Ever felt like you were having a string of bad luck?
A dark cloud over your head?
Need some positive energy in your life?

I suggest trying an ancient ritual called smudging.
I have done this for every house I have moved into, any time I have felt blue and "down on my luck", any time I have suffered from restlessness, bad dreams, feeling unsettled.
All I can tell you is the difference in remarkable every time.

Things you will need:
Sage
Cedar
Sweetgrass
White candle

To do a smudging ceremony, snip of a small amount of the above listed herbs and burn (dried - in bowl), rub your hands in the smoke, and then gather the smoke and bring it into your body, or - rub it onto yourself; especially onto any area you feel needs spiritual healing.
Keep praying all the while that the unseen powers of the plant will cleanse your spirit. Sometimes, one person will smudge another, or a group of people, using hands - or more often a feather - to lightly brush the smoke over the other person(s). Try to look for dark spots in a person's spirit-body.
For someone with emotional and relationship problems, workplace issues, health problems or just feeling bad karma around them, you need to lift the heavy and dark atmosphere that surrounds you.
First, say a prayer to the Creator and to the spirits for help.
Then, ignite the sage stick, take the sage to all the corners, closets, and rooms of the house. (open all drawers, closets et)
Then push the smoke with your hands to cleanse every bit of space - lingering over dark or cold spots that "feel" uncomfortable.
Use sage first in order to drive out the bad influences.
Next purify yourselves with cedar and then repeat the cleansing process throughout the house with cedar.
Then sweetgrass is used in the same manner to bring in good influences. All the time pray for help in this cleansing.
Finally, take a candle over the whole house and push its light into every corner.
This cleansing never fails to "clear the air."

You will feel such a dramatic improvement in your entire well being when you are finished.

Lastly, take a bath in oils, (sage & lavender work well).
While bathing, think about mistakes you have made, misfortunes, things you would like to change,
Visualize these things leaving your life.
Release the water from tub. Stay in the tub until all water has drained.

Let me know how it works for you. I love hearing stories of the changes that come about from doing this cleansing.

Hello All-
I love that you have been so actively leaving feedback for all of us who have been blogging. It makes this so much more enjoyable!
That being said, I'm just going to throw this out there:
What kind of topics would you like me to write about?
In my line of works I do get asked often about weight loss secrets, supplements, favorite products, celebrity gossip, derm & plastic surgery procedures.
I also dabble and get asked often about things like "protection". Refering to evil eyes, crystals, house smudging.
I'm happy to go any direction.
Let me know what you are into & we'll do it.
Look forward to your thoughts.

I love dogs, I always have.
Now I have children and they love dogs.
I started thinking maybe it was time for my family to take on a new member.
Something in the form of a four legged, non-shedding, simply adorable puppy.
I began making inquiries.
Everyone told me I was crazy, “puppies are so much work”, “my kids are too young”.
In typical fashion I did not listen.
Two weeks ago I brought home a snuggly, cuddly, yorkie-chon puppy.
What can I say…. someone should have REALLY warned me!
I wake up (way too early)
Take him outside
Come inside
Feed him
Start making coffee
Step in “pee-pee”,
Clean up “pee-pee”
Take him out
Bring him in
Feed him
Find a poop
Clean up poop
And so on.
I’ve had a successful career, I’ve had two children, and I’ve traveled the world.
Is it possible that this 6lbs fluff ball will defeat me?
I have downloaded the e-books, I’ve googled Cesar Millan, I’ve yelled, I admit I’ve even cried.
This has to be normal. It’s just the “puppy stage”
Please, Oh please tell me its normal.

Kat James

I know most people hate the realization that summer has come to an end.
I however love feeling that cool, crisp nip in the air.
FALL
In my opinion the best season for fashion!
There are so many amazing trends out there this year. I will touch on all of them in my upcoming entries, but today I wanted to focus on the front runner of the pack....
THE BOOT
There are two distinct styles showing this fall: The Ankle Bootie & The Riding Boot.
I highly recommend the riding boot. It is easy to wear and adds instant style and cool to any outfit.
Pair them with leggings and an oversized sweater, wear them with a tailored skirt and blazer. Basically anything goes.
The best part is the look is a flat heal, making them totally wearable for any occasion.
From dropping off kids at school, lunch with girls, going out with your guy.
Not only will you look hot, trust me you will feel it!

Kat

As a woman it's often presumed that it is in our DNA to not only be masterful in the kitchen, but also enjoy it.
I'll just lay it out there; this trait is greatly lacking in my genetic make up.

Having lived in big cities most my life, where your kitchen is approximately the size of a small closet, you never feel like cooking is an essential part of daily living.
As long as you are readily stocked with the entertaining basics you're good to go.
These include, but are not limited to:
1. Wine
2. Diet soda
3. Olives
4. Microwave popcorn
5. A substantial inventory of take-out menus

I no longer live in that big city, I no longer dwell in a one bedroom apartment and I am learning that it may be time to expand my cooking skills, as well as my shopping list.

Only problem is, I don't want to learn to cook. I'm not interested in spending hours preparing a meal, that will then be consumed in a matter of minuets, with the hope of a possible "yum" or "good stuff" in between mouthfuls.

Does this make me a bad wife?
Does this make me a bad mother?

Don't get me wrong I feed them of course. Usually it's something made with tenderness and love from the Wegman's prepared food section.
I then, with all the TLC I can muster up, heat it, serve it and recycle the plastic container it came in.

Kat James