The Truth Behind The NTA's (National Television Awards)

I'm sure you wouldn't be able to tell from watching the NTA's last night on TV that many actors, myself included, absolutely loathe the 'red carpet'.  The anxiety of what to wear is, on the surface, absolutely absurd when we are living in such unsettling political times, but is it difficult not to get sucked up into this madness when it is your job.  Which is worse: being ignored on the red carpet and passed over for the likes of the latest TOWIE stars, or being photographed and your every style decision being critiqued by TV gurus who are paid to be concerned with the fashion faux pas of the modern world?

This year I tried to make believe I was in my very own film star bubble.  It was the only way I could get through it.  I am an actress, I am not comfortable being myself at high profile events.  I 'acted' my way down the red carpet, carefully hopping into the space Alesha Dixon left behind, hoping that I could bask in the wake of her celebrity and just for a few moments feel I had 'got it right', whatever that is.  The fact that we had waited in the freezing cold for a good half hour just to launch ourselves onto the 'red carpet' was enough to buoy me up to do 'this thing'.  I was not going to be overlooked this time!  A friend had, the day before, berated me with, 'Don't you dare scuttle past the red carpet, you've got to sell yourself, promote yourself.'  We seem to live in a world of self promotion don't we?  Twitter, and Face book, are all ways of advertising our gifts, our opinions, our worth.  I guess I too am guilty of it with this blog, although I would argue that my motivation goes deeper and is more about my desire to share my knowledge and help people find alternative solutions to coping with the stresses of life. 

I have the self believe that people will want to read my columns and will get something out of them.  I don't know where this comes from as I'm not a naturally confident person but somewhere inside of me is this steel which allows me to go forward courageously.  I had difficulty in even getting a response from the magazines I approached so I decided to start a blog as a way of self publishing.  It's all a testament to the fact that, if we want to achieve something in this life, we have to push and push and sometimes find alternative ways of doing this thing.  'No'  does not necessarily mean NO, it might mean 'not right now' or 'not on my watch', so go find another route!   I suppose in my business we have to play the game to a degree; it  seems to be all about the superficial.  The gossip magazines want to know where so and so got their dress from, who has lost weight, who has gained it and who is sleeping with whom.  Perhaps I too am guilty of the superficial.  On the surface I can look like a calm, self assured actress with a posh frock and good make up (thank you Scott Beswick), 'posing' and saying all the right things, but underneath that, I am nervous and feel out of place.  Moreover, I know inside what is important to me; genuine  friends, family, love, loyalty, respect and no award, no photograph, no seal of approval from the 'celebrity police' will change what I know to be true.

Before the magic

After the magic (but I'm still the same person inside)

February - Finding the positive in everything!

As usual whilst I'm sitting here at my computer typing away, my familiar Bob has jumped on my lap wanting strokes and cuddles!  I don't blame him: its pouring with rain outside and it doesn't seem possible that we are celebrating the wiccan festival of Imbolc on the 2nd of this month.  Imbolc, also known as Candlemas celebrates the end of winter and the beginnings of spring.  Tiny green shoots can be found starting their journey from seed to flower and the sun is starting to rise higher in the sky.  Another name for this festival is Brigid's day - she is the Celtic goddess of Poetry, healing , Midwifery and anything really that you can make with your hands.  As the darkness envelopes us all on this day, traditional lore says that we should light many white candles to honour the goddess and to celebrate the passing of winter.  Spring may still feel a long way off but the sun is being reborn and the days are getting longer.  If you don't fancy lighting candles why not chill out in front of a real log fire and raise a glass to Brigid and the anticipation of long warm days fuelled by the energy of the sun.

Practical Magic

It hasn't escaped my notice that this month it is Valentine's Day. Some of you may relish the excitement of this; giving and receiving anonymous tokens of love, maybe being taken out for  a romantic meal or sent flowers .  Others of us may hate the commercialisation of this day, feeling that love and appreciation should be shown all year round.  Is Valentine's Day just a money making gimmick?  Some people are looking for love so for them Valentine's day might be just another sad reminder that they have no special other to share it with.  I believe that expressing gratitude is one way of attracting more of the same into your life, so this month I am asking  you to cut out a heart shape from a pink piece of paper and  write down on it all that you are grateful for. It can be as long or as short as you like: 'I'm grateful for my health/my black hair/my house/ my job/my friends'.  Even when you feel life is tough, giving thanks for what you have will ultimately attract more of what you want into your life.  If you can, try to practise gratitude every day this month and see how you feel at the end of the February!

Crystal of the Month: Carnelian.

I wanted to choose a crystal which like the sun is vibrant and full of energy.  Carnelian is an orange/red colour and is thought to restore vitality and stimulate creativity.  It's a very positive stone and gives courage and strength when needed.  It is said to help with arthritis/rheumatism, neuralgia and depression.  I also think it's a great stone to have with you during childbirth .

Archangel Michael Card

This month's card is 'Your Home  is Protected by Angels'.  Are you having questions or vulnerable feelings about your home or living arrangements?  If so do not worry, Archangel Michael is reassuring you that your home is being protected.  If you are moving this is a sign that the angels are assisting you with your relocation and in spite of setbacks everything will go to plan.  This card can also indicate a financial windfall that will enable you to more easily pay your mortgage or rent.

Moody Moon:

The full moon this month falls on the 11th February, so expect things to come to a head on this day.  It falls in Leo, a sign of grandeur and drama , so don't be surprised if things go with a bang! There might be arguments and frayed tempers but they  will all blow over as quickly as they began.  There is also a Lunar Eclipse on the 11th at 00.45; this is where the moon passes through the Earth's partial shadow, but sadly it will only darken slightly from the UK.  You will have better luck  seeing this from American, Africa or Asia. 

The new moon is on February 26th, a time of new beginnings and offers, and this falls in the sign of  Pisces. This new moon marks a Solar Eclipse at 14.53 on the 26th, but the moon is too far away from the Earth to completely cover the sun resulting in a ring of light around a darkened moon. Again sadly this won't be visible from the UK, but if live in south and west Africa or South America you will be able to see it.

Eat: Spicy foods in honour of the sun , seasonally you can opt for Skate, Cod, Game (For one more month only), and apples, pears and oranges are still in abundance.

Play: Not only is February 2nd Imbolc in the Wiccan calendar, but it is also Groundhog day!  Take a trip down Memory lane and make a date to watch the classic Bill Murray film Groundhog Day.

Love: thy neighbour.  If you have someone that lives near you and is alone, whether elderly or young, do try to reach out to them even if it's just with a smile. It can make such a world of difference and is terribly infectious.  

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January 2017 Column - starting the year with a bang!

I'm on a spiritual journey, it's the only way I can make sense of life.  Often its hum-drum, and  we long for some excitement to pepper the monotony. Sometimes life seems to go swimmingly and then all of sudden things happen which don't make any sense whatsoever.  It's difficult to put things into perspective, particularly in relation to your own situation.  It's worth remembering that every man/woman, however wonderful their life may seem on the surface, has their own private challenges.  Time out, even five minutes for yourself can just be a wonderful calming tonic which is why I am drawn to Wicca. Put simply Wicca is a way of life whereby its followers embrace the simple power of nature, whether it be a stunning sunset or a dramatic storm.  It's about learning to just simply 'be' in natures presence and really grasp the moment, without allowing all our thoughts to scattergun into our heads and destroy the pleasure of the experience.  I believe there is real magic to be found in the beauty of the natural world, and harnessed correctly with a true pure intent these natural powers can be used to magically enhance our lives.  Sometimes it takes a leap of faith, and every journey begins with one step, so let's go!

January is a time when we often feel flat as a pancake.  The celebrations of Christmas are over, (maybe that's a good thing!), we have over indulged over the festive season and all we have to look forward to in the short term are bills, dark mornings, dark afternoons, rain, snow and a long long wait until spring.  In fact Spring is really not that far away.  In Wicca we have 8 sabbats or festivals that we celebrate, they are all linked to the natural world, and the first one Imbolc which is the 'beginning' of spring is celebrated on February 1/2.  We will look at that in more detail next month.

New year resolutions are also something that we sometimes write with gusto and then very quickly lose interest in.  How can we make January a more positive experience?

Make A Resolution Star

Cut out the shape of a pentagram (5 pronged star ) on some card of your colour choice, use a colour you love that makes you feel positive.  On this star write 5 things you want to achieve this year, keep them concise and simple otherwise the universe will get confused. E.g. Don't just put 'I want to lose weight' as the universe might interpret this as giving you an illness which makes you lose weight , so rather more write something along the lines of 'I want to eat more healthily so I can lose excess weight' as this is a clearer message.  Make sure at least one of the things you want to achieve is something which has a positive effect on someone else as in the laws of magic all selfless actions bring more positivity into your own life and all negative actions will likewise come back on you threefold.  Put your star away and in 5 months time have a look and see how well you are doing.

Crystal of the Month- Chiastolite

This is a beautiful brownie coloured crystal with black markings on it, usually in the sign of the  cross.  It's a brilliant stone for helping you to face the future with courage and hope.  So if you have challenges facing you this year make sure you have this stone with you.  When you get new crystals always wash them first in running water to wash away the residual energy on them, you can also 're charge' their batteries by sitting them in a full moon's rays.  Just place them on a window sill where the moons rays will shine upon them.  Then you are ready to use your stone: sit quietly and hold it giving the stone your worries and anxieties and its power will help you to gain strength and courage in facing your future with positivity.

Archangel Michael Card

This set of Angel cards by Doreen Virtue are beautiful positive Angel cards that can really help guide you with difficult decisions, or give you simple food for thought for when you require it. I have chosen a card randomly for January for you which is  'Admit The Truth To Yourself and Act Accordingly'.  This suggests that  there is an important feeling that you've been trying to ignore. It might be an unhealthy situation or relationship that you need to deal with, or a hunch about a person.  Trust your instinct and dig deep to be honest with yourself as facing the truth will be ultimately healing for you. Archangel Michael reassures you that he is guiding you and making sure that your needs are met and your relationships stay healthy.  

Moody Moon: Don't be surprised if your moods change according to the moon cycles.  The moon affects the tides and likewise we are made of 90% water, so we will also be affected.  The full moon in January is on the 12th, this will be a day when things come to a head , it's in Cancer so expect to feel particularly emotional around this time.  It might be a good idea to snuggle up amongst your home comforts and enjoy having close family or friends around you.  Start new projects on the 28th January, the day of the New moon.  Make your wishes on 4th January as after midnight this will be a great time to see shooting stars as there is set to be a Meteor shower.

Eat: Beetroot, brussel sprouts, leeks parsnips, sweet potatoes. These are all in season!

Play: Go for a wintery walk in a wood and look out for early snowdrops

Love: yourself warts and all. You are unique, no one else has your combination of genes so celebrate your strengths and accept your weaknesses.