Clothes Line

Send in your submissions to, 

Clothes Line 
Mirror Magazine
C/o Sunday Times 
No. 8 Hunupitiya Cross Road 
Colombo 2 

Email : clothesline_lk@yahoo.com
 

Life's s risk - live it

As we pass each milestone in life, we observe that it is only the risk- takers who go up the rungs of the ladder of success, while the ones who do not venture anyhting have to be satisfied with what they have.A well known author said that the world is a stage where all the people are actors and that life itself is a gamble. While employed in the mundane day to day chores we engage in many a gamble unconsciously. But when it comes to major decision-making we refrain from taking risks, ones which may even be to our advantage, because in the heart there is the nagging feeling that the final result may be disastrous and might bring chaos to our lives.

These pessimistic attitudes will not make our short lives sweet and fulfilled". Positive anything is better than negative nothing," so the saying goes. Hence don't be afraid to go out on a limb: after all that's where the fruit is. 

Yoshanthi Wellawa 

Don't be run out

When we no longer can do such things we say that 'time is flying'....I realised that as long as we allow ourselves to be in this situation, we will remain this way and become slaves to the clock. We have to stop being obsessed by time, it is then that we can come out of any unnecessary stress.Imagine the mental trauma (I know I am over reacting, but as I said before I get panic attacks, of course for very different reasons) - we go through. Come to think of it at the end of the day, there is nothing we can do about it. So then why go through all this.I don't mean to say that we have to just forget about time, and party till everything is over. We have to do constructive work but at the same time must learn the wisdom of letting things develop, at their own pace. We should never be intimidated by time. I feel that if each one of us can achieve this we will realise that we have all the time in the world to do what we ought to do. 

Shani. 

More than just white lies

I always felt that such people always got what they wanted by hook or by crook, until I gave it some serious thought. Then it struck me that these people in fact suffer from some kind of inferiority complex, they are very insecure. It's just that they prefer to lie rather than face life's reality or even accept the truth. Such people will always be caught in a web of lies not able to go on with their life.Going further into analysing such people, I realised that we have to actually feel sorry for them. Imagine living in a world of lies. Where will they stop, maybe when they find that for years they have been living in a supernatural word. It is indeed pathetic.

Shammie 

Flower power 

"We cannot fathom the mystery of a single flower," wrote 19th century art critic and philosopher John Ruskin, "nor is it intended that we should; but that the pursuit of science should constantly be betrayed by the love of beauty, and accuracy of knowledge by tenderness of emotion."

Colour therapist Suzy Chiazzari has dedicated herself to flowers, and their mysterious and mystical effect on the human mind and body. Indeed, she has written a book about their healing energy and how they can be harvested to help our emotional and physical well being using a technique called flower psychometry. 

Chiazzari is not the first to discover medical or spiritual properties in flowers. Throughout history, plants have been used as natural remedies in such systems of healing such as homeopathy, aromatherapy and herbalism. The ancient Egyptians, Greeks and Romans all ascribed symbolic powers to the colours and forms of different flora, using them in religious ceremonies and prediction rituals. Pagan priests dedicated flowers to their gods, just as early Christian monks and nuns set them before their saints. And in India and Asia, flowers are still used as a form of symbolic and spiritual communication. 

Sadly, says Chiazzari, as the human race has divorced itself from the natural world, we have lost our sensitivity to what flowers have to offer us. She believes we are all attracted to flowers that mirror our psyche, revealing not just our present state of mind and where we are in our lives, but how to initiate positive changes. 

Not only can a flower help us build up a picture of who we really are, it can also help us find areas of our life that we can change, while at the same time identifying circumstances that are beyond our control, she says in her book Flower Reading. 

We have such a close intuitive relationship with flowers that we often instinctively identify with certain flowers. Most people have favourite flowers which reflect their own natural tendencies and outlook on life. Rose-lovers are recognised as romantic and sensitive souls, while admirers of sunflowers are more likely to be outgoing and lively. 

Psychometry, she says, is a method of finding the exact flower you need and reading the personal message it has for you. It is based on the idea that flowers contain electrical and magnetic vibrations. The human body, on the other hand, is like a radio receiver that can tune into these different frequencies of energy and absorb their healing rays of light. 

The mind-body connection is well proven, for every cell in our body is receptive to brain chemicals, and so our state of mind can affect the very core our being. Vibrational healing introduces harmonious vibrations into the system so that balance and harmony can be restored, much the same way as tuning a radio set. 

Her book outlines the process of reading flowers, decoding what their shape, habitat and environment have to tell us. 

"Different parts of the flower mirror different parts of our being," she explains. "So when looking at a flower from above, the outer circle will correspond to our physical body, the inner circle will correspond to our emotional and mental bodies, while the centre relates to our inner core or soul." 

The first step is to select a flower that feels significant to you. Choose a time when you are on your own and won't be disturbed. The early morning is ideal as this is when a garden is at its most peaceful and fresh. The late afternoon or early evening in summer is another good time. Relax and breathe deeply for a few minutes before walking through the garden, aware of any magnetic pull from a specific direction. Once you feel you are in the right place, tune into the plants around you until your hand comes to rest on a particular flower. "This," says Chiazzari, "is the right flower for you." 

Each quality of your flower reflects a different aspect of your life. The habitat and growth pattern of the flower reveal your present state of being and circumstances, while its shape signifies any area of disharmony. The family the flower belongs to will suggest a central theme or keynote that indicates its main purpose. The hibiscus, for instance, takes its theme from its scarlet colour, suggesting a need for freeing up sensuality; while the rose is universally associated with love, and the bluebell, growing happily in the shade and under trees, indicates the ability to share happily with others. 

Violets and pansies are symbolic of thought and their five petals reflect the human body. They are linked to shyness and sensitivity, and suggest a need to learn to share oneself without fear of criticism or failure. Daisies are a symbol of innocence and survival. Their ability to grow in diverse and adverse conditions reveals a person who needs energy and patience in adversity or when they are in a hostile environment. 

Look at the environment in which you find your flower. A plant growing in a sunny and fertile place indicates a person who is in a nurturing and creative environment, while a plant growing in a dry barren or windy position is similar to someone who finds himself in less supportive circumstances.

Did you choose a single or group flower? "Flowers that grow singly are usually chosen by people who feel alone or wish to stand up for themselves, while flowers growing in a group or cluster reflect someone who needs group support." 

Flowers mimic our body language, says Chiazzari. A downward hanging flower like a fuchsia indicates that you feel earthbound and heavy of heart. They can reveal imbalances of mind which are repressed and are therefore creating physical and emotional problems. 

A flower may droop its head in despondency or it may express joy by followng the sun with its petals wide open. A plant which bends and shakes in the breeze suggests a nervous person, while a tall upright stem my indicate someone who finds it difficult to let go. 

Having decoded what the form of the flower is telling you, Chiazzara says the next step is to use it as a blue-print to initiate positive changes, using everything from its colour and aroma to its texture to work towards a happier and healthier future. 

Dark flowers with heavy, rich and woody aromas work on the body at a physical level. Bright, clear flowers with sweet, refreshing scents target the emotional and mental body, while light flowers with euphoric scents work at the spiritual level. 

In Flower Reading, Chiazzari not only provides detailed analyses of flowers, but she describes meditation techniques and ceremonies in which you can then harness your flower power. Flowers, she makes clear, have much to teach us. 

"The gift of flowers allows us to experience a greater sense of the sacred harmony in and around us, she concludes. This understanding imbues us with energy, well-being and wisdom. By using the ancient wisdom of the floral kingdom we can come to understand ourselves better. By developing our individual sensitivity and intuition, we can work together to make the world a better place."

More Mirror Magazine

Return to Mirror Magazine Contents