Reverse TiVo Your Dreams

November is National Novel Writing Month, and as I swung into gear to work on this year's project I realized I didn't have any dreams to post here this week. Why? Because I've reprogrammed my brain to handle writing tasks while I sleep, to help me beat the "50,000 words in 30 days" challenge. It dawned on me that this might be an interesting topic to share this time around--how to ask dreams to work for you.

Programming yourself to dream solve isn't restricted to writers, of course. You can ask your subconscious to mull over all sorts of issues--financial debacles, relationship niggles, or career move struggles. For me, I often set my mind to working on a character motivation or plot point, and sometimes find a whole chapter or two sitting in my head the next day.

How do you program your subconscious? As you lie down to sleep, tell yourself that you want to work on "X" issue, then focus on it as you unwind. This can be a bit sticky if the problem at hand is stressful, as you may find it tough to slip into a relaxed enough state to sleep. If this happens, steer your mind away from the anxiety associated with your issue, and toward objective, systematic solutions. Picture yourself after having solved the problem, happy and moving on to better things. Then let your subconscious take over as you drift away.

When you wake up, a pen and paper at bedside is useful to record impressions you have. Did you actually dream? Write it down. Answers may lie there. Even if you do not dream or your dream seems in no way connected, your mind may still have come up with suggested answers! Ever have those moments when an answer "suddenly" pops into your head? As you rise to face the day, ideas may occur to you. Jot them down. If you're truly fortunate, you'll have figure it all out overnight. Other times, several sessions may be necessary. And yes, this all takes a bit of practice for most, so don't expect miracles the first tme you try. Still, after you've done dream programming you'll find it helpful in all sorts of ways, from learning and retaining new information to writing your way out of an inescapable plot corner!

Next time you find yourself in a pickle, try setting your mind to the task while you sleep. You may be surprised what it can do while you're "out of the office."

Until next time, may your best dreams all come true. . .
Lisa

Are Death Dreams Predictions?

This week's dream comes from Donna M., whose disturbing nightmare poses a very interesting and common question.

"I had a disturbing dream [...]a few weeks prior to our family celebration of my parents 50th anniversary... My sister-in-law, Donna, called me in the middle of the night to say that he's gone...terrible car accident. My chest pounded. Who I said. Your brother, Tommy.
What the! I yelled. Please call your parents...I can't bare to tell them. Try calling the realtor too to get our security deposit money back...I need it to bury him. I screamed and woke up in a pool of sweat. My husband woke up and asked me what happened. I wouldn't tell him in fear that it would make it true. Couldn't shake the sinking feeling for days. Even called him during the day...which I never do...just to make sure all was okay. ..What's up with this?"

Dreams about a loved one dying can be quite frightening and disturbing, to say the least. Many fear these are some sort of prediction. Good news: death dreams often having nothing to do with physical death.

When we dream of a sibling or other relative dying, this can reflect a couple of different things. Perhaps we perceive a change in the relationship, or that something there has been lost. Or, we perceive that the person possesses qualities we lament not having ourselves. That this dream came before a big family event is not surprising; perhaps anticipation of seeing someone you were close to as a kid in the same setting brought up some feelings of how time changes things.

Do YOU have wild, confusing, or odd recurring dreams? Post a comment or Email me at writerlisalogan@verizon.net, and I'll be happy to interpret common symbols for you free!
Until next time, may your best dreams all come true...
Lisa

Shirtless Spouse: Life of the Party??

This week's very interesting dream comes from Trish over on MySpace...thanks Trish!

"My husband and I were at a party. Some unknown couple was celebrating[...] (unknown in as I'd never met them, nor do I know what they were celebrating --you know how dreams are).

Dear hubby was flitting around after the wife like a rutting hound dog on a scent, posturing and posing like a true idiot. When caught, shirtless and "stretching" to show off his physique, he shot me two birds and kept right on primping.

Now, obviously I'd be sure this was telling me Hubby was being less than true, but honestly I'd have no conscious reason to believe that is true --though I did warn him to tell his sleeping self the next time I caught him in any such act he'd be fed to the worms. Any ideas?"

*Trish*,

Don't call the lawyer just yet! The key to the whole dream in this case is not your spouse's seedy behavior, but rather the setting.

Parties represent our social setting and groups of friends. When parties are awkward or go badly, it indicates either an uncertainty about social skills or status, OR a need on your part to get out more and enjoy social surroundings (you're "missing out" on the fun).

Your husband's unforgettable cameo can mean different things. From the aspect of the social setting, it could be that someone with status in your circle has skills that get them a leg up in social settings, but you don't approve the methods--OR don't believe you could follow suit and achieve the same results. A feeling of not measuring up, if you will. Alternately, there could be subconscious fears of being abandoned (by friends or by the spouse), or that you feel a lack of attentiveness in your relationship.

I hope that some of these click for you, combining to give you a picture of what this dream was trying to say. Rest assured it is NOT a harbinger warning you not to take your husband to the next soiree! :)

Do YOU have wild party dreams or others that make you go "what the...?" Post a comment or Email me and I'll interpret common symbols FREE...and you might just wind up in my next blog on our Wildest Dreams! Until next time, may your greatest dreams come true...

Haunted Bathrooms and Other Wonders

Ever dream you "gotta go" or are trying to find a bathroom and can't? Bathroom dreams are very common, and not (always) because our subconscious is tryng to tell us that we "gotta" in real life. Someone shared a intriguing twist on the bathroom theme with me a couple of days ago, and I thought it would make an interesting topic for the blog.

Usually, we dream of toilets that are perhaps dirty, overflowing, or publicly exposed. This person, on the other hand, had a rather unique problem in the Little Dreamer's Room--the toilet was haunted. It moved around the bathroom of its own accord like a fiendish apparition--and half of it disappeared. Intrigued, I hit research mode to piece this puzzle together.

Bathroom dreams tends to relate to the need to express feelings, to literally "relieve" ones' self in the emotional sense. Hauntings, on the other hand, indicate early trauma, repressed feelings/memories, or guilt/fear about things we have done. Disappearance, like seeing half the toilet vanish, can indicate a desire to be rid of something.

In talking to the dreamer, a relative's near fatal illness had prompted a trip to their hometown a week prior, where being around family brought to the surface a great many memories of past anxieties and regrets. Thus, this dream seems to indicate that while this person wished to relieve these powerful feelings, they were unable to do so in that setting.

What are YOUR wildest dreams? Post them here for a free interpretation, or contact me privately. Until next time, may all your best dreams come true!

The Dream Police?

(What are YOUR wildest dreams? Post them here, or contact me privately. I'll be happy to interpret common symbols for you. )

While some late hours have cut into my own dream time, someone came to me recently with a dream that I found quite intriguing.

The dream began with the dreamer being asleep in his bed (in the dream, not just in real life), and sirens just outside waking him up. Still in the dream, he walked to the bedroom window and looked out to find police cars outside, and even more unsettling, an officer just outside his window. Bizarre, considering the dreamer lived on the second floor! In midair, the policeman turned, saw the dreamer, and crashed through the window, attacking and choking him. Several times the dreamer believed he "woke up" in real life, only to find the dream starting over again. When he really DID wake up later on, he wasn't sure whether it was real or still the dream!

There were a few key elements I wanted to explore, the first being a commonly experienced dream: dreaming that you're asleep. Ever have those? This can denote something you've unconsciously allowed in your life, or situations going on around you that you weren't fully aware of.

Police in dreams does not necessarily mean you've done something illegal, but they can indicate personal guilt over an issue. Also, they can represent social issues and your sense of right and wrong in social settings. If the police are hostile or abusive--as in this case--this can mean the power of social ties or society as a whole to abuse you.

Flying dreams are very common, but normally it is the dreamer flying. That the policeman flew can demonstrate that social issues are rising above the dreamer, gaining control over him. The attack itself shows the dreamer feels attacked emotionally in real life; that he was choked, specifically, represents an inability to accept something (can't "swallow" it).

In talking to the dreamer, the meaning was obvious. He'd recently had some problems within his social group over his own behavior, which he hadn't realized was an issue. He'd also been left out of some social activities and in general felt on the short end of his relationships. Feelings of being attacked and abused over an issue he was guilty of, but hadn't been aware of until after the fact, shows clearly in this dream.

Until next time...here's wishing that your best dreams come true...
--Lisa

I Dream of FIRE

That's right, I'm back--after summer break I'm here to tell you about my--and YOUR--wildest dreams! And let me tell you, this summer offered me a doozy!

Last week's dream was an odd twist on an old standby. I have occasional, recurring dreams of fires--not simple house fires, but epic, sweeping monstrosities that threaten to take down entire towns. They always come up over a mountain-lined horizon, with me in a dramatic struggle to pack up and evacuate. In real life, I live near mountains that are plagued by fires, including one that made nationwide news the week my youngest was born. Yet, I'm too far "downstream" to be in true danger from mountain fires. Besides, these dreams started well before the vast fire mentioned.

Here's the weird twist: as the fire prepares to crest the mountain and come down my side, an assortment of people I know (cast as neighbors sitting on the border of the fire in this dream) are grabbing lawn chairs and blankets. Not to evacuate, mind you--they are happy, excited. They want to WATCH the spectacle. One friend, with whom I lost contact in real life this year when she moved away, is particularly jazzed. "It's coming!" she tells me. "Come on!" She plops down a pair of beach chairs... "here's a good spot to watch." What the...? Shouldn't she be packing her pets into the back of a car in terror, or at least hosing down the roof?

Fire in dreams can represent many things, depending on the context. As one might guess, fire CAN represent destruction or anger, a sense of being out of control. However, you might be surprised to know that it commonly symbolizes emotion, passion, urgency,and sexual or personal energy. Such things may be coming, transforming, or being damaged--depending on how and where the fire occurs.

Recently I was in a situation where my desirability was challenged (in short, the green-eyed monster came out to play, BIGTIME) and was so upset that I rallied to give myself a life and body makeover. Diet, exercise, new hair style and color, etc etc. Not surprising, then, to see fire in my dream. Here, fire simultaneously represented my anger in having my sense of physical appeal damaged AND the passion and urgency with which I "transformed" myself to regain it.

Where do the freaky spectators come in? People in dreams tend to represent social aspects of our dream issues, as well as qualities we wish to possess. My real life transformation was dramatic and sudden, and did NOT go unnoticed--people have been quite abuzz about it. They talk about it when I'm not around, I'm told; a few folks didn't even recognize me. Thus, their excitement about my "firestorm" turned up in the dream. The friend from my past is a vivacious, popular, and grounded woman who is very aware of her sensuality and not afraid to use it--and others are attracted to her dynamic qualities. These of course being aspects I was trying to gain for myself, she became center stage for my dream performance despite her distance in real life.

Do you ever dream of fires or other natural disasters? Do you have vivid dreams after your eyes have turned a deep, fiery shade of GREEN? Let me hear about it! Post your dreams here, or send me a private message. I'll interpret common symbols for you, free.

Until my next wildest dream...

The "Green" Writing Challenge

As part of a personal to make my lifestyle a bit "greener," I took a look at my writing and how much it potentially affects the environment. Realizing there were a lot of things I could do to minimize this, I developed the Green Writing Challenge, and have made a commitment to green up my writing career this year.

What makes writing un-green? Here are some ways our job impacts the environment:

*Trees used to make thousands of sheets of paper, envelopes, pencils, and stamps we use to write, print, copy, and mail submissions and promotional materials...and produce the books themselves
*Emissions and fossil fuel use from autos, trucks, trains, and airplanes used to ship submissions, promotional items, and books worldwide
*Emissions and fossil fuel use traveling to and from book signings, conventions, speaking engagements, and other writing-related meetings and events
*Emissions and energy used from electronic devices: computers, monitors, laptops, printers, fax machines, palm pilots, copy machines, and cell phones

...and so on. Now, it's not possible to be in this business and have ZERO impact on the environment, but it is highly possible to reduce it. If every author made just one small change in their writing this year, how much energy would be saved? How many barrels of fossil fuels would be spared?

And thus I challenge YOU to participate in The Green Writing Challenge. Commit to just one "green" substitute this year, such as the following:

*Submit your next manuscript electronically
*Reduce the quantity in your next mass mailing
*Swap one mass mailing in favor of an electronic mailing
*Shrink your next mailing from a press kit or full sheet/envelope to a postcard
*Skip one convention and do an online conference instead
*Turn off your computer, printer, and other peripheral devices when not in use
*Do late-night writing by candlelight, or switch to energy-saving bulbs
*Forego one appearance/signing/tour and do a virtual book tour instead

Readers, Publishers, and Merchants...you can help Green Writing, too!
*Commit to buy at least one eBook this year
*Consider ePub or POD alternatives
*Look for energy-saving green technologies to apply to your business
*Support/patronize authors/publishers who commit to green technologies

Want to join The Challenge? Sign up on the official guestbook HERE, or visit my Squidoo lens and sign in HERE! Let me know what one change you will make this year.

Happy Greening!

"Flights of Fancy" Dreams

I've been so busy editing for Eternal Press and finishing up my twisted fairy tale, Sindarella, that my head hasn't seen the pillow until five a.m. this past week. When my sleep gets that erratic, even my dream life is too tired to make an appearance. So this week, I've decided to talk about a dream just about everyone has had at one time or another: flying.

Aren't dreams like this grand? You're doing this thing or that when suddenly you take off, soaring high in the sky like you could conquer the world. It's freedom, it's magic...and it feels so REAL. Children have them, teenagers have them, and adults of all ages.

So what do flying dreams mean? Generally, when having the above soaring-and-feeling-free dream, it means POWER. You're on top of a situation or experiencing a new freedom in a manner that had been restricted. Your perspective is upbeat and positive in a certain area in life. Perhaps a child has gotten some new privileges at home, or a grownup just received a job promotion with greater benefits. Or, it could mean you have overcome a barrier in your life and have "risen above."

Of course, there ARE flying dreams that are a bit less fun. Some feel fear while flying, or are having trouble staying aloft. Fear suggests that you are struggling with a particular barrier or challenge in life that you are afraid to face, or afraid you cannot overcome. Trouble in flight indicates feeling a lack of control or doubts about a certain situation in your life. If the trouble is due to barriers like trees, this means there are people or barriers blocking your way to success over the situation.

I hope all your flying dreams find you soaring high and carefree!

Meanwhile, what dreams have YOU had lately? Post here or send me a letter and I'll be happy to interpret symbols...free!

Sweet dreams...

Post Your Dream...I'll Interpret

Welcome to this week's Wildest Dreams...

In my latest wild dream, evening had just fallen and I went out on my balcony. There, I pointed out a particularly bright star in the sky to a stranger-that-I-knew. I was very intrigued with the star, and for some reason it was important to me to explain to the stranger that it wasn't actually a star at all, but a planet.

Turns out that stars and planets have specific meanings in dreams. (As does just about everything, as we've been discovering on these weekly journeys into the subconcious.)
Dreaming of nighttime has significance, too. Night represents barriers and obstacles to achieving goals. It can also signify new beginnings. In my dream, a bright star lit the darkness. Stars indicate fate, luck, and desires of fame and/or fortune. Even more, THIS star was more than it seemed--a planet--which indicates creative energies and new adventure.

Once again this seems to relate back to my writing career, and some themes I've been discussing recently with friends and associates. There are always obstacles when one desires to write for publication--time, money, market trends, Time, (friendly) competition, mental fatigue, and did I mention, TIME? Still, when one has the desire, one can choose to funnel some of their creative energy from putting words on paper to finding ways to ride their shooting star around any obstacles in their path. This is something I've been "waking" on recently.

As always, feel free to post here or contact me with your wildest dreams, and I'll give you an armchair look at common dream symbols. Meanwhile, may all YOUR shooting star dreams come true!

(Forgetting) My Wildest Dreams

Well I went and did it...had an interesting dream last night and woke up thinking, "that will be PERFECT for this week's dream interpretation blog." Then I promptly went and forgot it.

Which brings me to another aspect of using dreams to unlock your subconscious--you have to remember them first. For those of us whose mind is closer to Swiss cheese than a steel trap, a dream journal comes in handy for this purpose.

A dream journal needn't be fancy--a small spiral-bound notebook will do. Keep it at your bedside along with a pen, and get in the habit of writing down at least a Cliff Notes version of your dreams upon waking. Don't brush your teeth, check Email, or anything else before doing so, as important details (or the entire dream) may slip away.

I'd stopped doing this, as my preschooler had taken to using the free pen and paper as her personal art studio. Instead I'd taken to reviewing dreams mentally on waking, committing details to memory. As I'm no longer a spring chicken, this was a sticky wicket at best. Some days I head straight for my writing desk and type up dream inspirations immediately. Too often, however, I get thwarted by vital distractions like my kid's breakfast or watering the plants. So it's back to the journal for me. Think I'll tuck it under the mattress to spare it from my child's Michaelangelo complex.

Now, for those of you who HAVE managed to remember a recurring or unusual dream, don't be shy! Post it here or contact me at writerlisalogan@verizon.net for a free interpretation of common symbols!

Until next week, Pleasant Dreams....

Book Trailer Contest on MysteryAuthors.com

Got a mystery trailer or been wanting to make one? ENTER MysteryAuthors.com's SIZZLING SUMMER BOOK TRAILER contest!

If you have a promotional trailer for a book in the Mystery genre (or subgenre) you are eligible to enter. To submit, send a link to your trailer to MysteryAuthors@verizon.net during the month of July. Put BOOK TRAILER CONTEST in the subject line. Please include your name, title of your book, and the name of your trailer's creator. Deadline for entries is August 1, 2007. NO entry fee!

All entries will be posted for viewing on the site, and visitors will have a chance to watch and vote on their favorites during the first two weeks of August. Winners will be posted on August 15.

The winner of JUDGE'S CHOICE will win a FREE YEAR of membership on MysteryAuthors.com! Other winners will receive a special award they can add to their trailer and/or display proudly on their website. Winning entries will also be showcased on MysteryAuthors.com through the end of September, and will be acknowledged in Lisa Logan's Do-It-Yourself Trailer Workshop.

CATEGORIES:
VIEWER'S CHOICE
JUDGE'S CHOICE
MOST MYSTERIOUS

Don't have a trailer yet? Visit http://lisalogan.net today and check out the free how-to workshop! It's easier than you think.

Good luck!

Roller Coasters & Monkeys Dropping Bananas

Yes folks, my dream life's been at it again... sending me off an another foray into "What the Heck Was THAT All About?"

I received a good deal of feedback after my last dream blog, with several people writing to ask about dreams they've had. So I've decided to make interpretation blogs a regular offering from My Wildest Dreams!

In last night's dream I'm walking along a tree-lined street. Suddenly, something falls from a tree onto my head. It's a small cluster of bananas. (Never mind I am NOT standing anywhere near a banana tree.) I look up, and see a monkey. He's obviously knocked loose his breakfast, and I step back so he can retrieve them. I look up again, see another banana, and start eating it. Another monkey comes and steals it from me.

Next thing you know, I'm inside about to take the first test ride on a roller coaster I happen to own. It gains speed, headed right for the loop-de-loop...and halfway up the loop, it breaks down and stops.

Enter my dream interpretation sources, which tell me some surprising (and potentially naughty) things. Not surprisingly, bananas in dreams tends to indicate items of a, er, sensual and phallic nature. Now, monkeys snatching my bananas might sound like I need a love life overhaul, to say the least, but I discovered that monkeys hanging from trees also represent being troubled by young ones. Enter my preschooler, who's been a real handful lately AND who has been interfering with my sleep patterns ("stealing" my night hours with wakefulness). The monkey business in my dream makes more sense.

Roller coasters involve, not surprisingly, ups and downs in our lives or erratic emotions and behavior. In truth, I'd been so busy lately that I HAVE been rather, well, MOODY. And thus, the mystery behind another wacktastic dream sequence is solved.

Is YOUR subconscious trying to tell you something? Post a comment here or contact me!

I Have a Dream (Interpretation)

Note: some might find the dream mentioned mildly disturbing. Not for the easily nauseous.

Those who have visited my web site have seen my slogan, "Writing in My Wildest Dreams." My dream life is fairly vivid, sometimes in color, and usually well-remembered. I can even program my dreams to work on stories for me. Then again, my REM state has a life and will of its own, and wackiness DOES ensue.

I had one of those dreams this week. One minute I'm in an elevator with a group of strangers-that-I-know, the next we're hanging perilously to girders inside the elevator shaft. I shout a warning to one girl who looks ready to fall. Alas, she slides away into blackness, and the rest of us are helpless to do anything but watch.

Then, BOOM! It's me at the bottom of the shaft, back broken and part of one leg gone. Yet I'm quite calm, smiling and positive as paramedics (instantly on the scene) extricate me. Then the dream fast forwards and I'm happily recounting my tale to a friend on the street, me on crutches and encased in a plaster cast. Can we say, ohh-kayyyyy?

I turned to a dream guide guide for insight into this latest wild and woolly, and thought I'd share my findings here. Falling dreams involve a sense of insecurity or situations that are out of the dreamer's control. Elevators mean the same thing, or indicate a rise (or fall) in position or status. Turning into someone else in a dream--as I became the woman at the bottom of the shaft--indicates some aspect of the dreamer is changing. Back and leg injuries have specific meaning as well: dreaming of your back denotes ones' status, or some kind of pressure placed upon you. A crippled/missing leg indicates a lack of balance in life.

In putting these themes together, I was instantly able to recognize a subconscious fear with my writing career. I've got one book published and others under consideration. There's a bit of insecurity in that position, though one might believe a first book contract would surely eliminate lack of confidence. Not so. Enter whispers of, "Was the first just a fluke?" and the reason for my dream becomes clearer.

Once in a publisher's hands, manuscripts representing my (hopeful) rise as an author are out of my control. Meanwhile, self-applied pressure to further writing goals strains the seams of my daily schedule, putting things out of balance as I work to juggle job, home, family, and writing. Despite the pressure, fear of failing, and risk, I'm doing what I love to do. Hence my seemingly misplaced happiness throughout the dream.

What did this tell me? If nothing else, I decided I could use a few days away from my writing desk. So I put away my writer's hat, grabbed a favorite book, and planted my nose firmly therein.

Have you had recurring or particularly odd dreams? Dreams involving falling or other themes described here? Feel free to share. And keep on dreamin'! They might just be trying to tell you something.

Virtual Writing?

See what happens when I don’t have a blog challenge? I get fat, sassy, and downright blog lazy. Not that my lack of blogness represents a lapse in writing. I just finished a red-hot novella, SUITE SEDUCTION, and am back at work on A GRAND SEDUCTION. (Gee, that word keeps cropping up in my titles these days.) Also, in preparation for my summer writing “hiatus”(haw haw) I’m in the process of reviving the video game romance soap that spawned my upcoming IMMORAL MAGIC trilogy, CALIFORNIA DREAMIN’. In fact, that’s the topic for today’s blog: “live action writing.”

Ever hear of The Sims? It’s a video game that allows players to create virtual people, build impressive 3-D homes, and watch/guide them through life: jobs, marriage, kids, aspirations, old age. Zzzzzzz. Sorry, did I bore you? Wait, it gets better...especially if you’re an avid reader or writer. A growing number of players have discovered the handy in-game storytelling feature, by which Sims become actors and their environments sets in sagas representing every genre under the sun.

Now, let’s say you’re a writer or reader whose muse or TBR pile took the day (or month) off, and good plots are about as prolific as June bugs in December. Enter the Sims. Load the game, make a random Sim or five, and stick ‘em in a neighborhood. Become a virtual fly on the wall. Allow Sims to interact and move around on Free Will. They manage to do some pretty weird/wacky/funny/disgusting things. Using the game camera, take loads of random snapshots. Develop your keen sense of reader or writer curiosity, and ask yourself what’s going on. Why did the Sim just tell off the strange woman passing by? Why did the thought bubble over his head indicate a longing for romance/food/a shower? Why on Earth did a gypsy fortuneteller just stumble across the lot, shining up her crystal ball? Before long, any reader or writer worth their printer ink may find their Sims have just sprouted the seeds of a good story.

Or say you're a writer already penning your masterpiece, but find yourself stuck on a plot point or character motivation. Create your story in 3-D, then let your Sim character take over for a bit. By being able to dictate certain personality traits, you’d be surprised how spot-on some of their reactions can be. They could help you write yourself out of the corner. Not only that, but it’s a darn fun way to battle the tedium of writer’s block.

While I certainly don’t use Sims to write all (or even many) of my stories, it did form the basis for the above mentioned trilogy of books. It’s a far more useful tool than most folks passing it by on store shelves may think. So the next time you find yourself without a good book to read or write, go play a game. The kids who love to “waste time” with video games may have been taking the literary high road all along.

Zodiac: Practical(ly) Magic

I can't believe it...the final post in my A-Z blog challenge on all things mystical! And now, the letter Z...

Zodiac: The twelve constellations through which the sun, moon and planets cross. Each constellation is attributed a "sign" containing special significance depicting various aspects of life.

Ask a majority of people, "What's your sign?" and they can tell you easily. Knowing ones' birth sign is widely accepted, though few understand what it means.

The belief is that the position and alignment of stars and planets at the time of ones' birth can describe their personality attributes. This goes along with my month-long underlying theme of universal energies and their impact on all things; in this case, the type and position of energies affect a child's personality at birth.

Of course, one might turn this around and argue that a child already possesses these traits beforehand (in which case, perhaps their energy influences the date of their birth). Either way, it is interesting to note that a large percentage of people find commonalities between their personalities and the characteristics of their "sign."

For instance, as a Cancer I am said to be creative and drawn to occult and psychic phenomenon, as well as very family oriented with a tendency toward having a large family. I am a mother of seven and the author of a novel with psychic themes, currently writing a blog series on mysticism. Cancers are also notoriously moody creatures, as anyone who has my regular acquaintance can attest. We are drawn tightly to the moon and water, both of which describe me.

If you've never looked up your sign's traits, it may well prove an interesting study. But outside of the momentary entertainment value, who cares? It's not like you need someone to tell you what you like, after all. Still, using the zodiac can help you improve self awareness, be mindful when selecting a compatible mate or career, and to watch for potential pitfalls in life as well as your health. (Certain signs tend to lean toward particular types of ailments.)

Because the line up of stars and planets pull energy in varying ways (think of the way the moon's energy and pull affects the tides), the zodiac is used to predict the future. Such horoscopes are popular enough to be featured in just about every daily newspaper on the planet. Though I find discrepancy at times between various horoscopes (much like scientists may disagree on a particular theory, some astrologists may differ in their reading of astrological signs), I've been suitably impressed on numerous occasions. Not enough to consult the zodiac before deciding what color shirt to wear, but enough to respect the fact that there is value inherent in understanding the mysteries of the zodiac.

If you're interested in further information on birth signs, the zodiac, and astrology, check out these sites:
http://www.astrology-online.com
http://www.astrologycom.com/zodiac.html
http://www.evolvingdoor.ca/zodiac/signsindex.htm

Zodiac: Practical(ly) Magic

I can't believe it...the final post in my A-Z blog challenge on all things mystical! And now, the letter Z...

Zodiac: The twelve constellations through which the sun, moon and planets cross. Each constellation is attributed a "sign" containing special significance depicting various aspects of life.

Ask a majority of people, "What's your sign?" and they can tell you easily. Knowing ones' birth sign is widely accepted, though few understand what it means.

The belief is that the position and alignment of stars and planets at the time of ones' birth can describe their personality attributes. This goes along with my month-long underlying theme of universal energies and their impact on all things; in this case, the type and position of energies affect a child's personality at birth.

Of course, one might turn this around and argue that a child already possesses these traits beforehand (in which case, perhaps their energy influences the date of their birth). Either way, it is interesting to note that a large percentage of people find commonalities between their personalities and the characteristics of their "sign."

For instance, as a Cancer I am said to be creative and drawn to occult and psychic phenomenon, as well as very family oriented with a tendency toward having a large family. I am a mother of seven and the author of a novel with psychic themes, currently writing a blog series on mysticism. Cancers are also notoriously moody creatures, as anyone who has my regular acquaintance can attest. We are drawn tightly to the moon and water, both of which describe me.

If you've never looked up your sign's traits, it may well prove an interesting study. But outside of the momentary entertainment value, who cares? It's not like you need someone to tell you what you like, after all. Still, using the zodiac can help you improve self awareness, be mindful when selecting a compatible mate or career, and to watch for potential pitfalls in life as well as your health. (Certain signs tend to lean toward particular types of ailments.)

Because the line up of stars and planets pull energy in varying ways (think of the way the moon's energy and pull affects the tides), the zodiac is used to predict the future. Such horoscopes are popular enough to be featured in just about every daily newspaper on the planet. Though I find discrepancy at times between various horoscopes (much like scientists may disagree on a particular theory, some astrologists may differ in their reading of astrological signs), I've been suitably impressed on numerous occasions. Not enough to consult the zodiac before deciding what color shirt to wear, but enough to respect the fact that there is value inherent in understanding the mysteries of the zodiac.

If you're interested in further information on birth signs, the zodiac, and astrology, check out these sites:
http://www.astrology-online.com
http://www.astrologycom.com/zodiac.html
http://www.evolvingdoor.ca/zodiac/signsindex.htm

"Yule" be Home for Christmas

T-1 entry in my April A-Z blog series on all things mystical! Here's the letter Y...

Picture it: December, a crackling fire; mistletoe; a wassail bowl of hot apple cider; honey-glazed ham, plum pudding, and fruitcake;decorating a tree; celebrating the birth of God. What holiday is this?

Of course this is a no-brainer. Christmas. . . the holiest of holidays in Western belief. Also known as Yule, a celebration that dates back to ancient times.

Yule is held each year at the time of the Winter Solstice, somewhere around the 21st of December. It is a time when the male God (or the sun/son) is born into the Wheel of the
Year, bringing increased light in a time of darkness as the days once again grow longer. Feasting common at this time was done to celebrate the coming return of another year's bounty.

That Yule is an ancient pagan celebration comes as a surprise to many. Christ himself was actually not born in December, but sometime in the summer. When ancient Rome merged Christianity into their beliefs, the similarity in themes made Yule the ideal time to commemorate the birth of the Lord.

Certain aspects of the holiday were either banned or condemned at one point or another. Mistletoe is not commonly seen in churches because of its pagan roots; some also spoke against decorating Christmas trees (though in fact, ancient pagans did not actually cut down trees, but rather decorated their homes with boughs collected from evergreens). Yule was all but banned during the Protestant revolution as well, decried as a sinful heathen practice. Indeed, even in the U.S. Yuletide festivities have been declared illegal--in Boston during the mid 1600's.

The common themes of birth of the "son" and bringing light to the world make for an interesting comparison between varying beliefs. The same celebration, the same reason, merely with a different name.

So the next time you light a yule log or drink from a wassail bowl, you might wonder what these practices signified to your ancestors.

Xenology: Study of the Unknown

Down to the last three letters of the alphabet...

Xenology (from Greek language xenos = "foreign, guest" and logos = "word") denotes research or information about foreign, alien, secret or generally unknown things. In other words, this might have been a good title for my April blog series on all things mystical.

True, it more aptly applies to the study of alien life forms (and in fiction at that), but it seemed fitting that the study of foreign and secret concepts applies as much to mysticism as it does to whether there are creatures out there capable of delivering the Vulcan neck pinch.

As is the case with many things outside the realm of common discovery, fear of the unknown has branched this field off into a full blown phobia: xenophobia. The fear of foreign and alien individuals is a real and documented one, and though general discussion in the area lies within the realm of nationality rather than beliefs per se, I find it equally applicable to the fear of those who practice mysticism.

There are those who walk along the frontier of adventurous and terrifying discovery. These explorers have been decried as wizards or demons as they've toyed with dangerous forces to unlock some of the greatest powers and mysteries known to man. These wielders of magic do not fear the uknown--they merely test its limits to determine where, ultimately, our place in the universe lies.

Call them foolish, call them doomed to suffer brimstone, but they are at work even today, and in vastly increasing numbers. Who are these brave warriors of mysticism? They're called scientists.

Their discoveries, though met with skepticism, fear, and downright rejection, today enhance the lives of most everyone on this planet. Who's to say that today's freaky mystic won't become tomorrow's science whiz?

Wave a Wand, Save a Spell?

W....down to the "w"ire with this A-Z blog series on all things mystical!

Magic wands. No discussion of mystical items would be complete without a mention of them. The idea conjures up images of magicians tapping top hats and pulling rabbits out, fairy godmothers, or Harry Potter tales where the wand chooses the wizard.

Wands are, in fact, true magical tools employed by those who follow paths of mysticism such as I've described throughout this series. However, whereas trick magicians use wands only as misdirection and much fictional magic cannot be performed without one, real life wands are used as an optional tool to direct energy toward a goal. The wand is neither vital nor superfluous; the way a power drill is helpful, yet not a requirement for hanging a large painting.

Wands can be made from just about anything, including wood, metals, crystals, or plastic. Natural elements are considered more effective, and wood has special significance as both a traditional material and one from a "living" source. Others feel metal makes a better tool for attracting energy. Wands can be purchased or made, though many consider that a handmade wand innately possesses more of the user's own energy, thus making it a more valuable tool from the outset.

What does the wand do? When the user wishes to implement energy in order to achieve a goal, they can first use the wand as something of a lightning rod, collecting the positive thoughts, will, and intentions of energy along its length. It is then pointed or directed at the goal (either figuratively or directly by pointing at a picture of the goal, a bill that needs paying, etc) and the energy is "released" by the practitioner, sent off to perform its work.

Though the wand is not an absolute must-have (indeed, some feel the mind alone or the bare hand is a better tool for sending out energy), those who do use one treat them with respect. These are generally not allowed to be handled by others, lest the energies of negative aspects of outsiders be transferred to the wand. The wand is never waved about or pointed in jest, just as a gun owner would (if they are wise) never do so with their weapon.

Often about the length of a forearm, larger versions of the wand are also common. These are called "staffs" and have been associated in folklore with wizards (like Gandalf in Lord of the Rings). If you recall from that particular story, the staff bore a large crystal in one end. Though not required, crystals are often used at the tip of wands and staffs. As we learned earlier in the series, crystals contain a great deal of stored energy, and are thought to be effective conductors of such. Thus they make a good addition to a wand of any size.

Some interesting handcrafted wands can be seen at:
http://www.sticksstonesnbeyond.com/wands.htm

Visualization:SEE the Magic

As we near the final stretch in my A-Z blog challenge on all things mystical, here's the letter V...

As a childbirth educator for a dozen years, I taught the value of visualizing a goal in order to help achieve it. By instructing women to picture their bodies doing the intended work--and holding their precious babies at the end--they were able to help ease the process of birth. It wasn't until some time later that I learned this principle could be applied to many aspects of life. Positive visualization can be utilized to effect many results--in career, finance, health, family, even spirituality.

Most people already visualize, but the typical emphasis is on negative results. In such visualizations (perhaps better known as worry or fear), we may imagine what would happen as we approach an ATM alone at night, or slam on our brakes and picture someone smashing into the back of our car. By simply turning that focus around to embrace positive outcomes, we can greatly impact our lives.

What can simply picturing a desired goal change? For one thing, our own emotions and feelings. By emphasizing the positive, we can instantly have a more balanced and positive flow of energy by which to empower ourselves. Who is more likely to effect change, the negative soul who has given up to apathy, or the positive thinker who expects their actions to have a desired impact?

From a mystical standpoint, positive energy released toward a goal helps achieve it. Perhaps it is as simple as the added brain boost given by adding the creative power of the right side of the brain to the logical left. That's more brain for the buck.

Many practices depend on the power of visualization to help assist in reaching goals. In Feng Shui, for instance, the visualized intent of every item placed for balance is considered even more important than the act of placing it. In many religions, such focused positivism is called "faith." Even in magic, visualizing the goal is tantamount, more vital than using the right colored candle or proper herb concoction.

How do you do visualization? To start with, find a quiet place or time (for me, this occurs when I'm lying down to sleep). Relax, breathing slowly and regularly. Now, select the goal you are aiming for. Let's say you're after a job promotion. Picture it in your mind, as clearly as you can. See yourself in the boss' office, him shaking your hand while giving you the good news. Visualize moving into the new office, setting your box of personal items down on the new desk. Picture yourself performing tasks in this new capacity, and smiling as you deposit fatter checks in the bank.

Such focused thought can easily be waylaid by other images--an overdue bill, an unpleasant confrontation, a task you forgot to take care of. As soon as you realize you've been sidetracked, say STOP loudly in your mind. Shift focus back to your positive visualization. Do so as often as you must.

Chances are, if you perform this in bed at night you may wind up falling asleep. Good! You were able to relax enough into this positive approach to allow it to work. Repeat this process for a few minutes each night and you'll soon find yourself better able to produce--and sustain--vivid imagery. Before long, you can produce positive imagery in a variety of situations, at any time of day.

With the power of your own positive thought in your corner, you may be surprised at how different life becomes. The ability to achieve largely depends on our belief we can achieve it. Try visualization, and see where it leads you along the path to your goals. Good luck!