What is Mindfulness?

Good morning, everyone! I hope you all had a brilliantly relaxing weekend :) 

Last Sunday I wrote about relaxing detox baths but today I want to write about a new thing I've tried called Mindfulness. I've heard this word being thrown around and increasing in popularity for quite a while now but only recently researched into what it is. 

 

Cover Photo by Peter Hapak for Time Magazine

Mindfulness is a 'way of paying attention to the present moment.' It uses a combination of yoga, meditation and breathing techniques, it helps us to become more aware of what is around us and how we are feeling at that exact moment in time to help us manage them better rather than becoming overwhelmed. 

By practising Mindfulness, people can focus more on their emotions, increase their attention span  . and has use it to help aid stress, anxiety, depression and addictive behaviours, making you happier and more peaceful. One is able to practise Mindfulness wherever and whenever they want or need too, whether it be at work, home, outside or inside.

Their are various courses to help you learn mindfulness however I have done a little research and the three main steps are these: 

1. Focus on your breath. Inhale and exhale deeply and slowly.
2. Whenever any thoughts, emotions, sounds or physical feelings occur; completely accept them, letting them come and go without any further thought on them. 
3. If your attention drifts off and focuses on any of these feelings, just bring it back to focusing on your breathing.

I've tried this out for a few days now and am really feeling a lot happier and chilled out (yay!)

There are more in depth courses online or in person that you are able to undertake that cover all sorts of techniques and reasonings for Mindfulness so you are able to practise it whenever you want to with ease. 

Visit http://www.bemindfulonline.com/ for more information 

What is Lammas?

We are well into summer now, balmy nights and breezy days have taken up our lives for the time being and the warmth is such a welcome change. For Pagans, being this far into summer means that 'Lammas' is just around the corner, or in this year's case, today.

Lammas is a Pagan festival from Celtic origin that celebrates the start of harvest, welcomes the start of Autumn and was one of four festivals to help split up the year. Lammas was traditionally held on the day the fields would be harvested and reaped for their nutritious goods. This harvest season would continue until Samhain (nowadays known as Halloween) when the last of the food would be stored away for the winter months.

To celebrate, Pagans would play music, dance, eat and get together as a community, whilst others would perform rituals and ceremonies similar to this one. A popular thing to do on Lammas is to play traditional games that legend says Lugh (the God Lammas was named after) started as homage to his deceased mother. 

Nowadays people still do all of this to celebrate. They bake berry pies and loaves of bread, spend quality time with friends and family and often groups will be involved in rituals or ceremonies to welcome harvest.

Now I'm not a pagan or a wiccan myself but still find their festivals absolutely fascinating! The celebrations sound like a lot of fun too and I'd really love to get involved and celebrate them one year.

What festivals (if any) do you celebrate and what do you do?

Sunday detox day!

It's the end of one week and the start of a new one, I always find Sundays to be slightly fragmentary; a little disconnected from the rest of the week. Sometimes slow, quiet and dare I say, boring. But often a day for total relaxation, preparing yourself for the week ahead and spending time with family. 

I like to use Sundays as the day to look after me. Meditation, exercise, baths, wholesome food and naps make up the majority of my day. I've recently been adding Himalayn Salt crystals to my bath as they are fantastic to detox and balance out your body's natural acidity and alkaline levels.For more information, click me 
 

I got thinking and thought that there must be other things you can add to your baths to detox, not just salt. A quick google search yielded lots of results; ginger detox, the baking soda detox, a hydrogen peroxide bath (?!?!) I decided to play it safe and try out an essential oil detox bath. The main reason being is that whatever ailments you may have there is usually an oil that can help you. 

I chose lavender for it's calming, relaxational effects. All you need to do once you have chosen an oil is run a hot bath, mix together a handful of Himalayan crystal salt (or Epsom salts), half a cup of baking soda (I thought this was slightly strange too) and add to the bath alongside 10 drops of essential oil. Soak for 20minutes and rinse off with a cool shower to clear off any residue. This was a gorgeous recipe and I really felt the toxins being drawn out and eliminated from my body, it smelled great too.

So draw yourself a nourishing detox bath, make yourself a green tea, find a good book, light some candles and relax (tea, book and candles optional but advised)

Quest sells both gorgeous selling candles, Himalayan crystal salt and essential oils! A win win for everyone 

Enjoy your relaxing Sundays, peace and love xoxo

Learning to read the tarot cards..

Hiya everyone,

About a year ago I posted a bit on how I was going to teach myself how to learn the tarot and that I was so determined to do so. Unfortunately, life (and my inability to stick to one project at a time) got in the way and I got distracted by other shiny new things. 

This summer however, I will do it. I've managed to get a few family members on board who are going to learn with me which I hope will be beneficial as we will be able to encourage each other and help each other whilst learning. I've mentioned it to my friends and they've been very supportive and are keen for me to practice on them which is even better! 

We have an exellent teacher named Steve (who works at Quest as an angel card reader) and lessons are due to start any week now. I'm getting rather excited and will be posting a little summary after each lesson to keep track of my progress. 

The pack of cards we will each be using are The Original Rider Waite Tarot Deck accompanied by The Tarot Bible. 

You can purchase these from spiritualquest.co.uk

I've been toying with these cards for well over a year now and they really are beautiful and the clearest deck I've seen before. The bible is filled with detailed explanations of each card; different layouts and how to read the tarot. Both are fantastic for beginners.

If you are interested in learning how to read the tarot yourself, Steve is holding a 5 week Tarot Course running from 7pm - 9pm on Tuesdays 29th July, 12th August, 26th August, 9th September and 23rd September for £60. If you'd like to book a place, give us a call on 01372 878606

Sunshine and suncatchers!

With all the gorgeous warmth and sunshine recently, I decided I needed to get something little for my house to help me enjoy the weather from the inside as well. I visited the store and chose a pretty suncatcher with a rose for my window. It was difficult to pick one because a. I'm terrible at making desicions and b. There were so many! Suncatchers of all different sizes, with one or more crystals, motifs, plenty of colours and designs; there really was one for everyone.

The suncatcher is designed so that if hung on a window, any sunlight that catches on it, reflects off it into the surrounding environment as little fragments of rainbows. I was excited to get home and test it as I was anxious that the sun would suddenly dissapear.

I hung it up and it immediately caught the sunbeams shining into the room. Miniature rainbows were bounced around and my walls looked beautiful! I was so happy with my purchase that I'm considering buying another to go on the same window just to increase the rainbow-ness.

I will upload a photo of the suncatcher in action later on (when I've given my windows a bit of a scrub) 


This specific suncatcher (and many others) can be found on Quest's website here: spiritualquest.co.uk

Indian Head Massage Review

At work yesterday I was treated to a beautiful Indian Head Massage by Quest’s reflexologist, Sarah Newby. 

At only 15minutes long, it was a great session that covered by head, neck, upper back and shoulders. I wasn’t sure what to expect as I was an Indian Head Massage virgin but I will definitely be going back for more.

It left me with an amazing sense of relaxation and rejuvenation. I wasn’t sluggish and tired like I usually am after a long day at work and showed it by going home for a jog before seeing friends in the evening!

I would 100% recommend getting an IHM if you ever get the opportunity. Sarah is currently offering 15minute taster sessions at Quest for £15. 

For more information, send us a message or drop us a call on 01372 878606 

Happy bank holiday!

We hope everyone had a fantastic Bank Holiday relaxing in the sun with family and friends. 

Carolina has created a lovely little video, taking you around our shop in Epsom, Surrey. 

Click this link to have a look!  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3enKxLUprNI

Click the photo to go to the video!

She will take you round and show you our popular products and most of the things you can buy online at spiritualquest.co.uk

Dates for your Diary

For one day only, this Saturday 27th April, Quest is offering Tarot and Angel Card readings or a Shiatsu massage for only £10 for 15 minutes! 

A brilliant price for a little taster session to brighten up your weekend! 

You can book in advance by calling 01372 878606 or by emailing info@spiritualquest.co.uk; alternatively, you can just come along on the day!

Steve, our Angel Card reader with a client

Prinknash Abbey Incense

Since 1906, the Benedictine Monks of Prinknash Abbey have been blending incense and are now one of the oldest and most popular incense blenders in Europe. Spending decades perfecting their incense recipe to make it one of the best.

Prinknash Abbey

The main ingredient used in this incense is the purest Arabian frankincense. It is then blended with precious aromatic oils and divine spices to create unique and superior recipes for a variety of incenses. The incense is blended to a secret recipe that, when burning, ensures a sweet odour is released, instead of the smell of burning.

One of the monks blending incense

Prinknash Incense comes in six varieties and has markets all over the world. When using the incense, place a charcoal disk on a fire and heat proof dish and light with a match. It will start to ember like the end of an incense stick. When the disk is heating, add a small spoonful of the incense granules to the top of the disk. The embers will help fuel and burn the granules.

This incense is mainly burned in cathedrals and churches however it's also very popular to burn in the home as a sweet fragrance or in space and energy clearing sessions. 

The names below are of the incense that come in packs for home use; these packs include a bag of incense granules and some charcoal disks.

Basilica

Priory

Cathedral

Sanctuary

Abbey 

 

For more information on Prinknash Incense, visit prinknashabbey.org and to buy the packs of incense, visit us instore or buy online from our shop - spiritualquest.co.uk

Angel Practitioner Course

Quest will be holding an 'Angel Practitioner Course' run by Steve Hunt. 

Learn who the Archangels are; how to communicate with them; meet your Guardian Angels and learn about Angelic Healing, Angelic Card Readings, setting up your Angel Altar and how to clear any outstanding issues from your life. 

A brilliant course led by an equally brilliant teacher- definitely not one to be missed.

The course is spread over two weekends; the first being the 13th/14th April 2013 and the second date to be agreed with the group. 

The course will run from 10am-4pm on all days.

The full price for the course is £320 and that includes refreshments and a copy of 'Messages from your Angels' book and Divination cards. Pay in advance and receive 10% discount. 

 

Lord Ganesha

Lord Ganesha is one of the most worshiped Hindu deity and also one of the most recognisable, because of his elephant head.

 In all of the images or statues of Ganesha, he has a broken tusk. This tusk is a symbol of sacrifice that he broke off to write the Mahabharata (an important Sanskrit). He is known to be the Lord of Success and the destroyer of evils and obstacles. He is worshiped as the God of knowledge, wisdom, education and wealth. The rosary that he holds suggests that the pursuit of knowledge should be continuous. 

 

Happy Christmas!

We hope everyone had an amazing time over the Christmas period, whether you celebrate or not, we hope you had a great break and didn't get too stressed out! 

If, like us, you are feeling like you've just been through a hurricane with all the eating, drinking, cooking, visiting etc, why not book yourself in a lovely 'post holiday' reflexology appointment or go all the way with a hot stone reflexology session. 

Of course there's also the 'hands off' healing, reiki, done by Carolina; the very popular Shiatsu massage with Murray or an Indian Head Massage with Sarah. 


Just call us on 01372 878606 to book in an appointment or pop into the store in The Ashley Centre, Epsom.

Whatever you choose, we'll make sure you have an incredibly relaxing time. 



Indian Head Massage - £25 for 40 minutes
Reflexology - 1st appt, £40 for 1hr15mins - After that, £36 for 1 hour
Hot Stone Reflexology - £48 for 1 hour
Reiki Healing - £30 for 30 minutes, £55 for 1 hour
Shiatsu Massage - 1st appt, £45 for 1hr15mins - After that, £40 for 1 hour

We're nearly there!

It's been so hectic here at Quest, we've barely had time to breath! We cannot wait for Christmas to be upon us for some well deserved sleeping and eating. 

Today, we've had a great visit from Santa and his elves, who are also wandering the Ashley Centre with lots of sweets to give away! 

Pop down for any last minute gifts for your friends and family :) We are open today, tomorrow and Christmas Eve!

Feng Shui

Feng Shui looks at the objects and things placed in your living environment and how they can affect your own personal energy flow. This personal energy flow affects how you think, act and what you do, consequently affecting how well you perform and succeed in your personal and professional life.

Feng Shui was developed over 3000 years ago in Ancient China. Essentially, it is the secret to how to balance the energy, anywhere, to assure the health and wellbeing of the people there. In Chinese, Feng means Wind and Shui means Water. In Chinese Culture, wind and water are linked with good health so good Feng Shui equals good fortune and oppositely, bad Feng Shui can bring misfortune and bad luck. 

The Ancient Chinese believed that the energy the land holds (Chi) can either make or break a kingdom. Feng Shui was created from the Taoist vision and understanding of nature. The energies have to flow harmfully and in alignment with each other to create the good Feng Shui, or, so the kingdom doesn't break. 

There are two main ways of introducing Feng Shui into your home. There is the the Tibetan way, which is the most simplest and the Compass Method which is the traditional method. 

Here at Quest, we advise on the Tibetan form of Feng Shui; however neither methods are wrong. 

For example, if you are standing with your back to your front door, the far left hand corner would be your wealth corner - a perfect place to put iching coins or money frogs - and the far right hand corner would be your relationship corner - brilliant for placing photos of loved ones or items to symbolize love and happiness. This applies to any room in your house, so long as you are at the door.

Tibetan Feng Shui Bagua Map

Of course, there's a lot more to learn about the different placements of things in Feng Shui that would take hours to put on here, so why not find a book or contact a Feng Shui practitioner to help you out?

Crystal Healing

Crystal healing is essentially, the use of crystals to aid in energy and health healing.  The energies of the crystals resonate with the energies of us to help us in a variety of different things.

Crystal healing is a non-invasive way of restoring stability, balancing energies and help to stimulate the body's natural healing mechanisms. It's is an alternative way of healing that 'holistically helps to harmonize the mind, body, emotions and spirit, helping to increase our feeling of well-being, neutralize negativity, lift depression and to help us to become integrated, whole beings.'

There are various ways of using the crystals to heal. All crystals resonate with a type of energy. Most common uses for healing are placing the crystals upon the body on specific points or using a crystal wand or pendulum and sweeping it over the body. Wearing or carrying a specific crystal in daily life that is resonated to a psychical condition can help to gently alleviate symptoms. Chakras can be aligned, balanced and healed by using crystals in each Chakra colour.

The most popular reasons for getting Crystal Healing are sleeplessness, headaches, lack of energy or libido, lack of concentration and of course, helping to heal the mind and soul.

In Ancient Times, those who were incredibly spiritual, discovered the healing energies of the crystals. They started to distinguish what crystal could help with what and their link to the chakras. It is said that the origin of using the crystals to heal came from Atlantis, however many people think Atlantis is a myth. It has been discovered that more recently, in the grand scheme of things crystals were used in Ancient Egypt, Ancient Greece, China and in America, specifically the Mayans, Incas and Native American

Friday Spell!

Attracting a new friend

You will need:

• Three brown candles
• A pen
• A sheet of paper

Casting the spell:

• Light the candles.
• On the sheet of paper, write down the attributes you would like your friend to have.
• Say each one out loud.
• Fold the paper in half twice.
• Light the edge of the folded paper from one of the candles and repeat the words below 

'With heart and mind I do now speak, Bring to me the one I seek. Let this paper be the guide And bring this friend to my side.

Pain and loneliness be no more. Draw a companion to my door. Let not this simple spell coerce Or make my situation worse. As I will, it shall be.' 

• Let the paper burn out then snuff out the candles.
• Use these candles only for the same type of spell.

Within the next few weeks, you should meet someone with some or all of the qualities you are searching for. Remember that you have called this person to you, so you have the confidence and the time to explore the relationship properly. Never ever be judgmental about the qualities your new friend possesses that are not ones that you have requested.

Crystal of the week!

Zoisite with Ruby 

Ruby in Zoisite is also known as Anyolite. Apart from being a beautiful stone. It is said to increase vigour and to help overcome laziness. It's believed to energize the life force and amplify the biomagnetic field around the body.  

Similar to Zoisite, Ruby with Zoisite is said to encourage you to be an individual, and to live life as you want to, but without distancing you from the rest of humanity. It helps to stimulate creativity and to focus on your true objectives. It is said to enhance fertility and to stimulate the Crown Chakra, helping you to enter an altered state of conciousness that can be beneficial in past-life regression.

A tumble stone form of Zoisite with Ruby can be found on spiritualquest.co.uk for £2.30. Picked, packed and sent with love and care.

Buddha Pendant

This gorgeous, hand made, Buddha pendant is made from sterling silver and has seven semiprecious chakra stones beautifully placed along the centre of the Buddha silhouette. The stones have been hand chosen for depth and clarity, hopefully bringing it to your meditations as well. 

The stones are garnet, carnelian, citrine, peridot, amethyst, iolite and moonstone.

This pendant is avaliable in two sizes. 7cm for £52 and 5cm for £45. Both avaliable from spiritualquest.co.uk

The Angel Cards (Oracle cards)

Oracle cards are often confused with Tarot cards, however, they are both very different. In a deck of tarot cards, you have the Major Arcana and the Minor Arcana. In each deck of tarot cards, no matter what 'theme' the artwork is, the designs and meaning of each card is the same. Alternatively, in the oracle cards, there is a theme ie. angels or unicorns or fairies and the meanings and designs of the cards differ in each deck. 

Doreen Virtue (who has published many decks of oracle cards) says:

“Oracle cards are an ancient, time – honored way to connect with angels and spirit guides. They’re based on Pythagorean numerology, which states that all numbers and images vibrate in mathematically precise ways.” 

Daily Guidance from your Angels Oracle Cards

Compared to other divination techniques, Oracle cards are a fairly recent development. Branching off from the tarot cards to become their own divination tool about 200 years ago. The Oracle cards were very popular in 19th Century France and Marie Anne Adelaide Lenormand helped them gain in popularity. Marie Anne Adelaide Lenormand was a famous fortune teller and practiced her skills for 40 years; using different techniques of divination, mainly the Oracle cards. Nowadays, in France, she is considered the greatest cartomancer of all time. 

Marie Anne Adelaide Lenormand

Oracle cards are a fantastic way to get in touch with your spirituality. Gentler and easier to remember than tarot cards, but are still an incredibly accurate divination tool.

Magical Messages from your Fairies Oracle Cards

A range of Oracle cards can be found on our website - spiritualquest.co.uk from £11.99

How to make Fairy Spice Cakes

I've been scouring the internet to find a recipe that mixes in with this week's apparent 'fairy' theme and I've found one! 

moonslipper.com have provided a recipe for delicious Fairy Spice Cakes, which they say are 'best left in the garden for the Elemental Folk on nights of Wiccan significance, such as Samhain or Lammas.'

Ingredients:

• ½ cup sweet Muscat wine
• 2 tablespoons fine brown sugar
• 1 large egg
• ⅔ cup flour
• ½ teaspoon poppy seeds
• ⅛ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ⅛ teaspoon salt
• Sunflower oil for frying 
• Icing sugar to taste

Method: 

1. Mix the egg and Muscat wine in a large mixing bowl. 
2. In a slightly smaller bowl, mix together the flour, poppy seeds, cinnamon, sugar and salt. 
3. Stir this mixture into the egg mixture.
4. Let it stand for abou half an hour.
5. Meanwhile, combine the nutmeg and honey in a small bowl. 
6. Heat some oil in a frying pan (about ½ inch in the bottom) until it’s hot. 
7. Drop the batter into the oil one generous spoonful each time and fry until golden. 
8. Place on paper towels to drain and then dip into the honey mix. 
9. When dry, dust with icing suger and serve. 
10. Enjoy!