Spirituality

-About My Journey
-Reading List
-Buddhism 
-Reiki/Crystals/Shamanic 
-Tarot Wisdom 
-Chakras And The Body 
-Informative Videos 
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ABOUT MY JOURNEY

  * Multi-Modal Healer
*B.Sc, Psychology (2012)
* 5+ Years experience with clients
* Education in Social Service Work
* Reiki Healer - Third Degree
* Crystal Healer - Second Degree
* Shamanic Healing Practices
* Self-taught Tarot reader
* Talk, journal, art/music therapy and mindfulness techniques
*My creations (e.g. crystal jewelry) are meant as healing tools
LinkedIn
List of Publications

 

📚 Reading List 📚

BUDDHISM

Tisarana  Buddhist Monestary: The Forest Tradition
BuddhaNet: Free Buddhist Ebooks
UrbanDharma: 148 Free Buddhist Ebooks
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REIKI / CRYSTALS / SHAMANIC

During my meditation and studies - attempts to understand the ways in which my mind, body and spirit functioned together most harmoniously -  I accidentally discovered Reiki. As many of us have, I instinctively began doing it on myself and my dog after a particularly prolonged period of fasting, meditation and isolation. Essentially, I felt heat coming from my hands, and I felt it soothe aches and pains, both for me and my pets. I eventually discovered that it is an ancient healing discipline made up of the "laying of hands". Many modern medicine practitioners now are beginning to understand the benefits of Reiki (especially as data is gathered regarding its effects on patients) , and it is now practiced professionally in modern hospitals around the world.
      Reiki is translated as "Universal Life Energy", with "ki" being equal to the "chi" of martial arts and "tai chi". During the treatment, the practitioner becomes a vessel of this energy, and transmits it - with intention to heal (otherwise it doesn't work, at least for me) to the being they're working with, whether human or animal. I find that practicing Reiki deepens my spiritual practice, and I tend to combine my Reiki healing with the use of crystals, which I found can be helpful tools in any type of energy work.

Helpful Reiki articles:

*Science Measures The Human Energy Field
* Usui Reiki
* The International Centre For Reiki Training
* Article: Reiki Really Works (Scientific Data Analysis/Compilation)
* Article: Reiki In The Clinical Setting
*Reiki - Review of a Biofield Therapy, History, Practice, And Research

Eventually, I took classes in crystal healing. As my work with crystals deepened, I sensed that Healing with crystal jewelry can make a huge difference for those dealing with anxiety, depression, eating disorders, OCD, etc. Crystals have their own unique, strong vibrations (some people can physically feel the difference betweeen specific crystals), and keeping them near the body overtime can help to change the energy flow between chakras (energy centres in the body), slowly balancing it. As the flow balances, the wearer feels more at peace and less bothered by compulsions and negative energies and thoughts, which can eventually aid in healing the condition altogether, or at the very least reducing its symptoms. For most of us, crystals can keep us more focused, more peaceful, and closer to the source. <3
To learn more about crystals and their properties, visit the Crystal Library page.

      Finally, I felt drawn to Shamanic practice since the beginning of my spiritual journey, when I was very young. More recently, I have taken the following workshops through The Foundation for Shamanic Studies: 1. Basic Workshop: The Way of The Shaman,  2. Shamanism, Dying, and Beyond, 3. Shamanic Extraction Healing Training, and  4. Power Soul Retrieval Training. I find these workshops to be invaluable to my spiritual/intellectual journey, as they taught me to tune into energy, go within, and connect to something bigger than myself.  I sometimes offer the following Shamanic services, if I feel that I can be of help to the particular client:
1. Obtaining spirit animals, 2. Performing psychopomp, 3. shamanic divination, 4. Performing extractions, which remove energies that don't belong (intrusions), and 4. Performing soul retrieval, which brings back missing parts of the soul that may have left during a traumatic experience.

If you are local, and interested in contacting me about any of these services, please email me at Marina at MystiqShop dot com, or find me on Facebook or Instagram.

Helpful Shamanic Articles:
* Article: What Is A Spiritual Intrusion Extraction?
* Article: The Message From Stone, Stone & Rock Divination
* Shamanic Soul Retrieval: What Is It And How Does It Work
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Shamans have danced and sung ecstatically for millennia, entering trance states to commune with the spirits and bring back wisdom to heal their families, villages, and the entire human species.

TAROT WISDOM

I am fascinated by the archetypal musings of Carl Jung, who believed in universal energies, a deeper meaning, and the journey of individuation - the individual's self-forming out of the unconscious into a coherent, functional personality (presumably by force of will). Tarot has clarified the journey of individuation for me, uncovering the hidden pattern of how we all start our journey at the beginning of the deck, as "The Fool" (card O of the Major Arcana), and  - if we overcome the challenges along the way - we end up with "The World (card 23), essentially the end of the cycle, before the beginning of another. Much wisdom about human nature and the world can be gleaned from the endless combinations of archetypes & energies within Tarot.
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Jung himself was interested in the secrets of the Tarot, saying the cards "combine in cerain ways, and the different combinations correspond to the playfu. development of mankind" (from this article), by which he meant the development of each one of us. The more I worked with the cards, the more I began to see Tarot as a tool for understanding potential combinations of archetypes, situations and universal energies that may affect our journey, and the journeys of those around us. It is also a great way to communicate to clients ways in which they can heal themselves, without using the professional language of psychology. I am also currently working on a free Tarot Ebook, to be utilized as part of your own collection of spiritual material.
Read: Carl Jung: Tarot Cards Provide Doorways to the Unconscious, and Maybe a Way to Predict the Future
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Recommended Tarot Books...

Although there are many dozens of Tarot books out there, and each of us might connect with a different book, these three are highly recommended for the beginner / intermediate reader as reference material. With time, a deeply-ingrained daily spiritual practice built around Tarot will teach the reader about the personality and character of each of the cards, knowledge that will bring with it understanding of self and the world, and, consequently, a deeper inner peace. Click images for listings with more information. 🗒️
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Recommended Tarot Decks...

I often get asked which Tarot decks I recommend for beginners. My best suggestion is not to get caught up in all the artistic decks available to us (like ones with kittens on them), and to begin by working with one of the simplest, most basic decks, which are designed specifically to activate your intuition, and your heart. Two such decks are depicted below. Click images for listings with more information. 🗒️
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         Rider-Waite Tarot Deck                      Morgan-Greer Tarot Deck 
           Rider-Waite Tarot Deck Image            

CHAKRAS & THE BODY

When I was a child, information such as this about how the human being is constructed was not made available to me. It wasn't anybody's fault - the information simply wasn't yet pervasive enough in society for me to bump into it. A a result of not being taught about the intricate balance of each person's energy system, and the potential symptoms of one or another chakra being out of balance, I eventually developed depression, anxiety, an eating disorder and some other antisocial and self-destructive behaviours. Looking back, such responses on my part make sense now, as I am beginning to understand that they were merely mechanisms of coping with an out-of-balance energy system. Learning this information as an adult, however, has given me tremendous strength to weather life's storms, has increased my personal power, and has made me a better healer. We should all strive to understand how our bodies, minds and spirits are constructed, so as to lower suffering in the world. As part of my Reiki + Crystal combination healing, I perform a sort of intuitive chakra energy alignment which, I've been told, feels very energizing, refreshing, and empowering. May we all grow! <3
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INFORMATIVE VIDEOS

Many spiritual practices are shrouded in mystery and myth in the modern world, but it is nevertheless important to understand their roots, their history, and their purpose. These are some of the videos that have been helpful to me on my own journey.
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On Smudging With Sage (By Me)

 

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History of Tarot

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History Of The Occult

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SHAMANISM

Entheogenic Shamanism History

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Shamanic Wisdom

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Life Of A Shaman - Alan Watts