Monthly Archives: February 2019
Ask Astrid Fridays ~ The Rabbit’s Corner: Spiraling Through the Next Door
Today’s message from Astrid is a bit delayed, as it felt to be something that needed time to percolate and is deeper than even the two of us can express in words. So, instead of my usual morning blog time, Astrid encouraged me to go skiing while she felt into things and I cleared my head while getting some exercise before the next storm hits later today through the weekend.
And that’s just what Astrid seems to be picking up on and wanting to share about…..how your journey may at times seem relentless with one storm after another hitting, either in cycles or out of the blue.
She knows how things can seem hopeless or like you’re running in circles sometimes (and not the fun zipping around in binky-infused circles that rabbits do), but a lot of this can be compounded by the fact that you may be attached to ideas about how things “should” look or you give up just before the breakthrough.
And then there are things to be aware of that may be running the show, like what natal energies and propulsion you were born with – in essence the gifts of this life’s expression.
This is where the journey becomes very individual, as while we share collective themes, each person has their own deck of cards they’ve been dealt in terms of expressions chosen to experience, genetics running through your veins and DNA, and deep-seeded belief systems that have followed your family history – both birth family and collective family.
It can get tricky and sticky when focused on repatterning and breaking forth to blaze a new trail.
And while doing so, you will likely lose sight of the journey because the goal or the pain becomes the focus.
Astrid feels like although this isn’t a new message, it is one so many continue to struggle with and so she wants to come at it from as many angles as possible to assist the process.
Some things just feel really hard and almost like you can’t get a handle on them or understand why they aren’t moving, or moving as fast as you’d like.
These are the core challenges that run the show and ask of us to look so much further than mentalizing, or shuffling things around on the surface.
Once again, you will find the most challenging pieces to be locked within the recesses of your deepest emotions, placed there by a belief system you may only have recently become aware of running the show.
Astrid carries the same within her. Although she has made leaps and bounds, and is much more than who she appears to be, she knows that a whole bloodline of rabbit history is running through her bunny veins and patterns of prey-like mentality is deeply rooted in her DNA.
So, although she is breaking free of much of the triggers she experienced since birth in this life, she has devoted her life to transforming the collective rabbit experience and especially their relationship with humans.
She tells me that, like me, she has a unique set of energies that will aid this process, but that also create road blocks, as a means of forging massive reminders and breakthroughs when she unwraps their gifts.
Astrid gives me a wink, as I put two-and-two together.
I’m beginning to see where she’s going with this, as I’ve recently been very focused on one of my own natal placements that runs a lot of the show for me – in essence is a missing link.
The energies of having Mars in my First House is enough to handle, but having so much Capricorn energy there and accompanying it has been an interesting journey.
One energy wants at it, and the other would like to restrict it.
It boils down to action with purpose, as the productive use of it.
Sounds simple, and yet, you can imagine there would be a whole gamut of pendulum swings in one way or another, to get there.
Not to mention, having Mars in the First House as a woman, let alone a woman in my family, is simply a whole other thing.
I haven’t had any role model for what this looks like and so I have had a lifelong journey to figure it out, which includes unraveling what’s at the heart of restrictions before even being able to utilize it and thrive, as it’s set up to be.
“You and I are so much alike,” Astrid shares. “We both innately have a lot of energy within us to express, but through our sensitivities and paths, we both lived very restrictively because life, our families, the world…haven’t been ready yet. We learned to survive before we could know how to thrive. It is like this for so many. Collective shifts are just that….collective. We can do our parts, but we mustn’t be too hard on ourselves, as we do not act alone. Every piece is a thread of the whole tapestry and while we may appear to be painstakingly working on one little area of it for ages, it is undoubtedly weaving the full image together. Yet, we need the other threads. Some of them belong to others, and some of them are the interwoven parts of our own thread. It really is a masterpiece when you look at it this way, but feels like the stuff you throw out in the litter box when you’re in the middle of it.”
“That it does,” I reply with a giggle. “And is why I have worked at creating peace and greater joy around all aspects of my life, as best I can, so that the pieces that might take longer and involve deeper exploring, do not get the best of me.”
“I’ve noticed how you do that and how each time you’ve spiraled back around to get at another layer, you create a new version and path to greater assist the process. It may seem like you run circles, but you’re actually on a different level of the spiral with each new invention,” Astrid adds.
“I hadn’t thought about that, but now that you say it, I can see exactly what you’ve described. It does seem that with each piece I understand more, I find a better approach…”
“Or more currently aligned place,” Astrid interjects.
“Yes, you’re right,” I answer.
“The process seems to be that you try out different doors each time, but only if you have the right key can one open. And if the guardian of the door knows you’re coming and what you’re about to use to attempt opening it, they will find a stronger lock to keep it shut. So, by trying different versions, or going about it at different angles – softening here, innovating there…you can be in more harmony with them and find doors open more easily,” Astrid adds.
“We’re creative beings after all, so it seems part of our time here seems to be about imagining all the different possibilities and potentials, being curious, and finding the alchemy of each puzzle,” I say.
“Exactly my thoughts, dear friend,” Astrid says, “And this is why you and I are so good together. We are birds of a feather, as they say. Always exploring what has yet to be discovered and although it might hurt when a door closes, we brush ourselves off and try the next.”
~ Today has been full and so I was only able to sit for moments here and there to write this message. After several hours away from it I’m returning to end it here and send as is since we want the message to go out. Astrid and I are moving through something right now that came up before I was able to finish this post of hers. I’ll update you with things in the days to come. Her words and message have had deep impact.
Whimsical Wednesdays ~ The Artist’s Corner: Etsy Shop Launch Announcement & Sneak Peak
Today’s whimsy from the Artist’s Corner is a sneak peak at what’s been creatively going on behind-the-scenes here at The Forest Portal and to announce the upcoming new Etsy shop launch many of you have been asking about. But first off, in the midst of things here, we did announce our Giveaway recipient on 2/1 – the date we originally thought we’d launch our shop, but instead made it a fun event that helped raise some small funds for rescue rabbits.
The recipient – Kelsey, a fellow bunny lover and mom of two sweet rescue bunnies – received this Magick Rabbit Orb (the first mini rabbit faery garden I created) and a surprise gift in the drawing.
She also helped raise the most money for the buns! For every entry I committed to donating $1 to a rabbit rescue, but in the end I decided to double and match the amount so that two rescues could receive a little help. We sent that off today to a larger organization, Bunny World Foundation – where we adopted our special needs bunny, Cosmo, from and to a microsanctuary devoted to rabbits and those in Ryan’s care (mostly special needs bunnies) whom we have come to love and consider part of our bunny family.
We also ended up having four other surprise recipients during the Giveaway who all received a 5% discount to use, if so inspired, on the upcoming shop launch.
Now, back to today’s share, but continuing with the theme of love.
After a lot of things shifting, some items being delayed at my printer’s office, needing more time to put everything together without pressure (because it’s all about fun and flow), and Astrid and our bunny family feeling into what day felt aligned for everything, we’ve decided upon Thursday, February 14th – Love Day – for our shop launch.
This also goes along with Astrid’s last message of love on Ask Astrid ~ Your Higher Heart Can Free You and the love my rabbit companions have cultivated within my life beyond words – the inspiration for all of this and my greatest joy in life.
I’ll be working on all of the final touches, along with the listings, between now and 2/14, so hopefully I’ll figure out all the little details easily, as I’ve been away from Etsy for like 5 years. However, the shop update is intended to be scheduled to launch and go live at 11:00 am PST on Valentine’s Day.
Anyone interested in some of the one-of-a-kind pieces that will be included, along with the original five whimsical rabbit paintings I shared in a previous post, this will assist you in setting clocks if you have felt them call.
I WILL also have prints of the original paintings, along with greeting cards and blank notebook journals that will make them available to more than one person, but there are only one of each five original paintings available.
After the shop launch, I’ll be creating more original pieces to share with you as well.
AND, alongside my paintings and items with my art on them, are the new inspirations I’ve been working away on – magickal mini rabbit faery garden DIY (do-it-yourself) kits.
And this is what I’m sharing a sneak peak of today, as I’ve finally gotten around to photographing everything to prepare the shop listings.
These are enchanted little themed worlds Astrid and I have dreamed up and brought forth into manifestation from our imaginations.
I’ve created 30 so far (which includes the Magick Orb that was part of the Giveaway), but I have another 4 – 6 that might make it into this first shop update, too, depending on timing.
Some are one-of-a-kind and can’t be duplicated, as they include things like unique, vintage planters, but many of the pieces you’ll see I will be able to recreate (either exactly or nearly exact) if you fall in love with something and it gets to someone else’s heart before you have a chance to bring it home yourself.
Everything is part of the collection we call “The Magick Rabbit ~ Storybook Tales of Wonder and Whimsy Come to Life.”
The photographs you see below are peaks at just some of what you can look forward to with these mini themed worlds that offer inspiration and reminders for life, along with providing a magickal little portal of possibility, joy, specific energies, and love to infuse each day with – all through the messages of rabbits as way-showers to hearing your song.
I’ve done all the procuring for you, Astrid and I dreamed up the visions, and the end results – photos – act as way-showers as well. They are of exactly all the pieces you will receive in your DIY kit and demonstrate how you can joyously put together your mini garden with your own hands, once received.
I’ll have several photos on the listings of all the different angles to assist with this, but for today I’m just sharing one sneak peak of some of them, along with their theme title.
We love inspiring creativity and hands-on expression so you can feel like the co-creator of your life and these easy-to-create beauties, while adding your own magick touches or inspirations. There’s something very empowering about moving creative energy through you and this will be a super easy and fun way to do just that.
Everything will take minutes to create, but the reward will be ever-lasting.
You’ll be able to start browsing on February 14th at 11:00 am PST at this link:
Now on to the bunny sneak peak of just some of what you can look forward to from my, and Astrid’s, heart to yours.
Once Upon A Time: The Rabbit Faery Queen
Triple Rabbit Goddess: Flopsy, Mopsy & Cottontail
Happily Ever After
Dreams Do Come True
You and Me Makes Weeeee
Wonderland Tea Party
Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea
Watership Down: Fiver’s Vision
Water Your Dreams
Whispers in the Woods
The Apple of My Eye
A Long Winter’s Nap
Peter Rabbit & Friends: The Harvest
The Rabbit & the Dragon: A Faerytale
Gaia’s Children
Making Magick
Ask Astrid Fridays ~ The Rabbit’s Corner: Your Higher Heart Can Free You
As we celebrate this first day of February, many things come to mind for this month of “LOVE” ignited by today’s celebration of the magickal Imbolc (the halfway mark between Winter Solstice and Spring Equinox) and a very magickal soul’s birthday. For any of you new here to my blog, Nestor is my twin soul in rabbit body who departed this Earth plane 11 years ago. Today is her Earth birthday – she would have been 16.
February also happens to be my birthday month, although I’m at the end – so our hearts hold each side of the bridge of love celebrated in this month.
I always honor and celebrate Nestor and Astrid shares this deep respect for her, as her mentor. The two of them are very similar in many ways – more so than any of my bunnies have been in relation to each other.
In fact, Nestor has seen to it that others of our soul family (like Astrid, Joy, Cosmo, and Gaia) have found their way to me and me to them. She constantly watches over and guides me, cares for my human self when she feels me in need, sends me messages and signs, supports me with my path and life’s work, and fuels my heart with greater and deeper love – much like Astrid does on Earth for me.
And where there is love, there is no separation.
Astrid wants today’s message to be about moving into our hearts more deeply, but also more expansively. She senses that while many are experiencing great openings in their lives, she feels those of you who still struggle and are finding yourself feeling trapped in a dark place you feel you can’t get out of, which may in fact reflect a tipping point opportunity.
She wants me to share a short story about what happened this morning and then will share why this was important and how it reflects her message for today.
I was busy cleaning up her bunny kingdom today and had left the usually closed bathroom door, slightly ajar after having gone in to get some paper towels to wipe down her litter box.
After I was done, and passed it to go get her fresh water and goji juice for her bowl, I closed the door fully. I returned not seeing her and went on a search to find her throughout the house, calling her name and looking under every one of her hiding places or potential unseen areas by the naked eye that she might have run off to.
She was nowhere to be found and I was a bit frantic, wondering if she’d fallen through a portal or something. 🙂
Finally, after surveying both floors three times, I wondered if she might have gotten deep into my closet and I closed the door on her by accident – nope.
Lastly, I thought, hmmm, could she have snuck by me and gotten into the bathroom in that short period it was slightly open and I closed the door on her?
The latter was in fact the case.
As I reached for the old vintage door knob and opened it, I saw her sitting on top of the toilet seat staring at me. She had in fact been closed into the dark bathroom and decided if she couldn’t get out the way she came in, she’d get higher, sit still, and hope I’d hear her heart in answer to my calls of her name.
“So what does this have to do with your message for today, Astrid?” I ask.
She replies, “This was my way of identifying with the people who find themselves struggling and feeling trapped in a dark place they can’t find a way out of. It happens to all of us and to struggle more is like sinking deeper into quicksand. It simply won’t help. These are the times to find your center, sit still while immersed in the dark, and elevate into your higher heart so that you can send and receive the clearest communication of love to where it’s needed the most, within and without.”
“What do you mean?” I ask.
“Well, when you feel lost, lonely, in pain, and are struggling, much of this involves a separation from love – the most expansive and unconditional kind. The gap grows wider between your ability to understand things because you enter the mind’s reasoning alone and abandon the heart’s knowing. While I sat in the dark I could feel all of that fear and anxiety – mine and the collective’s rush through me – and realized I could either go mad trying to claw my way a tunnel through impossible doors, OR I could elevate my heart and mind and open to a wider perspective that would free me. I could move into my higher heart and find the well of love there I could use to create the peace I needed for myself and the situation, while I calmed myself and used that clarity of heart to speak to you in the language of love telepathy that I knew would reach your heart,” Astrid explains.
“Wow! Well said, Astrid. It makes perfect sense to me.”
“Yes, and when you were stressed today about unexpected things,” she continues, “you didn’t realize how you did the same.”
“Oh, you’re right! After that initial rush of anxiety, I did what elevates me into my heart the most and thought of this being Nestor’s birthday, and looked at you and cuddled with you for a bit. That brought me back to my peace and center, nurtured my truth, and my heart suddenly bridged a new perspective to my mind that shifted me out of the stress instantly and enabled me to detach completely,” I reply.
“Exactly,” Astrid answers.
“I guess we both found our way through the darkness and each other today,” I said.
“Through love,” Astrid replies. “An elevated kind of love, which is where we are headed. Just like you shared yesterday about your new teal hair feeling to reflect the higher heart. That is no coincidence my dear friend.”
I smile.
“As you said, where there is love there is no separation. We only feel lost, alone, scared, angry, or sad, because we have yet to BE this love. Love has been intellectualized and analyzed, with only short spurts of actually residing in it – if in fact we haven’t denied or repressed it altogether. Yet, we often live outside of it and only venture into its home in dire circumstances, by accident, or as a fleeting moment. We’ve forgotten that we were never homeless and we’ve forgotten how rich we are in the only currency that we can take with us beyond Earth – LOVE,” Astrid concludes.
I had a feeling that this morning’s experience with Astrid getting locked in the bathroom was no arbitrary thing once I saw her sitting there so purposefully, like a wise soul, atop the toilet seat throne.
Her message feels important to me and perhaps it will to you too on a level that is needed at this time. I feel she is speaking to us moving beyond what we think we’ve known as love into a much more expansive, bigger picture, and harmonic experience of love – very fitting for the first day of the month of love.
It’s no wonder that this little rose quartz tree sitting atop an amethyst mound was the only thing I returned back from Sedona with. I visited Crystal Magic and was only drawn to the beautiful crystal trees, and when I couldn’t decide between about four of them, I tuned into Astrid and asked which she would like me to bring home for her and me.
The answer was clear, as you can below.
Rose quartz is the stone of the heart and unconditional love. Amethyst is February’s stone and is spiritually elevating in ways that transmute energies into higher frequencies of love.
Rabbits are reflections of growth, rebirth, awareness, harmony, abundance, creativity, fertility, vulnerability, and Mother Earth’s changing seasons and rabbits (especially white rabbits) are traditionally symbolic of Imbolc, Candlemas, and Spring. They really help us leap into the energies available to us this new month, as shared in Lee’s Energy Update below that synchronously holds a similar vibe to Astrid’s message.
Astrid, Nestor and all of my rabbit soul companions have been powerful way-showers of these energies, and most importantly of love for me. Cosmo, as you may remember, was and is the epitome of this steadfast love Astrid speaks of. And all of my bunny partners help me to return there when needed.
Nestor was always a great reflector for me of what I was missing and needed to take care of within myself. And she continues to be a daily reminder in my heart, keeping me on track and not straying from my own need for consistent inner harmony. Thank you Nestor and Astrid for today’s insight and lesson.
I wish you all an extra love-filled February and to end this share here’s Lee Harris to expound on this month’s themes he is feeling for the continuation of this new 7-year cycle of elevation we’re in – “The Era of Higher Harmonics, Elevated Love & Abundance Shifts.”
Update: Today marked the end of our Giveaway on Instagram celebrating the upcoming launch of our new Etsy shop. We announced the recipient and surprised four others with a gift too. We’re so grateful to everyone who joined and for helping to raise money for rescue rabbits, as for each entry I committed to donating $1 to a rabbit rescue of my choice. February is starting off full of LOVE!