Melissa H. Coleman's Blog, page 3

Twenty 18 – That’s a wrap

[image error]

Twenty 18 is in its final hours with a plethora of people no doubt reflecting on how the past year treated them.

For me it was a year of firsts, love and growth. A year of learning, writing and although there were ups and downs, I wouldn’t change it.

The down times, there weren’t many, taught me valuable lessons and made life interesting.

The up times were incredibly powerful and inspiring, also promising the adventure life is.

In 2018 I started my dream job as a Journalist, I travelled overseas, hung out with my family and friends at bbq’s and at our yearly dress-up parties.

I made new friends and stayed connected to old ones but the highlight of 2018 was getting married to a man who is incredible in all areas of his life. Perfection.

[image error]

Yes, I found Mr Totally Right and he’s one of a kind. So, sorry gals, you missed out. Haha.

Twenty 19 promises to be just as amazing as this year gone.

There will be creativity, there will be growth in all the important areas of my life, laughter, love and there will be challenges, but one thing is for certain, I will welcome it all because life is about the journey.

MANTRAs FOR TWENTY 19

I choose to be present in everything I do.

I am strong enough to withstand any storm.

The fire that burns within lights my true path.

I attract positive people, prosperity, abundance and good health.

Feel free to leave a comment below with your mantra/s for 2019.

[image error]

A surprise announcement

Okay all you Steampunk and fantasy book lovers out there.

I’d like to announce my latest novel called Mors Fumi has been sent off to my editor and I’ll be looking for THREE beta readers very soon.

Beta readers get to read the novel before it is published, give their expansive opinion and help shape the final touches of the story.

The novel will be edited to a point but there will inevitably be some spelling and grammar mistakes.

The purpose of you reading it now is to help polish the text by answering questions on what you like, what you don’t, and what you feel. 

These questions will be sent to you via email to fill in after you have read the novel.

Honesty is an important trait in a beta reader.

There’s nothing wrong with being kind, but please do speak up about what isn’t working for you in the story.

If you don’t like something, speak up. If you love something, also speak up.

First and foremost, Beta reading is YOUR OPINION of what you are reading.

If you are interested in being a beta reader, please provide your email in the comments so I can get back in touch with you and send you a sample of the novel so you can decide if you would like to read the full version or not.

It should be noted that my manuscript is protected by copyright law. Any attempt to plagiarize this material will result in legal action. You may be forced to reimburse any earnings that are lost due to the plagiarism, in addition to court and lawyer fees.

Childhood Christmas conspiracies leave an impression

[image error]

We’ve all wondered at one time or other how Santa Claus could possibly deliver a present to every child in the world in one night.

Or what it is that gives reindeer the ability to fly?

How does Santa really know if we’ve been naughty or nice all year?

The mystery and magic of childhood makes Christmas more exciting and extraordinary.

Some people choose to believe in Santa Claus even though they know the conspiracies surrounding his authenticity.

Ah, but doesn’t Christmas bring back the memories and wonder of being a kid.

I remember…

One Christmas Eve, I was waiting patiently for sleep to take me into a dreamland flowing with candy canes and enough Christmas magic to make my wishes come true, when I heard an odd noise outside.

At seven years old my imagination was unrestrained.

The chance Santa’s sleigh or reindeer hooves had made that noise was credible to me and I was eager to catch a glimpse of the jovial man with his huge red sack of presents or the sleigh with the reindeer patiently waiting his return.

If I could get even just a glimpse, the myths would be busted, I’d know the truth.

Swiftly moving my legs over the side of my bed I quietly edged to the door of my room and turned the knob, pushing it open as noiselessly as I could.

The hallway, dark, no sound, no scuffing of feet on the wooden floorboards, so I crept into the lounge room.

The glow of the tree lights warmed the room.

Butterflies fluttered inside my tummy would I catch Santa in the act?

The tree looked even more magical in the stillness of the night.

It appeared to have bloomed; the smell of pine needles was enchanting.

It stood taller, like a fresh shower of rain had made its branches reach towards the sky praising the clouds for the deliverance.

The presents under the tree had multiplied.

Santa has been!

My inquisitive brain whirled at the realisation Santa could still be in the house.

My legs carried me back down the hallway faster than ever before.

Rounding the corner into the kitchen I flicked the light on, expecting a ‘Caught ya!’ moment but I was too late.

The glass of milk was empty.

All that remained of the chocolate chip cookies my siblings and I had left out were a few crumbs.

Momentarily, the skirmish in my head of belief and disbelief left me bewildered.

But the evidence spoke for itself, plain as the empty glass of milk in front of me.

Santa WAS real!

I spun on my heels and raced for the back door.

“What are you doing up?”

It was my mother’s voice and she startled the near life out of me.

“I heard a noise and… Santa’s been… look, he ate… cookies… milk is gone.”

In all the excitement, my words tumbled over one another not making sense but sense enough for my mother to smile and place a hand tenderly on the middle of my back and usher me to the doorway of my room.

“Go to sleep, soon it will be Christmas morning.”

She placed a kiss on my forehead before swinging the door wide open.

She watched me climb into bed.

“Good night.”

[image error]

A loud commotion woke me from my sleep.

Drowsily, I stretched tall pointing my toes, the memories still vivid from hours earlier.

“Wake up Santa has been!”

I recognised my dad’s voice bellowing with excitement.

Without a second of hesitation, I bounded from my bed and sprinted into the lounge room.

My brother and sister jostled and bumped into me as we all hurried down the hallway like a pack of wild animals fighting over a carcass.

The feeling of excitement grew from the depths of my core until it felt like I would burst.

It seemed as though every fibre of my being was electrified with feverish enthusiasm.

I felt like I was going to explode with excitement.

With eyes, wide open and a kooky grin on our faces, the three of us stared at the spectacle in front of us.

Dad was sitting under the tree wearing a Santa hat surrounded by colourfully wrapped presents of different shapes and sizes.

The memory of this moment was etched by the artist in my brain, forever to recall.

[image error]

Later that morning, I was playing with my new toys, when my brother grabbed my arm and pushed me out the front door.

“Look at this!” he pointed to the ground.

My eyes grew as wide as a basketball.

Right there in front of me, as real as the pine needles on the tree, were shoeprints.

Santa’s shoeprints! His boots in fact.

For what felt like the hundredth time, my brain back flipped leaving my body incapable of moving without causing chaos.

My arms and legs wavered like octopus’ tentacles as I hurtled towards the house to tell my parents.

“Mum… Dad…” I screamed.

[image error]

Later in the quietness of my room, I reflected on the morning’s events.

The sound I had heard in the early hours of the morning. The cookie crumbs. The empty milk glass. The bootprints in the driveway leading to the house.

Santa was real; just as the wind was real, just as God was real.

You can’t see them, or touch or even smell them.

But all three can certainly leave an impression on you.

You just have to believe and the magic comes alive.

And that’s what Christmas is about is it not?

Believe in what fills your heart with joy and love this season.

Show real love

[image error]

Creating descriptors to identify the legions

Labels that stick in times of reason

Identifying is definitive;

Once we say it, it holds meaning

Doctor, Professor, Mayor, President, General, Earl

Pigeon-holing, name calling, stereotyping,

Categorising

‘He is stupid’, ‘He is slow’, ‘I am fat’, Priest,
Pope

Titles worthy of washing hands with soap

‘They are useless’, ‘I will never amount to
anything’.

Hippie, Christian, Atheist, Yogi, Knight

I don’t subscribe to the notion that one is right

I love yoga, I believe in God, I like to create

Millennial, vegan, feminists, bloggers

All to give the Matrix another million dollars

We are conditioned to judge people on appearance,

Behavior, job or who they spend their time with.

Black, white, rich, poor, straight or gay

They are measures society has made today

Don’t subscribe to the labels vibe

Because to know yourself is to know your tribe

“The moment you put a mental label on another human being, you can never truly relate to that person.” – Eckhart Tolle

Karma: Is it possible to create our destiny?

[image error]

Everyone knows Karma, right?

Karma is punishment for past wrongs, isn’t it?

What you do to others will come back to you, that’s Karma, right?

It’s a universal system of justice against your crimes and those of others.

Some people count on karma for vengeance, saying things like, ‘I hope Karma bites you in the ass’.

NEWS FLASH –  THAT IS NOT KARMA

Karma doesn’t work that way despite the majority of torn, resentful, and vengeful people wishing it did.

So if you’re waiting for karma to dish out punishment to someone who has wronged you, or if you’re hoping you’re cheating ex-lover will die and come back as a dung beetle and eat shit, you’ll be waiting a long time.

[image error]

Oh, what about this one, if something bad happened to you, you must have deserved it.

That’s a load of crock! No. That’s not how karma works.

THE TRUTH IS

The truth is people don’t get what you think they deserve, they get what they attract.

“Every action generates a force of energy that returns to us in like kind…what we sow is what we reap. And when we choose actions that bring happiness and success to others, the fruit of our karma is happiness and success.” – DEEPAK CHOPRA 

It’s not revenge for some action, it’s a universal rebalancing.

The universe has no particular feelings about the action you’ve taken but it does have a vibration in harmony with that particular action causing a reaction, sometimes taking many years to mature, kind of like a tasty cup of tea, slowly brewing or steeping.

Once vibrations align, (because every action has a vibration frequency), a whole bunch of ‘steeped’ karma can flow into your life’s path.

Karma is neither good or bad, it’s perceived.

Wholesome actions you’ve taken can ripen and come into fruition, just as unwholesome acts can.

[image error]

Karma can be a causal effect of your EGO self.

When we take action that only serves our own personal desire, the result will lead to karma.

You’ll notice that self-centered behaviors directed by other people will fill your life.

Your tiny world may become crowded with judgemental, angry, greedy, self-absorbed people, basking in laziness, arrogance, and mediocrity.

Flip the coin, and karma can undo the disharmony from your life.

Honourable actions cause a more satisfying fulfilled life.

If someone is injured, help them. If someone needs food, feed them. If someone needs a listening ear, act in harmony with that need, without placing your ego-serving interests first.

If your way of living is compatible with the high vibrations of the universe, then karma will be on your side, your world will fill with kind actions from others and no intentional harm will come your way.

What matters is the present moment, so accept and know the vibrations you are sending out (action) into the universe will return to you.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Boo! Halloween Haters are so Tedious

[image error]

FOR many years in Australia, Halloween was just an excuse to watch some scary movies on the idiot box like the darsedly devilish eposide of The Simpsons, Treehouse of Horror, or maybe hire Friday the Thirteenth or Freddie Kruger from the local video store.

As of 2018 there are 29 episodes of the Treehouse of Horror, and they air one every year.

Grab your broomstick and fly a few decades forward to the 21st Century to find in Australia there are Halloween themed events, goulish parades, sinister parties and costumes that will curdle your blood.

This ancient Celtic tradition, often mistaken for an American custom, is slowly creeping into the blood of all Australians.

A Haunting We Will Go

The annual ritual of spooky little monsters and their even bigger and uglier monsters (parents) prowling along the pavement to stop at random houses for treats can feel like a nightmare for some home owners.

[image error]

But there’s no reason why Halloween should become a night terror. Get with the times.

“Trick or treat”

The treat is usually some form of sickly-sweet candy and the trick, well, to perform a mishievious act usually involving rancid eggs or toilet paper, all in the name of harmless pranks.

TIP FOR HOUSEHOLDERS: The most common thing to do if you don’t want to be tricked is to hand over Dracula teeth candy or blood sucking lollipops to keep the hordes of evil offspring at bay.

As I said earlier, the history of Halloween is steeped in an ancient Celtic festival called Samhain.

It marked a pivotal time of year when seasons changed, but more importantly observers also believed the boundary between this world and the next became especially thin at this time (31st Oct/ 1st Nov) enabling them to connect with the dead.

[image error]

This belief is shared by some other cultures; a similar idea is mentioned around the Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur, which also typically occurs in October and involves saying prayers for the dead.
However in Mexico, their traditional customs differ somewhat. Day of the Dead festivities unfold over two days in a joyous and colourful event highlighting the love and respect families have for their deceased members.

No evil plotting abounds.

[image error]

There’s nothing more fun then to tell scary stories to get you in the grim mood for this celebration.

Here’s a book with some gruesome tales for you

Unleash your Lunar Nomad

[image error]

Shaheen is a spiritual nomad who works with people all over the world to help them reclaim their power through intuitive guidance, energy work, and spiritual cleansing.

His latest creation, The Lunar Nomad Oracle set is a deck of 43 intuitive cards with intriguing layers of imagery, bound to unlock the user’s creativity and intuition.

When my deck arrived in the mail, I was like a kid leafing through each card in awe of the exquisite details underlying each image.

You are compelled to look deeper as almost simultaneously more is revealed from the card leaving you to feel the story it tells you – but let me start from the beginning.

The cards and guidebook are housed in a safe and sturdy box, so there’s no need to worry about them getting damaged and the matte finish definitely highlights the soft hues of colours.

[image error]

The guidebook features a foreword written by Theresa Reed, The Tarot Lady, and is broken into three parts.

Part one – Glowing in the Dark, introduces you to your Lunar Self by helping you become aware of both the light and the shadows within.

Juxtaposition to your Lunar Self is your Solar Self which Shaheen eloquently describes as a ‘container that holds the fluid nature of the Lunar Self’, drawing a powerful equilibrium before providing a visualisation to experience for yourself.

I found the guidebook very comprehensive when explaining the meaning of each Oracle card which is in Part two.

The deck, as I began explaining earlier, has a smooth velvety feel. The images capture the essence of the Lunar Self journey along with the back of the cards depicting a vision of a full moon through a keyhole, making it feel dreamy.

The cards are geometrically striking, appealing to the eye and rich in creativity but unlike Tarot decks, these cards don’t follow suits.

You are more expected to formulate a reading from the images.

[image error]

The wording of the meanings has a vibe that radiates loving and empowering guidance with subtle exercises to help entice the nomad in you to emerge.

When I shuffled the cards they easy slid in motion although it took a couple shuffles before I was used to the size. The cards are 15.0cm x 10.5cm.

The third section of the guidebook is entitled ‘How to become a Lunar Nomad’; mapping out your story as you travel along your unique path.

I really enjoyed putting these suggestions into play in the form of journaling.

A 3-card layout, as well as the more in-depth 9-card layout, is detailed along with daily forecast work.

Over the last few days I have been using the cards I deal myself as affirmations.

In the back of the guidebook as part of your journeying into unveiling your Lunar Self, Sheehan provides affirmations attached to some of the cards.

It was hard to choose a favourite card from the Oracle deck – the images are all so creatively intricate – but the first reading I did for myself, I drew Aura 37 and it’s beautiful image reveals many levels of my Lunar Self.

Do yourself a favour and get yourself this deck of cards it truly is inspiring and is the key to unlocking and understanding your Lunar Self.

Care to read some poetry?

Red AF

She’s a girl in the hood

Muddle-headed or up to no good

Cold as the Siberian snow

Ready to fight blow by blow

[image error]

She is Little Red Riding Hood

The bad-ass wolf she has withstood

With her lips sweet cherry red

Bling bling sunnies on her head

 

She cruises the streets bass pumpin

Searchin for all the sick thugs hustlin

Selling drugs violent crimes

It’s a sign of the times

 

She’s taken law into her own hands

Sick of the incompetence of man

A vigilante on the case

‘Cause governments are debase

 

Special guest Sadhguru shares a poem

[image error]

Recently I received a phone call from the Isha Foundation asking if I’d be interested in travelling to Brisbane in September to continue my studies, (from the Inner Engineering course), and be initiated into Shambhavi Mahamudra Kriya, a powerful 21-minute inner energy process that incorporates the breath.

Shambhavi Mahamudra Kriya is a purifying energy technique which incorporates the breath. This practice aligns your entire system so that your body, mind and emotions function in harmony, establishing a chemistry of blissfulness within you.

I’m looking forward to one day in the future when I can attend this course but September was definitely out for me because – I’M GETTING MARRIED!

However here is the link for all of you.

The Inner Engineering Course presents practical wisdom in a logical, easy to understand manner to manage your body, mind, emotions, and the fundamental life energy within you and around you.

So without further ado – Let me introduce to you – Sadhguru, an Indian yogi, mystic and poet.

MOUNTAIN LUST

By Sadhguru

A few us trekked to Kagbhusandi Lake, a spectacular place and we are camped here for two days.

Every muscle in my body screaming at me and asking, “Why the hell do you bring us here. But my heart rejoices with a rapture of a completely different sort. Heart overflows with ecstasy. But body screams in pain.

These mountains… If you look at them a thousand times over, your mountain lust will not be gone. Someone asked me, “Why you’re going there every year, Sadhguru?” I said, “It’s Himalayan Lust.”

And even in the group, though we have tried to prevent this, still I think there are five or six people out of thirty-five who are coming here for second or third time. Because once the mountains catch you, they really have you in some kind of a submission.

As the mountain peaks are spilling water from the snow capped tops, I’ve been spilling a little bit of poetry. Not as white, bright, and beautiful as them, but this is me. I’m not a Himalaya. So here, let me read one for you. Haven’t done this in a long time.

HOME AT HAMDE

By Sadhguru

The valley floor of Hamde

seems like Home to me who

[image error]

is being drawn to these less

travelled trails among these

spectacular Mountain peaks.

 

Ever since he invaded my

Breath and Being and drew

Me into his cosmic Breast

I am like an infant in the

[image error]

comfort of a loving Mother’s

womb. Not a care about life

or Death. Unfettered even by

longings of the Beyond as

Here has become Beyond and

Beyond is Here.

 

 

Words from the Past

[image error]
METANOIA

It’s my choice

I can change my mind

It’s my prerogative

Which way am I inclined?

Oh, an afterthought

And the questions assail my mind

What is my purpose

Hmm! How am I inclined?

I am a product of my everyday

What I read, what I say

The people I associate with,

What I listen to, eat and drink

But deep in my soul

I know my spiritual path

Inner growth, maturation

A deep contrast

Yet it’s time to embody my Soul

And let all else that no longer serves me… Go

SCINTILLA

A quick flash

A brilliant spark

Like a diamond in the dark of night

A sentient being or could it be a wight, I seen?

A crack of light

To fast for my naked eye

Like a burning ember in flight

Ahh, the soft warm glow of the firefly

Hundreds of lightning fae

I stand bewitched by their erratic path

Dancing like pixie dust falls

In a frisson of dazzling flight

And then they were gone…

 

SILLAGE

A scent that lingers in the air

Divine impression

Awakening a curious vibe

La trace du parfum de quelqu’un

The sillage permeates

Through the open window

Like a fresh Spring morning

Le printemps est le temps de l’amour

And tickles his nose

Enticing him to come closer

Excitement, hope… Nostalgia

Un amour perdu dans le passé