28.02.2018 Views

FREE Digital Sampler

Transform your PDFs into Flipbooks and boost your revenue!

Leverage SEO-optimized Flipbooks, powerful backlinks, and multimedia content to professionally showcase your products and significantly increase your reach.

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


Find your inner peace<br />

wh<br />

CLICK HERE<br />

TO ORDER<br />

WITH <strong>FREE</strong><br />

DELIVERY

Hooray! Your file is uploaded and ready to be published.

Saved successfully!

Ooh no, something went wrong!