KAJAMA.COM NEWSLETTER

Change Your Life by Changing Your Words, by Michelle Arbeau

(Article originally published in The Llewellyn Journal.)

Imagine changing the course of your life simply by using the right words. Like Dorothy in The Wizard of OZ, who ended up safely back in Kansas by saying the magic words, "There's no place like home," you are shaping your destiny every single day through the energy of the words you speak. The words you use on a regular basis, whether thought, spoken, or written, are constantly creating your reality.

Think about some of the positive (and negative) people you know. Have you noticed that happy, successful people tend to have a positive vocabulary? Positive people exude positive energy and like all things in existence, words carry their own energetic pattern that can affect our own.

A study done in 2005 by Robert Schrauf, titled "Negative Words Dominate Language," revealed that regardless of age or nationality, each group in the study produced the same results: Fifty percent of the words we use are negative, thirty percent are positive, and twenty percent are neutral. That's a staggering statistic—but the good news is that we have the ability to change it.¹

The latest in quantum physics has revealed that at the base of an atom isn't solid matter but frozen light particles (energy). This brings scientific clout to what the metaphysical community has believed for centuries: The basis of the universe and everything in it is energy. Words are no different, and also have their own energetic signature. The words we think, speak, and write carry an energetic pattern that can interact with our own personal energetic pattern in both positive and negative ways (depending on the words and how they are used). There are many ways to measure energy, but one of the best ways, in my opinion, is through numbers. Numbers are the language of the universe; all things can be sorted, measured or counted using numbers. In fact, all numbers in existence are created using the numbers one through nine (and also zero, which is a symbol rather than a number).

Language is a gift, as no other species can speak words in a conscious manner the way that humans can. Through this conscious awareness, we are able to shape our destiny through the powerful energy of words. The key to how and what we create is in the feelings we put behind those words.

It has been said by many great spiritual teachers of past and present that there are just two emotions, from which all other emotions are derived: fear and love. Do you know which one of these two base emotions is the dominant force in your life? The answer can be found by examining the words you use.

The words you use everyday have an undertone of either love or fear (positive or negative). Examining the words you use on a daily basis will help you understand which of the base emotional patterns you're creating with.

The word love (when assigned numerical values) adds to 18 and reduces to the base number 9 (1+8=9). The 9 represents both the beginning and the end of a cycle, is the highest change pattern, and is considered the selfless humanitarian energy (as an example, the sum of the birth dates of both Gandhi and Mother Teresa is 9). Phrases such as, "Love is all there is" or, "Love conquers all" certainly ring true.

The word fear, on the other hand, vibrates to an energetic frequency of 3, the number of imagination and memory. Fears and phobias originate in the mind; we can imagine all sorts of irrational thoughts. In the negative, 3 is self-doubting and self-critical. Phrases such as, "Your mind is running away with you" or, "It's all in your imagination" support the energetic meaning of the word fear.

Now that you understand the energetic definitions of the words "love" and "fear," how do you identify with which one you create?

Grab a piece of paper and make a list of the top twenty words you use most often. Categorize them into two columns based on what you feel is their base energy: Love or Fear. Since many of us speak more negative words than positive words, it may seem at first that your list is a little lopsided.

If you do have more words in the Fear category, it's definitely time to pick new words. Negative words are like energetic junk food, and can have a strong negative influence on what you're creating in your life moment by moment.

Start changing out your negative words for a positive version by setting a goal of one word per week. Use the new word in sentences (written and spoken) as often as possible, and put it on sticky notes where it's visible to you throughout the day. These are just a couple of suggestions, but feel free to create your own strategy. It's important to find a method that works for you so that you'll stick with it. Don't expect overnight changes, but do expect over time to see your life shift into positivity with the more you think, speak, and write in the positive.

The challenge is to change your driving force from a place of fear to love—and you can start by changing your vocabulary. Words, like our mind, are tools to help us manifest what we want in life. Our feelings are the energetic momentum behind those tools, guiding the energy in a positive or negative direction. The bottom line is that the people, places, and things with which you interact should make you feel good. If they don't, that's your cue to change them.

To go more in-depth with your list and to discover the precise energetic definition of your word list, pick up a copy of The Energy of Words: Use the Vibration of Language to Manifest the Life You Desire. In it you'll find a word conversion chart to calculate a word's numerical pattern, strategies for changing your language patterns, how to create personalized affirmations that actually work, a glossary of the top positive and negative words, and many more tools to help you successfully modify your language patterns.

¹ Schrauf, Robert W. and Julia Sanchez (2004), "The Preponderance of Negative Emotion Words Across Generations and Across Cultures," Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development, 25:(2–3), 266–284.

Article originally published in The Llewellyn Journal. Copyright Llewellyn Worldwide, 2014. All rights reserved.

Even though I love nature and all animals, I've always had a very special sense of connection to cats. When I see one, I just have to stop and pet it. If I meow to it, it usually meows back to me, and sometimes follows me, purring and wanting to be petted. When I can, I will usually pick it up and hold it for a while. If a friend insults cats, I come to their defense as if they were my best friends, and I can't help but feel angry if they are misjudged. If I see a hurt or abandoned stray, my heartstrings tug at me, and if there's no way for me to help, I will say a prayer and ask the Universe to guide the cat. Even though I don't have a cat at home now because none of my other family members want one in the house, I know in the future I must have three or four cats to keep me company. I'm not sure why I have such an affinity to cats, and I'm curious to know the underlying reasons. Could this be related to a past life, to my spirituality, or to a life lesson I need to learn? I hope I don't sound too crazy! I was born on October 4, 1982, at 7:53 p.m. in New York City. Thank you so much for your time!

- Ana

Dreamchaser:

You don't sound the least bit crazy to me, but then, I am the "animal woman" who talks to every living creature that crosses my path, so maybe we both seem crazy to the outside world.

You have a number of things going on here. The first is that you have had cats as helpers in many other lives prior to this one. You were what some may call a "witch" in one life, and you had quite a few cats with you then.

I'm sure you're familiar with the idea that cats are spirits or "familiars" that accompany witches. Some even believe that witches can assume the form of cats.

In reality, cats have always been attracted to people with special "gifts." Cats soak up the negative energy around those people then go off somewhere and sleep off that energy. They are psychic protectors.

The second thing is that you had at least one life in ancient Egypt, when cats were considered very important "God-like" creatures. The law protected cats at this time, and anyone who harmed or killed a cat faced dire consequences.

Diodorus Siculus said, "Whoever kills a cat in Egypt is condemned to death, whether he committed this crime deliberately or not." When someone broke this law, the people would gather around him and kill him. The goddess Bast was often depicted as a cat, or sometimes she would just have a cat's head.

In this life, the Cat is your main animal spirit guide. You do not have to have an actual living cat around you to be able to pick up on this special energy. I think that is why you are compelled to defend cats so staunchly when someone is insulting them.

The cat is here to teach you things like love, independence, how to see the unseen, and how to fight when cornered. The cat will help you with meditation as well, so if you want to start, now would be a good time.

She will also come into your dreams and assist you there. I am quite sure that you have a lot of dreams that somehow involve cats.

I think it would be great for you to find a way to spend more time around cats. If the people you live with don't want one, then you could always volunteer at your local humane society, or find some other way to spend a lot of time with living cats.

Then study their movements and listen to them "speak" to each other, for this will really help you learn the spiritual lessons that cats have to teach you. We can learn from animals so easily, for their traits are simple and obvious, and easy for us to adopt ourselves.

That is one reason why humans and animals co-exist here. In this lifetime, a lot of animals (not just cats) will be wonderful teachers for you.

I wish you wonderful cat encounters, both in this world and beyond.

*****

Astrea:

I know that you adore ALL animals, for you Libras are well known for the love, compassion, and strong connection you have with other species. Many veterinarians are Libras - in fact, about a third of all the vets in the United States were born under that sign. That is one reason you are such an animal lover.

You very cleverly included your exact birth date with your question, and I found your chart FASCINATING! At first I didn't understand your cat connection because of the lack of balance in where your planets fall in your chart, but after studying the graph, or the "Sky Map" of your birth date, time and place, it was revealed to me why you have this uncanny connection.

Numerous aspects in your astrology chart point to communication with the animal kingdom. Part of this is due to the disappointments you have endured from other PEOPLE, but most of it arises from the nature of your own inner spirit.

You can FEEL what those little "furry snakes" feel in your own Heart. (Thatís what the Egyptians called cats because of how they weave in and out of our feet.) While most people communicate with kitties from the outside in, you connect with them from the inside out.

To discover your bliss, you really should consider working as an animal communicator with an emphasis on felines. I think if you did that, you would find that there is no cat too big or too small to speak directly to your spirit.

Lions and tigers and kittens (oh my!) could benefit from the work you would be able to do in terms of bringing them closer to their human "mothers" and "fathers." Now that the world is more accepting of the notion of animal communication, you could actually develop a well-paying career in this field.

You say that you know you'll have three or four cats later on in your life. Believe me, there will be a LOT more than three or four! I see you operating your very own "no kill" shelter, and placing over a thousand cats in terrific homes over the course of your lifetime.

The first step in this journey is for you to go back to school (sorry, Libra, it's your karma) to be come a Veterinary Technician. (Don't worry, that doesn't mean that you'll have to put anyone to sleep!)

When you're done with that, the perfect vet will come into your life, and you'll be off on an exciting and rewarding new career. Money to get that going will just fall into your lap, because your Guides and Angels (one is a Tiger, have you seen him?) will help you find it.

Your career will benefit two-legged and four-legged critters alike. Start researching this idea TODAY, and get started on your Life Path, for you'll enjoy many rewards by answering your calling.

Astrea:

Many times in life we hear, "You will always have what you NEED, but not necessarily what you WANT." Your spirit must have needed to experience the feeling of leaving your human body, and the suggestion in the next chapter of Sylvia Brown's book was all it took to get you there.

Even though you hadn't read it yet, your SOUL recognized the title of that chapter as something it had been seeking, and your soul, knowing that you had that reference to read after your experience, got with it and out you went!

While I don't usually recommend her books, Sylvia Brown has a wide reaching and powerful effect on lots of people. A Gemini like you would be able to relate easily to her writing and put it to good use. Synchronicity - you gotta love it!

I like your description of "getting caught." That's exactly what it feels like, isn't it? One minute you're free and hovering above the room, and the next minute, ZAP! back down into your corporeal form you go!

As a little kid, I loved that "feeling of return." With practice, most of the time we can control that event, but sometimes, when our physical ears hear a distracting noise or something else occurs to knock us back into reality, back we go. With practice you will be able to control your return better.

I find it interesting that you were visiting your mother-in-law and not someone in your own genetic family. Evidently, you and your husband got married for reasons that are even deeper than love. His family's interest in "psychic stuff" will nurture your children in such matters and help them to grow into their own abilities.

You'll never have to be concerned that when your daughter visits them, she'll be discouraged from exploring her own psychic life and power. My parents encouraged me to develop my psychic senses in a time when it wasn't nice to even discuss such things in public. Heck, it's STILL not considered a great topic at the dinner table in some families!

Your kids will get to talk about it ALL and ask questions and read and study. This is going to give them such an edge in life! Talk with your husband about how you want to present this to your kiddos, so that you are united in your approach and ready to tell them their experiences are all natural and okay.

A word or two of warning: Geminis often have difficulty staying grounded in REAL LIFE. Don't get so strung out on your ASTRAL life that you neglect what you're doing here on Earth.

You are at the beginning of a long journey to learn where your power really lies. Try to be patient with this process and take your time.