You Are Never Alone: Cat’s AngelMessage for December 27, 2021
December’s Theme: It’s time to replace the old and outdated and welcome in new opportunities and blessings. This is the season to receive the good things the Universe has in store!
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Embrace your faith and feel the presence of the Universe surrounding your spirit. ~Cat
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Today’s Message:You Are Never Alone
1227: As we enter the final days of December the Universe is asking us to remain strong and steady in our faith. Our faith helps us to move forward on our path and brings us both grace and confidence. Remember that faith isn’t inherent to just religious paths, it also includes spirituality. Now through the end of the month, it will be important to pay attention to the messages you receive. If you have hit a rough patch recently or things have been rough for a while, our helpers want us to know that we are cared for. They are here to help and support us and want to see us succeed. Do your best to stay focused on your dreams and desires and don’t let fear and uncertainty get you down. You are never alone so don’t be afraid to ask for guidance or assistance. Your intuitive skills and focus will serve you well today as well. If it feels right then use that information to move forward to help meet your goals.
Today’s Spirit Helpers include:
Archangel Michael helps to calm our fears as he guides us through issues of self-doubt by clearing our energy field and quieting the internal chatter so that we can access the guidance being sent to us. He helps us to find our courage and our direction while giving us the strength that we need to choose wisely and make decisions on our own. Michael’s energy is easily felt particularly during times of stress and confusion and helps us when we feel lost or overwhelmed. He sets us on the path of commitment to our purpose by showing us how to work through obstacles that pop up as he teaches us that we have what it takes to create new things for ourselves as he helps us reach new levels of self-confidence.
The Ascended Master Serapis Bey helps us to release our troubles and offers clear guidance and motivation regarding our own self-improvement. He also helps us gain spiritual insight and teaches us that loving care is essential to navigating change.
The Hindu Goddess White Tara embodies the beauty of Divine love and shows us the path to strengthening or restoring our faith. She says: “Come and sit beside me. I will help ease the worry in your heart and teach you how to replace it with gratitude and joy. This is where faith dwells and we must only open the doors and invite it forward
Today’s Sacred Stones include:
Agate. This humble stone is the perfect one for grounding and balancing our energies. It also helps by raising our consciousness to access our higher self and promoting the awareness and acceptance of who we are and where we want to go in life. It nurtures our spiritual growth and inner strength by helping us to make the most of our life experiences.
Red Jasper helps us to see problems before they get out of hand while promoting new ideas and creative problem-solving. It strengthens personal boundaries and keeps us grounded
Snowflake Obsidian reduces any fear we may have and to keep us focused on better things.
Blessings for a magickal day! Cat
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The Celtic Tree Month of Birch or Beith/Beth runs from December24th – January 20th.
BIRCH LORE
Birch is the beginning of all things (life) and it is the opposite of last month’s tree Elder (death). This month is symbolized by the unconscious self and raw wild force of the natural world. The tree itself is a symbol of birth, initiation, and sacrifice. It is also associated with horned animals like goats and stags as well as the Horned Gods like Cernunnos, Dagda, and Pan. Other names for this tree are Tree of Birth, Lady of the Woods. The Irish Gaelic word for this tree is “Beith”, which is derived from “Achadhbeith” meaning “the field of birch trees.
TREE INFORMATION
This tree is very common in Europe where it is known as the Silver Birch, it is also grown in North America under the name “weeping birch”. The leaves are long and egg-shaped with notched edges. The slender trees have silvery-white bark which is close to the color of poplar and aspen and to the untrained eye, these trees may look the same. Birch can grow up to 100 feet in height and will do so unless they can take over their favorite soil which tends to be sandy, in which case they like to spread out in low clumps. In fact, birch trees grow so well that they are the first new trees to sprout up in cut areas. This may be the reason that they are associated with rebirth and birth.
BIRCH IN HEALING
This tree does have a few healing properties. The inner bark is said to be a good pain reliever as are the leaves which as tea, can be used for rheumatism. The sap produces syrup and from the bark comes flour and beer.
BIRCH IN MAGIC & MYTH
Birch is particularly useful for spells involving healing, fertility, new beginnings, blessings, protection, growth, love, and creative inspiration. It is also one of the nine sacred woods used in the sabbat fire and is a representation of the Goddess. Charms made of birch twigs were given to newlyweds to promote fertility and cattle were lightly struck with birch rods for the same reason. Brooms were traditionally made from birch, the twigs were called “Besom twigs” and love spells can be written on strips of birch bark that have been gathered during the new moon. This tree also plays an important role in the pagan tradition of jumping the broomstick which is part of the handfasting ceremony.
The birch can be found in folklore as well. Baby cradles were made from birch wood because it was thought to protect the innocent. On the Isle of Man criminals and lunatics were “birched” in a serious effort to drive out evil.
In Wales during the 13th-14th Centuries lovers were said to meet under these trees in the “house of leaves”. As a token of remembrance for these occasions wreaths would be made from the leaves of the tree. There is also an English/ Irish custom that took place on December 26th called “the hunting of the wren.” The old year or the “wren” was hunted down by the new year which was symbolized by the robin, and was said to carry a birch twig in its claws.
To choose Birch as a magical name is cleansing and promotes your inner light. It would be a good name for a caregiver or for someone who seeks to make positive changes in politics for social issues.
ABOUT BIRCH PEOPLE
Birch people have a marvelous ability to be uplifting to others. They do not care for excess in any areas of their lives and like to promote a calm and content atmosphere where ever they go.
CORRESPONDENCES
Deities: All Horned Gods, Pan, the Dagda, Cernunnos, Thor, Freya, Frigg, Cewrridwen Sacred Stones: Quartz Crystal, Fluorite Colors: White and Dark Green
sources:
the dutchie.org, The New Book of Magical Names, Phoenix McFarland Cunninghams Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs, Scott Cunningham Flower and Tree Magic, Richard Webster crystal forest.com treetotem.com
Good Morning Beautiful Souls! Grab a cup of your favorite morning brew and start things off with “Today’s Inspirations”. I hope you find something here that will make you feel good or help you on your path today.
Blessings, Cat
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December Quotes
“Every year at just this time, In cold and dark December, Families around the world All gather to remember, With presents and with parties, With feasting and with fun, Customs and traditions for people old and young.”
Helen H. Moore
gardendigest.com
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December Events
Dec. 4 New Moon/Solar Eclipse at 11:43 pm PST/ 12:43 am MST / 2:43 am EDT
Dec. 18 Full Moon at 8:35 pm PST/ 9:35 pm MST/ 11:35 pm EDT
Dec. 19 Venus Retrograde until January 29
Dec. 21 Winter Solstice / Yule
Dec. 24 Christmas Eve & celtic Tree Month of Birch begins
Dec. 25 Christmas Day
Dec. 31 New Years Eve
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Spirit Library: Greater Levels of Expansion, Unity & Consciousness Kate Spreckley
Collectively and individually, we are moving through a galactic shift that is empowering and assisting us in weaving our soul into our material existence.
Learn Religions: Rose Quartz Meditation Clearing the Heart Chakra
This rose quartz guided meditation, meant to help heal hurts of the heart, is excellent for group gatherings. A leader will be needed to serve as the meditation guide to read the italicized text below. Be sure to have a supply of rose quartz crystals for your gathering.
MBG: Heard OfFlorida Water? Here’s Why It’s The One Thing YourRituals AreMissing
If you’ve never heard of Florida water, let’s get one thing out of the way first: No, this is not the water you’ll find in the state of Florida. Rather, it’s a special liquid that’s believed to help enhance any number of rituals.
The Bell can be used to invoke the Goddess during ritual. The sound of a bell can clear space, and ward off evil spells and spirits. It can help to open and close a ritual. It is associated with the divine feminine.
ElephantJournal: ImaginativeAlternatives to the usual TiredNew Year’s Resolution.
Thoughtful challenges, habit-forming rituals, and the convenient excuse to simply learn something new—without the overwhelming pressure to transform into a beautiful butterfly by the end of the year.
I grew up Catholic, steeped in the holy. And my bones remember hours in pews and my mind remembers how many glorias there are at the end of a Christmas mass.
Pagan Playlist: RITUALMUSIC ☥ AWAKEN YOUR INNERWITCH ☤ 639 HZ
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Inner Journey:
FREE TO CHOOSE
“Most people do not really want freedom, because freedom involves responsibility, and most people are frightened of responsibility.” — Sigmund Freud
In his book Nobody’s Victim, Christopher J. McCullough explains, “In order to live your freedom, you must first accept reality. ‘These are the choices, and given those choices, which do I choose?’ Whether the option you select is pleasant or painful doesnot alter the fact that, given reality, this is your preference.
“To live your freedom, it is helpful to stop and ask yourself, ‘Why am I doing this?’ and then notice whether, given the options, you are choosing what you really want, or whether you want to choose something else…. Sometimes the exercise of freedom involves naming your poison — all choices may lead to outcomes that are in some way painful. But the real pain is that of feeling powerless — denying your freedom.”
“Freedom is man’s capacity to take a hand in his own development. It is our capacity to mold ourselves.” — Dr. Rollo May
higherawareness.com
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Today’s Recipe:Our Top 20 Most Cherished Christmas Cookies
Deck the halls with Christmas cookies! As we enter the peak season for cookie baking, we want to honor the top 20 holiday cookies that you, our Allrecipes community, have told us you love to bake and share again and again.
Magickal Intentions: Love, Romance, Marriage, Sexual Matters, Physical Beauty, Friendship and Partnerships, Strangers and Matters of the Heart
Element: Earth
Incense: Strawberry, Sandalwood, Rose, Saffron and Vanilla Planet: Venus Star Signs: Libra and Taurus Angel: Ariel Power Colors: Green, Pink, Aqua Herbs & Plants: Pink Rose, Ivy, Birch, Heather, Clematis, Sage, Violet and Water Lilly
Sacred Stones: Rose Quartz, Moonstone, Pink Tourmaline, Peridot, Emerald and Jade Oil: (Venus) Cardamom, Palmarosa, Rose, Yarrow
Deities include Aphrodite, Eros, Freya, Venus
Friday is ruled by Venus. It’s energies are warm, sensuous, and fulfilling. Efforts that involve any type of pleasure, comfort, and luxury, as well as the arts, music, or aroma (incense and perfume) can be done on this day. As Venus lends its sensuous influences to the energies of this day, use it for any magical work that deals with matters of the heart.
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Daily Wisdom December 24, 2021
Ambition “Do not wish to be anything but what you are, and try to be that perfectly.”
-St. Francis de Sales
What you are is peace, love, truth, creativity, joy – and so much more. Why would you wish to be anything else, or anything less? Be what you are, be who you are, and together we will light up the world.
-Lissa Coffey coffeytalk.com
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Daily Tarot:The High Priestess
Even if it’s a busy day at work or with loved ones, it may still be an introspective kind of day when you need to frequently take a quiet moment to reflect. Be organized and perform your tasks well, but also find those quiet instances when you can make sense of your feelings and impressions. You can get a great deal done today, and feel inwardly satisfied about it.
astrology.com
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About Cat’s Morning Bits: These daily post are reblogged from various email newsletters that I receive each day.
Good Morning Beautiful Souls! Grab a cup of your favorite morning brew and start things off with “Today’s Inspirations”. I hope you find something here that will make you feel good or help you on your path today.
Blessings, Cat
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December Quotes
“Now the seasons are closing their files on each of us, the heavy drawers full of certificates rolling back into the tree trunks, a few old papers flocking away. Someone we loved has fallen from our thoughts, making a little, glittering splash like a bicycle pushed by a breeze. Otherwise, not much has happened; we fell in love again, finding that one red reather on the wind.”
Ted Kooser, Year’s End
gardendigest.com
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December Events
Dec. 4 New Moon/Solar Eclipse at 11:43 pm PST/ 12:43 am MST / 2:43 am EDT
Dec. 18 Full Moon at 8:35 pm PST/ 9:35 pm MST/ 11:35 pm EDT
Dec. 19 Venus Retrograde until January 29
Dec. 21 Winter Solstice / Yule
Dec. 24 Christmas Eve & Celtic Tree Month of Birch begins
Dec. 25 Christmas Day
Dec. 31 New Years Eve
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Spirit Library: A New State of Being Kate Spreckley
The Solstice brings forth a new season and represents a significant jump in our journey. It marks a great turning point and the beginning of a whole new cycle of life. As the energy of the Solstice continues to move within our world, we are called to remember that in this incredibly powerful time we are expanding beyond the past and into a state of being that we have never experienced before
Learn Religions: How to Hug a Tree Hugging Trees Is a Feel-Good Experience
Certainly, you have heard the phrase Hug a Tree before, but have you ever taken a moment out of your day to actually do this? Although some trees, like people, are more huggable than others, they all need a hug now and again.
MBG: 4 Ways To Care For Your Inner Child When You’re Home For the Holidays
As we grow up, we absorb and program information that we will call on for the rest of our lives. During the formative years of zero to eight, we form patterns that influence how we react to others, how we feel about ourselves, and when we go into fight/flight/freeze mode.
Today’s DIY: Sleep with This for Deeper Dreams! | Yeyeo Botanica
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Elephant Journal: Happy Solsticeto All.{Poem}
Solstice Blessings. The nights have been getting longer, darkness making itself known; Past memories floating to the surface asking us to pay attention and be shown.
EarthSky News: Why are the stars so bright tonight?
Look outside on a northern winter (southern summer) evening. You’ll see many bright stars. The evening sky also looks clearer and sharper than it did six months earlier, assuming no clouds are in the way. Why?
Patheos-Pagan: Best Witchcraft & Magickal Books of 2021 JASON MANKEY
Can one really determine the “best books” in a given calendar year? I’m going to say no, simply because there’s no way to possible read every book in a given year.
Pagan Playlist: Wiremux’s The Witchcraft Song Collection – Chants, rites, spells, dance songs
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Inner Journey:
OPPORTUNITY
“We are continually faced with great opportunities which are brilliantly disguised as unsolvable problems.” — Margaret Mead
“A wise man will make more opportunities than he finds.” — Francis Bacon
“What is opportunity, and when does it knock? It never knocks. You can wait a whole lifetime, listening, hoping, and you will hear no knocking. None at all. You are opportunity, and you must knock on the door leading to your destiny. You prepare yourself to recognize opportunity, to pursue and seize opportunity as you develop the strength of your personality, and build a self-image with which you are able to live — with your self-respect alive and growing.” — Maxwell Maltz
higherawareness.com
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A Note from the Universe
Hubba, hubba, hubba! Isn’t this a fun time of year? Lights everywhere, mistletoe, eggnog… and all the receiving!
Indeed, because when you receive, not only do you affirm your own worthiness and open the way for more, but you make possible even greater joys for the giver.
Tallyho, ho, ho,
The Universe
tut.com
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Today’s Recipe: Mexican Wedding Cookies
Delicious nutty cookies that are rolled in powdered sugar. These are perfect for any special occasion.
Magickal Intentions: Luck, Happiness, Health, Legal Matters, Male Fertility, Treasure and Wealth, Honor, Riches, Desires, Leadership, Public Activity, Power and Success
Element: Earth
Incense: Cinnamon, Musk, Nutmeg and Sage
Planet: Jupiter Star Signs: Sagittarius and Pisces Angel: Sachiel Power Colors: Purple, Royal Blue and Indigo Herbs & Plants: Cinnamon, Beech, Buttercup, Coltsfoot, Oak, Dill, Borage, Patchouli Sacred Stones: Sugilite, Amethyst, Turquoise, Lapis Lazuli and Sapphire Oil: (Jupiter) Clove, Lemon Balm, Oakmoss, Star Anise
Deities include Juno, Jupiter,Thor, Zeus
Thursday is ruled by Jupiter. Today’s energies influence all matters involving material gain and spell work for general success, accomplishment, honors and awards, legal issues, luck, gambling, and prosperity.
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Daily Wisdom December 23, 2021
Ambition “We can always redeem the man who aspires and strives.”
-Goethe
We do what we want to do. When we want to achieve, we achieve. When we want to change, and learn and grow, then we take the steps we need to take to do just that. It starts with a thought, with a decision.
-Lissa Coffey coffeytalk.com
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Daily Tarot:Death
You may be tempted to backtrack a few times today and fall back on some old habit or procedure that used to work better than it does now. After enough of this, you’ll get the message that it’s time for a change, or at least a different approach. You don’t need to have the same old conversation over and over.
astrology.com
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About Cat’s Morning Bits: These daily post are reblogged from various email newsletters that I receive each day.
Good Morning Beautiful Souls! Grab a cup of your favorite morning brew and start things off with “Today’s Inspirations”. I hope you find something here that will make you feel good or help you on your path today.
Blessings, Cat
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December Quotes
“Shall we liken Christmas to the web in a loom? There are many weavers, who work into the pattern the experience of their lives. When one generation goes, another comes to take up the weft where it has been dropped. The pattern changes as the mind changes, yet never begins quite anew. At first, we are not sure that we discern the pattern, but at last we see that, unknown to the weavers themselves, something has taken shape before our eyes, and that they have made something very beautiful, something which compels our understanding.”
Earl W. Count, 4,000 Years of Christmas
gardendigest.com
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December Events
Dec. 4 New Moon/Solar Eclipse at 11:43 pm PST/ 12:43 am MST / 2:43 am EDT
Dec. 18 Full Moon at 8:35 pm PST/ 9:35 pm MST/ 11:35 pm EDT
Dec. 19 Venus Retrograde until January 29
Dec. 21 Winter Solstice / Yule
Dec. 24 Christmas Eve & Celtic Tree Month of Birch begins
Dec. 25 Christmas Day
Dec. 31 New Years Eve
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Spirit Library: Solstice Rebirth Kate Spreckley
Solstices are always about shedding the past and opening to the new. The cycle of the sun represents the cycle of our lives and reflects the natural flow of energy moving inward and outward, indicating that are times to grow, times to pause, times to shed and times to learn.
Hogmanay (pronounced hog-ma-NAY) is the Scottish holiday that celebrates the new year. Observed on December 31, festivities typically spill over into the first couple of days of January. In fact, there’s a tradition known as “first-footing,
MBG: Everything You Need To Know About Capricorn: Personality Traits, Compatibility & More
Capricorn is the 10th sign of the zodiac (December 21 to January 20) and it’s represented by the sea-goat, a mythological hybrid (like the Sagittarian centaur) that’s a cross between a goat and a fish. A cardinal earth sign ruled by Saturn, Capricorn (or Makara, in Vedic astrology) energy is honest and wise.
Elephant Journal: The Reason we Keep Seeing the Numbers 2, 22, 222 or2222.
Many people report seeing the number 2 in various forms, whether it is 2, 22, 222 or 2222—and there is a spiritual reason for this, although it is unique to each individual. While there is a general reason for the number appearing, only the person who keeps seeing the number will be able to work out the exact reason why.
Treehugger:10 Exciting Facts About Mount Rainier National Park
At 14,410 feet in elevation, Mount Rainier easily towers over smaller rivals in the Cascade Range. With its snow-covered volcanic cone, Mount Rainier is also the most recognizable feature in its namesake national park, located roughly 50 miles south of Seattle.
Comet Leonard is 2021’s best comet Comet C/2021 A1 (Leonard) – 2021’s best and brightest comet – is now in the evening sky for Northern Hemisphere observers. We heard on December 15, and again around December 19-20, that the comet had brightened more than expected. Is it having outbursts as it nears its closest point to the sun in January?
“A loser seldom lives in the present, but instead destroys the present by focusing on past memories or future expectations.” — Muriel James
I had been feeling really tired, and so I began planning a one-week vacation. I became aware of how desperate I was to leave responsibilities behind and simply do nothing for a while. Fortunately, I quickly realized how insane it is to expect one little week that is months away to meet all my needs for freedom, joy, play and relaxation.
Life is only worth living when we experience the gifts of vacations in delicious moments, day in and day out. Qualities like freedom, play and joy do not depend on external conditions. They can be realized any time, if we open to their presence right now.
I’m happy that I will be going on vacation, AND I’m doing more to look after my needs as they arise each day.
“You had better live your best and act your best and think your best today; for today is the sure preparation for tomorrow and all the other tomorrows that follow.” — Harriet Martineau
higherawareness.com
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A Note from the Universe
What if you were to see your every action and inaction in this life so far, your every strength and weakness, your every hope and fear, as proof of your divinity?
We do.
Let’s take a selfie,
The Universe
tut.com
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Today’s Recipe: 10 Easy ChristmasCookies for Once-a-Year Bakers
Everyone goes cookie-crazy at Christmas. Speaking personally (but not complaining) I’m surrounded by cut-out cookies with more icing detail than a painting, or gingerbread men that seem almost realistic.
Magickal Intentions: Communication, Divination, Writing, Knowledge, Business Transactions, Debt, Fear, Loss, Travel and Money Matters
Element: Air
Incense: Jasmine, Lavender, Sweet Pea Planets: Mercury and Chiron (though this is a moon of Pluto) Star Sign: Virgo Angel: Raphael Power Colors: Orange, Light Blue, Grey, Yellow and Violet Herbs & Plants: Fern, Lavender, Hazel, Cherry, Periwinkle Sacred Stones: Aventurine, Bloodstone, Hematite, Moss Agate and Sodalite Oil: (Mercury) Benzoin, Clary Sage, Eucalyptus, Lavender
Deities include Athena, Hermes, Lugh, Mercury, Odin
Wednesday is ruled by Mercury. Wednesday’s vibration adds power to spell work involving inspiration, communication, writers, poets, the written and spoken word, and all matters of study, learning, and teaching. This day also provides a good time to begin efforts involving self-improvement or understanding.
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Daily Wisdom December 22, 2021
Ambition “The most absurd and reckless aspirations have sometimes led to extraordinary success.”
-Vauvenargues
When the Wright Brothers were building their flying machine in the backyard, you can bet that some of the neighbors were calling them crazy. Good thing that didn’t stop them! But when we dream big, that’s when big things happen – because we make them happen! There are no limitations, so why limit our ambitions?
-Lissa Coffey coffeytalk.com
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Daily Tarot:The Empress
Be ambitious today, in a subtle way, and meet with a lot of cooperation and good will. Your ambition does not have to be grandiose. Concentrate on small projects and sweep away a lot of loose ends and complete things that have been long lingering. Act and speak with authority, and be fully respected. Do as much as you can today, and don’t look back.
astrology.com
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About Cat’s Morning Bits: These daily post are reblogged from various email newsletters that I receive each day.
Good Morning & Happy Yule! Grab a cup of your favorite morning brew and start things off with “Today’s Inspirations”. I hope you find something here that will make you feel good or help you on your path today.
Blessings, Cat
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December Quotes
“So the shortest day came, and the year died, And everywhere down the centuries of the snow-white world Came people singing, dancing, To drive the dark away. They lighted candles in the winter trees; They hung their homes with evergreen; They burned beseeching fires all night long To keep the year alive, And when the new year’s sunshine blazed awake They shouted, reveling. Through all the frosty ages you can hear them Echoing behind us – Listen!! All the long echoes sing the same delight, This shortest day, As promise wakens in the sleeping land: They carol, fest, give thanks, And dearly love their friends, And hope for peace. And so do we, here, now, This year and every year. Welcome Yule!!”
Susan Cooper, The Shortest Day
gardendigest.com
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December Events
Dec. 4 New Moon/Solar Eclipse at 11:43 pm PST/ 12:43 am MST / 2:43 am EDT
Dec. 18 Full Moon at 8:35 pm PST/ 9:35 pm MST/ 11:35 pm EDT
Dec. 19 Venus Retrograde until January 29
Dec. 21 Winter Solstice / Yule
Dec. 24 Christmas Eve & celtic Tree Month of Birch begins
Dec. 25 Christmas Day
Dec. 31 New Years Eve
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Spirit Library: Move Fearlessly Forward Kate Spreckley
It has been an epic journey thus far as the spiralling energies of creation have prepared us for this powerful moment. With the Full Moon this past weekend we have reached the final stages of rebirth and stand now on the brink of a new era. Tomorrow’s Solstice is the moment of our rebirth where we will step fully into the infinite nature of our soul and begin a new journey.
How to celebrate Yule 🌲 5 Yule & Winter Solstice ritual ideas
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Spirituality & Health: Ritual for Winter Solstice Magic BY JULIE PETERS Set a circle with others (real or virtual) to cast a solstice spell on December 21. Grieve the past year’s losses and invite hopes and wishes for the next.
Learn Religions: Sacred Plants of the Winter Solstice
In most modern Pagan traditions, plants and their folklore are an integral part of belief and practice. In particular, many of the Sabbats are associated with the magical properties of different plants. Yule, the winter solstice, falls around December 20 – 22 in the northern hemisphere, and near June 20 – 22 if you live below the equator. Let’s take a look at Yule, and seven plants that often correspond with the season.
MBG: 8 Rituals For The Winter Solstice 2021: How To Make Your OwnLight
Take a deep breath as we enter this time of the winter solstice on December 21 in the northern hemisphere. Think of it as a sacred gateway: an ending and a new beginning. With all the noise of 2021, it is time for some much-needed quiet and inner nourishment. Mother Nature is asking us to reflect, recalibrate, and strengthen our ability to shine in the world.
What Is the Energetic Significance of Yule? Yule is regarded as a time of reflection, transformation and hope, as well as a time to recognise and acknowledge our blessings. It is a good time for rituals and other workings connected to rebirth, renewal and new beginnings. Other correspondences for Yule include:
Today’s DIY: DIY Yule Decorations Crafted with Oranges – Wheel of the Year – Magical Crafting
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Elephant Journal: A Winter Solstice Ritual to Set our Intentions for the New Year
Winter Solstice marks the shortest day of the year. We honor this time, just as our ancestors have done since the beginning of time—to honor the cycles and seasons, and to remind us of the ever-changing flow of life that we are part of. The duality of spirit and Earth emerge to bring new life into the old growth.
EarthSky News: All you needto know: 2021’s December solstice
For us in the Northern Hemisphere, the December solstice marks the longest nights and shortest days of the year. Meanwhile, the Southern Hemisphere is having short nights and long days. The 2021 December solstice moment – when the sun reaches its southernmost point in the sky – will happen on Tuesday, December 21, 2021, at 15:59 UTC (9:59 a.m. CST; translate UTC to your time).
Patheos-Pagan: A Solstice of Stillness, A Moment to Reconnect with the Heart IRISANYA MOON
“The term ‘solstice’ comes from the Latin words sol (sun) and sistere (to stand still). At the solstice, the angle between the Sun’s rays and the plane of the Earth’s equator (called declination) appears to stand still.” – Farmer’s Almanac
Becoming still is not celebrated. In a culture that asks for production, movement, excelling, and competing, the last thing to do is to stop. To rest. To reconnect.
“My greatest wealth is the deep stillness in which I strive and grow and win what the world cannot take from me with fire or sword.” — Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe
If our minds are always busy, they don’t get time to do basic maintenance – to sort, tidy up and take out the trash. If we don’t periodically clear out space in our minds, there’s no room for new ideas to take root.
Where do you find stillness each day and each week? Plan for quiet time, relaxation and stillness daily, even if it’s only for 5 or 10 minutes.
“For peace of mind, we need to resign as general manager of the universe.” — Larry Eisenberg
higherawareness.com
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A Note from the Universe
Haven’t all the years you’ve spent being Santa Claus, been more fun than all the years you spent waiting for Santa Claus?
And not just for the joy you’ve helped place on your favorite faces, but for your ability to act instead of wait. Acting makes the suspense bearable. It gives you a starring role. Time passes more quickly. And best of all, it makes possible your dance with life as you network and mingle with other dancers.
And so it is in all things including those dreams that have placed their trust in you… act, don’t wait.
Happy Hallelujah, Santa Claus!
The Universe
tut.com
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The Kitchen Witches Cookbook: Dark Wolf’s Yule Wassail darkwolfwitch:
Wassail Cider is one of my most favorite drinks in the winter, so I figured I would share my recipe with you all!
Ambition “Once you say you’re going to settle for second, that’s what happens to you in life, I find.”
-John F. Kennedy
Whatever we put out there comes back to us. What we give, we get. The energy we create is the energy that we use to propel us forward. When we strive for the best, that’s where we go.”
-Lissa Coffey coffeytalk.com
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Ethony: Yule Tarot Spread
Solstice Blessings to everyone for we are about to experience the longest night of the year. It is the time of year that many religions and spiritual paths celebrate the birth of sun deities and the turn of the wheel that sees the days slowly but surely getting longer.
Yule carries the themes of death and rebirth, reflection, being generous with others less fortunate and being the light in the darkness.
Good Morning Beautiful Souls! Grab a cup of your favorite morning brew and start things off with “Today’s Inspirations”. I hope you find something here that will make you feel good or help you on your path today.
Blessings, Cat
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December Quotes
“Frosty the snowman was a jolly happy soul, With a corncob pipe and a button nose and two eyes made out of coal. Frosty the snowman is a fairy tale, they say, He was made of snow but the children know how he came to life one day.”
Christmas Carol
gardendigest.com
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December Events
Dec. 4 New Moon/Solar Eclipse at 11:43 pm PST/ 12:43 am MST / 2:43 am EDT
Dec. 18 Full Moon at 8:35 pm PST/ 9:35 pm MST/ 11:35 pm EDT
Dec. 19 Venus Retrograde until January 29
Dec. 21 Winter Solstice / Yule
Dec. 24 Christmas Eve & Celtic Tree Month of Birch begins
Dec. 25 Christmas Day
Dec. 31 New Years Eve
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Daily Tarot Girl: Tarot Readingfor Dec 20– 26 December 19, 2021 For this week’s reading, I’m using the Modern Love Tarot by Ethony Dawn…
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How to Grow a DeeperAppreciation for the Winter Season| feat. @Eihwaz Initiations
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Spirituality & Health:20 Go-To Mental Health Mantras for the Season
BY SHANNON KAISER
As you deck the halls, keep these intentional mantras in mind to relieve holiday stress, anxiety, and depression.
Learn Religions: Yule Ritual to Welcome Back the Sun
The Longest Night of the Year The ancients knew that the winter solstice was the longest night of the year — and that meant that the sun was beginning its long journey back towards earth. It was a time of celebration, and for rejoicing in the knowledge that soon, the warm days of spring would return, and the dormant earth would come back to life.
EarthSkyNews: Longest days accompany the December solstice
What is a day? You might casually talk about a day as a period of daylight. Or you could measure a day in relationship to the sun or the stars. Astronomers use the term solar day to describe a day relative to the sun.
Patheos-Pagan: Ring Out Solstice Bees DECEMBER 18, 2021 BY THUMPER FORGE
It has been a rough month, y’all.
I’d forgotten how demoralizing looking for work can be. I’ve been sending out résumés nonstop and applying for positions left and right, and I keep finding jobs at which I’d excel but are just out of reach:
“You can conquer almost any fear if you will only make up your mind to do so. For remember, fear doesn’t exist anywhere except in the mind.” — Dale Carnegie
My anxiety level spiked the other day as I wrestled with whether to choose option A or option B. I was so afraid of making the wrong choice!
And then I remembered, with deep gratitude, Susan Jeffers’ sage advice: There are no wrong decisions! Whatever we might choose in life will bring valuable experiences if we are open to receive them.
“Lighten up! Whatever happens as a result of your decision, you’ll handle it!” — Susan Jeffers
higherawareness.com
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A Note from the Universe
When you look around at those in the world who flourish, thrive, laugh, and love; those whose lives are filled with friendships, adventure, and abundance… aren’t they, more often than not, first and foremost, the dreamers?
You so have it made,
The Universe
tut.com
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Today’s Recipe:Easy Sugar Cookies
Quick and easy sugar cookies! They are really good, plain or with candies in them. My friend uses chocolate mints on top, and they’re great!
Incense: African Violet, Honeysuckle, Myrtle, Willow, Wormwood Planet: Moon Star Sign: Cancer Angel: Gabriel Power Colors: Silver, White and Gray Herbs& Plants: Night Blooming Flowers, Willow Root, Orris Root, Birch, Motherwort, Vervain, White Rose and White Iris Sacred Stones: Carnelian, Moonstone, Aquamarine, Pearl, Clear Quartz, Flourite, Geodes Oil: (Moon) Jasmine, Lemon, Sandalwood
Deities include Artemis, Diana, Luna, Selene, Thoth
Monday is ruled the Moon. Today’s energy best align with spell work that deals with women, home and hearth, the family, the garden, travel, and medicine. It also boosts rituals involving psychic development and prophetic dreaming.
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Daily Wisdom December 20, 2021
Ambition “The significance of a man is not in what he attains but rather in what he longs to attain.”
-Kahlil Gibran We can learn a lot about ourselves by looking at our goals and our desires. There’s a reason why we want what we want. And we wouldn’t want it if it weren’t attainable. We learn and grow on the way to our goals.
-Lissa Coffey coffeytalk.com
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About Cat’s Morning Bits: These daily post are reblogged from various email newsletters that I receive each day.
The Winter Solstice or Yule (ewe-elle/yool) is the shortest day of the year and the time when pagans celebrate the rebirth of the Sun. The date of this event tends to vary and falls sometime between Dec 20th and Dec 23rd. It is a fire festival and a quarter Sabbat. On this longest night of the year, the now elderly Holly King makes way for the newborn sun who will soon be the Oak King. This holiday is celebrated worldwide and is known as Alban Arthan (druids), Mid Winter, and Yuletide.
Before Christianity rose to power, the Winter Solstice was associated with the birth of a Divine King. The reason for celebrating the Winter Solstice has also remained the same: rebirth and renewal, the return of hope, and that life will continue. Jesus is not the only deity said to be born at this time, he’s in the company of Pagan gods like Apollo. Mithras, and Horus. The church decided that it was easier to incorporate the pagan celebration into theirs than to change it altogether. As a result, the pagan Sun God is born on the same day as the Christian Son of God, who is by the way also called “the light of the world”. Here is an interesting tidbit….Did you know that mistletoe was banned from churches due its pagan association?
Yule is also a festival of light and candles are a traditional item. Candles were lit at midnight as a symbol of birth of the Sun God. In Ireland, oil lamps were left lit all night long. Special Yule candles were also poplar and would be lit every night throughout the Twelve Days of Christmas. As with any candle, blowing it out causes the accumulated luck that resides in the candle to blow away”. The purpose of the candle is to bless the house and family in the coming year.
Activities for Yule include, making treats and feeding our feathered friends. If you have access to the forest you can find a yule log for your home and decorate it. Help those less fortunate by donating food or gifts to a good charity. Stay up all night and celebrate the rebirth of the sun at dawn. Create a special red Yule candle to burn, buying one is okay too! Decorate your Candle with evergreens and holly. Activities, although I doubt of =ncestors spent as much or gave as many gifts as we do today.
THE HOLLY AND THE IVY
The holly and the ivy, when they are both full grown, Of all the trees that are in the wood, the holly bears the crown.
The rising of the sun, and the running of the deer, The playing of the merry organ, sweet singing in the choir.
The holly bears a blossom, as white as lily flow’r, And in our hearts, we bear pure hope, and sing every hour.
The holly bears a berry, as red as any rose, And in our hearts we bear a flame of life, and with hope it grows.
The holly bears a prickle, as sharp as any thorn, And our skin bears the sun’s sharp rays, bringing life this Solstice morn
Good Morning Beautiful Souls! Grab a cup of your favorite morning brew and start things off with “Today’s Inspirations”. I hope you find something here that will make you feel good or help you on your path today.
Blessings, Cat
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December Quotes
“December is the twelfth and final month of the Gregorian calendar and the first month of winter. It derives it’s name from the Latin word decem, meaning ten, as December was the tenth month of the oldest Roman calendar. The Latin name is derived from Decima, the middle Goddess of the Three Fates who personifies the present.”
Daily Lore: December
gardendigest.com
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December Events
Dec. 4 New Moon/Solar Eclipse at 11:43 pm PST/ 12:43 am MST / 2:43 am EDT
Dec. 18 Full Moon at 8:35 pm PST/ 9:35 pm MST/ 11:35 pm EDT
Dec. 19 Venus Retrograde until January 29
Dec. 21 Winter Solstice / Yule
Dec. 24 Christmas Eve & Celtic Tree Month of Birch begins
Dec. 25 Christmas Day
Dec. 31 New Years Eve
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Spirit Library: Eternal & Limitless Power of Our Soul Kate Spreckley
We have all experienced the rebirth of our soul in each human incarnation. Over and over again we have released one human form and have been reborn into another all in the name of healing, growth and soul evolution.
Spirituality & Health: 14 Affirmations for Protection From a Negative Person BY KATHRYN DRURY WAGNER Know someone who’s allergic to optimism? These affirmations can provide an emotional shield when you’re with them
Scents have a way of making time stand still for us sometimes, and the aromas of the winter holidays are no exception. For many people, re-creating the smells and emotions of our childhood, or even of some distant ancestral memory, is part of the magic of the Yule season.
MBG: Déjà Vu 101: What The Research Says, Spiritual Explanations& More
Odds are, you’ve experienced déjà vu at some point in your life. The sensation can feel unnerving, mysterious, and even a bit mystical—but what does it really mean? To find out, we asked an expert and dug into the research. Here’s what to know.
The cup is simply put “a cauldron on a stem”. It is used to hold water or a ritual beverage. Your cup can be made of any material. I made mine at one of those paint and bake ceramic places! It is associated with Water, Fertility and the Goddess.
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Crafting a Winter Door Charm for Protection
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Elephant Journal: Final Full Moon of 2021 in Gemini: What Stories Are We Ready to Surrender? {December 18}
What would it feel like to surrender to life fully and completely? What would it feel like to surrender the stories that have passed their own utility and usefulness for life moving forward?
How would it feel to surrender so deeply to each passing moment, the pain, the discomfort, the tragedy, the passing death of each moment?
Treehugger: 10 Reasons Why Saguaro National Park Is a Symbol of the American West
Saguaro National Park in southern Arizona is made up of two sections on either side of Tucson. Named for the distinct Saguaro cactus native to the desert environment there, the park also protects historic petroglyphs, pictographs, and several other cultural resources.
EarthSky News: December full moon –a solstice full moon– on December 18-19
When is the December full moon? It’s time for the December full moon! In North America, we call this full moon by one of several nicknames: the Full Cold Moon, Moon Before Yule, or the Long Night Moon. Whichever name you use, as seen throughout the Northern Hemisphere, the December full moon will cross high overhead and light up these chilly nights. With the leaves off the trees on the northern part of Earth, it’ll be a super-noticeable full moon for many.
Patheos-Pagan:Yule Never Guess What’s On My Mind ASH
I used to really dislike Yule and anything else associated with the season. This wasn’t always the case, though. When I was a little girl, my grandmother would require me and my siblings to attend the 11pm service on Christmas Eve.
Pagan Playlist: A Pagan Yule)O( – RBE2000Damh the Bard
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Inner Journey:
TAKE THE FIRST STEP
“When we take one step toward God, he takes seven steps toward us.” — Hadith Qudsi
If our ego is to know spirit, we must make the first move. Spirit does not come down and knock on our door. It sits waiting for us to acknowledge it. We must want to change and take the initiative and persevere. The love of spirit will embrace us. But wemust take the first steps.
In what areas of your life are you ready for change? What step can you take to open the door to new possibilities? It starts with you.
“Faith is not complacent; faith is action. You don’t have faith and wait. When you have faith, you move.” — Betty Eadie
“It is not my business to think about myself. My business is to think about God. It is for God to think about me.” — Simone Weil
higherawareness.com
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A Note fromthe Universe
Do you know why butterflies flit? Fireflies light? Comets fall, trees grow, cats purr, and tails wag?
Well, I have some hunches, and here’s my favorite: each is an aspect of the one who perceives them, emissaries of self, disguised by the elements, caught in an act of self-reflection, noticed at just the right time and in just the right place, to remind the dreamer, as if by metaphor, of their own sublime miracle.
Kind of like you are, to me.
Flit,
The Universe
tut.com
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Today’s Recipe: Creamy Hot Cocoa
It’s old fashioned, it’s comforting, it makes the kitchen smell wonderful and it’s good for the soul.
Magickal Intentions: Love, Romance, Marriage, Sexual Matters, Physical Beauty, Friendship and Partnerships, Strangers and Matters of the Heart
Element: Earth
Incense: Strawberry, Sandalwood, Rose, Saffron and Vanilla Planet: Venus Star Signs: Libra and Taurus Angel: Ariel Power Colors: Green, Pink, Aqua Herbs & Plants: Pink Rose, Ivy, Birch, Heather, Clematis, Sage, Violet and Water Lilly
Sacred Stones: Rose Quartz, Moonstone, Pink Tourmaline, Peridot, Emerald and Jade Oil: (Venus) Cardamom, Palmarosa, Rose, Yarrow
Deities include Aphrodite, Eros, Freya, Venus
Friday is ruled by Venus. It’s energies are warm, sensuous, and fulfilling. Efforts that involve any type of pleasure, comfort, and luxury, as well as the arts, music, or aroma (incense and perfume) can be done on this day. As Venus lends its sensuous influences to the energies of this day, use it for any magical work that deals with matters of the heart.
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Daily Wisdom December 17, 2021
Enjoyment “We act as though comfort and luxury were the chief requirements of life, when all that we need to make us really happy is something to be enthusiastic about.”
-Charles Kingsley
Think about little kids at play; when they’re having fun the enthusiasm shows on their faces. They look happy. It doesn’t matter if it’s raining or they have the latest, greatest toys, they’re living in the moment, totally present to what is going on. We can be like that. We can enjoy ourselves, it’s a choice we make.
-Lissa Coffey coffeytalk.com
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Daily Tarot:The Tower
People may be expecting or needing you to be laid-back and easy to deal with but your own inclinations may make you seem more difficult and demanding. You may see yourself as just being direct while others consider you as being tactless. Save yourself a lot of grief and use extra care with your words and actions. If someone gets bent out of shape, try to catch it instantly and stop it as soon as you can.
astrology.com
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About Cat’s Morning Bits: These daily posts are reblogged from various email newsletters that I receive each day.
December’s Full “Cold” Moon Saturday, December 18, 2021
Full Moon at 8:35 pm PST/ 9:35 pm MST/ 11:35 pm EDT
The moon will be sitting in Gemini and will bring good vibes to brighten your day. Its focus will be on the activities, people, and things that make you happy. It may also draw you towards cutting ties with the people who have grown apart from you or who think drama makes for a good relationship.
The final full moon of 2021 seems to have fewer names than other months. However, our ancestors called this moon the Cold Moon, The Bitter Moon, Long Nights Moon, and the Big Winter Moon. It is during this month that the nights are at their longest and winter blankets the land in its cold grip. This is probably where the name Long Nights Moon originated. Our Old English/Anglo-Saxon ancestors called it the Moon Before Yule. Both names are appropriate for this season. The time of midwinter is indeed long and the moon sits just above the horizon for what seems like forever.
The Cold Moon honors deities like Minerva, Osiris, Athena, Persephone, and Hades. It is the perfect time to finish tying up loose ends and working through any remaining darkness from the past year. Take time to acknowledge the hardships and struggles that you have gone through and embrace the cycles of life, death, and rebirth. It is through the experience of the dark times that we learn sun and warmth will always cycle around and we will survive and continue, changed in ways that aid our personal cycle of growth. The work we do during this full moon will help us to welcome the rebirth of the Sun with open hearts.
To celebrate this full moon try wearing the triple goddess colors of white, red, and black and adorning yourself with rubies, moonstone, serpentine or obsidian.
The Desert Path 
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