Learn more about how to achieve greater results from your Ancient Memory Oils in this short video with Donna. This is the first in a series of video blogs about our wonderful Ancient Memory oil line!

“Eclipses” occur when light from one celestial body is obscured by the passage of another. The source of illumination, depending on the type of eclipse, is concealed or darkened. This month we’ve already had our August 7th partial lunar eclipse and August 21st gives us the much anticipated total solar eclipse.

These rare celestial events bring with them an ominous presence that both precedes them and lingers after – we like to think of it as extended time in the shadows.

The Eclipse Shadow

This months eclipses – not to mention all the planets in Retrograde (Mercury, Neptune, Saturn, Pluto, and Uranus) – bring us a remarkable opportunity to experience our own shadow as well as a sort of collective or mass shadow that we all share at this time on the planet. It naturally spawns the need for deep introspective work and greater awareness – to clean up shop and work on what is coming up. Keep in mind though that this isn’t like a full or new moon where we encourage new beginnings; eclipses are more about reflecting and listening to one’s self, then digging deep to shovel out anything that isn’t of service.

The Human Shadow

The shadow represents the darker side of the human psyche – the hidden side, if you will – the deeper stuff we don’t necessarily want anyone to see or know about for fear of judgment and shame. Everyone has a shadow – those unlikable traits we carry that are usually the result of a trauma or negative experience wherein we’ve adopted a defense mechanism or behavior for protecting ourselves from hurt. Even if one thinks he or she hasn’t experienced trauma or does not have a shadow – they do. Earth (to quote a friend and teacher, Brent Baum) after all is “trauma school”. Birth is a trauma everyone experiences. And even if we live perfect lives guess what – our ancestors didn’t and therefore we carry some of their stuff with us too.

When delving into shadows the word “hidden” or “obscured” pops up a lot – the part of ourselves we like to hide and want to obscure from others. Generally speaking these are the parts we are ashamed of.

In my work as an advanced clinical hypnotherapist and HMR practitioner, shame is the hardest thing for a person to release because we don’t want anyone to know about it – the secrecy keeps shame alive. “If only they knew what I’m really like…”, “if they knew what I experienced…” or “I’m too embarrassed to say how I feel…”. Shame is like wearing a pair of lead boots – it will weigh you down like nothing else. It’s the heaviest and lowest vibration of all the emotions.

Often times using high vibrational essences – like we have at Shanti Kai – allow us to experience a higher energy state or frequency. But it also can make us more aware of what needs to be released – of what’s holding us down. Indeed the Shanti Kai Essences evolve us and help clear and fine tune our energies so that as we work with them and clear out lower vibrational stored energy. We become more sensitive, more empathic, and more aware of what is there – not just within ourselves but others as well. Sometimes this is conscious, we can pinpoint exactly what it is when we feel imbalanced or blocked, but other times we just know something is “off” or wrong. As the old low vibrational feelings start to come up, it’s almost like a basketball in a lake that’s been trapped under heavy debris for a long time that suddenly gets moved – its natural buoyancy causes it to want to float up to the surface all at once – and it takes an enormous amount of energy to keep it down once that happens.

When the eclipse energy is prevailing, many of us may experience this process of stuff that doesn’t feel good coming up, and our knee jerk reaction might be to shove it back down. But eventually this wears us down to the point that it’s just too much effort; it starts to bubble up to the surface and become visible to us and everyone around us. If we don’t embrace it, release it and harmonize our body, mind and spirit, then the repressed energy and emotions (be it anger, resentment, sadness, shame, guilt, unworthiness, etc. etc.) can begin to overwhelm us and cause damage in our relationships, mental/emotional and physical health, professional life, and may even cause us to self sabotage.

Healer Within and Harmony Essences to the Rescue

The Shanti Kai Healer Within Essence is a very gentle but powerful essence for working through stress and trauma. It’s formulated to stimulate different aspects of internal healing – to cool, calm and soothe – and increase one’s compassion and ability to self nurture. It’s energy is Yin and it helps one resonate with moon and star light energies – the bright energies of night that shine a light into the darkness and illuminate truth in what may otherwise seem dark, scary and unknown. For eclipse energy, a gentle but healing essence like Healer Within seems suited perfectly for facing the shadow and past traumas that keep us from being in our full and highest potential.

Healer Within is a fantabulous Companion Essence to go with Harmony – our body, mind and spirit blend formulated to uplift the heart chakra, ease feelings of overwhelm, and help bring one back into their innate internal rhythm or natural optimum frequency. It helps us to integrate energies in our external environment and maintain inner balance – so that we can stay in tune even if the whole world is singing a bad note.

Shanti Kai Harmony Essence Blend is all about synchronicity. Body, mind and spirit need to work together to achieve and create happiness. If the body isn’t well, often the mind and emotions may exude depression or other frustration. If the mind isn’t well, it’s difficult to think and be positive – and the body will suffer because of the negative energy. If the spirit is not fed, the body-mind can become depleted and fatigued. If the spirit isn’t happy, even if life is good, the mind can be depressed, heavy and one may not feel motivated to do anything.

We don’t want to spend our lives focusing on the fear or negativity that may come up when we are off balance – we want to deal with it, release it and move on – free as can be. Using both Healer Within and Harmony Essence Blends together can do just that, face the stored trauma that has been creeping up and causing stress or tension, then gently release the blockages, patterns and old wounds. Once the blockages start to release, our body, mind and spirit start to realign – creating greater harmony, joy and quality of life.

My Experience with these Essences

I had one specific interaction come up recently that just wasn’t following suit. A relationship issue that was caused by a miscommunication and a series of reactionary responses on both sides – the interplay of the eclipse energies and Mercury retrograde shadow doing a number on us both. I couldn’t seem to resolve what was coming up for me here just by realigning, so I started going deeper by working with the Healer Within and Harmony essences to find out what this was really about – of note was that the Harmony instantly helped with the overwhelm I was feeling. (Key ingredients like cerussite, dancing girl ginger, and lollipop plant help to alleviate overwhelm and bring greater synchronicity, coordination, and integration of the outer and inner states).

As I worked with these essences, I found memories of a traumatic experience when I was younger coming up to surface but somehow I couldn’t quite get the negative feelings I was experiencing to fully release. Working with these products I was able to go deeper and bring up the body memory/inner blockage so I could clear it. This could’ve been something that caused me to stay upset for a prolonged period of time but because I was able to access the root in my subconscious, I was able to release and re-pattern it fairly quickly.

Essences as Tools

So you see, we have so many tools available to us at these times when the universal energy deals us a challenging hand – be it physical, emotional, spiritual or in your professional, personal, familial, or romantic relationships. Eclipses are times of turning within – we are finally provided a clear window to the shadow. If we take our cues and do the “work” – which the essences have made not only easier but also even enjoyable – we may not have to experience such disruptions in our daily lives and long-term goals. It’s a sort of voluntarily allowing things to come up and consciously working through things so that the universe doesn’t have to corner us in with some major problem or issue in order to get our attention.

Putting Shanti Kai Healer Within and Harmony Companion Essences to Work for You

A very simple way of working with these essences is to do a brief meditation, contemplation, or check in – and start to consider areas of your life that are more challenging at the moment. (Note this is intentionally simple and brief to accommodate the busy schedules and make it easy to use. If you have more time we recommend waiting 15 minutes between each Essence and journaling about what comes up). It is important to work with what is coming up for you at the current moment since it is what is at the surface and thus ready to be dealt with. Start to spray your essences in the areas you feel tension – note that this doesn’t have to just include your body. It can include your aura, home or somewhere else outside of you that’s causing you stress, tension or grief. Don’t worry too much about how to use the essences right, just start with the Healer Within, then wait a moment and follow with the Harmony so that the vibrations begin to integrate into your energy. If you are not sure on where to spray, you can use the suggestions printed on the label of your bottle or just aim for your most trusted “problem areas”. Now is a good time to set the intention that you are open for change, and you can start visualizing your current problem areas loosening its hold on you…and ultimately see them being worked out for good if you can. You can then follow up with more meditation or even some yoga to help you release what has been stuck. And we always like to throw in drinking a glass of water for purification.

How often should I use my sprays?

Of course you can also just use as stated on the bottle under “suggested use”. Another way to work with essences is to use them acutely. For example, if you find yourself experiencing high levels of tension or stress, you could use Healer Within every 15 minutes and then reduce to every half hour, and then reduce to every hour until the tension has shifted. And if you’re feeling sensitive and overwhelmed you can use Harmony acutely too. You can even alternate Healer Within and Harmony (or use them together) rather than just stick to one – this way you can really enhance your outcome.

Because essences are vibrational there is no need to fear overdose – if you get too much it will simply “evaporate” off. You can also alternate spraying different areas of the physical body or aura at different time intervals. We find the most sensitive and helpful areas to spray on the physical body are often the forehead/third-eye area, temples, base of skull, throat, front and back of heart center, abdomen and root area, along the spine (especially the base), backs of knees, ankles, and bottoms of the feet – but these are just suggestions. If you have a way of dowsing or checking yourself for where you should spray an essence, we always recommend listening to your own higher guidance first, and using our suggestions as general guidelines if you are unclear.

Companion means together – And we suggest that companion essences be used in that way, whether it be simultaneously or alternating. Of course using individually is beneficial too and for new purchasers of Shanti Kai we understand that you may want to get to know your new essences better. It is ok for you to start with one essence and then the other. This way you can more easily discern the effects each essence has and the part it is playing. Once you become more comfortable then you can use them together like we outlined above.

The Healer Within and Harmony Shanti Kai essences are available to order, if interested you can call us at #808-591-8010 or e-mail us at sedona@sedona-hi.com to place your order. We ship anywhere within the United States and to most international addresses. If you see other items in our store and would like to order them as well feel free to ask for a quote.

Then it hit me. Precisely because nobody else dared go in there, the kitchen had actually become my refuge over time, my one private place where my thoughts could flow uninterrupted by regular household goings on and mundane thoughts of daily life.

Furthermore, at the time this was happening, the kitchen sink in our home in Santa Fe offered an unobstructed view of wild cottontail rabbits and jackrabbits and birds, all jousting in the high desert grasses just outside the window.

My “chores” had given me unbridled access to my intuition, and to the beauty of life around me. I loved looking out that window even though I complained vociferously about having to do the dishes – again!

Many thoughts came to me during those times about the nature of communication among animals, and between animals and humans. I reveled at how those rabbits managed to play all around that prickly cactus without getting pierced the way I did when I got too close to one of those painful needles. I talked to the animals in my mind and felt them respond to me, sitting still and staring directly into the kitchen window for long periods of time precisely where I was standing. I thought of stories I would like to write or classes I would like to teach.

Eventually that kitchen sink became and remains an intuitive haven for me to this day. I finally stopped complaining about the chores and now use that time in a different house far away from jackrabbits to play with thoughts while I watch the progression of the sun and moon across the sky, or the neighbor’s garden change with the seasons, or the birds darting in and out of the avocado tree. It is the single most consistent spot where I get information about people in my life, precognitive phone calls and connections, and ideas to pursue intellectually or metaphysically. It is certainly more than musing about what to put in my stomach, the fridge, or on the shopping list!

The kitchen is a terrific intuition hot spot and, like the sign “Come here often?” my mom posted on her fridge to discourage snacking when she was trying to lose weight, I actually do come to the kitchen often. What about you?

Here are a just few intuitive games you can play in the kitchen:

• Without looking at the package directions, guess how long your food should take to cook in the microwave and try it. At first you can read the package after you pick a number, just to see if you are in the ball park. As you continue to practice, however, watch how much better you get at estimating the perfect cooking time.
• Ask your body what it feels like eating, take the very first thought that comes to mind, and eat that.
• As  you eat your breakfast or prepare your lunch, ask yourself the question, “What is the one thing I need to know today?” If you think you will forget later, write that one thing down on your calendar or a notepad.
• As you prepare food for your children or your partner or your pets, look at them for a moment and ask the question, “How are they feeling? Is there anything they need, or need me to pay attention to on their behalf?”
• As you prepare for work or a meeting, ask yourself, “What is the one thing I need to know in order to make this day or this meeting successful?” Listen while you wash the dishes, prepare lunch, pour coffee, or wipe down the counter.

Now that I understand the important role of the fridge and the entire kitchen in my intuitive flights of fancy, I can come here often without having to eat everything in sight and without having to feel angry about those chores! Maybe I can translate that deeper thought into an idea that sticks in my mind and improves my life, rather than into a pound of flesh that makes me unhappy and sticks to my body instead.

Maybe I’ll go into the kitchen now and test out my new creative idea…or maybe I’ll wash the dishes in the sink…or maybe I’ll have a piece of toast! Maybe I’ll do all those things with ease. Maybe now that I’m thinking differently about eating and connecting with my intuition in the kitchen I’ll have a bite of, uh, kale! Just kidding, I’ll have both: toast and kale to go with my intuition!!

Train yourself to notice your negative beliefs that may actually be holding a sweet refuge for you as well. Be open to surprise and be open to the voice of your muscles and your intuition showing you what is really going on in your kitchen and your life!

Are you a Scorpio or maybe a Libra? Recently, it appears that people on the internet have been freaking out about their Zodiac sun signs suddenly being changed due to a recent report by NASA about the Thirteenth constellation. This caused people to be confused about their astrological identity!

In January of this year, NASA posted that there are 13 constellations in the original zodiac constellation instead of  the 12 that we are familiar with.  The Babylonians had a 12-month calendar — so  Ophiuchus the 13^th constellation was left out. With that and the fact that the earth’s axis no longer points in the same direction in mind, NASA explained that the signs as we know them have completely different date ranges now. This lead people to believe that their Zodiac sign shifted to the next Zodiac sign. This caused a bit of an uproar around the world as people are very attached to their own Zodiac sign.

Don’t worry, astrologers say that this is NOT the case and your Sun sign has NOT changed.

Astrologers say that there are many more than 12 constellations that the sun can move through. Some have stars that are not very bright or the constellation is small and has less influence. The biggest is Ophiuchus and is referred to as the 13th constellation. What is important to remember is that astrological influence has everything to do with the energy a planet broadcasts that makes an imprint on our nature and our lives. Most Astrologers (if any) do not use the Ophiuchus and we still consider Pluto a strong influence in our solar system. This is why if you are a Leo, you are still a Leo.

Sundae Merrick our resident astrologer can answer all of your astrological questions and will share with you how the planets have imprinted on your nature and life. Through astrology, you can find the best date for your wedding, trip or surgery, or you can get to know yourself a little better.

You will learn the incredible wisdom of understanding yourself and your cycles. Many world leaders, presidents and monarchs have consulted astrologers, it shows us the power of astrology and importance of the adage, “timing is everything!”

Sundae Merrick is available for Astrological Readings at Sedona on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 11 am to 3 pm. 
You can request Natal Chart Readings, Timeline Readings, Solar Return Readings and much more.

Click HERE for more information!