Calendar of the Moon

Ash Tree Month

Color: Pale Blue
Elements: Water and air
Altar: On a cloth of pale blue set a great bowl of salt water in which are set many shells and stones, a shell full of salt, incense, and the figures of sea-birds and fishes.
Offerings: Wash something clean, or air it out.
Daily Meal: Either fish or seafood, or poultry.

Nion/Anthesterion Invocation

Call: Now is the time of wind and water.
Response: Now is the time of sea and sky.
Call: Now is the time of the Gods of weather.
Response: Now is the time of the great waves.
Call: Now is the time of terrible flooding.
Response: Now is the time of needed rain.
Call: Now is the time of battering gales.
Response: Now is the time of winds of change.
Call: Now is the time of fear of change.
Response: Now, and always, change will win.
Call: The wild winds disturb our dreams.
Response: The wild winds awake our minds.
Call: The heavy rains flood our hearts.
Response: The heavy rains water our future.
Call: The sea will sweep us away.
Response: The sea will bear us up.
Call: The sea is cold and unending.
Response: The sea is the source of life.
Call: We are ships on the lost expanse of the ocean.
Response: We are winds that call to one another.
Call: We will brave the wind and water.
Response: We will bring together mind and heart.
Call: We will come home safely after wandering.
Response: We will anchor safely after our journeys.
Call: We will come through wind and water!
Response: We will come through wind and water!
(Repeat last two lines twice more.)

Chant:
We will come through wind and water
We will come through sea and sky

[Pagan Book of Hours]

Great Goddess

Mother to us all

Wrap us in your loving arms

Keep us safe and warm

Comfort our hearts

And ease our spirit

Shelter us in the grace

That is your love

And let us be

At peace.

So Mote It Be

‘THINK on THESE THINGS’
By Joyce Sequichie Hifler

It is said that pearls worn by a happy person have a warm and more lustrous glow.

Pearls are like gentle moments strung together for the happy person – they cannot help but glow.

Gentle moments, like pearls, seem to be so few. Yet, how rich and warm and beautiful they make our lives.

It takes only a few moments to enjoy a talk with someone about good things instead of the bad; it takes only a few moments to drop a line to a shut-in when attention means so much. It takes only a few moments to see a sunset, or read a Scripture, or listen to a child talk.

It takes only a few moments to open the door to happiness. And if happiness seems only a few moments long, so will trouble if we open the door and let it out instead of harboring it.

Life is made up of a few moments all strung together like pearls. Each moment is a pearl, and it is up to us to pick the ones with the highest luster. If we do not have time to do great things, take a few gentle moments and do small things in a great way.

_______________________________________

Available online! ‘Cherokee Feast of Days’
By Joyce Sequichie Hifler.

Visit her web site to purchase the wonderful books by Joyce as gifts for yourself or for loved ones……and also for those who don’t have access to the Internet: http://www.hifler.com
Click Here to Buy her books at Amazon.com

Elder’s Meditation of the Day
By White Bison, Inc., an American Indian-owned nonprofit organization. Order their many products from their web site: http://www.whitebison.org

Elder’s Meditation of the Day – February 24

“But each of us must find out for himself or herself what their gift is, so that they can use it in their life.”

–Jimmy Jackson, OJIBWAY

The old people say, everyone has a song to sing. This song is the reason we are on this earth. When we are doing what we came on this earth to do, we know true happiness. How will we know our song? Pray. Ask the Great Mystery, “What is it you want me to do during my stay on earth?” Ask. He will tell you. He will even help you develop yourself to accomplish His mission.

Great Spirit, help me find my song and let me sing it.

February 24 – Daily Feast

Worthy performances do not make us who we are, but little things and what we tell ourselves in the privacy of our own minds. We are what we see and what we believe is important. We are children to the end – innocent in ways we do not understand, aware of our spiritual connections and afraid to develop them. What would people think? How will I explain that I no longer enter into those activities that are thought so clever? There’s a world of things we do not have to explain. As much as we want others to understand and like us, if it takes us off our standing place into a world of unlikely places, then we flirt with disaster. No one can dictate to us if we are not listening. We will not lose our footing if we are not teetering. We are who we are by what we choose to cultivate, and all worthy performances are made up of very little parts.

~ God made me an Indian. ~

SITTING BULL, 1876

‘A Cherokee Feast of Days’, by Joyce Sequichie Hifler

Be amazing

You’re not here today to just get by. You’re here to be amazing.

There are a lot of challenges and obstacles, yet there is no reason to be  anything less than amazing. Feel the true passion that lives in you, and let the  passion push you to do something amazing.

Look around, and see how beautiful and filled with wonder the world is. You  are part of an amazing universe, and can be just as amazing in your own unique  way.

Today is not just a couple dozen hours to struggle through. Today represents  your opportunity to express your amazing nature in new ways.

Focus your attention and energy on what you love and treasure most. In that  love is the power to be authentically and uniquely amazing.

This is a one-of-a-kind, amazing day. You’re here to make it even more so, so  starting right now, do it.

— Ralph Marston

The Daily Motivator

Essential Authenticity
Revealing Your True Self

by Madisyn Taylor

Our true selves exist whether we acknowledge them or not, often buried under fears and learned behavior.

Identity is an elusive concept. We feel we must define ourselves using a relatively small selection of roles and conscious character traits, even if none accurately represents our notion of “self.“ The confusion surrounding our true natures is further compounded by the fact that society regularly asks us to suppress so much of our emotional, intellectual, and spiritual vibrancy. Yet we are, in truth, beings of light—pure energy inhabiting physical bodies, striving for enlightenment while living earthly lives. Our true selves exist whether we acknowledge them or not, often buried under fears and learned behavior. When we recognize our power, our luminosity, and our divinity, we cannot help but live authentic lives of appreciation, potential, fulfillment, and grace.

At birth and throughout your childhood, your thoughts and feelings were more than likely expressions of your true self. Though you may have learned quickly that to speak and act in a certain fashion would win others’ approval, you understood innately that you were no ordinary being. There are many ways you can recapture the authenticity you once articulated so freely. Meditation can liberate you from the bonds of those earthly customs that compel you to downplay your uniqueness. Also, communing with nature can remind you of the special role you were meant to play in this lifetime. In order to realize your purpose, you must embrace your true self by letting your light shine forth, no matter the consequences.

Rediscovering who you are apart from your roles and traits takes time and also courage. If, like many, you have denied your authenticity for a long while, you may find it difficult to separate your true identity from the identity you have created to cope with the world around you. Once you do find this authentic self, however, you will be overcome by a wonderful sense of wholeness as you reconcile your spiritual aspect and your physical aspect, as well as your inner- and outer-world personas. As you gradually adjust to this developing unity, your role as a being of light will reveal itself to you, and you will discover that you have a marvelous destiny to fulfill.

Daily OM

An Easy Way To Demonstrate Auras To Your Friends

By: Sarah Smith

Believe it or not some people just do not believe in auras! This article shows you an easy and fun way to demonstrate the existence of auras to your friends.

I came across this method when I was studying metaphysics for fun. I demonstrated this to one of my friends. We had a great laugh. My friend had never experienced anything like this before and was completely blown away by the whole event!

First you need to find two hollow non-metal tubes. The inside of a glad wrap or tin foil roll is ideal or you could use a rubber hose. Cut it to a length that easily fits your hand. Next you need two pieces of wire. I like to use the wire from a coat hanger. Bend each piece of wire to form a right angle.

Place each wire into each of the tubes. The wire should be free to move.

Turn off as many electrical gadgets as you can as these may interfere with the demonstration. Certainly turn off your TV, computer and mobile phones.

Now for the demonstration. You may choose to do this outside in the garden but you can just as easily do it inside so long as there is a bit of room and not too much clutter. Ask your friend to stand as far away from you as they can. The further the better really as we don’t yet know where the boundaries of your friends’ aura are.

Hold the tubes with the wires inserted. Hold one tube in each hand. Hold your hands out in front of you. Very slowly walk towards your friend.

As you slowly approach your friend the wires will probably move around a little. At some point the wires will suddenly start to move outwards. This will happen as they interact with one of the outer limits of your friends’ aura.

It may take a couple of tries to get a real feeling for what’s happening. If nothing happens or you’re just not convinced then you may be starting this demonstration already inside the aura field. If this is the case you will just need to approach your friend from a greater distance. Once you get a feel for things there will be no doubt in your mind that the aura exists as a strong field of energy surrounding each and every one of us. Make some kind of a mark on the floor to record where the wires did their thing. Then swap and let your friend hold the tubes and approach you. If they were a non-believer before they will soon be stunned.

You can also demonstrate how our emotions affect our auras.

Get your friend to think of something really negative or a time when they were unhappy. Ask them to hold that thought. Repeat the demonstration outlined above.

You will be amazed at how the limits of the aura have shrunken as you start to step over the previously recorded line.

Now go back to your starting point. Ask your friend to think of something really positive or a time when they felt great and were happy. When you repeat the exercise you will find that their auras have expanded. Sometimes this expansion will actually be outside of the walls of the room you are doing this demonstration in so you may need to go outside into a more open space!

If you are a really keen student of the aura you may want to progress from this exercise. Once you get a feel for things you can try just using your hands with the palms of your hands held out in front of you as slowly walk forward. It takes a bit more time and effort to develop sensitivity but it can be done and anyone can do it. You don’t need to be psychic or hold any special skills or talents.

I really like this demonstration because it’s simple, it’s fun and it works. It’s a great reminder to us all that we are more than our physically visible selves. It brings up all sorts of questions. Do you walk around with your aura all contracted or expanded?

What kind of health issues will walking around with a contracted aura cause you in the long run?

What about all the electrical gadgets we interface with on a daily basis? How are they affecting us?

How does living in a very crowded city affect your aura? Imagine walking through a crowded shopping area or along a very crowded street! You’re walking through thousands of auras! How does this affect you? Should we be doing some kind of daily aura cleansing just like we take a shower or a bath?

Once you’ve experienced the demonstration above I’m sure you’ll be filled with your own set of questions.

Emotional Synaesthesia: The Science of Auras

By: Kephri Ra

The Aura, which is a halo of coloured light surrounding a person, whose colours and patterns change according to that persons health, mood, intentions, spiritual condition, and so on, is a staple of ‘New Age’ theories and spiritual paths. It is phenomena which people have claimed to have seen for as long as such observations have been recorded (and probably a hell of a lot longer). There are even special photographic techniques which can be used to get a picture of a person’s aura. And as part of the multi-billion dollar new age industry that has sprung up over recent decades there are now a multitude of professional aura readers, along with many, many books in the stores which supposedly teach interested candidates how to read auras for themselves.

The attitude of the scientific establishment to such things is, of course, that it must be a load of rubbish, and that people who claim to be able to see these auras are either con artist out to make a quick buck from gullible and naive ‘seekers’, or they are poor self-delude fools. It has always been my own opinion, however, that the scientific establishment discounts such phenomena far too readily, without putting any real effort into providing a scientific explanation for what large numbers of people seem to experience as real.

The problem is that scientists base their judgments solely on the explanation given for particular phenomena by its practitioners and proponents, rather than on the phenomena itself. They see that this explanation runs contrary to science, and so they discount the possibility that the phenomenon exists. But this fails to take into account the fact that scientists and mystics use radically different kinds of language.

When mystics or occult practitioners talk about some kind of spiritual energy, or the light of the soul, or uses whatever language their particular tradition has adopted, then the automatic reaction of the scientist is to dismiss it as religion or superstition, and then not pay the matter a second thought. But just because the Vikings thought thunder and lightning where caused by one of their gods striking a hammer in the heavens does not mean that thunder and lightning don’t exist, just that they were wrong about the reasons. I believe the same could be true for many new age phenomena, including auras. Likewise if a mystic talks about the motions of the heavens being regulated by universal love, he may well be talking at least in part about gravity and the motions of the planets. And that is why I was fascinated to read of research conducted by Jamie Ward of University College London and reported in the journal Cognitive Neuropsychology which suggests that a rare form of synaesthesia could explain the phenomena of auras.

Many of you will be familiar with a condition called synaesthesia. It is not a common condition, and has only been thoroughly documented and explained quite recently, but because it is such an interested condition it has received relatively large amount of publicity, including many television programs and magazine articles. To summarise the condition briefly: synaesthesia, in its most common form, is when the area of the brain dealing with two separate senses somehow becomes linked. When this happens the subject experiences a mingling of usually distinct faculties, and finds they are able to smell colours, taste sounds, and so on. Synaesthesia may also involve the subject associating colours, or tastes, or whatever it may be, to certain words or numbers; so that whenever they come across a particular word, the corresponding taste comes into their mouth.
The idea which is now being put forward is that the phenomena of auras can be explained by an unusually strong connection between the areas of the brain handling emotions and colours, reinforced by the innate pairings of certain emotions with particular colours, which all cultures seem to share. In this case when a person sees and aura what they are actually seeing is a mixture of their own emotional response to a person combined with their intuitive understanding of that person’s own emotional state.

I would also add, before finishing this article, that to explain such a phenomenon scientifically in no way invalidates its explorations and practical use. It is a peculiarity of the modern world that when a proper scientific explanation for such things comes along people say that they have been ‘debunked’, and that their falsity has been proven. This seems perverse to me; to explain something scientifically does not disprove something – it proves it. In the case of Auras one can easily imagine how having this kind of emotional synaesthesia could lead to an intuitive sense far more advanced than that of the ordinary person. Huge amounts of information are continually being exchanged between our subconscious minds, and for ordinary people the main obstacle to our accessing and using this information in our day to day lives is that we only really experience it consciously as very vague ill-defined feelings. A form of synaesthesia which displayed such vague feelings as concrete sensory symbols, colours, and even images could greatly increase the ability of the conscious mind to access and utilise subconscious information, and to draw out specific details. It is also entirely possible that meditation and training could induce a mild form of this kind of synaesthesia.

If science could put aside its enmity towards such ‘new age’ subjects, really think that a great deal could be accomplished

How to Read Auras

By: Trish Kershaw

Understanding Your Aura

The aura is an energy field, which emanates from the surface of a person or object. Everyone and everything has an aura. The field of energy around our physical body forms our aura and is visualized as an outline of cascading colour. Every thought, feeling and experience we have affects the vibration of this energy field.

Recognition of the fact that humans are surrounded by an aura dates back through the millennia – Christian saints are traditionally shown with a halo around the head, the ancient Egyptians did the same for their gods or important human beings, as did the Hindus, Buddhists, Greeks and Romans. The aura is generally recognised as having seven layers. The outer auric layers are concerned with the soul and spirit while the inner layers relate to the mind, emotions and health.

The aura is oval in shape and is made up of fibrous light surrounding the whole of the physical body. To some, it is like a heat haze radiating all around the person, shimmering with light and energy. It has every colour imaginable including those that are beyond the visible spectrum and connects us to the vibrations around us.

The colour vibration emitted from the physical and etheric bodies extends 3-4 inches around the body. See how that colour can describe your personality and what your future may hold in store.

What Do The Colours Mean?

The colours surrounding your body might change several times a day. The energy reflects how you feel and will change with your mood. For most people, several different colours appear within their energy field at one time. Aura photography is now in great demand. Everyone has energy around him or her, and each aura is unique. Your colours can change according to major life changes. A divorce, new job or baby can all alter your colours and show you where there is particular stress involved.

How Do I Read An Aura?

It’s quite simple. When you have found the person whose aura you want to read, stand facing them, close your eyes and take several deep breaths. When you feel ready to open your eyes again, stare at the person, making sure you feel as though you are almost seeing straight through them. You will then see the figure in front of you start to blur.

Then What?

One of the first colours you’ll probably see will be white. Soon after other colours may start to appear in splodges. If you can’t see them, imagine a colour instead. The first colour to pop into your mind is more often than not the colour of the subject’s aura. Rub your hands together, and then place them above the person’s head. Slowly move your hands towards and away from the head, and once you have linked with the aura you may feel a sensation of tingling, heat or even coldness. With practice, you will learn how to relate the sensations and colours you pick up to specific things going on in someone’s life. Below is a basic list of what certain colours indicate.

Aura Colours – What They Mean

White – denotes purity, joy, innocence and healing powers
Purple – denotes a strong spiritual character, wisdom, power, pride and a sense of justice.
Blue – shows someone is tranquil, creative and sensitive, with a gift for healing.
Green – hints at material wealth, but can also be a sign of emotional stress.
Yellow – shows a happy spirit, with sharp intellect and a zest for life.
Orange – indicates an ambitious, sociable nature.
Red – lusty and passionate, also implies courage, strength, vitality and severity.
Grey – can reveal that someone feels trapped.
Pink – shows a romantic soul who is loving, kind and a good friend. Highly fertile.
Black – can show past trauma and illness.
Gold – highly spiritual, working with the divine.
Brown – a down-to-earth, grounded personality.

Did You Know?

Some children up to the age of 5 can see auras without being taught.

Scientists believe that it’s the electromagnetic energy field that surrounds our bodies. Visible to those who are tuned in and through aura cameras, it looks like layers of coloured clouds, one on top of the other. The appearance of your aura suggests your personality and mood. Experts can also pinpoint any stress or illness you may be experiencing.

Exercises

Mirror Watching

This is a technique used to practice reading your own aura. This can be more helpful and valuable to you because you are not watching someone else who could become restless and impatient. But at the same time, many people have difficulty in being objective with themselves. This exercise should be used to practice seeing the aura and not necessarily interpreting it.

Sit in front of a mirror. Place a small lamp, with a white shade, on a table to the left or right of the mirror. Be sure the light does not reflect in the mirror or is uncomfortable to your eyes. Begin by looking at your shoulder and neck area in the mirror. Let your eyes go out of focus, as if you were looking beyond your body’s reflection. After some practice you should begin to see a white glow or outline, about 1 to 2 inches wide, around the shoulder and neck. This is your inner-aura.

Perceiving Colours

Now that you know what to look for, sit in front of your mirror as in Exercise 1. Practice seeing the white inner aura once again, only this time, try to move your focus to the outside line of the white glow.

As you practice, you will begin to see the white outline grow wider. However, there should be a slight variation in the colour, off white as opposed to snow white. As you watch the aura form, you will be able to see slight colour emerge around the edges of the white aura. They maybe faint and cloudy at first, but keep watching and practicing. This is the beginning layer of the middle aura.

Perceiving Shapes

To perceive shapes in and around the aura, you need to be able to see the entire aura. You should be able to look at all the sections and layers as if they were one big ball of energy. Return to your mirror and lamp as in Exercise 1. Find the white outline, move your vision out and practice seeing the colour variations once more.

Each time you practice, try moving your focus up to your head. If you lose the perception, begin again. You should be training your insight to focus on the aura regardless of where your physical eyes are looking.

You should be able to move your vision around the entire body. Not just the outlined area, but in front of your body as well. In other words, you should be able to look at the stomach and perceive the energy that exists in front of the body, not just the illumination on the sides.

Try looking from one shoulder to the other, following the line of energy around the outside of the body. At this point don’t try to go across the neck. In this case a straight line may not be the best way to your destination. Try to keep your perception as you move your vision past the ears, around the top of the head and back down the other side to the opposite shoulder. When you can move your eyes without losing the perception, try moving your sight to the centre of your body. Look at your throat and upper chest area. If you have a full-length mirror, move your eyesight down to your stomach and legs. You should notice a variety of colours depending on the location you’re looking at. You may see a gentle shade of blue around your chest, but as you move your sight down to your stomach, the blue begins to mould in with a light green. The colour within that same layer may change again as you move your sight to another part of your body. As you practice, the layers will grow wider and it will take less time for you find the aura.

Distinguish Consistent Energy

This is maybe the most difficult exercise to conduct upon yourself, so an alternative would be to practice with a friend or while you are in a meeting or at a lecture. Focus on the speaker or the other people around the conference table. If these options are not possible or you don’t feel comfortable practicing on someone else, go back to your mirror and lamp as in the previous exercises.

Try to see the white outline, and then move your eyes farther out to perceive the entire aura. Focus on the colour variations, the location and shape of the energy. If you’re reading someone else, continue to watch their aura as you take notice of their emotional state. If they’re laughing or happy, do you see any sudden bursts of pink around the chest area? If they’re stressed or upset, do you see any spikes of brown or red?

Because inconsistent energy is not always present, it may be difficult to practice this exercise. But you should try. Perceiving these energies will help you know when you can or shouldn’t deal with other people. So don’t give up, just practice.

Other Exercises

Plant Watching

Everything living has an aura, even plants. If you find it difficult to read your own aura, practice on a tree or plant that won’t be moving in a breeze. Sit in front of a potted plant. Choose a spot near the top or at the base of the plant. Let your eyes go out of focus. Look beyond the plant, as if you’re focusing on an object hanging from a branch or leaf. You should begin to see the white inner-aura of the plant. Keep your focus on the white aura and try moving your perception around to the opposite side of the plant. You might try placing a small lamp behind the plant, to illuminate its leaves and branches. Set the light behind the pot so you cannot see the bulb; make sure the lamp does not hurt your eyes in anyway. This illumination can help trick your physical sight to focus on the slight reflection of the light. As you stare at the reflection, you may notice it grow wider and soon you’ll realize that what you’re looking at is a colourful aura.

Now remember this is a plant, it may not have the colour variations that a human or animal might have. But you should be able to see if the plant is healthy or if it lacks nourishment or if it’s beginning to develop other physical problems.

Animal Watching

This technique can be difficult, especially if your pet does not want to sit still. But it’s a great exercise to practice your technique on an independent subject.

Choose a place around the head of the animal, and let your eyes go out of focus. Use the same techniques you might use on yourself in the Mirror exercise. Try moving your perception around the animal’s body and notice the change in colour variations.

Quick Practice Ideas

The great thing about practicing aura reading is that you can do it anywhere. These are just a few suggestions you may want to try. Simply use the same techniques as previously discussed and open your inner eyes to all the energy around you.

If you’re attending a meeting or presentation at work, try focusing on the speaker. You may notice sudden changes of colour in their inner aura. They may feel more comfortable speaking about a particular area of their presentation, but as they move into slightly unfamiliar territory, their aura will reflect the drop in confidence. Everyone likes to stand or sit at the beach and watch the waves roll into shore. Take a moment to watch the waves, focus on the outline of the top of the water, or the white foam of the wave as it curves over and crashed upon itself. The first time I tried this exercise, I was amazed at the electricity my inner vision perceived. It was truly a beautiful sight. Hold an object (a car key or a crystal) for 10 to 15 minutes. Visualize your energy imprinting itself onto the object. Sit the object on a table and focus on the energy residue you’ve left behind. The colour you see should match the emotion you imprinted on the object.

Article Written by Trish Kershaw http://www.onlinehomestudies.com Courses in holistic therapies in colour, crystals, angels, reiki, tarot, palmistry, refexology, rune stone, aromatherapy