Tag: Religion Spirituality

Daily Feng Shui Tip for January 4th

In the pursuit of today’s energetic associations, I found that today is ‘Trivia Day.’ So I thought I’d share some time-tested ‘lucky’ trivia and advice regarding luring luck your way. First comes the quirky way to change bad luck to good. This occurs when you pull a pocket inside out and then walk up a flight of stairs backwards. Once at the top, turn around three times in accordance with the relic of a rhyme that says, ‘I turn myself three times about and thus I put bad luck to rout.’ Traditions from New Orleans say that scrubbing the floors of your house with a concoction of wash water and a bit of citronella will bring luck to your home faster than you can say ‘fast luck.’ Then there’s an even more potent blend that’s purported to attract even bigger luck called ‘Red Fast Luck.’ The ingredients for this brew are wintergreen and oils of cinnamon and vanilla. Even though individually these ingredients are gold in color, when combined they turn a bright red, hence the name. Dab a bit on your bedposts, in your wallet or even on your pulse points to magnetize the most luck possible. These tips might be trivial, but they’re said to be pretty darn lucky, too!

By Ellen Whitehurst for Astrology.com

Tears of a Witch

Tears of a Witch

Author: Crick

As I wander through the beloved woods, ever so grounded and connected to Spirit, I begin to think of the fear of witchcraft. Such a fear was started by a religious belief system seeking power and control over others. And through the last two centuries this baseless fear has resonated like a war drum through generations of folks. Folks who dared to walk a path that began with the dawn of humankind have lost their homes, their belongings and in many a case, their very lives.

And so I pause beside a woodland stream, as I wonder why.

Are we not all seekers of the light? Do we not all seek the answers to the Great Mysteries within our own beliefs? Are not all beliefs systems, whether religious and/or spiritual simply a possibility to achieving one’s afterlife goals?

For no religion and/or spiritual path has a definitive answer to what our chosen Deity has in mind as far as the Grand scheme of things. As I watch the rivulets of water wash over this streambed strewn with multi-colored pebbles, I think of how generations of folks have come and gone, much like how each rivulet passes down stream. And yet such misguided beliefs have remained in place like the pebbles cascaded across the bed of this secluded stream. Unmoved though a new generation of water sweeps over them.

And then I begin to think that if we do not have the answers, why one would want to be locked into a strict dogma that filters out any new and fresh ideas about spiritual ascension. Seeking answers to such a grand mystery is an on going process. Choosing to be stagnant in one’s spiritual progression leads me to think that perhaps such a belief system it’s not about spiritual growth to begin with.

And so why the hate mongering and the overwhelming fear?

If one is secure within their beliefs, shouldn’t there be a tendency to at least listen to others even if one chooses not to accept what one hears from others. This is known as communication. But when there is no such open communication, it leads me to wonder from where the insecurities that have spanned so many decades are originating.

For as a witch, I offer no harm to anyone unless it is in self-defense. I seek not to convince others of my beliefs; for such beliefs are a mark of my individuality and are constantly undergoing changes as new revelations becomes available.

Does such institutional fear come from the knowledge that a witch connects with Mother Earth as a way of life? I would ask why those who carry such fear in their hearts do not themselves utilize such a rich resource of knowledge. For such knowledge is there for all.

Witches are chastised and have even been put to death for connecting with the spirit realm, and I wonder why. Do we not all have a spirit within us and will we not all revert to spirit when our time in this realm comes to a close? What is there to fear?

Witches are disavowed for drawing upon the energy that is all about us and manifesting this energy into a tangible result. Do not all religions and/or spiritual beliefs follow similar patterns though they may use different words and actions to initiate such workings? Is not such a divine gift available openly and freely to all who seek such inherent abilities? Does Deity select but one belief system and cater to just those thoughts? Or does Deity transcend such narrow parameters and in fact respond to all who seek regardless of which path they follow?

So why manifest such lies and unfounded hatred?

As this stream in the middle of the woods flows over the bed of pebbles, does it really care if some pebbles are red, or brown, or black? Or does it just want to be free to follow its destiny without a barrier created by humans. Are humans any less worthy of such a freedom within their beliefs?

As I think these thoughts, tears run down my cheeks. As a witch I seek to stay connected with the old ways. Ways that have served humankind for so long. Ways that open doors to those places that are now shrouded in the mists of ignorance. Ways that allow me to utilize introspection in an effort to see my own faults and thus gives me the strength to address them in a positive manner. Are such practices so terrible that they deserve the scorn of so many who do not attempt to try and understand?

As a witch, I too walk about in a state of fear. A fear based upon the realities of our society. There is the fear that I may lose my means of employment, if my spiritual path comes to light. This is an established fear that has come to pass at one point in my life. There is the fear that bodily harm could come to me and my loved ones by those who blindly wallow in ignorance, simply because I choose to believe as an individual. This is yet another bitter experience that has raised its ugly head at one point in my life. And once again, I have to ask why.

Why can we not all accept the fact that we are seekers on the path of life? And as it is with such travelers, no one person has all of the answers.

As I stand here on this cold autumn morning and watch this small stream flow by, I know within my heart that in time this stream will wear down the pebbles that it flows over. And that in time new pebbles will take their place.

As a witch and as a human, I can only hope that such a transition will take place in the river of life and that the fear and the ignorance will in time be worn down as well. I desire that which I wish for others, the right to follow my path without obstructions being placed before me by other humans.

I seek to not judge others nor do I seek to be judged.

Daily Feng Shui Tip for January 2nd

The energies of today’s ‘Run It Up the Flagpole And See if Anyone Salutes Day’ invite you to create your own Feng Shui flags that will both increase the flow of abundance in your life, and dispel chronic or temporary life problems. That’s something to raise the flag about, don’t you think? These ‘Six True Color’ flags are a powerful yet secret cure that purportedly draws its power from the potent Om Mani Padme Hum Buddhist mantra. Each of the words of that mantra relates to a specific color, the same white, red, yellow, green, blue and black that you will use when you construct your flags. Your flags can be any size but should all strive to be the same size. You can use fabric or colored paper, and your flagpoles can also be made from anything, from bamboo to popsicle sticks. Attach one color per pole and arrange the flags in the specific color sequence mentioned above. Repeat or recite the mantra aloud and over the flags to bless and activate them before arranging them on your desk (in a cupholder perhaps?) or in the Wealth area of your home or office. If you decide to use this rarely disclosed Feng Shui cure, then in keeping with the energies of the day, I salute you!

By Ellen Whitehurst for Astrology.com

Your Daily Number for January 2nd: 2

You’re more sensitive and intuitive than usual. You may find yourself having vivid dreams or even premonitions. Today you may wear the hat of mediator in a dispute, and you’ll do so with great success. Love and romance are also likely to have an effect on you today.

Fast Facts

About the Number 2

Theme: Adaptable, Tactful, Gentle, Cautious
Astro Association: Moon
Tarot Association: High Priestess

Today’s Tarot Card for January 2nd is The Magician

The Magician

This Tarot Deck: Cat People

General Meaning: Traditionally, the Magus is one who can demonstrate hands-on magic — as in healing, transformative rituals, alchemical transmutations, charging of talismans and the like. A modern Magus is any person who completes the circuit between heaven and Earth, one who seeks to bring forth the divine ‘gold’ within her or himself.

At the birth of Tarot, even a gifted healer who was not an ordained clergyman was considered to be in league with the Devil! For obvious reasons, the line between fooling the eye with sleight of hand, and charging the world with magical will was not clearly differentiated in the early Tarot cards.

Waite’s image of the Magus as the solitary ritualist communing with the spirits of the elements — with its formal arrangement of symbols and postures — is a token of the freedom we have in modern times to declare our spiritual politics without fear of reprisal. The older cards were never so explicit about what the Magus was doing. It’s best to keep your imagination open with this card. Visualize yourself manifesting something unique, guided by evolutionary forces that emerge spontaneously from within your soul.

Daily Feng Shui Tip for January 1

Happy New Year! And just to make sure that this is your happiest year yet, let’s start it by employing some tried and true Feng Shui that guarantees happiness! First move 27 things around your living space today. This might be a bit harder than it sounds, but this single cure promises an easier existence once you get all that good mojo moving. On this day wear red in order to bring a bright and sunny future and don’t forget to put away the knives and the scissors to keep from cutting off your future fortunes. Don’t cry, speak of the past or cut your hair. Pay down a debt, give some money away without condition or recognition and eat some sort of round foods in order to make the most of the magical manifestations open to you on this one day! Happy New Year, indeed!

By Ellen Whitehurst for Astrology.com

The Meaning of the Number 9

The spiritual meaning of number Nine bring us to the very height of vibrational frequencies in this number sequence. Nine represents attainment, satisfaction, accomplishment, and our success to achieve an influence in our circumstances. The spiritual meaning of number Nine deals with intellectual power, inventiveness, influence over situations and things. Nine beseeches us to recognize our own internal attributes, and extend these abilities out into the world to make a positive, influential difference.

 

The Spirituality Meaning of Numbers

Your Daily Number for Jan. 1: 9

Today brings with it a grand opportunity for healing your mind and body. Get rest, and treat yourself to a massage or some other rejuvenating ‘time out.’ You may have a conversation later in the day that helps you strengthen your bond with another.

 

Fast Facts

About the Number 9

Theme: Encompassing a love for all, Compassion, Patience, Selfless
Astro Association: Virgo
Tarot Association: Hermit

 

Today’s Tarot Card for Everyone:

The Fool

This Tarot Deck: Aquarian

General Meaning: Pamela Coleman-Smith’s artful rendition of an “innocent Fool” archetype (Rider-Waite deck) is often used to represent Tarot in general. Early classical versions of the Fool card, however, portray quite a different character — a person driven by base needs and urges, who has fallen into a state of poverty and deprivation.

In some instances, he is made out to be a carnival entertainer or a huckster. In others, he is portrayed as decrepit and vulnerable — as the cumulative result of his delusions and failures. Not until the 20th century do you see the popular Rider-Waite image of the Fool arise — that of an innocent Soul before its Fall into Matter, as yet untainted by contact with society and all its ills.

Modern decks usually borrow from the Rider-Waite imagery. Most Fool cards copy the bucolic mountainside scene, the butterfly, the potential misplaced step that will send the Fool tumbling into the unknown. Don’t forget, however, that the earlier versions of this card represented already-fallen humanity, over-identified with the material plane of existence, and beginning a pilgrimage towards self-knowledge, and eventually, wisdom. The Fool reminds us to recognize the path of personal development within ourselves — and the stage upon that path where we find ourselves — in order to energize our movement toward deeper self-realization.

Before Time Was

Witchy Comments

Before Time Was

By Scott Cunningham

 

Before time was, there was The One;
The One was all, and all was The One.
And the vast expanse known as the universe was The One,
all-wise, all-pervading, all-powerful, eternally changing.
And space moved.
The One moulded energy into twin forms,
equal but opposite, fashioning the Goddess and God
from The One and of The One.
The Goddess and God stretched and gave thanks to The One,
but darkness surrounded them.

They were alone, solitary save for The One.
So They formed energy into gasses into suns and planets and moons; They sprinkled the universe with whirling globes and so all was given shape by the hands of the Goddess and God.
Light arose and the sky was illuminated by a billion suns.
And the Goddess and God, satisfied by their works, rejoiced and loved,
and were one.

From their union sprang the seeds of all life, and of the human race,
so that we might achieve incarnation upon the Earth.
The Goddess chose the Moon as Her symbol,
and the God the Sun as His symbol,
to remind the inhabitants of Earth of their fashioners.

All are born, live, die and are reborn beneath the Sun and Moon;
all things come to pass there-under,
and all occurs with the blessings of The One,
as has been the way of existence before time was.

   
~Magickal Graphics~

Today’s Tarot Card for December 31st is The Emperor

The Emperor

This Tarot Deck: Dragon

General Meaning: In the most practical terms, what has traditionally been called the Emperor card represents the highest leadership, a head of state or the most exemplary and powerful person in the realm. This archetypal ruler is responsible for the positive working out of affairs of a society or community, which are directly proportional to his well being and happiness.

The more enlightenment and cosmic perspective this energy brings, the better life is for all. The Emperor archetype masters the world of matter and physical manifestation. When you apply this card to your situation, acknowledge your potentials for mastery. Reinforce a sense of sovereignty within yourself, despite any self-limiting beliefs, habits or appearances to the contrary.

Crone’s Corner – Knot Magick to Undo a Wrong

 

Crone’s Corner – Knot Magick to Undo a Wrong


Sometimes we do a spell, or do something not in magick, which we
cannot undo, words we cannot take back. No matter, the energy
is still floating, causing damage. You can undo this energy
in a knot spell.

Take a piece of white cord, about 12 inches long and tie three knots
into it. As you tie the knots think of the situation, the deed or
words done which now you cannot undo. When you are done, spread the
cord flat out on a surface and sprinkle some salt over it
and begin to undo the knots and as you undo each say:

“What I said will be unsaid
What I did will be undone.
When the knots are unmade
Will be the magick then be gone.”

Now light a white candle and place the candle inside your cauldron or
a heat resistant censer. Lower the cord slowly into the flame and allow
the cord to be consumed. When done, gather the ashes of the cord
and sprinkle outside.

 

The Meaning of the Number 7

Sevens, like Threes, deal with magical forces. Sevens deal with esoteric, scholarly aspects of magic. Representative of scholarly activities, mystery, and the focused search for esoteric meanings. Seven deals with the activation of imagination and manifesting results in our lives through the use of conscious thought and awareness. Ruled by Saturn, Seven can represent impractical dreaming, but with a deeper understanding of the aspects of Seven, you can quite deftly utilize its magical vibration to your own benefit.

The Spiritual Meaning of Numbers

Your Daily Number for December 30: 7

Distractions at home or work will capture your attention. It’s important to have patience today, a day when contemplation and meditation are important for your psychological well-being. Avoid confrontations with others.

Fast Facts

About the Number 7

Theme: Quiet, Insightful, Analytical, Mystical, Intuitive
Astro Association: Cancer
Tarot Association: Chariot

Elemental Meditation

Elemental Meditation

Author: Mike

I wrote the meditation scripts featured below and have used them many times with wonderful results. Feel free to use them if you wish, for whatever situation seems best to you, whether it’s a working or just pure meditation. They are not long, but work best when read slowly with enough time between lines for the subconscious to do its job.

Fire Meditation

(Light a candle or a bonfire, whichever works best for you)

Breathe in.
Breathe deeply of the hot energy of life.
See the life in the flames, and the dance.
Nothing else exists but the fire in front of you.
Breathe in.
Close your eyes, and know that the fire is not just outside of you, but burning within your soul as well.
Feel the flickering dance of heat and feverish delight burning there.
Feed it.
You are not on fire; you are fire.
You are not burning up; you burn, and your fuel is the limitless energy of the universe.
Know that you cannot contain it, because this fire burns through all creation, bringing passion and light to all life.
Breathe in.
Let your fiery soul dance in a consuming whirlwind of divine flame.
Feel the boundless energy and joy that burning brings.
Laugh and burn, and share the fire with everything and everyone else.
It is a part of you, and you are a part of it.
Spin through the timeless ether in the ecstasy of eternal combustion…

Breathe in.
Let your soul fire die down a little, no longer the wild inferno, but a comfortable blaze, warming and soothing.
Breathe in.
Let it burn a little lower, still dancing; for fire always dances, but now it is a candle again, and sways and flickers with the drafts of time.
Breathe in, and open your eyes again to see the flame in front of you, and smile because the fire still burns in your soul…

Earth Meditation

(Find a stone that feels right and fits well in your palm)

Close your eyes.
Take a slow, deep breath, and let it out.
Relax.
Let your muscles all go limp so that you are only supported by your bones.
Enjoy this feeling.
Feel the weight of the stone in your hand, its shape, its size, and its texture.
Now forget all of these.
Understand the stone.
It is ancient, and it is the framework of the Earth.
Earth does not hear. Earth does not see. Earth does not feel.
Earth is not bothered by the petty scurrying of creatures that run around on its surface.
Let it communicate to you of serenity, and solidity, and strength, and the wisdom of age, and perseverance.
Know that you are of the Earth.
You have within you the strength of granite, and the serenity of an oak, and the ancient power of life.
You hold the primeval vastness of creation within you.
The cycle of birth and death and rebirth is cradled in your psyche, the violent force of a volcano, and the soft innocence of a fresh flower blooming.
Earth effortlessly serves it’s perfect purpose in the dance of the universe.
Understand your place in the universe, and realize the magnitude of potential you have within you to create.
Rest in the knowledge that you can perfectly fill your place in the Cosmos…

Now take a slow, deep breath, and let it out.
Feel the Earth beneath your feet, supporting you in everything you do.
Feel all of creation around you.
Feel the Earth holding you to her breast.
Open your eyes like the petals of a flower in the morning dew…

Air Meditation

(Sit somewhere outside so you can feel the wind on your face)

Close your eyes.
Pull the sweet Air deep into your lungs.
Breathe in the life of the Wind.
Feel the Air caress your skin.
Take another breath and begin to rise.
Feel the weightlessness of your spirit as it ascends and entwines itself in the Wind.
Leave your body relaxed on the ground, and send your mind and your spirit upwards.
The Air dances and flows around your spirit, bringing refreshment and enlightenment.
Cast off the weight of the physical world, and join your spirit as it dances with the Air.
Send out your thoughts through the sky, unencumbered by your body, totally free to go where you want them to.
Let your mind taste the colors as it floats through the Air.
Spread wings of light and soar over everything else, leaving the burden of consciousness heavy on the ground.
Ride the wafting updrafts, circling higher and higher, closer and closer to divine enlightenment.
Let your imagination leap through the clouds and embrace the eternal blue, and feel the freedom of the Air.
Float here in the ever-expanding sky…

Now take a deep breath, pulling in the power of the Wind, feeling it swirling around you.
Breathe it back out and send forth your will into the universe.
Take hold of that power, drawing it in and making it a part of you, there to use whenever you need it.
Slowly float back down, feeling solidity and substance in your body beneath you.
Feel the weight of the physical world again as you begin to regain consciousness, but bring with you the drifting freedom and enlightenment of the Wind.
Take a deep breath, and feel your body around you, the physical manifestation of your spirit and your soul.
Take a deep breath and open your eyes again, and remember your flight…

Water Meditation

(Gaze into a bowl of water, or immerse yourself in a bath, a pool, or a pond)

Gaze into the Water.
Look through the water, not to the bottom, but into the element itself.
Feel its cool refreshing flow around you.
Let it soak in to your body, mingling with the Water that is already there.
Take a deep breath, and plunge your soul in to the water.
Let the surface close above you, so that you are completely engulfed in pure liquid blue.
Feel the gentle healing eddies swirl around and through you, easing the tension in your mind and body and spirit.
Feel the currents pulling you back and forth, like the pulse of the planet, rocking you gently to and fro.
Continue to breathe in this bliss as your pain and stress are dissolved and washed away from you.
Feel the cleansing of your entire being.
Now catch a current that flows by you, swirl in to it and become the Water, coursing out to join the ocean of the universe.
Join with other flowing souls, until you are all a rushing river, racing towards the sea.
Leap over rocks and sand, splashing and eroding and playing in fluid joy.
Dive off the edge of time, cascading down into the infinite ocean of cosmic life.
Feel the ebb and surge of creation as your waves crash and spray and foam…

Now wash back up in to your body.
Soak in through your skin, all the way in to your soul.
Feel the purity and refreshment like a cool drink on a hot day.
Saturate your self with the healing essence of Water.
Feel it coursing through your body, from your feet, up your legs, into your chest and your arms, and up in to your head.
Open your eyes, and feel the healing calm still running throughout your body

What Does The Number 5 Mean?

The spiritual meaning of number Five deals with travel, adventure, and motion. With the highs that come with these attributes, Fives also carry instability and unpredictability, and radical changes. The spiritual meaning of Five draws our attention to the wonder of life, and beckons us to appreciate the perception of chaos all around us. Five has wild vibrations: primitive and erratic. When Five continues to pop up in your life be prepared for some action, like a trip. Remember, trips aren’t all necessarily taken physically. Some of the best journey’s are taken in the mind and spirit.

Spiritual Meaning of Numbers

Daily Feng Shui Tip for December 28th

In some betting circles the joker might be wild but this next empowering tip sure isn’t. Today is ‘Card Playing Day’ and I’m about to tell you how to stack the success deck squarely in your favor, as long as you play your cards right! Remove a ten of diamonds from a new deck of playing cards and place it on a dish. If you don’t have a standard deck of playing cards, can use the ten of coins card from any Tarot deck. Sprinkle some local dirt on top of the card and place a silver coin beside it. Next, with a small and sharp object, carve both your name and birth date into a red candle. Then place the candle atop the playing card. Light the candle and allow it to burn while clearly visualizing all the luck, fortune and success that is soon to be showered upon you. When the candle has burned all the way out, place the card and the silver in a small pouch or bag and carry it with you. You might also position this pouch in a place where you will see it for the next 27 or 49 days before adding the card back to the original deck. Either way, you hold the winning hand here. You can go ask Alice, she knows that the Queen of Hearts will be so jealous when she finds out that the Ten of Diamonds aced her out! All the while, though, you’ll be smiling like a Cheshire cat! Purrrfect!

By Ellen Whitehurst for Astrology.com

The Meaning of the Number 3

The spiritual meaning of number Three deals with magic, intuition, fecundity, and advantage. The number Three invokes expression, versatility, and pure joy of creativity. Three is also a time identifier as it represents Past, Present and Future. Consecutive Threes in your life may symbolize the need to express yourself creatively, or consider your present directional path in relation to past events and future goals. Three may also represent promising new adventures, and assurance of cooperation from others whom you may require help. Three typically symbolizes reward and success in most undertakings.

Spiritual Meaning of Numbers

Today’s Tarot Card for December 28th is The Magician

The Magician

This Tarot Deck: Cat People

General Meaning: Traditionally, the Magus is one who can demonstrate hands-on magic — as in healing, transformative rituals, alchemical transmutations, charging of talismans and the like. A modern Magus is any person who completes the circuit between heaven and Earth, one who seeks to bring forth the divine ‘gold’ within her or himself.

At the birth of Tarot, even a gifted healer who was not an ordained clergyman was considered to be in league with the Devil! For obvious reasons, the line between fooling the eye with sleight of hand, and charging the world with magical will was not clearly differentiated in the early Tarot cards.

Waite’s image of the Magus as the solitary ritualist communing with the spirits of the elements — with its formal arrangement of symbols and postures — is a token of the freedom we have in modern times to declare our spiritual politics without fear of reprisal. The older cards were never so explicit about what the Magus was doing. It’s best to keep your imagination open with this card. Visualize yourself manifesting something unique, guided by evolutionary forces that emerge spontaneously from within your soul.