Every leaf that grows will tell you:
What you sow will bear fruit.
So, if you have any sense, my friend,
Don’t plant anything but Love.
~Rumi
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 Rosea runs from 6/13 – 7/10
Celtic Tree Calendar Month ~ June 10th to July 7th is Oak
Herb of the Year for 2022: Viola (violet, heartsease) named by the International Herb Association
What’s Happening in June
JUN 7-15th: Roman Festival of Vestalia
JUN. 11: Feast of Matuta (Roman)
JUN. 11: Matralia (Roman)
JUN. 11: Fortuna’s Day (Roman)
JUN. 14: FULL SUPERMOON in Sagittarius
JUN. 14: Flag Day
JUN. 19: Father’s Day
JUN. 19: Juneteenth
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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 ~ 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), 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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Full Moon June 14, 2022. Strawberry Moon in Sagittarius
by Cherokee Billie
On June 14, 2022, we welcome The Strawberry Moon in the fire sign Sagittarius. This week the intuitive powers increase as we approach the Full Moon. This is a time to gather and harvest things you’ve planted earlier this spring. The Strawberry Moon is a time of transformation as you continue to ripen. It’s a time to pick your intentions. Winds of Change are in the Air!
Find out what changes are ahead for you with one of my Personalized Spiritual Readings.
June’s Full Moon is a friendly one and will feel different from the string of potent Full Moons we have had since the start of the year.
The astrological year is a quarter way through and the calendar year is halfway through, and this is symbolized through the changing of the seasons.
The ability to formulate goals, motivate yourself, enjoy life – that’s what will be important on the June full moon. You can believe in luck and luck, but it is better to rely only on yourself. Energy is in full swing, a person is at the peak of activity: there is nothing impossible. The full moon in June 2022 favors large-scale affairs, helps to determine plans. You just need to look into the very depths of your soul, honestly admit your desires to yourself. This is a time of hopes, searches and discoveries: familiar things are seen from a different angle. It is important not to get confused here, if you hesitate a little – and the game starts over. While this has its own charm, life is cyclical: you can always catch up.
Now more than ever it’s time to stay in the present moment. Manifest within your heart and soul the spirit of Love and Light and send it out to the world that is filled with great darkness.
For the June full moon, the American Indians came up with a beautiful name that reflects their usual way of life. It is known as “Strawberry Moon” and it is at this time that the strawberries are harvested. Summer comes into its own, the days are getting longer, the sun is hotter and hotter – nature blooms in June. The first harvest has already been received, it will only get better. There are no barriers to moving forward, the future looks great. Another name, no less beautiful than the previous one, evokes pleasant associations. In honor of the exquisite flower that blooms at this time, the full moon in June is designated as the “Full Moon of Roses”. Refined fragrance creates a special atmosphere saturated with romantic fantasies.
It was often known as the Full Rose Moon in Europe and the Honey Moon
Even the tiniest candle can light the darkest room. Our job on this planet is to be a part of this light movement and send out our little beam of light as much as possible.
As this full Moon falls close to Father’s Day I feel it’s a good time to use the analogy of what a father is in terms of how our Heavenly Father helps us.
To me a father is a man who loves his children enough to let them make mistakes. A father is a guide and teacher, but he also cares enough to say “no” to his child even when he or she might hate him for it in the moment. That’s because a father tries to do the right thing, not the easy thing.
I think this brings into perspective how our Heavenly Father works with us. Often we can’t understand why we didn’t get something that we worked hard at or really wanted and it’s because it was not going to be the right thing for us. Many people blame God when things go wrong. Instead think of him just like an earthly father that he loves you enough to say no.
Everything related to family, career aspirations becomes of great importance. The Strawberry full moon in June is a period of powerful energy that makes it possible to move forward. If you work a little harder than usual, and have a firm belief in yourself, success is bound to come. There are no barriers other than internal fears, which is why the correct psychological attitude is so important. For more confidence, you can enlist the support of loved ones.
Respect the elders
On the June full moon, it is customary to pay special attention to the older generation. Disagreements should not be allowed: the slightest negative can provoke a huge argument. Now is the time to strengthen family ties, to maintain family traditions. Honor the Elders now and always.
The acute need for change, the desire to breathe deeply – this is what drives the actions of people. With the full moon in Sagittarius in June 2022, you can feel extraordinary cheerfulness, a surge of energy. The influence of the fire sign and its patron Jupiter is manifested in openness, activity and inexhaustible love of life. A person feels himself to be a creator, changes reality with inspiration. There is no place for pessimism: if something does not suit you, you can start over. On the Sagittarius full moon, positive changes take place, people demonstrate their best qualities. Difficulties do not frighten, on the contrary, they start: excitement stirs up the blood. I want to go forward, overcome, conquer – in a word, be the master of my own destiny.
This full moon is used as a signal that fruit—particularly strawberries—are ready to be picked. It’s time for you to pick your intentions.
Clean Out Your Life – Start With:
Cleansing Your Spirit
Clean out closets and drawers
Clean off the clutter around your sleeping area
Clean out old papers and receipts
You can take your time and do this cleaning over the next few weeks. It will benefit you enormously on your spiritual path. Clutter tends to attract negative energy. That’s why cleaning out your home or office is important as it frees up the energy and lets the light in.
I feel that all full moons are a special time for us to connect to the Great Spirit as well as the moon. Remember we’re fast approaching the Summer Solstice on June 21, 2022.
I offer a special Full Moon Reading that is unlike any spiritual or psychic reading you have ever received. To learn more Click Here. https://cherokeebilliespiritualadvisor.com/collections/spiritual-phone-readings
Full Moon Blessings,
Cherokee Billie
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Llewellyn’s Spell A Day
Love, Take Root
JUNE 12, 2022 BY LAURA TEMPEST ZAKROFF
Today is National Red Rose Day in the US. The red rose symbolizes love and romance in the language of flowers and is also the birth flower for the month of June. Today is also Loving Day, which commemorates the 1967 US Supreme Court ruling disbanding all laws that made mixedrace marriages illegal. Therefore it’s an ideal day for this spell.
Consider every plant you put in your garden to be the beginning of a magical relationship. By planting a red rose, you are helping foster love of all kinds in your home and neighborhood. After selecting a spot where the rose will flourish, prepare the ground and plant the rose. Next, water and bless the earth and rose with these words:
O beautiful rose red,
To this home, love is led.
Take root, blossom, and grow.
Starting now, love will flow.
Remember to take care of the plant regularly and refresh the chant.
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A Garden Blessing
JUNE 11, 2022 BY JAMES KAMBOS
As gardens are really beginning to grow now, it’s a good time to bless your garden with this simple ritual. You’ll need one shiny new penny. Begin by standing in your garden at sunrise as you hold your penny. Face east. Breathe deeply as you ground and center. Whisper to yourself:
Divine Power, bless this garden.
Bless you and the four cardinal
directions that provide me with the
bounty and beauty from this garden.
Then thank the guardians of each direction, starting with the east. Simply say:
I thank the guardians of the east
for protecting my garden.
Repeat this for each direction as you turn to face each one in this order: south, west, and north. Now, facing east again, look up and say:
Thank you, Father Sky.
Look down and say:
Thank you, Mother Earth.
Then return to an everyday state of mind. End by pressing the penny into the soil as an offering.
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Empowering Sun Tea Spell
JUNE 10, 2022 BY ASTREA TAYLOR
Today is National Iced Tea Day, and sun tea is a wonderful way to enjoy it because the sun’s energy is used to brew the tea instead of electricity or gas. The sun nourishes every part of our earth, and sun tea can be drunk for empowerment and positive energy.
This spell uses tea (such as black tea or hibiscus), a clear glass pitcher of water with a lid, sunshine, and a cup of ice. Drop the tea in the pitcher of water, replace the lid, and set it in direct sunlight. Gaze at the light-filled pitcher and say:
Great star, I ask that you
Infuse this water
With your brilliance, empowerment,
And uplifting qualities.
After two to three hours, pour the tea over ice and enjoy the taste of the sun’s bright energy. Sun tea can also be used in your magic in place of water whenever you want to add solar energy to your works.
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Outdoor Magic
JUNE 09, 2022 BY DALLAS JENNIFER COBB
June is Great Outdoors Month, and a perfect time to get outside and enjoy nature. Go to a natural setting, rural or urban, and spend some time exploring. Find natural totems representing the four elements, such as a feather or leaf representing air, sunlight or lamplight to represent fire, some water, and a stone representing earth. Sit on the earth and place your air totem in the east. Say:
Air of the east inspires me.
I breathe in new life.
And breathe.
In the south, let your face turn toward the sun or lamplight. Say:
Fire of the south, warm me.
Warm my hands, heart, head, and
health so that I am nourished.
In the west, lay the water, saying:
West and water, intuition and
feeling, help me flow and heal.
In the north, lay the earth totem, saying:
Mother Earth supports me. I am secure
and stable. I am at home outdoors.
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Clear as a Bell
JUNE 08, 2022 BY MELISSA TIPTON
Use this spell to pave the way for clearer communication before conversations, work meetings, presentations, etc. You’ll need two pieces of paper and a bell.
Start by writing the names or a descriptor of the two parties involved, one on each piece of paper. For example, you might write your name on one and “the audience of my presentation tonight” on the other. Set the papers in front of you, a few inches apart, and imagine a channel of clear communication energy flowing between them.
Ring the bell, dissolving any obstructions within this channel as you chant:
Communication, clear and bright,
Fill my words with love and light.
My message is received most true,
Divinely guided through and through!
After your talk, you can safely burn the papers with gratitude or recycle them after making a horizontal karate chop motion over each, intending that the link between paper and person(s) be dissolved with love.
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Wear Gold for Prosperity
JUNE 07, 2022 BY NATALIE ZAMAN
A little over five hundred years ago, King Henry VIII of England and King Francis I of France held the Field of the Cloth of Gold, an event wherein they showed off their wealth to each other. Does the apparel maketh the man? Sometimes.
Don some gold for prosperity. It’s the element of wealth and confidence, and by wearing it you literally envelop yourself in prosperity. It does not need to be a piece of jewelry or have a metallic element to it—nor does it have to be visible! Bless the item before you put it on:
Gold near me,
Gold on me,
Gold for me!
Repeat this mantra throughout the day to attract prosperity and prosperous opportunities.
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Start Your Day Spell
JUNE 06, 2022 BY ARI MANKEY
Most of us start our day with some sort of beverage. For many of us, that drink is coffee. For others, it might be a glass of juice or water. No matter what it is, you can make it a bit more magickal and use it to start your day on the best foot possible. Before drinking your morning beverage of choice, take a moment to think about just why you drink it. Hold that reason in your mind, and see its powers helping you throughout your day. Then say this spell before drinking:
Morning drink. revitalize
my spirit and mind,
Prepare me for the day
ahead; may it be kind.
Humble drink, and yet a
gift from the earth,
Work your magick as I
prepare to set forth.
May this day be one of
satisfaction and glee,
For this I thank the gods.
So mote it be!
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Heartwings Love Notes 1038 Unexpected Benefits of Covid
Heartwings says, “Even difficult experiences can bring good outcomes.”
When I was very small, we had a real icebox with a big pan underneath that melting ice dripped into. I remember the man who delivered the big blocks of ice carved from Wenham Lake, I think, and stored in an ice house. He wore a rubber apron on his back and carried the ice on big tongs, slung over his shoulder. Too, there was milk delivered to the door in round, long necked bottles with the cream on top.
I remember there was a woman who carried a big suitcase between Beverly Farms and Manchester, filled with all sorts of things to buy like nylons, gloves, thread and needles, pins and lace. She would open it up to display the ribbons my mother bought for my hair, and other useful things. Another woman washed and ironed my father’s shirts and perhaps other things as well. We dropped the shirts off at her house and picked them up in a day or so. These things and more made life easier.
Like most in those days, we owned only one car, so groceries were often delivered, though the stores that did that were more expensive and my mother preferred to shop at the First National in town or the A&P in the next one. To me it is very amusing to see the delivery of groceries coming around again. How strange to think that only a very few years ago, we all went to stores or restaurants and shopped or ate in person rather than having meals or groceries delivered. The proliferation of services has certainly burgeoned. Covid is responsible.
Covid is also the reason for the development of people working from home. Rather than fight the traffic they can sit at their computers in the comfort of their own pleasant surroundings, in informal clothing. Too, families have gotten to know one another better and spent more time together.
Once upon a time, before the convenience of automobiles and the ease of transportation, much of what was bought was delivered. Not only that, the doctor came to your home if you were ill. Now it is possible to have a visit in your home from the doctor via zoom. In addition, Meetings can be held that way, and people can gather from all over without traveling. The poetry group I’m part of used to meet in person, locally. Now it has members from as far away as France.
A while ago I would have gone to the store to buy a new dish drainer. Now I have ordered one to be delivered. The convenience of not having to drive as much or as often is also a good way to save money. I wonder if the changes we have had will be permanent. It is difficult to tell. Will we ever go back to spending more time commuting? Shopping in person? Eating lots of meals out rather than having them delivered? Only time will tell.
PS Have you benefitted in any way from Covid? I’d love it if you would share with me and tell me your experiences. Thanks for reading my thoughts. Wishing you every joy. Contact me at Tashahal@gmail.com and do check my web pages at http://www.heartwingsandfriends.com.
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Sharing Your Gift with Others
Your earthly existence provides you with ample opportunity to explore your purpose and use your gifts.
The gifts we are born with and those that we work to develop throughout our lives vary in form and function. Some we find use for every day while others are only useful in specific circumstances. Yet many times we overlook opportunities to share our unique gifts with others. It may be fear of criticism that holds us back or the paralyzing weight of uncertainty. Ultimately, we doubt that our innate talents and practiced skills can truly add value to others’ lives. But it is the world as a whole that benefits when we willingly share our gifts. Whether you have been blessed with the ability to awaken beautiful emotions in others through art or industry, or your aptitudes transmit more practical advantages, your gifts are a part of who you are. As you make use of those gifts as best you can, be assured that your contribution to worldly well-being will not be overlooked.
Your personal power is defined in part by your gifts. To use your talents is to demonstrate to the world that you understand yourself and are truly attuned to your capabilities. Your earthly existence provides you with ample opportunity to explore your purpose, to utilize your skills in a life-affirming way, and to positively touch the lives of others while doing so. Yet you may feel that your gifts are not as valuable or worthy of attention as those of others and thus hide them away. However, every gift lying dormant in your soul has the potential to fill a void in someone else’s life. Just as your existence is made richer by the love, support, friendship, aid, and compassion of others, so, too, can you add richness to their lives. Your natural ability to soothe hurt, inspire compassion, bake, dance, knit, organize, or think outside the box can be a boon to someone in need.
As you embrace your gifts and allow their light to shine, you will discover that more and more opportunities to make use of them arise. This is because your gifts are a channel through which the universe operates. By simply doing what you are good at and also love to do, you make a positive difference. The recognition you receive for your efforts will pale in comparison to the satisfaction you feel when fulfilling your innate potential.
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Sending Love Ahead to Your Day
Send love to your day ahead and remember to stop and catch the miracles.
Upon waking, many people consider the coming day with trepidation. Because of the natural human tendency to focus on what we fear or dislike, it is easy to unwittingly send a message of unease into the future that negatively impacts the quality of your day. However, while our lives are busy and frequently replete with challenges, they are also rich with joy and experiences worth savoring. We can attract this natural bliss into our lives by starting each day with a message of love. When you send love ahead to your day, that love will manifest itself in your interpersonal interactions, your professional endeavors, and your domestic duties. Tasks and circumstances once made trying by your own anxiety are transformed by your love, and you will find yourself approaching life’s subtle nuances with great affection.
Each morning, when you have cast off the fog of sleep, take several deep, grounding breaths and reaffirm the love you have for yourself. Speaking a loving, self-directed blessing aloud enables you to access and awaken the reservoir of tenderness in your soul. Before you leave the comfortable warmth of your bed, be sure to tell the universe that you are eager and ready to receive the blessings it has set aside for you. Then as you prepare to meet the day, visualize yourself first saturated by and then surrounded with a warm and soft loving light. Gradually widen the circle of this light until you are able to send it ahead into your future. If you are commuting to work, send love to the roads upon which you will drive, your fellow commuters, and your parking space. If you have colleagues who arrive at your workplace before you, send them love. Likewise, a day spent being a parent or addressing household chores can benefit from the sentiment that precedes you. Sending love ahead to everyone you will meet and everything you will do can ensure that your day is suffused with grace.
If you have difficulty sending love to those situations and individuals you deem particularly frustrating, consider that the warmth and tenderness you project can change your life for the better. Each morning, in sending this love, you will exercise your power to control the ambiance of your existence and to color your day with positivity.
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Soul Walk: A Simple Exercise for Soul Integration
JUNE 09, 2022 BY DANIEL MOLER
The soul has many parts. With my work in shamanic practices, I have been astounded at the repeating presence of the number three. Various aspects of the number three will crop up in many ways on the shamanic path. For instance, there are three worlds in the shamanic universe: the upper, middle, and lower worlds. The shamanic healing process unfolds in three phases: the cleansing, the alignment, and the raising. Likewise, the psyche itself is comprised of three elements.
This segmentation of the self is not just reserved for shamanic traditions. In Qabalah, the self is reduced to three expressions of being known as Nephesch (the primal subconscious), Ruach (the base personality), and Neschamah (the higher self). Similarly, Sigmund Freud’s psychoanalytic theory divided the psyche into the Id (base, primitive instincts/subconscious self), Ego (reality-based personality/conscious self), and the Super Ego (the moral conscience/ideal self).
In my book, The Shamanic Soul: A Guidebook for Self-Exploration, Healing, and Mysticism, I discuss the three aspects of the self as taught to me from my training in Peruvian curanderismo. They each are rooted in the concept of sombra, translated in Spanish as “shadow” or “shade,” which is a projection or image of oneself cast upon the world. The sombra is the way the soul is expressed in reality. The three aspects of sombra are known as the:
Sombra Ganadera: Known as “the rancher” shade, but also referred to as “the contrary” (contrario), this sombra typically corresponds to the lower self, the subconscious state of mind where base instincts and repressed memories reside. Therefore, this aspect of the soul is primarily concerned with the past. If not properly controlled or corralled (hence, “the rancher”) this sombra will resurface and sabotage one’s life in often unintentional ways.
Sombra Primera: The “prime” shade is the primary personality, conscious and aware of the world around us, the aspect of our soul concerned with relationships and day-to-day living. This part of the soul is more concerned with the present.
Sombra Criandera: The “wet nurse” or “nursemaid” shade is the aspect of the soul that nurtures the self upon one’s path, encouraging them toward evolution. Other traditions call this the higher self, that which is concerned with transcendent reality.
Often life will bring upon a set of challenges that will fracture these aspects of the soul. The natural way of life is for these parts to work together in unison. If they do not, they will work against each other and individuals will wade through life confused, disgruntled, and even engage in self-sabotage. One can be easily ruled by emotions or ego, and disharmony of the sombras will reflect a disharmony of the soul.
Although my book The Shamanic Soul is comprised of many spiritual healing practices, most of them are centered upon the mesa, a shamanic altar used for shamanic training and practice. However, one does not have to have a mesa to engage in shamanic healing. In fact, you have everything you need already! Your mind, body, and soul are built to heal themselves. Just as a physical wound will heal in the right conditions, all you need to do is nurture your healing capacities and provide the time/space for your soul to do its job. If my own soul feels fragmented, disjointed, or not quite in alignment, if the three sombras don’t seem to be working in alignment, this is the simple ritual I follow for true soul integration.
The Soul Walk Ritual
Carve out some time for yourself. A true healing ceremony cannot be done while working or in a space where you can be distracted with other tasks. You need to allot some time specifically for your soul care, just as you would for any other event. I would suggest at least a good 3 to 4 hours, but if you cannot do anymore than that, then at minimum schedule an hour.
Find a space where you can go for a walk out in a natural setting, specifically where you will not be interreacting with other people. It is good to have some isolation from others, so you are not distracted from your healing process. There are plenty of State and National Parks you can look up, even close to the city, with walking trails that will provide an appropriate amount of isolation from the populace. You will want a space where the only connection is between you and the natural world, ideally a space to which you are connected.
You may want to take a backpack to carry a water bottle, sunscreen, or insect repellent, if that is conducive to your needs. Dress appropriate for the weather and wear comfortable shoes. Leave your phone behind. If you need to let someone know where you are, in case of an emergency, do so. However, you do not want another opportunity for distraction to arise.
When you arrive at your space, state your intention to the land that you intend to heal yourself and ask for permission and assistance. The lands listens, and the land will answer.
Ganadero Walk
First is the walk with the sombra ganadero, the aspect of the soul typically concerned with the past or subconscious state. For this you will want to begin your walk by locating a stone. If you are in an area where no stone can be found, you can choose a stick or some other natural object. However, a stone is ideal for this exercise, specifically a dark, dense one.
Place the stone in your right hand and begin your hike. The first third of your walk will focus on brining up your issue at hand. Are you having issues with a spouse? Do you feel alone, confused? Is work stressing you out? How does your issue reflect back upon you and your personality? How does it make you feel? Why do you think it makes you feel that way? Was there an event in your past that causes you to react in the way that you do, that causes you to feel or think these thoughts?
Don’t judge any of these notions. And please don’t try to solve the problem at hand. Just bring up these feelings, thoughts, and emotions, and witness them, without judgement. Whatever they are, just observe as you walk.
Using the power of your imagination, fueled by the physical power of your walking, intend for any thoughts, feelings, or memories that make you uncomfortable to flow from your body, down your right arm, and into the stone in your right hand. Intend for the stone to act as a magnet, attracting any density these feelings bring up to be absorbed into the stone itself, leaving your body and mind. Everything in the natural world is conscious and can utilized as a tool to assist us in our own healing. Stone are wonderful ancestors who are great at absorbing these sorts of dense energies from the sombra ganadera. It is okay, they will not affect the stone, because we will soon disburse these energies where they need to go.
When you feel that the first third of your walk is complete, that you have appropriately distributed the negativity of these feelings and emotions into the stone, find a place to bury the stone in the ground. It doesn’t have to be deep. Even with your own hands or a stick you can remove enough soil to bury the stone and long as it is beneath ground-level. When you do, thank the stone for its assistance and intend for the energies you have distributed into the stone to back into the earth. Mother Earth knows what to do with these energies, as she will transmute them into something good, composting them from dense negativity into nutritive life.
Primera Walk
Next, is the walk with the sombra primera. Since this is the aspect of the soul mostly concerned with the present, you will take the next third of your walk being completely open and mindful of the present moment. Do your best to clear your mind. Pace your breathing with your walking. If any thoughts try to crop up in your mind, use the exhale of your breath to breathe them away. Focus only on the natural world around you. The shuffle of your feet on the ground. The brush of grass against your legs. The sound of the wind rustling through the leaves of trees. The chirps of any nearby birds. The movement of the clouds. Let the natural world be your only stimulus.
This aspect of the walk is a palate cleanser, from being in denser energies to now realigning oneself to the presence of your own soul as an integrated whole. This walk can be the best form of meditation. Your soul is meant to be operating in unison. You are multifaceted, but also whole, and the sombra primera reminds us of that. Let the natural world speak to you and reconnect you with the holism of soul integration.
Criandera Walk
The “nursemaid” aspect of soul looks toward the future. This sombra will caretake the necessary aspects of oneself to encourage evolution. In the shamanic path, this is often done by giving back to Mother Earth in some way, in thanksgiving for the support she has provided us. In my tradition this giving back is what we call a pago (“payment”) in sacred reciprocity of the work complete.
For the final third of your walk, scan the landscape for any flowers or plants that catch your eye. A common form of pago is to pluck these flowers or plants and arrange them in a mandala-like design on the earth, providing an artful gift of beauty to the Mother. You can be as creative and detailed as you want with it, as long as you are working from the heart as a payment back to the medicine you have received in your integration ritual. If you are in a landscape where there not many flowers, you can create a design using stones, such as medicine wheel. If no natural materials are available, you can provide a gift yourself by either singing a song or plucking a piece of your hair to leave on the land.
Sacred reciprocity is an artform itself. There are not specific rules, but it must be done with earnest gratitude. It is about establishing a connection with the natural world, a rapport in which you and earth commune as one soul to another. This aspect of the sombra can be a great boon in overall soul integration, uplifting one’s spirit and charging the physical body with positive energy to move forward in one’s endeavors.
Summary
When done with focus and intention, the Soul Walk Ritual can mend fractured thoughts and emotions. It can bring clarity to one’s soul walk in life, so that when you feel uncertain about a situation, you can provide a space for yourself where harmony can take place. Integration is about taking the unconnected pieces of the soul and connecting them so they can work together, not against each other. Take the time and space for yourself—you deserve it!
To explore more shamanic exercises, you can check out my book The Shamanic Soul/ https://www.llewellyn.com/product.php?ean=9780738770697&utm_source=llewellynjournal&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=llewellynjournal
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Ghost Hunting Theories
Understanding Hauntings and the Afterlife: Here’s How It Works
Most of us regard the afterlife from the point of view of a living 3-dimensional player on a 3-dimensional field. Thus, we see a ghost as an invisible person who can get confused, trapped, vengeful, or concerned, but always in one place at one time.
Ghost investigators tend to hit all the most traumatic locations, assuming that somehow following an awful death one leaves their ghost to linger in that place and time. The problems with that include the fact that any of us who have had a bad event, generally do not want to go back to that location for any reason. As well, if you have passed on and are free to go anywhere, you might want to choose a beloved relative or a favorite vacation spot.
Once again, we are thinking too linear in our references.
Why are some places haunted?
Places of intense emotion at time of death or great pleasure while alive, should be haunted. It’s not about being trapped, not knowing you’re dead, or seeking vengence.
Once again, we are thinking too linear in our references.
The human electromagnetic field seems to imprint on a space, whether it’s on the 3-dimensional, 4-dimensional, 5-dimensional plane.
Imagine if you will that in a moment in time and space, a person leaves an imprint, like the 2-dimensional image on a photograph that can be pulled out and looked at later in the 3-dimensional world.
We tag “recordings” of us when we emit the proper electrical and hormonal peaks that can leave a print of it in the higher dimensions.
An image of a person is a 2-dimensional representation of how they appear in one moment in time. That 2-dimensional image enters the 3-dimensional world by hanging on a wall on a piece of photo paper.
There is also a point of contact between the 3-dimensional world and the 2-dimensional world where they interact, such as when we press a finger to the photograph.
Here we are in a 3-dimensional playing field. We have a moment in time of great excitation, whether it’s anger, pain, grief, excitement, pleasure, contentment, prayer, and we leave an imprint on the next dimension that shares the same playing field.
Upon occasion, that imprint we have left in a higher dimension (like that photo in a 3-D frame) will show itself in our lower dimension, like that time when our finger meets the photographic image.
We can leave an electromagnetic and chemical print in a higher dimension while angry in prison, dying in a sanitorium, screaming with excitement on a rollercoaster.
In a way, consider those moments a “photograph” being captured and held in a higher dimension that doesn’t use paper to hold and record but instead uses energy.
Since we are physical beings, the photograph captures how we appear physically. That is an important capture to us for recall memories and to document as we think in terms of the visuals and the physical world.
But, in a higher dimension, such as the afterlife inhabited by “soul” energies, we would have to leave an imprint there of something it registers, such as energy. To that plane of existence, that is the substance of importance, not the physical flesh.
We psychics often refer to energy a lot. We have to, as there is no other real comparison for this form of transport and communication. Imagine if you will that a photographic image had a mind to think. He may think, “I feel I’m part of something bigger but I can’t get outside of my 2 dimensions to view just what my purpose is.” He has no idea he’s a photograph of something on a higher plane.
Voila! We walk around not able to perceive but knowing we are part of a soul, not understanding how that works or what the bigger picture is. Once we step outside of mortal existence, like the photographic image being launched into the 3-dimensional world, everything becomes quite clear. We gaze upon the 2-dimensional image and think how limited an existence when there is so much more!
Such is the perspective upon passing.
If any of my readers watches “The Secret of Skinwalker Ranch,” on History Channel, you are likely caught up in the mystery in the air over the triangle.
Is it a portal? Well, it very well could be a point of interaction between two dimensions like when we place our finger on that photograph. If the photograph had cognizance and vision, it would only see another dot on the horizon that appeared and then disappeared, as it has not ability to see depth.
So it goes for us trapped in this mortal 3-dimensional plane. The interaction of a higher dimension would seem to be otherworldly and what we could actually perceive would only be that which three dimensions can hold and display, like the dot on the photograph for Mr. 2D. We might only see what appears to be a vehicle or light.
Did you ever notice how sometimes you pull up a memory of some mundane thing that happened in the past, but it’s so well imprinted in your memory you recall how you felt, what song was playing, and other details? For whatever reason, during that moment in time, you were leaving an imprint. We sometimes call it déjà vu.
It’s like a higher dimension storage of a memory, sort of like how a photo is a visual representation of a moment in time.
Is it possible that in a higher dimension, our souls wish to be back in the prior mortal life?
Well, let’s look at it this way: That photograph of you, you might wish you looked like your younger self when you gaze at it, but then you realize, “no thank you, if I had to repeat all I’ve been through again, no thanks.”
You also might look at the face of that youngster and think, “wow, I don’t relate to her anymore.” BINGO! This is why we are not constantly confronted by dead relatives badgering us about who we date or rescuing us. You would look at the photo and think, “I don’t want to be a two-dimensional image stuck in time.”
The truth is, when we are free of the confines of this dimension, it is not only liberating, but being able to perceive 360 degrees, past, present and future without sense of separateness and ability to be anywhere and everywhere at any time all at once means we are no longer one specter in one location and we certainly are not trapped or confused as we are quite omniscient.
Imagine for a moment who a photographic image would feel if it could peel off the paper it’s printed on and suddenly be the actual person it represents in this 3-dimensional world. That’s one jump in dimensions and yet suddenly that being has depth, movement, vitality, biology, thought, interactions. Its mind would be totally blown by all this input and this new playing field.
Now imagine what near-death experiencers describe as they are suddenly giving all knowledge, all vision, all sense of no longer being a separate entity? Mind blown upon birthing into the afterlife!
In a way, if the photographic image’s friends knew he was going to get to move into the 3-dimensional plane, they would be cheering him on.
This is a novel way of looking at birthing.
We start birth to this plane down a tunnel to a light and those that greet us happily. Before that, all we knew was a womb, darkness, liquid, and a sense of physicality.
We also birth into the afterlife with the same perception to be greeted by those awaiting us and a whole new sense of how limited and dark our world was and how amazing it is to be free.
Many experiences of near-death report a sense of community on the other side that, like a returning warrior, you are taken into the fold and admired for having been willing to do the mortal thing.
How does the human represent a soul?
All it takes is one overly manipulated photo of someone to realize, “that’s not the REAL them.” Well, in this case the photographic facsimile isn’t a real facsimile of the person.
When we make decisions as mortals with a soul-energy we represent, we are either making a genuine representation or an ingenuine one, in which case we are not a true facsimile. This has moral implications.
It would appear that no matter your spirituality here or your particular beliefs or lack thereof, we all end up the same dimension, a transformation from a biologic representation of soul energy to being free to be soul energy only.
How does religion work into this rather scientific explanation?
We are given these passionate teachings to help us remember we are a soul and we are representing it on this physical plane like the photograph represented us.
If you look around our world and how everything is designed to maintain our life forms from oxygen and carbon dioxide, plants and animals, rain and oceans, even the animal forms that can reproduce, you begin to realize something monumental.
This planet and its life forms were designed to run on autopilot and reproduce and play out here. If the photographic image utilizes ink and paper, we utilize trees, water, crops, and reproduce.
Near-death experiencers report a heaven that sounds a lot like earth.
We could chalk it up to that being our only point of perception.
The truth is, earth is a facsimile of heaven.
In heaven or the next dimension (you choose), the colors are acute, everything is full of life. That is the real thing. If we compare you to the photograph of you, we see the photo can’t capture your sides, back, your varied expressions, the lighting in the afternoon or morning.
Earth was designed as a facsimile to play upon for our biological forms to act out. The soul is with the body, playing with amnesia, believing it can die when it actually returns to the fold.
When we speak of people being pious, we are really saying that someone is recalling they represent a soul on this plane.
When we forget we have a soul, we can make poor decisions thinking it only affects this playing field, but like a bad photograph (remember your third grade class picture?) you can represent the most soul-less decisions.
The politics, power, and profit of religion aside, spirituality and faith, living as a soul in a human suit is the best practice. In order to impress such importance, we are often presented with religions that base much on black and white, good and bad, heaven and hell.
If God wanted to prompt us with a hint, this is the way it is done to leave the most impression on mortals.
The fact that a soul is willing to birth into this situation with a general sense of amnesia is an amazing leap of faith.
Faith.
I leave you to ponder that.
NOTE: This is how I as both a psychic and a lifelong investigator of the spirit realm understands the experience. Depending on your faith, the media, your family and friends, your view may be entirely different. I never expect anyone to come to my conclusions, but I do appreciate a forum to be able to share my insights.
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Honey, Lemons, and Thyme: 10 Essential Ingredients for the Kitchen Witch’s Pantry
BY GAIL BUSSI
Magical Kitchen Ingredients
Any kitchen witch worth their salt (sorry for the pun!) will undoubtedly have his or her favorite ingredients—the kind that one’s pantry just feels incomplete without—but I venture to guess that there are some ingredients fairly common to us all, no matter where we live and what kind of witchcraft and magick we practice! Here are ten of my favorites (whittled down from a considerably longer list!) and I hope they will strike a chord with you, too; you will also find a lot more ideas and recipes using these ingredients in my new book, The Enchanted Kitchen.
- Lemons
Honestly, I simply can’t imagine my kitchen without the basket of lemons sitting on the windowsill; I use lemons every day, and in every way, and I think every kitchen witch probably feels the same! (Please note that I am talking about fresh lemons, that you squeeze yourself; those little bottles of lemon juice may be useful but they just don’t have the same healthful or magical properties as the fresh fruit.)
The lovely lemon is packed with feminine energy, both protective and magical, and is a fruit sacred to the moon, unsurprisingly. On a spiritual level, lemon also clears away confusion and helps us focus and clarify our thoughts. And, of course, lemons work so well in the kitchen, from fish to chicken, from baking to desserts, and for all kinds of pickles and preserves. (You’ll find a delicious recipe for lemon pickles in Enchanted Kitchen.)
Keeping a supply of dried lemon peel on hand in the pantry lends itself to all sorts of kitchen uses, in particular gremolata, an Italian favorite used for topping meat and pasta dishes, as well as salads. You will need to peel several large, smooth-skinned lemons, ensuring that the peel is free of the bitter white pith. (Use the peeled lemons for juice or in other recipes.) Chop the peel into thick slivers and dry out in a fairly cool oven (250° F) for at least 3-4 hours. Pulse the dried peel briefly in a blender—it should not be completely powdered—and store in a small glass jar in your pantry. To make gremolata, mix 2 tablespoons of the lemon rind with 1 large clove of crushed garlic, and 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh herbs (basil, oregano, or thyme), then sprinkle the mixture over your dish just before serving.
- Garlic
For my Italian father no meal was ever complete without garlic in some shape or form—he even spread a little on his fried eggs in the morning, much to my mother’s chagrin! Of course, garlic has powerful magical properties of protection, strength, and healing and for these reasons has long been a witch’s kitchen mainstay. Strings of garlic were traditionally hung in kitchens (and often still are) to protect the home and its inhabitants from malevolent spirits.
I always have a few fresh garlic bulbs in my pantry, which I can then peel and use as needed: either whole, with just a clove or two to flavor oils and vinegars, or crushed and added to sauces, marinades, butters, and so on. Allioli is a pungent garlic sauce made by crushing together four cloves of garlic and ½ teaspoon of salt. Stir in an egg yolk, and then gradually add up to 1 cup mild olive oil, until the mixture thickens. Stir in a little lemon juice to sharpen and some crushed black pepper. Store in a little jar in the fridge and use with pasta, chicken, seafood, or lightly steamed vegetables.
- Thyme
This magical little herb is full of magical and health-giving properties and is credited with giving greater courage and willpower in difficult situations. And it has so many uses in the kitchen; fresh thyme is wonderful, of course, but since thyme is also one of those herbs that keeps its aromatic flavor well when dried, I always have a large jar of it tucked away in my pantry.
If you have some fresh thyme, place a few sprigs in a glass bottle and fill with olive oil; allow the oil to steep for a few weeks, then strain; you will always have fragrant thyme oil for frying, adding to salad dressings and marinades, and so on. Make a paste of soft butter, crumbled dried thyme and a little crushed garlic, and rub it liberally over the skin of a chicken before roasting. I also love baking with thyme, and it blends particularly well with lemon—for example, mix a little thyme with lemon juice and sugar, and use this as a glaze for a simple pound cake or cookies.
- Cardamom
Probably not one of the most familiar spices, unlike cinnamon and ginger, but if you are a kitchen witch like me, who loves to prepare spicy curries and Middle Eastern dishes, cardamom, with its unique flavor of both rose and citrus, is an essential. You can buy the seeds ready-ground, but I keep a jar of the whole seeds in my pantry and grind them as needed in my wooden mortar and pestle. Apart from curries and the like, ground cardamom is lovely in baking and desserts; you can add a few seeds to tea or coffee, too, as they do in the East. Make a tea syrup using Earl Grey Tea simmered with 2-3 tablespoons of cardamom pods and a few tablespoons of sugar. When the mixture is thick and syrupy, strain it and store in a small jar—it can be served over dried fruit, or creamy custard and rice puddings.
Magically, cardamom is known for increasing clarity of thought, and lifting the spirit; it’s also a passionate spice, that can draw love to us, or increase the romance in existing relationships.
- Honey
Really this needs no introduction: not only is honey one of the oldest foods known to mankind, but its health and spiritual properties are unsurpassed, thanks to the magic of the bees! Honey was sacred to the gods of Eqypt, Greece, and Rome, as well as in Hinduism; it’s believed to carry messages of spirit and is also beloved of the faeries and their kin.
Honey lifts and sweetens soul, spirit, and life, so I believe it should be used as often as possible, in baking, sauces, desserts, and more; use it to replace sugar as a sweetener in hot or cold drinks. Please use raw, organic honey if possible, and try local honey fragranced by different plants and flowers—it’s a true taste experience. (I have a jar of lavender honey in my pantry that is just fabulous drizzled on pancakes, scones, and in tea, too.)
- Sage
Sage is such a diverse herb, with its various culinary, medicinal, and ceremonial applications. Here I am talking about culinary sage—white sage is the one traditionally used for rituals and ceremonies, but unfortunately has become rather over-harvested in recent years. Sage, like thyme, retains both flavor and taste well when dried, so should be a part of everyone’s magical pantry. Earthy and aromatic, I love adding it to chicken or pork dishes, and it’s wonderful with rice, pasta, and beans, too.
Magically, sage helps ease stress and tension and helps us feel calm and clear again; it is particularly helpful when made into a tea for this purpose.
- Apple Cider Vinegar
Although the wine vinegars have their place, I still return, time and again, to the simple and traditional apple cider vinegar, which has so many uses in the kitchen and beyond. (Please try and obtain organic, natural cider vinegar, with the “mother” if possible.) Other vinegars may contain various chemical additions and preservatives.
Making our own fruit, herb, and spice vinegars is a wonderful way of bringing garden bounty and blessings into the pantry; they are wonderful on salads, of course, but adding a spoonful of herb vinegar to soups, broths, and sauces adds a magical new taste dimension. A delicious Italian-style vinegar can be made by steeping sage, black peppercorns, oregano, basil, and rosemary in a small bottle of vinegar for a few weeks. (And vinegar is wonderful for health applications, too, particularly coughs, colds, and infections of all kinds.)
- Chilies
Here I am not talking about the many kinds of fresh chili, which I always have in my kitchen, but rather a jar or two of dried red chilies, which are incredibly useful to have up your (witchy!) sleeve. Anything you create using these little spicy powerhouses will give you and your food a burst of warm, protective energy.
You can make spicy chili oil simply by steeping the chilies in a bottle of olive, vegetable, or sesame oil for a few weeks; add some coriander seeds, cinnamon, star anise, cumin, or garlic to create a more complex flavor. Toss rice, pasta, or salad with a little of this oil for a simply delicious meal. I also like to grind a few dried chiles and mix them with some dried oregano, cumin, oregano, and a little sea salt, and use this mixture (which keeps well in a small jar) as a delicious sprinkle over pasta or vegetable dishes, or addition to sauces and marinades for barbecues or grills. You will find a lot more recipes using the magic of chilies in my book Enchanted Kitchen.
- Sun-Dried Tomatoes
There is nothing quite like a tomato fresh from the garden, but these tomatoes give a burst of summer flavor all through the year, and just a few make a wonderful addition to pizzas, salads, pasta dishes, and more. I always buy small plum/cocktail tomatoes when they are on special at the market and prepare a few jars of these little wonders! (Actually, they are not dried in the sun, but in the oven; they can be prepared in a dehydrator or microwave, but since I own neither of these, the oven works fine for me!)
Line a large baking sheet with foil, and then arrange the tomatoes, which you have cut in half, on the foil, cut side up. Sprinkle lightly with salt and a few dried herbs like sage or basil, and then leave in a fairly cool oven (200° F) for at least six hours, or until the tomatoes have shrunk slightly, and are dry to the touch. Cool then remove from the baking sheet and pack into sterilized glass jars, leaving space at the top for the olive oil, which should cover the tomatoes completely. Store on a cool shelf in your pantry and top up the oil when it gets low. (These keep for ages, but seldom last too long in my kitchen!)
Sacred to Venus and Aphrodite, the tomato has long been venerated for its magical powers when love, romance, and passion are concerned; however, it also keeps negative energies out of the home, and is known for increasing creativity and inspiration on all levels.
- Black Pepper
This probably seems a fairly obvious pantry choice, since most of us use pepper on a daily basis in one way or another, but since this familiar spice has so many wonderful and magical uses, I felt it deserves a place in my “essential” ingredients list. Use black peppercorns to repel negative, jealous, or harmful energies and increase your self- confidence—you can add it to protection bottles and simmering mixtures for this purpose, too. And apparently you can get rid of unwanted visitors or entities by sprinkling a mixture of ground black pepper and sea salt around the entrances to your home!
Of course, we probably all already use pepper in our kitchens, but I have a simple pepper blend that I like to keep on hand in my pantry; simply grind some black peppercorns, and mix with some ground paprika, a few dried and crushed chilies, and a little dried rosemary or oregano. Store in a small jar, where it will last for ages. Use this mix as a rub for steaks or chicken before grilling or stir a little into some softened butter andthen spread on grilled meat or vegetables—wonderful!
Happy enchanted cooking in your magical kitchens!
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Rainbow Yogurt Bowl
Arrange vibrant, colorful fruit in the shape of a rainbow on top of yogurt for a fun and delicious healthy breakfast or snack kids will actually want to eat.
~Carolyn Casner
Servings: 1
Rainbow Yogurt Bowl
Ingredients
½ cup reduced-fat plain yogurt
1 teaspoon pure maple syrup or honey
9 raspberries
3 clementine segments
3 green grapes, halved
6 blueberries
Directions
Instructions Checklist
Step 1
Combine yogurt and syrup (or honey) in a wide shallow bowl. Top the yogurt with a rainbow made from raspberries, clementines, grapes and blueberries.
Nutrition Facts
Serving Size: 1 cup
Per Serving:
128 calories; protein 7g; carbohydrates 21.5g; dietary fiber 1.8g; sugars 18.5g; fat 2.1g; saturated fat 1.2g; cholesterol 7.3mg; vitamin a iu 82.2IU; vitamin c 17.1mg; folate 23mcg; calcium 243.6mg; iron 0.3mg; magnesium 29.6mg; potassium 398.6mg; sodium 87.3mg; thiamin 0.1mg; added sugar 5g.
Exchanges:
1 1/2 fruit, 1/2 reduced-fat diary, 1/2 other carbohydrate
© Copyright 2022 EatingWell. All rights reserved.Printed from https://www.eatingwell.com 06/11/2022
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Coach Gilberto, Chapter 15
by Stephen Halpert
Lara Parker gestured at the smoked salmon pate and other delicacies on the table. “Please help yourselves, I took the liberty of ordering for us all. I do like to treat my friends…and we are all friends here, are we not?”
Gilberto and Maria smiled and nodded, and Diana Rain said, “Yes indeed.”
Lara reached into the large bag by her chair and petted her small dog. “You be good now,” she murmured. There was a little woofing sound from Lucy, followed by a sigh as she gave her a bit of cracker with some salmon pate.
Then she sipped her drink. Something tall loaded with shaved ice and a mixture of vodka, cordial and fruit juice. “I may not be doing any of you a favor. Keeping Houndstooth afloat is no easy matter; and going co ed next September may well complicate things even more,” Lara said.
Then she raised her glass. “A toast to our new headmaster and his charming wife.”
Maria waved her wine glass, Gilberto his half-finished beer and Diana Rain her favorite, applejack over ice in a frosted mug.
Everyone smiled and nodded, and Gilberto finished his beer. “So, if you don’t mind my asking, how does Houndstooth stay afloat?”
“That is one of the bones of contention between myself and the former headmaster,” she said with a sigh. “He wasn’t content with the status quo. He was always wanting to purchase this and that expensive piece of equipment. Or he wanted new school buses for transportation, or more. He spoke constantly of luxury items. The trust established by my family to fund the school is good but not to the point of the extravagance he envisioned. Then too, he saw the school as a source for his kind of publicity.”
“How did he want it to seem?” Diana asked.
“Oh, elitist, featuring its age and prestige, things like that. He wanted to attract wealthy snobs while I wanted and still do, to educate young people of all colors and shapes and foster their intelligence and enthusiasm.” She signaled a waiter to refresh their drinks and asked if their first course was ready yet. The waiter nodded, returned with refills then scurried away.
Lara looked around the table. “I hope you’re not adverse to file mignon and asparagus with hollandaise, she said.
Gilberto grinned and Maria smiled. “Not at all,” she said. “What a nice treat.”
“Now to answer your question better, the Houndstooth trust is sufficient to cover reasonable expenses and supply the needs of the school programs and salaries. ” She handed Gilberto and Diana each a check. “Here is an advance on your salaries.”
Gilberto’s eyes widened. “Thank you very much,” he said as he tucked it away.
Diana nodded and smiled. “Likewise,” she said. “However, I must say I’m still curious about Cyrus and his most unfortunate death.”
The waiter brought their plates and they all admired the feast set before them. Then Lara spoke. “So am I,” she said with a sigh. She reached into her big pouch stowed under her chair and fed her little dog a piece of her steak.
“I fear in order to protect Houndstooth Ed Long perpetrated a cover up. He managed to create sufficient fear of speaking about it that everyone at school went mute. Apparently, some think he was on the bridge that afternoon with guests and parents. Others insist he was in the lounge chatting with parents and related faculty. It was a windy afternoon with the threat of rain. No one seems to know for sure where he was.”
“But what do you think? Diana persisted. “You must have an opinion. How do you think old Cy there fell off the bridge? Wind blew him off? Or was he perhaps pushed?” She paused, as if thinking. “Or perhaps he stumbled and fell accidently.”
Lara smiled and chuckled. “I’m aware of your background in law enforcement,” she began, “and I hope you will use some of those skills to ferret out a good possibility or two. I was fond of Cy, and I would give a lot to see his…,” she paused.
“Killer brought to justice?” Gilberto interjected.
“Cy was a marvelous dancer, very steady on his feet. I can’t see him stumbling like that, or falling accidentally.”
“And he wasn’t depressed or anything,” Maria said.
“Oh no.” Lara said quite the opposite. “He was a cheerful person. Loved a good joke. He’d stopped by my house that afternoon to share his latest ‘funny,’ as he called them.” She sighed and Gilberto thought he saw something glistening in her eyes. He was sure she might even have had more than a fondness for the gentleman.
“He even forgave Ed for putting about a rumor that he was gay, seeking to discredit him with faculty and eventually perhaps get him fired by the board of trustees.”
“He did what?” Diana asked forcefully.
“You heard me,” Lara said. “He was not a man of integrity where Cy was concerned, and the reason I kept him on was because despite his behavior over Cy, he was a fine administrator.” She sighed again and dabbed at her eyes with one of the damask dinner napkins. His only real flaw was his attitude toward Cy.”
“Do you think he might be capable of murder? Gilberto interjected.
Maria’s face reflected dismay. “Please,” she said. We’re having a nice dinner. Let’s not bring up such an unpleasant thought.”
Lara shook her head. “To answer your question, I’d hate to insinuate Cy was pushed. Then the natural suspect would be Ed Long. They certainly were far from being friends. But I can’t imagine anyone including Ed having done that.” She shivered and clutched her arms. “I hope, Miss Rain, that you will apply your skills, which I am sure are considerable, to seeing what you can discover.”
“In the meantime,” Maria said somewhat forcefully, “can we speak of pleasanter things? Gilberto told me you have plans for a special charitable animal hospital. Please tell us more about that?”
To be continued
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Cat Tail Language: What Your Cat’s Tail Is Telling You
Let’s dive into understanding cat tail language — what the movements and positions of your cat’s most intriguing appendage mean.
By Ellyce Rothrock
People who say cats aren’t very expressive and are impossible to gauge just don’t have a clue. A cat’s ears, eyes, body posture and, in particular, her tail, express exactly what she’s thinking and how she’s feeling. You just have to “listen” to cat tail language.
“Since cats are such different animals from us, understanding how they communicate isn’t something that comes naturally to humans,” says Kelly C. Ballantyne, D.V.M., D.A.C.V.B., clinical assistant professor at the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine in Urbana-Champaign. “It is important that all cat owners take the time to learn because understanding how cats communicate helps us to understand them better. Once we know their body language, we can read their emotions, identify situations that cause them distress or pleasure and even identify an illness sooner.”
Once you take the time to learn and understand cat tail language and realize that careful study of cat tail signs is vital to both your and your pet’s happiness in the home, you’ll be amazed at the myriad — and very clear — signals and emotions your feline companion shares with you.
Cat Tail Language: The Basics
Cats with their tails up.
What is your cat’s tail trying to tell you? Photography ©Cynoclub | Thinkstock.
Thankfully, animal behaviorists like Dr. Ballantyne have done exhaustive research to help guide pet owners to understand the finer points of cat tail language.
“Tails can move quickly or slowly,” she says. “A flicking or lashing tail signals that the cat is agitated, while a slowly waving tail indicates the cat is focused on something (i.e., about to pounce on a toy). “The tail-up posture — tail straight up with a slight curve at the end — is a signal that the cat is approaching amicably,” Ballantyne continues. “This posture, witnessed among feline friends, is a common way cats greet their humans.
“Cats may curve their tail around people they are bonded to and may intertwine their tails with other cats they’re bonded to. This is called an affiliative behavior.”
“Cats tuck their tails under or next to their body when they are feeling frightened. They often are crouching with their heads tucked in at the same time. We also can see these behaviors when they’re feeling pain.”
But learning cat tail language is like learning any foreign language: It takes time. If you are new to cat tail signs, you can be confused by what various tail movements and positions indicate and inadvertently upset or confound your cat.
Petting your cat around the tail area
While learning cat tail language is a must for cat owners, actually petting the cat around the area of the tail (the base of the tail or the tail itself) is not appreciated by most cats, Ballantyne says. Rather, focus all petting and scratching around the chin and ears, she adds.
Further, if during a petting session your cat’s tail starts twitching or lashing, her ears are turning back or she’s leaning away from you, these all are signals that your companion is done with this interaction, Ballantyne explains. Cats share pretty clear messages about how they’re feeling at any given moment with one of their most expressive body parts. If you take the time and effort to learn cat tail language, you’ll be talking tail like an expert in no time, bringing you and your feline companion’s relationship to greater understanding and happiness.
How to respond to cat tail language
- Tail position: Upright, held high
What it means in cat tail language: Confident, happy
How you should act/react: Offer playtime, cuddles and treats. - Tail position: Curled at the top like a question mark
What it means in cat tail language: Friendly
How you should act/react: Offer your hand for sniffing and petting. - Tail position: Straight down
What it means in cat tail language: Agitated, feeling aggressive
How you should act/react: Don’t try to engage or pet her. Try to neutralize whatever is upsetting her. - Tail position: Curved beneath the body
What it means in cat tail language: Nervous and/or submissive
How you should act/react: Act nonchalant. Wait for her to come to you. - Tail position: Puffed
What it means in cat tail language: Scared, agitated, angry
How you should act/react: Leave her alone! - Tail position: Whipping back and forth
What it means in cat tail language: Fearful; angry, aggressive
How you should act/react: Best not try for quality snuggle time with an angry cat. - Tail position: Swaying slowly from side to side/twitching
What it means in cat tail language: Focused
How you should act/react: Let your captivated cat follow her interests.
About the author
Ellyce Rothrock spent half her life with Flea, a Maine Coon who lived to be 21 and is missed every single day. She’s currently seeking a feline friend to manage Fritz and Mina, her German Shepherd Dog rescues. She’s lucky enough to live her passion for pets as a 25-year member of the pet media industry.
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Georgia’s Weekly Horoscope: Sunday, June 12, 2022
All Signs
This is a marvellous week to socialize! Plan a party! Reach out and contact friends, as well as widening your social circle by meeting new people. In fact, it’s not just this week that promises fun energy – the next several weeks are perfect for summertime socializing! Mercury is in Gemini, which makes everyone eager to communicate and curious enough to engage. The Full Moon on Tuesday is powerful. Act on every chance to do good because what goes around comes around. But hey – always remember: You moon the wrong person at an office party and suddenly you’re not “professional” anymore. (Ain’t it the truth?)
Aries (March 21-April 19)
This is a lovely, upbeat week for you because the Sun and Mercury combined makes you want to take short trips and talk to everyone. Your pace is accelerating with a busy schedule of errands and appointments. Meanwhile, with fiery Mars in your sign, you have lots of energy to do what you want; and lucky Jupiter (also in your sign) is bringing you good fortune and divine protection. (Oh yeah, it doesn’t get much better than this!) Meanwhile, Venus in your Money House, will attract money to you as well as entice you to buy beautiful things for yourself and loved ones. Be patient and helpful on Tuesday’s Full Moon.
Taurus (April 20-May 20)
Your ruler, fair Venus, is in your sign now, which gives you a great desire to relate to others. It makes you warm and diplomatic when talking to friends. In fact, you will want to make peace if there is dissension. It’s the perfect time for vacations, parties, socializing, or doing whatever gives you pleasure – and who loves their creature comforts more than you? Basically, when Venus is in your sign, you will put pleasure above work. Nevertheless, let us not forget that you are the financial wizard of the zodiac, so you’re also going to keep an eye on your money and cash flow. (“What am I? Stupid?”) Swami sees all, knows all.
Gemini (May 21-June 20)
This week the Sun is in your sign, pumping you with energy. And now your ruler Mercury joins the party! This makes you want to express your POV to others; which, incidentally, you will do in an entertaining way because you will put a lot of yourself into whatever you have to say. Your mind will be busy and excited, which is why it will jump from topic to topic very rapidly. You will have a strong urge to get out and travel, preferably short trips. You will enjoy physical activity, (especially competitive) with groups. As I mentioned last week, many of you are still dabbling in secret love affairs. Go with the flow while your mind is exploding with ideas. You’re pumped!
Cancer (June 21-July 22)
Like everyone else, you will feel a strong urge to socialize and be friendly this week. Nevertheless, unlike others, you still have a desire to keep a low profile or work alone or behind the scenes. Therefore, the choice is entirely yours. Nevertheless, opportunities to hang out with younger people (especially creative, artistic types) will please you. Be patient with coworkers at the beginning of the week. After the Full Moon peaks on Tuesday, these relations will soften and become smoother. Act on your ambition to achieve because Jupiter is at the top of your chart making you look great in the eyes of others; and this blessing comes only once every 12 years. Use it!
Leo (July 23-Aug. 22)
You’re keen to socialize this week! Enjoy the company of friends as well as groups, clubs and organizations to which you might belong. You will especially enjoy meeting new faces. In particular, you might be stimulated by hanging out with younger people, who make you feel younger. Your idealism is aroused. However, one of the reasons you feel good is because people admire you. (We like.) In fact, this admiration could lead to a saucy flirtation with a boss. Meanwhile, your urge to get outta Dodge is strong! Take a short trip so that you at least, can get a change of scenery. This is a good week to think about goals and expectations. Likewise, examine your attitude towards groups. Do these people benefit you?
Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22)
The Sun is still at the top of your chart, which means it is casting a flattering light on you. This is why bosses, parents and teachers are impressed with you even if you don’t do anything special. (Good lighting is everything.) As Mercury starts to move across the top of your chart, you will contemplate more serious plans about your professional life and your career. You might decide to take up a new study or learn something. Communications with others, especially bosses, will be important. Meanwhile, because travel for pleasure still appeals, grab every chance to take a short trip or fly somewhere to have a thrilling adventure. “Life may not be the party we hoped for, but while we’re here – shall we dance?”
Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22)
You are one of the most sociable signs of the zodiac, which is why you will love this week ahead because it is full of opportunities to schmooze and enjoy the company of others. Nevertheless, be careful at the beginning of the week, when champagne bottles are popping, because Tuesday’s Full Moon will create a slightly accident-prone influence for you. Therefore, think before you act or speak. In addition to this, Mars is opposite your sign, and this creates tension with partners. (These are the little things you have to watch for this week.) Aside from that, it’s a fabulous week to travel and meet people from other cultures. Romance will be passionate and affectionate. Gifts, goodies and favours from others will come your way. What’s not to like?
Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21)
Financial issues come to a head at the beginning of the week – no question. Very likely, they will involve banking, bills, taxes and shared property – possibly inheritances. However, like others, you want to party this week, especially with Venus opposite your sign. When Venus is opposite your sign, it is literally the best position for all relationships – love affairs, friendships, coworkers, even time spent with your enemies. (“She’s not so bad.”) In part, this is because you will more easily express your affection for others. Plus, you are motivated to get along. Accept all invitations to par-tay!
Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21)
Is this a marvellous week to socialize and have fun with others? Definitely yes. Does this week have the only Full Moon in your sign all year? Another definite yes. Therefore, be careful Sunday and Monday before the Full Moon on Tuesday, because you will feel tension building up with others, especially partners and close friends. However, once you pass that speedbump, it’s all systems go for the rest of the week! Fiery Mars will make you want to boogie with others and have fun. Playful activities with kids, sports events, the entertainment world – are all great choices. Have a picnic! Throw a barbecue! Invite coworkers because right now, relations with people you work with are excellent. (Maybe even cozy.)
Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19)
This is a marvellous week to socialize and enjoy friendly encounters with everyone. Nevertheless, your primary focus is to work efficiently and get things done. (It’s just what’s happening right now.) Despite the fact that both the Sun and Mercury want you to roll up your sleeves and get busy — fair Venus wants you to party! That means this is a week where you will do both. Work hard, party hard. Let’s face it, you have to deal with sorting things out at home – no question. (Increased activity and chaos on the home front continue to be a challenge.) Remember the advice of Oscar Wilde: “Hear no evil, speak no evil, and you will never be invited to a party.”
Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18)
Well, this week is play city for you! You’re ready to have fun and fortunately, so is everyone else. (Perfect timing.) Make a point of entertaining at home. Invite someone over. This will motivate you to act on your urge to redecorate and tweak your digs (which you want to do). You also want to travel, explore and talk to others, especially young people. Check out sports events and fun diversions. (After all you are the networker extraordinaire of the zodiac.) You love reaching out and connecting people because this makes you feel fulfilled in a worthy way. And to be sure, what higher calling than to remind everyone that we are interconnected all the time?
Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20)
Live for today. Plan for tomorrow. Party tonight! This is your motto not only this week, but in the month ahead. Admittedly, Tuesday’s Full Moon might create a bit of tension at home on Monday. Fear not because this will be quickly resolved. Entertaining at home will be your best option because of your strong focus right now on home and family. In fact, many of you are tackling home repairs and having meaningful family discussions. Fortunately, Venus will make your words sweet, which is why your everyday interactions are warm and friendly. Caution about hemorrhaging money. You’re tempted to buy a lot of stuff right now – do you really need it? (Shoes? Well, that’s different. Of course!)
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Weekly Horoscopes Beginning Sunday, 12 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:
True, recent breakthroughs were thrilling. However, taking certain plans further requires others’ agreement if not support, and that means getting solid facts. Begin asking questions. To your relief, after weeks of chaos, things are settling down, enough you can explore your options. Ensure you’re clear on any requirements, then discuss these in detail with those involved. Once that’s done and over with, the rest will be easy.
An argument early in the week will actually clear the air. Relationships will be less tense and at last you will feel you can bring up subjects that have been taboo in the past. You will forgive someone for a recent mistake. This does not mean you will forget it. If they repeat the same error again you won’t be so quick to overlook it. A goal will be reached. You’ve got as much out of a situation as you can and it is time to move on.
It’s not abnormal around the Full Moon (14th), for emotions to surface. This week might seem that a few people – notably Taurus, Leo, Scorpio or Aquarius individuals, be more than a little excitable or even hysterical. Patience will be required. We should note that this is not Aries strongest suit! Maintaining control, accepting that others have visions, but that these must be underpinned by addressing practicalities will surely be a challenge. Yet you’ve risen to this in the past and can do so again. The key thing, with both Mars and Jupiter moving through your sign, is to be conscious of your own behaviour and the strategy you choose to employ. Whatever you do, don’t run the risk of being accused of being impulsive and thoughtless later.
Taurus
Personal theme: I have!!
Earth & fixed sign: April 20 — May 20
Your horoscope for this week:
The events of the past month have led to breakthroughs as stunning as they were unexpected. Welcome as these are, you’ll be delighted with the opportunities this week offers to reorganise various elements of your life. Be aware, others are facing similar changes. If it’s family or colleagues, you’re urged to link up. Explore options with friends, too. The secret? Ensure plans are flexible.
Someone who wrongs you thinks they can get away with it. Their selfish attitude annoys you. They have let you down and no matter how charming they are and what excuses they come up with, you will never be able to trust them again. Offering to lend a friend a hand could be a big mistake when they are in a rush to get a job over with and you would prefer to take your time.
It seems likely that a bee will land in your bonnet. Others might put your behaviour down to the effect of Tuesday’s Full Moon. You could indeed display a talent and enthusiasm that’s actually been not so far from the surface. Obviously much depends on your actual birthday, but there is every likelihood that the entrepreneurial streak in most Taureans will surface. What you then need is to have the right team around you. A marketing exercise can only be successful if it’s done with diligence and thought. Attracting people to help ought not to be difficult in the second half of the week once you’ve got over the minor hysterics thrown (most likely by an Aquarius who takes a few extra days to understand your vision).
Gemini
Personal theme: I think!!
Air sign: May 21 — June 20
Your horoscope for this week:
After a period of breakthroughs, most as welcome as they were unexpected, you’re rethinking your lifestyle and future plans. You’re not alone in this. In fact, brainstorming with others will be amazingly helpful. Often, you’ll agree. If not, be bold. Base decisions on your own ideas or vision of the future. Ideally, you’ll ensure plans are flexible, so you can rethink them, possibly more than once.
A joint effort is going sadly wrong. Your first reaction will be to look for who is responsible for the mess. Don’t be too quick to criticise. Instead, analyse what is causing the problem and consider ways to fix it without making anyone feel guilty. Holding the wrong person responsible for an error would only worsen the situation as they will feel impelled to defend themselves against accusations. You could do with getting more time to yourself.
This week’s keyword must surely be strategy. Particularly around the full Moon in your opposite sign, and as Mercury arrives in Gemini, it’s important that you have a clear plan and don’t get overly excited and lose sight of the bigger picture. By Thursday you could be called to account. That needn’t be in a bad way: it may be that your ideas as to how a project could progress would make all the difference to a team enterprise. What they need to know is how to best use your expertise. You may also need to display just how much you’ve learned in the last couple of years and how good you are at archiving information.
Cancer
Personal theme: I feel!!
Water & cardinal sign: June 21 — July 22
Your horoscope for this week:
Logically, you’d be wise to impose order on the current chaos. Gather facts, but be aware things are unlikely to come together until you’re benefitting from the clarity triggered by the Cancer New Moon, on 28 June. Between now and then, consider what could go; but, as much, focus on discussing the changes you’d still welcome, in your own life or the world around you.
You always see the good in others but this could prevent you from making a shrewd assessment of some people. Are you being too trusting of a friend or colleague? Someone will take advantage of your kind nature if you let them. You need to protect your own interests. You will get to forge ahead with plans that have been put on hold and although it won’t be immediate, you can expect success later on.
Work could go completely crazy and as early as Monday evening you could be overwhelmed. It’s all linked to Tuesday’s Full Moon and the arrival of Mercury in neighbouring Gemini. Ideas are likely to be thrown at you, with others totally confident that you can run with them. They may be choosing wisely – especially if they allow you free reign to follow your vision of how things could be; but that really is the difficulty: too many people may have ideas as to how something should happen, but assume that you can make it so. The challenge is in working with those who are all ‘Air’ (Gemini, Libra and Aquarius). It’s the Libras particularly who could be unsettling. Their lack of balance should put you on your guard. That said, if you can find a way to work together, then what you produce by next weekend, could indeed be wondrous.
Leo
Personal theme: I will!!
Fire & fixed sign: July 23 — August 22
Your horoscope for this week:
You begin the week wary about sudden ideas, offers or changes; but by its close, you’ll be eagerly exploring these. The trick? Do something out of character; adopt a slow pace. Not only are the actual situations in question only just coming together, you’ll need to consider what you’re willing to change, if not say a farewell to. In certain cases, this will be a huge relief.
The attitude and confidence of successful friends and colleagues will rub off on you. Once you have set goals, you will do everything within your power to reach them. You could find yourself involved with people you don’t normally mix with or feel drawn to. This could make for some interesting experiences. You sense information isn’t being shared in the family as openly as a relative is making out. Someone is keeping something from you and you will be determined to discover more.
It might help to think of this week as being in two parts. There is the period before Tuesday’s Full Moon and Mercury’s arrival in Gemini, and then after. The buzz through Monday and most of Tuesday could leave your head in a whirl. Recall, yours is one of the Fixed signs and that you like to know exactly when use stand. When bombarded with too many ideas, you can flareup like a forest fire that runs out of control. Thermostatic control is the big issue for the second part of the week. What should be clear to all is that you have specific aims and objectives – particularly with regard to how and where you live and work. It may be necessary to put some of this down on paper and yes, agree contractual obligations.
Virgo
Personal theme: I analyse!!
Earth sign: August 23 — September 22
Your horoscope for this week:
Basing plans more on hope than solid facts is out of character; but it’s key to making the best of the current amazing, if unpredictable, changes. Yes, it means letting go of increasingly unworkable situations. Yet, as you do, you clear the way for yet more new ideas or offers, many appearing from nowhere. At minimum, explore these. Once you do, those doubts will vanish.
When life is busy you haven’t time to truly appreciate all that some people are doing for you. Someone who is always there for you will not let you down. As always you can rely on them to get on with whatever needs to be done. You won’t mean to be less appreciative or mindful of their support, but someone is starting to feel a little used and taken for granted. You could do with a break from serious concerns to spend more time with your family.
Just how many changes can you make in one week? Tuesday’s Full Moon accents the backbone of your solar chart and as it takes place, Mercury arrives at the apex. This should bring multiple opportunity your way. Yours is one of the Mutable signs and there is a general assumption that you can multitask. That’s true, – but only to a certain extent. Even you have to focus sometimes. Absolute attention will likely be required by Thursday when you could be challenged to bend the rules. Note though, that the accent is on bending them and not breaking them. It’s entirely possible that you could yet conclude this week having negotiated a hurdle with style. In the process, you could form an ongoing working relationship with a Taurus or Aquarius.
Libra
Personal theme: I balance!!
Air & cardinal sign: September 23 — October 22
Your horoscope for this week:
True, you’ve a knack for smoothing over even seriously tricky situations. True, you’re facing several shakeups, so are encouraged to wait and watch. Then, when golden opportunities appear, respond swiftly. True, they’ll be as disruptive as they are unexpected. However, their promise will be clear instantly. Gather facts, then get others involved. The results will be far better than you’d imagined possible when this cycle of change began.
Someone isn’t sure about decisions already made. They want to have a rethink while you just want to get moving and get a job you have taken on over with. A friend is hoping you will check something out but you just won’t have the time. They are going to have to be patient. A partner’s words or actions will disappoint you. In a way you saw this coming even though you’ve been hoping your instincts were wrong.
It’s reasonable to anticipate hiatus around Tuesday’s Full Moon. That event coincides with Mercury arriving in another of the Air signs, Gemini. It visited here for a short time back in May but then retreated back into Taurus. Now there are loose ends to connect. It may be up to you to reach out to others – which could be exhausting leaving you feeling that you need time out. This isn’t down to usual Libra procrastination, but more about determining what would truly revive you. Note that with both Mars and Jupiter moving through your opposite sign, colleagues may feel they know what’s best for you. They may be right about one thing: the need for a change of scenery.
Scorpio & Ophiuchus
Personal theme: I desire!!
Water & fixed signs: October 23 — November 21
Your horoscope for this week:
The only problem with both welcome changes and the ideas and offers swirling around you is the lack of plans. The secret? Temporarily abandon your Scorpio caution and go with the flow. You’ll be amazed how swiftly you’re actually enjoying developments as sudden as they are thrilling; and take what seem chances. The more you explore, the more exciting your options will be.
Where you had expected to gain some support or understanding you seem to be getting the opposite. People who are normally helpful will seem to take too negative an approach to your ideas and suggestions. It may be time to reassess some relationships. If you’re in a long-term partnership it will be well worth your while discussing important issues that have not yet been resolved. You both need to know what to expect from each other in the future.
You may experience a value, (financial or ethical) crisis at Tuesday’s Full Moon. Transport issues may be involved requiring assistance from a Capricorn or someone older. A deal could be struck by Thursday. The problem, – if there is one, – is the long-term commitment required. It’s entirely possible you’ll feel that you’re being offered a fresh start. In a sense you are. However, given that the amount of work headed your way, pacing yourself is something to be considered. It’s probable that a close friend (a Taurus or Aquarius) will have some thoughts about this; but even that should work in your favour as it could be a partnership that can be built on to your mutual benefit.
Sagittarius
Personal theme: I see!!
Fire sign: November 22 — December 21
Your horoscope for this week:
It’s not that you haven’t wanted to get things organised. It’s that every time a plan was made, sudden events forced a major rethink. While you’ll have learnt a lot, you’ll be relieved to discover that Tuesday’s Sagittarius Full Moon marks a turning point. So, gather your facts, acknowledge what’s going and what you want more of then, when you’re ready, begin making lasting changes.
Someone you work with is taking a very different approach to the job. They’re pushing you to try new methods and you won’t feel comfortable with these. Don’t let anyone force you in the wrong direction. A senior colleague will be seen to take sides and this won’t go down well in the workplace. You’re all for justice and won’t like it when someone isn’t being as fair as they could or should be.
It wouldn’t be abnormal for you to be centre of attention at Tuesday’s Full Moon in your sign. Yet this is an annual event. What’s different this year is that Mercury moves into your opposite sign on the same day. It’s probable that others will be talking about you and trying to work out what it is that you need and would enjoy. Expect lively discussion and debate. Words and music seem to matter hugely. True, you won’t be the only sign giving careful thought to presentation and marketing. What’s different in your case is the contribution you make to a discussion involving a Gemini, Libra or Aquarius who has grand ideas but often fails to make their mark. It may be that they need a touch of your enthusiasm and idealism. Your ‘can do’ could make things happen.
Capricorn
Personal theme: I use!!
Earth & cardinal sign: December 22 — January 19
Your horoscope for this week:
You’ve long intended to review elements of your life. That time has come. Take it slowly. You’ve lots to think about but are lacking clarity. The focus? It’s partly on your activities and priorities but, equally, you’re rethinking your goals, personal and otherwise. The good news? It’s you needn’t commit to anything lasting until the Capricorn Full Moon, on 13 July. Until then, explore with passion.
Someone will try to take over some of your assignments. You know what they are up to. They’re trying to rush you into getting results. Some people don’t mind cutting corners to speed up the work. You prefer to do a good job of it so stick to your own devices. There’s some worry about a domestic matter. Having company around you as the week ends will keep you from dwelling too long on issues you cannot at this time, resolve.
The fact that others have so many ideas and are launching them apparently willy-nilly around Tuesday’s Full Moon would of cause be exhausting. Once again you have to point out the practicalities that have to be addressed before a dream can be realised. Yet you have so much experience to offer. By Thursday, you could truly make your mark, make clear to others that whilst you share their aims and objectives, that your feet are firmly on the ground and that it’s essential that they work to a timeline. True, you might not wish to be put in charge of this but, with Mercury now moving through the day-to-day affairs sector of your solar chart, it’s likely that you will be quizzed, have to attend multiple meetings and generally be at beck and call – a situation that could last for some weeks.
Aquarius
Personal theme: I know!!
Air & fixed sign: January 20 — February 18
Your horoscope for this week:
You’re inquisitive, so usually up to date on the latest. However, you’re currently fascinated by those who’re obsessed by new activities, interests or passions. Discuss their experiences but, for now, avoid getting involved. They’ll switch plans, probably often. Meanwhile, you need to learn more about recent developments in your own arrangements. They’re as unsettling as they are exciting. For now, explore. Decisions can wait.
Persevere if it feels as if a joint project is going nowhere. Just as you are about to give up, everything will slip neatly into place. It will be a relief that all your past hard work has not been wasted, after all. If you can’t get support for a cause that means a lot to you, you may need to find a way to broaden its appeal. It’s a week when you should not write things off too easily and don’t let pessimistic people get in your way.
The working week begins with a Full Moon that coincides with Mercury’s arrival in another of the Air signs, Gemini. This accents the play or research and development area of your solar chart. It may be that you have schemes you can put forward but need these to be underpinned by solid planning. You may have cause to be grateful to someone older (or perhaps born under neighbouring Capricorn) for their wisdom and expertise. Fact is that you could launch one of your grander ideas with the intention of seeing them through before your birthday next year. It would be a good idea to have a firm idea of the timeline involved and, before Friday assess exactly who you want to have on your team.
Pisces
Personal theme: I believe!!
Water sign: February 19 — March 20
Your horoscope for this week:
Finally, certain individuals are doing something that brings them joy. This is a relief. Tempting as it is to abandon some of your own plans to join in, you’d soon regret it. They need to explore on their own and, meanwhile, you’ve certain obligations you can’t neglect. If this seems overly logical now, within days you’ll be glad you stuck to what makes sense for you.
You’re tempted to strike out in new directions. Be prepared to handle the remonstrations if someone close does not approve of your plans. Have you been keeping your intentions to yourself knowing there will be objections the moment you let others know what you are thinking about? If so, now is the time to bring your ideas out into the open and to explain the reason why you will not change your mind.
At Tuesday’s Full Moon, the backbone of your solar chart should be shaken: as though someone were trying to shake the fruit from a tree. Whilst you’re used to swaying with the breeze, you could nevertheless be shaken by events when siblings, neighbours and extended family place extra demands on you requiring you to make many short journeys. As we know, Pisces is willing to serve. Yet there are times and very likely towards the end of this week, that you will have to place boundaries. This is self-preservation. It’s not that you don’t want to help, but that there has to be limits to what you can do. Handing over certain tasks to experts would surely be wise. This might even be made necessary by the fact that with both Mars and Jupiter moving through one of your finances owns, there is more threatening to go out and come in.
~CelestialPrognostication
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High Priestess Certification and Ancient Mystery Teachings
Herbalism 101
Herbalism 202
Herbalism 303
Earth Signs and Omens
Natural Witchcraft
Practical Magick: Spell Casting for Every Day Use
The Magic of Crystals
Introduction to Energy Healing
Introduction to Paganism
Introduction to Meditation
Introduction to The Goddess Tradition and The Feminine Divine
Kuan Yins Gentle Embrace Reiki Certification
A Year and a Day of Contemplation with Kuan Yin
Tarot, Numerology, Natal Charts and Dream Readings
Reiki Training and Certification
Herbs!!! Herbs!!! Herbs!!!
Interested in herbs and healing? Learn with GrannyMoon!
The Healing Arts Certificate Program Four great courses! Buy three get one free!
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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
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