An Open Letter to Ginger Kids

Dear Child with Red Hair,

On behalf of all Canadians who didn’t know what was going on the day you were assaulted for having red hair, fair skin, and freckles, I offer my sincerest apologies.  If I had known, surely I would have taken some kind of proactive action.  But I only found out after it was way too late.

I was in the Newmarket hospital’s emergency room with a friend on Tuesday night when a young girl was brought in.  She appeared to have a broken finger, and possibly a broken leg.  I wondered what she had done to injure herself so badly.  To my utter horror, another woman there explained to me that the girl had been attacked at school and kicked because she was a “ginger”.  That day was designated as “Kick a Ginger” day.

I recognized the reference.  I’d seen the South Park episode myself.  I remember thinking as I watched it that some moron could possibly take that idea and run with it.  Even though Eric Cartman gets his in the episode, any positive message would be lost on some immature and angry individuals. 

There have always been bullies, and there will always be bullies.  You keep hoping that somehow the Disney movies would counteract the violent shows they are exposed to, but that’s not how it works.  Like attracts like, and these knuckle-draggers probably identify with the bad guys in the Disney films anyway.

You also hope that witnesses to these assaults would intervene and stop it.  For the young girl I saw in the ER, that was not the case.  You wonder how these kids can live with themselves for either perpetrating these assaults, or standing idly by while an innocent person gets assaulted to the point where they need emergency medical care.

Shortly after the young girl was wheeled away (she had to be in a wheelchair, as her injuries made walking difficult), a boy came in with a large bump on his head.  He too had been assaulted for being a ginger kid. 

I’m sorry too, if you were hurt (and the wounds would be both physical and emotional), and the authorities at the school you attend did nothing to help you or to punish the bullies.  They should have called the police and they should have made sure you received medical treatment.  Anything less and they are just as guilty as anyone else who stood by and did nothing.  Apparently, the young girl I’m speaking of had reported the incident to the school, but no action, to my knowledge, was taken.  She didn’t get to the hospital until her parents returned from work and found her injured and in pain.

The parents of the young girl that I saw were outraged, as they should be.  They were planning to call the police once they knew their daughter was going to be all right.  As it turns out, her thumb was broken, her leg only sprained.  Can you imagine the anger and the energy it would take to kick someone until bones broke or severe injuries resulted?  Did no one learn anything from the Jonathon Wamback case (http://www.jonathanwamback.com/jonathan/whathappened.html)?

I know it’s tempting to blame the creators of South Park, but really the blame should go to the parents of the bullies.  Do they not screen what their kids are watching?  Do they not take the opportunity to have a discussion on what is and isn’t appropriate behavior, and do they not explain to their kids that cartoons, and live action shows, for that matter, are NOT REAL?  And can they be that oblivious to their own children’s anger management problems?  Those questions are, of course, rhetorical. 

Unfortunately, violent kids tend to come from violent homes, so they learn what they live.  I’m sorry that you are the target of their anger, hate, and self-loathing—for if someone is lashing out at others like that, they must have a lot of self-hate and insecurity.  It’s small consolation to know that unless they get counseling, they’re not really going to have happy or successful lives.  You wouldn’t have seen Bill Gates kicking gingers as a kid.

Rest assured that most of the people in your community are appalled and care very much about the harm that has been done to you.  We think it’s intolerable and unacceptable and it should never be allowed to happen again.  We’ll be more vigilant, but it would help if you talked about it to the adults in your life that you trust.  There are people out there who know what to do and can help you to stay safe.

This story was already in the news last year.  Please watch the following video and it will let you know that action was taken, and I expect is being taken again now.  The person who started all this was being investigated by the RCMP and it was treated as a hate crime.  Let’s all be vigilant so that there will be no “International Kick a Ginger Day 2010”.

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Namaste,

Val Tobin, ATP® with Advanced Training
www.serenitynowgifts.com

DON’T PANIC

DON’T PANIC. 

Famous words from Douglas Adam’s Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy and, according to Arthur C. Clarke, “the best advice that could be given to humanity”.  It serves us well in these bizzarre times when we’re dealing with the controversy that is the swine flu pandemic, not to mention the vaccine promoted as the panacea that causes just as much anxiety as the disease it is purported to prevent.

 I woke up this morning with an urge to contribute my two cents to the debate.  I’ve been tossing around the notion of putting my opinion into print, but I’m not inclined to stick my neck out like that, and I also believe that everyone is entitled to make their own decisions on this.  I will do what I feel is the best choice for me, and I expect everyone else to do the same.

The problem with that is when people are basing their decisions on misinformation or a lack of information.  They are then not making a fully informed choice, and can’t move forward with confidence in their decision.  It’s this that tipped me over and made me decide to write this today—well, this, and reading the local newspaper, which was so obviously pushing the vaccine. 

Two things in the local paper in particular annoyed me.  One was an article by a woman whose four-month-old baby caught croup from another child who had not been vaccinated against croup.  The parents of the older child did not believe in vaccinations and apparently believed in exposing their sick kid to others; the mother of the baby did not believe in keeping her infant away from crowded places during flu season, and she apparently didn’t make herself aware of common childhood diseases or how to deal with them. 

She talked of spending days pacing with the baby while he coughed so hard he couldn’t breathe and vomited constantly.  Days.  An infant.  She at least got him to a hospital in time because her nurse-midwife heard the baby cough, suspected croup, and told her to get him to a hospital.  So she is now a hot and heavy proponent of vaccinating.   

Another article in the paper included an interview with a woman who commented while in line to shoot herself and her kids up with the vaccine that the choice was easy:  vaccination or death.  Vaccination or death?  Really?  Aren’t we being just a little dramatic?  And how many of those people lining up are already infected and spreading it around in line? 

 DON’T PANIC.

That’s number one.  So, given that we’ve decided not to panic, what should we do next?  Well, take a deep breath and review your facts. 

If you are considering getting the vaccine (and I’m personally not), then make sure you know what they are injecting into your body:  thimerosol is a mercury based preservative that they add to vaccines, formaldehyde is also added to the vaccine, the adjuvant they add enhances the immune response, but that’s because it’s “dirt” that the body reacts to.  In the Canadian version of the vaccine, squalene from shark liver oil is used, and there is controversy over its safety (Wikipedia.org/Squalene).  Here in Canada, there is an adjuvant-free version of the vaccine, but it is apparently only available for pregnant women.  The vaccine also contains traces of eggs, so if you have an egg or chicken protein allergy, keep that in mind. 

Also note that the vaccine is not perfectly effective.  According to an article on the CTV News website (CTV News Article), trials of the vaccine we’re getting in Canada have shown “the vaccine produces antibodies in 85 to 98 per cent of adults aged 18 to 64”.  That’s rather a broad range.  And what about those under 18 and over 64???

If you are not going to take the vaccine, then the option is not death.  Really. 

The swine flu is just a flu and it only is fatal in a small percentage of cases.  So, you need to be aware of who are those at risk (people with chronic conditions, pregnant women, kids under five), why they are at risk (compromised, immature, or weakened immune systems), and what you can do to minimize your own risk, especially if you are in that at-risk group. 

For those of you who are freaking out about that 13-year-old hockey player who died of the swine flu, when I heard that news, my first questions were, did he have an underlying condition and how hard was he training?  I have since heard that he had asthma, and I don’t know how hard he trained, but athletes can have a tendency to compromise their immune systems by over-training.  You can have too much exercise.  It lowers your resistance to disease, especially respiratory tract infections. 

Another question is, did he get the seasonal flu shot previously?  There have been idications that those who have had the seasonal flu shot are at greater risk of contracting H1N1 and experiencing complications (CBC Article). 

This is where some knowledge can really help you.  A great book with practical advice on dealing with illness in kids (and it doesn’t hurt to have this knowledge for yourself) is Dr. Robert Mendelshohn’s How to Raise a Healthy Child in Spite of your Doctor (http://astore.amazon.ca/serennowgifts-20/detail/0345342763)  This book helped me to rationaly deal with any childhood illness that came along, and helped me to know when to take the kids to the walk-in clinic or the doctor.  It also gave me the knowledge I needed to deal with the doctor when I saw him/her. 

As for the flu (swine or otherwise) there are some really common-sense things you can do to protect yourself.  Make a conscious effort to not touch your face.  If you touch a surface that is infected, then rub your eyes, you can infect yourself.  If you shake someone’s hand and that person just picked his/her nose and he/she is contagious, and then you put your finger in your mouth, you can infect yourself.  You get the idea.

Another famous suggestion for prevention is to sneeze or cough into your sleeve.  That doesn’t so much protect you as it protects others, but it’s considerate to not be a party to spreading disease.  As well, wash your hands frequently (especially after picking your nose).  That protects you and others.

Keep yourself nutritionally balanced.  Seek out and maintain a nutritional program that fits your lifestyle and will provide you with the nutrients your body needs.  Ideally, you will also find a program that incorporates a cleansing regimen in order to remove impurities from your body.  Your body not only has to consume the correct nutrients, it needs to be able to absorb them once they’re in there.  You can take in the healthiest foods of the highest quality and the most optimum nutrients, but they won’t help you much if you end up excreting the good with the bad.  If your body is not functioning optimally, that’s exactly what you’ll be doing.  Plus, if you cleanse, you release excess fat, which helps you to feel good and look great naked.

There are products available as well that help your body to maintain a healthy immune system.  What this means is that your body should respond correctly to the threat of the moment.  If it needs a boost, then it should increase the immune response.  If, however, the threat causes an autoimmune response, then your immune system needs to respond by tempering, not boosting.  What this is called is “modulation”.  This is where products such as bovine colostrum fit in.

According to Dr. Zoltan Rona in his book Supplements for Natural Body Building (http://astore.amazon.ca/serennowgifts-20/detail/1553120213), “Colostrum proline-rich poypeptides modulate immunity by acivating an underactive immune system through the thymus gland while suppressing an overactive immune system, such as is seen in autoimmune diseases” and “Its antiviral factors inhibit influenza, herpes, and other viruses.”  (Dr. Zoltan Rona, Supplements for Natural Body Building, (Alive Books:  Vancouver, Canada, 2000) p. 23)

Considering that the swine flu is viral, I’ve loaded up on a case of the colostrum product that my family uses, and I’m making sure that my loved ones are using it.  Even if you’ve been vaccinated, considering that the vaccine does not provide 100% protection, and can in some cases cause harm, it can’t hurt to take something like bovine colostrum which also, according to Dr. Rona, “provides safe, natural immunity for those at risk for damage by conventional vaccines”  (Rona, page 23)

There are other products out there that work in a similar fashion.  Ask your naturopath for suggestions and also consult with your naturopath about anything that you may want to take.  While the decision to take something is ultimately yours, you should keep your health care provider aprised of anything you are taking, so that he/she can make sure there is no conflict with anything else.  Taking certain heart medications can make even grapefruit dangerous for you.

But what if you’ve been really vigilant and looked after yourself, and you still get sick?  Well, first of all, make sure you know what you have.  There are colds, flus, and then there’s the swine flu.  Find a booklet that lists and compares all the symptoms, especially the ones that indicate severity and mean it’s time to seek medical aid.  For more information, see the fight flu website:  Fight Flu Website

Secondly, look after yourself.  Get lots of rest, drink lots of fluids, and consult your health care pracitioner.  I might verify what I’ve got with my GP, but I won’t use drugs or over the counter medications to deal with it.  I’ll consult my naturopath if my own knowledge and experience haven’t satisfied me as to what I should do. 

The correct diet is critical always, but especially when you’re sick so that’s the first place to look when you want to go from sick to healthy ASAP.   One of the best things you can take when you’re sick (or even when you’re healthy) is hot water with lemon.  It’s alkalizing and that is good for your body.  Another really great thing you can do is eliminate sugar.  For reasons why, read Lynne Melcombe’s Health Hazards of White Sugar also by Alive Books (http://astore.amazon.ca/serennowgifts-20/detail/1553120248).  Vitamin D is getting a lot of press lately as a disease preventer and fighter. 

For some really intelligently written articles on all kinds of health issues, including H1N1, subscribe to Dr. Mercola’s newsletter (Dr. Mercola Newsletter). 

The following is an article called “Common Links in Swine Flu Deaths” that you should read from one of Dr. Mercola’s newsletter offerings:

CDC-Says-Kids-That-Die-From-Swine-Flu-Have-Coexisting-Bacterial-Infections Article

On an intuitive level, I know that vaccines are not for me.  But I’m a tree-hugging granola-girl from way back.  The natural way always resonated with me.  The research I do seems to back that up.  But I believe that everyone should make up his/her own mind and if you choose to vaccinate then I don’t know that it is the wrong decision for you.  Each person and circumstance is different. 

I’m not at high risk for contracting H1N1.  I’m healthy, I don’t have any chronic conditions, I don’t tend to get sick, and when I do, I recover quickly.  I have not had any previous seasonal flu shots.  I’m not going to mess with my immune system or anything else in my body by injecting foreign substances into it.  But that may not be the right decision for you and yours.  Just make sure you arm yourself with the information, and not just what is presented by the pharmaceutical companies that is then regurgitated by the media, the government, and the medical industry. 

 Most of all, DON’T PANIC.

 Namaste,

 Val Tobin, ATP®

www.serenitynowgifts.com

Information for General Purposes Only

Information provided on this Web page is for general purposes only and designed to help you make informed decisions about your health. It is not intended to substitute advice from your physician or health-care professional.

Manifest Destiny

I am still amazed at how many coincidences there are, how quickly it is possible to manifest something, and how, when you ask the angels for help, you get it.

 

I have a terrible fear of public speaking (one in a list of terrible fears that I have—neurotic is my middle name).  I recently was thinking that I would like to do something about it, but that I don’t have time to go the Toastmaster’s route, nor do I want to leave my home to attend anything in the first place (I always ask for complicated things when I place an order to the universe—just ask my Dad, who is in the spirit world, and receives such requests all the time from me). 

 

Not two days after I decided that I’d keep my eyes open for some kind of course on this, and asked my angels to help me find it, I received a newsletter email from the Ontario Hypnosis Centre (http://www.ont-hypnosis-centre.com/), which is run by Dr. Georgina Cannon, that included a section requesting volunteers for testing a new DVD program they had created to help people to overcome a fear of public speaking.

 

I had to apply for that.  They were selecting ten people to test, and I figured that if this was really Divine intervention, then I’d be accepted.  To my utter delight, I was.  I am looking forward to receiving my course in the mail soon, and thank my angels for facilitating this.

 

This isn’t the first time that I’ve been able to quickly manifest something.  I have been able to win door prizes and even managed to get a night’s stay in Los Angeles on the way to and from Hawaii simply by desiring to spend the night there but not have to pay for it.  On the way back, I had desired a better hotel than we had on the way there, and that was granted as well.

 

The common denominator for these manifestations seems to be a desire to have the thing, but being detached about getting it, and allowing the universe to take care of the details.  If something was required of me, I did it (for example, picking up the hotel voucher at the Air Canada ticket counter), but other than that, I left all the details and work up to the angels.

 

Be aware of how you ask for something when you ask for it, and notice how when you receive it differs from when you don’t.  How did you feel each time?  How did you ask?  Was there a fear of not getting it, which then became a self-fulfilling prophecy?  It’s nice to know that you can manifest your own destiny, but you must be energetically in line with the universe to achieve it.

 

The Secret does work, but you have to let it.  That seems to be the most difficult part, which is why I still haven’t won the lottery.  But I’m working on it.  J

 

Namaste,

 

Val Tobin, ATP®

www.serenitynowgifts.com

 

Oracle card Reading for the Week Starting Feb. 8, 2009

Hi Everyone,

 

This is a reading for the week starting Sunday, February 8, 2009.  I’m using Doreen Virtue’s “Magical Messages from the Fairies” Oracle cards to ask what is important for us to be aware of for the week ahead.

 

These are things that you should pay attention to as the week goes on:

 

Express Your Individuality – It’s really time to come out of the closet.  You are incredible, yet you hide your light under a bushel.  Express yourself.  You are talented and unique and you should show this to the world.  Don’t worry that you will be judged or ridiculed. 

 

There are kindred spirits out there who will be drawn into your inner circle and support you and share in your interests.  The reason you haven’t found them yet is because you hide yourself from their view.

 

Step out and shine.

 

New Home – A new home is in the cards, or someone is moving in or out of your home.  This could also signify a business related to the home, whether it is a home-based business you start, or your job allows you to work from home.  Perhaps you are considering a career in real estate or decorating?

 

Love Life – Your romantic life is improving.  You have been wondering about your love life, and this card is telling you that it will improve rapidly.  If you are looking for your soul mate, ask the fairies for assistance with that.  If you are in a current relationship, then there are things you are doing that will bring you closer to your partner.  Valentine’s Day is coming up, so it is no wonder that this card came up.

 

If you are struggling to extricate yourself from an existing relationship, then it will begin to go more smoothly, as your energy heals.  Ask the angels to help you with this.

 

Have a really prosperous week.

 

Namaste,

 

Val Tobin

www.serenitynowgifts.com

Oracle Reading for the Week Starting Sunday, Jan. 25, 2009

Hi Everyone,

 

This is a reading for the week starting Sunday, January 25, 2009.  I’m using Doreen Virtue’s “Magical Messages from the Fairies” Oracle cards to ask what is important for us to be aware of for the week ahead.

 

These are things that you should pay attention to as the week goes on:

 

Assertiveness – You have a right to your beliefs and you need only say “yes” if you really want to.  Sometimes, people will make you feel obligated to commit to something, even though you may feel reluctant to do it.  Perhaps someone close to you wants a favor or wants you to spend time with them, but you have other prior commitments—or maybe you just want that time to yourself. 

 

It’s okay to say “no” to such requests, and either schedule it for a more convenient time, or just let the person know that you are not able to fit this into your schedule.  When you take on too many things, you feel overwhelmed and can then feel resentful for having been guilted into a commitment. 

 

Go ahead and let people know what you can and can’t agree to.  It is, in the end, for the higher good of all to do so.  This card has come up before.  Its message is very important right now.

 

Be Yourself – Allow you to be you.  Each one of us has the spark of the Divine within us, and it should be allowed to shine through.  Connect to your higher self and let that higher self guide you to expressing the authentic you, from which you get your personal power. 

 

When you pretend to be someone who you are not, then you don’t feel good about yourself, and you don’t attract like-minded people to you, because you are hiding your true self. 

 

Autumn – The fall signifies a time of abundance.  The harvest comes in, and we prepare for the winter ahead.  This card, at this time (the dead of winter), is telling us that we have to wait until next fall to see our manifestations coming to fruition. 

 

This is a time of hard work and active manifesting.  Look to your angels, spirit guides, and the fairies to help you through this period.  Perhaps you need more education to go to the next level in your career, or to change to a new career.  This is the time to do it. 

 

Where do you want to be next fall?  Plan for it.  Ask the universe for it.  Listen to the guidance you receive from your spirit guides, angels, and the fairies, and then take action on that guidance.  There is hard work ahead for the next while, but if you stay connected and take action on the guidance you receive, then come next fall, you will be reaping the rewards of all this hard work and manifestation.

 

Have a really prosperous week.

 

Namaste,

 

Val Tobin

www.serenitynowgifts.com

Reading for the Week Starting January 18, 2009

Hi Everyone,

This is a reading for the week starting Sunday, January 18, 2009. I’m using Doreen Virtue’s “Magical Messages from the Fairies” Oracle cards to ask what is important for us to be aware of for the week ahead.

These are things that you should pay attention to as the week goes on:

Goodbye to the Old, Hello to the New – There is a new life coming your way. With all the upheaval in the economy, that’s probably not surprising. This card indicates shedding one part of your life and gaining a new one.

It is the beginning of a whole new year, so the timing for this is good. While the economy continues to limp along, there is always opportunity in change. For some, a return to school or contemplation of a new career will take their lives in a whole new direction. For others, a job change or even starting up a new business is the solution.

New relationships are also going to come into play. As you change and grow, you find your relationships either adapting and growing closer, or you suddenly find you’ve grown apart and you are hanging with a different crowd, or spending less time with people who used to be the center of your universe.

That’s for the higher good of all. This is all about transition. If you find you’ve formed some unhealthy behavior patterns, think about how much (or, in reality, how little) they work for you. Ask the fairies and your spirit guides and angels to help you with moving away from what isn’t working, and towards that which will bring you more joy, happiness, and fulfillment.

New Career – This card reiterates part of the message of the first card: it’s all about out with the old career and in with the new. You have a new focus, or there is a new direction you would like to take. It’s time to take it.

For some, if a part-time commitment is all you can handle right now, then start small and work your way up to full-time. For others, the universe may very well give you a little push with some corporate restructuring that forces you to re-evaluate what it is you really want to be when you grow up.

This could also signify a promotion or salary increase.

Listen to the messages your guides and angels are giving you. Pay attention to numbers or words that show up repeatedly. Notice synchronicities. Trust your intuition and follow the guidance that it provides.

Express Your Individuality – You’re hiding your true self, and it is time to allow yourself the freedom to be who you truly are. You are not like other people, and that’s a good thing. Your uniqueness is awesome, and it’s okay to let others see it.

When you free yourself to be you, those you fear won’t accept you for it will fall away, and you will attract like-minded people. Don’t worry that you’ll be alone, because there are others out there who do think like you—you’re just not attracting them, because you’re still in hiding.

Express your creativity. Wear what you enjoy wearing. Do what you enjoy doing. “An it harm none, do as you will”.

Have a really prosperous week.

Namaste,

Val Tobin
www.serenitynowgifts.com

Oracle Card Reading for Week Beginning Sunday, January 11, 2009

Hi Everyone,

 

This is a reading for the week starting Sunday, January 11, 2009.  I’m using Doreen Virtue’s “Magical Messages from the Fairies” Oracle cards to ask what is important for us to be aware of for the week ahead.

 

These are things that you should pay attention to as the week goes on:

Emotional Healing – This card appeared in last week’s reading, and it appears that it is still significant for the coming week.  Healing from old emotional pain can be a lengthy process if you do not ask for help.  As you heal, you will open yourself up to be able to receive new blessings and love into your life. 

 

Make sure you are moving forward in this area.  It’s important to clear any blockages of energy that are preventing you from living your life to the fullest.  Why should you let old hurts and emotional scars hold you back?  It feels good to feel good.  You owe it to yourself to free yourself from old tyrannies.

 

The more you release toxic emotions and rid your body of energy blocks, the freer and more joyful you feel.

 

If you would like to speak to someone trained in this area, I recommend Bob Holmes, who has done a phenomenal amount of work with me in a very short time.  You can view his website at the following link:

http://www3.sympatico.ca/link.2.holmes/

 

Easy Does It – This card also appeared in last week’s reading.  I promise you, I shuffled the deck very well.  This means that it is really important for you to pay attention to the message that this card relays. 

 

What it is telling you is to stop trying to control everything.  Surrender and allow the universe to open doors for you.  Ask for guidance, and then get out of the way and let things unfold for the highest good of all.

 

This does not mean sit and watch TV while you wait for great things to happen in your life.  It means ask for what you desire, and pay attention to the loving guidance that you receive from the universe, your spirit guides, and your angels.  When you get such guidance, you must then ACT on it.  If you don’t, then you will be left sitting in front of the TV wondering why you are not reaping the rewards of all that desiring you’ve been doing.

 

Don’t try to force things to happen.  When you are following divine guidance, when you are on your true path, things seem to fall into place and everything runs smoothly.  If you are struggling, if it is too difficult, if you are constantly frustrated and continually hit road blocks, then ask for guidance on what your next step should be. 

 

This is not to say that there will never be any obstacles or “wall-kicking moments” on your road to success.  What it means is that those things appear for a reason.  Perhaps you’ve allowed yourself to go off on a tangent and you need to refocus on your goal.  Perhaps you’ve been approaching the wrong people, or targeting the wrong market and you need to ask your guides to connect you with those people you should be dealing with.

 

The first directive is to relax.  Spend some time in nature.  Connect to the Divine, and listen.  It’s all good.

 

Assertiveness – Is someone trying to get you to do something that goes against what you believe in or feel is acceptable?  You are allowed to say “no” to this.  If you find that you have been having difficulty speaking up for yourself, then perhaps you need to work on your solar plexus and throat chakras, which together provide you with self-confidence and the ability to speak up for yourself.

 

There is no need to become aggressive in order to express your point of view.  There are ways to say “no” that will allow you to stand up for your beliefs without trampling on the rights of others or hurting their feelings.  Just make sure that you are coming from a place of love.

 

The fairies can help you with this if you ask them, as they are wonderfully assertive beings.

 

Have a really prosperous week.

 

Namaste,

 

Val Tobin

www.serenitynowgifts.com

 

Klaatu Barada Nikto

Warning:  If you haven’t seen the original version of “The Day the Earth Stood Still”, and plan to, you might want to wait, as this blog contains spoilers.

 

On Christmas Day, my husband gave me a copy of the DVD “The Day the Earth Stood Still” (the original version).  I had wanted to see that movie for ages, and really wanted to see the original version before we go to see the remake.  After everyone except my brother, who was spending the night with us, went home, we popped the movie into the DVD player and settled in to watch it.

 

If you’ve ever seen that movie, you’ll understand what the big deal was when it first came out, and why it still has a relevant message to deliver today.  As a species, we’re still hell-bent on self-destruction, and still perhaps at risk for having our squabbles spill out into the rest of the universe.

 

What really had us hooked, though, was the untranslated phrase that Patricia Neal’s character is commanded to say to the robot Gort:  “Klaatu barada nikto”.  We speculated on what this phrase could mean, and had a really fun time coming up with possible translations.

 

After my brother had gone to bed for the night, Bob and I decided to catch up on a couple of episodes of Two and a Half Men.  We love watching this show, because, as my brother says, it has the most laughs per minute of any show out there today.  The particular episode we put on had been taped two days before (we have PVR), and we wanted to watch it before going to bed.

 

The episode began with Charlie interrupting Alan sleepwalking.  As Charlie coaxes a somnambulistic Alan back to his bedroom, Alan suddenly turns to Charlie and says, “Gort, Klaatu barada nikto”.

 

Bob and I just looked at each other and laughed.  That was a perfect coincidence for Christmas Day.  What we still can’t quite figure out is what it could mean to us, but we were obviously supposed to pay attention to the message in it.

 

So far as I can tell, since, in the movie, when Patricia Neal gives Gort that phrase he does not destroy the earth and he retrieves and revives the alien Klaatu, I get that it seems to be a code phrase that prevents the destruction of the earth by the aliens.  But how we are supposed to apply that to ourselves is yet to be determined. 

 

However, it sure is fun to say it to the cat when he’s on a path of destruction.

Namaste,

 

Val Tobin, ATP®

www.serenitynowgifts.com

 

 

 

Oracle Card Reading for Week Starting Jan. 4, 2009

Hi Everyone and Happy New Year!

 

This is our first blog for 2009.

 

This is a reading for the week starting Sunday, January 4, 2009.  I’m using Doreen Virtue’s “Magical Messages from the Fairies” Oracle cards to ask what is important for us to be aware of for the week ahead.

 

These are things that you should pay attention to as the week goes on:

 

Do Some Research – Is there something you are planning to get involved in that might require further investigation before you commit to it?  Perhaps you are considering a new job, school, or business opportunity, and don’t have all the facts (even if you think you do).  If an opportunity comes up for you in the next week, look twice before leaping into it. 

 

Ask your spirit guides, angels, and the fairies to help guide you through the decision-making process.  What does your intuition tell you about this deal?  Make sure you have all the facts before you proceed.

 

Emotional Healing – Your heart is in the process of healing from old emotional pain.  Old pain from a previous relationship is going to bubble up this week.  That’s not a bad thing.  It is about time you healed from it.  You may need some help and support to release and move past this turmoil.  You will be releasing anger, guilt, or resentment, and may need some guidance.  Your options are many, though.  You can turn to your own spirit guides and angels, or you can get counseling, or try a healing modality such as Reiki or Emotional Freedom Technique.  You could also just ask a friend or loved one to help you through this period. 

 

You are very loved, and will be able to find the support you need.  Once you have found this support, and have worked through your emotional release, you will be free to manifest your desires.  Emotional clearing is wonderful for getting rid of the old to allow the new and fresh into your life, like a breath of spring air.

 

Easy Does It – Surrender and all obstacles will yield.  Surrender does not mean “give up”.  It means release the things you can’t control to the universe, and act on the guidance you receive to have things work out for your best and highest good. 

 

When you try to force or strain to achieve something, your fears block and impede your progress.  Relax and release, and allow the universe to be your guide.  When you take it easy, you get out of your own way and everything slides into place.

Until next time, Namaste.

Val Tobin, ATP®

www.serenitynowgifts.com

Oracle Card Reading for the Week Beginning December 21, 2008

Happy Sunday. The week is about to start again. Today I’m going to ask the fairies what they can tell me about what is important for us to be aware of for the coming week (I’m using Doreen Virtue’s new “Magical Messages from the Fairies” deck to do this reading).

The first card I’ve drawn is the “Marriage” card. This is a reminder to work on your relationship if you are already attached, whether you are married to your significant other or not. If you are in the process of looking for a new partner, then this means that you will be either meeting someone new who is a potential partner, or you and someone that you already do know will see each other with new eyes, taking your relationship to the next level. This card is about marriage, not just dating, so there will be a wedding in your life (perhaps you will be attending one in the near future).

Celebrate the romantic relationship you are currently in, or anticipate the new serious romance that is coming your way. If you make a list of the qualities you are looking for in this new person, then you will recognize them when you meet them. As well, you can ask the fairies to help you to improve your existing love relationship, or to manifest a new one.

Remember, though, that the fairies do not help without strings attached. You may be required to do them a favour in return, either by leaving gifts out for them (they love shiny objects, such as crystals or decorative garden ornaments, which you can leave out in the yard for their enjoyment), or they may ask you to do some cleaning up of your area.

The fairies are the protectors of the environment, and one way to thank them for their help is to do anything that helps the environment, whether it is making a donation or just picking up trash from your own neighbourhood.

Listen for messages from the fairies via your different “clairs”: clairvoyance, or clear seeing, clairaudience, or clear hearing, clairsentience, or clear feeling, and claircognizance, or clear thinking. For more information on these channels of communication, you may refer to any of Doreen’s books, or check our website for any articles on communicating with the divine: http://www.serenitynowgifts.com/resources/articles/index.php

The second card that I’ve drawn is “New Career”. I suppose it shouldn’t be a surprise that many of you might be contemplating a new career at this time. When there is a recession, enrollment in post secondary institutions goes up. This makes sense, because more people are getting laid off in a recession and are therefore going back to school for upgrading or retraining.

This is a time when people are shifting their focus to something new. This time can be used as an opportunity to follow your passion. If you’ve been stuck in an unfulfilling job, and now find yourself with the opportunity to retrain, then seize it. Perhaps you can even start your own business.

An affirmation that I have found very useful for finding a job in an environment where you fit in is:

“I am in my rightful job now.”

Repeat that at least 21 times a day while you are looking for a job. You will be amazed at what manifests from it. If you feel a disconnect between what you are affirming and what you are experiencing, then meditate on this affirmation. Use the affirmation to visualize yourself in your rightful job, doing what you love. Make a list of your perfect boss and the perfect corporate culture. This will help you to get into the feeling of accomplishing it.

Self-hypnosis is great for enhancing the process of manifesting, because it takes you beyond affirmations to the point where there is no discordance between what you are experiencing and what you would like to be experiencing. It helps you to release the feeling of “lying” to yourself.

For example, if you are saying the affirmation “I have a fulfilling career”, but you are in a job you hate, the affirmation can raise a feeling of disharmony and unease within you. Self-hypnosis takes you beyond that, and makes you feel like you are actively manifesting rather than simply trying to wish something into being.

You’ll find that I will often say that you should ask your angels and guides for guidance, and I’m saying it again now: Ask your angels and guides for guidance. The angels can’t help you unless you ask, because they cannot interfere with your free will. Ask Archangel Michael to help you find your life’s purpose. Ask Archangel Sandalphon with help if you are seeking a career in the arts. Archangel Gabriel is the messenger angel, and can help you if you are seeking a writing career. The various archangels can help you in many ways.

Everyone has access to divine help. Why not make use of it to enrich and enhance your life? You deserve it.

The final card that I have pulled is “Let Go”. This is very significant. When you are manifesting your desires, letting go, or surrendering, is a necessary part of the process. By this, I do not mean giving up. I mean that you should not worry and you should not cause yourself stress by allowing lower vibrational thoughts to attract lack and misfortune to you.

This is also not simply positive thinking. It is about creating. Feel your desire in your whole being. When you learn how to manifest, you will recognize the feelings that you need to raise in order to do it successfully.

As an example, when we went to Hawaii in October 2008, we booked our flight months ahead of time. There was a stopover in Los Angeles, but only for a few hours. I regretted that we were not able to see more of LA, and I desired to stay overnight there, but I didn’t really want to have to pay for it. Then I simply forgot about it (surrendered), and allowed the universe to take over.

Shortly after that, we received notification from Air Canada that our flight was changed (both the way there and the way back), and we would be required to stay the night in Los Angeles. They paid for the hotel for us and also gave us food vouchers for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

While I was thrilled to be able to spend a little time in LA and have the expenses paid for (even the shuttle to and from the airport was free), I was a little disappointed with the hotel we were staying in on the way there, and desired a nicer hotel for the way back. Then I again let the universe handle the details. Sure enough, on the way back, there was a problem with reservations at the first hotel, and they put us up in the Marriott, which was a beautiful hotel, with good restaurants and wonderful accommodations.

I have learned how to quickly manifest many things, and know that the process works. The more you work with it, the better you get at it. It’s not easy, if you’ve been raised to believe that you don’t deserve it or that the world doesn’t work that way or that something good must be followed by something bad. But don’t let that stop you from trying, because the day it clicks for you will be a really happy day, and that makes it all worth it.

NOTE: For a really great workshop on self-hypnosis, see Peter Wolf’s offering on www.feelingdifferent.com:
http://www.feelingdifferent.com/Workshops_and_Seminars/Workshops___Seminars/Self-Hypnosis/self-hypnosis.html

I have attended this workshop and found it to be really beneficial. It has helped me to have more success with manifesting.

Have a successful and joyous week.

Namaste,

Val Tobin
www.serenitynowgifts.com