Spirituality Expert Voices Today

A New Year’s Resolution

With a new year many of us make new years resolutions. Resolution by its definition means that there is some conflict to resolve. The resolving of this conflict brings about resolution. When we think of making New Year’s resolutions most of us think of goals or changes we establish and hope to accomplish. So to truly make a resolution we must look at our conflicts and how to resolve them. Diet and exercise are the most prominent resolutions. The conflict is always between eating what we want and staying slim and healthy. Exercise becomes a conflict of time. Would we rather sleep or exercise? More…

The Second Gift of Myrrh

Last week's blog was about the three gifts the wide men brought to the baby Jesus. The three most precious commodities of the day were the essential oils frankincense and myrrh, and the element of gold. Myrrh comes from the same family of plants as frankincense; Burseraceae which means dry fire. Myrrh is a gum that it produced in Libya and Iran which is then distilled into an oil with a pleasant balsamic camphor-like, musty, incense smell. Like frankincense, myrrh was a precious oil used in fumigations, embalming, unctions and liturgical practices. The Egyptian papyrus, the Vedas, the Bible and the Koran mention numerous uses of Myrrh in perfumery, ceremonies and medicine. Myrrh was an ingredient in many unguents, elixirs and other multi purpose antidotes. More…

Three Heavenly Gifts

In the Biblical story of the birth of Christ, the three wise men brought gifts of frankincense, myrrh and gold to the baby Jesus. Essential oils such as frankincense and myrrh were highly prized as medicinal substances used to treat all kinds of illness and injuries. Since the earliest times of humanity aromatic fumigations have been used daily in rituals, as medicine and during religious ceremonies as an expression of the sacred. Fragrances have been seen as a manifestation of divinity on earth. They established a connection between humans and Gods. More…

Health and Happiness

I just returned from a lengthy trip that included stops in Israel, Egypt, Morocco, and Spain. The trip was planned with a loose itinerary because the best travel is the unexplored and the adventures you experience along the way. When you travel you open yourself up to experiences outside the safety of your nest. More…

Out with the Old and in with the New

Last week so many of you responded to my posting about apples that I thought I would post midweek and thank you. This would also give me a chance on this first day of December to designate this – Take care of Yourself Month! I’ve made a decision to take care of myself this month by cleaning out the old habits, thoughts, and stuff, and preparing to bring in the new with the New Year. No doubt for all of us this Holiday season is very stressful. However we can all do little things to feel a sense of accomplishment and find a sense of balance and peace. So I challenge you to take a step today and keep focused on being good to yourself for the next thirty days. Make a commitment. More…

An Apple a Day Keeps the Pounds Away

There's a good chance you've heard the phrase, "An apple a day will keep the doctor away." But have you heard that an apple a day will keep the excess pounds away? In times of stress and in the holiday season many people gain excess weight. We all want to know how to eat those great foods and still not gain a pound. There are many tricks from eating before you go to a party to watering down your drinks but the best method of all is to do everything in moderation. One piece of chocolate will not a diet break! More…

What are some good books for a Yoga beginner?

I'd like to have a new yoga mat for every time I am asked this question! The second question asked is where can I find a good beginner DVD to do at home? More…

Alternative Medicine - Does Your Insurance Cover it

The answer to this question is both yes and no. Some insurance companies cover some treatments that fall into an alternative medicine category such as chiropractor, acupuncture and physical therapy but treatments such as herbal medicine and aromatherapy are not covered. It's interesting to note that in England the Royal family uses Homeopathic medicine, herbal medicine and aromatherapy to treat illnesses. More…

Let Nature Be Your Medicine – Herbs That Heal

What most people don't realize about herbs are that they are what we call, "food stuff." Herbs are plants and as such they provide a variety of vitamins, minerals and nutrients that the body uses to both nourish and heal it's self. Records show that Herbs were used by the Egyptians, Romans, Persians, and Hebrews as medicine to treat a host of illnesses. In fact the early pharmaceutical industry was based upon the ability to isolate medicinal ingredients from plants and make them available in purer form. Nature however synergized the ingredients within plants to create an overall supportive effect. Therefore true herbal medicine makes use of the essential elements of the whole herb. More…

Holding Onto Your Center

No emotional crisis is wholly the product of outward circumstances. These may precipitate it. But what turns an objective situation into a subjectively critical one is the interpretation the individual puts upon it – the meaning it has in his emotional economy; the way it affects his self-image. – Bonaro Overstreet More…