A Moonlit Swim
Imagine yourself by a wide river gently flowing through a forest. It is night and a full moon rises above the trees. You strip off your clothes and swim out into the middle of the river. You float on your back there, looking up at the bright moon, tremendously at peace in this moonlit watery world. The stresses of life are deep in their caves, unable to bear the softness of the moonlight.
Inner Smile Meditation
Whenever you find yourself in a touch situation, this meditation will give you an instant boost of positive feeling. Imagine that you are looking at your face in a mirror. Watch yourself smile and your eyes light up with joy. Notice how beautiful you look when you smile and appreciate how positive smiling makes you feel. Breathe deeply, bringing that positive feeling to life within you in the present moment.
A Samhain Meditation for your Ancestors
We’re going on a journey, that you may find difficult. If at any time, you feel you do not wish to continue, please wait quietly, then turn to the south, and you will see a path leading back to the safety of your grove.
Make yourself comfortable, and breathe slowly from your stomach, and clear your mind of all disturbing thoughts.
Enter your sacred grove and stand in the EAST, for you are beginning a journey of memory. Allow yourself to absorb the peace and tranquillity of your space. You hear a beating of wings and feel the touch of cold air on your face. A Raven flies around you, leading you NORTH-WEST, where it alights on a gate and waits, its coal black eyes watching you. Walk towards the gate and stop. Do not fear the Raven, for it is another aspect of the Cailleach. She comes to you now, to guide you. Put your hand on the gate and open it. As you walk through, cast back in your memory to when you were a baby, a young child and remember something good about that time.
Walk through. There is nothing before you but a black, empty void. Do not be afraid. The Raven flies ahead of you, drawing you on.
As the gate closes behind you, remember when you were at school. As you remember, follow the Raven into the darkness until you come to another gate. Place your hand on this gate, and remember the good times of your school days, and when you were a teenager.
Open the gate, and walk through. There is nothing before you, but a black, empty void. Do not be afraid. Allow the Raven to be your guide.
As the gate closes behind you, remember your first job, your first love. Walk slowly forward into the darkness, remembering the feeling that you had when you left your home for the first time. The Raven circles you and leads you to another gate. Place your hand upon this gate and remember the agony of your first love, the apprehension you felt on your first day at work.
Open the gate and walk through. Before you is dark, a black empty void. Do not be afraid. Let the Raven guide you, for you are not alone.
As the gate closes behind you, remember the first little sparrow that you ever saw; the first notes of a blackbird’s song in the twilight; the first buttercup that you held beneath your chin; the first drop of rain on your face, and the first breath of wind in your hair. Remember the blue sky and the golden sun, the silvery moon and the cotton wool clouds skimming overhead. Walk slowly forward into the darkness, hearing the beat of the Raven’s wings, until you come to another gate.
Place your hand upon this gate and remember the seasons as they changed throughout your life; how each season affected your moods and your emotions; how the snows covered the earth, and the frost killed off the autumn flowers.
The Raven sits on the gate, looking at you. Now you will know and understand that Death is all around us. The death of a bird from the scattered feathers on a lawn, the dying breeze as the clouds move onwards. The Death of the sun as it sinks in the West and its re-birth each morning in the East. Seeds planted to bring new Life, yet they come from the death of the flower or nut. Death is in the seasons, as each gives way to the next. Death is part of Life, as the old gives way to the new.
Open the gate and walk through. Before you is dark, a black empty void. Do not be afraid, for the Raven flies beside you.
In the distance you see a door, of shimmering colours. STOP! Do not touch it. Do not open it. Do not approach it at this time, for this is the final gateway that each of us will pass through, when our time comes. It is not yet.
Now turn around slowly, and gaze back through the gates that you have opened and passed through. You will see a silvery line of footprints that mark your journey through life. And if you look past the very first gate, you will see other silvery lines, footprints that belong to your ancestors. Each gate was a death. An ending of a way of life for you, and each gate was the beginning. Think about Death, not in a morbid way, but as a positive beginning that we must all face. Each has a purpose in Life, and each will have a purpose in Death. Live your Life to its fullest because your Ancestors made it possible. And when your time comes, know that it is not the end, but the beginning of a new existence.
When you are able to accept this, then the Cailleach will be able to give you her wisdom and help you through Life. When you can face Death with a free will, then you will be able to live Life to its fullest, for you will be free of Death’s burden.
Look around for the Raven, it is flying SOUTH, where you see a sunlit path leading back to your grove. If you have stopped along the way at any point, do not worry, for you will now see a sunlit path leading SOUTH back to the safety of your Sacred Grove.
When you are comfortably back in your Grove, relax, become aware of your surroundings. As you return to the present time, think about your memories, and consider whether there is anything you should have done. Something that needs finished; perhaps a quarrel that needs to be mended; or saying thank you to someone who has done a kindness. Life is there to be lived, but remember, none of us knows how many gates we will be allowed to open, before we reach the Door beyond. Only the Cailleach knows these things.
Empty the Cup
A western scholar once visited a Zen master and asked to receive teachings. The master invited the scholar to tea, then proceeded to pour a cup for him. He did not stop when the cup was full but continued pouring until the tea overflowed. His point was that if a seeker’s mind is preoccupied, there is no room for wisdom. To gain in insight we must empty the cup of the mind, rather than pour precepts into it.
Whispers of Love
If you are feeling lonely, imagine that one of your dearest friends is by your side. You feel their hand on your shoulder and hear their voice whispering in your ear. They are telling you how special you are and that you will always have a place in their heart. You feel their lips on your forehead as they kiss you goodbye. You are left with a warm sense of being truly loved for who you are.
Tune The Radio
This meditation helps us to clear anxieties from our minds. Sit comfortably and focus on any feelings of unease. Tune in to one of these feelings as you would into a radio channel. Once aware of a distinct feeling, either do something about it or let is go. Continue tuning into any other into the silence, allowing it to fill your mind.
Circle of Friends Meditation
Perform this meditation whenever you are in need of a little extra support. Imagine that you are standing in the middle of a circle of your dearest friends. They are looking at you with shining eyes, golden light pouring out of their hearts toward you. Surrounded by the warmth of their love, you feel safe and supported, held in a nurturing embrace.
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Remember the Sun
The Sun Is Always Shining
If darkness has fallen, we know that the sun is still shining at this very moment somewhere not too far away.
There are times when gloom or darkness causes us to momentarily lose sight of the light. Although it is at these times when the thought of the sun can help us. Its warm, glowing rays brighten even our thoughts, and it’s good to remember that despite appearances the sun is shining right now. We may not be able to see it at this very moment, but if clouds block our view, they are only filtering the sun’s light temporarily. If darkness has fallen, we know that the sun is still shining at this very moment somewhere not too far away, and it’s only a matter of time before it will shine on us again.
When we remember that the sun is still shining, we know that things are still in motion in the universe. Even if life feels like it is at a standstill, sometimes all we need to do is have faith and wait for the time when everything is in its perfect place. Or we can we can choose to follow the cues of the sun and continue doing our work and shining our light, even when we can’t yet see results. In doing so we exercise our patience, making sure we are prepared when opportunity knocks and all other elements are in their right and perfect places.
The sun also reminds us that our own shining truth is never extinguished. Our light shines within us at all times, no matter what else occurs around us. Though the sun gives us daily proof of its existence, sometimes our belief in our own light requires more time. If we think back, however, we can find moments when it showed itself and trust that we will see it again. Like the sun, our light is the energy that connects us to the movements of the universe and the cycles of life and is present at all times, whether we feel its glow or not.
The timing of your effort can be just as important, and even more important, than the amount of effort. Acting early is much more effective than waiting until the last minute, and infinitely more effective than waiting until it’s too late.
It is not only frustrating to fall behind and to constantly be playing catch up. It also wastes your energy and wears you out.
Are you weary from always falling behind? You can actually make it easier on yourself by working ahead.
What happens when you put something off until the last minute? Not only do you eventually have to do it anyway, you also have to carry the burden of its necessity much longer.
Choose instead to look ahead, and to quickly do now what must be done. Keep reminding yourself that by taking action early, you get much more value out of that action.
Make the commitment to get out in front of your life. Instead of being enslaved by procrastination, you can be wonderfully free to live each moment on your own terms.
— Ralph Marston
General Meaning: Nourishment refers to more than a healthy diet. It is the care-giving function. Eating properly implies care for oneself; providing healthy meals in the home is a sign of caring for the family. The writer of a great book or composer of an inspiring piece of music also provides nourishment, by caring deeply about the quality of his or her work and offering it to the world.
We can know others by observing what they choose to nourish in their lives. Do they properly feed and develop their bodies? Do they cultivate their spirits, their intellects, their moral values? Do they nourish and care for those around them? If so, to whom do they devote their energies? The most successful people are temperate in eating and drinking, thinking and dreaming. They strengthen the world by nurturing everyone’s higher nature.
Pay heed to your thoughts and impulses, ignoring those that undermine a healthy and persevering attitude. A wise person is temperate in the consumption of food and drink, because to be otherwise only leads to discomfort; the fact that temporary pleasure may precede the discomfort does not influence the person of mature character. In the same way, be discriminating in your words and actions, lest a desire for temporary advantage lead you to cause pain for yourself or others. Enrich your character and you will naturally nourish everyone around you.
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Jade Runes are most commonly used for questions about love, friendship, and relationships. Laguz is the most strongly feminine of runes, representing water. Deep sexuality is suggested by this rune. Through Laguz, water is seen as the ocean – vast, uncontrollable, ever-changing, and vital. When interpreted as the returning tide, Laguz can also predict the inevitable return from a long journey. |
This Tarot Deck: Cosmic
For the accused heretics who were burnt at the stake for revering her in the 14th and 15th century, she symbolized the prophecy of the return of the Holy Spirit, which was perceived as the female aspect of the Holy Trinity.
In the sequence of cards in the major arcana, the High Priestess appears as soon as the Fool decides he wants to develop his innate powers, making a move toward becoming a Magus. The High Priestess is his first teacher, representing the Inner Life and the method for contacting it, as well as the contemplative study of Nature and the Holy Mysteries
You are more aware of other people’s needs today as the Moon visits your 7th House of Relationships. It’s easier to put your desires aside, even if only for a while, to make sure that everyone else is at ease. Although you want to do what’s best, your patience is tested later in the day when the Moon squares your key planet Mars, provoking you to be more assertive. You’ll be happier if you can find healthy ways to express your energy instead of letting frustration get the best of you.
You might feel as if you have too many chores to do today and are anxious that you cannot possibly finish all of them. Although you want to meet your obligations, worrying won’t help. You might even be so overwhelmed now that you consider just throwing in the towel. However, quitting isn’t the answer; instead, establish an even pace and simply do the best you can.
The Moon’s current visit to your 5th House of Fun and Frivolity allows you to temporarily avoid serious issues. However, austere Saturn won’t let you lighten up too much unless you work extra hard first. Take care of your responsibilities early in the day so you can have a bit of down time later. Don’t begrudge the lessons you’re learning now; they will put you in good stead for what comes next.
You wish you could be objective, but your strong judgments can entangle you in an uncomfortable situation today. You should be able to regain your equilibrium by remembering to balance your subjectivity with cool logic, but your interactions may still be a bit unfulfilling now. Thankfully, you’ll probably feel more in your own element by tomorrow.
You might feel as if the good times are slipping away, along with the heat of the late summer Sun. You’re tempted to do something for the sheer sake of your own personal enjoyment today, but current obligations require your attention first. It’s not easy to be flexible once you’ve made up your mind, but changing your schedule allows you to accommodate both work and play.
The idea of skipping out on work might be appealing today, but it’s not going to happen with the Moon conjunct hard-nosed Saturn. Even if you have conjured up a bullet-proof scheme, you may need to re-evaluate your priorities and save the fun and games for another day. Instead, concentrate your energy on doing something that will either bring in additional money or cut back on some expenses. Managing your resources well is more important now than having a good time.
You can turn a challenging situation into your advantage today and, luckily, this helps someone close to you have an easier time, too. You perform gracefully under pressure now that the Moon is back in your diplomatic sign and gaining strength from her conjunction to stabilizing Saturn. Others look to you for answers, but you don’t have any to give them. However, you do have the ability to help people find common ground and this may be better than any quick fix you might offer.
The Moon in your 12th House of Soul Awareness can enrich your spiritual journey now, and her proximity to realistic Saturn makes sure that you get the lesson you need to learn. You may uncover a whole new dimension of beauty while managing the most mundane issues of your life. Don’t give in to fear; it has no useful place in your current world. Instead of worrying about abandonment, focus on the love that you can spread because it will resonate and come back to you many times over.
Your responsibilities may seem overwhelming today, but your attitude will improve if you simply step back from your work for a bit and reconsider your long-term goals. This isn’t about creating a new strategy or setting a new course of action; there will be time for that later. It’s sufficient to acknowledge several different scenarios without picking one. Think of your options, but wait to narrow your path until you are very clear about where you’re going.
The fair-minded Libra Moon is moving through your 10th House of Status, reminding you to be objective as you handle issues that concern others. Even if you have a specific point of view, don’t let it interfere with your decisions today. Setting aside your personal feelings is the right thing to do now, but only if you do it out of deep conviction and not just because you think that you should.
The airy Libra Moon in your 9th House of Big Ideas raises your hopes about what’s next in your life. Maybe you’re thinking about taking a trip or beginning a new course of study. Whatever you are planning now, keep an open mind and expand your horizons. Don’t close down prematurely; your optimal future is not about maintaining the status quo. Stretch your wings and see where your vision takes you.
Although close relationships may be on your mind now, you’re not satisfied with simply meeting your commitments. You want to increase the intensity and depth in your intimate interactions, and won’t be satisfied until it happens. Thankfully, the Moon’s current visit to your 8th House of Deep Sharing helps to create the environment necessary for the kind of emotional connection you want.
You may be wrestling with a complex relationship issue on Thursday and Friday with the suspicious Scorpio Moon’s presence in your 8th House of Deep Sharing. Jealousy or mistrust can push some sensitive buttons if there are insecurities lurking beneath the surface. But a lunar shift into freedom-loving Sagittarius on Saturday afternoon fits your current laissez-faire attitude, which is ideal for enjoying yourself today without worrying too much about tomorrow.
The Moon moves from your 7th House of Connections to your 8th House of Intimacy on Saturday afternoon. Relationships are definitely in the spotlight, but learning how to let go of old fears and expectations is critical if you want to get close. Experimenting with a different set of rules and a more generous attitude reduces stress with a current partner and makes you more desirable to new ones.
Perhaps recently you have felt like you’re not being treated as an equal, often stuck with the dirty work and overly aware of your imperfections, your luck should change dramatically on Saturday afternoon. The mood-setting Moon fires into outgoing Sagittarius and your 7th House of Partners, opening doors to discovering fresh forms of pleasure with the one you love or to possibly connect with someone new.
The formidable Scorpio Moon arouses intense feelings in your 5th House of Romance from Thursday to Saturday afternoon. Desire is growing deeper, but so are the complications that can be stirred when emotions run the show. The Moon’s shift into optimistic Sagittarius changes the tune to a brighter and lighter melody, which can turn work or other chores into opportunities for play and laughter.
The Moon dances into exuberant Sagittarius and your 5th House of Love and Creativity on Saturday afternoon. There’s no stopping you when it comes to expressing your feelings and pursuing the pleasure you seek. You may come on too strong for sensitive people, but if you’re in the mood to play, there’s no reason to restrain yourself. Open your heart to give love honestly, but add a dash of discretion for good measure.
Deep conversations can tie you in knots if you’re not forthcoming or are trusting unreliable people on Thursday and Friday. On Saturday afternoon the Moon enters fun-loving Sagittarius and your domestic 4th House, making your abode the perfect place to play. Generously opening your home and heart to celebrate life is a gift to others that will be returned to you with much love and affection.
The serious Scorpio Moon visits your 2nd House of Self-Worth on Thursday and Friday, challenging you to make the most of your resources. Instead of focusing on what’s missing, channel your efforts toward building yourself up. A chattier and more playful time is likely when the Moon soars into outgoing Sagittarius on Saturday afternoon, inviting both comical comments and shocking honesty.
Considering a makeover is reasonable late this week with the Moon traveling through your transformational sign from Thursday to Saturday afternoon. It’s better to take control of your own life than to try to control others. A lunar shift into insouciant Sagittarius could put you in a happy-go-lucky mood that encourages you to play more and measure less. Having a good time might be all the reward you need.
You may uncharacteristically prefer some privacy and alone time later this week until the Moon enters your outgoing sign on Saturday afternoon. This lunar boost kicks up your enthusiasm and increases your willingness to take risks. Expressing yourself with candor is nothing new, but it might lead to embarrassing revelations if you’re not careful now. Applying a little tenderness will help soften the frankness of your remarks.
Groups can play a significant role in your social life when the Moon visits your team-oriented 11th House from Thursday to Saturday afternoon. You might feel bogged down by being part of the group process, yet your leadership instincts could put you at the head of the pack. A greater desire for peace and quiet arises with a lunar transit into your secretive 12th House on Saturday afternoon. Make your escape before anyone notices.
You can feel like a weight is being lifted off your shoulders with the Moon’s entry into spirited Sagittarius on Saturday afternoon. If you’ve been recently burdened by obligations or worries, it’s finally time to let your hair down, find some playful companions and kick up your heels. Taking relationships seriously is less important than finally relaxing with those who want nothing else but to have a good time.
Personal matters can take a philosophical turn when the intense Scorpio Moon enters your 9th House of Beliefs on Thursday. Addressing ethical issues may be required if you’re dealing with a sketchy person or questions about your own values. You may have to dig deeply to understand hidden motivations, but once you uncover them you’ll be better able to handle the powerful emotions that are driving your relationships.
Witches Of The Craft® 
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