The Desert Path

The Dusty Ramblings of a Desert Pagan

The Desert Path

Cat’s Morning Bits for February 5, 2019

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Cat’s Morning Bits for February 5, 2019

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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“Winter is the time for comfort, for good food and warmth, for the touch of a friendly hand and for a talk beside the fire: it is the time for home.”
– Edith Sitwell

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Spirituality & Health: Fall in Love with Being Single
BY KATHRYN DRURY WAGNER

The feast of St. Valentine is February 14th, a day when all things heart-shaped and chocolate-covered are celebrated. Valentine’s Day can rub some people the wrong way, especially if they are single in a culture that is bent on making everyone part of a “happy couple.” Being single, however, has many perks. Let’s look at some of the reasons to embrace being single, if you happen to be.

https://spiritualityhealth.com/articles/2019/02/04/fall-in-love-with-being-single

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MBG: Happy Lunar New Year! Here’s What The Year Of The Pig Symbolizes

Come on out of the doghouse—there’s a party in the pen! As we celebrate the Chinese (Lunar) New Year this February 5, 2019, the Year of the Earth Pig begins, kicking off the night before with the Lunar New Year’s Eve on February 4. After two intense years, this convivial cycle gives us a chance to “rest and digest.” The pregnant pause of 2019 might even help us make some sense of all the global mudslinging that’s been going around. Serenity now?

https://www.mindbodygreen.com/articles/year-of-the-pig-symbolism

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Daily Good: On Defining Spirit

“What then is the spiritual? I find it difficult to define directly. It’s much easier to say what it isn’t that what it is. For example — the spiritual is often confused with the moral, but it’s not the moral. Morality is concerned with issues of right and wrong. Although often attributed to the “godhead”, it actually has a social basis and reflects a social tradition or consensus. What is considered moral varies from culture to culture and from time to time within the same culture.

http://www.dailygood.org/story/2215/on-defining-spirit-rachel-naomi-remen/

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The Wild Hunt: “Sights and Sounds of Ancient Ritual”: an exhibition

The Wild Hunt reviews an ongoing exhibition at the Yale University Art Gallery, “Signs and Sounds of Ancient Ritual,” which explores the world of ancient religious ritual through human sensation.

Read more…..

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MNN: JOMO is my new favorite thing
If you’re at all introverted, it could be yours, too.

If you’re over FOMO (fear of missing out) — or you were never into it in the first place, you’ll be happy to hear that JOMO is now a thing. That’s the joy of missing out.

For all of us who enjoy not just a night in, but a week of evenings spent reading, watching movies, working on our own little projects, or hiking, biking and otherwise loving the great outdoors, we know all about JOMO

https://www.mnn.com/lifestyle/responsible-living/blogs/jomo-my-new-favorite-thing

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EarthSky News: See the Double Cluster in Perseus 

Tonight, find the gorgeous Double Cluster in the constellation Perseus. It’s a wonderful sight to see, assuming your sky is dark. To see it at this time of year, face North to Northwest as darkness falls. The Double Cluster consists of two open star clusters, known as “H” and “Chi” Persei (also called NGC 884 and 869).

https://earthsky.org/tonight/the-double-cluster-in-perseus

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Patheos-Pagan: Anglo-Saxon Based Holiday Calendar 2019

It’s a bit late this year, but here is my Anglo-Saxon calendar of holidays for 2019. The standard disclaimer applies: this calendar is based on my interpretation of the Venerable Bede’s description of the Anglo-Saxon calendar in his work De Temporum Ratione.

https://www.patheos.com/blogs/heathenatheart/2019/02/anglo-saxon-based-holiday-calendar-2019/

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Inner Journey:

STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES

“The burden is equal to the horse’s strength.”
— The Talmud

What are your strengths? What are your weaknesses?

If you make a list of the two and study them, you may discover they match.

Life needs us to bring our strengths to the world. To encourage us to do so, we have weaknesses that give rise to problems that require us to call on our strengths to solve them. Ingenious, don’t you think?

“Our weaknesses are divine gifts that when embraced will enable us to make our purposeful contribution to the whole, which is why we incarnated in the first place.”
— Andrew Schneider

“We acquire the strength we have overcome.”
— Ralph Waldo Emerson

higherawareness.com
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A Note from the Universe

Some people are happiest when they have something to be unhappy about.

I say, let them be “happy.”

Not you,

The Universe

tut.com

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Today’s Recipe: Saffron Rice Cake with Chicken 

This Persian dish is basically a savoury “cake” made from rice, yogurt, eggs, saffron and chicken. How it all binds together creates this most comforting pillowy texture unlike any other. Because it’s cooked in a pot with oil, it has this amazing crispy outer shell. You slice right into it just like a cake, and enjoy the crisp exterior and the soft interior.

https://www.thriftyfun.com/Saffron-Rice-Cake-with-Chicken-Tahchin-Polo-Ba-Morgh.html

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Magical Correspondences for Tuesday

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

Incense: Dragon’s Blood, Patchouli, Lignum Aloes, Plantain

Perfumes: Hellebore, Carnation, Patchouli
Planet: Mars
Sign: Aries and Scorpio
Angel: Samuel
Colors: Red and Orange
Herbs/Plants:Red Rose, Cock’s Comb, Pine, Daisy, Thyme and Pepper
Stones: Carnelian, Bloodstone, Ruby, Garnet and Pink Tourmaline
Oil: (Mars) Basil, Coriander, Ginger

Goddesses: Aset [Isis], Soorejnaree, Pingalla, Anna, Aine, Danu, Yngona, Bellona, Aida Wedo, Sun Woman

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Beliefnet: Getting Rid of What Isn’t Working to Create Your Best Life
As human beings, we have free will. That means that from the moment we are born, we are making choices, every moment of every day. And the choices that we make end up creating the life that we live. So,…

Read more………………..

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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 February 4, 2019

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Cat’s Morning Bits for February 4, 2019

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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Deep down within the frozen brook
I hear a murmur faint and sweet,
And lo! The ice breaks as I look,
And living waters touch my feet.
-Jane Goodwin Austin (1831-94)

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Spiritual Unite: Leaf Symbolic Meaning – Life Giving And Taking

The symbolic meaning of the leaf and leaves is as old as time.
We can find extensive symbolism from cultures all around the world for the plants they grow.

https://www.spiritualunite.com/articles/leaf-symbolic-meaning-life-giving-and-taking/

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MBG: Weekly Horoscope: Monday & Tuesday Are Ideal Moments For Manifesting

According to the AstroTwins, this week is the perfect moment to think big picture and use your skill set to start building a brighter world (no pressure!).
Monday is a great time to make a wish—for yourself and the world at large.

https://www.mindbodygreen.com/articles/weekly-horoscope-february-4-to-10-2019

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Daily Good: How to Be Yourself

Some days, you need to remind yourself about what’s truly important in life. So sit back with a cup of your favorite beverage and give yourself a few minutes to savor this sweet video, which gives you a prescription for happiness in two minutes, starting with “show up.”

http://www.karmatube.org/videos.php?id=3342

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Elephant Journal: New Moon in Aquarius: it’s Time to Declutter our Emotional & Spiritual Lives

It’s time to “spring-clean” our emotional and spiritual clutter this month.
It’s still winter in the northern hemisphere but nonetheless, this is a great month for some “spring-cleaning.”

https://www.elephantjournal.com/2019/01/new-moon-in-aquarius-its-time-to-declutter-our-emotional-spiritual-lives/

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Spirit Library: Use Divine Truth to Embrace Joy

As your awareness of yourselves as spiritual beings grows, you see the human side in a different way and your awareness of your truth, as well as the potential for new self truths, is expanded with each step on the ascension path. And with that awareness you find new levels of truth and understanding. This can often include the things you do not like about yourselves because you now see the areas where you lacked faith or did not use your power

https://spiritlibrary.com/jennifer-hoffman/use-divine-truth-to-embrace-joy

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EarthSky News: Locate Cassiopeia the Queen

Cassiopeia was an Ethiopian queen in ancient Greek mythology. According to legend, she boasted she was more beautiful than the sea nymphs, called the Nereids. Vanity, in mythology, is never wise.

https://earthsky.org/tonight/cassiopeia-is-shaped-like-an-m-or-w

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Patheos-Pagan: Animism and the Power of Waterfalls

Waterfalls are places of spiritual power. On some level, most people can sense this to be true. Maybe we cannot express exactly that uplifting feeling inside. Maybe we just rush on to the next thing. But for those of us who stay and really feel, waterfalls provide not just a sense of wonder, but a way to expand our own spirits.

https://www.patheos.com/blogs/theothersideofthehedge/2019/02/animism-and-the-power-of-waterfalls/

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Inner Journey:

PRACTICE DETACHMENT

As our consciousness rises, our perspective becomes more and more impersonal. What does this mean?

It means we are increasingly able to view our lives and the rest of the world with detachment. This does not mean we are cold and uncaring. Rather, we are self- contained. We have well-defined boundaries and we are able to think and act objectively, clearly and responsibly.

When we have learned detachment, we do not get hooked into the thoughts and feelings of others. We are not easily upset or manipulated. We may feel compassion for others but this does not cloud our ability to choose how we think, feel and behave. We also do not need others to behave in any particular way.

“Until we take how we see ourselves (and how we see others) into account, we will be unable to understand how others see and feel about themselves and their world. Unaware, we will project our intentions on their behavior and call ourselves objective.”
— Stephen Covey

higherawareness.com
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A Note from the Universe

Have you stopped to consider that it’s life’s “disconnects,” “almosts,” and “not quites,” that make life’s “connections,” “gotchas,” and “eurekas” so fantastically romantic?

Good, because they were your idea.

Wild thing,

The Universe

tut.com

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Today’s Recipe: Cinnamon Sugar Cookies

With just three simple ingredients, you can make “shortcut” cinnamon sugar cookies. A fast and easy way to make some cookies, makes a nice little treat for the kids (adults too!).

https://www.thriftyfun.com/Cinnamon-Sugar-Cookies.html

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Magical Correspondences for Monday

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

Incense: African Violet, Honeysuckle, Myrtle, Willow, Wormwood
Planet: Moon
Sign: Cancer
Angel: Gabriel
Colors: Silver, White and Gray
Herbs/Plants: Night Flowers, Willow Root, Orris Root, Birch, Motherwort, Vervain, White Rose and White Iris
Stones: Carnelian, Moonstone, Aquamarine, Pearl, Clear Quartz, Flourite, Geodes
Oil: (Moon) Jasmine, Lemon, Sandalwood

Goddesses: Luna, Selene, Diana, Re, Gaeleach, Ida, Artemis [Whom The Greeks Associated With Bast], The Witches, Yemaya, Erzulie, Bast

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Beliefnet: Creating Your Psychic Protection Shield

We all need to shield ourselves before we go out the door. Just as we put on clothes to protect our body and carry an umbrella in the rain, we must put on our psychic shield to protect our energy. Creating your psychic protection shield should be done every day
Read more at https://www.beliefnet.com/inspiration/creating-your-psychic-protection-shield.aspx#gBsZM3HPyxRh8WGj.99

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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 February 1, 2019

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Cat’s Morning Bits for February 1, 2019

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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Little darling,
I feel that ice is slowly melting
Little darling, it seems like years since it’s been clear
Here comes the sun
Here comes the sun, and I say
It’s all right.

-The Beatles (released 1969)

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Spirit Library: Prepare for Chinese New Year – Thriving in Year of Earth Pig or Boar

As you prepare for the Earth pig or boar year and the next steps on your path, I suggest being mindful of breakthroughs available in these moments of revolutionary change. The current energies indeed support breakthroughs and shifts in outmoded viewpoints. Continue reading to understand how you can benefit most from this juncture

https://spiritlibrary.com/selacia/prepare-for-chinese-new-year-thriving-in-year-of-earth-pig-or-boar

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MBG: Monthly Horoscope: Why You Might Want To Put Your Valentine’s Day Plans On Hold This Year

The shortest month of 2019 is one of its most action-packed. Just when we all figured out how to say “super blood Wolf Moon lunar eclipse” without tying our tongues, February sweeps in with its own kind of intensity. We’re all being pushed to make uncomfortable but crucial changes.

https://www.mindbodygreen.com/articles/february-2019-horoscope

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Daily Good: The Universe as an Infinite Storm of Beauty

Taking a walk in a quiet woods, gazing up into the night sky, or even walking in a crowd in a large city somewhere in the world, we may find ourselves having transcendent moments along with John Muir. These moments awaken us to our place within the universe at the same time that they disorient us as we realize how small we are. In this piece, writer Maria Popova helps us to see through John Muir’s eyes that our smallness is what connects us so universally to everything else that is. In being humbled, no longer do we get lost in the illusion that humans dominate creation. With Muir as our guide, we can realize that we are joined to everything else in creation.

http://www.dailygood.org/story/2178/the-universe-as-an-infinite-storm-of-beauty-maria-popova/

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Herbal Muse: 5 Herbs for Congestion and Cough

Few things are worse than an annoying tickle in the back of the throat, or a relentless, hacking cough that seems to hang on forever. Conventional cough syrups can help with symptoms, but they are usually laden with alcohol and other ingredients that cause drowsiness or are otherwise unsuitable for some people, including children. Fortunately, there are several few herbal allies that are effective at reducing congestion and cough we can turn to.

https://www.herbalmusings.com/single-post/2019/01/29/5-Herbs-for-Congestion-and-Cough

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EarthSky News: Will you catch the moon and Saturn before sunrise February 2?

Have you seen Saturn yet? It’s just now returning to the east before sunup. Before dawn on February 2, 2019, see if you can catch the slender waning crescent moon near Saturn. Watch for the twosome to appear low in the southeast as darkness gives way to dawn (90 to 75 minutes before sunrise).

https://earthsky.org/tonight/catch-moon-saturn-before-sunrise-february-2

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Patheos-Pagan: The Truth Of “A Witch That Can’t Hex, Can’t Heal”

These days there seems to be growing divide between magickal practitioners who claim the truth of witchery compared to those who embrace a lighter form of the craft. The expression “a witch that can’t hex, can’t heal” is often offered as a counterpoint to sayings like “harm none,” but what does this saying truly mean?

https://www.patheos.com/blogs/keepingherkeys/2019/01/the-truth-of-a-witch-that-cant-hex-cant-heal/

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Inner Journey:

FEELING TRAPPED? SLOW DOWN!

“If you’re having difficulty coming up with new ideas, then slow down. For me, slowing down has been a tremendous source of creativity. It has allowed me to open up — to know that there’s life under the earth and that I have to let it come through me in a new way. Creativity exists in the present moment. You can’t find it anywhere else.”
— Natalie Goldberg

Feeling trapped in some way? Give yourself space. Space to do nothing but breathe. To intentionally relax those tight muscles. To just for a few precious minutes, let it all go.

The world will keep turning if you tune out for a short while. And your world will begin to recover its balance.

“It’s important to be heroic, ambitious, productive, efficient, creative, and progressive, but these qualities don’t necessarily nurture soul. The soul has different concerns, of equal value: downtime for reflection, conversation, and reverie; beauty that is captivating and pleasuring; relatedness to the environs and to people; and any animal’s rhythm of rest and activity.”
— Thomas Moore

higherawareness.com
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A Note from the Universe

As mentioned in the brochures used for recruiting alien life forms from distant realities: “‘Time and Space’ is where you’re never judged, only loved, anyone can be a rock star, and your keys will be wherever you left them.”

Spot on, huh?

Wiki this,

The Universe

tut.com

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Today’s Recipe: Potato Tahdig (Crispy Potato Cake)

Tahdig is a traditional savoury Persian treat. What started as the crispy crust that got stuck to the bottom of your pan has rapidly become the most sought-after part of the meal. I like to eat it with stews. I learned how to make it from my mother, who learned how to make it from her mother in law, who was an amazing cook, God rest her soul. 🙂

https://www.thriftyfun.com/Potato-Tahdig-Crispy-Potato-Cake.html

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Magical Correspondences for Friday

Intentions: Love, Pleasure, Affairs of the Heart, Romance, Marriage, Sexual Matters, Physical Beauty, Friendship and Partnerships, Strangers, Peace, Healing, Beauty, gentleness and Women’s Issues.

Incense: Strawberry, Sandalwood, Rose, Saffron, Verbena and Vanilla
Planet: Venus
Sign: Libra and Taurus
Angel: Ariel
Colors: Green, Pink, Aqua
Herbs/Plants: Pink Rose, Ivy, Birch, Heather, Clematis, Sage, Violet and Water Lilly

Stones: Rose Quartz, Moonstone, Pink Tourmaline, Peridot, Emerald and Jade
Oil: (Venus) Cardamom, Palmrosa, Rose, Yarrow, Apple Blossom, Musk, Ambergris

Goddesses: Astarte, Aphrodite, Erzulie, Aida Wedo, Eve, Venus, Freya, Diana, Aset [Isis], The Witch Of Gaeta, Chalchiuhtlique

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Daily Wisdom
February 1, 2019 

Commitment

“If you don’t wake up with something in your stomach every day that makes you think, “I want to make this movie,” it’ll never get made.”

-Sherry Lansing
A commitment isn’t something we have to talk ourselves into. It’s identifying something we believe in so much, and want for ourselves so much, that it becomes a part of who we are. A commitment involves caring, and dedication, and loyalty beyond any distractions.

-Lissa Coffey

coffeytalk.com

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Beliefnet: 6 Easy Ways to Shake Off a Bad Day
You don’t have to stay in the dumps all day.
How many times have you been stuck in a funk all day? Maybe your morning got off to a bad start, and you never really managed to turn that around. Perhaps you had a fight with someone during the afternoon, and your irritable mood persisted long after the actual argument had ended.
Read more at https://www.beliefnet.com/inspiration/6-easy-ways-to-shake-off-a-bad-day.aspx#afzZhGamwGrtgWTt.99

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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 January 31, 2019

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Cat’s Morning Bits for January 31, 2019

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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“To shorten winter, borrow some money due in spring.”
– W.J. Vogel

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Spirit Library: February 2019 Ascension Energies – Power Vision

I hope your January was smooth, though there was a lot of chaos around. That is certainly the way of change sometimes (or often for some!). January’s energy was all about being the calm in the storm, patient within change and staying balanced when life is pushing and pulling.

https://spiritlibrary.com/jamye-price/february-2019-ascension-energies-power-vision

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Living Wicca: Imbolc Recipes 

Imbolic is almost here. I am testing out a new pumpkin muffin recipe and will post it soon. I hope you will share YOUR favorite Imbolic recipe with me. 🙂 Below is a tasty muffin recipe from my Pagan Holidays book:

https://wicca.com/livingwiccatoday/imbolc-recipes/

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Elephant Journal: New Moon in Aquarius: it’s Time to Declutter our Emotional & Spiritual Lives.

It’s time to “spring-clean” our emotional and spiritual clutter this month.
It’s still winter in the northern hemisphere but nonetheless, this is a great month for some “spring-cleaning.”

https://www.elephantjournal.com/2019/01/new-moon-in-aquarius-its-time-to-declutter-our-emotional-spiritual-lives/

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MNN: 17 animals that are living fossils

From another era
A living fossil is an organism that has retained the same form over millions of years, has few or no living relatives, and represents a sole surviving lineage from an epoch long past.

https://www.mnn.com/earth-matters/animals/photos/15-animals-that-are-living-fossils/from-another-era

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EarthSky News: Whales share songs from other oceans

Singing humpback whales from different ocean basins seem to be picking up musical ideas from afar, and incorporating these new phrases and themes into their songs

https://earthsky.org/earth/humpback-whales-share-songs

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Patheos-Pagan: The Flame That Will Not Be Extinguished

at Candlemas

Brigid, queen of the fairies,
goddess of poetry, healing and smithcraft,
fertility and fire
lived in the heart of ancient Ireland.

https://www.patheos.com/blogs/naturessacredjourney/2019/01/flame-that-will-not-extinguished/

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Inner Journey:

ALL IS MIND

“I want to know the thoughts of God; the rest are details.”
— Albert Einstein

Everything — absolutely everything — that happens in our lives has a spiritual cause. Mental, emotional and physical events are only effects.

When we are struggling with any challenge, whether it be ill health, a lack of money, a lost job, relationships, an accident, whatever — we need to look for the spiritual learning. We can ask ourselves, “What quality does my soul want me to live more fully?”

“I went to the root of things, and found nothing but Him alone.”
— Mira Bai

higherawareness.com
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A Note from the Universe

Oh yeah, I forgot to tell you…

You get as many “do-overs” as you like. Of course, you never know you’re living a “do-over” until it’s over.

There are lots of reasons for wanting a “do-over.” Most of all, people want another chance to do things they were afraid to do the first time, and to say things they were afraid to say. Oddly enough, it’s not their mistakes they want to rework, but their “unused” minutes.

Yeah, pretty nifty, but you should know that it isn’t any easier the next time, and because no two ever go exactly the same, the gifts, opportunities, and loves of one never appear the same way again.
So all in all, it’s better to live as if there are no “do-overs,” so that you won’t need one. But I thought I’d share this with you anyway to work in the bits about fear, mistakes, and how precious today’s opportunities really and truly are.

Crafty as a fox,

The Universe

tut.com

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Today’s Recipe: Homemade Chocolate Cough Syrup

Yet another reason to love chocolate (as if you needed one)! According to researchers at the University of Hull in Yorkshire, England, chocolate may be more effective at calming a nagging cough than cough syrup.

https://www.herbalmusings.com/single-post/2019/01/28/Homemade-Chocolate-Cough-Syrup

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Magical Correspondences for Thursday

Intentions: Luck, Happiness, Health/ Healing, Religion, Legal Matters, Male Fertility, Treasure and Wealth, Honor, Riches, Clothing Desires, Leadership, Public Activity, Power and Success, Trade and Employment

Incense: Cinnamon,Henbane Nutmeg and Sage

Planet: Jupiter
Sign: Sagittarius and Pisces
Angel: Sachiel
Colors: Purple, Royal Blue and Indigo
Herbs/Plants: Cinnamon, Beech, Buttercup, Coltsfoot, Oak
Stones: Sugilite, Amethyst, Turquoise, Lapis Lazuli and Sapphire
Oil: (Jupiter) Clove, Lemon Balm, Oakmoss, Star Anise

Goddesses: Juno, Hera, Kwan Yin, Mary, Cybele, Tara, Mawu, Mlaba Mwana Waresa, Ishtar, Nuit

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Daily Wisdom
January 31, 2019

Commitment

“I am seeking, I am striving, I am in it with all my heart.”

-Vincent van Gogh
Are we committed to living life to its fullest? What does that mean to each one of us personally? How does that show up in our daily routines? I think what van Gogh was saying was that commitment has to be whole-hearted. Whatever it is, whether it’s a friendship, a career, a marriage, or our spiritual pursuits – if we’re in it with all our heart, then we’re demonstrating the importance that it has in our lives. And whatever it is, will grow and bloom and thrive with our commitment to it.

-Lissa Coffey

coffeytalk.com

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Beliefnet: 12 Ways to Keep Life Simple
Keeping life simple is about relying on the basics. Basics like honesty, respect, trust, happiness and friendship go a long way to clearing out the clutter and staying focused on what’s important.

Read more…………………

___________________________
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 January 30, 2019

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Cat’s Morning Bits for January 30, 2019

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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One must have a mind of winter
To regard the frost and the boughs
Of the pine-trees crusted with snow;
And have been cold a long time
To behold the junipers shagged with ice,
The spruces rough in the distant glitter.

-Wallace Stevens (1879-1955)

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Spirit Library: Living Your Divinity – Living Your Magic

Aloha Light Family,

Awakening from the old illusory realities brings FREEdom for all EMBRACING this. Fully CHOOSING to live from Pure Peace, Love and Harmony from inside, fully CHOOSING to let go of all that no longer supports, CHOOSING TO LISTEN and HONOR AS YOUR HIGHEST ASPECT OF YOU…. choosing UNITY over ..

https://spiritlibrary.com/lisa-transcendence-brown/living-your-divinity-living-your-magic

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MBG: 8 Ways To Use Nature To Recharge & Disconnect — Even When It’s Freezing Out

Cold winter months have long been synonymous with curling up on the couch, eating hearty comfort food, and hitting snooze on the alarm.
While it’s no secret that time outside is good for you, the benefits of nature just don’t feel as accessible during dark, blustery days.

https://www.mindbodygreen.com/articles/8-ways-to-enjoy-nature-in-winter

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KarmaTube: We Teach Who We Are: Gratitude

If you ask a child what they want to be when they grow up the answer is never “loved” or “happy” or “peaceful.” We put a lot of weight on success, on setting goals and reaching them. And we quantify those accomplishments. How much did you get done today? What is your salary? How big is your house? Even our connections today are quantifiable. You have 500 friends on social media. You scroll through their posts, briefly acknowledging some with a click. How often do we consider the impact of the singular things in our life? It takes more than a moment to truly appreciate the special people around us

http://www.karmatube.org/videos.php?id=8278

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Living Wicca Today: Wiccan Rede and Law Of Three

Most every Wiccan is familiar with the Wiccan Rede and Law of Three. Through them we learn the basic principles of Wicca.

The Full Wiccan Rede begins with “Bide within the Law you must, in perfect Love and perfect Trust. Live you must and let to live, fairly take and fairly give.” And it is summed up with the well known “An Ye Harm None, Do What Ye Will”

https://wicca.com/livingwiccatoday/wiccan-rede-and-law-of-three/

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Garden Digest: 

“Candlemas’ is the Christianized name for the holiday, of course. The older Pagan names were Imbolc and Oimelc. ‘Imbolc’ means, literally, ‘in the belly’ (of the Mother). For in the womb of Mother Earth, hidden from our mundane sight but sensed by a keener vision, there are stirrings. The seed that was planted in her womb at the solstice is quickening and the new year grows. ‘Oimelc’ means ‘milk of ewes’, for it is also lambing season. The holiday is also called ‘Brigit’s Day’, in honor of the great Irish Goddess Brigit. At her shrine, the ancient Irish capitol of Kildare, a group of 19 priestesses (no men allowed) kept a perpetual flame burning in her honor. She was considered a goddess of fire, patroness of smithcraft, poetry and healing (especially the healing touch of
midwifery).”
– Daven’s Journal – Imbolic

http://www.gardendigest.com/monfeb.htm

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EarthSky News: Michael Peres on how to photograph snowflakes

An expert photographer of nature’s beauty on a minuscule scale, Michael Peres offers you tips on how you can photograph snowflakes.

https://earthsky.org/earth/michael-peres-on-how-to-photograph-snowflakes

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Patheos-Pagan: Seeing the Path Clearly~Imbolc Advice from Goddess

This meditation came to/through me for a Brigid ritual many years ago. Still seems apropos, but some of the names have been change to reflect current experiences of Godd/s.

https://www.patheos.com/blogs/dirtheartwitch/2019/01/seeing-path-clearly-imbolc-advice-goddess/

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Inner Journey:

TIME TO CHANGE?

“When coasting in our comfort zones, we don’t grow. We continue to do more of the same…. Maintaining a comfort zone can, paradoxically, lead to discomfort in the long run. If by being comfortable we avoid important life issues, internal tension accumulates…. Eventually, as both internal and external pressures for change persist, the ‘comfort zone’ ceases to serve us.”
— Eric Allenbaugh

It takes effort to change. What do you most want to change in your life? Make a list of what you can do to start the process. Try journaling, perhaps. Read books. Take a course. Find a mentor. Seek out support.

How will you commit time to make it happen? When are you going to start? Your life is passing quickly!

“Be not afraid of changing slowly; be afraid only of standing still.”
— Chinese Proverb

higherawareness.com
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A Note from the Universe

If one hangs out in time and space long enough they’ll inevitably learn it’s through the twin gateways of persistence and patience that masters become masters.

Of all things,

The Universe

tut.com

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Today’s Recipe: Cranberry Brie Walnut Cups

This recipe is my effort in getting rid of the last of all the cranberry sauce that piled up in my house from all the holiday and new year dinners. These caramelized cups are so easy to make and taste absolutely elegant. When the brie and walnuts heat up together, they make a soft center with a delicious crispy topping you will go crazy for. Give this a try!

https://www.thriftyfun.com/Cranberry-Brie-Walnut-Cups.html

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Magical Correspondences for Wednesday

Intentions:Rules healings, the mind, Communication, Divination, Writing, Knowledge, Business Transactions, Debt, Fear,Loss, Travel and Money Matters, Addictions, Young People, Messages, Perception, Self Expression.

Incense: Jasmine, Lavender, Sweet Pea, Cinnamon, Cinquefoil
Planet: Mercury and Chiron (though this is a moon of Pluto)
Sign: Virgo
Angel: Raphael
Colors: Orange, Light Blue, Grey, Yellow and, Opalescent colors and Violet
Herbs/Plants: Fern, Lavendar, Hazel, Cherry, Periwinkle
Stones: Aventurine, Bloodstone, Hematite, Moss Agate and Sodalite
Oil: (Mercury) Benzoin, Clary Sage, Eucalytus, Lavender

Goddesses: Aset [Isis], Demeter, Ceres, Spider Woman, Bona Dea, Oya,
Devi-Kali, Hella, Rhiannon, Coatlique, Maman Brigette, Sekhmet, Het Heret
[Hathor]

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Daily Wisdom
January 30, 2019

Commitment

“Put your heart, mind, intellect and soul even to your smallest acts. This is the secret of success.”

-Swami Sivananda

Commitment is 100%. You can’t hedge a little and say that you are committed. Your actions speak for themselves. Commitment is tied to so many other good things, like integrity – you say you will do something and then you do it, that’s integrity, that’s living up to your commitment. Commitment brings achievement, and success.

-Lissa Coffey

coffeytalk.com

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Beliefnet: Spring Forward with Spirituality
While you have an endless list of priorities, it’s important to remember that you’re a priority too. Here are ten tips to revitalize the inner you.

Read more……………..

___________________________
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 January 29, 2019

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Cat’s Morning Bits for January 29,  2019

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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Winter is good-his Hoar Delights
Italic flavor yield-
To Intellects inebriate
With Summer, or the World-

-Emily Dickinson (1830-86)

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Spirit Library: Your life is a project!

Your expansive self took on the project of experiencing human life. Nobody really thinks of it this way, because we are conditioned to have very narrow interpretations about a great many things in our life. We often stick closely to prescribed definitions and meanings. This is all part of directing our attention away from seeing the multidimensional meaning in all that we engage.

https://spiritlibrary.com/sonia-barrett/your-life-is-a-project

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Herbal Muse: Lavender & Oatmeal Soap

Lavender contains antiseptic and anti-inflammatory compounds called ketones and aldehydes that are soothing and healing to skin. These same phytochemicals also lend lavender its lovely fragrance, which produces a mild sedative effect. Find out how to make homemade lavender soap the easy way!

https://www.herbalmusings.com/single-post/2014/06/20/Lavender-Oatmeal-Soap

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MBG: Eucalyptus Oil: This Pain-Relieving, Air-Purifying Remedy May Help Your Cold

If you’ve ever taken a whiff of eucalyptus essential oil, you know this stuff is strong! This intense aroma, it turns out, is a result of a a potent, anti-microbial and anti-inflammatory compound called 1,8-cineole (or eucalyptol)—and it is largely why eucalyptus oil has been used medicinally throughout history (and up to present day) to treat everything from asthma and the common cold, to plaque and gingivitis, to head lice and toenail fungus, and much more.

https://www.mindbodygreen.com/articles/benefits-of-eucalyptus-oil-and-how-to-use-it

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Thought.Co: A Collection of Prayers for Imbolc

If you’re looking for prayers or blessings to celebrate the sabbat of Imbolc, here’s where you’ll find a selection of original devotionals that bid farewell to the winter months and honor the goddess Brighid, as well as seasonal blessings for your meals, hearth, and home. Feel free to adjust or modify these prayers as you need to, in order to fit the themes of your own magical tradition and beliefs

https://www.thoughtco.com/imbolc-prayers-4122188

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Elephant Journal: Masala Milk Latte for the Moon God (& your Taste Buds). {Recipe}

Back home, in India, I grew up drinking masala chai, turmeric milk, and masala milk.
Over the years, I saw masala chai latte being served in coffee shops. Now, many coffee shops across the United States are serving golden milk lattes (made with turmeric and milk). This golden milk latte is a non-caffeinated alternative to masala chai latte, which, at one point, was a reduced caffeine alternative to coffee.

https://www.elephantjournal.com/2019/01/masala-milk-latte-for-the-moon-god-your-taste-buds-recipe/

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EarthSky News: Moon slides past 3 morning planets

Starting around January 30, 2019 – and through the morning of February 1 and possibly even February 2 – watch the slender waning crescent moon slide by the planets Jupiter, Venus and then Saturn.

https://earthsky.org/tonight/see-moon-3-morning-planets-before-daybreak

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Patheos-Pagan: Groundhog Day: History, Lore, and Weather Divination

Every year on February 2, news channels across the country broadcast from Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania (fun fact: I was born here) where Groundhog Phil emerges from his burrow to look for his shadow.

https://www.patheos.com/blogs/thewanderingwitch/2019/01/groundhog-day-history-lore-and-weather-divination/ 

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Inner Journey:

WORK WITH TENSION

“You never will be the person you can be if pressure, tension and discipline are taken out of your life.”
— James G. Bilkey

We need tension in our lives. It’s the force of personal evolution — it sparks creativity and higher consciousness. If we’re not comfortable with a situation, we try to improve it, right?

Tension arises through our experience of opposites. These opposites fight each other as each one struggles for dominance. Tension is transformed when two opposite dimensions of reality are brought together in balance and in wholeness.

Know that tension is an integral part of growth. Instead of avoiding or resisting tension when it arises, identify the opposing forces at play. Make space for each of them to be there together and the tension will transform.

We encounter tensions between positives and negatives, mind and body, self and environment, self and others, and personality and soul – the dualities in our lives.

“Life begins at the end of your comfort zone.”
— Neale Donald Walsch

higherawareness.com
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A Note from the Universe

Today, just do a little bit so that I can do a lot of bit.

That’s how it works.

Huge love,

The Universe

tut.com

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Today’s Recipe: Herbed Chicken Rolls in Cherry Sauce

Here comes a winner-winner chicken dinner from my personal cookbook. This chicken breast is rolled up with herbed garlic butter, then cooked in a tart cherry sauce. It’s a beautiful meal for these colder evenings… and I think quite pleasant visually! Enjoy

https://www.thriftyfun.com/Herbed-Chicken-Rolls-in-Cherry-Sauce.html

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Magical Correspondences for Tuesday

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

Incense: Dragon’s Blood, Patchouli, Lignum Aloes, Plantain

Perfumes: Hellebore, Carnation, Patchouli
Planet: Mars
Sign: Aries and Scorpio
Angel: Samuel
Colors: Red and Orange
Herbs/Plants:Red Rose, Cock’s Comb, Pine, Daisy, Thyme and Pepper
Stones: Carnelian, Bloodstone, Ruby, Garnet and Pink Tourmaline
Oil: (Mars) Basil, Coriander, Ginger

Goddesses: Aset [Isis], Soorejnaree, Pingalla, Anna, Aine, Danu, Yngona, Bellona, Aida Wedo, Sun Woman

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Daily Wisdom
January 29, 2019

Commitment

One’s lifework, I have learned, grows with the working and the living. Do it as if your life depended on it, and the first thing you know, you’ll have made a life out of it. A good life, too.”

-Theresa Helburn
Lifework. Isn’t all of life work at times?! Commitment does take work, but because we get so much out of what we put into it, it becomes a pleasure. Our relationships need attention, and the ones that get it help us to grow. Our lives are built on our commitments – to ourselves, our relationships, our work, and our communities.

-Lissa Coffey

coffeytalk.com

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Beliefnet’s Inspirational Quotes:

“ Action may not always bring happiness; but there is no happiness without action. ”

– Benjamin Disraeli

___________________________
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 January 28, 2019

 

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Cat’s Morning Bits for January 28, 2019

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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When men were all asleep the snow came flying,
In large white flakes falling on the city brown,
Stealthily and perpetually settling and loosely lying,
Hushing the latest traffic of the drowsy town.

-Robert Bridges (1844-1930)

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Thought. Co: Recipes for the Imbolc Sabbat

Imbolc is a great time of fire and feasting. It’s the celebration of the goddess Brighid, guardian of the hearth and homefires, as well as the season of the Lupercalia, and of the spring lambing season. For this sabbat, celebrate with foods that honor the hearth and home —breads, grains, and vegetables stored from fall, such as onions and potatoes—as well as dairy items.

https://www.thoughtco.com/recipes-for-the-imbolc-sabbat-4125902

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MBG: Weekly Horoscope: The Relationship Conversation You Should Be Having This Sunday

This week’s horoscope from the AstroTwins talks all about the creative revolution that’s coming our way—but not without a dose of aggression first.
On Friday, Mars and Pluto clash, and things could get tense.

https://www.mindbodygreen.com/articles/weekly-horoscope-january-28-to-february-3-2019

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Daily Good: On Compassion, Equanimity and Impermanence

“Compassion is practiced in two ways: subtly and overtly. You can subtly serve any person with whom you interact by allowing their pain to resonate deeply within you, and experiencing it completely so that it does not turn into suffering within you. This is the healthy alternative to both callous indifference and enervating enmeshment.” Author and mindfulness teacher Shinzen Young shares more in this collection of thought-provoking reflections

http://www.dailygood.org/story/2213/on-compassion-equanimity-and-impermanence-shinzen-young/

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MNN: How to learn bird language in 5 steps

Birds love to tell tales and chatter about what’s going on around them at all times. They are vigilant and vocal beings, and naturalists know that by listening in, you can discover what everyone is up to — even when the “who” is completely out of sight

https://www.mnn.com/earth-matters/animals/stories/how-learn-bird-language-5-steps

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EarthSky News: Orion the Hunter is easy to spot

Tonight – or any winter evening – look for the constellation Orion the Hunter. It’s probably the easiest to pick out of all the constellations in the Northern Hemisphere winter sky (Southern Hemisphere summer sky). It’s identifiable by Orion’s Belt, three medium-bright stars in a short, straight row at the mid-section of the Hunter. See these stars? They are easy to spot on the sky’s dome.

https://earthsky.org/tonight/orion-the-hunter-is-easy-to-spot

Patheos-Pagan: Love is in the Air or is it?

“Love is in the air, everywhere I look around, Love is in the air, every sight and every sound…” As February draws near, this delightful song (Love is in the air by John Paul Young) seems to play over and over in my head. It’s an upbeat melody that lifts spirits and invites sing-a-longs.

https://www.patheos.com/blogs/thefairytalewitch/2019/01/love-is-in-the-air/

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Inner Journey:

THE KEY TO CREATIVITY

“Imagination is more important than knowledge. Knowledge islimited. Imagination encircles the world.”
— Albert Einstein

Do you know the key to creativity?

It rhymes with weed. It produces the oak tree. We often eat it or grind it up for flour. It can mean cause or origination. You guessed it. It is SEED.

Our minds love to associate one thing to another. But as we get stuck in very fixed patterns of thinking, we think of fewer and fewer connections. We are ruled by habits, associations and automatic responses. So we must stimulate our thinking with lots of different seeds to chart new paths in our brains.

“Just as our eyes need light in order to see, our minds need ideas in order to conceive.”
— Napoleon Hill

“Anyone can look for fashion in a boutique or history in amuseum. The creative explorer looks for history in a hardwarestore and fashion in an airport.”
— Robert Wieder

higherawareness.com
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A Note from the Universe

If you look closely enough, intent upon understanding those things that cause you great pain and consternation, ultimately, I promise you, you’ll find great joy and illumination.

Take the bait,

The Universe

tut.com

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Today’s Recipe: Blackberry Ricotta Cake

A moist, blackberry ricotta cake that you can enjoy for a birthday cake or any occasion.

https://www.thriftyfun.com/Blackberry-Ricotta-Cake.html

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Magical Correspondences for Monday

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

Incense: African Violet, Honeysuckle, Myrtle, Willow, Wormwood
Planet: Moon
Sign: Cancer
Angel: Gabriel
Colors: Silver, White and Gray
Herbs/Plants: Night Flowers, Willow Root, Orris Root, Birch, Motherwort, Vervain, White Rose and White Iris
Stones: Carnelian, Moonstone, Aquamarine, Pearl, Clear Quartz, Flourite, Geodes
Oil: (Moon) Jasmine, Lemon, Sandalwood

Goddesses: Luna, Selene, Diana, Re, Gaeleach, Ida, Artemis [Whom The Greeks Associated With Bast], The Witches, Yemaya, Erzulie, Bast

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Daily Wisdom
January 28, 2019

Commitment
“If you don’t make a total commitment to whatever you’re doing, then you start looking to bail out the first time the boat starts leaking. It’s tough enough getting that boat to shore with everybody rowing, let alone when a guy stand up and starts putting his life jacket on.”

-Lou Holtz
Lou Holtz is the well-known football coach, and he’s talking about teamwork, and the importance of commitment to the team. The analogy he uses is great because it’s so visual – and you can see how one person’s lack of commitment affects those around him.

I was thinking about the commitment our ancestors made when coming to this country. Can you imagine the courage it took to leave home for somewhere, something unknown – the possibility of something better? Once they set out in that “boat” there was no turning back. If we could only have that courage, that commitment, in our own lives to just “go for it!” Yes, there are risks – that comes with the territory, but like another saying goes: “no risks, no rewards!”

-Lissa Coffey

coffeytalk.com

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Pioneer Thinking: Holistic Herbal Health Solutions

Holistic herbal solutions can also be defined as or simply called natural home remedies. There are more ways than you can possible think of to help yourself be naturally healthy or healthier. I am not saying that you should totally dismiss you primary care physician but I am saying that you can possibly visit him MUCH less

https://pioneerthinking.com/holistic-herbal-solutions

___________________________
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 January 25, 2019

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Cat’s Morning Bits for January 25, 2019

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

_________________________

Some say the world will end in fire,
Some say in ice.
From what I’ve tasted of desire
I hold with those who favor fire.
But if it had to perish twice,
I think I know enough of hate
To know that for destruction ice
Is also great
And would suffice.
-Robert Frost (1874-1963)

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Spiritual Unite: Palm Tree Symbolism – Masculine And Feminine Energy

To many of us, palm trees summon up summer holidays and brilliant weather.

While this is not too far off – after all, the palm tree is a sun symbol – there is far more to it palm tree symbolism than that!

https://www.spiritualunite.com/articles/palm-tree-symbolism-masculine-and-feminine-energy/

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MBG: What You Need To Know About Aromatherapy & 9 Essential Oils To Get Started

Many people know aromatherapy simply as the mixture of pleasing scents that accompany a relaxing day at the spa. We’ve got nothing against the soothing smells associated with a massage, but aromatherapy actually brings so much more to the table in terms of natural, holistic ways to boost physical and mental health.

https://www.mindbodygreen.com/articles/what-is-aromatherapy-benefits-uses-risks-and-more

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Daily Good: The Wisdom of Circles: In Conversation with John Malloy

John Malloy tends fires. He is a guardian of safe spaces where people gather. John began tending fires in this spirit as a county probation senior group counselor. He then co-founded The Foundry, a school for kids who had been in jail. John currently works as an Intervention Specialist in schools and leads an Intergenerational Support Group for people challenged by grief and trauma. For over fifty years, he has anchored circles that tap into the power of silence, compassion, deep listening and a full presence. In this interview, he shares his experience of what it takes to bring “medicine” to the circle. In leading circles, John says that, “people care how much you care…It doesn’t matter (who is in the circle); you just have to present yourself with authenticity.”

http://www.dailygood.org/story/2182/the-wisdom-of-circles-in-conversation-with-john-malloy-joserra-g-/

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Thought.Co: History of Imbolc 

Imbolc is a holiday with a variety of names, depending on which culture and location you’re looking at. In the Irish Gaelic, it’s called Oimelc, which translates to “ewe’s milk.” It’s a precursor to the end of winter when the ewes are nursing their newly born lambs. Spring and the planting season are right around the corner.

https://www.thoughtco.com/history-of-the-pagan-holiday-imbolc-2562118

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EarthSky News: Moon and Spica from late night to dawn

Unless you’re a night owl, you probably won’t see the moon and Spica, the brightest star in the constellation Virgo the Maiden, rising up into your eastern sky before your bedtime. The twosome will come up quite late tonight, at or around midnight. From most places worldwide, the moon will rise first, followed by Spica.

https://earthsky.org/tonight/moon-spica-from-late-night-till-dawn

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Patheos-Pagan: Daily Devotions, Seasonal Deities, and Losing Your Pagan Faith

Today we continue with more Conversations Under the Oaks. What are some things you can do to build a system of regular ritual devotions? What do you do when a deity stops talking to you? And how can we embrace darkness and shadow in our lives – even if we don’t like those terms?

https://www.patheos.com/blogs/johnbeckett/2019/01/daily-devotions-seasonal-deities-and-losing-your-pagan-faith.html

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Inner Journey:

5 STEPS TO SELF-ACTUALIZATION

“Every human action, whether it has become positive or negative, must depend on motivation.”
— Dalai Lama

Monitoring what motivates me has helped me see how I am growing. I do things for different reasons now than I did 10 years ago. As we pay ongoing attention to our motives, we can see how both our conscious and unconscious attitudes are changing.

Here are some ways that our motives can shift with rising consciousness:
• I desire
• I want to collect things
• I want to know
• I want to serve
• I want to be

What are your motives as you participate in life?

“There are three kinds of people and three kinds of richness:
• people who want to have, to collect
• people who want action, work and labor
• people who want to be

“The real richness is in be-ness. People can take all that you have, all that you collected. People can stop your labor, or an accident can stop you. When you are, you never lose what you are.”
— Torkom Saraydarian

“You are what you think. You are what you go for. You are what you do!”
— Bob Richards

“A good intention clothes itself with power.”
— Ralph Waldo Emerson

higherawareness.com
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A Note from the Universe

Every so often I like to take time off. You know, go to theme parks, ride roller coasters, and people watch. Sit on the beach, walk through the forest, and listen to music.

Just kick back, relax, and let everything run on autopilot… considering, it already does.

Haven’t you noticed?

You’re in good hands,

The Universe

tut.com

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Today’s Recipe: Maple Cranberry Corn Muffins

Cranberries were very inexpensive this year, so I bought extra and froze them. I also got free canned corn from CVS during Black Friday. I substituted pancake syrup for the maple syrup and used regular milk, as some people in my family have a nut allergy.

https://www.thriftyfun.com/Maple-Cranberry-Corn-Muffins.html

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Magical Correspondences for Friday

Intentions: Love, Pleasure, Affairs of the Heart, Romance, Marriage, Sexual Matters, Physical Beauty, Friendship and Partnerships, Strangers, Peace, Healing, Beauty, gentleness and Women’s Issues.

Incense: Strawberry, Sandalwood, Rose, Saffron, Verbena and Vanilla
Planet: Venus
Sign: Libra and Taurus
Angel: Ariel
Colors: Green, Pink, Aqua
Herbs/Plants: Pink Rose, Ivy, Birch, Heather, Clematis, Sage, Violet and Water Lilly

Stones: Rose Quartz, Moonstone, Pink Tourmaline, Peridot, Emerald and Jade
Oil: (Venus) Cardamom, Palmrosa, Rose, Yarrow, Apple Blossom, Musk, Ambergris

Goddesses: Astarte, Aphrodite, Erzulie, Aida Wedo, Eve, Venus, Freya, Diana, Aset [Isis], The Witch Of Gaeta, Chalchiuhtlique

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Daily Wisdom
January 25,  2019

Truth

“Truth – is as old as God –
His Twin identity
And will endure as long as He
A Co-Eternity -”

-Emily Dickinson (1830-1886)
Truth – just five little letters and yet such a big word. It’s so powerful, and so real. Truth is something we all revere – we all search for it, we all believe in it. Truth is pure and simple. It makes everything make sense. Truth is a guiding principle that can’t steer us wrong.

-Lissa Coffey

coffeytalk.com

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Beliefnet: Seven Contemplations for Realizing the Spiritual Introvert Edge

Spiritual but not religious is a popular designation. What does it mean to be spiritual? There may be as many definitions of spirituality as spiritual people. Everyone puts their unique imprint on what it is to be a spiritual person.
Read more at https://www.beliefnet.com/wellness/galleries/seven-contemplations-for-realizing-the-spiritual-introvert-edge.aspx#LSGRFsqpfUKvfAGe.99

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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 January 24, 2019

 

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Cat’s Morning Bits for January 24, 2019

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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Whoever you are, no matter how lonely,
the world offers itself to your imagination,
calls to you like the wild geese, harsh and exciting,
over and over announcing your place
in the family of things.
-Mary Oliver (1935-2019)

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Spirituality & Health:

Naturally Energize This Winter
BY KATHRYN DRURY WAGNER
It was 4:30 p.m., and darkness was already falling over the corn fields, casting long shadows. I’d just awoken from a so-called power nap, yet felt like I could have gone back to sleep and hibernated for two months. Anyone else having this problem lately? Winter can really sap energy levels, so let’s look at ways to feel alive and motivated, even in the doldrum months.

https://spiritualityhealth.com/articles/2019/01/21/naturally-energize-this-winter

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MBG: Dreaming About Sugar, Salt, Or Carbs? These Essential Oils Can Help Curb Cravings

Have you ever tried your hardest to turn around your eating habits only to find yourself on a midafternoon or late-night binge of cookies or chips? Are mornings fruitless unless you have your sweetened coffee drink? Or maybe your cravings are more subtle, masquerading as routine with your daily afternoon snack of a granola bar and a diet soda

https://www.mindbodygreen.com/articles/essential-oils-to-curb-cravings

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Daily Good: Top 10 Kindness Stories of 2018

Kindness begets kindness. This simple saying points to a profound truth. What we put out into the world, often comes back to us in one form or another. Not only does kindness have this wonderful boomerang effect, it’s also delightfully contagious. Being at the receiving end of an act of kindness or witnessing a thoughtful gesture for another person can inspire a chain reaction. This just might be one of the best recipe’s out there for creating a better world. For inspiration, here are some of KindSpring’s favorite stories of 2018

http://www.dailygood.org/story/2211/top-10-kindness-stories-of-2018-kindspring-editors/

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Elephant Journal: Embracing Winter: a Permission slip to Slow things way Down

I am a self-professed winter lover.
It’s true. It may well be my favorite season. Gasp! I said it.

Sure, I love the first shoots and buds of spring and the wall of heat and slow-paced freedom of summer. Then there’s the crisp nights and warm days surrounded by the fiery explosion of colour in the fall. And to be honest, I love them all.

https://www.elephantjournal.com/2019/01/embracing-winter-a-permission-slip-to-slow-things-way-down/

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EarthSky News: Contemplate the apex of the sun’s way

Tonight, as you look up at the stars, think about the direction our local star, the sun, moves through our Milky Way galaxy. Astronomers call the sun’s direction of motion through the Milky Way by a great old name. It’s called the solar apex or the apex of the sun’s way. A friend from Australia wrote:

https://earthsky.org/tonight/vega-marks-the-apex-of-the-suns-way

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Patheos-Pagan: 9 Ways to Witch Better in 2019

As you work on your 2019 resolutions, you may want to include some ways to Witch better in the new year. Some of these are about making yourself an even better Witch, Magickally. Some of these include how to be a better Witch in your community. Both are important, and all are easy to do. Happy (secular) New Year!

https://www.patheos.com/blogs/doubletoilandresist/2018/12/9-ways-to-witch-better-in-2019/

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Inner Journey:

DON’T THINK AWAY YOUR FEELINGS

“When emotions are managed by the heart, they heighten your awareness of the world around you and add sparkle to life. The result is new intelligence and a new view of life.”
— Doc Childre and Howard Martin

How do you intellectualize your emotions?

Many of us live so much in our heads that we intellectualize our emotions. We analyze, rationalize and explain them away so quickly that we don’t actually experience them.

Learn to honour your emotions at all times by being willing to feel them. Of course, you may need to exercise some judgment over how and when you express them.

“Learning to be aware of feelings, how they arise and how to use them creatively so they guide us to happiness, is an essential lifetime skill.”
— Joan Borysenko

higherawareness.com
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A Note from the Universe

The reason for all challenges is so that you can finally learn that none are bigger than you.

Winner,

The Universe

tut.com

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Today’s Recipe: Turmeric Morning Shot

This is my morning turmeric shot I have every morning. I make little batch and store in the fridge. This lasts 1 week for 2 people. Turmeric is full of antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties. It has been used for thousands of years – even as medicine.

https://www.thriftyfun.com/Turmeric-Morning-Shot.html

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Magical Correspondences for Thursday

Intentions: Luck, Happiness, Health/ Healing, Religion, Legal Matters, Male Fertility, Treasure and Wealth, Honor, Riches, Clothing Desires, Leadership, Public Activity, Power and Success, Trade and Employment

Incense: Cinnamon,Henbane Nutmeg and Sage

Planet: Jupiter
Sign: Sagittarius and Pisces
Angel: Sachiel
Colors: Purple, Royal Blue and Indigo
Herbs/Plants: Cinnamon, Beech, Buttercup, Coltsfoot, Oak
Stones: Sugilite, Amethyst, Turquoise, Lapis Lazuli and Sapphire
Oil: (Jupiter) Clove, Lemon Balm, Oakmoss, Star Anise

Goddesses: Juno, Hera, Kwan Yin, Mary, Cybele, Tara, Mawu, Mlaba Mwana Waresa, Ishtar, Nuit

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Daily Wisdom
January 24, 2019

Truth

“There are no new truths, but only truths that have not been recognized by those who have perceived them without noticing. A truth is something that everyone can be shown to know and to have known, as people say, all along.”

-Mary McCarthy (1912-1989)
Truth is beyond time and space. Truth is always available to us, now, and wherever we are. Truth is unchanging and eternal. Truth is not biased or preferential – truth is the same for each one of us, it is there for all of us.

-Lissa Coffey

coffeytalk.com

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Spirit Library: Connect with Sense of Purpose – Remembering What’s Important

The changes we’re moving through this year are unprecedented. Most likely your personal changes will be too. While it’s impossible to grasp the magnitude of this as you’re moving through it, trust that you are morphing and shifting at lightning speed. Given this background – and the learned tendency to overthink and get stuck in the details – I’ll outline here a few simple things you can do for peace of mind.

https://spiritlibrary.com/selacia/connect-with-sense-of-purpose-remembering-whats-important

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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 January 23, 2019

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Cat’s Morning Bits for January 23, 2019

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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Outside your shadow, I can go
A free moon in a crystal arc;
Circling at dusk with lunar cold
Above, below, your cone of dark.

-Kathryn Worth (1898-1969)

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Patheos: “The Hidden Life of Trees”

As I have been learning more about the hidden life of trees, I have also been paying more attention to how much trees have meant to people over time. Most recently, I was watching the Springsteen on Broadway recording on Netflix, and I was not surprised that as “The Boss” waxed nostalgically about his life, one vignette prominently featured a tree. Remembering his childhood home, he recalled that

https://www.patheos.com/blogs/carlgregg/2018/12/the-hidden-life-of-trees/

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Auracacia: lavender and tea tree essential oil cleaning spray

Make a homemade multipurpose home cleaning spray featuring lavender and tea tree essential oils

Get Recipe…….

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Spirit Library: 2019 Open to the Flow a message from Goddess of Creation channeled by Shelly Dressel

The first channel of the new year is always a wonderful time to look at your life, clear the past and open to the future. This channel is very powerful in doing all of these steps.

At the very beginning, the Goddess spoke about the changes taking place and the influx of the crystalline energy. As she spoke she was joined by Archangel Michael, St. Germain, Metatron, Melchizedek, the Universal Light Beings and more.

https://spiritlibrary.com/goddess-light/2019-open-to-the-flow

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Daily Good: Xiuhtezcatl Martinez: Break Free

For the last 11 years, Xiuhtezcatl Martinez has been in the public eye for his activism, movement building, work with Earth Guardians, and youth empowerment. In 2013, President Obama awarded Xiuhtezcatl the United States Community Service Award. Xiuhtezcatl was the youngest of 24 national change-makers chosen to serve on the presidents youth council.

http://www.dailygood.org/story/2212/xiuhtezcatl-martinez-break-free-kari-auerbach/

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Elephant Journal: A Ritual to Close Out the Day & Prevent Tomorrow’s Downward Spiral.

How I heal—one day at a time.
Our thoughts get in the way so much!

They can keep us from healthy relationships, send us into a downward spiral of depression or anxiety, delay our success and promotion at work, and make our physical bodies sick.

https://www.elephantjournal.com/2019/01/a-ritual-to-close-out-the-day-prevent-tomorrows-downward-spiral/

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MNN: Why you should cultivate your inner dabbler
An essay encourages dilettante, and I couldn’t agree more.

When I was a teenager, I got the impression that dilettante was (almost) a dirty word. It was definitely an insult. A dilettante connoted a person who wasted time, who wasn’t serious, who was probably superficial. If you loved something, you would study it with focused attention, and dedicate your time to it, not fritter away the hours doing something that would never go anywhere

https://www.mnn.com/lifestyle/responsible-living/blogs/cultivate-your-inner-dilettante-dabbler

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EarthSky News: See daytime moon after sunrise

Starting around January 23 or 24, 2019, look westward after sunrise to see a daytime moon. What’s more, you can watch for the daytime moon all this upcoming week. Look for the moon to rise in the east before going to bed tonight and then seek for the moon low in the west after sunup. Click here for a sky almanac telling you the moon’s rising and setting times in your sky

https://earthsky.org/tonight/see-daytime-moon-after-sunrise-2

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Patheos-Pagan: 8 Things to do for Imbolc as a Solitary Pagan

Many Pagans are solitary practitioners, either by choice or by necessity. But a lot of Pagan activities for Imbolc are designed for large groups. In 2014 and 2015 I wrote a series of rituals for those working alone on the Wheel of the Year. Every year they’re near the top of the list of most popular posts – here’s the Imbolc ritual.

https://www.patheos.com/blogs/johnbeckett/2019/01/8-things-to-do-for-imbolc-as-a-solitary-pagan.html

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Inner Journey:

REVIEW YOUR LIFE

“Follow effective action with quiet reflection. From the quiet reflection will come even more effective action.”
— James Levin

Take a few minutes today to reflect on what has happened recently and to put the last week in perspective. What made an impact on you this last week? What do you want to set as a goal for next week?

Reflection helps us step back from the details of our lives and see the bigger picture with fresh eyes. It’s worth a few moments of your time. Review your week and come up with at least one conclusion, insight or learning and write it in your journal.

“Just because we increase the speed of information doesn’t mean we can increase the speed of decisions. Pondering, reflecting and ruminating are undervalued skills in our culture.”
— Dale Dauten

higherawareness.com
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A Note from the Universe

Simply imagine happiness your own happiness. Feel the smile stretching across your face, notice the lightness in your step, hear the sparkle in your voice, and all things, material and spiritual, will soon fall into place.

Happy today!

The Universe

tut.com

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Today’s Recipe: Spinach Artichoke Dip

I made this for a party recently and it was very well received. One of my friends has allergies to many things so this is a very simple version. It could be spiced up in so many ways to suit your own tastes.

https://www.thriftyfun.com/Spinach-Artichoke-Dip-1.html

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Magical Correspondences for Wednesday

Intentions:Rules healings, the mind, Communication, Divination, Writing, Knowledge, Business Transactions, Debt, Fear,Loss, Travel and Money Matters, Addictions, Young People, Messages, Perception, Self Expression.

Incense: Jasmine, Lavender, Sweet Pea, Cinnamon, Cinquefoil
Planet: Mercury and Chiron (though this is a moon of Pluto)
Sign: Virgo
Angel: Raphael
Colors: Orange, Light Blue, Grey, Yellow and, Opalescent colors and Violet
Herbs/Plants: Fern, Lavendar, Hazel, Cherry, Periwinkle
Stones: Aventurine, Bloodstone, Hematite, Moss Agate and Sodalite
Oil: (Mercury) Benzoin, Clary Sage, Eucalytus, Lavender

Goddesses: Aset [Isis], Demeter, Ceres, Spider Woman, Bona Dea, Oya,
Devi-Kali, Hella, Rhiannon, Coatlique, Maman Brigette, Sekhmet, Het Heret
[Hathor]

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Daily Wisdom
January 23, 2019

Truth

“We know truth, not only by reason, but also by the heart.”

-Blaise Pascal (1723-1662)

In many ways, truth is intuitive. We know it when we see it. We recognize it, we feel it. There may be no hard evidence to back something up, but when it is the truth, we don’t need evidence – we understand it without explanation.

-Lissa Coffey

coffeytalk.com

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Beliefnet: Happy Hour: 10 Ways to Improve Your Mood Instantly
We all get in bad moods, here are some tips to help shake-off those bad times.
Read more……

___________________________
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/