being.  Picture a TV screen that is "out of sync"…by adjusting the antenna, we can bring images back into "sync", the same place, locked together in proper position so a coherent whole results.  Essential oils seem to have the same effect on the human aura…bringing them into sync, locked together in a harmonious whole.  Harmonized in this way, we are better able to get in touch with our higher selves, our spiritual core.

p. 153,  Fragrances help concentrate the mind and change it from a confused cacophony of negativity into a stilled surety of harmony and peace…finding a fragrance that has a special spiritual effect may take a little time, but it is worth it."

 For more information on my Aromatherapy adventure check out these blogs: