CANDLE MEDITATION

HOW TO DO CANDLE MEDITATION

                                                                                                                                                      
Before you light a candle for your meditation, take a minute to prepare the space in which you will meditate. Turn down the lights or draw your window shades closed. You'll find this meditation much easier to do in a room that's not too bright and you'll avoid eyestrain too, so make sure the room you are in is dimly lit and at a comfortable temperature.

Now light a candle and position it at eye level, or slightly below. It’s OK to look down at the candle slightly, but make sure that your head is not tilted too far forward and that your body is not slumping.

It’s important that you are able to maintain a comfortable upright posture that feels natural to you. Take a seat in your favorite chair, or sit cross legged on the floor, and make sure that your candle is at least 50cm away from you otherwise it may appear too bright.

Now simply stare at the candle and allow the image of the flame to occupy your mind.

At first, your mind will probably wander about and your eyes will resist your efforts to keep them still. This is normal and it will gradually ease as the meditation progresses, so don’t be too concerned if this happens to you.

You may also find that you eyes water a little. Again, this is normal and it usually dissipates quite quickly. If distractions like these arise, simply return your attention to the candle flame and let them go.

A great way to deepen a candle meditation is to imagine that you are breathing the light of the candle in and out of yourself. You don’t need to perform a complex visualization exercise to do this, just keep your eyes fixed on the candle flame, and allow your natural breathing rhythm to fill your awareness.

Casually sense that the light of the candle is flowing into you as you breathe in and out. Feel a sense of purity and clarity infusing with your body and mind as you absorb yourself in this meditation.

Something rather you’ll recognize it when it happens to you...
special happens whenever you go deep into a candle meditation. I’ll describe it so that The reason that you are able to see is because your brain processes the signals that are sent to it via the optic nerves in your eyes. What happens as this meditation progresses is that your brain begins to stop processing these signals. That might sound dramatic, but it’s actually perfectly natural, perfectly safe and a profoundly serene experience. Let me explain what this looks and feels like...

Your eyes are firmly fixed on the image of the flame in front of you and because your eyes are not moving, they are not providing your brain with any new information to process. You then find that some areas of your peripheral vision start to fade from your vision completely...

Gradually, more and more of your peripheral vision fades away until you have no visual aware

ness of anything but the candle flame.

This is a profound experience. Your eyes are open, but you are actually not seeing anything but the small flame in front of you. As a result it feels as though there is no distance between yourself and the flame. In essence, you have become one with the flame.

To achieve this requires both mental stillness and the physical stillness of your eyes. As soon as you move your eyes around, your brain is flooded with new sensory input and you will instantly be able to see the room around you again. Remain still and focused on the candle, and you will slip back into this state of profoundly deep meditation quite quickly.

It may take some practice to really stabilize this experience, but it's well worth it!

At the completion of your candle meditation, close your eyes and lie down for at least five minutes as you let your body and mind come back down to earth.

BOX OF CRAYONS

 

                                                                                       BOX OF CRAYONS                

 Have you ever not liked someone because of what you have heard about them from other people? Have you ever felt that someone must be a bad person because they had tattoos or piercings?  Do you judge people by the clothes they wear?

There are so many reasons not to like someone….and believe me, here in the French Quarter of New Orleans, we could judge a lot of people by their outward appearance!

There are so many times in life that we have not gotten to know someone because of what other people have said about that person and because they lack what we deem as “acceptable” behavior.

How about stepping out of your comfort zone and giving that person a chance? You may find out that they are one of the nicest, most sincere, genuine people that you have ever met.

In this world that we live in, we are all different. We should all be like crayons. Some are pretty, some not as pretty, some are sharp, and some are dull. Some are bright, some aren’t. Some have weird names and some normal. They are all different colors, yet they have all learned to live together in the same box.  Why can’t we do the same?

Peace, Love and Blessings!

Gypsy V

                                                                                      

CUSTOMER LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION

                                                                                                   

I am honored to post several letters that customers have sent about the dolls that they have received.

It is a privelege to create dolls that help others in some way....whether spiritually, emotionally or physically.

 My items are sold at Hex - 1219 Decatur St. in New Orleans, Hex - 246 Essex St. - Salem, Mass., and Island of Salvation Botanica at 2372 St. Claude - New Orleans, La.

Dear Gypsy V,
What an incredible blessing it was for me to receive one of your beautiful dolls! When I received it, I was at a time in my life when I felt a little lost, unfocused. It seemed as though nothing was going my way at all. I put the doll on a table next to some treasured photographs and objects that are very sentimental to me, where I could see it and feel the energy from it every day. It wasn't long before everything in my life began to turn around. I found a good job and a nice place to live, got caught up financially abest of all, found someone who cares for me in a way I had never thought possible -- someone who respects me for who I am and doesn't want to change me! I have always known that you were a gifted intuitive and emotional healer and being able to call you my friend is worth more than words can say. Thank you for sharing your magic with me!
Love you my Gypsy Sister,
Christine

To Whom It May Concern,

Over a year ago I purchased my very own doll from Gypsy V.  It has a place of prominence in my rocking chair in my bedroom.  I smile at her every day and am certain it  is responsible for helping me make my wishes come true! 

I also purchased two other Voodoo Dolls from Gypsy V.  One was for health protection and the other for the welfare of myself and those close to me and employment.  I had major surgery 2 years ago in February and as a result of the continuing testing, and the drugs I was given for them, I started experiencing a really serious problem with my kidneys and was swelling up horribly from it.  My kidney specialist had told me if they couldn't control this very soon that I could possibly be looking at total kidney failure and dialysis.  Gypsy V made the doll for me and I know a lot of prayers and concern go into each of these special dolls.  Within a matter of days of receiving it I suddenly started loosing the swelling and by the time I went back to the kidney specialist, just a few weeks later, everything was totally back to normal - all my tests - and the doctor said my readings were even better than normal and she had no explanation for why this had happened.  But I do! 

I have also invoked the other doll to help my loved ones with employment and they have all succeeded and even gotten positions that seemed to come out of nowhere and that were unexpected.   

Lucia Ward  (from Dallas, Texas)

 Gypsy V,

It was great meeting you while we were in New Orleans.  I wanted to drop you a note to let you know that the "girls"  (dolls), made it to their new home safely.  The care you put into making each one is obvious.  Seems that everytime I look at them I notice a new detail.  The dolls truly embody the spirit of New Orleans and each one has their own "personality". You can be sure that I'll be getting another one real soon.

Thanks again,

Sandy (from Maryland)

 Dear Gypsy V,

I visited New Orleans a few years back and came upon you selling these beautiful dolls.

Now laugh at me if you will, but as I passed one of the dolls I felt like she was speaking to me. Not in a scary way, but in a very important way. I had to turn around and went straight for the doll that was calling me.

As soon as I picked her up, I knew I had to have her. I am a grown woman with grown children. My doll will never grow up or leave me. She now lives with me in my Georgia home and when I need something I hold her and hug her and she helps me with my needs. She is a love that will always be with me and now will help to keep me strong. Just seeing her makes me smile. She is hand made and I feel the love that was put into making her. The love continues on through everyday.

Thank you Gypsy Vodou!

Pauline Herring  (from Georgia)

RED BRICK DUST

      

                                                                                                              

Red Brick dust is a powerful magical remedy that will protect you and your home from enemies.

It is an old New Orleans tradition to “clean” your front stoop with red brick dust to protect the entrance to your home and to keep bad energy and negativity away. Locals here have been passing this tradition on for generations.

It got it's beginning in an abandoned brick yard on

Dumaine Street

in New Orleans. This was a place for Vodou Queens to gather and hold rituals. Repeated police raids on the brickyard drove the practitioners to Bayou St. John and Lake Pontchartrain to hold their ceremonies.

Red brick dust is famous in Hoodoo and Vodou Communities for its protective properties. New Orleans is a haven for Hoodoo and Vodou practitioners and you can still go into many stores and homes here and cross over a line of red brick dust. To use, simply lay a line across the doorways and entrances to your home or business. No one who wants to cause you harm can enter. If you really want to be thorough you can run a line of red brick dust completely around your home or business.

It has been used by Hoodooists for centuries to scrub their front stoop in order to ward off curses, evil, and bad juju. Adding the dust to chamber lye (urine), ammonia, or vinegar is called "reddening" and used along with blueing, produces a very powerful effect with cleansing and protecting a home.

To lay red brick dust around your home will keep those who wish to steal, or do any other harm from crossing your door or coming onto your property. Allegedly, evil can not step over the line of dust. On Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, get up before dawn without speaking to anyone and wash your doorstep with your own urine and water. When it dries, sprinkle this dust across the doorstep. To make the wash stronger, write the name of the Captain of Police on paper, burn the paper to ashes and add the ashes to your scrub water.

 I will be offering red brick dust on my website soon. I use only the dust that I have made with the use of slave-labor bricks from here in New Orleans.
This dust has mystical energy and spirit than any other brick dust made from regular, newer brick due to all of the paranormal activity here.  There are certain prayers and rituals that I must do prior to the dust being bottled. After I collect the bricks, they are smudged with sage to help remove any negativity from them and then placed around an altar in my home where they recieve empowerment and blessings from the Lwa. After this is done, I then grind the bricks by hand into dust so that I can bottle it for your use.
Please keep the website watched. I will give you an update when I have it to offer.

Peace, Love and Blessings!

Gypsy V

P.S. My products are sold at Hex - 1219 Decatur St. in New Orleans, Hex - 246 Essex St. - Salem, Mass., and Island of Salvation Botanica at 2372 St. Claude - New Orleans, La.