August 2011–A Time To Do More Than You Think Is Possible

The main theme for August is Wake Up and Pay Attention.

This does not mean becoming more hyper-vigilant or controlling but rather becoming more present and taking notice from a place of expanded awareness. Most of us have narrowed our experience of life and ability to respond down to a very narrow band, being asleep or unconscious about the greater part of it. If we didn’t, we would be overwhelmed at what we have put up with and continue putting up with.

In the development of the mind and the mental ability to problem solve, we have traded in the awareness of our instinctual and emotional responses for the illusion of security in trusting that the mind can solve everything. We are quickly seeing that in these accelerated times not only can the mind not keep up, but that it limits our ability to respond in other ways so crucial to our survival at this time. The mind is almost never present. It is almost always either in the past; reviewing, judging, trying to understand, categorizing, filing and organizing; or in the future; planning, worrying, tracking, organizing and trying to get a handle on linear time. Notice that when you are doing a task that requires complete presence, the mind becomes quiet and inactive, taking a back seat.

Animals in the wild and other aspects of nature react to their environment with efficiency in their knowing, timing and action. This does not come from a place of mental planning but rather from being aware and responding to the present circumstances. Nature is very flexible. Because of our attachments, expectations and constant mental micromanaging, we have lost both the ability to be flexible and the ability to be instantly responsive. We have diminished our experience of life, we have fallen asleep, and we forgotten how to trust and be present.

We are still in an emotionally centered year. The emotional center is there to teach us a different way of reacting. The emotional center is not about emoting or being emotional. It is about relying on a different level of intuition that takes in way more information than the intellectual realm of the mind can ever process. We need to remember how to use this center more effectively so that we can trust our non-mental process and begin to give it more credit. The mind is a very useful tool and it is important to use it to set intentions, goals and direction, but we cannot expect the mind to get us there. The mind on its own is not capable of driving enough energy to accomplish anything. It is too limited and yet we have given it this impossible task. No wonder we feel helpless, powerless, fatigued and confused.

It will take time to turn this pattern around and you can start by waking up your senses and paying attention to your surroundings by being more present and aware. If you spend a little bit of time every day in non-mental awareness practicing being present, you will exercise this part of yourself and eventually it will become automatic. This is what is required in order to move into a higher state of consciousness at this time. Anything you can do this month that raises your consciousness is an excellent use of the influences. Any practices that help connect you to spirit and get you out of your mind will also be very helpful.

There will be many lessons and opportunities to see just how effective you can be without your mind trying to control everything. The discipline will be to keep yourself present and out of the past and the future. This is the time to step up to the plate, show up fully and take responsibility for yourself, your actions and your truth. It is time to get out of denial, to open your eyes and all your senses, to truly look at what you have been putting up with and to do something about it. This requires courage and action and you may not always get positive responses from others, as misery loves company. When you decide to take the high road you may need to set some boundaries against certain energies that are no longer compatible. Remember that negative reactions from others are usually projections and it is important not to take things personally especially when you know you are on the right track.

By the same token, if you are having a strong negative reaction to someone or their actions, you may need to look at how you may be projecting on them or how their actions may have threatened your own complacency and denial. See each of them, as a teacher and a mirror, stay neutral, present and awake.

This is an incredibly accelerated time where incredible things are possible. You need to watch for the aggression mode of the year showing up in negative ways both in yourself and in others. Since the mind is being quickly surpassed by the speed of things these days, you also may experience anything from feeling like you are losing your mind, panic attacks, anxiety and amnesia. This is much about the dissolving of linear time and thus the tracking method of the mind. Watch also for bleed-through from the astral plane at inconvenient times, throwing you momentarily off the course of linear thought. You are being called upon to trust all the other senses, to trust your intuition and to learn to process information in a different way. The acceleration of the times makes it possible to accomplish way more than your mind would “think” possible. At the same time, if something is destructing, it will take much less time than “usual” for it to completely destruct. Any process is aggressively accelerated in these times so if something seems stagnant or not moving, all it needs is a spark of intention to set it on course.

Click here to access the full monthly commentary packed with tips to help you strengthen your relationships, health, finances and more.   Print out the full forecast and reference it throughout the month. (The above is an excerpt from the commentary).

The author of the monthly forecast, Lena Stevens, is an author and co-founder of an international school and consulting firm dedicated to the study and application of shamanism and wisdom.  Lena Stevens has co-authored books with Jose Stevens, Ph.D., such as Secrets of Shamanism:Tapping the Spirit Power Within You and The Power Path: The Shaman’s Way To Success in Business and Life.

July 2011 Forecast–Personal Growth and Big Breakthroughs

The main theme for July is Birth.

It is OK to feel like a different person, to not know who you are, to sense that something has changed in a big way even though you can’t really say what it is, and to feel somewhat unsettled, ungrounded and anxious. It means you have found yourself in a new landscape and are uncertain as to how to navigate and move forward. Learn to let spirit guide you and give up trying to control everything. There is great opportunity this month for personal growth and truly stretching your container of what is possible. You can adopt a whole new belief system and expand your awareness to the degree you never thought possible.

The “birth” theme of the month can also be seen as a re-birth. Re-birth always follows the death of something. It is not too late to give up and let go of attachments that may have been holding you back. What in you still has to die for you to be able to have a re-birth into a new life?

We have been in labor and in the birth canal for a while now. Labor is uncomfortable and being in the birth canal is intense. We leave the safety of the known environment that has gotten too small for our growth. We are launched into a new world that we have no idea yet how to navigate. It is a scary place of stimulus, danger and our focus is instantly on the basic need for survival. We are vulnerable yet strong with a powerful intent to survive and live life. If you have ever watched newborn animals at this critical phase, their ability to propel themselves fully into life in order to survive is amazing.

At this juncture we have been launched into something new. We are all in some process of birth whether we like it or not. Some of us are still in labor as some labors are longer than others. The shorter labors provide more intensity and the longer labors provide for more preparation even though they may leave you somewhat weakened. Some of us are already in the birth canal with the realization that there is no going back. And some of us are actually crowning and ready to explode into a new life.

Just as it is important to have good physical caretakers that await you as you are born, and helpful teachers as you learn to navigate physical life, it is also important at this time to have strong guidance and support from your spiritual practice, your relationship to spirit and nature, your guides and allies, and those who can help you at this time. The support of community is also being called upon to provide a strong container for this new experience.

An infant at birth has no idea how their intentions and life goals will manifest as they mature. An infant at birth is pure potential landing in an environment of vast opportunity, pure innocence, and not yet imprinted with the limited belief systems of others. The imprinting and circumstances of a physical infants birth and first experience of life is usually dictated by karma, agreements and a chosen blueprint. Your birth now into something new carries a freedom with it of choice with regards to intention, imprinting and limitations. Use this time well and decide how you wish to live, how you intend to be supported and what you choose as your new imprinting. You can either limit yourself or go for an expanded sense of freedom and creativity.

An infant spends a great deal of time on the astral plane bringing across the information needed for developing the lifetime. You may find yourself drawn into dreamtime for short catnaps during the day. Do not resist this. It is important time on the astral plane. An infant is curious and trusting and has no way yet of defining the present based on past experiences. Practice living your life like an infant whenever possible. This will keep all your options open and allow you to truly see things in a new way.

We can’t stress enough how truly amazing this time is for breaking through into something new. See every challenge as an opportunity and trust in the big picture when events around you are being defined as negative, destructive or unnecessary. It is a raw and edgy time. Emotions will run high and aggression could be at its worst. Just as a woman in the process of giving birth is not always the nicest to be around, everyone going through their own process will have times of being cranky, overwhelmed, out of sorts, very uncomfortable, and even in major meltdown mode. Have compassion for yourself and for others around you. You have grown beyond the size of the old container and it is time to push through into a new landscape. It is scary leaving the known environment even though you are cramped and squeezed but there is no other option at this time. We are at the point of no return and there is no going back. An infant that refuses to come out of the womb when it is time will become toxic with its own waste. Do not let that happen to you. Let go, let go, let go. Your future security will depend on how well you navigate the birth canal, not whether or not you can hold on to any of your old structures.

An infant needs care. You need care. It is a time to put yourself and your needs first. We are not talking about high maintenance needs of the physical body personality here. We are addressing care in terms of health, spiritual life, time, rest, creativity, love, and allowing yourselves to do the things that you love to do and have wanted to do for a long time. Personal care is nurturing and protecting the new landscape, not taking things personally that others may project onto you, and making sure that you put yourself and your true desires of spirit first. It is a good time to revisit your definitions of responsibility and to differentiate between your true responsibilities and the dependent expectations of others. Being of service is not carrying another’s burden but rather showing them the way through your own example.

This month is crucial for taking some time for self and for setting good boundaries against energy leaks from others, bad habits or behaviors. It is an excellent time to be surrounded by nature whenever possible. Focus on the power of the sun as the representative of fire, one of the elements of the year and a masculine energy. Bless the service of this element and spirit in your life. Focus on the power of water and the other element of the year and a feminine energy. Bless the service of water, its life-giving as well as destructive force. Pay attention to your own water element in your body. Feed it with the spirit of water. Focus on the masculine sky realm as the patriarchal father archetype witnessing and supporting your birth, protecting the infant, imprinting it with the unconditional love of the generous and protective masculine.

Click here to access the full monthly commentary packed with tips to help you strengthen your relationships, health, finances and more.   Print out the full forecast and reference it throughout the month. (The above is an excerpt from the commentary).

The author of the monthly forecast, Lena Stevens, is an author and co-founder of an international school and consulting firm dedicated to the study and application of shamanism and wisdom.  Lena Stevens has co-authored books with Jose Stevens, Ph.D., such as Secrets of Shamanism:Tapping the Spirit Power Within You and The Power Path: The Shaman’s Way To Success in Business and Life.

Mind Machines To Super Achieve

I want to tell you about another powerful tool that you can use to train your mind to enter theta and delta to achieve some pretty awesome results. I'm talking about mind machines.

What they can do for you is mind blowing... 

WHAT ARE MIND MACHINES?

Mind machines are high-tech brain tools that have been proven to enhance mental functioning, boost brain power, alter your mood, and quickly produce peak performance brain states. They provide an avenue for experiential self-exploration. Mind machines can serve as gateways to the spirit, as tools of transcendence.

Light and sound machines, also called AVS (audio visual stimulation), are the most common mind machines. They're easy to use and affordable. Using light and sound pulses at a specified frequency, the mind machine stimulates mental activity in various ways.

They essentially enable you to shift perception from the waking state to a variety of altered states of consciousness.

MODERN MIND TECHNOLOGY & ANCIENT KNOWLEDGE

For centuries, temples, meditation schools and churches have used sensory stimulation to heighten one's experience. Light and sound, for example, have been used to quiet the mind and calm the body. Temple bells, singing, chanting, awe inspiring
architecture and flickering candles have been used to induce deep states of mind.  

Since ancient times, shamans and sages have used the power of fire and rhythmic drumbeats as a bridge to cross from the sub-conscious to deeper mind states.

Did you know that merely gazing into a fire can help you slip into a relaxed or dream-like state? That happens because the fire's flicker rate puts one in the alpha/theta range. Nature is truly our ally.

Today, we can use mind machines to our advantage and control when we want to induce these altered states. Flickering lights from fire can be replaced by flashing patterns via goggles, and drumbeats can be replaced by rhythmic sounds through headphones. 

HOW DO MIND MACHINES WORK?

They change your mind state by altering brainwaves patterns.

Brainwave activity tends to fall into four groups: beta, alpha, theta and delta. Brainwave frequencies are linked to various mind states and moods. 

Light & sound mind machines entrain your brainwaves into the states where meditation, dreaming, or concentration take place. These mind tools gently shift your brainwaves where you want them by stimulating your senses with beautiful patterns of light and sound.

The benefits of these high-tech mind tools center around the concept of what's called entrainment.

Entrainment means that the brainwaves take on the same rhythm of light, sound pulses or vibration. Entrainment occurs naturally in nature such as during rainstorms, bolts of lightning, the steady rhythm of chirping crickets, waterfalls, and streams.


Nature Versus City Entrainment

Entrainment is not always beneficially.  It also happens with the noises occurring in daily city life. Emergency sirens, fast racing vehicles, and airplanes are disruptive to your inner world. Pulsed light waves from television also produce brainwave entrainment-and not in a positive way.

Nature provides brain entrainment that serves to benefit you physically, emotionally, and spiritually. Cities, in contrast,create entrainment which disrupts your brain from enjoying tranquility and peacefulness. 

Fortunately, the use of mind machines can allow you to create states of mind that will empower you whenever you want. They're a way to access inner peace and energized states when ever you choose. 

The power of accessing higher mind states restores the body's ability to relax and heal and so much more...

WHAT CAN YOU GET OUT OF IT?

Mind Machines induce deep states of relaxation, diminish negative emotions, and simplify meditative type practices.

Light and sound is an effective tool for anyone who wishes to explore altered states of consciousness, awareness expansion and sensory stimulation, psychedelic-like visual imagery, and profoundly deep relaxation. 

Experiences vary from person to person. Here's some of the benefits of using mind machines...

* Increased creativity

* Deep relaxation

* Memory improvement

* Deeper and better sleep

* Lucid dreaming

* More stable and positive emotions

* Immediate stress relief

* Increased energy after a session

* Enhanced ability to visualize

* Increased ability to focus

* Deeper levels of meditativeness

* Stimulation of growth hormone

* Pain reduction


WHAT HAPPENS DURING A SESSION?

With special light-bearing sunglasses over your closed eyes and headphones over your ears, you are immersed in colorful dancing geometric patterns and entrancing sounds. The light and sound pulse rate shifts from state to state as the session progresses; mental activity will follow the pulse rate of the machine. 

The stunning light creates psychedelic-like visual imagery within your mind and stops the monkey mind chatter.

With so many possibilities you may be wondering where to begin.

Visit www.UnlimitedInnerPower.com to learn more.

See also video below.

Welcoming January 2011!

In this month’s forecast, Lena Stevens, author and co-founder of an international school and consulting firm dedicated to the study and application of shamanism and wisdom, reveals influences and opportunities to take advantage of.

Click here to access the full monthly commentary that you can print and reference!

Below is an excerpt from the commentary.

The main theme for January is RESETTING PRIORITIES.

We are now under a new set of influences and themes. As the trends of 2010 have started their exodus as primary motivators and the new trends have begun to settle in, we are inspired to take the creative artisan energy of the last year and begin to use it in realigning our relationship with service. We want our lives to not just be creative but purposeful, growing us towards a deeper satisfaction around what we are actually doing here on the planet. In December, the influences were internal, transitional, re evaluating, and very focused on maintaining on a personal level.  The moving center of 2010 stepped aside allowing the emotional center to flow in as the primary influence for 2011. Many of you may have felt unfocused, unproductive, aimless, tired, subdued and possibly even un-inspired as the moving centered artisan influence of 2010 released its primary position. Now we have an adjustment period as we realign ourselves with what we have chosen for this year. For a time it may still feel like we are under the influence of the artisan as there is definitely the creative desire for expression. However the artisan is not running the show but rather becomes part of the foundation that is in service to the server role of the year.

One of the first things on the agenda for 2011 is to reset your priorities. Spirit has given you many clues and messages over the past months regarding what should be important in your life, where you should be putting your energy and intention, what needs to be let go of as it is of an old paradigm, and what you should be doing and with whom. Some of you have been better than others about listening to these hints and actually taking the steps to reinvent yourselves in a way more aligned with spirit. Therefore some of you will feel a surge of energy this month that should enhance this alignment and open opportunities for self-expression, support and the experience of service. The experience of service is not only related to how you can serve others and the planet, but also addresses how you can be served and how you are presently served by spirit, your allies, the elementals and all of nature.  There is definitely a potential in this alignment for a higher centered experience of life, connection, and all things being really “right”.

If you have not been great at listening and feel your life is somewhat less than you would like it to be, it is never too late to discard those attachments and to choose resolutions that will put you back on track. We are still under the influence of the very powerful winter solstice, eclipse and Full Moon, and will be until the New Moon on January 4 that comes with a partial solar eclipse. The time frame between two eclipses, especially when they are accompanied by other very powerful alignments, is always very potent and should be used proactively to set your intentions and to get things moving in the right direction. If you have been feeling unmotivated, lethargic and unfocused, that could change just before this New Moon when we should experience a surge of energy. Make sure this surge does not scatter you into chaos and negativity, but rather gives you some needed fuel to move forward in the right direction. If you have your priorities set straight you should experience more energy, enthusiasm, inspiration and movement. Pay attention to the intuitive wisdom of the emotional center and the synchronicity it produces. Don’t let the questioning mind get in the way of what you know to be emotionally true. Pay attention to the signs of spirit and don’t argue with or resist what is obvious.

The resetting of priorities this month will definitely be addressed, whether proactively by your decisions and choices, or not so proactively where you end up at the effect of someone else’s decisions and choices. For example, if you know you are in the wrong work situation but have not had the courage to do something about it, a decision may be made for you where you end up out of that work situation through a medical condition, being let go or some other unpleasant circumstance. Take the resetting of priorities this month seriously as there is a rather large engine of energy that wants to propel all of us in the right direction.  Evaluate where you are with your priorities and be truthful about what needs resetting. It may be that you will have to give something up or disappoint someone or take a risk. But if it is the right decision, you will know it.

Since we are under the influence of the emotional center, these decisions of what is “right” for you cannot be fully intellectual. The knowingness must come from another more intuitive place. This is especially challenging for those of you who are not as comfortable with the emotional center and who are used to relying on your rational mind for your answers and problem solving abilities. This is a time when little can be actually solved by “thinking it through”. It is better to use the capacity of the mind in support of the decisions of the intuitive self. Watch out for the obstacles of Self-deprecation and Martyrdom as they try to discourage and disregard what you feel as insignificant, wrong or unworthy. Watch the mind as it strives for control through these obstacles. Trust and hope may be uncharted waters for you but they may be all that is left in some situations.

Remember that what is right for you will also be influenced by the server role of the year.  Re evaluate your motivations for anything you do and any situation you are in. Have the courage to change your mind, say no or yes, and to open yourselves to receive the support and service available to you. The era of going at it alone to prove your strength, power and independence from others is over. This is a time of building trust, receiving support, and collaborating with others. Resetting your priorities should always include putting yourselves first in line to be served by spirit and to receive what is available to you.  Sometimes it is difficult to see through to what is your priority over what is someone else’s priority. In partnership you may have to compromise and support and honor another’s priority at the same time as supporting and honoring your own. This requires a balance so that there is an equal exchange. Often to make a collaboration work, all parties need to be supported equally in a give and take exchange especially when it comes to what is most important. What is most important to you may not what is most important to another and vice versa. Coming up with a balance where everyone gets their needs met and their importance honored will create a balance and bring the spirit of service into any partnership. The main thing is never to give all your power away and compromise yourself completely as this will only lead to resentment and Martyrdom. At the same time, if you are a person who does not make a point of considering what is important to others, this could be an opportunity for you to improve your partnerships by doing so.

Let’s look at some of the specific areas you may need to reset priorities and what it may mean for you if you do it successfully and what it may mean if you don’t.

To read about the influences this month on your finances,

relationships and health, click here to read the full commentary.

December 2010 Forecast–How Will This Month Play Out?

In this month’s forecast, Lena Stevens, author and co-founder of an international school and consulting firm dedicated to the study and application of shamanism and wisdom, reveals influences and opportunities to take advantage of.

Click here to access the full monthly commentary that you can print and reference!

Below is an excerpt from the commentary.

The theme for December is MAINTENANCE.

This is a month of putting time and energy into all those aspects of your life that require maintenance at this time. Maintenance is not only about changing the oil in your vehicle or drain opener in your pipes, although that may be right on target for some of you. Maintenance also refers to your physical and emotional health, your home, your spiritual life, your relationships, your car, your things, your work environment, your routines, practices and disciplines. This is an excellent time to review what is out of balance or has been neglected and to take action or make a plan to take action. It is a good time to scrutinize your environment to notice what is broken or in need of cleaning, elimination or an upgrade.

December is characterized by an energy that is local, ordinary, somewhat inward and close to home. Keep good boundaries against putting too much expansion on your plate, as this is not the month for it. Look to what needs doing in your own back yard. Fix or upgrade the things you already have rather than expanding into new territory. The influences are pulling the energy inward and some of you may feel restricted or confined by it. Beware of impatience and becoming agitated or antsy around the illusion of limitation. Think instead of this time as catching up to yourself through the process of maintenance in the areas that need it.

Things in your life that do not function are an energy leak. If you have a broken toaster that is waiting to be fixed, either fix it or get rid of it. We learn to live with things around us that do not function. They get stuffed into a closet or put into the garage. Part of maintaining balance in your life is to address these items that are not functioning or are no longer useful and to do something about them.  They create dead weight and take up valuable psychic space. It does not matter what you paid for something or who gave it to you. The price of having these things around holding energy is not worth it. Either fix them and put them back into service or give them to charity or to someone who can fix and use them. A good formula if this task feels overwhelming is to take one thing every day and either fix it, take action to fix it or decide to eliminate it. How many items of clothing do you have waiting to be mended or waiting for a button to be sewn on? Do it or get rid of it.  Look in your closets and junk drawers and basements, attics and garages and just pick one thing every day.

Then take one thing everyday in your physical environment that simply needs maintenance like cleaning the fridge or your oven, or weeding out a bookcase or changing the oil in your car, and do it or take action to do it (like calling the housecleaners or making an appointment with your mechanic). Then take one thing that could use an upgrade and take an action step towards that upgrade. This could be buying a higher quality food item or something inspirational such as flowers for the table, or something to support your health. It could also include refreshing the paint on a wall or replacing a ratty piece of furniture. All of this activity sends a message to the quantum field that you are taking Maintenance seriously and you will definitely be rewarded for it.

An equally important part of the Maintenance theme this month is to look at the aspects in your life that need more from you at this time. If you have neglected your health due to a busy work schedule, this would be the time to do something about that. Whatever it is that you require for more balance should be included in your daily routine and program this month. Whatever you need more of, whether it be rest, exercise, healthy diet, a hair cut, teeth cleaning, body work, etc., work it into your schedule this month and make it a priority. Many of you have a tendency to put yourselves last. This is a month where you need to put yourselves first on the list of things to maintain. Since the influences of December are consolidating the energy towards self and the home front, always think of what is best for you and resist the tendency to want to please others. There will always be someone who is disappointed in your choices. Don’t take it personally and avoid reacting to the projections of others. Beware of your energy leaks. Identify them, eliminate them and focus on re charging yourself.

Some of the less obvious and more intangible areas requiring maintenance are the areas of relationships, personal growth, spirituality and intentions. Regarding relationships, this is a good time to make note of what relationships need some attention and to do what is required. If you have not been spending enough time with your family, pets, employees or good friends, this would be the time to remedy that. If unimportant people are unreasonably demanding of your time and energy, you may have to set some boundaries in order to maintain a balance. Pay attention to old relationships that cycle back into your life with unfinished business or karmic history. Do what it takes to get things back into balance. Be honest with yourself and others regarding where your responsibility lies and where it doesn’t. You can’t fix it for someone else, only for yourself.

The area of personal growth and spirituality has to do with your relationship to self. Only you know where you are in this area and what it means to you. Maintenance may include professional emotional help, the support of putting into practice bits and pieces you have collected over the years in the area of personal growth, and perhaps some discernment of what you do and where you go from here. Most of all it is important to pay attention to your emotional and spiritual well being, to practice good spiritual and emotional hygiene, and to do whatever you can to stay connected to spirit and to follow your own intuition. Don’t worry if you don’t feel like you are making any progress this month. This is not about feeling expansive and higher centered but rather about getting all your ducks in a row in preparation for what’s to come. All the work that is being done under the surface is creating a stronger and deeper foundation that will carry you through future times. And it does require attention, discipline and maintenance.

Your dreams, plans, intentions and desires also have to be maintained. If you have a practice of visualizing or affirming your intentions or setting goal or wish lists, this practice also needs maintenance and attention. Anything that becomes too much of a routine where you are no longer present with the process needs to be re evaluated. Try going over your practices in this area and re inventing them just slightly so they become more meaningful to you. Whenever you make a change, you are likely to be more present with the process until it becomes routine again. This is also a good month to re evaluate your current goals, intentions, dreams and plans to see if they are presently viable, appropriate or something you still really desire. Remember to make sure they are yours and not in consideration of someone else. You can never set goals and intentions for someone else, only for yourself.

The downside of this month is that you may feel overwhelmed with how far you have let things go in the area of maintenance. Don’t be hard on yourself. Take it one step at a time, do one thing at a time. Watch the tendency for procrastinating and make a little sign for yourself that says DO IT NOW. Watch self-deprecation as it wants to judge you for being so neglectful. It does not serve to wallow, complain or be depressed. These are energy leaks. Just do one thing at a time that does not feel overwhelming to you, like polishing a pair of shoes or doing your laundry. Remember that part of this practice of maintenance is symbolic therefore polishing a pair of shoes has an energetic ripple effect that will begin to form a pattern of momentum around other maintenance tasks. The other challenge this month could be a tendency to feel flat, bored, impatient, and like nothing significant is happening in your life despite the numerous activities of the day. You may feel like you are spinning your wheels especially if you are person somewhat addicted to the drama of high level activity. Relax, there is a lot happening in the mundane day to day and this is an important time to regroup, recharge, maintain and rebalance.

To read about the influences this month on your finances, relationships and global issues, click here to read the full commentary.

Beyond Meditation -- Secrets of An Ancient Powerful Technique

Throughout history, shamans and other wise men and women of knowledge have possessed the power to journey deep within to tap the universal source of information and wisdom.

Shamans have always known that the answers we seek can be found within. Bypassing the stumbling blocks of the outer, material world, they perfected techniques of accessing higher mind levels to find answers, gain insights and achieve profound understandings.

WHY JOURNEY?

The shamanic journey is a technique for accessing higher mind levels to get answers on questions that are important to you, to gain insights and achieve profound understandings. It is a great tool also to use for training the body and mind to enter deep states of total relaxation. At a minimum, you will learn how to release stress and to help heal your total being.

THE SHAMANIC JOURNEY

A shamanic journey enables you to enter a meditative type state, but it is not really "meditation" as meditation is understood and used today. Most meditations are limited or ineffective. Common meditation practices require the person to sit or lie still, and when deeper levels of meditation are reached, the person falls asleep or is nearly comatose. Also typical meditation practices can not be used in a dynamic, moving way.

A journey is not an end result, but a bridge to the higher self---a force that is always there to guide us. The objective is to avoid getting stuck on the bridge, as is the case with common meditations. You want to cross this bridge between the sub-conscious mind and the higher mind. Once you do, you need to be active rather than passive. That is, you want to ask for guidance, answers and any help that you deeply desire in your life.

PREPARING FOR A JOURNEY

Before beginning a journey, you are advised to focus on a specific question or a subject that you need help with. Your questions can range from the sublime, such as asking what you can do to become enlightened, to the most practical, such as asking about a work related issue.

Have a purpose for your journey. Imagine that you are going to talk to a very old wise man or woman. You will want to be patient, respectful, calm and receptive to everything this wise being has to say.

You can pose your question in one of these ways:

•Will this job offer be a wise decision for me and my family?

•How will the problems in my relationship be resolved?

•How can I make money in an easier and stress-free way that brings me greater happiness?

How A Typical Journey Is Done

Here's a brief description of how a typical shamanic journey is done: When you are first learning to journey, you sit down or preferably lie down in a relaxing space. In the beginning, it is best to close your eyes and have relaxing music in the background to help you focus. You are guided to follow a relaxation process that includes breathing exercises and releasing body tension. You then imagine a place in nature, such as a forest or desert, where you walk down a path until you reach an entrance, such as a cave opening or an arch that is part of the earth. Once you walk through the entrance, you are guided to use all your senses as you enter a deeply relaxed state. As you journey, you pose a question that is important to you. By accessing a higher mind state, you access messages, insights and guidance that you may not access during normal waking states.

It is advisable to follow a step-by-step guide when you are first learning to journey. Once you train your mind to do shamanic journeys, you can journey by yourself at any time and any place, even while you walk.

The shamanic journey is used for communicating with your higher self--with Spirit. It is practiced to retrieve information from the higher realms of the mind. From ancient times, shamans have used the process of journeying to travel within to access answers, insights, guidance and help from the spiritual realm.

To learn more about shamanic journeying and a free bonus e-book on journeying visit http://unlimitedinnerpower.com/journeylaunch/