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Hello there-
Last week I posted a few pictures of my lovely Ogoun apron made by Mambo Sam and her mother in law Eileen. Today I would like to share with you some pictures of the apron I have gotten for working with Gran Bwa. This fabric is gorgeous! I hope you enjoy the photos. For more information on the Aprons, please see www.spellmaker.com/voodoowares.htm
Light and Love
Sister Bridget
For those who partake in alternative medicine, Reiki is a powerful compliment to all therapies whether traditional or non-traditional. Whatever the case may be Reiki is a practice that can bring body, mind, and spirit into balance.
What is Reiki?
In 1922 a Buddhist monk named Mikao Usui meditated for 21 days atop Mount Kurama, Japan. It is said that during his retreat that the concept of Reiki healing was given to him through divine inspiration. Later that year he established the Usui Reiki Healing Society in Tokyo.
The name Reiki itself is made up two Japanese words. When combined these words literally translate to "guided spiritual life force energy". The energy generated by the practitioner is said to come from the divine and not the practitioner themselves.
This would mean that the energy is pure and inexhaustible. The energy transmitted during the session is also deemed "intelligent" and travels to the precise area in need of healing, even without the practitioner or recipient being aware of it.
How does Reiki work?
Reiki can be performed over the whole body or over a specific area. The practitioner can use a touching or non-touching technique, where the hands hover over the recipient's body by a few centimeters. In either case the goal is for the flow of energy to be released through the hands of the practitioner and penetrate the body of the recipient.
The length of a Reiki session lasts from 45 to 90 minutes. The practitioner's hands stay over each area of the recipient's body for 3 to 5 minutes. Reiki can either be performed traditionally with set hand positions or informally where the format is more open.
There is a second level of Reiki that allows for healing over a distance. This is accomplished by using three special symbols that aid the practitioner to connect with the recipient. This means that healing may be performed no matter the location.
Can I perform Reiki on myself?
The energy involved when performing Reiki makes it an excellent candidate for self-healing. In fact it is said that when a practitioner generates energy for a healing it enters through their crown Chakra in turn providing them with healing while healing the recipient.
The Reiki technique is simple and powerful. Practitioners attest that the concepts surrounding Reiki are so wholesome and safe that even children can learn to heal. Reiki has no side effects and can be used on anyone one in any social setting, even on plants and animals.
How can Reiki help?
Reiki is used for many types of ailments both physical and psychological. The flow of divine energy creates a chain reaction in the body that promotes healing at all levels. Reiki is a holistic approach to healing and deals with the human body, mind, and spirit as a complete system. Therefore it is effective in all arenas of healing and compliments modern medical treatments. Reiki is not promoted to replace other forms of therapies but encouraged as part of a comprehensive health strategy.
Hello!
Below are some pictures I took while fishing with Marran and Parran this Spring. Hope you enjoy them :-)
Light and Love
Sister Bridget
Marran having a fine day!
Marran and Parran and a Fishy Friend!
Here is the little fella that I caught, being held by Parran's bother, Andrew. We threw him back (the fish, not Drew....) and he swam away to live another day :-)
The Neighbors! A mess-o-chipmunks lived in a rock pile right next to where we were seated for the day. These little guys were quite brave and really seemed fond of rice crispy treats! They were awesome entertainment in between nibbles on the line.
Hi there!
Now that it is officially warm here in the Northeast, I have been able to spend some periods of time outdoors with the trees, one of my favorite things to do. I have a brief, rather unofficial ritual I do when I sitting with a tree. I find sitting quietly with a tree is a very powerful way for me to connect with the enviornment and also feel closer to Gran Bwa. There is no real right or wrong way to do this- I present these steps as a general guide that works well for me :-)
Go for a walk in the woods or a park, or even your own yard. Be sure this is someplace you feel safe and *are* safe. Look at the different trees, quiet your mind, tune into them. You will find that different trees have different personalities! Some will feel warm and inviting, others may not be receptive to having company that day :-) Some may feel strong, some happy and upbeat, others not so much.
When you feel attracted to a tree, move in towards it. Spend a few minutes getting to know the tree- look at its shape, its foliage, the shape and texture of the bark, the roots. Unfocus your eyes and look for the tree's aura. Using the palm of your nondominant hand, sweep around the tree and see if you can feel how far it's energy extends. Make an energetic connection with the tree. How does it feel? Take a bit of foliage, feel it's texture, notice it's scent, temperature, shape and size.
Open your mind and your heart, and ask the tree if you can sit with it for a while. I very rarely have a tree say "No" but it is always polite to ask permission! If the answer is "Yes", walk around the tree once and pick a comfortable place to sit. Before sitting down, place your hands on the trunk and take three deep breaths. You may feel guided to give the tree a hug! Go right ahead :-) Take a few moments and strengthen your connection with your new friend.
When you are ready, sit down in your comfortable spot with your back up against the trunk of the tree. Clear your mind and just be with the tree. Open yourself to guidance from the tree. Be relaxed, breathe slowly and deeply. Be present. Feel the trunk of the tree against your back. Feel the warmth of the soil beneath you. If some intrusive thoughts pop into your mind, place them in a cloud and let them float away. Remain quiet and peaceful for as long as you like. Be with the tree.
When you are feeling ready, "talk" with the tree. If you have questions about the tree or the land, ask, sit quietly and wait for a response! If you have an issue or concern that you need guidance on, pose a question and again, sit quietly and see what comes to you.
When you feel you are ready to close, stand back up and place your hands on the trunk as you did before sitting. Again, if you feel guided to hug the tree, please do! Thank the tree from your heart for its time and attention, for any guidance it may have relayed, and for its contribution to the environment.
Light and Love
Sister Bridget
Here is a picture of the ritual that was done for Mambo and Parran's doggie, Mojo. These rituals call on Papa Legba, Ogoun and Gran Bwa :-) They are proving to be a very popular ritual! For more information, please see http://www.spellmaker.com/bridget.htm
Light and Love
Sister Bridget
Hello there!
Recently, Mambo Sam, in conjunction with her mother in law Eileen, began offering traditional Voodoo aprons. This collaborative effort produces wonderfully hand crafted, made to order aprons that are one of a kind. You can read about the details here: www.spellmaker.com/voodoowares.htm Below are some pictures of the first apron I ordered, this one is for Ogoun! It is simply beautiful! I will be posting pictures of my other aprons as we go along. I guess you can say Im a bit addicted to them :-) Anyway- check out the Aprons, you will be glad that you did.
Light and Love
Sister Bridget
Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light not our darkness, that most frightens us..... Nelson Mandela 1994
Hi there,
As a Voodoo Priestess, Registered Nurse, and Reiki Master, I have been using Reiki with animals for many years, and have just started offering this service to clients. I have to tell you the feedback has been wonderful. For those of you who are not familiar with the use of Reiki with the animal kingdom, I invite you to read the article below:
I know how much animals love their Reiki sessions.
It doesn't matter what sort of pet you have,
horse, dog, cat, snake, hamster or even a mouse, Reiki will help to keep them healthy, and recover from any illness they may encounter.
I would like to talk about our special friends; the animals and pets we all love. It doesn't matter what pet you have, Dog, Cat, Horse or Snake. Reiki will work for them.
Those skeptical about complementary medicine will usually attribute any beneficial effect to the placebo response. "If I believe strongly enough that Reiki (or whatever) will make me better" then the likelihood is that better you will be!
But the same argument cannot apply to animals that can have no expectations one way or another about whether a particular treatment will work, and so, the placebo response cannot apply. Hence, where alternative or complementary remedies do work - the effect must be genuine. I have seen dogs,cats and bigger animals relax and improve when treated with Reiki: I love to work with the animals, and if you have pets of any kind, they will respond wonderfully to Reiki treatments.
I know some veterinary surgeries do have complimentary healing practitioners on their books. And like doctors, the Vets are starting to realise that Reiki can help their patients too.
All animals benefit from Energy Healing, and of course that is exactly what Reiki is. Reiki is quite an extraordinary force, Reiki flows through the practitioner into your pet and makes them extremely relaxed. Reiki healing energy focuses on the Reiki healing life power. The wholesome energy contained in our bodies. By means of the channeling force from us to the recipient, the distressed areas undergo revitalization. This revitalisation is nothing else but 'Life Force'
The entire beneficial amount of positive thinking and feelings, conveyed to the recipient (your beloved pet) translates into light. This Reiki healing light adds to the life flow energy. It helps with all manner of illness and upsets your pet may encounter. It will help to calm them and ensure they will get any help that is available from the Reiki healing force.
One of the supreme rewards of a Reiki alternative treatment (for you and your pet) is in the significant decrease of stress. You know when your pet is suffering stress or upset, especially if they have had to have surgery, or other treatments that mean a visit to the vets. Recovery from surgery can be quite surprising, especially when the treatments begins some weeks prior to the scheduled operation. Then you carry on the Reiki after their treatment and it all comes together to help and improve after-affects and recovery time. We know that Reiki is a particular type of delicate energy transfer. In the healing process, the Reiki therapist lays her hands on or above your beloved pet or animal that is being treated. And it goes to them through the healing light. In this way, a relationship takes place between the patient and an immeasurable spring of life energy. This sort of force is an exceptionally potent one, yet is incredibly kind and soothing.
If you would like to help the worlds animals, (and in some countries they badly need lots of help) including UK. and USA. I'm afraid. In your minds eye see a picture of the animals you would like to send Reiki love and healing to, and send it to them on a beam of loving light. The endangered sea-life need all the help they can get too. Not many of us are blessed to give hands-on-healing to Whales and Dolphins, but we can send love and Reiki to to them. We just have to think about a pod of Whales or Dolphins swimming with joy in our oceans, and send them our loving and healing thoughts.
You might be one of those lucky people who live where you can see the pods swimming, how wonderful for you. As you watch them at play, send love and light to them, and you may be very surprised at their joyful reaction. Reiki is a secure and preferable manner of coping with a variety of complications. A Reiki treatment should not upset your pet in any way. They will relax and let the healing energy work. There are absolutely no contraindications with Reiki for human patients or animals. Reiki relaxes your body and mind. so your pet will feel wonderful. Evan very small animals can accept Reiki, your little mouse or hamster will benifit from a little hands-on healing.
Make your beloved pets life more enjoyable and meaningful. Reiki will ease any conditions your pet may have in its everyday life. It can save you many trips to the vets.
(end article)
I hope you have found this information helpful!
Love
Sister Bridget
www.spellmaker.com/bridget.htm