Click the link below for the full pdf of the newsletter this month.

April2016

Apne Aap- Who’s Sari Now?

Self-empowerment is the raison d’etre of the women’s collective Apne Aap in India. They united to collectively create a better world for their daughters as an alternative to human trafficking. This is a story about the healing power of the arts that was birthed in the aftermath of a documentary by Rachira Gupta. It is about women helping women by helping themselves together. Recycled saris are given a second chance to create objects of beauty to sell. Bags, bandanas, earrings, necklaces and bracelets are marketed to provide a living wage and to fund school fees. Read more in a New York Times interview here:

http://nytlive.nytimes.com/womenintheworld/2015/07/14/whos-sari-now-taking-on-prostitution-and-sex-trafficking-in-an-enterprising-new-way/

or profiled by CNN here:

http://www.kvia.com/news/whos-sari-now-how-jewelry-is-saving-lives/38690832

or at the vendor website. http://www.rosenasammi.com/pages/do-good

Kumari Bangles at $55 USD pay for one week of school for a girl in India

http://www.rosenasammi.com/collections/sari

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Note:  vibrational healing therapies, including the use of crystals, are not intended as substitutions for proper medical treatment, but rather as complementary holistic supports for conscious living.

Click the link below for the full pdf of the newsletter this month.

March2016

Practice makes Progress

Do you remember your dreams?

1. The key is to catch them before you’re completely awake.
2. Set your intention before you sleep to have a dream that you will remember and expect to.
3. Review the day’s events briefly before you settle in for the night so that you don’t have to use up your creative dreamtime to process the mundane.
4. Write down what you do recall. You will start to see patterns.
5. Pay attention to the emotion the dream provokes more than trying to analyze it with logic.
6. Dream dictionaries can provide insights into archetypal symbols, but trust your gut first.

Did you know?

• Dreams occur mostly in the second part of the night during cycles of REM sleep.
• You cannot snore and dream at the same time. Snoring occurs during non-REM sleep.
• We move into REM sleep for a brief time after about an hour of non-REM and continue that cycle all night with increasingly longer REM sleep time.
• If we lose 1/2 hour of REM sleep one night, we rebound with added REM sleep on the next.
• During REM sleep the brain signals the body to relax and we experience a sense of paralysis called atonia. Atonia protects us from physically acting out during dreams. Sleepwalkers lack effective atonic function

• You have more nightmares in a cold house than in a warm one.
• The inventor of the sewing machine, Elias Howe, got the idea in a dream. So, did the creator of Google.
• Abraham Lincoln dreamt a premonition of his assassination.
• 90% of your dream is forgotten upon waking, although some can continue into waking state.
• Men tend to dream more of other men while women are equal opportunity dreamers.
• Scientists and spiritualists are beginning to agree that the dream state is the action of the emotional brain processing memories and making meaning out of the day’s events.

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Note:  vibrational healing therapies, including the use of crystals, are not intended as substitutions for proper medical treatment, but rather as complementary holistic supports for conscious living.

“Leap year was ne’er a good sheep year.”

Click the link below for the full pdf of the newsletter this month.

February2016

There is an old tradition that says once every four years a woman can ask a man to marry her on February 29^th. Some say it’s Irish in origin and attributed to St. Bridget. Some say the Scottish Queen Margaret made it a law. If a Finnish man refused the proposal, he was obliged to buy the woman silk for a new frock or if  he was Danish, he had to give twelve pairs of gloves to conceal the ring-less fingers. On Leap Day laws did not apply.

However, Italians and Greeks thought it was bad luck to marry during a Leap Year because the women were out of control. Scots believed it affected the livestock. After all, the natural order of things had been disrupted.

Long before Mardi Gras became associated with pre-Lenten gluttony in the Christian calendar, Europeans already marked the period with festivities of controlled chaos. In the Teutonic regions it is called Fastelavn. People dressed in masks and costumes that allowed them a reprieve from their usual roles. It was an opportunity to mock authorities, act out parodies, stretch their liberties, and basically let loose. Behind the mask, it was safe, and socially acceptable, to symbolically revolt. Anthropologists call these reversal rituals. Fancy dress parties, Halloween, April Fools pranks, and the Feast of Fools are all examples of role inversions. Playing a prank on the boss is culturally sanctioned on the right day and allows employees to let off steam. Children threaten adults for treats and the dead come alive while the living act like the dead. It all empowers people in dealing with fears about the unknown realm of death.

Political satire helps us laugh at those in power whilst we are not. The poetic anarchist Hakim Bey calls such activities Temporary Autonomous Zones (TAZ) where we find a place or time to be in control of our own lives and disconnect from the limitations of the usual social, economic or political hierarchies. Festivities and flights of fancy allow us to use artistic rather than violent means to rebel.

Practice makes Progress

Humour is one the easiest ways to take a break from the stresses of life. In fact, being able to laugh at the incongruent in life is a sign of sanity. It shows a sense of what is right and not. Sometimes, the only way to deal with scary things outside of our realm of control is to laugh. It denotes balance and lets off steam. Readily available, laughter is portable, low calorie, and tax free. A good belly laugh massages your inners from the inside out.

Find something to laugh about. Leap day is a great time to get topsy-turvy.

“When humor goes, there goes civilization.” – Erma Bombeck

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Note:  vibrational healing therapies, including the use of crystals, are not intended as substitutions for proper medical treatment, but rather as complementary holistic supports for conscious living.

Click the link below for the full pdf of the newsletter this month.

January2016

The Roman God Janus

The two faces of Janus look to the past and the future. His name is the root word for the month of January. He was honored also on the first day of each new month. Janus is a pre-Roman deity from the northern Italic culture, so venerated that he was evoked in opening prayers before even Jupiter.

Interestingly, there is no Greek counterpart to this archetypic divinity. Janus is the gatekeeper and custodian. He is often depicted holding keys.  Our word “janitor” is rooted in and reflects Janus’ role in opening up and closing events. Roman armies marched through a gate for Janus’ blessing before going into battle.

The Threshold of Time

January represents new beginnings now, but historically, the month was not even a part of the original ten months in the Roman calendar. March was the beginning of their year. So, really does it matter when we decide to begin a new period of time? The Chinese lunar New Year is in February. The Celtic New Year is November. September is the Jewish New Year. June is the Maori New Year. New Year is a man-made temporal construct, often based on the natural or historical element. What is important isn’t so much the date, but the intent.

What Janus tells us is to stop for a moment and respect the in between times, that space between the beginnings and endings. That in between time is the present which is paradoxically infinite whilst we remain focused on it. In the in between time we breathe, which resets our nervous system. Our noisy mind chatter shushes and we switch from frantic beta waves into calming alpha brain waves. Miracles happen, answers appear, inspiration infuses us and we come back to centre- even if only briefly- before we launch into our next action. In this in between time, pay more attention to how you feel and less attention to the thoughts that lurk by trying to entice you into replaying reruns of the past or forecasting less than glorious beliefs for your future. The point of power is always in the present. It is the threshold of time. It is the Janus gate. Every door has a threshold to cross. Brides were carried over the threshold to ensure they did not bring negative energy from the past into their new lives. Some traditions even buried ancestors under the door stone to ensure protection at this significant spatial juncture.

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Note:  vibrational healing therapies, including the use of crystals, are not intended as substitutions for proper medical treatment, but rather as complementary holistic supports for conscious living.

25,000 Toques for Syrian Refugees

https://www.facebook.com/25000tuques/

It started in Quebec as a response to some of the negative sentiments that arose after the Paris attacks about bringing in Syrian refugees.

A call went out on Facebook to knit winter toques to give to the Syrian refugees when they arrived in Canada. It was symbolic of the toques given to newborn babies to keep them warm since the refugees will be birthing a new life here. In small and large communities, people began to knit. Knitting brought people together. Libraries, wool shops, churches offered free space for groups to gather and knit.

Offers went out to teach people how to knit. Stores offered free wool along with the space. Toques were the beginning. Scarves, mitts and cowl neck warmers were also being created to keep the new arrivals warms. Communities are being built around the charitable act of creating warmth to welcome and in so doing warmth is reflected within our own communities. From New Brunswick to Edmonton there are news reports of knitters contributing to the 25,000 toques. I love this. It is so simple and easy to do. Charity does not have to be costly. It can be grassroots. Every little action helps. Check out the Facebook link above for more updates about this Canadian initiative. Maybe you might even knit.

Read the rest of the newsletter here.

December2015stonenews

Many blessings of the season

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November Newsletter here

Nov2015stonenews

Sophie Grégoire

http://www.montrealgazette.com

Having celebrity status, while staying grounded, relating compassionately, and volunteering for local charities reveals Sophie as a heart-centred role model and leader.

Sophie has previously not been as well known outside of Québec, but she is someone whose influence is expanding. At Sacred Stones, we believe in giving back to the community and so does Sophie. She is an ambassador for the Plan Canada I am a Girl campaign. She advocates for women’s issues and volunteers in Montréal for La Maison Bleue and Shield of Athena supporting mothers at risk of violence. Sophie has also been vocal about violence against indigenous women. When asked about her philosophy of giving back to the community she said:

“Think small! Think small because that’s how you create something larger scale. You can have big dreams, but your first actions should be small. And when you’re stuck, think of small things you can do. When you start doing something, it’s contagious. You meet people who are inspiring, and dreaming together is the way to build something big. That’s why I do it — you get closer to people, and unite”

http://www.canadianfamily.ca/parents/mama-mission/

Sophie is a mother, yoga teacher, former television personality and a women’s activist. She is also married to the recently elected Prime Minister of Canada Justin Trudeau. Her compassion will be refreshing on the national and global scene.

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Fall Greetings

Our Coaching Packages

Three Separate Series to Meet Different Needs                                Maximum of Ten Participants per Series

Pebbles-4 weeks	Stepping Stones-6 weeks	Boulders- 9 weeks
Fall (revised dates) Wed. October 14, 2015 Wed. October 21, 2015 Wed. October 28, 2015 Wed. November 5, 2015 Spring Thurs. June 2, 2016 Thurs. June 9, 2016 Thurs. June 16, 2016 Thurs. June 23, 2016	Fall Wed. November 11, 2015 Wed. November 18, 2015 Wed. November 25, 2015 Wed. December 2, 2015 Wed. December 9, 2015 Wed. December 16, 2015 Spring Wed. April 6, 2016 Wed. April 13, 2016 Wed. April 20, 2016 Wed. April 27, 2016 Wed. May 4, 2016 Wed. May 11, 2016	Winter Wed. January 6, 2016 Wed. January 13, 2016 Wed. January 20, 2016 (skip a week)-revised date Wed. February 3, 2016 Wed. February 10, 2016 Wed. February 17, 2016 Wed. February 24, 2016 Wed. March 4, 2016 Wed. March 11, 2016

Maximum of Ten Participants	Pebbles  ($160 + HST) [  4 weeks to kick start a change in your life- $40/week [  Focus on helping you identify your values, priorities and how they relate to the environments you are in. [  Wednesday  (Fall session) ,7-9 pm (Thursdays in June) [  Weeks 1, 2, 4- 15 min phone call one on one outside of class [  Week 3- ½ hr phone call one on one outside of class [  6 weeks after end of course ½ hr check in phone call [  Additional email support within reason. **All phone calls are scheduled at mutually agreed upon times and the coach will call the client at the number provided at the time of scheduling. If you need to change the time, please give 24 hrs notice.
Maximum of Ten Participants	Stepping Stones ($210 + HST) [  6 weeks to dive deeper into self-awareness-$35/week [  Focus on unraveling your hidden beliefs and how they impact your behaviours and sabotage intentions. [  Wednesday  7-9 pm [  Weeks 1, 2, 4, 6- 15 min call one on one outside of class [  Week 3- ½ hr phone call one on one outside of class [  Week 5- one hr phone call one on one outside of class [  6 weeks after end of course ½ hr check in phone call [  Additional email support within reason. **All phone calls are scheduled at mutually agreed upon times and the coach will call the client at the number provided at the time of scheduling. If you need to change the time, please give 24 hrs notice.
Maximum of Ten Participants	Boulders ($270 + HST) [  9 weeks to go big and live boldly-$30/week [  Focus on your identity, purpose, and capabilities. [  Wednesday  7-9 pm [  Weeks 1, 2, 4, 6, 7, 9- 15 min call one on one outside of class [  Weeks 3, 8- ½ hr phone call one on one outside of class [  Week 5- one hr phone call one on one outside of class [  6 weeks after end of course ½ hr check in phone call [  Additional email support within reason. **All phone calls are scheduled at mutually agreed upon times and the coach will call the client at the number provided at the time of scheduling. If you need to change the time, please give 24 hrs notice.

Shanah Tovah- “May you be inscribed for a good year.”

Greetings on the Jewish New Year Rosh Hashanah!

This is an auspicious time. Yesterday we had a lunar eclipse on the new moon. Another eclipse is due shortly this month.

Mercury goes retrograde in 3 days which tends to affect communications, transportation and electronics so expect computer glitches, delays and misunderstandings. Not the best time to buy new electronics or cars or sign contracts. It is a good time to repair, reflect, revisit situations though.

Here is the September newsletter Sept2015stonenews

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For Sacred Stones for the Soul the big news is the premiere of the Sacred Grove which is our Soul Coaching Practice.

Starting in October we will have the following offerings:

• Mondays 7-9 pm – five week meditation series
• Wednesdays 7-9 pm- three sets of rotating holistic group coaching for 4, 6 and 9 weeks
• Thursdays 7-9 pm-Sacred Stories and Self Care book club coaching series for 6 weeks
• once a month full day workshop on Saturday or Sunday
• once a month evening workshop on a Wednesday

Check out the link under the Sacred Grove for more details and to register. Each session has a maximum of 10 participants and we need at least 3 to run it. So sign up early. You have first dibs, Flyers will be going up around town next week.

New designs are being dreamed into existence everyday it seems.

Click on the July news below to see more.

July2015stonenews

The featured stone this month is Charoite

Charoite is named for the Siberian Chara River where it is found.  Chary means charmed or magical in Russian.

It is another recently discovered stone that has only been shared with the West for a few decades.  Charoite helps one find one’s true purpose or dharma in life and it encourages service to humanity. It is a soulful stone. The lavender colour denotes a connection to the divine. Wearing Charoite is said to strengthen one’s communication with Spirit. It supports meditation and is good for healers.

Charoite helps us to mentally put things into perspective, let go of attachments, heal from loss and moderate obsessions.  Some call it the stone of transformation. Charoite is useful for creating a vision board. Like Amethyst, it is considered a stone of sobriety and supports liver detoxification.  With its calming presence, Charoite has been used to counter the effects of nervous stress and is said to be beneficial to those with ADHD and Autism or really for anyone going through a spiritual transition. I have had a little bag of Charoite nuggets since January that I am just beginning to work with.

Disclaimer: The associated legends, lore and metaphysical properties said to be attributed to gemstones and minerals are not meant to be a substitute for proper medical treatment by qualified practitioners.