The search-engine based website Merlin’s Diary – complete with mobile phone friendly version - is revolutionising the promotion and public awareness of Mind Body Spirit events in the UK.

Merlin’s Diary enables users to access a centralised user-friendly listings site, complete with public reviews and events feedback that instantly brings together the most up-to-date national MBS event information.

Since going live in August 2010, nearly 1000 UK-wide MBS events (and some overseas tours and retreats) have been listed. It’s like an ebay or amazon for MBS events. And it’s all free!

Merlin’s Diary offers feedback ratings; the option to repeat list events (such as regular classes); free downloadable flyers for users to circulate, assisting in valuable word of mouth PR; facility for users to add favourite events to social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter increasing event outreach; detailed event information including distance and directions from user’s home; facility to bookmark several events during search for more informed decision-making; and the ability to break down searches into specific event categories such as talks, seminars, courses, workshops etc.

What’s more, the mobile version will locate wherever you are in the country and tell you what events are on near you.

Event organisers will be delighted to know that all event listings are free, making the site an invaluable resource for the MBS market. This free listing is to encourage the thorough dissemination of event information. It is UK-based at the moment, although there is a section for overseas events that seek to appeal to the UK market; the structure is in place for expansion into other international MBS markets.

To visit the site, click here.

If we are free from disease, then there is perfect balance within our physical, emotional, mental and spiritual bodies. Unfortunately, though, this is rarely the case. We live in a world which can seem almost to encourage stress and generally unhealthy ways of living and being.

Is it any wonder that our bodies react by becoming unbalanced, if not by shutting down completely? This is even before we consider how much “baggage” we may be carrying from our past lives, which may still be attached to us in energy form. That’s why it’s no coincidence that healers and therapists are in great demand, since there is much work to do to help people bring themselves into harmony.

The seventh cosmic ray

No matter what form of healing or therapy you practise, I would like to suggest that this work can be greatly enhanced by adding to it the amazing energy of the Violet Ray.

This is the seventh cosmic ray which emanates from the source known as The Great Central Sun; God; All that is; and Divine consciousness. Ascended Master St Germain, chohan of this ray, who will oversee the next 2,000 years of the Aquarian Age, is asking that as many people as possible use this spiritual tool.

Some practitioners may already be familiar with it but some may not be fully aware of its potential to affect positively any number of situations. The Violet Ray, or Flame, as it is often called, transmutes low vibrational energy and transforms it into light or pure high vibrational energy.

It can be invoked to heal mind, body and soul as well as sticky problems in everyday life. Basically, wherever change is needed, then think of the violet flame.

I am currently working with healers and therapists to demonstrate the potency of the violet flame - they are learning for themselves at first hand the importance of St Germain’s message.

In our sessions the edge of a healer’s auric field is first dowsed. Once this is established, the person then calls in the violet flame either by using words or through visualisation and the field is measured again. It nearly always doubles in size.

A massive spring clean

The implications are soon realised: an enhanced, vibrant aura, a boost to the immune system and a clearing of spiritual healing channels. It is as if we are given a massive spring clean and we are able to function more effectively.

One healer who invoked the violet flame for the first time described the experience in the following way: “After the violet flame there was an enormous surge of energy. The difference was as clear as between black and white… there was a ball of pins and needles energy in my hands.”

It’s easy to see how this can be taken a stage further, to the person receiving the healing or therapy. If they are willing to invoke the violet flame beforehand, then their own energy field is also spring cleaned. This means the healing or therapy will penetrate to a much deeper level and more quickly.

Here are the words of one person who was given healing after calling on the violet flame: “I felt static around my head. I then saw to the right of me, at head level, a clear sphere with electricity in it. I felt I was resisting the power, not willing to integrate it into myself. I felt very tearful and wanted to surrender.” I am sure we all recognise here the signs of a powerful healing session.

It can be used by anyone

The wonder of the violet flame is that it can be used by anyone on a daily basis and not just at healing or therapy sessions.

If we invoke it as part of our morning and/or evening routines, then we cleanse ourselves, freeing us from unwanted elements picked up during the day or night. The effects are immediate and the energy remains with us for anything up to 12 hours. And the more we use the violet flame, the more its energy accumulates in our auric field.

For those wishing to accelerate their own personal ascension programme, this therefore is a most valuable tool.

There are also many practical instances where you can bring in the violet flame, such as in car breakers’ yards, tunnels, cities, shops, hospitals, doctors’ and dentists’ surgeries, pubs, traffic jams and accidents, landfills… to name but a few.

In fact, wherever there is a situation that is giving off low vibrational energy, then use the violet flame to prevent it attracting to itself even more such energy. This will help deter further areas of disease from developing for Mother Earth and consequently for ourselves.

For more information and further reading visit http://www.vividreality.com/pradeep/

The TM® technique allows your mind to settle inward, beyond thought, to experience the silent reservoir of energy, creativity and intelligence found within everyone - a natural state of restful alertness.
During the practice, your brain functions with significantly greater coherence and your body gains deep rest.

Over 600 research studies have been conducted at more than 200 universities and research centers (including Harvard, UCLA, and Stanford) establishing the wide-ranging benefits that come from the regular practice of Transcendental Meditation.

The benefits range from increased mental clarity, creativity, intelligence and focus, improved physical health and reversal of the again process, and improved inner satisfaction, inner peace and happiness.
If you’d like more information, please visit http://www.tm.ae, email info@tm.ae or call 050 207 0347.

In the past it’s been shown that acupuncture gave pain relief, but studies have been small and it was always difficult to conclude whether or not the results were simply the result of the placebo effect.

Now results published in Arthritis & Rheumatism, detail findings on 357 patients who were given acupuncture, compared with a further 355 who were waiting for treatment scheduled for three months later.

Patients’ symptoms were measured on the WOMAC scale - used to assess pain, stiffness and joint movement. At the start of treatment the patients’ scores averaged 50.

After 15 sessions in the first three months, the patients treated with acupuncture had new WOMAC scores of around 30, while people in the control group waiting for treatment remained the same at around 50.

After adjusting for other factors, the improvement in the first group was finally assessed at 36 per cent. When the second “control” group, started treatment three months later, their improvement levels were the same.

The results showed that when added to conventional treatment such as use of anti-inflammatories, acupuncture gives “a clinically relevant and persistent benefit” according to project’s chief researcher Claudia Witte, of the Charité University-Medicine in Berlin. However, sceptics may still point out that this was not a double-blind study.

Interestingly, the amount of experience the acupuncturists had did not seem to have any influence on the outcome. In this trial inexperienced acupuncturists proved just as effective as experienced ones.

Many scientists now see the study as further proof of the effectiveness of acupuncture, particularly for pain relief - even though no-one has yet been able to explain exactly how it works.

If you’re an arthritis sufferer, and want to try acupuncture, click here to go our list of practitioners in your area.

TAURUS The Sun in your sign gives zing to your life, and Venus, your ruling planet, is with you until 25th so make the most of this time. You will be at your most charismatic, and if there is a special someone you want to sweep off his/her feet, now is the time. Spend some time exploring your more playful side with creative endeavours at work or in the home, or perhaps you will be making plans for an exotic holiday. After 21st it is time to look to your finances, and with Mercury, the trickster in that area, and retrograde after 26th, you had better examine the small print of any contracts you are due to sign. Full Moon on 20th signals the end of a cycle and rebirth into a new, and better, life.

GEMINI May, as always, is a time of reflection on the past year, and an attempt to understand the meaning of life. Taking life quietly is a good idea, with the stars urging some time at home, dreaming dreams and listening to your intuition. This year, with your ruling planet, Mercury, in your sign you are more likely to be zipping about trying to complete 101 tasks - and all at the same time. Finances may be the reason you are pushing yourself so hard, but some unexpected changes in your career path are going to push you in a new direction so think before you act. Then you can harness next month’s energies to put your ideas into action.

CANCER Party, party, party! Venus brings romance into social situations, so either arrange a special date or look out for that chance meeting that leads to something special. Relationships are set to change and while Mars is in your sign (until 10th) use that energy to get what you want. 1st and 18th are red letter days for romance. Long-distance trips have unexpected consequences and may change your life. The full Moon in Scorpio on 20th brings to an end a cycle of service to others, or some concerns about your health.

LEO With the Sun and Venus giving a boost to your career, this is the time to put yourself forward. You can win your way through diplomacy, so take care not to start any unnecessary fights. Long-term goals will prosper even if there seem to be financial compromises, or limiting strings attached to the deals you are negotiating. Mars enters your sign on 10th and boosts your determination and ambition. Relationships could suffer around 14th and 20th, but any changes here will help bring you the freedom to pursue your own dreams.

VIRGO At this time of year your thoughts turn to travel - so while some of you will be planning exotic, long-distance journeys, others may be starting a course of further study. Saturn goes direct in your sign on 4th, and you could find yourself renewing your commitment to a relationship or a project that you love. Your ruling planet, Mercury, moves into your career zone on 3rd, so you will have plenty of opportunities to put your point across. Planning is all very well, but it is the unexpected that will keep your romance alive, especially around 17th . Make a note - be spontaneous!

LIBRA Finances are highlighted this month, with the Sun and Venus helping you clinch that deal, or finalise joint financial plans. But Venus also brings love and sex your way, and your emotions are likely to be intense. Although changes may well be overdue - in your mind at leas - you might like to wait until the last week before making any major decisions. The Sun moves into Gemini on 21st, followed by Venus on 25th, giving you a better perspective, and enabling you to see different sides.

SCORPIO Relationships are your focus this month, with the Sun and Venus in the area for much of the month. This is a good time to meet a partner, and build bridges at work and at home. There could well be romantic proposals this month, or even weddings - red letter days are 1st, 12th and 17th. The full Moon of the 20th, in your sign, brings a perfect moment to make a decision about a relationship, either to commit further or to end one that is no longer bringing you the pleasure it once did.

SAGITTARIUS Your health comes to the fore this month, so take the time to ensure the routines are in place for exercise of body, mind and spirit. It may need a change in attitude to your health, or to your view of other people you work with, before you can see the benefits of some of the career changes you may feel have been forced upon you over the last few month. Jupiter, your ruler, is in the area of finances, so is Pluto. Consequently you could do well in 2008, but with Jupiter turning retrograde on 9th, it would be a good idea to check your spending over the next four months.

CAPRICORN Creativity is your watchword this month. For some that means pregnancy and birth, while for others a creative project that you have been working on for some time may start to bear fruit. A holiday romance could flourish into something deeper, or maybe it is just an ego-boosting flirtation. Wherever you travel it is likely to have a profound effect on you, bringing back memories that you need to revisit before you can explore all the far horizons that Jupiter is offering. However, try not to take life too seriously. Give yourself time for some fun!

AQUARIUS Family life takes priority this month, whether you are moving house and setting up a new home, or establishing new ground rules - personal and financial - so that you can find time for yourself among your many commitments to others. Finances ease after 3rd, so this is a good time to negotiate with partners and banks! However, Neptune in your house can make your hopes unrealistic and you may become disillusioned. Try to keep your feet on the ground from 9th - 21st. Try to tie up as many loose ends as possible by 24th when Mercury turns retrograde and misunderstandings abound.

PISCES The Sun and Venus urge you to get out there and communicate - whatever it is you have to say, stop procrastinating and do it now. These planets bring confidence and charisma, so you could really show others what you are made of. Networking is the key word, and friends and family could help you broaden your horizons. Saturn in your relationship zone could be bringing all sorts of frustrations, but it goes direct again on 3rd and that should help. Communication, as a journey or e-mail or phone, is the key to getting it moving, so you know where you stand. 3rd, 21st and 26th are good days for discussion.

The striking yellow flowers and rose-like scent of the rhodiola make it an unusual find in the Arctic circle, but its hardy powers are not just confined to its ability to grow in harsh conditions.

The potent root of the rhodiola has long been used in Scandinavia and Arctic Russia for treating fatigue, infections, memory loss and poor concentration.

Its body strengthening power was first documented 2,000 years ago by the Ancient Greeks. The Vikings fuelled their fighting men with the herb’s extracts, and more recently the Russian astronauts took rhodiola when training for their space programs.

Recent studies in Russia found that skiers who took the herb 30-60 minutes before competing performed better with more accuracy and concentration, combined with greater energy and stamina. Their heart’s recovery rate after exercise was also significantly improved.

A number of other studies have shown benefits on memory and concentration, with students performing better and achieving higher exam results after taking rhodiola.

The herbs secret lies in the fact that it’s packed with a range of powerful plant chemicals such as flavonoids and phenolic acids.

As a general tonic, the plant’s cocktail of goodies also helps fight off stress, by increasing the brain’s the feel-good chemicals such as seratonin and endorphins.
These numerous benefits may explain why rhodiola has a reputation for promoting immunity from illness and also long life.

Milk thistle’s powers as a liver healer have been known for hundreds of years. In the seventeenth century, London’s famous herbalist, Nicholas Culpeper recommended its use for liver blockages and jaundice.

These days, we know that the liver performs more than 200 separate functions, ranging from production of the proteins that support the immune system to detoxifying the body’s waste products.

Liver damage, by toxins such as alcohol and other poisons, can cause inflammation which turns the liver cells into fatty tissue and causes cirrhosis.

The silymarin in milk thistle appears to stimulate the anti-oxidants that combat damaging free-radicals. At the same time it protects the liver from the entry of toxins, and speeds up its ability to regenerate itself. This boosting of regeneration is a great help in a range of liver diseases, from cirrhosis to hepatitis. Recent studies in the Scandinavian Journal of Gastroenterology support this finding.

There may be other benefits, as the Journal of Hepatology has discovered that silymarin can reduce both cholesterol and bile, thus minimising the risk of gallstones.

The best time to take milk thistle is at night, and it works well in combination with dandelion root as a good all round detox aid.

Make mine a thistle and tonic!

Osteopathy

How did it start?

Most people consult an osteopath because they have back pain, but this therapy began, and is still used, for a much wider range of health problems.

It was developed in the USA in 1874 by Dr Andrew Taylor Still.  He believed that disorders of the bones and joints, particularly in the spine, could affect organs all over the body.

His system of massage and manipulation was aimed at putting the skeleton back into alignment. Within 20 years Dr Still had founded the American School of Osteopathy. The British School, founded by one of his pupils, John Martin Littlejohn, was opened in 1917.

Since then, it has been used in practices worldwide, to treat a complete range of symptoms.

How may it help?

Osteopaths work on the theory that the body can only operate efficiently if there’s an adequate nerve and blood supply to all organs. Bone and joint disorders can interfere with those vital supplies and cause a range of problems - not just back pain and aching limbs.

Using a variety of techniques - from gentle, almost stroking touches to deep muscular massage and manipulation of the joints - osteopaths aim to relieve nerve pressure, often the cause of pain. As the central nervous system works all over the body, patients find that other seemingly unrelated health problems which have been masked by acute pain often improve too.

Chiropractic

How did it start?

There are many similarities between this therapy and osteopathy. Both work on the principle that bad alignment of the spine causes pressure on the nerves, causing pain and problems in all parts of the body.

Chiropractic has also been around for more than a hundred years, and was started in America by Canadian David Palmer in the 1890s. It soon became popular throughout Europe and Australia.

How may it help?

Like osteopaths, chiropractors believe that they can release tension and strain throughout the body by manipulating the skeleton. The techniques do differ from osteopathy, and chiropractors tend to give a more vigorous massage. See local therapists by clicking here.

Alexander Technique

How did it start?

Around the turn of the last century, Australian actor Frederick Alexander started to get worried that his voice was failing. He studied himself in the mirror and noticed that, when he was performing, his posture changed and his body tensed up. That also made his vocal muscles contract.

Alexander then spent several years developing his postural techniques, which he introduced to Britain in 1904 and then to America. These techniques are now arduously followed by actors, singers and musicians throughout the world, but they’re also used to great effect by people who don’t have such public lives. The Alexander Technique is now widely regarded as one of the most effective forms of complementary and self-help medicine.

How may it help?

As Alexander discovered, bad posture can affect breathing, can cause back and neck problems with all the side effects that they produce, and can put pressure on many internal organs.

By learning how to sit, stand up, walk and lie down properly, practitioners believe you can alleviate a wide range of problems - particularly those associated with posture, such as backache. For details of how to get treatment worldwide, and for self help books, visit http://www.alexandertechnique.com.

Fluorite is the crystal that contains all the colours of the rainbow and is therefore considered by crystal healers as an important balancing and healing stone. It is also called the stone of intuition, love, luck and confidence.

It is also known as the stone of discernment and aptitude. Fluorite clears energy blockages, helps to open up to ones feelings and awareness.

It is a calming stone which is able to quiet the mind and is very helpful when first learning to meditate as it helps to pass the “chatter” that is in our minds. It can help to clear mental blockages as well as mental issues.

Rainbow fluorite detoxifies the body and helps with arterial sclerosis.

Green fluorite helps to open the heart. Its harmonising and recharging energy can be used on the throat for clarity. One can use green fluorite for imbalances of the spleen, stomach and intestinal tract, heartburn, anxiety, insomnia, hormonal imbalances, PMS, menopause, skin allergies and eczema. It is also a great all round healer and promotes self-love.

Clear fluorite guards against psychic attacks, strengthens consciousness and enhances the healing power of other minarals. This crystal helps with objectivity, clears away the old and makes space for new things to come. It is also used to clear the auric field.

Purple fluorite can be used to open the third eye and may help with psychic awareness. It helps with imbalances of the eyesight and sinusitis, as well as repelling colds and helping to clear migraines and headaches.

Yttrian/lavender-coloured fluorite symbolises well-being, serenity, peace, connection with universe or eternal life force. It may help with imbalances of the spleen, kidneys, bladder and liver.

Blue fluorite helps with infections of the throat, nose, and ears, and calms fever as it has a soothing effect. It also promotes orderly recordkeeping.

Yellow fluorite enhances creativity. It helps focus on co-operation and group alignment. It also helps with disorders of the liver and fatty deposits of the body.

Fluorite clusters: Lower work-life stress (it’s helpful to keep a piece on your desk).

Double pyramid:Aligns spirit with physical plane, inner with outer awareness, and two sides of brain.

Fluorites are mined in Germany’s Black Forest, Spain, England, Mexico, the US and China.