Untamed Soul Magazine - December issue 0004

ALSO THIS MONTH

ask Mama Starr - musings of a soul junkie life alchemy - numerology - holistic health

UNTAMED soul

Issue 3 - December 2020

reconnect to your wildness & ignite your spiritual fire

The Ancient Gift of "how tapping into my inner wisdom helped me let go"

Seed Cycling For

HORMONAL HEALTH

becoming

UNBOUND

o g g n i t t e L

REIKI HEALING

10% off all proceeds are donated to Operation Underground Railroad

Welcome

Welcome to our final issue of 2020!

What a ride this year has been so far, it is truly a year none of us will ever forget. This has been a year of heartbreak and deepest healing for the entire world; but also this year has brought to the surface so many things we as humans need to improve and work on as a collective.

As we sign off for this year with this issue we wanted to focus on letting go and moving forward into a new year full of so much more love than ever before.

Wishing you a peaceful time of connection with those that you love.

See you on the other side.

Oceans of love

Cx

CONTENTS 4-5 THINGS WE LOVE THIS MONTH 70 NEXT MONTH’S ISSUE 2

Real & Raw 6 11 QUESTIONS Lisa Williams answers our thought provoking questions.

8 MAGIC OF LETTING GO Geraldine Crane shares her story of letting go.

Mindful & Magic 20 SELF CARE FOR THE SOUL Our expert Mala Kennedy shares the importance of prioritising your self care

23 ASK MAMA STARR Mama Starr answers your questions using her oracle cards

26 CRYSTALS FOR THE MONTH crystals for ancestral healing - with Christine

30 YOUR UNBOUND SELF

Nicola Humber shares how we can free ourselves from limited beliefs.

Community & Connection 51 SOUL-ALIGNED BUSINESS

12 THE ANCIENT GIFT OF STORY TELLING Chris Holland shares how we connect through telling stories.

16 SEED CYCLING Jill Robinson shows us how to work with seed cycling for the menstrual cycle.

34 LIFE ALCHEMY Leanne MacDonald shares the truth about being brave.

38 HOLISTICALLY HAPPY & HEALTHY

Michelle shares practical advice and Yoga for holistic health.

41 LIFE WITH THE ANGELS Our angel expert Yvonne shares how to work with your angels to bring peace.

44 TEA MEDITATION

Gabriela Green shares her signature technique; Tea Meditation.

48 UP THROUGH MY SKYLIGHT Healing by Secondary Intention Insights by Katie Hopkins

48 NATURE'S KITCHEN Our foraging expert Jill’s recipe for Mulled Wine.

Biz expert Jen Cochrane shares with us 52 MUSINGS OF A SOUL JUNKIE the importance of planning.

Attaining Alignment - Rob Leon.

56 STORIES UNTOLD

Our Expert Penny shares advice on how to get your story out in the world.

56 NUMEROLOGY REPORT Monthly guidance brought to you by Denise Martinez~Rossini.

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! g n i v o l e r ' e Things w for DECEMBER What we’re enjoying this month in the ‘Untamed’ HQ

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1 Miss Tea Smith, Tea. 2 Crystabelles, Candle.

3 Christmas Camper Decoration, Lisa Angel 4 Unlocking Us Podcast, Brene Brown.

5 Awakening, Dr Erin Fall Haskell. 6 Hand Warmers, From The Source. 7 Scentered, Essential Oil Set. 8 Mixed Stickers, Punky Pins.

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Questions Lisa Williams Each month we pick an inspirational leader to answer our thought provoking questions. This month we asked Vision Board Coach, Lisa Williams our 11 questions...

What Lights you up?

I am obsessed with watching others achieve their dreams.

Tell us the Best advice you have ever been given? and who shared this wisdom with you?

The best piece of advice I was ever given was that ‘You are enough.’ (a friend shared this with me and I still remind myself and those around me of this everyday).

Share with us something you have forgiven yourself for?

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I used to blame myself for losing our babies, however through a lot of personal growth, I have forgiven myself and my body.

What are you grateful for in your life most recently?

I am grateful that I have a beautiful home, an amazing husband who loves me unconditionally, 2 Beautiful girls 1 of which is our very precious rainbow baby who was born during lockdown.

Tell us your three simple truths…

Selfcare is a necessity to life You deserve to be happy You are loved.

What is your definition of greatness?

Greatness to me is when you are doing the best you can do, it's not about being perfect or having everything. It is when you're striving to fulfil your life in your best possible way.

Is there anything missing in your life right now?

No, my life is on the exact path it is meant to be on right now. besides where you live, where on earth do you consider your spiritual home?

Cyprus.

What book did you read that changed your life & how?

Universe has your back by Gabrielle Bernstein. This book opened me up to the universe, It allowed me to follow universal guidance.

I now have a universal sign which I call upon to reassure me I am on the path of universal assignment.

Share with us what are you excited about right now?

I am excited that I am running an online vision board course soon., I am also excited that I will also be doing my own vision board updates for the new year.. Since our rainbow baby has arrived, my board is definitely due an update. I’m also excited to see all the amazing things 2021 has in store for us all.

Lisa Williams - My mission as a Vision Board Coach is to help others create the blueprints for their dream life. To give them the tools to enhance their manifesting and quickly turn their visions into reality Over the last 7 years I myself have experienced 3 miscarriages which led me down a journey of self development and to find my love of vision boards. In 2019 I became A vision board coach as I am strongly passionate about how they help you achieve goals and keep your mindset focused and strong.

sales.lovemegifts@gmail.com www.lisawilliams-lmg.co.uk

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THE MAGIC OF go

Letting g

How I had to let go of my past to bring peace to my present.

I had struggled with anxiety since being a child. For years anxiety appeared to control my life, as I dropped out of university, struggled to stay in work and it impacted on my marriage and our children. But then I let go and kept letting go. First, I let go of my toxic relationship with my mum, then I let go of fear, then guilt, then finally the anxiety. My life had been an emotional rollercoaster, but through letting go, I freed myself to just be me and now help others to do the same.

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The first ‘letting go’ was by far the hardest. At 36, the anxiety had skyrocketed, and I had just had my third major breakdown. I had stopped working (again!) and I was simply exhausted. I just wanted to be free to be the person I knew deep down I could be, especially for my two children who were then 3 and 7, watching their mother in such emotional pain. I needed to protect them from that.

Previously, a counsellor had helped me to see the toxicity of my relationship with my mum, to clearly see the manipulation and isolation I had been victim to. But I was still clinging on to the relationship, because…well she was my mum and you don’t leave your mum. Even though all my recent training as a ‘Domestic Abuse Recovery Worker’ was showing me that her behaviour was abusive, I still held on. But then I had yet another breakdown and returned to my counsellor. She gave me the strength to ask my mum to put my well-being first and give me a little space. The response I got was so nasty, that I finally hit home; this relationship was abusive and that if I ever wanted to be happy, I had no choice but to let go of it altogether. And that is exactly what I did.

Now of course it wasn’t that simple, cutting your mum out of your life never is. I had every emotion you can imagine, running through me, from relief and joy, to terror, guilt and grief.

But luckily for me I had amazing friends and family who supported me every step of the way. I also had my counsellor, who helped me to process my decision and let go of the guilt.

Which became all the easier as I saw the positive impact on my husband and family as they too were free from the toxicity which had been leaking into their lives.

"the anxiety I felt every day, came not from my circumstances, but from the huge volume of my thoughts" 9

the fear no longer dominated my thoughts. I was able to think rationally and know she had no power to harm me.

But next came the fear, I was terrified of bumping into her. I became jumpy and had constant nightmares. This went on for months, however I had found the strength to start rebuilding my life and had begun studying to become a hypnotherapist. And so I turned to my tutor for help. Within a couple of sessions of hypnotherapy, I had let go of the fear. Don’t get me wrong, I didn’t love the thought of seeing her, but the fear no longer dominated my thoughts. I was able to think rationally and know she had no power to harm me.

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However, I then needed to focus inward to let go of the pain and anger I was still feeling. This is where my spirituality and mediumship became my saviour. Ironically, it was mum who introduced me to spirituality as a child and I will be forever grateful to her for that, as it gave me the strength to truly let her go.

Through meditation I asked spirit to guide me in my healing and help me to let go of my pain and anger toward her.

I was guided to focus on my inner child, to give her the unconditional love and security she needed. I was also able to let go of the anger as I saw my mum’s own inner child and was able to forgive her. However, the anxiety continued.

So, the final ‘letting go’ came when a Transformational Coach taught me about the ‘inside out’ understanding of experience. I came to see that my feelings and so my experience of life is created by my thoughts, not my circumstances. Hence the anxiety I felt every day, came not from my circumstances, but from the huge volume of my thoughts. Furthermore, every time I would feel anxious, I would dive into more thoughts about ‘why’, causing my volume of thoughts only to increase.

But once I realised this, it was enough to slow me down, reducing my thinking and so reducing the anxiety and allowing me to reconnect with my inner wisdom, bringing feelings of calm. So now at 40 years old I know I just have to let go, the universe has my back.

Geraldine Crane is an Emotional Energy Coach based in Leeds, where she lives with her husband, 2 children and Cavapoo, Rufus.

Previously Geraldine worked for over 10 years as a Probation Officer and drugs worker. She later went on to work in the charity sector working with victims of Domestic Abuse in their emotional recovery, before training to be a clinical hypnotherapist. Geraldine then opened her hypnotherapy and coaching business in October 2019.

However, through lockdown she has moved more into Online Coaching, focusing mainly on helping those struggling with anxiety.

Geraldine works with people to let go of their anxiety and reconnect with their inner self so they can feel calmer, happier and more at peace. Her specialism is working with people whose anxiety may be linked to any kind of toxic relationship. emotionalenergycoachgeraldine geraldinecrane_emotionalenergy https://lnkd.in/e6gpzYh

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f o t f i G t n e i c n The A

Story Telling Stories can change us from within.

For thousands of years we have gathered around a hearth and told each other stories.

Many of us are not happy with who we are, thinking that maybe, if we could be like that‌ we would be better, more fulfilled and find happiness.

Stories of the day. Stories from before.

Stories of an imagined future. Healing tales, cautionary tales and belly laughter tales.

We tell ourselves stories that we would be better when...

Through stories we connect.

I was like that, still am sometimes!

Allow me to tell you a personal short story of becoming an outdoor educator.

Through stories we learn‌ stories are a store-house of experience and potential.

Through stories we also have the power to change and grow. But alas, many of us don't have or have lost the courage to tell a story or two out loud.

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As a youngster I wanted to be a rally driver, as a teenager someone who could live on his own, on the side of a mountain, but also a David Attenborough to share the wonders of the world, a musician playing holy music in splendid cathedrals, and a storyteller like the ones a saw telling to large audiences at festivals and in theatres.

But I told myself I wasn't good enough, then one day I found my own storyteller’s voice hiding behind my musical self.

And then, after several years of apprenticing to various outdoor learning teachers and companies I found I was leading foraging walks with over 60 people hungry for plant knowledge - as II shared stories and information about the plants. I was leading fun activities and telling engaging stories on Summer Camps to more than 100 people. Following from this I decided to write a book even though I failed english language at secondary school.

At first he would speak out timidly from behind a thumb piano or a didgeridoo, but to a gathering around a campfire.

Whether they are stories of

fact

or

fiction,

of

personal experience or some other kind, everyone takes something different from a story, and responds in a unique way.

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So I created a storytelling course that does...

Untamed Soul Readers can try it out today and if you are not entirely satisfied with it, ask for a refund!

With an easy to learn to tell story about finding happiness in who you are.

The Storytellers Playbook helps keep alive an ancient tradition of oral storytelling - it helps you have confidence and develop your storyteller’s voice.

Click the link to SAVE OVER 80% today, and get the STORYTELLER'S PLAYBOOK for only £5 (Usually £30).

If you want to know more: it’s an online, paper free, video and text based resource. It also has a lot of extra content to help you grow, draw out the wisdom from the story and share it with others through holistic learning experiences.

Now, having picked up many tips and tricks along the way, I find myself time and time again in a state of flow, confidently telling a story to hundreds of people at a time from a stage, or to a few people around a fire with musical instruments as my aids.

And I have written a nature connection guidebook, I love my world, that Michale Morpurgo said “is a must for all” I changed through telling myself a new story. I found confidence in myself and my own storyteller’s voice.

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I just wish I had a course to help me along the way a bit sooner!

But enough about that… Why is storytelling such a useful tool to have in your outdoor learning and environmental education kit bag?

Because storytelling is the oldest way of teaching and it takes people into a place of possibility.

The possibility of developing understanding, empathy, new perspectives. And that can be such a gift.

Whether they are stories of fact or fiction, of personal experience or some other kind, everyone takes something different from a story, and responds in a unique way.

As an educator, I like being able to draw out and encourage a persons’ innate creativity by providing opportunities to respond to the stimulus of a story and see what happens if…for example, I give them some clay to make models of characters from the story, or if a stop part way in a tales and I ask the listeners about solutions to problems in a story…

I then get to see the world partly through the listeners’ ears and eyes.

I find out more about what it is to be human, and that is such a mystery, and gift.

Thank you for reading this, I hope this encourages you to share your story as I have mine.

Chris

Chris Holland is a nature Connection facilitator, publisher, storyteller, and CBBC special guest as The Didgeridooman If you would like to respond in person to anything that arose in you from reading this, please do so at chriswholeland@gmail.com Find out more: www.wholeland.org.uk Try my courses and resources: www.natureconnection.co.uk Become one at: www.naturalmusicians.co.uk Breath becomes rhythm at: www.thedidgeridooman.co.uk

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SeedCYCLING for Women’s Hormonal Health

Expert in women's hormonal health, Jill Robinson, shows us how to work with seed cycling for the menstrual cycle.

‘Seed Cycling’ is something that has been used by women for decades. It is a great way to use nutrient-rich seeds to help support and regulate your menstrual cycle during its particular phases. It is said to help correct or eliminate irregular or heavy periods, PMS, breast tenderness and symptoms of perimenopause and menopause. By focusing on certain seeds such as pumpkin, sesame and flax in the different phases of your cycle, you can begin to support your body naturally.

There is much anecdotal evidence that seed cycling works, but check out the science, and you’ll find tumbleweed.

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Maybe this is because using seeds is not an area that is attractive to big Pharma, or that science has yet to catch up. Still, either way, adding a seed cycling routine to your life can help you get more in tune with your cycle, and it’s unlikely to be harmful to your body (unless you have an allergy to seeds, of course).

The Follicular Phase During the first phase of your menstrual cycle (follicular phase), oestrogen is your dominant hormone that rises to trigger ovulation. We also get a shot of testosterone right before ovulation to get us in the mood for ‘baby-making’ (even if you’re not considering having a baby, your biology is still geared toward it).

Pumpkin seeds are a great source of zinc which is known to be supportive of healthy testosterone levels. Pumpkin seeds are also high in antioxidants, which help protect our ovaries, eggs, and reproductive system. Flaxseeds have weak oestrogenic properties but also help with elimination which can rid the body of excess oestrogen.

Pumpkin seeds are also a great source of tryptophan which the body uses to create serotonin and melatonin. This is known to promote sleep. Ever felt incredibly sleepy after Christmas lunch? That’s because turkey is another food high in tryptophan. If you’ve ever had a hormonal imbalance, then you will know how important sleep is.

Many women have reported that they sleep better after seed cycling for a couple of months.

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The Luteal Phase Both sesame seeds and sunflower seeds are rich in lignans and fatty acids which help support the luteal phase.

Oestrogen starts to decline, and Progesterone increases. Sesame seeds provide great hormonal support, especially during menopause. Many studies have also shown how sesame seeds can help lower inflammation.

Sunflower seeds contain nutrients such as iron, which support oestrogen detoxification and may help to reduce cramps. They are also a source of calcium, which some studies have shown help to reduce mood-related issues of PMS. Sunflower seeds are high in Vitamin E, which is known to reduce PMS when taken in supplement form.

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Does Seed Cycling Work?

As mentioned, it has been used by women for decades who have reported positive results. The scientific evidence may be lacking, and it should not be seen as a replacement for any medication; however, the benefits and goodness of the seeds are not in doubt.

Personally, I find it a great way to get more in touch with your own body and your moods and energy levels through your monthly phases. It’s simple and easy to do, and it’s a great way to add more of these nutrientdense foods into your diet.

How to Seed Cycle

Day 15 to Day 30 (full moon to new moon)

It’s incredibly simple to do. You first need to track your menstrual cycle. If you’re not menstruating or you are on the pill, then you can follow the cycles of the moon.

The Luteal Phase when the corpus luteum (what is left behind after the egg ruptures) begins to release Progesterone. Eat 2 tablespoons of freshly ground sesame seeds and sunflower seeds daily to boost your progesterone production.

You can add the crushed seeds to your smoothies, soups or eat them whole if you prefer. You can also grind a week’s worth of seeds and store them in an airtight container in the fridge.

Don’t expect immediate results as it usually takes 3-4 cycles to notice any significant changes, but you may find that it was certainly worth the wait.

Day 1 to Day 14 (new moon to full moon) The first day of your period, called the Follicular Phase, you will need more oestrogen to help build up your uterine lining. Include 2 tablespoons of freshly ground flaxseeds and pumpkin seeds daily to help increase your oestrogen levels.

Jill Robinson is a Pilates and CHEK Practitioner with over 25 years of experience in the fitness industry and runs a busy studio in County Durham.

Specialising in women's hormonal health, she helps countless women get fitter, healthier and more in touch with their bodies through her holistic lifestyle programs.

You can find out more at her online and offline programs at

www.organicpilates.co.uk Organic Pilate & Holistic Health.

Small Business Whole Health Did you know I also have an Online Membership Program? If you’d like to join me for regular online workouts, support, guidance and much more then click here for further info; https://coreclub.organicpilates.co.uk

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r o F e r a C Self

YOUR SOUL

Our expert Mala Kennedy shares the importance of prioritising your self care.

December can feel like one of the busiest times of the year. Presents to buy, people to see and a growing to-do list. It can feel like so hectic, and like it will never end. It can seem so overwhelming because other people’s expectations of you can go through the roof.

Expectations do not mean we need to do something. Don’t let yourself fall into the trap of comparison either. Stay true to you. Know that trusting yourself and knowing you are enough will reverberate outwards.

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In times like this, we can forget about ourselves, because we are too busy pleasing everyone else.

In fact, this is where boundaries come in. Boundaries are an essential part of self-care that are often forgotten.

Let go & let God. Give yourself the gift of your own presence. Every time you get a request for something, ask yourself it this what my soul wants?

Tune in and ask yourself, muscle test if you aren’t sure and then follow your divine guidance.

Every day, do something to nourish your soul. Now more than ever this is so essential.

A no is a no. If you feel like you are letting people down lean more into what this no means to you. What does your no stand for, and what gift will it give you on the other side? Hint: there will always be one.

I remember the first time I set solid boundaries and I said a firm no to someone. It felt scary because it was uncomfortable. I didn’t waver because I grounded in my authority. Other people felt this and didn’t question my boundaries. The more you practice the easier it gets. Start by setting measurable standards that are nonnegotiable for you. From here your boundaries will grow. You can always check back in with your standards to ensure you stay true to you.

Remember when you honour your own boundaries you can show up more and be more present to the things you say yes to. Saying no opens you up to a world of possibilities. It’s like you are telling the universe what you don’t want so it will only send you the things you are available for.

Don’t have strong boundaries? You will get a lot of tests that will keep showing up until you set some solid ones. Flaky boundaries give flaky results, so back yourself. Own your boundaries (and own your worth).

Letting go of being busy will open up so much for you.

More clarity, more productivity and effectiveness, and more lightness.

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Boundaries aren’t enough. They are the heart of your self-care situation but the crust is your daily commitment to yourself. Every day, do something to nourish your soul. Now more than ever this is so essential. Whether it is for 5 minutes, or 5 hours, it doesn’t matter.

Your intention and commitments to yourself are what’s most important.

Whether it is a nature walk, tapping, journalling or meditation, whatever it is, make it a priority.

The more overwhelmed you feel, the more you see time as a scarcity, then the more time needs to be your prerogative. Letting go of being busy will open up so much for you. More clarity, more productivity and effectiveness, and more lightness. Isn’t that the best gift you could give yourself and the people you love?

Mala Kennedy helps women shift from self-doubt to self-love so they can feel confident. She is a life coach, EFT practitioner, writer, podcaster, and mama.

She is on a mission to help women get rid of imposter syndrome so they can feel successful in all areas of their life.

To ensure they give themselves permission to always be their authentic self and speak their truth so they can experience joy in all areas of their lives.

www.facebook.com/groups/ womenrisingtogethernow www.instagram.com/malaloves

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Elevate your Life and Soul

mala@malakennedy.com www.malakennedy.com

askMama Starr Sometimes you know you need to move forward but you can’t figure out which direction to choose. Mama Starr gently, but firmly guides you on your way.

Reader Question...

JA...

I am totally lost and finding myself in situations I never thought I would Have to face. I feel like I have lost my purpose and who I am.

What is next for me? Will things get better soon?

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Hello my darling JA! I want you to remember first and foremost the words of JRR Tolkien “not all who wander are lost”. Yes, things may be unexpected and certainly a litte frightening, but that doesn’t mean that you are off the path or have lost your purpose. It simply means that you are on a detour, learning the things you need to learn in order to get to where you need to be.

The truth is, no matter what path you are on, it’s YOUR path, so relax and know that you will find your way and yes, things will get better.

Now, let’s look at your cards.

We’re using the Sacred Traveler Deck by Denise Linn

What you need to know It has been a hard battle this year and we all know that things are still coming, the problems of the world aren’t solved yet, there is much to do.

But the first thing for you dear JA, is to find a way to relax. I know it feels like you have the weight of the world on your shoulders, but you won’t be able to make good choices if you are stressed.

So, as much as possible, I want you to focus on your own wellbeing.

Find time for the little things that bring you pleasure; a nice cup of coffee, chatting with friends, just hanging out and watching the clouds go by! It is really ok for you to relax, in fact, it’s necessary in order for you to determine your next steps. You want to make your choices from a relaxed state of mind.

What you need to do

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This card is about gratitude. It’s about recognizing that there is abundance in your life already and you must count your blessings! You may even want to start a gratitude journal if you don’t have one already.

Remember that abundance takes many forms, not just money; so celebrate what you have plenty of in your life… and, be grateful for the stressful stuff too because it is helping you to build Spiritual Muscle.

The Challenge Finally…your challenge is to ask for help.

I know what a challenge that can be! So often we get caught up in managing the hard stuff that “strong” becomes our default setting. We forget that people WANT to help. We forget that we don’t have to do it on our own and that there is strength in our vulnerability.

These are your challenges, my darling JA! Know that you are loved by people in the physical world and by Spirit.

Remember to connect to Spirit often and pour your heart out there. It’s really ok. Better times ARE coming.

Believe me when I say, I know this is hard…and I know you have the strength and perseverance to make it through.

Star Piercy is a Spiritual Life and Business Coach and Women’s Transformation and Empowerment Mentor. Serving women strong women who are ready to turn their strength into power. starr@yonderstarr.com | www.yonderstarr.com www.facebook.com/YonderStarr Group: manifestingformortals

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CHRISTINE Crystal expert Christine Langdale shows us this month, how to work with crystals for Forgiveness & Letting go We’ve all felt that we’ve been wronged at some point in our lives haven’t we?

Somebody says or does something and we can’t quite believe that they’ve behaved in that way towards us. Why did they do that? How could they say that? Or even worse, someone close to us dies, not only do we feel our grief, but we can feel aggrieved that they have left us. How could they leave us like that? It can be hard to let go of the bitterness and upset we feel in any of these situations, but if we can’t, we only hurt ourselves in the long run.

So how do we deal with these things? I know it’s cliched, but time is a healer – you may never totally ‘get over it’ whatever ‘it’ may be, but the hurt does reduce in time, it may take weeks,

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"it may take weeks, months or years, but the pain will diminish"

months or years, but the pain will diminish, even if a small part always remains.

We can try a loving kindness mediation, it can help you to open your heart again, though, in the early days, it can feel too difficult to do that. So simply trying to find a level of peace with a simple quiet meditation may be easier, just allow yourself to sit with your thoughts – let them pass through, like clouds in the sky, don’t try and hold onto them.

As always I’ve selected a set of crystals for you to use either as a set or individually, which will help to support you in the recovery process.

WHITE HOWLITE crown chakra

White Howlite is a stone that connects you both to the earth and the heavens, it will allow a calming energy to overcome you, sit with that energy for a while it will allow your emotional self to begin to strengthen and rebuild.

LEPIDOLITE brow chakra Lepidolite is another soothing and calming crystal, it will help ease anxiety over the past and, as a transition stone, it will help you to see the reasons for your distress and help with the process of moving forward. Meditating with this little purple stone will help you find the stillness to sit with your emotions for a while.

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BLUE LACE AGATE

throat chakra

All throat chakra stones will help your ‘speak your truth’ in a calm, measured way if that is what is required, however add to this the beautiful colour of these stones (they are peace in crystal form!!) and you will find an immediate calming effect.

CITRINE solar plexus chakra Citrine will help to cleanse the hurt you feel and encourage you to leave the past behind. A happy, positive stone, it will seek to bring joy back into your life and bring a more positive outlook.

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RHODONITE heart chakra Rhodonite is known as a crystal of compassion, be it showing it to ourselves or to others, it will also help you accept the situation that has arisen and begin to let go of the hurt.

GOLDEN HEALER QUARTZ sacral chakra

APACHE TEARS root chakra

This is specifically a grief stone, we all struggle when we lose someone dear to us, letting them go feels like a betrayal, but let them go we must.

Apache Tears helps us to cry and supports us in our grief, allowing us to begin to process our pain.

This crystal does what it says on the tin!! Especially if family relationships are at the cause of your issues, it will remind you to step away and have space to find compassion and forgiveness for those Christine is a Reiki Master & Crystal Healer that have wronged you.

living in East Yorkshire, UK

This self-confessed crystal addict lives with the other loves of her life: her 3 horses, cat & dog, and the husband gets a look in too sometimes!!

KANZANTHERAPIES

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Embracing your

UNBOUND SELF

How would it feel to be your fullest, freest self; to release yourself from any limited ideas about who and how you should be in the world and live unbound?

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Allow pleasure to be your compass

Most of us have been conditioned to live in a restricted way. We’re been brought up to follow ‘the rules’ (which are often unspoken, but deeply engrained). We’re rewarded for fitting in by our families, our teachers and society in general. And it can feel so much easier to live in this way that feels ordered and familiar. But if you’re willing to get uncomfortable and rock the boat, your life can be richer than you ever imagined. Are you ready?

The first principle of living unbound is to follow what feels good; and although this sounds simple, it can be deceptively challenging. Because the truth is that often we’ve become completely disconnected from our pleasure. From an early age, we’re taught to put other’s needs first and suppress our wants.

People-pleaser, anyone?

Here’s how to embrace your Unbound Self!

But your pleasure can be your most powerful guide.

Your Unbound Self communicates with you via your desires. If you want something, it’s no accident. Make it a practice to notice what you feel called towards and follow it.

Harness the power of your cyclical nature We’re generally taught to believe that life happens in a linear, step-by-step way and that we should continually be in action, relentlessly pushing forwards and ignoring any urge to rest and just be. The unbound way is quite the opposite!

Your Unbound Self recognises that life is cyclical and that you are influenced by many different cycles on a day-today, moment-to-moment basis - the cycle of the moon, your menstrual cycle (if you have one), the seasons and the overall cycle of your life, to name a few.

You are designed to ebb and flow like the tide.

Start to become aware of how your energies shift at different times and rather than overriding them, find ways to honour your magical cyclical nature.

Live your gift The next layer of embracing your Unbound Self is to live in and from your gift. What is your gift? Something that you give willingly, something that evokes joy in you as you give it, something that makes you more YOU in the giving of it. Imagine living in and from that place? That delicious spot where what you bring to the world fills you up. Yes please!

But again, this can be challenging because we’re generally shepherded into easily labelled boxes and encouraged to

If you want something, it’s no accident.

Make it a practice to notice what you feel called towards and follow it.

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follow a conventional path; to be a consumer, rather than a creator. Well it’s time to break out of that box!

Often your gift will be something that comes so naturally, you don’t place any value on it. That thing that flows so easily, you lose yourself when you’re doing it? This is your gift. And it has huge value.

Take a breath and ask yourself, ‘What is the gift that my Unbound Self wants to offer?’ Listen to the answer and know that it’s enough. In fact, it’s more than enough.

Find your people The next principle of living unbound is support and sisterhood.

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When you’re starting to embrace your Unbound Self more, you might feel like the people you’re surrounded by just don’t get you.

In a world that values conformity and colouring inside the lines, the unbound one doesn’t fit. You might be seen as quirky, awkward, lazy or just plain weird, even by those closest to you. And this can make you feel like there’s something wrong with you.

Well, I’m here to tell you there’s nothing wrong with you, my friend.

You just haven’t found your people yet.

Start looking out for those who see your brilliance, those who understand your desires and want to hear your true voice. Believe me, they’re out there and often they’re closer than you think.

The alchemy of shadow integration The final layer of embracing your Unbound Self involves shining a light on whatever parts of you have been repressed, pushed away, hidden, disapproved of or forgotten. Shadow work involves bringing those aspects you’ve previously judged as wrong out of the darkness and accepting, allowing and celebrating it all.

Most of us are only willing to show what we believe to be ‘acceptable’ and we do our best to hide everything else.

But it’s in the ‘everything else’ that your magic lies.

Rather than continually judging and self-monitoring yourself (which takes a huge amount of psychic energy), allow your freak flag to fly. Express yourself fully and let us see ALL of you.

Cheering you on, unbound one!

Nicola Humber – The ultimate Unbound Woman Nicola is the author of three transformational books, Unbound Writing, Heal Your Inner Good Girl and UNBOUND.

She's also the founder of The Unbound Press, a soul-led publishing imprint for unbound women, and the host of a radio show on WellBeing Radio.

After playing the archetypal good girl up until her mid-thirties, Nicola left her 'proper' job in finance to retrain as a coach and hypnotherapist and this leap of faith led her to what she does now: activating recovering good girls to embrace their so-called imperfections and shake off the tyranny of 'shoulds', so they can be their fullest, freest, most magnificent selves.

Nicola helps women to write the book their Unbound Self is calling them to write, whilst growing a community of soul-family readers and clients. She's originally from Southampton in the UK, but is now based in upstate New York.

Find out more:

https://nicolahumber.com

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LifeALCHEMY with Leanne MacDonald

Our expert Leanne shares advice and tools to create a healthy, balanced and magical life.

Being brave…

What do you think about when you hear the word brave?

For me it used to conjure up a sense of going to war and facing something difficult.

For a long time, I didn’t feel brave, I didn’t feel that it was not a possibility for me.

Now I would consider myself to be not only brave but to be in fact a fully fledged warrior with many badges of honour and possibility a cape… actually yes definitely a cape!

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One day the eye rolling part of me grabbed the reins for a short while and had a stern word.

Being brave is not what I used to perceive it to be, its not about going to battle and facing something difficult – it’s about understanding.

When you have that narrative of – I must be brave – you are responding to the way you have perceived the situation.

This is why some woman face things without batting an eye lid and some women are tentative, while some run for cover and hide.

We are all perceiving this life in our own unique way, based on our inner state.

I used that excuse for a

Being brave is not ‘overcoming’ something, it is understanding your emotional response to things and using that to make an empowered decision in life.

long time, I knew I was lying to myself but part of me was buying it, while the other part was rolling their eyes at it all.

If I felt fear I used to retreat, take going live on facebook for example.

Now I go live even when I feel my hands shake pressing the button.

I created a narrative in my head that I chose not to go live because I have kids and in case they interrupted etc

See how I compensated and created a life experience around a perception of going live?

That was a load of rubbish.

My perception was this – I am ok writing and sharing blogs etc, in fact I love it, it’s a daily ritual for me, I grab a coffee and get my laptop out and I wait for a topic idea to pop into my head then I write what I feel about that topic.

I created that narrative to compensate for the overwhelming feeling of – OH MY ACTUAL GOD – whenever I felt like I had to press that little button and go live.

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It's emotionally comfortable.

Going live on facebook…. Well what if I freeze, what if the topic doesn’t come, what if someone asks a question I can not answer, what if people laugh at me, what if I don’t make sense….

That is not emotionally comfortable.

One day the eye rolling part of me grabbed the reins for a short while and had a stern word.

It’s not fear.

It’s just not normal for you and your current perception is based on a past experience of going live – and the first time I went live it was a disaster.

You get the picture!

But the more I told that story of how I decided I had chosen not to go live and I was actually in charge of the whole decision for the good of all (ha!) the brighter a light I shone on my fear of going live until it was built up into a HUGE mountain of a situation!!!

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So, my narrative from then on was – if I go live on facebook it will be a disaster.

I didn’t have to be brave, I had to just take a moment to understand where my ‘story’ was coming from.

The past.

So of course, taking action against that narrative would cause a little spark of friction, until the action itself of going live became normal.

My unconscious now welcomes the opportunity to go live – because its tried it and tested it and it has a new memory of the outcome…..

Being brave is simply knowing your emotions are showing you a projection

of where your perception set point is at in that moment and then making a choice to either proceed, knowing you will be creating new normal and it might be emotionally uncomfortable for a short while, or retreat and live forever within that limited space of past experiences only….

Tons of love

, e n n a e L

Leanne MacDonald is a UK based Spiritual & Mental Well-Being Coach. She is passionate about awakening the pure potential within everyone, so they can go on to experience a life filled with absolute joy and purpose.

www.leannemacdonaldwellbeing.com

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HOLISTICALLY y h t l a e h & happy Yoga Teacher, Reiki Healer and Intuitive Coach, Michelle Taylor, shares with us, holistic routes to greater happiness and health.

I love the ceremony of full moon and new moon rituals and it sends a little shiver of excitement down my spine to know that the last full moon of 2020 falls towards the end of the month, on December 29th, just before we enter in to a new year.

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And what a year it has been. Some of us may be longing to see the back of 2020, it’s certainly forced so much to the surface to be healed and brought its own unique challenges for everyone, no matter how this year particularly has affected you.

If we believe that hard things give us opportunities to learn and grow then we will. If we believe that we are victims without choice then we get ourselves stuck.

I read recently that the main thing that separates those of us who suffer from hardships and those who can smile and grow through them is purely our perception and expectation. It’s all in our mind.

The combination of the full moon and the end of the year give us a powerful opportunity to let go of what you don’t want in order to create space for what you do want your life in 2021, with new hope and a renewed belief that we are gifted these experiences to learn and grow from.

the main thing that separates those of us who

December is traditionally such a busy time of year, this month we focus on quick and easy practices you can sprinkle in to your month or use as a ritual to harness the power of the full moon.

suffer from hardships and those who can smile and grow through them is purely our perception and expectation.

A practice for your mind

A practice for your body

Grab a piece of paper and start writing.

Write down the disappointments and challenges that you have faced this year, or those from the past that you are still holding on to and wish to release ready to start fresh. Burn the paper outside as you visualise letting go of them all as they burn away with the flame, freeing you to welcome joy and abundance in your life.

The lunar equivalent of sun salutations, a few rounds of slow paced moon salutations (Chandra Namaskar) is the perfect mindful movement practice to release tension in the body and bring calm and focus. The cycle of poses focus on hip openers and moving with your breath, bringing your mind and body back in harmony.

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A practice for your soul One of the best ways to let go of hurt and disappointment is to shift your focus to love, gratitude and forgiveness.

You are a being of light, love and joy, take a few minutes to tap in to that by as you close your eyes, focussing your attention inward to your heart centre.

Repeat the following loving kindness mantra to yourself as you visualise shining your love from your heart, out to the world, sending the mantra and love to all beings on the planet.

If there is a particular situation you are wishing to let go of, imagine sending your love to all involved. Repeat this practice any time you wish to shift from anger in to love.

May you be healthy May you be happy May you be peaceful May you be safe May you be free

Michelle Taylor is a yoga teacher, reiki practitioner, intuitive coach and coauthor of Amazon bestseller, The Divine Power of The Feminine Collective.

Having overcome depression, negative body image and low self esteem with the power of yoga and personal development, she is dedicated to empowering women worldwide to manage their physical and mental wellness with a personalised holistic toolkit.

www.michellemaslintaylor.com @happyhealthytoday

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Life with

THE ANGELS Our angel expert Yvonne shares how to work with your angels to bring peace.

December is here! Time to share and receive joy, peace and love. You deserve so much right now and the Angels wish to bestow it upon you.

I do feel blessed to have the Angels by my side guiding me, particularly through the year that we have just had.

The wisdom of the Angels is always so simple and profound.

I once received guidance when experiencing a difficult relationship.

The Angels of light told me to bless my relationship. I asked why? They said by asking that something be blessed, it raises the vibration into a higher light.

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You will still have the experience but when it's blessed it is held in alignment with your greatest and highest good.

Be prepared for things to change when you start to use the power of blessing. You can almost feel a lifting of heaviness instantly. Call on the Angels of light at any time and ask that your day be blessed, ask that your work be blessed, ask that all your relationships be blessed. For yourself or others you can ask for blessings of abundance or blessings of good health. Really anything can be blessed. You can bless your food and your drink to raise its vibration. A beautiful way to raise your own vibration is to feel blessed, say to yourself I am blessed, my life is blessed and so it will be.

December WISH MEDITATION It's that time of year when sending wishes is something that we all do so easily, as we right out greeting cards, or send text messages. Hold a space of love as you do, let the Angels guide your words.

This month, for our monthly wish Meditation, the Angels ask that our wishes are for blessings to be brought to ourselves, our loved ones, or around the world this holiday season.

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You can do this in a special place in your home or out in nature, wherever you feel you can have a greater connection to the Angels.

Have a journal where you can write your wishes to the Angels. Make a list, Dear Angels I wish for blessings for ‌..

Fill this in as you desire for yourself for others.

When you are ready you may want to close your eyes. Begin by focusing on your breath. With each breath you take, imagine you're letting go of stress and tension, relaxing and becoming more peaceful. Imagine you're breathing in a soft golden light, filling your heart, which spreads throughout your entire body. As you relax into this golden light it now feels the room or the space around you.

Now call in the Angels. Say, I invite in the Angels of blessings.

Many angels surround you now pouring their love and their light into you.

Breathe deeply, feeling blessed indeed, as your heart opens to receive. Soften into this feeling then ask the Angels to carry your wishes of blessing. You may say each wish out loud or silently from your heart.

See the angels instantly flying off to deliver your wishes, see those whom you have sent blessings receiving them.

The Angels sprinkling magical dust of blessings all around as they go.

Sit in this beautiful space for as long as you wish, knowing you are making a difference to other peoples lives, by asking and wishing for blessings to be bestowed. Give thanks to the Angels and when you feel ready, open your eyes have a stretch, re connect with your surroundings and smile.

My wish for you, is that your holidays are blessed and filled with every joy, peace and happiness.

Until next month, with love,

Yvonne.

Yvonne is based in Taunton UK as a holistic and spiritual Healer. Yvonne combines her certified therapies with her empathic nature and spiritual wisdom to guide, empower, heal and support.

yvonne@healing-you.co.uk

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TeaMEDITATION Let the festive atmosphere surround you

Curling under your warm blanket.

Trying to melt away the cold that got in your bones. Having a scented candle nearby and sipping on a hot cup of tea can completely transport you to that calm place inside your mind that you sometimes forget about.

Let’s share a virtual cup of tea together while contemplating over the year that will end soon. Let the festive atmosphere, the joy, and the hope surround you during this visualization meditation that I’ll guide you through.

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Calm and Festive atmosphere Close your eyes and imagine a quiet village covered in white fluffy snow. It’s evening and the houses are decorated with colorful Christmas lights. You approach them and admire every courtyard. They are all ready for the holidays and they are very welcoming.

Inside the houses, you can see beautifully decorated Christmas trees and people are warm and cozy inside their homes. You can almost hear the sound of carols surrounding you everywhere. Listen to them and let their joy fill you.

This gives you a warm feeling. Seeing so much calm, peace and joy puts a smile on your face and you are happy to see happiness in the world. You lift your gaze. towards the sky and you see the big snowflakes starting to fall. You watch them dancing all around and admire their perfection. One of the snowflakes landed on your glove and you take a closer look at its shape. It is beautiful and it quickly melts, transforming into water

Prepare your tea You hurry up to your own joyfully decorated and warm home. Stepping inside the warmth of your place melts away the cold and prepares you for enjoying a moment of calmness. Being in front of a fireplace, close to your loved ones, completes the image full of peace and joy.

Now you are going to your stove to put some water to boil. This atmosphere is perfect for enjoying a hot cup of tea.

You carefully choose your tea and grab your favorite mug.

When the water is ready, you pour it in the mug over the tea leaves. Watching the leaves dancing in the water makes you anticipate the tea flavor you will soon enjoy.

Having your freshly brewed tea, take a deep breath, and clear your mind of any thoughts. Just feel the warmth that surrounds you and let that smile linger on your face for a bit longer. Enjoy the empty mind for few moments and take some deep breaths. Let the fresh air clean the space in your mind.

Seeing so much calm, peace and joy puts a smile on your face and you are happy to see happiness in the world

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Open your heart and welcome all the joyful moments you experienced.

Bring them back and let them fill your heart.

Take each breath mindfully, do not rush, and be present for every part of the breathing process.

Think about the past year Start thinking about the year that is about to end. What is the first thing that comes to your mind?

What type of memory is it?

How does it make you feel?

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Do not judge the feeling you have. Just think about it, as now it is a part of you and your past. Do not dwell on the past, we are here to learn how to accept it and how to accept ourselves just the way we are. With every experience we go through, we become stronger. We are building our personality with every step we take throughout our lives.

With every moment that goes by, we are transforming. Every experience we go through is shaping us. Learning to accept who we are is one of the most important steps toward mindfulness.

Think about a happy moment. Bring it back to your mind and re-live it. Feel the joy it brought you when it happened. Open your heart and welcome all the joyful moments you experienced. Bring them back and let them fill your heart.

Spread the happiness Imagine that a big bubble of happiness and joy surrounds you. Think about spreading that joy to the entire room or space you are now. Then try to send it further to the people you love but are not close to you. Let them all experience. the joy and send them all the happiness you feel now. Expand your bubble even further now; send your joy to the entire world.

Take a few deep breaths.

Think about a goal you achieved this year. What was your proudest moment this year?

Take your time and let yourself rewind the events that happened to lead to you achieving those goals.

Now that you are charged with positive energy, embrace this lovely way of celebrating the end of the year and welcoming the New Year that is coming.

Open your heart and welcome all the new moments and experiences yet to come.

Bring back your thoughts to the joyful Christmas atmosphere and the warm cup of tea in front of you. Take a few sips of tea and feel its flavor. Let the warmth of the tea enhance the cozy atmosphere.

Gabriela Green is a certified mindfulness and meditation teacher, passionate about tea (lots of daily cups!), yoga, books and anything related to stress relief.

Her signature technique is called tea meditation. She started a movement to teach tea meditations because it’s such an easy way to practice mindfulness that she feels like everyone should know about it!

It’s her way to contribute to the world of fighting stress. You can grab one of her audio tea meditation for free from her website:

https://www.gabriela.green gabriela.green.meditation groups/teaandmindfulness

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y m h g u o r h t p u g Lookin

SKYLIGHT

Holistic coach and mindfulness expert Katie Hopkins shares her experience and insights.

Happiness: When we call on our Innate Strengths In 2016, after careful consideration, I resigned from my job as an Executive Assistant to the Head of HR, packed up my worldly possessions into a storage container in New Zealand and boarded a plane to the UK. I had a plan‌I even had a job lined up on the other side of the world, starting in a few months’ time. However, the best laid plans of mice and men go astray. The moment I landed, every carefully laid plan went up out the window. I had to adapt to the situation (or as I like to call it be in Flow) or sink!

I had used my natural strength as an all arranger to organise and plan my next 6 months. I hadn’t stopped to feel anything (my relationship with a narcissistic partner had all come to an end and all the pain and frustration were still bottled up inside).

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All these carefully laid plans felt constrictive and brought a strong surge of resistance to carry them out.

I chose connection over security and spent time with family and friends. I travelled. I spent time on my own. I sat in Noble Silence for 10 days in Vipassana Meditation and turned everything I was holding onto over to the quiet. I allowed my beliefs to guide me.

When I am out of sync My innate strengths came to the surface during those 10 days - some arrived more loudly than others! I discovered, I thrive on routine, and yet will adapt to most situations. My desire for discipline to plan and organise and be prepared, comes from a desire to feel safe, following living through the earthquakes in New Zealand. My love of learning new skills, acquiring knowledge and information keeps my brain healthy, and I feel I add value to the world.

I sat in uncomfortable silence and felt surges of empathy for my fellow students and myself, as it requires Ironman willpower to sit in silence and stillness for hours on end, learning and relearning how to essentially breathe.

with myself and my true strengths, my boundaries weaken, and I allow people and situations to take advantage of me.

Over the 10 days the truest battle was with myself, where self-doubt, pain and conflicting feelings danced around my body and mind, causing havoc.

Once I reached Day Nine (of the 10 days) my resilience paid off and the feelings of euphoria swam in my bloodstream. My inner dialogue was now positive and curious. On a physical level, my body was no longer in pain and I had so much energy! The joy of breaking Noble Silence beckoned!

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When I am out of sync with myself and my true strengths, my boundaries weaken, and I allow people and situations to take advantage of me.

My body sounds the alarm (I am now better at listening to it) as I tend to have a physiological reaction to stressors.

Even now, four years later, I simply need to close my eyes and use my breath to guide me and it all comes flooding back. I sit in silence and then I rise with strength, resilience, and purpose.

Day 10 is a jubilant day, as I released all remaining limiting beliefs with my breath. I knew that my true strengths and my newly flexed resilience muscles had helped me achieve a remarkable feat. The remainder of 2016 was spent trusting, loving and being of service. It remains one of the happiest and most daring years of my life.

This time of year can often run away with us and before we know it has passed again for another year. If you find yourself in a situation, don’t forget the power of your breath.

Katie Hopkins - I’m a free spirit (some may call crazy), who now calls Christchurch, New Zealand, home. I live with my soul-mate husband and three heart-children.

I have travelled the world in search of purpose, and I talk to the moon! Selfeducation is a passion, so I am a Life, Positivity and Resilience Coach, a certified Specialised Yoga Teacher and a Mindfulness Facilitator. I rarely follow logic (much to the dismay of others) and I always trust that the universe has my back. My musings come from the Heart.

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www.katielouwcoaching.com | khdhopkins@gmail.com

d e n g i l A l u o S r u Yo

BUSINESS Soul business expert Jen Cochrane shares her advice on why planning is important.

If You Fail To Plan…

2020 threw a monkey wrench in all of our plans, and while the future is still uncertain and no one quite knows what to expect, one thing is for sure- failing to plan is still planning to fail when it comes to business in 2021.

If you don’t have any sort of plan or any set of goals that you are working towards, then any progress you manage to make will be completely dependent upon luck and making the right reactionary decision to whatever circumstances are immediately in front of you. Your business, your financial health, and your sanity require something better than this.

But how do you go about making plans when there are massive circumstances that are unpredictable and beyond your control?

You set clearly defined goals and then bring as many aspects of your situation under your direct control as possible so that you can make daily, measurable progress towards achieving those goals.

Let’s break that down a bit. First, what sort of clearly defined goals make sense during times of uncertainty? The answer: The same kinds of goals that you would set at any other time! Our goals are a reflection of our desires, and just because outer circumstances in the world have changed doesn’t mean that our inner desires have become smaller or “more reasonable.”

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Let’s break that down a bit. First, what sort of clearly defined goals make sense during times of uncertainty? The answer: The same kinds of goals that you would set at any other time! Our goals are a reflection of our desires, and just because outer circumstances in the world have changed doesn’t mean that our inner desires have become smaller or “more reasonable.”

Don’t compromise on what you want because the world around you happens to look a bit different now.

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Set lofty goals, dream big dreams- and then write them down in intricate detail so that your mind and your subconscious can start working together to bring them into reality.

Next, consider how to eliminate or reduce your dependence upon circumstances that are out of your control. If, for example, you were dependent upon contracts for much of your previous work, but the jobs have dried up lately, then that dependence upon other businesses is a problem for you. If you have been dependent upon foot traffic to get customers into your store, and business has significantly slowed down because no one is out walking around downtown anymore, then depending upon in-person customers is a problem for you.

What can you do differently in your business that will allow you to be less dependent upon the ebb and flow of the weather, pandemics, in-person services, importing products from far away, and the uncertainty of waiting for the right customers to come and find you? Perhaps you need to focus more heavily on offering your products and services online. Perhaps a different marketing strategy is in order. Maybe you need to upgrade your offerings, making them more unique or specialized or targeted to a niche that isn’t quite as volatile as the rest.

Finally, let’s discuss tracking your progress. We’ve all heard the phrase “What gets measured gets done,” but how often do we truly measure our progress towards the goals we have set for ourselves in life and in business?

What systems do you have in place that tell you that you are going in the right direction? Without a way to measure, you may accidentally be moving farther away from your goals without even realizing it.

Take a look at your goals and ask yourself, “How will I know that I have reached this goal?” Will you have made a certain amount of money? Will you have a certain number of customers or employees? Will you be selling a certain amount of your products each month?

You need to parse your goals down to numerical values. Even if your goal involves something non-numerical, say, moving to a different city, you can still derive a numerical value from that goal, such as the amount of money that you will need to comfortably afford to hire movers and get resettled.

Set lofty goals, dream big dreams- and then write them down in intricate detail so that your mind and your subconscious can start working together to bring them into reality.

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remember that it is possible to exist in a state of flow and in a place with clearly defined goals at the same time.

Once you have the numbers written down, you can start working on yearly, monthly, weekly, and daily plans towards accomplishing those goals. If your goal involves selling 1,000 copies of your book this year, for instance, then you will need to sell around 84 copies of your book per month, or around 20 per week. By breaking your goals down this way, you give yourself smaller, easier-to-achieve goals.

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Selling 20 books this week feels fairly simple and achievable, while selling 1,000 books in a year feels difficult and out of reach. You only sold 15 copies last week? Well, then you need to develop a plan to sell 25 this week to get back on track.

Breaking your goals down into monthly and yearly increments is what allows you to stay nimble and roll with whatever punches the year throws at you, because you are able to clearly evaluate the exact circumstances you face at any given moment, and then develop a plan to reach your small, incremental goals in ways that take those current life circumstances into account.

If your old advertising methods aren’t bringing in those 20 book sales this week, then you need to spend time today developing a new marketing strategy.

The local bookshop temporarily closed for a few weeks?

Then you need to figure out a strategy to sell your book online yourself so that you aren’t dependent upon other retailers to sell your book for you.

People are no longer as interested in your book’s topic because they are facing too much stress in their personal lives? Time to write a new book!

So as you start working on your plan for 2021 and beyond, remember that it is possible to exist in a state of flow and in a place with clearly defined goals at the same time. It is totally possible for you to be successful in when the world around you is uncertain and chaotic.

And always remember, “If you can dream it, you can achieve it.” -Zig Ziglar

Jen Cochrane is a business coach, graphic designer, and course cocreation expert focused on helping people start and grow meaningful, fulfilling businesses that make the world a better place.

Find even more business-related articles, free classes, and information about how Jen can help you with your business over at...

www.jencochrane.com

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UNTOLD STORIES and how to tell them...

Our expert writer, editor and speaker, Penny Thresher, shares how to write your story.

So last month we talked about how to get started with your writing.

But what about where you write? Does it matter?

I remember visiting the Charles Dickens museum in Holborn in London and standing in front of his beautiful Victorian writing desk, blown away by the thought of all the amazing manuscripts that he had penned sitting at that piece of furniture. The desk seemed imbued with the magic of his words. Apparently he would transport the desk to the different places he lived to ensure that he could continue his writing.

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I am very lucky to have a lovely view from my office window, looking across school fields, with a glimpse of Morecambe Bay and the Cumbrian hills in the distance. It is my favourite place to write, and where I breathe life into these columns! But I have written in many places. In a Greek bar, on a train, and I have also been known to wake up in the middle of the night and compose a blog using an app on my iPad, sitting in bed.

Of course, you can write anywhere. I have a friend who went on a solitary driving tour of Norway to write her book last year. But as a writer who sometimes struggles with procrastination, I know it is important that where you write does not become a reason not to put words on paper.

For me there are certain pre-requisites.

I need to be warm and comfortable. I quite like solitude, with silence or gentle music in the background and copious amounts of tea on hand. I usually type, but I also always have a notebook on hand in case my muse strikes unexpectedly.

But where else could you write?

J K Rowling famously wrote most of the Harry Potter books in The Elephant Café in Edinburgh. She said: “It’s no secret that the best place to write is in a café. You don’t have to make your own coffee, and you don’t have to feel like you’re in solitary confinement.” Other writers have said that they like the white noise of sitting in a busy café to write, and also that they get inspiration from watching people.

Maya Angelou kept a room in a hotel where she could go to write.

She would aim to be there at 7am and work until mid-afternoon. She kept a bible, a deck of cards and a bottle of sherry there, for inspiration I presume!

I love the idea of writing in a book shop, or a library. Surrounded by shelves of inspiration. Or perhaps a museum surrounded by works of art.

As much as I love my current office and its view, I have this picture in my head of a solid antique writing desk, and a swivelling bankers chair in a sunny corner by a window overlooking the sea. Whether it would improve the quality of my writing, who knows? If I want to find out, I had better get that best-selling novel written!

I would love to hear about your favourite places to write.

Penny is a UK based coach, writer, editor and speaker. With a fierce passion for words and a desire to encourage everyone to find their voice, she combines her coaching skills and writing ability to help people speak up and shine brightly in the world!

Coming from someone who has written more than 60 books and over 200 short stories! I would love to hear what you are writing, or what you would like to write! Or if you have any questions you would like me to answer here in the magazine, you can email me at:

penny@cornerhousewords.co.uk www.cornerhousewords.co.uk

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Nature's KITCHEN

Our very own seasonal foraging expert and kitchen witch Jill Wheeler brings us her special recipe for Mulled Wine.

December. The month when magic seems to be in the air and lots of charged energy. December to me is dark days, twinkling lights and log fires.

For many of us it’s a busy month of preparations and indulgence, when selfcare seems to be thrown out of the window replaced by frantic gift buying and wrapping and wondering what the heck we are going to buy this year for Auntie Dot. Biscuits? Again!

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This year make a promise to yourself to claim back an hour or two of your evening. Cosy up next to the fire, with a blanket and a good book and a mug of Spiced Mulled wine which is the recipe of the month. If you are having company over, then this is the perfect welcome drink too.

Mulled wine dates to as early as the 12th century Roman Empire, a spiced wine known as Pimen. In the Middle Ages spices were added to wine to make it taste better and to make it healthier.

Any harvest of wine that was not palatable or not good enough had spices added. The spices helped to preserve the wine, keep bacteria at bay and make it taste much nicer. The drink became extremely popular in the late Middle Ages and was regarded as having various medicinal and even aphrodisiac properties. Mulled wine was given the name hypocras. The word ‘mull’ was to heat, sweat and flavour with spices. The Hippocrates sleeve (originally use to filter water) was used to filter the wine after steeping in the spices and sugar, hence were the name originated for this drink.

The contents of the drink varied somewhat depending on the locality.

The main ingredients in the UK were cinnamon, ginger, clove grains of paradise and long pepper. However, pine resin, figs, coriander and mint were also used in early concoctions.

Sugar was added for the lords and ladies and honey for the people. During Elizabethan times, doctors prescribed it to aid digestion and milk and brandy were sometimes added. It was served at banquets across Europe. The drink did fall out of fashion though in the 18th century.

The month when magic seems to be in the air and

lots

of

charged

energy. December to me is dark days, twinkling lights and log fires

In the Victorian era, it became a seasonal drink thanks to its mention in Charles Dickens book ‘A Christmas Carol’, which solidified its seasonality.

Today there are many variations of the drink, with fruits added, even nuts. The popular Spanish drink sangria was originally made with spices and was probably inspired by hiprocas.

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The spices used in this recipe have many medicinal properties, so as well as having a seasonal tipple, you are quite possibly boosting your immunity in the process. A time of year when your body could do with a little pick me up.

Here is a run-down on their properties:

Cinnamon Aids digestion, balances blood sugar levels, antioxidants improve circulation

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Star Anise Bioactive compounds good for health, flavonoids, antioxidant, anti inflammatory and anti-microbial

Cardamon Antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, aids digestion

Orange Vitamin C and flavonoids

Nutmeg

Cloves

Anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial and anti-viral properties

Rids digestive tract of unwanted bacteria

e p i c e R e n i W d e ll u M YOU WILL NEED...

I like to mull all my spices and orange with the bottle of wine overnight for a stronger infusion. If you want to avoid floating spices in your drink then you can put your spices in a small piece of muslin and tie it, popping it in the wine. You can also grind the spices for a stronger infusion but be sure to filter them before serving (a coffee filter is perfect for this).

Gently warm the wine over a low heat to infuse the spices. Add the brandy if you wish to just before serving. Serve with a cinnamon stick and enjoy!

75cl bottle of fruity red wine (an English Red Wine is perfect) (The red wine can be substituted for cider and for a non-alcoholic version either apple juice, blackcurrant or even elderberry juice)

2 sticks of cinnamon 5 cloves 5 cardamon pods ½ tsp nutmeg 1 star anise Zest of 2 large oranges plus juice (you can also use seasonal clementine instead of orange) Slosh of brandy (optional) Sugar to sweeten (add according to how sweet you would like it – I usually add around 50-100g)

Jill Wheeler (Jilly) is a mum of two, vegan cook, who is passionate about cooking and foraging for food.

Jill runs a preserves business ‘Jillys Homemade Preserves’, using produce she grows on her own allotment as well as locally sourced or foraged. She loves to share her knowledge on natural ways to preserve the seasons bounty, and to keep our history of preserving alive.

jillysjam@hotmail.com | www.jillyspreserves.co.uk | @jillysjam 61

Musings of a

SOUL JUNKIE Attaining Alignment So on my return from Peru, with my guidance from Mother Ayahuasca, how could I go wrong? Integration from such an experience is not always plain saying. Yes the trip had undoubtedly saved me and given me direction but I certainly didn’t get everything right and truth be known and only coming into true alignment now.

Souljunkie was still a half baked idea in many ways when I signed up to a business accelerator, oops! At such an early stage, if there’s anything such a thing as a mistake, this was.

I launched straight into a conscious clothing brand, the profits of which would support others emerging in recovery from mental health. Sounds great, but I was still very much integrating and healing myself and it took so much of me, I’d forgotten it was simply supposed to help support me as a healer, not lead the way. In coming off coarse, it fast became a money and sales mindset, a mindset I could not deal with.

What I did get absolutely right was both the decision to support a charity from day one and I discovering the perfect one.

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The trouble this caused for a while was pretty painful, fresh out of the jungle from my healing and I had plonked myself into the thick of it, the same chasing game I had grown to despise in wedding photography before I turned my life upside down around the time of awakening. Luckily, I had also continued learning flute, qualified in reiki, and had at least signed up to shamanic training although that wasn’t due to start for a while. I was pumping most of my efforts into a Shopify website, and painful though it was, it was a valuable lesson.

What I did get absolutely right was both the decision to support a charity from day one and I discovering the perfect one. I couldn’t be more proud than to be supporting Survival International.

Survival International aligns with and forms partnerships with tribal peoples to protect both the people and their land, all across the world. When you consider the world today, I believe this is of the utmost importance. Without this help and support, pretty much the only people left on this planet living in harmony with Mother Earth would be driven from their homes. Survival International back them legally. Tribal peoples face land theft, development, genocidal violence and more in places such as the Amazon, Indian Jungle, the Congo, the list goes on. Think miners, loggers and oil companies, it’s a real risk for our planet. The charity never accepts finance from any government or organisation ensuring it’s never compromised and so it needs help.

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So, how did I pull things back in line?

By opening and following my heart of course, and learning to listen to it.

Everything Ayahuasca taught me basically, it just takes a while to sink in sometimes. Of course it’s all work in progress and I’ve made hilarious errors in order to re learn things in business and personal life.

There is so much we can all learn from tribal peoples, they live in harmony with the land, something all conscious people everywhere strive towards with our recycling and conscious purchasing.

I’ve just bought calendars, Christmas cards and such things from their shop.

It was far more rewarding than hitting the high street.

The start of my shamanic training helped immensely, rightly so a huge part of the course is healing and understanding one's self. Connecting more with my guides has me knowing that I’m never on my own and the power of connection inside rather than searching externally is a huge leap forward. Helping others heal with the tools I was now learning gave me a rejuvenated sense of worth and achievement. Having completed a year and now into my advanced training, I’m also gaining exciting insights as to who I truly am as a shaman, what I connect with strongest and it’s full potential.

Letting things flow and learning to trust, I’m getting there with.

https://shop.survivalinternational.org

True alignment isn’t easy, can involve many things as we grow, but must always stem from the heart.

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And so Souljunkie has become so much more than just a clothing brand. Souljunkie is a Shamanic brand name, offering connection through my shamanic healing, sound baths, events, a conscious clothing line and occasionally I still use my photography to connect with like minded folk, capturing their essence for their own business, social profiles and websites. True alignment isn’t easy, can involve many things as we grow, but must always stem from the heart.

Have a beautiful Christmas, lots of love,

Roberto.

Rob Leon is a Reiki and sound healer, Shamanic practitioner, photographer and founder of the clothing brand “Soul Junkie”.

After a short army career and many years spent finding my talent, I finally discovered photography, and I was rather successful for many years. Then, battling depression and dissatisfaction for some time, for whatever reason, I threw away my whole life and started from scratch.

The beginning of my awakening yes, the beginning of a breakdown also.

I tried many things but finally discovered Ayahuasca and flew to Peru

as a last ditch effort to save my life. It’s at this point ‘Soul Junkie’ was born, a story you can follow in my group on Facebook. It’s all there in real time, on video.

www.souljunkie.co.uk connect@souljunkieclothing.com FB Group - Souljunkie Tribe FB Page - Souljunkie Clothing IG - souljunkie_clothing

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Universal Guidance

NUMEROLOGY forecast

December this year vibrates universally as a 7 known as The Spiritual One. This shows us that December is a wonderful month of spiritual growth and brings a deeper understanding of Universal energy and current alignment.

November encouraged us to be open and guided with love this month December helps us to align with the many new breakthroughs, spiritual gifts and knowledge brought to us from divine love.

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This may especially be felt by healers, not just physical hands on healing though, this may also be felt by those who can heal with their words.

We are being guided to focus on our intuition and really stepping outside of the box with our thoughts and inspired ideas this month. It’s time to dive deep into your soul and let that light shine out from you freely without fear or doubt.

December is a good month to start journaling if you don’t already do so.

Journal any inspirations that come through to you guided or intuitive. You can add any pictures or signs you receive too, such as feathers or coins.

Journaling is one of the best ways to look back how far you have come on your journey.

This month is also an ideal time to create your own spiritual space if you don’t already have one. Be sure to create it in a quiet and calm place either in your house or garden. This space can help you with prayer and meditation and truly connecting with spirit and the Universe.

December 21st is a highly significant day this year. We have the planets Jupiter, Saturn and Pluto in conjunction positions in Capricorn that haven’t appeared in the same position since around 3,000 years ago which dates back to the days of the Babylonians and Sumerians.

This also coincides with Saturn and Jupiter’s 20 year conjunction. This brings with it a huge spiritual energy one of which could see a massive discovery or unveiling of knowledge and change.

It could be an absolute turning point for many and a first ‘awakening’ for many more.

You may want to try and have some time out for yourself on this day and focus on your spiritual self. It is a truly high intuitional day and may bring a huge sense of empowerment with it too.

You may want to have Labradorite, Carnelian and Moonstone crystals with you to help you embrace these energies.

It’s a very special day indeed but it could also bring some huge surprises or even a few jaw dropping shocks with it.

Venus’s energy is almost like soothing the brow of Mercury’s sometimes icky energy.

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December’s Full Moon lands on the 30th. This Full Moon also has an emphasis on new beginnings.

But you have to really release any old stale energy that no longer supports you on your current journey. Don’t let fear steal your dreams.

Be sure to ground yourself and protect your own energy so you can stay aligned and not get drawn into any drama or chaos that might show itself from the side lines! Don’t be distracted from your own path and journey!

December’s New Moon lands on the 14th. It has an amazing energy and it also sees a solar eclipse too.

This new moon encourages to focus on how we view our own vision of the future. Will you look forward with excitement or fear.

Be sure to focus on the good and allow that to be the energy that you carry forward with you. The message this month’s New Moon brings for you is one of reinvention. Set your intentions with renewed vibrancy and shake off any lingering cobwebs of doubt you may have. Create a vision of the future that fills you with awe and wonderment.

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There is guidance to focus on allowing your inner child out to bring a sense of joy to your Full Moon rituals. Think back to the excitement you felt as a child looking up at the moon and stars and how magical they looked. Let those same emotions stir you as you prepare your Full Moon magic. You may want to bring some ivy and mistletoe into your ritual space to celebrate with nature for the year ahead!

Live in love, joy and abundance.

i in s os R ez n ti r a M e is en D

Success & Leadership 3rd, 12th, 21st & 30th Fun & Creativity 6th, 14th & 23rd Grounding & Organisation 7th, 13th & 24th Freedom & Change 7th, 16th & 25th Love & Relationships 8th, 17th & 26th Spiritual & Self-Development 9th, 18th & 27th Manifesting & Abundance 1st, 10th, 19th & 28th Compassion & Kindness 2nd, 11th, 20th & 29th Inspiration & Enlightenment 4th, 13th, 22nd & 31st

Denise Martinez~Rossini I’m an intuitive numerologist and Spiritual Empowerment Mentor. I adore working with Numerology and have read thousands of charts for people worldwide.

I love to teach Numerology and share the language of the Universe with those seeking its secrets and knowledge.

I am thrilled to be bringing you a monthly forecast with insights into what the Universe has in store for you.

I will also give you the high vibrations of the month and dates for aligned vibration focus too for the rest of the month.

I hope you learn to love Numerology as much as I do.

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. .. th n o m t x e n C o m in g

it's all about new

BEGINNINGS At Untamed Soul we are dedicated to helping stop child sex trafficking worldwide...

That’s why we’re supporting Operation Underground Railroad and donating 10% of our profits More to come...watch this space!