Writings From A HIGHER SOURCE

Announcing The Higher Source Shared Prayer Grant

2009-02-10T22:55:29Z

I am delighted to announce a new opportunity being offered by my company - The Higher Source Shared Prayer Grant. This grant provides spiritual work to people who have a healing need and who would otherwise be unable to afford the services. It is a tremendous honor to be involved in such a beneficent program. Please read on for more information:

What is the Shared Prayer Grant?
The Shared Prayer Grant is a healing opportunity made possible through generous love offerings from an anonymous benefactor. This grant is a living example of faith in action, hope, community, and the reciprocity of receiving and sharing.

Spiritual work costs money. In a perfect world all healing would be free of charge and given without limit, but in today's world, many times we are limited by our budgets. In my experience, it is oftentimes the people who are in the greatest need who are unable to afford the work which could be of such assistance.

The Higher Source Shared Prayer Grant offers financial assistance for applicants who find themselves in such situations. If accepted, the recipient's spiritual work, for a set period of time, will be completely financed by the grant. This is a wonderful opportunity to get the prayer and support one needs to make positive changes in their life, especially when this type of work is outside the grantee's means.

Who can qualify?
Anyone can qualify if they are over the age of eighteen and if they meet minimum household income criteria.

Household income information is given via the honor system, and any financial misrepresentation on behalf of the applicant is a huge violation of trust and will not be tolerated. This said, there will be no background investigation to prove financial worthiness, and representations made by applicants will be trusted. Please do not abuse this form of spiritual giving. If you can, in good faith, afford your own spiritual work ($25-$200), please do not apply for the Shared Prayer Grant. You will be robbing a truly needy person from this holy opportunity.

The focus of the Shared Prayer Grant is on healing, although the term healing is a subjective one which can be broadly defined. Some examples of healing work include: self-esteem and self-worth issues, moving on after a bad relationship, depression and hopelessness, illness and injury, finding a fulfilling job, opening up opportunities, healing abuse, working towards a dream, meeting a supportive partner, moving past financial devastation, and harmony in relationships. Some life circumstances which are decidedly not for healing would be: gambling, cursing, breaking up relationships, and controlling.

Please contact me to discuss your specific situation if you have your doubts as to whether it's appropriate for this grant. Almost any situation can be re-thought and re-worked, and a higher, more healing-focused, road can be taken. I do not judge and i keep strict confidence.

What does it include?
The Shared Prayer Grant includes focused prayer and candlework for one week or so, plus continued prayer support for as long as you desire. The candlework is catered to the individual and their unique set of circumstances, but it is most often composed of a tandem (or double-up) 7-Day vigil light setting with other work combined if and when the situation dictates.

Although i will work closely with the grantee, the specific type of spiritual work is at my sole discretion. This grant is not a gift certificate or some sort of shopping spree. Please refer to the Services Page on my website for more information about the types of spiritual candleburning i offer.

The most profound part of the Shared Prayer Grant is not the candlework, though. It is the small and anonymous community of supporters who are joining in prayer, silently encouraging each other - hence the name, Shared Prayer.

Whenever a new grantee is accepted, about once or twice a month, an anonymous prayer list email is sent to the Shared Prayer supporters. This email list is one-way only; there's no email contact back and forth between members, and everyone's email address remains hidden. The grantee is allowed to remain unnamed, but their prayer request - their goal statement for their healing work - is shared with the group so that everyone may join in prayer and add their silent support in affirming the grantee's vision. Each grantee then has a whole team of people on their side, encouraging them. Powerful!

After each grantee's period of spiritual work ends, their request stays on the list until directed otherwise. All they are asked to do is to participate in the anonymous email community and join in prayer for each future member of the Shared Prayer Grant. In this manner a circle of reciprocity is experienced: first, one receives support, they are prayed for and encouraged, and then they give support, praying for and silently encouraging others.

Prayer is how you define it. I could never dream of putting a definition on personal prayer. Therefore, i cannot require that you pray for others a specific way - there is no right or wrong way. That is for you to discover, although praying for others, no matter the form, is a profound act of love and a deeply worthwhile act. There exists no limitation in regard to religion or spirituality; all open-minded people are welcome. If you're interested in prayer support, you may also join the anonymous Shared Prayer email list without being a grantee or applicant. Just Contact Me at my Website.

What are the requirements?

You must be over eighteen.

You must have a valid email address.

You must agree to everything in the Terms of Service and the Disclaimer on my website.

You must be unable to afford this work and meet basic financial eligibility.

You must have a healing need - healing being defined subjectively.

You must be open to continuing on the anonymous Shared Prayer email list and intend to give your best effort to praying for and supporting future grantees - please do not just receive this gift and not make an effort to give back. Sometimes it's not possible, though, i understand. All i ask is that you try.

You must complete the Shared Prayer Grant Application.

How do I apply?

Start by filling out the application on my website.

If you have any questions, please email me through the Contact Me Page or at:

contact@ahighersourcesupply.com

There's more information on The Shared Prayer Page of my website.

Please spread the word if you have a friend or family member who you think would be a good fit for this grant. At this point i am able to accept one or two recipients a month, maybe more.

Have any ideas? I am totally open.

Want to help? You probably can.

Thanks kindly for your support,
Julia

How-To: Using Double-Action Candles

2009-01-11T14:55:19Z

Love me some double action candles! I use them all the time, and you should too! I posted a cleansing and clearing ritual for New Year's, or really any time you're wanting to make a change, and in this ritual i suggested using a double action (DA) candle. Here's a bit more info and a photo on the subject as using these types of candles can be a little confusing for the first-timer. I also encourage you to Google "double action candles" as well, as there are other surely far more eloquent and far more thorough how-tos out there, probably with different tips and techniques.

So, double action (DA) candles are candles with two colors of wax sandwiched on top of each other - half black and half another color, usually white, red, or green. You use these candles to move out the bad - banish, cleanse, reverse, remove - and invite in the good - bless, attract, improve, honor. This is a very nice thing, and its usefulness should be apparent.

I use DA candles several times a year: on New Year's Eve into New Year's Day (read the ritual linked above), during certain lifetime events involving change, and whenever i need to move out a bad spell of luck or sadness or an unfortunate event. I find these candles are also nice for married folks or folks in a committed relationship, as there are rough spots from time to time which, when over and done with, are best cleaned up and swept away and a new chapter entered into. When i quit smoking cigarettes i used a black and white DA in a ritual similar to the one given. When i vowed to stop spending on my credit cards and start paying them down and basically be more financially responsible, i did some spiritual work using green and black DA. When i made healing a priority in my life i used these candles again. So they're quite useful, at least to me.

If you haven't already gathered, the different color choices for DA stand for different conditions. Red and Black candles are used for love and relationship matters (marriage problems, divorce clearing, moving past a broken heart, removing damaging personal habits before starting a new relationship, etc.); Green and Black candles are for money and employment-related workings (changing irresponsible financial patterns, money worries, picking yourself back up after bankruptcy, living without alimony, monetary lawsuits, job concerns, etc.); and White and Black DAs are for everything else (spiritual work, healing, bad habits, miscellanea, etc.).

The black wax signifies that which you desire removed from your life. The colored wax represents that which you desire and what you wish to attract/affirm in your life. When you burn these candles, you first have to remove the bad/undesirable which means the black half first. Now, i don't know what super genius first created these candles and why the major commercial suppliers haven't remedied this, but for some stupid reason, most DA candles have the black half on the bottom as shown in the candles on the right in the photo below. It is then up to you to prepare your candle so the colored or white part is at the bottom and the black part is the top half with the wick. This process is called butting the candle.

(About the photo: (Left to right) Two taper candles, and while they are obviously not Double Actions, you can use them in a similar manner addressed below; a very special DA votive hand-made at Karma Zain Spiritual Supply, note that this candle is made correctly with the black on top and the white on the bottom - i highly recommend this brand both for ease of use and the fact it's righteously made; lastly, three traditional, commercially-available DA candles in white, green, and red - these are the guys you have to butt since the black is incorrectly on the bottom)

Now, butting the candle entails cutting off the existing colored/white tip of the candle, leveling that off so it makes a good base, and then whittling a new tip from the black end. It sounds easy enough, but it's a bit more work than you'd think. Don't let that discourage you, though, but keep a few things in mind:

~ Use a proper knife. This is not the job to tackle with some sort of ritual knife - you know the ones with the decorative handles such as dragons and wizards, rhinestoned eyes, brass celtic knotwork, etc. You need a real knife such as a chef's knife or a working bowie knife, something like a Ka-Bar. To chop off the tip cleanly to make the new base I use a smooth-edged kitchen knife which i hold over a hot burner to heat the blade. I then, pressing downward, use it to push through the candlewax, then re-warm the knife blade, turn the candle, and press down again, making my way around the candle. I find this more effective than sawing through it with a serrated blade for this wax is usually brittle and prone to chunking off.

~ Butting a DA candle is not necessarily hallowed high ritual work - it's not overly glamorous, witchy-poo, incense smoke and chanting type work, at least to me. I actually prepare the candle before i start the working as a separate chore. I just find sawing through a thick candle and whittling a new tip not conducive to prayer and meditative altered states. To me this is prep work, sort of like wiping down your working altar and gathering bowls and other mundane equipment. It takes about 15 minutes to do the job, and the colored candle wax dye rubs off on your hands making a mess - not to mention the pile of wax shavings from whittling the new tip.

So do this a few times just because it builds experience and character, but then you may want to search out a candlemaker like the one i linked above who makes DA candles with the black half on top.

There are numerous ways to dress a DA candle. Here is one such method:

After butting the candle, carve the things you wish to remove into the wax on the black half. It can be words or a short statement, a list, names, and you can repeat these negative conditions once or over and over covering the black part of the candle. Next, carve the things you wish to invite or things you wish to replace the bad with on the white/colored half. Again, this can be a list or some statement such as "My Perfect Lover" or "Financial Freedom" or "Good Luck," whatever. Take a removal-type oil such as Banishing or Cast Off Evil and use it to anoint the black half with. Use downward strokes while speaking your removal petition, being careful not to get any oil on the colored/white half. Wash your hands. Then use your "good" oil on the colored/white half. This can be a Blessing or Healing oil or it can be specific to your desires such as Love Come To Me, Wealthy Way, or Fast Luck. Anoint this half working upwards and speaking your blessing/attraction petition.

These jumbo double action candles (the ones pictured to the far right) can take anywhere from six to twelve hours to burn. They also need a special holder for they're about twice the width of a normal taper, and i recommend putting the whole thing, candleholder and all, in a metal cake pan or rimmed cookies sheet as this candle puts out a lot of wax drippings.

On the subject of wax drippings, it is traditional to remove the candle of its black wax drippings and remnants. This is done once the black half of the candle is burnt down. Just pick off the trails of blak wax and the puddles surrounding the candle being careful not to upset the candle or burn yourself. It makes sense to do so as the black wax signifies the condition(s) you're removing, and you want to have no trace of it. If you do not remove these black wax drippings, they will mix with the white wax and you will be left with a big puddle of gray wax. Gray wax is not what you want as a future outcome; you want shiny, virginal, pure white wax. Just pick of the trails and puddles of black wax and dispose of them; i'd suggest burying them off your property or at a crossroads. You can also throw the black wax away in a dumpster - not your own trash containers - or use this black wax immediately in other removal/cleansing spellwork. Once the black wax is removed, the rest of the wax remnants will be white and these can be used in a number of ways: add them to a mojo bag, make up a packet amulet, place them on an altar, or bury them by your front door.

SInce the jumbo candles take so long to burn, you can burn these types of candles in stages - a little bit each day. Divide the candle into seven equal sections and mark them off with little lines dug into the wax. The fourth section, the middle section, will be half black and half white. This is a particularly nice way to burn these candles as it gives you time to pray and reflect on your changes. For the first three days while the black part of the candle burns, you pray/focus/do spellwork on removal. On the fourth day, as the black wax gives away to the white, you shift your focus to saying a final goodbye to the old and then welcome in the good. On days five through seven, the white wax days, your work is on blessing and change. In this way it is kind of like working with a glass-encased vigil light. You have seven days of intense prayer and focus on your goal. I like to combine this with spiritual bathing, especially one days one, four, and seven.

The votive light in the middle of the photo has a lot of benefits. One, you don't have to butt the light since the black wax is on top; two, the candle burns in far less time, around two to five hours. This may be just what you want: a candle to burn all in one day. When working with a DA votive, you obviously have less space to carve your petition, but still do so because there's still plenty of room. Also dress it with the two different oils being careful not to mix them. I also recommend not burning a DA votive in a typical glass votive holder. If you do, the candle will melt into the holder as it's designed to do, and you won't be able to pick out the black wax when it comes time to do so. When you're burning magical votives that are all one color wax, as most are, it's fine and preferable to burn them in a votive holder; it's just the DA's that get treated differently. Burn them in the middle of a metal cake pan or a rimmed cookie sheet and they'll be safe and you'll be able to happily pick away at the black wax remnants.

Now, if you really want to burn a double action but you don't have one on-hand, then by all means use two separate taper candles: one black and one white. You can do exactly the same thing and have the same end result; it's just not as cool-looking or as novel, but two separate candles does have its benefits. For one, you don't have to butt the darn things; two, separate candles are easier to carve and anoint; and three, collecting and disposing of the black wax remnants is also way easier. So don't let your lack of a special DA jumbo or votive prevent you from doing this type of work. Treat the two tapers as instructed above; then once the black candle is just about to go out, say a prayer of transformation, that out of the bad the good is birthed, then light your white candle from the almost-extinguished black candle-puddle, and do your thing.

Okay. I think that's about all. Any questions? Ask away. Have anything to add? I'd love to know.

Candlework plus an Affirmative Prayer/Meditation for Relationship Healing

2008-11-01T18:55:10Z

Use this prayer when working for relationship healing such as reconciliation work or when a partner has left in anger. Print out the prayer on an index card-size piece, and on the back, write out your petition for healing and reconciliation, signing your name at the end.
For long-term work prop the prayer/petition paper up against a white glass-encased vigil light candle. If you are working for the quick return of a lover, say if he left the house in a huff, place your prayer paper under a white free-standing candle in a candleholder. Anoint with Holy Oil mixed with a love oil such as Reconciliation, Adam and Eve, Love Come to Me, or Marriage House Blessing. Light the candle and pray this prayer over and over with great feeling until you feel "right."
For greater effect, you may add personal concerns of you and your mate such as photographs surrounding the candle, hairs placed under the candle, love letters, Valentine's cards, etc. If you have supplies on hand, rub the candle in a commerically-prepared love herb mix, or use rose petals and sprinkle them on and around the candle.

With unlimited faith and understanding love, i release and forgive.
Dear one, know that i am holding you in prayer. Enfolding you in love and understanding, i release any need to control outcomes for us. I am assured that God is in charge, and that Divine Love infuses our circumstance.
As we go forward, i trust God to lead us with Divine Wisdom. As we follow, we are guided to refreshing levels of insight, new-found options of action, and renewed belief.
Making right choices, we move ahead with faith and trust. Our desire is for the best for ourselves and each other.
Assured with serenity and comfort, we feel, acknowledge, and affirm: Wherever we are, God is, and all is well.
With unlimited faith and understanding love, we release and forgive.

How Does My eBay Light-Setting Service Differ From Others?

2008-08-30T19:38:14Z

Well, for one I'm not a charlatan lying to you, faking my experience, stealing your money, and doing no magic - not that I know definitively when and if this is done amongst other workers; it's just scenario that is not too far out of left field, if you know what I mean.

Number Two, I don't list fifty million auctions for my spiritual services - I list one or two auctions, tops, at any given time. Obviously, this keeps my work load down so I can give my undivided attention to whoever I'm working for at the time. I pay close attention to detail, and it is unethical for me to not give my all on behalf of my clients. Not only is it unethical, it is a huge breech of trust and is unholy.

Number three, you and I work in steps to assure I have all the info I need to get started. I send out a detailed questionnaire to get what I need from my clients. You can write as much or as little as you wish, and you have all the time you need to fill it out. When I get your info, in the unlikely chance I don't think I can help you, I'll refund your money, not lie to you and lead you on. I'm also honest. You are not paying for me to lead you along into fantasy land. If your man's no good, I'll tell you. If you're being obsessive, I'll tell you. If things look bleak, I'll tell you, etc. People can work with the truth and nothing else. Before I get started, I then send off an info sheet about the work I've decided to do, when I'm going to do it, and what you can do in addition.

Afterwards, I send you the remnants crafted into an amulet (see below), more info about magical work and what to expect, and a DETAILED write-up of my intuitions, observations, and reflections gleaned from doing your work. This report is very helpful and is chock-full of suggestions, magical and mundane. Some times I write pages and pages detailing my feedback. I practice candle divination - it is one of my gifts - which is the art of reading candle wax, burn patterns, and flame activity, plus recieving visions and intuitions as the candle burns. All relevant readings and intuitions are included in the write-up as well.

Number four, you get something tangible at the end of our work together. I craft the spell remnants - the candle wax, petition paper, herbs, etc., into a magical packet. It's a small paper amulet tied with a string that is magically very potent. You can keep it, ritually dispose of it, carry it on your person, etc. Not only am I doing candle work on your behalf, you also get an amulet in the end. If you needed proof that I was actually doing work on your behalf, you'll get it in the form of a magical end-product crafted into a powerful token of my service on your behalf.

For a reasonable price you are getting a lot of spiritual work done on your behalf. Shop around and compare the magical services offered. You have a bounty to choose from which is how it should be. Not all spiritual workers/magic practitioners are for every single person. God will guide you to the person who can help you as long as you stay open to Divine Guidance.

I Need Help and Spiritual Support Now!

2008-08-30T19:34:56Z

I need help and spiritual support now! There is a great resource for free prayer and support. Silent Unity is an inter-denominational program that offers free 24-hour prayer support. Calling them is a profound experience. The counselors are non-judgemental, compassionate, and help with the right prayers at the right time. I highly recommend giving them a call if you're in the middle of a crisis or just need some encouragement and cheering up. Call 1-800-NOW-PRAY. The website is also filled with inspirational resources such as affirmations and meditations. www.unityonline.org

I also offer free candleburning services for folks who are truly needy and who honestly cannot afford to pay for work. This is not a deluxe service, though, and it does not include any correspondence from me nor a candleburing report. Visit my website and look under the page entitled Candle Minstry - or click this link to be taken there. I also have some good prayer resources listed on my Links Page as well.

I also offer a grant for subsidized spiritual work for those folks who have a healing need but are unable to pay for spiritual work. This is called the Higher Source Shared Prayer Grant - click on this link to be taken to my webspage for more information about the grant.

As of yet no one has abused these offerings, and i hope the time will never come when i cannot offer this work due to people taking advantage. For my paying clients, know in your heart that you help subsidize this form of spiritual giving and I am humbly grateful. For those who are in need, know the time will come soon when you are able to give as well.

Question: What Type of Candle Spells Do You Offer On eBay?

2008-08-30T16:01:21Z

I just received this question from an eBayer:

(I summarize) I read that you do magic candle work on eBay. What do you do?

My Answer:
"I do candlework for folks. The type of work I do is dependant on their needs, of course, and the cost of services. I set simple lights for free for folks who are in desperate need and who truthfully cannot afford the work.

I typically offer three types of spiritual services:
1) A 6" candle burning with all the extras: herb blend, hand-crafted packet amulet, candleburing report, etc. This candle is ritually prepared, prayed over, the whole nine yards, and then the remnants go into the creation of the packet amulet.

2) A 7-Day glass encased vigil light which i decorate beautifully to your petition, magically fix, and then burn on my altar offering prayers morning and night. I then send you the empty, decorated candle glass with instructions on how you can reuse it, plus the candleburning report.

3) Same service as above, but i send you the decorated and fixed vigil light unlit, i make its mate for me, and then we time our candleburing to start at the same time - doubling up our work. You burn your candle at your home - i burn mine. I keep my candleglass for further work at your request or i ritually dispose of it. Obviously, you keep yours.

The main difference is in price. The first service also includes the packet amulet which some folks really like. They carry it in a cloth bag, put it in a place of reverence in their homes, etc. Obviously the last two are longer in duration, therefore more expensive. I can also customize work, creating a blending of services, etc.

A word on pricing. I am new-ish to offering my spiritual services on ebay. What i've done before, and continue to do, is do this work after seeing a client in-person. This is easier as i don't spend forever typing up a detailed report and exchanging emails - we speak face-to-face. When i started offering these services on ebay, i realized i was completely undercutting myself. I end up spending hours typing, not including the time doing the spiritual work, even for the least-time consuming service, and I'm realizing I'm not compensating myself accordingly. In sum, i am raising my rates.

If i were independantly wealthy i would do this work for free. It is what i love, and i have met some fantastic people on ebay. It has been a two-way street as far as exchanging lessons and wisdom. I still am uncomfortable setting a price tag to the work i do, but such is business, spiritual or mundane.

If i were to sell or list either one of these auctions on ebay with a Buy it Now, it would be $50 for the 6" candleburning, $70 for the vigil light i burn, and $80 for the two lights - one for me and one for you. If this is outside your budget, please let me know, and i can adapt some work to fit it.