I've had a very fascinating week so far. I had a lovely exercise fall into my inbox from Sarah Prout - The magic of 55 x 5. Where you write an affirmation by hand 55 times for 5 consecutive days. The affirmation starts with gratitude, as in 'Thank you universe/ source/higher power/ God/ creator or any other name that sits comfortably with you and your belief system... followed by your affirmation stated ion the present tense, then how it makes you feel. So it may look something like this ' Thank you universe for the sunshiny day and picnic with the family I feel abundant and loved' Or ' Thank you universe for the bright red high heeled shoes I feel so elegant when I'm wearing them'... you get the idea... the picnic or red shoes aren't yet in physical manifestation, but you're assuming the feeling and gratitude as if it’s already real in your experience.

I loved this idea, despite the fact I probably haven't hand Witten quite so much or in such frequency since being a student! I was you could say 'fascinated' by the magic of the energetic experiment. I shared my excitement for the little magic making too, with my friends on the private Damsels in Success forum (well worth checking out too ladies, sorry gents it’s a girl thing) As I was also fascinated to see if a the energy of the collective intent would add further to this little project.

So as instructed I started writing, and a funny thing happened, my excitement grew, as I progressed a couple of pages, my inner critic popped up and started the chatter ... you know that narrative that goes something like...' This is stupid, do you honestly believe this stuff works?' but still no matter what resistance came up from the inner critic I diligently carried on. I then found I kind of drifted a little, and in that beautiful gorgeous in between space the ideas started to come, a little fuzzy at first but then they came more and more into focus!

Each time I did my daily 55 I could feel the energy and excitement building.... now I really was fascinated!
We also had a new moon on Monday, so I decided to re-start my abundance bowl and universal cheque at the same time. Focussing my intent has been interesting and again fascinating.

So today, I went to have a meeting with a client, the outcome was nothing short of magic... and my affirmation had set into motion, it was manifesting right in front of my very eyes, and only a couple of days after finishing my affirmations!

Now you can say it’s simply coincidence, or that there is no magic just concentrated focus... which of course is very true. After all as you will have heard me say many times before, where focus goes energy flows.

On my return journey along the M69 the song above was playing on my CD player. As I sang along, yes I know I am old enough to remember all the words! It struck me, when we are fascinated (as appose to the opposite feeling of frustrated, yes you've heard me talk about that before) it brings out an expansive, creative, limitless, anything is possible energy. And I have to say, fascination has proved to bring absolute MAGIC into my life experience so far this week....AND ITS ONLY WEDNESDAY!!!!!!

Looking at the lyrics, Phil Oakey and crew have it perfectly sussed..

If it seems a little time is needed
Decisions to be made
the good advice of friends unheeded
the best of plans mislaid

(Basically give yourself some space and time when making changes ....)

Just looking for a new direction
In an old familiar way
The forming of a new connection
To study or to play

( Allow new learning, play and create)

And so the conversation turned
Until the sun went down
And many fantasies were learned
On that day

( Fantasise, daydream, create, allow your mind to wander into the realms of make believe, acting as if, trying on for size, feeling how it feels)

Keep feeling fascination
Passion burning
Love so strong
Keep feeling fascination
Looking learning
Moving on

( when we're fascinated energy and passion build, our pure energy of LOVE - not FEAR... yes you've heard me talk about that one too.... helps us to grow and learn and move forward)

Well the truth may need some
Re-arranging
Stories to be told
And plain to see the facts are changing
No meaning left to hold

( When we're fascinated we start to see things from different angles, we may experience a paradigm shift, wonderful magic unfolds)

Now I've absolutely no idea if that is truly what the Human League were intending the message of the song to be, but I do know this, I'm going to keep feeling fascination and allow the MAGIC to unfold!

Today I urge you to get absolutely FASCINATED..

Let me know what occurs :)

Until next time,
make every moment count,
Lisa xxx

I may avoid watching and reading wall to wall news. But like everyone in the UK , one story has been surrounding us all in the last 24 hours, without possiblity of escape. I write today, not because I choose to give power, exposure or attention to the actions of two individuals, but because as a mother of a daughter, I believe to be around the same age as the young man who sadly lost his life, my heart hurts, it literally aches with pain for his mother and his family.

Now I'm all about positivity, as anyone who reads my blog, has worked with me or knows me will tell you.I always look for the greater meaning, or the gift that we can draw from even the most saddening and difficult situaitions. It's very hard to see the gift in this horrific incedent. But we have to make good this loss, as human beings, as spiritual beings, we cannot allow this to pass without in some way learning from it.

I posted this quote; often attributed to Ghandi on my facebook status last night, a simple statement after yesterday's tragic events. So many of my friends and followers agreed, liked and commented. If there's one important lesson we can take from this, it's that if we allow FEAR in and push LOVE out, then these two individuals will have started a ripple that will go on and on, striking at the very core of life here in the UK.

I include here the famous song from a true peaceful warrior of his time; John Lennon, he championed LOVE as being the answer. The lyrics ask us to  Imagine all the people living life in peace... and that's where I truly feel we need to focus our energy.

I understand the feelings of anger. Anger is a truly powerful force, but if we can just take the energy and channel it into LOVING action, into championing PEACE then we can make a positive stand against such violent actions. In seeing that we are all connected and all part of a greater whole, then we stand a chance of making this painful lesson have meaning, to be the seed of LOVE , not HATE or FEAR, a seed that can be the catalyst to the new, to a shift of overwhelming postive force. No matter what your, beliefs, religious, non- religious, spiritual, cultural, there is one thread that runs throughout and that is; LOVE is always the answer. If we have differences, then lets examine them, lets discuss them lovingly and with empathy, courage and a real desire to understand one another. We may not all be able to agree, we may not be more right, or more wrong than one another, but then; just then, we may be able to be respectful of each other, be in harmony and live alongside one another, in an intergrated, not segregated way.

Happy April fools day!
I hope that your day so far has been full of fun and laughter.In today's blog I thought i'd look back, to where it all began and found that April fools day actually began in sixteenth-century France, where the start of the new year was observed on April first. Which is interesting when you consider the energy of the fool ( read on)

In 1562, Pope Gregory introduced a new calendar for the Christian world, and the new year fell on January first. There were some people, however, who hadn't heard or didn't believe the change in the date, so they continued to celebrate New Year's Day on April first. Others
played tricks on them and called them "April fools." They sent them on a "fool's errand" or tried to make them believe that something false was true.
 
Now of course we play small tricks on friends and strangers alike on the first of April. Whatever the trick, if the innocent victim falls for the joke the prankster yells, "April Fool! " Of course if a trick is played after midday the trick is on the fool.

But what is the deeper symbolism of this character we call "The fool"?

Many will have seen many depictions of the fool in divination systems such as the Tarot.
I love the symbolism of the fool, the key words associated with this being:
 New beginnings, innocence, spontaneity, and being a free spirit .

If we look a little deeper the Fool is numbered 0, the number of unlimited potential. Everything and absoluteness, All. 0 is the number of Pluto;ruler of Scorpio.The 0 stands for all that was before Creation, for the God/ creator/ universal power in all of us.

0 symbolizes Eternity – the God/creator/universal source before Manifestation, which is pure Spirit.In Numerology the 0 is important as it stands for potential and/or choice.It represents everything, being Infinity.

It is the totally Mystical Symbol, indicating the degree of Spiritual mysticism that is available, but rarely developed in the individual.  It represents wholeness, oneness and continuing cycles.  It is the Alpha and Omega References:http://numerologythenumbersandtheirmeanings.blogspot.co.uk

If we look at the image of the Fool he is shown at the beginning of his journey with unlimited potential. The sun rising up behind him represents the beginning of his journey. He is facing north-west, the direction of the unknown. He is looking upwards, toward the sky, or Spirit. He is about to step off a cliff into the material world but is he prepared?

He has all the tools and resources he needs in the bag on his staff but he has not opened the bag yet. In many images he is shown with a white rose in his left hand representing purity and innocence. He has a guardian in the little white dog who will protect him throughout his journey but who will also push him to learn the lessons the Fool came here to learn. The mountains behind the Fool represent the realms of Spirit that he has just left and will spend his life trying to regain.

The Fool is a depiction of potential, new beginnings and innocence,showing the highest potential for your life, reaching a state of renewal and new beginnings, where each day is an adventure and each moment is lived to the fullest. This is a sentiment I would share in all of my work, as you know I always sign off with "Make every moment count", my own way of inviting you to live life to its fullest.
 
The Fool represents the beginning of all creativity and a desire to accomplish new goals (or to, at least, start the process of working towards those goals). The Fool indicates that anything can happen and the opportunities are just waiting to be taken advantage of. Or as I often say, miracles are within every moment, and every moment holds the possibility of a miracle.

So the fool showing up today  on April fool's day, represents the need to set forth on a new journey, one that is completely unknown and will take you to uncharted territories. The Fool is all about new experiences, personal growth, development and adventure.
 
The Fool asks you to take a ‘leap of faith’ today and to trust in the Universe in that if you begin a new journey, you will find success. This Fool lives a carefree life, free from worry and anxiety. He does not seem to mind if he does not really know what lies ahead. A reminder to not sweat the small stuff, to get into the flow and trust.

The Fool  may represent a choice to be made—one of vital importance. However, there are always many different options available and the choice must be made wisely. If you are facing a decision or moment of doubt, the Fool encourages you to believe in yourself and follow your heart no matter how crazy or foolish your impulses may seem. This is a time when you need to truly
‘believe’ and have faith in where the Universe is taking you. 

The Fool is an excellent symbol to meditate on if you are experiencing a lot of fear in your life. The Fool enhances courage, risk-taking and the creative expression needed to open up new areas in your life.  

The Fool is always whole, healthy and without fear. He is the spirit of who we are, the spirit expressed and experienced as wonder, awe, curiosity and anticipation. We never know what is in the future but like the Fool we must blindly go forward. You need to trust that you are a spirit born into flesh to enjoy life and grow in experience.
References from http://www.biddytarot.com/tarot-card-meanings/major-arcana/fool/

So today I'd urge you to consider the role of the fool in your life.
Where is there new life and new beginnings available to you?
Where do you need to take that leap of faith in your life and lighten up, have fun and laughter and get into the innocent, childlike wonder of creativity?

Its a Bank holiday here today in the UK, for most a time to allow the time for the energy of the fool to enter life. To be playful, imaginative, and free spirited.

Today is the opportunity for a juicy, fresh new start.......How will you use yours?
Until next time,
Make every moment count!

Lisa x