Oh Sleep! Why Hast Thou Forsaken Me???

Insomnia affects so many of us. Maybe you have more chronic insomnia. Or maybe you just go through "phases" where you can't sleep. Sadly, when you are in the throws of insomnia, it's not the best time to be trying to figure out how to rectify it! It's always best to have a plan of action in place BEFORE the insomnia hits! Your toolbox of tricks, if you will!

So, what sort of things should be in this "toolbox" for insomnia? Now, in this blog post we aren't talking about western medicine type stuff.. we're talking about complementary options. Let's take a look at some!

Crystals

A few crystals that will aid in restful sleep include AMETHYST, SODALITE and SELENITE. Rose Quartz may also be quite helpful in producing a calming effect. So then it is good to actually know what to DO with these crystals, right?!?! The easiest way to use them is to put a stone under your pillow. You may also consider charging some water with your crystals so that you can take a few sips of that when the insomnia hits. (Some stones can't be placed directly in the water though, so best to check first!). 

Herbs

There are many different herbs that can help induce a sleepy state of mind. One of the most common is chamomile which can easily be found in tea form in most local grocery stores. Another common herb is Lavender. This is often used in a satchet and placed under the pillow. You may be able to locate a lavender spray or spritz to spray onto the pillow and bedding as well. Some of the more uncommon ones include Valerian Root, Magnolia Bark, and Passionflower. These all have a sedative effect. These are taken in various forms including tinctures, capsules or teas and can be purchased online or in health food stores. A word of caution, when putting ANY potentially medicinal substance in your body, it is advisable to check with your healthcare provider FIRST to avoid any interactions as even herbal supplements can interact with western medications!! 

Mudra

We discussed in another post a little bit about using Mudra's when meditating. When insomnia hits, there is a specific mudra that can be used for that issue! Remember, a mudra is simply a particular hand position. It is essentially putting your inward thoughts and desires into an outward aspect using your hands. This mudra for insomnia is called the SHAKTI MUDRA. It's purpose is to help relax the body and relax the mind. You can use this nightly to prevent insomnia or use it for about 10-15 minutes when suffering from an insomnia episode. 

Meditation

Meditation seems to always be a recommendation doesn't it? Well, the reason for it is that meditation has so many benefits that you can never really go "wrong" with it! We know it's good for getting in touch with your sixth sense abilities, helping us stay centered and focused, and it's also pretty good for insomnia! Studies at Harvard have shown that mindful meditation can help with insomnia by promoting our body's relaxation response. Harvard Study It may help to use short, guided meditations during an episode of insomnia when you have physically gotten up and out of the bed. On the other hand, if you are still in bed and awake, you may find a longer, guided meditation more useful as you can more easily drift back into sleep. 

Sleep hypnosis

This is by far one of my favorite methods of combating and dealing with insomnia! We started using sleep hypnosis several years ago and have found it to help in so many other areas. The thing with sleep hypnosis is that it is meant to put you to sleep!! It often has repetitive background sounds or music and the speaker often has a very soothing voice. I have found several great ones on YouTube. The other pretty cool thing with sleep hypnosis, is that you can basically "kill two birds with one stone"! The effect is sleep, which we all need! But the OTHER effect is whatever that particular video is telling your subconscious mind as you fall asleep and as you are sleeping! You see, you can listen to sleep hypnosis videos that deal with particular issues- addiction, confidence, anxiety, lucid dreaming, manifesting wealth; you name it and there's a video that deals with it! And just as with meditation, there have been studies done that suggest that sleep hypnosis has a pretty powerful effect on those suffering from insomnia!

Aromatherapy

Aromatherapy is often done using essential oils. The important thing about using essential oils is to find the ones that resonate with YOUR body. In other words, there are certain scents that, despite being tauted as relaxing, may in fact be repulsive to certain people. We all have different tastes so you'll likely need to check out each scent before you try it.  As an example, Patchouli is recommended for sleep... and yet I would find it very UN-relaxing to smell patchouli before bed! The other important aspect you may want to consider is if it results in a reaction to your skin if you are planning on using it topically. Again, as with the herbal warning, be mindful of these things. The skin is the largest organ in our body and substances (i.e. medications, ointments, etc.) are absorbed through our skin. When they are absorbed they can effect us systemically. Some of the oils you may try for insomnia would include chamomile, bergamot, Sandalwood, Vetiver, and Lavender. You could also try mixing a few different oils for a more individualized combination! These can be applied to pressure points on your body or used in a diffuser to scent the entire area. 

What are some of the methods YOU'VE got in YOUR toolbox to stave off insomnia? I would love to hear your tips and tricks! Share them in the comments below!!

Find me on the web at Raven Haze Healing and Divination and on Facebook and if you're looking for some further discussions and interactions... check out my closed Facebook GROUP at Raven Haze Group!

Cheat Sheet to Develop Your Clairvoyance

Many people think that only a select few "special" people can be clairvoyant. I'm here to tell you that it is not true! My mentor Alea Dawn from the Kera Center has said repeatedly that we all in fact have these abilities, and she's right! It's just a matter of developing them. Just like we all have the ability to be super fit and muscular with regular exercise and training, the same holds true for the Clair abilities! 

Today I'm going to give you a little cheat sheet on how to start training your mind and growing your own abilities. In time, this may encourage you to seek out a mentor who can help you to expand them even further! 

First, lets define what it is we're actually talking about here! You see there are several Clair abilities; and clairvoyance is really only ONE of these. Clairvoyance can be called "clear seeing". This is when we see images in our minds that we can't see with our two eyes. We are using our third eye in these cases. 

What can you do to start developing the skill of clairvoyance?

1. Meditate daily ~ This will serve a few purposes. First it allows your mind to relax and be open to receiving messages. Secondly, it helps to raise your vibration which is necessary in order to better communicate with our spirit guides, as they operate on a much higher vibrational pattern than we humans do. 

2. Imagine your third eye opening ~ Clairvoyance is related to your third eye chakra. With this exercise, you'll want to take time, either during relaxation or meditation, to really visualize a big eye in the middle of your forehead. Now imagine that this eye is opening wider and wider. 

3. Practice Visualization ~ This can be akin to daydreaming and is actually a welcome activity! Spend some time with your eyes closed thinking of your third eye area. Ask your spirit guides to begin to show you images in your third eye. Then just sit and let your mind wander, taking note of any images that come into your mind. It may seem like you're "making it up" but trust in what you're seeing! 

4. Keep a dream journal ~ When we're sleeping, our minds are operating on a different wave length, allowing our intuitive mind to be more active than our ego mind. This is a great time to get visualizations in the form of our dreams. By keeping a dream journal, you can notice patterns that may arise for you in terms of the different things you're seeing and what they mean to you. This is going to be an important part of clairvoyance, as often times Spirit will show images as symbols... and its up to you to determine what that symbol means to you!

5. Keep a Symbol Journal ~ Once you've started practicing, you'll want to keep a small journal of the different images and symbols that you see and meditate a bit on what each symbol means to you. 

6. Use Crystals and Essential Oils ~ Sometimes holding onto a crystal can help increase your abilities as well. For clairvoyance you might want to try carrying a Lapis Lazuli stone or a Clear Quartz Crystal with you. Both of those are very good for opening up your third eye chakra. If you use essential oils, adding a bit of Cinnamon, Frankincense or Jasmine to your diffuser or dabbing a bit on your pulse points. (Note that some essential oils can be irritants to skin so use caution! Cinnamon is usually one of those!)

What are some other tips you've used to work on your clairvoyance? If you're new to your abilities, and try some of these techniques, stop back and share your successes!!

Find me on the web at Raven Haze Healing and Divination and on Facebook

Lets Talk About Citrine ~ The Stone of Success

I have to admit, I have a few pieces of this remarkable stone! I love it and use it frequently! Citrine comes in a yellowish color and can be found in a polished form, rough and cluster. It is actually form of quartz. 

 Citrine is often called the merchants stone because it is said to be especially good for success and money issues; and as such this is what I primarily use mine for! In feng shui, it can be placed in the "wealth corner" of your home or business to attract money and success. We can put a piece in our wallets or purse, and even in the cash register if you own a business. 


But this stone has many more uses other than abundance, prosperity, success and finance! It can also be used to increase your intuition and mental clarity for example. This stone can help with emotional healing as it decreases negative thoughts and helps to improve our sense of well-being. 

It is said that Citrine will not absorb negative energies; and yet it is ideal for eliminating negative energies. It can help those who have lower self esteem or those that need to increase their self-love. Do you doubt yourself? Or just feeling like you are unloved? Try meditating with a piece of Citrine.

Because this is a stone to remove negative crud in our lives, it can also be extremely beneficial for someone dealing with addictions of any type. I think in situations to eliminate the addiction, it might have some beneficial properties by placing in under the pillow when sleeping or wearing in the form of a necklace.

Since Citrine is a yellow colored stone, it is also used in chakra healing and is most suitable for the solar plexus chakra. This chakra focuses on your creativity and sense of self. 

One way to use Citrine for healing would be to meditate with it. You can place the stone directly on the area of your body for the solar plexus chakra, or even just hold it in your dominant hand as you meditate. Another way you can bring this crystal into your life is by wearing it in the form of jewelry; such as a pendant on a necklace. 

Have you ever worked with Citrine? If so, please share your favorite ways to use it in the comments below! Also, share your successes with this gorgeous stone!

Sacred Geometry and the Geometric Crystals Set

Sacred geometry.... what is that? Sacred Geometry consists of the beliefs of various cultures surrounding the different shapes in our world. These shapes are the fundamental building blocks of our world. In this post we'll get an overview of the five platonic solids that exist; which is only a part of sacred geometry. These five platonic solids can be obtained in crystal form and used for a variety of purposes. 

“There are five Platonic Solids: Cube, Icosadedron, Tetrahedron, Octahedron and Dodecahedron. Each one is a polyhedron, which is a 3-dimensional shape with flat faces. The faces are congruent, regular polygons with the same number of faces meeting at each vertex (corner). The Greek Plato, in his Timaeus c. 350 B.C.E., equated the five Solids with the five Elements: The Cube with Earth, the Icosahedron with Water, the Tetrahedron with the Fire, the Octahedron with Air, and the Dodecahedron with the stuff of which the constellations and heavens were made, Ether (etheric).”

(http://www.energyandvibration.com/geometry.htm)

Sacred geometry is a complex and organized structure which offers a high vibration level. Using the sacred geometry crystals on various areas of your body or in your life can open up higher levels of awareness and inner wisdom. 

This article explains how even though we are not able to see these things, they often have a very powerful effect on our lives as they have in the authors life. https://www.anasatara.org/sacred-geometry/sacred-geometry-in-healing-awakening

Each shape has its own meaning and can be used for something different. As sphere makes energy flow, an octahedron can manifest things, just to name one. 

Also, depending upon which type of crystal the shape is made from (clear quartz, rose quartz, etc.), it will take on those qualities as well.  Each shape is related to and corresponds to a chakra and you will see how they complement each other.

So lets go through these five shapes and get a brief overview of the qualities each possesses and what sort of things they can be used for in your personal life.

The hexahedron is the cube one. This is related to the root chakra and the earth element. You'll find that this shape is especially good for grounding and at the same time raising your vibration.

Icosahedron is representative of water. This shape is good for enhancing creative thoughts and unblocking some of that "stuff" that often holds us back. It is related to the sacral chakra.

The tetrahedrid is the pyramid shaped one. It’s the fire element and the solar plexus chakra. It’s good for personal power and acceptance. It is also good for directing energy away from you or bringing energy towards you. This is ideal if you are trying to bring energies to you to manifest something or if you are trying to eliminate some of the negative crud from your life, mind and spirit. 

The Octahedron represents the element of air and is related to the heart chakra. It is similar to a crystal with a double terminated point so it can direct energy in two directions. Good for forgiveness, closure and emotional healing. It can help you to be more compassionate in your everyday life. 

The Dodecahedron represents the element of spirit or ether and relates to the higher chakras (Third eye and Crown chakras). Good for raising your vibration, meditation, letting go of ego, and accessing your higher self. This would be especially useful during meditations to open up your third eye chakra and when you are working on your spirituality.

Putting one of these shapes in the form of a crystal into your pitcher of water (provided the particular crystal is able to be submerged) will infuse those particular qualities into your body and allow them to really reach you at the cellular level.

Here is a fantastic and informative web site although I think it is meant for children… If you look to the right hand side, you’ll see a list of topics. You can click on each one under “metaphysical” for even more options on how to use each shape. http://www.crystalwind.ca/eureka-amazing/meta-science/sacred-geometry

Aside from using these very special crystals to meditate with and to infuse your drinking water; what are some other ways that you might use these crystals?