United Colours of Design •Yellow Edition • July 2022

I think of myself as a joyful person, I have even been the Director of Joy for a company, but funny enough, I’ve never really liked yellow. So, I knew this edition would bring great insights as I worked my way through designing all the articles.

In true Colour Mirrors fashion, yellow came on hard and fast! In my last editorial I mentioned that I was on day one of my house on the market for sale. The decision to sell was so that my amazing man Brian and I could use our equity to find and run a retreat centre.

Well, I am over the moon excited to inform you that step one is complete!

The house sold right at the end of our Canadian housing boom, and we were lucky enough to get the max price before the market came to an abrupt halt. In fact, there are still houses (over 3 months later) for sale that were available at the same time as ours! Whew! A sign that yellow joy was on my side during that process.

Now we are in the process of searching for a place to live and once again I wish I could tell you we have settled on a location and are waiting with anticipation to move in and begin our new journey; but yellow has other plans for us.

I have spent hours and hours searching and thought I had found the perfect location, so perfect I dragged my Real Estate Agent, Diana Butler all the way out to Stirling Ontario. A drive so long for her that she brought a friend along for the ride! And I think both of them would agree that it was worth the trek!

To best describe magical property, I need to give you a bit of a numerology and colour lesson.

The house number we were going to see was 37. In numerology we take the 3 and add it to the 7 which gave me 10, and then we take the 1 and add it to the 0 to give me 1. THIS WAS SO EXCITING! Because in the Colour Mirrors system the number 1 is represented by the colour yellow, and since I was working on the yellow edition, of course I thought it was a massive sign!

Then I looked at the total address 37 Future Lane and was again blown away by the neatness of Brian and I starting our future together on Future Lane!

As we pulled up to the gate of the property there were words fashioned out of the iron, the words were “Heaven’s Gate”. Both of our mouths dropped, and we knew this place was going to be special. As we followed the Real Estate Agent convoy along the winding driveway, we were greeted by the most magical house on the hill amongst the tall Maple trees. It was truly something out of a fairy tale.

We decided to walk the property first and honestly, we were all stunned into silence. Everywhere we looked there was something else to see and hear. The rushing Moira River was the first thing to catch our eyes. (Significant because the woman who is responsible for introducing me to the energy of colour is Moira Bush and here, we were on the Moira River in the brightest green bush!) Then we walked over a little bridge to Sugar Island (Significant because Brian has always called me Sugar and my favourite song is Sugar Sugar by the Archies!)

We decided to walk the property first and honestly, we were all stunned into silence. Everywhere we looked there was something else to see and hear. The rushing Moira River was the first thing to catch our eyes. (Significant because the woman who is responsible for introducing me to the energy of colour is Moira Bush and here, we were on the Moira River in the brightest green bush!) Then we walked over a little bridge to Sugar Island (Significant because Brian has always called me Sugar and my favourite song is Sugar Sugar by the Archies!)

So, I bet you’re thinking – when do you move in Amy? Well, as much as we absolutely loved it and did not want to leave, we had to come back to reality at some point. With all rural properties there are some logistical challenges to overcome. Internet being the first and most important one. The current owners were in their 80’s so connectivity was not top of their priority list.

The next challenge was that Future Lane was not a municipal road, long story short, no snow plowing by the town anytime soon. Mind you there was a tractor that the current owner used to plow the lane, however, do I love this place enough to get up at the crack of dawn to plow 3 feet of now in a giant tractor? Hmmmm?

As magical as the house was, there were only 2 bedrooms for a 5-person family, so renovations would be necessary.

For a few days we were actually convincing ourselves that for sure we could deal with the lack of internet, the renovations and the early morning snow duty. We even thought we could work around the zoning of the property that would not let us run the full retreat centre as we wanted to. But we had to give our heads a shake and bring in some of that yellow logic to this scenario.

It was no coincidence that we found this house while I was working on the yellow edition. As I was reading more about the positive aspects and the challenges that yellow can bring, I was reminded that I needed to detach from the outcome. I had to step out of dreamland and step into the logic and reason that yellow represents.

As much as this property brought Brian and I so much happiness in imagining what life would be like, we could not ignore the issues that were in our faces. Of course, there was no way I could run my business without internet, Of course, the cost to renovate the house would cut into our funds to create the retreat centre atmosphere and lodging. Of course, it was going to take months or even years to get a zone change. The utter sadness at the realization that this ‘perfect’ place was not going to work for us really put a damper on our search. We kept comparing everything back to the ‘magic house’.

It seems that each edition of this magazine brings with it an opportunity to learn and grow within the energy of each colour. After a long conversation with Moira about all the amazing coincidences that made us feel this was THE property for us, she reminded me that perhaps this property was just highlighting signs that we were moving in the right direction.

The Moira River, a sign that she and I will begin to work closer together and we need a place with great internet.

‘Heaven’s Gate’ at the top of the driveway, a sign that I am very near my dream of creating heaven on earth, and the house needs to work for our family.

‘Sugar Island’, an indication that Brian and I are on the right path together and we need proper zoning to avoid trouble in the future.

The chickens in the coop, a reminder to me that animals are important to raising the energy of our future property and that this future property needs to be a bit larger.

You see, each dreamy positive also had a reminder that came with it. These ‘signs’ filled us with joy, but joy alone doesn’t pay the bills! lol!

Colour Mirrors also has a bottle called The Wheel of Fortune (No, you do not have to solve any word puzzles!). And what I know about this energy is that we all need to balance love, money, and joy in order for amazing things to happen. Moving forward I am engaging the Wheel of Fortune checklist as we search for the perfect property for our needs:

Love – Do we immediately fall in love with this property? Does it speak to us? Can we see ourselves living here? Will our tribe love it as much as we do? Will it provide a loving space so that they can serve their people?

Joy – Does it bring us joy being on the land? Can we see others experiencing the joy of this property? Does it have a WOW factor, or can we create a WOW factor?

Money – Will this property allow us to create a financially successful retreat centre? Does it offer other opportunities to generate income? Will it provide a space for our facilitators to also enjoy financially successful retreats?

A deep dive into yellow reminded me that I was forgetting one third of the wheel, which makes it wobbly and unstable. I was forgetting #3 – Money! Without internet it would be very difficult to market the property which is a major part of income generation. Also, facilitators would not be happy if they and their participants could not remain connected during their stays. And the most important, I could no longer carry on with this magazine without the luxury of high-speed internet!

With all that in mind, we continue our search for the perfect colour retreat centre and look forward to updating you – on lightning-fast internet from our new location!

The Cost of Kindness

How much does kindness cost? Do you ever find that when you attend a meeting, social event, or are in a crowd of strangers, that there are some people who just can’t afford it?

We may still be recovering from things that cost us our mental health, our business, our families, and our livelihoods, but something as simple as being kind is not one of them.

Live meetings and events, are beginning to multiply and many people are coming together for the first time, to engage in conversation, experiences and new realities.

Kindness is an action. It’s easy and it makes others feel like they belong. I can remember speaking at an event before the pandemic took flight, I was usually in the room before most people had entered. As I spied the room and took a mental picture in my mind of who was there, I also recognized how much more I had to give before my session. I walked around the chairs, introducing myself to everyone so that they would feel an automatic attachment to me. It only took a little of my time, but the impact was greater than anything I had to say on the stage.

How many times have you listened to a speaker, but never really engaged with them? I know that more often than not, I didn’t. Sure, some wait in line to shake hands, pass cards and create conversation, but at the heart of human connection, lies the fear that many have to go out of their way to practice kindness.

Can you imagine how much more powerful you would be, by extending that kindness to your peers, colleagues and strangers? It truly does not take much and let’s face it, if you knew someone was at your table who was unfamiliar with the landscape, how thoughtful would it be to make them feel welcomed.

Be kind to one another…

One thing that has changed about social connection, it is more actively being practiced, empowering you and that person who you took a moment with. When you break away from your clique, you raise yourself as well as that human being to a higher consciousness.

Ellen DeGeneres signs off her show with the statement: “Be kind to one another.” It’s a simple commitment to put into action and being part of a kindness movement spreads benefits that are far reaching

Let’s practice what we preach and for those of us who are natural networkers, take on one person you don’t know next time and introduce yourself to them and invite them to meet others you know. It costs nothing for you but could mean more to that person than you realize.

The world we live in now is fraught with problems, and the act of kindness is a foundation that will build your reputation and appreciation for others while giving you gratitude and meaningful experiences.

There is no cost to kindness. A smile, a word of thanks, a good deed, a friendly gesture – there is no price tag on any of these things, and yet the benefits are priceless.

Welcome to the yellow edition of United Colours of Design magazine. This issue is about the Ch’i (energy) of yellow, the most prominent primary colour on the spectrum. Yellow Ch’i is vibrant, fun, cheerful, intellectual, analytical, stabilizing, confident, grounding, thought-provoking, logical and joyful.

Due to its high visibility, the human eye seeing yellow first is an invaluable asset for emergency vehicles, yield signs, caution signs for driving, and construction equipment. For example, in Ontario, Canada, the Ministry of Natural Resources has a fleet of ‘water bombers’ often known as the ‘yellow birds’ to extinguish forest fires. Many years ago, when my husband and I resided on a lake in Northern Ontario, a forest fire was looming, the air was thick and grey with smoke, and nearly zero visibility. But then, we saw a yellow airplane flying over the lake in the distance. A beautiful ‘yellow bird’ water bomber flew by low to gather water from the lake to extinguish the fires. My husband was lucky enough to snap a few photos. It was sheer joy when we saw the ‘yellow bird’ release water over the forest that encompassed our lake. I will never forget watching that plane appear like a bright yellow angel reassuring everyone of hope and rescue. It is so apparent now what true Feng Shui means to me. Feng Shui (“Wind”-Water”) is how to arrange the environment to support human beings on this planet. Our environment is not just our homes but it is the land, property, and Mother Earth.

Yellow is a colour that activates the left side of our brain, the analytical and logical part of the brain. Yellow helps retain memory, making it an excellent colour to use in an office or study. Students can benefit from yellow décor in their rooms. On the flip side, yellow may cause impulsive and nervous behaviour causing stress or confusion. I suggest adding yellow gradually and monitoring emotions or feelings of anxiety. Elderly folks may find bright yellows cause strain on their nerves.

Yellow promotes quick thinking, good conversation and joy. Artwork that depicts pretty yellow flowers or landscaping can be a subtle choice. Have a cuppa in a yellow mug to trigger that imagination!

Families gather here to spend time together, watch movies, play games and socialize. Brighter shades of yellow balance the Chi’ (energy) in the space. Yellow activates communication and focus. This will lead to good conversation and trigger joy and laughter.

Try hanging bright yellow drapes or painting a feature wall a cheerful shade of yellow to evoke cheery Ch’i and happy times. Yellow will ground the living room and give the family a feeling of security and stability. Yellow flowers, artwork, carpets, yellow pillows and throw blankets are all good design choices.

The kitchen is considered a fire element in feng shui. However, too much fire energy may cause irritation and arguments, so it’s wise to add yellow to suppress ‘fiery’ Ch’i (energy), especially while cooking. Adding yellow tea towels, yellow dishes, or yellow potholders is a good choice for décor in the kitchen.

Yellow shades can be warm and grounding and give a feeling of security and protection. Therefore, delicate, soft shades of yellow in the bedroom are lovely. But, on the other hand, bright yang colours are not conducive to sleep or rest.

YELLOW Not just an emperor!

As a Feng Shui Consultant, I work with the energy of yellow, a colour equated with the Earth element in feng shui practice. Yellow energy alongside earth tones signifies support, grounding, nurturing, safety, reassurance and stability. On the flip side, yellow is also associated with ego, arrogance and confusion.

We can choose shades of yellow in the home, office or recreational areas to reflect the Chi or energy we want to create. Balancing yin and yang of a room is essential for achieving the design goal and function for a specified room or space.

In Chinese culture, yellow is considered the most prestigious and beautiful of all colours. “Yellow generates Yin and Yang implies that yellow is the center of everything. Yellow signifies good luck and neutrality” (Wikipedia)

In Feng Shui, yellow is very auspicious equal to the colour red. In China’s ancient era ordinary people were not permitted to wear yellow or have yellow in their homes. Yellow colours were only for the Chinese emperor and royalty.

In Feng Shui Bagua, the colour yellow represents the earth element. In Classical Feng Shui the earth element is associated with the center of the Bagua, the South West, and the North East guas(sections).

*In non-directional Feng Shui such as Western of BTB the earth element is associated with the center of the Bagua, the left lower area of the Bagua and the upper right area of the 9 grid Bagua.

The Earth element is associated with Yellow (and earth tones.) Earth is represented by ceramics, tiles, brick, earthenware, soil and stucco. The shape of the earth element is square, flat, plateau and rectangular. A suitable representation of the earth element is crystals. Citrine, carnelian and amber are lovely in the center of your home, office, living room or business to activate the energy of Yellow and the earth element in feng shui.

Quan Yin (Kwan Yin) is the Chinese Bodhisattva Goddess of mercy and compassion. There are temples throughout China dedicated to this goddess.

A Quan Yin statue represents love and compassion. I recommend placing a statue, artwork and paintings in these areas of your home or biz associated with the earth element.

• The South West- Love and Relationships gua (most yin and feminine area of the Bagua)
• Center of the Bagua -Unity & Heart gua
• North East -Knowledge and Self Cultivation gua

Quan Yin is associated with the ultimate form of Chinese beauty. Therefore, expressing that woman or girl is a ‘Quan Yin’ is the highest and most esteemed compliment of grace and beauty.

Wearing the colour yellow can also activate your ‘inner Feng Shui’ when you would like a boost of confidence. I suggest a soft buttery yellow, not a shade of yellow with red undertones. Yellow Chi is good for communication and may be an advantage when meeting business clients. Yellow boosts our ego to feel competent and sure of ourselves. Just remember that too much Yellow on an already overconfident person may not be their best choice.

I recommend using Colour Mirrors Essences and Oils to elevate your aura field and raise the vibration in your homes and spaces. In addition, there are many supportive essences, such as Yellow Angel, which is a lovely remedy for a lack of sunshine and is beneficial in people afflicted with SAD (seasonal affective disorder).

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate, our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small doesn’t serve the world.” – Marianne Williamson.

OWN YOUR POWER

What is the true measure of success in a creative profession? To be recognized for your contribution, rewarded for your talent and validating your decision of pursuing your passion? Yes, of course all these achievements make us feel successful. So do we just stop here and bask in our own sunshine, or take that step forward to spread the rays of our sunshine? What if the sun decided it was more comfortable to hide its light behind the blanket of clouds?

As an artist, I invariably hear reactions or comments like, “How did you paint that? I could never do it, I can’t even draw a straight line; I don’t have a creative bone in my body; I used to like art in school, but haven’t held a brush since… “. What made me even think of teaching art was not as much to share my knowledge or skills, but the desire to get people out of the mindset of not being creative. To instill confidence and bring joy to my students. For that I had to feel confident myself first. To believe that not maybe, but surely I had something of value to share. To feel the power that radiates from the core of ones being, the energy centre of Solar Plexus. This energy corresponds to the vibration of the colour yellow. This brilliant, joyful and generous sunshine colour brings life to every being.

CHOOSE YOUR PATH

Once you feel confident enough to share your expertise, the paths for your journey reveal themselves. Sometimes we need to test a few before committing to the one that we feel most comfortable with. Below are paths that I have personally tested and have found them to be great resources:

• Most cities have an arts centre or school where you can lead workshops or a series of classes. New instructors are always welcome here to add variety to the curriculum.
• Community centres are great locations to rent space for your own workshops. They might also have some programs that you can join as an instructor.
• Online platforms such as Udemy and Teachable can host your courses and offer support in the creation of content
• Due to the isolation faced during the pandemic, there was a need to engage in creative pursuits to relieve stress, and virtual paint nights met this demand along with creating an opportunity for artists to share their skills.
• Networking groups are a great way to develop connections and introduce your offerings.

CREATE YOUR OWN STYLE OF TEACHING

With the passion for nurturing creativity in adults and children, I then set myself the task of creating courses that would appeal to my audience. I took the cue from my own journey as an artist to create creative experiences that could be adapted to different age groups.

As a student of art, I was fascinated by the history of the art movements, the genius of the prolific masters who are remembered through centuries, and the techniques and styles that developed in modern times. As a visual artist, I have dabbled in various styles over the years. My formal education in art has created a solid foundation of principles and techniques that have always guided me even as I moved to an abstract style more recently.

When I create a course or workshops, my intention is to have a structured process, yet allow for some spontaneity and encourage creativity in individuals. This not only makes the learning fun, but develops a confidence in the participants as they discover their unique expression. This was the inspiration that was behind creating “Inspired by the Masters, Journey into Abstract, and Fluid Art Mastery”, the courses that I most enjoy teaching and in turn bring joy to my students. Seeing the proud smiles on the faces of my students surpasses the thrill of any personal achievement.

 So let’s all shine our light with joy and find purpose in sharing our passion.

Yellow – the versatility of this primary color is incredibly vast, adding to how exciting it is to use it!

Yellow evokes excitement, childlike wonder, happiness and hope. Despite the softer, warm feelings it emits, its innate brightness is eye-catching, and naturally peaks awareness and caution in humans and animals.

Since most shades of yellow are uncommon on our natural skin, it makes for a perfect accent color to add fun and excitement to any look. Sharp, graphic liner in neon yellow, soft, sunny yellow to blend out the crease, or going in a super fun, festival-friendly direction with caution-tape yellow lipstick!

Currently, events, movies, fashion shows and online shows like Euphoria are encouraging celebs and consumers alike to test their boundaries with color, intensity and even glitter. 2022 is the perfect year to implement such a special and uncommonly used color such as yellow.

On many skin tones, my second suggestion, blending a sunny-tinged yellow (yellow falling on the red under-tones side versus super cool blue undertone) in the crease of an eye-shadow look makes a perfect transition color. This type of tone can be used with various warm browns, charcoals and bricks. A bluer undertone yellow, pulling almost the slightest tinge of green (think banana yellow) is stunning with chocolate browns, stark black and it’s complimentary color, blue!

It’s certainly a color that may take some coaxing to get on your clients, but like anything it is worth practicing and working with so that you can explore more ways to make it usable depending on your specific field in make-up artistry. When we dare to experiment with color, we enhance our skills and progress in our craft, which grants our clients access to a better class of artists, who are not only professional and technically proficient, but truly creative and out of the box thinkers and doers. We open up their world when we open up our own!

Let’s take a look at 3 images using yellow practically, and endeavor to use yellow more often!

This is a classic use of 24k yellow as a wash over the orbital lid. Here it is paired with a charcoal smokey liner, nude lips, and breathless, dewy skin. This client’s eye shape hides her lid when her eyes are open, which allows this pop of color to peek out as a surprise every time she blinks or closes her eyes!

Here we used sunset yellow as a transition color for this springtime bridal look. It is a subtle but important addition to this eye style, since the client has medium light skin and a smokier brown eyeshadow style which would have looked too stark and sharp if not buffed out and softened with our use of yellow above the crease, so that the deeper tones gently fade without a trace for a perfectly blended look.

This is my favorite look of all! This tiny touch of bright banana yellow on the inner corners of this lovely client’s eyes is an easy and fun addition to any make up look to spice things up! By using soft and neutral pink, peach and rose gold tones thorough out the rest of her makeup, the yellow created an eye-catching and stunning effect against her rich complexion, and didn’t clash with the other elements of her look. Try this on your next client wanting to try something new in the upcoming summer months!

SAKO, The King of Diamonds

You can’t miss the bling (and the wink) every time this genius introduces a new diamond piece on his Instagram. Meet Sako ‘The king of diamonds’ – based out of Toronto, Canada.

When did you discover your interest for jewelry?

I have always been a businessman. Back in time, I used to sell women’s fashion clothing. Then, when I moved to Canada, I started working as a jewelry polisher. It only took me six months in that position to realize that my cup of tea was for sales. It was very difficult for me to sit in an office without seeing and interacting with people so I decided to take the risk and go on the road selling jewelry. At first, I was only selling inexpensive pieces however, today I am known all over Canada as the ‘One & Only Sako, The King of Diamonds’.

What was the first piece of jewelry you sold and who did you sell it to?

Thirty years ago, I sold my first piece to a retail store. It was a 10-carat gold cubic zirconia ring. I was not even in Canada a year when I left my full-time job to take on the adventure of selling jewelry. That decision changed all aspects of my life. I was flying all over Canada, meeting new people, working hard to make my dreams come true. From a polishing jewelry to becoming the #1 jewelry salesman in Canada.

You have some amazing fancy yellow diamonds can you tell us more about them?

Mainly, fancy yellow diamonds are rare. You would find 1 out of 10,000 diamonds. They get their beautiful yellow color from a small part of nitrogen that’s contained in their structure. Because of that, this special color is not part of the range of most of the diamonds. White diamonds are graded on a color scale of D to Z, with D being a colorless diamond and Z having a distinct yellow or brown tint.

Where do you get your inspiration from?

My inspirations come from many years in the jewelry industry, in addition to all my research and the jewelry events I attend every year.

Who are your ideal clients?

Store retailers are my main clients

Who are your ideal clients?

Store retailers are my main clients

What is the best part of your job?

The best part of my job is to connect and meet people.

Where do you sell your jewelry?

I am proud to sell mainly in Canada, but I also have clients overseas.

When needed, goods are shipped to all over the world. Do you have a celebrity in mind you would like to wear your jewelry?

If I could pick one celebrity to wear my jewelry, it would definitely be Jennifer Lopez.

Colours Behind the Brand – Case Study: McDonald

You’ll never look at these logos the same again!

McD’s, Donk Donks, Golden Arches, Macca’s or any other way you say it, McDonald’s is in a brand class all its own!

Children and adults alike recognize this logo instantly. Case in point, I (Amy) remember visiting Portugal with my boys when they were younger. While their father and I were happy to go three glorious weeks exploring new cuisine, my boys were not. They spotted that yellow M from a mile away which lead to please… please… please fest like you’ve never heard! Eventually their father discovered that they sell beer in the Lisbon McDonald’s so… he reluctantly caved.

No matter our personal opinions on this fast food franchise, we could not do the yellow edition without it. Like it or not it is a huge part of our culture, so let’s explore the colours behind McDonald’s.

The charts on the following pages, created by Moira, are a snippet of the process we use to generate the foundational information about a company. We use the Pythagorean numerology system to get our numbers and then we convert those numbers to colours using the Colour Mirrors system. Colour Mirrors is a system of energy-infused oil bottles that contain a top and bottom colour fraction. Each bottle has a message that relates to a person’s or business’ conscious and unconscious patterns. When colour and numbers are combined we can begin to build the story!

Are you lovin’ it?

From our understanding of numerology as seen through the lens of colour, the consonants represent the frequency that resonates outward to our customers and clients.

In this case the consonants for McDonald’s show the number 24 (Pale Magenta and Pale Olive Green). Although this is a colour combination McDonald’s has not tried, it SCREAMS love, money and creativity. The love energy is amplified when we take the number 24 and add the 2 and the 4 together which equals 6 (As shown above with the Colour Mirrors pink, love and money bottle). Other pink attributes are unconditional love, mothering and mother issues (see how these show up for McDonald’s in the ‘You can thank Freud” section on the next page!)

If pink appears in your business consonants, but like McDonald’s, it’s not a colour you want to use for your brand, then you can work around it by actually using the word love in your marketing just like McDonald’s did.

In 2003, Justin Timberlake helped launch the “i’m lovin’ it” campaign. According to 2016 article on pitchfork.com, “… Over the past 13 years, “i’m lovin’ it” has gone on to become by far the longest running McDonald’s slogan in hsitory. And the jingle’s “ba da ba ba ba” vocal hook, originally sung by Timberlake, has grown more famous than Timerlake’s actual hits.” With that fact in mind, you might need a reminder of Justin Timberlake’s song, visit United Colours of Design Magazine on YouTube, UCOD The Yellow Book playlist.

Was McD’s aware that love was deeply embedded in their name? Maybe not consciously but a company does not get McDonald’s big without being tuned in!

A cult or just good systems?

The vowels represent the inner workings of a company. The energy that sits behind the scenes with employees, suppliers and the systems put in place to support the growth of the business.

When you’ve got the Neptune, turquoise, water energy in the vowels (Bottle 7 above) you MUST pay attention to the systems you have in place on the back end of the business.

On one hand this is an amazing energy to have because staff and suppliers will unconsciously know that this business will love them like family and treat them like gold.

On the other hand, sometimes family can take advantage of a loved one’s good nature, so this is where the strict, cult-like structure that McD’s has in place comes into play.

In addition to Rachel McAdams, Jay Leno, Jeff Bezos and James Franco, I (Amy) was also one of the 2,000,000 world[1]wide crew members as a teenager and I can personally attest to the family atmosphere we had in our restaurant. My life became McDonald’s and the other crew members became my family. When you meet a fellow Golden Arches Alum there is a knowing between you. The only thing that was missing was a secret handshake! (This is when my parents thought I joined a cult lol!). The events and parties and love that we all had for one another was unlike any other place I have worked since.

But let me tell you, they were strict! They had procedures for EVERYTHING! Everything was counted, clocked and checked over and over to ensure quality. As a teen it was a bit restricting, but in hindsight, the rules and procedures were there to ensure the loving, family atmosphere stayed intact.

The turquoise that sits alone in the vowels of McDonald’s makes a surprise guest appearance. To see this bizarre detour from the famous yellow M you’ll have to travel to Sedona, Arizona. This is a city that is famous for it’s terra cotta-coloured mountains and magnificent landscape. It is because of their naturally beautiful vistas that the city put rules in to make sure that no man-made structures intrudes on the surrounding scenery. City officials believed that the bright yellow M would clash with the surrounding red rocks and therefore opted for the more pleasing turquoise blue. That’s right people, not even McDonald’s can compete with Mother Nature’s decor.

Again, these energies may not have been known to the marketing agencies or corporate executives but that’s the great thing about colour and numerology – the frequency resonates with those who align with its quiet call.

You can thank Freud!

The total of the numerology on a company name expresses its vision, goals, aspirations, and intentions. For McDonald’s we see the infamous yellow coming up but we also see green, violet and deep turquoise. How do these additional colours relate to the growth path of this company?

McDonald’s is a 4 business. The yellow and turquoise energies in this bottle mean that as a business they will have to maintain a course of intellectually sound (yellow) principles as well as reaching people on an emotional level (deep turquoise) in order to tap into their potential.

In the 1960s when McDonald’s was looking for a refresh its decision makers almost got rid of the golden arches. Louis Cheskin saved the day! It seems that Cheskin was a fan of Sigmund Freud and asserted to management that the arches had a Freudian double meaning. He claimed that the shape of the arches subconsciously reminded people of a large set of breasts. Not just any breasts, but mom breasts, as in the ‘original’ source of nourishment. Whaaaat? (It all comes back to mother issues, which is another energy that pink brings up so we are not surprised at all to read the reasoning for the subliminal messaging behind the M.)

Back in the 60s “sex-sells” was gaining popularity, and Cheskin used it to ninja his way into our subconscious minds. Essentially we were powerless against “Mother McDonald’s breasts” according to the book Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side of the All-American Meal. This “maternal” aspect of the logo was supposed to encourage people to eat at McDonald’s rather than a meal at home. To that we say… was it the yellow boobs or could it have been the pink talking?

With mother issues out of the way, we’d like to take a look at violet. This bottle speaks of death, transformation and rebirth. Over the course of their history McDonald’s has had to adapt and adjust with the changing climate in the fast food industry.

For whatever reason people have tried to slay this dragon but still, we love those fries too much to allow the bad press to stop us. They’ve battled lawsuits about the temperature of their coffee, squashed claims of a mouse in their McChicken and proved that there is indeed dairy in their milkshakes.

Over the years they have rebirthed their restaurants from kid-friendly, play houses with colourful characters to a trendier coffee-house setting complete with big screen TVs and lounge areas. This is the energy of violet in action.

Following the green energy of bottle 31 in the chart, McDonald’s decided to hop on the green train. They did this in 2009 when the European public demanded less plastics, waste and healthier options. McDonald’s had to do something and appear to be eco-friendly. They introduced their green logo by switching out the red background for a deep, almost forest green shade. In a green McDonald’s you will find wooden sticks instead of plastic forks!

Once again, with zero knowledge of these messages in colour, McDonald’s history shows that they are always bang on. This is why we do these articles. Telling a Colours Behind the Brand story never gets old. Whether we are doing a famous brand or a new business for one of our clients, we are in constant awe at how accurate the readings are. When this knowledge is applied to your business you are free to create a brand story that allows you to deeply connect with your audience. And isn’t that what we all really want anyway?

My best tip for visibility is simply being joyously and outrageously yourself. Shine like the sun and you will attract all you need for your business to be a huge success in your eyes.

If only it was that easy. Unfortunately, being joyously yourself is surprisingly tricky in a world where we have been so heavily conditioned to fit in. Fortunately, this is changing in massive ways and makes for a very exciting time to be alive, albeit sometimes scary too!

As I shared in the previous gold edition, I’d recently gone through a dark night of the soul. A difficult yet significant awakening to how much I’d betrayed myself to fit in, and the transition to a deeper perception of reality and my place in it.

Humanity is at a significant jump point in evolution. One that offers a once[1]in-a multi-generation opportunity to rewrite the story of reality and the way we do business. As much as I’d love to just write about all the joy of being visible, this article is about exploring the dark side of yellow too. Fear and confusion.

This may not be the most popular article in the magazine, but I feel it’s what’s most important for this time (which also happens to be during a Scorpio full moon eclipse). It’s the truth of what wants to come through me and what I feel many face when wanting to increase their visibility.

The core of people is light. It can be hard to remember this when in so much darkness though, I certainly know it was for me. Yet it is because of this truth we are able to make visible what has existed in the dark side of ourselves and humanity for so many generations. This is our great opportunity and is exactly the kind of visibility necessary to create sustainable success in business in this new world. It starts inside each one of us. It’s a choice of course, and it’s not for the faint of heart. It requires complete self-responsibility and courage to face some of our greatest betrayals, fears, and shame.

The thing I wasn’t prepared for, when I left the corporate world almost 15 years ago to be a full-time entrepreneur, was a theme I’ve seen with many others I’ve worked with over the years. And that is, when you sign on for doing what you love for a living and really putting yourself out there, it is actually one of the deepest spiritual and personal development journeys you will take. It is life long and there is no road map. You are signing up to make visible all the parts of you that would prefer never be seen. When you stretch for what you want, be prepared to dive deeper than you ever thought possible. Fortunately, there is much more awareness on these mechanics now and experienced guides are surfacing all over the place. This speaks to the coaching industry (market value estimated to reach $20 billion by 2022).

On my rather bumpy entrepreneurial journey, I’ve learned that everyone’s path is entirely unique and there is only so far you can go while trying to ‘fit in’ or following someone else’s path. I’ve also learned that the ways I tried to stay in control of my life, my emotions and hold myself together, were actually tearing me apart.

I’ve learned that visibility is about questioning everything, including our shame, who we blame, what makes us happy and everything in between. Visibility is about bringing the light to the pain so many of us hold within after generations of trying to fit in. All emotions are sacred portals looking for our loving awareness and we cannot do this alone. We can’t see for ourselves what is obvious to a trusted coach, guide, or friend.

By mastering the art of navigating through the dark and honouring what brings us joy, even in our pain, we will seize this opportunity to thrive. We can then regenerate, transform, and innovate for a time that calls for entirely new ways to market, sell, relate and grow.

Being vulnerable, authentic, and community focused is key to building trust and credibility. Consumers are more conscious and discerning with whom they spend their time and money with. They want to feel a deeper connection and resonance to who and how they invest.

Authority and trust have shifted from the brand to the consumer. Where consumers once looked outside for authority, they now look within themselves. Transformation, after all, occurs within and so does trust.

The rate at which we are collectively and individually evolving as accelerated by technology can be overwhelmingly fast and confusing. It speaks to the need to move slower so we can really listen to what’s being asked of us by our inner world and the outer market needs. It also speaks to the lines between business and life blurring, as well as our on and off-line worlds. Digital connection has become a very important skill. Through my years of trial and error I created a methodology called MarkeTelling TM. It’s a holistic approach to marketing, sales, and leadership for this digital era. When your content reflects the depths of who you really are, you make great impact in your community, you attract the people, opportunities, and wealth that fulfills your soul and nourishes your heart. The MarkeTelling TM method asks the fundamental questions: What are the stories you tell yourself? What are the stories the market is telling you? What are the stories you tell the market? What is serving and what is no longer working?

To attract the kind of visibility you want for your business, you must first get visible inside yourself. The priority must become inner alignment and energetic resonance. It may not be about getting visible to the outside world at first. If you make the priority of being visible ‘out there’ first, highly focused on metrics and numbers, you may end up spending much more time and money than necessary.

Your business visibility is understanding you are on a never[1]ending transformational journey of stretching, diving deep and hopefully letting go. The love you have in being outrageously you in the highs and lows transcends outside linear metrics of the old world.

Have fun in the new world – move slow, have patience and most importantly, love what you do!

…and that visibility which makes us most vulnerable is that which also is the source of our greatest strength.” -Audre Lorde

The fear of money and our inability to understand it can drive us crazy. If the following statements ring true to you, you’re in the right place!

• I feel fearful and/or powerless over money.
• I am consumed with thoughts of not being able to make ends meet.
• I am stressed and/or nervous about running out of money when I am older.
• I will never be able to afford ‘this’ or ‘that’.
• Why do others seem to have so much, and I have much less?
• I don’t have enough money to have fun. Fun activities are too expensive.
• If gas/groceries/interest rates continue to increase, I’ll go broke.

Many people think this way and unfortunately feel this way. This list is truly the dark side of yellow so let’s turn this around and bring a new picture into your reality. The saying “Rome wasn’t built in a day” is a metaphor for patience and so I can, with confidence say wealth isn’t built in a day either. (Side-note – if money is acquired quickly as with a lottery win or sudden inheritance, without good habits in place this money can be squandered very quickly.)

In previous articles, we reviewed:

• Wealth is built systematically
• Wealth is built over time
• Consistently following a plan

Do you see the trend?

It’s like paying your hydro bill every month! We all have bills and ‘PAY YOURSELF FIRST’ is a bill. If you do not put yourself on the list of items to pay each month, you will never set it as a priority. Add yourself to the payee list each month, start a ‘pay yourself ’ bucket and consistently add to it. You will see over time; your wealth begin to grow.

Just as we feel despair when finances are lacking, those who are financially responsible tend to:

• Feel more optimism and joy
• Have more fun
• Travel and enjoy experiences
• Live with more confidence coming from a place of responsibility.

MONEY ATTRACTS MONEY

Reap the rewards of this behavior. Opportunities will arise when funds are set aside in an organized fashion.

How can you begin to feel lighter, sow your seeds and reap a harvest?

1. Believe and envision the life you want
2. Open 3 savings buckets: #1 short term savings bucket, #2 long term savings bucket and #3 your dream bucket
3. Ask for help. Seek out a mentor, speak to those who have filled their buckets, engage a certified financial advisor

Think of when you were a child, we all would imagine BIG THOUGHTS and we would take much joy in our brilliant ideas. The world back then was all about curiosity and creativity. It’s time to bring this childlike thinking back into your life:

• imagine all the good feelings you would feel if you imagined money in flow.
• Envision a home, savings, a car. Anything that you would like to call into your life.

This is step one to calling opportunity into your world. When interviewing any person who has either a responsible lifestyle, or a wealthy lifestyle, they will tell you, “It ALL started with a thought, with a belief, and the will do what is needed to live this lifestyle.”

Again, when we were children, think of how we used to divide our toys or choose the kids we wanted on our teams. We creatively organized all sorts of things so that we could build on them. We had our barbie clothes separated into piles of gowns, sportswear, and sleep wear. We had our tonka vehicles organized into working groups. Create this play in your nest egg!

Set up 3 savings buckets:

1. Short term bucket
2. Long term bucket
3. Dream Bucket

Set a monthly pre-authorized deposit into these buckets. Even if its $25/mo. to start.

Step two: Money attracts money!! Reap the rewards of this behavior. Opportunities will arise when funds are set aside in an organized fashion.

Remember when we were children and we played school, we loved to teach. Some of us also loved to copy each other. We are creatures of learning together. When we were unsure, we would ask our friends for help, we even thought our mothers knew best. Big brothers, big sisters, came to our rescue.

Step Three: What have others done to get where they are? We will always grow in spades when we ask for help!

Optimism attracts positivity. Harvesting reaps rewards. When measuring outcomes, we see they balance more to the positive than to the negative. Many times, it is our frame of mind which can be overly critical.

Take this from me; I know this firsthand and was able to turn this around by:

– Believing
– Setting up the Bucket Plan
– Asking for Help

As I continually repeat these 3 steps, I experience a brilliance in my life that never would have appeared had I not followed this plan. Allow your inner child to outweigh the critic child within. It works if you work it.

Your Elemental Joy Type (The Astrological Reason to Not Take a fish on a Roller Coaster)

Perhaps it is presumptuous of me, but I will hazard a guess that you’ve never invited a fish to ride a roller coaster with you. And why haven’t you? Well, I’m assuming it’s because you’re not a maniac, and also, that you (rightfully) suspect the fish wouldn’t enjoy it.

Oddly, however, I’d also be willing to bet that, at least once, you’ve dragged a loved one to some activity that they absolutely loathed: some movie they didn’t want to see, a dinner party they hated, or maybe an escape room that left them feeling stupid and claustrophobic.

Am I right—have you invited people to join activities they despised? And more importantly, do you know why they didn’t enjoy your outing when it seemed so fun to you? I’ll tell you why: they don’t have the same Joy Type as you, and if an activity runs contrary to someone’s Joy Type, it is hard for them to have a good time.

Astrology would name four distinct Joy Types that are derived from the elemental grouping of the zodiac: Fire, Earth, Air and Water. A Joy Type could be thought of as an enjoyment genre, with unique tendencies and preferences that lead to satisfaction and fun for members of that Joy Type.

Below I list the four Joy Types and their normal sign associations. It’s important to note that you can have a Joy Type that is not typical of your Sun Sign, and you can have more than one that reflects you. In fact, most people will have a dominant and a minor Joy Type.

Use the descriptions as your guide to discern where you best fit. If you can also determine your loved-ones’ Joy Type, you can use this information to enhance your next activity together. As a bonus, by not menacing them with ‘fun activities’ that ignore their natural preferences, you will be extending to them, a courtesy that you instinctively and regularly extend to fish. They’d probably appreciate that.

(Aries, Leo and Sagittarius) Those of the Fire Joy type thrive in high energy. They like things to be lively, exciting and challenging, maybe even competitive. This group gravitates to the action: parties, festivals, sporting competitions and special celebrations. If there are bright colours, loud music, cheering crowds and uproarious laughter, this type will feel right at home. Fire Joy types are magnetic and compelling; the party doesn’t truly start until they arrive.

If you’re a Fire Type in a situation that is less than stimulating, consider spicing up the activity by making a competition of it. This will ratchet up your interest. Other strategies include inviting lots of other people along to enliven the atmosphere, or even bringing an inspirational podcast to stir your internal energy.

(Taurus, Virgo and Capricorn) Earth Joy types take pleasure in things that are real. They like tasty food, relaxing massages, beautiful surroundings, and fabrics that feel nice on the body. Their hobbies involve useful and practical pursuits, such as woodworking, pottery, organizing, building businesses, investing, and renovating homes. This is a tactile, practical bunch; sitting around philosophizing, does nothing for them. Better to go putter in the garden or do a workout and then have a satisfying shower, maybe with a loved one.

If you’re an Earth Type and you find yourself in an activity that is out of your element, look for ways to make tangible use of your time. If you got roped into trivia night at the pub and the random quizzing seems pointless, take the opportunity to explore new items on the menu. During any activity, you can always steer the conversation toward useful topics, thereby gaining information you can employ later like stock tips, job opportunities, cooking techniques or gardening tricks.

(Gemini, Libra, Aquarius) Air Joy types love socializing and mental stimulation. It doesn’t have to have a point, or be useful in any way; Air Joy types simply delight in the interaction, the banter, the jokes and the sharing of ideas. This is a mentally sharp and curious group. They love puzzles, murder podcasts, comedy, gossip and new information. Seeing new sights, conversing, debating points, making observations, texting, taking photographs, surfing the Internet, hanging out on social apps, reading, and researching are all ways to bring happiness to the Air Joy group.

Because they are social, Air Joy types are able to glean fun from most situations. Even uninteresting activities like cutting the grass, can be instantly more palatable for Air Joy types with the addition of some Airpods and some comedy or music. The era of smartphones has made it almost impossible for Air Types to be out of their element, with so much socializing at their fingertips, even a flight delay can now be a pleasant experience for this group!

(Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces) Water Joy types are all about unstructured time and letting their mood dictate the activity. The pleasures for this group involve music (listening, playing or dancing), creating art, journaling, spending time with loved ones, enjoying peaceful walks in nature, reveling in solitude, and the simple pleasure of moving from activity to activity at their own pace. Water Joy types like hanging with close friends, reminiscing about the past, looking through photos, rocking babies, cooking a meal, stroking a pet, and feeling the breeze as they walk along the beach hand in hand with a lover. Water Joy is emotional joy. It’s about closeness and connection, and being immersed in the moment.

If you’re a Water Joy type and find yourself in a high pressure or discordant situation, simply taking a moment to breathe and reconnect with yourself can do wonders. Having a meaningful conversation, at an otherwise impersonal party, might make your night. Respecting your own rhythm by moving on from any activity when you’ve had your fill is important for your energetic well being.

Yellow is sunshine, bursts of brightness and clarity, happiness and joy. Yellow can also represent brilliance, boldness and signify newness and rebirth. Yellow can bring a sense of positivity and optimism for the future. Recently at Mother Earth’s Learning Village, we welcomed brand new baby chicks. With their soft yellow down they were handled sweetly by gentle hands. It was a beautiful reminder of how miraculous life can be.

Sit for a moment, close your eyes and allow the warmth of yellow to wash over you, what do you feel? Does it elicit any memories? I am reminded of a pale yellow baby blanket that I carried with me well beyond my childhood. Its soft satin edges were slowly worn away, but the comfort it created, lasted for years. Yellow also tastes like sweet, sour and refreshing lemonade on a warm summer day. Although each of us will connect to the colour yellow in different ways, more often than not it brings cheerful connections and emotions.

This edition arrives at the beginning of July, a time that for many of us (depending on what part of the world you are living in) represents the beginning of summer. Nature calls – trees and flowers are in full bloom, warm temperatures allow us to spend more time outside and the sunshine brings brighter and longer days, where joy seems to be easier to find. I have vivid memories of summer’s arrival and the sights, sounds and smells of this seasonal shift. Birds chirping, dogs barking and the busyness of humans out and about – walking, gardening and riding bikes. I smell spring meeting summer, cooler air becoming fresh and full bodied with heat and hints of fresh cut grass and barbeque.

These visceral memories fill me with joy. So let’s explore 3 basic ways to live a more vibrantly YELLOW JOYFUL life…

Judge-less

We need to be able to judge, judgment exists for our survival. I remember a discussion during my Reiki Level one training in Costa Rica and my Reiki Master, Patricia Vieira (The Empower Yourself Project) expressed that judgment is needed from an evolutionary standpoint – ex: ‘should I enter this dark cave on my own’ or ‘should I eat these berries I just foraged without knowing for sure that they are not poisonous’. The thing with judgment is that it exists along a continuum and there needs to be a healthy balance.

To lead a more joyful existence I am gently encouraging you to be mindful of judgment. Heavily judging yourself and others can create a heaviness in your body and mind. Connect in with yourself if you feel like you are spending a lot of time judging what others are doing, saying or how they are living their life. If we are not judging others, we are most likely doing it to ourselves. We can be our own worst critics and although we need a healthy dose of reflection on how we live our life, we often over-analyze. If you become aware of judgment that tips the scales in an unhealthy way, take a moment, maybe a deep breath to become more present. Check in on your mental energy and ask yourself, ‘Can this be used in a more positive and productive way?’ The answer is usually yes and the outcome often more joyous.

Open Heart

To have an open heart one must be vulnerable. Humans do not usually enjoy being and feeling vulnerable. It can be scary and sometimes physically and emotionally debilitating to approach other people and our life in general with a truly open heart. The catch is, if we do not live our life in this way, we can miss out on blissful opportunities and an abundance of joy, love, happiness and the all the lessons (there are a lot of lessons!). Life becomes the juiciest when we can speak our truth and do not hold back from showing up in our divine essence as our truest selves. In my yoga classes I often talk about the mind/body connection and how opening your heart emotionally can begin with physically opening your arms, stretching your chest and allowing that somatic experience of expansion. Find that sweet spot that feels good to let your body open and see what joyful wonders appear in your life.

Yes!

Say yes to the things that light you up. Give time and space to anything and everything that makes you feel sunshiny, superb and utterly splendid from the inside out. Maybe you know what lights you up and brings you the most joy, but you do not make it a priority. Maybe you are still trying to figure it all out. No matter where you are currently in your life, get out for those walks in the wilderness, make time for cooking with your kids, dance, dance and dance some more, paint, run, bike and keep saying yes to whatever allows you to show up in the world in full expression of your personal joyful journey.

Yellow, yellow, yellow. Bright? Sunny? Power? Caution? Illness? Confidence? Oh, my head or should I say my tummy?

This colour can be amazing, or it can be a nemesis! It all depends on how you are feeling at the time. Yellow comes in a variety of shades. Light, dark and amber. Amber gets its own category because of its unique colouring. The cool thing is amber reminds us of the earth and the wisdom that’s held within it. So it’s a pretty important yellow colour to have in your repertoire of crystals. I won’t go into the details now because I’m sure it will come up in a future edition of the UCOD magazine!

Let’s get going with the actual colour yellow. Is this article going to be fluffy and joyful, and fill you in on how wonderful yellow will make you feel? I don’t know. Everyones take on yellow will depend on how they are vibrating at the time of reading this article. Read it now and then in a couple of months. See if you feel different about the article and the colour yellow.

Let’s do a bit of history on yellow. I love doing research on how colours came to be. How did they get their name? Where did it come from? Who figured it out, and how did they come up with the word that describes a colour? So many questions, not enough time.

When was it first used?

The colour yellow is over 17,000 years old, used as early as 45,000BCE! It is one of the oldest colour pigments in history. It was used in and still is visible in cave paintings, and it was one of the first colours used in prehistoric times! Apparently, the yellow pigments came from clay soil that was rich in ochre, which is a natural clay. How cool is that!

When was the pigment discovered?

Carl Wilhelm Scheele, who was a Swedish chemist, discovered the colour yellow in 1770. He made it by grinding 2 parts lead with 1 part sea salt and putting it into water. Voila! Yellow!!

How did it get the name “yellow”?

Yellow is one of the oldest colour words in the English language. It was found in a poem written between the 8th and 11th centuries. They don’t know who the author was, but he was describing a shield that was carved from yew wood which is a pale yellow.

So there you have a bit of background on the colour yellow.

The human eye sees yellow as the brightest colour. It is actually considered a neutral colour. It sits perfectly comfortable between the “I like” or “I don’t” like. So, if it is neutral, how can it have negative or positive attributes? To understand the frequencies and vibrations of yellow, we have to look at both sides equally.

When you think of a caution sign, how does it make you feel?

Because yellow is the brightest colour, that is why it is used on caution signs, the middle colour of the stoplight, and anything that must make a person beware of a situation or danger.

When you hear the term “they’re such yellow bellies,” what does that mean? (I just realized that some of you may never have heard this term because you are so young? Lol)

Yellow has long been associated with a coward, someone who is fearful of many things. People would get called a coward if they were afraid to take a chance. Many of those were dares that could be life-threatening. Still, today, you may hear someone say, “they are just yellow.” Jeepers.

Sunny facts about yellow.

Yellow is our solar plexus, the 3rd energy centre. That is where our power sits! It’s our confidence. It’s the energy centre that helps us to be creative and to manifest the best of everything! How many times have you felt unwell, stomach upset or queasy when something happens, and you feel you have no power of the situation? That is your solar plexus telling you to take charge and stand firm in YOUR power.

Yellow helps to heal digestive disorders. It also helps the lymphatic and nervous systems and your metabolism.

Yellow is related to the sun-god Helios. He wore a yellow robe and rode in a golden chariot. The brilliant yellow of the sun symbolized divine wisdom. Be that sun-god! Don’t let someone else take your power because they want you to feel as crappy as them!

Yellow is a FANTABULOUS colour to meditate with. I completely understand that not everybody has or wants to sit and meditate, so just hold a yellow crystal and see what happens. Because yellow is so high in vibration, it is perfect to bring your spiritual ideas into this physical world. It’s the colour of miracles and magic. If you want to attract things into your life, strengthen your solar plexus by bringing yellow into your energy/auric field.

You have to be careful using yellow because it does amplify, so if you’re very agitated for some reason, it’s only going to make it worse. On the other hand, if you’re beginning to feel better about something and begin to feel happier, yellow just amplifies and speeds the process! Isn’t that awesome?

Crystals for healing and/or meditating with.

Yellow sapphire

• Helps to get rid of fear and doubt blocking your way to attaining your dreams.
• Helps manifest an abundance of wealth, prosperity and success
• Helps charge up your willpower
• Helps to bring your dreams into reality
• A great stone to help with procrastination Talk about a stone I have to get!

Pyrite 

Yes, fools gold. It actually is in the yellow grid.

• Activates the solar plexus
• Brings you into your warrior energy
• Great for mental focus
• Excellent for grounding

Your homework;

Find something yellow, even a sticky note and sit with a bit. How does it make you feel? If it aggravates you, ask yourself why? What is it with yellow that makes you dislike it or uneasy?

What negative emotion is it amplifying? Once you figure out the emotion, ask yourself why is it there? It’s okay if you do not know why or where it came from. The important part is to recognize it and know it is not yours.

Now, take your yellow crystal/stone, sit quietly with it up against your 3rd chakra, just below the breastbone. Inhale slowly and deeply, exhale slowly at least 3 times.

Set a positive intention or, if you have something difficult in your life, focus on it getting better or resolved. Breathing in your own natural rhythm, allow the essence of the yellow from the crystal to go into your body with each inhale.

Affirmation to say while sitting with the crystal/stone.

I can say yes or no according to my desire.
I step into my power and being who.
I truly am I am powerful.
I am abundant.

Get Ready For #Summer

It’s summer! What are you looking forward to? Have you booked some family time? My family went to Cape Cod to visit my grandparents every July till I was 17. There we spent time at swimming lessons, boating and sailing, at the beach, played board and card games and enjoyed family barbeques.

I struggled academically due to many absences for health reasons during grades one, two and three. I missed many of the lessons teaching the basics. My health, attendance and skills improved in grade three. In addition, I frequently daydreamed.

It wouldn’t surprise me to learn that I was also dealing with Attention Deficit Disorder/Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. I’ve never been tested or diagnosed but it runs in my family. My son and one of my grandsons have this diagnosis. It doesn’t affect intelligence but people with it have challenges that neurotypical people don’t face. A child with ADD/ ADHD shifts quickly between activities, is impulsive, easily distracted, may daydream, has difficulty with emotional regulation and problem solving.

I vividly remember getting in trouble in grade four. I was sitting at my desk looking out the window, feeling stuck inside. It was sunny and hot. The bright blue sky was filled with fat, fluffy clouds. I could feel my soul soaring up, over and out the open window and landing at the beach. Immediately I was building sandcastles, splashing in the water, spotting minnows, catching hermit crabs and feeling them tickle my hands.

I was so focused on my fun imaginings that I genuinely didn’t hear my teacher repeatedly calling me. With each “Heather.” ”Heather.” “Heather.” “Heather.” she got louder and more irritated! I believe that she thought I was deliberately ignoring or refusing to answer her. The whole class was silent and staring at me when I finally realized that she was speaking to me and responded.

That experience definitely shaped how I deal with students as a Behavioural Teaching Assistant. My communication, observation and intervention skills help teach students to manage emotions, problem solve effectively, build friendships, learn and apply social skills and develop strategies to stay on task. Students with learning disabilities and a wide variety of challenges including ADHD work with me.

If you’re concerned about your child’s social or academic progress, take them to your family doctor for a checkup to rule out any medically based issues like impaired vision or hearing. Ask for a referral to a pediatrician. After consultation, the pediatrician may suggest psycho educational testing to determine if something is affecting your child’s learning. The testing results will identify your child’s areas of strength, pinpoint challenges and provide strategies that can be shared with your child’s teachers. A diagnosis helps with effective strategies and access to additional professional resources to help your child thrive.

I highly recommend watching a Facebook and YouTube series called “How to ADHD’’. The host, Jessica, does a terrific job of explaining how ADHD brains differ and gives strategies to cope with all aspects of life in fun, informative and educational videos.

Homework for you!

*Discuss expectations. When my children were little, going on a day trip usually included a treat. We always had a conversation about expected behaviour, safety, staying with an adult and listening to instructions. We also stressed the “hands to yourself, feet on the ground” rule. Acting out meant we left immediately and went home. I always asked my children questions about our discussion to make sure they understood.

When children do act out, stay calm and in control. After they’re calm, have them think about how they felt, how their words or actions impacted others and where they notice anger first in their bodies. Show them the “5 Second Rule” Hold up one hand and use five fingers to count down from 5 -1. At 1 they decide if their next action helps or harms the situation. Recognizing feelings slows the reaction time, gives them time to think, delays an impulsive reaction, and allows them to use more positive language, choices and actions. .

*Give choices and control. For example, “Your bed needs to be made, your toys in the family room need to be picked up and you need to get dressed before we can go to the park. What are you going to do first? Next? Last? Okay, go do it.”

*Give responsibility. Include children in the family housekeeping. Give them age-appropriate chores. Start with simple tasks, demonstrate one step at a time and then add steps as they are mastered. Be patient as they learn these important life skills. Praise the effort, not the result. .

*Keep the routine similar. Keep the daily eating and sleeping routine similar to when school is on. My oldest benefitted when her schedule stayed the same as it reduced behaviour caused by lack of sleep. The colour yellow in their bedroom helps a child with ADHD stay calm, focused, and relaxed. A visual schedule on the fridge lets children know what to expect. Warn of unexpected changes in schedule and have a backup plan ready.

*Have lots of time for device free play. Walk, dance, play sports, run through the sprinkler, go swimming or for a bike ride and play with a pet. Try gardening, observe animals, photograph or draw them and compile a backyard wildlife list. Use sidewalk chalk or do crafts for artistic expression. Identify tree species, and bird watch. Put up a tent for games. Go to the library for new books. Challenge your children in puddle jumping and see who can make the biggest splash.

*Encourage imagination! On a Toronto excursion, we created “Beat the Street Light!”. My 7-year-old grandson helped create the game rules and kept score. We got 2 points for safely crossing a busy intersection before the green “Walk” sign changed, 1 point if we crossed before the timer ended. The streetlight got a point if we didn’t make it before the “STOP” hand came up.

Have Fun! Take the opportunity to play, relax and enjoy yourselves together. Time flies when you’re having fun!

This edition is all about yellow, it represents joy and happiness. While writing for each edition I use the colour of that edition in my daily life and really embody that colour. This month was no different. Wearing yellow, thinking of yellow, and eating yellow foods helped me to feel joyful. Yellow reminds me of the sun and how good it feels. This month I found so much joy and happiness through my thoughts as well as my experiences this month. We traveled to Costa Rica and soaked up some much[1]needed sun, and shortly after our return we celebrated our engagement. So, I must say the colour yellow has brought me joy this month.

“Watch your thoughts, they become your words; watch your words, they become your actions; watch your actions, they become your habits; watch your habits, they become your character; watch your character, it becomes your destiny.” ― Lao Tzu

This is a quote I have posted in my office and see everyday to remind me to watch my thoughts. If you want to change your life and bring in joy and happiness you need to be aware of where happiness and joy comes from. If you want to grow an apple tree and you have a peaches, how do you change the fruit? You change the seed not the plant. Your thoughts are your seeds.

How do we change our thoughts? If you “try” and do this consciously it will be very difficult to just change your thoughts, or just think positive. Once you have a thought it then triggers another thought and another. Experts say that we have over 60,000 thoughts per day. Many of those are negative and are opposite to Joy and Happiness. As a human race we tend to have more negative thoughts than positive.

Where do our thoughts come from? That could be a conversation for days! There has been much speculation as to how our thoughts are formed and where they originate. When you observe your thoughts, you will see that they represent past experiences and others represent the future and are our present day in the moment. Our experiences and memories are stored in our subconscious minds. When you have thoughts of past negative experiences this changes your physiology and you re-feel the emotions again it is like it is happening now. Once you have a negative thought it will then create another thought related to that thought and so on. So, if you have a thought “I am so tired and stressed” your mind will have another thought similar and often will find past evidence for this thought, and again reinforce it. The same rings true for happy and positive past experiences, you can relive a fantastic experience and feel those emotions and have another positive thought to increase your happiness.

So, what does this have to do with Hypnosis? How can Hypnosis help you have more Happy and Joyful thoughts?

Hypnosis is a tool that is used by Hypnotherapists to access your subconscious mind and assist in reprogramming your thoughts and beliefs to create the life you want.

The quote above states to watch your thoughts, your thoughts are the root of who you are and how you show up in the world. We are what we think about. Many people have said to me I cannot control my thoughts they control me. When you are able to access the subconscious mind through hypnosis or self hypnosis you are able to begin to have control over your thoughts. Hypnotic language speaks to the subconscious mind in a language it understands, is able to accept positive suggestions and will assist in re-programming one’s mind to increase happiness and joy (and has many other uses as well).

4 things you can do today to increase your joy and happiness

Notice your thoughts throughout the day

• Really notice what you think about and how one thought creates another thought, and then creates another thought. What are you thinking about all day? Is it the past? The future? Positive? Negative?

When you have a negative or stressful thought

• Notice if that thought is about a past experience or a prediction of the future. The past is the past and cannot be changed. The future is an illusion so why not make it a good illusion. Your past does not need to dictate your future.

Take a deep breath

• Throughout the day many people do not take time to notice their breath. Notice how you breathe and take deep breaths throughout the day; it will calm your nervous system and give you the oxygen you need. It will break your thought process and your can refocus.

Take note of what you want

Now that you have taken a deep breath, have a thought about what you do want. Do one thing each day towards what you do want, no matter how small it will move you forward.

Complete this activity to see how powerful your mind is

Close your eyes imagine yourself on a treadmill

1. Say to yourself “I can’t do this I am so out of shape, I am tired” over and over really feel it!
2. Assess how you feel
3. Now close your eyes and you are on the same treadmill
4. Say to yourself “I can do this! Yes, I can. I am so energized I totally can do this
5. Open your eyes and assess how you feel

Notice you felt better when you thought positive thoughts. Hypnosis can assist you in so many ways, listen to the free hypnosis and notice the difference in your body and mind.

Your Inner Child & Your Creativity Bring More Joy, Laughter & Playfulness Into Your Life

Imagine waking up each morning, full of energy and excited to start the day. You jump out of bed, ready for adventure and wherever that day may take you. You have more energy than you know what to do with and you eagerly create and play and laugh as you move throughout the day. Time seems to stand still as you are fully engaged in the present moment. You are free and expansive and full of absolute joy!

Does this seem like a fantasy? Is this something you can imagine and picture for yourself?

Perhaps your current reality is more of a challenge to get out of bed in the morning, knowing you have to go to a job that does not light you up. Perhaps you have no energy and life feels heavy, as if you are just going through the motions.

If you are looking to bring more joy, laughter and playfulness to your life, your inner child may have the key. Inside each of us lives our inner child. The part of us that remembers our youthful days. The days of long summers and endless play.

Of course, not everyone associates childhood with playfulness and fun. If you experienced neglect, trauma, or other emotional pain, your inner child may be wounded and have unmet needs. If so, you may have buried this pain deep inside of you to hide it and protect yourself.

Hiding pain doesn’t heal it. Instead, it often surfaces in your adult life, showing up as distress in personal relationships or difficulty meeting your own needs. When you are in a relationship and your inner child has unmet needs, this can show up as conflict and challenges with your partner.

A few signs that your inner child may need healing include, poor self-esteem, issues with setting and maintaining boundaries, challenges expressing emotions, people-pleasing, avoiding people, trouble with addictions, trust issues, lack of energy, lack of inspiration, and lack of joy for life.

It is important to take responsibility for your inner child’s needs, as well as give it space to play, laugh and express its creativity. Inner child wounds can block your creativity and the freedom to express yourself. Working to heal your inner child can help you address some of these issues.

Meeting your inner child practice

1. For this practice you will need 2 pillows set up on the floor facing each other. You will sit on one pillow, facing the second pillow. When you are settled in and comfortable, close your eyes and begin by taking a few deep breaths. Take a moment to bring your awareness to your breath as it moves into your nostrils and down into your chest, watching your chest rise and fall. Take as much time as you need to drop any thoughts in your mind and simply focus on your breathing.
2. Once your mind has settled, bring your awareness to the center of your heart chakra. Tune into the energy you feel here and allow it to expand. When you feel settled into your heart, you will invite an image of your inner child to appear in your mind’s eye. Visualize what your inner child would look like and when you have that image, project it outside of you and see it sitting on the pillow in front of you.
3. Welcome your inner child and ask if they would be willing and open to connecting with you now. Most of the time your inner child will be happy to connect with you but there may be times when they are not willing. If this is the case, never force anything to happen. You can give it some space and just sit with your inner child and see if they come around, you may even just want to hug the pillow and hold your inner child if they are not in the mood to play.
4. If they are willing to connect, begin by asking what your inner child needs at this moment. Does it need love, safety, freedom, play, laughter, cuddles, whatever it asks for is perfect. Can you give your inner child what it needs? If you can give it what it needs now then take the time to do so. If you can’t give it what it needs now, set a date in your calendar where you can have a play-date with your inner child.
5. Next you will ask your inner child if they have a message for you. Is there something they can give you insight to? Usually their message is to lighten up, have more fun, play more, etc. Where are you being too serious in your life? How can you bring in and experience more joy?
6. The last part of the practice for connecting with your inner child is to allow them to express themselves. This can be done through journaling, drawing, dancing or anything else that comes to mind that gives your inner child freedom to create.
7. When you have finished playing with your inner child, invite them to sit back on the pillow in front of you. Take the pillow in your arms and give it a big hug. Holding it against your heart, see in your mind’s eye a safe and loving space within you that you create just for your inner child. This could be a childhood bedroom, playground, tree-house, or any image that comes to you. Invite your inner child to step into this place, created just for them and see them playing and settling in here. Anytime you want to connect to your inner child you can do so by bringing this image to your mind and inviting them to play.
8. Take a few deep breaths into your heart chakra to end the practice. Then coming back to the present moment, take your time to integrate the experience and any insights or messages you may have received.

Our mind has been programmed to see, think, and feel – without it, we are unable to perform the most basic of tasks for survival. However, our soul is inextricably linked – subtly influencing us, nudging us, as it wants to shine, yet she is hidden and unable to show herself unless we intentionally seek her out. She is our true being and resides within our heart. Through her, we can experience Divine Love and radiate joy!

Where did she go and how do we bring her out of hiding? How do we connect with her?

Where did she go?

As each day of our lives pass, our soul takes the back seat, to the point we forget she’s with us. As a child our soul shines bright but over the years it fades. Science says the first 7 years of life are the years we program our children – their perceptions are formed based on the experiences they have in these formative years. Innocently and unknowingly, we program our children’s minds but as we teach them to adapt to societal expectations, we forget to teach them how to stay connected with themselves. I wish I knew to do this when my children were little but quite frankly most of us don’t have the awareness that this is something we should be doing. Therefore, slowly but surely, we disconnect our children from their soul. We teach them who they should be, what they should do, how they should behave, forgetting to celebrate who they are. We constantly tell them to stop expressing themselves because it may be too loud or too big or too bright. We can’t blame ourselves; we have fallen victim to how we should be raising our kids because we too have forgotten our souls and therefore have relied solely on our mind to guide us.

Sounds crazy that we could so easily forget who we are, yet it explains why so many adults go in search to find themselves, or perhaps reinvent themselves. And it’s why you may have heard that to heal, you need to connect with your inner child – the one who existed before programming took over.

Need convincing that we can be so fickle and forget our very essence? How many times have you “forgotten” about your “once” favorite piece of clothing or other cherished item now stuffed away deep in the back of your closet? I know I’m guilty of this. Years can go by before something reminds me of this once cherished item and even then, when reminded of my love for it, I don’t retrieve it, it stays in the past where it was left – Its value has been replaced. Only in this case, the value of our mind has been replaced the value of our soul – and we didn’t notice.

I feel as if our mind is threatened by our soul’s existence, so it places a spell upon us, a forgetfulness spell, but often our soul keeps fighting for our attention. It speaks the truth to us and is often revealed through our inner knowingness. When our gut/our intuition is talking, then I believe it is our soul talking. The ever faithful, she is a part of us, she has not abandoned us. She continues to guide us in the only way she can. We just need to learn to listen to her calls, to that knowingness that comes from within – for that is surely her.

So, if all this is true, then the question becomes how do you connect with your soul once again? How do you lose your mind to find your soul? The answer – We need to seek her. This is where you claim your personal power and tap into your inner wisdom.

How do we connect with her?

Believe it or not, my go to tool in this case is meditation. Through self-control, we alter our state of being, we work to push our mind out of its position of strength. Our goal is to witness the thoughts of our mind, and in so doing, realize that we are not our mind! If we can watch our mind, then surely, we are not our mind! How mind blowing is that? And when we are successful, it opens the door to our soul. We become aware of her, we learn to listen to her voice and spoiler alert: she is known to bring us joy and peace.

Until I was tuned into this magnificent power, I had always thought of mind, body, and soul as independently operating aspects of myself their interconnectedness was elusive to me and were more of a conceptual idea that I couldn’t grasp. As a lifelong learner, I very much lived in my mind.

Boy was I wrong.

The power of their interconnectedness can be compared to that of a plug and a socket. Each one exists on their own, part of an object, but their value is not in their ability to stand as an independent product, however beautiful it may be – it is only truly realized when united with its counterpart. Their union is transformational, miracles happen.

If we operate, as I had, and most do – with our mind, body and soul as separate elements of our beings then just imagine how much more radiant you could be if you were plugged-in, embracing your oneness. And, we’ve just been talking about connecting our mind and soul! When you do yoga to connect your body, the trifecta is like fireworks – magical, healing, life changing. Your power becomes limitless! Because through yoga, your body releases energy that has blocked your ability to listen for your soul’s voice.

So, my friends, it’s time to tap into your light, lose your mind and find your soul – it is then that you will radiate and shine!

Yes! You CAN Laugh Yourself Healthier!!! Laughing brings more air to your lungs, aerobic exercise to get your heart pumping as well as both balance and happiness endorphins to your brain. Since 1995 there has been massive scientific research proving how even fake laughter can benefit your intellect, frame of mind and your spontaneity. So, YES!!! You can “fake it until You make it!!!” It won’t be fake for long!

What I love about Laughter is that the more you Laugh… the more you LIGHTEN Up and think more clearly! In fact, since I regularly laugh with my groups 6 -8 times a week, I now find myself spontaneously laughing at my life’s dilemmas and even parts of sitcoms that I either missed or never struck me as funny before. It still surprises me to hear my own unexpected burst of laughter on occasion having had a period when I seldom laughed at all.

I was first scolded for laughing too loud or too long when I was barely 5 years old. I recaptured the joy of it when I was in my teens. Then in my 20’s I was told by someone very close to me that I laughed like a ‘hyena’. Being in a group of peers at the time I was horrified. Following that remark I never truly “gut” laughed in front of people for years. I would smile but never laugh out loud.

However, I loved to do things to make other people laugh so my friends still don’t believe me when I tell them, I am VERY shy. Why? Because I fake fearlessness until the real thing takes over. It works!!! Once I take the first big step the rest is generally easy. That is how I became a Laughter Yoga Leader in 2010. I just did it without even knowing if I would like it or not. I just decided my life had taken on a serious tone and I needed to LIGHTEN up. Since I have laughed with hundreds of people throughout the Niagara Region continually inspired by the number of over 90 years old participants who love to join in.

That being said, it was in my late 50’s that I felt my inner child’s heart feel authentic laughter once again. Now… when I experience laughter, I also feel my throat chakra and my sacral chakra being activated as my soul presents itself and my inner child once again exudes pure joy.

Laughter is an emotional release that brings clarity. It’s like an instant lightbulb that illuminates the sudden realization that life is getting better. You have no doubt heard the sayings “Laughter is an Instant Vacation”, “Laughter is the Best Medicine” or “Just like Chocolate, a Good Laugh can be Orgasmic.” (Okay I may have made that last one up.) Well, IT’S TRUE!!!

It is an active form of exercise that can not only strengthen other muscles in the body such as heart, lungs and stomach … when done regularly it can get you out of your head, away from your negative frame of mind and heal your body from inside out.

Why do animals seem to heal more quickly than people? My view is that they don’t talk themselves out of it. They just do it. (Although sometimes over-the-top attention from their owners might affect recovery. Just watch all the videos of dogs sneezing over again and again to the glee of their owners who are videotaping them. When a dog sneezed in the old days, we took them to be checked for Distemper. At least those watching the videos are laughing. Yes, I admit I love them too!)

Laughter can relieve a very stressful situation. Simply repeating the laughter sounds can make a stressful drive end up peaceful or FUN depending on the level of enthusiasm involved. During a major rain or snowstorm, I use ROW, ROW, ROW YOUR BOAT song using laughter sounds to get out of fear mode. It goes like this, “HO, HO, HO, HO HO, HA HA HA HA HA! HEE HEE, HEE HEE, HEE HEE HEE, HA HA HA HA HA!” Want me to do that again for you? What do you mean NO! LOL!

Creating laughter can be as easy as this. As teens my sister and I would stand in front of the bathroom mirror and take turns making laughter sounds or silently mouthing to match the other person’s laugh. This always ended in such joy at our ridiculous antics and gave us something to do back in the days with TV VERY limited.

A Few Things to Take Note of:

Louder isn’t always better. A chuckle that grows in volume is more contagious than a laugh that strains your throat muscles and hurts another’s ears. Simply repeating HOs, HEEs and HAAs can change your state of mind.

Clapping your hands while laughing in a cushion-to-cushion manner will activate Reflexology points. Find a tender spot? Gently massage for 30 – 60 seconds.

Mixing Laughter with Lymph drainage can help move toxins out of your body.

Perfect isn’t Funny!!! Laughter can help release the hold the critical mind has on a person’s need to be perfect at everything they do. Nothing is more freeing than to be in the moment with your joy! The minute you start thinking about it the less you will truly feel it.

If you join a Laugh Yourself Healthier or any Laughter Yoga session you may feel a little weird, become a bit emotional if you haven’t laughed in a long time. Trust this will pass. You may even yawn at first due to not having deeply breathed as much in awhile… however after just 3 sessions… YOU WILL simply feel AMAZING!

I CHALLENGE EVERY ONE OF YOU TO LOOK IN THE MIRROR AND LAUGH WITH YOURSELF

So, I challenge every one of you to look in the mirror and laugh with yourself. What have you got to lose? I bet there will be an AMAZING Person smiling back at you! Let’s ALL Focus Forward Forevermore…with Flexibility, Love, Light & Laughter.