9 Days to achieve your spiritual goals

On October 7th we begin the Hindu Holiday of Navratri (or nine nights of the goddess) that honors Shakti or the Divine Feminine/Mother and looks to her for spiritual cleansing, guidance, and enlightenment. It lasts for nine nights and ten days.

The nine nights are broken up into sets of three, and during each set a particular aspect of the Divine Mother is meditated upon. Each set of nights also corresponds with a particular spiritual goal and task.

Whether you practice this traditional holiday or just want to focus on bringing in more awareness to the Divine Feminine within you (regardless of your gender) here are some guidelines.

Days 1 - 3: Focus on your inner power and strength. Traditionally one meditates upon the Divine Feminine in her powerful and destructive aspect known as Durga or Kali.
Write down the qualities or habits that you have that are not helpful or productive. Those that you are ready to let go of at this time. Pick one of these and begin taking small steps towards letting go of it.

Days 4 - 6: Focus on your inner life-giving force and nurturer. Write down the qualities or habits you wish to cultivate. Pick one of these and practice incorporating it. Lakshmi is the goddess that is the focus for these three days. This is a good time to develop patience, forgiveness, compassion and to be open to abundance.

Days 7 - 9: Focus on your inner wisdom and guidance. The third 3 nights are spent meditating upon the Divine Feminine in her spiritual wisdom-bestowing aspect known as Sarasvati.

Write down the spiritual teachings you wish to learn or better understand. Take at least one action step a day towards realizing your goals.

The tenth day is spent offering gratitude to the Divine Mother.

Invoking three powerful Goddess seed sounds for beauty, wealth and fulfillment of all desires. If you choose to do this mantra, repeat 108 times. You can do it 27 times 4 times a day, 54 twice a day or 108 once a day. Feel free to repeat as many times as you want to.

OM KLEEM SHREEM HREEM SWAHA

Until next time,
Barbara

Are you a carrot, an egg, or a coffee bean?

Since we are all dealing with chaos and adversity, I thought I would share this story with you today.

CARROT, EGG, OR COFFEE BEAN
(you will never look at a cup of coffee the same way again)

A young woman went to her mother and told her about her life and how things were so hard for her. She did not know how she was going to make it and wanted to give up. She was tired of fighting and struggling. It seemed as one problem was solved then a new one arose.

Her mother took her to the kitchen. She filled three pots with water. In the first, she placed carrots, in the second she placed eggs and the last she placed ground coffee beans. She let them sit and boil without saying a word.

In about twenty minutes she turned off the burners. She fished the carrots out and placed them in a bowl. She pulled the eggs out and placed them in a bowl. Then she ladled the coffee out and placed it in a bowl. Turning to her daughter, she asked, "Tell me what do you see?"

"Carrots, eggs, and coffee," she replied. She brought her closer and asked her to feel the carrots. She did and noted that they had gotten soft. She then asked her to take an egg and break it. After pulling off the shell, she observed the hard-boiled egg. Finally, she asked her to sip the coffee.

The daughter smiled, as she tasted its rich aroma. The daughter then asked, "What's the point, mother?" Her mother explained that each of these objects had faced the same adversity--boiling water--but each reacted differently. The carrot gone in strong, hard and unrelenting. However, after being subjected to the boiling water, it softened and became weak. The egg had been fragile. Its thin outer shell had protected its liquid interior. But after sitting through the boiling water, its inside became hardened. The ground coffee beans were unique, however, after they were in the boiling water, they had changed the water.

"Which are you?" she asked her daughter. "When adversity knocks on your door, how do you respond? Are you a carrot, an egg, or a coffee bean?" Think of this: Which am I? Am I the carrot that seems strong, but with pain and adversity, do I wilt and become soft and lose my strength?

Until next time,

Barbara

Affirmations to help you write the last quarter of 2021

As many of you know, I love ancient Egypt and the mythology of that culture. As we move into the Fall Equinox let us take a page from her book: to bring in balance and harmony, you need a heart that is light as a feather.

Goddess Maat blesses us with forgiveness and teaches us to have compassion for ourselves and others. The past is over and right now we have the choice to move forward and make choices that support us in taking our rightful place in the world.

What story do you want to write in this last quarter of 2021? Invite the Universe to deliver whatever gifts are for your greatest good this season.

Pick one to 5 of these and write them every day and say them out loud:

• My life is balanced inside and out

• My life is filled with joy and love

• I am free to say NO and prioritize my time and energy

• I am open to manifesting and receiving an abundance of blessings.

To develop and unleash your creativity and intuitive gifts, join me on September 27th, 2021, for a fun and engaging “Playshop” on Zoom. Life is waiting for you to show up!

Work with Barbara:

We are coming to the last quarter of 2021 and now is the time to get clear on how you want to use this important time. Gain clarity, release stuck limiting energy patterns, learn tools to focus and create goals that resonate with who you choose to embody. Powerful Tarot Readings, individual and group Rituals for all of life’s transitions (space clearing, weddings, fertility rituals, baby blessings, new business rituals, love, prosperity and more.)

“I refer to Barbara Biziou as “the Queen of Rituals.” Her wealth of knowledge and spiritual insights run deep. She is gifted, authentic, and inspiring beyond measure. I love having her at Unity of New York to share her wisdom. Barbara has the ability to empower you and to transform your life. Let her!”

- Reverend Britt Hall, spiritual director, Unity of New York

Until next time,
Barbara

How to go from upset to thriving

New York has been feeling open, vibrant, and creative. We have fashion week, amazing art shows, Broadway has opened, and kids are back in school.

Yet, at the same time I am noticing a lot of people acting out with a lack of respect and anger. At times I am clear and centered, and at other times I can feel the matching vibration pounding in my body and energy field. My priestess/clergy personality wants to open their hearts and transform the negativity and I personally want to feel better.

As I meditated on this dynamic, I realized that I needed to first feel the feelings, then decide how to use them in a structured way to create something positive. As Abraham would say, “it is in the contrast that clarity can come in to show you what it is that you do want." If we just believe that things must be a certain way before we can be happy, then we tend to resign ourselves to living a powerless life.

There is a saying “the person who angers you controls you”, so our challenge is to learn to be proactive not reactive no matter what is going on. Then we are in the vibrational match to achieve what we desire.

Easier said than done, so here are some things that I find work for me when I am confronted with things that annoy or upset me:

1. Notice what I am feeling;
2. Take a deep breath (or many);
3. If something is really upsetting me, I need to do something physically:

• Scream KRING…watch my video here

• Take a walk/run/swim

• Work out/dance/ do tai chi

4. Shift to what makes me feel happy and in a state of gratitude. I visualize myself at the ocean, bless my family and friends, listen to “happy” music, spray my favorite scents around me (Happiness and Love are two of my favorites) or sometimes I just watch a comedy that makes me laugh;
5. Focus on what I really desire;
6. Take at least one action step towards this goal.

Work with Barbara:

We are coming to the last quarter of 2021 and now is the time to get clear on how you want to use this important time. Gain clarity, release stuck limiting energy patterns, learn tools to focus and create goals that resonate with who you choose to embody. Powerful Tarot Readings, individual and group Rituals for all of life’s transitions (space clearing, weddings, fertility rituals, baby blessings, new business rituals, love, prosperity and more.)

** Barbara will be in LA October 5-7 and October 11, 2021 and has a few sessions available - in person for fully vaccinated people, or via Zoom.

Until next time,
Barbara

My spiritual lessons during 9/11

As we approach the 20th anniversary of 9/11, I found this article that I wrote in 2012 and feel it is just as true today as it was then.

In this time of existential uncertainty, it's often difficult to trust that the Divine has placed us exactly where we are meant to be. On September 10, 2001, I arrived in Paris for a holiday with one of my dearest friends. I awoke on 9/11 with a sense of foreboding and anxiety, which was unusual in one of my most favorite cities in the world. Sharing this with my friend who felt a similar sense of uneasiness, we decided to distract ourselves with window-shopping. But after twenty minutes of aimless gazing, we realized we needed to ground our energy. What called us was the chapel Notre-Dame de la Medaille dedicated to the Blessed Virgin. As we sat and prayed and meditated the first plane hit the WTC.

On the way home, I stopped at an Internet café and in reading my e-mail I discovered what had happened in New York. As we ran back to Eleanor’s apartment in a panic, we learned that all borders to The United States had been closed. I was trapped in foreign country, unable to reach friends and family. We spent hours listening to BBC broadcasts, talking on the phone, and reading e-mails. Any American whom we saw instantly became a new friend. Parisians who heard our foreign accents expressed their heartfelt grief for our loss and shared endless cups of café and glasses of wine telling us of their experiences in our homeland.

I desperately wanted to go home, but it was impossible. As the Jewish New Year approached, I searched for a temple. I longed to connect with anything familiar. But the American embassy advised all U.S. citizens to stay away from all public gatherings.

At one point, around a few days after the attack, I was invited to attend a Tibetan Buddhist empowerment ceremony. It was taught by a famous Rinpoche in English to a French audience in the Arab quarter of Paris. It was there that I recognized the universality of Spirit and the splendid gift of comforts large and small that I had received during my Paris sojourn.

From the student who mournfully hummed God Bless America with no lyrics to strangers who waived our flag in solidarity, to the flowers placed on our doorstep, I experienced the truth that God is a God of all Comforts and that as we connect with the essence of the Divine our troubled hearts can be filled with simple moments of joy.

A week later when I returned to New York, the fires of 9/11 were still smoldering. As a spiritual teacher in New York City, I found that everyone I came in contact with was struggling to make sense out of our new reality.

In the shadow of 9/11 the legendarily tough New Yorkers, always good in a crisis, now reached an even higher plateau, had softened into a palpable resolve to give aid and comfort to one another.

A life-long New Yorker myself, I immediately felt part of the greater whole. We vowed to be strong and fortify friends, neighbors and strangers against the unknown. No matter what our life station or ethnicity we were compelled to impart strength and hope to others and ourselves. We tried to relieve pain and suffering and encourage one another that we had what it takes to “stay the course.” This need to see and be seen, to acknowledge and be intimately connected in the face of our collective catastrophe was rooted in our primal human need for comfort.

We were in search of far more than a pat on the back; we longed for a transcendent source of consolation. And we found it by glimpsing the Divine in countless human forms. From office workers to rescue teams, estranged relatives to the familiar faces at our neighborhood stores, we joined together in countless unspoken comfort rituals. In those communications we exchanged the positive pleasure of being alive, reduced our pains, and rekindled our hopes and dreams.

9/11 - and, in fact, every crisis humankind faces - teaches us that comfort in the face of life’s challenges is not a luxury but a necessity. Comfort rituals are the universal lifelines that offer us deliverance from fears real and imagined; they resurrect us from the heart of despair and return us to wholeness.

Yet as time passed, I noticed that many people began to bury their vulnerabilities and their need to be comforted and feel connected. They unwittingly deluded themselves into believing that they could substitute "cold comforts” like drinking, smoking, and drugging (legal and illegal), overeating or workaholism for genuine comfort.

Cold comforts numb us to the sometimes overwhelming conditions that we cannot or chose not to face. For instance, I am reminded of a young student I saw in the park who struck an impressive yoga posture while smoking a cigarette, or the lawyer who wanted to meditate after three glasses of wine. Cold comforts devitalize us and ultimately drain us of our energy and resources.

How can we find positive sustainable comforts in our age of anxiety? A comfort that connects us to the Divine, regardless of our religion or spiritual tradition? In my work, ritual is the key that turns the lock and opens the mind and heart and shifts us from unconsciousness back into consciousness.

Through comfort rituals our blocked energy can be opened and our vitality restored. No matter what form our unique comfort prescription takes it is only when our energies are flowing that we are truly able to give and receive comfort.

They take us to a place where our inner resources can fuel our outer expression and they return us to our center, the surest place of comfort in our soul.

For all of you who celebrate Rosh Hashanah (The Jewish New Year) Shanah Tovah! May this be a year of healing, joy and possibilities for all.

Until next time,
Barbara

"UNTIL NOW" - Simple Technique To Rewire Your Brain

While being interviewed by David Letterman in 2018, Former President Barack Obama talked about how algorithms can play a potentially harmful part in driving the content we are served by social media and search engines. He shared this example.

“Somebody took a liberal, a conservative and a moderate and sent them on a Google search for Egypt. For the conservative, it came up “Muslim Brotherhood,” and for the liberal it came up “Tahrir Square” [the site of mass public protests in Cairo] and for the moderate it came up “Vacation Spots on the Nile.” ...whatever your biases were, that’s where you were being sent." — Barack Obama

The point is we all live in a bubble composed of our friends and colleagues who tend to share our views and reinforce our biases.

The same concept is true of our brains. We can spin the same old story thousands of times and see life through our own limited viewpoint. That is why it is so important to change our thinking so we can change our lives.

I love this technique that I heard the Rev Mary Beth Speer share at a Unity Service last week.

1. When you hear yourself saying an old limiting belief like “it is too hard”, “I don’t know how to move out of this situation”, “I’m not creative enough”, “I’m too old (too young)” just say :

UP UNTIL NOW it was too hard,
Up until now I didn’t know how to move forward
Up until now I wasn’t aware of how creative I can be
Up until now I let my age run my life

2. Then put in a new thought like:

“I have overcome challenges in the past and can do the same now.”
“I am getting more creative every day.”
“I am learning new skills to move forward.”
“I no longer allow my age to influence what I can or cannot do.”

Try this for at least 40 days and see what happens. Remember it takes at least 40-66 days to change a habitual thought and reprogram your brain. At times it can seem overwhelming, however the end results are worth the effort.

Be gentle with yourself as you move forward. As we enter this new season, set your intention to live an awakened life and open to spiritual solutions that you may not have thought of before.

Until next time,
Barbara

What to do when things don't go exactly as planned

“Focus on the important things and let the rest go,” is the advice that I give to all brides and grooms on their wedding day.

And this statement couldn’t have been more important to share on Saturday as I was officiating my first in person wedding of 2021 while hurricane Henri was moving towards New York.

As we were about to commence the wedding, many of the guests received alerts that their flights to return home the following day were cancelled due to the upcoming storm. Most of them took it in stride and were glad that they could be present for the wedding.

The ceremony was flowing smoothly until I asked the best man to give me the rings. He opened the ring box and stood with a baffled look on his face. This is where you hear the suspense music begin to play in the movies…

The box was empty. We were all stunned. Then the drama of the situation kicked in, the bride and groom began to laugh, and the tension was broken. The maid of honor even offered to give her rings to the couple to complete the ceremony.

We all took a deep breath and I reminded everyone that the most important part of this ceremony was the fact that two people were pledging to spend their lives together. They would face many challenges in their lives, and this was just a small glitch.

Of course, in the nick of time, the wedding planner ran down the aisle with the rings and saved the day!

Yes, we all want things to go exactly as we plan, but as the saying goes, "Man plans, and God laughs”. Learning to be flexible and adaptable to change is a key ingredient in living a happy and successful life.

So, this week when things do not go exactly as you plan, ask yourself, "Will this matter next month? Next year?" And if the answer is no, let it go.

Work with me:

Learn practical spiritual skills to stay calm and focused in the midst of any challenge.

Book a reading, ritual or coaching session now. Since it takes at least 4-6 days to change any habit, I recommend a coaching package to anchor in the new skills you will learn.

I am slowly resuming in person rituals in September for fully vaccinated people (in the NY State area). If you would like to host one for your friends/community, please contact info@barbarabiziou.com

Rituals include Weddings, Fertility Rituals, Baby Blessings, Birthdays, Anniversaries and other special occasions. All rituals can be done online via Zoom including Fertility Rituals.

“Barbara’s rituals are a roadmap for celebrating life. They will be a great companion on your journey to attaining clarity, balance and calmness, amid the chaos of life.”

- Donna Karan, Fashion Designer

Until next time,
Barbara

Moon Bath Ritual for Sunday's Blue Moon 🌕

Sunday is a Full Moon/Sturgeon Moon/ Blue Moon. So, what does this mean for you and me?

Blue Moon: when there is second full moon in a month.

Spiritual meaning: Time to soften the old ideas and belief systems that have hardened our heart and blocked our minds. A shedding of the old is called for so that the inspiration and future-thinking energy of Aquarius can shine.

Sturgeon Full Moon: This full moon is named after the abundance of sturgeon in the Great Lakes and Lake Champlain.

Spiritual Meaning: Adaptation and resilience. Don’t give it. Create and adjust and create again.

Take a Moon Bath:

Set your intention to gently and immediately release anything that is keeping you from believing in yourself and keeping you from sharing your unique gifts and talents.

Fill a bowl with spring water, white rose petals and some sea salt. You can also add an amethyst crystal or clear quartz. Place outside (or on a window sill) to be charged by the moon. This can be done the night before the Full Moon or on the Full Moon. Charge for at least an hour.

Say “I am letting go of anything that is blocking my full express. (feel free to make this personal) May this release be easy, gentle and immediate.”

Now either pour the water into a bath and then soak in it or pour it over yourself in a shower or outside weather permitting. You pick!

Imagine this sacred moon water has the power to completely purify and transform anything not resonating with a vibration of perfection.

When you are finished, take the crystal and place it on your altar as a reminder of the healing that has taken place. Place the flower petals on the earth as an offering to The Mother Goddess.

Commit to being open to new possibilities, ideas and support.

Until next time,
Barbara

A ritual to honor the energy of The Lion’s Gate Portal

When my friend Joanne and I decided to do a ritual to honor the energy of The Lion’s Gate Portal, it was clear that we both wanted to be near the water. The ocean is our happy place and both of us have had magical moments of transformation occur by the sea.

Even though the weather was predicting rain, we headed out to the beach. My intention was to break out of the box that I felt I was living in.

Both of us were ready to move beyond our comfort zones and open to a new space of limitless possibilities. And having a good friend with you certainly makes it easier.

Wading into the ocean I offered prayers to the goddess of the sea: Yemanja. Many years ago in Bali a wise priestess taught me to never go into the ocean without first asking permission from Yemanja and I have been doing this for over 25 years. Today I simply offered her my love (at other times I have offered her honey, flowers and sweet wine).

Then standing on the shore, I drew a box in the sand and stood in the center. I felt all the limiting thoughts and beliefs that were holding me back inside. The heaviness…the sadness…the regrets. Then I jumped out of the box and the water rushed over it and washed it away. The mantra “I AM ENOUGH” resonated in my head and I shouted out the words.

Before I left, I planted seeds in the shrubs for the qualities I wanted to bring into my life: courage, ease, joy, love, support and abundance.

And since there was a natural gateway leading to the parking lot, I symbolically walked through the portal into the next part of my life.

Until next time,
Barbara

What does it take to break barriers?

As I watched the Olympics this past week, the question of what does it take to break barriers kept creeping up in my mind. What drives people to become the first? The best? Where do you get the courage and resilience to keep going even in the face of defeat? And what gives you the strength to put your health first in a competition as Simone Biles did.

Here is a story about a woman you may not know: Grandma Gatewood.

In 1955, Emma “Grandma” Gatewood told her children that she was “going for a hike in the woods”– which turned out to be the entire 2,190-mile Appalachian Trail (A.T.), the longest hiking-only footpath in the world.

At the time she was 67 years old, a mother of 11, a grandmother of 23, and a survivor of more than 30 years of domestic abuse. For Emma, the woods were a source of comfort and an escape from the abuse she suffered at the hands of her husband.

Wearing Kids sneakers and carrying a few items like a poncho, a blanket, some food, and a knife, she walked with her home-made duffel over her shoulder. Without a tent or sleeping bag (she used a shower curtain for shelter), she chose to spend the night on nearby farms or off the trail, eating whatever she could find or relying on the kindness of strangers.

On September 25, 1955, she became the first woman ever to complete the entire A.T. alone in one season. And, by the way, she did it twice! A portrait of resilience, Gatewood broke barriers in the outdoors, sending the message that “If those men can do it, I can do it.”

For Gatewood, the decision to hike the A.T. was rather simple – she ignored any barriers and anyone who told her she wouldn’t be able to do it. When one reporter asked why she wanted to hike the A.T., Gatewood stated: “Because I wanted to.“

To find out more, read Grandma Gatewood’s Walk: The inspiring Story of the Woman Who Saved the Appalachian Trail by Ben Montgomery.

Until next time,
Barbara

Take Whatcha Got and Make Whatcha Want

I love Alan Cohen’s book, A Deep Breath of Life. Each day there is a message to ponder and meditate on. And I especially love that he quotes one of my early teachers Hilda Charlton. I used to take the subway after work to St. John the Divine every Thursday night to hear her speak and join with an amazing community of seekers.

Today’s message “Right in Front of You” speaks to our need to make complicated what is simple. Instead of searching frantically for complicated answers, why not see what is right in front of you. Alan uses the example of Frank Baum. He pondered what to call the fantasy kingdom he was writing about when his eyes fell upon his file cabinet, especially the drawer labeled “O-Z” and the Wizard of Oz was born!

As Hilda said, “Take whatcha got and make whatcha want”.

As we are now in the Galactic New Year (it started yesterday on July 26), why not do a ritual to appreciate what you already have and start this year off with clear intention.

Walk around your home and thank the Universe for everything you see. I like to say “thank you money" for my computer, new stove, comfortable bed, amazing fig tree etc. etc. etc. By thanking money, you acknowledge the wealth you already have and make money a friendly ally.

Then thank the Universe (God, Creator, Spirit) for your family, friends, community.

Now write down anything you especially notice. A book title, piece of art, color, crystal or even your pet. Use this as a jumping off point to explore how this information can assist you moving forward. Take some time and brainstorm whatever comes to you. Don’t forget to write down these insights. You can always explore them later.

End with thanking yourself for showing up and being present. Pat yourself on the back for choosing to walk this spiritual path with consciousness (even if you are just starting now). Remember that the body and brain read it the same as if someone else complimented you.You have now taken the first step in building a structure for success.

I love to end with this affirmation:

All the people and projects that I am seeking are also seeking me and I give thanks to God (Creator) for bringing us together in the right Divine Way.

Until next time,
Barbara

A special day to make a fresh start

What if you were given a special day that was not on your calendar ? A day of sacred pause, of forgiveness and true freedom? A chance to start over?

According to Jose Arguelles,“The Mayan Calendar - a 13-Moon Calendar that was devised by the Mayan Timekeepers, the Jaguar Priests, measures the year in 13 even months of 28 days each; a perpetual calendar of 52 perfect weeks, making a total of 364 days.

With this Mayan Harmonic Time Standard, we usher in Galactic New Year’s Day on July 26th, and the day before that, July 25th, is the 365th day of the year on this 13-Moon Calendar. That day actually falls between the end of one calendar year and the beginning of the next, so July 25th is known as THE DAY OUT OF TIME as it literally is not a day of the week or day of the month at all.

The Day Out Of Time has been celebrated worldwide since 1992 as part of a growing World Peace Movement. For this reason, this special day is observed as the day to cancel all debts, pardon and forgive, and to celebrate life through art and nature. It's a day to experience true freedom...a time to ground the consciousness and truly manifest unlimited prosperity and abundance as we usher in Galactic New Year’s Day on July 26th!!

On this day, honored by both the Egyptians and Mayan cultures, the Star Sirius rises with the Sun and a portal of creative potential is activated as we cross the Galactic Equator.”

So, look at this time as a gift from the universe to make a fresh start…and wipe the slate clean. It is important to stop, see where you have been, and look at what you want to bring into the New Year. Use this day as a time to stop business as usual and tune into possibilities.

This is also a day that is celebrated as World Water Appreciation Day so I personally like to go to a body of water (river, lake, ocean, stream) and do an offering of flowers to the Spirit of the Water and the goddesses Yemanja.

Until next time,
Barbara

Some wisdom for when you get triggered

As we all move out into the world, we are bound to collide with others. I am even beginning to see “sidewalk rage” in NYC as new students and tourists begin to return and have a tendency to walk slower than native New Yorkers.

Let’s all learn from the great Thich Nhat Hanh who shares this story with us.

"A monk decides to meditate alone. Away from his monastery, he takes a boat and goes to the middle of the lake, closes his eyes and begins to meditate. After a few hours of unperturbed silence, he suddenly feels the blow of another boat hitting his.

With his eyes still closed, he feels his anger rising and, when he opens his eyes, he is ready to shout at the boatman who dared to disturb his meditation. But when he opened his eyes, saw that it was an empty boat, not tied up, floating in the middle of the lake ...

At that moment, the monk achieves self-realization and understands that anger is within him; it simply needs to hit an external object to provoke it.

After that, whenever he meets someone who irritates or provokes his anger, he remembers; the other person is just an empty boat. Anger is inside me."

Until next time,
Barbara

Summer of Love 🧡

If you are open to signs and signals from the Universe, you can receive messages from the most unusual places. I was trying to buy some lingerie from Markies Dekkers (a company in the Netherlands) the other day and couldn’t figure out their website. In frustration, I signed up for their newsletter hoping to find a way into the site. This is what popped up: Summer of love 2.0.

You can’t make this stuff up. In her blog, she talked about the influence of the hippie culture on our world today. Yes, I admit it: I was a hippy back in the day! I even gave out flowers to strangers and lived on an island in Spain for a while.

Sustainable living, tie dye, spiritual travel, make love not war, and focus on inner growth are all the hippy values that I grew up with.

Ok, if you connect to any of the following: spirit animals, mercury retrograde, tarot cards, hummus, tofu, meditation, yoga, Burning Man, Wanderlust, finding your tribe, Daybreaker, or even exploring hallucinogenic medicine as a ‘catalyst for inner growth’ you are more of a hippy than you think you are.

Topanga Canyon, Circa 1976

Of course, now you can download an app for all of them. So, as we open to the Summer of 2021 we just may be returning to the Summer of Love. Peace and Love to all!!

Until next time,
Barbara

What Kind of Freedom Do You Choose?

July 4th holiday in the USA is just around the corner and I'd like to use this time to explore the concept of freedom. As Aristotle said, “He who has overcome his fears will truly be free.”

After much meditation here is what I have come up with and I learned years ago that it is important to actually say the words out loud. So here goes:

I choose freedom to express my wildest dreams
I choose freedom to easily see the bigger picture of my life
I choose freedom to be the best version of me
I choose freedom to change and grow
I choose financial freedom
I choose emotional freedom
I choose freedom to have clear boundaries
I choose freedom to release the limits of the past
I choose freedom to release anything that doesn’t serve my highest good
I choose freedom to live in joy
I choose freedom to love

It feels great to have formally chosen freedom. What do you choose? Then notice how it makes you feel.

Work with Barbara:

A new season requires conscious attention to see where you are, what needs to change and expanded focus on where you are going. It is time to grow into your bigger vision.

First get clarity with an intuitive tarot reading. Then set up a ritual or coaching to help you take practical steps to create the life of your dreams. Coaching packages are available for more in-depth guidance.

Rituals help to release, call in new resources and celebrate life’s transitions: Space Clearing, New Business Blessings, Fertility Rituals, Baby Blessings, Birthdays, Love, Weddings and more.

Until next time,
Barbara

Simple Ways To Reconnect With Your Inner Firepower 🔥

Summer is officially here (in the Northern Hemisphere), and change is in the air. It is a time to reconnect with our inner firepower that keeps us alive and brings us the abundance, love, joy and nourishment we require for moving forward.

The first thing that we all must do is stop arguing for our limitations. What do I mean by that? Ok, someone tells you that you look great, and you respond with all the reasons that you are not. You get a compliment on your apartment or home, and we focus on the things that need to be fixed. As Richard Bach said in his classic book Illusions, “argue for your limitations, and sure enough they are yours”.

So, as we enter this summer season, become an advocate for your own greatness. That doesn’t mean you are satisfied staying where you are now, it just means you are willing to be present with what is and then focus on what you choose to explore for the future. Everything in your life is part of a larger story and you can create a life filled with imagination, magic, love, and joy.

Open to guidance and support by shifting your vision to align your energetic field with who you came here to be. Your true soul purpose. The wisdom of your soul.

The best way I know how to do this is to drop into your heart. Allow yourself to be led by the compassion, joy, and love of your heart rather than guilt or fear.

Place your hand on your heart.
Imagine you can breathe in and out through the heart center
Now imagine there is a flower inside of your chest that is opening petal by petal
Allow it to open
Gently
Easily
Fill it with Love
Fill it with Compassion
Fill it with Peace
Now say,
I AM only love
I AM only love
I AM only love

Until next time,
Barbara

Rituals for Celebration and Healing on Father's Day

June 20th is a celebration of Father’s Day in the US and as I was deciding what to write this week, an old article I wrote in 2014 for the Huffington Post popped up.

The gist of the article was: how do you celebrate this day when your memories are mixed? My father was a good provider, loyal to my mother and a successful self-made businessman. Yet, like Zeus (father of the gods) he had a dual nature, protective and generous and intimidation and harshness. He lashed out verbally at his children whenever he was frustrated and never really showed up for us emotionally.

Although at times I wish he could have been different, I am hopefully smart enough (and have had enough therapy and spiritual teachers) to know that he did the best he could with the resources he had. My brother Mark, on the other hand, models the new masculine and has taken on the role of nurturer and teacher to his daughter Shayla.

He has very few "have tos" and has plenty of "want tos." Shayla has grown up with a new model of a father: Someone who simply does what needs to be done without worrying about gender roles. And I am happy to say, she just graduated with honors from HS and will be coming to The New School in NYC in the Fall.

Here is a ritual that my brother and I did after my father passed to bring some healing into our lives.

Shortly after my Dad passed, I went into the woods with my brother to do a letting go ritual. I wanted to "bury the hatchet" between us and for some bizarre reason my brother actually had my father's hatchet. (Why a man from Great Neck and South Florida had a hatchet is beyond my understanding). So, I physically buried it. My brother had a different issue. He no longer wanted to "walk in my father's footsteps" so he buried one of my father's shoes. I can't tell you how liberating that ritual was for both of us.

This Sunday l personally will be lighting a candle for my father -- letting myself feel the sadness of his passing. And I always like to eat one of his favorite foods. This year it may be Ya-ka Mein soup or a piece of halvah. I plan on writing down a list of what I learned from him and what qualities I want to claim as my own. After all, it is my inheritance.

Whatever you decide to do for this holiday, enjoy the celebration. As my brother Mark, a father of three, so wisely said to me, "The best present for me is always feeling loved and included and appreciated. Gifts are quite secondary."

Happy Father’s Day to all who take on this role.

We celebrate the men in our lives,
those who raised us,
those who love us,
those that we are raising.

We also celebrate the womxn who may be male presenting, gender non-conforming, and have taken on the traditional masculine roles of fathers.

Until next time,
Barbara

Tips for Healing Negative Self-image

"Sticks and stones can hurt your bones but names will never harm you.” NO!

Like many of you, I grew up hearing this, but know that it is not true. We all have experienced the destructive power of negative words, but rarely understand how they can impact our lives and keep us stuck.

In fact, as I was recalling the other day, when I was about 16, a boy I had a big crush on told me: “it’s too bad you aren’t pretty, but you are interesting looking”. That stuck with me for years and sometimes rears its ugly head even now. My brilliant writer friend, whose father always rewrote her school papers, still can revert to thinking she is not good enough even though she has received numerous accolades for her writing skills, and a client of mine, who was bullied as a child, still feels that he is unattractive and “fat”.

According to an article in Psychology Today, “Martin Teicher M.D., Ph.D. and others have shown that there are physical and emotional consequences of “just” verbal abuse. In one study, the researchers found that the effects of parental verbal aggression were comparable to “those associated witnessing domestic violence or nonfamilial sexual abuse.” In fact, verbal aggression produced larger effects than familial physical abuse. There’s evidence too that exposure to verbal abuse in childhood actually alters the structure of the brain.”

The good news is there are ways we are able to rewire our brains and break the cycle of negative self talk. Over time you can replace the negative programming with one that is more useful. It is important to be able to acknowledge yourself as valuable and then treat yourself accordingly. it does not serve you to have a small limited view of yourself. It is impossible to create the life you want if you are always feeling “less than”.

Here are some tips on how to begin (know that you may require the guidance of a coach or therapist depending on how much verbal abuse you have experienced):

1. Notice the negative self talk as it comes up.

2. Become aware of how it makes you feel. Where do you feel it in your body?

3. Is this helping you move into the future that you desire?

4. If the answer is no, tap your third eye (area between the brows) and say “Cancel Clear”- imagine the thought dissolving.

5. Now replace the thought with one thing that is more positive using an I AM statement (for example moving from “I cannot write” to “I AM a good writer”)

6. Visualize your future with this new belief as a reality.

Until next time,
Barbara

Energetic exfoliation

My sister/friend Liz and I were discussing how some situations and people can trigger us and throw us off balance. Yes, we both “know better” and even teach techniques to help others, but sometimes we are just vulnerable and find ourselves reactive.

We decided we needed a word to remind us of when we are off center and we came up with EVACUATE!!! Those of you who live in hurricane zones know that when a huge storm approaches many times you are asked to evacuate your home and find safety. Even saying the word shifted our focus and we realized that we could rewire our brains by simply bringing another perspective into the situation.

As we all navigate this mercury retrograde period it is crucial to stay grounded and centered. To gain the most from this time, become consciously quiet and listen to what life is trying to tell you.

As we let go of the comfort of familiar answers to make life feel normal again, we gain new insights on our lives and spiritual journeys. We then get to see how many of our fears and worries are based on old stories and false evidence that appears real.

Give yourself the downtime you require to reflect on what habits, projects or patterns you are willing to release at this time. I Love the phrase energetic exfoliation (thank you Chani Nicholas).

As a ritual this week take 10 minutes or more to reconsider ways you are using your time and energy. Then prioritize what is really important and adds to your life.

Until next time,
Barbara

You never know when spirit will talk to you

This week I am on vacation in Florida but wanted to share a teaching I received from a 12-year-old boy I met in the Warm Mineral Springs (said to be The Fountain of Youth).

My friend Liz and I were swimming in the lake when we came across a young boy floating on the water. He was struggling a bit so we gave him a few pointers on how he could relax into the water and let it support him.

Then he shared with us his philosophy on life and we realized that we were being given a spiritual teaching. So here it is:

1 Learn from your mistakes.
2. Stay calm.
3. Feed the Source by saying thank you to your god and angels. This will give them energy to help you when you need it.

Have a great week and open to receiving signs and signals from the Universe!

Until next time,
Barbara