In The Beginning Was The Word. Or, What’s In A Name?

According to a small book published in 1929, our names carry vibrations which strongly affect the development of our personalities and the events that we experience during our lives.

Veolita Parke Boyle, the author of the book (Fundamental Principles Of Yi-King, Tao: The Cabbalas Of Egypt And The Hebrews) asserts that the universe operates according to energy vibrations, and that each form vibrates at a particular frequency. Letters are considered no exception to this, as each on its own and spoken together as a word forms a particular sound, which invokes a particular vibrational frequency.

Our names, always associated with us, ensure that their particular vibrations remain connected to us. These vibrations, in turn, attract life circumstances to us that resonate with the same frequency. The system outlined by Veolita Parke Boyle argues that it is possible to manifest different circumstances by changing one’s name, although she cautions that this does not imply that no effort will ever be required again. Instead, changing one’s name to a vibration more favourable to what one intends to manifest would eliminate unnecessary struggle and busywork, although inspired action would still be required.

This system is considered completely different from numerology. For example, first names and surnames are not reduced to a single digit, but are treated separately (although the effect of each on the whole is considered). Each name also has an undertone, which is worked out mathematically from the name’s primary tone, and which can modify the effect of the primary tone in either a positive or negative direction.

Laurence Y Payg (pronounced “page”) has been featured on TV a lot in the last week or so here in the UK, as the country’s only professional analyser of names using the method outlined by Veolita Parke Boyle. He is famous for changing Laura Hollins’ name to Agyness Deyn (pronounced “Agnes Dean”), whose subsequent success as a supermodel is attributed to the choice of a name more vibrationally aligned to success.

I’d love to hear your thoughts on this… do you think our names have their own vibrations as the theory states? Or is it that changing our names leads us to think differently about ourselves, and those thoughts change our intentions and what we manifest into our lives?

Lynne McTaggart: The Intention Experiment

A couple of chapters into Lynne McTaggart’s book, The Intention Experiment, I was disappointed. Bored and disappointed. Two emotions I certainly didn’t expect to feel while reading a book on one of my favourite topics, the intersection of science and psi.

It took me a while to figure out why I was feeling like this. It wasn’t that the book didn’t contain information from scientific studies on esoteric subjects such as meditation and intentions and healing. It did, and those studies in themselves were interesting. The studies presented do make one think about the connections between all living things and the power of the mind to affect matter. I finally realised, however, that I was battling to connect with Lynne’s writing style. It reminded me of some students’ literature reviews that I used to evaluate when I was an academic as well as of some journal articles that I would be asked to review – competent, don’t get me wrong, very competent, but “disconnected”. By this, I mean, they would present many scientific facts and figures, lists of studies and results, but ultimately not really tie these together in any coherent way to give the literature review a sense of continuity and a central critical argument (possible, even when one is trying to fairly present both sides of a debate).

I persevered with The Intention Experiment, however, and it did get better. By the time the final two or three chapters came round, linkages between sections and a critical viewpoint were emerging.

The last section of the book presents some very practical guidelines related to setting and sending an intention. I found these very helpful and probably enjoyed this section, which applied the results of the scientific studies to very specific exercises, the most. The book is further linked to Lynne’s website, where you can join a community, discuss your own and others’ experiences as well as participate in ongoing group intention experiments.

My criticisms above notwithstanding, I am still very grateful to Lynne McTaggart (and all the scientists mentioned in her book) for their continued work to understand the nature of the universe and to make it accessible to everyone.

How Negative Can Equal Positive

Sometimes, the best way to get positive is to get negative… negative air ions, that is!

A negative air ion is formed when an oxygen molecule gains an electron. Since electrons are negatively charged, the addition of one to a previously neutral molecule results in the molecule as a whole becoming negatively charged. The extra electron comes from another molecule that has been broken apart by means of energy acting upon it.

Since this energy is most often in the form of sunlight or moving air and water, it comes as no surprise that negative air ions are found in abundance in natural environments, which can contain about 4 000 negative air ions per cubic centimetre. In comparison, a typical city environment will contain less than 100 negative air ions per cubic centimetre as a result of the neutralising effects of various pollutants and synthetic materials as well as the presence of objects (such as computer monitors) that create positive air ions instead. Whereas positive air ions have a draining effect on us, negative air ions help to regulate our levels of serotonin and increase the flow of oxygen to our brains, resulting in us experiencing increased energy, greater alertness, decreased depression and relief of stress.

Various negative ion generators (or ionisers) are available in the marketplace to increase the concentration of negative air ions in your home or office. If you plan to invest in one of these, it is best to do some research prior to purchase, as not all such generators are effective. An alternative is to spend some time in your home’s own built-in negative ion generator… your shower! In nature, one of the best generators of negative air ions is a waterfall – the falling action causes electrons to break apart from the water molecules and attach themselves to oxygen molecules in the surrounding air. An indoor shower achieves the same effect, giving a whole new meaning to “washing away the stresses of the day”!

10 Things That Make Me Happy

Akemi from Yes To Me tagged me to write about 10 Things That Make Me Happy. What a great meme to spread gratitude for the many wonderful things in our lives! Without further ado, here are ten things that I love:

Connection To Source Energy
My life flows when I allow Source energy to flow through me. I’m continually profoundly grateful for the presence of Spirit in my life.

My “Roomies”
I share a home with my husband of six and a half years and a funny fluffy thing (aka our cat!). I love my husband deeply, and am always grateful for his support and encouragement of who I am and what I do. The funny fluffy thing keeps me company while I work, and in return allows me to cuddle and snuggle into her fur every now and then. If you’d like to read more about our lives, you’re welcome to pop into our other blog, The Chronicles Of MacNoodle.

Bubble Bath
Baths are good. Baths are even better with bubble bath!

Chocolate
Yum. That’s all I have to say.

Access To Information
I love books. I love libraries. I love the Internet. I love reading. And I love learning.

Bagpipes
You either love ‘em or you hate ‘em. My Scottish heritage ensures that my heart soars every time I hear bagpipes. I don’t care what others may say, the bagpipes are definitely beautiful music to my ears!

Central Heating And Double Glazing
We used to live in South Africa, which is considered a hot country. And it is hot… in summer! In winter it gets pretty cold (down to zero degrees Celcius, sometimes a bit below). Despite this, there is no central heating and no double glazing, thereby ensuring that one wears ten layers of clothes while huddling around a heater or fire to keep warm. I’m therefore a big fan of the central heating and double glazing that we have here in Scotland. The irony is that I feel warmer during winter living in a so-called cold country than I ever did living in a so-called hot country!

The Colour Blue
Blue, in all its many shades, resonates with something deep inside my soul.

Digital Cameras
I’ve always enjoyed cameras and photography, but digital cameras have made this hobby so much more fun! I love being able to see the photo immediately after taking it. I carry a small Sony camera around with me at all times to snap anything that catches my eye.

Clouds
I’ve always been fascinated by clouds. I can watch them for ages, forming and reforming, the interplay of light and shade….

I know the meme is limited to ten things that make me happy, but I’d like to add an honourable mention for the many people in the blogosphere who write such interesting and fun posts, who leave comments on my blog, and with whom I’ve interacted by email. I’ve never met any of you in person (though I intend to one day!), yet you’re all very special to me. Thank you all!

And lastly… to complete the meme, I hereby tag:
Lucy Lopez at Lucy’s Planet Happiness
Tom Volkar at Delightful Work
Mark Penta at Creative Journey Café

Make Up Your Mind!

The issue of choice has followed me around my whole life. In terms of astrological signs, I’m a Libra. That means that I like balance and harmony. But that also means that I’m notoriously bad at making decisions, endlessly weighing up pros and cons and generally over-thinking things before coming to a considered conclusion. In addition, I’m what Barbara Sher calls a scanner and Margaret Lobenstine terms a renaissance soul. That means that I like variety. But that also means that I struggle to commit to any one thing, flitting between projects according to some schedule known only to my own whimsy.

So, as you can tell, for me, burdened as I am with the vagaries of planet alignment at the time of my birth and the genetic/environment mix that makes up my personality, the ability to make choices doesn’t really come naturally ;).

In one of my posts last week on quantum leaps and the importance of choices, I wrote:

“Triggering a change in our vibrational frequency from one level to another is achieved by means of making a firm decision regarding our intentions and desires. Until we commit to what we want, it remains only a possibility. It is our decision, focus and attention that ensure that it manifests into the physical.”

Similarly, in what must be one of the most quoted quotes in the personal/spiritual development field (and often wrongly attributed to Goethe!), William Hutchinson Murray stated:

“Until one is committed, there is hesitancy, the chance to draw back. Concerning all acts of initiative (and creation), there is one elementary truth, the ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans: that the moment one definitely commits oneself, then Providence moves too. All sorts of things occur to help one that would never otherwise have occurred. A whole stream of events issues from the decision, raising in one's favor all manner of unforeseen incidents and meetings and material assistance, which no man could have dreamed would have come his way.”

Clearly, to live a life we love, the ability to make choices is important. Clearly, judging from what I wrote last week, I know this. But do I put this knowledge into practice? Not always (see above!).

What I do often do, is express preferences. Not the same thing as making a choice at all. Preferences are about potentiality and hope, specifically hope that the universe will oblige by somehow bringing us the things and experiences that we want. Choice is about clarity and certainty, specifically certainty that the universe will work with us to help us create the things and experiences that we want. The concept of choice is empowering. Hoping that the universe will bring us what we want is an expression of powerlessness.

I spent some time over the last few days reflecting on my intentions to see if I had really made a choice about them or whether I was still just expressing a preference. For example, is Love a preference or a choice? Is the energy of Divine Love something that I’m really committed to inviting into my life and expressing with every fibre of my being? Similarly, with other energetic qualities: peace, joy, abundance… these are energetic qualities everyone wants in their lives, right? But is it just a preference, something we daydream about inbetween bouts of fear, anxiety, sadness and scarcity thinking? Or have we really made a choice to align with these energy streams?

Why would we not make a choice regarding what we want? Well, I for one can blame the factors in my opening paragraph :). In addition, for me, I know that I sometimes feel tentative, scared to make the “wrong” decision. However, what I’m learning is that the act of choosing is far more important than what we choose. It is the ultimate act of creativity. If we don’t like what we create, we can choose again and we can choose differently. In Conversations With God, God tells Neale Donald Walsch:

“If there is some aspect of creation you find you do not enjoy, bless it and simply change it. Choose again. Call forth a new reality. Think a new thought. Say a new word. Do a new thing. Do this magnificently and the rest of the world will follow you.”

Just because we make up our minds doesn’t mean that we’re not allowed to ever change them!

Over to you… are you making choices in your life, or expressing preferences? What other reasons can you add to why we may struggle to make choices?

Wayne Dyer: Your Erroneous Zones

I’d heard Your Erroneous Zones, one of Wayne Dyer’s earliest books (published in 1976), mentioned many times. Yet despite this, despite the fact that it is a book that has sold over 30 million copies and is considered one of the best-selling books of all time, and despite loving other newer books of Wayne’s, I only very recently picked up a copy of Your Erroneous Zones to read.

I like to read authors’ books in the order in which they were written, if I can (not always possible, especially with someone like Wayne, who is a prolific writer!). I do this where possible though as I like seeing the development of an author’s thoughts around a topic. In this case, however, it was interesting to go back, especially so far back (pretty much to the beginning of Wayne’s writing career!). While Wayne’s later books are much more focused on spirituality, Your Erroneous Zones is much more of a standard personal development book. It is also written in a more formal tone that dates it to the 1970s ;). Neither of these detracts from the power of the book – it is clear and inspiring in its message to stop worrying, stop feeling guilty and replace these “erroneous zones” with a more empowered way of living.

The book covers a range of topics, diverse yet connected in that growth in one area has a spill-over effect into other areas. Topics addressed include self-acceptance, approval seeking behaviour, guilt, worry, procrastination, anger, and becoming independent. Sprinkled throughout the book are also exhortations to live in the present moment, predating Eckhart Tolle’s work on the topic, although not giving as much information on this specifically. Each chapter discusses one of the “erroneous zones” in detail, giving examples of how each zone manifests itself in daily life to make it easy to recognise when you are displaying ineffective behaviour, as well as providing strategies for overcoming and eliminating the ineffective behaviour and replacing it with a much more effective way of being and doing. Because of the interconnectedness of all the topics discussed, there is a fair amount of repetition of strategies for eliminating the erroneous zones, only slightly different for each behaviour. Rather than this being annoying, I found it quite comforting to know that the strategies could be distilled into a few basic principles, although I would have liked to see the book itself pull this together (I guess I have to do some work though, right?!).

The final chapter of Your Erroneous Zones is a portrait of a person who has eliminated all erroneous zones and is living an emotionally, mentally and spiritually healthy life. It was interesting to read through this chapter to see how I’m doing compared to Wayne’s ideal. Luckily, for myself, I found that I displayed many effective behaviours already! I was also able to identify those that I’m still personally working with – rather than beating oneself up over not meeting the ideal, this is an excellent opportunity to see what effective behaviour would look like, and hence to identify areas of further growth.

Would I recommend that you read this book, given that it was written over 30 years ago? Yes, I would. It is a classic in the personal development genre, and it still feels relevant today. If you’re looking for a fairly no-nonsense approach to development, then this book is for you!

Quantum Leaping: How Long Does It Take For Change To Occur?

Teachings on the Law Of attraction focus a great deal on the issue of vibrational frequency, specifically on how to become a vibrational match for those things or experiences that you want to attract into your life. Changing our vibrational frequency feels like a process that takes time – after all, we spend time in meditation or visualisation, and we have limiting beliefs that we need to work through. Would it therefore surprise you if I said that changing our energy state from one frequency to another actually takes no time at all?

The types of activities that we associate with changing our energy state (e.g. visualisation) are an important part of the process. However, while they are preparatory activities that contribute to and lead up to the point of a change in vibrational frequency, they do not represent the change in energy state itself. This change occurs instantaneously. We can feel when the shift has happened – a sense of certainty exists that wasn’t there before. Potentiality has been converted to actuality.

What occurs when our vibrational frequency changes is akin to a quantum leap (also referred to as a quantum jump). An atom consists of negatively charged electrons orbiting around a positively charged nucleus, in much the same way that planets orbit the sun. Each orbit is fixed, and electrons can only travel on these specified pathways. When an electron jumps from one orbit to another, changing its energy state as it does so, this is referred to as a quantum leap, so called because the electron either gains or loses a quantum of electromagnetic energy (i.e. a fixed amount of energy known as a ‘photon’) in the form of light when it jumps. This change in energy is instantaneous and discontinuous – the electron jumps from energy level A to energy level B without passing any of the energy levels in between. It is a change that takes no time at all.

It takes observation of the atom to initiate a quantum leap, transforming the electron from a fuzzy state of potentialities into a particular point in time and space. As such, triggering a change in our vibrational frequency from one level to another is achieved by means of making a firm decision regarding our intentions and desires. Until we commit to what we want, it remains only a possibility. It is our decision, focus and attention that ensure that it manifests into the physical.

And The Award Goes To…

I’m very grateful to Louise from Island Wench for honouring me with a Sweet Home Blog Award for sharing beauty, love and joy with the blogosphere.


In the spirit of the award, here are five sites that I’d like to present with the award to thank the authors for the inspiration, warmth and wisdom that they share with their readers:

Andrea Hess at Empowered Soul writes beautiful, loving and practical articles about intuition, our higher self and connecting with spirit. Andrea’s humanity and spirit shine through in her work and in her willingness to engage with readers.

Slade Roberson at Shift Your Spirits shares a wealth of information related to communicating with spirit guides and developing your intuition. Slade’s articles are insightful and thought-provoking to read.

Christine Kane is a singer-songwriter who also blogs about creativity and conscious and courageous living. I found Christine’s blog before I had heard her wonderful music, but now I’m a fan of both!

Mark Penta is the proprietor of Creative Journey Café, a virtual space in which we all get to gather and enjoy creative inspiration and to chat about our spiritual journeys over a cup of coffee. Mark describes the Café as “laid-back, positive, friendly, cozy, even magical. It’s a place you can visit 24/7, and you’ll always find a comfortable seat.” – I agree!

Marlina blogs about growth, happiness and inspiration at Growing Happiness. In addition to the eclectic and interesting posts, Marlina’s site is also illustrated with gorgeous doodles!