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Re-energise your<br />
chakras for summer<br />
Affirmations<br />
for a great day ahead<br />
Helping & sharing your spiritual journey<br />
Life-changing<br />
coincidences<br />
and how to use them<br />
♦<br />
secret flower<br />
messages<br />
that you can<br />
learn to read<br />
MIND<br />
BODY &<br />
SPIRIT<br />
Development<br />
Crystals to boost<br />
your sixth sense<br />
April 2018 £3.85<br />
♦<br />
True life<br />
‘My predictive<br />
dreams have<br />
saved lives’<br />
psychic<br />
potential<br />
Unlock your<br />
• Tune into the afterlife using letters and photos<br />
• Nurture your spiritual side with kindness<br />
• Psychic art: sketch with Spirit<br />
spiritanddestiny.co.uk<br />
Transformation<br />
Master tarot<br />
to achieve your<br />
heart’s desire<br />
Learning<br />
The Wind Work<br />
System: how to<br />
live a positive life
ContentsApril<br />
Upfront<br />
6 Spiritual Buzz<br />
Six pages of the latest news, views<br />
and ideas from the alternative realm<br />
12 Spiritual You<br />
The stories you’ve shared with us<br />
by letter, email and social media<br />
p38<br />
p18<br />
on the cover<br />
p6<br />
p22<br />
p34<br />
28<br />
Features<br />
22 Manifest with tarot<br />
Learn to master the art of<br />
using these cards to turn<br />
your dreams into a reality<br />
30 Charge up your chakras<br />
Kate Delamere discovers how to<br />
rebalance her energy fields and<br />
clear her chakras so that she can<br />
put a spring back in her step<br />
34 Embrace the winds of change<br />
Connecting with the power of air,<br />
from calm summer breeze to<br />
stormy weather, can open up<br />
new opportunities in your life<br />
38 Oracle<br />
Learn to speak the secret<br />
language of flowers and understand<br />
their hidden messages so that you<br />
can let your life blossom<br />
46 Serving the higher good<br />
A simple act of kindness can be of<br />
benefit to the whole world, but did<br />
you know it can help further your<br />
spiritual development, too?<br />
78 The cat with killer charisma<br />
Spiritual fiction: a feline arrival is<br />
welcomed at a retirement home...<br />
but is this furry guest friend or foe?<br />
Real life<br />
18 ‘Spirit had plans for me’<br />
When her dreams started to come<br />
true Shirley Downes was shocked to<br />
find she had a psychic gift that came<br />
to the fore at an unexpected time<br />
52 ‘I can uncover your destiny’<br />
Meet Shelley von Strunckel, the<br />
world-renowned astrologer who<br />
sees ghosts around every corner<br />
when she visits London<br />
68 ‘Higher beings help me draw’<br />
Artist Barbara Hudson channels<br />
the spirit world in her work to give<br />
people a glimpse of who they<br />
once were in a past life<br />
98 My spiritual inspiration<br />
Author Finlay Wilson on how<br />
yoga and the great outdoors<br />
saved his life and set<br />
subscribe!<br />
Save 25% on<br />
your copy of<br />
Spirit & Destiny<br />
– see page 50<br />
for more<br />
92<br />
him on a new path<br />
health<br />
60 Health & Wellbeing<br />
Our round-up of the latest tips<br />
and trends to help you feel<br />
amazing inside and out!<br />
64 Timing is everything<br />
Find out the optimum time each<br />
day to perform activities<br />
to enhance wellbeing<br />
and inner harmony, from<br />
journaling to meditating<br />
4<br />
april 2018 spiritanddestiny.co.uk
Contents<br />
34<br />
46<br />
experts<br />
72<br />
Regulars<br />
28 new A ritual for...<br />
Use herbs to contact loved<br />
ones in the spirit world<br />
50 Subscribe to S&D<br />
Save 25% off the full price when you<br />
sign up by annual recurring payment<br />
66 Affirmations for seizing the day<br />
Make each moment count<br />
with these uplifting mantras<br />
80 win A hotel spa break for two<br />
Make the most of all the pampering<br />
on offer at the luxurious Whittlebury Hall<br />
81 new Horoscopes<br />
Check out your in-depth forecast for the<br />
month with new astrologer Emily Sitwell<br />
15 Andrea's world of crystals<br />
New columnist crystal healer<br />
Andrea Webb explains how to<br />
fine-tune your precious stones<br />
and find a perfect home for them<br />
17 My life with angels<br />
S&D’s angel expert Chrissie Astell<br />
on how to receive signs and<br />
guidance from the angelic realm<br />
56 Sally’s Psychic School:<br />
Connecting with Spirit<br />
Sally Morgan shares how you<br />
can connect with loved ones<br />
through photographs and letters<br />
59 Diary of a Psychic<br />
Take a peek at what a week in the<br />
life of a psychic medium looks like in<br />
Nicky Alan’s monthly column<br />
71 Ask the experts<br />
Our panel of renowned experts are<br />
here to answer your questions and<br />
help you on your spiritual journey<br />
90 Essential April<br />
spiritual events guide<br />
Our fabulous events guide has<br />
something for everyone – from<br />
vegan festivals and fusion<br />
mindfulness to Akashic<br />
connections and<br />
goddess<br />
workshops<br />
95 Preview<br />
What’s in<br />
store in our<br />
May issue<br />
60<br />
Cover photo istock Welcome illustration shutterstock
Health & Wellbeing<br />
5 ways to…<br />
Dance yourself happy<br />
There is a saying in Islamic<br />
mysticism which reads: ‘God<br />
respects us when we work, but<br />
loves us when we dance.’<br />
Dance is one of the oldest<br />
methods of healing used by<br />
priests and shamans to tap into<br />
the Divine, and with people<br />
celebrating World Dance Day on<br />
April 29th, why not harness its<br />
powerful energy to lift your spirits,<br />
banish stagnant emotions and<br />
boost your self-esteem?<br />
Dance to<br />
raise A smile<br />
Spring is about lighter<br />
days, new beginnings and<br />
moving forward. Linked to this<br />
month is the tradition of April<br />
Fool’s Day, thought to originate in<br />
the 16th century, when it was the<br />
custom to play good-natured<br />
pranks on a ‘fool’. Traditionally, the<br />
Fool embodies innate wisdom and<br />
encourages us to not take life too<br />
seriously. Dancing is fun, allows us<br />
to be silly, let off steam and links<br />
us to a creative, wise part of<br />
ourselves. So, be an April Fool in<br />
a playful, spiritual sense and take<br />
spring as an opportunity to dance.<br />
2<br />
Dance for<br />
insight<br />
Humans have danced<br />
since the dawn of time to<br />
express emotion, entertain, tell<br />
stories, honour the gods and<br />
perform rituals. It can also be<br />
meditative, helping us tap into the<br />
subconscious mind. If you’re tired<br />
or feeling out of sorts, dance can<br />
help you discover what’s behind it.<br />
Let your intuition guide you to the<br />
type of music that suits you in the<br />
moment. Put it on and dance,<br />
letting your body and mind move<br />
to the rhythm. Close your eyes as<br />
you shift and sway – what words<br />
and images come to mind? Note<br />
down your findings and see what<br />
resonates with you.<br />
3<br />
Dance for your<br />
future self<br />
Feeling stuck? Let music<br />
take you into the past to<br />
see if there are emotional blocks<br />
you need to release, or parts of<br />
yourself from a previous life that<br />
can be brought into your current<br />
one. Find songs that transport you<br />
back to a period in your life,<br />
positive or negative, for example<br />
your teenage years, starting work,<br />
or meeting a partner. Move to the<br />
music and allow the associated<br />
emotions to float into your mind.<br />
Did you make any decisions that<br />
were right for you then, but that<br />
are immobilising you now? Does it<br />
bring up good feelings, memories<br />
of things you used to enjoy, that<br />
you’d like to do again? How could<br />
you make these changes?<br />
4<br />
Dance for<br />
health<br />
and joy<br />
As a form of aerobic<br />
exercise, dancing is a fun way to<br />
keep fit and produces a delicious<br />
endorphin rush. It has other perks<br />
too, including improving balance<br />
and boosting mood, memory and<br />
self-esteem. Research by the<br />
University of New England found<br />
that when a group of people<br />
suffering from depression and<br />
anxiety were assigned to six<br />
weeks of either tango classes or<br />
meditation, while both groups<br />
became less depressed, only the<br />
tango dancers reduced their<br />
stress. And a 2014 study found<br />
that just five minutes of freestyle<br />
dancing increased creativity.<br />
5<br />
Dance to<br />
connect with<br />
the divine<br />
A dance ritual helps<br />
strengthen your mind-body<br />
connection, putting you in touch<br />
with your divine intelligence.<br />
Perform your dance regularly and<br />
you’ll find your intuition bubbling<br />
up to guide you. You can dance<br />
before any activity to tap into this<br />
part of yourself – a creative<br />
project, for example, such as<br />
writing, or perhaps a social event.<br />
Before you dance, set your<br />
intention and put on music<br />
– soothing nature sounds, such as<br />
rain, work very well. Focusing on<br />
your breath, move your limbs<br />
loosely, releasing any tightness.<br />
Find a word that embodies what<br />
you hope to achieve and repeat<br />
it to yourself.<br />
60 april 2018 spiritanddestiny.co.uk
mind, body & spirit<br />
Walk off cravings<br />
While it’s true that a little<br />
of what you fancy does you<br />
good, if the voice inside your<br />
head won’t let you ignore your<br />
cravings then science may<br />
have found a simple solution.<br />
It’s estimated that 97% of<br />
women and 68% of men get<br />
food cravings – and they tend<br />
to be for sugary foods, rather<br />
than the likes of kale.<br />
However, a study published<br />
in the Public Library of Science<br />
journal has found that a<br />
15-minute walk reduced<br />
participants’ cravings for<br />
high-calorie, sugary snacks.<br />
Of the 47 participants, all<br />
sugary snack lovers, half spent<br />
15 minutes walking briskly on<br />
a treadmill, while the others<br />
rested. Then they were all given<br />
sweet treats to unwrap and the<br />
walkers showed a muchreduced<br />
appetite for the treats.<br />
So, when your healthy eating<br />
self-sabotage gremlin rises,<br />
outwit it with an energetic walk!<br />
Breathe right for energy<br />
Feeling sluggish? Try right<br />
nostril breathing to boost your<br />
energy. Sit up in a straight but<br />
relaxed position, hold your left<br />
nostril closed with your left<br />
thumb and breathe slowly<br />
and rhythmically through<br />
the right nostril for<br />
a few minutes.<br />
De-stress with super<br />
synchronicity<br />
Those funny coincidences in your life<br />
might be trying to tell you something<br />
RESEARCHER Robert<br />
Perry has come up with a<br />
‘super-synchronicity’ theory of<br />
how two strikingly similar<br />
events (synchronicities)<br />
occurring close together can<br />
carry the solution to a problem<br />
and help you beat stress.<br />
All of us have had events in<br />
our lives that seem like<br />
coincidences, but Robert<br />
believes they might answer a<br />
question we’ve been struggling<br />
with, or bring new ideas, that<br />
can stop your mind racing and<br />
bring life back into balance.<br />
You can follow Robert’s<br />
guidelines to make the most<br />
out of synchronicity:<br />
IDENTIFY two or more<br />
distinct but related events.<br />
One will be something that’s<br />
happening in your life, or that<br />
you’re puzzling over. The other<br />
will mirror or symbolise this<br />
event. For example, you read in<br />
the paper that journaling is<br />
good for stopping mind chatter,<br />
something that bothers you.<br />
That night, you might dream<br />
about journaling or the<br />
following day overhear<br />
someone talking about it.<br />
THINK about the two events<br />
that are related, make a list of<br />
what they have in common and<br />
ask yourself if these similarities<br />
yield new information, or<br />
answer a question.<br />
TIMING is important. Your<br />
two events must be no more<br />
than 12 hours apart. According<br />
to Robert’s research if there’s<br />
more than 12 hours between<br />
events they’re more likely to be<br />
coincidences. Sometimes, they<br />
can happen simultaneously<br />
– you could be reading about<br />
journaling while something<br />
related to it comes on the radio.<br />
The events must also<br />
combine to form an outcome<br />
– either solve a problem or<br />
answer a question. The<br />
information must add up to<br />
a lesson, warning or guidance,<br />
and be addressing an issue.<br />
So, next time you’re trying to<br />
solve a problem, keep an eye<br />
out for super-synchronicities.<br />
spiritanddestiny.co.uk april 2018<br />
61
Timing is<br />
everything<br />
There are optimum moments in the day when you should<br />
perform activities to enhance your wellbeing and inner harmony<br />
Now the clocks have finally gone<br />
forward and the evenings begin<br />
to stretch ahead of us, you may<br />
well feel you have more time<br />
in the day. It’s the perfect opportunity to<br />
shake off any winter lethargy and reawaken<br />
your body, which may be feeling stagnant<br />
and emotionally blocked as it emerges from<br />
hibernation mode.<br />
From the moment your alarm goes off in the<br />
morning up until bedtime, your body follows<br />
a unique pattern of energies, which can be<br />
64 april 2018 spiritanddestiny.co.uk<br />
enhanced by performing specific self-care<br />
tasks at certain times of the day.<br />
Throughout the ages, many different<br />
cultures have performed rituals at specific<br />
times of the day to help nurture spiritual<br />
health and wellbeing.<br />
In fact, in Ayurveda, adhering to a daily<br />
routine is thought to bring balance to your<br />
mind and body while also helping to foster<br />
inner tranquillity and greater self-esteem.<br />
Here we suggest the best way to break up<br />
your day, and reap the benefits.<br />
Sunrise<br />
Perform yoga<br />
While fast-paced cardio gets your heart<br />
pumping to invigorate your body and provide<br />
a rush of feel-good endorphins, slower forms<br />
of exercise, such as yoga, provide the same<br />
energising effects while also helping to create<br />
a sense of inner peace.<br />
The restorative poses that centre around<br />
this ancient practice ignite your body’s<br />
parasympathetic system, which makes you
Alternative therapies<br />
feel more relaxed. Research also shows that<br />
yoga increases GABA, a brain chemical that<br />
regulates mood and lowers anxiety.<br />
Separate studies reveal that regular yoga<br />
changes your response to stress, making<br />
you more able to cope when the going gets<br />
tough. One study found that daily yoga and<br />
meditation over an eight-week period helped<br />
shrink parts of the amygdala, the part of the<br />
brain linked to processing stress.<br />
Traditionally, the practice of Surya<br />
Namaskar (known as sun salutation, a yoga<br />
flow sequence that stretches and flexes the<br />
limbs) was performed as a ritual at daybreak<br />
to honour the sun and arrival of a new day.<br />
‘Yogic texts suggest waking up one-and-ahalf<br />
hours before sunrise to do yoga. This is<br />
to synchronise your day with the rhythm<br />
of the sun and is the time a shift of energy<br />
fills the air,’ explains Emma Burns,<br />
founder and yoga teacher at Me Love Yoga<br />
(meloveyoga.com).<br />
Dedicate 20 minutes to a stretching<br />
session as the sun rises to gently wake<br />
up your body. Flexing your limbs will get<br />
your blood circulating to your organs, help<br />
improve concentration, as well as ease<br />
any muscular tension. Focusing on your<br />
breath while stretching also rebalances<br />
your body and mind. Some static poses<br />
can also be beneficial.<br />
‘Cat pose, where you come onto all fours<br />
and engage the core and parivrtta sukhasana<br />
– where you sit cross legged and slowly<br />
twist side to side – are both good poses to<br />
do in the morning as they lift your spine<br />
in different directions helping to release<br />
tension,’ adds Emma.<br />
Mid morning<br />
Set goals<br />
There’s no better time to reassess your goals<br />
then mid-morning while you still feel ready<br />
for the day ahead. Giving yourself specific<br />
goals offers you direction and making the<br />
effort to write down your intentions will<br />
make them more concrete.<br />
‘In order to assess your life goals with<br />
some simple self-reflection, you need to<br />
have a good mindset and a positive<br />
outlook. This means the morning, when<br />
you’ve had ample sleep or have already<br />
completed your morning to-do list, will be<br />
a good time to find some thinking space,’<br />
says life coach Nimisha Brahmbhatt<br />
(nimishabrahmbhatt.com).<br />
Dedicate 10 minutes every morning to<br />
organising your thoughts and follow the<br />
SMART system.<br />
‛S stands for specific, M means<br />
measurable, A alludes to setting achievable<br />
goals, R is about being realistic and T stands<br />
for time-bound. Have a definitive end point,’<br />
continues Nimisha.<br />
When goal setting, zone in on different areas<br />
of your life, from personal to professional, and<br />
try using the power of gemstones to give the<br />
focus and energy you need. Garnet helps harness<br />
creative powers, while citrine can eradicate<br />
negative energy and bring about prosperity.<br />
Wear bracelets made from these stones and you<br />
will have a constant reminder of your goals.<br />
‘Take time to reassess your goals on a daily<br />
basis to help you stay focused,’ adds Nimisha.<br />
lunchtime<br />
Give thanks<br />
Lunchtime in Mediterranean cultures is followed<br />
by an afternoon siesta. The idea is to allow<br />
ample time to savour a home cooked meal<br />
with loved ones, followed by a rest to take in<br />
nourishment and improve digestion.<br />
‘On a wellbeing level, resting after meals slows<br />
us down and helps us to be more in the present<br />
moment,’ says transformational life coach,<br />
macrobiotic counsellor and chef Nicky Clinch<br />
(nickyclinch.com).<br />
While a lengthy break at lunchtime isn’t<br />
realistic for many of us, we can spend time<br />
counting our blessings at mealtimes.<br />
The Japanese are often heard uttering<br />
‘itadakimasu’ before meals which translates as<br />
‘I humbly receive,’ and in the UK many people<br />
say grace before their meals. While throughout<br />
many cultures, from the ancient Greeks to<br />
Indian Hindus, food was considered a sacred<br />
offering to the gods.<br />
Pause to give thanks before you sit down and<br />
tuck into your midday meal.<br />
You could express your gratitude with zen<br />
master Thich Nhat Hanh’s Serving Food prayer;<br />
‘In this food, I see clearly the presence of the<br />
entire universe supporting my existence.’<br />
Evening<br />
Journal<br />
Putting pen to paper is a powerful way to<br />
process feelings and create self-awareness.<br />
Jotting down your thoughts and emotions<br />
allows you to connect with your stream of<br />
consciousness. One study showed that keeping<br />
track of feelings in a diary helped to reduce<br />
activity in the brain's amygdala, which plays<br />
a role in stress and negative emotions.<br />
‘Journaling enforces mindfulness and allows<br />
you to take the time to acknowledge your<br />
feelings, and accept them for what they are<br />
without judgement,’ says Nimisha.<br />
‘Most people also find that by journaling they<br />
‘Take time<br />
to reassess<br />
your goals<br />
on a daily<br />
basis’<br />
are able to focus on gratitude for the simple<br />
things in life, which in turn helps boost their<br />
mood as they are connecting with the positive<br />
rather than worrying about the negative.’<br />
Set aside time after dinner when you can<br />
process thoughts and feelings from the day<br />
without any distractions.<br />
‘Some people find the GREAT method a good<br />
one to follow,’ advises Nimisha. ‘G stands for<br />
gratitude, writing what you are grateful for,<br />
R for repetition of positive affirmations and EAT<br />
stands for emotion, action and thought.’<br />
For each entry write down what went well,<br />
what didn’t go well and what you will do<br />
differently tomorrow.<br />
‘The useful part is to come back to what<br />
you’ve written and take action, that is what<br />
makes it most productive,’ explains Nimisha.<br />
Before bed<br />
Meditate<br />
Sleep offers your body the chance to rejuvenate,<br />
but if you often go to bed with your mind racing<br />
and struggle to nod off, then adding a meditation<br />
session to your evening routine could help.<br />
‘Meditating at the end of the day will help<br />
bring the mind back into relative stillness. This<br />
can help you fall asleep quicker and get a good<br />
night’s sleep,’ says Emma.<br />
‘Scientific studies have shown that meditation<br />
can structurally change your brain for the better<br />
helping to develop more compassion, love,<br />
patience, generosity and forgiveness.’<br />
There are many forms of meditation but there<br />
is specific evidence showing the sleep-enhancing<br />
benefits of mindfulness meditation.<br />
Mindfulness meditation focuses on your<br />
breathing to let go of the busyness in your mind.<br />
‘Try counting your breaths,’ suggests Emma.<br />
‘Set a timer, sit comfortably and close your eyes.<br />
Allow your body to settle, then become aware of<br />
your breathing. Inhale then exhale. At the very<br />
end of your out breath mentally count “one”.<br />
Continue in this way, counting as you end each<br />
exhale until you reach 10.’<br />
feature louise pyne photos istock, shutterstock<br />
spiritanddestiny.co.uk april 2018<br />
65
Let your life<br />
blossom<br />
Harness the wisdom of flowers to focus<br />
on what you need most to bring you joy<br />
We have long enjoyed flowers<br />
for their natural beauty and<br />
heady fragrances that lift our<br />
spirits, yet these are not the<br />
only reasons they should be celebrated – these<br />
glorious blooms hold special messages for us.<br />
The language of flowers, or floriography, has<br />
been used to communicate thoughts and<br />
feelings for thousands of years. From hidden<br />
messages conveyed through the use of their<br />
images in books to how flowers are arranged<br />
in a vase, different blooms even send out<br />
certain messages when presented to people.<br />
Giving someone the gift of a red rose is used<br />
to symbolise romantic love, or a white rose to<br />
honour their virtue.<br />
Now, as we emerge from the winter months,<br />
colourful flowers are bursting into bloom all<br />
around us with wisdom to draw on, says<br />
shaman Davina Mackail.<br />
‘Flowers have spiritual significance because<br />
they grow from the darkness of the earth,<br />
which represents our unconscious<br />
depths,’ adds Davina. ‘Their<br />
messages bring our inner truth to<br />
light and spiritually illuminate us. Act on their<br />
insights to manifest the “fruits” of your life.’<br />
Read on to channel the language of flowers<br />
in Davina’s bespoke oracle and discover what<br />
action you should be taking to allow happiness<br />
to thrive in your life.<br />
Using this oracle<br />
Close your eyes and ask, ‘What do<br />
I need to know right now?’ Run your<br />
non-dominant hand over the page,<br />
with your index finger pointing<br />
towards the flowers. Stop where you<br />
feel an energetic tugging and place<br />
your finger on the page. Open your<br />
eyes and read the message of the<br />
flower you’ve picked, before doing<br />
the ritual at a time of your choosing.<br />
38 april 2018 spiritanddestiny.co.uk
ORACLE<br />
➳<br />
Turn the<br />
page for<br />
messages<br />
spiritanddestiny.co.uk april 2018<br />
39
A ritual for…<br />
contacting<br />
loved ones<br />
Let the power of herbs help you connect with the spirit realm<br />
Most of us<br />
who’ve lost<br />
someone dear<br />
have thought<br />
how lovely it would be to hear<br />
from them in the afterlife, and<br />
know they’re okay. The full<br />
moon is associated with the<br />
supernatural and spiritual<br />
realm. Try this simple ritual<br />
on the full moon on April 30th<br />
to reach out to a loved one on<br />
the other side.<br />
Step one<br />
♦<br />
Before bed, light a black<br />
candle and slow your<br />
breathing until you feel ready<br />
to connect to the spirit world.<br />
Place a photo of a loved one<br />
who has passed over, or an<br />
item that belonged to them, in<br />
front of the candle’s flame and<br />
look ‘through’ it, focusing<br />
your gaze on the flame itself.<br />
Step two<br />
♦<br />
After a minute of focusing<br />
on the flame, state your<br />
intention, by saying:<br />
‘Through the veil you fell<br />
But through this spell<br />
I ask to contact thee<br />
If for the good of all it be.’<br />
♦<br />
Step three<br />
Blow out the candle and, as<br />
you watch the smoke waft<br />
away, imagine it carrying your<br />
request to your loved ones.<br />
When the candle has cooled,<br />
place it in a purple pouch (the<br />
colour associated with psychic<br />
matters), along with the photo<br />
or item, and a sprig of parsley<br />
– a herb used in rituals to<br />
contact those in Spirit. Place<br />
the pouch under your pillow.<br />
Step four<br />
♦<br />
You will most likely<br />
dream of your departed<br />
loved one. They may<br />
give you a message or<br />
guidance. If this doesn’t<br />
happen, repeat the<br />
next evening. And<br />
the next, if need be.<br />
Your patience will<br />
be rewarded.<br />
28<br />
April 2018 spiritanddestiny.co.uk
Time for you<br />
Expert tip<br />
If you can’t remember<br />
your dream clearly<br />
when you wake up,<br />
go for a walk, taking<br />
your purple pouch. Let<br />
nature help you connect<br />
to the afterlife.<br />
Compiled by Tracie couper photos istock<br />
spiritanddestiny.co.uk April 2018 29
46 april 2018 spiritanddestiny.co.uk
The inner you<br />
Serving the<br />
Higher good<br />
A simple act of kindness not only has a positive impact on<br />
the world but can further your spiritual development too<br />
Spare a moment to reflect on your day.<br />
Did you go out of your way to help<br />
someone? Did you offer a kind word to<br />
a friend, colleague or even a stranger?<br />
Or perhaps you smiled and said hello to your<br />
neighbour? When you look back, do you feel<br />
positive about the impact you made on the world<br />
around you today?<br />
Did you answer ‘no’ to any of these questions,<br />
but wish you were doing more to spread<br />
positivity? Our lives are so demanding it’s<br />
easy to become so wrapped up in them that<br />
sparing a moment for anyone else falls to<br />
the bottom of your list of priorities.<br />
However, there is a spiritual revolution<br />
happening right now, a ‘kindness<br />
movement’, where people are focusing<br />
their energy on reaching out to others<br />
to make the world a better place. In<br />
spiritual circles this is known as serving<br />
the higher good and is believed to not only<br />
benefit others but feed your soul too – and<br />
it’s easy for you to become a part of it.<br />
You don’t have to make big changes to<br />
your life – like moving to another country<br />
to do voluntary work – to make a difference.<br />
Instead, simple, small, daily gestures are all<br />
it can take to light up someone’s life, make<br />
a significant impact on them and the world,<br />
and further your spiritual development.<br />
Spreading the joy<br />
One of the people involved in the kindness<br />
movement is Bernadette Russell.<br />
After the 2011 London riots, she vowed to do<br />
small acts of kindness every day to help others,<br />
which inspired her book, The Little Book of<br />
Kindness (Orion Spring, £7.99).<br />
Expert tip<br />
Need inspiration when<br />
it comes to acts of<br />
kindness? Download<br />
the Be Happy (Kindness<br />
and Karma) app,<br />
available for free<br />
from Google Play<br />
or iTunes.<br />
‘After the riots, I began to question the point<br />
of everything,’ says Bernadette, who has also<br />
written two books on kindness for children.<br />
‘There were so many problems in the world, but<br />
what could be done about them?<br />
‘One day I was in the post office and bought a<br />
stamp for a boy who had run out of cash. He was<br />
really grateful and I was so happy to have helped<br />
him in a small way. I thought to myself, perhaps<br />
if I could do one little thing for a stranger every<br />
day I’d make a difference to the world.<br />
‘I helped strangers in the street, made<br />
presents for my neighbours and gave spare<br />
change to anyone who asked. I also made<br />
100 Valentine’s cards and sent them<br />
to strangers and fed runners at the<br />
London Marathon.<br />
‘My life completely changed as<br />
a result. I started seeing the world<br />
through the window of kindness and it<br />
confirmed to me that human beings are<br />
capable of amazing things. I also realised<br />
that by promoting kindness you are also<br />
promoting hope.’<br />
Progressing spiritually<br />
But being kind doesn’t just help others feel good,<br />
it can also aid your spiritual development. In<br />
fact, the idea of being of service to others by<br />
offering help, kindness and compassion is a<br />
theme that runs through many religions and<br />
spiritual practices.<br />
‘There has always been a drive for<br />
spiritual development through<br />
kindness and compassion,’ says<br />
angel expert and author of Seven<br />
Steps into Angel Light (Watkins,<br />
£7.99), Chrissie Astell.<br />
➳<br />
Turn the<br />
page for<br />
more<br />
spiritanddestiny.co.uk april 2018<br />
47
Embrace the winds<br />
of change<br />
From calming breeze to blustery storm,<br />
connect with the power of the air to<br />
bring new opportunities your way<br />
34 april 2018 spiritanddestiny.co.uk
Transform your life<br />
April may be one of the windiest<br />
months, but instead of battening<br />
down the hatches, why not tune<br />
into the might of this commanding<br />
element to change your life for the better?<br />
The wind has long been revered for its power,<br />
with many religions and cultures worshipping<br />
deities associated with it.<br />
In ancient Greek mythology, Aeolus was the<br />
god king of winds, keeping violent, blustery<br />
storms locked away. In Rome, goddess Cardea<br />
looked after the winds of the compass and<br />
the Aztec wind god, Ehécatl, was the bringer<br />
of love and passion, while in North America,<br />
wind deities were believed to give life and<br />
offer protection.<br />
But it’s not just gods and goddesses who<br />
have control over the air. In the 15th century,<br />
Northern European seamen consulted ‘wind<br />
witches’ who would string together knots on<br />
a piece of rope to conjure up a sailable breeze.<br />
Harmonise with nature<br />
Now shamanic healer Renee Danielle Baribeau<br />
has gone one step further and is showing people<br />
how they can harness the wind to help navigate<br />
their own lives and better themselves.<br />
She has written The Winds of Spirit: Ancient<br />
Wisdom Tools for Navigating Relationships,<br />
Health and the Divine (Hay House, £13.99)<br />
after turning to the wind to heal herself following<br />
a battle with drugs and alcohol in the wake of<br />
her father’s early death.<br />
‘Harmonising with nature helped me cope<br />
with loss. The wind not only sweeps clouds<br />
away, but can remove obstacles in our lives and<br />
create abundance,’ says Renee.<br />
‘Our ancestors understood how to draw on<br />
the strength and attributes of the wind to ><br />
Expert tip<br />
Wind goddess Cardea<br />
can open and close doors<br />
in your life. In your head<br />
or out loud, say ‘I am<br />
ready to let go’ and know<br />
she’s shut the door on<br />
a problem and opened up<br />
new possibilities.<br />
spiritanddestiny.co.uk april 2018<br />
35
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