By Margaret Wilcox
I believe that Mother Earth and we, her caretakers are going through tremendous shifts in consciousness. We are coming back to a state of true be-ing, understanding our connection to the Divine and that we are all connected as one unit. With the birthing of new advanced spirits often called Indigo, Crystal or Rainbow children, many will be changing to a more psychic and spiritual connection. Notice the large eyes in some of these children, and how they look at you with such knowing. These spirits are named by the color their aura radiates.
As each of us go through our own spiritual enlightenment, our bodies become “awakened” usually one chakra at a time. It’s best to start on the lower three chakras (physical, emotional and mental) as we are in these bodies to enjoy these earthly pleasures and to manifest something on earth. By having a healthy 1st (root) Chakra, we open up to the energies of the Earth and become grounded. As we release the muck of the universe and things learn to literally slide off of us, we connect to the higher divine energies of the upper chakras. Healing modalities like Reiki operate out of our heart chakra, which is the axis of our energy system. We are meant to be heart-centered beings.
We can take better care of the Earth and our well-being by using eco-friendly products and strategies. The fact is, USA has more chemicals in our products than any other nation. We are very behind the times, compared to other nations in eliminating the use of chemicals. Your hair, skin and nails are a window to your health. Toxins will resurface somehow as your body’s alarm system. Many toxins in plastics mimic xenoestrogens which cannot be absorbed in the body resulting in cancers. Sometimes going green appears to cost more, but the more of us that do, the more mainstream it becomes. I’ve noticed that costs are coming down in natural products and foods.
You can’t complain about the world, and do nothing about it. Be an active part of your community. Think of the Earth future generations are going to inherit. Below is a list I’ve compiled of what I some suggestions. I hope you incorporate a least a few of these into your life.
* Walk or Get Outside –Walking on a dirt path is the most grounding. Whenever one feels out of sorts, get grounded, get in the earth if you can. Dig in it, sit on it, hug it and feel it. Everyone also sleeps much better when they receive fresh air. We all need five things to survive. Air, which we breath, Food of the Earth which we eat, Water that we drink, Sunlight giving us our Fire, and Spirit or Energy we accomplish through energy healing, meditation, yoga, chanting prayer and other forms of enlightenment. We are all one with these elements of Air, Earth, Water, Fire and Spirit.
* Recycle – Speak out! Demand a recycling program in your city. Get a list of what is recyclable. You’d be surprised how much you throw out that can be recycled. Reuse your grocery bags. Buy foods and products with minimal packaging. A two-gallon jug of water has far less waste than 2-six packs of bottles. We reuse our bottles, wash well, and refill with purified water. Save any glass or plastic containers that can be reused for leftovers, teas or juices from concentrate.
* By Used – Before considering a purchase, see if a used item is acceptable. As you buy things, clear out old and donate to a good cause. Let the circle continue. Please think clearly before purchasing anything. How many times do you purchase something only to let it sit in a corner or upon use you see that it is a hunk-of-junk.
* Plant a Garden – It doesn’t take much room. Try container gardening. How alive would your spirit be if you ate homegrown tomatoes while in season. An herb garden is a good start. Enjoy yummy, fresh basil. Visit your plants daily to monitor their well-being. Invite the nature spirits to enjoy and heal your plants.
* Eat Fresh and Organic Foods – Generally everything on the outside perimeter of the supermarket is fresh. Go within the circle, and you end up in the chemical zone. Buy rice, tomato sauces, etc. in their plain or natural form. Add your own veggies, spices and seasonings. You’ll eliminate loads of sodium and chemicals. If all you have to do is add water, it’s generally not good for you. Check all labels for BAD words like “artificial”, “hydrogenated”, “high fructose corn syrup”, “dye”, “processed”, and pretty much anything you can’t pronounce or spell. Look for GOOD words like, “Whole-wheat”, “organic”, “maple syrup”, and “free-range”. Beware the hype of natural products. There are so many snacks in the natural foods markets that are costly. This is a consumer-based industry cashing in on the natural food trend. A word about SOY: Most soy products in the USA are highly processed. Japanese stick to Tempeh and miso. Which are fermented and beneficial to the gut. Other countries don’t have all of the soy-product choices we have, in fact the soy milk is a lot less sweeter in Europe.
* Pick Up Litter/Pick up Your Dogs Poop – Even if the litter is not yours, if you see some, pick it up. I had a neighbor that secretly went around and cleaned up our entire street every week. Talk about an Earth Angel! In California it’s a law to pick up after your dog. It should be everywhere, especially, places where children play. When water hits feces and other containments, it runs off and ends up in our waterways.
* Purchase Green Energy/Drive Green – Demand green power sources from your energy companies. The more people that use it, the cleaner the Earth is for our grandchildren. Hybrid cars are an excellent choice. Better yet, purchase a used vehicle, adjusted for smog emissions. Use public transportation whenever you can, bike and walk.
* Use Earth Friendly Detergents, Soaps, Candles and Air Fresheners – Okay, especially you ladies, listen up…..all that pretty colored stuff is full of chemicals. Anything made from blue and red (orange, pink, purple) have harmful dies. Dishwashing detergent and other commercial liquid soaps are full of parabens (a xenoestrogen preservative) and unnecessary ingredients to make things go bubbly. Plug-in air fresheners are also full of chemicals. Did you know the air in your home is usually more harmful than the air outside? We are filling our homes with chemicals. Buying an air purifier is a great investment. Just having an awareness of these few items can help greatly. Buy non-scented beeswax candles and add essential oils to the top. Watch your candles. If they are burning black, blow it out and cut the wick down. I have two spray bottles. One, filled with water and apple cider vinegar (you don’t need much) for cleaning grimy surfaces, and the other with water and lavender essential oil (about 15 drops) which I spray as an air freshener and general surface cleaner.
* Use natural cosmetics and dyes– So you may have heard that talc can cause ovarian cancer which is why it was removed from most baby powders where cornstarch has taken its place. Why is it then that I find it in most face powders for women? Think about it…something you use every day that you breathe in as it’s applied to your whole face. Read your labels. Go to www.ewg.org/reports/skindeep for a list of what products are dangerous. Think of those products that you stick with and use day in and day out. Consider purchasing Burt’s Bees and other natural skin care and makeup lines. Nail polish and hair dyes are big chemical culprits.
* Don’t Use Pesticides – Yuck, yuck, yuck! They cause a myriad of healthy problems. Eliminate its use outside, protecting the Earth, and inside protecting your family. If there is a certain type of bug bothering you, ask your buggy offender to please leave. Do it often. Make a pact with them. Try natural essential oils and lemon-scented plants. I use baby powder around the inside perimeter of my home. Ants hate to cross over it. I seem to be living on an ant hill. I’ve grown to appreciate their tenacity and ability to clear out once a food, sweet or water source is removed from scent.
* Remove Your Shoes – So much murky energy and dirt is at our feet. Why carry this into your home. Changing your clothes when you get off of work is a great way to unwind and shed the energies of the day too.
* Use a Water Efficient Showerhead with a Filter – The average four-person household uses 146,000 gallons of water per year. Replace your showerhead and you’ll save 20,000 gallons per year. Most of the harmful chlorine in our bodies is obtained from the shower, not from drinking the tap. Women absorb so much in the fatty tissue of their breasts. Get a filter for your showerhead and one for the tub too if you take baths often.
* Purchase Less – We are a consumer-driven nation. Most of the media and ads are paid for by those who benefit financially if you believe what they say. Consider all sides to everything, from vaccinations to herbal medicines.
* Plastics – Not all plastics are the same. Reynolds Wrap is made from PVC, which can leave traces of phthalates on your food. Pthalates are used to soften the plastic and have been linked to pre-term births and cancers. Also plastics are hormone disruptors. Leaving most women with PMS and menopausal problems. Stick with products marked #2, #4 or #5 and avoid #3, #6 and #7. Glad Cling, and Saran Cling Plus are good bets. So are Ziploc and Hefty. Please wash and reuse baggies. Don’t ever microwave your food in plastic. Dioxins release when heated. Try to avoid microwave use altogether and get a new one every now and then. So what about frozen dinners in prepackaged plastic containers? You decide. At least take off the cover.
* Toys – Plastics are prevalent in toys. Make a shift to wood toys in an effort to slowly remove the PVC chemicals that are so prevalent. There are some non-PVC options at stores like www.rosiehippos.com. Legos don’t use PVC. Do your research. Decrease a child’s over-all exposure to these pollutants. Stuffed animals have stain and moth-proofed cotton, dyes and other carcinogens. Plus the cotton is full of insecticides. Try www.magiccabindolls.com for some healthy choices. Leave strollers outside that are full of chemicals and need to de-gas.
* Use Crystals to Change Energy – To reduce the radiation and other harmful energies from TV’s, microwaves and computer screens, we put quartz crystals on top. They absorb a lot of bad energy and keep these items from malfunctioning. Turn off computers and TV’s when not in use and limit exposure whenever possible. Handheld devices and anything connecting to an outside energy source like wi-fi have the worst energy.
By caring for nature and making smart choices in our homes, we are in turn helping ourselves. Imagine the earth is like a body and her waters are her blood stream. Everything runs off into the waterways eventually. We need to learn to follow our trail and lessen our footprint.
Tune into nature every day for even just a brief moment, whether it be the birds in the trees, the bugs in the earth or the stars at night. We are energetic beings that connect to the energy of the planet like a grid. We are all connected. Stop, be in the present moment, and be aware of the peace and joy nature’s beauty brings you. Your heightened energy will relax as you become more grounded. Your peaceful energy will emanate to others, and so on, and so on….like a ripple on a pond.
Rev. Margaret Wilcox is an energy healer, intuitive counselor, eco-shaman, yoga teacher, earth momma and workshop leader in the Palm Springs area. Visit her website at www.wheelsoflight.org.