The Desert Path

The Dusty Ramblings of a Desert Pagan

Cat’s Morning Bits for December 31, 2020

Posted on December 31, 2020 by Cat

Cat’s Morning Bits for December 31, 2020

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.

Stay healthy, Stay safe!

Blessings, Cat

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December’s Events

Dec. 7 Pearl Harbor Day

Dec, 10 Hanukkah

Dec. 14 New Moon at 8:16 am PST/ 9:16 am MST/ 11:16 am EST

Dec,15 National Cat Herders Day

Dec. 20 Ugly Sweater Day

Dec. 21 Winter Solstice/Winter Begins

Dec. 21 Moon 1st Qtr 3:41pm PST/ 4:41 pm MST/ 6:41 pm EST

Dec. 23 Festivus

Dec. 24 Christmas Eve

Dec. 24 Celtic Tree month of Birch begins

Dec. 25 Christmas Day

Dec. 26 Kwanzaa

Dec. 29 Full Moon at 7:28 pm PST/ 8:28 pm MST/ 10:28 pm EST

Dec. 31 New Years Eve

Dec. 31 Hogmanay

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Spirit Library: Exhale….& Breathe (a message from Kate Spreckley)

With this Full Moon there is a growing sense of peace. A stillness that reflects the moment before the exhale. In this moment we are pregnant with possibility, gathering the energy

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The Cottage Fairy: choosing to accept your personality – a New Year Resolve

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Spiritual Unite: HAZEL TREE SYMBOLISM – ABUNDANCE AND LOVE

Hazel tree symbolism has played a part in the cultures of Europe and the Mediterranean for thousands of years.

Although different cultures see different meanings, all seem to agree on the magical properties of this sacred tree

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ThoughtCo: Magical Pagan and Wiccan Symbols

In modern Paganism, many traditions use symbols as part of ritual, or in magic. Some symbols are used to represent elements, others to represent ideas. These are a few of the more commonly used symbols in Wicca and other forms of Paganism today.

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Patheos / New Visions: Finding It

How will you ever find peace

unless you yield to love?

—Rabia

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MBG: 9 Rituals For Release & Renewal So You Can Leave 2020 Behind

2020 has been a wild ride, to say the least. But with a new year upon us, there’s no better time to try a ritual for releasing the old and welcoming the new.

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Manifesting New Year Goals with Sigil Magic, Intention & Spell Work – Magical Crafting – Witchcraft

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Elephant Journal: 12 Unique & Nourishing Ways to Ring in the New Year from Home.

Thinking about what we were unknowingly sliding into last New Year’s Eve—a worldwide coronavirus crisis—it’s no wonder that a lot of people aren’t excited about this turn of the year.

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Treehugger: Man Rescues 16 Pets From Burning Building
Keith Walker saved a community group’s 10 dogs and six cats from an Atlanta fire.

Ten cats and six dogs are safe thanks to the quick thinking of Keith Walker, a homeless man in Atlanta who saw a home burning and darted in to help save them.

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EarthSky News: Star Sirius rings in New Year!

Want to surprise and impress your friends on New Year’s Eve? Show them Sirius, the brightest star in the sky, sometimes called the Dog Star because it’s part of the constellation Canis Major the Greater Dog. Sirius might also be called the New Year’s star. It’ll celebrate the birth of 2021 and every new year by reaching its highest point in the sky around the stroke of midnight. That’s the case this year, and every year.

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Patheos-Pagan: Ways to Magically Welcome the New Year

I love the week between Christmas and New Year, and always look forward to the new year arriving. It is such a liminal space, and the quiet limbo of the week is a welcome respite from all the celebrating and anticipation that fills the weeks before this time.

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Pagan Playlist: Eivør – Salt (Lyric Video)

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Inner Journey: THE KEY TO THE FUTURE

“The future is not some place we are going, but one we are creating. The paths are not to be found, but made. And the activity of making them changes both the maker and their destination.”
— John Schaar

We’ve been taught to look forward to our future. Somehow, we believe, things will be better then. But the future is not available to be lived – we can only live NOW. So what are we doing to live best right now? What are we doing now that will bear fruitwhen we reach some future now?

“Let him who would enjoy a good future waste none of his present.”
— Roger Babson

higherawareness.com

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A Note from the Universe

If you were able to look back at your most brilliant successes, stunning comebacks, amazing catches, and smokin’ ideas and you were to find that virtually all of them seemed to materialize out of thin air, when you least expected them, and that they had exceeded even your greatest expectations at the time, how excited would you be about the new year and whatever else I’ve got up my sleeve?

Hubba, hubba –

The Universe

tut.com

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Today’s Recipe: Red Wine Hot Chocolate

Chocolate and red wine are two things that go so well together. Combining them on a cold winter night and topping it off with a creamy froth and a sprinkle of grated chocolate will make you feel all warm and cozy inside.

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Magical Correspondences for Thursday

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 31, 2020

Goals
“What we truly and earnestly aspire to be, that in some sense we are. The mere aspiration, by changing the frame of the mind, for the moment realizes itself.”

-Anna Jameson, 1855

We wouldn’t aspire to something if it wasn’t within our capability to achieve it. We can see, both literally and figuratively, ahead as far as we want to go. Because we can perceive something means that it is already a part of us. Distance, whether in time or space, is all relative.

-Lissa Coffey coffeytalk.com

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Biddy Tarot: Make The Most Of Your Year With A New Year Tarot Spread

It’s that time of the year again when many of us go into a mad panic thinking, “Where on earth did the year go? And what’s up ahead in the new year?”

I can’t help but wonder if people allow the year to disappear without really living it or being truly present in every moment.

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About Cat’s Morning Bits: These daily post are reblogged from various email newsletters that I receive each day.

I invite you to check out my websites!

The Desert Path: The dusty ramblings of a desert pagan. https://thedesertpath.com/

Cat’s Treasure Trove …. an eclectic collection of jewelry & gifts! https://thedesertpath.com

Sacred Spirals (the place where all paths meet)
https://www.facebook.com/groups/SacredSpirals/

Cat’s Morning Bits for December 30, 2020

Posted on December 30, 2020 by Cat

Cat’s Morning Bits for December 30, 2020

Stay healthy, Stay safe!

Blessings, Cat

_________________________________

December’s Events

Dec. 7 Pearl Harbor Day

Dec, 10 Hanukkah

Dec. 14 New Moon at 8:16 am PST/ 9:16 am MST/ 11:16 am EST

Dec,15 National Cat Herders Day

Dec. 20 Ugly Sweater Day

Dec. 21 Winter Solstice/Winter Begins

Dec. 21 Moon 1st Qtr 3:41pm PST/ 4:41 pm MST/ 6:41 pm EST

Dec. 23 Festivus

Dec. 24 Christmas Eve

Dec. 24 Celtic Tree month of Birch begins

Dec. 25 Christmas Day

Dec. 26 Kwanzaa

Dec. 29 Full Moon at 7:28 pm PST/ 8:28 pm MST/ 10:28 pm EST

Dec. 31 New Years Eve

Dec. 31 Hogmanay

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Spirit Library: What Will You Carry Into 2021? (a message from Ann Albers)

Hi Dear Friends,

Happy New Year! Let’s take with us only the blessings of 2020! The angels and I share some thoughts on how to do that.

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Paul Mottram – Storm Evolution

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Spiritual Unite: APPLE TREE SYMBOLISM – THINK ADAM AND EVE

Appletree symbolism has a long and varied history across much of Europe and the Mediterranean.

From the earliest religious texts and tribal cultures to modern druidism and New Age beliefs, apple trees have always held deep symbolic meaning.

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ThoughtCo: Celebrating the Sacred Masculine

While many Pagan paths identify themselves as “goddess traditions,” there are just as many which honor the sacred masculine alongside the divine feminine. Rather than being goddess-centric,

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Patheos / New Visions: New Beginning Intuition

We all have intuition and we all are being guided, whether we listen or not is another story. Below are 4 Oracle cards from Lucy Cavendish called Faerytale Oracle. Take a couple deep breathes and ask your guides and your angels what it is that you need to know.

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MBG: An Intro To North Nodes & South Nodes: What They Say About Your Past & Purpose

In astrology, your life purpose is encoded in the north node and south node of the moon.

The lunar nodes are directly opposite each other in the chart. They aren’t planets but rather mathematical points on the chart that fall in two opposite zodiac signs

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Daily Good: Translating Meaning Into Life: A Taoist Parable

Do you have the patience to wait until your mud settles and the water is clear? Lao Tzu –

Translating Meaning Into Life: A Taoist Parable

“During a time of great drought, a Taoist master was asked by members of a village if he could help bring rain to their dry fields. They confessed trying many other approaches before reaching out to him, but with no success. The master agreed to come and asked for a small hut with a garden that he could tend. For three days, he tended the garden, performing no special rituals or asking anything further from the villagers…” So begins an intriguing Taoist parable, that is used here as a springboard into an exploration of synchronicity, and the idea of ‘being the change we wish to see in the world’. { read more }

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Note: I know Yule is now over but this craft is too cute to pass up!

Today’s DIY: Pine Cone Tree Decoration for Yule – How to Celebrate Winter Solstice, Magical Crafting – Witchcraft

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Elephant Journal: 10 Affirmations for When You’re Feeling “Off.”

Here you are, feeling frazzled, frustrated, and overwhelmed.
First, remember that we can’t hate ourselves back into peace, it’s—as cheesy it sounds—love that leads the way.

So, when you find yourself discombobulated, afraid, and miles away from your highest Self, pause. Breathe deeply. Get still. Be kind to yourself.

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Treehugger: How Kangaroos ‘Talk’ to Humans
Researchers find that just like domesticated animals, kangaroos can communicate when they want something.

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Treehugger: Artist’s Intricate Jeweled Insect Art Creates Precious, Imaginary Organisms
These whimsical drawings reimagine humble insects as something to be treasured and conserved, not despised.

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Patheos-Pagan: Casting a Circle – Not Just Performance Art

Picture it. It’s a dark night in the middle of the woods. There is a roaring fire in the center of a large group of people. A long haired Priestess steps out from the crowd. She is carrying a sword, the shine of the blade getting lost in the folds of her dark skirt.

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Pagan Playlist: Eivør – Mín Móðir

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Inner Journey: EGO’S TRICKS

“One of the great dangers of transformational work is that the ego attempts to sidestep deep psychological work by leaping into the transcendent too soon. This is because the ego always fancies itself much more ‘advanced’ than it actually is.”
— Don Richard Riso and Russ Hudson

The Tibetan teacher, Chogyam Trungpa, warned of the trap of spiritual materialism. He says we must be ever diligent to spot the ego’s use of the spiritual journey to further its own ends.

We may think it’s spiritual to yearn for divine connection. And yet, if the longing is to fill an emptiness inside, just how does this differ from the one who yearns for money or possessions to fill the inner void? Do we look to our spiritual practices as proof of our evolved consciousness or as protection against fears?

Any time we use spiritual disciplines to maintain our identity and security, we are not yet on the path of genuine spiritual development.

“Enlightenment is ego’s ultimate disappointment.”
— Chögyam Trungpa

higherawareness.com

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A Note from the Universe

It’s me, the Universe, and I’ve heard a little rumor.

Seems someone on Earth is asking for their own thriving business and a steady income!!!! Phew, wouldn’t that be nice! Know anyone?

I thought so. Well, guess what?

I have one, and it’s ready for delivery!

Would you do me a little favor?

Would you tell them that in order to get it from here to there, all they have to do is close their eyes, count to three, click their heels, give thanks that it’s already in their life, and begin moving toward it?

No, no. Some of that’s “make believe,” but so is their thriving business and a steady income, until they stop asking, and start giving thanks and moving toward it.

Tallyho,

The Universe

tut.com

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Today’s Recipe: Air Fryer Broiled Grapefruit

This warm and juicy grapefruit with a buttery sweet topping is the perfect accompaniment to your Sunday brunch and also makes a lovely dessert or snack. I like to add a pinch of sea salt at the end to really bring out the flavors.

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Magical Correspondences for Wednesday

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 30, 2020

Goals
“The final goal of human effort is man’s self-transformation.”

-Lewis Mumford (1895-1990)

What I love about this quote is that it says “self-transformation,” not just “transformation.” Transformation is change, growth. We can’t change anyone but ourselves. We can’t grow for anyone but ourselves. When we realize, as a whole, how important it is for us to transform individually, and we each take responsibility for this, then great change will occur globally.

-Lissa Coffey coffeytalk.com

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Daily Tarot: The High Priestess

There may be moment or two when you feel responsible for everything in the world and like it’s your duty to take care of everyone. Relax, let this wash over you, and let it go. It’s not a burden so much as a demonstration of how connected you are to the people and things in your own life, and how much you care. That’s a good thing.

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.

I invite you to check out my websites!

The Desert Path: The dusty ramblings of a desert pagan. https://thedesertpath.com/

Cat’s Treasure Trove …. an eclectic collection of jewelry & gifts! https://thedesertpath.com

Sacred Spirals (the place where all paths meet)
https://www.facebook.com/groups/SacredSpirals/

Cat’s Morning Bits for December 29, 2020

Posted on December 29, 2020 by Cat

Cat’s Morning Bits for December 29, 2020

Stay healthy, Stay safe!

Blessings, Cat

______________ _________________

December’s Events

Dec. 7 Pearl Harbor Day

Dec, 10 Hanukkah

Dec. 14 New Moon at 8:16 am PST/ 9:16 am MST/ 11:16 am EST

Dec,15 National Cat Herders Day

Dec. 20 Ugly Sweater Day

Dec. 21 Winter Solstice/Winter Begins

Dec. 21 Moon 1st Qtr 3:41pm PST/ 4:41 pm MST/ 6:41 pm EST

Dec. 23 Festivus

Dec. 24 Christmas Eve

Dec. 24 Celtic Tree month of Birch begins

Dec. 25 Christmas Day

Dec. 26 Kwanzaa

Dec. 29 Full Moon at 7:28 pm PST/ 8:28 pm MST/ 10:28 pm EST

Dec. 31 New Years Eve

Dec. 31 Hogmanay

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Spirit Library: Reflection & Integration (a message from Kate Spreckley)

In these last weeks of 2020 a deep and profound healing is taking place. With this healing our consciousness is expanding gifting us with the ability to connect with the new that is birthing within us.

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The Real Life of the New Orleans Voodoo Queen | Marie Laveau

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Spiritual Unite: CAN SPIRIT GUIDES APPEAR IN YOUR DREAMS?

In this article we discuss spirit guides in dreams. You should be aware that spirit guides often visit you in your dreams, if you are the lucky one to notice them, then you could be receiving advice and guidance.

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ThoughtCo: Lunar Deities

For thousands of years, people have looked up at the moon and wondered about its divine significance. It should come as no surprise that many cultures throughout time have had lunar deities–that is,

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MBG: How To Ring In The Full Cold Moon (AKA The Final Full Moon Of 2020)

Come nightfall on Tuesday, December 29, the final full moon of 2020 will grace our skies. If there was ever a time to dip into a little full moon magic, it’s now, as we close out an unquestionably tumultuous year.

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Daily Good: Art for the Sky

Only from the heart can you touch the sky.

Rumi –

Art for the Sky

Daniel Dancer is an art-activist who creates and films gigantic living paintings made of people that only make sense from the sky. Why? To bring people together, often young students, to create flashes of beauty that teach tangibly about the power of unity, the importance of nature, and the impermanence of just about everything. Listen as Dancer elaborates on the many lessons that the community can take from these ephemeral art actions. { read more }

Be The Change

Learn more about Respectful Revolution, an organization that seeks to document positive action and inspire change. { more }

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The Witch of Wanderlust: Using Pendulums in Your Craft

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Elephant Journal: Cancer Full Moon & Last Full Moon of 2020: Out of the Past & Into Present. {December 29th}

I am a Cancer Sun and Cancer Ascendant.
My identity in this lifetime seems garnished with the nostalgia of the past, memories, and fixations on “lost times,” “lost loves,” and “lost chances.” The Cancer nature is strong in me.

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Treehugger: 15 Surprising Facts About Reindeer

Reindeer are known around the world as the fictional sidekicks of Santa Claus, but in polar and mountainous regions, they are very much real and sometimes abundant.

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EarthSky News: Last full moon of the decade, again

To many, the last full moon of the decade came last year, on December 12, 2019. But purists will call the December 2020 full moon the last full moon of the decade. It happens on December 29 or 30, depending on your time zone (more full for the Americas on the night of December 29; round and full on December 30, too

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Patheos-Pagan: Young Diana: The Unbroken Spirit Of Girls & Wild Goddesses

The scenes of young Diana Prince in Wonder Woman 1984 moved me to tears. It wasn’t the special effects, the scenery, or the script. It was the fierce spirit of a girl, uncrushed by external society, played perfectly by Lily Aspell.

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Pagan Playlist: Stolen Child – Loreena McKennitt With Lyrics

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Inner Journey: ONE STEP AT A TIME

“What saves a man is to take a step. Then another step.”
— Antoine De Saint-Exupery

Does the prospect of changing and growing seem monumental to you? Just too much to tackle?

Then consider this approach. Take a simple step of affirming your openness to experience more or something new. Or a different first step might be to let go of judgment by embracing the neutral. Begin to see the people, activities and things around you as neither good nor bad.

A journey is made of many small steps. Don’t focus on a far-off destination if you’re not clear how to get there. Build a foundation that is solid for you. We get to new places one step at a time.

“You don’t have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step.”
— Martin Luther King, Jr.

“One may walk over the highest mountain one step at a time.”
— John Wanamaker

higherawareness.com

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A Note from the Universe

You know, I think a big reason I like this season so much, is because it’s one of the few times during the year when masses of people take it upon themselves to “be the difference” in the lives of others… without asking me to do it for them.

Which gives me hope that the day’s not far off, when they’ll do as much for themselves.

Tally-ho, ho, ho –

The Universe

tut.com

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Today’s Recipe: Terri’s Spicy Vegetable Smoothie

This is so healthy and delicious, I could drink it every day. Compare to commercial vegetable juice; this has no added salt and doesn’t need it. Switch up your veggies, fruits and spices and try different combinations.

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Magical Correspondences for Tuesday

Magickal Intentions: Courage, Physical Strength, Revenge, Military Honors, Surgery and the Breaking of Negative Spells, Matrimony, War, Enemies, Prison, Vitality and Assertiveness

Element: Fire

Incense: Dragon’s Blood, Patchouli
Planet: Mars
Star Signs: Aries and Scorpio
Angel: Samuel
Power Colors: Red and Orange
Herbs & Plants: Red Rose, Cock’s Comb, Pine, Daisy, Thyme and Pepper
Sacred Stones: Carnelian, Bloodstone, Ruby, Garnet and Pink Tourmaline
Oil: (Mars) Basil, Coriander, Ginger

Deities include Ares, Lilith, The Morrigan, Tiwaz, Tyr

Tuesday is ruled by Mars. Today’s energies align with all things masculine such as conflict, physical endurance and strength, lust, hunting, sports, and all types of competition. It can also be used for rituals involving surgical procedures or political ventures.

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Daily Wisdom
December 29, 2020

Goals
“The going is the goal.”

-Horace Kallen, 1952

This is another way of saying that the journey, not the destination, is our goal. We’re hear to be in the game, so we might as well play. Sometimes we have a good run, sometimes we score, and sometimes we fall down. As long as our heart is in it, we’re making progress.

-Lissa Coffey coffeytalk.com

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Daily Tarot: Strength

Trust yourself to be able to handle absolutely anything today. It should be an easy day, and all you have to do is face whatever demands are made of you and then deliver what you can. You will not disappoint, even if you have to postpone doing or giving something. Trust that everything is working smoothly under your competent guidance, do your best, and have no regrets.

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.

I invite you to check out my websites!

The Desert Path: The dusty ramblings of a desert pagan. https://thedesertpath.com/

Cat’s Treasure Trove …. an eclectic collection of jewelry & gifts! https://thedesertpath.com

Sacred Spirals (the place where all paths meet)
https://www.facebook.com/groups/SacredSpirals/

Cat’s Morning Bits for December 28, 2020

Posted on December 28, 2020 by Cat

Cat’s Morning Bits for December 28, 2020

Stay healthy, Stay safe!

Blessings, Cat

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December’s Events

Dec. 25 Christmas Day

Dec. 26 Kwanzaa

Dec. 29 Full Moon at 7:28 pm PST/ 8:28 pm MST/ 10:28 pm EST

Dec. 31 New Years Eve

Dec. 31 Hogmanay

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Spirit Library: Final Throes of a Great Release (a message from Kate Spreckley)

This year has been a time of massive awakening and transformation and with the new cosmic cycle we have moved into the possibility of a new life and a new direction is emerging. As a result, we may be reflecting on why we are here,

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Herbal Jedi:3 Powerful Practices for setting Solstice/NewYears Intentions and Manifestations

Solstice and New Years Blessings Herbal Jedi Community. I appreciate all the time and energy each one if you have put into watching these videos and growing your own earth medicine Kin-nections.

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Spiritual Unite: OWL SPIRIT GUIDE MEANING – THE MYSTERY OF THE NIGHT

Our spirit guides are exactly what they sound like – spirits that guide us through our journey here on Earth.

Most are loved ones or soulmates, some are interested souls and permanent guides, and some take the form of a spirit animal.

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ThoughtCo: Full Moon Incense

During the different phases of the moon, you may wish to perform rituals or spells based upon your magical needs. While incense isn’t mandatory for a good ritual, it certainly can help to set the mood.

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MBG: Mark Your Calendars Now: These Will Be The Retrogrades & Eclipses Of 2021

Eclipses happen four to six times a year, bringing sudden changes and turning points to our lives. If you’ve been stuck in indecision about an issue, an eclipse forces you to act. Unexpected circumstances can arise and demand a radical change of plans

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The Cottage Fairy: The Snow Fairy – a winter tale

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Elephant Journal: 5 “Enlightened” Ways to tell someone to Go F*ck Themselves

Is anyone else working toward better versions of themselves?
Yeah, I’m on the path too. But in the meantime, we also have to acknowledge that we are still samsaric beings, edging ever-so-slowly toward enlightenment.

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Treehugger: How to Keep a Nature Journal

Every explorer, scientist, and naturalist carries a notebook for jotting down observations, drawing sketches of species they’ve come across, outlining maps for newly explored areas or taking notes about seasonal changes.

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EarthSky News: Moon passes in front of Taurus the Bull

On December 26, 27 and 28, 2020, look for the bright waxing gibbous moon to shine in front of the constellation Taurus the Bull. On December 28, as seen from North America, the moon appears almost to clip the top of Orion’s upraised club. Still, officially, the moon is near the border of Taurus then.

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Patheos-Pagan: Fast Away The Old Year Passes

For years now my family and I sing one special song during our Yule celebration. “Deck the Halls.” Why? Because it is without a doubt (in my opinion) the most pagan of the traditional holiday carols. Not to mention it is fun to sing and we all know the lyrics.

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Pagan Playlist: Loreena McKennitt – La Serenissima

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Inner Journey: REAWAKEN YOUR CURIOSITY

“What a distressing contrast there is between the radiant intelligence of the child and the feeble mentality of the average adult.”
— Sigmund Freud

Why is this so?

Young children possess what Zen calls ‘beginner’s mind.’ They are awed and fascinated with the wonder of the world, open to discovering and experiencing new things. Anything is possible. Life is a great adventure.

For almost all of us, the systems that ‘educate’ us to be adults stifle our natural joy and curiosity. We lose touch with our innate appreciation of life. We forget how to dream.

The blessing is that with attention, patience and love, we can reawaken our sense of wonder. We can again dance with life.

“The mind WILL be free, or it will be dead.”
— Grace Llewellyn

higherawareness.com

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Today’s Recipe: Yellow Curry Fried Rice

This curried fried rice is a meal in itself! The flavors are exotic and wonderful and this dish is really filling.

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Magical Correspondences for Monday

Magickal Intentions: Psychic Sensitivity, Women’s Mysteries, Tides, Waters, Emotional Issues, Agriculture, Animals, Female Fertility, Messages, Theft, Reconciliations, Voyages, Dreams and Merchandise

Element: Water

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 28, 2020

Goals
“It is not enough to take steps which may some day lead to a goal; each step must be itself a goal and a step likewise.”

-Goethe (1749-1832)

We learn about the importance of setting goals, and we know how good it feels when we reach those goals. But at the same time, we need to remember that each step is an important part of our progress. We need to recognize this, and celebrate that we are moving forward. We are learning and growing every day

-Lissa Coffey coffeytalk.com

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Daily Tarot: The Empress

Everything you touch or talk about today is going to get bigger, so be careful with your words and actions. While today will be easygoing and agreeable, a few days from now something you set in motion today may come back in a bigger form. Watch out for exaggeration, even about good things. Go light on the flattery, and even sincere compliments, since it all may become grander than you intend.

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.

I invite you to check out my websites!

The Desert Path: The dusty ramblings of a desert pagan. https://thedesertpath.com/

Cat’s Treasure Trove …. an eclectic collection of jewelry & gifts! https://thedesertpath.com

Sacred Spirals (the place where all paths meet)
https://www.facebook.com/groups/SacredSpirals/

Cat’s Morning Bits for December 24, 2020

Posted on December 24, 2020 by Cat

Cat’s Morning Bits for December 24, 2020

Stay healthy, Stay safe!

Blessings, Cat

_____________________

December’s Events

Dec. 7 Pearl Harbor Day

Dec, 10 Hanukkah

Dec. 14 New Moon at 8:16 am PST/ 9:16 am MST/ 11:16 am EST

Dec,15 National Cat Herders Day

Dec. 20 Ugly Sweater Day

Dec. 21 Winter Solstice/Winter Begins

Dec. 21 Moon 1st Qtr 3:41pm PST/ 4:41 pm MST/ 6:41 pm EST

Dec. 23 Festivus

Dec. 24 Christmas Eve

Dec. 24 Celtic Tree month of Birch begins

Dec. 25 Christmas Day

Dec. 26 Kwanzaa

Dec. 29 Full Moon at 7:28 pm PST/ 8:28 pm MST/ 10:28 pm EST

Dec. 31 New Years Eve

Dec. 31 Hogmanay

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Spirit Library: Wisdom of the Earth & Stars (a message from Kate Spreckley)

With the Solstice and Great Conjunction, a massive shift occurred opening the doors to Creation. As a result, greater amounts of cosmic energy is flowing within us reconnecting us with the ancient wisdom of the Earth and the stars

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The Celtic Tree Month of Birch or Beith/Beth runs from December 24th – January 20th.

BIRCH LORE

Birch is the beginning of all things (life) and it is opposite of last months tree Elder (death). This month is symbolized by the unconscious self and raw wild force of the natural world.

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Spiritual Unite: WHICH ONE IS YOUR GODDESS SPIRIT ANIMAL?

Sure, you probably have more than a few crystals in your home, and you might know your star signs personality traits like the back of your hand.

But what you may not know much about is the concept of goddess animals.

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ThoughtCo: Full Moon Pagan Ritual for Releasing and Purging

New moon ceremonies have to do with creation, manifestation, birth, and rebirth. It is the full moon that completes the cycle. The full moon is the representative for marking a time for death or change. It is also a time for gathering up your wits and tying up loose ends. Basically, the full moon symbolizes the end chapter, shedding light on the things that we no longer need to hold on to.

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MBG: How To Work EFT Into Your Well-Being Routine—Morning, Noon, & Night

As we bid farewell to an unusually stressful year, all of us are looking forward to a fresh start in 2021. But with so much uncertainty still in the air, keeping up with a daily well-being routine will be essential in the coming months.

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The Anunnaki Gods: The Astronaut Gods of the Sumerians – Sumerian Mythology – See U in History

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New Year Eve Spell

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Elephant Journal: A Winter Ritual of Trust for Our Wounded Inner Child.

Somewhere in your past, someone broke your trust.
There might be many times that your trust has been broken since then, but there is a first time. It might have been a childhood best friend spilling your secrets to another. It might have been a parent telling you that Santa Claus doesn’t exist. It might have been a sibling locking you in the closet when they knew you were afraid.

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EarthSky News: How to catch the elusive green flash

It’s not hard to see a green flash with the eye alone, when sky conditions are right, and when you’re looking toward a very clear and very distant horizon. That’s why those who live near an ocean tend to report green flashes most often. A sea horizon is the best place to see them.

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Patheos-Pagan: Passing On The Magick To The Kids

When I wrote Psychic Witch, I dedicated it to the four largest influences in my life in chronological order that they influenced me: Silver Ravenwolf, Christopher Penczak, Laurie Cabot, and Devin Hunter with a note to each.

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Pagan Playlist: Andvevarljod – Song of the Spirit-weavers (Skaldic version)

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Inner Journey: STEP BY STEP

“The shortest way to do many things is to do only one thing at a time.”
— Sydney Smiles

When I get overwhelmed by the number of tasks on my to- do list, I remind myself that the only way to get anywhere is step by step. And I cover the most distance in the journey of my life when I take a moment to decide which step will bring the greatest rewards.

“Often he who does too much does too little.”
— Italian Proverb

“If you chase two rabbits, both will escape.”
— Source Unknown

higherawareness.com

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Today’s Recipe: Eggnog Cheesecake III

This is a delicious cheesecake for eggnog lovers. The secret to a smooth cheesecake is to cream the cream cheese in a food processor for several minutes.

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Magical Correspondences for Thursday

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

Deities include Juno, Jupiter,Thor, Zeus

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Daily Wisdom
December 24, 2020

Family
“Family life! The United Nations is child’s play compared to the tugs and splits and need to understand and forgive in any family.”

-May Sarton, 1970

I’m sure we all have our stories! What would we do without our families? Good or bad or indifferent, the families we have somehow have helped us to become the people we are today. Through our family we can see our connection to the world. And as our family grows, with children and grandchildren, cousins and in-laws, we are presented with more opportunities for learning and growth. It’s interesting that there has been a rise in the popularity of genealogy and family tree research lately. Through these studies our connections throughout time become apparent. The world becomes smaller, and we don’t feel as isolated when we start looking at our roots.

-Lissa Coffey coffeytalk.com

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Daily Tarot: The Hanged Man

Things may not be going the way you like, but this is no time to give up. Whatever went wrong yesterday or last year is no excuse to stop trying to make things right. Be honest with yourself and do what you can to at least not make matters worse. There’s nothing that can’t be forgiven, repaired or replaced. Keep the faith and keep going

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.

I invite you to check out my websites!

The Desert Path: The dusty ramblings of a desert pagan. https://thedesertpath.com/

Cat’s Treasure Trove …. an eclectic collection of jewelry & gifts! https://thedesertpath.com

Sacred Spirals (the place where all paths meet)
https://www.facebook.com/groups/SacredSpirals/

Cat’s Morning Bits for December 23, 2020

Posted on December 23, 2020 by Cat

Cat’s Morning Bits for December 23, 2020

Stay healthy, Stay safe!

Blessings, Cat

______________

December’s Events

Dec. 7 Pearl Harbor Day

Dec, 10 Hanukkah

Dec. 14 New Moon at 8:16 am PST/ 9:16 am MST/ 11:16 am EST

Dec,15 National Cat Herders Day

Dec. 20 Ugly Sweater Day

Dec. 21 Winter Solstice/Winter Begins

Dec. 21 Moon 1st Qtr 3:41pm PST/ 4:41 pm MST/ 6:41 pm EST

Dec. 23 Festivus

Dec. 24 Christmas Eve

Dec. 24 Celtic Tree month of Birch begins

Dec. 25 Christmas Day

Dec. 26 Kwanzaa

Dec. 29 Full Moon at 7:28 pm PST/ 8:28 pm MST/ 10:28 pm EST

Dec. 31 New Years Eve

Dec. 31 Hogmanay

___________________________

Spirit Library: The Dawn of a New Era (a message from Kate Spreckley)

A new era is dawning indicating a turning point for all of humanity. A turning point that marks the beginning of a new way of living and being for us all.

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Festivus is on December 23 and it’s perfect for those who don’t have a traditional holiday to celebrate. Although it sounds paradoxical, its purpose makes a lot of sense. Not everyone has a major holiday to celebrate like Christmas, Hanukkah, or Kwanzaa and they can feel left out. This holiday gives many people a non-denominational and non-commercial holiday to call their own. Festivus is for everybody!

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Spiritual Unite: SEAL SPIRIT ANIMAL MEANING – BEING HONEST WITH YOURSELF

Your seal spirit animal is a messenger, asking you to look within yourself and find the natural flows that govern your body.

It is also a reminder to pay attention to your imagination – and your dreams.

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ThoughtCo: Full Moon Water Scrying Divination

The full moon has long been considered a symbol of wisdom and intuition. We feel its connection every month when it lights the night sky. Many of us feel more energetic and alert during the full phase of the moon.

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The Green Witch; Finishing a Chapter | Crafting Fire Cider Vinegar

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MBG: 10 Things To Do At Home To Make Way For An Abundant 2021

After the 2020 we’ve had, starting the new year with a clean slate feels even more meaningful. Here are 10 things I’m looking forward to doing at home in the coming weeks to set myself up for a bright year ahead:

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Daily Good: The Land Has Memory

Injustices started when we began to lose our relationship to nature and treat it just as a resource to be commodified.

Cherrie Moraga –

The Land Has Memory

“The denial and fear of death makes possession, possessiveness, and overconsumption possible. If we would just pull back a bit, slow down, and ask the “why” of each of our actions, based on the utter assurance of death, we would all be better off environmentally.” Playwright, poet, and essayist Cherrie Moraga sees the world as a place where the body knows and “the land has memory.” “Her writings have shaped fundamental aspects of contemporary woman of color feminist thought, including debates on ethnic nationalism, indigeneity, sexuality, and social justice. In addition to her plays and essay collections, she was coeditor with Gloria Anzaldua of the landmark feminist collection This Bridge Called My Back: Writings by Radical Women of Color.” More in this interview.” { read more }

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Today’s DIY: How to Make a Yule Broom & Cinnamon Star Ornament for Winter Solstice & Yule Decor- Magical Crafting

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Treehugger: Are Birds the Reason You Feel Good in Nature?

There have been many studies that show being in nature is good for your health.1 Walking in the woods boosts your well-being. Living near trees can help you live longer.1 Being around water can improve your mood.

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Patheos-Pagan: Simple Witchery: Health, Wealth and Wisdom in the New Year

There are as many ways to make a spell jar as there are witches to make them. It can be a tiny vial you carry with you or wear around your neck, or a gallon-size vessel in a place of prominence in your home. All of the magic in a spell jar comes from you, so anything goes.

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The Witch of Wanderlust: Dark Moon Protection Candle || Spellwork

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Inner Journey: ARE YOU AFRAID TO BE DIFFERENT?

On the path of evolution, we move from being a willing and obedient member of the group to wanting to take control over our own lives. This is a necessary but difficult transition.

Andrew Schneider says, “At this point we are afraid of being ourselves. We are afraid of being unique and different. We are afraid of being individually powerful, and even successful. For all of these things stand against the old ways that told us that conformity was right and individualism was wrong.”

“For as long as we possibly can, we make a compromise. We try to live both lives – the dependent tribal life and the independent personal life – as contradictory and opposite as they are.

“We want approval from others. We want to be accepted and popular. We seek this comfort to overcome our fear and feel more secure. …So, at times when we conform, we don’t feel the fear of living. But we might lose the new sense of adventure, discovery, daring and enthusiasm for life that the questioning and questing have brought us.”

“Nature never repeats herself, and the possibilities of one human soul will never be found in another.”
— Elizabeth Cady Stanton

higherawareness.com

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A Note from the Universe

No matter what your faith is or is not, no matter where in the world you are, I want you to know that during this special time of the year I’ll be with you…

In the eyes of every child and the melody of every song.

I’ll be the glimmer in the ice crystals, the rays in the sun, and the stars at night.

And with each smile you see, every hug you receive, and every laugh you hear, I’ll be there reaching out through another, with blessings and tidings to last you the year.

Because I love you, I always have, and I always will.

Duck – Snowball 🙂

The Universe

tut.com

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Today’s Recipe: Ginger and Turmeric Hot Cider

Warm apple cider is the perfect comfort drink. This special version combines two potent spices, ginger and turmeric for a unique flavor and nutrition profile. Fresh ginger, for example, contains a pungent substance called gingerol while turmeric gets it characteristic yellow hue from the class of cancer-fighting compounds, curcuminoids.

Cat’s Morning Bits for December 22, 2020

Posted on December 22, 2020 by Cat

Cat’s Morning Bits for December 22, 2020

Stay healthy, Stay safe!

Blessings, Cat

____________________

December’s Events

Dec. 7 Pearl Harbor Day

Dec, 10 Hanukkah

Dec. 14 New Moon at 8:16 am PST/ 9:16 am MST/ 11:16 am EST

Dec,15 National Cat Herders Day

Dec. 20 Ugly Sweater Day

Dec. 21 Winter Solstice/Winter Begins

Dec. 21 Moon 1st Qtr 3:41pm PST/ 4:41 pm MST/ 6:41 pm EST

Dec. 23 Festivus

Dec. 24 Christmas Eve

Dec. 24 Celtic Tree month of Birch begins

Dec. 25 Christmas Day

Dec. 26 Kwanzaa

Dec. 29 Full Moon at 7:28 pm PST/ 8:28 pm MST/ 10:28 pm EST

Dec. 31 New Years Eve

Dec. 31 Hogmanay

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Spirit Library: Reignite Your Enthusiasm for Life (a message from Kate Spreckley)

This weekend we are being prepared for the upcoming Solstice. The Solstice is always a powerful time but this one is noticeably different as it coincides with the Great Jupiter Saturn Conjunction and marks the completion of a vast cycle of growth, learning and development.

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Cernunnos The Horned God of Celtic Mythology – (Celtic Mythology Explained)

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Spiritual Unite: MOUSE SPIRIT ANIMAL MEANING – SO MIGHTY

If you have the mouse spirit animal, you have the unique symbolism of the mouse as a way to help guide you.

Your spirit animal can offer insight into the areas of your life that need your attention.

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ThoughtCo: Ogham Symbol Gallery

The Celtic Ogham alphabet has long been shrouded in mystery, but many Pagans use these ancient symbols as tools of divination, although there’s no real documentation of how the symbols were used originally. You can make your own Ogham divination set by drawing the symbols on cards or notching them into straight sticks.

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Daily Good: Learning to Love Winter’s Night

Wait without thought, for you are not ready for thought: So the darkness shall be the light, and the stillness the dancing.

T.S. Eliot –

Learning to Love Winter’s Night

“I have put on good attitudes before and found ways of accepting situations –thankfully, I found ways out of some–while creating the semblance of normalcy. But for me, a change of attitude wasn’t enough. It didn’t go deep enough. It wasn’t always reliable. In order to live happily in Toronto, I needed to be able to love deeply, loving the people who live here and the place where I live. And especially, I needed to be able to know the dark, maybe even to love it.” Barbara Wright George shares more in this excerpt from her book, “Learning to Love: On the Way to Experience.” { read more }

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Patheos- New Visions: Loving the Gateways

What you have to attempt [is] to be yourself. What you have to
pray for [is] to become a mirror in which, according to the
degree of purity of heart you have attained, the greatness of life
will be reflected.

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MBG: Capricorn Season Is All About Ambition: 7 Ways To Channel The Strong Sign

Every 30 days or so, the Sun visits a new zodiac sign. During this “season” you will feel this prevailing astrological energy—no matter what your Sun sign. Capricorn season 2020–2021 spans the holidays, beginning Monday, December 21, and ending Tuesday, January 19.

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Gratitude: The Short Film by Louie Schwartzberg

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Today’s DIY: Spice Painting: Turn Old Spices and Seasoning Into a Paint Project

Spice painting is a creative and zero-waste way to use expired spices and seasoning as a crafting project for the whole family. This low-cost DIY craft requires few materials and is a great option for sensory play. In a matter of minutes, past due spices can be transformed into an artist’s palette, full of scents, textures, and colors that stimulate all the senses.

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Treehugger: 11 Animals That Hibernate That Aren’t Bears

Hibernation is an amazing physiological feat that is necessary for animal survival. Bears are the animals most known for hibernating, but they aren’t the only ones. Turtles, snakes, wood frogs, and groundhogs are other animals that engage in some form of hibernation. Take a look at some of the animals that like to hide until spring arrives.

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EarthSky News: Moon, Mars, Uranus December 22-24

These next several nights – December 22, 23 and 24, 2020 – use the waxing gibbous moon to find the red planet Mars, and Mars as your guide “star” to the planet Uranus. Whereas Mars is bright and easy to see – outshining Uranus by nearly 300 times – you’re not likely to view dim Uranus in the moonlit glare. Even on a dark. moonless night, Uranus is barely perceptible to the unaided eye as a faint speck of light.

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Patheos-Pagan: A Winter Solstice Reflection in 2020

Humans are social animals.

Our closest genetic relatives – the chimpanzees – live in extended family groups of as few as twenty or as many as a hundred individuals. Humans evolved living in similar sized groups.

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Pagan Playlist: Isolation – Nox Arcana

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Inner Journey: WHAT’S IMPORTANT?

“Where you are headed is more important than how fast you are going. Rather than always focusing on what’s urgent, learn to focus on what is really important.”
— Stephen Covey

Time management is all about making decisions. At each step of the way, we want to choose activities that best support what we want to do with our lives. To do this, we need to be clear about our short and long-term goals.

Here’s a general question to ask yourself often: “Is this the best use of my time in terms of meeting my goals?” Sometimes, of course, we don’t have any choice. But ask yourself honestly, “Could I take more control if I really wanted to?” Often, we play the victim because we don’t want to make the effort to change our behaviour.

“Time is a created thing. To say ‘I don’t have time,’ is like saying, ‘I don’t want to.'”
— Lao-Tzu

higherawareness.com

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A Note from the Universe

Young souls play hard to get.

Mature souls, play hard.

But old souls, just play…

La, la, la –

The Universe

tut.com

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Today’s Recipe: Mouth-Watering Stuffed Mushrooms

These delicious mushrooms taste just like restaurant-style stuffed mushrooms and are my guy’s absolute favorite.

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Magical Correspondences for Tuesday

Magickal Intentions: Courage, Physical Strength, Revenge, Military Honors, Surgery and the Breaking of Negative Spells, Matrimony, War, Enemies, Prison, Vitality and Assertiveness

Element: Fire

Deities include Ares, Lilith, The Morrigan, Tiwaz, Tyr

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Daily Wisdom
December 22, 2020

Family
“The whole world is my family.”

-Pope John XXIII (1881-1963)

There is so much truth, and so much simplicity in this statement. The whole world really is our family. We are each connected to the other. When we can all see this, feel this, understand it and accept it in our hearts, then there will truly be peace on earth. For how then could there be anything less?

-Lissa Coffey coffeytalk.com

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Daily Tarot: The Chariot

No matter how routine and ordinary you may feel about today’s duties and demands, you can bolster your spirit by remembering what inspires you. There are role models, ideals, dreams, and aspirations that can inform and improve even the simplest and most modest of your activities. Act with integrity and pride, and instill everything you do with that integrity and pride. Hold your head high.

astrology.com

____________________

About Cat’s Morning Bits: These daily post are reblogged from various email newsletters that I receive each day.

I invite you to check out my websites!

The Desert Path: The dusty ramblings of a desert pagan. https://thedesertpath.com/

Cat’s Treasure Trove …. an eclectic collection of jewelry & gifts! https://thedesertpath.com

Sacred Spirals (the place where all paths meet)
https://www.facebook.com/groups/SacredSpirals/

Cat’s Morning Bits for December 21, 2020

Posted on December 20, 2020 by Cat

Cat’s Morning Bits for December 21, 2020

Stay healthy, Stay safe!

Blessings, Cat

____________________

A Yuletide Toast

See the Yule log draped with holly, glossy green and scarlet hued;

Adorned with ribbons and with gifts that Mother Nature grew.

Shaped by hands both large and small, a labor of love and joy;

To celebrate the Suns rebirth and a brand new season to enjoy.

So gather round and raise a cup to toast both log and coming light;

We’ll keep our vigil by the fire on this the longest night.

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December’s Events

Dec. 7 Pearl Harbor Day

Dec, 10 Hanukkah

Dec. 14 New Moon at 8:16 am PST/ 9:16 am MST/ 11:16 am EST

Dec,15 National Cat Herders Day

Dec. 20 Ugly Sweater Day

Dec. 21 Winter Solstice/Winter Begins

Dec. 21 Moon 1st Qtr 3:41pm PST/ 4:41 pm MST/ 6:41 pm EST

Dec. 23 Festivus

Dec. 24 Christmas Eve

Dec. 24 Celtic Tree month of Birch begins

Dec. 25 Christmas Day

Dec. 26 Kwanzaa

Dec. 29 Full Moon at 7:28 pm PST/ 8:28 pm MST/ 10:28 pm EST

Dec. 31 New Years Eve

Dec. 31 Hogmanay

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“The Holly King, represents the Death aspect of the God at this time of year; and the Oak King, represents the opposite aspect of Rebirth (these roles are reversed at Midsummer). This can be likened to the Divine Child’s birth. The myth of the Holly King/Oak King probably originated from the Druids to whom these two trees were highly sacred. The Oak King (God of the Waxing Year) kills the Holly King (God of the Waning Year) at Yule (the Winter Solstice). The Oak King then reigns supreme until Litha (the Summer Solstice) when the two battle again, this time with the Holly King victorious. Examples of the Holly King’s image can be seen in our modern Santa Claus.”

Yule and Its Lore

gardendigest.com

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Spirituality & Health: Elves and More: Embracing Enchantment
BY SARAH BOWEN

Look beyond Santa and enjoy inspiration from elves, the fae, and other not-so-hidden creatures.

“The Kingdom of Elves was inside of the Land of Ireland. It lived in its bosom, concealed in its own light, in its days and cycles.

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ThoughtCo: 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,

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Magical Firestarters for Yule – How to Make Fire starters, How to Celebrate Yule – Magical Crafting

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Patheos Pagan: A Simple Solstice Ritual For Anyone

There is something powerful in a simple ritual that you know many other people are also doing – even if you’re separated by time, place, and pandemic. It brings a sense of togetherness and the feel of participating in making a pattern.

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MBG: How To Approach Wintertime If This Season Has You Feeling Down

Winter can be tough, especially if you live in a harsher climate. Days are short, nights are long, and the cold can get in the way of your typical pastimes.

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Worts + Cunning Apothecary: Darkest Night : A Winter Solstice Tarot Spread

As we celebrate the longest night of the year we have an opportunity to learn more about ourselves and our desires as they are reflected back at us by the dark mirror of night. The following spread plays with image of the mirror as well as the promise of growing light, helping us to seed our dreams and plant promises for the months ahead.

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Today’s DIY: Yule Goddess Ornaments! Pagan-Witchcraft-Wicca-witch-winter solstice

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Elephant Journal: 3 Ways to Create a Beautiful Winter Solstice Ritual & Find Light in the Darkness.

The winter solstice means “Rebirth of the Sun” or “New Beginnings,” and in the United States, it occurs on Monday, December 21, 2020.
The winter solstice is celebrated, not only as the year’s shortest day, but of the sun’s steady climb toward the long, warm days of summer.

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DARIDEL – Yule (Official Video)

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Treehugger: Garden Cuttings for the Prettiest Winter Decor
The winter garden may seem quiet, but it’s filled with all-natural decorations.

Most of us like to bring some cheer into our homes over the festive season. For many, that involves a Christmas tree. But unless your tree is a living one, and your decorations are all-natural and plastic-free, this is not the most sustainable of choices.

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EarthSky News: Solstice sun at southernmost point

You might think of the solstice as a day, but it’s really a moment. The December solstice happens at 10:02 UTC on December 21, 2020. That time – the moment of solstice – marks the sun’s southernmost point for this year.

Here in North America, the solstice happens on December 21 (5:02 a.m.EST, 4:02 a.m. p.m. CST, 3:02 a.m. MST, 2:02 a.m. PST, 1:02 a.m. Alaskan Time and 12:02 a.m. Hawaiian Time). When is the moment of solstice for your location? Translate December 21 at 10:02 UTC to your time zone, here.

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Patheos-Pagan: Working Magic: Yule/Winter Solstice Spells

We could all do with a little boost to our abundance and prosperity at this time of year. Here I share a couple of ideas to work magic with your festive decorations and bring positive energy into your home. I have used prosperity as the intent, but you could work magic with them for anything.

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Pagan Playlist: Lisa Thiel – Yule (Winter Solstice Song)

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Inner Journey: THE GIFT OF JOY

“Joy is prayer – Joy is strength – Joy is love – Joy is a net of love by which you can catch souls. She gives most who gives with Joy.”
— Mother Teresa

Some people unconsciously believe it’s not okay to feel more joyful than the people around them. Out of a mistaken sense of caring, they squelch their joy and tune in to the sadness of the one they are with.

In truth, joy is one of the greatest gifts we can give to people around us. Those who are unhappy need our joy, not our sadness.

“Never miss a joy in this world of trouble … that’s my theory! … Happiness, like mercy, is twice blest: it blesses those most intimately associated with it and it blesses all those who see it, hear it, touch it orbreathe the same atmosphere.”
— Kate Douglas Wiggin

higherawareness.com

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“Yule, is when the dark half of the year relinquishes to the light half. Starting the next morning at sunrise, the sun climbs just a little higher and stays a little longer in the sky each day. Known as Solstice Night, or the longest night of the year, much celebration was to be had as the ancestors awaited the rebirth of the Oak King, the Sun King, the Giver of Life that warmed the frozen Earth and made her to bear forth from seeds protected through the fall and winter in her womb. Bonfires were lit in the fields, and crops and trees were “wassailed” with toasts of spiced cider.”

Yule Lore

gardendigest.com

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Today’s Recipe: Herbed Pomegranate Salsa

A delightfully different salsa for the true salsa lover, this bittersweet salsa is often found in Mexican cuisine as well as Persian.

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Winter Solstice/Yule Correspondences

December 21 (approximately)

Colors: Red, Green, White, Gold, Silver

Sacred Stones: Quartz Crystal, Turquoise, Lemon Quartz, Peridot, Serpentine, Garnet, Bloodstone, Ruby, Black Onyx

Herbs: All evergreens, Bay, Blessed Thistle, Chamomile, Ash, Holly, Mistletoe, Ivy, Pine/Fir cones, Cinnamon, Frankincense, Myrrh

Symbols: Yule Log or Tree, evergreen wreaths, holly/mistletoe, Cinnamon sticks, Bells, Spinning Wheels

Dieties: The Holly King, Apollo, Dagda, Brigid, Odin. Osiris, Hathor, Ixchel, Hecate, the Norn’s, all Winter Fae

Food & Drink: Roast fowl, dried fruit, ham, apples, oranges, nuts, mulled cider/wine

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About Cat’s Morning Bits: These daily post are reblogged from various email newsletters that I receive each day.

I invite you to check out my websites!

The Desert Path: The dusty ramblings of a desert pagan. https://thedesertpath.com/

Cat’s Treasure Trove …. an eclectic collection of jewelry & gifts! https://thedesertpath.com

Sacred Spirals (the place where all paths meet)
https://www.facebook.com/groups/SacredSpirals/

Cat’s Morning Bits for December 18, 2020

Posted on December 18, 2020 by Cat

Cat’s Morning Bits for December 18, 2020

Stay healthy, Stay safe!

Blessings, Cat

______________ _________________

December’s Events

Dec. 7 Pearl Harbor Day

Dec, 10 Hanukkah

Dec. 14 New Moon at 8:16 am PST/ 9:16 am MST/ 11:16 am EST

Dec,15 National Cat Herders Day

Dec. 20 Ugly Sweater Day

Dec. 21 Winter Solstice/Winter Begins

Dec. 21 Moon 1st Qtr 3:41pm PST/ 4:41 pm MST/ 6:41 pm EST

Dec. 23 Festivus

Dec. 24 Christmas Eve

Dec. 24 Celtic Tree month of Birch begins

Dec. 25 Christmas Day

Dec. 26 Kwanzaa

Dec. 29 Full Moon at 7:28 pm PST/ 8:28 pm MST/ 10:28 pm EST

Dec. 31 New Years Eve

Dec. 31 Hogmanay

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Spirit Library: Closing Ancient Cycles (a message from Kate Spreckley)

The intensity of the incoming energies is accelerating our awakening and healing journey. We are finishing off aspects of an old cycle and bringing to a close the ancient karmic entanglements that have kept us stuck in the past

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Spirituality & Health: Winter Solstice 2020 and the Golden Age of Aquarius

The threshold that comes with the winter solstice is the gift of the coming season, and waits for you to claim it. The gift is for all of us, independently and collectively.

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Spiritual Unite: MONKEY SPIRIT ANIMAL MEANING – ALLOW YOURSELF TO PLAY

Your monkey spirit animal appears when you need a little more energy in your life.

The inquisitiveness, sociability and childlike nature of the monkey spirit animal hold much guidance for you at this moment in your life.

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ThoughtCo: Winter Customs Around the World

Whether you observe Yule, Christmas, Sol Invictus, or Hogmanay, the winter season is typically a time of celebration around the world. Traditions vary widely from one country to the next, but one thing they all have in common is the observance of customs around the time of the winter solstice. Here are some ways that residents of different countries observe the season.

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Patheos / New Visions: Listening to Sacred Stillness: Taking Time for Stillness

When will we begin taking time for stillness?

We value our time. Some of us believe time is money. We do not want anyone else to waste our time. It is almost as if we could hoard spare moments or days in boxes to use them later.

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MBG: What Your Handwriting Says About You, According To A Graphologist

Have you ever wondered what your handwriting says about you? No, we’re not talking about “good” versus “bad” handwriting—we’re talking about graphology, or the analysis of handwriting as it relates to psychology.

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The Wisdom of Odin: Norse Pagan Symbols: The Vegvisir

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Today’s DIY: DIY YULE WINTER SOLSTICE HOLIDAY TREE ORNAMENTS

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Elephant Journal: This Winter Solstice, we become New Again.

A few decades ago, I didn’t give winter solstice the time of day.
Instead, I regularly attended or hosted summer solstice parties.

These celebrations involved dancing to ABBA and filling my cup with “solstice juice.”

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Treehugger: 8 Completely Unique Types of Bears

Bears are found in all corners of the world, from the icy sheets of the Arctic and the verdant forests of North America, to the mountain regions of South America and even throughout Europe and Asia. Varying greatly in size, bears are mammals who prefer a solitary lifestyle, with the exception of mothers who care for their cubs.

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EarthSky News: Longest days accompany December solstice

When we say the longest days of the year come each year around the December solstice, we’re talking about the day not as a period of daylight, but as the interval from one solar noon or midday to the next. In December, a day – one rotation of Earth relative to the noonday sun – is about 1/2 minute longer than the average 24 hours.

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Pagan Playlist: Eve Goodman – Dacw ‘Nghariad [Welsh folk song]

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Inner Journey: DO YOU OWN YOUR LIFE?

“The meaning of life is to give life meaning.”
— Ken Hudgins

When we own our lives, we accept what we’ve inherited and the experiences we hold in our memories. We also claim our right to create new conditions if we’re not happy with what’s come before. We assume responsibility for changing what does not suit us. Weacknowledge our own special talents and skills, and truly comprehend our right to enjoy the journey. In short, we embrace the meaning and purpose, the mystery and the beauty of our lives.

Do you feel that you own your life at the moment?

“I think of life itself now as a wonderful play that I’ve written for myself… and so my purpose is to have the utmost fun playing my part.”
— Shirley MacLaine

“Life is too short to be little.”
— Benjamin Disraeli

“Every man dies, but not every man lives….”
— Garth Brooks

higherawareness.com

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A Note from the Universe

Forget would’ve, could’ve, or should’ve.

Because for all that you’ve already done, all of life’s elements have realigned to gain you an advantage, stack the deck, and prepare for legend making.

Yo! Ho! Ho!

The Universe

tut.com

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Today’s Recipe: 12 Luscious Fruit Desserts for Christmas

Christmas desserts are the holly jolliest desserts of the year, especially when they feature the bold colors and fresh flavors of the holiday season. Here are a dozen Christmas fruit desserts that showcase apples, pears, cranberries, and winter citrus in all their seasonal glory, perfect for your winter feasts.

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Magical Correspondences for Friday

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 18, 2020

Joy
“Joy is the holy fire that keeps our purpose warm and our intelligence aglow.”

-Helen Keller, 1905

We can find joy in anything we do. Joy is something that comes from within our selves, not from any other source. It fuels us, feeds us, nourishes us.

-Lissa Coffey coffeytalk.com

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Daily Tarot: The Chariot

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.

I invite you to check out my websites!

The Desert Path: The dusty ramblings of a desert pagan. https://thedesertpath.com/

Cat’s Treasure Trove …. an eclectic collection of jewelry & gifts! https://thedesertpath.com

Sacred Spirals (the place where all paths meet)
https://www.facebook.com/groups/SacredSpirals/

Cat’s Morning Bits for December 17, 2020

Posted on December 17, 2020 by Cat

Cat’s Morning Bits for December 17, 2020

Stay healthy, Stay safe!

Blessings, Cat

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December’s Events

Dec. 7 Pearl Harbor Day

Dec, 10 Hanukkah

Dec. 14 New Moon at 8:16 am PST/ 9:16 am MST/ 11:16 am EST

Dec,15 National Cat Herders Day

Dec. 20 Ugly Sweater Day

Dec. 21 Winter Solstice/Winter Begins

Dec. 21 Moon 1st Qtr 3:41pm PST/ 4:41 pm MST/ 6:41 pm EST

Dec. 23 Festivus

Dec. 24 Christmas Eve

Dec. 24 Celtic Tree month of Birch begins

Dec. 25 Christmas Day

Dec. 26 Kwanzaa

Dec. 29 Full Moon at 7:28 pm PST/ 8:28 pm MST/ 10:28 pm EST

Dec. 31 New Years Eve

Dec. 31 Hogmanay

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Spirit Library: Changing World (a message from Kate Spreckley)

This year has facilitated a powerful inner transformation. With so many difficult and challenging experiences we have been forced to face, process, release and realign our entire being.

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Worts + Cunning Apothecary Newsletter: Witchcraft + Weeds : Healing + Magickal Practices for Winter

The days grow shorter and the longest night of the year spreads its cloak of stars across the land. Known by many names including the Winter Solstice, Yule….

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Spiritual Unite: TIGER SPIRIT ANIMAL MEANING – APEX ENERGY AVAILABLE

Having a tiger spirit animal speaks of your strength, courage and determination.

Tiger symbolism also relates to overcoming fears and obstacles, as well as maintaining a healthy appetite for life.

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ThoughtCo: Deities of the Winter Solstice

While it may be mostly Pagans who celebrate the Yule holiday today, nearly all cultures and faiths have held some sort of winter solstice celebration or festival. Because of the theme of endless birth, life, death, and rebirth, the time of the solstice is often associated with deity and other legendary figures.

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MBG: How Finding Your “Flow State” Can Strengthen Your Relationship With Others & Yourself

We are all spiritual creatures, even if we don’t fully realize it yet. Try thinking back to a time as a kid when you felt completely yourself, relaxed and comfortable, unconcerned with the expectations of others, and inspired.

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Treehugger: 8 Facts About the Wonderful Walrus

Walruses are probably best known for their oversized tusks. In fact, the species’ scientific name Odobenus rosmarus is Latin for “tooth walking sea horse.” There are two subspecies of these marine mammals,

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EarthSky News: Look for the Northern Cross

Tonight, look for the Northern Cross. It isn’t as famous as its counterpart – the Southern Cross – visible from the Southern Hemisphere or the northern tropics. But the Northern Cross also looks like a cross, and it’s pretty easy to spot. It’s a large, noticeable star pattern.

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Patheos-Pagan: Getting Into the Mood of Yule

Perhaps you have decorated to “get into the mood” of Yule. Shopped a little too, but something, still isn’t quite cutting it. Read on for some tips to enhance the reason for the season and celebration of Yule.

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Pagan Playlist: Solstice Evergreen

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Inner Journey: SLOW DOWN AND ENJOY

“Adopt the pace of nature, her secret is patience.”
— Ralph Waldo Emerson

Racing through life is very stressful. If we stay in high gear too long, we lose our ability to shift down. And when we’re stressed, we can’t access happiness, appreciation, fun, compassion, generosity, awareness of beauty and other wonderful qualities. High stress also triggers negative emotions like frustration, impatience, anger and fear.

Life has so much to offer if we will slow down and truly experience it. We must always remember that we are the ones in control of the accelerator. We CAN choose to brake.

“Slow down and enjoy life. It’s not only the scenery you miss by going too fast — you also miss the sense of where you are going and why.”
— Eddie Cantor

higherawareness.com

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A Note from the Universe

What if the things you’re going through right now were custom designed to set you up for some really big dreams coming true? Huge big dreams?

And I see a thriving business and a steady income coming out of this, as well.

Tallyho,

The Universe

tut.com

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Today’s Recipe: Herbal Muse Press: Hawthorn Berry Homemade Cordial

Harvesting hawthorn (Crataegus spp.) berries in late fall can produce a basket of sweet red berries ideal for a vitamin-rich homemade cordial (Harford,2020). Blended with seasonal favorites, including apple, rosehip (Rosa spp.), and cinnamon (Cinnamomum spp.), this hawthorn berry homemade cordial is sure to delight and soothe.

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Magical Correspondences for Thursday

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

Deities include Juno, Jupiter,Thor, Zeus

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Daily Tarot: The Hermit

Be thoughtful and leave more room and time to gain a little fresh wisdom. Be observant, too, and look beyond those things that are being put under your nose. You don’t have to share your impressions and discoveries unless you think it’s wise. This doesn’t make you hesitant, doubtful, or skeptical. It makes you better able to see solutions and to avoid repeat mistakes

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.

I invite you to check out my websites!

The Desert Path: The dusty ramblings of a desert pagan. https://thedesertpath.com/

Cat’s Treasure Trove …. an eclectic collection of jewelry & gifts! https://thedesertpath.com

Sacred Spirals (the place where all paths meet)
https://www.facebook.com/groups/SacredSpirals/

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