Ritual

9 Easy & Powerful Rituals to celebrate Winter Solstice.

Always, always start with setting the space. Whether it is lighting a candle, hanging a wreath of evergreens or just sitting in silence for a while. Honour yourself, your connection to Gaia and Spirit, the celebration and get clear on your intention. After all you wouldn’t dash willy nilly into any form of creation would you?

Let’s explore some rituals to help you tap into this gorgeous energy, gain more peace and clarity and release whatever is not serving you. I’ve created a glorious guided visualisation just for Winter Solstice to really help you tap into the energy and the mysteries of this day and season.

Winter Solstice

Be Still, Be Quiet

Tools – You, a candle.

The minute I wrote that title I thought of the song based on “Christina Rossetti’s” poem – In the Bleak Midwinter.

If you don’t know this poem the first stanza is “In the bleak mid-winter, Frosty wind made moan; Earth stood hard as iron, Water like a stone; Snow had fallen, snow on snow, snow on snow, In the bleak mid-winter long ago.”

Yet for some reason this poem captures the energy of this celebration. It is a time to stop, stand still. So if you are willing (appreciating we are all very busy – as we tell ourselves), take some time to just be quiet. Turn off all the electronica, the TV, the cell phone, your laptop or whatever it is. Sit in the dark and just breathe and as you breathe welcome the glorious warm dark that allows you a place to rest and create, then as you breathe out invite a golden sunlight ball to illuminate what needs to be let go of. Keep breathing in this way and with those intentions and when you’re ready gently bounce up. Turn on the lights, light a candle and eat something sunny. An egg perhaps?

Release, Cleanse and Create!

Tools – Frankincense, Myrrh, Cedar, Juniper Berries or Sage, a candle, journal for writing in. Peace and quiet for 20 minutes.

Create a space. Just sit, light a candle and give out a blessing. Anne Hayman has a lovely one that I work with – “ Bless me on this holy day, as I honor the traditions of my ancient sisters. I hold space for myself + for all living creatures on this planet. I stand strong in this long night of darkness. I trust that the light returns. I see my own energy reflected in nature as I go within, only to emerge full of light. May the blessings be… And so it is!”

Then take a bit of time to write out to write what you release, physically, emotionally, mentally, spiritually. Where are you holding it in your body and how you will feel when it is released? When you’re finished writing, rip the paper up and place it to the side.

Then using Frankincense, Myrrh and Cedar (if you are using the real thing then you will need a charcoal disc to burn them on). If you don’t have these, no panic – use Sage smudge or whatever you have. Light this sacred incense up let it waft through the air and take a moment to think about all you have released. Then with the candle you lit at the beginning, over a safe container, light up the pieces of paper you ripped up.

As you watch the flames devour your darkness and releasing see it all absorbed back into the sky, the Universe, healthy, cleaned and transferred. .

Sit for a moment with the waft of incense around you and your candle burning and say to yourself – “Light above me, light around me, light within me, light below me. My light is my strength and my protection.” You have just welcomed the light back.

So now you have created a glorious, sacred space within yourself with this ritual. What do you want to fill it with?

Imagine yourself as fully connected to the Divine and the Earth, you are a conduit in the middle. With this glorious energy pulsing through you – what do you want to create? What makes you feel energised? What makes you feel vibrant and alive? How do you want to share your light with others? Write it all down. If you use cards and feel fully connected to them, do a yearly spread. If you want some help, let me know.

When you are done, place both hands on your heart and breathe long and deep. You have just done something that is powerful and changes energy in a deep, subtle way. Breathe in, breathe out and know, trust you are a delicious being of light and love. So it is, and so it will be.

Get outdoors!

Tools – You and the outdoors.

Is there a trail you can walk or a field or bank of snow you can lie down in? A perch that provides the perfect view? Perhaps it is the top of your apartment building or a rocky outcrop. Wherever it is, even it is in your yard, find a quiet place to just acknowledge and BE.

Create a Giving Tree

Tools – Food in the fridge, popcorn strings, a tree, candles.

This is deliciously easy and can be done on your own, with your partner or with your kids. Create a giving tree (this is where the idea of Xmas trees came from). Make some strings of popcorn and berries, apple slices or whatever you would like to do. I have done nuts on strings, apple slices covered in peanut butter embedded with seeds, popcorn and cranberry strings.

Take all your glorious offerings to the tree you picked, whether inside or outside in the dark and as you hang your strings on the tree whisper to the tree and to yourself how you welcome the light back so that there is more than enough abundance for everyone and every being. Stand back in the dark and revel. Then light your candles up and just take some time and appreciate where you are, your glorious tree, the offerings you made and the light coming back. If you want to burst into song with something like “Here Comes the Sun” by Simon and Garfunkel, then you so need to send me a video!

Invite People for Dinner!

Tools: You, friends or family, candles, food and a willingness.

This is a celebration time and what better way to celebrate than share food with others. Sharing food is an important part of any celebration, it is particularly meaningful during Solstice as it represents faith in the return of the sun and the harvest. So have a friend or more than one over for dinner! Light some candles, share your goals, intentions and what you want to “harvest” in the next 6 months.

Turn off the Lights!

Tools: You, lights and thermostats?

This is super easy, turn off all the lights in your home, turn off your furnace, radiators, , baseboard heaters or whatever form of heat you have. Open the doors and windows wide and allow the cold air to flood in and breeze through (I highly recommend you bundle up).

In that soft darkness sit and BE in silence for a good 5 minutes or more. With the combination of dark, cold and silence it cultivates a stillness in yourself. You may feel a tad wiggly or odd but just keep breathing.

I used to do this with the kids when they were younger (and this is also my youngest monster’s birthday) it was quite profound to see what came up and out. When you are done with the dark (and don’t run from it), go around and gently close the doors and windows, put on your heating supply and as you do send a little blessing out “As the darkness begins to retreat and light beings its return once again – I am grateful”.

Then light candles galore (this welcomes back the sun), sing songs, share food and stories and what came up. And most importantly relax, enjoy and celebrate! If you are doing this on your own, after you have lit your candles, put on music that makes you feel awesome. Move your body and eat something delicious that is not your norm and give huge thanks.

Walk into the Dark

Tools – evergreen boughs, candles, apples and again – a willingness.

I have done this one for quite a few years with my kids and friends and it is stupendous and delicious. The Spiral Walk.

A few days prior to Solstice we would go gather a truck filled with cedar boughs (keep in mind I do live on the side of a mountain). Then on the white snow we would create a spiral that you could walk like a labyrinth. In the centre of the spiral would be a tree stump covered with nature’s offerings – berries, shells, pinecones and crystals and a large candle.

The evening of Solstice we would all gather together and each have an unlit candle in an apple and the only lit candle was in the centre of the spiral. One at a time gently holding the unlit candle a person would walk the spiral and as they walked into the darkness, towards the light they would whisper what they wanted to release. When they hit the centre they would light their own candle and as they walked slowly back out of the spiral they would say what their creation, hearts desire, manifestation was going to be.

When they saw a lovely spot that resonated for them they would put their apple candle on the spiral and so it would go. By the time this ritual was done the spiral was lit up all over the place and then we would go inside, turn on all the lights and eat a meal and celebrate together. Have to say, every time we have done this as a family the spiral has been lit up all night and the centre candle has never gone out, no matter the snow or the winds.

Gift and Share

Tools: You, your stuff, large bags.

You’ve heard the saying “What is one man’s trash is another man’s treasure?” What better way to release and invite in the abundance that comes with the sun than releasing things you don’t need. Now I’m not talking about those tatty, ripped stained jeans – but what about that sweater you haven’t worn in years, those jeans that are lovely but you don’t like? Things like that. What about the food in your pantry that was given to you or brought to a gathering that you are never going to eat as it isn’t your thing? (For me I think of nuts as I don’t eat them).

So intentionally gather these things together and as you bag them up to drop off where they can be really used, set the intention of releasing for yourself and that you have created space in your physical life for more abundance and light and that your donations are welcomed and helping someone who will really enjoy them and appreciate them.

Be the Seed (or Bulb)

Tools: You, Seeds, Some dirt, A Bulb

This is a fun one to do with kids, especially if you are living somewhere where the snow has hit and everything is going to sleep for a while. I would do this with Hyacinth bulbs. Get a little pot, fill it with dirt (if you are using seeds such as beans you can use an egg carton). Gently take your seeds or bulb and whisper over them your intentions for the upcoming spring and then tuck them into the dirt. Give them a little bit of water and wait. Now why this as a ritual Jenny? Think about it, you are the seed as we head into the Winter Season, this is a time to curl up in the Earth (Gaia) and snuggle down and allow your desires to perk, grow and slowly put out roots, just as the bulb or seed does. It’s a fabulous physical representation of creation and everytime you give it a little bit of water or look over at it you know, deep in your core that as the seasons change and you get clear, the plants flourish!

There we have it! Easy, intentional ways of celebrating the Winter Solstice! Thus, wishing you a stupendous Solstice and a massive release and intention setting. Remember there is no right way, you just have to take the time, set an intention and do it. Oh yes, and don’t forget as some of you have asked – the Solstice special on Private Readings ends at midnight on December 21st.

Happy holidays to all of you, whether it is Hanukkah, Christmas, Solstice or none of those. May you feel peace, may you feel love, may you allow yourself to BE and explore the mysteries found in the glorious warmth of the darkness and tap into your light.

Ritual, Mercury Retrograde, Full Moon in Gemini and Thanksgiving! – Phew!

Jenny Heston · 9:06 am ·

Hello delicious lovely, happy Magnificent, Marvelous, Magical, Mighty, Manifesting, Majestic, Mindful, Mesmerising Monday! (Have to love the letter M lol). Did you know that in Egyptian writing, its ideogram is derived from the character for water, which explains why it’s so gracefully written. In terms of Roman numerals, it represents the number 1000? I really quite like the idea of the Egyptian ideogram and the letter “M”.

I don’t know about you but for me this last week has been an interesting weave of ups and downs and really having to manage my energy carefully as there has been someone around me who is sooooo self absorbed, rude, narcissistic and an energy vampire – it’s been most interesting to watch and very peculiar to experience. But later in the week, with the holiday season starting to roll in, we will talk about energy management and how to keep yours and mine clear, clean and strong.

The other week a few people talked to me about ritual and what I found interesting was their thought that it was highly complex, time consuming and that you needed multiple “special” tools for it. Hmmmm, I don’t agree with that. Sure you can make it that way if you would like, and there are certainly times that you really want to make it super duper special, but for the day to day it doesn’t have to be that way. So let me share with you how I view and interpret the word “Ritual” and what it means to me.

To me a Ritual is intention made manifest, it’s that place of connection with the Divine, Universe, God/Goddess or however you chose to name it. In other words, a ritual takes an idea, thought or emotion and gives it a physical form in the world. So for example when I invite or suggest that perhaps at certain times there are things that you might want to write down, release and burn – guess what? That’s a ritual. When you sit down at New Moon and write your wishes/intentions out, guess what? That’s a ritual. All it took was a brief moment of time, paper, pen and something to light either a candle or the paper with.

To me ritual allows your body, your cells, you essence to understand your intention. Does that make sense? So what makes a mundane activity into a ritual is your consciousness while doing it. If you are smudging yourself or home, what is your intention? If you are having a salt water scrub shower or bath, what is your intention? When you light a candle every day when you walk in the door, what is your intention? Remember energy follows intention and attention follows energy and actions follow attention. Thus, a ritual can be a celebration such as the upcoming Thanksgiving in the States or it can be a practice which can be repeated daily, monthly or yearly. When ritual becomes a practice this allows us to go deeper, to explore all the various nuances and of course as we all know – repetition leads to mastery (think of that daily meditation, exercise, journaling etc).

Here is an example; since being guided, led and pushed by the Universe to head off on an adventure and move to somewhere that I didn’t know, leave my home, dogs, kids etc and then having the landing being so incredibly bumpy with all sorts of drama llamas playing out. I felt rootless. That is not a feeling that I enjoy, nor one that makes me feel safe, secure and at ease. Thus, when I found my little nest in a gorgeous locale I set the intention of community, connection and roots. Great intention right? However, I took that intention and turned it into ritual and then into a daily practice and made a commitment that I would “do” this practice for 40 days. Thus, every morning I would bound out of bed, rain, wind or shine and I would do a loop into the massive park nearby, down onto the beach and walk by the ocean and when a rock called to me I would park my arse on a wet driftwood log and offer up my prayers, my blessings and whatever else needed to come up. Then I would pop the rock into my pocket, loop back home and drop the rock in a bowl and say thank you. Now doing this has introduced me to a plethora of people that live nearby, I have been invited for tea, had great conversations and have helped two of them with lifting heavy items! Talk about community. Now keep in mind I committed to 40 days and there was no way I was going to miss one as if I did, I had to start again. Well, I didn’t miss a day, nor did I give up at the end of 40 as this glorious daily ritual feeds my soul, my body and my mind. I now have 49 rocks in my bowl. I guess what I am saying is ritual is easy. Set the intention, let the energy follow it, then the attention, but the key piece is action!

Now let’s talk about Mercury retrograde shall we? (No, don’t go running to the closet to try and hide!) Mercury went retrograde on November 16th and this is the last and final Mercury retrograde for 2018 (thank goodness!) Now as the retrograde happened in Sagittarius there is a lot of heat and fire to this baby. In other words with all this hot headed energy flying around, choose your words carefully. Sagittarius loves to turn up the volume and can be very blunt and loud mouthed, thus with the retrograde happening it can make everyone doubly tactless. So remember to watch your words carefully and try not to go dashing down the hot headed rabbit hole that may be sending sparks off all around you – especially if you are celebrating Thanksgiving!

To all my American friends, Thanksgiving is coming up this week and I hope you take time to just BE, Play, be Thankful and Feel. For some people family holiday celebrations can trigger all sorts of stuff, some great and some rather challenging. So remember to take the energy of the Full Moon that happens at the same time and just get clear about how you want to feel and what is okay for you. Energy Management! Okay, I do have to ask what’s with the Black Friday Sale thing? I appreciate a good deal, but I went once to a store in the states on Black Friday and it was insane! People were pushing, shoving, being rude all for $100 off of an item they wanted. Totally terrified me and have never gone to a Black Friday sale in person again. With that being said I do wish you all a marvelous Thanksgiving filled with family, gorgeous food, connection, joy and big laughter and remember Gratitude!

The Full Moon is on Thursday November 22nd and this full moon is in Gemini and called The Beaver Moon. Now what is the energy of this wonderful moon? “The full moon in Gemini delivers the goods in terms of versatility. That’s because this lunation is ruled by none other than Mercury—the messenger of the gods himself. This full Moon is all about action and change. Will you choose remaining stagnant in the cycles of your past or will you be consciously moving forward by enriching your spiritual blessings? As we move in step with the coming end of our calendar year, we choose enrichment of spiritual blessings or remain stagnant in our past.

Suddenly life is moving at an accelerated rate and be prepared to keep up with it during this full Moon until the next full Moon in December. Be flexible and not so rigid with your thoughts or actions. This full Moon is about leaving behind the noose of old habits, patterns and broken dreams.

Here is an appropriate quotation from President John Kennedy who passed 55 years ago November 22. “For time and the world do not stand still. Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past or the present are certain to miss the future.” Think on this quotation.

What has been cannot be changed and it is time to let it go, while we lean forward to embrace all that lies ahead.

The lesson, energy and influences of this full Moon helps us to create a new legacy and to finally free ourselves from all obstacles, barriers and blocks that prevent our individual prophecy and birthright.”

Well that is certainly an interesting Full Moon to accompany Thanksgiving don’t you think?

The cards that wiggled and giggled to come support this week are The Divine Circus Oracle, which made me laugh and nearly snort tea out of my nose! Of course they would come, especially as we may be rubbing up against people that we love but sometimes find quite challenging to be around. Now, if you have never worked with this deck before let me give you a brief introduction – “This deck is for those who find it hard to follow rules, conform, bend to authority and generally ‘do what they are told.’ May your rebel heart always be bold. May your spirit always be free. My you remember to live the Divine Circus and have fun doing things the way you aren’t supposed to, whilst living your most creative and unique divine destiny.” The crystals that came to play are the ones from the beach, the gorgeous rocks that I pick up every morning and bring home to their beautiful bowl. And of course some delightful rose petals and Selenite to amplify.

Thus, I invite you to take a pause and a moment for yourself. Just BE and as you breathe in a lovely deep breath resonant with giving Thanks/Gratitude and as you breathe out through your open mouth release the past, the old, the worry and tension. Breathe like that for a few lovely, luscious breaths and when you are ready ask for the guidance that you need this week and then pick the card or cards that resonate for you.

Did you remember to pick?

Let’s go have a little look see, shall we?

CROWN OF THE BUTTERFLY BAMBINI

Just as nature imbues the butterfly with an innate ability for radical transformation, so too do you have natural instincts within, guiding you to grow in dramatic, utterly life-changing ways. Progress is your perfection. Growth is your attainment. Do you shun what you have been or mistakes you have made? Or instead, do you wear your ability for transformation as a sacred crown of power?

Transformation is an ability, an art, a sacred power. It requires an ability to go through the death of an old self, to be reborn again. That death might be an identity, a lifestyle or career, or an inner sense of self that no longer seems enough to truly reflect who you are becoming.

It requires both strength and flexibility, to be like bamboo, to bend without breaking. Are you willing to let go of what you have known, who you have been, without judging it, except to understand that you are outgrowing your past and becoming your future in this very moment? This takes great courage whilst flexibility of mind allows you to believe there are other possibilities in this life beyond what you have already experienced. The strength gives you enough courage to bear the loss of the known and the terror of the unknown, perhaps even turning that terror into excitement for what may be.

Don’t dream small dreams, for you are capable of far more dramatic and colourful creations. Trust in the magnificence of what you are becoming, the expression of the transformational intelligence and power within you.

DATE WITH DESTINY

Out of the ethers and into your life, she arrives now because you have a date with Destiny. She is a mysterious creature; her ways are wild and her guidance is true. She may create chaos from which a new order can emerge, but there is no need to fear. She has come to inspire, uplift and direct you.

A date with Destiny is a big deal. It is the moment when you realise there is something helping you out, something intelligent, powerful, wise and, no matter how empowered you are, something even more powerful than your own efforts. All bets are off! Nothing is held sacred and anything can happen. If you are a control freak, this will probably scare you witless! You need to trust Destiny’s interventions on your behalf, even if her work seems to be causing your best intentions to go astray. Trust or go mad because you cannot control her. And you do not need to! Your divine destiny is your best life. It is you in the fullest and most beautiful creative expression possible. It is what you want and need, even when you don’t immediately realise it, even when that is rather different to what you once thought you wanted and needed.

The Universe has heard the prayers in your heart, and life is going to answer them by rearranging what needs to be rearranged to sort out whatever has been troubling you. Make sure you let it happen. The more you allow yourself to trust in her, the more you will realise that the universe is working with you, rather than against you, and if you are willing, it will show you the time of your life!

DIVINE DISGUISE

Some blessings are obvious – the door that opens, the person who says yes and the instant success of an idea. But not all blessings are instantly recognisable. Some blessings are so veiled that at first you might consider them to be an unwanted development. A concealed blessing is either already at work in your life or on its way. Don’t worry if you feel like things aren’t working out as they should. Soon enough, the disguise will be dropped, and the blessed unmasked in all its beauty.

Blessings are the mysterious workings of the universe, there to help us along our unique life path to live our truths and fulfil our potential. The universe has the knack of knowing just what it is we need, even when sometimes we might think we need something altogether different. This is how it can be that something we resist and reject in our lives can become the very thing we’re most grateful for later on. We realise it had been a blessing masked, something actually helping us, even though it might have come in the form of a challenge or a struggle before we eventually gain great benefit from it.

The real beauty of a situation isn’t obvious to you yet. But trust and have peace of mind and a realisation that the universe does really know what it’s doing. It’s in your corner, on your side, cheering you on and helping you avoid unnecessary pitfalls, even if you don’t know they exist. There is no need to worry, even that which appears to be most troublesome is going to reveal itself to be working in your favour!

Well delicious lovely, wishing you a stupendous week and I have an invitation for you. Think of the things that you do that nourish you, whether it is playing music, lighting a candle, going for a walk under the trees and give it the energy of a ritual. In other words, set an intention, let the energy follow it make it a conscious action. Also, no matter if you are in the States and celebrating Thanksgiving or live somewhere else, play with the energy of this wonderful Full Moon and give thanks and bless everything that is in your life. In my morning practice I always say “ I bless everything I have and I bless my increasing good and good fortune” and then I start listing them. So I might say “I bless my bed and the cosiness of it and I bless my increasing good and good fortune, I bless the sun filtering through the autumn leaves and I bless my increasing good and good fortune.” Yes? Give it a try and really think of everyone and everything that could do with a blessing. At the full moon take some time to write down the things, or aspects, that you are ready to release, then burn the list and allow it to become compost. Play with it and see how you feel. Sending you big hugs and squeezes and sloppy wet kisses! See you next week and most importantly be grateful for yourself and bless YOU!

Halloween, Faeries, Crunchy Leaves and Mini Choccie Bars!

Jenny Heston · 12:02 pm ·

Happy delicious, magnificent, meaningful, marvelous, magical, mystic, manifesting, mirthful Monday! Phew! How was that for alliteration? Halloween and Samhain are upon us. Can you smell the difference in the air?

I love, love, love Halloween (or as I refer to it Samhain, pronounced Sow-een)! I love the costumes, the pumpkin carving – which we did on Saturday and ended up with some very cool pumpkins. I love the crispness of the air in the morning, the smell of wood smoke late at night from chimneys near by, the crunch of the leaves under my boots as I go yomping about. I love having hordes of little people who are dressed as faeries, princesses, warriors, ninjas and a myriad of other delights knocking at the door hollering “Trick or Treat!” When my kids were smaller and would go out with pillow case clutched in hand to gather farrrrrr too many sweeties, their enthusiasm and delight was positively contagious. As the mumma I was also able to impose a “mumma tithe” on the sweeties, so I would receive 10% of all the mini chocolate bars (the mini Mars bar being my favourite!) Nom, nom, nom.

At the time that most of us celebrate Halloween it is also the festival of Samhain, the third and final Harvest festival where we celebrate with fire, eating glorious food, and honouring the dead. In many places, Samhain coincides with the end of the growing season. Vegetation dies back with killing frosts, and therefore, literally, death is in the air. This contributes to the ancient notion that at Samhain, the veil is thin between the world of the living and the realm of the Dead and this facilitates contact and communication. This is also the Celtic New Year.

Now people can get rather tweaked when we talk about death, but if we look to Nature that is what is happening in the Northern Hemisphere. The trees are releasing their leaves and going into a more dormant state, the ground is getting colder and harder, and we are starting to turn inward. As we turn inward there is often a reflecting process as to what is working for us and what isn’t. To me (as someone who used to get tweaked about the word Death), it’s just a release, a release of an idea, a habit, a belief etc. The glorious energy that Samhain brings is a delicious inward turning of mystery, magic and huge potency!!! (Now doesn’t that sound absolutely delicious – far better than a mini Mars bar!)

There are many glorious celebrations and rituals that you can do to celebrate and honour Samhain.

Go for a nature walk – celebrate the cycles of life that nature shows us. Breathe in the glorious colours of Autumn and allow them to imprint into your memory bank,

Make an ancestor altar – Gather photographs, heirlooms, and other mementos of deceased family, friends, and companion creatures. Arrange them on a table, dresser, or other surface, along with several votive candles. Kindle the candles in their memory as you call out their names and express well wishes. Thank them for being part of your life.

Renovate (yes I said that) – Select an area of your home or life as a focus. Examine it. Re-organize it. Release what is no longer needed. Create a better pattern. Celebrate renewal and transformation.

Bonfire Magic. Kindle a bonfire outdoors when possible or kindle flames in a fireplace or a small cauldron. Write down an outmoded habit that you wish to end and cast it into the Samhain flames as you imagine release. Imagine yourself adopting a new, healthier way of being as you move around the fire clockwise.

Offer Food. As you make your dinner on Samhain, put together a plate of food for your ancestors, set it out at the table and give huge thanks for all the gifts and wisdom that have come to you through your ancestors, your lineage.

Somebody asked me the other day where the tradition of carving pumpkins comes at this time and I was able to regale them with the “Tale of Stingy Jack and the Jack O’Lantern”, now if you have never heard it you should go give it a read, it’s a fun one to share with kids as well.

Okay, so with visions of pumpkins dancing in your head, the smell of crisp Fall air in your nose and the feel of crunchy leaves under your feet, let’s get on with the reading!

When I asked the cards who would like to come and guide at this delicious time I was tickled to see that the Oracles of Shadows and Light chose to come. Now if this is a new to you deck, let me share a little bit about it. Wisdom for Misfits, Mystics, Seekers, and Wanderers. Bittersweet…Unheard…Unconventional…Rebellious…Cheeky…Whimsical…Invisible. They’re not the words you often hear associated with the spiritual world, are they? Nevertheless, some of the most spiritual beings who have ever lived are those who have been most at odds with what we call the mainstream. They do not fit in. They have had moments of despair. And they know being truthful, and being real, is one of the greatest strengths and spiritual paths of all! They ask you to step out from the shadows, to no longer hide your light away, and to consult with an oracle that acknowledges your individuality and strange genius! How’s that for a warm welcome?

The crystals that chose to join us are Smoky Quartz – a great stone for grounding, and protecting from negative energy. Howlite – a lovely stone of awareness, and last but not least, Indigo Gabbro – great for intuitive learning.

This week, there is no guided visualisation, thus, I invite you to gently call back all the pieces of you that you might have left at the coffee store, the school, in your car, at your desk and breathe them all back to you. As you breathe, see yourself filled up with glorious gorgeous white light and let it pour through you and out your toes. When you feel settled in your body, invite in the energy of Samhain, the wisdom of the ancestors, the thinning of the veil and gently ask them to guide you as you pick the card or cards that resonate for you.

Did you remember to pick?

Let’s go see who wants to guide you this week.

WINGED SEER

The Winged Seer is an oracle angel: a being who can see the weavings of energy and thus the way events are set to unfold if the current energies and paths are followed. She then sends you your messages clairvoyantly, through your ability to see clearly, although your visions may seem anything but clear. As you grow to trust your own clear-seeing moments, you will have brighter and brighter flashes of insight, and you will be able to see exactly what is going on within a situation, in a flash.

As so many people hide the truth, even from themselves, it can be hard to receive a visit from me, because I will help you see when someone is camouflaging and half-telling truths, and you will also have insights that seem to come from supernatural sources. It is as if you have changed sight; you can see further, higher, and more deeply within. You will experience flashes of the future and sudden understandings of the past, and you will be able to foretell likely outcomes. I am the eye of Ra, re-creating your future, and the Adrinka, the protective eye, that watches over you while you sleep, and if you follow through on what you now clearly see, there will be illumination, victory, and wisdom. Trust that sacred Sight.

You have asked for more information, asked to discover what you need to know. Now that the information has come to you, you must be courageous and take action based on what you cannot “logically” explain! It is important, now more than ever, to be honest about what you can see – but most of all, to be honest with your own self.

WITCH AT THE END OF THE WORLD

Storms fly about her, electrical whips crack through the heavy air with their bites of fire, and she sits among them, hugging her hourglass, holding everything together till the force creating the change has done its work. When the Witch at the End of the World makes her appearance to you, you will know that something’s time has come. There can be no more delaying, for the change has begun. So the best thing for you to do now is prepare for this change. Find solutions to challenges that will come up when the change comes. You will be fine, by the way, and all will be well, but there will be a time of seeming chaos and difficulty. If you are prepared, and ready to let go and change, and let something end, the little witch’s countdown will not affect you as it will affect others who refuse to acknowledge that changes are coming and become fearful at their inevitable approach. There is nothing to fear, but plenty to prepare for. You will be safe, and well, and very ready to embrace the new world.

I am not wicked, but I am a witch, and changes are made when the world bends and shifts. I hold this hourglass up to you now so you know that the time for an ending is almost upon us. You can see the signs all about you – the strange weather, the hurricanes, the cyclones, the earth changes all about us – but so many simply say I am wicked for showing you this. They blame me for what they call the catastrophes, and they ignore the signs. They are with you, and it is time to be ready. We are all about to experience a huge change – and it will be for the better. But while we hold on to the old, the storms will blast us, and the land will shift, and self-healing will look like destruction.

There is nothing to be frightened of; only a voyage to weather, and you’ll make it through to the other side of the storm. The changes are part of our journey to a fifth-dimensional world, of the shift to a more peaceful planet, where shadows and light are loved and accepted. All is well.

STRANGE VALENTINE

Love doesn’t always look like we thought it would – thank goodness! It’s in the strange and the surprising that the sweetest loves can be found, as this odd little pair have found, much to each one’s joy, comfort, and delight! When this lovely pair, Strange Valentine, comes to visit, you are about to be gifted with love, romance, and friendship from an unexpected, even unusual, place! Don’t let differences keep you apart – because they are what is drawing you together, and when you are as delicate and fragile as you can be, someone as strong and protective as this gorgeous, friendly yeti can be just what you need!

You have an enormous amount of cosmic help at the moment – and it’s all focusing on the area of your love life. You will soon receive very good news regarding a relationship. You will also do a lot of work on healing old wounds from past relationships, especially past long-term, serious relationships. Now, some of this news may not seem so great at the time. But please give yourself a chance to absorb the lessons, because you are moving into beautiful new phase of your romantic life, where you will be free to create a wonderful new love life for yourself. Coming…very…soon!

You may experience a massive surge in emotional energy and in romantic beginnings. So it’s very likely you’ll attract, encounter, or simply bump into someone who reawakens long-lost feelings inside you, and who may not be your “type.” Hoorah!

I love how that reading unfolded, first talking about truth, to changes, to love. Aaaahhhhhh. So delicious lovely. Wishing you a glorious Samhain (Halloween), may your pillow case have wee choccie bars in it, may your nose be filled with fresh crisp air and may your feet jump between puddles and crunch leaves. May you feel the blessings of your ancestors and their love and guidance for you. Allow yourself to feel the energy pull you into our next season and trust in the mysteries and magick that are unfolding. On a housekeeping note, quite a few of you have asked if you can share the readings with friends and family – of course! Also, a few of you have said you haven’t been receiving the weekly readings – remember to white list me and check your junk or spam. Huge hugs and squeezes and see you next week!

What, Why and How to Celebrate Lammas.

Jenny Heston · 12:00 pm ·

Happy Lammas! (No, not Llamas, there are no llamas here). Also known as Lughnasadh.

What is Lammas and what relevance does it have in my life you may be asking yourself. Firstly, I will say it is a celebration, and who doesn’t need a glorious reason to celebrate!? Secondly, let’s go explore what it is – so are you sitting comfortably? Have a nice cuppa tea to hand, or a cool glass of water? Then let us begin.

Once upon a time, a long, long time ago in the wonderful Gaelic mythological story of the Wheel of the Year, the Sun God (Lugh, Celtic God of Light and the son of the Sun) transfers his power into the grain, and is sacrificed when the grain is harvested. So we have a dying, self-sacrificing and resurrecting god of the harvest, who dies for his people so that they may live. Sound familiar?

The power of the sun goes into the grain as it ripens. It is then harvested and made into the first new bread of the season. This is the Saxon hlaef-masse or loaf-mass, now lammas. Seed grain is also saved for planting for next year’s crop, so the sun god may be seen to rise again in Spring with the new green shoots, as the sun also rises in the sky. There are many traditions and customs all over the country that are still carried out at harvest time today.

So Lammas is the first Harvest Festival of the year, it is a time of awareness that the strength of the Sun (Lugh) is beginning to wane and there is a shift and change afoot. Active growth is slowing down and the darker days of winter and reflection are gently and slowly raising their heads. It happens normally anywhere from July 31st – August 2nd, though some will tell you it can happen between August 1st and September 1st.

“ At Lammas the Goddess is in Her aspect as Grain Mother, Harvest Mother, Harvest Queen, Earth Mother, Ceres and Demeter. Demeter, as Corn Mother, represents the ripe corn of this year’s harvest and Her daughter Kore/Persephone represents the grain – the seed which drops back deep into the dark earth, hidden throughout the winter, and re-appears in the spring as new growth. This is the deep core meaning of Lammas and comes in different guises: it is about the fullness and fulfillment of the present harvest holding at its heart the seed of all future harvest. (It is a fact that a pregnant woman carrying her as yet unborn daughter is also already carrying the ovary containing all the eggs her daughter will ever release – she is already both mother, grandmother and beyond, embodying the great Motherline – pure magic and mystery.)”

So as the grain harvest is gathered in, there is food to feed the community through the winter and within that harvest is the seed of next year’s rebirth, regeneration and harvest. The Grain Mother is ripe and full, heavily pregnant she carries the seed of the new year’s Sun God within her. There is tension here. For the Sun God, the God of the Harvest, the Green Man, or John Barleycorn, surrenders his life with the cutting of the corn.

What are some of the symbols, plants and colours of Lammas you ask?

Green, Gold, Mint and Sunflowers! Mint is one of the revered plants of the Druids and Its magical properties are both protection and healing, and at this stage in the year, its properties of drawing abundance and prosperity, are most appropriate. Why sunflowers? Think about it, we often take sunflowers for granted, yet by this time of year their flower heads are full and heavy with that wonderful spiral of seeds and they spend the whole day gently turning their heads to gaze at the sun. In the Aztec temples of the sun, priestesses carried sunflowers and wore them as crowns. They symbolize the fertility of the Solar Logos.

I found a glorious little ritual for abundance to do on Lammas that you might want to try. (Courtesy of The Goddess and Green Man).

Lammas Charm For Gathering In Abundance

You will need:

A broom or besom. Don’t worry if it isn’t a traditional besom, any broom will do as it is always intent that is important. If you have no broom collect a bundle of twigs and tie them at the top with Lammas ribbon to make a hand broom shape. The besom/broom is a potent symbol of hearth and home, found in some form in almost every household. It is a traditional magical tool useful for everyday charms as it has the imprint of its owner firmly on it. Sweeping is a natural gathering gesture.

Ribbon. A piece of green ribbon (for abundance), a piece of gold ribbon (for prosperity and gathering) or ribbon in Lammas harvest colours would be equally suitable.

A Sprig of Mint. Ideally a sprig of mint from your garden (but you can get this from any supermarket), or dried mint – put it in a pouch. The mint represents abundance and plenty and is easily accessible to the urban hedgewitch.

Take your broom and tie your ribbon around the stave or top. Tie in your sprig of mint or securely fasten your pouch. Take your broom outside, place both hands on the stave and focus on your intention – gathering in your harvest for winter. Turn slowly three times in a clockwise direction then start to sweep towards your door saying:

“By one, two, three and four, sweep Lammas gifts to my door. May abundance be a constant friend, by my hearth till Winter’s end.”

Repeat this three times, then take your besom/broom back into your house and put it in its usual place. You can leave the ribbon on for as long as want to, for a lunar month, or until winter is done. If you have made your own broom you can place it where you consider the heart of your home to be. The mint can be returned to the earth with thanks.

If you do not have an outside space you can sweep from your front door inwards to either your kitchen or hearth using the same charm.

So now you know what Lammas means, why it is celebrated and have a fun and easy ritual to perform to honour it, and bring in abundance. So go grab your broom and start sweeping!

How to stay Sane and Manifest with this Full Moon Eclipse of the Blood Moon.

Jenny Heston · 4:30 pm ·

Well here we are on the eve of the Full Lunar Eclipse of a Blood Moon. How are you feeling? I have been feeling this energy for a few weeks now and it has just been ramping up since the partial solar eclipse of the New Moon a couple of weeks ago. “This total lunar eclipse intensifies the effects of the full moon in Aquarius with infinite power. While full moons aren’t uncommon and blood moons aren’t unbelievably rare, the fact that this will also be the longest lunar eclipse of the 21st century should prove its importance. Lasting a whopping 103 minutes it is the harbinger of one the most intense transformations we’ve undergone in the last 18 years. Because that’s just what a total lunar eclipse does. It brings significant change to our lives.”

So let me assure you if you have been feeling slightly unbalanced, emotional, confused, vulnerable or prone to flashing anger – you are not alone. Many of us have been feeling those things. Think about it – if the Moon has the energy and the power to cause huge bodies of water (oceans) to move, and the human body is 60% water, how can you not be affected?

All full moons naturally bring your shadow self out to play. All the thoughts and feelings tucked tightly away in your subconscious float to the surface, and everyone becomes more volatile, sensitive, and emotional. When a total lunar eclipse is a full moon multiplied by a million, tensions begin swarming our world long before it even begins and the energy ebbs away long after it’s over. This lunation doesn’t simply change your mind, it changes your entire world. With so many intense metamorphoses going on, who can blame you for being over the top?

Here is an analogy that may resonate with coffee drinkers lol. If a full moon is equal to a pot of coffee in the morning, then a full lunar eclipse is as if you have had 100 pots of coffee to drink. Making a tad more sense now? Throw in the fact that 5 planets are retrograde and Mercury (that delightful little demon of communication), went retrograde TODAY and we have a glorious cauldron of change, chaos, confusion, clarity, fear and a myriad of other emotions. INTENSE is a fabulous word to describe it. So what to do? (Hiding out in the closet is not a valid option, at least not for the whole day!)

The energy is all about transformation and change (whether you are ready or not). Instead of pushing back against this energy (especially out of fear), let’s use the lessons from that old TV show “Karate Kid” and use the energy of this time to help us with massive transformation and change that we desire. Who’s with me on that one? As this is a great time for transformation, expansion and huge clearing of some old deep emotional insecurities, patterning and wounding – let’s use that energy for good and not for wallowing.

So grab a piece of paper and if you feel inclined, write the responses to these questions down.

The first question to ask yourself is – “What do you truly want?” Now you can list off a new car, bigger house, a million dollars on your doorstep, Ryan Reynolds in your shower – and those are great, but shallow. So let me ask the question again – “What do you truly want?” How do you want to feel, where do you want to live, who is your tribe?

What are the the doubts, fears, anxieties, old patterning you need to face?

Are you willing to ask for help and support for your big dream?

Are you ready for things to be different?

What are you willing to release or give up in order to create what you truly want? Now this is a tricky one for most of us, so ponder that a moment.

Have you finished jotting those down?

Now please, some of those may have been challenging to write down, but the key thing is to focus on the positive, please, please, please don’t all of a sudden grow a long tail and turn into Eeyore and fall into judgement, despair, blame or negativity. The reason I say that is your thoughts and decisions can have far reaching effects.

Change can often feel tricky and scary, especially when we we aren’t the ones “in control” of it. Albeit change isn’t always easy, there are delicious pockets of understanding through the mayhem that allow you to see a brighter, shinier more aligned path. Reflect back if you will on “things” that may have happened in the past, job loss, divorce, relationships ending. Do you remember feeling at that very instant it might be the end of the world? Yet 9 times out of 10 after the lumps and bumps it unfolded into something better than you could have imagined? Remember that when you get fearful and want to “control” everything.

Okay, so now you have your answered questions yes? Burn em! Set them alight and offer them up! Let it all go, surrender and release. One of the key ways to work with this energy of the Full Moon Eclipse is by releasing negativity and replacing it with forgiveness. This is part of being a purposeful creator. Then take a moment and just think of yourself and others and who, what, where do you need to forgive? For example, were you short with your kids the other morning? Did a friend make a comment that hurt your feelings. It doesn’t matter what it is just list them in your head, say them outloud and when you are done – say I forgive and release for my highest good.

Then fill that gorgeous void you have just created with that process with gratitude, if necessary as Pam Grout says “Thank your sheets for being soft and yummy to sleep in.” List them, write them, say them outloud. Okay?

Then get the heck outside! If you are a crystal owner, or have things that are touchstones or sacred to you, put them outside under this glorious moonlight, including your body. Put some nice music on, move your body. Fill up mason jars with water, pop lids on them and let them sit out under the moonlight (but pop them in the fridge if you aren’t going to use them immediately).

If you are someone who likes to work with chants and they make you feel good. I highly recommend either of the following:-

Om Namo Narayanaya, which literally translates into “Acknowledging the Divine in everything.”

Or my favourite as I’m a big Ganesha fan:- Om Sri Maha Ganapataye Namah, which translates into “Salutations to Ganesha and calls on his power to remove obstacles to success.”

And remember that there is something incredible waiting for you on the precipice of your destiny. It’s all there within arms reach, are you willing to be bold enough to reach for it and move through change and transformation? Happy Full Moon Eclipse!

Ritual

jennyheston

Release Anxiety And Claim Your Power