The Desert Path

The Dusty Ramblings of a Desert Pagan

Cat’s Morning Bits for February 8, 2021

Posted on February 8, 2021 by Cat

Cat’s Morning Bits for February 8, 2021

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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February is derived from the Latin word “februs” meaning “to cleanse.” The month was named after the Roman Festival, Februalia, a month long festival of purification and atonement.

February Events

Feb. 2: Imbolc/Candlemas and Groundhog Day

Feb. 5: World Animal Reiki Day

Feb. 7: Super Bowl Sunday

Feb. 11: New Moon at 11:05 am PST/ 12:05 pm MST/ 2:05 pm EST

Feb. 12: Chinese New Year of the Ox

Feb. 14: Valentines Day

Feb. 15: Presidents Day and Lupercalia

Feb. 16 Mardi Gras

Feb. 18: Sun enters Pisces

Feb. 19: National Caregivers Day

Feb. 20: Mercury goes DIRECT

Feb. 27: Full Moon at 12:17 am PST/ 1:17 am MST/ 3:17 am EST

Spirit Library: Deep Inner Purification (a message from Kate Spreckley)

We are all individually and collectively moving through a period of transition that is teaching us to live honestly and authentically. As a result, we are in a process of deep inner purification, which is eliminating any of the unnecessary or ineffectual energy we still carry

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Exploring Celtic Mythology: Rhiannon

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Spiritual Unite: SPIRITUAL MEANING OF NUMBER 100

When we go through our spiritual journey, numbers are essential.

They are not relevant in a mathematical sense; instead, their spiritual messages provide us the knowledge to help us in our spiritual journey.

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ThoughtCo: The Green Man, Spirit of the Forest

For our ancient ancestors, many spirits and deities were associated with nature, wildlife, and plant growth. After all, if you had just spent the winter starving and freezing, when spring arrived it was certainly time to give thanks to whatever spirits watched over your tribe

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Spirituality & Health: Meditation for Saying NO
BY JULIE PETERS

It might be the hardest thing you have to do on a daily basis. But saying no lets you say yes.

Listen Here.

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Patheos / New Visions: Where Will the Spiritual Path Take You?

Jack Kornfield tells the story of the late Buddhist monk Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche who was one day giving a talk at a lecture hall in Berkelely, California. The participants had paid $15 each to hear him speak and once the hall had filled, Trungpa asked them: “How many of you are just beginning your spiritual practice?”

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MBG: The Benefits Of Worry Stones & How To Clutch Them To De-Stress

Worry stones have been around for centuries—and for good reason. These compact rocks couldn’t be easier to keep on hand, ready to grab whenever worry should strike. They’re wonderful when you’re feeling stressed, soothing to the touch, and an excellent addition to your self-care routine. Curious to learn more? Here’s everything you need to know about worry stones

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Daily Good: Invitations to Stillness: Japanese Gardens

He who distinguishes between the garden and practice cannot be said to have found the Way.

Muso Kokushi –

Invitations to Stillness: Japanese Gardens

“Every element in the Japanese garden from the shape of the pruned pine trees to the careful placement of stepping stones has intention and is specifically designed to cultivate nuanced awareness. The contrast between what is placed and what is left blank, brings to life a pictorial space that leaves room for our imagination. Symbolism and metaphor in the garden also offer powerful tools to help humans reconcile their own lives and relationships to both society and the larger forces of nature. The American garden scholar Kendall Brown argues that ‘The opportunity for direct engagement with nature is what makes all gardens compelling but, as Japanese gardens function so effectively as philosophical and physical microcosms, their power is even stronger.'” More in this lovely essay. { read more }

Be The Change

When have you felt your practice at its most vibrant? Reflect on what you attribute this to. What might further vivify your practice in this current time?

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Today’s DIY: Love Draw Sigil for Self Love – How to make a Magical Sigil – Magical Crafting, Witchcraft, Occult

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Elephant Journal: Learn your “Soul Astrology” for 2021.

With our world still being held tightly in the grasp of COVID-19, it might be interesting to know that in the ancient holistic healing modalities such as yoga therapy or Ayurveda, health was not merely understood as the absence of disease.

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EarthSky News: Observer’s challenge: Moon and morning planets on February 8, 9 and 10

On February 8, 9 and 10, 2021 – if you look east shortly before sunup – you’ll see the old moon going, going, almost gone as it heads into the sunrise glare. New moon will come on February 11. If you’re up for a big challenge, you can use the moon early this week to try finding the three morning planets: Venus, Jupiter and Saturn.

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Pagan Playlist: Firebird’s Child – S.J.Tucker

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Inner Journey: IS YOUR EGO INVOLVED?

“There is no room for God in him who is full of himself.”
— Hasidic Saying

On the spiritual path, we must be diligent to discriminate whether we are acting from ego or from soul. If ego is in charge, what we do is self- referencing. At the deepest levels, we are motivated by our own self-interest. We’re looking out for ourselves more than for others.

Although soul works through individuals, its focus is on the needs of others and on service to humanity.

“Do not feed your ego and your problems, with your attention. … Slowly, surely, the ego will lose weight, until one fine day it will be nothing but a thin ghost of its former self. You will be able to see right through it, to the divine presence that shines in each of us.”
— Eknath Easwaran

“Why aren’t you happy? It’s because ninety-nine percent of everything you do, and think, and say, is for yourself — and there isn’t one.”
— Wu Wei Wu

higherawareness.com

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A Note from the Universe

You’re always heard.

But just so you know, any prayers, comments, or musings that end in question marks, like “Can I?” “May I?” or “Will you?” are usually answered in question marks, like “Maybe?” “Sometimes?” or “Depends?”

Whereas those that end in “Thank you!” “Hallejulah!” or “Hubba-hubba!” are immediately fast-tracked.

Make a little “Boom!” –

The Universe

tut.com

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Today’s Recipe: Cubano Pork Tenderloin

Came up with this when I happened to have deli ham and a pork tenderloin laying around. Choose a pan large enough for the tenderloin.

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

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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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.

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