Hallows Everyday - 18

2 - Self-Renewal

Soulful Woman Oracle

by Shushann Movesessian & Gemma Summers

This is a new deck I just obtained and this is the first card I have drawn; perfect for this season. 

As I clean out old energies

I have more space for that which

wants to be birthed into my life.

Time to do some clearing work on ourselves, in our homes, work, even the car. When was the last time we smudged any of these places? When was the last time we took the time to really focus and bless our spaces, ourselves? This card reminds us that this is the perfect time to take stock of what is around us and how it affects us. Perhaps some decluttering and autumn cleaning is in order too. 

When we keep our spaces and selves clear of stagnant or unhealthy energies, we are more fully able to release what doesn't serve us; the energy that is fresh, healthy, and energetically enriching and nurturing is more easily available to us. Our minds, on an intellectual level as well as a psychic level are clear and open to receiving the messages that will assist us on our spiritual path.

Sort through the physical, emotional, and psychic debris, letting our intuition guide us as to what we want to keep - that which aids us, and that which needs to be let go of. Whatever it is that is ready to be released will go effortlessly if we allow ourselves to be in that place of openness to the goddesses' wisdom and healing. This will become a rebirthing for us, while letting us make room for new blessings, ideas, new life.

Blessings dark and deep! 

30 Days of Devotion - 24

Day 24 -A time when Hekate has helped me.

photograph copyright E A Kaufman 2016.

Where does one start with this? First of all, the times when Hekate assists me, with a few exceptions, are very private. However, I will share that during times of anxiety and fear, She is always there for me, helping me get through. The only time when this may not be the case, is when She is testing me or has decided to rearrange parts of me and let me put myself together. So fear is where Hekate has assisted me most.

Another area where Hekate has helped me is in my healing practice. I was and still am amazed that She always is with me during these works, and most especially during my Reiki healing work. This may seem too new agey to  many devotees, but She is always with me when I give Reiki. Hekate is most especially around with healing work for children and women, but She always answers my call for assistance in this important area of my practice.

  Blessings Nine!

Healing

I jotted this down one day, before I was going to facilitate a Reiki circle in the evening. I shared it with everyone who attended and it seems to be appropriate to share it today. Whoever needs it will find it.

When we are experiencing periods of self-doubt, insecurity, pain, fear, anxiety, depression - whatever challenge it may be - it would serve us to remember that we are releasing aspects of ourselves that were created based on what we have been exposed to in our lives, yet no longer need. All of these feelings are keys to a process of transformation. We can stay in the same place or move through the feelings, acknowledging them, releasing, forgiving, be it ourselves or someone else, then moving on, free. This is healing.

Underneath these experiences of transformation, which can be frightening and difficult sometimes, and at other times easier to work through, we benefit by remembering self-love and self-awareness is where to find relief and a more clear reflection of who we really are. When we see who we truly are through love, the pristine essence that we will find is the Wise One or Higher Self, the one who, while knowing fear, defeat, or suffering, is the one who is Light, Power, Force, and Liberation. Finding that Wise One and allowing ourselves to move through the experiences as part of a learning process, sets us free.

Don't become too caught up in the journey to "arrive" - remember that all these experiences benefit us in some way by moving us along our path. We may not consciously know exactly what that benefit is, but we have evolved thanks to those experiences. Would we have liked to skip some of them? All of them? Sure, they aren't always pretty or nice, they are frightening. But that's what we are here for, to experience and heal. This process is for our progression - if we allow it to be. 

Winston Churchill said it best, " When you are going through hell, keep on going." In other words, keep going, you will get to the end and make it through.

Blessings dark and deep!

Weekly Oracle

Auxo - Increase

Ancient Feminine Wisdom of Goddesses & Heroines

Kay Steventon & Brian Clark

Auxo is one of the Horai (or Horao), goddesses of the seasons, the natural order of nature. In particular, Auxo is She who adorns the crops with nourishment, increasing their growth, and bestows prosperity and wealth. Auxo blesses our lives with joy and festivity, appearing when there is something to celebrate.

When Auxo's card appears, it signals a season of rapid growth, expansion. Business escalates, creative work flourishes, all that we need presents itself for us to utilize. Wellness, revitalization, and

a new sense of fertility and expansion flows into whatever we do bringing us abundance.

This card tells us that this is a time to celebrate, dance, allow ourselves to be filled with optimism for our futures. This is an abundant time of growth and development, make use of this energy.

Blessings nine!

Weekly Oracle

Gratitude

Vintage Wisdom Oracle by Victoria Moseley

It has been clinically proven that a thankful life is generally a happier life. We are usually receiving much more than we give, but don't realize it. Instead, many times we focus on what we don't have instead of how very rich our lives truly are.

The Gratitude card presents itself to us today, inviting us to unearth the bounty of our daily lives by remembering to be grateful. This is a favorable time to express thanks to someone who has helped us in some way, or just to count the blessings in our lives.

The continued practice of this alchemical virtue, gratitude, can animate forgiveness, heal the past, and bring about a daily sense of wonderment and peace. From a cosmic perspective, to become unconditionally grateful for the adventure of life, with all its ups and downs and regardless to outcomes, is to merge with the Divine, the Goddesses.

Naturally, being human, we may not achieve this everyday, but the days we do, in my experience, brings a deep peace. And there is always something to be grateful for. Yesterday was a very raining day where I live. An acquaintance was complaining about the rain, saying she hated it. I looked out and said, "Oh, but think of how green everything will be. The plants and trees are having a shower and a good drink, everything is flowing, everything is being washed clean - Mother Nature cleansing the Earth." She thought for a moment, smiled, and agreed. Off she went, without opening her umbrella, dancing in the rain. In that moment, she chose to be grateful for the deluge of rain, letting it wash her clean, seeing it as a gift from Mama Earth.

Blessings nine.

Weekly Affirmation

New fields of resources and support now open up to me.

I am unconditionally supported in living out my Heart's Desires.

(infinite-life.com)

Hallows Everyday - 6

Three Sisters by Frank Howell

The wheel begins its turning not with flowers and springtime,

but with death and decay.

from Celebrating Her, by Wendy Hunter Roberts

Yes, this is the time when release, letting go, dying, and decay surrounds us. The trees release their leaves, plants wither and become part of the soil, seeping down, down, releasing themselves from this cycle, and the days shorten. All know that they will be rested and renewed in the dark quiet bed of the earth, returning when the wheel turns again to the time of birthing. Whether we acknowledge it or not, this is part of our life too. There has been so much growth on all levels of our being through the past year that it is now time to acknowledge, honor, and then begin our own time of rest and renewal, our time to release with love and wisdom all that does not serve us, all that we know as lessons learned, all in preparation of moving on to the next cycle. This release is necessary and nourishing, a part of the natural cycle of all life. Yet, so many hold on to the very things that stifle their growth and happiness. Some purposely, others without awareness. We all must realize and know that we cannot hold on to everything, most especially that which holds us back from allowing the decay.

Remember that whatever you are holding onto, whatever blocks you have built so that you do not have to feel, know, acknowledge, are nothing to fear. You have experienced whatever it is that bright those feelings, it is done, over, and here you are, still alive. Yes, you are alive and well despite it. Release and move on, free and clear.

Now is the sacrifice of the souls, 

now is the giving up,

the stripping down to the bone.

The time of bones is the time of no compromise.

Throw it all into Hecate's soup, let Her stir it up,

and we shall see what can be born anew.

"Come," She invites us, indicating Her cauldron, "throw it in.

This is the womb of rebirth, the cup of immortality.

Give yourself freely. Do not hold back. This is the moment.

I can use it all. Oh, what a spicy soup this will be!"

from Celebrating Her, by Wendy Hunter Roberts

Devotional Activity: Gather together some slips of paper and a special pen. Cleanse and consecrate them, let them be blessed to give assistance in this task. Set aside a little time today, and whenever you can as Hallowtide continues. Consider what you need to release, what no longer benefits you, what you have finished and there is nothing left to be done with it. Write a few words that describe the issue and consider it well. Take some deep breaths and allow yourself to release the issue, idea, feeling, whatever it may be. Feel it flowing from your body, through you arms, and into the paper. Place the paper in a fireproof bowl or your cauldron. All these slips of paper will be burned on Hallows and the final releasing completed.

Blessings dark and deep!

Celebrating Her is available at Amazon:   http://www.amazon.com/Celebrating-Her-Feminist-Ritualizing-Comes/dp/082981258X/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top

A Dream of Winter

I am enjoying the dark nights coming early as they do at this time of year. Many people find it uncomfortable, they don't like the sun setting early, the darkness closing over us like a cloak. I do, oh how I do. It is a soothing comfort, the feeling of being truly home. Winter, the time of introspection, curling up and surrounding ourselves with the warmth and blessings of the season. If they would only allow themselves to feel that.

I light the candles on my Winter Solstice shrine and the fire in the fireplace most nights. From my aromatherapy pot, a blend of winter scents drifts through the air. I have been meditating, as usual, but allowing the journeying to go where it will. With the addition of some Solfeggio music, which includes different frequencies that are a sort of drone in the background of the music, I have had some interesting meditations, as well as significant changes in my self-healing work.

Last night, I drifted off into a journey or dream, not sure which. It was intensely real; I felt transported. I found myself walking through a forest in winter, the sky dark gray as if twilight were about to arrive. I was wrapped in a cloak and hood of animal skins. I felt warm and toasty despite the wind and gently falling snow. Nearby, keeping pace with me, an owl drifted from branch to branch as we traveled. Behind me, as if keeping guard, a large black dog. One of Hekate's hounds? I don't know, but I did know the hound was there to assist me, as was the owl.

The air, cold and crisp as winter air is, felt as if it were cleansing me with every breath, its icy winds reaching in and moving through me. Yet, still, I did not feel cold, just a bright cleansing. The branches of the trees overhead as I looked up, were like a tapestry woven together. Here and there, I bent to pick up a twig, a pine cone, a stone peeking from beneath the snow. All were placed in a fur pouch beneath my cloak. What use they would be, I didn't know, but they were important.

Now and then I stopped and placed my hands on the trees, feeling their spirits. The ground beneath my feet spoke to me, encouraging me to move on, all the while holding me in its embrace. And so I walked, my companions nearby. As I walked, the light became dimmer, twilight came and flowed into night. Moonlight was the only light that kept me on my path, but soon even that began to dim. Dimmer and dimmer, gray to black, slowly, slowly I drifted. No fear, no worry, I let myself go...

And then my eyes fluttered open, the scent of pine, the flickering of candle and fire light welcomed me. Home again.

Blessings dark and deep.

Herkimer Diamonds

Triple Herkimer Diamond cluster

collection of E A Kaufman

There are suggestions that this stone, the Herkimer Diamond, NOT be worn for any long length of time. I, and a few others I know, will dispute this. Personally, I have three small Herkimer diamonds wrapped together as well as a single Herkimer - I wear one or the other EVERY day without any adverse effect. Many of the other stones I wear have a Herkimer included in the wrap, a trademark of the artist who does the wrapping. I wear a number of different stones daily, but one in particular, besides the Herkimers, is a rainbow quartz with a magicians cut and black tourmaline - I always wear these three stones so I'm not sure if these other stones balance the energies of the Herkimers, but I don't really think so. I received my first Herkimer from a neighbor, a herpetologist, who went to Herkimer, NY on a snake hunt. He knew that I collected stones so he brought me one as a gift. Perhaps all these years of being connected to Herkimers enhances my ability to work with them - not sure. Of course, I am an experienced practitioner of the artes magickal, shamanic, and healing, with a strong connection to crystals and stones, I'm sure that helps too.

Single Herkimer Diamon with baby penetrator

Three Herkimers wrapped in gold

collection of E A Kaufman

This is a stone of attunement, allowing us to tune in or link to higher spiritual beings and their realms, as well as other folks while we work magick or healing. While it will clear chakras and allow energy to flow in the body, this does not happen without intent and work. I personally feel energy move and shift easily,  I attribute some of this to the assistance of my Herkimers. I have read that these beautiful stones enhance creativity, telepathy and allow one to access past life information so one can release blockages related to those lives. This release is gentle and activates the light body.

Labradorite with Herkimer dangle, various Tourmalines with Herkimer,

Lemurian Seed with Herkimer, Sugilite, Herkimer, and Amethyst.

collection of E A Kaufman 

For healing, Herkimers make excellent elixirs - used to spray rooms or people, it purifies and detoxifies. Melody, in her book, Love Is In The Earth, suggests that Herkimers can be used for dispersal of toxins in the body, correcting imbalances in RNA/DNA as well as the metabolic rate. Most of you are aware that detox can sometimes be unpleasant and uncomfortable depending upon the issues. Although Herkimers allow for a more gentle detox, it still can be uncomfortable. Calming and stress relieving to all bodies, physical to etheric, Herkimers release tensions in muscles and other body tissues.

Magickally, circles, compasses, and sacred space can be gridded with Herkimers, although personally I find the Herkimer Diamond to be more  effective when used in the center of a gridded circle, the circle itself being gridded with selenite points at each of the four directions and, for me, the cross directions (NW, SW, SE and NE. A very powerful energy realm can be manifested in this way. Be warned that some may react to this intense energy, being effected very strongly, resulting in sleepiness, slower reaction time and thought processes, a sense of out of body-ness as well as encounters one may consider to be hallucinations - they likely are not hallucinations. This compass is truly in another place. The feeling of the energy can be likened to walking through water. This being said, the resulting magick/manifestation/healing when gridding with Herkimers alone can be powerful indeed. The psychic centers of participants are opened, and connection and communication with other realms can be intense - for witches, this is a whole other ball of wax. All of this can only manifest if the correct procedures and intent are used - otherwise, chaos along with the shit hitting the fan can be the result - no kidding!!! It has taken me some time to properly control a Herkimer gridded circle and I don't do so lightly - my butt has been kicked more than once - but no pain no gain, I always say, LOL! Seriously, it isn't a joke, use cautiously and wisely. Gridding your bed or room is fine, gridding a magickal circle or compass is another thing altogether.

Herkimers are really the witch's or magician's stone, enhancing the power of spells and other magickal workings. It is definitely an excellent aid to have at hand. 

I have encountered folks who get nothing from Herkimers or, for that matter, any other stone. They consider it "new agey" - not correct considering how old the use of stones in healing and ritual is. I feel this is because they just do not connect to the mineral realm, let alone this particular powerful stone. That's ok, not everyone does, others just need to work a bit to make the connection. I feel very lucky indeed to have such a strong connection to realms of Nature. As always, when asking for assistance, call the spirits of all stones, crystals, and minerals, with respect, love and integrity.

Blessings nine!



copyright 2010, E A Kaufman