The Desert Path

The Dusty Ramblings of a Desert Pagan

Cat’s Morning Bits for January 20, 2020

Posted on January 20, 2020 by Cat

CMB Blue

Cat’s Morning Bits for January 20, 2020

Good Morning Beautiful Souls, grab a cup of your favorite morning brew and start things off with “Today’s Inspirations”. I hope you find something here that will make you feel good or help you on your path today.

Blessings, Cat

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Then welcome, cold, welcome, ye snowy nights!
Heaven midst your rage shall mingle pure delights.
-Robert Bloomfield (1766-1823)

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Daily Good: Speaking of Nature

“We have a special grammar for personhood. We would never say of our late neighbor, “It is buried in Oakwood Cemetery.” Such language would be deeply disrespectful and would rob him of his humanity. We use instead a special grammar for humans: we distinguish them with the use of he or she, a grammar of personhood for both living and dead Homo sapiens. Yet we say of the oriole warbling comfort to mourners from the treetops or the oak tree herself beneath whom we stand, “It lives in Oakwood Cemetery.” In the English language,. { read more }

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ThoughtCo: Create a Portable Altar Kit

Why create a portable altar kit? Well, the obvious reason is that a portable altar is… well, portable. For some people, that’s a desirable thing. You may wish to have a portable altar for any number of reasons. Perhaps your job requires you to travel a lot.

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MBG: A Beginner’s Guide To The 7 Chakras

The seven chakras are the main energy centers of the body. You’ve probably heard people talk about “unblocking” their chakras, which refers to the idea that when all of our chakras are open, energy can run through them freely, and harmony exists between the physical body, mind, and spirit.

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Natural Living Ideas: 22 Impressive Pine Needle Uses You’d Never Have Thought Of

I kind of have a thing for pine trees.

If you were to ask my family how I feel about pine trees, they would probably roll their eyes and groan. When it comes to our fresh-cut Christmas tree, my eyes are always bigger than our ceiling.

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Today’s DIY: DIY Natural Shampoo & Conditioner with Lemon, Lime & Lager. {Recipe}

Soft, shiny, and clean hair can be yours with this natural shampoo and conditioner, whipped up for just pennies with ingredients most of us have in the kitchen.

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Elephant Journal: A 5-Minute Technique to ease Emotional Overload

For years, I have sat with clients experiencing strong emotions: anxiety, fear, anger, grief.
As a psychotherapist, I have learned many treatment methods in educational and professional settings, but what has been most helpful to my clients in modulating emotion is a deep breathing technique.

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MNN: Wolf puppies play fetch, surprising researchers

Some dogs just love to play fetch. When you have the ball, they need you to throw it immediately so they can catch it.

But it’s not just dogs that love this game

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EarthSky News: Observer’s Challenge: Moon, Jupiter before sunrise

Up for a sky watching challenge? The king planet Jupiter is now playing hide-and-seek before sunrise. But these next few mornings – January 21 and 22, 2020 – you can use the slender waning crescent moon to locate Jupiter in your sky. Very simply, the lit side of the lunar crescent points in the direction Jupiter.

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Patheos-Pagan: Imbolc: Honoring Brighid. Welcoming Spring. Cleaning House.

For many years, I’ve had an interesting relationship with Brighid-Goddess of the Dawn, fire, hearth, fertility, healing, poetry and smithcraft.

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Inner Journey:

GETTING DOWN TO ESSENTIALS

“Besides the noble art of getting things done, there is the noble art of leaving things undone. The wisdom of life consists in the elimination of non-essentials.”
— Lin Yutang

Do you feel a desire to simplify your life?

If you say ‘yes,’ then set an intention to reduce the demands, stimuli, interruptions and busyness in your life. We each have the power to do this – we simply have to begin to say ‘no’ to those activities that don’t directly serve what we want for our lives.

Everyone of this planet deserves to have some free time to think, relax and have fun. If you long for this, begin now to clear your plate and allow a new level of experience to happen in your life. Take charge. Eliminate time wasters. Make some decisions about what matters to you.

“The ability to simplify means to eliminate the unnecessary so that the necessary may speak.”
— Hans Hofmann

higherawareness.com
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A Note from the Universe

What if from now on and forevermore, people stopped using the word “evil” and replaced it with “ignorance”?

Yeah, less fear, more better; global transformation.

Let’s,

The Universe

tut.com

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Today’s Recipe: Baking Bread and Making Sourdough (from Wise Woman Ezine)
by Anne-Marie Fryer Wiboltt

Flour, water, and salt is all that is needed to make a natural sourdough bread with a wonderful wholesome flavor. During the process of making the bread, the protein in the wheat flour, called gluten, sucks up moisture. When the dough is kneaded the gluten proteins stick together and become ‘rubber like. The gluten can then hold little pockets of gas given off by the sourdough as it breaks down the starches in the wheat.

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Magical Correspondences for Monday

Intentions: Psychic Sensitivity, Women’s Mysteries, Tides, Waters, Emotional Issues, Agriculture, Animals, Female Fertility, Messages, Theft, Reconciliations, 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 17, 2020

Flowers

“Thou canst not stir a flower

Without troubling a star.”

-Francis Thompson (1859-1907)

There is a connection between the flowers, the stars, the rivers, between all of life. There is an exchange of energy that takes place that can help us to thrive. When we tend to a garden, we encourage growth. The flowers on our table make us smile. The fruits we eat nourish our bodies. It’s all good.

-Lissa Coffey

coffeytalk.com

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Daily Tarot: The Star

Despite any confusion of the day, you’ll be the calm and serene center of any activities. Your calmness will be contagious, too, so look forward to being surrounded by people who want to cooperate with you and be helpful before being directly asked. Take your calm state of mind into the evening, rest well, and see how much you can take with you into tomorrow.

astrology.com

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

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 13, 2020

Posted on January 13, 2020 by Cat

CMB Blue

Cat’s Morning Bits for January 13, 2020

Blessings, Cat

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O Winter, ruler of the inverted year,
Thy scattered hair with sleet like ashes filled,
Thy breath congealed upon they lips, thy cheeks
Fringed with a beard made white with other snows.
-William Cowper (1731-1800)

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Spiritual Unite: This is The Spiritual Symbolism For Lemon

Lemon is a yellow coloured fruit of the small evergreen tree of the Rutaceae family. It has a distinctive sour taste that makes it an essential ingredient for many of our favourite food and drinks.

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ThoughtCo: 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.

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MBG: This Week’s Horoscope Is Here To Shake Up Your Daily Routine

Today, the AstroTwins are breaking down how this week’s astrological transits could inspire some out-of-this-world innovation and creativity.
Life takes a turn for the poetic this Monday, January 13, as enchanting Venus floats into ethereal Pisces.

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Wise Woman Herbal Ezine: Winter Medicine: An Overview of the Pantry and Medicine Chest
by Linda Conroy
I live in a cold climate, where the winter months can be quite long. Because fresh, local, wild food and herbs are not as readily in the winter months, I spend a lot of time during the fall months preparing food and medicine to have on hand for winter.

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Today’s DIY: How to Make Corn Husk Dolls: 13 DIYs

Children and mothers used to make fashionable dolls out of corn husks wherever corn was grown as a crop. The custom though mainly prevalent in native and colonial American families seeped into the modern American culture down the ages.

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Elephant Journal: Making Love with Nature: a Letter to the Alder Trees.

Inside the meditation hall, I sit with my hands in my lap, breathing into the hollow of my palms.
Left hand lying gently inside the right, thumb tips just barely touching, center point of concentration in the posture of Zen meditation. Back straight, mind deep in the body, the hands open and connected to the motion of breathing. I think of the image suggested by the Vietnamese Zen teacher Thich Nhat Hanh—a baby Buddha nestled in my hands,

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MNN: Scientists discover 10 new birds
5 new species, 5 subspecies found on small islands in Indonesia

A group of scientists set out on a six-week expedition near Sulawesi, Indonesia, in hopes of learning more about the region’s bird population. What they discovered was far more exciting — undiscovered bird species.

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EarthSky News: Tonight is New Year’s Eve, in the Julian calendar

Today is January 13, 2020, in our calendar, the Gregorian calendar, but it marks the last day of the year by the Julian calendar, which was first introduced to the world by Julius Caesar in 46 B.C. The Gregorian calendar’s January 14, 2020, is January 1 of the same year by the Julian calendar. It’s the Julian New Year, sometimes called the Old New Year or the Orthodox New Year.

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Patheos-Pagan: 2020 Witches’ Wheel Of The Year

This guide to the Witches’ Wheel of the Year is a journey through the lunar, astrological and seasonal energies of 2020, with spells, rituals, and spiritual practices to strengthen your connection to the deeper world.

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Inner Journey:

WATER WISDOM

“When flowing water … meets with obstacles on its path, a blockage in its journey, it pauses. It increases in volume and strength, filling up in front of the obstacle and eventually spilling past it….

“Do not turn and run, for there is nowhere worthwhile for you to go. Do not attempt to push ahead into the danger … emulate the example of the water: Pause and build up your strength until the obstacle no longer representsa blockage.”
— from the ‘I Ching,’ presented in ‘To Build the Life You Want, Create the Work You Love: The Spiritual Dimension of Entrepreneuring’ by Marsha Sinetar

higherawareness.com
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A Note from the Universe

A philosophical journey from here to there…

Do you think that if ten million dollars were to be suddenly deposited into your checking account, that over the following months and years you’d have fewer and fewer challenges? Or do you think, perhaps, that your challenges would simply evolve and change?

Right, evolve and change.

And do you think that with your extra $10 million, you’d gradually be presented with more and more opportunities to be happy? Or do you think, perhaps, that your opportunities would simply evolve and change?

Right, evolve and change.

Now, doesn’t that answer everything?

Beeb, beeb –

The Universe

tut.com

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Today’s Recipe: These Caffeine Alternatives Will Give You A Natural Energy Boost

We all have our morning routines. Part autopilot, part ritual, what we do each morning helps us get ready for what the day brings. For some, it all starts with a staggering zombie walk to make coffee (I include myself in this category)

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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
January 13, 2020

Confidence

“If you think you can, you can. And if you think you can’t you’re right.”

-Mary Kay Ash (1985)

How many times do we sabotage ourselves from a lack of self-confidence? We are such powerful, creative people – and yet we doubt our own abilities! If we feel stuck, like we’re not getting anywhere – we have to look carefully to see what is holding us back. And most of the times, the answer is ourselves. When we have confidence, we can soar!

-Lissa Coffey

coffeytalk.com

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Daily Tarot: The Lovers

If you’re hesitant to do something or to make a decision, that’s OK. What urgently needs to be done will be done, so don’t worry about it. There may simply be too many options and too many conflicting requests coming up all at the same time. Sometimes hesitation can be a sign of prudence and a refreshing change from impulsiveness.

astrology.com

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

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, 2020

Posted on January 3, 2020 by Cat

CMB Blue

Cat’s Morning Bits for January 3, 2020

Blessings, Cat

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Nothing, no one, is too small to matter.
What you do is going to make a difference.
-Madeleine L’Engle (1918-2007)

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Spiritual Unite: Peacock Spiritual Meaning In Ancient Mythology

Peacock Spiritual Meaning: The vibrant and colourful feathers of a peacock have long been regarded as a symbol of beauty.
But there’s a deeper meaning in its aesthetic beauty for us humans. If we muster up the courage to show our true colours, we can reach new heights of integrity and beauty.

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ThoughtCo: Blessed Be

The phrase “blessed be” is found in many modern magical traditions. Although it appears in some Pagan paths, it’s typically more likely to be used in a NeoWiccan context. It’s often used as a greeting, and to say “Blessed be” to someone indicates that you wish good and positive things upon them.

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MBG: The Year 2020 Is Super Unique In Numerology & This Is Why

Whether or not you make New Year’s resolutions, most of us intuitively feel a profound energy shift whenever the calendar turns. In numerology, that transition is a big deal, marking the passage into a new Universal Year—the shared atmosphere of the world for a 12-month period.

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Daily Good: Late Migrations: A Jeweled Patchwork of Nature and Culture

“The 112 essays in Renkl’s first book, Late Migrations: A Natural History of Love and Loss, range from seven lines to just over four pages in length. Together they create a jeweled patchwork of nature and culture that includes her own family. This woven tapestry makes one of all the world’s beings that strive to live and which, in one way or another, face mortality.” This piece from NPR shares more. { read more }

Be The Change

This New Year’s day consider your own relationship to time. How have the moments shaped and been shaped by you?

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Today’s DIY: Love Goddess Spell Poppet Tutorial

Feeling Craft-y? Invite a little romance into your life with this charming, love goddess spell poppet tutorial.
A perfect project for a rainy afternoon! This easy-to-make spell poppet uses up scrap fabric and spare kitchen herbs.

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Elephant Journal: 4 Tarot Cards to Inspire your 2020.
It’s 2020, y’all.
Ahhh! Take a deep breath. The New Year is here. The new decade. The new moment.
Everything has changed, yet nothing is different. We remain on the path. We continue to do the work—the lifelong work of personal practice and self-care—while simultaneously striving to help, serve, and benefit others. We experience the continual realization that there are no others, ’cause we are all in the same boat. We are all made of the same stardust.

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EarthSky News: Earth closest to sun on January 4-5

Depending on your time zone, our planet Earth will reach its closest point to the sun for the year on January 4 or 5, 2020. This special moment happens on January 5, 2020, at 7:48 Universal Time.

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Patheos-Pagan: 2020 has 13 Full Moons but None are “Blue”

I celebrate the Witch’s Wheel of the Year according to astrological timing, rather than the Gregorian Calendar. So, the magickal year ends and begins anew when the sun enters Capricorn at the Winter Solstice.

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Inner Journey:

OPPORTUNITY

“We are continually faced with great opportunities which are brilliantly disguised as unsolvable problems.”
— Margaret Mead

“A wise man will make more opportunities than he finds.”
— Francis Bacon

“What is opportunity, and when does it knock? It never knocks. You can wait a whole lifetime, listening, hoping, and you will hear no knocking. None at all. You are opportunity, and you must knock on the door leading to your destiny. You prepare yourself to recognize opportunity, to pursue and seize opportunity as you develop the strength of your personality, and build a self-image with which you are able to live — with your self-respect alive and growing.”
— Maxwell Maltz

higherawareness.com
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A Note from the Universe

The ability to stop, reflect, and go “wow,” Cat, is one of the wisest characteristics an old soul can possess.

I recommend it daily,

The Universe

tut.com

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Today’s Recipe: Winter Berry Smoothie

This easy smoothie bowl is filled with frozen berries, and topped with nutrient-rich toppings. It’s healthy enough for your next breakfast, lunch or filling snack.

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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, Palmarosa, 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 3, 2020

Vegetarianism
“It is a part of the destiny of the human race, in its gradual improvement, to leave off eating animals, as surely as the savage tribes have left off eating each other when they came into contact with the more civilized.”

-Henry David Thoreau (1817-1862)

There are many reasons for choosing a vegetarian lifestyle. Here is just one: As we’re on this spiritual path, and begin to assimilate higher knowledge, we lose sight of separation. We experience more and more the “oneness” of the universe. It seems only a natural extension of our spiritual growth to adopt habits that allow ourselves to express more love and compassion for the world of which we are a part.

-Lissa Coffey

coffeytalk.com

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Daily Tarot: The Lovers

Preconceived notions and old ideas could make it hard to deal with all the new and different situations and requests that could crop up today. It’s possible that you’re not actually being presented choices that must be made now or soon. Just as likely you’re being tested or tempted. It may be hard to resist a knee jerk reaction or two. Avoid committing to anything definite if you can.

astrology.com

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

I invite you to check out my websites!

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

Cat’s Treasure Trove …. an eclectic collection of jewelry & gifts! https://thedesertpath.com
Sacred Spirals (the place where all paths meet)
https://www.facebook.com/groups/SacredSpirals/

Cat’s Morning Bits for December 3, 2019

Posted on December 3, 2019 by Cat

CMB Blue

Cat’s Morning Bits for December 3, 2019

Blessings, Cat

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I believe the world is incomprehensibly beautiful-
an endless prospect of magic and wonder.
-Ansel Adams (1902-84)

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Spiritual Unite: Panda Spirit Animal Meaning – Balance Need For Peace With Social Time

The panda spirit animal represents gentle strength, inner peace and emotional sensitivity.
These concepts are essential to you and becoming conscious of them will help you to achieve balance within yourself

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ThoughtCo: How Do I Know if a Deity Is Calling Me?

A reader writes in, “There’s been some weird stuff going on in my life, and I’m beginning to notice things happening that make me think a god or goddess is trying to contact me. How do I know that this is the case and that it’s not just my brain making things up?

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MBG: How Doing Eye Yoga Can Help You Relieve Stress

The average adult spends three hours a day on their phone. That’s 45 days a year. On our phones! Let’s not even talk about what that means for a lifetime. And while cellphone companies have recently begun to release screen time reports and other mechanisms to help us track our cell usage, most of us still spend an embarrassing amount of time glued to our devices.

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MNN: Drone captures the largest swarm of sea turtles ever filmed
The density of turtles is so high that you could almost imagine crossing the sea by hopping from shell to shell.

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EarthSky News: Keep an eye out for Mercury and Mars

Mercury, the innermost planet, reached its greatest elongation from the sun on November 28, 2019. In other words, that date marked Mercury’s farthest point from the sunrise on the sky’s dome for this morning apparition. Mercury was 20 degrees west of the sun then, but – for the coming week at least – you can still find this planet before sunup. It’ll be in the east, more or less on line with the red planet Mars and the bright blue-white star Spica in the constellation Virgo.

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Did you know…
According to the Guinness World Records, the largest snowflake in the world was 15 inches wide and 8 inches thick. This was recorded in January 1887 by somebody called Matt Coleman at Fort Keogh, Montana, he said that the snowflake was “larger than milk pans”.

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Inner Journey:

WATER WISDOM

“Do not turn and run, for there is nowhere worthwhile for you to go. Do not attempt to push ahead into the danger … emulate the example of the water: Pause and build up your strength until the obstacle no longer represents a blockage.”
— from the ‘I Ching,’ presented in ‘To Build the Life You Want, Create the Work You Love: The Spiritual Dimension of Entrepreneuring’ by Marsha Sinetar

higherawareness.com
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A Note from the Universe

Ask with love and their answer may surprise you.

“Hi, it’s Love and I…”

The Universe

tut.com

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Today’s Recipe: 3 Infused Waters For A Metabolism Boost & Optimal Hydration

Healing foods are a big key to any cleanse, but you know what’s just as important? Hydration, hydration, hydration!
If you’re not familiar with infused water, it’s any water flavored with submerged fruit, vegetables, herbs, and spices. The added ingredients can add a nutritional boost—for instance, revving up your metabolism—but the main beneficial ingredient is water.

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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
December 3, 2019

Belief

“Believe that you may understand.”

-St. Augustine (A.D. 354 – 430)

Belief is the first step toward understanding, which then leads to knowledge, wisdom, faith, and conviction. Belief suggests that we are to trust something that we can’t necessarily see. We have to take someone’s word for it. Or we have to trust our own inner vision that something is possible which hasn’t happened yet. Belief takes strength, and it can help us to grow.

-Lissa Coffey

coffeytalk.com

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Daily Tarot: Death

You may be tempted to backtrack a few times today and fall back on some old habit or procedure that used to work better than it does now. After enough of this, you’ll get the message that it’s time for a change, or at least a different approach. You don’t need to have the same old conversation over and over.

astrology.com

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About Cat’s Morning Bits: These daily posts 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 August 5, 2019

Posted on August 5, 2019 by Cat

CMB green

Cat’s Morning Bits for August 5, 2019

Blessings, Cat

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After Lammas Day, corn ripens as much by night as by day.
–Proverb

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Spiritual Unite: How To Tell If Orbs Are Real – Your Camera Is Key

Knowing how to tell if orbs are real or only tricks of light is a crucial skill of the budding orb hunter.
There is an entire subculture of dedicated people that spend their free time hunting down these spirits in their visible form.

https://www.spiritualunite.com/articles/how-to-tell-if-orbs-are-real/

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ThoughtCo: Grapevine Legends and Lore

Much like the apple, the grape is one of those fruits that has a significant amount of magic associated with it. First and foremost, the grape harvest—and the wine that it produces—has been associated with fertility deities like Egypt’s Hathor, the lusty Roman Bacchus, and his Greek counterpart, Dionysus.

https://www.learnreligions.com/grapevine-legends-and-lore-2562288

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MBG: When One Retrograde Ends, Another Begins! Here’s Your Weekly Horoscope

This week, the AstroTwins describe why there’s some big-hearted magic in the air, and how to take full advantage of it.
On Wednesday, a 120-degree trine will bring on a burst of excitement.

https://www.mindbodygreen.com/articles/weekly-horoscope-for-august-5-11-2019-by-astrotwins

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Daily Good: Cherishing Our Connections

“We all belong to the world in concentric circles of relationship some more distant and others close, some with people different from us and others with people more similar. Living within this web of connectedness can bring us the greatest of joys and the deepest of challenges. The preferences, patterns, and habits we have learned can both build relational bridges and create great divides. Much of how we operate in our relationships can be unconscious and beneath our awareness, and so we go through life feeling perpetually at the effect of others, rather than intentional and effectual.” { read more } http://www.dailygood.org/story/2362/cherishing-our-connections-kristi-nelson/

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Elephant Journal: The Shadow Side of Mindfulness we Don’t always See.

I specialize in climate psychology.
My waiting list grows as more and more people seek treatment for eco-anxiety, eco-grief, and the entire range of emotional distress resulting from an awareness of our escalating climate crisis.

https://www.elephantjournal.com/2019/08/the-shadow-side-of-mindfulness-we-dont-always-see-leslie-davenport/

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MNN: This dolphin mom adopted a baby from a different species

Bottlenose dolphin mothers typically raise one calf at a time, so researchers took notice when they saw a mother with two calves off the coast of Rangiroa Atoll in French Polynesia. Two calves aren’t unheard of, but what really stood out was the difference between them. While one looked like a normal baby bottlenose dolphin, something was unusual about the other one.

https://www.mnn.com/earth-matters/animals/blogs/bottlenose-dolphin-mom-adopted-baby-melon-headed-whale

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Today’s Deity: Inuit Goddess Sedna

Sedna is the Inuit Goddess of the animals of the Sea, who is considered malevolent to humans, and greatly feared. Offerings are made to Her in an effort to win Her over and ensure plentiful hunting. The word Inuit is often translated simply as “the People;” however the singular form, inua, is the word for “soul” or “spirit,” giving it a far richer meaning

http://www.thaliatook.com/AMGG/sedna.php

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EarthSky News: Moon swings by star Spica August 4 to 6

On August 4, 5 and 6, 2019, watch for the waxing crescent moon to move past Spica, the brightest star in the constellation Virgo the Maiden. It’s best to catch the moon and Spica at relatively early evening, especially from northerly latitudes. The moon and Spica are fairly high up at nightfall, but then follow the sun beneath the horizon by around mid-evening.

https://earthsky.org/tonight/moon-swings-by-star-spica-august-4-6

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Patheos-Pagan: When Darkness Falls: Use Your Skills

The world is horrific nowadays. Not a day goes by without climate despair, shootings, governmental idiocy, and more. It’s enough to make you want to stay home and hide. Yet, yet, yet…despair and non-action don’t do anything. Mourn, hide, and have a wallowing kind of day here and there, but overall, I say to you: Resist.

https://www.patheos.com/blogs/witchindeed/2019/08/when-darkness-falls-use-your-skills/

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Inner Journey:

WHAT ARE YOUR PRIORITIES FOR TODAY?

“Most people are so busy knocking themselves out trying to do everything they think they should do, they never get around to do what they want to do.”
— Kathleen Winsor

When we clearly set an intention, our conscious and subconscious minds mobilize to help us meet that intention. At the start of each day, thoroughly review what commitments you have made to others for the day, and decide what commitment(s) you will make for yourself.

What can you do today that will move you one step closer to your personal goals? Own your power to choose to meet your own needs. After all, we are much better able to help others when our own needs are met. And at the end of the day, when you’ve honoured your commitment to yourself, acknowledge your success.

“If you want to make good use of your time, you’ve got to know what’s most important and then give it all you’ve got.”
— Lee Iacocca

higherawareness.com
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A Note from the Universe

Nothing needs to be explained, justified, or even understood, to move beyond it, transformed, wings afoot, chariots aflame, angels on high, sparkles trailing, fuzzy dice on the mirror…
Let’s get carried away,

The Universe

tut.com

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Today’s Recipe: Watermelon Sorbet

Summertime is watermelon time, why not expand on those slices of sweet refreshing melon and make some delicious watermelon sorbet.

https://www.thriftyfun.com/Watermelon-Sorbet-Recipes.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
August 5, 2019

Independence

“I’ve lived a life that’s full
I’ve traveled each and ev’ry highway,
And more, much more than this,
I did it my way.”
-Paul Anka “My Way” (song, 1969)

When Frank Sinatra sang this song, didn’t you believe him? He sang it like he meant it, and I think he really did! It’s important for us to be able to look back on our lives and reflect on our independence. Every decision we’ve made, right or wrong, has been ours alone, and we need to take responsibility for that. I, for one, am doing it “my way!”

-Lissa Coffey

coffeytalk.com

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Daily Tarot: Justice

You may be dealing with people who feel inferior or weaker than you, so take care to not run over anyone. Equally, they do not have to serve as an excuse for you to go slower or do less than you know is necessary. Be firm but not too firm, determined but not too determined. Get a lot of good work done.

astrology.com

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

I invite you to check out my websites!

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

Cat’s Treasure Trove …. an eclectic collection of jewelry & gifts! https://thedesertpath.com
Sacred Spirals (the place where all paths meet)
https://www.facebook.com/groups/SacredSpirals/

Cat’s Morning Bits for July 25, 2019

Posted on July 25, 2019 by Cat

CMB green

Cat’s Morning Bits for July 25, 2019

Blessings, Cat

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O summer day, surpassing fair,
With hints of heaven in earth and air.
–Eben Eugene Rexford (1848–1916)

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Spiritual Unite: Two Of Pentacles Tarot Card Meaning – Relationship And Financial Balance

The Two Of Pentacles tarot card meaning is based around the concepts of balance.
The highs, and lows, adaptability, juggling different things, income, and outgoings, financial decisions, and partnerships.

https://www.spiritualunite.com/articles/two-of-pentacles-tarot-card-meaning/

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ThoughtCo: Magickal Creature Totems

Whenever you are visited by a magickal or mythological figure, such as a mermaid or a faerie, it has likely been shown to you as a means to relay a special message meant just for you. This could occur during the nighttime in your dreams or in a vision when you are awake. Also, if you discover that you are drawn to a particular mystical creature like a unicorn or dragon this too may indicate a deeper meaning. Review the folklore and possible lessons associated with any mystical creature that has surfaced in your life – the story may be more revealing than you could imagine

https://www.learnreligions.com/magical-animal-totems-1728877

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MBG: A Guide To Opening Your Third Eye & Accessing Your Highest Intuition

If you hang around New Age circles long enough, you’ve likely heard talk of the third eye—the sixth chakra and an epicenter of intuition and psychic ability.

https://www.mindbodygreen.com/articles/third-eye-chakra-4-techniques-for-opening-up-the-sixth-chakra

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Daily Good: Wild Wisdom

Jenny Cullinan dedicates her time to studying and learning from bees in the wild. Spending time with any species in the wild over time leads to understanding of that species as it truly is. She calls this greater understanding wild wisdom. With an allergy to bee stings, instead of being afraid of them she chose to learn how to be with them. She urges us to look at nature’s genius and use it as a guide, allowing wild wisdom to restore our relationship with ourselves and with other species. { read more } http://www.karmatube.org/videos.php?id=8438

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Today’s Deity: The Three Fates: Destiny’s Deities of Ancient Greece and Rome

The ancient Greeks believed that many aspects of a person’s life were determined by the three mythical women known as Fates. These were three sister goddesses that appeared in Greek and Roman mythology and were believed to have “spun out” a child’s destiny at birth.

https://www.ancient-origins.net/myths-legends-europe/three-fates-destiny-s-deities-ancient-greece-and-rome-003039

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Elephant Journal: How to use Ayurveda to stay Fit & Cool when the Summer Heat is weighing you Down.

Summer is the time for many things—travel, playing outside, barbecues, social gatherings, and festivals, of course.
But, as temperatures rise, so do our tempers. Studies have shown that crime increases during heatwaves.

https://www.elephantjournal.com/2019/07/how-to-keep-cool-when-it-gets-hot/

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MNN: Baby birds communicate with each other before they even hatch

A bird’s nest is a hub of communication. There are the squeaks and chirps of hatchlings clamoring for food. And mom telling them to hush when a predator rears its head.
But now scientists say that level of communication begins long before the babies even hatch.

https://www.mnn.com/earth-matters/animals/stories/baby-birds-communicate-eggs-hatch

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EarthSky News: Moon and Taurus before dawn July 26 to 28

Before dawn on July 26, 27, 28, 2019, watch for the waning crescent moon to travel in front of Taurus the Bull. Assuming your sky is dark enough, the Bull is instantly recognizable; it’s one of the more prominent constellations of the zodiac. Look for this constellation’s bright reddish star Aldebaran plus its two signpost star clusters, the V-shaped Hyades and the tiny, misty, dipper-shaped Pleiades

https://earthsky.org/tonight/moon-taurus-before-dawn-july-26-28

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Patheos-Pagan: Nightshades All Around Us

Personally, there is no group of plants that is more interesting both magickally and chemically than the Nightshades. The Solanaceae are a large and diverse group of plants that provide us with things like tomatoes, peppers, potatoes and eggplant. Even tobacco is a member of the Nightshade family. Nightshades are used by people every day without them even knowing it.

https://www.patheos.com/blogs/poisonersapothecary/2019/07/23/nightshades-all-around-us/

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Inner Journey:

OPEN YOUR HANDS

“More than any other part of the body, our hands reveal our inner state.”
— Omraam Mikhaël Aïvanhov

Today, be aware of how you hold your hands when you’re not actively doing something with them.

With the stress of our daily lives, many of us find our hands typically clenched in fists. This is proof of the tension we hold in our bodies. And ponder this: how can we receive the abundance of life if our hands are not open to receive it?

When you become aware that your hands are closed tight, stretch your fingers and spread them wide in the shape of a starfish. Deep breathing will also help you relax into the moment.

“What is always speaking silently is the body.”
— Norman Brown

higherawareness.com
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A Note from the Universe

Cool, huh? Being among the very first to “get” what’s going on.

To sense the promise, dare the dream, feel the power, tempt the fear, know the truth, rise above and be a light to billions who will follow.

Except, of course, it’s sometimes lonely.

All hail,

The Universe

tut.com

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Today’s Recipe: Orange Honey Walnut Salmon

This is a super simple recipe that tastes very elegant. Because the walnuts are toasting the whole time the salmon is baking, they’re perfectly crisp and go so well with the sweetness of the orange and honey. I love this salmon on top of a light salad with a balsamic vinaigrette drizzle. I made this in my toaster oven, which is perfect for hot days!

https://www.thriftyfun.com/Orange-Honey-Walnut-Salmon.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
July 25, 2019

Luck

“It is a great piece of skill to know how to guide your luck even while waiting for it.”
-Baltasar Gracian (1601-1658)

Go ahead and carry that four-leaf clover, or pick up that lucky penny- it couldn’t hurt! But meanwhile, we need to take the necessary steps to create our own opportunities. By being opening to what presents itself, we become lucky – we recognize when the universe is working to help us realize our goals, and we go along with that plan.

-Lissa Coffey

coffeytalk.com

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Daily Tarot: Judgement

You can secure an important victory and achieve a long-held aspiration today. This obviously is not an overnight achievement but probably something you’ve been intermittently pursuing for a long time. Some dreams refuse to die, and this may be the day for one of those dreams to begin to see the light of day in the real world. Be heartened and don’t let up now.

astrology.com

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

I invite you to check out my websites!

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

Cat’s Treasure Trove …. an eclectic collection of jewelry & gifts! https://thedesertpath.com
Sacred Spirals (the place where all paths meet)
https://www.facebook.com/groups/SacredSpirals/

Cat’s Morning Bits for July 22, 2019

Posted on July 22, 2019 by Cat

CMB green

Cat’s Morning Bits for July 22, 2019

Blessings, Cat

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this is the garden: colours come and go,
frail azures fluttering from night’s outer wing
strong silent greens serenely lingering,
absolute lights like baths of golden snow.
-e. e. cummings (1894-1962)

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Spiritual Unite: 15 Common Animal Messengers and Their Meaning

Animals have an important purpose on this earth. They walk alongside us as teachers, messengers and as givers of light and love. They help us to understand the world that we live in and they teach us so much about what was here before us and what will be here after us.

https://www.spiritualunite.com/articles/15-common-animal-messengers-and-their-meaning/

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ThoughtCo: Lammas History: Welcoming the Harvest

At Lammas, also called Lughnasadh, the hot days of August are upon us, much of the earth is dry and parched, but we still know that the bright reds and yellows of the harvest season are just around the corner.

https://www.learnreligions.com/history-of-the-lammas-harvest-celebration-2562170

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MBG: Thursday’s Super-Rare Transit Will Push Us Beyond Our Limits

This week, the AstroTwins break down how an upcoming transit could deliver a crucial wake-up call.
On Monday, Leo season arrives in all its glory.
A long red carpet begins to roll out this Monday, July 22, as the Sun struts into Leo until August 23. This annual solar cycle is high season for all things glamorous, romantic, and creative

https://www.mindbodygreen.com/articles/weekly-horoscope-for-july-22-28-2019-from-the-astrotwins

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Daily Good: How Doctors Use Poetry

While doctors are educated to focus primarily on medical science, some are beginning to expand their outlook and focus on something greater: language, in particular, poetry. While the Hippocratic Oath many physicians take requires them to “remember that there is art to medicine as well as science, and that warmth, sympathy, and understanding may outweigh the surgeon’s knife or the chemist’s drug”, these words are all too rare in hospitals, doctors’ offices, and outpatient clinics. In this article, medical student Danny W. Linggonegoro explores the breakthrough science that is finding that the power of words is sometimes more potent than the power of medicine. Read on to learn how poetry can boost mood, reduce pain, and help patients better connect with what it means to be human.

http://nautil.us/issue/64/the-unseen/how-doctors-use-poetry

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Today’s Deity: Bellona: The Roman Goddess of War and Artistic Muse

Linked to war, destruction, conquest, and bloodlust, Bellona was a mighty figure in the ancient Roman pantheon of gods. As a personification of war, Bellona became quite a popular figure in the arts of later ages. The image of the goddess, decked out in armor and wearing a plumed helmet while carrying a shield and brandishing a sword or spear, has graced many paintings and inspired poetry, music, and literature

https://www.ancient-origins.net/myths-legends-europe/bellona-roman-goddess-war-and-artistic-muse-009998

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MNN: California condor births mark a milestone — and we have pictures to prove it
Their numbers have grown from 22 to more than 500.

The condor may be to California what the bald eagle is to America: a high-flying symbol of strength and independence — with a bit of a weird streak.
But for a while, it seemed this breathtaking bird would fade forever into the California sunset.

https://www.mnn.com/earth-matters/animals/stories/california-condors-zion-park-births-photos

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EarthSky News: Altair and Aquila the Eagle

In the east after dark on these July evenings, look near the horizon for Altair, the brightest star in the constellation Aquila the Eagle. This is the bottom star of the Summer Triangle; that is, it’s the last of these three bright stars to ascend over the horizon. This star is 16.7 light-years from our sun and is one of the closest stars visible to the unaided eye

https://earthsky.org/tonight/summer-triangle-altair-and-its-constellation-aquila-2

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Patheos-Pagan: The Use of White Ceremonial Sage: Controversies, Lies and Exploitation

White ceremonial sage is used by thousands to cleanse and protect. While the practice of smudging with a white sage bundle originated with specific indigenous nations, it’s use has become widespread. However, there are many controversies, lies and the issue of exploitation to consider when using it.

https://www.patheos.com/blogs/keepingherkeys/2018/09/the-use-of-white-ceremonial-sage-controversies-lies-and-exploitation/

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Inner Journey:

RAISING YOUR SIGHTS

“A human being is a part of the whole, called by us ‘Universe,’ a part limited in time and space. He experiences himself, his thoughts and feelings as something separated from the rest – a kind of optical delusion ofhis consciousness. This delusion is a kind of prison for us, restricting us to our personal desires and to affection for a few persons nearest to us. Our task must be to free ourselves from this prison by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all livingcreatures and the whole of nature in its beauty. Nobody is able to achieve this completely, but the striving for such achievement is in itself a part of the liberation and a foundation for inner security.”
— Albert Einstein

To grow in consciousness, we expand our perspectives on life. So how do we do that? The more we work with the universal — the concept of unity and wholeness, the more everything makes sense. Parts have meaning when they are understood to be parts of a biggerpicture.

Consciousness is all about relationships — especially how the lower relates to the higher and how the darkness can exist within the light. Hold and experience contradictions like anger with love. Let opposites coexist in you without choosing one over theother.

“Higher consciousness, enLIGHTenment, comes from meaningful experiences and lessons passed with the understanding that there truly is only one law – the Law of Love. When one leads a life expressing this belief, the mindand heart begin to open to new realities, and other dimensional truths become known.”
— Dr. Norma Milanovich & Dr. Shirley McCune

higherawareness.com
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Daily Tarot: The World

You may not expect or even want it, but today you will be properly acknowledged and even honored for a skill, talent, or accomplishment. Your big heart will also be appreciated. Some sort of public reward is possible, if only in the form of praise, which can be transformed into something more tangible later. If not seeking validation or kudos, be on the alert because it’s coming. You’ve earned it!

astrology.com

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A Note from the Universe

Only in hindsight will the miracles become obvious, will you see you were guided, and will you find there was order all along.

“Otherwise,” as you once said, a long, long time ago, “it would all be too easy…”

We agreed,

The Universe

tut.com

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Today’s Recipe: Purple Sweet Potato Pie

I’m sure many of you have had sweet potato pie. This pie is very similar but uses purple sweet potatoes. Baking the sweet potatoes in the oven (in lieu of boiling them) gives this a beautiful creamy consistency and not at all watered down. Baking them also retains their beautiful purple colour. Purple sweet potatoes can be found in grocery stores labeled as Okinawan, Hawaiian, or purple sweet potatoes. They are packed full of potassium, B6, vitamin C, and fiber.

https://www.thriftyfun.com/Purple-Sweet-Potato-Pie.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
July 22, 2019

Luck

“Luck to me means hard work – and realizing what is opportunity and what isn’t.”

-Lucille Ball (1911-1989)

So, it’s not just hard work, it’s also being smart about it- discriminating between which chances we take, and which we don’t. It’s knowing what it takes to be ready for an opportunity and doing the necessary preparation for it.

-Lissa Coffey

coffeytalk.com

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Beliefnet: 5 Ways to Neutralize Negative Karma

Karma is a complex and often misunderstood concept. In basic terms karma is the law of cause and effect. Every thought and every action is a cause which produces an effect. We often try to simplify karma as an eye for an eye. For example you poke someone, you get poked back.

Cat’s Morning Bits for June 19, 2019

Posted on June 19, 2019 by Cat

CMB green

Cat’s Morning Bits for June 19, 2019

Blessings, Cat

_________________________

Your voice, with clear location of June days,
Called me outside the window. You were there,
Light yet composed, as in the just soft stare
Of uncontested summer all things raise
Plainly their seeming into seamless air.
-Richard Wilbur (1921-2007)

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Spiritual Unite: Whale Spirit Animal Meaning – Community Spirit And Resilience Are Key

Whales are the biggest animals on the planet, and their symbolism holds the key to your success on your path.
Emotional Resilience
The whale spirit animal belongs to incredibly resilient people.
Whales dive deep in the ocean, withstanding pressure and managing to hold their breath for up to an hour and a half at a time.

https://www.spiritualunite.com/articles/whale-spirit-animal-meaning-community-spirit-and-resilience-are-key/

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ThoughtCo: Mortar and Pestle

The mortar and pestle set is a handy tool that many Pagans – and other folks – use for grinding and blending herbs and dried ingredients together during a magical working. The set consists of two pieces – the mortar, which is typically a bowl, although it can be flat as well, and the pestle, which is held in the hand. The wide end of the pestle, which is shaped a bit like a baseball bat, is often roughened to aid in the grinding and crushing of herbs, resins, or whatever else you may be working with

https://www.learnreligions.com/mortar-and-pestle-uses-2561906

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Daily Tarot: The Magician

Be organized, stick to your personal routine, and don’t gloss over any steps if you want to get the results you have in mind. This could be a day better for practice than for performance. Do your best, be forgiving of yourself about any minor slip-ups, and have no regrets. You know what you’re already good at, so focus on that and glide through the day.

astrology.com

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MBG: Why Making Offerings To Nature Is Part Of My Wellness Routine

We’re constantly in a conversation with the Universe—whether we’re aware of it or not. And I believe that one of the ways that the Universe communicates with us is through jewelry. Jewels that come from the Earth are old as humankind, and they’re embedded with symbolic meaning.

https://www.mindbodygreen.com/articles/why-making-offerings-to-nature-is-part-of-my-wellness-routine

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Natural Living Ideas: 21 Totally Unusual Essential Oil Hacks That Go Way Beyond The Obvious

There seem to be an endless number of choices when buying essential oils, and for every oil, there are at least a dozen uses. Still, even if you’re a tried-and-true essential oil expert, there are probably at least a few essential oil hacks that you haven’t heard about, including these

https://www.naturallivingideas.com/essential-oil-hacks/

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Spirituality & Health: The Empty Mind: Let Go of This Meditation Myth
Many people get deterred from meditation because they feel like their minds are racing. Letting go of the idea of a totally empty brain can help. Here are three tips to try this week>

Listen to your thoughts. Be aware, as thoughts come to you, that the mind is thinking—but you don’t need to get involved in the content. Spiritual teacher Ram Dass shares his insights on How to Cultivate Mindfulness by Listening to Your Thoughts.

Embrace the “full mind.” According to Buddhist teacher and author Bodhipaksa, who runs the site Wildmind, “When meditation brings us to the point where self-talk ceases, the mind is anything but blank.” As we become more practiced at meditation, self-talk slows but we also gain an awareness of the sensations, emotions, and mental imagery that pass through, so expecting a blank slate isn’t the goal.

Treat the mind as a friend. Contributing writer Julie Peters writes that she wouldn’t sit down with a close friend, “staring her down and shushing her every time she tried to say something. … The difficulty of listening, whether to our real live best friends or to our own selves, is learning not to interject with judgment or advice before the other has finished talking.” She recommends meditating while focusing on the breath in order to stay present with how you feel in your body as the thoughts scurry about. For more, read her piece, On Meditating Badly.

spiritualityhealth.com

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Today’s Deity: Unraveling the Nature and Identity of the Green Man

An enigma spanning thousands of years, the Green Man is a symbol of mysterious origin and history. Permeating various religious faiths and cultures, the Green Man has survived countless transformations and cultural diversities, enduring in the same relative physical form to this day. Although specifics about his beginnings and his worship are not fully known, due in large part to how far back and to what initial cultures he can be traced to, it is a testament to the widespread reach of his character that he is still remembered and worshipped to this day.

https://www.ancient-origins.net/myths-legends/unraveling-nature-and-identity-green-man-002620

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EarthSky News: Circumpolar stars don’t rise or set

Circumpolar stars stay above the horizon all hours of the day, every day of the year. These stars neither rise nor set but always remain in our sky. Even when you can’t see them – when the sun is out and it’s daytime – these stars are up there, circling endlessly around the sky’s north or south pole.

https://earthsky.org/tonight/circumpolar-stars-dont-rise-or-set

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Patheos-Pagan: What Your Favorite Wheel-of-the-Year Day Says About You

Hello, beautiful creatures.
In my previous post, “What Your Favorite Ritual Tool Says About You: An Exercise in Humor,” I poked some gentle fun at those of us in the Pagan, polytheist, and occult movement who use magical and devotional implements, in the form of a goofy set of statements written in the style of Buzzfeed quiz responses.

https://www.patheos.com/blogs/mishamagdalene/2019/06/favorite-wheel-year-day/

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Inner Journey:

LET GO OF BLAME

“My days of whining and complaining about others have come to an end. Nothing is easier than fault finding.”
— Og Mandino

We often expect other people to meet our needs. When they don’t give us what we want, we may feel anger, resentment and even revengeful. Rather than blaming others, we could choose to get in touch with our needs and then fill them ourselves.

“Take your life in your own hands and what happens? A terrible thing: no one to blame.”
— Erica Jong

“Life appears to me too short to be spent in nursing animosity or registering wrong.”
— Charlotte Bronte

higherawareness.com
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A Note from the Universe

Pretty much everyone you know just wants you to love them.

Good thing it’s free, huh?

The Universe

tut.com

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Today’s Recipe: Maple Peanut Butter Granola

Granola isn’t one of the cheapest foods but it is definitely nutritious and a great way to start your morning. You can play with the types of nuts and dried fruits you add into this.

https://www.thriftyfun.com/Maple-Peanut-Butter-Granola.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
June 19, 2019

Comfort

“Give me a well-cooked, well-served meal, a bouquet, and a sunset, and I can do more for a man’s soul than all the cant ever preached. I can even do it without a sunset!”

-Anne Ellis, 1929
Is there anyone more comforting that Mom? I don’t think so! When a child is hurt, he wants his mother. When an athlete waves to the camera, he says “Hi, Mom!” We are each and every one of us our mother’s children. That never changes, and in that we can find comfort.

-Lissa Coffey

coffeytalk.com

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Beliefnet: 7 Ways to Heal Yourself and Awaken Your Spirit

If you want to achieve wholeness, it’s important that we spend time focusing on our own health and well-being. Beginning the process of healing and awakening your spirit is a process. Too many of us are waiting for something big to change in our lives so that we can finally achieve healing and find true happiness.

Cat’s Morning Bits for June 17, 2019

Posted on June 17, 2019 by Cat

CMB green

Cat’s Morning Bits for June 17, 2019

Blessings, Cat

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The Junes were free and full, driving through tiny
Roads, the mudguards brushing the cowparsley,
Through fields of mustard and under boldly embattled
Mays and chestnuts.
-Louis MacNeice (1907-63)

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Spiritual Unite: Panda Spirit Animal Meaning – Balance Need For Peace With Social Time

https://www.spiritualunite.com/articles/panda-spirit-animal-meaning-balance-need-for-peace-with-social-time/

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ThoughtCo: Celebrate Litha With Summer Solstice Recipes

Litha is the celebration of the summer solstice—and what’s a Sabbat without food? Take advantage of the summer crops of fruit and vegetables, and prepare a simple and delicious feast for your Midsummer gatherings.

https://www.learnreligions.com/recipes-for-the-summer-solstice-4136752

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MBG: How To Harness The Big, Bold Energy Of Tonight’s Sagittarius Full Moon

What would be possible if we opened our minds? The Sagittarius moon arrives to help us explore that.
With the full moon in candid Sagittarius, there could be some jaw-dropping headlines before the week is through. These high-minded moonbeams could bring a potent reminder that honesty is still the best policy.

https://www.mindbodygreen.com/articles/full-moon-in-sagittarius-june-2019-everything-you-need-to-know

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Daily Tarot: Strength

Anger could raise its ugly little head today, but you have things under control. Don’t engage, if possible, and tactfully deflect the worst of whatever misunderstanding caused the outbreak. If it’s repressed anger, there may never be any loud or angry words. You can smooth any ruffled feathers simply by standing up and not being intimidated or rushed into any action or opinion. Be at your best today.

astrology.com

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Daily Good: Deepening Our Comfort with Uncertainty

While many of us associate uncertainty with discomfort and fear, there is an exquisite beauty to be found in the transformation that takes place when we can welcome the unknown. Kristi Nelson, the Executive Director of A Network for Grateful Living, examines what it means to surrender to the unpredictable nature of our days and the rewards that manifest as a result. “Much of our freedom depends on cultivating greater perspective about being with uncertainty, however and whenever we can,” she writes. Read more to learn how you can lean into the impending unknown with gratitude and awareness

http://www.dailygood.org/story/2324/deepening-our-comfort-with-uncertainty-kristi-nelson/

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Elephant Journal: The Moon Soothes my Soul.

Luna, the beautiful goddess of the Moon,
dressed in shimmering white with a crown of stars around her head.
A quiver with golden arrows on her back,
a bow in her right hand,
ready to pierce the night with her brightness.

https://www.elephantjournal.com/2019/06/how-our-emotions-cycle-with-the-phases-of-the-moon-cindy-chase/

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MNN: 20 minutes in nature a day is your ticket to feeling better

Nature soothes our stressed-out souls. We instinctively know nature is the best prescription, but new research is revealing how little time we need to set aside to reap the benefits.
In one study, published in the journal Frontiers in Psychology, researchers tried to identify the most effective “dose” of nature within the context of normal daily life

https://www.mnn.com/health/fitness-well-being/blogs/urban-park-20-minutes-feel-better-study

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EarthSky News: Strawberry Moon and Jupiter from dusk to dawn

On both June 16 and 17, 2019, the moon will appear full to the eye as it shines close to the king planet Jupiter all night long. The crest of the moon’s full phase comes at a specific instant, though – the instant the moon and sun are most opposite each other on our sky’s dome for this month – and that moment happens on June 17, 2019, at 8:31 UTC

https://earthsky.org/tonight/strawberry-moon-jupiter-from-dusk-till-dawn

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Patheos-Pagan: A New Chant for Litha: Honoring the Green Ones at Midsummer

It’s hard to believe, but official summer is almost here. The days are long. Here in the Mid-Atlantic, spring flowers are spent and we are seeing summer blooms opening around us; roses and lilies have taken the place of tulips and daffodils. The bright spring green of leaves’ first unfurling is past. Jungle green is all around us now and keeping up with the weeds in the garden is a daily challenge.

https://www.patheos.com/blogs/naturessacredjourney/2019/06/chant-litha-honoring-green-ones-midsummer/

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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

Ten thousand times a day for ten thousand different reasons, angels share your story to inspire, comfort, and reassure the world’s most able dreamers, thinkers, and lovers.

Well, I’d want to know –

The Universe

tut.com

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Today’s Recipe: Green Pumpkin Flower Soup

Yes, the flower is eatable. This green pumpkin flower soup is a very cool light quick and easy to make soup.

https://www.thriftyfun.com/Green-Pumpkin-Flower-Soup.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
June 17, 2019

Comfort

“I have enjoyed many of the comforts of life, none of which I wish to esteem lightly; yet I confess I know not any joy that is so dear to me, that so fully satisfies the inmost desires of my mind, that so enlivens refines, and elevates my whole nature, as that which I derive from religion – from faith in God. – May this God be thy God, thy refuge, thy comfort, as he has been mine.”
-John Caspar Lavater (1741-1801)
It doesn’t matter which religion we follow – we can garner comfort from our relationship with God, from our faith. When we feel in need of comfort, this is where we should turn first. Out of habit, we tend to look elsewhere – but we will always find comfort, and strength when we look within.

-Lissa Coffey

coffeytalk.com

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

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 June 10, 2019

Posted on June 10, 2019 by Cat

CMB green

Cat’s Morning Bits for June 10, 2019

Blessings, Cat

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Tell you what I like the best-
‘Long about knee-deep in June,
‘Bout the time strawberries melts
On the vine,-some afternoon
Like to jes’ git out and rest,
And not work at nothin’ else!

-James Whitcomb Riley (1849-1916)

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ThoughtCo: Ten Great Ways to Celebrate Litha

It’s Litha, the longest day of the year! The sun will shine more today than any other day of the year, and it’s a day to get outdoors and celebrate. Spend the day in the sun with your family. Play outdoors, go for a hike, and enjoy all the delights the earth has to offer.

https://www.learnreligions.com/great-ways-to-celebrate-litha-2562249

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Today’s Deity: Ptah

To understand who Ptah was, we need to go all the way back to the beginning of Ancient Egyptian times, even before 3000 BC, because Ptah was the creator of the physical universe. You may think of him as an artisan, the demiurge and crafter of all things. Wonder how he did all of this creating? Well, known to be quite willful, he just had to think about it. That’s right – first he conceived the ideas, then felt them in his heart. Once he spoke the words, life and things were created.

https://mythology.net/egyptian/egyptian-gods/ptah/

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MBG: Weekly Horoscope: Monday Could Mean Shady Business — Here’s How To Navigate It

On Monday, the sun will oppose Jupiter, and egos could flare up.
Should you let it all hang out or keep it under wraps? That’s the question of the week! It begins on Monday, June 10, as the tea-spilling Gemini Sun crashes into a dynamic opposition with live-out-loud Jupiter

https://www.mindbodygreen.com/articles/weekly-horoscope-for-june-10-16-2019-by-the-astrotwins

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Daily Good: The Seasons of the Soul

In The Season of the Soul: The Poetic Guidance and Spiritual Wisdom of Hermann Hesse, Ludwig Max Fischer, Ph.D., makes Hesse’s vivid, evocative poems on love, imagination, nature, the divine and the passage of time available in English. Through his commentaries, Fischer helps readers understand Hesse’s poetry and wisdom within the context of his life. Although Hesse, author of the novels Steppenwolf, Siddhartha, and The Glass Bead Game, was popular with the counter-culture of the 1960’s, many readers are unaware of his poetry. Hesse, no stranger to the dark side of life, grew stronger from his struggles. Through his poetry, readers can draw on his words to discover a more meaningful life. In this commentary followed by Hesse’s poems, Fischer describes Hesse and his relationship with Nature.

http://www.dailygood.org/story/2304/the-seasons-of-the-soul-hermann-hesse-ludwig-max-fischer/

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Elephant Journal: The Inner Shadow – How to get to know, embrace and harmonize our darker side

Behind the shadow of me that doing chores and taking care of family
There is another me that wants to show my soul, my fears, insecurities and vanity
I am into deep conversations about life, love, and loss
I dip and roll and race and dive and hurt and cower and hope

https://www.elephantjournal.com/2019/06/the-inner-shadow-how-to-get-to-know-embrace-and-harmonize-our-darker-side/

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MNN: How Denmark’s ‘pyt’ can help you fight stress
When faced with frustrations beyond their control, people in Denmark often utter this simple word to help them move on.

https://www.mnn.com/health/fitness-well-being/blogs/denmark-pyt-help-deal-stress

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EarthSky News: We go between the sun and Jupiter June 10

On June 10, 2019, our planet Earth flies between the sun and the outer planet Jupiter. Our faster motion places Jupiter – largest world in our solar system, and an exceedingly bright planet in our sky – opposite the sun about once each year. In other words, Jupiter is now rising in the east as the sun is setting below the western horizon. Astronomers call this event an opposition of Jupiter.

https://earthsky.org/tonight/earth-passes-between-jupiter-and-sun

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Patheos-Pagan: The Pentacle Approach to Wellness: Balancing The Spiritual Body

In this final installment of this Pentacle Approach to Wellness series, we’ll explore our Spiritual bodies, bringing our God and Goddess selves into co-creative balance, so that we may claim our personal sovereignty, and gain a broader, transcendent view of life. This concept of balance is symbolized for Witches by the Pentacle, an encircled five-pointed star.

https://www.patheos.com/blogs/witchonfire/2018/07/the-pentacle-approach-to-wellness-balancing-the-spiritual-body/

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Inner Journey:

THEN AND NOW

“Time is not a line, but a series of now points.”
— Taisen Deshimaru

We understand time as a continuum. Our memories link the moments of the past and our imaginations draw on the patterns of our memories to project the future.

If we leave the movies of the mind behind, time can only be experienced now — moment by precious moment. Open in awareness to what is happening right now. Appreciate all that is. Immerse yourself in the joy and wonder of every now and life will be a gift.

“The responsibility for both present and future is in our own hands. If we live right today, then tomorrow has to be right.”
— Eknath Easwaran

higherawareness.com
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A Note from the Universe

Ask your questions they’re one of the best ways to get our attention, and for you to focus yours.

Needing to be needed,

The Universe

tut.com

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Daily Tarot: The Moon

Things may be going fine but you’ll still be able to find something to be disappointed about. Rather than looking on the glum side of things, take a walk in the sunshine or at least get some fresh air and make an effort to be more objective. Full-blown optimism may be beyond you today, but you can balance your mood by noticing and maybe making a list of all those things that are going right.

astrology.com

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Today’s Recipe: Tangy Skillet Pork Loin Chops

Here’s a pretty simple way to make pork loin chops with a beautiful tangy pan sauce. Even though these cuts are rather lean, you can get them to be very tender and juicy using this method. These chops pair very well with roast veggies, mashed potatoes, and rice pilafs. Leftover, they’re great fillings for sandwiches.

https://www.thriftyfun.com/Tangy-Skillet-Pork-Loin-Chops.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
June 10, 2019

Words

“The more perfect the understanding between men, the less need of words.”

-Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882)

Have you ever noticed how, with a really good friend, the silences are completely comfortable? It’s as if you don’t need words to communicate. There’s an unspoken communication that allows space to just be. Sometimes words aren’t enough to express how we feel. If you’ve ever said “I love you more than words can say” you know how that feels! You can write songs and poems and letters, and somehow it just can’t quite sum up that feeling you get when looking into that person’s eyes, completely silent.

-Lissa Coffey

coffeytalk.com

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Beliefnet: The Art of Self-Care
The notion of self-care gets a bad rap. Many people view self-care as the equivalent of selfishness. But that couldn’t be further from the truth. Self-care, simply put, is the art of taking care of yourself….

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