Will you join my Secret Dreams Project?

Posted on May 8, 2013 by Cauldrons and Cupcakes

Image by Meshl

“Surround yourself with people who believe in you.” ~ Brian Koslow

A few weeks ago I first blogged about my Secret Dreams Project. The idea for this project sprang from a life-changing experience I had as a child.

When I was young I went to a funny little arts and crafts store in a tiny country town. The woman who owned it was an artist, and she dressed like a fairy. There was a big sign in her shop saying that she was a keeper of precious secrets, and so I plucked up my courage and wrote her a heartfelt and painstaking letter about how when I grew up I wanted to be a writer and for my words to be good enough to touch people’s lives. AND SHE WROTE BACK TO ME!!! She told me she believed in me and my dream, and that she would bless my letter with fairy magic, and keep my letter safe until my dreams came true.

Image from www.fairymary.com.au

For an eight-year-old that was a pretty profound experience. There is something incredibly powerful about the act of someone else believing in you and your dreams, and that’s what my Secret Dreams Project is all about.

I have committed to becoming the Keeper of your Secret Dreams. Together, you and I will hold the intention of your most precious and personal dreams becoming reality.

All I ask is that you write me a letter, outlining your secret dreams. Write it with love and hope, and as much detail as you can. Fervently believe that your dream is possible. Then bravely put your dreams in an envelope and send them to me at:

The Secret Dreams Project

c/- Nicole Cody

PO Box 590

BANGALOW

NSW 2479

Australia

This is a big step, putting your dreams out into the Universe. And I take the responsibility of being the Keeper of your Dreams very seriously. So my promise to you is that I will read your letter, offer a prayer for you to achieve your dream, and hold a vision in my mind of you achieving it. I will believe in you, and I will believe for you. I’ll hold the energetic space that allows for your dream to be possible. I’ll keep your secret dreams safe, and protect your privacy.

I will also program a small crystal with the intent that you achieve your dream. Then I’ll place that crystal in my garden where it can beam that energy out for you 24/7 – charged up by the Earth, the Sun, the Moon and the Stars.

Then every time you think about your precious dreams (which commits energy to them) they will become more and more real, until eventually they show up in your life!

Feel free to share the Secret Dreams Project with your friends and family. I know how much the thought of someone believing in me and my dreams changed the trajectory of my life. So now it’s my turn to pay that kindness forward.

Life is made more richly beautiful through the realisation of our dreams. You were given yours for a reason – and you deserve to have them come true!

Much love to you, Nicole ♥ xx

Making My Life Work for Me – Week 6

Posted on April 28, 2013 by Cauldrons and Cupcakes

Image from http://www.itsallaboutwomen.com

“Every great dream begins with a dreamer. Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world.” ~ Harriet Tubman

Welcome to the final week of our six week Making My Life Work for Me Program. (If you’ve only just joined us, you might like to pop back and read the very first post so you can gather the materials we’ll be using today and catch up on all our prior activities.)

Our focus this week is on putting it all together – now that we’ve been journalling and collaging and visualising, it’s time to get a plan! Change and progress come from action.

Instructions:

We have followed the same format each week. Read through this entire post before you get started. You can do the activities all on one day, or spread them put over the week – whatever works best for you.

Meditation:

This week’s meditation exercise is a simple walking meditation.

To start hold your crystal or place it in your pocket, draping your scarf or shawl around you. Then step outside and go for a walk. It doesn’t matter where you walk, although walks in nature are wonderful. What is important is the sense of movement, and being able to empty your mind and simply enjoy observing your surroundings.

Remember this technique:

Breathe, and look around me. Breathe and put one foot in front of the other. Breathe and be aware of my body and my surroundings. Breathing and walking and being aware.

Set aside ten minutes for this, although you can take longer if you have the time or are enjoying yourself.

If it is not possible for you to walk, then close your eyes and take a walk in your imagination. It will have the same effect.

Visualisation:

Do this straight after your meditation, when you are ready and open for receiving! Close your eyes and use your imagination. See yourself the way you want yourself to be in the world. See yourself in a space of calm, filled with certainty and enthusiasm. See yourself as healthy. See yourself as happy. See yourself having the life you desire, in as much detail as possible. Really put some energy into this. You can repeat this step again this week (even daily) if it feels right. Thoughts are things, and this is how you manifest in the Universe!

Using Your Journal:

Go back to the front of your journal and read your Pledge out loud one more time.

Then turn to the next blank pages, and write the following Positioning Statement, and sign it. When it’s written, repeat it out loud, with as much sincerity as you can muster. That way the Universe is put on notice of your intentions:

Dear Universe,

I am grateful for the clarity, direction and inspiration I have received so far.

I am ready to begin creating a life for myself that is satisfying and richly meaningful - a life that reflects my values, and that best uses my talents and gifts.

I am ready to embrace positive change and to accept an avalanche of good in my life.

My commitment to you is that I will create a plan, and take consistent small steps in the direction of my dreams.

I am open to Divine Inspiration, Higher Guidance, Magic and Miracles. I am open to Breakthroughs, New Opportunities and Helpful People.

I am excited about co-creating a brighter future for myself and the ones I love.

With love and gratitude,

_____________________________________

(insert your own name here)

Get creative! Use your paints, coloured pens, glitter and stickers to make your Positioning Statement and your journal visually attractive.

Card of the Week:

Let’s start our week by selecting some reflective spiritual Guidance. Take your deck of positive cards, or your rune bag. Close you eyes and offer up a prayer for the Highest Good, and then quiet your mind.

Randomly select a card/rune, trusting that it will have a message to guide you this week. Write down the name of the card/rune and the message. Feel free to add any additional thoughts or insights you might have.

The final card I’ve chosen for us is all about the magic of thinking big – it encourages us to dream, and reminds us that there are powerful forces in the world which come together to support us as we move in the direction of our dreams.

This week, give yourself permission to dream of that brighter future. Actively look for ways to bring more of the energies of positive change into your life.

Week 6 Journal Activity:

This week use your stream of consciousness around the question Where to from here? Stay open to whatever you write down, and don’t censor or judge anything as it pours out onto the page. Draw pictures or mind map if you feel like it.

And this week’s creative activity is:

Collage – The Best of Everything This collage will help you to clarify the essence of what your heart desires.

Take your pile of old magazines and place them in front of you. Holding your crystal close your eyes and say out loud “Universe, I am open to all Guidance and my own Higher Wisdom. I know that I am worthy and deserving. From this place of self love and self worth, show me what I most value and enjoy.” Take a moment and sit in that energy, really feeling yourself connecting into and opening to all that your soul desires.

When you’re ready, open your eyes and start flicking through the magazines. If any pictures or words appeal to you, cut or rip them out and place them beside you. When you have enough images cut them up neatly.

Place the images in your journal, laying them out so that you feel good when you look at them. Allow yourself to be excited!

If your journal isn’t big enough, feel free to use a sheet of cardboard. Glue your images to the page and leave it open to dry.

Image from http://www.weheartit.com

Pulling It All Together:

In the coming days and weeks, go back over your journal. Take a highlighter, and look for all of the positive, inspiring and directional words and phrases you have included on these pages.

Look for repetitions of images, words and themes.

Look for words and images that strike a powerful emotional chord within you.

Look for the messages from your Soul to your Conscious Mind.

Write down a list of those themes and messages.

Now pick just three.

Choose one, and find a way to begin to bring that energy into your life.

When it has begun to appear, then begin on the second. When that energy has also appeared in your life, begin on the third.

If it moves you, go back and do this process again.

Change comes from small consistent steps in the direction of our dreams. And small steps often travel us great distances…

Gratitude:

What’s already working in your life? List five things in your journal each day that you are grateful for in your life.

Nightly Healing :

Get into bed and spend five minutes lying quietly in meditation with your eyes closed. Call on God, Universal Energy, your Angels, your Guides, your Ancestors, whomever you feel comfortable and safe with. Ask for their help. Fill your body with white light, and then draw coloured light (just allow a colour to come to you) through your crown chakra (an energy point on the top of your head) and send it anywhere in your body that needs healing. Feel the warmth as the energy radiates through your body, uplifting and healing you. Know that answers will come while you are sleeping.

Give thanks, send this same healing gift from you to anyone or anywhere else if it feels right, and then sleep. Expect dreams that clarify, empower and enlighten.

Thank you so much for taking part in this project. I trust that you can find ways to keep moving yourself in the right direction, so that your life works better and feels better for you!

Much love to you, Nicole ♥ xx

Image from www.projecteve1.com

The Secret Dreams Project

Posted on April 27, 2013 by Cauldrons and Cupcakes

Image by polaroidrainbows at tumblr

“Most of us are not raised to actively encounter our destiny. We may not know that we have one. As children, we are seldom told we have a place in life that is uniquely ours alone. Instead, we are encouraged to believe that our life should somehow fulfill the expectations of others, that we will (or should) find our satisfactions as they have found theirs. Rather than being taught to ask ourselves who we are, we are schooled to ask others.

We are, in effect, trained to listen to others’ versions of ourselves. We are brought up in our life as told to us by someone else!

When we survey our lives, seeking to fulfill our creativity, we often see we had a dream that went glimmering because we believed, and those around us believed, that the dream was beyond our reach. Many of us would have been, or at least might have been, done, tried something, if…
If we had known who we really were.”
― Julia Cameron

Almost all of us have a secret dream or hope inside us. A bright shiny thing that holds the seeds of possibility of a different life for ourselves.

Perhaps we always wanted to go on safari in Africa and take photographs of the wildlife. Maybe for us it was learning to play the piano, or writing and illustrating a successful children’s book. Dreams take all shapes and sizes – they can be things we want to do or become, things we want to create, places we want to go, or even relationships we’d like to manifest for ourselves.

For most of us, the secret dream stays locked away, gathering dust. We might take it out to look at it every now and again, so it remains a source of consolation and hope as we tell ourselves that one day we will get to it and unlock it, giving it air to breathe and room to fly. Yet as the days go by, and the dream stays locked away it can be harder and harder to find the energy to turn our dream into reality.

But there is something that breathes life into our secret dreams. When we share our dream with someone we trust – someone who will affirm that vision for us, someone who believes in us – the energy of our secret dream becomes magnified.

Image from Heart of Everything

There is great power in committing our dream to paper. Words give form to thoughts, and begin to shape our dreams in the world.

So today I am encouraging you to put pen to paper and write down that long-held inner dream. Write it with conviction, describe it in as much detail as you can, and know that if you have a dream, it is because achieving it is possible.

I’m asking you to be brave and commit to manifesting your dream. Send your secret dream to me in a letter. I promise I will read your letter, offer a prayer for you to achieve your dream, and hold a vision in my mind of you achieving it. I will believe in you, and I will believe for you. I’ll hold the energetic space that allows for your dream to be possible. I’ll keep your secrets safe. My beloved grandmother was a Secret Keeper, and she taught me the great power in that act of faith, trust and belief.

I’ll even go one further, and program a small crystal with the intent that you achieve your dream. Then I’ll place that crystal in my garden where it can beam that energy out for you 24/7 – charged up by the Earth, the Sun, the Moon and the Stars.

You’ve nothing to lose. And who knows what magic, synchronicity and miracles you’ll draw to you by allowing yourself the possibility of hope?

If you’d like to participate in the Secret Dreams Project please send your letter to:

The Secret Dreams Project

c/- Nicole Cody

PO Box 590

BANGALOW

NSW 2479

Australia

Then when you think about your secret dream, you’ll know that someone believes in you, and that there is already energy gathering in the Universe to help make your dream a reality.

Much love to you, Nicole ♥ xx

Image from www.quoteswave.com

Making My Life Work for Me – Week 5

Posted on April 21, 2013 by Cauldrons and Cupcakes

Taking out the trash – Image from www.dennisflood.com

“Holding on is believing that there’s only a past; letting go is knowing that there’s a future.” ~ Daphne Rose Kingma

“There’s an important difference between giving up and letting go.” ~ Jessica Hatchigan

Welcome to Week 5 of our six week Making My Life Work for Me Program. (If you’ve only just stumbled upon us, pop back and read the very first post so you can gather the materials we’ll be using today and catch up on prior activities.)

Our focus this week is on empowering ourselves through ‘letting go’ of people, possessions, attitudes and the not-so-great-past; all those things that hold us back, weaken our self-belief and self-esteem. It’s time to have a clean up, and take out the trash!

Instructions:

We follow the same format each week. Read through this entire post before you get started. You can do the activities all on one day, or spread them put over the week – whatever works best for you.

Meditation:

This week’s meditation exercise is a moving meditation. It is a Qi Gong form called Shower of Light, and this simple exercise combines breathing, movement and awareness. It allows you to consciously ‘scoop up’ energy and push it through your body. It will balance and energise your chakras, and help clear your energy field. It’s one of my favourite things to do.

To start, sit or stand and hold your crystal, draping your scarf or shawl around your shoulders. Close your eyes and offer up the prayer or intention that you release trapped energy and emotions within you, that you ground strongly into the earth, and that you re-energise and nourish your body with Universal Energy.

When you’re ready, put down the crystal and scarf, and perform this gentle series of movements. You can follow along with the video, or observe and then perform the exercise barefoot outside in the garden or on a balcony facing nature.

Set aside ten minutes for this.

Visualisation:

Do this straight after your meditation, when you are ready and open for receiving! Close your eyes and use your imagination. See yourself the way you want yourself to be in the world. See yourself filled with clarity and purpose, enjoying healthy relationships where you are loved, valued and respected. See yourself expressing yourself in the world in ways that are authentic and aligned to your core values. Really put some energy into this. You can repeat this step again this week (even daily) if it feels right. Thoughts are things, and this is how you manifest in the Universe!

Using Your Journal:

Go back to the front of your journal and read your Pledge out loud.

You’ve committed to making a better life for yourself. A better life means respecting yourself, clearing out the clutter, letting go of the relationships and situations that no longer work for you, and freeing up your energy to channel towards new opportunities. Value yourself! Forgive the past and move on. Value your time, your ideas and your surroundings. Be open to letting go in all its forms as you work with your journal this week.

Feel free to use your paints, coloured pens, glitter and stickers to make your journal visually attractive.

Card of the Week:

I’m not surprised at the message of this week’s card. We hold on tight to things sometimes, and that holding on so tightly stops our sense of flow. Lack, fear and doubt, poverty consciousness and anxiety can fill our cupboards and our minds to bursting with things we no longer need – broken things, old things, things that don’t suit us anymore…

Use some of your energy this week to play this simple game. It’s called ‘Just One Thing’. Open a draw or a cupboard or a file. Choose just one thing to throw out, give away, or even to sell. During the week, do this at random in different areas of your home and workplace. If it feels right, choose more than one thing each time. Allow yourself to be lighter and clearer – ready for new opportunities, relationships, ideas and energy to flow your way.

Week 5 Journal Activity:

This week use your stream of consciousness around the question Who or what do I give my power away to? Allow your mind to travel far back into the past, as well as sitting in awareness about your life now, and any fears or concerns you have that are draining the energy out of your future. Who has eroded your confidence? Who needs forgiving, including yourself? What stories do you tell yourself that limit you? Who saps your confidence and makes you feel small? Draw pictures or mind map if you feel like it.

And this week’s creative activity is:

Collage – What I need to let go This collage will help you to understand what you’re ready to release, including any behaviours, foods or other things that sabotage your health, energy, happiness and success.

Take your pile of old magazines and place them in front of you. Holding your crystal close your eyes and say out loud “Universe, I am open to all Guidance and my own Higher Wisdom to help me understand what I need to let go of in my life.” Take a moment and sit in that energy, really feeling yourself connecting into and opening to all that your soul is ready to release.

Draw or create an image that represents you, in the middle of your page. Now make some lines of various distances, radiating out from you. Use your own words and wisdoms, as well as your collected images, to anchor your images of what you are ready to release at the end of each line. You’re already creating distance between you and these things by stretching them away from you with these lines.

If your journal isn’t big enough, feel free to use a sheet of cardboard. Glue your images to the page and leave it open to dry.

Come back to this later, and look carefully at what you have created. Then in your imagination, take a big pair of silver scissors and snip each line. As you snip, say to yourself I forgive you, I thank you, and I release you. Let any emotions come to the surface, honour them, and let them drift away too. You might like to go for a cleansing walk when you’re done!

Gratitude:

What’s already working in your life? List five things in your journal each day that you are grateful for in your life.

Nightly Healing :

Give thanks, send this same healing gift from you to anyone or anywhere else if it feels right, and then sleep. Expect dreams that clarify, empower and enlighten. Wishing you a wonderful week.

Much love to you, Nicole ♥ xx

If you’d like to explore this topic further, these posts may be helpful:

Burning the Past – a Ritual for Cleansing Pain

How to Deal with Toxic People

Get yourself an ugly journal…

Making My Life Work for Me – Week 2

Posted on March 31, 2013 by Cauldrons and Cupcakes

Image from flickr

“Never tell a young person that anything cannot be done. God may have been waiting centuries for someone ignorant enough of the impossible to do that very thing.” ~ G. M. Trevelyan

“Maybe we should develop a Crayola bomb as our next secret weapon. A happiness weapon. A beauty bomb. And every time a crisis developed, we would launch one. It would explode high in the air – explode softly – and send thousands, millions, of little parachutes into the air. Floating down to earth – boxes of Crayolas. And we wouldn’t go cheap, either – not little boxes of eight. Boxes of sixty-four, with the sharpener built right in. With silver and gold and copper, magenta and peach and lime, amber and umber and all the rest. And people would smile and get a little funny look on their faces and cover the world with imagination.” ~ Robert Fulghum

Welcome to Week 2 of our six week Making My Life Work for Me Program. (If you’re just joining us now, pop back and read the very first post so that you can gather the materials we’ll be using today.) This week our focus is on being open to new ideas, new solutions and things that have been lurking in our subconscious that we have been too stressed, tired, wired or defeated to pay any real attention to. There’s good stuff in that head of yours. There’s treasure for sure!

Instructions:

We will be following the same format each week. Read through this entire post before you get started. You can do the activities all on one day, or spread them put over the week – whatever works best for you.

Meditation:

We’re going to start with a meditation. But today it’s an active meditation. Find a song or piece of music you love and queue it ready to play. Hold your crystal and drape your scarf or shawl around your shoulders. Start your song and then close your eyes. Lose yourself to the music. Let the music get right inside you. When the song finishes sit for a minute, absorbing the energy, and be open to what comes next. The music will deliver a message to you. Be open to it, and write it down in your journal. It could be lyrics, an image, an idea. Trust whatever comes to you. This week, in quiet moments, expand on what this message means to you, and how you can begin to incorporate this energy in your life.

Visualisation:

Do this straight after your meditation, when you are ready and open for receiving! Close your eyes and use your imagination. See yourself the way you want yourself to be in the world. Feel the emotions that come with this, and have gratitude and expectation of drawing these things into your life. Really put some energy into this. You can repeat this step again this week (even daily) if it feels right. Thoughts are things, and this is how you manifest in the Universe!

Using Your Journal:

Go back and re-read your Pledge. Think about your commitment to making this new life for yourself: one that fits you much better, one that gives you far better satisfaction and scope for joy. Hold this energy of possibility in your heart as you work with your journal this week.

Feel free to use your paints, coloured pens, glitter and stickers to make your journal visually attractive. Get involved in the creation process and let your Inner Child rock your world, in the very best of ways!

Card of the Week:

Let’s get the ball rolling by selecting this week’s Guidance. Take your deck of positive cards, or your rune bag. Close you eyes and offer up a prayer for the Highest Good, and then quiet your mind.

The card I’ve chosen this week is well aligned with our theme.

Trust that there is a wise and creative part of you that wants to help you redesign your life. All the answers are within you – now we simply need to learn how to tune in and find them!

Week 2 Journal Activity:

On a clean page write a stream of consciousness around the question What can I do? This is a big question, once you get started, so don’t limit yourself. You may even want to come back to it over several days. Write as little or as much as you need to. Simply ask yourself the question and then answer it, letting the words pour out of you. If you feel blocked get up and go for a walk. Play your song again, and then write! Draw pictures or mind map if you feel like it. If you cry or have some other emotional release understand that this is a good thing.

And now for some fun…

Collage – Things that inspire me. Take your pile of old magazines and place them in front of you. Holding your crystal close your eyes and say out loud “Universe, I am open to all Guidance and my own Higher Wisdom to show me the things inspire me, and show me beneficial direction in my life.” Take a moment and sit in that energy, really feeling yourself connecting into and opening to that wisdom.

Then when you’re ready, open your eyes and start flicking through the magazines. If any pictures or words appeal to you, cut or rip them out and place them beside you. When you have enough images cut them up neatly, and then spend some time arranging them on a page or double page of your journal. If your journal isn’t big enough, feel free to use a sheet of cardboard. Glue your images to the page and leave it open to dry. Now you have a strong visual reminder of your inspirations, how can you incorporate more of these energies in your daily life?

Were there any surprises? Did you notice any particular themes?

Image from http://www.microbusinesshub.co.uk

Gratitude:

What’s already working in your life? List five things in your journal each day that you are grateful for in your life.

Nightly Healing :

Give thanks, send this same healing gift from you to anyone or anywhere else if it feels right, and then sleep. Expect dreams that inspire, heal and inform. Wishing you a wonderful week.

Much love to you, Nicole ♥ xx

Don’t tell me how good you are. Show me…

Posted on March 26, 2013 by Cauldrons and Cupcakes

Image from www.freeflavour.com PS: If you’re not sure what the Australian slang expression FIG JAM stands for , I suggest you google it… (Warning: swears alert!)

“As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them. ” ~ John F. Kennedy

“Talk is cheap.” ~ Anonymous

Today’s post has come about in part after watching a good friend be deeply wounded and disillusioned by the bullying actions of some people who loudly proclaim themselves as ‘enlightened and spiritual’.

Another friend is considering walking away from their life’s passion because of the vicious and mean-spirited ‘critique’ (it wasn’t constructive criticism, it was a poisonous personal attack) from an instructor at an invitation-only Master Class intended to guide emerging artists in front of a public audience at a large gallery. The instructor used my friend to make themselves look good and to extract a laugh or two from the crowd. The attack left my friend floundering in self-doubt, shame and humiliation, suffering anxiety attacks and questioning everything they’d previously held as true.

Most of the people I know who are incredibly good at what they do are also among the most humble, no matter their what field of endeavour. They sit in their integrity. They acknowledge their ability as fact, but have little need to bang their own drum because they are busy being actively engaged in the things that define them. As the saying goes, they walk their talk.

The yoga teacher who awakens each day to perform her personal meditation, pranayamas and asanas before eating her healthy yogini breakfast and getting ready for her classes. Who then comes home to eat her healthy dinner and concludes her day with more yoga, as an integral part of her daily life and philosophy.

Image from tumblr

The business mentor who has had years of experience building and running successful organisations, and who continues to sit on the Board of Directors of profitable companies.

Image from leParisien

The artist who still attends classes and workshops, and considers themselves constantly evolving; working on their craft even though they are at the top of their field and lauded by their peers.

‘Painting in Gold’ by Chad

Whether you are looking to form a relationship, seek employment or learn something new (and especially if you’re a starry-eyed beginner), listen with your eyes. Don’t be seduced by spin. Don’t be sucked in by wild claims and promises. When we are eager and ready to begin the journey, our enthusiasm often nudges our discernment over into a corner.

Eagerness and newness make us all vulnerable. And sadly, I’ve seen many a beginner derailed because the people they put faith in to guide them on their journey trampled and stamped out that fledgling flame. Or didn’t give them the tools they need to have that promised ‘success’, and then put it all back on the learner when they fail. “Oh well,” they say, “you mustn’t want it enough, you don’t have the ability, your attitude’s all wrong.”

There are so many self-proclaimed ‘guru’s’ out there. Who do you trust? How do you work out who can actually support your growth?

Image from www.zdnet.com

Word of mouth is a great place to start.

Trust your intuition.

And look for validity of the person’s abilities or claims. Do they walk their talk? Are they respected within their industry or profession? Do they have a public track record? Do their ACTIONS align with their mouth?

The ‘Law of Attraction Wealth Creation Coach’ who has a mountain of debt and lives on credit cards? Maybe not your best bet.

The ‘Parenting Expert’ who has never had children of their own, or even had them in their home for any length of time. Really?

The ‘Write a Best-Seller Workshop’ run by the person who has never been published. Perhaps someone who has already walked the path you want to walk would have more concrete advice to share with you.

Even more than that, are they a person you can respect? Do they have the sort of values and habits you aspire to? Do they treat others well? Are they leading by example?

In this age of social media it’s easy to set yourself up as an expert. In fact there are courses in how to do that!

Back in the day, experts had… wait for it… expertise. And expertise was hard won through experience.

There’s no magical pill or quick fix in this life that is going to take you from the bottom to the top of your particular mountain. We all have our own path to walk, and everyone has something to teach us, whether that’s through a positive or a negative experience.

The people ahead of you in the climb up your mountain will have valuable insights to share based upon their own journeys. Those insights can save you time, move you ahead more quickly, and help you hone your own skills and talents. So be an active player in your own development. Use your discernment. Do your homework. Make sure they really are higher up that mountain, and not someone standing at the bottom with a giant megaphone and some smooth-talking words…

Take on board what resonates for you, and leave the rest behind.

Above all, don’t take it all too seriously. Life is an adventure – a big messy glorious adventure. And that’s a beautiful thing.

Making My Life Work for Me – Week 1

Posted on March 24, 2013 by Cauldrons and Cupcakes

Key to Success – Image from www.picstopin.com

“Live with intention. Walk to the edge. Listen hard. Practice wellness. Play with abandon. Laugh. Choose with no regret. Appreciate your friends. Continue to learn. Do what you love. Live as if this is all there is.” ~ Mary Anne Radmacher

Welcome to Week 1 of our six week Making My Life Work for Me Program. Are you excited? I know I am! The most important thing to remember as we embark on this program together is that this is all about fun, self time and transformation. (If you’re just joining us now, pop back and read last week’s post so that you can gather the materials we’ll be using today.)

Instructions:

Meditation:

We’re going to start with a meditation. Hold your crystal and drape your scarf or shawl around your shoulders. Set aside ten minutes for this. When you’re ready click the link below and simply follow the sound of my voice:

Nicole Cody’s Guided Meditation for Making My Life Work for Me

Visualisation:

Do this straight after your meditation, when you are ready and open for receiving! Close your eyes and use your imagination. See yourself the way you want yourself to be in the world. Feel the emotions that come with this, and have gratitude and expectation of drawing these things into your life. Really put some energy into this. You can repeat this step again this week (even daily) if it feels right. Thoughts are things, and this is how you manifest in the Universe!

Using Your Journal:

This is your space for exploring and creating – your own personal think tank and manifestation machine!

Feel free to decorate your journal so that it’s visually appealing and full of your own energy and personality.

Begin by writing the following pledge into the front of your journal. When it’s written, repeat it out loud, with as much sincerity as you can muster. That way the Universe is put on notice of your intentions:

Dear Universe,

I am open to the possibility that there is more for me in this life, and I am ready to receive clarity, direction and inspiration.

I am so very grateful for my life, and for the learning and growth opportunities I am being shown.

I am ready to embrace positive change and to accept an avalanche of good in my life.

My commitment to you is that for the next 6 weeks (and beyond) I am willing to explore my heart, to connect with my innermost wisdom, look for and name things I am thankful for, and to celebrate the many Blessings I already have.

With love and gratitude,

_____________________________________

(insert your own name here)

Card of the Week:

Take your deck of positive cards, or your rune bag. Close you eyes and offer up a prayer for the Highest Good, and then quiet your mind.

I chose a card for us as well, just to set the tone. It’s a fitting start for us, don’t you think?

Week 1 Journal Activity:

On a clean page write a stream of consciousness around the question What do I need most right now? Write as little or as much as you need to. Simply ask yourself the question and then answer it, letting the words pour out of you. Draw pictures or mind map if you feel like it. If you cry or have some other emotional release understand that this is a good thing!

And now for some fun…

Collage – Things that are good for me. Take your pile of old magazines and place them in front of you. Holding your crystal close your eyes and say out loud “Universe, I am open to all Guidance and my own Higher Wisdom to show me the things that nourish and support me right now.” Take a moment and sit in that energy, really feeling yourself connecting into and opening to that wisdom.

Then when you’re ready, open your eyes and start flicking through the magazines. If any pictures or words appeal to you, cut or rip them out and place them beside you. When you have enough images cut them up neatly, and then spend some time arranging them on a page or double page of your journal. If your journal isn’t big enough, feel free to use a sheet of cardboard. Glue your images to the page and leave it open to dry. Now you have a strong visual reminder of what’s good for you, so that you can begin to make choices that bring more of this energy into your life.

Were there any surprises? Did you notice any particular themes?

Image from www.shieldnation.com

Gratitude:

What’s already working in your life? List five things in your journal each day that you are grateful for in your life.

Nightly Healing :

Give thanks, send this same healing gift from you to anyone or anywhere else if it feels right, and then sleep. Rest well, my friends, and have a beautiful and inspired week.

Much love to you, Nicole ♥ xx

Making My Life Work for Me! – A 6 Week Journal Program

Posted on March 17, 2013 by Cauldrons and Cupcakes

Image by vgm8383

“I can choose either to be a victim of the world or an adventurer in search of treasure. It’s all a question of how I view my life.” ~ Paulo Coelho

I’ve been quite overwhelmed with the flood of messages and emails since yesterday’s post on Remembering to take care of YOU! Seems that many of you are feeling unfulfilled, overwhelmed, under-appreciated, stuck in a life where you’re just going through the motions or too busy looking after everyone else to even start on the things that are dear to your hearts.

Well my lovelies, that just isn’t good enough! You are here to shine your light in the world! You have talents and desires that deserve airplay in your lives!

Perhaps you may remember me talking about the energies of 2013 -

’2013 is a foundation year of growth and positive change, where we are reflecting these energies out from ourselves as we inhabit a place of stronger authenticity, awareness and connection. This year, as we sit in our personal power, we will feel a desire to contribute, to explore, to dream up new ways of being, and to action those dreams in the world. It is a time for visionaries, leaders and the building of lasting change.’

Because I want you to make the most of this fantastic energy for change I’ve decided to create a simple weekly course, delivered right here each Monday over the following 6 weeks, to help you get clear about what’s important to you and how to make your life more meaningful and satisfying.

The foundation of this course is going to be:

Journalling
Gratitude
Meditation, and
Visualisation

and I’ll be holding your hand every step of the way.

‘Nothing’s gonna harm you’ by Pulmoll

So to get ready for next Monday I need you to do a few things;

Find or buy yourself a journal. Choose one without lines because we need to be able to write, draw and glue stuff. Let it be big enough that you can actually fit some stuff on the pages. It doesn’t need to be expensive – even a kid’s cheap scrapbook or scribble book would do.
Get some art materials together. Nothing fancy – just some scissors, glue, coloured crayons or felt pens, and some old magazines you can cut up. You’ll also need some pens or pencils for writing with.
Find a scarf, shawl or wrap in a favourite colour that empowers you.
Choose a deck of positive cards (such as Angel Cards etc) or runes and a rune book.
Select a crystal of your choice.

It’s going to be fun. It’s going to be enlightening. And it’s going to propel you into action. Hooray for that! Bless ♥ xx

Image from ReLove Planet

And here’s the full program, all in one place for you. I’ll add the links each week as the new activities get posted:

Remembering to take care of YOU!

Posted on March 16, 2013 by Cauldrons and Cupcakes

Image from www.compassandquill.com

“Right in the difficult we must have our joys, our happiness, our dreams: there against the depth of this background, they stand out, there for the first time we see how beautiful they are.”

~ Rainer Maria Rilke

Recently I received a message from a lovely lady, asking about balance:

I thought of you as I was reflecting on my past week & trying to set goals for the months ahead and wondered how you ‘balance’ yourself, between giving yourself all the appropriate time you need & still helping others. I struggle with giving me some time to myself. Any tips or ideas would be gratefully appreciated.

It’s always a tricky thing – this balancing act, and truth be told, there is no magic formula to create a perfect life where you can neatly tick all of the boxes. Sometimes you need to go all out for other people. Most of us are good at that bit. Where we suck is in going all out for ourselves.

But do you know what? It’s YOUR life – this ain’t no dress rehearsal, and your goals and dreams deserve as much air play as all of those people you are supporting to achieve theirs!

Keith Urban performing on stage - he owul dnever have achieved his dreams without practice, and being brave enough to take a chance on himself. Photo: Daniela Rodriguez

Keith Urban performing on stage – he would never have achieved his dreams without practice, and being brave enough to take a chance on himself. Photo: Daniela Rodriguez

Find some time each day that’s just for you. Even ten minutes is a help. Not to be productive, but to replenish! It could be a morning run, a meditation, a first cup of coffee with the crossword from the back of the paper, a picnic lunch and time with a book in the park in your lunch hour, a long hot soak at day’s end. It’s worth it to get up that little earlier to find a quiet moment. Those quiet moments are what fill us up and help us get through the day.

Goals – identify them. Go ahead and allow yourself some dreaming time. If you need help these try these posts:

Writing as a Manifestation Tool

Writing Yourself into a Brighter Future

Gifts to give yourself this Christmas (Valid all year round!)

When you’ve written your goals and dreams, pick three. Now pick one of the three and break it into do-able chunks. Schedule a little time each day, or a bigger chunk of time one or two days a week, or one insane period of a few days and work on your goal chunk by chunk until it is done. Give up on perfection and embrace action!!!

Carve out some time in your Schedule. Only you know how much effort you’ll need to get something done. If all you want is a few moments to yourself then find a way to squeeze some time in by starting later or finishing your day a little earlier. Maybe you’ll need to give yourself Monday nights, or Sunday afternoons. Maybe you’l need to get bold and block out whole swathes of time in your diary. It all depends on how big your dream is and how much you want to make your dream a reality.

Sleep! People who are juggling caring for others, paying the bills and a myriad other responsibilities usually cut corners trying to squeeze more into their day. It’s a false economy that leads to burn out. Give yourself the gift of sleep. Nothing will get you back on your feet and making good decisions faster than a solid night’s sleep. Say yes to some pillow time, and put everything else on hold. If possible take a whole weekend and devote it to rest. Can’t rest at home? Check into a hotel or take your tent and vanish for a few days of sleep and soul restoration. You and your sanity are worth it!

Image from www.onmilwaukee.com

Set clear boundaries. When your dance card is already full, saying yes to more offers of dancing is insane. Know your limits. Let go of things, or take a night off and let someone else be responsible. If you’re drowning, put your hand up and ask for help. When you need to say no, say no.

Eat well. When you’re struggling to find space for yourself in a busy life, believe me that is the WORST TIME to skip meals, live on crappy take-aways or cupboard food (yeah, you know what I mean: instant noodles, corn chips, sweet biscuits etc) When we are under stress we need to fuel ourselves up with plenty of healthy, nutritious food and lots of good clean water.

Image from www.wilstop.info

Take proper time out to nurture and maintain yourself. Get your hair done, visit the dentist, see a movie, go to the library and stock up on your favourite movies and books, enjoy a massage or something else relaxing and meaningful for you.

Get your support crew together. We can’t do this journey alone. My support crew includes my husband, the Sisters of the Pen – my writing cadre who are also the dearest of friends and secret keepers, my online community, a few close friends (and yes some of these people live on the other side of the world and we skype, text and call each other!), my acupuncturist, herbalist, dentist, doctors, my accountant, my Guides, and a host of books, motivational videos, courses and websites. I will also add in a few good coffee shops, cafes and farmers’ markets for good measure.

Carrots – you need some so work them out and then dangle them enticingly in front of you. We call them rewards for a reason. What is hard work without some well-earned pleasure at the end of the road? Have a range of small treats and bigger ticket items. Never put yourself into financial hardship to reward yourself – sometimes my best reward is a coffee at a favourite cafe, a walk on the beach, or a new book and a whole Sunday to myself.

I’ve done burn out. And nursed that deep resentment from putting everyone else first and me last. Trust me, it isn’t worth it. It isn’t useful. All it does is break your spirit and your body and leave you floundering and exhausted.

It’s your responsibility to take care of yourself and to honour your dreams. If you don’t, who will? Your life is yours to live, so be an active participant and make the days count.

Much love to you, Nicole ♥ xx

Useful extra reading:

The Broken Robot Repair Shop

Simple Pleasures

Doing Nothing is Productive!

Simplicity is a choice

New Moon Creation Ceremony

Posted on March 11, 2013 by Cauldrons and Cupcakes

Image by Josephine Wall

“Life isn’t about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself.” ~ George Bernard Shaw

Tuesday March 12 is a new moon. This is a powerful energy for creating positive change and manifesting your heart’s desires. It is also a great time for connecting into your own intuitive wisdom, and deepening spiritual connection.

Everything is created first in the zero-point field, that place of potent emptiness that resides as the spaces between the fabric of existence. The New Moon is potently linked to this space of possibility, where our thoughts and intents begin to shape matter itself into our new reality.

I’ve created a simple guided meditation and a ritual to help anchor your intentions using the transformational forces of the moon as she moves from this place of darkness back into light. It’s symbolic of the journey we take from nothingness to thought-form and finally to manifested reality.

What you’ll need:

Paper and pen
A glass of water
Two small tumbled crystals of your choice
A shiny coin (you can use a couple if you like!)

The first part of the New Moon ritual can be done at any time during the day, or you may choose to do this just before the Ceremony. Sit in reflection, and then write down a list of what you are ready to manifest or create in your life. You can be as broad or as specific as you like, but your list should genuinely reflect your innermost desires and your hopes for the future.

Words that can be useful to help strengthen that state of creating or manifesting include the action words: claim, invoke, manifest, intend, believe, draw to me, welcome into my life, create, become, do, transform, embrace, love, adore, cherish, make, construct, transform.

Here are some examples:

I welcome to me new opportunities in the workplace. I find employment that best utilises my talents and that pays me handsomely for my efforts.

I draw to me a new and loving relationship – a soul mate to love and to cherish, a union for our Highest Good.

I embrace my ability as a writer, and I now create published novels that inspire and delight.

I love these positive changes and new ideas that are returning me to full health. I attract to me the best people, products and knowledge to transform me in joyful and lasting ways.

I transform my relationship into one of closeness, intimacy and trust.

I am ready to embrace my life purpose as a healer with my own business, helping people to understand and embrace healthy eating, and food as medicine. I will earn at least $2000 per week, and work hours that allow me to be with my children before and after school. I will create multiple streams of income from seminars, e-books and speaking engagements as well as face-to-face appointments.

When you have finished expressing what you wish to create keep your list handy – ready for the second part of this ceremony.

On March 12, 2013 (or for any future New Moon), step into the night. Ensure that you have your list, your crystals and glass of water and your shiny coin/coins. Allow yourself to become calm and centered.

Ideally set aside a minimum of fifteen minutes, but for those of you who enjoy meditation and reflection allow up to one hour.

If the weather permits, do this healing ceremony outside, once the moon has risen. Do not consume alcohol or recreational drugs prior to this process. If the weather or your situation doesn’t permit working outside, you can work beside a window that allows you to see the moon and feel her energy. Even if it is raining or the sky is obscured by cloud, know that the moon’s energy will still reach you.

Celestial Mandala by Maggie Rose Ryan

Place your glass of water where it can absorb the energy of the moon. And put your crystals and coins where you can access them easily. Sit or stand quietly and raise your hands above your head. Draw the energy of the moon down around you like a dark and comforting cape, wrapping it around your body. Then allow the energy of possibility to fill you up, feeling your body becoming relaxed and peaceful. Say:

I honour You, and I am grateful for everything.

Let these words really resonate within you. Stand or sit in communion with the Moon, letting her energy fill you with grace and healing. Allow yourself to honour your emotions, and know that whatever you feel is necessary right now.

When you are ready hold up a crystal in each hand. Allow yourself to become filled with hope and anticipation. Say:

I open myself to the potential within me. That which I have written I now desire to be made manifest in my life. I recognise that I am a force for Good in this world and that it is my natural energy to create, to enhance and to multiply. I claim all of my hopes and desires, made real. I claim abundance of all Good Things.

Now stand or sit in meditation, feeling the energy of the moon, the cosmos and the Universe pouring into your body and magnifying in each of the crystals. Draw your hands down to your chest and hold them in front of your heart, cradling your stones.

Visualise your list of intentions being absorbed into the fabric of the Universe, as a set of instructions for your life. Open yourself to any visions, words, ideas or messages that come to you. You may wish to journal these later so that you don’t forget them.

To conclude your ceremony place your crystals on the ground beside you, lift your arms up to the moon again, and then draw her energy down into your heart, finishing by drawing your hands together, as if in prayer, in line with your heart. Bow your head, and say

Thank you for the Blessing of Creation.

If you feel moved to say anything else, you may do so now. Trust in yourself and in your own intuitive abilities.

Image from www.innerus.org

When you are ready to choose one crystal as a personal Abundance Stone. You can carry this in your pocket, put it beside your bed, or hold it in meditation.

Place the other stone with the shiny coin/coins and say I now manifest abundance in my life. Money and opportunity comes to me with ease and flow. My wealth is multiplied from many directions and in many ways.

Leave the crystal with your money in a bowl or on top of a windowsill to charge up for a full twenty four hours. Then you can put the stone with a bowl full of change to energise more of your money, and place the charged up coin/s in your wallet, bank account or savings jar to attract more money to it.

Finally, take your glass of water. Say I honour the change that is now coming to pass in my life. I welcome this new energy of creativity and abundance. Then drink the glass of water.

You may want to sit or lie quietly now to integrate this new energy.

Bless ♥ xx

Cauldrons and Cupcakes

Recipes for Creativity, Soul Growth, Writing and Life…

Category Archives: Manifesting

Will you join my Secret Dreams Project?

Making My Life Work for Me – Week 6

The Secret Dreams Project

Making My Life Work for Me – Week 5

Making My Life Work for Me – Week 2

Don’t tell me how good you are. Show me…

Making My Life Work for Me – Week 1

Making My Life Work for Me! – A 6 Week Journal Program

Remembering to take care of YOU!

New Moon Creation Ceremony

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