Jun 5 2022

GrannyMoons Weekly Feast: 5 June 2022

“Until one has loved an animal, a part of one’s soul remains unawakened.” ~Anatole France, French poet

Blessed Be My Little Witch. To those who came before and those who will come after, know that the Goddess is with you always. Thank you all my dear readers…be blessed. ~GrannyMoon

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Dark Moon – Time to Rest
New Moon – Time to Begin New Projects; Birth; Attraction
Waxing Moon – Time to Grow; Increase
Full Moon – Time to be Fulfilled; Abundance
Waning Moon – Time to Banish; Decrease
Last Sliver of Moon – Time to Die; Letting Go
Dark Moon – Time to Rest Again
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Light A Candle Today!
In many different traditions lighting a candle is a sacred action. It expresses more than words can express. It has to do with gratefulness. From time immemorial, people have lit candles in sacred places. You may want to begin or end your day by the sacred ritual of lighting a candle on this gratefulness. Or you may want to light a birthday candle for a friend. One single guideline is all you need: Slow down and do it with full attention.

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Current Moon Phase: Waxing Moon

Time: From New Moon To Full (Approx. 14 Days)

Goddess Aspect: Maiden

Associated Goddesses: Artemis, Branwen, Eriu, Nymph, Epona

Magickal Attributes: Invoking Beginnings, New Projects, Ideas, Inspiration, Energy, Vitality, Freedom. Workings On This Day Are For “Constructive” Magick (Love, Wealth, Success, Courage, Friendship, Luck Or Health.)

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Goddess Month of Month of Hera runs from 5/16 – 6/12

Celtic Tree Calendar Month ~ May 13th to June 9th ~ Hawthorn

Herb of the Year for 2022: Viola (violet, heartsease) named by the International Herb Association

What’s Happening in June

JUN. 5: Earth Mother Day—honoring Gaia/Tailtiu/Mother Earth. Calling forth good harvests.
JUN 7-15th: Roman Festival of Vestalia
JUN. 11: Feast of Matuta (Roman)
JUN. 11: Matralia (Roman)
JUN. 11: Fortuna’s Day (Roman)

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Face to Face with GrannyMoon at Sticks and Stones
Join us at https://www.meetup.com/Witchy-Wednesdays/

Face to Face Class: 1 PM – 3 PM ~ WitchCrafting – June 5
Face to Face Class: 1 PM – 3 PM ~ The Herbal Cauldron – June 12
Face to Face Class: Noon – 2:00 PM ~ The Magick of Crystals – June 19
Reiki I and II: 4 PM – 6PM – June 25
Black Hat – June 25 – 7PM – 9PM

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High Priestess Training with GrannyMoon
http://GoddessSchool.com

The entire course takes 15 months to complete (four levels). Tuition covers lessons, assignments, and instructor feedback. In addition, students may download guided meditation exercises and be eligible for Sabbats, Esbats, and retreats with the Sisterhood. The entire fee for each level is $120 (payment plan available), with sixteen lessons in each level, except the last.

Ceremonial Cords and frame-able Completion Certificates are awarded as members complete each level.
Level I – Initiate of the Sisters of the Burning Branch – White cord
Level II – Adept of the Sisters of the Burning Branch- Red cord
Level III – Priestess of the Sisters of the Burning Branch- Black cord
Level IV – High Priestess of the Sisters of the Burning Branch – Green cord

You Might Also Be Interested In:
http://goddessschool.com/Paganstudies/index.html
http://www.goddessschool.com/courses/natural/naturalwitch.html
http://goddessschool.com/Paganstudies/healingarts.html

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Learn About Herbs with GrannyMoon!

There is so much to learn about herbs! In Herbalism 101, we cover 21 herbs, and you will start your own personal Materia Medica, that we will build throughout the next levels. We will cover the basic aspects of herbs. From culinary to magickal, medicinal to ornamental. As well as the many modalities of herbs!

During this course, in addition to the online lessons and hands-on projects that you do at home, I will be sending you articles, and information, as well as questions about your own personal use and research.

I look forward to walking this green journey with you! I love herbs and I hope that you do too or will learn to!

There are 10 lessons in each level and there is no time limit for completion. You may study at your own pace! There are no texts to purchase.

For more info or to join my class, click here!
http://goddessschool.com/Paganstudies/healingarts.html

The cost for Level 1 is $50.00 or $150.00 for the entire Healing Arts Course (1-3) which includes a free Reiki certification course when all three are ordered at the same time!
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Earth Signs and Omens in Nature Course

Learn to read the mysteries of nature! The course covers signs and omens, communication, seasonal rites, trees and shrubs, flowers, plants and weeds, herbs, plant magick, the Guardians of Nature, and much more.
http://goddessschool.com/courses/earthsigns/index.html

GrannyMoonsMail@yahoo.com

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The Goddess School Grimoire

http://www.lulu.com/shop/sotbb-Goddess-school/the-Goddess-school-grimoire/hardcover/product-762380.html
Hardcover: $39.45
Softback: $26.95
eBook (PDF): $6.25

The Goddess School Grimoire is a collection of recipes, artwork, poetry, prose, prayers, rituals, spells, and practical Goddess wisdom put together by the teachers, students, alumni, and friends of The Sisters of the Burning Branch Goddess School. The sisterhood is dedicated to restoring spiritual balance by returning the Divine Feminine to her rightful place and by assisting women in their personal and spiritual development. Since being founded by Head and High Mother Priestess Grandmother Moon in 2000, The Goddess School (GoddessSchool.com) has grown into a large and beautiful global community of women.

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Join Our Cat Community on Twitter! The Cat Philosophers! Must Love Cats!
https://twitter.com/i/communities/1508878853783048194

Three Rules

Be kind and respectful.
Keep Tweets on topic.
Explore and share.

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Full Moon Circle
SUN, JUN 12 · 5:00 PM EDT
Location: Sticks and Stones

Details
A moon circle is a sacred gathering of women, who usually come together to honour and celebrate the new and full moon gathering to harness the potent energy of the moon.

A moon circle is a safe space, where women can enjoy being in sacred sisterhood, feel supported and witnessed. In the circle we will set intentions, clear energy, gain clarity, and connect to oneself through communal energy.

Everything that happens in circle remains privately in the circle, which allows women to truly open up, share, and be authentic, practice self care and experience community.
$25

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Llewellyn’s Spell A Day

Recreate Your Own Vestalia
JUNE 05, 2022 BY BARBARA ARDINGER

Vestalia was a Roman festival that honored Vesta, the goddess of hearth and home. Her name comes from a Sanskrit root that means “shining one.” Because landlords and mortgage companies have zero interest in shining goddesses, the sacred element of our home is usually missing until we create it ourselves.

At noon today, stand before your home altar with a candle of your favorite color. As you light the candle, invoke Vesta:

Gentle Goddess, Shining One—
Bless my home and hearth
Today and every day.

After the candle has burned down safely, clean your home. Clean out the fridge, clean out your closets, give away clothes you no longer wear. Honor and celebrate Vesta by making your home shiny-clean. If you can, bake a loaf of bread. Invite friends for lunch. Ask them to bring food and candles and together create a new ritual to honor Vesta.
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Planting Seeds
JUNE 04, 2022 BY DEBORAH BLAKE

The thing about gardening is that different seeds need to be planted at different times, depending on the conditions. Spinach and lettuce and peas can go into the ground as soon as it can be worked. Corn and squash like warmer soil. Tomato plants must wait until after the risk of frost is over.

The seeds we plant in our lives are like that too. Depending on the project and the goal, we sometimes have to wait for the time to be right and the conditions to be optimal for success. But it isn’t always easy to tell when that time is. You can use this spell to help with an actual garden or to guide you in when to start an important endeavor:

God and Goddess, tell me
when the time is right,
And the conditions are at their best,
So the seeds I plant may
come to fruition
And bring me my request.
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Oomancy ( Egg Magick)
JUNE 03, 2022 BY CHARLYNN WALLS

National Egg Day in the United States falls on June 3. This is an excellent time to work magick with eggs. You can divine with eggs!

Consider what you want to know and write down your question. Choose the egg from your fridge that calls to you for this purpose. You will need a small dish with some water to crack an egg into. Check to see if there are any abnormalities in the egg first. Take note of anything odd. Then break the yolk and swirl it around and look at the patterns within the yolk. What are the shapes that appear to you? Write down anything you notice from the patterns revealed to you. See how they apply to your original question and keep a record of it. You can then refer to your records to gauge the results of your prediction.
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Safe Home Spell
JUNE 02, 2022 BY SUSAN PESZNECKER

For this spell to keep your home safe, gather these items:

Salt
Bits of obsidian
Powdered garlic
Powdered rosemary
A small candle
A match
Some charged water

Leave your home through the front door and proceed clockwise to the northern side of the house. Face north and say:

Powers of earth, protect this house.

Cast the salt onto the ground. Move to the home’s east side. (Note: Upon passing any corner of the building, bury one of the obsidian pieces, saying, “Protection HERE.” Upon passing any door or window, scatter garlic powder around it, saying, “Protection HERE.”)

On the east side of your home, face
east and say:
Powers of air, protect this house.

Cast the rosemary into the air. Move to the south side. On the south side of your home, face south and say:
Powers of fire, protect this house.

Light the candle safely, wafting smoke into the air. Then bury the candle in the ground. Move to the west side.

On the west side of your home, face west and say:
Powers of water, protect this house.

Pour the water into the ground. You have “warded the bounds” of your home.
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Water Purification
JUNE 01, 2022 BY TESS WHITEHURST

In just two days, Mercury goes direct. Today, purify yourself with the water element to reset your energy and let go of any stress or negativity that may have entered your energy field during this Mercury retrograde period. Light a white candle in your bathroom and draw a warm bath. Add one cup Epsom salt and one tablespoon sea salt and swirl the water in a clockwise direction to dissolve. (If you don’t have a bathtub, skip the salt and turn on your shower.) Before getting in the bathtub (or shower), direct your palms toward the water. Say:

Great Goddess, Divine Mother, Lady
of the Rivers and the Sea, fill this
water with your light. Thank you.

Envision the water surrounded and filled with a sphere of golden-white light. As you soak (or stand under the spray), feel old stories of disempowerment dissolving away as you call all your energy back to you and regain your sense of clarity and calm. Extinguish the candle when you’re done.
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Water Bowl Spell
MAY 31, 2022 BY ASTREA TAYLOR

Water bowls are altar items that represent the moon. They help connect you with lunar power and manifest that which you seek.

Set a large bowl on your altar and fill it with water. Sprinkle a handful of sea salt into the bowl and say:

Bowl of water sprinkled with salt,
I call upon the ocean’s heart.

Place your hands on either side of the bowl and take a deep breath in. Feel the rocking waves of the ocean within you. Say:

With pure intent and crescent moon,
I ask ocean, moon, and
water to gift me a boon.

Speak your wish aloud to the surface of the water. Anoint your third eye and temples with the water, then give thanks.

Leave the water bowl on your altar for the whole moon cycle, each day anointing your third eye and temples and giving thanks. Your boon should arrive by the end of the moon cycle.
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Water Purification
JUNE 01, 2022 BY TESS WHITEHURST

Great Goddess, Divine Mother, Lady
of the Rivers and the Sea, fill this
water with your light. Thank you.

In the United States, today is Memorial Day. On this day, we celebrate those who have served in the armed forces and made the ultimate sacrifice. Whether or not we approve of war, those who serve—and the families who love them—are worth remembering with honor.

There are also other warriors, those who fight for the environment, for the rights of the downtrodden, for justice and truth, and for those who cannot speak for themselves. Let us remember them too, and send our love and energy and gratitude to all those who put themselves in harm’s way on behalf of others. Take a moment to be grateful and perhaps to consider ways you can become a warrior on behalf of the light.

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Heartwings Love Notes 1037 Becoming Friend with Yourself

Heartwings says, “You have a friend with you always.”

Sometimes when you’re alone and you need comforting, have you ever thought of holding your own hand? Even if you are all alone, either by choice or by circumstance, you have someone with you: your inner child. If you can think of her or him as a part of you, you can and do communicate with, it is possible to comfort yourself. Whenever you talk to yourself or address yourself with blame, praise or other words, you often are speaking to that part of yourself. You can also be of comfort to her or him.
Are you as kind to yourself as you are to others? Whether you know it already or not, you may recognize the truth of what I say.

Within us, all is the child we were before we “grew up” and assumed the role of adult. If you can be kind to that child, that part of yourself, you will be much happier as well as more productive. As well, life will become more interesting when you have learned to be able to see it from the point of view of your child self. First, however, you need to get to know him or her, the way you would any new potential friend.

Your child self is going to need your encouragement in order to want to be friends. The first thing to do is to learn to treat yourself the way you would treat a friend. This might take a bit of introspection on your part. How often do you pay attention to the way you treat yourself versus treat others? Do you give yourself credit? Do you praise yourself when you have done well? On the other hand, do you castigate yourself when you feel you haven’t done well?

Learn to listen to your self-talk, the language we use when we speak to ourselves. Do you say things like, “How stupid I am,” or “I’m ashamed to say,” or speak in other unkind ways about yourself? Are you perhaps echoing words heard from someone when you were a child? You don’t need to treat yourself that way. You didn’t like it then and it’s still not kind or nice.

Reflect upon how uncomfortable it is to be told, “How can you be so incompetent,” “make such a mess,” and “be so uncoordinated?” What would it be like to hear someone jeer every time you made a mistake? The child inside quails before this critical attitude. If instead, you tell yourself, “Good job!” when you at least tried, even without succeeding, much would improve for you. I knew a popular coach who had a lot of uncoordinated children on his baseball team. No matter what a child did at bat or in the game, even if mistakes were made, there was praise for the effort. None of the children on his team felt bad if the team lost when they were told, “You did well, and we’ll do even better next time.” Help your inner child to become part of your team and you will have a friend who is always with you.

May you find your inner friend and be happy together.

Blessings and best regards, Tasha Halpert

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How to Stay Positive in a Negative World
JUNE 16, 2022 BY LISA WAGONER

Divination and Witchcraft Items
It is not an easy existence, this human experience. It is not all rainbows and unicorns, or endless delights. Life itself can be and usually is pretty challenging. So, how can we stay positive in a negative world? I’ve written a book on this very subject, called Positive Pagan: How to Stay Upbeat in an Offbeat World. It’s one of my favorite things to talk about, and a never-ending quest for me, to find more ways to get back to a positive frame of mind. As a fellow human, I know that life can be very overwhelming, so I share some very concrete ways in my book about returning to the flow of positivity from a Pagan perspective. No matter what spiritual traditions you follow, the rituals, meditations, and suggestions that are included in the book are accessible to everyone.

Why aim to stay positive? Quite simply, I ask you this: can you make things happen or change your circumstances in a negative state? Not really. I feel that the core of positivity is action, so if you do one thing to change your circumstances and mindset, that leads to another, and then another. To be positive is a choice and a way of life. It is something that you choose to do daily, and yes, there are days when you may choose not to be positive. Without the darkness of life, we cannot truly appreciate the light that we can tap into ourselves. In my book, I liken it to an ember, a glow that keeps me going, no matter what is happening in my world and the world at large. Some days it can be difficult to access, and some days, it’s a bit easier.

Here are a few things you can do on a daily basis to tap into that positivity. I hope it helps you with navigating this sometimes very negative world.

Start Your Day Simply: I was one of those people who rolled out of bed at the very last minute, and would spend the rest of the day trying to catch up. Sound familiar? A way to get out of such a pattern is to begin simply. Begin by keeping your bedroom as serene and soothing as possible. Get rid of all clutter and distractions, keep only a few books by the side of the bed, and remove the television. When you awaken, take a few moments to take some deep breaths before anything else. Don’t reach for the phone right away. Meditate before you get out of bed. When you get up, make your bed. So far, you have accomplished a few things already! Much better than rushing about. When making your morning beverage, incorporate some magic into the process by stirring your spoon in multiples of three, or saying affirmations while you drink your beverage or make your breakfast. Slowing down and calming your morning routine will help time feel expansive. Less rushing, calmer frame of mind, incorporating magic, simplifying your bedroom environment. Try incorporating these into your morning routine, and see how you feel as you go about your day.

Think of Others: Make time in your day to think of others. Whether it is leaving birdseed out for the birds, tending to plants, sending someone a check-in message or note, be sure to spend at least some time each day thinking of others. It will help you to get out of negative mental spirals, help others feel better, and in return, you will get a boost. As you get used to this being part of your daily practice, you can start looking for other ways to think of others. Maybe bring in a treat for a coworker, bring some flowers or baked goods for a neighbor, or, if time allows, volunteer.

Be a Child Again: What did you like to do most when you were a child? Blow bubbles, stomp in mud puddles, make blanket forts, play board games, camp? Do something that brings you those same feelings of joy. It puts you in a different frame of mind, and all your worries fall away for a bit. Consider it a boost, and don’t worry about what other people think. Focus on the joy of the activity, and revel in it.

Spiritual Practice Daily: Participate in a spiritual practice daily, whether it is as simple as gazing into a candle, checking in with your deities, or pulling cards for a daily reading. Tune into your spiritual self, and discover what keeps you connected. Perhaps it’s music, or using Pagan prayer beads, or reading a book of daily meditations. Enjoy the process of discovering what parts of a spiritual practice you truly enjoy.

Ground, Center, and Protect: Make sure you ground, center, and protect yourself daily. There are all sorts of energies bouncing about, so it’s a good habit to do these three actions daily. Grounding is as simple as imagining roots growing from your feet, down deep into the ground. Go outside and walk barefoot on the grass if you can. Eat grounding foods, such as oatmeal or brown rice. Center yourself with deep breathing, breathe in, hold and breathe out on a count of four. Imagine a silver beam from the top of your head, down to your toes as it centers you.

Protection can be as simple as a hematite or tourmaline on your desk at work. Or protective jewelry, either in a special symbol, anointed with protection oil (your own or purchased) and made of protective stones, such as smoky quartz, amethyst or onyx.

Cleanse: Cleanse yourself of negative energies with a bath or shower, wash your hands regularly, and cleanse any new items (especially from thrifting) that come into your home. Use Florida Water, or herb smoke and incense, to cleanse your home and items regularly. Ring bells, clap your hands, open your windows, to keep the energy flowing in your home. Notice the difference it makes, and incorporate it into your regular routines. Getting rid of stagnant energy helps keep you in a positive flow and frame of mind.

Language: How you speak to yourself, and how you speak to others impacts you greatly, without you even realizing it. How often do you say, “I’m old, I’m fat, I’m lousy at XYZ?” Monitor your language, both written and verbal, for a few weeks. Do you find yourself spreading gossip, saying unkind things, or speaking poorly about yourself? How do you appear on social media? Are you posting negative, gloom and doom, unhappy words? Everybody has a bad day or even a few bad days, but if you are noticing that your words are negative on a regular basis, it’s time to change that. Pause or take a deep breath before speaking, and take a break from social media, or find different things to post.

Community: Who is in your community? Are you happy with the people in your life, or are you in contact out of politeness or obligation? Who you surround yourself with has an impact on your daily life, so take stock of who is in your social circle, and make changes if needed. Or withdraw for a bit, take a break, and spend time with your favorite person (yourself!) Vice versa, if you are finding yourself lonely or without many friends, try building up your life with interests, reading, hobbies, and more. Become good friends with yourself, and do things that make you happy, and you can find others who share in your interests. If your spiritual community feels more like a burden than a joy, then it is time to evaluate where your time could be better spent.

Laugh: The world can be very tough! So, incorporate laughter into your life. Whether it is a favorite sitcom, comedy shows, reading jokes, wordplay or puns, find what tickles your funny bone, and make sure you access it regularly. Laugh with friends, or watch a funny movie when you are feeling less than positive. Laughing is a good way to get energy flowing throughout your body, so be sure to do it as often as possible.

Learn: Lastly, always be open to learning. Whether it’s a new language, or how to use a new tarot deck, a different way to celebrate a turn of the Wheel of the Year, never stop learning. With the vast world of the internet, you can never run out of new and exciting things to learn about, whether it’s videos or apps on your phone. Give something you’ve always been curious about a try, and see where it takes you.

Most of these ideas may seem common sense, but we can all use reminders to change the energy in our lives. Being positive is an energy flow, whereas being negative often feels stagnant. When things flow, life flourishes, so make choices daily to incorporate a bit more positivity into your life, and by doing so, dealing with negative things that happen will be a little more tolerable. Shifting your mindset can bring about changes for the better in your life, and when you empower yourself this way, the possibilities can be wonderful.

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Quality vs. Quantity

It is not the quantity of time that matters, but the quality that you experience during each moment.

We live in an age of quantity. The media shapes us with the notion that larger, faster, and more are often synonymous with better. We are told that we need to find more time, more possessions, and more love to be truly happy. A smaller quantity of anything that is high in quality will almost always be more satisfying. A single piece of our favorite chocolate or a thin spread of freshly made preserves can satisfy us more than a full bucket of a product that we aren’t very fond of. Similarly, one fulfilling experience can eclipse many empty moments strung together. It is not the quantity of time that matters, but the quality that you experience during each moment. Every minute is an opportunity to love yourself and others, develop confidence and self-respect, and exhibit courage.

Ultimately, quality can make life sweeter. When you focus on quality, all your life experiences can be meaningful. A modest portion of good, healthy food can nourish and satisfy you on multiple levels and, when organically grown, nourish the earth as well. Likewise, a few hours of deep, restful slumber will leave you feeling more refreshed than a night’s worth of frequently interrupted sleep. A few minutes spent with a loved one catching up on the important details about family, work, or community can carry more meaning than two hours spent watching television together.

Often, in the pursuit of quantity we cheat ourselves of quality. Then again, quantity also plays a significant role in our lives. Certain elements, such as hugs, kisses, abundance, and love, are best had in copious amounts that are high in quality. But faced with the choice between a single, heartfelt grin and a lifetime of empty smiles, most would, no doubt, choose the former. Ultimately, it is not how much you live or have or do but what you make of each moment that counts.

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Anti-Inflammatory Golden Tonic
~Jamie Vespa MS RD

The momentum behind functional foods and wellness elixirs is at an all-time high. Expensive products are touted as having the power to do everything from restoring gut health to boosting immunity and fighting inflammation, but their health claims are often backed by little solid science. So instead of pricy supplements, we’re mixing up a more affordable antidote that’s both healthy and homemade. A tonic, by definition, is a combination of ingredients that have the potential to enhance or restore health. While this tonic (or any tonic) is not a cure-all remedy, consuming more anti-inflammatory foods–like the ones found in this tonic–over time may only not only ease current symptoms (such as fatigue, joint pain and chronic bloating), but it may also reduce the risk of future diseases and slow aging. The combination of green tea, herbs, honey, apple-cider vinegar and spices also makes for a tasty and refreshing beverage!

Total: 1 hr 25 mins
Active: 10 mins
Servings: 4

Ingredients
2 cups filtered water
2 bags green tea
5 sprigs fresh thyme, lightly bruised with the side of a knife
1 (2 inch) piece peeled ginger, finely grated
1 (2 inch) piece peeled turmeric, finely grated
1 tablespoon honey, preferably manuka
1 tablespoon raw unfiltered cider vinegar
Ice cubes
2 cups chilled sparkling water
4 wedges lime for garnish

Step 1
Bring filtered water to a gentle simmer in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Add tea bags, thyme, ginger, turmeric, honey and vinegar, stirring to dissolve the honey. Reduce heat to low and let the mixture steep for 15 minutes. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a mason jar. Refrigerate for 1 hour.

Step 2
Fill 4 glasses half full of ice. Divide the tonic mixture evenly among the glasses (about 1/2 cup tonic per glass). Top each with 1/2 cup sparkling water. Serve with a lime wedge, if desired.

Nutrition Facts
Serving Size:
1 cup

Per Serving:
18 calories; protein 0.1g; carbohydrates 4.6g; dietary fiber 0.1g; sugars 4.3g; vitamin a iu 19IU; folate 0.4mcg; calcium 5.9mg; iron 0.1mg; magnesium 2.5mg; potassium 23.2mg; sodium 4.1mg; added sugar 4g.

Exchanges:
1/2 other carbohydrate

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Feeling Achy? Try Arnica, A Natural Remedy
~Andrew Weil, M.D.

Seasonal changes can set off arthritic aches and pains, but you can help relieve the discomfort with arnica (Arnica montana), a daisy-like mountain flower. Try rubbing tincture, cream, or gel on sore spots. Do not use on broken skin, and never take arnica internally unless in the form of a homeopathic remedy, where the dose is very low.

To make an arnica compress, mix one tablespoon of arnica tincture in one pint of purified water. Dip a gauze pad in the mixture, then put it on the troublesome joint or bruised area. Look for pure arnica extract for making topical applications.

Since this is also the season of bumps and bruises, know that arnica applied to the injured area following trauma may help alleviate some of the pain and bruising that may come. A premade gel or cream is a great addition to a camping or hiking pack or sports weekend this summer.

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Shining through the Clouds

We can shine like a beacon from a lighthouse when met with the force of a grumpy person.

When we’re in a good mood, we shine like the sun. But if we find ourselves in the presence of a person, or people, in a grumpy mood, it can feel like a dark cloud approaching to dim our radiance and block our positive way of seeing the world. We can remind ourselves that clouds pass, while the sun and stars continue to shine above. Then it’s easier to think of these “grumps” affectionately, knowing that they only have the power to affect our mood if we allow it. With the power of change firmly in our hands, we can choose how to respond to a grumpy person, or a grumbling group of people, with confidence and understanding.

Like a lighthouse, we can continue to shine through the darkness, offering our light to help others find their way back to their own. We can send them a silent prayer of peace or a sympathetic smile. We may sense that reaching out to offer a comforting touch or hug can ease their frustrations and cause the clouds to dissipate. If they need understanding, we can sympathize without reinforcing the negativity they may be experiencing by directing their attention someplace more positive. Helping them find the humor in their situation might be appropriate and is a great way to lift spirits, or a logical approach may help them see all the good in the situation, in their lives and in the world.

We might find that someone we encounter often seems to be in a perpetual state of gloom. Our tendency in such cases may be to try to avoid them, but instead we can make the choice to offer support that comes from the heart. We may be inspired to ask if they would like some help or to offer suggestions that have helped us in the past. We can include thoughts of their health and happiness in our times of prayer and meditation. When we lend our energy to uplift another in any way, we improve our own lives while making the world a better place for all of us.

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Questioning Everything

Being open-minded means that we are willing to question everything, including those things we take for granted.

A lot of people feel threatened if they feel they are being asked to question their cherished beliefs or their perception of reality. Yet questioning is what keeps our minds supple and strong. Simply settling on one way of seeing things and refusing to be open to other possibilities makes the mind rigid and generally creates a restrictive and uncomfortable atmosphere. We all know someone who refuses to budge on one or more issues, and we may have our own sacred cows that could use a little prodding. Being open-minded means that we are willing to question everything, including those things we take for granted.

A willingness to question everything, even things we are sure we are right about, can shake us out of complacency and reinvigorate our minds, opening us up to understanding people and perspectives that were alien to us before. This alone is good reason to remain inquisitive, no matter how much experience we have or how old we get. In the Zen tradition, this willingness to question is known as beginner’s mind, and it has a way of generating possibilities we couldn’t have seen from the point of view of knowing something with certainty. The willingness to question everything doesn’t necessarily mean we don’t believe in anything at all, and it doesn’t mean we have to question every single thing in the world every minute of the day. It just means that we are humble enough to acknowledge how little we actually know about the mysterious universe we call home.

Nearly every revolutionary change in the history of human progress came about because someone questioned some time-honored belief or tradition and in doing so revealed a new truth, a new way of doing things, or a new standard for ethical and moral behavior. Just so, a commitment to staying open and inquisitive in our own individual lives can lead us to new personal revolutions and truths, truths that we will hopefully, for the sake of our growth, remain open to questioning.

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Ashwagandha, Indian Ginseng
~Andrew Weil, M.D.

Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera)
Ashwagandha is a tonic herb with a variety of therapeutic uses. It is especially prized in the Ayurvedic herbal tradition and is commonly known as Indian ginseng, poison gooseberry, or winter cherry. Ashwagandha a perennial herb native to Southern Asia and is cultivated in the drier regions of Sri Lanka, Pakistan, and India. It features small, green flowers and fruit that is orange to red when ripe. A member of the Solanaceae family, or nightshade family, ashwagandha is related botanically to potatoes, pepper, and tomatoes.

Ashwagandha Is Used For:
Each part of the ashwagandha plant – the roots, leaves, and fruit – has been used in traditional Ayurvedic medicine for a variety of treatments. The leaves and fruit are applied externally to the skin to treat wounds, tumors, back pain, and carbuncles (cluster of boils). The tuberous ashwagandha root is most often used orally to help improve brain function and alertness, relieve stress and anxiety, and reduce pain and swelling. Ashwagandha is considered an adaptogen, a substance that enhances the body’s adaptive response to stress and balances normal body functions.

Animal studies have found constituents of the herb, including alkaloids, steroidal lactones, and saponins, to reduce inflammation and calm the nervous system. In one clinical trial of people with moderate to severe anxiety, researchers compared the effects of a mixture of 300 mg standardized to 1.5% withanolides, prepared from root, to psychotherapy. After the eight-week trial, the group that received the ashwagandha mixture had decreased anxiety and fatigue and increased concentration, compared to those who had psychotherapy.

The Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database found insufficient evidence to rate the effectiveness of ashwagandha for a variety of conditions including tumors, tuberculosis, liver problems, fibromyalgia, and infertility.

Ashwagandha is available in extract form in capsules as well as tea and powdered form.

Side Effects, Interactions And Warnings:
Ashwagandha may increase the sedative effects of benzodiazepines such as Valium, Ativan, Xanax, and other depressants. It may also interact immunosuppressant medications. Talk with your doctor before beginning a supplement regimen that includes ashwagandha.

Other Safety Concerns:
Pregnant women should avoid ashwagandha as it may affect hormone levels in the body, which could endanger a pregnancy. In animal studies, high dosages have been linked to toxicity, including impacts on thyroid function; however, human studies are limited.

When Buying Ashwagandha:
The supplements or tea should be packaged in light-resistant containers.

Ashwagandha Dosage:
Dr. Weil recommends 500 mg of an extract standardized to 2.5-5% with anolides. Ashwagandha dosage depends on several factors including your age and health history. Follow the dosage recommendations on the product.

Child Dosage:
Ashwagandha is not recommended for children.

Dr. Weil Says:
I recommend ashwagandha – along with other measures – for the treatment of insomnia when stress is a contributing factor. If this is an issue for you, try to stick to a routine at bedtime – go to bed at the same time every day, avoid caffeine and get plenty of exercise during the day. A dark room free of noise may also help. If you are having trouble falling asleep, try relaxation techniques like breathing exercises, meditation, or yoga. I also recommend ashwagandha as a natural way to fight fatigue and boost energy levels, as well as a treatment for pain, skin diseases, diabetes, gastrointestinal disease, rheumatoid arthritis, and epilepsy.

SOURCES:
al-Hindawi MK, al-Khafaji SH, Abdul-Nabi MH. Anti–granuloma activity of Iraqi Withania somnifera. J Ethnopharmacol. Sep 1992;37(2):113-116.

Anwer T, Sharma M, Pillai KK, et al. Effect of Withania somnifera on insulin sensitivity in non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus rats. Basic Clin Pharmacol Toxicol. Jun 2008;102(6):498-503.

Ashwagandha. Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database Consumer Version. Stockton, CA: Therapeutic Research Faculty, Updated June 30, 2011, accessed January 8, 2014, at naturaldatabaseconsumer.therapeuticresearch.com/

ConsumerLab – consumerlab.com/tnp.asp?chunkiid=21532#ref5 – accessed 6-19-2016

Cooley, Kieran, Orest Szczurko, Dan Perri, Edward J. Mills, Bob Bernhardt, Qi Zhou, and Dugald Seely. “Naturopathic care for anxiety: a randomized controlled trial ISRCTN78958974.” PloS one 4, no. 8 (2009): e6628.

Jayaprakasam B, Zhang Y, Seeram NP, et al. Growth inhibition of human tumor cell lines by withanolides from Withania somnifera leaves. Life Sci. Nov 21 2003;74(1):125-132.

Mishra, Lakshmi-Chandra, Betsy B. Singh, and Simon Dagenais. “Scientific basis for the therapeutic use of Withania somnifera (ashwagandha): a review.” Alternative Medicine Review 5, no. 4 (2000): 334-346.

Panda S, Kar A. Changes in thyroid hormone concentrations after administration of ashwagandha root extract to adult male mice. The Journal of pharmacy and pharmacology 50, no. 9 (1998):1065-1068.

Reviewed by Russell Greenfield, M.D., August, 2016.

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Remain Flexible

Backwoods Home Magazine recently reposted a self-reliance article in their email newsletter called “Boost your income by adding a processing step to what you sell.” The article was on some best practices homesteaders can use to boost supplemental income, but the author made some statements that are applicable to anyone trying to be more self-reliant. One was “If you want to be self-reliant, you must remain flexible.” If you remember that the only thing constant is change, then you can see how this statement would apply to so many other situations and conditions. He also wrote about how important it is to gain knowledge, skills, and tools for becoming more self-reliant so that you are ready when the opportunity arises to use them.

I have seen these two ideas – remaining flexible and gaining knowledge, skills, and tools – work for me in the last two years.

When we went into lockdown in March 2020, I knew what meals I could make without trying to get to the grocery store. Other than a quick trip to Costco for items I should have made time to purchase the previous month, I didn’t shop for 2 months. I started making yogurt again after not having made it for years. I learned to make artisan bread. I sewed with supplies I had stored specifically for face masks. I canned using foods in my freezer. I learned how to cut my husband’s hair. I read books and put together puzzles we already had. I planted a winter garden in the fall, which I hadn’t done in a long time. We weren’t able to travel internationally but we took advantage of online classes given by the Royal Oak Foundation. We started watching online and DVD courses on subjects we were interested in.

We were able to spend more time doing family history and explore the photos and histories we had but hadn’t had time to look at. We did some yard improvement projects and built some raised garden beds for vegetables that expanded the size of our garden considerably. I did more writing and research. I am learning how to rebuild my website. There were, and still are, things we are unable to do due to the pandemic, but we have been flexible in how we use our time and in how and what we learn.

Other things that can be learned for future use include candle making, soap making, rendering lard, medicinal use of herbs, new sewing skills, new canning and dehydrating skills and how to use the foods preserved, expanding our use of our solar oven and rocket stove, and learning how to use other emergency preparedness equipment better.

How have you been flexible and also benefitted from knowledge and skills learned in the past?

Backwoods Home Magazine Nov/Dec 1995

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The Druids Garden.
Biocentrism and Ecocentrism as a Core Part of Nature Spirituality
by Dana

Once you begin walking the path of nature spirituality, things begin shifting. A tree is not just a tree, an insect is not just an insect–they are beings in their own right, with stories to share, lessons to offer, and a right to live freely and in a healthy ecosystem. You realize the boundaries between you and other life, boundaries that have been culturally imposed upon you, aren’t actually boundaries at all. You realize that you are just an animal in nature like every other animal, and that gives you a deeper sense of connection, purpose, and of joy.

You even realize that everything has a spirit–stones, rivers, trees, and even human-created things (that derive themselves from nature). What I’m describing is essentially something I’ve seen take place not only in myself but in so many people I’ve mentored in the druid spiritual tradition: a shift from a human-centric (anthropocentric) view to a biocentric view. In today’s post, I’m going to explore these terms and some spiritual strategies you can use to help deepen your connection to nature.

From Anthropocentrism to Biocentrism/Ecocentrism
Anthropocentrism is the philosophical stance that places human life above all other life on earth, privileges humans and their needs, and places humanity in center stage. Most people have this view, but they may not call it or recognize it as such. In this view, human life is seen as more important or valuable than other forms of life. In an Anthropocentric view, humans have the right to do whatever they want to earth (e.g. if you own property, you can do whatever you like to that property), choices are made based on what is best/most convenient to humanity, and humans are the prime driving force in all decisions.

In an Anthropocentric view, the “news” is all about humans, the focus is all on humans, and how we spend our time is human-focused (which includes most of the social media, tv, radio, etc). This results in at least three issues:

Without an intrinsic belief in the value of all life, the land is depleted, ecosystems are degraded, and the earth is seen as a resource to extract. This view has created systems that have caused extensive damage and loss of life to happen and has ultimately resulted in the 6th mass extinction event taking place right now.
Animals and other life are not given the same sovereignty or care given to other life; they are less important and their lives are less valuable. We can see this clearly from everything from the acceptance of medical testing on animals to factory farming animal operations. Or even the phrase, “I was treated like an animal..”.
Humans are seen as somehow more highly “evolved” than other life, and thus, deserving of more right to live and take up space than others.

Most modern humans living in industrialized nations often don’t even recognize that they carry this human-dominated perspective; it is just the way things are and have been, and it is subconscious or semi-conscious within us. And these beliefs run very, very deep and can impact every interaction and decision about nature and our relationship with it.

Biocentrism and Ecocentrism offer more life-affirming views that recognize that humanity is but one form of many on life on earth. Biocentrism places all life–the tree, the bird, the insect–at the same level as human life. This view recognizes that we are all equal, all deserving of life and that humans need to recognize the sovereignty and right of all beings to live. Ecocentrism takes this a step further by placing the ecosystem and larger earth equal to human life, recognizing that the ecosystem as a whole has a right to sovereignty and life.

The forest path–a good place to get lost! Or better yet, leave that path and wander.

We know from ethnographic and historical research that many human cultures have held biocentric views and also lived in balance with their ecosystems. For example in Ropes to God: Experiencing the Bushman Spiritual Universe, Bradford Keeney describes the African Bushman tribe’s innate connections with their surroundings. Keeney has a number of works on the Kalahari Bushman peoples, and they all are fascinating accounts of people who clearly recognize the equality of themselves and all life and who work to build spiritual connections to that larger world. We can see many more examples of these in the new Graeber and Wengrow book,The Dawn of Everything: A New History of Humanity (where they explore the concept of human freedom, among others). In fact, the idea of a biocentric society is so threatening to those carrying anthropocentric views that indigenous cultures carrying such views are often the tragic subject of mass genocide.

There appear to be many root causes of anthropocentrism, some stretching so far back into history that they have been with Western Civilization for millennia. And some of it has to do with our basic interaction of how we eat, live, and inhabit an ecosystem. I think that part of the reason that so many indigenous cultures could maintain strong biocentric views is that hunter-gatherer societies required that they live close to the land and in balance. Hunting a wild animal is inherently different than butchering an animal raised for that purpose, and it puts you in a different relationship with the living earth. You are not in control of the deer; the deer is a sovereign being and it is your relationship with the hunt and the deer that impacts whether or not you have a meal. You are likewise not in control of the stinging nettle patch, the nettle grows (and defends itself from you); you might help cultivate it further, but the nettle is a sovereign being. Domestication radically changes that relationship.

Agrarian societies that focused on domestication first came into being with the stabilization of the climate 8000 years ago at the start of the Holocene. With domestication, humans are put in a “higher” position than those plants, animals, and land that are domesticated, and the seeds of anthropocentrism are planted. We are now seeing the tragic results of domestication wildly out of balance: factory farms, industrial agriculture, and extraction of resources being primary expressions of how to feed more people. Religion also has a lot to do with it–many of the dominant world religions put nature in a subservient role to humans, but most modern religions came about after domestication. I do think that if you go far enough back in time, into prehistory, biocentrism was likely present in nearly all cultures…but for some cultures, it may have been millennia since these views were accepted or expressed.

But thankfully, the rise of many new movements, work, and philosophies are slowly bringing us back into alignment (such as nature spirituality, druidry, permaculture, herbalism, earth/ancestral skills, natural building, etc). That is, a lot of people are working very hard to realign our views and come to a more biocentric and ecocentric view of life. And I believe once we have the philosophy in alignment, the actions can flow forth. This realignment work is necessary if we are going to create a better vision for the future and fight for the right of all life on this planet to thrive. I think that nature spirituality has something powerful to offer this conversation. So, from the perspective of nature spirituality, what does this shift towards bio/ecocentrism look like in practice?

Towards Biocentrism and Ecocentrism in Spiritual Practice
There are many, many ways we can make the shift away from anthropocentrism. The following seven suggestions are one way to consider this approach, and I plan on returning to these in later blog posts to provide more details.

Adopting an Animistic Philosophy

At the core of a bio/ecocentric view is animism. Animism is a belief in the spirit of all things. Animistic views recognize that rivers, stones, trees, animals, and people all have spirits and that those spirits can be worked with, learned from, and honored in various ways. Animism is not only a big part of nearly all indigenous peoples’ beliefs (regardless of where they are in the world), but it is also emerging as an incredibly important thread in nature-based spiritual traditions like druidry and other adjacent traditions like herbalism.

While specific forms of animism will vary based on the culture, it often manifests as the following:

Recognizing and honoring the spirits present in all life and inanimate things

Recognizing the importance of interacting in a respectful way with those spirits; building right relationships and connections with them, and learning from them as teachers and guides

Recognizing that we are part of nature, like any other animal, and that we have natural skills like instincts and intuition

Recognizing that we have to cultivate our own intuition, observation, and listening skills (inner and outer) so that we might effectively communicate with the spirit present in all things.

Recognizing that our actions have a significant impact on others and that we can engage in right actions to behave in ways that honor the sovereignty of all being
I see animism as the prerequisite for a lot of the other resulting practices I’m sharing here. Animism opens you up to the world of spirit, which in turn, allows you to connect, interact, and engage. Being an animist does not preclude you from also being anything else (polytheist, monotheist), but it does put you in a really different relationship with nature, and that relationship has major implications for how you interact with the world. I’ll be posting more on how druids practice animism and suggestions for animistic practices in a range of other activities in forthcoming posts later this year.

Observing and Interacting with Nature

Part of building a biocentric and animistic view of nature requires you to spend a great deal of time in nature–learning, observing, and growing. A technique I’ve shared here before is the Druid’s Anchor Spot, where you pick a spot that you can visit every day, do deep work with, observe, and interact. Learning how to deeply observe nature in her different seasons builds the first-hand knowledge and skills that will help you shift your value and emphasis to the natural world. Use all of your senses when observing and interacting–make it an embodied experience. Books, teachers, and classes are great supplements to help you learn and grow in your knowledge, but they should never be used as a substitute for actually being outside! The more you understand nature, the more value nature holds.

Working with the Spirits of Nature

The animistic view of the world changes how your spiritual and everyday life takes place. One of the big shifts is that this opens you up to developing relationships with the spirits of nature–the spirits of individual trees, plants, stones, insects, and animals as well as the larger spirits of the land (Genuis Loci), or even the spirits in human-created things. If everything has a spirit, then your first order of business is to learn how to effectively communicate with that spirit, learn some etiquette for how you can act respectfully, and most importantly, recognize the sovereignty of nature (see next point). This may include plant or animal spirit communication and journeying, taking up the practice of magical herbalism, finding and developing plant and animal allies and learning from them as teachers, and much more. Sometimes, this may also mean that there are things that are easier for you to do as a human being–and so you might be asked to do some work on behalf of the land spirits, such as land healing. In rituals, it is appropriate to always make offerings and acknowledge the land and her spirits.

Permission and Rights of Nature

A bio/ecocentric view recognizes the rights and sovereignty of all life, including trees, insects, and other natural features like rivers, stones, and mountains. By sovereignty, I mean the right for an individual to have control over one’s body or life, rather than have some external control imposed. There is a balance here. Like any other animal in nature, you need to eat and need nature to provide for your basic needs. There is nothing wrong with harvesting from nature for this purpose as long as it is done intentionally, respectfully, and with gratitude. On the basic level, this means that if you are going to take a part of nature for your use (e.g. foraging for a meal, foraging for spiritual tools) or you need to remove part of nature (weeding, establishing a new garden, cutting a tree for firewood, etc) you need to directly ask permission and explain what you are going to do. If the plant says no, you need to honor that request (sometimes this is a test to see if you WILL honor the request; other times, the plant wants to be left alone). On larger tracts of land, such as a garden where you need to weed, it is best to establish some larger permissions that cover a variety of practices (e.g. get permission to establish the garden and maintain it, which takes care of permission for weeding). I’ll describe this more later, and I’ve shared some thoughts about clearing weeds and clearing land here.

If you grew up in a dominant Western culture, chances are you have a different set of indoctrinated practices and that requires an intention to shift and a period of learning while you do. Sometimes, you may take and forget yourself, but it’s okay to ask for forgiveness. It takes time and effort to cultivate these practices so that they become second nature–remember you’ve had a lifetime of indoctrination in another direction. But these shifts can happen and be very beneficial to your relationship with the land–the spirits know you are serious about your path and will work with you on the deepest levels.

In order to continue to habituate my practices in this direction, I always grow my own herbal offering blend, and anytime I’m out of the house, I have some with me (along with my tools in my crane bag). At a minimum, I carry my offering blend around my neck in a small bag; having easy access to the offering blend allows me not to forget to treat the land and her spirits with the proper respect that is due.

Considering Symbolism

Another part of this shift away from anthropocentric thinking surrounds the symbolism and ideas that we surround ourselves with–artwork, divination tools, and other things that express concepts to us. A big motivation for me in developing the Tarot of Trees was that I didn’t want to work with human-based symbolism in the Tarot. I wanted a biocentric divination tool. Hence, in the Tarot of Trees, you won’t see a single person (but you will see plenty of trees, stones, seeds, flowers, squirrels, and more). You might think carefully about how much “human-centered” symbols you work with and if it is appropriate to shift some of those symbols and tools into more nature-oriented ones. The ideas here are simple–if you are constantly surrounded by human-dominated imagery and symbols, it will become hard for other kinds of imagery and symbols to have as much importance.

Embracing Your Inner Wildness

If you are on equal footing with all life, and if you accept that you are just another animal on this planet, this gives you the potential for freedom and joy. Thus, another spiritual practice is to embrace your inner animal. This can mean different things to different people, but there are lots of options. The first is to learn from animals through mimicry (also practiced by the Bushmen and other indigenous cultures) and behave as the animals do. Spend time with your own pet and mimic their behavior. Build a fire and dance around it as the bear, the hawk, or the stag. Observe animals in nature. Learn animal tracking, where you can connect deeply with animals and their movements. Pay attention to what the animals do or eat and mimic their behavior, sounds, and activities.

Another option is to embrace your own wildness as a human animal. Go barefoot and feel the earth beneath you. Practice forest bathing. Frolilck naked in a rainstorm. Run with abandon through the forest. Yell, hoot, and shout out to the heavens. Just be wild and be free. Let go of the societal chains that hold you back. Practice joy.

Balancing your Time in Human/Technology Dominated vs. Natural Settings

A final practice that I think is really important to this overall shift is to consider the amount of time you spend in human-dominated and technology-dominated spaces with the amount of time you spend in natural settings. Humans–cities, technology, gadgets, houses, etc–can create such a bubble that we forget the natural world is there. We know from statistics here in the United States (pre-pandemic) that the typical human spends 87% of time indoors and another 6% of time enclosed in a vehicle (that leaves only 6% time outside–and how much of that is spent on a lawnmower?). And of that time, over seven hours a day is spent looking at screens. How much of It is no wonder that we have such challenges today with protecting nature–if people don’t interact with nature, they don’t value it. Part of this shift moves us out of human-dominated and tech-dominated settings and back to nature.

Pay attention to how you spend your time–how much of it is outdoors, in nature? How much of it is truly just in nature, with no technology, cell phones, or other devices? I have found real value in getting completely away from everything, to a place where my cell phone has no signal, and where I can truly just be present in nature. If you have children, make sure they are also getting the opportunity to experience nature without the mediation of technology.

Concluding Thoughts
Taking the first steps from an anthropocentric to a bio/ecocentric philosophy and way of life is the work of a lifetime. But it is critical work for us to do now and in the future. I’d love to hear from you, readers–how do you navigate these perspectives? What practices have been most helpful to you as you work to make these shifts? What has been challenging?

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Coach Gilberto Chapter 14
By Stephen Halpert

Ed Long, now the former headmaster of Houndstooth, sat at what had been his desk, his face reddened, his lips tight. It seemed to be taking hours for a locksmith to unlock the door to what had been his office. He glared at Lara Parker. She smiled back serenely. Staring at Gilberto and Diana Rain, he shook his head. Then he slumped in his chair and picked wordlessly at the pile of papers there.
Suddenly the ceiling began to drip water onto Ed’s head. He jumped from his chair, slipped and slid onto the floor, then banged his knee hard against the side of the credenza attached to his desk.
Politely, Diana Rain hid her grin behind her hand.
Lara Parker reached out and offered Ed Long a hand. With a grim sneer he shook his head and started to get his feet under him. Again, they slid and he banged the side of his head against the floor.
Gilberto helped lift Ed back on his feet. Immediately he lost his footing, falling forward.
“You poor man,” Diana Rain said. A deep blue bruise began to form on his forehead. His arm shook and his words came out in a snarl. “Damn you Willobee,” he cried out.
“Careful,” Lara Parker’s voice was honey drenched.
Diana leaned toward her. “What’s up with him and Cyrus Willobee,” she asked.
“Cy used to head up the Social Studies Department until Ed became headmaster.” Lara began. “For some reason he took a dislike to old Cy, and despite his tenure, he saw fit to fire him. The Board refused to accept that; he was a beloved teacher, and he was reinstated.”
“Oh dear,” Diana said.
“Yes,” Lara said, standing up. Well, perhaps we ought to call it a day here. I need to speak to my attorneys and have the papers drawn up. Gilberto, I’ll have Helen Connors move your things into Ed’s office.” She gathered her belongings, settled her dog and started out the door. Then she stopped and turned. “I’ll be in touch later,” she said, and was gone. Ed stood up, sighed, and without a word, stalked out the door.
Gilberto looked a Diana they both burst out laughing. “Can you believe this?” he said.
Diana shook her head. She looked up at the ceiling, which no longer dripped. “Thank you, Mr. Willobee,” she said.
Gilberto dialed Maria and told her the news. She laughed delightedly.
“And now you’re in charge! Hurry home so we can celebrate. Tell Diana to come too.” She hung up and Gilberto and Diana went to their cars.
Later back at his condo He hugged Maria. “I’m the new headmaster of Houndstooth! Imagine that!” He laughed and embraced her, kissing her passionately.
“Tell me more, how did it happen?”
“It’s a long story,” Diana Rain said. She hugged Maria. “Your husband is a genius.”
“What did I do?” Gilberto seemed very confused.
“Nothing,” Diana Rain said. “That was the beauty of it. You didn’t care one way or another which made you the perfect choice. No agenda. Just a brilliant coach ready to assume command.”
“But what about Ed Long?” Maria said.
Gilberto laughed. “He used to be married to Lara Parker whose family essentially founded the school a ways back.”
“What made him leave?”
Diana grinned. “A sweet little dog on their wedding night.”
“What?”
Gilberto laughed. “Good beginning. She had it with her at the meeting. Poor Ed totally lost his cool. Threatened to quit, did, and then the door to his office wouldn’t budge.”
“I think we need to take a time out here,” Maria said. “Let me see if I can figure this out.”
“Don’t try,” Gilberto said. “Maria, the Gods are shining favorably on us. I don’t know for how long but long enough to hand Joey his diploma. Then on our merry way. This is not forever, at least I don’t think so!”
“Come into the kitchen, I picked up something to celebrate with.”
Maria opened a bottle of sparkling red wine and poured three glasses. They toasted the occasion and laughed like happy children.
In the middle of it all their phone rang.
Allow me,” Maria said. “Hi,” putting the phone on speaker.
“You must be Maria,” Lara Parker’s creamy voice exuded warmth and caring. “I’d like to invite you two to dinner, and Diana Rain, if she is with you. Let’s meet at the Top of the Hub. I’ve arranged for a private dining room so we can talk.”
“Yes, she’s here. We were just celebrating…”
“Come and let’s celebrate some more,” Lara said.
“That’s wonderful,” Maria said still sounding a bit non plussed. “What time?”
“Let’s say eight thirty,” Lara said.
“Oh yes, Maria said. “This sounds like a dream come true.”
Lara’s voice sounded almost musical. “See you soon!” She hung up and Maria turned to Gilberto and Diana. “How exciting!” She smiled at Gilberto. “I wonder what Joey will say?” And Mona? I’ll give Rosa a call and have them spend the night since they’re already over there. I’ll let you tell them yourself tomorrow. Meanwhile, Diana, come see if I have anything nice in my closet you’d like to borrow for this little celebratory party.” She took Diana by the hand and led her toward the bedroom. Gilberto reached for a beer and sat down. His head was spinning, and not from the wine.
A little later the three of hem got into Gilberto’s car and drove toward the restaurant.
“How do you think you’ll begin?” Maria asked.
Gilberto laughed. “No clue right now,” he said. “Let the bridges that need to be crossed emerge when its time.”
Lara Parker met hem at the entrance and led them to a secluded table set off from the main dining room. She had already ordered champagne, fresh shrimp rolls and other appetizers. She gestured at the waiting chairs. “Please sit down. We have a lot to discuss. I am eager,” she said turning to Maria, “to get to know you also.”
To be continued

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Kitty Kat’s Korner
=^..^=

Houseplants That Are Poisonous to Pets
Reviewed by Amy Flowers

Amaryllis
1/12
This bulb produces a large, trumpet-shaped flower, typically red or white. They grow to between 4 and 10 inches in size. Common symptoms after your dog or cat eats it are:

Diarrhea
Vomiting
Tenderness in belly area
Drooling
Sudden weight loss
Trembling

Lilies
2/12
This flower is so toxic to cats that even a small amount could cause kidney damage. All of the plant is poisonous — even the pollen. You might notice drooling, vomiting, diarrhea, or no symptoms at all. The key is to get your cat to the vet right away. Lilies are far less harmful to dogs, but they can irritate their mouths and stomachs, especially calla lilies.

Sago Palms
3/12
You might know them as coontie palms, cardboard palms, cycads, or zamias. They look like little palm trees, and your pet could get seizures or liver failure from munching on them. The seeds are especially bad. Even one or two could cause symptoms like:

Vomiting
Diarrhea
Depression

Tulips
4/12
These colorful, cup-shaped flowers signal the start of spring. But they can be a real problem if your furry friend mistakes them for a snack. Though any part of the plant can irritate their mouth and throat, the bulbs are the most toxic. If your pet eats a few, they might have trouble breathing, start drooling, or even have convulsions.

Holly
5/12
Lip smacking, drooling, and head shaking are signs your pet has chowed on holly. Toxins are part of the problem, as are spiky leaves that can be hard on the mouth and tummy. You might notice vomiting, diarrhea, and low mood soon after. Some types are more toxic than others.

Mistletoe
6/12
If you like to use real mistletoe for your holiday events, keep it where pets can’t get to it. The berries can cause vomiting, diarrhea, breathing problems, low heart rate, and even ataxia (walking wobbly) and seizures in dogs and cats.

Begonia
7/12
The most toxic part, which can cause kidney issues, is under the soil in the root area. So your pet would have to empty the pot onto the floor to get to that. Still, the leaves and blossoms are also poisonous. They can irritate the inside of your dog or cat’s mouth and cause vomiting, drooling, and trouble swallowing.

Oleander
8/12
Tremors, drooling, seizures, muscle weakness, and extreme vomiting are just some of the signs that your pet may have eaten some of this highly poisonous plant. It can strain their heart, so get your pet to the doctor right away.

Schefflera
9/12
You might know this common household plant as an umbrella tree or starleaf. It adds a touch of green to your house, and it’s easy to care for. But if your pets nibble on it, they might have intense burning and irritation in and around their mouth, along with vomiting, drooling, and swallowing problems.

Plants You Cut Outside
10/12
Any number of flowers and plants that you cut outside and bring inside can also be poisonous to pets. Azalea and hydrangea cuttings are two common culprits. Foxglove, iris, and daffodils can also cause serious problems.

Marijuana
11/12
Take great care if you decide to keep this plant inside. It can cause vomiting, drooling, fast heart rate, seizures, low body temperature, and even unconsciousness or coma.

What to Do for Your Pet
12/12
Keep poisonous plants away from pets. Clear up any leaves and other debris that might tempt them. Call your vet or an emergency vet if you think your animal has eaten something toxic, especially if they show signs of illness. Take a picture of the plant or bring some of it, or the vomit, with you to the vet to help figure out what your pet ate. Also, the ASPCA has a 24-hour Animal Poison Control Center hotline at 888-426-4435.

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Georgia Nicols’ Weekly Horoscope: Sunday
June 05, 2022

All Signs
This week there is a lovely grand trine in the Earth signs: Moon in Virgo, Pluto in Capricorn and Mercury in Taurus. (The gang’s all here!) This will help everyone to work hard to achieve goals that will lead to success. Therefore, think about what you want to achieve and focus on it. Make a list. Maybe you want to clean something that has been challenging? Maybe you want to boost your income? Whatever it is you want to do – get ready to tackle it because you will make great strides! Mid-week, it’s easy to be sidetracked with daydreams, but that’s a temporary detour. The key is perseverance. Veni Vidi Velcro: I came, I saw, I stuck around.

Aries (March 21-April 19)
Because this is a fantastic week to accomplish a lot, you will be busy! (You’re not going to sit around getting dusty.) This lovely Earth trine is perfect for you because it activates three separate parts of your chart: your House of Earnings, your House of Employment and your House of Career. Holy moly! You don’t want to miss this opportunity! Furthermore, your ruler Mars is in your sign lined up with lucky Jupiter, which gives you the energy, drive and confidence you need to go after your dreams. A dash of unexpected good luck will help you. To me that sounds like a recipe for success. Get busy!

Taurus (April 20-May 20)
Well, you’re sitting pretty this week because fair Venus and Mercury are in your sign; plus Mercury is part of this wonderful grand trine in your fellow Earth Signs. (See All Signs above.) Many of you will use this practical drive to explore creative options, perhaps working in the arts, the entertainment world, working with children or professional (or amateur) sports. However, another aspect of this favourable influence is that you might transform your appearance or the image you project to the world. Somehow, you will improve your game face. It could be a haircut, a wardrobe change, new glasses, or a determination to buff your bod. Whatever the case, you’ll be pleased with the results!

Gemini (May 21-June 20)
This lovely grand trine in the Earth Signs will help you to work behind the scenes and introduce improvements to your home or where you live. These improvements might include your relationship to a family member, especially a female. Because the Sun is in your sign now, you are unusually empowered! (The Sun is in your sign for only four weeks a year, so you want to make this work for you.) Some kind of boon or a piece of good luck might occur that is private. You know about it, but nobody else does. You can also harness the energy of others, friends and groups, to help you achieve your objectives. However, always listen to the “friend” inside you.

Cancer (June 21-July 22)
This week you still feel two opposing influences: the need to work alone or behind the scenes and keep a low profile; versus an aroused ambition to succeed. This lovely grand trine in the Earth Signs will prompt you to interact with others and engage with people in such a way that you will stir up support for yourself and whatever it is you are doing, or you want to achieve. In particular, young people as well as creative, artistic types, might help you. You will be convincing and persuasive because you will speak from the heart. (No surprise here because after all, you’re a feeler.) Someone might have advice for you about how to relate better to a partner or close friend. Be open to everything.

Leo (July 23-Aug. 22)
Like Aries, you benefit from the Grand Trine in the Earth signs because it hits three houses: your House of Earnings, your House of Career, and your House of Employment. What an advantage! Like a cool breeze on a hot day. Good fortune coming your way! As they say, luck is when preparation meets opportunity. So be prepared! People in power, bosses and parents can help you do something to boost your earnings. You can revise, improve or modify your job or how you do your job. You might even change your job. (Note, this same beneficial influence can improve your health.) Be ready to accept advice or to approach people in power. “More porridge?”

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22)
Lucky you! This wonderful Grand Trine mentioned in All Signs above occurs between three “planets”, and one of them is the Virgo Moon! (Yeah, yeah, the Moon is not a planet but for the sake of ease, astrologers refer to the Sun and the Moon as planets when talking about a chart.) This means you have an opportunity this week to explore or improve travel plans, opportunities in publishing and the media, or legal or medical matters. (This is a great time to travel or to make travel plans!) It’s also a propitious time to improve your relations with kids, especially by trying a new approach with something. Speaking of new approaches, you might also improve a romantic relationship. Woot!

Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22)
Very likely, you will do some quiet research and private thinking about how to make improvements at home or within your family dynamic. And when you consider the possible improvements that you would like to explore, what is timely is the fact that you will find the financial backing or the resources and practical help from others that you need to do what you want to do. Sometimes we have great ideas but we can’t pull them off because we don’t have the money or the help. This week, it will all come together for you. Don’t be afraid to explore making improvements in your personal life. You can do this!

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21)
You are a powerful sign, and not one to miss an opportunity when powerful energy is flowing. That’s what’s happening this week. Go forth and explore new ways of engaging with partners, friends, groups and organizations. Yes, we’re talking about how you relate to the people in your world. You can improve how you talk to your daily contacts, siblings, relatives and neighbours. Reach out and explore aspects of networking. Act on your urge to contact others in person, through social media, or attending an event or a meeting. We are gregarious creatures. We need people in our lives. We need to go out to see others and to be seen.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21)
This week is all about how to improve your job, boost your career and your public reputation, and make more money. This is an auspicious time for you because the Grand Trine (mentioned in All Signs above) is taking place in Earth Signs. Earth is practical. Earth is “Let’s get it done.” Earth is about tangible wealth. It most certainly relates to work and earnings. For you, the three planets in this Trine (Virgo Moon, Mercury in Taurus and Pluto in Capricorn) are each sitting in your House of Earnings, your House of Career, and your House of Employment. (Your House of Career is actually your path in life, not necessarily your job.) This means you can get a lot done and see ways to boost your income. Yay!

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19)
Obviously, the Earth Signs are getting a tremendous boost this week because the Grand Trine is taking place in earth: Moon in Virgo, Pluto in Capricorn and Mercury in Taurus. This bodes well for you! Travel plans, vacations, the entertainment world, fun activities with kids, the arts, sports and entertaining diversions are all areas that can flourish for you – and in an unexpected way, allow you to improve your appearance or improve the image you offer to the world. Let’s face it, you want respect. You like to look good. This week somehow, you will use a lot of fun energy and exploring new ideas and meeting people who are different – all of which will benefit you. Get ready!

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18)
This week, the lovely Grand Trine in Earth Signs will benefit your home and family and your private world. Unexpected assistance and help from surprising sources will be there for you, so that in turn, you might entertain at home. You might also redecorate or begin renovations at home. You might even explore a change of residence? Most definitely, family relations will be more lively and more active in a pleasant, social way. This week is a lovely time to entertain at home, especially because you are unusually optimistic, warm and friendly. “Come out to the coast, we’ll get together – we’ll have a few laughs.”

Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20)
The Grand Trine mentioned in All Signs above will boost your opportunities to schmooze on a daily basis this week. This will be a busy, popular week for you! Your dance card will be full because you will have appointments, errands, visits, conversations and fun opportunities to schmooze with neighbours, siblings, relatives and daily contacts. Some of you will also study and learn more. You might explore a writing project. Because you are inclined to focus on home and family right now, you might invite these people to your home. Or you might work more and write and study from your home. You definitely have something to say this week. Don’t hesitate to reach out and contact someone. “Hi, there…”

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Weekly Horoscopes Beginning Sunday
05 June 2022

If you’re born within a cusp period (16 to 26 of any month); you’re advised to read horoscopes of both signs covered by that period. You’re on the border; you may have influences from houses within those signs.

Outlines are longer versions; consist of every possible detail of everyday and are based on three parts of each sign: 1st, 2nd & 3rd Decan; that is, any of three divisions of 10° within a sign of the zodiac. Even if you know or don’t know your Decan; I recommend, please read all three Decan.

Aries
Personal theme: I am!!
Fire & cardinal sign: March 21 — April 19

Your horoscope for this week:

The recent powerful link between your ruler Mars and fortunate Jupiter kick-started a cycle of ideas, events and offers as thrilling as, often, they’ve been unexpected. Gradually, however, you’re gaining clarity on what’s truly worthwhile and, equally, which should come first. As a passionate, and often impatient, Aries you’d ignore other options. This time, don’t. Each of these magical events has its place in your life.

Someone seems to think you have taken on more than you can comfortably handle. Although annoying, their watchfulness is more concern than criticism. It may be that they know you better than you think and this is your chance to ease your load by accepting help that is offered. Communication with someone from a distance will leave a lot to be desired when it might feel as if something important is being left unsaid. Travel plans will be finalized later and previous misunderstandings put right.

There is little doubt that you need to see concerted action: Mercury is no longer retrograde, and steps need to be taken to plug leaks and ensure no further losses. The fact that you know that rules are being rethought will surely be disconcerting – especially when you need to know where you stand before you make plans. So yes, in the first half of the week it might seem that you are stuck in quicksand. Don’t underestimate your abilities to sleuth and to find a way around obstacles. There is still the prospect of turning a fresh career page and forming alliance with a Taurus or Capricorn. True, it might be wise to have a trial period before agreeing terms of a contract, but it could be that this is the optimum way forward.

Taurus
Personal theme: I have!!
Earth & fixed sign: April 20 — May 20

Your horoscope for this week:

You’ve been through a series of changes as unsettling as, ultimately, they were worthwhile. However, you’re hoping for calm so you can begin to catch up. Actually, it’s the reverse. While this period of unexpected events continues, it’s increasingly clear how much you’ll benefit from each. The secret? Enjoy this magical cycle, knowing you can rethink existing arrangements and restore order to your life later.

A working relationship comes under the microscope. You may have underestimated the influence a colleague has on a project you are involved in. They have the power to bring things to a halt or to allow the work to continue. You might wish you had given this job more consideration before you took it on. You are experienced enough in many areas to know what you are doing now is important and you would prefer to have more control over proceedings.

Saturn has turned retrograde in your career zone and it’s likely that there are now things you need to say to show that steps you’ve taken in the last 12 months, are ones that you really want to follow through. Don’t forget, your entrepreneurial spirit has been growing in the last couple of years. Whatever the constraints (including governmental rules and regulations), you need to find a way forward and might do precisely that by Friday. All of this is likely to be aided and abetted by a Sagittarius or Pisces who understands your need to explore new areas. Career wise it appears that you’re on a springboard. You may have greater charge now of finances than you had before. That doesn’t mean that you won’t make errors, and bringing together a team to support you, should be priority.

Gemini
Personal theme: I think!!
Air sign: May 21 — June 20

Your horoscope for this week:

True, you learnt lots while your ruler Mercury was retrograde, until 3 June. Now it’s about juggling the ideas and offers currently emerging from those unexpected insights. While you’ve a talent for spotting and taking advantage of even surprising developments, be wary of allowing others to waste time on debate. The secret? Proceed solo, but ensure others know that, in time, you’re expecting them to join in.

While you are bound to get more out of life by plugging into social and romantic opportunities around you, there is still work to be done. Getting a balance between work and play is vital now. People are relying on you to fulfil obligations and you need to prove you do take your responsibilities seriously. In finances don’t take anything for granted. An expected sum of money may not arrive in your bank account as promised.

Mercury is no longer retrograde and reaches your sign at next week’s Full Moon (14th). Before then, there are matters to clear up. Accessing paperwork that shows you have the expertise and qualifications you’ve implied will probably take time: an exercise that should take priority in the first half of the week. Proving who you are, what you know, and yes, defining where you want is a major theme. True, you might not need to produce credentials until after the Full Moon, but accessing references would surely be a useful exercise. A strong possibility is that your presence on a team would make very real difference (making this a good time for interviews). You perhaps see exactly where you could fit in, and now need others to understand that you have not just the drive, but the enthusiasm to share their goals. In particular, you may find that a Leo welcomes your input (possibly suggesting that you join forces).

Cancer
Personal theme: I feel!!
Water & cardinal sign: June 21 — July 22

Your horoscope for this week:

You’re considering all sorts of promising ideas. However, you’re lacking the kind of solid facts you’d prefer to have. The secret? Acknowledge you, and the rest of the world, are in a period of exciting but mostly unpredictable, changes and new ideas. You’ve a knack for dealing with, if not improving on, uncertain situations such as these, so that’s no problem. Plunge in. You won’t regret it.

No matter how much time and effort you put into it, a job you are working on will seem to make little progress. Just as you are about to give in, someone or something will come along to help you achieve your aims. So, there will be no need to lower your sights after all. If you are doing any kind of research or study, you may feel reluctant to approach someone who is never easy to talk to even though they could help you. Most of the information you need will be found on the internet.

For the next few weeks, Mars and Jupiter patrol the career zone of your solar chart. This should put a real spring in your step. With Mercury no longer retrograde, pushing forward ought to be easy; and yet: Saturn is now retrograde in a partnership zone. It may be that a colleague or close partner is not entirely sure that you’re doing the right thing. Another possibility is that family matters warrant time and attention so that you don’t feel you can do what you want to do. In the approach to your birthday reassessing all that’s gone in the last year, is an important process. To this end, you might like to consider working relationships: particularly with those born under Taurus or Gemini, that have flourished in the last 12 months, and which could yet move you onto even stronger career platform.

Leo
Personal theme: I will!!
Fire & fixed sign: July 23 — August 22

Your horoscope for this week:

The past month’s tricky planetary activity is over. That’ll be a huge relief. Be aware, however, the pace will remain slow until mid-July. Actually, that’s perfect timing, because it gives you a chance both to declutter your life of increasingly unworkable arrangements and, equally, to explore the new options coming your way. Commitments? They can wait. What’s good is about to get a lot better.

It’s all about keeping up appearances if you want to impress someone who matters. The problem is, the more you act, dress and behave in a way other people expect of you, the more you lose touch with the real you. Is it time to just be yourself? If someone can’t accept you for whom you are, maybe they just don’t belong in your life. An unusual offer or something unexpected will come your way. This will involve some risk when progress cannot be made by following a cautious path.

Have you any idea what it means to get your act together? And do you need to get angry or at least highly irritated before you do? Now that Mercury has turned direct at the apex of your solar chart, you need action. You might also wonder why you’ve been held up for so long. Exasperation with others would be understandable. Yet it’s entirely possible that it’s you who hasn’t quite defined what it is that you want. You could surprise a few people by going back over old ground – but this time explain where you feel that you’ve either been misled or confused. True, this would be maddening but perhaps, it’s like disease sometimes: matters have to get worse before they get better. Yet by Friday, you could roll out a plan that is exciting, exhilarating, and that makes clear to others that you have a strategy – if they would just listen.

Virgo
Personal theme: I analyse!!
Earth sign: August 23 — September 22

Your horoscope for this week:

Usually, when organising plans, you’ll gather the necessary details, think things through, then turn those ideas into a lasting arrangement. Recently, however, frequent changes in circumstances have forced you to keep things loose. While annoying then, the current and coming events and offers will be so thrilling you’ll be relieved arrangements are flexible; and the more distant future? Take it slowly. Each day will bring something new and exciting.

Negotiating the sale of property or possessions will not be as easy as you first anticipated. An offer received could be changed and this will put you in two minds about whether or not to go ahead with this transaction. Efforts to impose a sense of orderliness into your working environment are thwarted by a careless colleague who can’t seem to follow the rules or do the right thing. Communication is a key factor. You may not be mixing with your usual crowd and a competitive air hangs over the workplace.

Your ruling planet, Mercury, is now in direct motion and moving with Venus through another of the Earth signs. You could think of this as driving along a smooth road after negotiating disruption. The temptation to put your foot down and go superfast will likely be great. That feeling of freedom, should allow ideas and plans that have been playing in the back of your mind to come to the fore. It may be that it’s working in partnership that would work best presently. The problem is finding sharing responsibilities. You also need to understand more of the capital base behind a project. There may be serious questions to ask. Armed with answers, and ahead of next week’s Full Moon, you could at least outline the next step.

Libra
Personal theme: I balance!!
Air & cardinal sign: September 23 — October 22

Your horoscope for this week:

Recently, you’ve felt battered by challenging developments and, equally, the unhelpful attitude of others. However, if you realised you were meant to be taking a break, then instead of worrying, you’ll have relaxed. As important, you’d have taken this opportunity to explore options you’d previously ignored or didn’t know about. Times are changing and so, too, should you plans. That begins with taking the idea of relaxing seriously.

It’s not enough anymore to think about making some changes. You want to act on your ideas to get out of a rut and to add more excitement into your life. A chance to improve your lifestyle will be offered. If it has already come up in conversation, this would be a good time to set up home with a partner. You are in touch with your feelings, confident about your decisions and it will be easier than usual to discuss thoughts and emotions.

The good news is that Mercury has now turned direct. The not so good news, is that Saturn is turning retrograde. Imagine at long last picking up speed having been caught up in a traffic jam. The difficulty is that the highway is reduced to one lane. You can’t reach maximum speed. Impatient to get a move on, the temptation to yell at other drivers will likely be great. Yet progress can only be made if everyone maintains a steady speed. The ‘road’ will clear most likely around next week’s Full Moon. Now that things are moving (sort of), you could use this slower than wished for pace to refine your plans. Think deeply – especially after the Moon moves into your sign on Thursday. There’s high probability of you being offered a partnership arrangement. Perhaps you’d agree that you now need greater support to conclude a project which, over the last few months has proved particularly difficult.

Scorpio & Ophiuchus
Personal theme: I desire!!
Water & fixed signs: October 23 — November 21

Your horoscope for this week:

You’re cautious, so have been discreet about both your concerns regarding certain arrangements and, equally, individuals who you’d hoped were trustworthy. Finally, things are beginning to move ahead; and your biggest challenge is deciding what, and who is reliable. The fact is, with so much unsettled, feeling you can speak frankly is key. That, in turn, will lead to discussions that result in the trust you’re seeking.

Someone will ask for a favour as the week begins. You won’t have the time to help out and although it is true there is only so much you can do in a day; a feeling of remorse might strike you later. You may regret not having helped someone who needed it. It won’t be too late to make amends. A move you are about to make is going to be very different to what other people are expecting. Don’t let this stop you.

Mercury is at last in direct motion in your opposite sign. You’d be forgiven for thinking that at long last, things can move forward smoothly. Yet Saturn has turned retrograde at the base of your solar chart and there is high probability of needing to go back over and regroup. This may be no bad thing: it may be that plans could be made to work more efficiently. Conversations – most likely with teachers or experts – should be particularly rewarding on Tuesday (if at times irritating and frustrating). It may be that you feel that had you been given adequate information earlier, you’d have made different choices. You could choose to brood on this, or access an independent streak and make plans for how to move forward in your own way.

Sagittarius
Personal theme: I see!!
Fire sign: November 22 — December 21

Your horoscope for this week:

Usually when facing pressing decisions, you rely on your amazing capacity to think fast. However, with the Sagittarius Full Moon, on the 14th, triggering shakeups, your time is better spent decluttering your mind, and your life. Let go of certain, once-compelling, plans or passions. Not only will this be a relief, it will free you for the thrilling opportunities of the coming week or so.

Someone will ask you to give a new job or arrangement a chance before deciding it isn’t for you. Intuitively you feel you aren’t going to like this but to please them you will go along with their request. Even so, this should not prevent you from looking at other alternatives. You aren’t being fickle in wanting to change things that aren’t working for you. Being willing to diversify will ensure you get the best out of everything life has to offer.

With Mercury now in forward motion, – and especially if you’ve been held back by health issues, progress should be possible. It may be that you need to return for further conversation with an expert. However, it might take a few months to arrange this; and yes, this would be hugely irritating – even given the amount of energy are likely to throw at this in the first half of the week. Travel and connecting with those you haven’t seen the some time seems high on your agenda too. It may be that either a health or niggling work-related issue continues to hold you back. You will likely need support and encouragement – most likely from a Gemini, Libra or Aquarius. Their thought-centred approach could help you find exactly the right language to get someone’s attention. With both Mars and Jupiter now passing through another of the Fire signs, it’s likely that all you need is a little mental stimulation to get you to where you need to be.

Capricorn
Personal theme: I use!!
Earth & cardinal sign: December 22 — January 19

Your horoscope for this week:

Little annoys you more than those who insist they’d done their part in organising plans, only to ask for your help at the last minute. While, initially, you’ll wish you’d done it all, gradually you’ll realise that they’re seeking your guidance, nothing more. Give them exactly that, then back off. Focus on your responsibilities and leave others to theirs. The results will amaze and impress you.

You can’t be too careful in a group situation. Someone who is asking questions may use information received in a way that causes upset and argument. Disagreements will have a negative effect overall on relationships. To keep a team harmonious, it will be necessary to keep recent news or information to yourself. Problems that do crop up at this time cannot be corrected by pointing fingers. Be prepared to put in some hard work behind the scenes.

Mercury has now turned direct and in another of the Earth signs. This, together with Saturn’s apparent altered direction suggests you’ll give full focus to both your expertise and that of those around you. It may be that more qualifications are needed – again either by you or a close colleague. Whatever, focusing on courses and ascertaining both the quality of training on offer and the time needed to focus on this quest would surely be a good use of your time. The presence of both Mars and Jupiter at the base of your chart suggests development on the domestic front. It may be that you need more space or to organise it better. Chasing up estimates and ascertaining what extra insurance is now needed might also be necessary exercises.

Aquarius
Personal theme: I know!!
Air & fixed sign: January 20 — February 18

Your horoscope for this week:

While you’d have every right to get involved in heated exchanges regarding the questionable activities of certain individuals, think twice. You’ve other, far more constructive, ideas in mind. Invest time in turning these into reality, which can be done amazingly swiftly, and others’ tricky behaviour will, quite simply, matter less; and you won’t just be relieved, you’ll have the joy of achieving a moral victory.

New arrangements will have to be made when an event or appointment is cancelled at the eleventh hour. A partner or housemate won’t be happy with this change of plans and despite what they think, you aren’t doing this to upset them. If they can’t cooperate, you may have to do some things separately. Go over financial and tax matters with an accountant or financial advisor. Some undercover and discreet research could bring useful information to light.

Now that Mercury is at last moving forward, you likely need to see action – and particularly on the home front – which might even be your office desk. With both Mars and Jupiter together moving through one of the Fire signs, there should be plenty of ideas and thoughts to play with. If there is a problem, it’s that you could end up with far, far too much to do by Tuesday. You should perhaps consider the danger of playing with too much fire and needing to run away when things get too busy. You might then be accused of being eccentric and difficult to work with. One of your ruling planets is Saturn (the cosmic headmaster). Now in its retrograde stage, you could pace yourself better and, by Friday, show that you’ve given careful thought to how things should and could progress.

Pisces
Personal theme: I believe!!
Water sign: February 19 — March 20

Your horoscope for this week:

This is one of those tricky periods during which you could easily be drawn into seemingly crucial debates. However, they’ll not only achieve very little, you’ve a range of important discussions to have and decisions to make. Those, in turn, will lead to a new and worthwhile approach to arrangements that only recently, were a source of serious despair. You can remedy these. Possibly overnight.

You can’t do right for doing wrong. Obstacles seem to arise to cause problems with almost everything you attempt. You’re getting annoyed with yourself and with others too who aren’t exactly being helpful. Someone close will know how to soothe your ruffled feathers. A few diversions will have to be made for you to overcome stumbling blocks. Talk to people you don’t normally see and be prepared to visit places you’ve not been to before.

Mercury is no longer retrograde and you’d think that progress would now be easy. However, its Saturn’s turn to appear to move backwards in the sky, and so progress could yet be slow. That said, it appears that you will be in the mood to organise. In fact, you could be so super-efficient on Tuesday that you clear an area and enjoy the satisfaction then of thinking of how you could make better use of the space. There is, of course, always the danger of throwing out something that you later need: so, it might be as well to stay your hand – or at least do a second check before you finally release certain items. With the focus too on maximising assets and reserves, you could also investigate a savings option and consider joining forces with someone whose recent experiences and contacts result in a working plan being put in place.

~CelestialPrognostication

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Teach a witch a spell and she can do that spell. Teach a witch the craft and she can do magick!

GrannyMoon, Teaching the Craft for over 20 years!

“We all come from the Goddess
And to Her we shall return
Like a drop of rain, going to the ocean”
)0(
“May the circle be open, but unbroken,
May the love of the Goddess be ever in your heart.

Merry Meet and Merry Part
And Merry Meet Again

Never forget…you are magick!

Goddess Bless!
GrannyMoon

http://GoddessSchool.com
https://twitter.com/GrannyMooninVA
https://grannymoon.wordpress.com/