Thursday 31 October 2013

Why do we celebrate Halloween

halloween

I have often wondered why we celebrate Halloween and so, I decided to do some research and share it with you. Here is what I found...

In the olden days, people used to celebrate New Year’s eve on the 31st October. It symbolized the end of Summer and the beginning of Winter.

This changed over the years and the church decided to use the 1st November as a special day dedicated to all the saints. This is now known as All Saints’ Day. The night before was known as ‘All Hallow’s eve’ or the night before All Saints’ Day.

Pagans celebrated a festival called Samhain on the 31st October. They believed that the veil between Earth and the Spirit World was thinnest on this night and they tried to communicate with their ancestors and deceased loved ones.

Nowadays, there is more emphasis on fun than fear as children love dressing up and going ‘trick or treating’ which is a modern day version of ‘Souling’. In medieval times, poorer people would sing songs and say prayers for the dead in exchange for cakes.

Halloween is also a time for superstition. Here are some of the most popular..

Halloween Superstitions



  • Peel an apple and throw it over your shoulder  - it should form the shape of a letter – this represents the first initial of your future spouse.
  • Ring a bell to scare ghosts away
  • Pour some salt on a piece of bread and carry it with you for protection as you travel on Halloween
  • Put an apple underneath your pillow to dream of your future husband
  • Carve a pumpkin and light it with a candle – leave outside your house to scare away evil spirits.
  • Bob apple – put some apples in a bowl of water and try to grab one with your teeth. Don’t use your hand. The size of the apple represents the size of your future wealth.

Remember, all of these superstitions are just that – superstitions! They are not meant to be taken seriously. They are just a bit of fun for Halloween.

Have fun and be careful!

I wish you all a Happy Halloween,

Love,

 

Mochira x

Saturday 26 October 2013

New eBook released - The Little Book of Youthfulness

littlebookofyouth

Hi all,

Just to let you know that I have published my little book of youthfulness today, on Amazon. I am also going to be publishing it on Smashwords so that it will be distributed to other online retailers, such as iTunes and Barnes and Noble, amongst others.

If you have already read my previous, now unpublished ebook, 'Staying Young', then please don't purchase my new ebook as it just focuses on using Mind Power to help with the anti-aging process and I haven't really added that much new information. As discussed in one of my previous posts, I decided to focus purely on mind power for this book, rather than going into depth with other, more commonly known, anti-aging methods.

I made this decision as I felt that the 'New Age' visualization aspect of the 'Staying Young' book, wasn't for everybody and may have put people off. My new eBook makes it clear that the anti-aging information contained inside is for those who have an open mind, shall we say!

If you haven't read my previous eBook, then you may with to buy a copy of my new eBook. Once it is published properly, I will be adding it to my eBook catalogue on this website. I believe that you can prevent, or even reverse, aging by using the power of your mind. It certainly hasn't done me any harm! People are always guessing my age as much younger than I really am and I feel great. I have lots of energy and I believe that optimism and enjoying life are also key factors in looking and feeling younger.

Take care,

 

Love,

Mochira x

Sunday 20 October 2013

How To Set Goals

goal

I just wanted to say how much I love Autumn.   Aside from the fact it’s my birthday time, I enjoy that special feeling in the air.  I think it’s the only season that has a ‘feel’ to it. I love the bright-coloured orange, red and yellow leaves on the trees, and I enjoy the sound of the crunching under my feet, even more! I don’t know what it is, but it makes me feel like a child again.

I love it when the nights start drawing in and I can snuggle up by the fire or take a warm, candle-lit bath. Halloween and Bonfire night are Autumn festivals that bring people outdoors and brighten up the dark nights.  I enjoy going to my local fireworks display every year and eating toffee apples.

These are just some of the reasons why I love Autumn, but love it or not, you can’t argue that there’s something about this time of year that makes you think about starting over. I don’t know whether it’s because the new school term starts, after the long Summer break, or if it’s to do with the crispness in the air, but I often use this time of year to take stock of my life and make plans for the year ahead.

How to set goals


If you want to set yourself some goals, now is a great time. If you wait until the New year, you have more chance of failing (according to research) so why not give it a go in Autumn?

Choose one major goal that will change your life for the better. Write it down. Set a timescale for achievement. Be realistic – if you want to lose five stone before Christmas, there is a chance that you may not be able to do this safely. Why not adjust your goal, so that it is more achievable within the timescale you’ve allocated.

Your goal should also be measurable. You should know when you’ve achieved it. If your goal is to lose weight, then you can measure this by using weighing scales. You will know you’ve achieved it when you are lighter on the scales. Some goals are less straightforward, though. I will be writing more about these types of goals in my new book and coaching course.

Break down larger goals into smaller steps and make sure you do something every day to bring you closer to achieving your goal.

Good Luck,

Mochira x

Friday 18 October 2013

What Is Graphology?

handwriting

I wanted to discuss Graphology, today. It’s been around for some years now and is a useful tool for understanding what makes people tick.  It is the study of handwriting. Researchers have looked at several different types of handwriting and managed to link these differences to certain personality traits. Graphologists can tell whether someone is introverted or extraverted; calm or anxious and even whether they have psychotic tendencies. The police have used graphologists to help them solve crime, so it is taken seriously by many people.

I find the subject fascinating. I often change my handwriting style, depending on what mood I’m in and therefore I feel there is definitely something in this. If I’m feeling a little bit run down and need time to myself, for instance, I prefer to write with a slight leftwards slant to my letters (which means the person is introverted and likes to be alone); however, my usual writing style has a slight slant to the right, which means the opposite.

I will be giving you some more lessons on graphology, over the course of this blog, and I hope you find it as intriguing as I do. You will be shocked at how accurate it is.

If you’re sceptical, think about this – how many of you can understand your doctor’s handwriting? Doctors tend to have more important things on their mind than neat handwriting and their high intelligence level can lead to a certain type of handwriting. I have noticed that individual GPs in my local doctor’s surgery all tend to have a similar style of writing, which shows they are similar people.

As with anything, though, there are exceptions to the rule; however, graphology deals with general meanings for certain handwriting traits and it is the combination of all of these that create the differences between individuals with similar handwriting.

Wednesday 16 October 2013

NLP - The Eyes Have It!

eyes

I have already told you how listening to the words people say can help you build rapport with them, but there is a lot more to NLP than this.  NLP is a great tool for salespeople – I know; I’ve been there. It worked for me and it can work for you, too. You don’t even have to be in sales to benefit from using NLP. It can improve your communication skills and the way you relate to others, which can lead to all sorts of opportunities opening up for you.

I am going to show you an NLP trick, which is great for public speakers, as you can get an idea of what people are thinking, just by looking at their eyes. This isn’t always a hundred per cent accurate, though, as the results are reversed if a person is left-handed and, if you are stood in front of a room full of strangers, you won’t know which of them are left-handed.

Anyway, here it is…

What the position of someone’s eyes means


 

Eyes looking up and to their left – they are remembering a picture or playing a scene in their head.

Eyes looking up and to their right – they are creating a picture in their head - imagining how something might look.

Eyes looking horizontally to their left—they are remembering a sound/conversation

Eyes looking horizontally to their right – they are imagining a sound in their head.

Eyes looking down and to their right—they are accessing their emotions

Eyes looking down and to their left --- they are indulging in self-talk

 

Now that you know what these mean, you can change your tactics if you are involved in a sales meeting or presentation. If you see everyone’s eyes moving up and to their right (your left) then this could be a sign that your sales pitch is working as the person is most likely picturing the product and how they can use it. If you see then looking up and to their left (your right) then they may be daydreaming and you may consider using another strategy.

I hope this has helped. NLP is a great toolkit for understanding people and improving your communication skills and I would recommend you look into the subject further, if you feel it will benefit you, too. I will be updating this blog with useful posts on NLP, so keep reading!

Love,

Mochira x

Wednesday 9 October 2013

Introduction To The Tarot - The Magician Card

tarot1

 

If you’ve read my previous posts on tarot, you will know that I like to give you my initial impressions of the card before reading the official interpretation given in the guide book. I do this because tarot is intuitive. If you want to be a good tarot reader, you will need to rely on your intuition as well as the meanings you read in the guide book. Sometimes, you may feel that the official meaning isn’t the right one. This is fine. If you believe that your interpretation of the card is more meaningful to you, then use that when reading for yourself or others. With practice, you will come to rely on your own impressions more and more and will probably discard the guide book that comes with the pack.

My intuitive thoughts about the magician card


My first impression of the magician is that it’s a good card. I believe that this card has to do with manifestation and using the Law of Attraction to create a better life for oneself. I think it relates to the querant (the person who is having the reading done) and means that they have the power to change their life for the better and to achieve their goals. Magician means magic and I feel that it is a nice card as it means bringing a little magic into one’s own life, or the lives of others.

The traditional meaning of the magician card


Creativity – the querant is very creative or has the chance to be creative. If the querant isn’t getting the chance to use their creative talents there may be some frustration. This links with my intuitive thoughts as creativity is also linked to the Law of Attraction – creating the life you want.

Control – the querant has a lot of control over their life. Again, this links to my original impression as it means the querant has great power to transform their life.

Negative meanings


When doing a reading, most tarot readers will focus on the positive aspects of each card; however, sometimes their gut instincts or other cards in the pack will lead them to focus on the negative aspects. This can sometimes be true when the card is reversed (drawn upside down).

Traditional negative meanings of the magician card include using power to control others or perhaps being drawn into the dark arts or trying to cause harm to others.

Enjoy,

Mochira x

Tuesday 8 October 2013

How to improve Self-Esteem

selfbelief1


Self-esteem is one of the most valuable qualities a person can have. If you believe in your skills and abilities then you are more likely to achieve goals you set for yourself, which leads to greater rewards. The lack of self-esteem, or self-belief, can cause many problems in your life.

Why do I have low self-esteem?


Most people have low self-esteem because of their early childhood experiences. If parents, or teachers, were constantly putting you down, or telling you that you won’t amount to anything, then it’s hardly surprising that you will feel worthless now that you are an adult. These experiences will be stored as limiting beliefs in your subconscious mind and, even if you don’t think about your childhood, they will still be affecting all aspects of your life now that you are an adult. It is hard to remove limiting beliefs, once they have fixed themselves inside the part of your mind that governs your thoughts, feelings and life in general.

How can I improve my self-esteem?


You can start to improve your self-esteem by stopping and thinking when you catch yourself using hurtful words towards yourself. If you find yourself thinking how fat and ugly you are, for example, change these words to something more comforting, such as 'I am slim and beautiful'. This is the first step. The next step is to write down some positive affirmations. They are always written in the present tense and contain positive words that describe how you'd like to be. If you lack confidence, you can say, 'I am a confident, successful woman', for example. Keep saying your affirmations to yourself at least ten times per day. You can say it quietly, inside your head or you can say it out loud. You can even record them and play them on your mp3 player as you go about your daily activities, or just before you go to sleep. Once you have done this for a while, you should be feeling better; however, the conscious mind will know that you are telling little white lies, and you'll need to do even more...

Next steps to improving self-esteem...


If you aren't sure what I'm talking about here, you can read my other posts about your mind and how it works, to give you a more detailed explanation. In order to improve your self-esteem on a more permanent basis, you will need to let your subconscious mind know that you have changed the way you see yourself. The best way to do this is through self-hypnosis or subliminal meditation.

What is subliminal meditation?


Subliminal meditation is when affirmations are sent directly to your subconscious mind without the conscious mind knowing you aren't telling the truth. Let me explain...if you are overweight and you've been repeating the affirmation, 'I am slimmer than I've ever been', then your logical, conscious mind will know this isn't true...But, if you send this affirmation to your subconscious mind without your conscious mind knowing, then you will start to change your body image, first mentally and emotionally and then it will manifest in reality. There are many subliminal meditations you can watch for free on Youtube. The best ones use binaural beats to put your mind into a meditative state so that the subliminal affirmations can go directly to the subconscious, where they're needed.

You can get subliminal meditation videos and mp3s for all aspects of self-development from increasing confidence to earning more money. Why not visit Youtube and take a look. I like the igodmind channel. I often use some of these videos when I work on my own self-development and I have noticed significant improvements after watching them.

Love,

Mochira X

Sunday 6 October 2013

The Astrological Second House

astrology2


The astrological second house is concerned with finances, wealth and the things we value; this includes our own sense of self-worth and how much we value ourselves.

There is a link between our sense of self-worth and the amount of money we earn. You have to believe in your own capabilities before you can expect to earn money for them. If you feel worthless and have nothing to offer, then that is what you’ll get back.

When planets are transiting your astrological second house, your finances, wealth and values will be activated. This can be either good or bad, depending on the planets that are in there and the aspects they are making to each other. For example, if you have Jupiter and Venus in a beneficial aspect, then you can expect some good luck in the areas of wealth, finances and values. If you have Saturn in your astrological second house, then this isn’t so good.  I will be talking more about the planets and the effects they can have on your life in later posts; however, Saturn is known as the strict teacher and disciplinarian of the Zodiac. It is Saturn’s job to teach us lessons and help us to grow – this usually happens by it subjecting us to challenging situations. It is like a strict parent, or teacher, in that it wants us to do things by ourselves, without any help, so that we become stronger and more independent.

Saturn in the second astrological house, therefore, means you will be tested in the areas of finance, wealth and sense of self value.  Every cloud has a silver lining though, and once Saturn has left the astrological second house, you are likely to be in a much better position than before it came to challenge you. It will make you take a good look at yourself, and your finances, and help you improve things in this area.

If you have a lot of planets in your astrological second house, in your natal chart, you can be sure that this house will be important for you; part of your destiny will be linked to the nature of this house and you can expect to have many life experiences revolving around finances, wealth or your sense of self-value.

One lesser meaning of this house is the sense of the other things you value, such as family, friends and other personal possessions; however, there are other astrological houses that place more importance on these things and therefore the astrological second house is usually linked to your values and the way you see yourself.

Saturn is currently in Scorpio. If you are a Libra (like myself) then Saturn is currently transiting your astrological second house and you may understand exactly what I’ve been talking about in this post. You may be going through a particularly challenging time right now, but you can rest assured that things will improve as Saturn gets ready to leave and you will be glad that it came to stay for the past couple of years.

Love,

Mochira x

Friday 4 October 2013

Introduction to the Tarot - The Fool Card

thefool


I mentioned in my last post that, when you start learning how to read the tarot cards, you should, first of all, take a good look at the card and listen to your intuition – how does the card make you feel? Tarot is an intuitive divination tool and your first impressions and intuitive feelings are important. When you have done this, take a look at the meaning given in the accompanying guide. More often than not, you will find that your initial impression was spot on.

When I first started learning tarot, I used my intuition to interpret the meaning of each major arcana card. My first intuitive impression of the fool was of somebody who is foolish, but not because they are stupid in any way. I interpreted it as being somebody who doesn’t look before they leap – they are impulsive, full of life and quite childlike in their excitement and passion for life. You may think the same, when you hold the fool card and use your intuition to help you interpret its meaning.

The traditional meaning of the Fool Card in the Tarot


I was amazed at how accurate my first impression of the fool card was. It is traditionally somebody who is back at square one (which is why the card is traditionally numbered 0) and they are ready to start a new adventure – whether it is getting a new job, travelling or buying a house. The person is excited to be given a fresh start and is looking forward to an adventure; however, their childish excitement may lead to a downfall if they rush into things too quickly without weighing up their options. This is exactly what I meant by the person not looking before they leaped!

Overview


I hope this has given you a better idea of what the fool card means and how accurate your intuition can be when learning each card for the first time. The fool is ready for adventure; eager and enthusiastic they have everything they need to start afresh, but they need to make sure they’ve weighed up all their options and undertaken a risk assessment before making their final decision.

Join me next time when I look at the next card in the major arcana –the magician. If you are using my posts to learn how to read tarot, why not use your intuition to think about what the magician card may mean, before my next post.

Love,

Mochira x

Wednesday 2 October 2013

Understanding Angels

angel1

 

Anyone who knows me or who has read my books will know exactly how strongly I believe in angels. Not everybody does, I know that, but there has been a noticeable increase in the amount of people who are admitting they too believe in angels. From actresses to politicians, there is no specific type of person who believes in angels – it is a matter of your own life experiences and religious beliefs.

You don’t have to be particularly religious to believe in angels; however, a lot of organised religions mention angels in their Holy texts and scriptures. They all share the common belief that angels are messengers of God and they’re here to help us grow as individuals and protect us as we do this. Angels are mentioned quite frequently in the Bible – the angel Gabriel being just one.

What are angels?


Angels are spiritual beings.  They live in Heaven alongside God, but they are able to come to Earth. They can be male or female, but some people believe they are asexual - they are neither male nor female because they are pure spirit. Angels are pure spirits that have never been, and will never become, human; although there have been many stories of them taking on human form to help someone in need. We all have a guardian angel who is with us from birth and who will continue to be with us until our time on Earth is done.  It is their job to protect us. They will step in to save us if we are in danger and it isn’t our time to die.

Why do angels want to help us?


Angels are holy; they live alongside God and, like God, they only want the best for us. They aren’t allowed to interfere in our lives as we have free will. Although we are destined to fulfil our life’s purpose, we are supposed to learn lessons as we go along. We learn more from failures than we do successes. Having said this, God and the angels want us to have a happy and fulfilling life, free from worry, and so, if you want life to run more smoothly, or you are having a really bad time, you can ask your angels for help. They are not allowed to interfere otherwise.

Why should I ask the angels for help and not God?


As I said earlier, angels are God’s helpers and messengers. You can ask the angels for help, or you can ask God – it is a matter of preference. God works in mysterious ways and if he feels the angels can help then I am sure that he will send angelic assistance to you.

How will I know if an angel is with me?


If you find a perfect white feather in an unusual place, then this is a sign that the angels have heard your request and are with you. If you find three white feathers in succession then you can be sure that your prayers have been heard and the angels are doing their best to help you with your problems. Sometimes, you may feel a brush against your cheek or smell beautiful roses. Some people report hearing heavenly music that they couldn’t explain, while others claim to have met an angel in human form. It is very rare that angels will appear in their traditional form; however, there have been some historical reports of angels appearing with wings. I can’t recall the exact story, but I seem to remember a historical account written by soldiers in the First World War, of an angel visitation that was witnessed by both sides.  I find angel encounters fascinating and I would love to hear from you if you have had an angel experience. I have had several and I have written some in my free eBook that you can download from www.smashwords.com.

Love,

Mochira x