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Nature Whispers, Remember Who You Are
On a planet that is so diverse with every kind of natural wonder we could dream of, isn’t it incredible how nature doesn’t have a divide and conquer approach with hidden agendas or malevolent motives?
Rather, things coexist and intermingle as an unspoken state of harmony in simple and mutual understanding that gives and receives in flow of one’s natural essence.
Nature knows the integral web that each thread has value in.
You might say, “Well, that’s nature.”
An interesting remark considering some may believe there’s no, or little, consciousness in nature like humans experience and yet nature sure does things miraculously, in balance, and left to her own devices, knows how to regenerate and thrive.
If we think in any way that we have more awareness or consciousness than nature, it bears asking why we are so out of balance and in fight against ourselves?
We are part of nature so why not say, “Well, that could be humans too?”
Instead, there is often a divisive and conquering drive that desires power over most anything, including the power to go against our very nature.
When I look out on any landscape I see my, and our, potential that we’ve forgotten – to live as masterful works of art like nature does, weaving our colors together as one.
Days come and go, but unconditional love is eternal.
Feeling the ways in which we can learn to expand or limit our experience.
The heart is the bridge.
Cause for Pause, Deep Earth Richness & Upcoming Enchanted Realms Collection
After Autumn colors swept through the region here and early snow teased us, we’ve been experiencing a warming trend in the mid and upper 50’s and as high as 60 with no real precipitation yet in sight, although frost and dustings do linger in shady spots and streets overnight.
When we hike the uppermost altitudes we do still hit some snow patches, frosty portions of trails, and even ice filled creeks and frozen top layers on lakes.
It’s just no where near the levels of years gone by.
While we’re enjoying the sunshiny warmth for continued hiking, biking, and kayaking that we missed this Summer due to all the fires and hazardous smoke air, it also points to the continuing trend of change. We’re used to snow on Thanksgiving and ski resorts opening here for the Thanksgiving weekend, but all of that is on hold – kind of like a collective pause.
In the meantime, we’re taking advantage of the beautiful weather and immersing in Nature, grateful to have these opportunities we were sad not to have this year in the abundance we usually do. So, we see it as a little gift from the Universe, extending our Summer activities.
A couple of days ago we had another of our stunning kayaking experiences and it was even more amazing than last time, literally with no one out but us. It was so beautiful we even set up our beach chairs and enjoyed some time relaxing at water’s edge – and yes, I was able to wear my bikini!
Everything was so still and quiet, reflecting that pause and deep breaths. The need for creating little pockets of repose has been increasingly recycling through my life and feels vital to the landscape at large. That’s included the spaciousness for re-evaluating things, shifting courses for the time being, and even luxuriating in just doing me, which temporarily brings more peaceful silence and removal from outside stuff within that self-nurturing bubble. I tend to be more quiet these days, not just in terms of less posting, but also more to myself in general. And yet, there’s SO much conversation and connection going on even if not with the humans in my life. 🙂
Watching my avian water friends along the shore was confirmation of this.
Synchronously, a solo female mallard duck and a seagull who I felt was also a female, were the ones who were drawn into my frequency zone.
They spoke to me of my own native essence as a Pisces who satiates in my watery world as a form of both revitalization and constant recreation from within the womb of consciousness. They remind me that although I am often on my own, I’m never alone, and in many ways I thrive standing in my frequency.
Nature always reflects everything for me and is constant support in my life during all ebbs and flows.
I’ve always loved how Nature embodies so many seeming opposites together that work beautifully as a unit – much like I know myself to be a walking dichotomy of opposites merged into one.
There is a natural cycle, structure, inherent wisdom, sacred geometry, and symbiotic relationship that abides by certain unspoken universal ground rules, but there is also incredible variety, unusual evolutions, surprising mutations and resilient behaviors, and freedom to be wildly you that she speaks to so beautifully.
When I face frustrations in my process or feel restricted in some way, while I teach myself new, more freeing ways, I’m reminded of how Nature doesn’t complain, but simply discovers new ways to thrive or renew. She reminds me of the resiliency inherent within and that sticking to my commitments will see me through and the balanced way to that is by remaining flexible, yet committed, and focused, but open to change.
I always note the things that show up around me and that draw my attention at different points in life or during specific time periods. I’ve been seeing a lot of really deep Earthy, base energies, rich inner worlds, mysterious dimensions, and the mushroom realms, roots of trees, lush moss and lichen strewn dark Fae realms, and grounding, magickal, and protective stones and crystals calling out. And alongside that, stones that bridge Above and Below, are unconditionally love, expansive, and humanity/Earth healing focused along with light codes and incoming messages from star systems of the beyond are streaming through. It’s a mix of Middle Earth combined with Cosmos beaming a helping hand of coded communication to help navigate alignment.
Yesterday’s hike unveiled a tiny, maybe three foot area just off the path down a slope where sparkly gems felt to literally pop out of the Earth.
I’ve never seen so many little raw quartz like these and never on this trail, but it was as if these stones had unveiled themselves because they know the time is now and there’s work they can, and want to, assist with. The unusual aspect to them was how clear they were. Whether full clear or stones with pockets of crystalline gemmy areas encrusted on top, their clarity spoke to something needed right now more than ever.
And the fact that there were quite a few smoky quartz – something I never find – was again that deep Earthy energy speaking loudly. In fact, there were a few full crystal smokies that were like little gems.
One in particular was super dark…nearly black, but golden amber clarity when held to the light.
I received the message these will assist in the days ahead, the inner and outer realm work, and gridding the new into creation.
Needless to say, things are taking me on a rich journey within both the seen and unseen realms within and without. And this continues to deepen my relationship with all of consciousness, Nature, and the worlds that dreams are made of and myth and lore speak of.
Because of my connection with Terra – our ever-giving Earth Mother – nearly all of my work, creations, and way of life are inspired by my relationship with her. I’m sure you’ve noticed that and it’s also no wonder that rabbits are my copartners in life – beings of the liminal times that move between above and below Earth.
And so, I’ve created a mini collection that will be the last creations for 2021, due to debut this Friday, December 3rd.
I’ll be updating the Ready-Made Items to Invite Your Magick Out page that day. I plan to have items hop on at 8 am PST and 11 am EST.
This update will be my Enchanted Realms Collection and will include the Cosmic Egg Blossom Mandala portal painting I shared in a previous post. The collection will of course be Nature-based with magickal infusions from inner and other realms.
I love that their birthing is on the morning of the Sagittarius New Moon Solar Eclipse that will ignite just before midnight that day, here in Pacific Time zone land – early morning Saturday 12/4 for Eastern Time folks.
Until then, I have updated that same page with only the items that remain. I deleted all the sold ones to make it easy to see what’s available, and I also removed all pre-order items, as I can’t take anymore commissions right now.
What IS available:
About half of the Forest Witch Magick Broomsticks went to new homes, so we have just 6 remaining. Something I CAN take a custom order on, is adding faery dust to your broom (or broom for a friend) upon request. If you’d like it sprinkled with a little golden sparkle on the broom bristles, please let me know when you order.
There’s also just 1 Magick Smudge Fan remaining, which is an absolute beauty. Because it always felt regal to me, it’s received an upgrade addition of genuine topaz and sapphire stones – now it feels complete – and I took new photos to share its opulence. The colors and energy are so Autumn and Earthy rich.
The Magick Wands and Cosmic Egg Blossom Mandala you find at the bottom of the page are place holders for now. As I make wands I will post them there for purchase and on Friday, the painting will become available as a very special offering.
Please keep shipping time in mind if there is anything you purchase as a holiday gift. I am going to be shipping all items up until December 9th, but after the 9th I will not be able to ship anything as I am taking some personal time away and off through Christmas. So any orders after the 9th will go out after Christmas.
And if you didn’t know, every order receives surprise gifts. 🙂
Browse current items available here: Ready-Made Items to Invite Your Magick Out
And a last reminder that I’ll be removing the Reiki and Phone/Email Support page after this Friday, 12/3 which features highly discounted specials on any of these support systems. So, if you’re interested or want to gift one of these to someone, please register before then here:
I really enjoyed our first Collective Energy Dynamics Forum session for November 2021. Thank you everyone for all your great feedback and thoughtful questions. I look forward to December’s questions so I can get your recorded session out in the next week or so.
Until Friday, sending you all some deep-rooted energies to anchor your journey with greater solidity and sense of clarity even if you don’t know where the path is headed.
Animal Medicine ~ Nature Guidance for Conscious Evolution
One message that always reiterates and was clearly evident on my retreat time away – nature is where I thrive and belong. Since I first arrived on Earth this time around, the animals were always there to comfort and guide me. This is actually a soul history pattern for so many of my lives in this realm. Whether conditioning grabbed hold around me at any point in life, the whispers of the animal kingdom never stopped calling me back. Their language is the language of my heart, where truth resides alone. They helped remind me of who I really was – the nature of me – and how to organically unfold the petals of that Cosmic blossom here on Earth. In essence, they have always reflected evolutionary and harmonious alignment and how to be with peace as the center of my compass. The reason being because they match my wild heart’s innocence.
So while I’m keeping most of my time away to myself and Dave, I did feel guided to share the animal messengers that showed up to surround me in their medicine and serve as confirmation of alignment – ultimately adding activational inspiration to the path ahead that I’m leaning into creating anew.
This being because I know the power of collective symbolism and I feel that sharing our individual experiences can be beneficial. Also because I feel that nature and the animals are wisdom keepers of organic being and the closest thing to pure energy flow that can provide us invaluable pages of answers to the many questions running through us.
To reiterate past shares just briefly, I refrain from labeling things higher, lower, better, worse, positive or negative to describe paths across the board because they feel to create a definitive right or wrong simply by implication of their meaning. And in using these phrases we unknowingly can taint, manipulate and limit someone’s perspective, rather than support a widening perspective or openness of heart.
Simply put, there’s choice and what is your heart’s truth. If you choose from awareness of your intuitive heart resonance, then that is the most valuable gauge you’ll have. Even with splits and dramatic contrasts to what’s unfolding on Earth there’s still that choice alone to make, no matter the path you choose. The only thing that makes a difference is if you desire to make choices free of outside interference, then you move into personal awareness, which puts the focus on being present to your inner world’s response to things and not what others are doing or saying at you, no matter what group they belong to. And we, of course, have choice whether or not to be present in the first place as well, which is also perfect.
I can fully admit that I haven’t always been present in my life, or at least didn’t want to recognize what was presently before me. I’m grateful I choose to experience consistent presence now and it is because of this supporting greater attunement to frequencies, elements, and vibrations that I experience what seems like magick. My awareness fine tunes all my senses in ways that I feel I become much like an animal myself with extreme clarity of vision, sense of navigation and environmental awareness, telepathic communication, and more. And this is available to all of us.
I believe that’s a big part of why I find or encounter things the way I do. The other part has to do with my soul signature. Curiosity underscores the experience so that I’m open to any message or reflection the encounter imparts.
I’m steering more and more away from sharing the symbolism of things, as it’s very easy these days to research that online about specific animals or other symbols that show up, but more so it’s to encourage each of us to find our own way and messages from things reflected to us. Also to support trusting our intuition. I think you can likely draw forth some of what these meant for me, if you are familiar with these animals even in the most simple of ways. And in your own life, I also know you can draw from an experience of seeing a particular animal, element of nature, or something that catches your eye, attention, or heart in a different way, what meaning it might have for you at that moment, or what answer or message it is mirroring for what you’re currently experiencing or have been wondering about in life.
For this reason, I am moved to simply sharing these encounters and sightings as my own thread in the collective tapestry. They were particularly meaningful for my own conscious evolution at this time in my life and being that some of them were extremely rare, made them that much more potent. The timing of how and when they showed up also spoke volumes.
I do feel that nature is our closest ally right now in supporting each of us toward more of our own authenticity, empowerment, and heart communication. I feel that development of our senses and awareness, overall, can be enhanced by time in and with nature. I believe our physical well being and immune systems can be strengthened and experienced with greater peace and grace by time in and with nature. I believe clarity of connection with our intuitive messaging systems and with the Cosmos at large can be opened by time in and with nature. I believe hope, inspiration, and creative flow can be nurtured by time in and with nature. I believe our capacity for kindness, tenderness, vulnerability, compassion and nurturing can be nurtured itself by time in and with nature.
Nature has the natural ingredients to support conscious evolution on an individual and collective level if we open ourselves to her. And the best thing is, she’s free and she welcomes you with open arms no matter who you are or where you come from.
From micro to macro, nature shows us daily alchemy at work and how we each have the innate ability as alchemists by nature of being as well.
Our retreat time away began enchanting from the get-go and every single day was no exception. In fact, on the day we first embarked, we got a send off from the biggest herd of wild horses we’ve ever seen – including little foals – and a bald eagle majestically gazing out on the herd and us from a tree.
Whether it was multiple, daily animal encounters or gifts, nature and I were in sacred communion the whole way.
I already mentioned the abundance of wild turkey feathers, which were literally a daily discovery in the most hidden of places that are almost unbelievable I could “see,” as well as the two naturally shed, complimentary deer antlers in separate places miles apart that were also nearly undetectable on the forest floor covered in branches, twigs, and Autumn leaves.
Every single day we’d see multiple deer (most of the time in small groups with occasional single sightings like these), morning and evening, and nearly everyday we’d see wild turkey.
From grazing to curled up and resting, playing with each other to leaping gracefully with ease across the trail, the deer were prancing into our lives with their gentle and innocent presence. And two turkey flocks would sweetly gobble along the outskirts of forests and homesteads with curious, at-ease presence and beautiful feather displays.
Some of the more rare sightings included moose, great horned owl, swimming turtles, and bald eagle.
There’s a story behind the moose that is personally incredible for us and connected to our past, but let me just say that her appearance not only was pure alignment and magick, but confirmed why I have felt moose to be one of my key totem animals. She is SO much like me.
My experience with the great horned owl was also incredible. Again, almost a miracle I saw him. I woke one morning and as I passed the window in the bedroom I noticed a dark mass in a tree across the way.
I felt immediately this was an owl. I slipped on my tennies while still in my jammies, and made my away across the forest floor to confirm what my heart felt. And there he was, still half asleep, but aware because two magpies had just been yelling loudly at him to leave the area. It was still dimly lit outside, so he peered at me with half moon slit eyes, turning his head toward me to let me know he heard me when I spoke to him.
We then left for the day and upon returning in the evening, hours later, I decided to go look at the tree again. To my surprise he was still there, but now fully awake.
I felt he waited for me to continue our conversation and connecting. He would let me come close and just turned his head with wide eyes to make sure we were directly locking ours together.
He was never bothered by me from start to end. I spoke to him gently and each time thanked him for his sacred presence, message, and gift.
He felt to be much more than an owl and yet even as an owl this creature of the night was a Cosmic gift to me.
The swimming turtles actually surprised me while I was deeply communing with nature and receiving. I heard a noise in the water, then taps under the floating mini dock I was laying on that brought me fully back from melting into everything.
When I peered over I saw a larger and smaller turtle swimming sweetly and then disappeared below.
Not long after, a giant grasshopper whizzed at me and stopped so we could gaze into each other’s eyes.
We also saw a couple of voles run across trails, a fun and spunky little guy that leaped onto a branch like a flying squirrel and then stopped to comically pose for me with a pinecone in his mouth, and one chipmunk in particular caught our attention. While they are not rare at all to see, this one was so deliberate and unafraid. She decided she was going to continue nibbling regardless of our presence and sat a foot away just “being” with us and enjoying her lunch.
She had the most beautiful, thick little chipmunk tail either of us had ever seen and she was like a little character straight out of a novel, come to life – full of sweet personality and completely at peace without the usual twitches, fast movements or breathing. Not long after her another one did similar and let Dave go within inches as he crouched down beside him. He wasn’t as fully calm in embodiment as the first one, but still indicated that he was open to being more of that.
My take away from these two, and in general the animal encounters, was that these beings were waiting for us to meet them in that same curiosity and peaceful presence.
Nature’s invitation is increasingly being extended as a form of support even more so these days. Not only inviting our conscious interaction and understanding, but extending an added effort by way of demonstrating a reflection of humanity that we’ve forgotten.
And while we didn’t see this one, we were told that a mountain lion had come into the neighborhood just a few days after our arrival by our house host. Since mountain lion are so reclusive, it’s not usual to see one, but just feeling that presence at the time we were here meant something to me. Another invitation and messaging to go deeper within and be present to the inner messaging always speaking to us in a variety of ways. I’ve only once seen a mountain lion slinking down the wall of a canyon from the other side in Colorado. That felt like a comfortable physical distance to me. 🙂
I discovered two of the largest wasp nests I’ve ever found – well actually four, but two of them were scattered in pieces – plus a smaller one still attached to a tree limb sitting next to just the top of one of the other two large ones I found that had dropped to the floor.
Although these two nests are big, as you can see by my hand as reference to size, they were still only half of the nests.
They are all abandoned nests that have served their purpose for the season. In fact, I found two dead wasps inside of the one you see above.
I just LOVE nests, whether bird or insect, I find nests and hives so incredible in artistry. I explore the intricacies and sacred geometry of these nests and am fascinated. The inside of these giant ones are just amazing! And I love the honeycomb centers, as well as the tunnel holes in and out.
I also kept seeing an array of enchanting little mushroom worlds everywhere (these are just some of the enchanted little realms I captured). They, too, were hidden across the forest floor and my eye would always find them.
They took me even further within, since these micro worlds direct us into the tiny underworking and value of every little thread to the whole.
Mushrooms have been around for ages and their ancient presence not only shamanically and spiritually have value, but are essential to Earth’s biosphere.
Therefore their wisdom is mighty, although part of the mini worlds you might often overlook. Just like your unique light and presence of being is impactful although you feel you’re just one of billions of humans on earth.
It’s been an incredibly enriching time away and every single moment has been cherished and remembered. This was one of the most magickal times for me – more than I could have imagined it to be. I’m beyond grateful and in many ways awe-struck at what has unfolded, how it has, what it’s put in motion, and feels to be indicating for the road ahead.
Everyday I would have what I called Faery T time, after our full nature days, where I immersed myself in my own little world with nature. On my last day, after having received more gifts and saying my thanks and farewells for everything, Grandfather and Grandmother turkey came to see me off. Every other day it’s always been the flock, but to have the two largest and oldest, alone, meet me was just perfection in every sense of the word “sacred“.
It’s also been meaningful being away during the change of seasons. Not only did we get to immerse in Autumn splendor, but also felt Winter’s breath begin to touch the land.
Temperatures dropped, some rain refreshed everything, and snow kissed the mountain tops. We even had a short fall of sweet hail snow drops coming through sun shiny skies to bid us a magickal farewell.
This apparently was happening back home at the same time, with some needed rain coming in along with Winter snow kisses to follow. Our house sitter sent us a video of our first snow dusting the Forest Portal floor. The fire that once knocked on the door also experienced 98% containment while we were away (the projection has been 10/16 for 100%) and so returning feels like a nearly full refresh from this magick bubble we dipped into the last 11 days that is and always will be dear to my heart.
May we each receive the guidance we desire and that supports the conscious choices that align with our hearts for evolution.
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.
On Wings of Ostara ~ Flying Through the Spring Equinox Gateway of Renewal
Although we still walk through patches of melting snow and ski upon fresh powdered sugar-laced grounds that surround us here in the high mountain altitudes of the Sierra Nevadas, the sunshine illuminates in warm vernal rays, the skies have begun to moisten the forests with cleansing rains mixed with whispers of Jack Frost’s lingering goodbyes, and the Earth is singing in green bursts of celebration.
There are still the morning dawns of ice diamonds upon branches, brisk chills in the Zephyr winds, and snow tracks from burrow to burrow of the snowshoe rabbits turned white. Yet muddy trails emerge for hopeful feet to journey upon lotus promised grounds.
“If there comes a little thaw,
Still the air is chill and raw,
Here and there a patch of snow,
Dirtier than the ground below,
Dribbles down a marshy flood;
Ankle-deep you stick in mud
In the meadows while you sing,
“This is Spring.”
~Christopher Pearce Cranch, A Spring Growl
As we step through the potent Spring Equinox Gateway, I am reminded that Nature reflects to us how to navigate the inner realms by way of surveying Her landscape as our own spiritual terrain.
Ostara is the Goddess of Spring who nurtures the innately rich land and keeps a loving eye on all the sprouting new life emerging from Winter’s blanket. This time of awakening from quiet preparation gets stirred by her fertile spell into inspired action.
She illuminates opportunity and the dawning of a new cycle, where possibility stirs in every new bud of life.
The sensual, soft, and magnetic aspects to the sacred feminine she embodies, also carry powerful creative forces like no other that can give and take away life through birth and rebirth.
This is the access point to the field of potential within the vortex of your heart.
There are many symbols that represent the generative powers of Spring – some of my favorite including the rabbit or hare, butterflies, blossoms, and The Cosmic Egg.
For Winter Solstice I was called to share with your heart, a visual spell from the essence of my spirit and once again I drop into the well of my heart’s depth to bring forth another of my spirit’s emanation. The creative energy of my signature frequency heeds the call to express herself as a form of transformative regeneration to join with the collective’s intentions to create a New Earth experience.
Through our creative energy, we each weave a thread of activation that unites the collective tapestry.
We each embody an energy signature and archetype by birth. My own, from onset of Earthly emergence this life, carries the numerology of the number three when my birthday is broken down simplistically. This is the energy signature of The Empress in Tarot ~ creative abundance and manifestation, unlimited fertile possibility, harmony, love, Earth Mother nurturing and growth, creating beauty, sensual comfort, stability, birthing of new beginnings that constantly recreate themselves, and wholeness from bigger picture Cosmos to smallest Earthly detail.
Synchronously, the qualities of Ostara are found in The Empress. And so it is no wonder I walk this Earth with a rabbit familiar and rabbits have been my soul companions for years – my first appearing when I was twelve years old. It’s also no coincidence that when I first, very consciously, began my spiritual journey and asked to receive the symbol of my life’s work, it came to me as the butterfly.
And ever since each of these first appearances in my life, both have been prolific in presence and uncanny experiences, not to mention have shown up in consistent, guiding ways.
So, when I received the message that I would be sharing another visual spell for this seasonal turn of the Wheel, it became clear I was to embody my birth essence in honor of Ostara and Spring.
My Venus in Aquarius has been speaking very loudly these days and partnered with my inner Empress, the creative expressions you see here are my answer to the Spring nudges, carrying a specific encoded message from heart to heart.
While Astrid would have lovingly danced with me, I decided to let her rest and support me from the comfort of her castle tower overlooking things from her dream state, as she’s already bravely taken on so much this Winter with our journeys. She instead helped choose the pieces to accompany me, including a golden rabbit as her stand-in.
I hope you enjoy this creative expression from my thread of the tapestry and here’s a Spring Equinox Prayer and Ostara Poem to accompany the journey as you flutter softly through our transitioning forest and garden here with me:
The dancing hare foretells the spring,
With fertility and new life this time does bring,
Gay Eostre dances on the earth,
As seeds and flowers come to birth.
Tulips and daffodils come into bloom,
And life sprouts from the Mother Earth’s womb,
Birds lay their eggs now and the light is growing,
Catkins and blossoms on the leaves are showing.
The sun reaches forth with his hand,
To the Maiden of flowers returns to the land,
Their dance brings new balance into our life,
Planting the seeds to overcome strife.
We grow with the flowers and the trees,
Winters gloom banished on a spring breeze.
The joy of new birth enters our hearts,
As we look forward to Beltane’s love.
May this portal of renewal activate your own rebirthing of creative expression, abundant potential, and harmonious, inspired action.
Then What to Their Wondering Eyes Should Appear
This magickal Yuletide rendition of one of the most famous Christmas poems has become a favorite of mine. When it was originally shared with me in 2018 by a sweet friend, I did post it here on my blog. Today, I share it again with all of my friends, new and old, to ignite an extra bit of enchantment to stir in your heart as we edge to the end of 2020. The poem speaks to the spirit of the season and reminds us of its true nature and reason. It’s thought to be written by C.C. Williford.
Since Christmas Eve holds a most wondrous place in my heart and happens to be Joy’s birthday – my rabbit companion now a star in the bright sky – I felt to share it today, accompanied by a visual delight of our seasonal lights and simple, nature-inspired decorations here in our cozy mountain home on the forest. I’m also adding photos of the office and creative space I share with Astrid – however these lights are what enchant our room year-round. Hehe! Astrid and I love having wonder as our daily partner.
Wonder is a dear friend who has been with me through thick and thin. I never ever take for granted an encounter or experience no matter how often it happens. Every time the snow falls is the first time. Every time a squirrel runs by is a tender moment. Every time I see a tree, plant, landscape, way the light hits is always a sacred encounter. Every time I come across another being is a remembrance igniting a new depth of love. May wonder wander through life with you, enchanting each moment with possibility.
TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE YULETIDE
Twas the night before Yuletide and all through the glen
Not a creature was stirring, not a fox, not a hen.
A mantle of snow shone brightly that night
As it lay on the ground, reflecting moonlight.
The faeries were nestled all snug in their trees,
Unmindful of flurries and a chilly north breeze.
The elves and the gnomes were down in their burrows,
Sleeping like babes in their soft earthen furrows.
When low! The earth moved with a thunderous quake,
Causing chairs to fall over and dishes to break.
The Little Folk scrambled to get on their feet
Then raced to the river where they usually meet.
“What happened?” they wondered, they questioned, they probed,
As they shivered in night clothes, some bare-armed, some robed.
“What caused the earth’s shudder? What caused her to shiver?”
They all spoke at once as they stood by the river.
Then what to their wondering eyes should appear
But a shining gold light in the shape of a sphere.
It blinked and it twinkled, it winked like an eye,
Then it flew straight up and was lost in the sky.
Before they could murmur, before they could bustle,
There emerged from the crowd, with a swish and a rustle,
A stately old crone with her hand on a cane,
Resplendent in green with a flowing white mane.
As she passed by them the old crone’s perfume,
Smelling of meadows and flowers abloom,
Made each of the fey folk think of the spring
When the earth wakes from slumber and the birds start to sing.
“My name is Gaia,” the old crone proclaimed
in a voice that at once was both wild and tamed,
“I’ve come to remind you, for you seem to forget,
that Yule is the time of re-birth, and yet…”
“I see no hearth fires, hear no music, no bells,
The air isn’t filled with rich fragrant smells
Of baking and roasting, and simmering stews,
Of cider that’s mulled or other hot brews.”
“There aren’t any children at play in the snow,
Or houses lit up by candles’ glow.
Have you forgotten, my children, the fun
Of celebrating the rebirth of the sun?”
She looked at the fey folk, her eyes going round,
As they shuffled their feet and stared at the ground.
Then she smiled the smile that brings light to the day,
“Come, my children,” she said, “Let’s play.”
They gathered the mistletoe, gathered the holly,
Threw off the drab and drew on the jolly.
They lit a big bonfire, and they danced and they sang.
They brought out the bells and clapped when they rang.
They strung lights on the trees, and bows, oh so merry,
In colors of cranberry, bayberry, cherry.
They built giant snowmen and adorned them with hats,
Then surrounded them with snow birds, and snow cats and bats.
Then just before dawn, at the end of their fest,
Before they went homeward to seek out their rest,
The fey folk they gathered ‘round their favorite oak tree
And welcomed the sun ‘neath the tree’s finery.
They were just reaching home when it suddenly came,
The gold light returned like an arrow-shot flame.
It lit on the tree top where they could see from afar
The golden-like sphere turned into a star.
The old crone just smiled at the beautiful sight,
“Happy Yuletide, my children,” she whispered. “Good night.”
Memories of a Forest
I returned home Tuesday evening from a very nurturing time away, but have been immersed in settling back, completing some projects, and getting a lot of year-end things in place.
Although a second beautiful snow storm was the welcome home here, weather while away saw lots of sunshine and warmth providing my skin with an autumn tan to carry me over through winter.
One of the late afternoon hikes we did, however, took us through this enchanted forest you see pictured throughout this post where a pocket of fall magick awaited, nestled in its own vortex-like zone separate from everything else around.
I shared this little snippet of prose (below) on my Instagram page, but since I’m unable to post anything new yet (hopefully in the next day or two), I thought I’d share it here as well.
I was literally swept away by how the landscape of leaves and scents all around made me feel. The photos don’t do it all justice, but hopefully it might provide you a little bit of the inspiration it did for me.
I literally felt like I was flying on a magick carpet throughout this realm with layers upon layers of floating leaves. The veils were like a magickal web encircling me in a womb of creation. I wonder what was in motion. I guess we’ll see.
Wandering through forests laced with delicate veils of sweet floating leaves suspended in time and nestled in a timeless slumber is pure enchantment.
The landscape felt like a thousand pastel faeries on parade and the scents coddled the heart in warm embrace of memory-laden feelings floating gently in the air.
The nostalgic aroma merged that of an ancient wooden chest of old, eclectic tea leaves with holiday mesquite burning a warming calm in the solar plexus.
Nature is Helping Me to Embody the New
I thought I’d hop on briefly after being away from blogging the last ten days, just to share some of the beauty, special moments, and reflections I’ve experienced during this time. Maybe you’ve felt similar things or this little burst of nature’s inspiration may be exactly the breath of fresh air for you right now. In any event, I hope that you had a beautiful Summer Solstice, however you chose to welcome it in.
I’m still spending most of my time within the inner landscapes, but that is reflected in an increased deepening with nature and immersing even more in her realm.
This mirrors the time we lived in the Magick Bus exploring nature and National Parks for nearly a year and a half when life called me in a new direction. It’s only now that I’m getting what it all meant and where the embodiment of that change was leading.
It’s almost been like getting my feet wet again in body, from what was a resurrection of sorts from the waters of life – actually most literally. I have needed the last couple of years to reacquaint myself with things from a new perspective, which has had me dipping in and out of some things from before, tried out in the now.
Some clothes just haven’t fit, either feeling too tight or too loose – meaning they were still too tied in with the past and the energy I had completed, or they were so new that I wasn’t sure how I felt about them and hence all the extra room to explore.
It’s been a time of allowing what ever wants to move through, letting go of to-do’s, and softening the reflections so that even my process with things doesn’t mirror how I used to process stuff. Life is a soft and gentle focus now. In this way, not only will what ever the new is that comes through be different than before, but the journey will be too.
I find it important for me that nothing mirrors the past, although can weave in the possibilities it held.
It still feels very fresh and I’m only beginning to immerse, as last week was more about the surrender, continued nurturing, and letting nature guide me.
So, with Solstice ringing in Summer, there’s been a ton of outdoor activity. It started Wednesday of last week while we explored a new hike to Cascade Falls – a shorter one, but climbs technically quite a bit. That felt invigorating and perfect for allowing the flow just like the gushes of water cascading down the mountain. Both the climb and the being with the water were perfect metaphors for things.
That same day we went to Baldwin Beach – another new beach for us. There, a mother duck and her seven ducklings visited and after they explored the higher activity of people down a ways from us, they came to rest in peace in front of our umbrella. Another beautiful reflection.
Thursday was a very special day – the two year anniversary of Astrid’s coming home to me at the gateway of Solstice. That’s what these first three photos celebrate. Since Astrid is such a huge part of this new life journey for me, I felt it important to capture some beautiful moments between us in the forest portal backyard of our house.
She was a surprise to me, but as I navigate this next part of my life, Astrid is my greatest guide. Where I have no example for the new I reinvent, she emulates the potential I most admire.
I love this photo below where she and I look merged as one – almost creating a Yin/Yang effect in how her body curves into mine.
Solstice is a very special time of the year for me ever since three years ago my beloved bunny, Joy, transitioned through its portal on that day in a place very dear to me – Montana. She and Astrid came from the same rabbit rescue and I feel that their entering and exiting at this gateway is significant.
The Mayans celebrated Solstice for spiritual initiation and change, creating ceremony to be in harmony with the Earth and Cosmic energies.
I remember the words from my dear shaman friend Amaru in Peru, “Nokan Inti Kani” – meaning “I am the Sun.”
Solstice extends an invitation to join the Sun’s energy and connect with your Higher Self, follow inspiration and dreams, and tune inside to the alchemy of “as within, so without.”
I find nature to be that gateway for me, as are my rabbit companions, and the Cosmos.
The Solstice gateway gifted me this beautiful golden hawk feather that I’m so grateful for.
So every day since Wednesday, nature time increased with tons of mountain biking, hiking, and beach time, as well as late afternoon/evening gardening time upon returning home from the physical activity.
To say I slept well is an understatement, as the deepening into body and moving a lot of energy in a grounding way was both nourishing and took me through cycles of decharge and recharge.
Solstice saw us in Squaw Valley where I enjoyed an intentional walk in the gorgeous meadows by myself anchoring in that new while Dave enjoyed his last day of skiing on the first day of Summer. You’ll see photos below of how beautiful this area is, reminding me of both the Swiss Alps (where I haven’t yet been, but seen photos of) and adored Iceland, as well as my favorite spots in Montana.
Seventeen miles of biking along the Truckee River that day was a way to move the energy and flow like the river.
Twenty two miles of biking the next day continued moving that energy along more gorgeous vistas.
All the while during each ride, allowing visions, thoughts, and feelings to flow, as my body did the integrating.
Two back-to-back hikes to different lakes Sunday followed by a vegan potluck picnic provided continued anchoring and as I said, each day I’d come home and plop myself in the garden planting perennials to create a low maintenance, inspiring, and beautiful backdrop that blends wild with a little intention.
I promised the Faeries of the land many things when moving here and I’m happy to create a special sanctuary for them to play in.
I’ll share more of the front and side gardens, as things blossom, but for now here are my beautiful Portulaca blooms that I adore!
The forest out back is in early stages of bloom, but as you can see they are already creating a welcome carpet to our home for the Faeries.
I just love how the wildflowers are blooming with joy everywhere – and it’s just the beginning. They feel like a love spell on my heart.
And as you can see from the below photos of Squaw Valley meadows, the Truckee River, and Cascade Falls, there’s been an abundance of inspiration all around from Mother Earth – the best nurturer there is.
As mentioned, I’m just beginning to immerse into a new realm of exploration within, so all of these good nature vibes are very nurturing to the vulnerable parts feeling safe to come through.
Because I feel that I haven’t much example to draw upon for that new, I feel nature provides me the best template and reflection for the journey.
Cultivating the garden is also very supportive, as my heart guides its creation in reflection of me as well – mostly wild, with woven threads of cultivated pockets that create synergy and harmony.
This last Wednesday I went to my third meditation group meeting that ended in a lovely picnic dinner at the beach with everyone who joined, however I feel it will likely be my last time going (at least for now) because I’m clear my work at home is more aligned for me at this time. I did leave the group with a few book recommendations to help with the “self love” topic, so they at least have some tools for any exploration they may decide to embark on past this month’s theme.
I feel called to explore on my own for now, dipping in and out when the moment calls.
The good news is (at least to me), I feel like I’m in greater alignment with the new path I’m creating than I was before. Remember I mentioned those clothes that felt too tight or too big and loose?
Energetically the ones that felt too big are now taking root and feeling more like home.
And on the literal, tangible level, the continued cleansing of, and weeding through, my closet leaves me with what feels to be the perfect essence of a place I now feel comfortable in heading to.
What’s fascinating is that the five Portal Paintings that found their new home, only just departed from Nevada on the Solstice – Yes! The Solstice of all days! Talk about divine alignment. Even though I dropped them off a week and a half earlier, they didn’t get crated and shipped out until then and so that also feels reflective of this anchoring in and clarity beginning.
The whole wild journey to get them to that point has mirrored so much of the changes I’m going through.
I’m excited for them to arrive in their new home across the country in Athens, Georgia with their amazing co-guardian where they will be open to anyone who wants to visit and meditate/work with them. This new home is being created into a form of a mini healing center welcome to people wanting to immerse in a conscious journey. As things evolve with that, I’ll keep you posted. It’s a way that people can experience them and more, and if at some point they are ready to journey on, they will be available via that portal.
I leave you now to return to my garden so I can complete the last planting I didn’t get a chance to finish yet. It feels integral to the next phase beginning.
What I love is that although the future is unknown and the vision is yet to be seen of how things look, the journey is so much more gentle and peaceful. There are those ebbs and flows, but it’s all naturally unfolding if I listen, allow, honor, and observe.
Do you experience reflections in your life that mirror the changes you’re going through?
My guess is we all do and if we stop to observe things, we’ll see it and make those connections.
If not, how might you create intention around something – like a project, gardening, etc. – to embody the potential you’re being guided to?
It will be interesting to see where the journey leads all of us.
Monday Musings ~ The Writer’s Corner: Earth Day Thoughts
Happy Earth Day!
On days like today, when a day of celebration comes into the awareness of many, it is a reminder of the power that unification can be and helps drive home the message that integration is our means to wholeness, from the inside out.
We are all connected and our living, breathing Earth beats to the same rhythm of our hearts, as does the life force energy in everything embodies a consciousness that Universally has no boundary.
Yes, “be the change that you wish to see in the world.”
Truly embody that change daily, walk the walk, and watch the ripple effect that inevitably follows.
Open your heart to receive and to give to yourself so that you may give to and receive more fully from others.
This includes gifts of abundance on all levels, being able to hear and compassionately respond to each other, and even to be able to receive and hear the Earth and Cosmos in totality when they resonate their tones and frequencies that take our presence and consistent awareness to hear.
Celebrating Universal connection and exercising the power of integrative healing is a moment to moment, integral experience that is invaluable to practice on this beautiful Earth Day and beyond.
Remember who you are 💚
I shared this post on my social media pages, but know that not every one of my friends is on those platforms, so I’m sharing it here for you as well.
I plan to spend a portion of today out in nature – most importantly, writing a little, wrapping orders with love, and sharing a Reiki Healing Attunement for the Earth collective.
What are your plans?
Astrid has been extra excited and “hoppy” the last two days, with Easter and Earth Day following one another. She’s been racing around and playing with much spunk! I love it and she reminds us all to embrace and be present to that innocence within and experience life directly and clearly as it is in the delight of this moment.
She’s excited mom’s been anchoring in and getting serious about finishing our book. Many twists and turns down the rabbit hole have brought us back to center with it.
Writing is quite a journey – likely the most challenging and growth-oriented one to date for me. I thought teaching was a big deal to embrace, but I’ve come to find writing asks something new and different of me, and so I know why Astrid is here with me now to support that journey.
She’s also so grateful to everyone who’s been helping to raise funds for her bunny collective. THANK YOU SO MUCH!
We’ve now raised $256 between auctions and 10% proceeds from sale. Let’s see if we can get to $300 for the bunnies – beautiful grounded embodiments and stewards of our Earth Mother.
The 30% off Easter Sale ends today.
We have items starting as low as $13.96 for prints and greeting cards, mini rabbit gardens as low as $30.76 and the rest including remaining Magick Rabbit talisman necklaces at huge discount that feature flowers galore, mermaid rabbits, Atlantean/Egyptian, dream/creativity, love, desert Moon, and star vibes. We’ve received some amazing reviews via Instagram on how the energies of these have helped their wearers return balance and peace immediately when under stress! In essence, they felt a return to their essence and center. I LOVE THAT!
Everything in our shop is all available at incredible prices that include FREE shipping in the U.S.
We have some great items to celebrate Earth Day too like Gaia’s Children and other “garden of life” delights. And of course bunnies galore.
If you’ve been eyeing something now’s a great opportunity to bring it home.
https://www.etsy.com/shop/TheMagickRabbit
Wishing you a beautiful Earth Day with a reminder that Earth Day is everyday, as long as she is your home. Take care of her and she’ll take care of you.
Earth Day, Bones & Other Dimensions
It was a beautifully immersive Nature weekend here and the weather aligned perfectly making Earth Day and the time surrounding it, to be one of gardening fun for me. It also continued to add to the powerful experiences happening lately in both waking and dream life – a bit more on that below. So spending most of the weekend outdoors between hiking, enjoying our new outdoor furniture we just set up, getting my hands in the soil planting, being barefoot, and even spending hours in my bathing suit, really was balancing.
We want to keep our yard low maintenance, so we plan to just have it cleaned up, getting our sprinkler system up and running again, and basically that’s it at this time. We do still want to create a labyrinth, but I think that will evolve in aligned time, as I don’t see it being something we just quickly throw together.
In the meantime, I get to enjoy the daffodil and iris bulbs I planted in Fall AND the tons of bulbs I discovered around the perimeter of the backyard this weekend that seem to also be daffodils.
Apparently the previous owner planted these, so I’ll have lots of blooms (to add to my first you see here) without the work each year and soon all of the trees and bushes will also be blooming and producing berries, so between all of that and the forest, I feel fulfilled.
The only time I want to devote to anything will be with my Garden Tower, but even it is an experiment, as the weather and seasons are far different from California where my other tower was a success and seeds were easy. So it will be a daily intuitive process, as even still we have frost nights and can get surprise weather. I’ve taken the steps for that already (which I utilized last night), and for the critters galore we have, but I’m just going to feel it out, learn on my own, enjoy the journey, and see what magick might happen. I’ll do my best, but don’t have intention to force anything, nor try things more than once. So we’ll see how it all goes. For now, it’s fun and easy and either way, is incredibly rewarding – especially to nurture goodness I’ll get to share with Astrid for her first home-grown experience.
I decided to put my seedling plants in pots for now until they’re stronger and bigger, but wanted to get going in case they don’t get big enough. If they continue strong I’ll either get larger pots or transplant them in the tower if room becomes available. I have veggies and herbs growing on the tower and then in pots I have strawberries, two variety of mint, and basil (I’ll share them another time as I forgot to snap photos). Other than that, my plants are all low maintenance indoor ones (all thriving too!) with a couple versatile indoor/outdoor plants. Just enough to keep this faery happy.
And that takes me back to the powerful experiences lately including some synchronous events that have happened since receiving and wearing a new necklace from a very magickal and eco-friendly artisan in Colorado. It’s a potent turquoise, Tibetan bead, and ethically sourced python vertebrae bone (from natural cycle of life) necklace.
After receiving it I found a smaller vertebrae bone in the forest on one of our hikes.
And yesterday, I felt it was perfect to wear for Earth Day, and this day I found a shell in the forest on our hike, which was odd, and later I saw a white owl flying with my mom while my parents were visiting, just ahead of our back deck that landed in a tree a little less than a quarter of a mile ahead.
I felt compelled to go see if I could find it and set course on my own for the tree I saw it land in. As I approached, the energy shifted greatly and felt very other-dimensional. I did not find the owl that now seemed to disappear, but I did find a strange and much larger bone that was older and porous, right near where the owl should have been.
It might be another vertebrae, although it would be from a very large animal. I’m not sure, but this along with strange events lately, all point to a shift and cosmic activity.
Owls are usually connected with extraterrestrial energy, sightings, experiences, etc. and white owls especially. Actually, come to think of it….these sightings, findings, and experiences all point to dreams I’ve shared as blog posts before that included one on White Owl, White Conch, and perhaps even the White Jaguar one plus encounters and death energy experiences on our RV adventure. Recent discussions have even pointed to everything I experienced two+ years ago where things were headed on a different trajectory at the time that would have placed me elsewhere.
Anyway, this more recent stuff, added to the night stuff I’ve been experiencing, all points to heightened activity again and a splitting of veils to alternate realities.
Dreams have been prophetic and high in telepathic/psychic energy, as well as providing access to parallel realities and inter-dimensional activity happening all around me where what is thought to be reality is merging with all the usually unseen ones that are becoming easily accessible now. I wake from feeling awake and experiencing a lot of activity in our home and around us that is wild. Both realities feeling as real as the other and not able to discern sometimes.
This happens on my hikes at times too, where my mind is going to very expansive and transcendent thoughts that suddenly feel like a rip in the matrix and where I’m suspended and almost floating because I crack the code.
Many of you are likely experiencing these time-line merges and openings, alongside your own version of awakenings and significant insights that point to a pivotal transformation underway. Even my tailbone speaks to some energy activation underway.
In any case, Earth Day was immersive in more than one way and a new week points to new directions unfolding.
Tania Marie 