Day: August 7, 2016

Till tomorrow, my sweets….

Circle Is Open Pictures

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“THINK on THESE THINGS” for August 7th

“THINK on THESE THINGS”
By Joyce Sequichie Hifler

Did you know that when we poke fun at someone else we’re covering up our own embarrassment?

We all have shortcomings, peculiarities about ourselves that we take no pride in nor want others to know about. So, frequently we call attention to the “different” traits of others. Sometimes we believe they are not aware of their own problems, but they are. They are super-conscious of them, and because of it they must escape through finding something about someone else they believe is worse than their own.

Truly wise persons are those who take their own unique qualities and build around them. Some of the most fascinating people are those who surround their unusual features with such exquisite mannerisms and beautifully developed personalities so handsomely as to make others ordinary.

It has been written by Augustine, “This is the very perfection of man, to find out his own imperfection.”

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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 – August 7

Elder’s Meditation of the Day – August 7

“Everything I know I learned by listening and watching.”

–Vernon Cooper, LUMBEE

Sometimes my mind is talking so fast about so many different things that I can’t slow it down. All day long I am judging and making assumptions about everything.

Great Spirit, help me this day to slow down. Help me to listen – quietly. Help me to watch carefully. Help me to listen to my inner voice. Let me listen and watch only the thing You would have me observe. Guide my eyes and my ears to be focused on You. Grandfather, love me today and teach me to be quiet.

August 7 – Daily Feast

August 7 – Daily Feast

Coming home is near to being a gift of the spirit. Hours have passed and duty has been performed. It is the hour of return – the hour when the circle is completed and coming home is the hour of grace. Sometimes the circle is just a little one – a time of going out and coming back. It doesn’t take long. But years can lie between the going out and the coming back. It is the innate compulsion in an Indian to return to his beginnings – the essential completion of going back. Indeed, of coming home. And he can hear the voices, catch the fragrances, and feel the presence of his forebears and it is a thing of grace that renews and restores his spirit.

~ When I look upon you I know you are all big chiefs. ~

SANTANTA – KIOWA

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

Daily Motivator for Sunday, August 7th: Allow enjoyment

The Daily Motivator message for
Sunday, August 7, 2016

Allow enjoyment

by Ralph Marston

Find something to enjoy and to sincerely value about whatever you are doing. And you will add power and effectiveness to your efforts.

Realize that anything is enjoyable to you solely because you have decided for it to be enjoyable. It’s a decision that can create much value.

Instead of fighting against your own actions, give energy to them. Instead of making yourself miserable, allow yourself to enjoy.

It’s great when you can make positive plans and enjoy following through on them. Yet even when things don’t turn out as planned, you can find something to value and enjoy.

Learn to find enjoyment in life’s surprises, and those surprises can yield great treasure. Choose to enjoy those times when you get knocked off track, and you’ll discover the quickest way to get back on track.

You are at your best when truly enjoying life. So allow enjoyment to bring out your best in every situation.
© 2007 Ralph S. Marston, Jr.
From The Daily Motivator website at http://greatday.com/motivate/070309.html

The Daily OM for August 7th: Mindful Walking

Mindful Walking
Walking with Awareness

by Madisyn Taylor

Walking meditation is a simple way to connect with your spirit and mother earth in a very grounded way.

Many of us take the benefits of walking for granted. Each day we limit the steps we take by driving or sitting for long periods of time. But walking even a few blocks a day has unlimited benefits – not only for our health, but our spirit as well, for as we walk, we connect with the earth.

Even when walking on concrete, the earth is still beneath us, supporting us. Walking lets our body remember simpler times, when life was less complicated. This helps us slow down to the speed of our body and take the time to integrate the natural flow of life into our cellular tissue. Instead of running from place to place or thinking about how much more we can fit into our day, walking allows us to exist in the moment.

Each step we take can lead us to becoming more mindful of ourselves and our feelings. Walking slows us down enough not only to pay attention to where we are in our body, but also to our breath. Taking time to simply notice our breath while we walk, through the length of our inhales and exhales, and becoming attuned to the way in which we breathe is taking a step towards mindfulness. When we become more mindful, we gradually increase our awareness of the environment around us and start to recognize that the normal flow of our thoughts and feelings are not always related to where we are in the present moment. Gradually we realize that the connection we have with the earth and the ground beneath our feet is all that is. By walking and practicing breathing mindfully we gain a sense of calm and tranquility — the problems and troubles of the day slowly fade away because we are in the ‘now’.

The simplicity and ease of a walking practice allows us to create time, space and awareness of our surroundings and of the wonders that lie within. Taking a few moments to walk each day and become more aware of our breath will in turn open the door for the beauty of the world around us to filter in.

 

Reference

Daily OM

 

Magickal Goody for August 7th: Make Your Own Smudge Sticks

Magickal Goody of the Day

Make Your Own Smudge Sticks

Smudging is a great way to cleanse a sacred space, and most people use smudge sticks made of sweetgrass or sage for this purpose. Although they are available commercially — and are fairly inexpensive — it’s easy to make your own if you’ve got herbs growing in your garden, or if there’s a place nearby where you can go wildcrafting.

You’ll need:

  • Scissors or garden clippers
  • Cotton string
  • Plants such as sage, mugwort, rosemary, lavender, or juniper
 Cut off pieces of the plants in lengths about 6 – 10 inches long. For more leafy plants, you can make the pieces shorter, but you may want to use a longer piece for a plant that has fewer leaves.

Cut a length of string about five feet long. Put several branches together so that the cut ends are all together, and the leafy ends are all together. Wind the string tightly around the stems of the bundle, leaving two inches of loose string where you began. The smudge stick in the photos contains sage, rosemary and pennyroyal, but you can use any kind of herbs you like.

Although the use of wrapped smudge sticks is generally attributed to Native American cultures and practices, the burning of fragrant herbs in a ritual context is found in numerous societies throughout history.

Herbs were burned in ancient Egypt, and the practice is recorded and documented in a tablet inscription that has been dated back to 1500 b.c.e. Many eastern spiritual systems, including Hinduism, Buddhism, and Shinto, utilize burning herbs – either loose or as compacted incense – in ritual practice. For the ancient Greeks, smudging was included in rituals to contact the dead, and often was used in tandem with ritual fasting.

Wrap the remaining length of string around the base of the branches several times to secure it. Then, gradually, work your way along the length of branches until you reach the leafy end. Return the string back up to the stems, creating a bit of a criss-cross pattern. You’ll want to wind the string tightly enough that nothing gets loose, but not so tight that it cuts off pieces of the plants.

When you get back to the stems, tie the remainder of the string to the 2″ loose piece you left at the beginning.

Trim off any excess pieces so that the ends of your smudge stick are even.

Dry Your Smudge Sticks

Place the bundle outside or hang it up for drying. Depending on what type of herb you used, and how humid your weather is, it may take a couple of days or as much as a week to dry out. Once your smudge sticks have dried completely, you can store them in a bag or box in a dark cabinet until it’s time to use them and then burn them in ritual for smudging simply by lighting one end.

Safety tip: Some plants may have toxic fumes. Do not burn a plant unless you know it is safe to do so.

Dawn Combs over at Hobby Farms has some great tips on nine different herbs you can burn as incense – and if they’re safe for burning as incense, they’re safe to burn in smudging ceremonies. Dawn recommends you burn your herbs – whether incense or sticks – using ,”a heat tolerant vessel. Traditionally this is an abalone shell with a bit of sand in the bottom. You might also use a charcoal disc beneath the herbs to keep them smoking, especially in the case of resins.”

 

Reference

Article originally published on & owned by About.com

Gemstone of the Day for August 7th: Garnet

Gemstone of the Day

Garnet

 

Hardness: 6.5-7.5                                                     
Specific Gravity: 3.5-4.2
Chemistry: Ca3Fe2+2(SiO4)3           
Class: Silicates           
Crystallography: Isometric – Hexoctahedral
Cleavage: None                  
Fracture: Conchoidal                        
Streak: White                        
Luster: Vitreous (Glassy) 

Garnet comes from the Greek word “Granatum” which refers to the color of the pomegranate seed.

Healing: Garnet is known as a Healing stone. It is used to purify and cleanse the body and/or spirit. It’s healing abilities work on all levels of mind, body and spirit. Believed to regulate the heart and blood flow and aid in curing depression. It stimulates the pituitary gland, relieves rheumatism and arthritis pain.

Garnets were believed to protect one from poisons.

Garnets are also known as a Stone of Commitment.

Workings: Garnet is used to protect homes from fire and lightning, heal snakebites and food poisoning, protect people from nightmares, and warn of danger. Garnet is also believed to promote true love. Astrological signs of; Leo, Virgo, Capricorn and Aquarius. Vibrates to the number 2. Its energy is projective and it is ruled by the planet Mars. The element is Fire.

Chakra Applications: Garnet is used to draw negative energy from the chakras.  Stimulates both the Base and Crown chakras, thus energizing the body.

Foot Notes:  Birthstone for the month of January. Garnet may be given as a gem on the 2nd and 6th wedding anniversary.Garnets belong to the isometric crystal class, which produces very symmetrical, cube-based crystals. They are double silicates; one of the metallic elements is calcium, magnesium, ferrous iron, or manganese and the other aluminum, ferric iron, or chromium.
Garnet occurs in many different kinds of rocks ; in metamorphosed impure limestones, in basic igneous rocks, in granite rocks, in schists and other metamorphic rocks as well as in igneous rocks. Garnet jewelry has been found that date back to the Bronze Age (3000 BCE).
Garnets can be found in the U.S. (Arizona), South Africa, Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Myanmar (Burma), Scotland, Switzerland and Tanzania .
Author: Crick
Website: The Whispering Woods

Herb of the Day of the Day for August 7th: Elder

Herb of the Day

Elder

Medicinal Uses: Elder has a long history of use dating back to the 5th century BC. Hippocrates wrote about Elder.       
Elder flowers, mixed with mint and yarrow blossoms, are excellent internal cleansers when fighting flu and colds. A tea of the elder flowers and sassafras is a remedy for acne. Elder flower oil is a remedy for chapped skin. Elder is used to cleanse the body, build the blood, treat inflammation, fever, and soothes the respiratory system. The flavonoids, including quercetin, are believed to account for the therapeutic effects of the elderberry flowers and berries. According to research, an extract from the leaves, combined with St. john’s wort and soapwort, inhibits the influenza virus and herpes simplex virus. The juice is especially good as a tonic for the reproductive and glandular system, and elderberry blossoms, when dried, can be used as a kidney tea. When cooked, the berries are harmless.                                              
The leaves can be used as an antiseptic poultice for external wounds, and as an insect repellant. The Greeks used a tea from the root as a laxative.

The leaves, bark, and roots of the American varieties generally contain poisonous alkaloids and should not be used internally. This herb should not be used internally by pregnant or lactating women. Elder can be toxic, especially if fresh, most notably the stems as they contain cyanide.

Magickal uses: The branches of the sacred elder are used to make magickal wands for ritual. Scattering the leaves in the four winds will bring protection. A person, place or thing may be blessed by scattering the leaves and berries to the four winds in the name of the subject to be blessed. Then scatter more leaves and berried over the named subject. Curses may be effected in the same manner. When worn it prevents all types of attacks. It keeps evil from the home when hung over the doors and windows. The berries drive away evil and negativity when carried. Grow it in your garden to protect from lightning and sorcery. Grown near the home it will bring prosperity. A fever may be dispelled by poking a twig into the ground while remaining in total silence. Since toothaches were one believed to be caused by evil spirits, it was also believed that chewing on a twig would rid you of it if you said; “Depart thou evil spirit.” To treat rheumatism, a twig is tied into three or four knots and carried in the pocket. Warts will disappear if they are rubbed with a green twig and then buried.                      
                                               
Elderberry wine, made from the berries, is used in rituals. In Denmark, it is believed to be unlucky to have furniture made of elder wood. Grown near your home, elder will offer protection to the dwellers. It is used at weddings to bring good luck to the newlyweds. Flutes made formt he branches are used to bring forth spirits. Rub warts with a green elder stick then bury it. The root and old bark can be used as a black dye. The leaves give a green dye when mixed with alum. Before felling an elder recite the following, while kneeling:

“Lady Ellhorn, give me of thy wood,
And I will give thee of mine,
When I become a tree.”

This will give the residing entity time to vacate. Especially among some Gypsies, sited as being dangerous, have long forbidden the use of the elder as firewood. However the wood has been used as wands for centuries.  Associated with the planet Venus and with MidSummer.

Properties: diaphoretic, diuretic, anti-inflammatory

Growth: Elder is a tree or shrub, growing to 30 feet tall. The fruit is 1/4 inch globular-shaped, purple-black in color.  It prefers moist areas throughout North America.

Liquid elderberry extract is taken in amounts of 5 ml (for children) to 10 ml (for adults) twice per day.

Tea is made from 3-5 grams of the dried flowers steeped in 250 ml (1 cup) boiling water for ten to fifteen minutes may also be drunk three times per day.

The bark and root bark must be used fresh.

Use 1 level tsp. Bark or root bark to 1/2 cup boiling water. Take no more than 1 cup a day, a mouthful at a time.
Author: Crick
Website: The Whispering Woods