It's Only Life

Lately, I have noticed the number of people who appear to be attempting to become published writers. I suppose with the state of the economy everyone is trying to make money in whatever way they can, with many aiming to be the new J K Rowling or Stephen King. Although I have several friends who have managed, successfully to forge a writing career there are many that haven’t. I have been writing since I was in junior school, for sixty years in fact. Even though I have had some success with poetry, articles, short stories and academic works I am still trying to get that novel written and published. My main problem at the moment is distribution of time, trying to juggle writing for fun and profit with studying for an academic degree. The best advice I can give anyone who wants to write, for whatever reason, is read as many books as possible and enrol on a good writing course. If you cannot afford a writing course, then join a good writers group run by an experienced published ...

And I wonder why I backed off from Spiritual stuff. Now please don't take this the wrong way. I will quite happily be there to help people and give free advice (sometimes giving up to two hours of my time) but I will not be a doormat. Also I will not always be able to drop everything to speak to you there and then. I will not send lengthy text messages as it is difficult with arthritic fingers to press small keys. In the past four days I have had six email messages 10 phone calls and three PM's on FB all asking for free help and advice (friends are not included in this as I am there for you anytime day or night).All but three have received advice, etc. The other three are as follows: one wanted me to speak to a friend about some paranoia activity in their house (don't even go there). I asked them to call back in half an hour as I had someone with me at the time. They never called back despite me putting my essay on hold to be ready for their call. (Anyone who writes wil...

Writing my autobiography is proving to be more of a task than I imagined. Gathering my memories of various stages in my life has not only been time consuming but it has also opened many old wounds, not just opened them, but re-inserted the knife and twisted it. Tearing still tender flesh and grating, nauseatingly, against the bone. Dark places have been, unwillingly, re-visited and although many recollections have wrenched heart strings and conscience from their deep rooted foundations, every detail must be written. It is only by unleashing my thought-demon that I can be truly honest with myself and others. Too many secrets are locked within my head, mine will be told but those concerning certain others will go with me to my grave, lest I hurt those left behind. The past two weeks have been a whirlpool of anger, desperation and joy. At the highest point, total elation; while at the lowest, stomach churning, claustrophobic fear and sadness. After throwing all ingredients int...

Photo copyright Brenda Diskin   I can’t even grow weeds, no! it’s true, believe me I have tried. Gardening has never been my strong point, so if I say it comes in fits and starts you may understand where I am coming from. I am not so much green fingered as ham fisted. Whilst trying to get the garden in some kind of order, wanting to make it look more like   a place of tranquility rather than a wood yard, I decided it may be time to plant a few flowers. I love herbs and thought that the small area I set aside for plants might make a good herb garden. Then I remembered the last herb garden and the demise of the plants that lived within. I planted Basil, Tarragon, Mint, Rosemary, Chives, Sage, Parsley, Oregano and more. Strong healthy plants they were, when they went in. The Basil was the first to go, almost overnight in fact. Huge chunks chewed from the leaves by what appeared to be large jaws (compared with the size of the leaves) until all that was le...

Friday, February 6, 2015 1:47 PM    BRENDA DISKIN reports on the anniversary of a strange Devon phenomenon The night of the 8 February 2015 is the 160th anniversary of a very strange event, that left the people of South Devon wondering whether the Devil himself had paid them a visit. Mysterious hoof-shaped prints were said to have appeared overnight in heavy snowfall and were discovered by early risers the next morning. The prints, which were one in front of the other about eight-and-a-half inches apart, appeared to have been made by a biped. They were said to have covered an area of between 40 to 100 miles, passing over rooftops and through walls. One set of prints were said to have bridged the River Exe, continuing on the other side as if the creature had walked over the water. This was all supposed to have happened over a six-hour period, which would have meant that the perpetrator would have had to be moving at speeds up to 17 miles per hour. People waited t...

Cataracts By Brenda Diskin ©2008-07-29 Ever since I was a child I have struggled with my eyesight. I had extremely good vision in my left eye and astigmatism in my right. I have always worn glasses to correct my far sightedness. Being a little vain in my teenage years (and because there were no designer frames then and contact lenses were expensive) I used to remove my spectacles when I went out which meant I was constantly aware of trying to keep my right eye ‘straight’. Over the years my ‘good’ left eye has never let me down, allowing me to see quite long distances, to read numerous books, to sew, draw, paint and pursue various hobbies and handicrafts. I first noticed a definite change about 8 years ago, although I could still pursue the rest of my hobbies I found reading started to get difficult due to the fact my eyes became extremely tired. I would read a few lines and my eyes just wanted to close, which meant I found myself reading the same few lines over and over. It too...

Coral Polge was one of the most amazing and talented spirit artists of our time, and one that I had the pleasure of knowing. This is an example of her work. Besides drawing your long lost relations she also drew 'guides'. Personally I believe that all spirit connections are made by tapping into the residual energy that is left behind after the earthly vessel ( the body) has passed away. Call it the soul, spirit, ghost or whatever it is still composed of energy of the same chemical make up that it had when it resided within its host. The better you are at connecting with this energy, the more 'spirits' you will be able to reach, even those that resided further back in time. Sometimes a particular residual energy will connect with our own energy, a soul connection if you like, and will stay with us for a long period of time. This energy when combined with our own will help us to develop spiritually in the way that we are supposed to. This is why this type of energy is oft...

Psychometry: Everything, animate or inanimate, has a life force energy. This LFE holds the history of where that particular thing has been or is now; it will not hold information about the future because it has not been there. The ground beneath your feet, the bricks and mortar of your house, the table you eat your breakfast at, the chair you sit on, the photograph of great aunt Maud, the jewellery you wear, your clothes, your mobile phone, the list is endless; all these things hold LFE. A psychic or medium can 'tap' in to this energy and pick up situations that the item has experienced, information on the people who have owned it. You actually don't need have owned the object for a long time. All that is needed is for the psychic or medium to hold the object and form a connection to the energy vibrations. Depending on how good that connection is, much useful and comforting information can be relayed. Copyright B.Diskin 2014

For those of you who are thinking about walking a witchy pathway I would like to offer a little advice about 'Responsibility'. Whether you decide to work alone or with others, it is up to you to be responsible for you own actions. As soon as you do any kind of spellwork you are affecting the lives of others.Every action has a 'cause and effect', whether the result is pleasant or chaotic is in your hands. Whenever you embark on creating a spell there is always an intention. This intention should always be very specific and suited to what you are trying to manifest. Always be mindful of the intention and of the ensuing result. For instance if asking for money always be specific about where this money should come from, you don't want your favourite auntie meeting her demise and leaving you her life savings. Always open up safe avenues from which this money could come. Love spells are another thing, while it is quiet acceptable to cast a spell to make yourself more appe...

Yes, okay, I know we all have this ability and whether we use it is down to choice, lifestyle, other abilities that we are more suited to, training etc. But what I am on about here, is those of us who do use it on a regular basis; how do we feel about it? Personally, I have always enjoyed the buzz I get when you see the comforted or joyous expression on someone's face when you have tapped into the energy source that once was a living person, their loved one; giving them some snippet of knowledge that is way beyond normal thinking, something only they could know. Whether you have charged for it or not (topic of another blog?), that buzz is your reward. It is not about ego, it is the satisfaction of using your ability to help someone in their grief. Giving them the proof that their loved ones live on in their hearts, minds and the energy that surrounds them in their daily lives. Being within that energy, within the personality that once was, can be a great feeling in itself espec...

Over the years I have heard many people say that charging for psychic/spiritual readings is wrong. In my opinion if you use any ability or skill as your work you should charge. You wouldn't expect a mechanic to mend your car for nothing or a masseur to give you a free treatment, so why would you expect someone to give you a free reading? We all need money to live on and in these days of job uncertainty and lack of employment we often have to call upon the skills we have to survive. Whether you sew, paint, make furniture, do gardening or read the Tarot it is irrelevant. Everything takes time and energy to produce and that includes giving a reading. I always know if there is someone that I shouldn't charge for whatever reason and I call this my 'one for the Universe (or spirit if you prefer)'. Unfortunately in this day and age we cannot say we are not money orientated because life is money orientated. We have to pay for a roof over our heads, our food, our clothes, ou...

It's not easy to remain positive when life slaps you in the face but when you are feeling down negativity just makes it worse. I wouldn't expect you to walk around with a 'Cheshire Cat Grin' as people will think you've escaped from the Shining film set or the local asylum. What I am saying is, a good morning or a nice smile could well make someone's day and will certainly make you feel better. Remaining positive is about trusting that 'the powers that be' will sort things out in a favourable manner. A tough one. Sounds like a load of rubbish doesn't it? Okay, let's put it in a different way. Briefly, everything is composed of energy; that is, everything is composed of atoms which are made up of protons, neutrons (together called nucleons) and electrons. We were taught from a young age, by the use of magnets, that positive repels positive. If this is the case how does maintaining a positive outlook attract positivity? There is another force ...

Sunday, March 6. 2016 Well folks this will be a long one (eventually) because everything I have to say about this special little girl will come through the memories of the years we spent together, and this can't be written overnight. The picture below is a watercolour I painted of her. Original watercolour by and copyright to Brenda Diskin It was January 1998 when we decided to get another dog. The house had been empty since we lost our rescue German Shepherd, Susie. We thought a a Jack Russell this time; we had had Jacks before and knew what great dogs they were. We found a kennels on the way to Milton Keynes who had one JR puppy left. The owner bought her to show us. She was four months old, a pathetic, nervous little creature that stunk of urine. Apparently the owners son had wanted her but after having her for a few weeks had decided he couldn't cope so she was put back in the kennels for sale. Even if she had been the most awful looking dog in the world I c...

Picture copyright to Brenda Diskin Thursday, May 4. 2017 I am the whispers in the night that tiptoe through your sleep, the voices on the wind, the melodic patter of the rain against your window. I am in those dreams that you can’t quite remember, in those fleeting thoughts. I am the shadow in the corner of your eye, which makes you turn and wonder. I am those creaking floorboards and the movements you hear when you are alone in the house. I am in the photographs tucked away in the drawer, in the memories that dart through your mind when you have a déjà vu moment. I am in the cereal packet on the supermarket shelf that you no longer need to buy. I am on the streets that you walk along and in the buildings that you love. I am in the little café on the corner where you sip coffee and gaze through the window at people going about their lives. I am in the park where you walk when you need to calm your thoughts. I am in your hopes and your fears. I am locked in t...

Monday, May 8. 2017 I have always believed you get back what you send out e.g. You give a smile you get a a smile back. You greet someone with hostility they will respond with hostility. So if you live your life sending out negative vibrations, complaining about all the things that are bad in your life, wishing people ill, holding grudges, hating those that have wronged you and so on, that is what you will get back. Instead try be happy for what you have got, look at all the positives in your life (and you will find there are quite a few). As for those that have wronged you feel sorry for them and their sad existence, those that thrive on hurting others have obviously been hurt themselves and are probably desperately unhappy. How can you be happy when you are constantly thinking up ways to make other people unhappy. Pity them and then rise above them and don't waste your thoughts on them (good or bad). Concentrate on being at peace with yourself. When you are down do somethin...

Original gouache painting by and copyright to Brenda Diskin Friday, April 13. 2018 For several years now I have been suffering with breathing problems and was diagnosed with possible Angina. Recently I have experienced some severe attacks which seem to mimic a heart attack but appear to stem from my stomach and which I believe to be food related. I also suffer with osteoarthritis. These problems have started to affect my work as I never know when an attack is going to happen. This particular blog entry is about me getting my health, life and work back on track and in the process I hope my posts may be of help to others. Comments Display comments as ( Linear  | Threaded) About a month ago I joined a new gym and attended for the first time on Wednesday 11th April.Because of my health problems mentioned in the lead post I have found it difficult to walk far, especially uphill, let alone exercise. I succeeded in completeing 18 minutes on the treadmill at lev...