A smudge stick is a bundle of herbs tied together which when lit produces smoke which gives off a lovely aroma and is used to purify the house or possessions or even yourself.

I have practiced smudging in the two homes I have lived in over the years but only a few times have I felt that I needed to do it.  Smudging traps negativity in the smoke and carries it out to escape through the doors or windows.  I have always used it as a spiritual house cleaning especially when I have felt feelings of anger, resentment or other negative feelings in the house.

The first time I smudged my house was in the one before this house I am living in now.  This came about when I felt a previous partner was coming back to the house in his dreams.  This made me feel very edgy but after the cleansing that feeling lifted but at the same time his attitude changed to that of being resentful and angry himself and I put that down to the fact that his astral travel had stopped.

I have bought commercial smudges and these have worked well but you can make your own.  The most common herb found in them is sage and this herb is good for healing and uplifting of the spirit.  Sweetgrass is similar but maybe more gentle.  Releasing anxiety and sorrow is what sweetgrass is used for.

I love lavender and I like to add this too and this herb is great for relaxation of the mind.  Rose is another ingredient that makes the house smell beautiful and is used for love.  You can add the lavender or rose to smudge sticks you buy as well if you wish to personalize your blend.

In my next post I will share with you my own house protection method when smudging.

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When you are more experienced with controlling your dreams you can then work towards a more advanced level of awareness and enhancing the experience of your dreams by using healing crystals. We all dream but most of us don't have any control of what we do dream.

Dream enhancers have been used for hundreds of years for enhancing experience of these dreams.  Healing crystals are natural and can influence your physical and emotional energies during sleep as well as when awake.

They can be small enough to put under your pillow or by your bedside or even wear them around your neck.   I love crystals and always choose ones that I am drawn to as I believe they are the ones you need.

In the past I have often been drawn to Quartz, both clear and rose, but lately Amethyst is my choice.  Knowing why you are drawn to these particular healing crystals is important to help you decide what to buy.  For many years I carried around a Citrine crystal in my handbag to help me release stress and tension in my awake hours so choose one that relates to the concerns you are having for your bedside as well.

When you go to bed at night take your healing crystal in your hands and try to go to a place deep within you.  Feel the energy of the crystal protect and strengthen you from top to toes.  Think about the concern you are having and send it to the crystal to resolve.  In the morning record that dream to interpret and I am sure you will feel that that concern you had has lessened or dissolved or you know the solution now.

For a excellent ebook on healing crystals I recommend Chakra Crystal Healing.

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Have you flown, passed through objects or become invisible to others in your dreams?  Then you were probably having an out of body travel experience called an astral dream.

You could say "It's only a dream' or you may wish to believe you actually did it.  If you have one of these out of body travel experiences then write it all down, trying to remember every detail so you can check to see how accurate it was in the future when you look back on it.  This will confirm whether it was an astral dream or not.

Have you ever felt a deja vu feeling?  Then this may be an out of body experience too that you are remembering.  I dont have them often but when I do it feels so real and I can describe things that will happen in great detail.

Out of body travel experiences are usually very vivid and colorful and it is obvious what the meaning is as it is a kind of reality experience.  Sometimes this world is called the fourth dimension which is free of time and space constraints.

The following video is one of my favorites and I have always loved the song by Bob Lind.  It brings back a lot of memories and I always think of  astral dreaming.  I am a butterfly, a celestial body running through my dreams and those of the ones I love and sometimes lost.  If you like butterflies like I do then you will love this video also.

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Astral Traveling is what happens when you leave your physical body behind, going to a place you want to go,  and then returning back to your body.

Before I had an astral travel experience I didn't really believe it was possible. I hoped it was but I probably didn't think it would happen to me. One night though it did happen and it will never be the same again. It is an amazing experience not have the weight of your body, and the buzz you feel as you are coming out of your body. The first step is just to want it.  This sends a request to your brain that this is an experience you really desire.  The core to successful astral travel is relaxation.  I find using a meditation technique really helps me achieve that deep relaxation state. Meditate for around 15 minutes before attempting to astral travel as this gets you in the best mental state.

Try one of the two techniques below, or even try them both, to see what works for you.

1.  Lifting exercise
You need to lie down and relax to start. Control your breathing and concentrate on breathing in and out.  Imagine what it would be like and picture yourself rising from your body.  Feel how light it is without the weight of your body but you are still part of it and connected but separated at this time. Relax all your muscles and think of yourself as an astral body not a physical one. Now raise your body head, then your shoulders, your back until you are standing completing up.  This is a good exercise before going to sleep.

2.  Climbing out exercise
Taking the same position as in the previous exercise start relaxing all your muscles and control your breathing.  See your crown center open and imagine your astral body reaching out of your crown center and taking hold of a rope and pulling yourself out of your physical body. Do this about 3 times before bed time.  Your subconscious mind will take it in so don't worry if it doesn't happen straight away.

At first don't be concerned about whether it works for you or not.  The more you worry the more it wont happen.  These are good relaxation exercises in themselves, so it is helping you no matter what else happens. The more you practice the better you will become and then you will truly experience the ecstacy of an astral travel.

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