Attention - really look at what is around you, pay attention to the beauty, the details. 
Alphabet - reviewed Von Oech's library advertisement - What we can do with 26 little letters!
Believe - the difference between people who feel they are creative and those that think they aren't is simply a matter of belief. Believe in yourself! Use affirmations.
Brain - more to come in future sessions. What goes on in your head is the beginning of what you manifest in your life. 
Collecting Firsts - collecting firsts takes the pressure off of doing something new for the first time. Just add it to your collection!
Color - legends from the rainbow, Chakras
Dharma - use your skills and talents in accordance with the universal laws and you will find your Dharma. We are all here to ask, "How can I help?"
Energy - What increases it? What drains it? Be aware. If possible, avoid anything or anyone who drains your energy. 
Food - Always ask the value - 'What's In It For Me?". Food is fuel. What value is it adding? It can be a feast beyond tastes - also consider the joys of smell, texture, vision, sound. 
Gratitude - is the basis for all contentment. Write your own list and continue to add blessings. Look for assets. Example - 40 Assets for Youth
History - Look for lessons from history as you research things you love! Example - I love violets and was surprised to find Napoleon's violet post card. 
Heart to Hand - write your goals on paper. Research indicates you will be more likely to complete goals if they are handwritten instead of typed, and your emotions will be more directly linked if you write and journal by hand. 
Intuition - is a sixth sense. Be aware of it. Practice. Trust it. Feel it in your solar plexus. 
Insects - can teach us many lessons. Observe and consider the lessons they bring. Also included in Ted Andrews book on animal Totems. 
Journals - written, illustrated, fictional journals
Karma - we reap what we sow. If we plant radishes we will get radishes. They may not be immediate but they will manifest in time. It is the same with patience, kindness and compassion. They will return ten fold.  
Love - is the answer to everything, and it begins with valuing ourselves. If we can be compassionate and patient with ourselves, we can be kinder and more caring to others.
Magic - it is all around us.  Manifesting - remember, what we focus our attention on grows. Always. Focus on what you want. Many focus on what they don't want and it increases. 
Meditate - a simple meditation is to look at a painting or photo for 10 minutes and let your mind relax. Meditation is very similar to saying grace before a meal. Stop. Breathe. Be grateful. Quiet your mind and focus on the very breath that keeps you alive. 
Nature - is abundant with lessons! It teaches us to live in the present moment, giving and receiving are the same, and there is value in everything - even those often unappreciated weeds. 
O - own your own circle. We can't control others, but we can control our own space and how we treat others within our 10 foot circle. 
Preparation - "a cowboy always carries his spurs!" - Bring a positive attitude, a notebook and pen, art supplies, an instrument - whatever works for you!
Quotes - words can give us inspiration, validation, incentive, power, insights. Collect quotes from people you admire! Create your own quotes and share them with others. 
Quest - find a grand passion - it will give you energy, direction and purpose!
Questions - keep your questions broad. Don't include your own answers in your questions - that can be limiting. Have faith to ask without having specific expectations about what the answers will be. Example -" How can I find my perfect living space?" instead of "How can I build/rent in a particular area?" Shifting the question enabled me to move to Baltimore in a few weeks after being stuck by asking the wrong question for over a year. 
Research - something you love!. A few examples I've researched include  roses, violets, yarrow, zodiac herbs, herbs for haunting and romance, creativity, sea life, colors and rainbows. . .
Senses - Sight, hearing, taste, touch, smell - all of these can contribute to living a more sensuous, creative life!
SCAMMPERR - technique by Robert F. Eberle - Substitute - components, materials, people Combine - mix, combine with other services, integrate, Arrange - organize, order, Modify/Magnify - reduce or increase in scale, shape, color, Put to Other Uses, Eliminate or Minify - remove elements, simplify, reduce to core, Rearrange/Reverse - inside out, upside down
Symbolism - we are surrounded by symbols - in history, art, paintings, advertising, sports logos. What symbols frequently cross your path? 
Synchronicity - be aware of the synchronicity and serendipity in your life. Once you begin to see it it will increase and everything will change. 
Themes - can make anything more fun! Whether it's a party, vacation, book or goal, themes provide a framework. 
Totems - Native American Indian belief that each animal that crosses our path brings a message. Some are close by all our lives, others only appear occasionally and under unusual circumstances. 
Unexpected - look at things from a different perspective - a different point of view. Example - take photographs of people's shoes instead of faces at a party. 
Values - know your values and live accordingly. Saves energy and eliminates drama. 
Vision board - the mind sees in pictures. Create a vision board to manifest the life you want. 
Wizards - they exist. In Deepak Choprah's The Way of the Wizard he describes growing up in Delhi, India around wizards. When I visited Delhi, I met one! Swamiji Sarvanand. 
WWWWW - Who? Who can help? What? What material can we use? Where? Where can we get other materials? When? When should we make it? Why? Why will it be an improvement?
X marks the spot. Make every day a treasure hunt. 
Z - Zen - "When the eye wakes up to see again, it suddenly stops taking anything for granted." Frederick Frank, a quote from The Zen of Seeing.
You! - We ended with Y instead of Z since it all begins and ends with you. YOU are the treasure!

These delicate little flowers, hiding innocently under their protective leaves, have been reputed to have some serious powers! In a 2003 study by American and German scientists, their fragrance was credited with not only attracting sperm, but causing the little guys to double their speed in hot pursuit! The study. called the "Lily of the Valley Phenomena" was recently declared false, stating that scents have no roll in fertilization. 

Nonetheless, the Lily of the Valley has been carried in wedding bouquets to ensure fertility for centuries. The beautiful Kate Middleton carried these exquisite flowers in her bouquet and apparently they were effective! She gave birth to baby George Alexander Louis on July 22, 2013 and rumor has it that she is pregnant again! 

Personally, I am relieved that the phenomena has been disassociated with fertility. I'm well past the age when that has any appeal and it is a relief that I can safely wear one of my favorite fragrances with no concern about consequences! 

We are featuring the fig today, and it has numerous powers that can impact not only your Valentine's Day, but possibly the rest of your life!  

The fig has the capacity to make you irresistible.  If you want to enchant someone, give them a fig and they will be spell bound by your charms - as long as they like figs! 

Both sexes will find the fig beneficial! Men can overcome infertility and impotence, and women who carry figs will be able to conceive. See what I mean about life altering? Use this one with caution!

 Today we will feature the daisy!

”He loves me, he loves me not” - I think we have all heard of the ‘rip off the petals one at a time’ daisy destroying prophecy method of determining a person’s romantic interest. But did you know the power possessed by the person who picks the first daisy of the season? They will have a boundless “spirit of coquetry”. In today’s terms that means they will be an enthusiastic flirt! 


The thought of spring being on the way and the joy of finding the first daisy is comforting after our recent cold spell and several inches of snow recently! The groundhog didn't see his shadow yesterday so spring only two weeks away. I hope by that time you will all find someone to flirt with and fields of daisies! I'm feeling a bit skeptical about the daisies. 

If the basil and caraway seeds failed in bringing true love, a trip to Washington D.C. in the spring time may be just the answer! Schedule your trip around the Cherry Blossom Festival. Simply tie a strand of your hair around the branch of a cherry tree that is in full bloom, and you will find true love! It will most likely be someone else by an adjacent tree who read this post!

To attract love into your life, chew caraway seeds. 
If you are already in a relationship, and suspicious that your love might be tempted by another, put caraway seeds in his/her pockets and he/she will never stray! 
Note: Remove them before doing the laundry. I learned this lesson the hard way. 
Added bonus - you can bake them in cookies or breads, and if shared they will create lust in both you and your special someone! 

As I noted in my newsletter, I planned to begin the "Romancing Herbs" series on February 1 and end on Valentine's day but since I have more than 14 herbs to highlight, I decided to begin early! 

When it comes to matters of the heart, I’ve found that there are no limits to the human imagination in pursuing, wooing and attempting to ensure that their love will be returned.  Herbs have been associate with love and romance for centuries. Some of the uses you’ll find in this series are romantic and beautiful, elegant and sublime. Some are tender and heart warming. Others border on lunacy! 

Herbs can add a sensuous dimension to all aspect of life. Their beauty, fragrance, flavors and touch delight. Some are fragrant, showy and enticing. You may walk by, or on, others and not even notice them! 

My fascination with herbs, as with people, is that often the greatest gifts are found in those that you might not immediately notice. 

Enjoy, the series and always remember, when using herbs, there are no guarantees and results may vary. 
​

We'll begin with Amaranth, especially relevant because it is a zodiac herb for all of you Aquarians celebrating birthdays in late January and early to mid February. 

Amaranth has several folk names including ‘Love Lies Bleeding’! In matters of love, it is most valued for its aid in rapidly healing broken hearts. It also has the capacity to make you invisible and bullet proof!  Many a jilted lover will find both valuable!

Angelica provides protection and can ensure a happy home, safe and stress free. Sprinkling the herb around the perimeter of your home will keep your darling from wandering and ensure that you both will feel content and secure!

When people are born they are gentle and soft.
At death they are hard and stiff.
When plants are alive they are soft and delicate.
When they die, they wither and dry up.
Therefore the hard and stiff are followers of death.
The gentle and soft are the followers of life.

Thus, if you are aggressive and stiff, you can't win.
When a tree is hard enough, it is cut. Therefore
The hard and big are lesser,
The gentle and soft are greater.

     - Yi-Ping Ong, from the introduction, Tao Te Ching