Rehydration Formula Might Save Your Life

With all of the terrible damage from recent tsnumais fresh on everyone's minds, one news agent at RumorMillNews.com made this important post yesterday about how rehydration becomes the key survival technique if you have survived a disaster and are still waiting for food, medical supplies, and so forth to arrive.

I recommend printing out copies of this simple rehydration formula and making sure that you stock the supplies, because you never know - those Earth changes that many people have been predicting may well be on their way! Hopefully not, of course. Still, it always pays to learn how to be self-sufficient in the event of ANY disaster situation - whether man-made or nature-made.

If you can rehydrate, even if you haven't yet received medical care, chances of surviving a disaster go way, way up. So this is a very important formula that may well save your life or a loved one's life, if you are (God and Goddess forbid) unfortunate enough to find yourself in a disaster situation. Make several copies and store them in a safe place!

http://www.rumormillnews.com/cgi-bin/forum.cgi?read=62129

Are You Successful Yet? - Repost from Cosmic ButtKick Blog

This is a repost of an entry which originally appeared in my old blog, http://cosmicbuttkick.blogspot.com, on Monday, July 19, 2004. I was thinking again about society's definitions of success and found this old entry. If you've struggled with finding your own definition of "success," you might relate to some of this. Enjoy! -- Editor

Monday, July 19, 2004

Today I spent an hour at my favorite coffeehouse, scribbling away on my latest horoscope column, hoping that the caffeine in my pot of Earl Gray tea would jump-start my brain and inspire the 40 or so jokes I have to work into each weekly Cosmic Butt Kick. Let me tell you, some weeks, it ain't easy. I feel like I'm doing a fresh comedy routine each week, only that would be easier. First I have to research all the astrological information on what the planets are doing. Then I have to spend hours looking up recent news events and getting my facts straight. Then I throw it all together and create a unique cosmic gumbo that, hopefully, will be tasty to readers and put a smile on their face. Writing this column is the big hurdle of the week, the thing that takes up all of my thoughts and energy. Any other work I'm trying to do comes after and around that.

While I appreciate having the opportunity to reach readers through my syndicated column, I also appreciate being paid. And, sometimes, clients just "forget" to pay me. The arts weeklies who are kind enough to publish me are all struggling, and some months, that advertising revenue doesn't come in as quickly as the accounting department might like, and my invoices get "misplaced." Still, my column is published each week, along with my byline, so I can at least have the satisfaction? pride? misplaced sense of hubris? that I can still call myself a professional writer. Even if you're paid pennies, or, as has been the case lately, a dribble of pennies every other month or so, you're still a professional. Besides writing the column, I'm constantly submitting proposals and "spec" material to other publications - magazines, websites, newspapers - you name it. And, oh, yes, I've been involved with a ludicrous and exhausting "chase for fame" over the past two years. I've written four book proposals, which is like writing your dissertation four times - not a pleasant process. With all the marketing research, outlines, PR material, and sample chapters I had to include, all available brain cells were taken up with creating that stuff. The chase for fame is winding down now, thank goodness. Life is returning to some semblance of sanity.

Some.

At the coffeehouse today I bumped into my buddy Rudy, a friendly, sharp and creative fellow whom I chat with a couple of times each month. We've had some lovely discussions over the past two years that I've known him, rambling on about everything from child-rearing to psychology to religion. Along the way, I've kept him updated about the latest blow-by-blow of my publishing misadventures. He's my cheerleader, always egging me on, encouraging my efforts. Today he was excited to see me. I would have enjoyed chatting with him for a while, but, alas, I was on another deadline and my brains were fried. No circuits were free for random chit-chat, and he sensed that. He sweetly wiped a table clean of crumbs for me so I could spread out all of my notebooks and messy papers (the detritus of the writer.) He asked me, "So tell me, are you successful yet? I'm rooting for you! I want to see your name up in lights."

Am I successful yet?

Well, I woke up healthy, well-fed, housed in a nice home, next to my honey and surrounded by adoring cats. That's successful.

I woke up without depleted uranium polluting my environment and ruining my neighborhood's health for the next century or so (unlike some people in Iraq and Afghanistan.)

I woke up knowing that, much as the power of censorship is alive and well, I could express myself openly and fully, in written or spoken form, without fear of arrest (at least for the moment.)

I do feel very blessed and abundant in all of the things that really count, and I truly give thanks for these things every day. And I know that Rudy, bless his heart, was just eager for the latest update about my TV and book publishing adventures. But it's funny - all I could think was - what creates success? Is it something we define for ourselves, or is it something we allow others to define for us? Is it an inner state or an outer one? Is it ours, or does it belong to somebody else? Is it an experience we are having or an experience others are having about us?

Am I unsuccessful because I don't have a TV show in development based on my unpublished memoir, even though a producer pitched it last year and might pitch it again sometime in 2004?

Am I unsuccessful because I haven't won the lottery lately? (Or ever, for that matter.) Does my lack of millions mean that I'm a failure? I haven't been able to loll about naked, fondling oodles of cash in recent months. Does that mean I'm a complete loser?

What about the approbation of people in the New York publishing world? As my proposals made the round last year, a good percentage of the editors who saw my stuff said I was a great writer and they'd love to publish me, but when they took my material to their sales director, marketing staff, and PR people, those folks said that they didn't think I had a big enough readership to guarantee that my book could "break out" in its category. That one was a head scratcher. I have over 2 million readers. I am the author of over 3000 professionally published columns, articles, essays, and humor pieces. I've appeared on dozens of radio stations and will be on many more in the years to come. What do you need, exactly, to land a book contract with a major publisher? Is it even possible anymore for people whose last name doesn't happen to be Clinton to receive a book contract, with even the customary average advance of $10,000 (15% of which goes to your literary agent?)

Am I not successful because of other people's lack of vision, commitment, passion, or "enthusiasm? " (That's the stock response of editors when they don't like your stuff. "Thanks for the opportunity to read this, but I'm afraid it didn't generate sufficient enthusiasm to justify a contract at this time.") Just how does a book proposal generate "enthusiasm?" Does it need to come equipped with a little cheerleader inside who will jump up and down while waving her pom-poms? If so, I wasn't informed about it. Guess I missed the boat on that one.

It was a very heady and exhausting two years, expecting a publishing or TV contract any moment and ending up with, well, the experience of having been, by turns, hopeful, exhausted, and then resigned. This January an editor was dangling a potential six figure deal in front of me and made noises about doing a series with me. What teases they all are.

How happy I am to have my life back, quiet though it is. My immediate sphere of influence is currently devoid of managers, agents, and publicists, and I have to say that I like it very much.

Self-publishing is now more affordable, available, and practical than it has ever been. And when you have a 30 book series like I do that you're working on, and nobody else is willing to pony up any cash to help you birth your babies, you just gotta do it yourself.

Loyal readers, please be patient. My website should be up by the end of August or early September at the latest. Meanwhile, books and articles and lots of fun stuff are on their way. **Editor's Note: As of August 2004, my website has been up. http://www.lipstickmystic.com.

I've just had to do a lot of adapting as various other pathways to publication have dried up. Oh, I could have kept submitting my material through the nice agent I was working with at the end. Many smaller, quirky publishers would have probably loved my stuff. They would have paid me $2000-$10,000 and it would have taken two years before the book came out. I'd still be expected to do all of the marketing myself, and there would be no guarantee that my book would ever make it to bookstores, much less be sitting on the shelves for more than three months. (The average release doesn't stay in a store long. If the books aren't flying off the shelves into the hands of eager customers, they tend to get remaindered and shipped back to the warehouse.)

I've realized that my level of commitment about getting these works into print is very high. I'm not willing to barter with my soul or my creative energy, allowing others to control the sales, marketing, and distribution process. (Especially when there's zero money in it if I do it their way, anyway.)

Sigh.

So I didn't really know what to tell Rudy when he asked "Are you successful yet?" meaning "Have others trumpeted your talents and desireability to the world?" I think success has a different definition.

Success is being a sovereign being whom nobody else owns, controls, harms, or limits. Success is taking your message to the people directly and letting them decide if they like it. I've made a lot of adjustments to my attitude over the past six months. I'm no longer waiting for Hollywood to call. Well, I shouldn't say that. I did just email my producer friend to see if she is still interested in pitching my material for the 2005 season. She has a new sitcom on the fall lineup for 2004, which is great, but I don't know if that means there's no room to do my project or if it just means she'd like to pitch it as a season replacement or alternative project. Or maybe my Hollywood karma is all dried up. That's okay, too. I was never too certain of it, anyway.

There are many ways to reach people. There are many ways to spread love, laughter, and ideas. I'll get there, one way or another. And, if my soul remains intact, I'll consider myself a success. That's what it's all about - honoring your spirit's yearnings and the inspiration of the heart, and not letting anybody steal them away from you.

editor@lipstickmystic.com

Pale Male, the New York City Hawk, and Hawk Talk

Pale Male, part of a pair of hawks who live on a rooftop in New York City, has had his nest restored. Apparently, the board members who run the building had decided to remove the nest, but bird supports like Mary Tyler Moore and Paula Zahn protested. Now Pale Male and his lady bird can remain in their home.

I remember a few years ago when my honey and I were staying at the Ritz-Carlton in New York, in a room facing Central Park South. We were doing some shamanic work on the park, closing up negative vortices and so forth. It was a cold but beautiful New Year's Day, and it was snowing outside. The city was quiet for the holiday, and a lovely stillness permeated the air.

When you stay at the Ritz-Carlton and face Central Park, the hotel provides a telescope so you can watch birds coming and going in the Park. We didn't realize it, but there's quite a population of wild birds there.

The neat thing we discovered was that a red-tailed hawk was sitting on a branch directly opposite our room in a tall tree, the snowflakes falling gently on him, and he seemed to know exactly what we were up to. Hawks are very attuned to spiritual energy, and this one seemed like an experienced city hawk. He was gorgeous. I "heard" him voicing his approval of the healing work we were doing that day, which was great. He sat directly opposite our room for the entire four hour healing session. After we were done, he seemed to say, "Good work," and then he flew away.

I don't know if it was Pale Male that was watching us that day, but I have great admiration for these amazing birds and their incredible energy. I'm so glad that Pale Male's home was restored to him.

You can read about his adventures here, plus see a lovely photograph of him.


http://www.rumormillnews.com/cgi-bin/members/forum.cgi?read=62079

The Differences Between Refined Salt, Sea Salt, and Celtic Sea Salt

This is an article by Stephanie Relfe about how our bodies need salt - the RIGHT kind of salt. Most of the salt we use is overly refined and doesn't have the accompanying minerals that our bodies need to stay healthy. She doesn't recommend using regular sea salt - which is available in stores but can ALSO be overly refined, with all the minerals stripped out. She talks about the merits of Celtic sea salt, which is a different type of sea salt that still contains the vital nutrients our bodies need to stay healthy.

She also quotes some intriguing data from researchers about how a low-salt diet can actually be harmful for you - and how it doesn't always relieve high blood pressure.

It would appear that it's all about the type of salt we are using. Again, just as with flour, water, and many other things that we take in as food or drink, much of what Western culture is eating or drinking has been stripped of fiber, minerals, and other important ingredients which our bodies need to fully absorb the GOOD things from our foods and beverages.

Have a look.

http://www.relfe.com/low_salt_diet_dangers.html

The Kabbalah and Cults

This is a wonderful article in The Guardian which talks about both sides of the "cult" issue. You'll read about some of the experiences that people have had when they got involved with the new Kabbalah movement (which is actually a reinterpretation of the ancient wisdom of Qabbala, which isn't really Jewish - it comes out of the ancient Eastern mystery traditions....anyway. I could go on and on!) And this article also describes the work of Rick Ross, a New Jersey-based cult deprogrammer whose work with cult members has been ground-breaking.

Many things are cults - including all bureaucracies, all religions, the military, etc. Any social structure which requires you to pledge blind obedience to a higher authority is a cult. Period.

The "how to" of learning how to maintain spiritual sovereignty is one which is rarely explored in our culture. If we were all fully "deprogrammed," society as we know it wouldn't exist. We would be basing the way we live on principles of mutual respect and a much stronger, humane, attitude about the sanctity of all living things.

Needless to say - we're not there yet. So for now, we allow cults to proliferate and encourage our children to join them (often in the interests of being a "good citizen" or a "patriot.")

When you pledge allegiance to a cult, you are aligning your soul's energy with the negative entities who are the TRUE heads of all "cults." And that's a big problem. Those vows, contracts, and agreements carry on through future lifetimes and can be very tricky to get rid of (especially since many people haven't yet realized the truth about past lives.)

Jesus, for instance, did not intend to form a cult when he taught people how to practice miracles, engage in active faith, and to love one another.

The structure that was formed AROUND Jesus is the cult. Most of Jesus' real teachings have been passed through the gnostic sects only, which pass on their wisdom through oral tradition. The gnostic traditions have always encouraged the individual's ability to attain direct spiritual communication with God/Goddess/the Holy Spirit and the saints and masters. Learning to get spiritually "online" in this way is the best protection against losing your sovereignty or giving away your energy to cults.

But THAT one isn't taught in school.

When you place your faith, your spiritual sovereignty, in a "proxy" such as your President, your Pope, your General, that's when you get into trouble. Your soul is no longer your own because you have abdicated responsibility for its evolution. Plus, you've hooked into questionable energies, influences, and entities who do NOT wish you to reclaim your spiritual sovereignty - and who, instead, want to see you plunged further into chaotic energies, which serve as their food.

http://observer.guardian.co.uk/magazine/story/0,11913,1371787,00.html

Study Finds Acupuncture Relieves Arthritis Pain

Acupuncture is based on the principle that energy flows through the body via certain lines or "meridians," and that blockages in these meridians create illness and discomfort. By placing needles carefully on different pressure points, the energy flow is restored to the body.

I've never had acupuncture myself but know many people who have had great benefit from it. (I'm still working on getting over my own needle issues!)

What's great is that, even though arthritis sufferers have had a lot of bad news lately with the announcements that many arthritis drugs increase the risks of heart attacks and strokes, this encouraging information about acupuncture was just released through the mainstream media. Studies have been done that prove that arthritis discomfort, particularly osteoarthritis of the knee, is significantly reduced through acupuncture.

Those of us who have been in the holistic health field are like "Well, duh! What did you think --people were just making this whole thing up?"

It's amazing how little credit is given to alternative medicine, even though it is often a lot safer than many allopathic (traditional) medical treatments. It's especially useful for chronic conditions like joint pain, depression, inflammation, back pain, and other things that mainstream medicine can't usually fix. All of those problems are about energy blockages in the body. If you want to just dull the pain, take commerical pain relievers. If you want to end the pain AND resolve the energy blockage which created the pain in the first place, then treatments like acupuncture are the way to go. Acupuncture is a marvelous, real, remedy.

Read about the arthritis study here:

http://www.cnn.com/2004/HEALTH/conditions/12/21/arthritis.acupuncture.ap/index.html

Editor's Note: This blog will be on a brief vacation until Monday the 27th. Look for more goodies to be posted then. Happy holidays!

Lipstick Mystic Appears in Alijandra's New Newsletter

Healer and author Alijandra publishes a bimonthly ezine, and she kindly gave me the opportunity to write something in her latest issue. I wrote a short piece about the energies of this recent Mercury retrograde period that we've just been through, the winter solstice (which happened yesterday, Tuesday, the 21st, although the energies are still with us for the next few days,) and some thoughts on experiencing harmony during the holiday season.

Please note that I made an error in the article - for some reason I wrote down the solstice day as the 22nd, not the 21st! But it was the 21st. Oops!

You can subscribe to Alijandra's free newsletter at her website, which is:

http://www.colorhealing.com

Or you can just look at this month's issue directly by clicking on this link:

http://www.colorhealing.com/Dec04Jan05newsletter.htm

Enjoy!

Happy Yule and Mercury Goes Direct

Happy winter solstice, everyone. Today is a sacred and powerful day, so do take some time to meditate, connect with inner calm, and just generally welcome in some strong spiritual energies. It's a great day for prayer, for visualization, and for working on setting intentions about what you want to magnetize into your life for the next three months (that time frame between now and the spring equinox in mid-March.)

Also, Mercury is out of retrograde, which will make all of our thinking processes run more smoothly. If you've had "foggy head" for a few weeks, you can thank Mercury for gumming up the works! But now tasks like writing, public speaking, and chatting on the phone will flow a lot easier. This is good for us writer types like me! (I've definitely had foggy head this month.)

We have our Christmas celebrations a bit backwards here in the Western world. The sacred battery power of Spirit is more accessible today, the day of the winter solstice (also called Yule.) Today should be our holiday (or "holy day," which is where the word originates.) Instead, we celebrate Christmas on the 25th. The REAL energy of Spirit is opening up today, at a time when most of us are too preoccupied with baking cookies, making travel plans, or wrapping packages. (Or in my case, absorbing celebrity gossip to create my latest weekly newspaper column. I swear, if I have to read one more article about that empty-headed Jessica Simpson, I may LOSE my cookies.)

Don't get so lost in the rush this week that you forget to access the wonderful energy of this time. This energy will remain active throughout the week, but it's strongest today. Any activities like prayer, meditation, shamanic journeying, and healing work will all be lovely to do today, as will any artistic endeavors.

You can also read my article (if you haven't seen it yet) about Yule and this time of year:

http://www.lipstickmystic.com/astro/astro122004.html

Have a great day!

Are You a "First Wave" Indigo?

I found this short piece about "first wave Indigos" at a website. I'm quoting the excerpt verbatim here with the attribution at the bottom. Take a peek at the list and see if you or somebody you know might be a "first wave Indigo."

>>>>There is a lot of talk in regard to Indigo Children and Crystal Children in this day and age. Rightfully so, but there is a generation of adults who have been raising these children.
The Indigo Adults. "THE LOST GENERATION"

>>>>It seems as if there has been a whole generation that has been running around lost. So I hope this is a good read. These are some of the qualities and challenges that First Wave Indigos experience. Most Indigos can relate to at least 90% of this list.

- Were born en masse between 1969 and 1987 (I would go back to as early as the 1940's)

- Highly intelligent.

- Are literally "wired differently" than other people.

- Many have strong or unusual Psychic and Telekinetic abilities.

- Have extraordinary levels of compassion.

- Can relate well to children and or the elderly.

- Many times get along better with animals and nature than people.

- Have a bond/connection to the trees, and nature in general.

- Creative, inventive, and very intuitive.

- Involve themselves in human/animal rights efforts

- Have an innate sense of "oneness" and connectedness to all of creation. Get confused and disturbed when others don't share their reality of "at-one-ment."

- High capacity for love, and therefore others may feel uncomfortable by their intensity.

- Very sensitive, sometimes "Hyper Sensitive" and may not be able to distinguish between the emotional fields of those around them and their own personal emotions.

- May go through periods of apathy and cynicism as coping mechanisms.

- Intense longing for "their own kind"….Soul Mates…but don't know where to look.

- Because of being misunderstood and then betrayed, may develop strong trust issues, and therefore keep many of their thoughts, feelings and opinions to themselves.

- About 30% have difficulties expressing themselves, especially in writing.

- Very disciplined when properly motivated.

- Get bored and or frustrated in school.

- Male Indigos (and many Females) for the most part don't "do authority" very well because most of the time they are smarter than those in authority.

- Have a strong sense of truth, ethics, justice and freedom. (That is why "authority figures" many times irritate and frustrate them).

- Many are labeled "Dyslexic" and find themselves in "Special Classes" at school that usually never work for them.

- Indigos have a strong desire to know "why" …and if they don't see "the point" in something, (or if is it isn't explained properly), will feel it is simply not worth their time/ energy and will either react with resistance or just simply "blow off" the people/things that seem not worth their time and energy.

- Innately have their own ways of calculation and many have been accused of cheating in school because they do the answers in their head and cannot show their work.

- Indigos have an evolved awareness of how things work, therefore, many of the rigid rules and methods of learning Math, English, and Physics (NOT metaphysics or quantum physics) make no sense to them.

- All First wave Indigos have what might be termed as "A Gift of Healing" ....whether it is making people feel better with their humor and wit, hands on healing, animal and plant healing, healing with music and tone, or healing with new "unproven" methods.. …some of which are natural and need no external training for.

- Many Indigos have "Telepathic Healing" abilities and long distances make no difference to the efficiency of their work.

- Because of their expanded perception, unusual creativity, wanting to try new things, and running way ahead of what is being taught in class, many were diagnosed as having Attention Deficit Disorder, and put on Ritalin as children.

- Most Indigo's (especially males) have a high innate aptitude for computers/electronics and or auto mechanics. It is common for them to "Just Know" how to operate and trouble shoot with very little help from a book or an instructor.

- First Wave Indigo's are extremely creative, and express this innate skill in many (and often times OUTRAGEOUS forms.) These skills manifest in: Drawing, Painting, Sculpting, Decorating, Photography, Writing (in sometimes very extreme and unique ways), Making Blueprints and Prototypes, Composing and Playing Music….(even if they have never had lessons), inventing games, and creating new & more efficient ways of doing things.

- Very few Indigos are interested in aggressive sports such as Football and Hockey. They would rather spend their physical exercise time and energy in personal achievement and outdoor sports such as track & field, skateboarding, mountain climbing, cycling, kayaking, etc. They are also attracted to discipline and self-defense sports such as Fencing and Martial Arts.

- Because of their feeling so foreign to this planet, a very high percentage of Indigos have been put on "Antidepressants" to make them appear "Normal" and fit in our society….this is just a temporary fix though, and only adds to their challenges.

- Feel like they could be one of the characters on the 1980's television series "The Misfits of Science" or one of the young people in Xavier's school for the gifted in the recent movies from the comic books "The X-Men."

- Many Indigos are drawn to Theatrics, Drama, and Stand-up Comedy. In these venues they can "pretend to be someone else" when actually they are using this as an outlet to vent and express their own views and pent up emotions. It is also a place for "misfits" to find a place of refuge and "fit in".

- Because of their feeling so "alien" here, many go through periods of severe grief, loneliness, and displacement…..and may turn to drugs, alcohol, or attempt suicide for a way out.

- One trademark that a high % of First Wave Indigos have, is living through extreme hardships as children, teenagers, and young adults. Many were born into family situations that were physically, emotionally, spiritually and psychically abusive. These Indigos had to figure out how to balance and keep their inherent integrity levels, while being subjected to painful and life shattering experiences. A large % were inplanted in such horrendous situations as: organized crime, physical abuse, sexual abuse, and even ritual/cult abuse & mind control.

- It is also common for First Wave Indigos to have some kind of Alien encounters.

>>>>credit:http://starseedgatherings.tripod.com/

Editor's note: I seem to fit about 80% of these qualities, so perhaps I'm not so much a first wave indigo as an indigo with polka dots or stripes of a different color.

Lots of Goodies to Hear and Read at The Ethos Channel

The Ethos Channel is a neat place. You can either read or choose to listen to various figures in the self-help/personal power movement communicate about everything from manifesting to healing to the art of surrender. Dr. Wayne Dyer, one of my personal favorites, has an eight part lecture that is very good there. And there are many other wonderful teachers there speaking and writing on all manner of neat things.

If you need a lift, I'd head there immediately.

http://www.ethoschannel.com/personalgrowth/

Ask Pearlie, the Psychic Kitty, A Question

This is one of those silly time spoilers - as if you've got time right now, with all your holiday shopping and what-not-----still, if you have a burning question and want to ask Pearlie the Psychic Kitty for her advice, check it out!

http://demented-pixie.com/pearlie_the_psychic_kitty/home.html

Are Pets Psychic or Just Extra-Sensitive?

I've mentioned Rupert Sheldrake's work before, but just as a reminder, he's the researcher who has done a huge amount of work researching the psychic nature of animals. Here is a neat little piece at about.com which gives a summary of some of his work and talks more about the psychic instincts of animals:

http://paranormal.about.com/library/weekly/aa012201a.htm

In my life, I've found that most of the cats I've had have had very strong psychic ability. If I mentally send them clear images, emotions, and information, they always "get" what I tell them. This is pretty amazing. Since poor Teddy had his partial tail amputation the other day, I've been doing a lot of healing work on him and also working very carefully to explain to him what happened. I've found that if you explain to animals stuff like, "I have to take to you for a short visit to the vet today for a checkup to make sure you're not sick, but I promise to bring you right home in an hour" that they GET it. It helps them to settle down and not complain so much when you have to stuff them in the cat carrier, disrupt their day, and drag them off to the doctor.

After Teddy's operation, I gradually explained what had happened to him. When I told him these words telepathically, "You had to have part of your tail removed, Teddy," he started and reacted just like a person would react. Five seconds before he had been gently purring and cuddling on top of me. You see, he's been wearing this big collar thing around his neck to prevent him from really looking at his hindquarters so that he won't lick or dig back there until his wound has time to heal. So I realized I needed to clearly state what had happened so he'd fully understand. Well, he got it, all right! The poor guy immediately understood. He appeared a bit gloomy after that, but I focused on giving him lots of encouragement and nurturing energy, and he soon perked up again.

Animals are such amazing companions, they will follow you through fire. As long as you can maintain the bond of trust, communication, and love, even when something bad happens, a pet and his owner can make it through just fine.

Six Media Conglomerates Control Everything You Read, Listen To, and Watch

You know how the conspiracy theorists are always going on and on about how the media is heavily controlled by dark "Illuminati" players and how the power structures of the world are centered in the hands of very few people?

It's kind of scary to note that six media conglomerates really do control the flow of the media throughout the world. I found this to be true in book publishing, where the big guys gradually bought out all the little guys. So now, for instance, you might buy a book published by Hyperion Books, but they're no longer an independent company. They are owned by the same people who own ABC and Disney, among other companies.

It would be awfully easy to control the flow of what gets published, produced, and broadcast if you were one of the six owners of these conglomerates.

Here's a breakdown of the six media companies. Have a look. Makes you wonder.

http://www.unsale.com.tw/star/gazers/masters.htm

Stuart Wilde's Article on Softness

I absolutely love this new post by Stuart Wilde at his website, http://www.stuartwilde.com. He talks about an attitude or posture that is very liberating to adopt in these chaotic times.

We live in a push/pull society where it seems that all of our institutions encourage us to manipulate, to force, and to cajole. But real freedom and true mental health lie in what Wilde calls "softness," a humble, loving, and self-effacing attitude in which you simplify the way you go about things and drop all semblance of self-importance or of being "better" than others.

I've been finding myself moving more and more into that energy over the last few years, much to my joy. That's pretty good coming from a former theater actress and performer who was hard-wired to always be a showman, a showoff, and an egotist!

Maybe that's why theater hasn't held any interest for me for about ten years now. I no longer have a big enough ego to think that my views are more important than anybody else's, or my looks are prettier than anybody else's, or that my "talent" mustn't be denied, yada yada yada. Those are all dances of ego.

(Of course, I still love my theater friends and appreciate the beauty of what they do. I just no longer, myself, seem to have the internal programming or compulsion to be a part of that very challenging yet rewarding world.)

The biggest public "ego display" I indulge in these days is my sassy syndicated astrology column, Lipstick Mystic Stars. I've been doing that for several years now, and it's fun to have a gig writing something that pokes fun at celebrities and pop culture. It's much like the ten minute joke set that Jay Leno might do on his nightly talk show.....the ironic take on "the news in brief."

But my heart is much more into the website, the articles I write, and my forthcoming books. (Look for them to start popping up at my site in the new year!) I love communicating about the glorious things that are showing up in my life every day, the miracles, the perceptions, the connections with the world of the Infinite. That's the good stuff.

This sharing, this network, this holographic field of loving energy...that's the dawning of the new world. We create it through the vibration that we set up with other people. The more that that vibration is coming from a place of transparency, openness, honesty, and sincere love, the more I feel we come a little closer to what God must be like.

And it feels so good, to open your heart in this way and to have it warmed by your like-minded spiritual companions. We truly are opening up the doorways to a paradise on Earth, and this needn't come through war, force, or bludgeoning perceived "enemies" over the head.

It's about love. That's all there is. In the beginning, the middle, and the end, that's all there is. All that remains. The only thing that matters.

Have a peek at Wilde's article at the link below. If you like his writing, he's written many fine books. You can order his books through a company called White Dove International (see the banner link at my home page and in my Hot Links section.)

http://www.stuartwilde.com/Articles/SW_articles_softness_beauty.htm

P.S. Thanks for all the kind wishes for my injured pusscat, Teddy. He's coming along nicely. He's so happy to be home that he doesn't mind the strange collar he has to wear (to limit his movement) or the icky-tasting medicine we have to give him. He's such a treasure, and we're very blessed that he's pulling through.

Prayer Request for Teddy the Cat

Poor Teddy the cat was terribly bitten in the tail yesterday afternoon by a neighboring farm dog. The extent of his injuries was pretty bad, but fortunately, it looks like he'll survive.

This lovely, cuddly, affectionate tabby, the newest addition to our feline family, had to undergo a difficult operation to salvage what was left of his tail.

He's home now, safe and secluded in his own room, wondering what the heck happened to him over the past 24 hours.

After two trips to the emergency animal clinic, we're wondering what the heck happened, too. Tom and I are still feeling pretty raw about it all.

The staff at the clinic are very nice....C.A.R.E.S. is the name of the facility. They're located in Langhorne, Pennsylvania. They've helped out some of our other cats in the past.

Any prayers you could aim Teddy's way for a safe, speedy, and complication-free recovery would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

editor@lipstickmystic.com

Guest Interview with Healer and Author Alijandra on Healing with the Rainbow Rays

I'm very excited about a recent interview I did with Alijandra, a California-based healer and author who is a pioneer in the area of healing through color. Her book, Healing with the Rainbow Rays, is a wonderful "How-To" to help readers learn to access the transformational power of color. And she is also busy working on a follow up book which she hopes to publish next year.

Read about Alijandra's work, the Rainbow Warriors, the misunderstood "black" color, psychic hooks, the healing of the shadow, and more:

http://www.lipstickmystic.com/interviews/interview121504.html

And do check out her website, where you can sign up for Alijandra's free newsletter and also read many wonderful articles online:

http://www.colorhealing.com

New Moon in Sagittarius Tomorrow, Saturday, December 11th

It's that time again - the new moon happens Saturday, December 11th at 8:29 pm EST here in the U.S. The power of this time is with us now, and it will hover around well into Monday.

This is a super time for focusing your intentions on stuff you wish to create in your life.......situations, relationships, or actual things you want to magnetize. It's power prayer time.

December has a lot of lively Sagittarian energy going on, with the new moon joining the sun and Mercury in Sagittarius, and Venus coming along for the ride later in the month.

This is nice, because all of that spunky Fire energy will help to offset the sluggishness that would normally accompany a Mercury retrograde time.

Read all about the energy of this new moon and December's Sagittarian Fire at my site:

http://www.lipstickmystic.com/astro/astro121004.html

Subtle Energy Research and Mind/Body Connection

Here's a brief article which describes some of the amazing studies that have been done exploring the mind/body connection. You'll read about Cleve Backster's famous studies with plants and other organisms. If his name seems familiar, you may have seen my article about him and his mind-boggling research exploring a sense that he calls "Primary Perception."In case you missed it, you can check it out at the second link below.

http://www.lightworks.com/MonthlyAspectarian/1998/May/0598-05.htm

http://www.lipstickmystic.com/articles/articles092304.html

Dragons Are Far From Extinct

I'm been reading some interesting first-hand accounts about people seeing real, live, physical dragons in the wild....most notably one woman who saw a lovely green wood dragon in Banff, Canada...plus some other fascinating stories.

This is another story about dragons. Check it out!


http://www.anzwers.org/free/livedragons/evolutio.htm

Emotions and Their Effects on DNA

David Hamilton is a researcher who has a book coming out next year. In it, he quotes some of the 500 or so studies which have already been done proving that a very real mind/body connection exists. Read this interview with him where he talks more about the emotions and their effects on human DNA.

http://news.scotsman.com/scitech.cfm?id=1386262004

Does Teleportation Use a Special 4th Dimension?

There have been many successful teleportation experiments, some of them performed just over the past 12 months. This short piece talks about some of the Chinese research into teleportation and poses the question of whether or not particles "slip" between dimensions using a fourth dimension. From their studies, it would seem like that's certainly possibile.


http://theuniversalseduction.com/articles.php?subaction=showfull&id=1101005485&archive=&start_from=&ucat=1&

Woman Auctions Off Dad's Ghost on eBay

A woman is auctioning off her dad's ghost on eBay....if you read the story behind the story, she's doing it to comfort her son, who is afraid of his grandpa's ghost. His grandpa apparently died in their house. Obviously, the son is picking up on Grandpa's energy hovering around the house, and it's making him uncomfortable. Auctioning off a ghost doesn't make much sense, however. Invoking and making a clear connection with Grandpa to see if he has any last messages to deliver....and then sending him lovingly off to the Light...is a far more useful proposition.


http://www.rense.com/general60/dads.htm

Olivier Manitara and the Power of Thank You

Olivier Manitara is a French spiritual teacher who has been working on bringing to light the ancient wisdom of the Essenes. This is an excellent piece he's written about the power of “Thank you,” which is not some abstract concept, but is very real indeed.

http://www.essenespirit.com/gratitude.html

In fact, the best way to test this out for yourself is to switch over from using “Amen” at the end of your prayers and start saying, “Thank you, thank you, thank you.” I made that switch years ago after my spiritual guides and angels inspired me to start delving into the meaning of the word Amen or Amon.

Did you know that, among other things, Amon was the name of an Egyptian god? So just who are you praying to, anyway? Who are you conjuring up in your most personal moments of spiritual intimacy?

Read about Amon here: (His name means “What is hidden and can not be seen”)
http://ablemedia.com/ctcweb/consortium/ancientegyptiangodsamon.html

Thank you opens up the pathways of the crown and heart chakras in a truly beautiful way, and the words instantly put you in a humble, clear state.

Read the articles and consider making a switch! I know you’ll notice a real difference in how energy flows for you in prayer.

editor@lipstickmystic.com

Robert Wilkinson's Astrology Blog

Robert Wilkinson is a gifted astrologer who has a lot of great information posted at his blog on Salon. You can read his forecasts for the year, his analysis of this month's trends, and read his writings about this current Mercury retrograde period.

He's one of those astrologers who goes into every little fine point of stellar analysis, which is a different style from mine, but I appreciate his in depth approach.

My style is more of the "lay of the land" look into the general energies of the planets. His more of a point by point analysis of each stellar movement. I think both styles are legitimate and useful, and it's always good to read material from each style of astrologer.

Here is his blog address - you may wish to bookmark it:

http://blogs.salon.com/0003573/

Mercury Retrograde Blog Entry

This is my Mercury retrograde blog entry.

There's not much to it, because of Mercury retrograde.

You see, Mercury retrograde tends to wreak havoc with communications, and computer and server glitches inevitably happen.

So, Blogger.com was inaccessible for me most of the day.

Then, when it was accessible for a bit, I made an entry, went to post it, and it disappeared to Outer Mongolia.

And, of course, there was the stupidity factor. Mercury retrograde always heightens that, too. So, after I made this brilliant blog entry, of course I forgot to save it. So when it disappeared to Outer Mongolia, I couldn't just repaste it.

After that, I decided to give up on making a blog entry for the day. Instead, I wrote an article about Mercury retrograde, now posted at my website.

Read it here:

http://www.lipstickmystic.com/astro/astro120104.html

Or, if Mercury retrograde hits you with its communications snafu vibes, you can always access it on the main page of my website,

http://www.lipstickmystic.com