Thank you, and bless you!
Doria Gambino
Editor, Metamorphosis Magazine

IN THIS ISSUE:

This Month’s Planetary Healing Focus
Article: The Fabric of Life
This Month’s Global Citizenship Project
Recommended Reading
Article: From “Road Rage” To “Inner Peace”
Article: Feng Shui for the New Year
Health Corner: Aromatherapy for the Holidays
Astrology For Parents: Your Child’s Predominant Focus
Money Corner: How to Save Thousands of Dollars

THIS MONTH’S PLANETARY HEALING FOCUS:

YOU’RE INVITED! -- Every week, I invite my readers to participate in a synchronized, worldwide prayer/meditation to promote World Peace. I welcome you to join us and combine your energy along with thousands of other people in sending love, light, and healing consciousness to the planet by focusing on the following “affirmative prayer” topic in prayer or meditation this Sunday at 12:00 noon Eastern Time:

Since this is the season associated with the sentiment, “Peace on Earth, Goodwill to All,” let’s focus on the energy of World Peace this month.

Begin your meditation/prayer time by finding a quiet space, closing your eyes, and taking a few moments to center yourself and create a feeling of peace within. Just allow yourself to let go of all worries, all stress, all concerns. Allow your mind and body to become still and quiet, feeling how nice it is to experience a few moments of pure inner peace.

When you are ready, reach out with your consciousness to connect with all of the others who are joining this meditation today. Send out a wave of love to your fellow sisters and brothers.

Next, expand this wave of love and send it out to EVERYONE on the planet. In your mind’s eye, see all the people of the earth getting along in harmony. Imagine that we live in a world where PEACE is every society’s top priority. Picture a world in which all people consider not only what is best for themselves, but what is also best for their neighbors. Focus your imagination on a world where hostility no longer exists, because all people seek harmonious win-win solutions whenever there is a difference of opinion. One great way to visualize this kind of world is to picture people all over the earth smiling at each other and hugging each other.

Spend as much time as you like picturing a world where people get along in harmony. Remember, your thoughts are very powerful, and you are helping to CREATE peace simply by focusing your mind on it.

To expand the effects of this meditation, take the energy of “Peace” with you out into the world. Make it a point throughout each day this month to say the word “Peace” either mentally or out loud every hour, or even every half-hour while you are awake. It only takes a second, yet the combined power of all of us sending focused thoughts of peace every day will generate huge bursts of positive energy for our world. (If you happen to have a watch with a timer, you could set it to beep every hour to remind you to think “Peace.” Just a suggestion.)

In addition to the ongoing hourly moment of focus on peace, you may also wish to work with the exercise in this month’s corresponding article, “The Fabric of Life.” It’s a great exercise for generating peace and goodwill towards others.

Since our world is a reflection of our collective thoughts, it makes sense for us to work together on an energetic level to create a world of global harmony. Each one of us has the power to shape reality by simply choosing to emanate thoughts and feelings of Love, Oneness, and Peace. And as individuals combine their consciousness by working together in groups, this power increases exponentially. A relatively small number of people can shift the energies on this planet towards peace.

For complete information on participating in the weekly Planetary Peace Gathering and to read an Expanded Feature Article about this month’s topic, please visit the “World Healing Projects” section of www.MetamorphosisMagazine.com (New Subscribers: Please read about the project on the website before participating.) There is a lot of fascinating information about the power of human consciousness, including scientific evidence indicating that prayer DOES have the power to create measurable results!

PLEASE HELP ME INVITE MORE PEOPLE TO JOIN THE “PLANETARY PEACE GATHERING”: Feel free to forward this e-zine to anyone you know who is interested in spiritual growth, planetary healing, and self-improvement. We can each make the world a better place by combining our energy and working TOGETHER to create Planetary Peace. Thank you!

THIS MONTH’S FEATURED ARTICLE:

THE FABRIC OF LIFE
by Holly Riley

We all make such a difference. Every single one of us has something that touches another person; a smile, a nod, energy of acceptance and care, some of our time, or maybe just a good intention that adds to the awakening of a spirit energetically. We matter.

A perspective I love, shared with me by a precious friend, is that every one of us is like a thread in a woven fabric. Each thread has its own position, its own area of connecting, its unique gift to the wholeness. If one thread is jealous of another thread or angry because another thread is in a better spot or looks better, the feeling is passed through the whole cloth and is absorbed and experienced by all. It made me wonder; what if the cloth's role is to absorb and experience the aspects of each thread? What if each part of it has to be experienced in some way by the whole cloth? I started wondering, what aspects are we sharing with our fellow threads in this cloth of life? Are we adding something, or taking something away? Can we offer care and love and have it move through the whole fabric rather than competing or trying to be better than our fellow threads? What an idea; add to the integrity of the creation with a bit of kindness. Something we can do that is easy, precious, and valuable!

It occurred to me that much like our families share what each other feels, maybe humanity -- our extended family (this fabric) -- in some way experiences what we experience. To increase the level of awareness, care and forgiveness on the planet, maybe we can start by experiencing care and forgiveness right here in our hearts. I suspect all we need to do is become aware of just how much we really are like everyone else. Start noticing how we are all looking for a bit of love, a bit of care, and a bit of kindness -- regardless of nationality, country of origin, or religious beliefs.

Imagine this fabric being made up of a bunch of threads that support one another, hold one another, and honor each other's role. That would be a fabric of great strength and integrity. Everyone would be enjoying their beingness and appreciating the possibilities that exist as a team. It would be more intuitive, more aware, and able to utilize the knowledge and experience of all the aspects instead of being self-absorbed. Perhaps it would realize that the intuition and increased awareness we long for comes from the connection and care we have for others, and then it would realize that the others really are all aspects of its self. Kindness would be the priority.

That sounds like enlightenment: connection, care, intuition, moving as an aligned team toward a goal that supports all aspects of being in their awakening. What a nice energy we can move through the fabric by taking a second and appreciating where we all are right now and where everyone else is right now -- with honor. What an easy way to contribute to having an enlightened planet.

Harry Palmer, author of the Avatar Materials, offers this very sweet process called the Compassion Exercise. The objective is to increase the amount of compassion in the world. The expected result is a personal sense of peace.

Instructions:
This exercise can be done anywhere that people congregate (airports, malls, parks, beaches, etc.). It should be done on strangers, unobtrusively, from some distance. Try to do all five steps on the same person.

Step 1: With attention on the person, repeat to yourself: "Just like me, this person is seeking some happiness in his/her life."

Step 2: With attention on the person, repeat to yourself: "Just like me, this person is trying to avoid suffering in his/her life."

Step 3: With attention on the person, repeat to yourself: "Just like me, this person has known sadness, loneliness, and despair."

Step 4: With attention on the person, repeat to yourself: " Just like me, this person is seeking to fulfill his/her needs."

Step 5: With attention on the person, repeat to yourself: "Just like me, this person is learning about life."

Love is an expression of willingness to create space in which something is allowed to change. -- Harry Palmer

In gratitude, Holly Riley

Holly Riley delivers the Avatar Course in many parts of the country. If you would like information on this global intention to create a peaceful planet, please check out the website (www.Avatarepc.com) or contact Holly at hollyriley@charter.net, or by phone: 775-851-4494

GLOBAL CITIZENSHIP PROJECT FOR THE MONTH:

Make it a New Year’s Resolution to help others this year: Set aside a portion of your family’s income each month and donate it to your favorite worthy cause. Even $10 or $20 makes a difference to organizations that need funding in order to feed the hungry or shelter animals, for example. One very easy way to save money is to put a jar in your kitchen and ask everyone in the household to drop in the loose change in their pockets and purses every night. At the end of the month, simply count it, deposit the cash in your checking account, and write a check to the organization of your choice. Another way you could save money for a worthy cause is by clipping coupons and using them at the grocery store. Keep your receipts, add up how much money you’ve saved, and donate this amount to the cause you have chosen.

The goal of “The Global Citizenship Project” is to help anyone who wishes to make a difference find something suitable to their interests and talents, and availability of time and resources. Listed on the website are hundreds of suggestions that any person can use to make the world a better place by following “global citizenship” practices -- feel free to send in a suggestion of your own when you visit! (Parents and teachers -- help the world by raising “globally conscious” kids. Check out the website for complete details... www.MetamorphosisMagazine.com)

Small contributions to the common good add up to big contributions when enough people are inspired to participate. Each small act of kindness adds up; there is power in numbers. One person may not be able to change the world much, but 1,000 people can make a huge difference, and 100,000 people can move mountains! Think about it: If EVERYBODY on the planet committed just ONE tiny, little act of kindness or generosity every day, that’s 6.3 BILLION positive contributions to the world, every day, every week, every year. How powerful is that!

PS: Get a FREE GIFT worth $200, just for visiting the website! Simply click the link in the shopping mall section that says “Free Gift.”

RECOMMENDED READING:
The Isaiah Effect, by Gregg Braden

On a cold winter’s night, curl up with this fascinating book: It contains information on the “science of prayer” discovered in the 2,500-year-old Dead Sea Scrolls. Braden weaves together ancient prayer principles with modern quantum physics to explain how and why prayer can be used to heal the planet. I synchronistically was led to read this book right before I started The Planetary Peace Gathering, and it completely confirmed for me that this project for world peace is not a “crazy idea,” but that it actually will work! I am grateful to Gregg Braden for sharing this information, and I recommend that everyone who chooses to participate in the “Planetary Peace Gathering” read this book.

(For more information about this book, including many sample passages, please visit the “Planetary Peace Gathering” section of the website.)

FROM “ROAD RAGE” TO “INNER PEACE”
by Gary T. “Dutch” Van Vorst

Just when you think that you have an understanding of the power and the effects of unconditional love, you jump behind the wheel of your SUV and proceed out onto the highways and byways of the civilized world only to find yourself tested. What you had not anticipated was a rather rude and inconsiderate driver who either cuts you off, is tailgating you, or is committing some other inappropriate action with a motor vehicle. All of a sudden, unconditional love is out the window, and has been replaced with hostility and an overwhelming desire to run that person off the road.

Before you let your annoyance build into a full-blown case of “road rage,” it’s a good idea to pull over for a change of attitude. I’ve learned that pulling over, collecting my thoughts, calming down, and trying to forgive that other driver allows love to come back into my consciousness and diffuse the moment.

This method works for just about everything people do that is detrimental to their state of well-being. Most of those things can and will benefit from the “Pull over, pause, and refocus on what's really important” method. Think of pulling over to the rest stop as a metaphor for changing bad attitudes and destructive behavior of all kinds. You can begin to heal yourself by stepping back and refocusing yourself every morning when you get up. Each new day is a new opportunity to change. Your body loses 10 - 20 million cells every 24 hours, so technically you are not the same person today as you were yesterday. Everything about your life is a choice: What you wear, what you eat, what you say, and even what you think are subject to your ability to make a conscious decision.

Those of us who are struggling with self-defeating habits or emotions must remind ourselves that change comes slowly but it does come; it is inevitable. It is within everyone's power to make those changes positive ones. Just think, maybe a lifelong change of attitude for the better might have as its genesis the simple act of pulling over and not letting some auto-wielding clown ruin your day. So get in your car and go out and practice inner peace.

“Our life is what our thoughts make it. A man will find that if he alters his thoughts towards things and other people, things and other people will alter towards him.”

Gary T. "Dutch" Van Vorst has been a personal trainer actively training elite athletes for national bodybuilding and powerlifting competitions since 1978. He will be training people on the Indy Racing circuit in 2006. For more information about eligibility for becoming a trainee, contact Dutch at: dutchvv2003@yahoo.com.

FENG SHUI FOR THE NEW YEAR: ENERGIZING YOUR SPACE
by Catherine Hilker

With the New Year coming up, you can help usher in fresh, new beginnings by energizing and purifying your home. Space clearing, as this process is called, is derived from time-honored traditions to cleanse, purify, and harmonize your home's energy. When you take the time to perform these ancient rituals, you enhance your home's vitality and begin to create a sanctuary in your own living space. Visitors often comment how good our home feels to them, my husband and I have noticed an increase in our health and well-being, and I personally sleep better.

The New Year is a great time to do a space clearing. Clearing out the 'old' and invoking your intentions is a great way to boost the effectiveness of manifesting your dreams for the New Year. There are four basic steps when performing a cleansing. They are preparation, purification, invocation and preservation.

PREPARATION: The preparation step is the most time consuming but is well worth the effort. It is important that you prepare your home with a thorough cleaning. Ideally, purging unused items will be beneficial as you symbolically 'open up' space for the new to enter your life. The next step is to plan the process. Decide what you will use as your space clearing tools: Sacred Space Sprays*, white sage, salt, musical instruments, clapping, etc. Determine your intended outcome in advance, which is a very important step. What are your intentions for yourself and your family? What kind of feelings do you desire in your home? What goals do you wish to accomplish in the next few months?

Once you have cleaned and purged your home and planned your ceremony, you are ready to prepare yourself and your tools. Treat this event as the special occasion it is. Start with a cleansing process for yourself: Wear special clothes, spend time in meditation and prayer and, connect with your spiritual or religious beliefs. Do the same thing with your tools: Cleanse them and imagine a heartfelt connection to them. Gather specials objects and mementos, beautiful 'altar' cloths, your tools and anything else for your space clearing. Locate the ideal place to set up a blessing 'altar' and arrange your belongings in a meaningful way.

PURIFICATION: Now you are ready to begin the cleansing ritual. Start at your blessing 'altar,' state aloud your prayers and intentions, ask for spiritual guidance and protection, and begin with your designated space clearing tool. You may wish to start at your front door and move in a clockwise direction, following the perimeter of each room. While doing so, imagine the tool you are using breaking up and clearing out all the old, stagnant energy. Ask your 'spiritual helpers' for assistance in removing the old energy.

INVOCATION: Once you have cleared each room, return to your blessing altar. Clear yourself and any other household members, and begin to 'release' your intentions into the entire dwelling. Again, ask for your spiritual helpers to assist you in this process. State aloud your prayers and intentions and use visualization techniques to 'see' the new energy flowing throughout your entire home. Do this process with reverence and respect. Offer gratitude and appreciation for any assistance you receive. To close, each household member including yourself should bathe shortly afterward and spend the rest of the day in a special way.

PRESERVATION: Once you have completed the above steps, it is important to preserve the new energy. Set up a small 'altar' with fresh flowers, candles, and meaningful objects. Spend a few quiet minutes each day at your altar and continue visualizing all your intentions in as much detail as possible. In order to show appreciation for all that you have asked for, do something unexpected or charitable for others in the next several days.

After you have performed your ceremony, notice how beautiful and sparkling your home looks and feels, and take notice of the synchronicities and events that take place in your life in the coming weeks. You can repeat this process as often as necessary. I personally space clear every couple of months to stay on track with our goals and to refresh the energy in our home. I guarantee you will notice a wonderful difference. Enjoy!

Recommended Reading: “Space Clearing,” by Denise Linn; “The Space Clearing Kit, ” by Christan Hummel

For more detailed information about each step, check out these links:
www.innerself.com/Miscellaneous/space_clearing.htm
www.AlaskanEssences.com
*Sacred Space Sprays: www.ancientforestincense.com

To reach Catherine Hilker: Coaching, Feng Shui & Space Clearing, 23 Sylvan Ave., Pleasant Ridge, MI 48069, (248) 547-4965. Become a Certified Feng Shui Practitioner: visit www.catherinehilker.com for details.

HEALTH CORNER: Aromatherapy: White Angelica for the Holidays
by Vikki Anderson

White Angelica is a blend of essential oils* which promotes the highest Angelic vibrations and frequency to attract angels into your life and home. Bring about a sense of strength and endurance this holiday season while being blessed with the presence of Angels! This special blend is a much needed oil which encourages positive feelings of protection and security. This calming and soothing blend is a combination of ten essential oils, some of which were used during ancient times to maintain a positive outlook. Many people use it today to safeguard a peaceful and calm state of mind. This is especially helpful during the hectic holidays when we would benefit from any stress reducer, especially upon returning home from holiday shopping, fighting the crowds in the local malls and trying to find the perfect gift for our family and friends. The essential oils used in this blend are bergamot, geranium, myrrh, rose, sandalwood, rosewood, ylang ylang, melissa, spruce and hyssop. If you would like to order this blend or any other Young Essential Oils or products, please contact me at www.VikkiAnderson.com

“How Do Essential Oils Work? Research has shown that with their immune-stimulating properties, essential oils enhance and support the building of the immune system, whether they are inhaled or rubbed on the body topically. Scientists in European countries have found that essential oils will bond to metallics and chemicals and carry them out of the body, working as natural chelators, inhibiting these toxic substances from staying in the tissues. It has been said that when essential oils are diffused in the home, they increase ozone and negative ions in the home, which inhibit bacteria growth. This prevents and destroys existing odors from mold, cigarettes, animals, etc. These are all wonderful attributes of essential oils.” (Copyright 1996-2000 Dr. Gary Young, N.D.)

ASTROLOGY FOR PARENTS:
DETERMINING YOUR CHILD’S “PREDOMINANT FOCUS” POINTS
by Doria Gambino

(NOTE: Although this article is written for parents, the Astrological information it contains can be applied to the charts of adults as well)

Every Astrology chart is divided into 12 segments called “houses,” and each house represents a different area of life. For example, one house rules your money and material goods, another covers your friendships and social circles, another your religious/spiritual belief systems and philosophies, one centers on your home environment, another speaks about your career, and so forth.

Whenever any of the 10 planets* of our zodiac reside in one of the houses in your child’s chart, the planet “activates” the energies of that house. Therefore, wherever you find the greatest concentration of planetary influences determines which house or houses will be the “Predominant Focus Points” in your child’s life.

Many (but not all) Astrology charts will have at least one house where three or more planets are clustered together. The existence of a “planetary cluster” (called a “stellium” in Astrological terminology) illustrates WHERE your child will tend to focus her or his energies, talents, and interests, and the specific planets in the stellium as well as the sign they are in determines HOW this focused energy is likely to manifest.

For example, a child with Venus, Jupiter, and the Sun together in Leo in the 11th house would radiate natural charisma, and could probably charm the socks off everyone s/he meets and become the center of every social group s/he joins. This child could excel in politics, for instance, as s/he has the ability to take on a leadership role and attract many people to a cause.

The Sun, Saturn, and Pluto together in a stellium indicate that a child’s deepest growth will come from taking on great challenges and responsibilities in the area ruled by the house containing the stellium. Through hard work, self-discipline, and intense study, this child will most likely emerge as an expert in one of the fields of endeavor represented by that house.

Several planets in Pisces in the 5th house would give amazing creativity, imagination, and showmanship -- this child could be a gifted actor, writer, or musician, for example.

Planets forming a stellium in Aries would give your child a lot of physical energy -- s/he may greatly enjoy sports, or any activity that involves physical movement (dancing, bicycling, skateboarding, and so forth). Just make sure s/he wears protective gear when engaging in high-speed activities, as Aries energy usually likes to go as fast as possible!

Planets in Sagittarius in the 3rd house indicate that this child is gifted with naturally persuasive communication skills. S/he could make an excellent teacher, writer, minister, or motivational speaker.

A stellium of planets in Capricorn in the 2nd house would give your child a knack for figuring out how to make money, as the Capricorn ambition for success would manifest material gains when it shows up in the “money” house. Whatever career s/he chooses, s/he will find a way to make it profitable.

In my own chart, I have four planets in the house that rules metaphysics and psychology (8th house) -- is it any wonder that I started studying Astrology when I was only 10 years old and went on to become a professional Astrologer? Nothing in life has ever interested me as much as using metaphysical subjects to delve deeply into what makes the human psyche function as it does.

There isn’t room in this article to cover all possible combinations of planets, signs and houses, but in general, study any house in your child’s chart where you find a planet, as this will give you clues as to more “active” areas of your child’s personality. Remember, several planets in the same house will expand the energy of that house to an even greater degree.

Charts with more than one “stellium” are not uncommon. Individuals who have the majority of the planets in their chart clustered into just two or three signs or houses are usually easy to spot, as they tend to be very single-minded in their pursuit of very specific goals. These children are capable of pouring their energy 24 hours a day into one or two areas of their lives, and often have no time, energy, or interest left over for anything else.

To give you an example of such a chart, I recently did a consultation for a man who has ALL of his planets except one clustered in two stelliums: Aquarius and Pisces primarily in his 6th house, which makes him a workaholic for humanitarian causes, and Leo in the first house, which gives him natural leadership energy. It was no surprise to me to find out that this man holds an extremely high-level position in a career that revolves around working for world peace. This man works 18 hours a day, has four cell phones all going at once, has three different offices, helps thousands of people, and ends up in a leadership role within every organization he ever works for -- without even wanting to or trying to take the lead, by the way. He has been incredibly successful at every job he’s ever had, but the downside of this intense focus is that the rest of his life lacks balance. He’s had tremendous trouble finding and maintaining a romantic relationship, for example, as few women can tolerate or keep pace with his non-stop schedule.

On the other hand, if a chart does not contain any “planetary clusters,” that does not mean this individual lacks talents and motivation. It simply means that s/he is a more well-rounded and versatile person than those who have an all-consuming focus in life. In these cases, you will often find the predominant focus in the house containing the Sun, since the Sun represents the child’s sense of “basic identity” and “self-purpose.”

What about houses in a chart that contain no planets at all? This does not mean that the area of life represented by that house will be non-existent in your child’s life. It simply means that this area is more in the background, making it something that will probably not interest your child very much. It’s also unlikely that s/he would have major life-lessons to learn in this area, and the chances of having above-average talents in this particular area are less likely as well.

Understanding your child’s “Predominant Focus Point(s)” can help you guide her or him towards the activities that will best suit his/her talents, needs, and sense of purpose and fulfillment. When a child is given ample opportunity to explore and master his/her individual “focus point” areas, it makes it easier for her/him to discover and reach her/his fullest potential.

* (Technically, the Sun and Moon are not “planets,” but they will be referred to as planets in this article for the sake of convenience.)

PARENTS: Have a comprehensive Astrological Profile custom-prepared for your child for only $35. For more information, and to view a sample profile, visit the Astrology section of www.MetamorphosisMagazine.com

MONEY CORNER: FREE SERVICE CUTS YOUR MORTGAGE IN HALF WITHOUT REFINANCING

The Global Citizenship Project is sponsoring a FREE mortgage reduction service that works with all mortgages, requires no refinancing, and won’t cost you a penny, yet it can easily save you $50,000 to $200,000 on your existing mortgage. By enrolling in this free service, you are automatically helping to raise funding for The Global Citizenship Project’s humanitarian educational programs for schoolchildren, which help promote self-esteem and global citizenship ideals in America’s youth. Please take a moment to visit our website and find out how you can help kids simply by saving money on your own mortgage: www.MetamorphosisMagazine.com/Mortgage.html

SPECIAL THANKS TO:

My deepest thanks to David Fersh for his generous contribution of $100 to The Global Citizenship Project. Every donation helps provide the funding to make these World Healing humanitarian projects a reality. Thank you!

That’s all for now -- thanks for reading, and have a very happy holiday!

Doria Gambino, Editor Did you enjoy reading this magazine? Did you find it interesting or helpful? Why not share it with others? -- It is my goal to get positive and uplifting information into the hands of as many people as possible, and you can help me reach them. Please take a moment to forward this magazine to anyone you know who might be interested in self-empowerment or World Healing topics. If they like it, they can sign up for their own FREE SUBSCRIPTION.

All articles copyright 2005 by Doria Gambino, unless otherwise noted. METAMORPHOSIS MAGAZINE is published by The Global Citizenship Project, a free / donation based grass-roots humanitarian project dedicated to planetary healing and harmony. Sales from the products promoted in this magazine are helping to raise the funds to continue the Global Citizenship Project’s goals. By purchasing any of these products, not only are you helping yourself to lead a happier and healthier life, you are also helping to support these projects, which include the weekly Planetary Peace Gathering as well as programs designed to teach “global citizenship” concepts to schoolchildren of all ages. For more information, visit www.MetamorphosisMagazine.com

(Opinions expressed in the articles in this magazine and on the website represent the opinions of the authors, and should not be taken as a substitute for expert medical and other advice)