Our winter has been fairly dry here in Newcastle though I am pleased to say that it finally rained the other day, does anyone else out there love the smell of the clean earth after a good rain storm? Everything is just so clean and fresh like the earth has had a bath, that followed by a day of beautiful sunshine makes you glad to be alive.

I took a very brief trip to Perth this month, to see my family and especially my grandmother who is very frail now – nearly 94 mind you! She is the most beautiful lady and I am blessed that I was able to catch up with her before her time comes to an end, I don’t know if I’m weird or other people feel the same but I would rather make the effort and catch up with someone while they are alive, rather than wait for their funeral.

I must say that it was wonderful to see all the green in the countryside! I don’t often get to see Perth green but they have had lots of rain and it was wonderful to see dams full of water and fresh green grass growing.

In regards to my book – we have settled on a cover so hopefully, next newsletter you will know where to buy it if you are interested!

It’s Never too late to…..

Take a Stand …. We can’t always sit on the fence, there is going to come a time when we have to draw a line in the sand because we know it’s right and not only that but for your own self-respect. Your heart will tell you when the time is right and when it does it’s up to you to listen to what it is telling you and for you to then step up to the plate and face head on whatever the issue is. By doing this you will respect yourself and so will others.

Feng Shui – Basics

I bring to my newsletters some little bits and pieces of Feng Shui, which is pronounced Foong Schway, you can always go to my website to read my previous newsletters.

So, we have covered the nine celestial cures to help get the balance right in your home and garden, a tool that is used by Feng Shui people is the Ba-Gua (pronounced as spelt) it’s an ancient technique to transform and Enright your life. In practice it is an eight sided symbol and in each side is the eight life treasures: Prosperity, Fame, Marriage/Relationships, children, helpful people, career, wisdom and family/health. Consultants often superimpose this octagonal symbol over rooms, the whole house or block of land and this is how you balance and work out which of the nine celestial cures you need to bring into our remove from certain areas, once you have put these changes into place it usually takes a full moon cycle to start seeing an improvement. The Ba-Gua areas also have cosmic colours that are best for that room – so for example if you want to have more helpful people in your life, you may buy two coffee mugs in the cosmic colour of that area (Black and white) and keep them at the correct place on the Ba-Gua map.

Ba-Gua area                                                    Cosmic Colours

Prospertity:                                                      purple

Fame:                                                                Red / fire

Marriage/Relationships:                               pink

Children:                                                           white / metal

Helpful People:                                               Grey

Career:                                                              Black / water

Wisdom:                                                           Blue

Family/Health:                                                green/wood

Next week, I will explain how to use the Ba-Gua in your home.

Pagan Festival of Imbolic – 1st August

Imbolc is all about celebrating change, which is interesting as I did my ‘message from’ before typing this part and it was all about accepting change!!, Our season is now winter heading into Spring here in the Southern Hemisphere and we should celebrate all that takes place during this time.

What to do at this time of year? Well, how about clear out the old and welcome the fresh new things into your life. Even for those that love winter, there does come a time when you just want to be warm again and start seeing the flowers blooming and fresh buds appearing on the trees.

In the US this day is celebrated as Groundhog Day.

Some of the ways to celebrate Imbolc is to get up early and wash your face with the first dew, this cleanses your face and is said to have magical energies.

This is also a wonderful time to clear your home, de-clutter because space clearing is all about finding, creating and maintaining an environment where you feel comfortable and safe. You will instinctively know what you should get rid of, move to another spot, or completely revamp. You are constantly growing and changing so you should make sure that your home suits who you are at this time.

Imbolc is a fire festival so if you have an alter light nine candles and place them in a circle – in the southern hemisphere place them anti-clockwise and welcome in the new energy and allow the candles to wash away any old energies that no longer serve you.

Think of this festival as a snake shedding its skin – it’s still a snake but has a new outlook on life.

Astrology for June – by Michelle Oberdorf

Spotlight on: Leo (July 23 – August 22) –

From July 23 until August 22, 2014 the Sun will occupy the sign of Leo, the Lion. Leo has a Fixed quality or mode (along with Taurus, Scorpio and Aquarius). The Fixed modality signifies the middle of the seasons. Fixed energy is steadfast; these signs are routine, regular and have a sense of pattern. With Leo, think of a fire burning unwaveringly in the hearth. Leo is one of the signs (along with Aries and Sagittarius) which is also associated with the Fire element concerning warmth, enthusiasm, optimism and inspiration. Some keywords for Leo include: creative­, playful, joyful, loyal, proud, generous, confident and self-expressive. Leonians may also be quite courageous and possess leadership qualities, and be emotionally warm with a heart that can inspire, and entertain others. They may however be self-centred, authoritarian, dramatic and attention-seeking.

Leo is ruled by one of the Luminaries, the Sun. The Sun isn’t a planet, but a “light” like the Moon. The Sun is associated with self-expression, vitality, power, identity, self-confidence, generosity and symbolises the Father. Strong Solar types, or people with the Sun dominant in their chart could highlight these tendencies (eg Sun in Leo (in Dignity), many personal planets in Leo (which are the Sun, Moon, Mercury, Venus and Mars) or Leo in the 5th house of play, pleasure, creativity, romance, self-expression and leisure (“Accidental Dignity”). In the body, Leo and the Sun rule the heart, spine, upper back, the aorta and the spleen.

The planet Jupiter, symbolising expansion and growth is currently transiting the sign of Leo until August 11, 2015. Wherever Leo falls in your horoscope, this transit will bring opportunities, optimism, and the faith required to broaden your life in the direction of your dreams, so take a creative risk in order to express your true identity.

Next month’s Spotlight is on Virgo.

If you would like to have a personal astrology chart done or just for more information please contact Michelle on: 0404 464 740 or through her website http://www.theleftandrightbrain.com.au/

This month we have a message from the Faery Goddess, Cordelia through Nathan Ho

“It’s time to go outside! Go outside of your comfort zone. Whether it be soaking up some much needed sunlight after more of this indoors time during your Winter, or going outside to expand your horizons through checking in with yourself, only you’ll know the answer. As it is becoming a different turn of the wheel at this time, it reflects upon the ripening opportunities that are offered to you. Opening, expansion and forming new links and connections with the world inside of you and outside of you. In order to be best equipped for the changes that this month brings, today is a message about starting small, lightening the load and becoming aware of your greater possibilities, potential and awaiting horizons. Ask yourself what you need and act upon the guidance you receive. It’s time to take a serious approach to the not-so-seriously approached things in life that may require you to try something new and daring that puts you in a position of what might seem like vulnerability at first, but in the long run, it is something that gives you a newfound strenght – perhaps one that you didn’t even know existed within you. It’s time to begin fresh and begin a new step on your journey. Today’s the day. Peace with yourself is the way first and the rest will follow. Allow yourself to be lighter, more free and simply be.”

“Nathan is an Angel Therapist and Clairvoyant Healer who combines his talents with his experience as a Primary School teacher to enlighten and inspire children and adults of all ages. Nathan conducts Clairvoyant Healing sessions and teaches workshops on intuitive development to children and adults. Nathan is passionate about working with people from all different walks of life to empower them to find the best in themselves and to reach for the stars   http://www.nathanstar.com

Carnelian – by Jess Mountford

Carnelian has been coming to my mind all month, so I knew which stone I was going to cover for my monthly ‘piece’. When I hold or wear this stone I feel a calm, gentle, cool and smooth (if polished), but soon picks up warmth beautifully when connecting with its energy. I recall in my previous articles that I have written about my of love gems and this is why, they hold so many properties and energies, they have an ability to instantly ground me or help me enhance the qualities I already have within my inner self, or they could take me to a completely different realm through meditation.

Ok, back to it sorry about the slight diversion but I wanted to voice some of the reasons. Carnelian is a grounding stone, as it connects to the root and sacral chakra. It protects one from negative energies, thoughts and strengthens our courage. The gem provides calmness to your being, so it is perfect for stressful situations, it can even help aid confidence to make that public speech you have coming up. In folk medicine the stone was used to help with fertility, for either partner. The stone can be useful for easing period pain, and any other cramping in the abdomen area, the gem can also be used in an elixir to help speed the recovery of blood disorders and even surface wounds such as grazes or small cuts.

The stone is associated with happiness, luck and success, and wearing it in jewellery is a great way to gain the metaphysical properties or you could lie down place the stone at the base of your feet to draw toxins, negative elements, feelings or you could meditate with it as it is awesome for that grounding while we are looking within to that peaceful place.

I wish you well in your future experiences with carnelian, if you choose to explore or already enjoy the benefits that is.

Take care, Love Jess Mountford

To contact Jess or if you would like to see her beautiful creations please visit her Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/gemsbyjess

The amazing plant, Parsley by Susan Kohl

Parsley is an amazing plant it is a body builder, protector and it is a biennial plant, which is very easy to grow. Just throw some seeds into a pot and cover lightly with soil. Remember it is a small seed that requires only a lightly covering of soil. There are many different varieties the most popular is the Italian it is hardier and so can withstand harsher conditions from the cold, heat and dry spells, wonderful thing about this variety is it is self seeding.  The use of this variety in your cooking and salads is a must because it has a strong flavour. The plain leafed parsley does need a rich moist soil and lives in partial shade or full sun and grows slower but is smaller in stature. This is a great decoration plant and wonderful for medicinal use. Collect the seeds and roots in the second year when it dies then cut the root into small pieces and dry them both in the sun.

The oil can be extracted from the seeds and made into an essential oil but you would need a lot of seeds. What you can do is boil the roots and seeds with ale, then drink the liquid as it is very good for your digestion. Parsley in your juice is also essential because it is high in vitamin C and Iron so use lots of parsley in your juicing, it is also fantastic for people with nerve problems. This fresh herb is a great dietary supplement, great if you have eaten garlic the night before as it can kill the smell out right. You can also make a poultice for insect bites from parsley. I will put the recipe for juicing below.

Now the Greeks held this plant in great regard, they would place this herb on their tombs and they used so much that their gardens were full of this herb. It is great for anaemia, so juice away in large amounts. The oil increases appetite so you can also chew the seeds and this will give the same effect as the oil. Be careful with the oil if your kidneys are inflamed as it can over stimulate so always consult your herbalist before taking. Fantastic for arthritis because it helps to get toxins, out of the kidney & liver more effectively

I really cannot stress the importance of food in your diet. I am currently reading a book titled Food is your best medicine by Henry G Bieler M.B first published in 1965 and then again in 1982. Food really is the key to good health and not the pharmaceutical companies that are polluting your body with toxic substance. As Henry tells us in his book, medicine has it place in times of crisis, but ultimately medicines are the foods of nature.

Here is a list of the ailments and diseases that parsley can also help to heal! Appetite, Arthritis, Bladder infections, Breath Freshener, Colic, Cough, Digestive Problems, Diuretic, Fever, Fluid retention, Gall Stones, Jaundice, Kidneys, Lactation, Lice, Liver, Menstruation, Tonic, Tumours, Urinary Infections, Voice Loss, Wind. For more information on these conditions just email me at susan.m.kohl@gmail.com or you can look me up at www.facebook.com/badhiinplace

Daily – Parsley Juice

1 Carrot

1 Apple

2 Celery Sticks

2 Cups Parsley

¼ Lemon – optional but good for your liver

1 teaspoon of Turmeric – optional but also good for your liver

For Fever take Parsley juice 1 teaspoon every 2 two hours.

For loss of voice 1 teaspoon of Parsley juice in glass of water in the morning.

If you would like to contact Susan you can do so at susan.m.kohl@gmail.com or Susan Kohl – Badhiin Place Permaculture Designer and Teacher https://www.facebook.com/badhiinplace

Kind Regards, Suzi

Courses/Workshopswith Katrina-Jane

Saturday, 30th August – One Day Workshop – Booked out.

Weekend retreat – I have cancelled this as I do realise that it is expensive for a lot of people so I have decided to hold a workshop on the Saturday instead.

Kick Start your Life – Saturday, 11th October 2014. Help learn techniques to stop negative thoughts, get more focused and believe in yourself and what you’re able to do.

Services that I offer:

PARTIES for a big group – hens’ day, baby showers – this is where everyone has as 15 minute reading – this is lots of fun for baby showers, birthdays, hens nights etc. and it is $25 per reading these readings are not recorded because there are usually too many people and it just takes up too much time, but I am able to take notes or the person having the reading can take them if they wish, I am also happy for them to record on their phones.

GROUP OF FRIENDS – I have had numerous enquiries about parties and how many people you need to host one. It obviously depends on where you live – if you live about an hour from Newcastle CBD, I would need a minimum of 8 people having 15 minute readings ($25 each) if you want to have ½ hour readings ($50 each) then a minimum of 4 and a maximum of 8 people would be appreciated. If you live within a 2 – 2.5 hour drive, then a fee of $50+ to cover travel costs will be required, depending on how far you are away. And it would be a minimum of 6 x ½ hour readings and a maximum of 8. I am also okay with a mix of readings as in some having ½ hour and others 15 minutes. These are all recorded and emailed to you within 24 hours.

If there is anything that you would like to see in my newsletters, please let me know! OR if you have something that you would like to contribute, I am happy to hear from you. I want them to be interesting for you all to read.

Blessed be.

Love and Light Katrina