Monthly Archives: May 2021
The Many Faces of My Garden
This Sagittarius Full Super Blood and Flower Moon Total Lunar Eclipse was a doozy and I’m still letting everything settle that has evolved leading up, on and after, as to what if anything I might share upcoming. I’m tuning in to receive that message, but in the mean time, a garden update and musing has been in the works and feels like the creation energy theme to focus on for now under the softer Spring energy of the “Flower” Moon. Later, I might focus more on the “Blood” Moon energy theme in an upcoming post so that we hit the contrasts.
So, here we go.
I’ve noticed that every time I set foot in my garden, I feel a little bit different than the day before. Like the clothes we wear, the colors, things, environment and people we surround ourselves with, and the energies and emotions we move through daily, I’ve seen how garden time shifts something within, draws something out, and a new person reflects back to me in the mirror thereafter.
This happens to me in Nature, period. AND when hanging out with Astrid or when I’m in a creative zone painting, drawing, writing, singing, sounding, and dancing. The places that reflect my nature in some way, bring out the colorful best in me.
I got the idea that while I started documenting the seasonal shifts my garden goes through this year that I would, this time, also include myself within the photo journaling to see what evolution takes place all around. I usually only post photos of the evolution of my plants and garden additions, but I wondered what I might see if I became part of the landscape. So, that’s what I did.
What I noticed when I went through the photos later, is that there is indeed something different that takes place when I spend time in my garden. It’s not just that I step out in an array of varying wardrobe that feels right for what I’m engaging in, but I saw a variance in parts of my essence that showed through as well. And those pieces of essence felt to reveal some of the more tender or deep parts of me.
What it said to me is that these moments I spend in the world of my garden are some of the truest times for me, just like when I’m exploring nature trails, communing with Astrid, sound channeling, creating, or gazing at the stars. I lose myself in the richness of holding and working with tender life essence in my hands and the grace of cultivating beauty from the very core of my being.
I’m sure if someone photographed me while I was doing any of these other activities that we’d see the various faces of my essence revealed, too.
But for now, we’ll focus on my garden, as it’s taken on more of a direct mirroring for me these days and so I’ve experienced a deepening in the connection I have with her.
If the garden is our metaphor for life, we begin to see her start to reflect our unique style in how we design her and we begin to see how we reflect the fundamental foundation we have to work with, of the land she embodies from the start.
We share a symbiotic relationship and I notice that the way I create with my garden is the way I create in my life, in general. Also, the type of yard and garden I have is a mirror of my spirit.
Everyone’s garden is different, just as their lives are and therefore each person decides what they want their garden to be – a vegetable garden, flower garden, rock garden, native garden….a variety of all.
You can learn a lot about a person based on observing their garden and yard, the types of things that they value most, or even how much a person cares for themselves and nurtures certain qualities or values in life by how they cultivate their garden.
You can also see how the person interacts with other variants that are out of their control in the garden and if they find a happy medium, work with the elements, fight the elements, or try to control them anyway. Are they stubborn, domineering, flexible, wild, cultivated, enjoy creating beauty, desire to revive the land, looking to grow all their needs or have specific intents, are tidy or relaxed, tight or flowing, are serious and fully devoted, or simply love an eased approach and enjoy things in balance?
All of this comes through when you view someone’s garden.
And like me, my garden has gone through its own interesting cycles while we’ve teetered back and forth between Winter and Spring. It’s also been going through changes while I navigate the collective landscape and move through the various heavy and challenging energies. I’ve found that I’m actually seeing my garden evolve the most right now, becoming more of what it was meant to be, although I wasn’t clear about that at the start. I just kept moving forward and she revealed herself to me along the way.
I made a promise to the faeries of the land before the house officially became ours, to care for and create what they wanted here and a natural alignment has evolved between us.
I see their joy in how all the animals and plants sing and I feel their approval in the delightful whispers within sparkles of rainbow lights and portal beams they show me.
I’m also understanding my garden better and my relationship to her and what I’d like that to be. AND, where I hadn’t really felt called to expand much before, I have very slowly branched out into other areas and started to work toward bigger visions I have without limiting what I can do, but still doing it within the framework of my personality and desire for balance, flow, ease, beauty, and abundance – one step at a time.
When I’m feeling an ebb, my garden, like our nature activities, is my medicine and shows me what it needs too.
When I’m not sure what to do next or how to do it, I am planting seeds to inspire intention.
When I’m feeling a flow, my garden is sprouting and flourishing.
When I’m challenged in how to create the new, I find myself envisioning bigger garden goals and taking steps toward them.
“To plant a garden is to believe in tomorrow.” ~ Audrey Hepburn
I’ve been capturing photos along the way to document the changes, as I love to see how nature evolves through the seasons of life. Everything is only in the very beginning stages of Spring, as things here in the high altitude mountains run later than average. So blossoms are only just barely starting to pop.
A favorite being these two twin blossom trees that grow together – one on each side of the fence merging in blooms at the top.
I’ve already shared some of the faery friend additions to the garden, including those that are solar lights to create twilight enchantment, but there are a few more new arrivals since, including some that found their way from Wonderland to the Enchanted Garden at the Forest Portal.
These include two glass butterflies, an Om gnome holding two crystal orbs, playful poppa and baby bunny gifted to me by magickal faery sis Laura for my birthday that was in my office until recently, a sweet blossom and bird solar gnome welcome host, two magickal “Dream” and “Love” stones, two Sun and Moon large garden stepping stones I’m using as Cosmic sentries opening a portal to the pathway, a butterfly bird house, a white rabbit from my parents and turtle and rabbit moss topiaries that I’ve all also had in my office until now.
I enjoy having an easy garden and living in the mountains I prefer to have plants that I don’t have to keep replanting. So, after experimentation, I mentally made note to have nearly all perennials with the occasional annuals for some veggie fun in the Garden Tower.
This intuitive nudge was later underscored when I lost my sweet basil plants to one of our surprise frosts several weeks back, even before the recent snow. Luckily I had harvested a bit from them, but they didn’t make it. I took it as the message to stick to as close to 100% perennials with the few, fun veggies that might speak to me that year – at least until I have a greenhouse.
That said, I have been slowly planting new perennial additions, as the store gets in plants that call me. The newbies have been added to the main garden, rock garden, side yard, and Garden Tower while all of my other perennials do their thing.
And do their thing they all have, as everything is just flourishing with joy and my Garden Tower herbs are enjoying the most abundant return yet even before starting to add some friends.
The only exception being two little tomato plants – Sun Gold tomatoes and Husky cherry red tomatoes.
Although I read that tomatoes are technically perennials, they grow as annuals here in the states so are known as “tender” perennials especially with our cold winters and frosts. They were hit hard by our unexpected snow storm and frost last Thursday through Saturday, but they made it! Even though I lost about half or two thirds of each plant, the other percentage stood strong and they are still going. Yay!
Speaking of my Garden Tower, I did get new worm friends for the compost and they’ve been chugging along doing their thing while I feed them all the good faery kitchen scraps they can munch on to their hearts’ content.
The perennial returns I have growing in the Garden Tower include lavender, sweet mint, Italian oregano, bee balm, peppermint, parsley, thyme, strawberries, and wild flower.
The perennial additions I’ve added so far include one purple sage, two rosemary, and one more each of peppermint and Italian oregano. I’m excited to add some more and fill up the tower as the right plants find me.
And for my rock garden the perfect plants did finally find me to add to the three I have already. I can’t remember the name of these previous three, but they create sweet little blue star flowers. Their new friends include three White Fancy Dead Nettle that will bloom in early to mid Summer and three Festuca Blue Fescue Grass that will bloom mid to late Summer. I’m looking to still add three more plants so that they’ll all fill in the area lovely.
For the side yard I decided to go wildflower crazy, seeing how amazing my garden is doing with the perennials returning there and how much the pollinators love them. You can see how thick and abundantly they are growing back this year. Weeeeeeeee!
They’re even bigger since taking this photo and the first orange blossoms have sprung!
So I bought a pound of seeds to add to a bunch of little packets and gifted seeds I was sent from a friend, and seeded the entire little side lawn and then threw the left overs in the beds out in the front yard.
I’m so excited that I already see tons of baby seedlings sprouting everywhere! Yay!
And if they do as well as the ones in my garden, I should have a blanket of wildflowers growing on both sides of the two guardian trees and more out front.
If all goes well, crazy wildflower faery will strike again next year, adding more!
The new additions also to the side yard are berry bushes, which I’m excited about. I planted seven new perennial berry bushes along the little rock terrace at the end of the lawn of wildflower seeds, and next to my mock orange bush.
The new berries include two blueberry, two raspberry, one evergreen huckleberry, one black elderberry, and one Rubus Snowbank Berry aka white blackberry. Some have already grown quite a bit and others were smaller starter plants, but all are doing really really well even after our surprise snow.
First I planted them, then I added wire tunnel hoops, and last I covered them with secured netting.
For now, while they grow, the simple netting structure helps protect them from the little forest creatures plucking the blossoms and berries to come. At first I didn’t have enough pegs, so I used rocks to keep it tight. I’ve since replaced them with pegs all around and just kept a few rocks for extra sturdiness.
As they grow, I’ll adjust the whole set up to make it larger. This is why I opted for easy, since I’ll have to change it over time. I also got a metal butterfly trellis next to the white blackberry bush for when it starts growing, as it likes to climb.
I did get some more perennial flowers too – three rose and one white foxglove, one fireball dahlia, three purple African daisy, and three Lavendula Stoechas aka Spanish Lavender.
I added two of the rose foxglove to my main garden and gave my parents the other rose and the one white foxglove.
The other seven new flowering plants I split between pots on the back deck and lining the walkway in the main garden.
Alongside all the fun new plants, I’ve enjoyed watching some of my favorites return, like the variety of daffodils out front, some new tulips, a few irises, and my blossom trees.
Of course, Nature planted her own beauties, too. So along with returns of my own labor I look forward to, there are always surprises that the wind or forest creatures blow and bring into the yard and garden, as well as the wild and free, like fields of yellow dandelions that I love.
I’m flower crazy in general and so come Fall I plan to put in tons more bulbs of many varieties, seed tons more wildflowers next Spring and continue adding what ever flowers speak to me when they show up at the store. I’m always in the mood for more foxglove and lavender, and am really wild about lilies.
Right now orange and purple seems to be the color therapy scheme and attire of the first round of blossoms to arrive at the Spring dance.
And hats galore seem to be part of my attire always these days, whether in the garden, sun bathing, or out hiking. To dress them up with additions like my garden that reflect my personality, some magickal hat pins have found their way into my life. You already saw this one – Forest Witch – that embodies one layer of my energy.
And these two reflect another layer of my energy.
Here’s a better detailed close-up of what is making me feel as I do in the photo above. A Cosmic Rabbit with Moon and stars dreaming in a bed of lilies and Brigid’s lamb with Celtic Triskelion, Sun at her forehead, and snowdrop flowers.
This weekend I’m hoping to get in the new plant babies awaiting, but due to an eclipse incident I’m needing to lay low and take it easy for a while. I’m sure some garden grounding will likely do me some good when I am able to get back to it.
These are all the newcomers excited to join the party.
I have two Aromatico Blue English Lavender, three French Lavender, two English Lavender, (can you tell I love lavender?), three dalmation purple Foxglove (never too much Foxglove for a faery), one Belleza dark pink Gaura, one Belleza white Gaura, five little Albion strawberry plants, one sweet pepper (tasty green bell), one Italian parsley, one cilantro, one large Sungold tomato, and drumroll……four sweet Lamb’s Ear! All of these except a couple veggies for the Garden Tower are perennials.
I’m SO excited about the Lamb’s Ear, as it’s one of, if not my favorite plant and I have missed mine so much.
I used to have one in Costa Mesa that I grew from a tiny cutting I brought home across the water wrapped in a wet paper towel in a baggy that a woman gave me on Catalina Island because I was complimenting her plant. It flourished into a hugely abundant and gorgeous plant, which I then had to leave behind when we jumped aboard the Magick Bus. We rented our house out and it ended up dying without me to care for it. I was so sad.
Since, I’ve always wanted another, but never found any and then these four – the only ones at the store – appeared. I had been thinking about how I might find some recently and there they were. I, of course, adopted them all.
I’ll continue filling in my Garden Tower as well and implement plans for the side yard, step-by-step. We may even be extending the fence to the side yard, which will give me tons more space to do fun things in eventually. The previous owners never fenced in the actual entire footprint of the land that is connected to our home, but we likely will. Whether this year or another, it’s in the plan, as well as creating a privacy fence on the other side between us and our one neighbor to replace the old cattle looking fence there that tends to have posts fall over with the snow.
For now, a good majority of the side yard is wild, which I do love. I’ve intuited ways to stay in that wild energy while weaving in some creativity and magick.
I have some really fun visions for things, but am taking time to breathe and only do what feels in flow and not taking on too much all at once. That’s been my go-to with things these last few months…more slow motion for balance and recalibration rest. The latter really being underscored since the Full Moon Eclipse.
So there’s a little inside look into the many faces of me and my garden.
Perhaps photos speak more volumes than words.
The relationship we share is similar to her being my inner child – a reflection of that tender part of my imagination, hopes, dreams, and joy.
The relationship between us is also reflective of her being the elder me – a reflection of the serene years of bigger picture wisdom where nothing else matters except weaving alchemy between my silvery crown to those Earthen roots to create harmony and grace of being in every moment of all cycles of expression.
We have become one.
Cycles of Mourning Leading to Renewal ~ Flower Moon Blossoming Potential
Waking up to Jack Frost’s sneak appearance heralded an interlude blog post before returning to the shares lined up in my intuitive queue. 😉
I’ve continued to experience strange, but mysteriously beautiful and odd things, as well as powerful messengers, findings, and even dreamscapes – both my own and of me appearing in other people’s dreams they share with me.
Coyote continues to cross my path – she just did again two days ago – I found another Algiz Rune in the forest (below), discovered nearly half of a transitioned female mallard duck, and held space for my dear Cosmo, whose birthday it just was four days ago.
Finding the female mallard came right after seeing mallards swimming in the pond with only one duckling. The others may not have made it, but then seeing the one female dead was like a rebirth cycle right before my eyes.
Bones and transitioned animals always seem to find me amongst other discoveries. It appears to be my role as a bridge to also witness and hold space for the natural cycles. I honor every one I find in their own way, bury, do energy work, and receive the messages.
Finding the female mallard also spoke to my own shifts and rebirthing I feel underway, although the form is unknown as to what will unfold.
The enchanted and mystical sightings of late on hiking trails hold promise that whatever does, will be in divine flow. In these times, having these supportive messages has brought much needed comfort.
There’s a sacred feminine aspect transmuting across the collective. It is this depth I’ve been navigating recently as to its merging with the new.
The winds of change indeed keep blowing and in fact we have Spring snow blanketing everything today. It came in late yesterday and continues on as I write this. We’re at about five or six inches where we are and more up at the mountain tops.
So, yes, just as the blooms begin to pop along the trails here, a Spring snow storm blows in. Continuing in the theme of “expect the unexpected” these beauties you see in all the photos from yesterday, above and below, are under a little snow blanket today that tucked them in last night.
The weather shifted mid-hike yesterday and as we climbed up the trail with full lake view the whole way, we watched as the clouds started to engulf the north end of the lake and edge toward us. On our descent, the warm sunshine turned to brisk wind and clouds.
There were so many beauties starting to emerge, including the very first wild irises, and to think this is just the beginning though is incredible, as there will be so many wildflowers everywhere in all varieties from miniature for only faery eyes to see, to large and center stage for all eyes to gaze upon.
Indeed you know I stop to smell all the flowers and marvel at their beauty. Their time in the sunlight is fleeting so I embrace every moment I have to experience them when I can. You never know what’s coming next and the time you’ll have to enjoy something. “Do it now” is my way of living life fully.
A Spring snow blanket now casts its wand of enchantment everywhere and actually feels so perfect for what I’m experiencing within, as the waves of intensities and softness ebb and flow. Cocooning in reflection and transformative incubation is where I find myself still, so it doesn’t surprise me that Jack Frost is still sneaking about. In fact, I find him comforting.
That’s also mountain life for you, as if you choose to live in the mountains of any region, nature and weather patterns are ever-changing, moment-to-moment. That’s the beauty of why we live here and personally I have found every change to be consistent with my inner world. Perhaps it is for others, too, even if they choose not to embrace it.
But the element of surprising changes is also reflective of the unpredictability of these times and we can either fight or flow with – the latter being more like Mother Earth.
There’s a constant cycling of death and rebirth, mourning and renewal happening, but with everything speeding up, it all seems as though it’s intensified more than usual. I continue to hear of the loss of loved ones, including animal companions, everywhere and even if one is not experiencing these literal physical losses it may come in the form of symbolic transitions within certain areas of our lives or certain aspects of our individuality and human expression.
Many souls are not meant for the new frequencies coming in and others are able to support the new frequencies far better from off-planet. And even their transition itself aids the shifts in motion, as everything carries an energy signature and key codes that are connected to the whole continuum of what is in momentum.
A lot of transitions continue as the Earth collective recalibrates and everyone decides, on a soul level and within their divine contracts, where their role is most useful. If we only identify as human, this can all be confusing and devastating. When we begin to soften our scope into curious exploration of more than just these physical bodies, we start to understand a bigger picture at hand.
We are mourning and celebrating every moment.
Having experienced the worst loss in my life has helped prepare me for every loss that’s come after and helped me transmute them as the gifts, rather than punishments, that they in fact are. That doesn’t mean our human hearts don’t feel pain, but every feeling is a portal to The Great Mystery.
As I ride another wave of complex and contrasting energies, I see that we’re in the doorway of the next Lunar cycle and so everything I’ve been seeing around me and feeling within doesn’t feel out of sorts.
I’ve always been extra connected to Earth and her cycles – in fact since I was young, I’ve actually seen how I’m tied into her expressions including earthquakes and shifting weather patterns. Interestingly, we’ve felt quite a few earthquakes over the last month or so that have taken place on the California side. We live on the Nevada side, but these recent shakes have echoed inner shifts and my own “letting off steam” during processing. We actually had never really ever felt any rocking and rolling while living here in the years now, or previously. And suddenly 4 to 5 rumbles have rolled in closer proximity and I found it reminiscent of years ago when I would have something huge change in my life or an epiphany happen and boom!
But like the blossoms that have emerged, I have in fact felt a softening of the rough edges to collective energies I’m transmuting. I am also taking steps to amp up my energetic boundaries, do some intentional personal spell castings of my own, and getting my hands in another faery kitchen alchemy creation from yesterday’s gorgeous manzanita harvest – the last of the season.
I don’t know what it is about these blossoms, but they really touch my heart and feel like the perfect ingredients needed right now. I managed to harvest eighteen cups this time of the sweetest little faery blossoms that tickle my heart. And as the snow falls today, I’ll be cooking up batches of delight with them.
With a heart full of gratitude, I thank the Elementals of the land for their gifts and blessings. All I want to do these days is immerse in the richness of Earth all around me. Thank goodness for the bounty of nature we live in. There is nothing to complain about and everything to be thankful for.
There’s been a plethora of enchanted and mysterious little finds, including a bunch of portals and vortex areas like these:
I’ve definitely been anchoring more into my inner Forest Witch lately.
Finding this incredible giant tree root creating a witchy throne portal full of deep mystery and powerful energy, was just the perfect activation.
This coming Wednesday the 26th ignites the Sagittarius Super Blood Moon Total Lunar Eclipse – this Full Moon is also known as the Flower Moon (synchronous to all the wildflowers in bloom right now) and will undoubtedly continue to inspire a plethora of blossoming transformation in our lives.
It’s a time to be explorative and adventurous, add variety – the spice of life to our lives, communicate with clarity, be open to possibilities and options beyond your limited scope, stay open minded in general, release attachments to anything rigid and that blocks you to your wholeness, and embrace the potential for emotional cleansing that leads to renewal.
Full Moons are a time for taking stock of all you DO have to be grateful for and to be extra mindful of all that you complain about day-to-day and moment-to-moment.
How might you refocus that attitude to be more effective in actually funneling energy toward change, rather than constantly spinning a web of negativity and limited perspective? Everything that bothers you holds the alchemy needed to free you.
Look at what needs a little clean up in your life and pluck things out so you can recreate more with conscious intention.
Try to recognize the good in your life and all the blessings around you, including the people around you who despite any perceived shortcomings have their own challenges they face relative to their life path, which we have no idea about since we’re only here living out our own – and may not even really connect the dots to all of that ourselves.
This is a time to reflect and then plant literal and symbolic seeds, then water them with more true, unconditional and compassionate love.
Sacred & Wild ~ Expect the Unexpected
While robin mom and dad sing sweet calls to each other from the railing just under their new nest in the eave of our front door, coyote continues to cross my path. It appears to be the same coyote, as I recognize the beautiful thick creamy coat she has and those pointy ears and bushy tail. This is about the fourth time recently she pays me a call telling me to “expect the unexpected” and remember that all and yet nothing is sacred within The Great Mystery. This shape-shifting both great and foolish one sings of illumination by way of seeing the humor in things and remembering primal connections.
A neighbor had recently pointed out where a coyote den is for one of the packs in the area – one of the large, sacred stone outcroppings we have in the forest. It just so happens to be a two minute walk across the forest, in direct line to the side of our house. No wonder we hear them howling so loudly. It’s such an eerily beautiful and mysterious call that awakens an ancient connection within.
It seems to be in alignment with that feeling of stripping away more and more layers and being both more vulnerable and stronger in the process. Likely why I have been receiving the contrasting messengers that embody each of these, separately or in unison.
There’s a desire to shed skin and be in silence…almost embryotic in the moist, enriched darkness, while things swirl all around me.
Meanwhile the wild essence of things call to me, like the primal howl of coyote. I’ve been ever-more drawn to all the wild flowers and everything found in the nooks and crannies of the forest. I’ve been yearning to create, do, and move things with my hands and having nostalgic memories of life simplicity and my days in the animal and elemental realms.
Just two days ago this led me to make some manzanita blossom jelly in the faery kitchen. It was my first time making this from the prolific blooms on our our wild manzanita bushes surrounding the house.
It felt so good to forage gingerly for these blossoms, taking my time to hand pick with conscious intention and connection to only what called that spread evenly so as not to remove more than any one bush wanted to give so that the pollinators still have plenty to enjoy.
I only brought home enough to make two jars full and so enjoyed getting my hands into the process, thanking each little blossom for their gorgeous juice.
I documented the process because it was so pretty and felt called to add a little infusion of lavender because I love creating intuitive faery blends. I was pleased with the result, but got ideas for little changes if I end up making it again sometime, including a syrup. The fragrance and taste is subtle, but lovely, and feels connected with the heart chakra energy that is so lit up as vital these days.
The sweet yet wild essence feels aligned with that depth of primal sacredness I’m venturing through. The two being perfect, complimentary ingredients to one another as part of that personal alchemy I mentioned in my last post I’m needing to drop into and create.
Synchronously, yesterday we got to enjoy a cloudy, drizzly Spring day in the middle of sunny, Summer-like beach days we’ve been experiencing.
We were unsure of what hike we wanted to do, but let our hearts do the guiding. We ended up at a new, off-the-beaten track trail we’ve never done that wasn’t too far from our house – maybe eight minutes drive. Our eyes spotted it rather than a map.
And between the cloudy, darker skies and being on our own, it ended up being the perfect immersion for the current navigated energies.
I called it a “deep forest” day.
Dave said it was the perfect trail and day for something “supernatural” to appear. (No joke, Astrid just gave a loud, single thump as I’m writing this part and is on high alert).
We followed the softened trail into thicker forest that brought us upon old remains of likely when settlers, miners, or tree loggers were in the area, including rusted tins and metal parts, and remains of old pathways and small dwellings.
The trail led us along a creek to a small, extremely enchanted and mysterious little waterfall area that Dave said reminded him of a small grotto.
The energy here touched a chord with my inner nymph and sybil energy. Perhaps an ancient song and vision may spark from this journey.
The trail didn’t go much further than crossing over it to another old remains area, and upon circling back I then found what you see in the photos below, in the order you see them in.
The second, smaller whitish silver Algiz came after I showed Dave the first, larger one and started to share about some of its meanings, including how its name literally means Elk and how the White Elk was a Norse symbol of divine protection and blessings.
To make their appearance more “supernatural” for Dave’s sake 😉 I had been connecting with the devas and elementals of this area upon entering and asking for some specific signs and help with things I continue reflecting upon, as well as asking for permission in passing through in harmony.
This is the Algiz Rune in perfect form – one of the Runes I wear on my skin. This particular one is part of the Runic coding that lines the spine of my dragon tattoo on my left arm, as you can see.
If you look up the Algiz Rune, you’ll see how perfect this sign was for some of what I mentioned.
It was also perfect for what I did not mention.
On our return back on the same trail we saw a forking trail going off in another direction that we followed until its end at some stone outcroppings.
Here we saw this tree portal, quite the stone outcropping fortress across the way with two window portals at the top right, and a perfect altar creating a heart shape, rabbit ears, chalice, or even a slight version of Algiz again? Even the top of the tree portal was in the shape of Algiz. Hmmmm! Curiouser and Curiouser.
Seeing the altar mirrored a vision I had received several days ago about a space I’m to create.
The days and energy have been an immersion into the sacred and wild and even as I’ve been redecorating my office, I’ve been called to create a designated altar area that houses the natural wonders and mystical treasures that have found me over time. Right now, I have many scattered throughout in intentional places and some I keep in boxes stored out of sight, but they are to be gathered together and brought “out of the closet”.
Lineages spanning the ages are being called up, integrated, and transmuted.
I feel a calling to anchor more deeply in the ancient and also honor the primordial…the Earth and the Cosmos…the wild heart within that is all powerful.
While messengers continue to whisper “expect the unexpected,” signs also continue to point to support, guidance, and protection assuring me to keep trusting without knowing, no matter what unfolds.
Walking on the Edge ~ Creators Creating Personal Alchemy
As we walked into the energy of May 11th’s New Moon, it called us to feel into the old and decide what heavy baggage we no longer wanted to carry forth into the new. With the Moon being in Taurus, the energy of what ever our personal goals and intentions were for entering this cycle, there was going to be a need for patience and grounding, since Earthy Taurus moves slowly. There would be a nudge toward more mindfulness and clarity on what you really want under the influence of this energy before actually proceeding, and a lot of persistent patience and trust would be in need of nurturing.
If you experienced a few more challenging, confusing or even darker days leading up to the New Moon, you’re not alone. I did, too, and others I heard from chimed in. It’s not unusual, in general, for that to culminate around this cycle, but there was something more going on that some of us sensitives seemed to notice that was riding along the currents as well.
What ever the themes and energies were that emerged for you, these I feel are sacred messages as to what’s to be alchemized not just for the lunar month, but also the journey at large, ahead.
You may have sensed a shift to more material and physical things to include your body, your home, daily, and simple routines or mundane things and these would both be helpful, as well as inspiring creative changes like redecorating, wearing new colors and styles, experimenting with new foods, and creating beauty all around you.
As creators, walking into the new we want to see, with trust and courage, is what’s needed – not knowing the end result and not knowing how, but moving into it and watching it work out in the moment. When in doubt, we will need to remember to foster words of gentle encouragement to ourselves and look inward to understand our personal alchemy. When feeling discouraged or lost, we may need to call upon support systems – on and/or off Earth, or simply from within.
While we may need to learn to be our own muse at times, there are many muses around us that can be uplifting and inspiring. Anything can be our muse – a person, animal, plant, color, energy, feeling, place, spirit guide, etc. They will carry codes of creation to spark new realities.
In any event, these are the times of the creators – you – and what we’re journeying deeper into is bringing forth personal alchemy in a way that helps make changes in your life more fun and with greater ease, which ultimately has an effect for the collective as well.
If you find yourself at a crossroads and unable to see what’s next, you’re not lost or alone. I find that the further we journey in these rapidly accelerated times, the less we’re going to have foretelling of what’s around the corner. We’re being invited into a different way of experience that leads from the heart’s alignment to spirit.
We’ve oscillated between choosing either mission or love (what’s the most far-reaching responsible and compassionate thing or where our heart tugs) and we are learning to merge these so there is no sacrifice.
It’s not just a human endeavor, but a cosmic journey we’re embarking on and helping to harmonize.
It also feels to be about going beyond black and white to play in the gray – the middle way.
It’s not a clear cut path, as we’re creating it as we go along and many are not only working with us, but awaiting and cheering us on to embody this alchemy.
Two days before the New Moon, I felt a very heavy energy and it felt like it wanted to consume me, discourage, and close the shutters on the light I saw through the window. I found myself being pulled down and ego wanted reason to stay in that, wallow and linger there, and even fully give up. I’d been aware of this energy for a while, but had managed to keep it at bay. Then it charged forth just like that Taurus bull, but with fiery eyes and sharp horns staring straight at me, I had to decide how to dance with him – would I fight the bull, tease and taunt it, run away from the bull, surrender to defeat by the bull, or?
I decided to use love and speak the language of the heart. I stepped into my vibrational frequency in order for personal alchemy to come through.
And this helped open a door that was closed before. It wasn’t the answer, but it created a way for something else to emerge.
From there, I still had the heaviness, even though I “bought” time and thoughts, visions, and feelings swirled within me. Ego still wanted a reason to linger there, but intuition stepped in.
I felt exhausted and betrayed by the energies unfolding. Being in nature always helps, especially being active outdoors, and so I did keep moving the energy and being curious about what it all meant.
Contrary to the ego voice, when I returned home, intuition told me to go out and do my wildflower seeding even though I felt like doing nothing. I immediately started feeling the energy shift and my energy rising, little by little. By the end, I was revitalized both with energy and perspective, and hope returned. This act that my intuition guided me toward, was a literal “seeding” of new intentions and potentials.
I watered them after.
The next day following, I did more outdoor activity and really moved the energy in a bigger way to the point of having conversations out loud with my star family and the Universe, as I hiked and passed through different stages of feelings. Nature was there to absorb and help recharge all that I released, and transmutation took shape.
After that vulnerable and raw release, even more perspective and doors opened, and although I didn’t actually arrive at any particular answer, there was possibility where there hadn’t felt to be any before.
And by the time the day of the New Moon arrived, energies continued to shift and soften and has continued as so.
Still no answers, but more was revealed and I can feel a way even though I don’t know what it is.
And through all of this I’ve had a lot of interesting messengers showing up, which point to my sensing the approach of one of the biggest shifts of my life upcoming.
This is all indicating a call to a new path opening and changes ahead.
And although you see me here, I have actually been more inner these days in order to recalibrate what I’m downloading and how that will look.
I don’t see what new world I’ll land in, but perhaps it’s a new one I’m creating as a creator, which will take some time to manifest.
Or, maybe it’s the world I remember best, calling me back.
Whenever I am on the precipice of major change, hawk shows up as both confirmation things are being supported behind the scenes and as guide to help me with passage between realms. The day after the heaviest of feelings, she flew above and landed atop a barren old tree in the clearing to make sure I saw her and waited for me. As I approached, she looked down and watched me the whole way to her. After I reached her and thanked her, she then took flight above me and circled for about three minutes, close, then farther, and back again. I could see her beautiful feathers clearly.
I’ve been spending a lot of extra time outdoors in receptive and releasing mode because, as I mentioned, it helps me to move energy and listen. If I’m not out on the trails, I’ve been heavily in my garden implementing new ideas, or in extra close communion with Astrid, my cocreator.
In my spare time, I’ve been completing one task at a time, finishing projects, and now stepping into reorganizing and redecorating my office, garage, closet, and kitchen pantry – all feeling right in line with the New Moon energies, as well as the earthing time.
As I shared earlier, the last five days have brought some interesting animal guides to me as messengers. Besides the unusual now THREE bald eagle sightings within less than two weeks, coyote crossed behind our house just as I looked up from the kitchen while cooking, a coyote pack howled close by while I was gardening, followed by an owl hooting in the trees, I found part of a skunk’s tail fur, a large piece of porcupine fur and quills, an old fallen bird’s nest, and
discovered robins have returned and built a new nest at the same place above the eaves of the front door for their family.
There were also four turkey vultures that circled and coasted on the wind in front of us while we sat on a rock cliff overlooking Tahoe – that’s when the third eagle showed up right after being
chased by smaller birds – I found a beautiful dead moth in a box where some of my gardening things were kept in the garage that looked like it had been deliberately preserved, I found a plethora of various bird feathers (one appears to be hawk), including a soft, tender bunch of new goose down feathers from
geese friends that left it behind for me, Dave found a very large black raven feather while I connected with hawk, and six geese followed us, nested near us by the water and waited a few
hours for us to return from our bike ride. I also found a huge spider downstairs that was one of the biggest I’ve seen in a while and the first zebra swallowtail of the season glided toward us on the trail.
Then there’s this gorgeous, huge silvery “gray” squirrel who has been visiting profusely outside my office and in the garden. He’s quite the shape shifter and little wizard.
Transformation is afoot in a very big and contrasting way, and I feel that the only way to navigate it all is to be in and create personal alchemy right now, as that’s all we have at our fingertips.
Knowing our own vibration and how to manage and raise it, becomes vital in these times.
I’m seeing how energies are trying to intervene and even confuse, deter, or try to block the new, but you truly can find another way.
Even if it just opens a door, or buys time, implementing intuitive being and your own inner muse frequency can ignite personal alchemy for change to ignite.
Sometimes you feel like softly closing your petals for a while and other times you bubble with exuberance to open them wide. Where ever you find yourself is perfect and doesn’t change this fact – a flower you are.
I’ve been observing my new tulips daily, watching as they open and close in response to the light and heat. They aren’t diminished by this contraction of tucking in for the night or folding up on a rainy day.
It’s a way to keep their pollen dry and protected so that when they do open to the next morning’s light, they are ready to dance with visiting pollinators and share their sweetness they have enriched to gift.
Happy Mother’s Day to ALL
There are many ways to be a mother and there are many meanings for what a mother is to each of us.
Regardless of how that looks and comes to be for each, the one we feel to call “mother” in our lives is one who provides us creative life energy, cultivation, nurturing, sensitivity, vulnerable strength, unconditional love, as well as tough love, patience, consistency, reflections of true beauty in all forms, and even recognition and implementation of boundaries – all encapsulated in the embodiment of the Sacred Feminine.
Whether you are a plant or fur baby momma, mother to a child – biological, adopted, fostered – a mother figure to others in general, care-taker of another human, animal, garden or Mother Earth herself, or creatrix birthing from the feminine source of your creative power in any way – you are a mother – you are a goddess.
This Divine Mother Energy can cross all imaginary boundaries of cultures, religions, races, species, life forms and beyond.
Much love and gratitude to all “mothers,” especially Mother Earth who provides us abundantly in every way imaginable.
And much respect and honor to the Sacred Feminine within us all that nurtures the very sacredness of spiritual potential and life substance.
You are honored today and all the days of your life.
Whimsical Wednesdays ~ The Artist’s Corner: Templates for a New World
Today is another of those special days I hold dear in heart. May 5th is Gaia’s birthday – my sweet Russian Tortoise who slipped between the veils one day, not long after my own birthday the same year of her disappearance. She would have been 18 today, but her ancient soul spans the ages. It is also on May 5th that my twin soul’s ashes – Nestor – came home to me 13 years ago. I always marvel at the navigation our soul companions in animal bodies have.
Today is also 5-5-5. May being the 5th month, it’s the 5th day of the month and 2021 when added together is a 5! 555 is a very special messaging code that Nestor has always given to me and has continued to be a way she and my other star family communicate with me.
Gaia is a master of frequencies and grid work, and her knowledge goes way beyond simple sciences, but spans into the very depth of the Great Mystery.
Sharing a Whimsical Wednesdays art blog today feels like a perfect way to honor Gaia, as she (like all of my rabbits too – Nestor was the first and Gaia followed) always used to love being with me while I painted, and so enjoyed checking out my work in order to assist me with the energies I needed to imbue into them.
You can see her doing that in the photo below with my painting, Air, which we created together in my solarium overlooking Lake Tahoe.
Tahoe has been quite the nurturing presence for many of my paintings and other creative works of art, and today – in honor of Gaia and Nestor – I’d love to share two special pieces I was gifted the choice to cocreate.
The first is a painting I mentioned last year that I had the opportunity to work on. The project was to create a book cover and although it was completed in 2020, it is in 2021 that I get to reveal the final product.
I was so excited to receive a surprise tag on both Instagram and Facebook from the amazing Gary Savitsky about his book being in its last stages before release. After the proof of his new book had just arrived, he shared this photo:
It is humbling to have been a part of this amazing birthing of his, as the artist for his featured cover you see here. The title is Gateway to the Four Pillars ~ Qigong for Present Times and the Modern Mind.
This has been a many year project for Gary, and I came into the process only just last year when this cover was channeled. It was my part to help bring his visions into being and this definitely was a divine unfolding from first contact to completion of project.
Gary is a certified Master Sound Healer, Founder of Four Pillars Qigong, an inspirational spiritual calligraphy artist, energy healer, intuitive and author. Side, fun note – he’s a Rabbit in Chinese astrology.
Gary’s currently doing the last review and finalization, then it’s a first print run. I look forward to sharing more about his book when it’s formally released, but couldn’t be more excited for Gary and everyone who will experience his book.
Below I’m sharing the original image in its solo version – precover – that I first sent to Gary via email attachment before sending it to him in Thunder Bay, Ontario so you can see the full painting on its own.
It was quite the journey to create and like with everything I end up working on, it had perfect reflections for personal and collective unfolding – living portals that open the door to energies we have yet to comprehend fully and templates for new realities we are creating.
That brings me to the next painting, which is truly an experience brought to life on another basswood portal. You might recall this Magick Portal wood plaque I created in November of last year of precious Maribelle:
Well, her momma asked if I would create a very special and important piece of all of her dear soulmates in rabbit bodies and of course I was more than excited to do that for her, as you know how much rabbits mean to me, but more so these sweethearts and their mom had also become very special to me. There is always beautiful reason why paths cross and the timing is also always divine.
In both wood portal projects, I was given creative license to channel what divine image came through. The only thing I did ask and was given, was a photo of each of her sweethearts that she felt captured their essence the best. I was so excited when I saw the photos of them, as they spoke to me immediately as fitting into the vision that had ignited as soon as she had asked me to create this piece. Their positions were perfection for this new world.
Painting on wood has been my new favorite medium these days and I felt that this piece should be a companion to the first I did, but also the shape and larger size of the basswood I just happened to have left, felt to be the ideal landscape that could come to life as their dreamscape.
The new piece is meant to be an “experience” and not a dry portrait – just as the first one was created to be as well.
I like to think outside the box when painting something, create what you wouldn’t imagine possible from seemingly random, disconnected things someone asks for, or weave together new life and the unexpected from what could just be taken in a straightforward, static approach, and feel each creation to be a portal or window into another reality, feeling, vision, potential… where everything is possible.
This latest Magick Portal is definitely that – where possibility lives and a new reality awaits.
When I learned that I would be painting four rabbits in one piece, I knew that the vision I had imagined could now take form that involved a vista I had seen both in reality and in my dreams.
My favorite hike we do in the area has the most incredible landscapes that are my absolute ideal with every element that I love. One of these is this particular area that fills with wild lilac irises during only a very short window of the season. I have rolled in this meadow with only the irises and felt the most free and alive than ever. This photo I captured would be the world for these four souls in rabbit bodies – my inspiration.
And it’s just such surroundings that remind me of a far away place my soul only remembers, which reflects my favorite dream – laying in a meadow on a desolate planet with rabbits all around and on top of me. A dream I know these sweethearts’ mom shares too.
This was to be the dreamscape for these four sweeties – a place where they could play, frolic, and be free….forever. A place they can enter in dreamtime, have as their sacred and safe place they can go to if old triggers scare them, and the place that will always be there for them when they are ready to navigate their way back to the stars from which they came, and that they are. A place where they will always be together, free, living their best life, and their soul family in human bodies – their Earth parents – can always visit them too, and one day be there with them – an eternal Heaven on Earth.
This portal painting is also my vision of a New World. A place where all sentient beings live in harmony, are honored, and there is a synergy of relationship to the land and each other.
Two of these sweethearts in the painting are ex-lab rabbits – meaning rabbits that are used and abused in experiments to create products for humans. All of them are rescue rabbits from various situations. This is the vision that came through as a divine message, new template, and key codes spoken through these Earth angels.
A New World Awaits ~ Heaven on Earth (title of this Magick Portal)
I couldn’t have done it without them and they brought forth a dreamscape I had envisioned into life. I wanted them to feel alive, nurtured, honored, and free…forever.
Here are a few more photos in different lightings.
This is the stand I got for it – the perfect way to showcase this work of art.
And here are some close-ups of each of the rabbits with their live portraits – in order of appearance: Maribelle, Roger, Kewpie, and Marshmallow. These are my muses.
As always, detail and colors are hard to capture in photos, but I think these do a decent job in reflecting the essence of this piece and each of these souls.
The shape of the piece is a very unusual and naturally flowy wood that is almost 17 inches at the very widest across and about 10 ¾ inches at the tallest height then varies in between. I realized that I don’t take photos of my artwork with me in it anymore. That only seemed to happen back in the days when I would do a showing somewhere at a gallery or festival. But I got the message that to highlight the shape and size of this piece and because of its special meaning, this one needed capturing together with me and this is what happened:
And this:
Divine activation and confirmation – don’t you think?
When we first took these photos I happened to be wearing Honey Moon Wings – woven beaded earrings of the Lycaenidae family of butterflies in shades of Earthy amber honey with a hint of lavender and violet and tiny crescent Moons inside the wing. Perfect Earth and Cosmic harmony energies with a hint of reflection to the lilac irises.
I realized later that I actually had Monarch Wings to match the two butterflies in the painting (there’s also a Swallowtail) and put them on. Boojum decided to join for one last photo before wrapping this creation off and shipping to its new home. I think he approved! Boojum does love his rabbit friends.
I feel humbled to work on pieces like this because I know it is bigger than me. I’m just a channel or conduit for the messengers and messages.
I love what I do and am grateful for the opportunity to be this bridge.
My #1 Wellness Tip & Other Non-Negotiables for Well Being
We hear a lot about self care and well being these days being top priority, especially for those of you not used to providing yourself a healthy dose of it in your life. This includes sensitives, empaths, healers of any kind, out-pourers of energy, care-givers, anyone in service positions within any field, and simply any of you who self-sacrifice, overwork and overdrive yourself, don’t feel deserving, and don’t make the time for it.
When we are in a state of well being, we are more productive, have greater inspiration and motivation, create and connect from the heart, and are able to give more to others and anything we desire to assist.
However, if we don’t make wellness a priority, it simply won’t be our consistent experience and now more than ever that isn’t something I’m willing to compromise. How about you?
I found it helpful to create non-negotiables in my life that help me to pinpoint the really key and important things I feel are most valuable to me and make the most difference for me, and then make sure to focus on those. I find that much more supportive and productive, rather than deeming everything high priority and running myself ragged or discouraging myself into an all or nothing state of being that usually turns me off of doing anything because I think it’s impossible to do ALL of those things. You know that feeling I’m sure.
You can create non-negotiables in any area of your life to help you to know what is a focal must for yourself and what things aren’t really that crucial. In this way you can be more open to compromise or finding some kind of middle ground with the rest and come to see what things really make the difference for you – not every single little thing.
So, while I’m talking about things that are non-negotiable for your well being right now, you could make a list of these to help you with the relationships, friendships, business partnerships, job, home, goals, etc. that you want to draw into your life.
I personally saw the benefit in that when I started making my non-negotiable list for a relationship, which made me realize what really isn’t that important and let me focus my time and energy on what was. Having differences is healthy and creates space for evolution. Sameness on all levels can equate to stagnation and boredom. So knowing what is fundamental for you and what really doesn’t matter in the grand scheme of things, is super eye-opening and life-changing. It also invites more exercise of your heart when you open to understanding other viewpoints, being more compassionate and unconditional, and not being attached to every little thing as if it’s life or death. You discover the true nectar of life that enriches and weaves a bond of connection that has longevity.
But back to wellness, as with things in the world right now, being at your optimal and knowing what boosts your energy levels, keeps your aura high-vibed, and strengthens your immune system are vital.
I shared this just under one minute video on Instagram a couple of weeks ago, but uploaded to my YouTube Channel to be able to link it in this post. It cuts off at the end, but you get the idea I think. It’s a little live action “me” snippet doing my chosen activity for the day for body, heart, mind, and soul vitality. I love how at 15 seconds, when I emphasize “essence to beam through,” the light beams across my face in an upside down arc or rainbow. Gotta love those energy alignments. 😉
Here’s My #1 Wellness Tip:
As you can see, this is me being me, doing my favorite thing for well being – hiking. Spring is here in the mountains and that means tons of forest bathing, vigorous exercise for this faery every single day. I love all outdoor activities all year round (hiking, biking, kayaking, snow shoeing, skiing), but hiking is my favorite.
Moving your body in nature is not only amazing on every level for you and incredible for your immune system, but it’s free! Soon the wildflowers will be blooming and their scent will add more amazingness to the pine air my lungs are breathing in.
Hiking or outdoor activity/exercise didn’t use to be a priority in the earlier part of my life, but I experienced first-hand the huge difference it made for me on all levels and came to understand how moving the body is so essential to our well being. When you couple that with doing it outdoors, then you amplify the effects. Energy wants to move and so if you’re someone who sits most of the day or doesn’t get a good blood-pumping into all parts of your body, with deep breathing, and maybe even a little sweat, then you likely may experience challenges on one or other areas of life. Stagnation, blocks, anger, resentment, stifled emotions, mental clarity, good sleep, digestion, etc. can all benefit from some kind of movement. Even a simple walk or doing stretches outdoors could make a big difference.
And remember that trees are hugely beneficial to you – pine trees especially, but all trees are magnificent supporters of wellness. So even just being out forest bathing for 20 minutes can produce positive changes in the body. Spending time among trees and breathing in their phytoncides helps improve the immune system.
Whatever you enjoy doing that either gets you outside and/or moving is super beneficial. Be it a walk, gardening, yoga, meditation, physical therapy, dancing, sitting at the park, painting, writing, enjoying a picnic or meals on your balcony or in your backyard, building something, breathwork, walking your animal companions, camping, more vigorous outdoor activities, you name it. The addition of physical movement, exercise or therapy of some sort aids things like heart health and lowering blood pressure, muscle strength and balance, increase life span, improve brain function, mental clarity, and sleep, weight management, helps with joint stiffness/pain, and reduces feelings of depression, anxiety, and stored up emotions in general.
Everyone is different and will resonate with different amounts of exercise, types of exercise, activities, etc., but for me daily outdoor exercise is a non-negotiable.
I also learned that particularly for me I need much more of this than perhaps others do because of the astrological make-up I was born with that needs a supercharged outlet for physical activity, movement, and expression in a certain way or else I’ll see the effects manifest as a result of repressing that energy. I didn’t even have to know my astrological chart to figure this out because I felt the difference when doing or not doing it, but the chart made sense of it and highlights it’s part of my make-up. You might know this for yourself, too, or you could take a quick look at your own astrological map for life.
I also know that I put out a lot of energy into all that I do or send into the world – some of you are likely nodding to that as well in resonance for yourself – so I need that supercharge that nature immersion and physical activity provides me to replenish, refresh, revitalize, and realign myself – overall helping me to reflect my truest and strongest radiance or soul emanation.
This is why I do a lot of outdoor things to include the exercise activities, but also gardening, yard work, sun bathing, or simply enjoying the beach, a picnic, or sitting on our deck reading.
So what are some of my other non-negotiables for well being?
You already know my #1 and here are the rest of them in no particular order:
- Spending time with my husband and lots of time physically and emotionally connecting with Astrid, my rabbit soul companion, and the kitty babies, Sweet Pea & Boojum
- “Me” time
- Eating nourishing, creative, and fun vegan meals and drinks (no alcohol, drugs, or mind-altering substances of any kind)
- Daily intermittent fasting – I’ve been doing this now for nearly a year and a half and intend to continue indefinitely
- Getting at least 8 hours of sleep a night
- Listening to, trusting, and backing up my intuition
- Dealing with emotions when they come up
- “Whatever time” to do something I find fun on any level, luxuriating, or simply relaxing
- Creating peace in any situation and keeping an open heart and mind
- Practicing daily gratitude
- Doing what I love, but also seeing the gift in what ever I do
These are MY non-negotiables, but aren’t necessarily what you might deem a priority for well being. I have found these to be key to feeling balanced and maintaining my energy and vitality, as well as keeping my well full for giving.
Would you like to reclaim and reflect your soul radiance?
If so, then what can you commit to as non-negotiables for your well being that make the biggest difference for how you feel and show up in life?
Once you’ve identified what they are, then make it a priority to be accountable for them. No one else is going to do that for you. Work one step each day toward believing you are worth it and then start implementing a routine that can become your new norm for wellness. Your body and soul will thank you.
Tania Marie 