***PAGAN PLACE*** Group Forum

Hi all. I'm hoping some of you can share some of the ways you combine spirituality with your health efforts. I'm very early in my exploration so I haven't made it much farther than visualization, a rose quartz for my positive thoughts and some experimental incense. (Did I mention I'm really new to this?) I would love to learn some other techniques and some insight on progressing. Thank you!

Not a reply to anything in particular, just want to send out a


Good morning!

Good morning!

Goooooooooood morning everyone!!

I'm going to make this a stimulating, SPARKLENDID and SUCCESSFUL Sunday!

I finally got ALL my plants into the ground yesterday, but I still need to purchase a few more.

This afternoon it's off to my cousins for a cook-out. Should be GREAT fun.

Hope you have a SPARKLENDID day today!

to all!!

I've read that before and love it. I think that how a person treats their pet shows what kind of person they truly are.

I told a friend that I'm going to the animal shelter this weekend to get a pet. We don't have any right now and I SO miss having one. I already know I will want to bring them ALL home with me. Cats, dogs, whatever it dosen't matter.
THEN she sends me this, so I hope you don't mind me sharing;

A PET'S TEN COMMANDMENTS.........
1. My life is likely to last 10-15 years.
Any separation from you is likely to be painful.
2. Give me time to understand what you want of me.
3. Place your trust in me. It is crucial for my well-being.
4. Don't be angry with me for long and don't lock me up as
punishment. You have your work, your friends, your
entertainment, but I have only you.
5. Talk to me. Even if I don't understand your words, I do
understand your voice when speaking to me.
6. Be aware that however you treat me, I will never forget it.
7. Before you hit me, before you strike me, remember that
I could hurt you, and yet, I choose not to bite you.
8. Before you scold me for being lazy or uncooperative,
ask yourself if something might be bothering me.
Perhaps I'm not getting the right food, I have been in
the sun too long, or my heart might be getting old or weak.
9. Please take care of me when I grow old.
You too, will grow old.
10 On the ultimate difficult journey, go with me please.
Never say you can't bear to watch. Don't make me face
this alone. Everything is easier for me if you are there,
because I love you so.

Hi! I'm new to the team and not strictly pagan or any religion but I do pagan spells regularly and they always work for me. I did a weight loss spell when I joined Spark in January this year and I'm doing really well with it! I'm fit and slim!!
I have a deep respect for the power of ritual and positive visualisation...
I feel tuned in to the moons cycles and nature and it seems utterly "right" to live in harmony with mother earth. I'd love to learn more about paganism and look forward to noting the significant dates and learning where they came from.
Also, is it true that it's easier to lose weight from the full moon to the new moon??

Merry meet! I'm new to SP and Pagan Place. I finally decided to get serious and start tracking what I eat and working out regularly. It doesn't help that I have a messed up SI joint, but I'm still walking at least 3 days a week. I'm getting handfasted on May 21st, which is a large part of my motivation, but I also just want to be healthy and have more energy and eventually raise healthy kids too. And speaking of energy, I do credit my new determination on the spellwork my Circle and I have been doing. I've actually been dieting and working out since late May and now I'm down to 265 from 283. Woot! Never underestimate your power to change your own mind!

Just wanted to stop by and say ~

GOOD MORNING EVERYONE!

RISE & SHINE!

Hope everyone has a SPARKLING, GREAT Saturday!

Hello & WELCOME! I am not new to the team, but am fairly new with doing anything other than huddle. I am hoping to join in the team challenge, "Success by Samhain". Hope you'll join in the healthy fun, too.

Hello there! I thought I would say hello, I just started here and joined this team today.

Hi, ended up in ER today. broke my nose and sinuses. no surgery, but bleeding will be a few days. I look like a raccoon. Tom was not home so I thought I'd mow our neighbor's lawn. As I was pushing the mower back into the barn when I finished, I lost my balance, which has been worsening and fell straight on my nose and sinuses. Blood everywhere. But it was a good day. Unless something goes wrong, I may not need surgery.

Have to rest for a week. Our daughter said if I was asked how it happened, I should say, "You shoulda seen the other guy."

Soft foods for a week. Oh well, it was a good day. I am proud of the job I did on the lawn.

Hey, Horned Goddess! Where are you? I miss you!

Hope everyone had a wonderful weekend!

Happy July 4th!!!

That's great!

So happy! A pagan store has asked me if they can carry some of my beading!

Just popin in to say 'hi' & wishin everyone a safe weekend!



Edited by: ASILLA at: 7/10/2010 (07:49)

Hi everyone! New to SP and Pagan Place. :) Thought I would drop in :)

I found a really good stone for fire - fire agate! beautiful. Now if I can only find them in the sizes i need! lol

I think it would depend on what colors you associate with each element. For myself, earth is brown or green so I would use tiger's eye, or peridot. Air to me is yellow, so probably citrine. Water is blue in my mind, so I would use turquoise or sodalite. Sodalite is for communication though so it may be better placed for air. For fire I would use red jasper or carnelian. For spirit I would choose a selenite but I'm sure the more recognized stone would be clear quartz. In any case if it is something you are going to wear and use, you must decide what feels right and what is going to speak to you.
Blessings,
kat

Edited by: KCROWE1967 at: 4/21/2010 (02:34)

Onyx would be good for fire as well, being born from volcanic activity. For earth, perhaps bloodstone or hematite.

Citrine would be good for fire. Air... hmm... Turquoise, blue lace agate, clear quartz, perhaps amethyst. Water? Can't go wrong with aquamarine (if you can afford it). Pearl, coral, or shells would also work nicely.

I'm so happy, I made my first necklace for a ritual. It have green aventurine, amethyst, black onyx and hematite beads, with a jet pendant!
I have decided that I'm going to make an elemental necklace next! I have a beautiful, simple pentacle pendant, and I think it would look beautiful hanging from a necklace made from beads that represent each of the elements. Does anyone have any recommendations on beads I could or should include?
Thanks

I'm new to the team.. Just wanted to say hello!

I'm new to the team.. Just wanted to say hello!

Freeoak,
I'm a solitary practitioner. I spend a lot of time outdoors or in my own head. :D

Hi Group!!! Im new to this group. So Glad to have found it. If anyone would like a weight loss buddy please visit me on my spark page.

Blessed Be!!!

Where do most of the pagans meet?

FreeOak1

Even though not many post here I still thought I'd drop in for a quick Merry Meet. I've been slacking tremendously and need to get my motivation back to do this.

I don't know of any off the top of my head. There are lots of great recipes here. recipes.sparkpeople.com/home.asp

Sorry I can't give you more info. I usually eat stir fry for special meals.

Ravon: PS, I do remember what I wanted to ask yesterday. I see you are a vegan. I'm not, but there are some vegans in our circle, and it is extremely hard to make a delicious vegan casserole. It cannot have any garlic, leeks, green onions, or onions in it.

Would you happen to know of any special casseroles I could make to bring to our circle for "cakes and 'ale'" after the circle?

Thanks for any help.

FreeOak.

Hi Ravon,

Thank you for the much needed laugh about your mom.

My biggest problem is my memory. I was born with a bad memory and has worsened with age. Our daughter says that I have "'New' friends and family every day."

Did you read this?

http://www.care2.com/causes/education/bl
og/teacher-violates-religious-freedom-
of-a-student-witch/

Have a wonderful day.

HARM NONE
KEEP ON, KEEPING ON O/
BLESSED BE!
FREEOAK

Glad you were able to fix it so easily. Sometimes we try the hardest things first and it is usually something easy.

I had my mom on my computer one day and I actually had to make the letters so big that there was only 5 letters on each page. It took forever for her to read things.

Holey Socks, I could hug you both. Jeremy, since I do not have a Mac, yours worked. If I had a Mac (which my daughter has, I will relay the Mac message).

I feel so silly because the treatment was so simple. I thought I'd have to go back to Staple's and pay a lot of money to have the computer fixed.

I am both diagnosed dyslexic and computer illiterate.

(((Hugs, to the both of you who helped)))

I am ever so grateful. You were correct, I could barely read your posts. Ahhhh, Life is good again

If you're using a Mac you can go to the sop of the screen and press on the big letter A that is next to the small letter a.

Freeoak, this post may be pointless as you may well not be able to read it, but here something to try if you are using a PC and not a Mac. Hold down the Ctrl key on your keyboard and spin the scroll wheel on your mouse forward. This will increase the size of all fonts in the current window.

Edited by: JEREMYANDERSON at: 3/4/2010 (11:15)

I am having a huge problem on Spark People. It has to do with the size of the type. It is so tiny I can barely read it. In fact, even a magnifying glass does not help.

This is the one site I come to daily, but it is so hard to read the print.

I do not know if I had done something on my computer or if it has to do with Spark People. So far, no other site has this problem (fingers crossed). Any suggestions. I cannot see any words where there is technical help on here.

Thank you for any help.

FreeOak

I've actually stopped my cravings for things like chocolate if I stop it for long enough. But other things I start up again because they seem soooo good. Like wine

KYRRDIS - I used to feel like that in the past when I would "crash" diet. For some reason, this time around I don't even crave bad foods. I allowed myself to have white pizza (pizza addict here) twice in the past six weeks, and I still lost. I did incorporate some organics and whole foods into my diet which may be why I haven't been getting sick (knocking on wood), have more energy and don't have cravings!

Do you ever feel like you are FIGHTING Nature by trying to lose weight? Our cravings and our fondness for fattening foods seem to be hard-wired into us by evolution and nature.

One could theorize that we are trying to put our bodies into balance by changing how we eat, but our desire for food seems to be permanently 'on', no matter how fat we are.

HAPPY IMBOLC!

I had been trying to get back on track all this week. My last WI was 12/1/09 & it wasn't good, I was up 3 lbs. So I figured for sure I'd be up after not exercising & the holidays. Well, surprise! I actually lost a pound! I know I have to get myself back into a routine of exercising before I start my new job in 2 weeks. I WIll do it!! I Have to, no choice! I can't allow myself to lose what little progress I made.

Good Morning
I'm trying to start again today. Hoping to make this a good day.It's snowing a little here but I'll be heading out later to go food shopping. I need to get some good foods in this house. the cupboards are bare!

FreeOak, thanks for the welcome! I know all the right things to do, as I've done them before, but I just need to actually do it!! lol!! I've learned that if I leave Spark I will completely fall apart, so even though I haven't been tracking or exercising since before Thanksgiving. I keep posting & it's kept me from not gaining too much. But no more excuses I HAVE to start again!!
Thanks for all the support!!

Welcome (((Diane))), Oh how well I know about the lack of energy and willpower. But, I am on my 594 day of truly following SP. I am not new to SP, but I, too, at first did not have the energy it took to keep up. Yes, at first I lost 50 or 56(?) pounds, but within a year, Jan, 2007, I gained back and ended up to where I first began...237.7 pounds, wearing a size 40 W clothing. I am only 4' 8" ahort.

It totally frightened me. I didn't have the confidence right away, but by April, 2007, I made a pact with myself to take that rough and tumble journey to Thinsville.

Thanksgiving Day morning, of last year I was at my lowest: 165 pounds. I went to a size 40 to a size 16/18 W.

I *did* gain over the holidays, but my DR said, Life happens and when it does, enjoy every morsel, you will lose it. I know how strong you are.

I did gain. Jan 2,2010, fearfully I got on the scale and I did gain what my DR called the famous Holiday 10. The first weight gain is fluids from the sodium. You will lose that if you get right back on track. Then, according to the 10 - 14 day binge rule you will see a weight gain, sometimes even after doing everything right. But, taking responsibility for our actions, KEEP ON, KEEPING ON! STAY ON TRACK.

I told my DR that part of my success is that I am in no rush to lose weight. I know the body fluctuates and do not get upset. If I've been on track, it will come off. The Dr said that it can be healthy to stay at the same weight for awhile so the body and skin and mind can catch up with each other.

I am lost without SP. Journaling and following the exercises my Surgeons have allowed me to do is vital to me.

Do not give up hope. There are days I have no energy and I have to force myself to exercise. Force myself to make the right choices. There are even times I get angry that I *have* to make choices and at my genetic familial history on weight. But, I have my hissy-fit and get back on that proverbial horse and keep on, keeping on. It's worth it.

Love and hugs and wishes of strength to keep on.

FreeOak

Edited by: FREEOAK1 at: 1/8/2010 (07:55)

Hi I'm new to the team but not to Spark. I'm trying to find some energy to get back to eating right & exercing. Just not feeling it... I've been feeling slightly sick so that's not helping.

I hope to make some new friends here to maybe give me a push to help me get started AGAIN!!

Merry Meet (((EVERYONE))), We had snow on the Winter Solstice, too. Welcome to (((ANYONE))) who may be knew to this board.

How was everyone's Yule-tide? How did you celebrate it? Yule-tide Eve we had dinner next-door. Yule-tide Day the kids were here. New Year's Eve it was just Tom and me, and so was New Years Day.

I gained and the initial gain was from sodium. I've lost and am 3 1/2 pounds from my lowest. But, I am not fooled. Until after the 10 - 14 day binge rule kicks in, I think I will see another weight gain even though I am back in the saddle again and exercising.

I found my 2 Omron pedometers (forgot I had two) so I gave one to Tom. He bought two new batteries and I've been wearing mine. Since I am only 4' 8" short, it takes me more steps to get to a mile. But, it's an incentive.

Have a grand 2010.
HARM NONE
KEEP ON, KEEPING ON O/
BLESSED BE
LOVE, HUGS, AND LADYBUGS,
FREEOAK.

I hope everyone had a lovely Solstice celebration. Ours was highlighted by a winter storm that luckily didn't leave as much snow as it could have done.

Blessed Solstice & Merry Yule to all safe travels on your journey.

Wishing everyone a lovely Solstice!

My greetings to you on this Solstice Morning:
www.care2.com/send/pickup/1354-14015
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6152-5849