Celtic Tree Month of Ash/ Nuin runs from Feb. 18-March 17
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Plant Information:
The mighty ash tree can grow up to 130 feet in height and is found in Europe and North America. It is a member of the Olive family. This tree will stop growing when it reaches approximately 60 years old, it is believed that by that time the tree has obtained its full growth potential. Ash trees are easily recognized by their black buds, small springtime flower clusters, and the inch-long winged seeds that stay on the tree until autumn when they fly off like helicopters. The leaves of this tree grow in multiple oval leaflets and provide some nice orange to purple fall color.
Ash is a hardwood tree and its wood is strong, flexible shock resistant. It is for these reasons that it is used for making boat oars, ax handles, sports equipment, and wagon wheels. Ash was also a favorite of the ancient Celts who used it for spear shafts while the ancient Egyptians used ash wood for bows and arrows, and had great quantities of it imported.
Ash spears were considered a powerful magical tool of Celtic Shamans, even more so than the wand. It was a symbol of the Shaman’s strength of will and personal power.
silhouette/freeimages.com
Ash Lore:
The Celts associated the ash tree with the sea and the underwater kingdom of Tethys. It is also associated with the underworld and sacrificial deities, representing leading the soul into the afterlife. Celtic myth calls ash the tree of enchantment and it is said the Welsh Magus Gwydion made his wands from its wood. Druid wands were made of ash as are the pipestems of the sacred Lakota pipes.
This tree also appears in Norse myth as the world tree Yggdrasil, World Tree, or Cosmic Ash. This tree spans the universe. Roots deep into the earth and the heavens supported by its mighty branches. The ash tree was seen as spanning the world and the world within each person. The ancient Druid phrase ” Know yourself and you will know the world” pretty well sums it up. It also shows us how we are linked with the world around us.
Celtic Cross Kildalton/freeimages.com
In Magic
In Magic, the ash tree (wood, leaves, seeds) can be used in the following spells (charms, etc.), creative endeavors, protection, attracting things, love, healing, fertility, and transitions.
Charms of ash wood were used for protection against storms and drowning. It was also used as a love charm. You were to place an ash leaf in your left shoe and then you would be sure sure to meet your future spouse. Double leaves were lucky as were leaves with equal sections on both sides of the center leaf vein. However, you would be unlucky in love if the ash tree on your land didn’t grow seeds every year.
Magical tools were also created from this tree. Ash spears were considered a powerful magical tool of Celtic Shamans, even more so than the wand. It was a symbol of the Shaman’s strength of will and personal power. Wiccans and Pagans traditionally use it for making Besom handles.
As a magical name, Ash is perfect for a true warrior and leader, one who is comfortable with themselves and their abilities. It is generally thought of as a man’s name but could also be used for a strong woman.
Brush/ freeimages.com
Ash People
People born in the month of Ash tend to be ambitious but with an egotistical side. They also tend to be overachievers and need to be the best in everything they do. They do not care for criticism earned or not which makes them highly sensitive. On the upside, they are reliable, intelligent with artistic talent, and make faithful lovers. Ash people also seem to have a dual personality which makes it hard for others to understand their true nature and motives behind their actions.
Crane/freeimages.com
Correspondences for Ash:
Names: Venus of the Woods, Tree of water, Hoop ash Deities: Eostre, Frigg, Frey, Dagda, Odin, Hel, Llyr, Poseidon Sacred Stones: Quartz Crystal, Coral Animals: Butterfly, Snipe, Crane, White Hound, Snake. Element: All Spells: Strength, Protection, Prosperity, Healing Color: Green, pale blue
compiled by Cat from the following sources: the crystal forest The New Book of Magical Names, Phoenix McFarland Cunninghams Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs, Scott Cunningham Flower and Tree Magic, Richard Webster Tree Totem.com
“Oh, a dainty plant is the Ivy green, That creepeth o’er ruins old! Of right choice food are his meals, I ween, In his cell so lone and cold. The wall must be crumbled, the stone decayed, To pleasure his dainty whim: And the mouldering dust that years have made Is a merry meal for him. Creeping where no life is seen, A rare old plant is the Ivy green.”
Charles Dickens: The Ivy Green
IVY LORE
The ancient Celts and in particular the Druids, held ivy in high regard. In Wales ivy was related to the goddess Arianrhod, and was used in her ritual of opening a portal into the Otherworld also known as the dark side of the moon and the Realm of Faery. This realm is symbolized by the butterfly and gives ivy a mysterious and mystical aspect. Persephone is also associated with this month, this begins the time when she departs for the underworld for the dark half of the year. This month is time of settlement and reconciliation as it relates to karma. This month also corresponds to the Hunters Moon which is this months full moon. It relates to female hunting animals wolf (Brigid), boar (Garbh Ogh), Lioness (Sekhemet)
This plant is associated with the Goddess because it grows in a spiral This plant is sacred to the God Dionysus and during the Bacchanal people would run around waving the thyrsus which was actually fir branches that were wrapped with ivy. And the ancient Greeks would give a wreath of ivy to newlyweds as a symbol of fidelity.
PLANT INFORMATION
This “super vine” has great strength because of it’s ability to force it’s way into solid rock and it was powerful enough to kill a full grown oak tree. Ivy is another Celtic tree that is not a tree, and it depends upon a real tree to give it support. It is a member of the Ginseng family although it is considered an evergreen and it represents the ever blooming aspect of the human psyche. It develops yellowish flowers in October and then black berries.
Ivy is a POISONOUS plant and while it is said to have been used for medicinal purposes (like curing hangovers and cleansing wounds) I would highly recommend AGAINST it , as all parts of this plant are poisonous.
IVY IN MAGIC
In it’s magical role ivy protects against evil spirits negativity and disaster. and is a symbol of loyalty, healing rituals, and longtime friendships. It can be used in love charms to promote fidelity. As a magical name Ivy denotes strength and to give someone ivy as a gift states “attachment” and be mine forever.
IVY PEOPLE
People born in this month are balanced by Reed people. In their own right, Ivy people have great stamina and talents that can bring them great public honors. Ivies also tend to radiate success even when they are not so fortunate. They are colorful and unique individuals who can be manipulative and use their power ruthlessly to get what they want. The key for Ivy people is not to abuse this power.
written by CatSister 2010 sources: The New Book of Magical Names by Phoenix McFarland Cunningham’s Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs Whispers from the Woods by Sandra Kynes dutchie.org controverscial.com crystalforest.com
Good Morning Beautiful Souls and welcome to a new year! 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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March is named after Mars, the Roman god of war. This was the time of year to resume military campaigns that had been interrupted due to winter. (brownielocks.com)
March Events
March 2 Dr. Seuss Day
March 3 World Wildlife Day
March 4 World Book Day
March 13 New Moon 2:21 am PST/ 3:21 am MST/ 5:21 am EST
March 14 Daylight Savings begins 2 am
March 17 St. Patrick’s Day
March 18 Celtic Month of Alder begins
March 20 Spring Equinox / Ostara
March 20 World Storytelling Day
March 25 World Tolkein Reading Day
March 28 Full Storm Moon 11:48 am PST/ 12:48 pm MST/ 2:48 pm EST
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“Spring is when you feel like whistling even with a shoe full of slush.”
Doug Larson
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Spirit Library: Horizons Are Expanding (a message from Kate Spreckley)
We are transforming from the inside out which is creating a profound shift in how we operate in our world. How we view ourselves and our reality is changing unlocking new opportunities and new potentials
Ostara is also known as the spring equinox and is a celebration of fertility, rebirth, and renewal. At this point in the wheel of the year, day and night are of equal length and in perfect equilibrium.
“The name Ostara goes back to Jacob Grimm, who, in his Deutsche Mythologie, speculated about an ancient German goddess Ostara, after whom the Easter festival (German: Ostern) could have been named. Grimm’s main source is De temporum ratione by the Venerable Bede. Bede had put forward the thesis that the Anglo-Saxon name for the month of April, Eostur-monath, was named after a goddess Eostre. Ostara is one of the four lesser Wiccan holidays or sabbats of the Wheel of the Year. Ostara is celebrated on the spring equinox, in the Northern hemisphere around March 21 and in the Southern hemisphere around September 23, depending upon the specific timing of the equinox. Among the Wiccan sabbats, it is preceded by Imbolc and followed by Beltane. In the book Eight Sabbats for Witches by Janet and Stewart Farrar, the festival Ostara is characterized by the rejoining of the Mother Goddess and her lover-consort-son, who spent the winter months in death. Other variations include the young God regaining strength in his youth after being born at Yule, and the Goddess returning to her Maiden aspect. Ostara is the virgin Goddess of spring. This holiday concerns the deity’s trip to the underworld, and their struggle to return from the Land of the Dead to Earth. When they accomplish this return, they have a life renewed. It was considered bad luck to wear anything new before Ostara, so the people would work through the winter in secret to make elegant clothes for the Sabbat celebration. The entire community would gather for games, feasting, and religious rituals while showing off their clothing. The modern belief that eggs are delivered by a rabbit known as the Easter Bunny comes from the legend of the Goddess Eostre. So much did a lowly rabbit want to please the Goddess that he laid the sacred eggs in her honor, gaily decorated them, and humbly presented them to her. So pleased was she that she wished all humankind to share in her joy. In honor of her wishes, the rabbit went through the entire world and distributed these little decorated gifts of life”
Ostara in Wikipedia
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Goddess Guide: Spring Goddess
The Spring Goddess celebrates the turning of the wheel of the year as the death and decay of winter gives way to a time of renewal and rebirth.
Today’s DIY: Garden Decoration Ideas Using Stones and Rocks
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Witch Indeed: 21 Ways to Celebrate Spring Equinox
Spring is coming for those of us in the Northern Hemisphere! Even if where you live is still covered with snow, listen closely. The earth is moving ever onward. It’s no coincidence that March is filled with so many celebrations:
EarthSky News: Does the equinox sun rise due east and set due west?
The March 2021 equinox happens on March 20, 2021, at 09:37 Universal Time. That’s early morning … March 20 at 4:37 a.m. Central Daylight Time for us in the central U.S. Translate to your time zone.
Ostara is one of my absolute favorite times of the year. There has always seemed to be something extra magical about the equinoxes for me. This is a fun way to celebrate with a simple Ostara ritual for both adults and children.
Pagan Playlist: The Earth is our mother | | Ostara songs | | Beltane songs | | Wiccan Chants | | Bunny Lo
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Inner Journey: LAUGH!
“We don’t laugh because we’re happy, we’re happy because we laugh.” — William James
Why laugh?
Laughter nourishes the soul and triggers joy. It’s a natural stress reliever. It stimulates the immune system and increases oxygen, stamina and our breathing capacity. Medical literature is full of reasons to laugh for the health of it.
Don’t rely upon your funny friends, favorite sit-com or jokes to tickle your funny bone — just laugh for the joy of it!
“Laughter is like the human body wagging its tail.” — Anne Wilson Schaef
higherawareness.com
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A Note from the Universe
I have a special request to pass on to you, directly from the morning sun, herself; echoed by the clear blue sky, the earth under your feet, and the trees in your life who long for your presence.
From time to time, however sporadic or brief, they’d absolutely adore your undivided attention.
I’d want to know, so I thought you would, too.
Wood,
The Universe
tut.com
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Today’s Recipe: Easy Sugar Cookies
Quick and easy sugar cookies! They are really good, plain or with candies in them. My friend uses chocolate mints on top, and they’re great!
Trees Trees are the lungs of the earth. Just as we breathe oxygen into our lungs and exhale carbon dioxide, so trees breathe carbon dioxide into their leaves and exhale oxygen.”
-Helen Caldicott, If You Love this Planet (1992)
Reciprocity. There is a science to it. We’re here for a reason. Trees are here for a reason. We can learn from each other, grow with each other, help each other breathe!
-Lissa Coffey coffeytalk.com
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Daily Tarot: The Moon
If you’re feeling vulnerable or in a vulnerable or fragile position, take half a step back and give yourself more breathing room. You’re actually doing fine, but if that’s not your perception then nothing will convince you otherwise. If you need a break or a little time off, see if you can arrange it, if only for a few hours. This is not a show of weakness. Take care of yourself.
astrology.com
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About Cat’s Morning Bits: These daily post are reblogged from various email newsletters that I receive each day.
Good Morning Beautiful Souls, grab a cup of your favorite morning brew and start things off with “Today’s Inspirations”. I hope you find something here that will make you feel good or help you on your path today.
Blessings, Cat
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In the dreamy silence Of the afternoon, a Cloth of gold is woven Over wood and prairie. -Alexander Posey (1873-1908)
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October Events:
Oct 1: Full Blood Moon at 2:05 pm PST/ 3:05 pm MST/ 5:05 pm EST
Oct 9: Moon 3rd Qtr 5:39 pm PST/ /6:39 pm MST/ 8:39 pm EST
Oct 12: Indigenous Peoples Day
Oct 16: Super New Moon at 12:31 pm PST/ 1:31 pm MST/ 3:31 pm EST
Oct 23: Moon 1st Qtr. 6:22 am PST/ 7:22 am MST/ 9:22 am EST
Oct 28 Celtic Tree Month of Reed begins
Oct 31 Samhain / Halloween
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Spirit Library: Align With Your Light (a message from Kate Spreckley)
The light of creation is born out of the spark of love which lies embodied in each and every human being. Its source is the Great Mystery from where power, awareness and creativity stem
ThoughtCo: The Magic, History, and Folklore of Sandalwood
Although not truly an herb, but a wood, sandalwood is an item found often in modern Pagan rituals. In fact, “sandalwood” is an entire class of wood, found in trees that are part of the flowering Santalum family.
MBG: 11 Things Your Spider Dreams Could Be Telling You, According To A Dream Expert
Our personal dreamworlds are a mysterious place only we have access to—but there do seem to be some common dream themes lots of us experience. Dreams about snakes or teeth falling out are commonly reported, as are spider dreams.
Having compassion starts and ends with having compassion for all those unwanted parts of ourselves. The healing comes from letting there be room for all of this to happen: room for grief, for relief, for misery, for joy.
Pema Chodron –
Meeting Our Pain With Compassion
“I’d like to explore the essential place of compassion in our lives in a very simple way. As human beings we have a conscious awareness that is open to what is. Our very nature is openness. On a feeling level this openness shows up as sensitivity, tenderness, rawness, as an exquisite receptivity and responsiveness. As a consequence of this delicacy, we are also easily hurt. Its like the softness of our skin–which is easily bruised, yet allows us to experience a wide range of subtle textures and temperatures.” John Welwood shares more in this short essay on self compassion. { read more }
Be The Change
This week try meeting your pain with compassion. Notice if something shifts when you make room for what is– to simply be
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Scrying Techniques & Divination ~ The White Witch Parlour
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Elephant Journal: Untame the Wild Within you (with These little Pieces of Earth).
I am a second generation forest. Maybe a third or fifth generation wood at best. I did not grow up in a family or culture that planted my feet deep into the wisdom network of undisturbed mycelium.
I was not placed within a matrix of thought or ritual that gave daily blessings for the rising sun or the sweet, nourishing rain.
Treehugger: 10 Striking Facts About Scorpions These ancient arachnids are as fascinating as they are frightening.
It’s sensible to be afraid of scorpions. Their most distinctive features are pincer-like pedipalps and a stinging tail, which some species can swing toward their target at 50 inches (130 centimeters) per second.
EarthSky News: Watch for 2020’s Draconid meteor shower
Draco the Dragon is now spitting out meteors, also known as shooting stars. This is one shower that’s best to watch at nightfall or early evening, not after midnight. No matter where you are on Earth, watch as close to nightfall as possible. The shower is active between October 6 and 10.
Patheos-Pagan: The Call of the Gods: Moments, Practices, & Doubts
I had a friend recently ask me about communicating with deity, and it’s a question I’ve metaphorically sat on now for over a month. Looking back on my life as a Pagan and a Witch I’m often not sure how or when my relationships with deity (and deity adjacent) figures began exactly.
Pagan Playlist : Loreena McKennitt: the lady of Shalott
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Inner Journey: THE PARADOX OF LIFE’S JOURNEY
“It is only when we realize that life is taking us nowhere that it begins to have meaning.” — P.D. Ouspensky
“All major mystical traditions have recognized that there is a paradox at the heart of the journey of return to Origin. …Put simply, this is that we are already what we seek, and that what we are looking for on the Path with such an intensity of striving and passion and discipline is already within and around us at all moments. The journey and all its different ordeals are all emanations of the One Spirit that is manifesting everything in all dimensions; every rung of the ladder we climb toward final awareness is made of the divine stuff of awareness itself; Divine Consciousness is at once creating and manifesting all things and acting in and as all things in various states of self-disguise throughout all the different levels and dimensions of the universe.” — Andrew Harvey
“Look at you, you madman, Screaming you are thirsty And are dying in a desert when all around you there is nothing but water!” — Kabir
“After changes upon changes, we are more or less the same.” — Paul Simon
higherawareness.com
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A Note from the Universe
There are no accidents.
If it’s appeared on your life’s radar, this is why: to teach you that dreams come true; to reveal that you have the power to fix what’s broken and heal what hurts; to catapult you beyond seeing with just your physical senses; and to lift the veils that have kept you from seeing that you’re already the person you dreamed you’d become.
Many years ago, I was putting together my first cookbook of memorable recipes. This one was from my mom and remains one of my all-time favorites! Freezes well. Delicious warm or cooled.
Magickal Intentions: Love, Romance, Marriage, Sexual Matters, Physical Beauty, Friendship and Partnerships, Strangers and Matters of the Heart
Element: Earth
Incense: Strawberry, Sandalwood, Rose, Saffron and Vanilla Planet: Venus Star Signs: Libra and Taurus Angel: Ariel Power Colors: Green, Pink, Aqua Herbs & Plants: Pink Rose, Ivy, Birch, Heather, Clematis, Sage, Violet and Water Lilly
Sacred Stones: Rose Quartz, Moonstone, Pink Tourmaline, Peridot, Emerald and Jade Oil: (Venus) Cardamom, Palmarosa, Rose, Yarrow
Deities include Aphrodite, Eros, Freya, Venus
Friday is ruled by Venus. It’s energies are warm, sensuous, and fulfilling. Efforts that involve any type of pleasure, comfort, and luxury, as well as the arts, music, or aroma (incense and perfume) can be done on this day. As Venus lends its sensuous influences to the energies of this day, use it for any magical work that deals with matters of the heart.
Magickal Intentions: Love, Romance, Marriage, Sexual Matters, Physical Beauty, Friendship and Partnerships, Strangers and Matters of the Heart
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Daily Wisdom October 9, 2020
Poetry “The world is never the same once a good poem has been added to it.”
-Dylan Thomas (1914-1953)
One of my very favorite poems is Longfellow’s “Psalm of Life” which says: Lives of great men remind us We can make our lives sublime. And departing, leave behind us Footprints in the sands of time.” This particular poem is a big footprint that Longfellow left on this earth. He is quoted all the time, because he says it so well. He doesn’t have to go on and on with explanations and examples, we know exactly what he means, and we take it to heart. When John Lennon and Paul McCartney wrote: ”All you need is love” we listened, and remembered, because those five little words had such an impact in the context of a simple and beautiful song. Poets, and their poetry, change the world.
-Lissa Coffey
coffeytalk.com
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Daily Tarot: The Lovers
Relax, take a deep breath, and don’t let any feelings of anxiety derail your plans for the day. A certain level of nervousness may be in the air today but it doesn’t have to be contagious and you don’t have to catch it. If a touch of anxiety serves to give you a greater sense of caution, that can be a good thing
astrology.com
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About Cat’s Morning Bits: These daily post are reblogged from various email newsletters that I receive each day.
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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The white chrysanthemums and asters star
The frosty silence.
-Alice Marland (Wellington) Rollins (1847-97)
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Spiritual Unite: Spruce Tree Symbolism – Resilience And Strength
The spruce tree is one of the most famous trees in western and Mediterranean culture and has been for thousands of years.
Throughout history, nearly all cultures have had gods and goddesses associated with love and marriage. Although a few are male–Cupid in particular come to mind, thanks to Valentine’s Day–most are female, because the institution of marriage has long been viewed as the domain of women.
What is the significance and fundamental importance for humanity of “emergence?” It may at first seem abstract but something that emerges has unique properties that were not present in the parts creating it. Therefore it is fundamentally a life-giving source of energy. In this talk Daniel Schmachtenberger outlines emergence as essential to understand the nature of the universe we live in and what it means to be human. { read more }
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Elephant Journal: How the Seed of Meditation affects our Conscious Lives. {Poem}
At the threshold of meditation,
Beneath the hustle for comfort,
Against the anvil of time,
Above pleasure of every sort,
MNN: Meet the chevrotain, the small and secretive mouse deer
The mouse deer. Or the pig deer. Or the little goat. Whatever you call the chevrotain, this is a truly distinct (and tiny!) ungulate. With a round, bunny-like body placed atop piglet-like feet, and a face akin to a mouse, the chevrotain may look like a hodgepodge of modern-day species but it’s actually quite ancient.
Tonight, watch for Orion the Hunter – perhaps the easiest to identify of all constellations – rising at mid-evening. It’s around late November and early December that people begin to notice Orion in the evening sky, and to comment on it. Orion will climb over your eastern horizon by around 9 p.m. tonight. You can find this constellation and watch it for months to come.
________________________ Patheos-Pagan: All About Cakes and Ale (or Cakes and Wine)
I was recently asked about the origin of the phrases “cakes and wine” and “cakes and wine.” Both phrases are common in Modern Witchcraft circles and have been a part of the Craft for at least the last 70 years, and most likely before that. So why do we use these terms and what is “cakes and wine” all about?
“Growth takes place in a person by working at a deep inner level in a sustained atmosphere of silence.”
— Dr. Ira Progoff
How can we hear our wise voice of intuition if we are always thinking, talking and distracted by outer events?
If we take time daily to experience physical stillness and to direct our attention inside, we can begin to find the peace, love, will and wisdom that exist as our essence.
“Only when one is connected to one’s own core is one connected to others… And, for me, the core, the inner spring, can best be refound through solitude.”
— Anne Morrow Lindbergh
“In the sweet territory of silence we touch the mystery. It’s the place of reflection and contemplation, and it’s the place where we can connect with the deep knowing, to the deep wisdom way.”
— Angeles Arrien
higherawareness.com
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A Note from the Universe
OK. OK. I confess.
No matter what you’re after in life getting what you want always boils down to at least a little bit of divine intervention.
But then, I’m talking about yours, not mine.
Bada-boom,
The Universe
tut.com
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Today’s Recipe: Honey Mustard Pork Loin with Apples
The flavours of this roast pork loin smothered in apples is perfect for the fall season. Use the freshly roasted pork’s juices, along with some honey and mustard, to make the perfect sauce to accompany it.
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
_________________________ Daily Wisdom November 14, 2019
Sincerity
“Sincerity is the foundation of the spiritual life.”
Albert Schweitzer (1875-1965)
A foundation is something upon which everything else is built. So it’s a good idea to look at the sincerity with which we live our lives. It seems to me that sincerity is a little bit more than honesty. It’s not just the words we say, but the feeling that we put behind those words. There are no “loopholes” with sincerity – it’s not just what we say, but what we mean.
-Lissa Coffey
coffeytalk.com
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Daily Tarot: Justice
Take everything and everyone a little bit more seriously today, without getting grim about it. People may bring you requests or problems that they think are shaking up their world, and you should offer at least a token respect for their worries and needs. None of this puts any pressure on you, unless you get emotionally involved. Remember, you have neither the power nor responsibility to fix it all
astrology.com
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About Cat’s Morning Bits: These daily post are reblogged from various email newsletters that I receive each day.
Good Morning Beautiful Souls, grab a cup of your favorite morning brew and start things off with “Today’s Inspirations”. I hope you find something here that will make you feel good or help you on your path today.
Blessings, Cat
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There is no season when such pleasant and sunny spots may be lighted upon, and produce so pleasant an effect on the feelings, as now in October.
-Nathaniel Hawthorne (1804-64)
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Pagan Library: Samhain by Kenny Klein (poem)
Red leaves are carried in the salt west wind
And turn to brown on dry soil.
The sun is bright still, but not warm
On the last rich gold of scattered fall.
The great wheel turns, another year
Old, bright gold with death.
Whether your child is a preschooler, an independent reader, or somewhere in between, I have a children’s book for Halloween to recommend. You’ll find some not-too-scary picture books, one pretty scary picture book, a tale about scary carrots, of all things, and a cumulative tale, among others.
MBG: Scorpio Season Is Here: It’s Time For Intimacy & Transformation
Scorpio season kicks off on October 23, bringing an air of mystery to the world. With the Sun in this shape-shifting sign until November 22, focus your energy on intimacy, transformation, and sharing resources for the win!
ThoughtCo: Samhain Folklore – Halloween Superstitions and Legends
While we Pagans are celebrating Samhain on October 31 (or at the beginning of May, if you’re one of our southern hemisphere readers), for many of our friends and neighbors, this is the Halloween season.
Elephant Journal: 5 Ways to Manifest Health & Happiness through Healing Crystals.
Are you worried about your overall health and happiness?
Or, are you just wondering how you can improve or maintain it? Or, perhaps you know someone close to you who might be in need of help in this aspect? Well, ponder no more. “Healing crystals” will help you with just that.
In antiquity, butter was used for fuel in lamps as a substitute for oil. The Butter Tower of Rouen Cathedral was erected in the early 16th century when Archbishop Georges d’Amboise authorized the burning of butter instead of oil, which was scarce at the time, during Lent.
MNN: This savvy toad pretends to be a deadly viper
A plump toad would seem like a tasty treat for any hungry predator. After all, toads aren’t typically fleet of foot. And they’re typically a delicious bite that won’t bite back
EarthSky News: See moon, Leo, and Mars before daybreak
Before dawn on October 23 and 24, 2019, watch as the moon slides in front of the constellation Leo the Lion. Then, as the morning darkness begins to give way to dawn, watch for the planet Mars to climb above the sunrise point on the horizon.
________________________ Patheos-Pagan: Simple Witchery: Reclaiming the Crone
The Maiden, Mother, Crone (MMC) archetype is taking a beating in many circles of modern witchcraft. Some scholarly witches call out the MMC as perhaps the earliest device of the patriarchy to keep women in their place, primarily by entrapping women in the duties motherhood and then rendering them worthless as they age beyond fertility
“No one can find his work, what he really wants to put all of himself into, when everything he does he is made to do by others. This kind of searching must be done freely or not at all.”
— John Holt
We all need space — free from demands, deadlines, expectations and judgments — to explore who we are and what life is all about. Free time, with absolutely no agenda, is rich with potential. How can we grow if we have no space and freedom to dream?
“Deny children — or anyone else — the chance to do ‘nothing,’ and we may be denying them the chance to do ‘something’ — to find and do any work that is truly important to themselves or to someone else.”
— John Holt
higherawareness.com
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A Note from the Universe
Are you hearing a lot more “I love yous” lately, or is it just me?
Actually, I wouldn’t have asked if the answer wasn’t so obvious, but it is fun to point it out.
__________________________________ 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]
_________________________ Daily Wisdom October 23, 2019
Wonder
“Everything has its wonders, even darkness and silence, and I learn, whatever state I may be in, therein to be content.”
-Helen Keller, 1902
We see what we choose to see. Helen Keller could not physically see with her eyes- and yet she could see with her heart, she could experience wonder. Her life, and the way she chose to live her life, is such an inspiration to us. There is wonder all around us, but do we choose to see it?
-Lissa Coffey
coffeytalk.com
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Daily Tarot: Justice
You have a great force of will today and it could be easy to push around someone less driven than you. Try to do things right the first time so there’s less “clean-up” tomorrow, when people may be less forgiving or understanding. Do what’s important first, rather than what is easiest or the most fun. You can do that some other time but today it won’t work
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.
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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New flowery scents strewed everywhere,
New sunshine poured in largesse fair,
“We shall be happy now,” we say.
A voice just trembles through the air,
And whispers, “May.”
-Sarah C. Woolsey (1835-1905)
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Spiritual Unite: How To Know If You Are A Starseed – Shedding Light On Earth Missions
Have you always felt like you don’t belong here? Have you ever felt like an outsider among humanity?
If you have, you might be one of the small percentages of people on this planet that are what is known as Starseeds
What is Drawing Down the Moon?
In this beautiful and powerful rite, the practitioner invokes the Goddess directly into herself (or himself, as the case may be). In some variations, a High Priestess (HPs) may go into a trancelike state and speak the words of the Goddess, or it may be a formal monologue calling upon the Goddess in her many forms.
Poem: take an ache, make it sing
BY TYLER KNOTT GREGSON
Poetry gives us a chance to express ourselves in a unique and profound way. Poet, photographer, and artist Tyler Knott Gregson insists, “It does not matter what the song sounds like, it does not matter what the lyrics end up being, it’s just giving all the aches in you, the positive and the negative, the space to realize themselves.”
Seed bombing has been popular in urban areas for some time. But the idea is applicable for other areas as well. What is seed bombing? It’s a fun, easy, and environmentally friendly way to plant large or difficult to reach areas. Children especially seem to enjoy the fun so it makes a good family project.
Elephant Journal: Astrological Forecast: the Best way to Make Use of May’s Full Moon.
The planets in the sky are always bringing us lessons, wisdom, and guidance.
Whether the teachings are smooth or difficult depends on who you talk to, but the “effortless versus arduous” question is largely tied up in the amount of resistance we feel to wanting to do the work presented.
MNN: Every year, this hummingbird comes back to the man who saved him
Even sitting in his driveway, Michael Cardenaz makes an imposing figure.
Muscled, tattooed and downright massive.
Then there’s that steely law enforcement strand that runs through every fiber of his being: 14 years with the sheriff’s office. SWAT team member and, now, Homeland Security agent
________________________ Patheos-Pagan: Hoodoo How We Do Four Thieves Vinegar
Four Thieves Vinegar is one of the most popular Hoodoo potions around. So popular in fact, you might not even know it has it’s roots both in Southern Conjure and European Folk Magick. It’s entertaining history even comes with a biblical story.
“You can come to understand your purpose in life by slowing down and feeling your heart’s desires.”
— Marcia Wieder
What do you love to do? What gives you greatest meaning in your life? Let your answers trickle through and keep a record of the key words that come up.
Life becomes so much richer when we choose to live from our heart.
“Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life.”
— Steve Jobs
higherawareness.com
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A Note from the Universe
It’s time we had that little talk.
You know, about life, how it started, and where it might go…
First, there were a few thoughts.
Then, there were a few things.
Yeah, that’s what we said, “Wow!” But after eons and eons the novelty wore off because absolutely nothing ever changed.
These little squares of joy are like a cross between cookies, dessert bars, and peanut butter cups. They taste like a lot of hard work, but they could not be easier. Give these a shot! You won’t be sorry.
__________________________________ 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
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
_________________________ Daily Wisdom May 7, 2019
Learning
“A primary method of learning is to go from the familiar to the unfamiliar.”
-Glenn Doman, How to Teach Your Baby to Read, 1964
Simple steps. And yet the unfamiliar often scares us, so that first step is the most difficult! Why not just step into the unknown? If we really want to grow, we’ve got to learn, and that means that we might have to start doing things differently to make space for that in our lives. No risk, no reward.
-Lissa Coffey
coffeytalk.com
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Beliefnet: The Blessings of Boredom
If you’ve ever had kids, you’ve heard the familiar lament, “I’m bored!” Kids always say that to parents, as if boredom is a major tragedy. As mature adults, we are less melodramatic if we are bored.
Grab a cup of your favorite morning brew and start things off with “Today’s Inspirations”. I hope you find something here that will make you feel good or help you on your path today.
Blessings, Cat
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Little drops of water,
Little grains of sand,
Make the mighty ocean
And the pleasant land.
Thus the little minutes,
Humble though they be,
Make the mighty ages
Of eternity.
–Julia A. Fletcher (1823–1908)
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Spiritual Unite: 9 Powerful Ways To Harness Positive Energy Into Your Life
Ah, positive energy the foundation of conscious living and mindfulness. Personal transformation, emotional balance, and holistic happiness are just some of the things that start with positivity. However, life often gets in the way of positivity, doesn’t it? Getting cut off in traffic, impatience, losing our tempers These are just some of the many minuscule occurrences that get in ….
MBG: How To Make Ink From Foraged Plants & Objects — AKA Our New Go-To Fall Activity
This story is excerpted from the new book Make Ink: A Forager’s Guide to Natural Inkmaking by Jason Logan, published by Abrams.
I am often asked what exactly ink is. It’s not paint—which is a liquid color used mainly for creating images or covering surfaces. What distinguishes ink from other art supplies is its use as a tool for communication. People have been leaving marks with berries, burnt sticks, or colored rocks since the dawn of humanity
In the poem “Earthbound,” author Laura Grace Weldon describes the perfection that exists right before us at the same time we are looking elsewhere with desires and whims. A proponent of “free range learning, creative living, gentle encouragement, big questions, and occasional drollery,” Weldon is skilled at illuminating sources of hope in everyday places and people. This group of four poems from Moon magazine shares the inspiration found all around us–in women, nature, heroes, our breath
Elephant Journal: The 7 Chakra Personality Types & how we can Appreciate their Gifts.
Do you sometimes judge others?
I don’t mean the kind of judgment that you express outwardly, to someone in the moment.
But do you judge people behind their back?
EarthSky News: Moon sweeps near Saturn and Mars September 17 to 19
On September 17, 18 and 19, 2018, use the waxing gibbous moon to locate the planets Saturn and Mars. These two worlds look like bright stars, and they are easy to see with the eye alone. Mars is the brighter of the two, its ruddy color contrasting beautifully with the golden hue of Saturn.
________________________ Patheos-Pagan: Halegmonath: the “Holy Month” of Mabon
By linking together the astrological significance, mythology, and historical observances surrounding the festivals of Modern Paganism’s Wheel of the Year; one is able to discover deeper insights and intriguing connections linking the esoteric concepts that comprise the unique flavor of each sacred day of observance. Mabon, despite the modern origins of its nomenclature has significant connections with the ancient myths of Pagan cultures across Europe.
Everything in life holds both a blessing and a curse. We deny this when we label the events of our lives as either good or bad. The following old Zen story illustrates this lesson most effectively.
A farmer had a horse but one day, the horse ran away and so the farmer and his son had to plow their fields themselves. Their neighbors said, “Oh, what bad luck that your horse ran away!” But the farmer replied, “Bad luck, good luck, who knows?”
The next week, the horse returned to the farm, bringing a herd of wild horses with him. “What wonderful luck!” cried the neighbors, but the farmer responded, “Good luck, bad luck, who knows?”
Then, the farmer’s son was thrown as he tried to ride one of the wild horses, and he broke his leg. “Ah, such bad luck,” sympathized the neighbors. Once again, the farmer responded, “Bad luck, good luck, who knows?”
A short time later, the ruler of the country recruited all young men to join his army for battle. The son, with his broken leg, was left at home. “What good luck that your son was not forced into battle!” celebrated the neighbors. And the farmer remarked, “Good luck, bad luck, who knows?”
“Do not judge, and you will never be mistaken.”
— Jean Jacques Rousseau
higherawareness.com
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A Note from the Universe
What if I told you that your every conflict, disappointment, struggle, or challenge with others and yourself, was merely a manifestation of what’s going on within your own thinking. Would you go there first to fix, mend, and allay?
Yeah, you might miss the drama.
The Universe
tut.com
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Today’s Recipe: Beetroot Lemonade
This delicious, pretty, red lemonade is made from grated beets, fresh lemons, agave nectar, and water. Give it a try; you will be pleasantly surprised.
__________________________________ 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
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
_________________________ Daily Wisdom September 18, 2018
Solitude
“Solitude gives birth to the original in us, to beauty unfamiliar and perilous – to poetry. But also, it gives birth to the opposite: to the perverse, the illicit, the absurd.”
-Thomas Mann, Death in Venice
To appreciate solitude we need space and time. We need space to be by ourselves and time to enjoy our own company. And from there we can experience silence, and go beyond space and time! Here there are infinite possibilities for us; here is where we find inspiration and creativity. Here there is peace, and joy, and bliss.
-Lissa Coffey
coffeytalk.com
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Beliefnet: 7 Ways to Get Your Point Across So Others Hear You
Have you ever had something important to say, but you felt as if no one was paying any attention?
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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The earliest breath of June
Blows the white tassels from the cherry boughs,
And in the deepest shadow of noon
The mild-eyed oxen browse.
-Elizabeth Akers Allen (1832-1911)
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Spiritual Unite: Having A Mental Connection With Someone
To connect with someone mentally means to have a shared perspective of the world, to feel as though the other person thinks at the same level as yours. This sort of connection transcends the physical limitations of the human body. When your mind connects with that of another individual, you share a bond that connects the two of you through….
MBG: This Poem By A 107-Year-Old Woman Will Hit You Right In The Feels
After meeting Peggy Freydberg in 1994, writer Nancy Aronie “fell in love” with the (then 90-year-old) poet’s “humor and passion and wisdom.” They reconnected 21 years later, when Nancy lost three friends within the span of 10 days. She decided she wouldn’t put off seeing the people she wanted to spend time with anymore and started spending time with Peggy often.
Pioneer Thinking: 5 Ways Gardening and Plants Reduce Stress
In today’s busy world, we’re continually searching for new ways to slow down and unwind. This has led more people to discover the calming benefits of gardening and how incorporating plants into decor provides a way to reduce everyday stress.
Elephant Journal: Wake Up. Remember You are Already Perfect.
I have been on a long journey around the globe searching for the most effective tools for personal transformation.
My life’s mission is to shake and inspire people to awaken and remember how epic we actually are and how to embody our Authentic Self to become Bad-ass Gods and Goddesses.
MNN: Extinct-in-the-wild bird hatches at Smithsonian
The Guam kingfisher is an interesting bird. It’s known for a distinct, loud call and an aggressive nature when defending its nesting territory. The bird makes its nest by jabbing over and over at a tree with its beak while flying.
Patheos-Pagan: The Debilitating Power of “I Can’t”
I have been hearing and seeing a lot of variations of the phrase “I can’t” in witchcraft lately. What really astounds me about this is that is starkly pushes against the grain of what witchcraft is. One of the reasons that I work so hard in my own path is that witchcraft gives me the power to stand up and say “I can, and I will.” At what point are we feeding so much into what we believe we can’t do, that we are essentially cutting off and limiting our own ability?
“Happiness cannot be traveled to, owned, earned, worn or consumed. Happiness is the spiritual experience of living every minute with love, grace, and gratitude.”
— Denis Waitley
Peace, joy, health and well-being can only be found inside us. They exist within us now, as our essential nature, waiting for us to call on them.
No matter what our income, body shape or situation in life, each of us holds the power to take the inner journey to find our treasures within. This is what makes the inner journey so exciting!
“When we cannot find contentment in ourselves, it is useless to seek it elsewhere.”
— Francois De La Rochefoucauld
higherawareness.com
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A Note from the Universe
Sometimes having more fun and being happier comes from looking for each in crazy, new places; instead of waiting for them to come from where you’ve found them before or where others are now finding them.
And I do mean crazy. Not just from the old standbys of travel, adventure, and romance, but from stretching, reaching, and growing. Accepting new responsibilities for your happiness, totally accepting others, and grasping even higher ideals. Philosophically taking yourself to places few have dared to go.
Red hot smokin’ love,
The Universe
tut.com
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Today’s Recipe: Chocolate Stuffed Raspberries
These chocolate stuffed raspberries are a simple, yet delicious treat!
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
“Faith is the centerpiece of a connected life. It allows us to live by the grace of invisible strands. It is a belief in a wisdom superior to our own. Faith becomes a teacher in the absence of fact.” -Terry Tempest Williams, Refuge (1991)
“Connected” and aware of our connection, is how we all want to live. Faith is all the evidence we need of that connection. When we turn to faith, we feel it. It is calming, comforting and all-knowing. We can’t always see it with our eyes, but we can feel it with our hearts.
Lissa coffey
coffeytalk.com
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Beliefnet: 11 Inspiring Quotes For When You Feel Depressed or Uninspired
The Desert Path 
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