NEW MOON, SUPER MOON JANUARY 1ST 2014

ON JANUARY 1ST THERE WILL BE A NEW MOON, IT WILL ALSO BE A SUPERMOON

Moon and Superstitions and Folklore


Through the ages, folklore and traditions have been woven around the Moon in its various phases. Some of these will have originated from observations of the land, environment and night-time sky such as in farmers planting by the Moon and in forecasting a higher tide than normal when the moon is low. Other Moon-beliefs may not have such logical explanations. Even so, throughout the world, superstitions revolve around the Moon.

For instance in parts of Britain, anyone seeking good fortune should bow to the new moon and turn over any silver coins in his pocket. The silver colour of the Moon is rumoured to have a direct affinity with the silver from which the coins were made. So if a person holds up a coin to a new moon and wishes for money, over the days ahead as the moon "increases" in size, so too will their bank balance!

New Moon and Superstitions

Being without money when seeing a new moon is thought to be unlucky but if a person has some coins and turns them over without taking them out of their pocket, they will have plenty money over the month ahead and the wish that's made while turning the coins will be fulfilled.
New projects should be started at the time of the new moon while country-dwellers have long held the opinion that the time of the new moon is the time to plant crops.

In America, the new moon was used by lovers, who would glance over their right shoulders, take three steps backward and then say the following verse:

"New moon, new moon, true and bright,
If I have a lover let me dream of him tonight.
If I am to marry far, let me hear a bird cry;
If I am to marry near, let me hear a cow low;
If I am to marry never ,let me hear a hammer knock."

It is, however, an ill omen to see the new moon for the first time through a window and it is believed by some that it is wrong to point at the moon as this will bring hard times.

In Ireland it is thought to be good to cut your hair at the new moon, by the light of the moon but never on a Friday!

Planting by the Moon

It has to be said that the full moon, as is sometimes believed, is NOT always a negative omen.
The full moon pulls the crops upwards from the ground to result in a bumper harvest. The time of the full moon is also said to be a good time for curing many illnesses.
It is considered to be better to plant vegetables which grow underground, i.e. potatoes and carrots, in the dark of the moon and plant vegetables which grow above ground, i.e. corn and beans, in the light of the moon.

Moon and Romance

According to some superstitions, if a girl wants to know whether or not she is going to marry, if she holds a silk handkerchief up in front of the moon, the number of moons she can see through it represents the number of months she must wait before she will get wed.
The full moon is believed to rejuvenate feelings of love and stimulate pent up passions.

Moon and Weather

Ways the Moon is said to relate to weather:
    •    A ring around the moon means that rain will come in three days
    •    If a halo of watery colours surround the moon the weather will be changeable
    •    If the new moon is on a Monday, weather will be good
    •    Strongest storms are likely to be within three days of a new moon and three to five days after a full moon
    •    If the moon is red, expect wind ahead
    •    Expect fine weather if there is a single ring around the moon that quickly vanishes

There are five supermoon dates in 2014, with the first coming on January 1.
That will be a new moon, as will another new moon coming on January 30.
This makes January 2014 the only month with two supermoons until January 2018

_______________________________________

From the wonderful Simone Butler from Mooncircles.com:
“The Capricorn New Moon (Jan. 1, 3:14 a.m. PST) catalyzes a grand cross between Mars in Libra, Jupiter in Cancer, Uranus in Aries and Pluto in Capricorn.
“The planets involved represent strong yang forces, intensified by their presence in action-oriented cardinal signs. Do-or-die Pluto conjuncts the Sun, Moon and Mercury and exactly squares headstrong Mars. This forceful call for evolutionary change can prompt a fresh start, but it can also trigger antagonism and impatience if we’re not careful to channel it wisely.
“Because this powerful energy colors the entire year ahead, we can expect 2014 to be a magnificent, make-it-or-break-it year.

“The good news is, if you’re inclined to cut ties with the past, launch new projects or begin running marathons, this alignment will give you the push you need. The bad news is, if you persist in clinging to old patterns or being less than your authentic self, you’re apt to suffer.

“Complicating the planetary picture, Venus is currently retrograde in Capricorn (Dec. 21 – Jan. 31). Pleasure-loving Venus can feel weighed down in that serious earth sign, but she’s also able to devise effective plans for change, and cement healthy habits in existing relationships (not a great time to start new ones, though).

“Don’t rely overmuch on others’ financial or emotional support during this retrograde, as it’s meant to guide you into your own depths to reclaim your talents, power and self-esteem (although it is a good time to recoup losses or receive money owed to you).
“Through the end of January, you may have to dig deep to find the softer side of love, to unconditionally accept yourself and others—but your efforts will be richly rewarded.”
© Copyright 2013-2014 ~ Simone Butler  All Rights Reserved
 

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DIET COLA IS IT MAKING YOU FAT AS WELL AS DAMAGING YOUR TEETH AND SKIN?

Very interesting article I came across in the Daily Mail. It's not something I really drink much of at all as I knew the acid attacks the tooth enamel but this article has some interesting findings

Why diet cola could be making you FATTER and WRINKLIER: Low-calorie drink could be to blame for spare tyre and withered skin

Diet colas have long been regarded as the dieter's friend - but one-calorie fizzy drinks may actually be the reason you can't shift that stubborn spare tyre.
Some health experts now believe the chemicals in the drink could actually be causing your body to lay down fat deposits around your middle - dubbed 'diet cola belly' - reports Get The Gloss. 

And that's not all: some experts also believe diet cola’s mix of carbonated water, colourings and sweeteners such as aspartame and acesulfame K could also speed up the ageing process, and have disastrous health consequences.

Diet cola is NOT going to help you lose weight, say health experts - and it could even cause wrinkles

Hoards of nutritionists and scientists now claim diet cola’s image as a 'healthy' alternative to the nine-teaspoons-of sugar, regular variety of the fizzy drink is wholly misplaced.

WEIGHT
The fructose, artificial sweeteners, and sugar alcohols (another type of low-calorie sweetener) present in diet colas can all interfere with natural gut bacteria, according to Amanda Payne of Switzerland’s Institute of Food, Nutrition and Health which published a paper in the journal Obesity Reviews.

Diet cola could be causing fat deposits around your middle, say health experts 

This messes up your metabolism and disrupts the body’s way of signaling to you that you’re full and satisfied.

As a consequence, the body pumps out insulin, the hormone that controls sugar levels and fat storage, so that you lay down what Toribio-Mateas calls 'diet cola belly in the form of more fat around the midriff' - just where you wanted to shed fat.
In addition to this: 'The fake sugars in the drink are hundreds of times sweeter than sugar and trick your brain into thinking real sugar is on the way,' says Toribio-Mateas. 'When the calories don’t arrive, it triggers a cascading effect that interferes with hunger signals, blood sugar levels and satiety.'

AGEING
Amanda Griggs, director of health and nutrition at the Balance Clinic in London, says: 'phosphoric acid, the ingredient that gives diet cola its appealing tangy taste and the tingle you get when it is swallowed, can cause a host of problems'. 

According to one, study, published in a 2010 issue of the FASEB Journal, it can even accelerate the ageing process. 

It found that the excessive phosphate levels found in sodas caused lab rats to die a full five weeks earlier than the rats whose diets had more normal phosphate levels.

The excessive phosphate levels found in sodas caused lab rats to die a full five weeks earlier than the rats whose diets had more normal phosphate levels

Phosphoric acid has also been linked to lower bone density in some studies, including a discussion in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

In experiments at Harvard University, the mineral was found to make skin and muscles wither and to damage the heart and kidneys over time. 

However, according to the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI), a consumer watchdog group not affiliated with the food industry, only a small fraction of the phosphate in diets comes from additives in soft drinks. Most comes from meat and dairy products. 

TEETH

The phosphoric acid in cola drinks erodes away tooth enamel, and the coloring makes the root go dark brown

Sian Porter, spokesperson for the British Dietetic Association says diet colas may lack sugar, but the acidic nature of artificially sweetened fizzy varieties means they still attack tooth enamel. 

'It’s not just the sugary drinks that are causing teeth problems,' says Porter. 'Sugar raises the risk of decay, but diet drinks are equally acidic and can cause erosion in the same way.'

HEALTH
It has also been shown to raise the risk of type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure by some researchers. To add to the dire news for diet cola fans, results of a ten-year study found a link with cardiovascular disease among those who drank it every day; cola drinkers were found to be 43 per cent more likely to suffer a stroke or heart attack during a ten-year period than those who abstained.

Other studies have shown that the phosphorus released from phosphoric acid in just two fizzy drinks a week can cause calcium to be leached from bones, raising the risk of osteoporosis.

Cola (both diet and regular varieties) seems particularly damaging to the skeleton. Typically, a can of diet cola contains 44-62mg of phosphoric acid - more than in many other soft drinks - and researchers at Tufts University in Boston showed that women who regularly drank three or more cans a day had four per cent lower bone mineral density in their hips compared to those who preferred other soft drinks.

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A LOVE SPELL

Seeds of Love
You may not be actually planting these seeds in the dirt, but this charm can help love to blossom. Cutesy enough for you? Well, this is a great love spell even if you don't like my plant metaphors. You'll need to get these items together:
• 9 sunflower seeds
• 9 dried beans
• 9 dry kernels of corn
• 9 grains of barley
• 9 dry chamomile buds
• 9 whole cloves
• Rose oil
• Glass bottle with stopper
• Red ribbon

You need to choose a bottle that will hold all the seeds, but won't have too much empty space at the top either. This Wiccan love spell should be performed on the night of the new moon.
Drop each of the seeds into the bottle, one by one. Yes, it's a bit tedious but that's how it's done. As you do so, repeat the following lines:

Seeds and spices, give me power
Time to make my love life flower
As the moon grows in the sky
This charm will make my wishes fly

When the bottle is filled, add 9 drops of rose oil to the top and stopper it up. Don't shake, you need to let the oil work its way down from the top. Tie the red ribbon in a bow around the bottle and place it somewhere quiet where it won't be disturbed. By the full moon, you should see some action in the love department.

 From Free-Witchcraft-Spells.Com

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DEALING WITH STRESS

I came across this below today and thought I would share with you.

Dealing with Stress!

A psychologist walked around a room while teaching stress management to an audience. As she raised a glass of water, everyone expected they’d be asked the “half empty or half full” question. Instead, with a smile on her face, she inquired: ”How heavy is this glass of water?”

Answers called out ranged from 8 oz. to 20 oz.

She replied, “The absolute weight doesn’t matter. It depends on how long I hold it. If I hold it for a minute, it’s not a problem. If I hold it for an hour, I’ll have an ache in my arm. If I hold it for a day, my arm will feel numb and paralyzed. In each case, the weight of the glass doesn’t change, but the longer I hold it, the heavier it becomes.”

She continued, “The stresses and worries in life are like that glass of water. Think about them for a while and nothing happens. Think about them a bit longer and they begin to hurt. And if you think about them all day long, you will feel paralyzed – incapable of doing anything.”

It’s important to remember to let go of your stresses. As early in the evening as you can, put all your burdens down. Don’t carry them through the evening and into the night. Remember to put the glass down!

For ways to manage Stress click on the link here

 

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