The Desert Path

The Dusty Ramblings of a Desert Pagan

Cat’s Morning Bits for January 8, 2019

Posted on January 8, 2019 by Cat

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Cat’s Morning Bits for January 8, 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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Oh, what a goodly and a glorious show;
The stately trees have decked themselves with white,
And stand transfigured in a robe of light;
Wearing for each lost leaf a flake of snow.
-Richard Wilton (1827-1902)

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Spiritual Unite: Metaphysical Symbols And Their Meanings

Humankind has discovered an enormous variety of metaphysical symbols.
But where do these symbols come from, and what are their meanings?

This guide to the most common metaphysical symbols and the meaning to them should serve you well along your journey to enlightenment

https://www.spiritualunite.com/articles/metaphysical-symbols-and-their-meanings/

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Daily Good: My Word of the Year

“My word of the year is listen. Its one of those words whose meaning is in its music. Listen is a quiet word, that half swallowed L and diffident I and softly hissing S. It defies the clamorous words it absorbs, the words that have defined this year, the shouts and roars, the bray and bluster. Listening is hard when the sounds around us grow mean and ugly. And listening takes particular courage in divisive times.” Nancy Gibbs shares more in this evocative passage

http://www.dailygood.org/story/2175/my-word-of-the-year-nancy-gibbs/

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Spirituality & Health: Healthier Indoor Air
BY KATHRYN DRURY WAGNER
According to the EPA, poor air quality indoors can harm human health in two ways: One, it can aggravate pre-existing conditions, such as asthma, and two, it can cause potentially life-threatening diseases over time, such as cancer, heart disease and respiratory diseases. It’s kind of scary, but remember, this is your own environment inside so do whatever you can. Here are a few ways to minimize your exposure to indoor air pollution and breath free

https://spiritualityhealth.com/articles/2019/01/07/healthier-indoor-air

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MNN: Snow blankets Arizona desert, creating otherworldly scenes

Arizona’s deserts, with their golden sand and rust-hued canyons, already have an otherworldly quality to them. So when Mother Nature decides to change the decor, it can make things seem even more mystical.

https://www.mnn.com/earth-matters/climate-weather/blogs/arizona-deserts-are-covered-snow

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EarthSky News: Look for Cassiopeia and the Big Dipper

Tonight, look for the northern sky’s two most prominent sky patterns – the constellation Cassiopeia the Queen and the Big Dipper. Both circle around Polaris, the North Star, once a day. They are opposite each other, one on either side of the North Star.

https://earthsky.org/tonight/cassiopeia-and-big-dipper

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Patheos-Pagan: Snowflake Sigils

Every winter, my city puts up big snowflake sigils on the main road. Whether they know it or not, they’re using sigil magic to create a sense of community.

https://www.patheos.com/blogs/starlight/2019/01/snowflake-sigils/

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Inner Journey:

BE AWARE OF YOUR MOTIVES

“Ordinarily, everything we do is in our self-interest. Everything.”
— Anthony de Mello

“Remember, most of the things you think you need are ego trips designed to bolster your image and your perception of security…. You’ll waste a lot of energy satisfying your ego only to find that, as soon as it’s got what it wants, it ignores all your efforts and promptly nails another list of demands to your forehead. The ego will always try to force you to slave for its vision. I wouldn’t stand for that BS if I were you.”
— Stuart Wilde

“We have no need to teach pure motives to the mind. All that is necessary to make the mind pure is to undo the negative conditioning to which it has been subjected; then we will be left with pure, unconditioned awareness.”
— Eknath Easwaran

higherawareness.com
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A Note from the Universe

Though folks never suspect this in their times of crises, no one is ever more than a few wispy thoughts away from a rebound, breakthrough, or blazing new trails with friends, in love.

Burn rubber on me,

The Universe

tut.com

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Tetraktys: Quantum Retrocausality and the Nature of Life – The Link People Refuse to Make

The title might look a bit overwhelming, but you’ll see soon enough what I’m talking about. I’m not a physicist, but I do love watching vulgarization videos about physics on Youtube. Recently, I’ve been interested by the subject of quantum retrocausality, and, as someone who “kinda” believes in destiny, I must say that I would REALLY like physicists to find proofs that it, indeed, exists.

https://www.thetetraktys.com/2019/quantum-retrocausality-and-the-nature-of-life-the-link-people-refuse-to-make/

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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 8, 2019

Wisdom

“The invariable mark of wisdom is to see the miraculous in the common.”

-Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882)
Since this newsletter is called WisdomNews I thought we’d start off the new year talking about wisdom. Wisdom goes beyond knowledge. We often hear wisdom associated with sages, people who seem to know and understand those things that sometimes have no explanation. Maybe it is recognizing that connection between all things that makes everything miraculous. Wisdom is attainable, all the wisdom of the universe is at hand right now.

-Lissa Coffey

coffeytalk.com

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Beliefnet: 10 Things You Should Know About Astrology

Astrology can offer everything from relationship advice to hints about your health–here’s how to tap its secrets.

Cat’s Morning Bits for January 7, 2019

Posted on January 7, 2019 by Cat

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Cat’s Morning Bits for January 7, 2019

Blessings, Cat

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Spiritual Unite: Olive Tree Symbolism – Friendship And Peace

The Olive tree has a rich history in symbolism, tradition and mythology.
As early as Ancient Greece, the Olive tree has held symbolic meaning related to peace and friendship

https://www.spiritualunite.com/articles/olive-tree-symbolism-friendship-and-peace/

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MBG: Weekly Horoscope: 3 Planets Are Conspiring To Make Us More Honest In All Of Our Relationships

On Monday, Venus enters Sagittarius and ushers in more honest relationships.
Enough with the seductive mystique and the cat-and-mouse games. This Monday, January 7, Venus hauls her fine self out of hiding as she leaves Scorpio’s caldron and boards Sagittarius’ carnival float.

https://www.mindbodygreen.com/articles/january-7-13-2019-horoscope

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Daily Good: Abused Wolves and Troubled Teens Find Solace in Each Other

“A strong gust of wind is answered by a chorus of wolf howls in Southern California’s high desert. Wearing hoodies and well-worn sneakers, city kids make their way up a mountain. Navigating the high desert terrain can be a challenge for some, and a few lag behind. Leading the way is a wolf named Malo. For many of the teens who find their way here, Wolf Connection’s Youth Empowerment Program is their last chance; they have been kicked out of school, or have been in gangs or in and out of foster homes

http://www.dailygood.org/more.php?n=7890

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Elephant Journal: 2019 Eclipses: Changing the Story for us and our World

Astrology predicts—or so they say.
Prediction is only one of astrology’s functions. Astrology predicts events and marks time, but most of all, astrology identifies our role in the universe—who we are and how we can best fulfill our purpose.

https://www.elephantjournal.com/2019/01/2019-eclipses-astrology-and-predictions-by-debra-silverman/

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MNN: 9 mythical places you can visit in real life

Where myth and reality meet

We all grew up hearing stories based on myths. Thanks to these tales — and the books, artwork, movies and cartoons they inspired — most of us have developed images of these mythical places in our minds. But not all of these images have to stay locked in the realm of imagination. Many famous legends are set in or inspired by real places.

https://www.mnn.com/lifestyle/arts-culture/photos/mythical-places-you-visit-real-life/where-myth-and-reality-meet

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EarthSky News: Go young moon hunting

Tonight – January 7, 2019 – given clear skies, many of us around the world may be able to spot the slender young moon in the western sky at evening twilight. But don’t tarry because the moon will set before nightfall. An unobstructed horizon in the direction of sunset and a pair of binoculars will assist you on your young moon quest. If you miss the moon at dusk on January 7, try again after on January 8

https://earthsky.org/tonight/young-moon-hunting

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Patheos-Pagan: The Magick of Rest: Following the Moon’s Advice

I am writing within the time of the dark moon and into the new moon. I am up early and see only the dark expanse of the sky, shadowy and streaked with clouds across stars.

https://www.patheos.com/blogs/chargedbythegoddess/2019/01/the-magick-of-rest-following-the-moons-advice/

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Inner Journey:

PURPOSE BRINGS JOY

“Our purpose is hidden in our joy, our inspiration, our excitement. As we act on what shows up in our life our purpose shows up.”
— James King

For many of us, our joy is truly activated when we get a bigger picture of who we are and why we are here.

Most of us need to enlarge our self-concept. We may see ourselves as a bag of bones but, in truth, we are eternal, multi-faceted and multi-dimensional spiritual beings having a human experience. It’s time to think of ourselves as much larger and granderthan just a physical and emotional being confined in a body.

“There is no more important step you can take than to define your life’s purpose. It develops your sense of belonging to our universe.”
— Arnold Patent

higherawareness.com
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A Note from the Universe

Quickie Happiness Workshop for Increasing Profits at Times of Seeming Peril:

Think as much, if not more, about growing your income as you do of trimming your expenses.

And for extra credit focus on customers more than vendors; smiles more than frowns; possibilities more than risks; options more than commitments; vacations more than overtime; detours more than setbacks; opportunities more than obstacles; and Goldilocks more than the bears.

End of Workshop –

The Universe

tut.com

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Today’s Recipe: Chocolate Orange Cashew Oats

This is an awesome way to trick your instant oatmeal into a luxurious textured, full-of-flavour delight. I like to whip this up for my friends who stay over… only takes a few minutes. They think I go through a lot of trouble making it. No trouble! But they can think what they want. 😉

https://www.thriftyfun.com/Chocolate-Orange-Cashew-Oats.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 7, 2019

Wisdom

“Wise men hear and see
As little children do.”

-Lao-Tzu (6th cent. B.C.)
Children see things with an open mind and an open heart. Wisdom is not being childish, but rather it is being child-like in our curiosity and wonder. It allowing possibilities to present themselves in front of us. It is marveling at the grandeur of life.

-Lissa Coffey

coffeytalk.com

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Beliefnet: Quotes to Kick Start Your New Year

As we start the new year there are goals and resolutions that we hope to achieve. A New Year means a new beginning and chance to live our lives to the fullest.

Cat’s Morning Bits for January 4, 2019

Posted on January 4, 2019 by Cat

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Cat’s Morning Bits for January 4, 2019

Blessings, Cat

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Open the door, though the wild winds blow,
Take the child in and make him cozy.
Take him in and hold him dear,
He is the wonderful glad New Year.
-Dinah Maria Mulock Craik (1826-87)

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Tetraktys: Plan With a Witch : 10 Calendars, Planners & Bullet Journals for a Magickal 2019

Hello witches! When a new year approaches, I always ask myself the same question: how can I be more organized? Hence, lately, I’ve been looking for the perfect planning tool to help me organize the year to come. I wanted to find something that was functional, flexible and witchy, to help me reconcile all aspects of my life. So, this week, I decided to share with you the results of my research. Here are my top 10 calendars, planners & bullet journals for witches!

https://www.thetetraktys.com/2018/plan-with-witch-10-calendars-planners-bullet-journals-2019/

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MBG: Has Your January Been A Doozy Already? Here’s Why, According To Astrology

January begins with both a whoosh AND a thud. As we leave 2018 in the rearview, the stars catalyze our desire for “new, different, anything but THAT again” by presenting not one but TWO eclipses this month. Eclipses are the cosmic change agents that spur us into action, sometimes by orchestrating dramatic or unexpected events.

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

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Daily Good: Handing Out Positive Tickets

Jan 4, 2019– Tired of hearing about the negative in your neighborhood? Well, so were these high school kids, who started a program, now sponsored by the City of Rochester, NY, to reward the positive. Each summer, the youth walk around different neighborhoods, looking for the good. And if they spot it, they hand out a ticket: A Positive Ticket.

http://www.karmatube.org/videos.php?id=3390

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Elephant Journal: In 2019, May you Surrender, May you Forgive, May you Choose Peace over Chaos.

Lately, I’ve been wishing for lots of things.
A little too much.

In fact, the pressure I’ve put on these wishes has not just created a big gap between expectations and reality, but pierced that gap in its entirety to fall right back on me.

https://www.elephantjournal.com/2019/01/may-you-surrender-may-you-forgive-may-you-choose-peace/

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DailyOM: Redefining Health

No matter what our weight, we can use the cues from our physical and mental selves to judge how healthy we are.

Health is not a numerical concept and cannot be defined using statistics. Human beings, however, tend to want to quantify well-being into easily understandable figures. We feel compelled to ascribe numbers to every aspect of wellness, from the qualities of our food to our fitness levels to the physical space we occupy.

https://www.dailyom.com/cgi-bin/display/articledisplay.cgi?aid=66385

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EarthSky News: Watch Venus and Jupiter before sunup

January 2019 presents a great time to catch the two brightest planets in Earth’s sky, Venus and Jupiter. Maybe you’ve seen them already. The waning crescent moon swept past them in the first few days of January, but now the moon has moved too close to the sun to be easily visible.

https://earthsky.org/tonight/see-venus-in-the-morning-sky

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Patheos-Pagan: The Pentagram: Wicca’s Five-Pointed Symbol

A debate on the symbol so very much associated with modern Pagan traditions today, prompted me to dig out a copy of the 2008 book WICCA: Magickal Beginnings which I co-authored with David Rankine

https://www.patheos.com/blogs/adamantinemuse/2016/06/pentagram-symbol-of-wicca/

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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

I found your new Intergalactic Phone Book listing!!

It wasn’t easy. At first I looked under Illuminated, but you weren’t there. Then I looked under Faith Healer, Magician, and Wild Thing; not there either. You weren’t even under Funny Bones. I started to worry.

Then I had an “ah-ha” moment. I looked you up under people who have their own thriving business and a steady income, and who will very, very soon have financial security for myself and family… Eureka!

You make time and space look easy,

The Universe

tut.com

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Today’s Recipe: Honey Glazed Butternut Squash

This pretty and yummy recipe is perfect to ‘fancy up’ a meal. It’s savory but can be made sweeter if desired. Precut too!

https://www.thriftyfun.com/Honey-Glazed-Butternut-Squash.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 4, 2019

Authenticity

“Any path is only a path, and there is no affront, to oneself or to others, in dropping it if that is what your heart tells you.”

-Carlos Castaneda
It’s okay to change directions. People have been reinventing themselves since time began. This is a good thing! When our heart leads us somewhere, it’s always for a reason. We need to follow and find out what that reason is. Usually this change brings us closer to who we really are, it allows us to discover our true self, and to be more authentic.

-Lissa Coffey

coffeytalk.com

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Beliefnet: Friends You Shouldn’t Feel Bad About Dumping
Evaluate your life and determine whether or not your circle of friends are healthy and beneficial for your life. Here are some of the friends you shouldn’t feel bad about dumping.

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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 3, 2019

Posted on January 3, 2019 by Cat

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Cat’s Morning Bits for January 3, 2019

Blessings, Cat

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January is here,
With eyes that keenly glow-
A frost-mailed warrior striding
A shadowy steed of snow.
-Edgar Fawcett (1847-1904)

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MBG: The Best Guided Journals For 2019 Organized By Personality Type

Ever open a fresh notebook you bought specifically for the purpose of journaling for the new year and feel completely overwhelmed by the sight of a honking blank page? Same here. Making the first mark in a new journal feels like a big deal, and it’s because most of us are hard-wired to follow some kind of structure. Without a container for our thoughts and words and doodles, knowing where to begin can be disorienting. Last year’s inaugural list of guided journals was a huge hit, so we wanted to serve you some newness for 2019, plus a bonus at the end. Happy journaling!

https://www.mindbodygreen.com/articles/best-guided-journals-for-2019

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Daily Good: The Gift of Presence and the Perils of Advice

Parker Palmer is the founder and senior partner of the Center for Courage and Renewal. His work teaches us to connect with others through our authentic self. His courses help to develop courageous leadership and collectively evolve our spirits for social change. With humor and heart, Parker shares his perspectives on advice giving vs the gift of our presence. Leading us into presence with unconditional listening and loving.

http://www.dailygood.org/story/2152/the-gift-of-presence-and-the-perils-of-advice-parker-j-palmer/

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Elephant Journal: 8 Reminders for how to be a Real Ass, Heart-on-your-Sleeve Human in 2019.

I don’t know about anyone else, but in my life, 2018 was one hell of a year.
Those 365 days were filled with an incredible combination of wonderful and devastating events. And while I cherish the wonders of 2018, I’m feeling ready to learn my lessons from the devastation.

https://www.elephantjournal.com/2018/12/8-reminders-for-how-to-be-a-real-ass-heart-on-your-sleeve-human-in-2019/

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MNN: Meet India’s beautiful technicolor squirrels

We’re used to squirrels that are gray or a coppery red and relatively small. Sure, we may come across a squirrel that has had a few too many acorns, but that’s about it.
This isn’t the case in India, however. The country is home to a very colorful and large squirrel species, Ratufa indica, otherwise known as the Indian giant squirrel or the Malabar giant squirrel.
Just take a look!

https://www.mnn.com/earth-matters/animals/blogs/indias-beautiful-giant-colorful-squirrels

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EarthSky News: Latest sunrises (north) and sunsets (south) in early January

So you like to sleep late, but don’t want to miss the sunrise? If you’re in the Northern Hemisphere, this time of year is for you. Sleep on! The latest sunrises of 2019 are happening around now for mid-latitudes in the Northern Hemisphere. For example, sunrise time in the central U.S. – say, around Wichita, Kansas – for the next several days will be around 7:45 a.m.

https://earthsky.org/tonight/latest-sunrises-for-midnorthern-latitudes-in-early-january

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DailyOM: Taking a Snow Day by Madisyn Taylor
Feed your soul, and briefly separate yourself from life’s frenetic pace, by taking a snow day.
With so much to do all the time, it can be difficult to find time to simply breathe, think, and explore our inner landscapes. It is still possible, however, to feed your soul and to briefly separate yourself from life’s frenetic pace by taking a snow day. Personal snow days are best taken when you feel like you are running on empty with no chance of respite in sight or when you begin to resent the life you once loved.

https://www.dailyom.com/cgi-bin/display/articledisplay.cgi?aid=66400

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Patheos-Pagan: New Year, Witches: Do the Work

Last year was a challenge for many. It doesn’t matter what year it was, each year has challenges, although lately they seem to multiply as the years whirl by. At the start of a new year, one tends to make resolutions, new plans, new goals. To this I add my bit of advice: do the work.

https://www.patheos.com/blogs/witchindeed/2019/01/new-year-witches-do-the-work/

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Inner Journey:

LIVE NOW

“How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives.”
— Annie Dillard

We lose the power of the moment because we’re so rarely in it. We’re reliving the past or speculating about the future. We continue to believe that tomorrow’s the day when I’ll be more capable, more wealthy, more fit and more loving. Meanwhile, I’m just putting in time, dreaming of better things but not making any concrete move to realize them.

When you find yourself thinking of the future or the past, bring your awareness into the present moment. Really experience how you feel and what’s happening around you, without judgment. If we can treasure each moment, our lives will be rich, no matter what we have accomplished.

“Lost, yesterday, somewhere between sunrise and sunset, two golden hours, each set with sixty diamond minutes. No reward is offered for they are gone forever.”
— Horace Mann

“If, before going to bed every night, you will tear a page from the calendar, and remark, ‘there goes another day of my life, never to return,’ you will become time conscious.”
— A. B. Zu Tavern

higherawareness.com
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A Note from the Universe

The questions you have to answer pertain to what, where, when, and why.

Mine pertain to how and with whom.

Fair?

The Universe

tut.com

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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 3, 2019

Authenticity

“This above all: to thine own self be true.”

-William Shakespeare
I love the word authentic. Authentic means genuine, real, true – and when applied to people it means being true to yourself, being your TRUE self, expressing yourself, and nothing less. We sense when people are authentic, just as we can tell when they are imitating, or role playing. When we are authentic, our light shines through, and our path is illuminated. “This above all…” Shakespeare says. It is important to be authentic, important for our well-being and for our spiritual growth.

-Lissa Coffey

coffeytalk.com

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Beliefnet: 8 Facts to Remember When Life is Unbearable

A friend stepped over the smoldering debris of where her house once stood. Tripping over melted photo frames, broken pieces of furniture, the sound of broken glass being crushed beneath her feet added to the misery

Cat’s Morning Bits for January 2, 2019

Posted on January 2, 2019 by Cat

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Cat’s Morning Bits for January 2, 2019

Blessings, Cat

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Janus am I; oldest of potentates;
Forward I look, and backward, and below
I count, as god of avenues and gates,
The years that through my portals come and go.
-Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807-82)

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Spirituality & Health

A Call for Revolution: Rebels for Peace
BY HIS HOLINESS THE 14TH DALAI LAMA
At eighty-two, I am ready to say my goodbyes. According to my age, I am a man of the twentieth century, but my yearning for peace, so deeply rooted in me, makes me feel that I belong more to the future of the world, and to the younger generation. In that sense, you and I are the same age, the age of renewal.

The end of my life and the first part of yours are at a crossroads. The point where our paths join is like that brief moment when night and dawn meet in the sky. It is no longer night, but it is not yet daybreak. A new day is being born. It is as though one page is turning on the horizon to the next one. It is up to you, my young friends, to write the next chapter of our history. I hope it will be the most beautiful and joyful chapter in the entire memory of humankind.
Read more.

https://spiritualityhealth.com/articles/2018/12/31/a-call-for-revolution-rebels-for-peace

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MBG: How To Give Your Home A Feng Shui Makeover — In One Day

After years as a feng shui consultant, I’ve seen firsthand how interior design can transform people’s lives in positive and uplifting ways. The month of January is actually considered the best time to prepare for a feng shui makeover since it falls right before the Chinese New Year and during a time when many of us are dedicated to self-improvement of some kind.

https://www.mindbodygreen.com/articles/how-to-feng-shui-your-home-in-one-day

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Daily Good: Thinking About New Year’s Resolutions?

“In past years, youve probably targeted minor vices — eat fewer snacks, exercise more, whatever your particular self-admonitions may be. But it is too easy to get lost in the particulars — and in the negatives. This time around, try something a little different.”

http://www.dailygood.org/story/2173/thinking-about-new-year-s-resolutions-ted-fischer/

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Herbal Muse: How to Make Spiced Preserved Lemons

You may have come across a recipe at some point that called for preserved lemons but didn’t have a clue as to what they were. Preserved lemons, also known in various parts of the world as country lemons, lemon pickles and leems, are widely used in Middle Eastern, Indian and Moroccan cuisines. In Morocco, in particular, they are called Hamad m’rakhad, L’hamb Mssayr and most affectionately as Lim mraqqed, which means “lemons put to sleep.” Preserved in a brine of lemon juice, salt and spices, the lemony flavor of the fruit is wildly enhanced while its tartness on the tongue is tamed. Read more…

https://www.herbalmusings.com/single-post/2018/12/28/Spiced-Preserved-Lemons

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Spirit Library: New You Humor

Dear Ones,

You are preparing for a new year and new you.

You believe you are no different than before you initiated your transition. Yet, you have become belligerent when feeling pushed, belittled, or ignored. You also feel more joy than you anticipated mere days ago.

https://spiritlibrary.com/brenda-hoffman/new-you-humor

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EarthSky News: Earth closest to sun on January 2-3

Tonight – January 2, 2019 according to clocks in the Americas – we reach Earth’s closest point to the sun for this entire year. That closest point comes at 11:20 p.m. CST (central U.S.) on January 2. It’ll be the morning of January 3 for Europe and Africa … later in the day January 3 for the rest of the world (January 3 at 5:20 UTC; translate to your time zone). Astronomers call this special point in our orbit perihelion, from the Greek roots peri meaning near and helios meaning sun.

https://earthsky.org/tonight/earth-comes-closest-to-sun-every-year-in-early-january

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Patheos-Pagan: A Three-Part Spell for Self-Love and Esteem

Winter is hard. Especially the start of the new year. The holidays take their toll, even when they’re really good times. And after the holidays, there is the cleaning and putting things away and then everybody goes back to work. We’re not really thinking about self-love.

https://www.patheos.com/blogs/dirtheartwitch/2018/12/three-part-spell-self-love-esteem/

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Inner Journey:

LONELINESS

“When humans find themselves surrounded by nothing but objects, the response is always one of loneliness.”
— Brian Swimme

Soul lives through relationship and it is in soul that we find meaning. We can have meaningful relationships with people, animals and other beings, projects, ideas and ideals.

How much time do you devote to building relationships with things?

“Loneliness is caused by an alienation from life. It is a loneliness from your real self.”
— Maxwell Maltz

“No soul is desolate as long as there is a human being for whom it can feel trust and reverence.”
— George Eliot

higherawareness.com
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A Note from the Universe

In time and space, friends adore you, strangers admire you, and physical laws fear you.

OMG – Is this like “_______ World,” or what?

You can have it all,

The Universe

tut.com

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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 2, 2019

Authenticity

“The highest courage is to dare to appear to be what one is.”

-John Lancaster Spalding

The key word here is “appear.” So many times it’s just easier to put on a mask, to play a role, to go along with what is expected of us. But the courage is in being authentic, in being true to ourselves and our convictions. Being true to ourselves is one thing – but showing the world who we are is another. Do we dare risk judgement? When we are authentic we answer to ourselves, we know that to appear to be anything other, anything less than “what one is” is heart-breaking.

-Lissa Coffey

coffeytalk.com

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Beliefnet: 6 Ways to Regain Your Joy

Learn how to cultivate this beautiful, elusive emotion.

Joy is unlike any other emotion. Unlike happiness, which we often feel as a result of things outside of us, joy is something that is cultivated internally. It is a unique combination of satisfaction, peace, and intense positivity that provides what many describe as a spiritual experience.

https://www.beliefnet.com/inspiration/6-ways-to-regain-your-joy.aspx?source=NEWSLETTER&nlsource=6&ppc=&utm_campaign=Angel&utm_source=NL&utm_medium=newsletter

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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 1, 2019

Posted on January 1, 2019 by Cat

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Cat’s Morning Bits for January 1, 2019

Blessings, Cat

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With the old Almanack and the old Year,
Leave thy old Vices, tho’ ever so dear.

-Proverb

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Spiritual Unite: Succulent Plant Symbolism – Relationship With Water And Romance

The Succulents are a family of plants that are characterised by thick, fleshy parts that are used primarily to store water.
This family of plants includes cacti, aloe and asparagus – alongside dozens more.

https://www.spiritualunite.com/articles/succulent-plant-symbolism-relationship-with-water-and-romance/

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MBG: The Complete Zodiac Guide To 2019. What’s In The Stars For You?

Plant your soles on solid ground, but don’t take your shoes off and get comfortable just yet. This year’s cosmic lineup is an interesting mix of grounding earth-sign energies and motivating fire-sign mojo. After several intense years that have yanked our emotions all over the map, we need to stand firm—if only to regain our centers. But once we reconnect to our truths, it’s time to mobilize!

https://www.mindbodygreen.com/articles/2019-astrology-guide

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Daily Good: Home: The Movie

World renowned photographer, Yann Arthus-Bertrand, released “Home” on World Environment Day, June 5, 2009. Shot in 54 countries and 120 locations over 217 days, “Home” is almost entirely composed of aerial footage showing how everything on earth is interconnected. Though the visually stunning images inspire a sense of awe, wonder, and appreciation for our home planet, this film was produced to awaken a collective conscience and responsibility. “Home” poses the prospect that unless we take responsible action to protect the earth’s resources, we risk losing the only home we may ever have

http://www.karmatube.org/videos.php?id=2241

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Tetrakyts: Mindfulness in 2019 – 5 Mindfulness Tips for the New Year

2019 is coming and people are starting to make new resolutions for the new year. If you’re a spiritually minded person, as most of our readers are, there’s a good chance that some of your resolutions will involve spirituality, and I know that a lot of you will want to increase your mindfulness.

https://www.thetetraktys.com/2018/mindfulness-in-2019-5-mindfulness-tips-for-the-new-year/

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MNN: Woodland animals leap from the screen in Finnish photographer’s work

When most people think of Finland, they likely imagine a country of sprawling forests and winter wonderlands where everyone is content and has a respectful relationship with wildlife.
Helsinki University student and photographer Ossi Saarinen has lived in Finland his whole life, and his work reveals his passion for nature and animals.

https://www.mnn.com/earth-matters/animals/blogs/woodland-creatures-finnish-fairyland-setting-ossi-saarinen

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EarthSky News: Earth closest to sun on January 2-3

Tonight – January 2, 2019 – we reach Earth’s closest point to the sun for this entire year at 11:20 p.m. CST (central U.S.). It’ll be the morning of January 3 for Europe and Africa … later in the day January 3 for the rest of the world (January 3 at 5:20 UTC; translate to your time zone). Astronomers call this special point in our orbit perihelion, from the Greek roots peri meaning near and helios meaning sun.

https://earthsky.org/tonight/earth-comes-closest-to-sun-every-year-in-early-january

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Patheos-Pagan: Saying No to New Year Resolutions

I hate New Year Resolutions. Hate. It’s an active waste of energy, this hate, but whenever I hear folx talking about their resolutions for 2019, my ass begins to twitch. It’s a real problem. A personal problem, naturally, but real enough for me.

https://www.patheos.com/blogs/kacealexander/2018/12/no-new-year-resolutions/

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Inner Journey:

SPIRITUAL PATHWAYS

“In any way that men love me in that same way they find my love: for many are the paths of men, but they all in the end come to me.”
— Song of God, Bhagavad Gita

Spirit – the life force – exists in everything. It follows, then, that ANY path, any encounter is spiritual if we have the awareness to see it as such. Going deeper, going higher, emptying, connecting, believing or disbelieving, bouncing off the bottom, experiencing the heights, in pain, in ecstasy ….

Too often, we search afar for our own purpose when it is in our lives all the time, waiting for us to express it more openly. Bring greater awareness to each encounter and situation in life. Tune in to what you are inspired to do, who you are inspired to be. Your answers are waiting for you to pay attention – every moment!

“…focus on the journey, not the destination. Joy is found not in finishing an activity but in doing it.”
— Greg Anderson

higherawareness.com
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A Note from the Universe

Ever notice how those who give their all to just “getting by,” usually do?

Yeah.

Then you must wonder, too, why they don’t just give their all to rocking the flippin’ world?

Costs the same.

Just another one of life’s mysteries,

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 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

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

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Daily Wisdom
January 1, 2019

Authenticity

“To be nobody-but-yourself – in a world which is doing its best, night and day, to make you everybody else – means to fight the hardest battle which any human being can fight; and never stop fighting.”

-e.e. cummings
When you think about all the advertisements and magazines and commercials that encourage us to buy and be made-over and to do this and that to improve ourselves, it’s a wonder there’s any individuality left at all! We tend to want this actor’s hairstyle and that model’s figure – or that politician’s power and this athlete’s paycheck. All of these “things” are held up to us as the ideal. And yet, we know, deep inside, that what is REAL is so much more than that. Though we’re inundated by the mega-media machine, we must keep reminding ourselves that what we have to hold onto is who we are, and that is invaluable.

-Lissa Coffey

coffeytalk.com

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Beliefnet: Affirmations to Move Past Pain
Affirmations are a simple tool we can use to feel better about ourselves. Use these affirmations to help you overcome the past and focus on moving forward.

Cat’s Morning Bits for December 31, 2018

Posted on December 31, 2018 by Cat

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Cat’s Morning Bits for December 31, 2018

Blessings, Cat

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“ I don’t know what the big deal is about old age. Old people who shine from the inside look 10 to 20 years younger. ”

– Dolly Parton

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Spiritual Unite: Juniper Tree Symbolism – Purification And Healing

The natural world has long held much symbolism for people from every culture and tradition.
The Juniper tree appears in many European cultures, particularly in English, Scandinavian and Icelandic traditions

https://www.spiritualunite.com/articles/juniper-tree-symbolism-purification-and-healing/

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MBG: Weekly Horoscope: Here’s What’s In Store For The First Week Of 2019

This week’s horoscope from the AstroTwins explains why you should be finishing out the year getting really reflective and spending your New Year’s Day cozying up to a divination deck.

https://www.mindbodygreen.com/articles/weekly-horoscope-december-31-january-6-2019

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Daily Good: They Sang with a Thousand Tongues

This season of turning, things going to ground with the promise of new life to come, has many stories from many cultures. It can be easy to get caught up in the fear of unfamiliar stories making the ones we use to give us hope in the cold and dark of winter. Another frame might serve us better. In this essay by Bayo Akomolafe provides the hopeful frame of many voices harmonizing in a joyous chorus. All the voices, all the stories are necessary and critical. And no single story can carry the tune.

http://www.dailygood.org/story/2147/they-sang-with-a-thousand-tongues-bayo-akomolafe/

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Elephant Journal: The Winter Solstice is not just One Night—it’s a Phase

The winter solstice is the longest night of the year (in the Northern Hemisphere).
It is a turning point in the cycle of the year. In the silent, stillness of the deepest night—light is born.

The birth of light is a symbol of the potential within you, within each of us: to find purpose, meaning, direction, and joy in life—particularly when things seem dark. Every life has its winter solstice times, when there’s more darkness than light.
Darkness is not a mistake.

https://www.elephantjournal.com/2018/12/the-winter-solstice-is-not-just-one-night-its-a-phase/

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DailyOM: Judging Others

To acknowledge that we have judged and why, is the first step to a path of compassion.
Though it is human to evaluate people we encounter based on first impressions, the conclusions we come to are seldom unaffected by our own fears and our own preconceptions. Additionally, our judgments are frequently incomplete.

https://www.dailyom.com/cgi-bin/display/articledisplay.cgi?aid=65991

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MNN: Why paper books and the independent bookstore aren’t dead

I love books, and to an irrational degree.
In books, I find psychological and emotional refuge, education and deep wisdom that I just don’t find elsewhere. My passion is connected to the words and the form they come in — printed pages bound together. So I’m not afraid to admit that when I read an article about how print book sales had risen (modestly) and e-book sales had declined (a bit) and that the number of independent bookstores had increased over the past year, I shed tears of joy.

https://www.mnn.com/lifestyle/arts-culture/blogs/books-independent-bookstore-arent-dead

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EarthSky News: On the 1st mornings of 2019, watch the moon sweep past 3 planets

Happy New Year! Here’s a cool coincidence that you’ll enjoy. The first several mornings of the 2019 will feature a waning crescent moon sweeping past three planets in the early morning sky. Look east, the direction of sunrise. You can’t miss Jupiter and Venus because they are so bright! Mercury is also bright enough to be visible to the eye, but it rises only shortly before sunrise now and so is seen only against a background of bright twilight. Use binoculars to catch Mercury is you need to

https://earthsky.org/tonight/mornings-jan-1-2-3-4-2019-3-planets-moon

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Patheos-Pagan: On a Pagan New Year

Last year on the Patheos Pagan Facebook page I posted a meme on January 1st wishing everyone who likes our page a Happy New Year. A follower there was a bit upset about it because they seemed to believe that celebrating the New Year on January 1 is some sort of Christian tradition, or goes against the idea that there’s an established “Pagan” or “Witch” New Year.

https://www.patheos.com/blogs/panmankey/2018/12/on-a-pagan-new-year/

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Inner Journey:

DID YOU FIND JOY?

“The future, higher evolution will belong to those who live in joy, who share joy, and who spread joy.”
— Torkom Saraydarian

Joy, as the energy of love, is the highest vibration on this planet. Everything in the universe is energy; it can be measured and reduced to vibrational frequencies. It’s a universal law that as we think and feel we vibrate, and as we vibrate we attract. When we are in the high joy vibration, we attract what is for our greater good.

The Ancient Egyptians saw Joy as a sacred responsibility. They believed that upon their death, the God Osiris would ask them two questions: “Did you bring Joy?” and “Did you find Joy?” Those who answered ‘yes’ could continue their journey into the afterlife.

For at least the next week or two, ask yourself these two questions each and every day:
• Did I bring joy?
• Did I find joy?

“Man loves because he is Love. He seeks Joy, for he is Joy. He thirsts for God for he is composed of God and he cannot exist without Him.”
— Sathya Sai Baba

higherawareness.com
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A Note from the Universe

Do you think it would be cheating, knowing all that I know, if I placed a bet on your inevitable happiness, success, and saunter?
Good. Because I have. It was called the “Big Bang,” and every moment of every day I walk in your shoes.
I knew what I was doing.

The Universe

tut.com

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Today’s Recipe: Bacon and Cheese Stuffed Waffles

I got this idea for a bacon and cheese stuffed waffle after I saw my brother use leftover Christmas ham and cheese inside of a waffle… and it was awesome! I used a simple pancake mix and just added water to make the batter. I used cheese that melts nicely; smoked gruyere and mozzarella. These waffles are fabulous on their own or with a dipping sauce of equal parts mustard and mayonnaise. Enjoy!

https://www.thriftyfun.com/Bacon-and-Cheese-Stuffed-Waffles.html

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Magical Correspondences for Monday

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
December 31, 2018

Authenticity

“Somehow we learn who we really are and then live with that decision.”

-Eleanor Roosevelt

Who are you? Or maybe the question is, “who have you decided to be?” We all have roles to play, but our true self is so much greater than any of them. We can identify with the role, or we can choose to see ourselves as the role-player. Our roles come and go and change and grow – and our true self proceeds along through all of it. We can play any role we want to play, do anything we want to do. When we know who we really are, all of this comes easily to us, and we can keep it in perspective

-Lissa Coffey

coffeytalk.com

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Beliefnet: How to Craft the Best New Year’s Resolution
It is that time of year again. January 1 st is upon us, and most of us will be making our resolutions to do something to improve our lives. We may resolve to lose weight or pay off our debts or take up…

Cat’s Morning Bits for December 28, 2018

Posted on December 28, 2018 by Cat

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Cat’s Morning Bits for December 28, 2018

Blessings, Cat

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There he stands in the foul weather,
The foolish, fond Old Year.

-Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807-82)

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The Wild Hunt: New archaeological finds in UK shed light on Pagan past

WALES – After a summer in which the drought brought to light a number of interesting archaeological finds in the UK and Ireland, the rest of 2018 has proved almost equally fruitful, with two major discoveries shedding light on our Celtic ancestors and their way of life. One of these finds is large, the other

Cat’s Morning Bits for December 26, 2018

Posted on December 27, 2018 by Cat

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Cat’s Morning Bits for December 26, 2018

Blessings, Cat

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“ The door of opportunity won’t open unless you do some pushing. ”

– Anonymous

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Thought.co: 14 Magical Tools for Pagan Practice

Often, when people first discover Wicca or some other form of Paganism, they rush to go buy every single magical tool they can find. After all, the books tell us to buy this, that, and the kitchen sink, so you better hustle on over to Ye Local Wytchy Shoppe and get stuff. Remember, though, magical tools have an actual purpose. Let’s take a look at some of the magical and ritual items that many Wiccan and Pagan traditions use in some capacity. Remember, not all traditions use all of these tools, and they don’t always use them in the same way.

https://www.thoughtco.com/magical-tools-for-pagan-practice-4064607

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MBG: How To Clear Negative Energy At Home Using Grocery Store Staples (Yes, Really)

Feng shui is based on the idea that when you clear away negative energy at home, you create more room for flow or “chi”—something we can’t necessarily see, but we can feel.

https://www.mindbodygreen.com/articles/how-to-clear-negative-energy-at-home-quickly-and-easily

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Daily Good: Grateful Changemakers: Karma Kitchen

The first Karma Kitchen opened in Berkley, CA in 2007. It began as an experiment of a “gift economy”. An economic system where goods and services are gifted – with no strings attached!
What a culture shift!! This model puts people in the position to receive kindness from strangers, inviting us to see from a different perspective. This is such a beautiful exploration of change in our behavior of consumption to one of contribution, from our perception of lack to one of abundance and community.

http://www.dailygood.org/story/2151/grateful-changemakers-karma-kitchen-the-gratefulness-team/

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Elephant Journal: Eclipse Season Kicks off 2019 with a Bang: Here’s how to Make the Most of It.

I always get excited about a fresh new year.
So many potential energy shifts. Pushing away the labors of the past year in exchange for something shiny and (as of yet) untouched, seems mysterious and appealing. I mean, we can hope, right? Astrologically speaking, January’s a brand-new month in a brand-new year and yet, we’re still going to be working on the same themes we’ve worked on throughout 2018.

https://www.elephantjournal.com/2018/12/eclipse-season-kicks-off-2019-with-a-bang-heres-how-to-make-the-most-of-it/

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MNN: How chicken soup makes you feel better, according to science
Revealed: The secret to chicken soup’s medicinal properties

When you’re sick, there are few things more nourishing than a warm, savory bowl of chicken soup. Though soup recipes vary, chicken broth is a remedy for cold and flu symptoms utilized around the world; its magic is recognized almost ubiquitously.

https://www.mnn.com/food/healthy-eating/stories/how-chicken-soup-makes-you-feel-better-according-science

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EarthSky News: Northern Cross upright in west now

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.

https://earthsky.org/tonight/northern-cross-stands-upright-on-december-evenings

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Patheos-Pagan: Witchy Resolution & Resolve, or How I Will Support my Magickal Practice in the New Year

I’m not necessarily a resolution sort of person. And yet, every year, I make some.
Every year.
But if this year’s messages and encounters have taught me anything, it’s that I can do more to support my magick

https://www.patheos.com/blogs/chargedbythegoddess/2018/12/witchy-resolution-resolve-or-how-i-will-support-my-magickal-practice-in-the-new-year/

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Inner Journey:

THE FACE IN THE MIRROR

“Our inability to see beauty doesn’t suggest in the slightest that beauty is not there. Rather, it suggests that we are not looking carefully enough or with broad enough perspective to see the beauty.”
— Rabbi Harold Kushner

Who are you? You can gaze at your reflection in a mirror but you’re not likely to see your true likeness. You are beautiful, unique, perfect. Do you see that?

The world needs you to see how whole and complete you are — now. Can you begin to own your divinity? The world needs you to know who you really are so you can be the mirror for others.

“The sun shines not on us but in us. The rivers flow not past, but through us, thrilling, tingling, vibrating every fiber and cell of the substance of our bodies, making them glide and sing.”
— John Muir

higherawareness.com
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Today’s Recipe: Garlic and Herb Snowflake Bread

This is a cute snowflake shaped pull-apart bread for the holidays. It’s filled with garlic and herbs. Serve by itself or with marinara sauce.

https://www.thriftyfun.com/Garlic-and-Herb-Snowflake-Bread.html

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Magical Correspondences for Thursday

Incense: Cinnamon,Henbane Nutmeg and Sage

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

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Daily Wisdom
December 27, 2018

Blessings

“Just to be is a blessing. Just to live is holy.”

-Abraham Heschel
Think of the odds, think of what it took to get us here, in this particular body, at this particular time. So many events had to occur exactly the way that they did for us to exist right now. What if your mother hadn’t met your father? The “what ifs” are endless! But somehow everything fell into place miraculously to create this life that you’re living. So now we’re here – and what we gain from this experience, how we learn and grow and make this blessing really count, is all up to us!

-Lissa Coffey

coffeytalk.com

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Beliefnet: 6 Things to Remember When You’re Struggling to Forgive

Forgiveness is difficult, especially when we’ve been hurt deeply by someone. We all struggle with forgiveness at some point in our lives, but handing on to anger, resentment and thoughts of revenge only cause self-imposed suffering.

Cat’s Morning Bits for December 25, 2018

Posted on December 26, 2018 by Cat

Cat’s Morning Bits for December 25, 2018

Blessings, Cat

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The short holiday day of talking by the fire,
floating on snowshoes among
ancient self-pollarded maples,
visiting, being visited, giving
a rain gauge, receiving red socks,
watching snow buntings nearly over
their heads in snow stab at spirtled bits
of sunflower seeds the chickadees
hold with their feet to a bough
and hack apart, scattering debris
like sloppy butchers, is over.

-Galway Kinnell (1927-2014)

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Spirituality & Health

5 Meaningful Holiday Traditions
I once heard that kids spell love T-I-M-E. I often think of that with my own kids, but I think it’s also true for adults. What adult wouldn’t want a little more time off for the holidays? A little more time to spend relaxing by the fire. A little more time with a loved one who is no longer with us. This holiday season focus on meaningful traditions, whether that translates to time spent in peaceful solitude and reflection as you head into the new year, or time spent with friends and family. Here are five ways to create meaningful new holiday traditions

https://spiritualityhealth.com/articles/2018/12/24/5-meaningful-holiday-traditions

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MBG: Why I Don’t Do New Year’s Resolutions & What To Do Instead

I am on my tiptoes every New Year’s Eve, caught up in the magic of something new this way coming. “Auld Lang Syne” is in my ears reminding me to honor the past that brought me here as I ask everyone around me what their favorite part of the year was and why. The clock winds down, and I close my eyes for my kiss, confident my new life is beginning the very next day. It is pure magic and wishful bliss.

https://www.mindbodygreen.com/articles/skip-resolutions-new-year-intentions

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Daily Good: Okagesama

Okagesama is the awareness that what is inside the walls of your house or under the skin of your body or any aspect of your life and experience are elements that cannot be seen. They are in the shadows and in order to see them, we have to look very deeply. Gregg Krech writes that we have to see with more than our eyes. There are unseen forces in our lives that make them possible. When we reflect on this and try to identify all the unseen forces that make a thing or an experience possible, we discover that it is endless. We discover that what is in the shadows doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist, but that once we bring the light of awareness to it, we often find that it is love.

http://www.dailygood.org/story/2150/okagesama-gregg-krech/

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Elephant Journal: The Big Box of Astrology for 2019: Change is Coming Your Way.

*Whether astrology is science or magic, we’re open to most things, if they may be of benefit. ~ Ed.

Too many of us are bruised, battered, and worn from 2018’s energy.
One of the things that most of us enjoy about astrology is its ability to give us some indicators into where we go next.
Astrology is not just about what lies ahead—it’s about the past and present, too.

https://www.elephantjournal.com/2018/12/the-big-box-of-astrology-for-2019-change-is-coming-your-way/

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MNN: Why and how you should start a sit-spot routine
Spending time in nature has proven health benefits, and this habit will help you reap those positive rewards.

I’m sitting on deep green moss at the base of an old Sitka spruce. Sunlight is filtering down through a canopy of pine and alder, vine maple and salmonberry. On my right, a small creek tumbles over rocks and fine silt, wraps around the little knoll I’m on and continues down a small green ravine into a sedge-filled marsh.

https://www.mnn.com/health/fitness-well-being/blogs/how-find-sit-spot-and-start-sit-spot-routine

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EarthSky News: Moon and Royal Star on December 25 and 26

These next two nights – December 25 and 26, 2018 – you might see the moon and Regulus, the Royal Star, coming up above your eastern horizon before your bedtime. If not, you can always get up before daybreak to view the waning gibbous moon and Regulus much higher up in the sky.

https://earthsky.org/tonight/moon-and-royal-star-on-december-25-and-26

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Patheos-Pagan: WHEN IT’S NOT ABOUT THE VIRGIN

What is this dark time of the year, when it’s not about belief, whether the biblical or the pagan?
Without the cards, the first thing that fell into my head as a quick answer was a favorite line from the movie All the President’s Men: ‘If it ain’t sex, follow the money.’
Right.

https://www.patheos.com/blogs/cartomancer/2018/12/23/when-its-not-about-the-virgin/

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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

Baby souls follow.

Young souls lead.

But old souls are just as happy to dance alone.

Not that I’m spying on you,

The Universe

tut.com

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Today’s Recipe: Caramelized Cranberry Brussels Sprouts

These Brussels sprouts are extra yummy, sweetened by being caramelized, and studded with cranberries. The onions and garlic give it a nice smoky flavour. I love the green and red look for the holidays. 🙂

https://www.thriftyfun.com/Caramelized-Cranberry-Brussels-Sprouts.html

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Magical Correspondences for Wednesday

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
December 26, 2018

Blessings

“The best things are nearest: breath in your nostrils, light in your eyes, flowers at your feet, duties at your hand, the path of God just before you. Then do not grasp at the stars, but do life’s plain, common work as it comes, certain that daily duties and daily bread are the sweetest things of life.”

-Robert Louis Stevenson
Stevenson says “do not grasp at the stars” as if to say- don’t worry so much about things you don’t have, things that are out of your reach. Instead, focus on the task at hand, and see the beauty and the blessings which are right here, right now. We can’t appreciate what is right in front of us if we are looking off into the distance.

-Lissa Coffey

coffeytalk.com

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Beliefnet: 6 Things to Leave Behind in the New Year
Life is too short to give fear, regret, and bad habits a place in this next year.
I love New Years. Something about new beginnings and chances to improve always gives me a feeling of hope and excitement. Plus, I just love champagne. It’s almost as invigorating as the idea of letting go of “the old” things you want to forget or habits you want to change. Like running like an Olympian to catch the kids’ bus every day. Or drinking that second (okay fourth) cup of coffee before three.

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