I grew up for most of my life feeling a bit ‘different’ from my peers. I was highly sensitive to other people and to places. As a small child I had many experiences seeing and sensing what I now know as Angels and spirits. At the time I didn’t know it was unusual to be able to see and communicate with these beings. I played in the garden with my ‘friends’ and it seemed normal to me.

Over time of course I discovered that not everyone was having the same experiences as me and none of my friends knew what I was talking about. So quickly I learned to keep it to myself, only telling my parents. I could see many colours and lights around people which I now know was their aura or energy field. I was quite an independent child and liked to do my own thing. I found it difficult to fit in at school and often became frustrated with the school system. I loved art and the world of ‘make believe’ and would spend hours upon hours painting or playing with my ‘My Little Ponies’. Dolls were of no interest to me, I wanted to be in a magical world and that’s what I got from my ‘My Little Ponies’!

Who are the Indigo & Crystal Children?

It was only when I became a teenager that I was told that I was an Indigo. I hadn’t heard the term before so I looked into it and it described me so well. The terms Indigo and Crystal Child have been widely used to describe children who are believed to hold special, unusual and sometimes supernatural traits or abilities. The term was coined by Nancy Ann Tappe. These children were found to have mainly indigo coloured auras hence the term Indigo child.

Many of the Indigo children have now grown up to be adults and are paving the way for the Crystal children. These children are highly aware, extremely sensitive and often come out with the most profound statements. Indigo children have problems going along with meaningless systems and work to break them down. Both Indigo and Crystal Children have a strong intuition and deep spiritual connection. I grew up with a feeling of not being “from here” which is a typical of an Indigo.

Other Indigo characteristics include:

• Impatience and frustration with the world – some Indigo children have a short attention span and can often be misdiagnosed as ADD or ADHD
• Intense emotions and sensitivity
• Feeling a great sense of purpose in life – like they are here to do something big
• Indigo children often don’t do well at school, despite their characteristic giftedness. They just don’t fit into the system
• Indigo children prefer deep interactions and one to one relationships

Using these gifts

In one way being an Indigo hasn’t been easy, but it also a tremendous gift in another. I found it quite hard to cope with the sensitivities and psychic abilities as a young teenager. A lot of the time I just wanted to fade into the background. I was bullied in school and often wondered if anyone else out there was like me.

I didn’t realise there were thousands just like me. I became quite depressed and found life quite a struggle. At 13 my mum began bringing me for Reiki. It was the best thing that she ever could have done and I am so grateful to have such an understanding mother. She couldn’t see all the things that I could see but she believed me and she believed in me. My mum always had an interest in spirituality and healing – my abilities just increased that interest.

At aged 15 I studied Reiki 1 alongside my mum and at aged 17 I became a Reiki Master. It is one of my proudest achievements. I learned how to cope with my heightened senses and my intuitive and psychic abilities. I found a group of people who understood me and accepted me. I also discovered my soul purpose and now I get to work alongside my mum which is great!

Working with Indigo & Crystal Children

In the past number of years I have begun working with other Indigo children, adults and Crystal children doing Reiki and other forms of healing. Crystal children have similar abilities to Indigos but have a much calmer, peaceful aura about them. While the Indigos are the system busters, the Crystal children are the peacemakers. They are quite sensitive souls and pick up on atmospheres and energies very easily. They, like the Indigo children, can detect when they are being lied to, patronised or manipulated!

Some Characteristics of Crystal Children:

• Can sense and see peoples’ auras.
• They can seem to live in another world and be quite disconnected from other people.
• They show a keen interest in crystals & rocks and often discuss angels, spirit guides & past-life memories.
• Show healing abilities
• Are musically or artistically oriented and creative
• Even-tempered & forgiving of others
• Many of the Crystal children that I have worked with have the most beautiful big eyes with an extremely intense stare.

The mission of Indigo & Crystal Children

The Indigo and Crystal children are here to teach us the ways of love. They are pushing us to wake up to what we are doing to ourselves and to the planet. They are here to share their vision of what is to come in the future. Our world is going through a tremendous shift and we are heading into a new era, a new level of consciousness as a human species: The Age of Aquarius.

The Indigo and Crystal children are here to teach and guide us into this new level. They are visionaries and we must embrace their new way of thinking and connecting with people and the universe. They do not see limits rather they see the limitless possibilities in their journey here on earth.

If you are an Indigo or a parent of an Indigo or Crystal child we would love to hear from you as we are currently conducting further research in the hopes of setting up a network of support for parents and children. Please leave a comment below or email us through our contact page or at info [AT] spiritwise [D0T] ie

Recommended reading:

 The Indigo Children by Lee Carroll & Jan Tober

 The Crystal Children by Doreen Virtue

Many years ago I was introduced to the Enneagram and decided to take a course to see what it was all about. It was the the Enneagram showed me that I was not alone in developing coping strategies. We all do it. That, at least, was a consolation. But we don’t all use the same strategies. I learned that this is just one of the many ways we instinctively develop skills to protect ourselves. These masks become our core beliefs which determine how we respond or react to situations in our lives. In a sense they act as triggers for our ‘fight or flight’ responses. Our social masks hide our deep-rooted insecurities.

The Enneagram offers nine different examples of coping strategies. The word ‘ennea’ means nine and ‘gram’ signifies the star-like symbol which is centred in a circle. Some people learn to be strong and confront issues regardless of who or what gets in the way. Others just sit and observe. And so on…

I was not particularly pleased when my tutor described the characteristics of my particular ‘number’. First reaction was to say ‘No, you can’t put me in a box like that!’ I tried to pretend to myself that I was unique and no one could really get into my mind. But I had to admit there was a lot of truth in what the ‘numbers’ were telling me. It just took time to accept it. I eventually realised that no-one but myself was putting me in a box. The task then was to observe and analyse what was going on in my mind to figure out why I was behaving in particular ways. Armed with this information I was able to take an objective look at myself and others and realised that my core beliefs were both limiting and potentially destructive to my relationships. The Enneagram provided me with the framework from which to take stock and work on eliminating my limiting beliefs.

So what did I learn?

1. According to the Enneagram there are nine personality types
2. Each type has positive and negative characteristics/behavioural traits
3. By getting to understand my ‘type’ I could become aware of what ‘public face’ I was putting out there and why people reacted to me in a particular way
4. Therefore I could change what was not beneficial to me
5. I could also understand why others behaved in particular ways in certain situations
6. This knowledge was useful in the workplace, at home or indeed, in any public or social situation
7. It helped me to be more understanding and also more assertive when necessary
8. I felt empowered and became more skilled in communicating
9. Life on the outside looking in to other people’s dramas can be very educational and even amusing!
10. Ultimately the process led to ‘the awakening of my Evolutionary Self’ and realisation of a newfound, higher potential and meaning in life, where my ‘issues’ became tools for learning and advancement rather than obstacles to be overcome.

In our workshops we take a light-hearted approach to a very interesting and powerful topic. There is no need for an ‘archaeological dig’ into the depths of the psyche to learn to understand oneself. When people begin to awaken to their true potential, then all psychological issues, blocks wounds and complexes suddenly seem to dissolve.

9 Enneagram Types
1. The Reformer/Perfectionist
2. The Helper/Carer
3. The Achiever
4. The Individualist
5. The Investigator/Observer
6. The Questioner/Loyalist
7. The Enthusiast
8. The Challenger
9. The Peacemaker

The Enneagram is mightier than the sword!

Our next workshop on the Enneagram is on next Saturday 28th April 10.30 – 4 in the TF Royal Hotel Castlebar – For more information click here

We recommend these books on the Enneagram:

The Enneagram Made Easy: Discover the 9 Types of People

The Enneagram: Understanding Yourself and Others in Your Life

Getting into the habit of using positive affirmations can lift us up when we are feeling down. They can help build our confidence and self-esteem. Like most things in life it takes practice and perseverance. It’s like building up muscles, you can’t do it overnight! I have been using affirmations for many years. Some have been helpful and others I felt didn’t work. I also found that some affirmations really didn’t sit well with me. I decided to do a little bit of investigation into this.

Why don’t affirmations work all of the time?

Sometimes my clients say to me that they’ve been saying positive affirmations every day and nothing is happening. There might be a number of reasons for this:

You haven’t given it enough time – be patient, using positive affirming statements can make a difference to your life but it does take time. The universe is conspiring to help you, but you do have to be patient. Remember to do them often – We say so many negative things to ourselves throughout the day so we need to make sure we are saying more positive things than negative. If you affirm ‘I prosper wherever I turn’ two or three times a day and then spend the whole day giving out to your friends that you have no money, well then guess what? – You’ll have no money! We need to make sure that our self-talk is positive throughout the whole day, from the moment we wake up to the moment we go to sleep at night. When you catch yourself starting to say something negative just stop and turn it around. For every negative comment you make try balance it out with a positive one.

Another reason that your affirmations may not being working is that you may have some negative limiting core beliefs – sometimes we may have a core issue that needs to be healed before we can move on. For example you may be saying ‘I am a successful entrepreneur’ over and over again but it’s not working and you’re left feeling stuck. This may be because you have a limiting belief like: being successful will mean you’ll lose your friends, or you won’t have time to spend with family if you are successful in business. Our core beliefs come from our past experiences. This may be a belief you created in childhood, as a teenager, or it may be from a past life, or genetic memory. The important thing is this limiting belief can be healed and it can be changed. The key is to identify what core beliefs might be holding you back. Get a pen and paper, and write down what you think might be holding you back. Acknowledging these beliefs is the first step in healing. You might find that there is some resistance within you – this just means that there definitely is something there that needs healing. When the resistance is quite strong then I know it’s a major limiting belief that needs changing. Next you can affirm to yourself that you are willing to change. You are willing to release these beliefs. Sometimes it’s just a matter of being willing to release them. Other times you may need to work on them a bit more with the help of a life coach or therapist. I have done a lot of work on letting go of limiting core beliefs through various ways from writing the beliefs down and burning the piece of paper; having Past Life Regression Therapy & with Reiki. I am delighted to say it has had such a dramatic and positive effect on my life.

Where do I start?

Start now! Get into the habit of using positive affirmations right this very moment. Find affirmations that suit you. Go online and look up positive affirmations, the internet has a vast array of affirmations for every subject. I recommend you look up Louise Hay’ affirmations. Write them or type them and stick them up on the wall, or door, or in your car. Set reminder affirmations in your phone. Get into the habit of being thankful – when we are thankful for what we already have, the universe will provide us with more of what we are thankful for. When we are grateful we are focusing on the positive. When you are focusing on things you’re grateful for it helps attract even more things to be grateful for. Keep a gratitude journal of everything you are grateful for, from the biggest to the smallest things, places & people.

Techniques such as meditation and writing a journal can help you to let go. Write down any limiting beliefs and make it your priority to heal and change these. Sometimes writing them down and burning the piece of paper can help. Do breathing exercises to let go of any fear or anger. Repeat this exercise from Louise Hay’s You Can Heal Your Life: ‘I am willing to let go, I release. I let go. I release all tension. I release all fear. I release all anger. I release all guilt. I release all sadness. I let go of all limitations. I let go, and I am at peace. I am at peace with myself. I am at peace with the process of life. I am safe’. 

Here are some affirmations to get you started:

• I love and accept myself totally in the now.
• All is well in my world. Everything is working out for my highest good. Out of this situation only good will come. I am safe.
• I prosper wherever I turn.
• I release all fear and doubt. Life becomes simple and easy for me.
• It is easy for me to express Love and in return, it is easily expressed back to me.
• I am attracting the most wonderful loving life-long friends into my life.
• Everything I do brings me joy.
• I am safe in the universe, and all life loves and supports me. My heart is open, allowing love to flow freely.
• I am willing to change. I am willing to release the need for resistance .
• I am worthy of love
• I now release all limiting beliefs and fears in my life

Remember to be consistent and persistent! Do let us know how you’re getting on and get more great affirmations on our Facebook page

When you’ve decided to go and have a Reiki session you want to make sure you get the most benefit from it, so here are a few tips on getting the most from your Reiki session:

1. Keep an open mind – Openness is the only requirement for Reiki to work. You don’t need to believe in it, but you must be open to it. For the best results it is helpful to walk into a Reiki appointment open minded and well rested. Share with your practitioner any issues you have been dealing with. These issues can be physical, mental, spiritual or emotional.

2. Time – make sure you have enough time and aren’t rushing to get there or rushing off quickly after your session. The whole idea is to relax and rejuvenate your energy, not get stressed getting there! Give yourself plenty of time to get to your appointment. Try going on a day when you know you’ll have a little bit of time to yourself afterwards to let the Reiki energy soak in.

3. Comfort – Wear something warm and comfy; your Reiki Practitioner should have a cosy room and a blanket to cover you during the session and it’s always nice to be in comfortable clothes so you can relax completely. Some of my clients like to bring their own bed socks for extra warmth and comfort during the session.

4. Deep breaths – take a few deep breaths to help relax your body at the beginning of your Reiki session.

5. Water, Water, Water! – Reiki helps to detox your energy field and your physical body so drink plenty of water before and after your session to help aid this detox. You can also help detox the body with sea salt or Epsom salt baths.

6. Let it out – If emotions surface during the session, allow them to be expressed. If you need to cry or laugh, let it happen organically. Your practitioner is used to this happening and will have tissues on hand. To achieve best results, you can say to yourself before the session, “I accept this healing for my highest and greatest good.” This helps to get rid of any energy barriers you may be holding up that could interfere with the session. If you are spiritual, you can ask your guides and angels to be present during the healing.

7. Sleep – Try to have an early night the night before your session. You may also feel like an early night after the session as your body will be in relaxation mode.

8. Grounding – Following your Reiki session your Practitioner should wake you gently as you will be in a state of deep relaxation much like a meditative state. You may feel a little ‘spaced out’ so your practitioner should allow you time to sit and relax to ‘ground’ yourself.   Drink some water or juice.

9. Enjoy! – The feeling of rest and relaxation will stay with you for some time after the session – that is the Joy of Reiki.

For more information on Reiki or to book your session with Sinéad call 086 2550389 or contact us here

Books on Reiki:
Essential Reiki: A Complete Guide to an Ancient Healing Art

Sinead and I have been involved in energy healing since the late 1990’s, Reiki and Pranic healing and earth healing.  Our information came from our intuition, discussion with like-minded people and reading.  For many years we operated below the radar because what we were doing was considered ‘alternative’ healing, later it became ‘complementary’ as mainstream medicine began to see the benefits of combining the two systems.  Those medical practitioners who practiced complementary medicine were few and far between and tended to keep a low profile.  The main problem was that there was no scientific proof or data available to support the claims made.

In the past ten years or so this has changed.  There are now a large number of scientists from a variety of disciplines, such as computer scientists, geologists, astronomers, biologists and psychologists, who have conducted studies and brought this information to light.  However, these scientists face an uphill battle to influence their institutions so they are mostly free-lance scientists who have written books and taken up lecturing throughout the world as their means of getting their messages across.  Very few are employed in universities or government organisations because their findings challenge the status quo.

Over the past few years Sinéad and I have attended conferences and workshops in London and Dublin where we made contact with some of the most influential writers and have now connected with them through technology (Facebook, Youtube, email, e-learning, etc.) and we have participated in some of the experiments.

We would like to share what we have learned

• Consciousness Shift:  We are in the midst of the greatest shift of consciousness Humanity has ever experienced
• Shift of the Ages coincide (cycles within cycles ending on winter solstice 2012):
• 5,125-year cycle of the Mayan Calendar
• Transition from the 2,166-year Age of Pisces into the Age of Aquarius
• 26,000-year cycle known as the Precession of the Equinox (alignment of planets)
• 438,000-year cycle of Kali Yuga
• 1.8 million-year cycle of Satya Yuga,
• 4.4 million-year cycle of Mahayuga
• 4.4 billion-year cycle of Kalpa, or the Day of Brahma
• What does that mean? According to the Inca wisdom tradition four great cosmic ages follow one another:  Golden Age, Silver Age, Bronze Age & Iron Age.  The Age of Iron, like a long winter, is now closing. ‘The new Golden Age, like spring, is announcing itself throughout the world’ Willaru Huayta, Inca Spiritual Messenger.
• Everything comprises Energy:  We are all being affected by an evolutionary process; Energetic frequency of body, emotions and mind accelerating; Frequency of energetic field parallels level of awareness; Gradually becoming more aware, sensitive, visionary, empathic, loving.
• Consciousness rising: We are Ascending from the 3rd Dimension into the 5th Dimension.  3^rd = ego, fear based, survival of the fittest, cube; 4^th = soul, spirit, unified field, create; 5^th = co-create.
• Intuition is a faculty we all possess (not just psychics or mystics).
• A universal energy field often referred to as ‘the electromagnetic field’ or ‘aura’ surrounds the human body.  This energy sustains us and connects us to one another.  Our mental, physical, emotional and spiritual health is reflected in the aura.  By learning how to balance the energies within our energetic field we can become the master of our own destiny.

How can we use this information? 

When we put all this information together it paints a very hopeful picture.

We are moving from the fifth cycle of 5,125 years to the sixth cycle; a new beginning. Old structures are breaking down and dissolving, making way for positive energies. If we align our energies with the energies of the cosmos we can create a new age of peace and harmony.  To do this we can work with energies on a personal level and on a global level.  Energy healing such as Reiki, Pranic healing, Bio-Energy, etc., all aim to balance our energies so that we can be at one with the universe.  As energy bodies we attract people and experiences of a similar energy frequency into our lives.  As we raise our frequency we can attract more harmonious people and abundance.  Heart energy is more powerful than head energy in attracting positive experiences. Therefore, we need to ‘put our heart’ into creating what we want. On a global level we can raise the frequency of the human race by consciously focusing on positive outcomes.  There are many organisations and groups of people currently coming together via the internet throughout the world, who are making a difference, e.g.:

• The Global Coherence Initiative
• The Institute of HeartMath
• The Shift Network

Our intention at SpiritWise is to create awareness and connect with like-minded people.  We would love to hear of your experiences.  We know that there are a number of small groups throughout Ireland and further afield who are working towards a similar objective.   We invite you to contact us if you wish to follow up on any of the ideas presented here.

This is it! 2012 is just around the corner. It’s that time of year again when we take a good look at our lives and decide what habits we want to break and what habits we want to make. Have you thought of your New Year Resolutions yet? Here are a few tips for setting goals and keeping them for the coming year.

1. Write down your goals and intentions: Be specific in what you want to achieve. Write it out on a piece of paper, or on your pc. This helps you to focus on your target and be clear in what you want to achieve. Those who write goals down are more likely to succeed than those who don’t. Set the intention that you are going to achieve your goal.

2. Be realistic: Don’t try to take on loads of tasks all at once. You’ll only overwhelm yourself and want to give up. So take baby steps. Make a list of things that you want to achieve in 2012. Read over it and see what the goals that are most important to you are. Start with those first. You can always tackle the rest at a later stage.

3. Visualise your goal: When you imagine your most important goal as already being achieved, you will feel good and you will be telling your subconscious mind exactly what you want. Spend time in the morning or evening visualising your aspirations as already being accomplished. When you are doing this really enjoy the feeling of success that comes from that.

4. Use Affirmations: One way to stay focused on your goal is to write it out and put it up on the wall where you can see it. Write it out as if it has already happened. This is an affirmation that you have already achieved what you set out to achieve. It tells your subconscious mind that you can do it and you have done it. Affirmations are a great way of helping to achieve your goals. Use affirmations like ‘I have a healthy body’, ‘All my changes are easy to make’, ‘I speak and think positively’. You can also use reminders on your phone for affirmations.

5. If you fall at the first hurdle don’t give up: We all fall down every now and then; the important thing is to get back up. Don’t go into the blame game and inflicting guilt on yourself. Acknowledge that you had a slip and then get right back up again. Give yourself some credit and be flexible.

6. Believe in yourself: Be positive! It’s important for you to believe in yourself and believe that you can do it. Using visualisations and affirmations will help you to have more self-belief.

7. Take action: Now that you have the tools go and take action! Get brainstorming and get writing. The more action you take, the faster and easier it will be for you to achieve your goals. Just by reading these words, you can become aware of all the steps you can take, right now. You can begin to move toward your dream life. It may seem hard at first, but as you keep going, the fog will clear and you will start to feel better and better.

And Remember: Stay positive, stay open and go with the flow! Good luck!

“Everyday, think as you wake up, today I am fortunate to be alive, I have a precious human life, I am not going to waste it. I am going to use all my energies to develop myself, to expand my heart out to others; to achieve enlightenment for the benefit of all beings. I am going to have kind thoughts towards others, I am not going to get angry or think badly about others. I am going to benefit others as much as I can.”

I have read this message from the Dalai Lama many times and it always has an uplifting effect on me. I keep it on my vision board over my desk and look at it every day. In the past few months I have decided to keep a gratitude journal. Every day (or sometimes it might be every other day) I jot down a few little things that I’m grateful for in my life. Sometimes I’ll just put down one thing or other days I might have a whole list of things. It’s such a simple thing to do yet it’s so powerful. There are many benefits to keeping a gratitude journal. Even just noting what you are grateful for in your mind will work wonders too.

When you are in a state of gratitude you can’t help but be in a good mood. You start to appreciate things more. You start to notice those little things that make you happy. The things that irritate or annoy you either don’t bother you as much or you simply don’t notice them as much.

Living in a state of gratitude also raises your energy or vibration. You begin to resonate and project at a higher vibrational frequency. When we are in a higher vibrational state it is easier for us to attract more of the things that we want. Think of yourself as a magnet – what you think about you bring about! So if you are thinking about things that you are grateful for then you will begin to attract more of those things. If you think about thinks you aren’t grateful for, those negative things, you will also bring more of those about too. So choose your thoughts wisely. So what are you grateful for today? Start with the small things. I’m grateful that I had a good night’s sleep. I’m grateful for that decent cup of coffee I had today. I’m grateful to that guy in the car who let me out. When you start with those little things it makes it easier when tackling the bigger things. Having an attitude of gratitude can change your life. Start your gratitude list today.  Remember to say thank you to those around you who have helped you in some small way today and every day. Happy Thanksgiving!

Why do we celebrate Pagan traditions?

Halloween is a time of celebration and superstition.  It is thought to have originated with the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain, when people would light bonfires and wear costumes to ward off roaming ghosts. The Celts celebrated Halloween as Samhain, the ‘Feast of the Dead’ when the dead revisited the mortal world.  The celebration marked the end of summer and the start of the winter months.  All this changed in the eight century when Pope Gregory 111 designated November 1 as a time to honour all saints and martyrs.  The holiday, All Saints’ Day, incorporated some of the ancient traditions of Samhain into Christian ritual.  This mixture of Pagan and Christian tradition permeates our lives and forms the basis of our cultural beliefs.

Social media in ancient Ireland

This feast is just one of the many Pagan traditions that have become part of our cultural heritage despite the fact that our ancestors did not have the benefit of the written word.  The first written word came to Ireland with Christianity.  Stories were recorded in Books and Annals, some in Old Irish, some in Latin, between the 7th and 12th centuries.  Some of these books and annals are: The Book of Dun Cow; The Book of Leinster; Book of Invasions; The Book of Rights; The Yellow Book of Lecan; and many more.

Storytelling

Mythological tales such as the Ultonian Cycle and the Ossianic Cycle, passed down to us mainly through storytelling.  These heroic warrior people were in touch with the Fairyland, which was populated by supernatural beings, beautiful and terrible. Some of these stories are supported by `evidence’, archaeological sites, which give life to the myth.  The purpose of myths is to relate to the universe, to relate to the cosmos, to relate to future generations.  With each telling individuals grow in stature and become heroes or demons, good or bad, light or dark.  Psychologists Freud and Jung pursued the theme of our shadow selves, the side that we may have unconsciously inherited from our ancestors.  We `know’ our ancestors through our stories.

Who were the Pagans and what did they believe?

‘Pagans’ were people who worshipped the gods of pagus – Latin for locality, place or region.  In some areas Pagans were also referred to as ‘Heathens’. Heathens are those who worship Northern European gods, gods of the heath, gods of the land.  The Pagan religion/tradition is all around us in the landscape, sacred hill, standing stone, burial ground, and holy mountain.  Remnants of religious celebrations of our ancestors are preserved in folk song, dance, seasonal customs, civic and Christian ritual.

Their ‘Priests’, the Druids were held in high esteem.  They were considered to be priests, physicians, wizards, diviners, theologians, scientists and historians of their tribe.  All spiritual power, all human knowledge was vested in them.  The Druids did not allow their doctrines to be written down.

From modern day paganism we learn some of the beliefs of their ancestors: Divine is manifest through many deities in different places and different times.  No one deity can express the totality of the divine – Polytheism. The divine is present in nature and in each one of us – Pantheism. The divine is beyond the limitations of gender, both male and female.  Pagan ethic – if it harms no one do what you will.

St. Brigit – Pagan Goddess or Christian Saint?

The goddess is seen as the dynamic force which gives birth to the universe either by a process by which she calls the god to her or by parthogenesis – giving birth from within herself alone – a virgin birth.  Goddesses ruled battles, war, wisdom and learning, hearth, home, childbirth and motherhood.  The triple goddess is a feature of paganism.  Represented by Brigit, this triple goddess has come down to us as St. Bridget.  Her chief shrine is in Kildare where the vigil fire was tended by Inghean an Doche, daughters of fire.  The shrine was Christianised.  Nuns tended the fire up to the 13th century when the Bishop of Kildare declared it a Pagan custom and banned it.

Incorporating Pagan traditions into Christianity

Belief in the supernatural seems to have been a powerful force in ancient Ireland.  It would have facilitated acceptance of the new religion.  Up until the time of St. Patrick in 432 AD people ofIrelandlived close to the land.  God was represented on earth, by the earth herself, mother earth, by the seasons, by the universe, by the cosmos.  There were no boundaries, religion and life were inseparable.  There was respect for and fear of the guardians of the place.  These guardians were invoked, pacified, revered.  They have come down to us in the form of fairies and goblins.

Christianity acknowledged the sacredness of ‘the place’ by incorporating these shrines.  However, they were to be overseen by Christian Saints rather than Pagan guardians.  This directive to missionaries from Pope Gregory the Great has been recorded in Bede’s History (Anglo-Saxon monk 673-735).

“Do not after all pull down the temples.  Destroy the idols, purify the buildings with holy water, set relics there and let them become temples of the true God.  So the people will have no need to change their places of concourse, and whereof they were wont to sacrifice cattle to demons, thither let them come on the day of the saint to whom the church is dedicated, and slay the beasts no longer as a sacrifice but for a social meal in honour of Him whom they now worship”.

In this way the sites of Pagan ritual passed into Christianity.  Christians absorbed the ancient gods and elemental forces which they were believed to control.  Two powerful forces in paganism were controlled, healing wells and high places.  Well worshipping is universal among early people, Indians, Egyptians, Persians and Greeks all had deities of fountains and streams.  The Church adopted them into its ritual; the guardians of the wells became Saints.

Celebrating our ancient spiritual traditions

There is ample evidence of our deep connections with Paganism in Ireland today.  Croagh Patrick, originally called Cruachain Aigle, now a place of Christian pilgrimage, was once a place of Pagan worship.  Togher Padraig, an ancient causeway, extended from Rathcroaghan in Co. Roscommon, (the dwelling place of Queen Medb of Connacht) to Croagh Patrick.  Along the way are many wells, which have been Christianised and are still places of Christian ritual.  The tradition of visiting ancient places of worship was severed but not entirely broken; some pagan traditions, albeit under another name, live on to the present day, e.g. St Brigid whose feast day commemorates a Pagan festival on February 1^st.  The Celtic mind readily absorbed Pagan deities into the Christian framework as saints; even animalistic deities – e.g. Horned God.  In some branches of Christianity he became the Devil, in others he became St. Cornally, patron saint of horned animals.  The feast day of Mithras, the sun god, worshipped by the Romans, was December 25th.

Theologian, John O’Donoghue, in his work Anam Cara, Spiritual wisdom from the Celtic World, states that

When St. Patrick came to Ireland in the fifth century he encountered the Celtic people and a flourishing spiritual tradition that had already existed for thousands of years.  He discovered that where the Christians worshipped one god, the Celts had many and found divinity all around them, in the rivers and hills, the sea and sky and in every kind of animal.  The ancient Celtic reverence for the spirit in all things survives to this day – a vibrant legacy of mystical wisdom that is unique in the Western world.

“Here’s to the crazy ones, the misfits, the rebels, the troublemakers, the round pegs in the square holes… the ones who see things differently — they’re not fond of rules… You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify or vilify them, but the only thing you can’t do is ignore them because they change things… they push the human race forward, and while some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius, because the ones who are crazy enough to think that they can change the world, are the ones who do.”

“No one wants to die. Even people who want to go to heaven don’t want to die to get there. And yet death is the destination we all share. No one has ever escaped it. And that is as it should be, because Death is very likely the single best invention of Life. It is Life’s change agent. It clears out the old to make way for the new. Right now the new is you, but someday not too long from now, you will gradually become the old and be cleared away. Sorry to be so dramatic, but it is quite true.”

“Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma — which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.”

The Hay House ‘I Can Do It’ events take place all over the world from Tampa Florida to Sydney Australia bringing like-minded people together. Not only does the conference offer inspiration, but a greater awareness and an opportunity to grow and change.

Introducing ‘I Can Do It’ the founder of Hay House, Louise Hay, now aged almost 85 (in 2 weeks) inspired the audience with her central message ‘you can change your life. Find the thoughts that do not make you feel good and dissolve them. Let go and love who you are.’

So what did we learn?

Our thoughts create our reality

The striking theme that emerged at this years gathering was that our thoughts control our lives, our physical and psychological health. That is the message we took away from this years I Can Do It 2011 London. We holistic healthcare workers already know this. We have plenty of evidence. But now we have scientific ‘proof’ provided by some of the most eminent scientists who make this claim and give us the scientific language to challenge the status quo.

It is what is in our unconscious mind that has the power. Our unconscious mind is holding 80% of our power to manifest. The conscious mind has only 20% of the power, so it’s important that we get to work on uncovering, owning and embracing our unconscious by truly understanding and transforming what’s no longer wanted or needed.

Meeting Bruce Lipton

What’s new in science?

New discoveries in genetics, epigenetics, (epi = above), tells us that we are not victims of our heredity, genes do not control biology; the mind controls genetics.

Bruce Lipton, stem cell biologist tells us that ‘Life as we know it is about to end because of human behaviour.’ Mankind asks three basic questions: How did we get here? Why are we here? What do we do now? The answer to these questions shapes the character of our civilisation. Whoever gives the answer we make them the ‘truth provider’. When we change the answer we change civilisation.

What does this mean for us? My understanding is that the human mind is much more powerful that we had imagined. By becoming aware of our controlling beliefs and reprogramming our subconscious mind we can change the patterns we have learned that have brought us to this point in civilisation, and reverse the track to annihilation that we are on.

What the academics are not telling us?

Deep Truth, Gregg Braden‘s latest book looks at what truth means for the crisis of today. He quotes Niels Bohr (1885-1962) ‘When a truth is negated what follows is Deep Truth.’ Braden states that there is an arrogance in science, a reluctance to share new discoveries. Data doesn’t support existing theories, theories that are still taught at school and college. False assumptions which are the basis of our systems affect us personally and globally. The world as we know it was never meant to be the destination. Systems weren’t meant to last. This is critical now because we are facing the greatest crisis in 5000 years. A new world is emerging before our eyes. At the same time the unsustainable world of the past struggles to continue. Both worlds reflect the beliefs that made them possible. Both worlds still exist – but only for now.

Living a lie

Pauline with Lynne McTaggart

Lynne McTaggart, internationally recognised spokesperson on the science of spirituality, author of The Field, says we are in crisis because we live a lie. In her new book, The Bond, she demonstrates that we are in constant relationship with everyone and everything and if we are to survive and flourish we need to share, to care and be fair. According to McTaggart, it is time for us to embrace the new scientific discoveries across all the disciplines, which are proving that we have maintained a false and dangerous view of ourselves. It’s time to begin a new Age of Enlightenment, one that recognises and honours wholeness. Realising the need to work together globally we now require nothing less than a revolution in our thinking.

The spiritual journey is not about healing; it’s about Truth

Pauline with Caroline Myss

Medical intuitive, Caroline Myss, says that we are moving from the Fossil Age to the Solar Age. In the past certain things in life were always consistent. For the first time in civilisation everything is changing. In the past we thought changes happening elsewhere had nothing to do with us. Change is now intimate and immediate. The context of the world is different. Disorder has come into our systems, eg financial system. We have to have the courage to recognise illusion and lies. We need to look at ourselves honestly.

Practical steps to rewrite our core beliefs…

Karl Dawson and Sasha Allenby, EFT Practitioners (Emotional Freedom Technique), have written about a whole new aspect of EFT which they call ‘Matrix Reimprinting’. While Bruce Lipton talked about how our subconscious mind holds 80% of our power to manifest, Karl and Sasha explain how to tap into that power. With EFT and Matrix Reimprinting we can learn to change our core beliefs and actually transform the negative energy from past traumatic events and create a whole new energetic memory of that event. From a quantum physics point of view we have any number of possible pasts or futures, and it is simply tuning us into one that is more resourceful, whilst releasing the stress and trauma that we hold in our body-mind and body-field. We can tap into the subconscious mind and we can take control of our subconscious core beliefs. Until you transform the memories from past events you keep tuning into them on a subconscious level and they affect your health, your wellbeing and your point of attraction. Changing the pictures creates both physical and emotional healing, and enables you to attract more positive experiences into your life.

Sinéad with Karl & Sasha

What can we do on the bigger scale?

We can join with others to help shift the direction in which humanity is currently headed. There are many different initiatives such as The Global Coherence Initiative, The Intention Experiment and Humanity’s Team working towards shifting global consciousness.

The Global Coherence Initiative

Gregg Braden is involved in The Global Coherence Initiative – the first-of-its-kind science-based initiative uniting millions of people in heart-focused care and intention, to shift global consciousness from instability and discord to balance, cooperation and enduring peace! This project is designed to help individuals and groups work together, synchronistically and strategically to increase the impact of their efforts to create positive global change. Together we will

• Increase personal coherence for the benefit of ourselves and the planet
• Help shift the planetary consciousness baseline from self-centeredness to wholeness care
• Increase connection and social harmony
• Empower our ability to navigate through global changes with less stress and more ease
• Empower environmental responsibility and stewardship of the planet

The Intention Experiment

Lynn McTaggart introduced us to The Intention Experiment – a series of scientifically controlled, web-based experiments testing the power of intention to change the physical world. Thousands of volunteers from 30 countries around the world have participated in Intention Experiments.

Humanity’s Team

We have been involved with a movement called Humanity’s Team over the past few years. Humanity’s Team is a spiritual movement whose purpose is to communicate and implement the belief that we are all one, one with God and one with life, in a shared global state of being, so that the behaviour of humanity may shift to reflect this understanding. Similarly, Humanity’s Team supporters hold onto a truth — the eternal truth that: We Are All One.

Would we go again?

Sinéad & Louise

Yes, there is a great benefit in being with like-minded people. The crew at Hay House UK deserve recognition for bringing this gathering together. In the closing talk Louise L. Hay and Cheryl Richardson discussed the practical things that we can do every day create a more positive life for ourselves. It’s the simple things like saying a positive affirmation when you wake up in the morning; surrounding yourself with positive things and people; watching comedies instead of negative fear-filled programmes on television. Changing our own thoughts has a wider effect.

As Cheryl Richardson puts it: ‘the greatest gift we can give to humanity is the raising of our own consciousness.’

What could make the weekend even better?

Pauline & Louise

There isn’t a lot of opportunity to meet with fellow attendees. Some form of reception/interactive engagement or sharing of contact information might be considered to bring people together. From this perhaps then people could set up their own smaller groups in their areas for their own intention experiments in healing and meditation.

From a show of hands in one of the workshops we could see that up to 80% of the people there had travelled from outside of the UK to be there. We met people from the Czech Rebuplic, Norway, France and Spain. The Sunday afternoon workshop could be shortened to facilitate travel for all of these people coming from abroad.

Overall I CAN DO IT! London 2011 was a fantastic experience and one that we were thrilled to be part of. Knowing that we have the power, not only to change our own lives, but to have an effect globally is incredible. Together we have the power to turn things around. Together we have the power to create the kind of life that we want to live, and to create the kind of life that we want for our children. Together We Can Do It!

Hay House I Can Do It Events take place worldwide – for more information see: