Tag Archives: Alphabetically Speaking

O is for One

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We're all in the same boat (the tides out in Nova Scotia, by Laurie Buchanan)

We’re all in the same boat (the tides out in Nova Scotia, by Laurie Buchanan)

We are all interconnected, we’re one. Because of this, everything we do—or fail to do—has a powerful ripple effect. Incredibly powerful in that the consequences don’t just extend outward, but travel back again, boomerang-style.

If I hurt you, I hurt myself, and in due course harm my children and grandchildren.

If I lie to you, I lie to myself, and in due course deceive my children and grandchildren.

If I steal from you, I steal from myself, and in due course take from my children, my grandchildren, and so on…

Likewise, when I do something that’s positive, uplifting, constructive and healing, the same boomerang-style ripple effect comes into play.

Our thoughts and actions don’t just affect us individually; they affect us collectively. The ramifications of what we think, say, and do aren’t just local in nature; the impact is global.

It’s my perspective that when we’re mindful of our personal energy signature, it has a positive influence on others. If we neglect to cultivate and maintain our personal energy signature, it has a negative effect on others.

You’ve heard the saying, “Never underestimate the power of one.” It’s true. As extensions of Source Energy—individual reflections of Divine Love—each of us has a sphere of influence. Whether we’re a global citizen like the Dalai Lama, or a local citizen; what we think, say, and do has far-reaching and lasting ramifications. Similar to putting a hand in wet cement, it leaves an impression long after we’ve left the scene. We exercise wisdom when we’re mindful of our influence on others.

The collective consciousness is the interconnected wholeness of life. This is equally true of the “noosphere” that Ken Wilber talks about. The information contained therein is an existing potential for each of us to tap into, enhancing the possibility of carrying the torch of human compassion and understanding a little further. I applaud the way Gregg Braden removes individual separateness when he says, “We are humans with a collective history.”

It’s my perspective that each of us has an undeniable responsibility to ourself and the rest of the world to be our personal best on any given day. The ripple effect is far too-reaching to do otherwise.

What’s your ripple effect?

© TuesdaysWithLaurie.com

N is for Numerology

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Laurie Teaching Numerology at HolEssence

Laurie Teaching Numerology at HolEssence

I’d like to start this post  by acknowledging that as with almost any subject matter there can be skeptics. I’m the first to say that numerology is a generalization—an over simplification,  if you will—that can be uncannily accurate.

What is Numerology?
In short, numerology is the study of the symbolism of numbers. It can be used to determine a person’s personality, strengths and talents, obstacles to be overcome, inner needs, emotional reactions and ways of dealing with others.

The two most common types of numerology in use today are the Pythagorean System and the Chaldean System. Neither system is more accurate than the other. I was trained in the Pythagorean system, so that’s the platform I calculate and teach from.

A Little History
Pythagoras—the great mathematician, astronomer, astrologer, and philosopher—developed many of the basic theorems that form the foundation of modern mathematics, including the right triangle theorem taught in math classes today. He’s credited with formally organizing the field of numerology about 2600 years ago in ancient Greece.

Pythagoras believed that the universe could be completely described with numbers. Numerology spans the worlds of science, music, and emotion.  The numbers associated with the letters in your name and the numbers in your birthdate have a unique, revealing energy vibration.

How Numerology Works
Everything in the universe vibrates at its own particular frequency. By finding the vibration rate of any object, we can establish the qualities and energies associated with it. By applying the principles of numerology—and using only the name and birth date as the basic data—we can determine the major frequencies of different people. A numerological analysis of the calculated frequencies provides significant information on these people’s personalities and character.

Laurie Teaching Numerology at HolEssence

Laurie Teaching Numerology at HolEssence

The Basics of Numerology
All of numerology is based on the numbers 1 through 9 since all numbers beyond 9 can be reduced to a single digit within that group.  Zeros are automatically dropped.

In the basic mathematical operation used in numerology, the numbers are reduced by simple addition. The number 15, for instance, is reduced by adding 1 + 5 to get 6. Similarly, the number 1974 can be reduced by adding 1 + 9 + 7 + 4 to get 21. The 21 can be further reduced by adding 2 + 1 to get 3.

In numerology, all numbers are reduced to the single digits 1 through 9 except the special master numbers 11 and 22. The numbers 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 11 and 22 represent the major vibration rates associated with people’s characteristics.

Letters in individuals’ names are converted to numbers and then added together. These numbers, in turn, are also reduced. The letter A, for instance, is 1; the letter B is 2; the letter C is 3, and so forth. The following table shows the numbers assigned to all 26 letters of the English alphabet.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
A B C D E F G H I
J K L M N O P Q R
S T U V W X Y Z
Laurie Teaching Numerology at HolEssence

Laurie Teaching Numerology at HolEssence

By applying simple mathematical formulas to the numbers representing a person’s name and birth date, a numerologist can derive four major core elements and some twenty or thirty modifiers.The core is the heart of any numerology analysis involving the personality portion of the reading. These four elements are the Life Path, Expression, Soul Urge, and Birthday:


Life Path
The Life Path is the most important number in the core. If you could only use one number to describe a person, that number would, undoubtedly, be the Life Path.

The Life Path describes the major lessons to be learned in a person’s life. These lessons often determine the central focus of the life. The Life Path also clarifies the environment which is most conducive to learning the lessons involved and describes, as well, some of the major characteristics likely to be present in the individual’s makeup. Most people have little trouble relating to their Life Path. Some people, though, for their own reasons, have little interest in pursuing that particular direction.

Expression
The Expression is the second most important number in the Core. It describes a person’s potential talents—the natural abilities as well as the related character traits. For most of us, these talents and skills are there at birth, although they are usually further developed as an individual grows and matures. Very often—but not always—these particular abilities are of primary importance in a person’s work and career. Frequently, the talents described by the Expression form the central feature of an individual’s career.

Soul Urge
The Soul Urge is the third most important number in the Core. It describes a person’s inner motivation—what a person wants to be, to have, and to do—and the potential abilities and obstacles which accompany that motivation. The Soul Urge is influential in determining a person’s point of view and the principles on which s/he acts. Although the Life Path and Expression are generally easy to see in a person, the inner motivation is often a very private matter—unless revealed through the use of numerology.

Birthday
The Birthday describes some important personality characteristics but it’s the least important of the Core elements. It’s simply the reduced form of the number of the day on which a person is born.

Somewhere in the first quarter of 2011 I plan to present a numerology class right here at Speaking from the Heart. If you don’t want to wait until that time, or you’d like to give a numerology report as a holiday gift, simply click on this LINK and it will take you to the Numerology Report page on the HolEssence website where you can read the details for ordering one or more of three reports now: Personality Report, Forecast Report for 2011, or a Relationship Report.

 

© TuesdaysWithLaurie.com

M is for Mindfulness

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Pay attention to the small stuff - lichen on a tree

Pay attention to the small stuff - Lichen on a tree, John Muir Woods, WI

Dust motes, ladybugs, lichen…

In her book Counterclockwise: Mindful Health and the Power of Possibility, Dr. Ellen Langer had this to say about mindfulness as it pertains to health:

“The simple act of noticing new things—is crucial to our health in several ways. First, when we’re mindless, we ignore all the ways we could exercise control over our health. We turn that control over to the medical world alone and accept limits, which closes us off to the power of possibility.”

In my experience, mindfulness is an agent of transformation and healing.

Mindfulness is simple, but it’s not easy. Mindfulness is the open-hearted energy of being aware—now, right now—in the present moment. It’s the daily cultivation—practice—of touching life deeply. To be mindful is to be present with, and sensitive to, the people we’re with and the things we’re doing, whether it’s raking leaves, washing laundry, brushing our teeth, or peeling potatoes.

At a presentation given by Jon Kabat-Zinn he said:

“Mindfulness points to being aware of, and paying attention to, the moment in which we find ourselves. Our past is gone and our future isn’t here yet. What exists between them is the present moment; the link that holds what was and what will be.”

That brief teaching in mindfulness changed my life.

Mindfulness is our capacity to be fully present in our own life, to be fully aware of what we’re doing as we’re doing it. As we develop our awareness, an inner stillness naturally grows. In this case, stillness doesn’t necessarily mean without motion. Rather, it means to be free from inner tumult; to be tranquil. When we function from a place of tranquility we’re better able to embrace the world and better equipped to respond wisely and lovingly.

It’s my perspective that mindfulness is more than paying attention, it’s paying intention.

Paying attention engages the mind.
Paying intention additionally engages the will. 

Intention is beautifully illustrated in a story that my friend “B” shared with me. She said:

“I used to be part of a dinner book club where each month the group members would contribute a dish for dinner and after what was always a wonderful meal, we discussed an agreed upon book. 

“One month, Debbie’s food offering was a loaf of Challah bread. As we were eating it and praising her efforts, she told us that as she kneaded the bread, she chanted our names; as she braided the bread, she said intentions for the well-being of each person who would later be partaking of the bread.  I remember how honored I was when she told us this.”

When you’re mindful, do you pay attention or intention?

Listen with your heart,

Laurie Buchanan

“Whatever you are not changing, you are choosing.”
               – Laurie Buchanan

www.HolEssence.com

© 2010 Laurie Buchanan – All Rights Reserved.

L is for Laughter

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Yes, I've actually done presentations in these shoes

Yes, I’ve actually done presentations in these shoes

Did you hear the one about?…

The focus on the benefits of laughter began in earnest with Norman Cousins’ memoir, Anatomy of an Illness as Perceived by the Patient. Norman who’d been diagnosed with Ankylosing Spondylitis, a painful spine condition, discovered that a regimen of comedy films like Marx Brothers and episodes of Candid Camera made him feel better. He said that 10 minutes of laughter allowed him 2 hours of pain-free sleep.

Scientists attribute the benefits of laughter primarily to its ability to combat the physical and emotional characteristics of chronic stress, which have been shown to suppress the body’s immunity.

The Health Benefits of Laughter
Laughter reduces stress by increasing the body’s secretion of growth hormone, which, in turn, has a positive effect on immunity. Increased stress is associated with decreased immune system response.

Laughter decreases the release of adrenaline and cortisol, two of the worst culprits in weakening the immune system. Studies suggest that similar to exercise, laughter releases endorphins that the body uses to fight pain and depression.

Len, Peter and Laurie Laughing

Len, Peter and Laurie Laughing

Research done at the University of Maryland Medical Center shows that “Laughter is similar to exercise in that it decreases blood pressure, increases muscle flexion, improves the overall performance of the heart’s muscular functions, and possibly wards off heart disease.”

Roberta Gold, recreation and humor therapist based in California said, “The physiological processes the body undergoes during laughter are relaxing. Your circulatory system works better, you oxygenate your blood better, and you feel better afterward, physiologically and emotionally. The benefits of comedy aren’t just physical. While laughter improves the body’s physiological processes, a sense of humor is paramount to mental health. Laughter stimulates positive emotions and encourages a more positive outlook.”

Research at the University of North Carolina determined that a positive mental state—such as one brought on by humor—increases open-mindedness, creativity, and the capacity to adapt to change.

Experts also speculate that a sense of humor goes hand-in-hand with higher levels of “emotional intelligence” which determines a person’s ability to handle their feelings and understand the emotional states of others.

Karen and Peter Cracking Up!

Karen and Peter Cracking Up!

Humor has also been linked to improved test scores. In a study at Johns Hopkins University Medical School, researchers divided students in a graduate biostatistics class into 2 groups. They administered identical exams to each group, except that one set of tests had humorous instructions. Students who received the amusing exam scored significantly higher than those with the ordinary directions.

Laughter decreases blood pressure, normalizes heart rate, and increases appetite. To top it off, it’s a great workout that helps the lungs breathe better and keeps muscles in the diaphragm, abdomen, respiratory tract, face, legs, and back healthy.

According to a study released by the American Heart Association’s Scientific Sessions 2000 meeting, laughter and an active sense of humor may also help to prevent heart and artery disease.

The University of Maryland Medical Center studied the effects on blood vessels when people were shown either comedies or dramas. After viewing, the blood vessels of the group who watched the comedies behaved normally, expanding and contracting easily. However, the blood vessels in people who watched the dramas tended to tense up, restricting blood flow.

One study of people with diabetes looked at the effects of laughter on blood sugar levels. After eating, the group attended an intentionally tedious lecture. The next day, the group ate the same meal and then watched a comedy. After the comedy, the group had lower blood sugar levels than they did after the lecture.

Laurie & Len know how to have a fun time!

Laurie & Len know how to have a fun time!

How does it work?
Scientists speculate that humor stimulates the brain’s reward center in the same ways as SEX and CHOCOLATE. In turn, this reward center secretes 2 hormones into the brain: dopamine and serotonin. Also known as happiness molecules, these are anti-stress chemicals associated with the feeling of happiness. As we grow older, the production of these chemicals in the body decreases, so laughing becomes all the more important with increasing age.

As a Holistic Health Practitioner, I can share this fact with certainty: of the 206 bones in the human body, the most important one is the funny bone. Laughter is indeed the best medicine!

When was the last time you enjoyed side-splitting laughter?

 

© TuesdaysWithLaurie.com

K is for Karma

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What goes around comes around - the boomerang effect

What goes around comes around – The Boomerang Effect

You’ve heard the saying, “What goes around comes around,” on a surface level, that’s one way of defining karma. Often referred to as The Law of Return the Sanskrit word means action. I call it The Boomerang Effect.

There are multiple camps of thought on this topic, but my perspective is that we’re spiritual beings on a human journey; we’re here on a temporary layover in the classroom called life for the specific purpose of learning lessons before continuing on. Some people refer to these lessons as karma.

Enzo, the old soul and canine narrator of Garth Stein’s book, The Art of Racing in the Rain said, “I know that karma is a force in this universe and that people will receive karmic justice for their actions. I know that this justice will come when the universe deems it appropriate and it may not be in this lifetime but in the next, or the one after that. Their current consciousness may never feel the brunt of the karma they have incurred, though their souls absolutely will. I understand this concept.”

The philosophical explanation of karma differs somewhat between traditions, but the general idea is basically the same. Through the law of karma—cause and effect—the result of every action creates present and future experiences, making each of us responsible for our own life and the pain and joy it brings to those in our sphere of influence.

I believe the karmic litmus test is to examine the motive that underlies our present actions. Despite how the past may account for many of the inequalities we see in life, the measure of a human being is not the hand dealt. Rather, it’s how the hand is played. Because we’re all interconnected, our decisions affect everyone.

What’s coming back at you?

© TuesdaysWithLaurie.com

J is for Joy

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From the outside Happiness and Joy look a lot alike - but they're different

From the outside Happiness and Joy look a lot alike - but they're different

Happiness and Joy—from the outside they look a lot alike, but they’re different.

Happiness is a feeling. It goes up and down—fluctuates—based on external circumstances. It’s temporary, fleeting at best. For instance, we check the mailbox and find a notice from the IRS that states we owe a considerable sum in back taxes. For most people our happiness level would plunge. On the flip side, we check the mailbox and find an unexpected refund check from the IRS—it could be in any amount—and our happiness level soars.

Happiness can also be a result of manufactured merriment such as going to the circus, watching a funny movie, attending a birthday party.

When our perspective is governed from the inside out, the external pressures fall away and we experience joy.

Joy is a state of being. It’s inexplicable peace. Joy is internal and when nurtured and encouraged, it becomes resident—abiding—regardless of external circumstances.

Cultivating and maintaining joy eases the struggle that exists along life’s path. Joy leads to grace, the immediate presence of Divine Love.

The life of Viktor Frankl—Austrian neurologist, psychiatrist, and Holocaust survivor—is a perfect example of someone with inexplicable peace. He was a joy-filled person even though he was confined by the narrow boundaries of a concentration camp.

Another, more recent example is the many people who lost their homes in Hurricane Katrina. There were few whose happiness didn’t plummet. However, there were some who suffered tremendous personal devastation, yet still retained a state of joy—inexplicable peace that defies explanation.

Through which lens do you view life—external happiness, or internal joy?

Listen with your heart,

Laurie Buchanan

“Whatever you are not changing, you are choosing.”
               – Laurie Buchanan

www.HolEssence.com.

© 2010 Laurie Buchanan – All Rights Reserved

I is for Inspiration

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Writing Space at Home

Writing Space at Home

Inspiration is an influence; it’s something that has the power to affect.

When a person is inspired by another person, place, or thing, they experience an “aha” moment, or an epiphany that can result in change or action—something that wasn’t planned before the inspiration occurred; it was unforeseen up until the point of inspiration.

Every artist (writer, photographer, sculptor, painter, musician, dancer, gardener, potter, chef, and so forth), has a “muse”—their source of inspiration. Each week I set aside protected time for writing at my home office. My muse—my source of artistic inspiration—is space. Unencumbered space.

I clear my desk so that nothing’s on it except for my laptop. I mark time with a lit tealight candle (they usually burn about 6 hours), and I work in solitude with the exception of the 200-year-old oak tree in our front yard who stands sentinel in front of the window where I write.

This past Monday evening I attended a color therapy presentation in Chicago and the speaker said, “If we give ourself space, we find our direction.” Zing—that statement resonated right to my core!

The following day when I was looking at their website I clicked on the first color combination that attracted me, and a pop-up appeared that read: “SPACE in connection with transition and change. The clarity to find the SPACE within. Enlightenment of the heart.”

The next color combination that attracted me read, “Helps to make decisions. Harmony with nature, a new SPACE and a new place. SPACE. Direction. Truth. The SPACE giver.

The final color combination that I clicked on read, “A transformed heart. SPACE to find spirituality within. The healing heart.”

Just to see if all of the color combinations had something relating to SPACE, I clicked on several. Not another one said anything about it.

What is your source of inspiration?

Listen with your heart,

Laurie Buchanan

“Whatever you are not changing, you are choosing.”
               – Laurie Buchanan

www.HolEssence.com.

© 2010 Laurie Buchanan – All Rights Reserved

H is for Heart

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Listen with your Heart by Laurie Buchanan

Sandcast artwork made by Donna Arendt for Laurie

Literally – our heart is an amazing pump. Approximately the size of your fist, and weighing less than 1 pound, it circulates approximately 6 quarts of blood throughout the body 3 times every minute. An adult’s heart pumps (re-circulates) nearly 4,000 gallons of blood each day through blood vessels. If these could be laid end-to-end, they would cover a distance of about 60,000 miles!

Symbolically – the heart represents different things to different people; somewhat “in the eye of the beholder,” so to speak. One interpretation that seems to transcend language and culture is that the heart symbolizes love, charity, and compassion.

For me, the heart is a container where I hold sacred space—HeartLight.

Whether I’m at the end of a paper letter or email correspondence my closing is always “Listen with your heart.” It’s my perspective that the heart is the intersection of thinking (logic) and feeling (emotion). When these two powerful aspects of self are healthy and used in conjunction with each other, we function from a place of wisdom—the heart. This brings clarity in decision-making, removes drudgery, and adds exponentially to joy in the abundance factor.

It’s my perspective that we shouldn’t lead with our heart and only follow our emotions. Nor should we lead with our head and only follow logic. Rather, we should use the powerful combination of both and listen with our heart.

Author, Judith Campbell said, “When your heart speaks, take good notes.”

What is your heart telling you?

© TuesdaysWithLaurie.com

 

G is for Gratitude

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Gratitude

Gratitude

The words “gratitude” and “grace” share a common origin: the Latin word gratus, meaning “pleasing” or “thankful.”

In the monthly copy of the AHP newsletter (Association for Humanistic Psychology) that I receive, a recent article defined gratitude as “orientation towards noticing and appreciating the positive in the world.”

I won’t argue with that, but I’d like to add a qualifier. I believe that definition describes passive gratitude. If, however, that spark ignites a fire that inspires personal change, that passivity transforms into active gratitude.

It is my perspective that gratitude in action—as a regular practice—has a wide brushstroke of positive effects:

Inward—through appreciation we find contentment.

Outward—it inspires generosity—be it our time, skills, or money—and gifts us with opportunities to serve.

Environmentally—it’s a catalyst for healing our planet through the respect of nature.

For thousands of years gratitude has crossed religious and cultural boundaries not only as a social virtue, but as a theological virtue, but it’s a relatively new subject in the field of scientific research.

The University of California Davis psychology professor Robert Emmons’ research indicates that “Grateful people take better care of themselves and engage in more protective health behaviors like regular exercise, a healthy diet, (and) regular physical examinations.” His research also revealed that grateful people tend to be more optimistic, a characteristic that literally boosts the immune system—a clear physical benefit.

Dr. Alex Wood, a postgraduate researcher in the Department of Psychology, University of Warwick says, “…gratitude is an integral part of well-being;”—a distinct benefit to our mental and emotional faculties.

Gratitude helps to open the heart, the seat of compassion. It helps us to see the good in our experience, regardless. It enhances trust and helps us to forgive—an unarguable benefit to our spiritual aspect.

Better than a multi-vitamin, gratitude is plain good for us!

How do you weave gratitude into your life tapestry?

© TuesdaysWithLaurie.com

F is for Feathers

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Feathers

 Metaphorically speaking, a feather is synonymous with the soul. Sacred since the beginning of time, feathers have symbolically represented spiritual evolution, truth, speed, lightness, ascension, and flight—freedom of the human spirit.

Native Americans wore feathers to symbolize their communication with Spirit, and to express their celestial wisdom. They also represented the power of the thunder gods, along with the power of air and wind.

Celtic Druids wore ornate feathered robes in ceremonies to invoke the sky gods and gain knowledge of the celestial realm. They believed the feathered cloak along with the presence of the sky gods allowed them to transcend the earthly plane and enter the ethereal realm.

Egyptians believed that feathers were symbolic of sky gods too. Ma’at, the Egyptian goddess of justice, would weigh the hearts of the newly dead in the underworld against the weight of a feather to determine the worthiness of his or her soul.

In Christianity feathers represented virtues—faith, hope, and charity. An image of three feathers were made into signet rings, and then worn as a symbol of a virtuous soul; they were also used as wax seals.

In dreams feathers mean travel or the ability to move more freely in life. White feathers in dreams indicate innocence or a fresh start in a spiritual sense.

The Path of the Feather is the simple practice of going inward and embracing your source of power. It’s a daily journey of spirit that transforms, empowers, and heals. It’s sacred awareness. It’s BEing aware. It’s BEing awake.

Sacred Feathers—The Power of One Feather to Change Your Life by Maril Crabtree is an excellent book. In the introduction she says, “Feathers! Magical, mystical, incredible feathers! Feathers of all shapes, sizes, varieties, and colors. Throughout history, feathers have served as spiritual symbols for shamans and priests, as symbols of royalty for kings and chiefs, as symbols of healing, or a symbol of sacred power for cultures as far back as the ancient Egyptian, Asian, or Celtic eras. These cultures possessed abilities to communicate with nature in ways that have been overlooked or forgotten in our town time.

“Yet feathers are more than history. For many, they are mystical signs, messages, or opportunities. They are scraps of synchronicity in the flowing patchwork of universal meanings. Feathers appear in unlikely places as assurances of well being, as a comforting sign of abundance in the universe, and as unmistakable messengers of hope and encouragement. Their ephemeral grace makes them the perfect emissaries of spiritual and emotional freedom.”

I happen upon feathers all the time—they seem to throw themselves at me out of the clear blue sky. Have you ever happened on a feather, or has a feather ever happened upon you?

Important Note: Under the current language of the eagle feather law, only individuals of certifiable Native American ancestry enrolled in a federally recognized tribe are legally authorized to obtain eagle feathers. Unauthorized persons found with an eagle or its parts in their possession can be fined up to $25,000. The eagle feather law allows for individuals who are adopted members of federally recognized tribes to obtain eagle feathers and eagle feather permits.

Additionally, most migratory birds found in the United States are protected by international treaties as well as U.S. laws. No part of protected birds, live or dead, including feathers, claws, bones, skins, or taxidermy-mounted birds can be possessed without an appropriate permit, which is exceptionally hard to obtain even for legally acquired birds or bird parts.

Listen with your heart,

Laurie Buchanan

“Whatever you are not changing, you are choosing.”
               – Laurie Buchanan

www.HolEssence.com.

© 2010 Laurie Buchanan – All Rights Reserved