When I was first starting out, I bought a book. (I can't remember the name of it and the book has been lost to the fire gods.) In it's pages I found a visualization that has helped me over the years. First, and here is the difficult part, find a quiet place: no TV, no kids, the phone off the hook, etc. If you must have music, make sure it's relaxing. Now that I have sent you on a quest for the impossible we will go to the next step: get comfortable. Whatever you do don't wear high heels or tight jeans. I prefer the baggy T-shirt, shorts and barefoot route myself. Next get in a comfortable position: Sit in a chair, lay down on your bed on your back, sit under a tree, etc. Just don't end up with a kink in your neck.

Are you all set? Good. Now close your eyes and visualize the following colors. No more than brief flashes are needed but you must see each color. Red, orange, yellow, green, blue and finally violet or purple (Pick one to see. I will refer to it as purple from now on).

After you see the purple, you will then see a white hallway. It's not very long and at the end of it you see a staircase going down. Walk down the hall to the top of the stairs. There are 19 of them. Start down, counting backwards as you step on each.

19.....18.....17.....16 What do the stairs look like? Are they white like the hall above or are they different? 15.....14.....13.....12.....11 you are getting deeper in your subconscious now. 10.....9.....8.....7.....6 you are almost to the bottom. 5.....4.....3.....2.....1 In front of you is a door.

Look at it. Is it just a door at the end of the stairs or do the stairs widen? What does the door look like? Is it a safe vault, a big oak door, a sliding glass patio door or a boulder? The key to the door is by it. Pick it up and examine it. Is it a skeleton key or a futuristic panel for your hand? Go ahead. Open the door and pocket the key.

Behind the door is your secret place. It's safe. Not even your spirit guide or totem animal can enter without your expressed permission. (Although you might want to invite him or her. I will tell you how in a bit.)

Does your place have mountains, trees or flowers? Explore it. Is there a lake or an ocean? Is there something in the landscape you don't like? Change it. You don't like mountains, get rid of them and put in an ocean, a desert or a field. You want a mauve sky, make it so. It's your place so make it yours.

My place originally had a field with distinct mountains and a fountain shooting water in the air. Over time, bushes and trees have grown around a clearing. The fountain is still there but now there is a brazier with an eternal flame next to it. The mountains are still there . Nearby is a long, tall stone wall. (More about that another time.)

When you leave, lock up, count the stairs going up to 19, wander down the hall and see the colors from purple to red. When you reach red, open your eyes. It's as easy as that. What can you do in this garden? Well for one, it's a great place to go to relieve stress. It is also a great place to talk and see your spirit guides. After you visit your place a few times, look around, you will find a glowing door. This is where your spirit guide can enter your garden. You open the door and there he or she is.

Play it safe and as you would with a circle. Offer an invitation, "Enter freely as long as you mean no harm." Your guide is free to enter at this time and can freely leave and enter for as long as you wish.