ACCUPUNCTURE: this ancient oriental medical form is one of the few things
available to help you on the market today that I have no qualms or
arguments about, its simply application of stimuli to nerves to reduce pain
or stress on other parts of the body that correspond in the 'wiring' of the
human body. My only caution here is to always go to accupuncturists whoi
are otherwise medically qualified as well, in case an error is made you
still have the usual malpractice suit option (though I'm told errors with
this skill are rare).

ASTROLOGY: One of the oldest concepts in Esoterica is the design of a
personal horoscope based on your birth information and the location of the
planets and stars at it. I believe that the basics of astrology work, the
determining of personality traits according to birth time and period are
fairly accurate, but very general. On the other hand I would not put any
scope into truly predicting the future via this becuase the whole theory
behind it doesn't work any longer if they are using the present day
calendar and symbols. The original basis of astrology was not 12 but 13
Astrological constellations, which were the predominant sign for each Lunar
month (13 signs, 13 moon cycles to a year). The missing sign is the Snake
or serpent (dependant on where in the world you were born) and it was the
13th house of the system, fitting, if I remember correctly, on one side of
Scorpio. If anyone is claiming true accuracey and results using Astrology
they must be ignoring the current calendar and co nverting back to the
classical one. I don't doubt there are some who do just this, but they are
not the majority. Never believe Mass-marketed horoscopes in books,
magazines or newspapers...they pay no attention to the time you were born
or actual day and thus lack the information on your ascendency sign. Again
don't put all your faith into this nor your hard earned dollars that you
can't afford to lose. Remember Hitler had an astrologer he followed
dilligently, and so did Napoleon, neither got the result they wanted or
expected accordingly.

BIO-RHYTHMS: this one pretends to be on the verge of science, and has
fooled the scientific elites several times. In actuality bio-rhythm's are a
diffrent for of Numerology linked with erroneous Astrology theories and
anatomical information. Quite frankly I don't know anyone who's managed to
have a completely accurate result from this, except a hypocondriac who got
sick whenever it said their health was going to be at a low level. Not
worth spending money on in any event unless you've come into a winfall
inheritance (and if you have I'll take it off your hands and put it to
better use willingly!).

CHANNELING: this I've looked at in depth and believe it is probably the
worst thing to arrise in our New Age Movement. Channeling, for those of you
who have no idea what it is, is the trading of your body temporarily so a
dead being of some sort (or enlightened being from another plane of
existance) can express its opinions to the world thru you. I have problems
with this subject because it reminds me far too much of the false mediums
and spiritualists of the 1920's who hoaxed so many people out of so much
money by promising to contact dead relatives for bereaving widows and
widowers. Modern day channelers instead promise contact with people you've
never heard of for the most part, who claim to be from Atlantis, or Moo, or
various other pre-Christian era locales and times that have advanced in
their stage upon the road of enlightment to the point where the want to
help others by presenting a theory of Love and sharing...including usually
sharing your funds with the person doing the cha nneling in amounts ranging
from $100 to $1500 for an hour or so of this conversation. Quite frankly I
haven't seen much from any of the channelers in any way of true enlightment
being given or even accurate prophecies about anything except their own
popularity and growth as a new-wave religion. I truly believe that it is
possible that there are honest, for-real people who can channel the spirits
of the dead and other-world beings, but like I believe in most things in
this field, if their asking more than a simple re-imbursment for their time
and possibly travel time (say $25-50 for an hour) I would stay clear of
them and keep the cash. I also believe that there are a heck of a lot less
real channelers then there are money-grabbing fakes (sort of looking at the
New Age euivilant to Evangelical preachers here as far as I can tell).

CRYSTALS & THEIR USES : I've been looking at what a lot of people are
claiming you can do with crystals and what I know can actually been done
with them and there is a H U G E diffrence between the two, with good
reason. Again the money-making scheemers have entered this field and are
making a bundle on what they can sell off quartz and other stones for, to
the point where there is becoming a shortage of quartz available in nature
in the US (many are importing the stones from other countries and or strip-
mining for them in little-known spots in the poorer states of this country).
I've used crystals, in the right hands they are a wonderful way of focusing
energy from yourself and others to produce a result or to store them in a
battery. . I firmly believe that no one needs thousands of crystals to
improve their existance...else wouldn't the Goddess have placed them in
easier locales for everyone to get at? Never pay more than $25 for a piece
of rock, unless its pure gold or truly the most beautiful stone you've ever
seen that you want as a conversation piece in your home. The most I've paid
myself was $12 for the one crystal I wear, and I buy on the average maybe
one new stone every six months or so because an old one becomes lost,
misplaced or given away to a friend who truly admired it (I won't part with
the Amethyst but I will part with other stones). It is not only crytals
that have uses, one of my favorite stones is Hematite, a polished stone
resembling a dull silver-color that acts as a great grounding stone as it
tends to absorb and disipate energy as fast as you can concentrate it - and
that if you actually buy it costs between 10 cents and a dollar, based on
size, and is now often made by craftsmen into hand-made jewelry (a set of
earrings costs about $7 from an honest dealer). For those who are
interested I'm go ing to throw together and E-mail dump a file list of what
I utilize particular stones for - but don't go out and spend lots of cash
on them, its not worth blowing your paycheck over, something I've seen some
gullible New-Agers do. Pick up a stone here and there, not just for what I
say it can be used for, but for their beauty to your ...