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Ask Astrid Fridays ~ The Rabbit’s Corner: Spiraling Through the Next Door
Today’s message from Astrid is a bit delayed, as it felt to be something that needed time to percolate and is deeper than even the two of us can express in words. So, instead of my usual morning blog time, Astrid encouraged me to go skiing while she felt into things and I cleared my head while getting some exercise before the next storm hits later today through the weekend.
And that’s just what Astrid seems to be picking up on and wanting to share about…..how your journey may at times seem relentless with one storm after another hitting, either in cycles or out of the blue.
She knows how things can seem hopeless or like you’re running in circles sometimes (and not the fun zipping around in binky-infused circles that rabbits do), but a lot of this can be compounded by the fact that you may be attached to ideas about how things “should” look or you give up just before the breakthrough.
And then there are things to be aware of that may be running the show, like what natal energies and propulsion you were born with – in essence the gifts of this life’s expression.
This is where the journey becomes very individual, as while we share collective themes, each person has their own deck of cards they’ve been dealt in terms of expressions chosen to experience, genetics running through your veins and DNA, and deep-seeded belief systems that have followed your family history – both birth family and collective family.
It can get tricky and sticky when focused on repatterning and breaking forth to blaze a new trail.
And while doing so, you will likely lose sight of the journey because the goal or the pain becomes the focus.
Astrid feels like although this isn’t a new message, it is one so many continue to struggle with and so she wants to come at it from as many angles as possible to assist the process.
Some things just feel really hard and almost like you can’t get a handle on them or understand why they aren’t moving, or moving as fast as you’d like.
These are the core challenges that run the show and ask of us to look so much further than mentalizing, or shuffling things around on the surface.
Once again, you will find the most challenging pieces to be locked within the recesses of your deepest emotions, placed there by a belief system you may only have recently become aware of running the show.
Astrid carries the same within her. Although she has made leaps and bounds, and is much more than who she appears to be, she knows that a whole bloodline of rabbit history is running through her bunny veins and patterns of prey-like mentality is deeply rooted in her DNA.
So, although she is breaking free of much of the triggers she experienced since birth in this life, she has devoted her life to transforming the collective rabbit experience and especially their relationship with humans.
She tells me that, like me, she has a unique set of energies that will aid this process, but that also create road blocks, as a means of forging massive reminders and breakthroughs when she unwraps their gifts.
Astrid gives me a wink, as I put two-and-two together.
I’m beginning to see where she’s going with this, as I’ve recently been very focused on one of my own natal placements that runs a lot of the show for me – in essence is a missing link.
The energies of having Mars in my First House is enough to handle, but having so much Capricorn energy there and accompanying it has been an interesting journey.
One energy wants at it, and the other would like to restrict it.
It boils down to action with purpose, as the productive use of it.
Sounds simple, and yet, you can imagine there would be a whole gamut of pendulum swings in one way or another, to get there.
Not to mention, having Mars in the First House as a woman, let alone a woman in my family, is simply a whole other thing.
I haven’t had any role model for what this looks like and so I have had a lifelong journey to figure it out, which includes unraveling what’s at the heart of restrictions before even being able to utilize it and thrive, as it’s set up to be.
“You and I are so much alike,” Astrid shares. “We both innately have a lot of energy within us to express, but through our sensitivities and paths, we both lived very restrictively because life, our families, the world…haven’t been ready yet. We learned to survive before we could know how to thrive. It is like this for so many. Collective shifts are just that….collective. We can do our parts, but we mustn’t be too hard on ourselves, as we do not act alone. Every piece is a thread of the whole tapestry and while we may appear to be painstakingly working on one little area of it for ages, it is undoubtedly weaving the full image together. Yet, we need the other threads. Some of them belong to others, and some of them are the interwoven parts of our own thread. It really is a masterpiece when you look at it this way, but feels like the stuff you throw out in the litter box when you’re in the middle of it.”
“That it does,” I reply with a giggle. “And is why I have worked at creating peace and greater joy around all aspects of my life, as best I can, so that the pieces that might take longer and involve deeper exploring, do not get the best of me.”
“I’ve noticed how you do that and how each time you’ve spiraled back around to get at another layer, you create a new version and path to greater assist the process. It may seem like you run circles, but you’re actually on a different level of the spiral with each new invention,” Astrid adds.
“I hadn’t thought about that, but now that you say it, I can see exactly what you’ve described. It does seem that with each piece I understand more, I find a better approach…”
“Or more currently aligned place,” Astrid interjects.
“Yes, you’re right,” I answer.
“The process seems to be that you try out different doors each time, but only if you have the right key can one open. And if the guardian of the door knows you’re coming and what you’re about to use to attempt opening it, they will find a stronger lock to keep it shut. So, by trying different versions, or going about it at different angles – softening here, innovating there…you can be in more harmony with them and find doors open more easily,” Astrid adds.
“We’re creative beings after all, so it seems part of our time here seems to be about imagining all the different possibilities and potentials, being curious, and finding the alchemy of each puzzle,” I say.
“Exactly my thoughts, dear friend,” Astrid says, “And this is why you and I are so good together. We are birds of a feather, as they say. Always exploring what has yet to be discovered and although it might hurt when a door closes, we brush ourselves off and try the next.”
~ Today has been full and so I was only able to sit for moments here and there to write this message. After several hours away from it I’m returning to end it here and send as is since we want the message to go out. Astrid and I are moving through something right now that came up before I was able to finish this post of hers. I’ll update you with things in the days to come. Her words and message have had deep impact.
Whimsical Wednesdays ~ The Artist’s Corner: The Art of Living
From the red rocks of Sedona to the white wonderland of Tahoe, I sit here surrounded by winter blankets of snow swathing the Forest Portal of our home.
We arrived back Monday evening, still vibrating in the energy of the Full Moon Lunar Eclipse – also a Super Blood Wolf Moon – and I’m just now fully integrating back in time for today’s Whimsical Wednesdays share from the Artist’s Corner.
We were away between Friday 1/11 and Monday 1/21, enjoying quite a full vacation and igniting of the new for 2019. Since we were driving, we decided on a stop-over in Las Vegas the first night to break up the drive – only exploring out for delicious comfort vegan food at The Modern Vegan for both dinner and early brunch, but the rest of our time was spent in the magick of Sedona’s high vibes.
We spent several days on our own anchoring in the energies, as Sedona welcomed us back, and then the rest of the time was with dear friends who all journeyed there from both the Grand Canyon and Tahoe to reunite.
I also had the chance to connect with two sweet friends that live in the area, we set intentions and sent out prayers from the Peace Garden two separate mornings, and of course we sampled all the great vegan eats and some new finds!
Every day was filled with tons of outdoor fun and exercise that tallied up to 60+ trail miles we ventured on foot and bike in 8 days – although I only went mountain biking once and Dave went three times making his mileage come to 74.
We thought it would be fun to see just how much adventure our feet take us on. 🙂
Unlike past blogs, I won’t be recounting our entire trip, but instead will be focusing on how Sedona was actually the birthing of my art and the “art of living” for me.
If you’d like to see a full photo journaling of the adventure, you can find all the beauty and adventure at my Instagram page here, even if you’re not on Instagram:
TaniaMarieArtist – (If you see two overlapping white squares in the right hand corner of a photo it means there are several photos to each post. You can click on them and then click the arrows to venture through)
It was interesting that our friends asked me about my time in Sedona, having me recount the evolution of my experiences with her energy since the beginning.
Although I now experience flow, joy, and tons of nature immersion, it wasn’t that way at start. Her powerful vortexes asked of me to dig deep, purge, cleanse, heal, and strip away everything I knew how to on a daily intensive that lasted for nearly two years. My journeys then were journeys into the inner sanctum of my heart and I only ventured out on small occasion to walk or drive somewhere where I could meditate, anchor in the work I’d done, set intentions, and receive insight for what was next. Other than that, I had no contact with anyone and in fact, had made a clean break from the life I had before.
I can share more another time, but it was very intense and hard work.
It also opened the door to my artistic journey I’m on now.
Although I drew nearly all of my life up until that moment, for joy and only once for actual pay, it wasn’t until I started uncovering layers within myself that I decided to purchase some oil paints, canvas, and start truly painting for the very first time in my life while on this inner journey living in Sedona.
It didn’t happen right away, but the more I released and healed, the more I felt the call to express myself on canvas.
The first painting I created was for my parents – it was an oil painting of Venice they have in their living room today – an image I replicated from their travels there. I just jumped right in, as if I’d been painting all of my life, but in actuality I was simply moving the energy that I had released from within that echoed of my lives on this earth and the artist within me that had always been there.
Upon completion of this painting, I then created some symbolic paintings that seemed to echo not only the healing and insights I’d received, but the messages of empowerment and transformation that were taking place.
I also created a few charcoal pencil portraits of my grandparents and others.
In essence I was tapping into the well of creative energy as a form of communicating what was within me and channeling through me, while also adding layers of healing that aided the work I was doing – giving myself therapy on every level imaginable and with every tool available that I knew of and was learning along the way.
My art became a form of self expression, much as this Super Full Moon in Leo has beckoned forth from us all – to shine like the light that you are and to birth new creative things from the power within that you embody innately.
It was in Sedona when this creative birthing took place, that I knew art or creative expression was an important part of who I am and what I needed as the breath of life to bring through.
And since, I’ve continued to channel creativity, as it flows through me in its many forms of expression that shift as I do.
It is also then that I realized life could be lived as a form of art and how the “art of living” started to manifest as my way of life – everything seen as a way to create beauty and inspiration, as well as to paint my way through experiences and weave the story I wanted to tell with different strokes of colors and feelings that reflected my essence.
From then on, even though I would still have more layers to journey through, I lived much more presently and with intention.
Sedona helped bring me back to the core of who I am and it was up to me how I wanted to paint the rest of my journey from the heart.
So while my first encounter with Sedona was intense, there has always been a love affair with her energies, knowing she supported exactly what I needed. Since that time, every trip thereafter has been softer and more joyous, flowing, and activating, igniting major shifts and leaps at just the precisely aligned moments.
I was always a willing partner to her dance, but I’m no longer struggling to keep up.
Creativity continues to ooze from each encounter with her and greater inspiration comes forth, providing me choices and new possibilities.
This trip was no exception, as I found myself not only receiving inspiration on the new, fun images I’ll be creating next, but also found myself dancing with yet another potential timeline I hadn’t entertained before.
I didn’t know until the trip was approaching that we’d be there for this powerful Full Moon Eclipse.
Perhaps many of you also felt its potency and like something has shifted and/or released. It seems as though things are moving forward and receiving a green light, after a thoughtful pause for a bit.
I shared this with a dear friend about my experience with it:
The eclipse was a powerful experience, although gentle too. We actually had opportunity to watch half of it with an astronomer and telescope, which was very cool to see it so clear and close. It was very clear in the evening and then a thin veil of clouds emerged, which made it symbolic, to me. It did not affect viewing, but I could tell there was still a very thin veil – so as if those layers are very close to full reveal collectively soon. The astronomer had about 4 telescopes set up and we could see star clusters as well, like the Pleiades. We left to go back to our Airbnb home because we had to pack and leave very early the next day for the long drive home, so I watched the second half there. The house was perfectly situated with the moon right in front of the main sliding door and windows and patio, so I watched the whole thing. It was very moving because at the same time I got word that a favorite bunny of mine (that I’ve followed on Instagram for a while) had passed right as the eclipse was darkening. I saw that he’d become ill earlier that day and I had a feeling something might happen. It was very potent to say the least, and being that he reminds me of my male bunny, Cosmo, because they had the same exact special needs and the same unconditionally loving demeanor and expressions, it hit me hard. It was quite something that this bunny, Flynn, had chosen such a powerful portal just like my bunnies Cosmo and Joy had, to depart – one on Samhain and the other on Summer Solstice Full Moon. It wasn’t random and it just clicked in a bunch of things, as well as felt like a big shift. Very heart opening and moving. So, it did ignite some memories, but also a seed of new. A lot through the bunnies, but deeper levels. I’m not sure as of yet what the new entails, but that it is a seedling awaiting choices that can ignite new timelines.
Something very profound hit me while watching the eclipse, which I haven’t felt in the past with other ones. It was special and sacred to come through rabbits, whom I hold most dear and reflective for me and my life. They, too, symbolize creative abundance and fertile impetus for the new. The Moon, of course, has a large rabbit on it. 😉
I received a big hit to my heart and core of what is a must for me to do right now.
The rest is a story yet to unfold, but will do so as I support this creative expression to live as the art of me – my creative contribution to the new beauty we’re weaving together as a collective.
New Etsy Shop Update:
Originally there was intention to start a Giveaway this past Monday 1/21, but with travels and such things shifted and Astrid has chosen this Friday 1/25 to begin the Giveaway instead. This will take place on Instagram.
There’s potential of things shifting with the shop launch date, which is set for Friday 2/1, but for now it’s still that date. I will be checking in with Astrid and my other star bunnies, as the days unfold here. I have a lot to prepare for the launch, and two items have been delayed until the 8th or sooner due to an office move my printer is undergoing.
I always trust my rabbit familiars with their impeccable and keen navigation, so I’ll defer to them if they want us to go ahead and launch on 2/1 with most of the items, adding the two later that first week of February. (Laura mentioned that the Lunar New Year is not until the 5th and the 8th the Moon enters Aries, so who knows what the bunnies have up their thumpers!)
Or, if we’ll just launch everything together when I know they will all be ready.
Either way, it’s coming up very soon and I have lots to prepare. So I’m off!
It was a wonderful trip away and I’m also happy to be back. I hope you all had a great week and that the energy of this Full Moon Eclipse has ignited a creative transformation within you too.
November Energy Update 2018 with Lee Harris: MAGIC, FEMININE ENERGY RISING AND REVIEW TIMES
A little mid-blog series break to share Lee’s November Energy Update with you all because I know how much many of you also resonate with his messages and find them confirming, comforting, enlightening, and inspiring. We’ll back to the end-of-the-week third part of the series tomorrow with Ask Astrid Fridays – The Rabbit’s Corner.
Do you find yourself reviewing, revisiting, and remembering “past” things a lot and quickly these days?
Lee shares that this is happening because we’re engaging the process of changing our patterns and clearing things out so much. November is elevating the energy, which can quickly lift us into a new alignment and flow, but can also create more challenges in the stuck areas of life to bring greater awareness because they don’t serve you anymore.
The giving and receiving balance is high on the radar this month, as well, to even out which end you may have been doing more or had challenge with more. Boundaries around this may be showing up on either end of where you do too much and not enough of the other.
It’s a time of taking in the moment and being present with the gifts we may be overlooking.
Yes, feminine energy is rising and coming more alive in value, which points to speaking your truth with a warming fire of fierce nurturing and courage you haven’t had before. This makes for better communication on the receiving and expressing end.
And yay, magic on a high! And it’s grounded magic now that is manifesting because of the balancing dance we’re engaging.
Here’s Lee to expound on all of these points some more.
The One Thing I Know
The one thing I know is that if ever I’ve felt alone, Nature assured me I had more friends than I could count.
Every bit of magick I believed in and experienced, She whispered reiteration of to me.
Every question I couldn’t understand, She unraveled the simple mystery of before me.
Every Cosmic connection I referenced that met with rolled eyes elsewhere, She clarified with no need to defend.
If lost, Nature reflects the Harmony that always Is.
Autumn Reflections
Welcome September! The change of seasons has been slowly descending upon the land, casting a warm, golden glow, as the light shifts daily. There’s been a lovely crispness in the air with chilly evenings enveloping us here with thoughts of cozy fires, nostalgic aromas, and the turning of leaves. All of this inspiring new waves of energy, ideas, and visions to bring through a burst of freshness.
Have you been feeling the transitioning of seasons too?
We are still about three weeks away from the Equinox, but preparations have begun.
Here at the Forest Portal I’ve immersed in Autumnal things including baking and cooking yesterday and this morning for guests arriving this evening for Labor Day weekend. I made root veggie-based curry and enchiladas, as well as two Dutch cocoa, cacao, coffee, walnut orange-infused bundt cakes (one simply the chocolate and coffee blend and the other with the added fun).
I’ve been listening to inspiration on some new upcoming small paintings and surrendering my novel writing to allow guidance for fresh ideas to come while I prepare for another cycle of devoted work and cocooning again soon.
I also completed my cosmic shamanic staff for the upcoming Fall Equinox “Living a Magickal Life workshop and gathering event. (There is just two weeks left to grab the remaining spot for this – 9/15 is the last day to register) But wow! Is all I can say. I’ve never made anything like this and how it all came together and the result is more than I could have imagined. It’s definitely the portal opening staff I knew I was meant to create.
That happened on Thursday and the same evening was our last Music on the Beach event of the Summer where I saw the biggest shooting star I’ve ever seen, in slow motion move across the sky and then plummet behind the mountains on the other side of the lake. No on else saw it. The cosmic influences are strong lately and I’ve been immersed in meditational expansions to assist these shifts.
And on the more mundane level, but equally potent, I’ve been doing a huge closet purge and revamp, which I’m trying to finish today, gave Wonderland a full cleaning and have welcomed in new energies to help enchant the shared creative space with Astrid for our upcoming hunkering down with writing again come October 1st.
Dave and I also signed up to begin a new wellness program on October 2nd based here at the new state-of-the-art athletic training center here in Tahoe. Something very not my usual thing, but the uniqueness of this program coupled with my shifts and feeling well being at the forefront of things while I move forward into a soulfully challenging next phase, all made it very clear, intuitively, that this was the next step.
We’re both healthy (in fact as a full-circle and reset button I had my first yearly wellness, full physical and blood work done in over 20 years just recently – all normal) and do a lot of outdoor things, but this will help up the game for us and continue assisting Dave with rehabilitation from his surgery to get back out there in peak condition for skiing.
They cater to all levels of fitness and rehab needs through internationally acclaimed performance coaching to help maximize athletic performance for athletes or active, recreational lifestyles for outdoor living – hiking, biking, skiing, kayaking, etc. So, we’re pretty excited about that since not only do their experts help with balance of coordination and conditioning, but there are classes you can attend alongside your training.
So that will be interesting and great. Only other thing I’ve ever done in any similar fashion was when I was 21-23 and trained hardcore with a personal trainer and then on my own at a regular gym.
This is completely different.
I’ve since been on my own flowing wavelength of wellness and now incorporating a very supportive, flowing, but skilled level of conditioning, which mirrors a new path I’m on in general with all the new. Very nurturing, expanding, strengthening, and taking things to a different level.
I always like to see the synergy at work with what shows up through choices and alignments.
Anyway, recently since Wednesday there’s been some kind of time warp or timeline shift, as I’ve experienced being a day ahead of the day at hand. Apparently, I wasn’t the only one, as Laura shared the same thing happening to her at the same time.
Even Astrid has been in a mode of digging lately so I’m looking into creating her own digging box so she doesn’t need to dig out the crystals in the fireplace or the kitty litter box. The digging deeper metaphor is resonant.
She’s also gone through fur shedding again, revealing so many complex images and symbols, including a lot of hearts showing up and things that looked like rebirthing reflections. This “skin” shedding metaphor appearing once again.
Which reminds me of one of last night’s potent dreams that involved a rabbit and a snake. The end result was the snake bit my right hand on the bottom side of the palm very deliberately and without fear on my part. In fact, so much without fear that I was not wanting medical attention regardless of there being potential it might be poisonous. It was unsure in the dream if the snake was poisonous or not, but I was not jumping at caring about treating it.
Definite transformational energy in motion and seems I want to immerse in the venomous juices of that with all of me.
This is about the third time I’ve dreamed of a snake/s biting me – all at very pivotal points on my journey.
All this to say, Autumn shifts are settling in and I’m finding the effects in my life to be very positive and expansive in potentials.
This reminds me of these words I’ve shared before, but feel inspired to share again:
There is indeed a continuum of increasing shifts and transitions taking place for everyone on so many levels, which brings us yet again to approaching another seasonal transformation, both within and without.
Yes, Autumn is closing in upon us, and that heads us toward a period of less “light out there” so that we find the source of true “light in here” – within you. This is a time to make friends with your own inner darkness and nurturing it, as this engaged healing integration is vital for soul growth.
Nature reminds us that we need to relinquish the need to hold on tightly with fear and to trust in the process – to allow ourselves to have everything we thought we knew about ourselves to be stripped away, only to discover a greater truth to our authenticity beneath the temporary structures.
And in the process you’ll discover the only thing that is eternal is the core essence of who you are beneath the temporal layers. You learn then that the rest isn’t as serious as you make it and is simply part of the journey to that core.
We let go, just as the trees effortlessly allow their leaves to shift colors and float off in the wind. We embrace the only permanence, which is change. And we take grateful stock of what we do have, while preparing for a new birthing that will be incubating during the symbolic stillness.
Seasonal transitions mirror the evolution of human consciousness and the dynamic shifts of life cycles.
The eternal cycles of birth and death, creation and destruction – all teach you the wisdom of harmonic co-existence. One thing does not exist without the other and through each you learn of your wholeness and cultivate courage and endurance to face that which is over, the past, the old – what must die within you – and trust in the abundant gifts that will come with the embrace of that release.
You become a conscious and active partner in the rebirthing process, as you walk through the flames of destruction with grace.
I leave you with this image. I wish I knew who the artist is, but it is an image a friend once sent me and it feels so perfectly reflective of what I feel and sense all around this time period.
May all possibilities be open to you.
Refreshing Life & Moving Energy ~ Crystals for the New & More
In the secret garden of my dreams and imagination, many visions are growing, blossoming, and in some ways just now seeding for creative manifestation, although much more singular-focused than my past has journeyed through. It’s exciting to begin fresh and listen to the song of my heart. I imagine many of you are feeling that bubbling thrill of possibilities ahead of you and likely are also recreating your life in ways that align with and help draw in more of that reality you envision.
In the midst of this shift from old to new, I’ve found myself redecorating, planting new succulents, gridding my space with anchoring energies, and moving things around in my Wonderland office to reflect the shifting energies, as well as to create the optimal environment that will support, nurture, and inspire the many hours, days, and months ahead that I will be channeling creatively here.
Some energies have assisted with getting where I am now, but have come to the end of their road as well. While others continue to be life-long partners or still have more work to do with me and Astrid.
Do you find yourself always refreshing things in your work and living space? You may also do this with other or all areas of your life. I know I do because it helps when we are matching the frequency of what we’re drawing into our experience, just as a magnet easily brings to it the same.
If not and you’re feeling stuck, unclear, or uninspired, try moving things around, painting a wall a different color, bringing more light into a room, or adding a little something fresh – even a vase of flowers, a new plant, or a small piece of art that speaks to you can make a difference.
I find the same goes for clothes, where I either move things out when I go through big changes, or I get inspired to mix and match in new ways.
Life is definitely a work of art to me that I paint new everyday and flowing with those creative energies that cycle through has been one of the most supportive things I find that really helps keep things invigorated and cultivates clarity and alignment.
As I’ve shared in my previous post, I’ve been prepping to hunker down come end of September after our Fall Equinox “Living a More Magickal Life” workshop event and visiting/igniting things with Laura that week, so this has been a great space for getting everything set up, putting to rest some little projects around the home I wanted to do, researching, and finalizing this last month of to-do’s.
I’m almost done with the crystal staff I’ve long been wanting to create – I’ve had the wood for almost a year and it will be done in a few more days, which feels important for the Equinox ceremony we’ll be doing during the workshop event.
And speaking of shifts, we’ve had an opening come up in our Living a More Magickal Life workshop – but in the interim we’ve also felt that our original cut-off number of attendees was not aligning anymore with what we’re tuning into, so with this opening we can accommodate one more. If you feel called that registration ends 9/15. It’s always interesting to see what group forms for events such as these. My contribution to the event has been morphing and will be a powerful ending for me to go out with for this part of my ending path.
However, something that might be showing up again (in a different way) soon for me is painting, as I’ve had the feeling it will be a good partner to the heavy writing work upcoming. It will also be good prep for another project that is ahead down the path, in getting me back into that painting flow. I’ll be feeling that out in the coming weeks, but if so, I foresee some small pieces of art available that will be the product of this flow of energy channeling through. I’ll keep you posted, but most of this will likely show up on my Instagram, so keep an eye out there for any surprises.
And this leads me to those shifting energies that has again released some crystal friends of both mine and Astrid’s to anyone who feels they would be the supportive partners to your new and shifting world. Astrid has since drawn in a couple of new friends, and is ready to move on fully from her last crystal buddy. I’m constantly fascinated by this process, and the fluidity I have with it now whereas in my past I held on to things.
This includes the following four friends.
Everything is Reiki-infused, charged, and cleansed before journeying to your home.
A gorgeous rare and quite large Black Ammonite Pair that originates from the magical island of Madagascar, one of the most energy-filled centers on the planet. These hold very ancient, healing energy, and deep/root/origin wisdom.
I love the dark connecting with the hidden and shadowy recesses, but also the sparkly inner realm of it that shares how light is inherent in it all.
These fossils are between 135-395 million years old and bring the energy of Ammonite – activators of our metaphysical gifts and inter-dimensional exploration. When placed on the third eye chakra, Ammonite reveals the soul’s path, which is encoded within it. It is also useful to support rebirthing and is a powerful cleanser of any hindering patterns, helping one release mental obsessions and important past life issues.
Feng Shui masters call Ammonite the seven color prosperity stone because it’s believed not only to stimulate the flow of life force energy through the body, but to be exceedingly fortunate for abundance, vitality, health, and promoting beneficial business ventures.
These have been extremely powerful for all that I’ve currently put in motion and a lot of soul retrieval and remembering.
Black Ammonite Pair (come with two stands to hold them nicely when not working with them – perfect for an altar space) – $110 + shipping (a separate invoice will be sent once shipped) – SOLD
This beautiful very pink Rose Quartz Cathedral Tower (with yellow/gold inclusions) was first purchased for Astrid when she came home to me last year to assist her with her healing and opening journey.
The Rose Quartz will infuse your space with Universal and unconditional love, self love, motherly and nurturing love, purification and opening of the heart, restoration of trust and harmony, deep inner healing, peace, calmness and reassurance, comforting with grief, cleansing of negative/triggering/challenging energies, and graceful energy of the Heart Chakra.
There are many rainbows throughout and the bottom (which has a naturally raw edge on part of it – this isn’t chipped) is a lovely and potent hexagon. I love raw edges and openings, as they feel to be places energy flows from, as well as create that perfect imperfection and nature of essence.
A beautiful, sweet and potent crystal that channels focused energy and of course has an extra Astrid infusion.
Astrid’s Rose Quartz Tower – $121 + shipping (a separate invoice will be sent once shipped) – SOLD
Then we have this super sweet, but potent little magick wand, which is so graceful, elegant, and simple. It is not one that I made, but my first larger wand I picked up in Sedona. Before that I only had a mini Faery wand that has since moved on to a lovely new guardian.
It is made of Red Oak for the wand and then has copper beautifully wrapped around a Quartz point at the end. It’s been cleansed and activated in Oak Creek and journeyed with me on our Magick Bus adventure.
Magick crystal wand – $45 + shipping (a separate invoice will be sent once shipped) – SOLD
And last, this lovely and elegant Selenite wand, which makes a wonderful partner for clearing, clarity, balance, purification, deep peace, expanding awareness, opening the crown and higher crown chakras, connecting with angelic consciousness and higher guidance.
It’s also great for working with flexibility of the spine and supporting the skeletal system, while being an effective tool and partner for chakra cleansing and harmony.
It is like liquid light, as you can see here, just glowing and illuminated in the Sun’s energy.
It’s the perfect size and smoothness for holding, traveling, and working with and has an incredibly perfect, sharp point and rounded bottom.
Selenite Wand – $12 + shipping (a separate invoice will be sent once shipped) – SOLD
Also, for anyone interested, I have a collection of 7 books on Reiki that I’m clearing off my shelves in order to make room for a bunch of books I’ve recently brought into my life. And being that I’m moving away from that part of my life, I felt I would offer these.
Some are very new and forward ideas and others are in line with the teachings I’ve been taught and passed on. In any event, if you’re interested in exploring and widening your scope of Reiki and exploring ideas that might trigger or support your own creative and intuitive practice, I’ll offer these for shipping costs only. If no one is interested I’ll donate them to our local library, as they have a book exchange where you can donate books and take home books in place of them.
I’ve used a highlighter in 4 of them when I first read them, but they are all in perfect condition otherwise and retail in total at $138.73
If interested, you can message me, but please do so by Monday morning the 27th (that’s two days from now), as I’ll be going to the library then. First come, first served.
That’s it for now….until the next round of changing seasons.
Here’s to reinvigorating energy and new adventures!
Let Your Light Shine: You Can’t Be Original – You Can Be Authentic
The following blog post is not a new one, but a reshare of one I wrote 5 years ago that feels to be an important theme to impart once again. The next few months are increasingly going to be VERY full with everything manifesting right now to manage so I will try to share new things, but a lot of messages are key to recycle, as we journey along the spiral of life and need to keep revisiting things from a new perspective that will at some point (perhaps now) finally take hold for us and click into action! This one speaks to those of you facing fears or inertia to make those shifts and embrace your creative spark wanting through. It also speaks to my own processes I’ve continued to engage and currently am involved in, in writing my new book. I have found my authentic voice and regardless of what I’m writing not really fitting any particular genre out there, I’m writing it nonetheless and not comparing myself, not trying to be like any other writer, not trying to emulate what’s popular, nor am I worrying about what others may think of it, nor spending time wondering what will become of it. I’m doing just what Sarah (below) advises – listening to the creator within, while SUPER JOYOUSLY enjoying the process, and it’s leading me on MY right path. That’s all that matters. The journey, not the result. The BEING, not the TRYING.
Here is the post reshared here, as I couldn’t just reblog it:
As many visionaries in the fields of healing and creative arts are stepping up and into their unique roles they came to embody, challenges may present themselves to overcome. There are many factors that potentially may be blocking, limiting, frustrating, or discouraging you, but they all stem from the illusions of fear and in some cases can be hard to see for yourself, as you know just how to ingeniously hide and disguise them with self-sabotaging finesse. Sometimes the seeming challenges can also be linked with collective, divine timing and therefore patience, flow, and taking aligned, synchronized steps may be needed and remind yourself to enjoy and be present in the moment, rather than live in the future or past.
One of the recurring themes of fear I see is that of self-doubt, feelings of unworthiness, or self-devaluation. There is a tendency to disregard the unique gifts you have as being valuable and instead to compare or compete with others, rather than simply embracing and honoring what only you can share with the world. Energy gets diverted and drained in trying to emulate or live up to what you see “out there” rather than focusing and honing that energy into simply creating and channeling forth from “within.”
Some may feel that my approach of staying within my experience of art (as one example) and not immersing myself in other artists’ works, may seem counter-productive. Why would you not study, view, take technical classes, etc, for the thing you are doing as your work? Would you not want to refine it and have it be something more? My question to that is, who is judging the “more” and by what definition of refinement am I to be working towards? While I honor all artistic expression as valuable, my answer is, by creating from my heart in each moment and learning through the experience of doing, do I grow and evolve and create art that is uniquely from my expression alone and what I am meant to create, regardless of what standards the outside world has boxed art into.
This is not the way or process for everyone, but for me, it is how I stay authentic and true to what wants to channel through me. This is, in many ways, the way I operate in all areas of my life. I am not naive, but I do know that the innocence I retain in drawing from within, is my unlimited creative power.
To express what is most naturally authentic to you in your own way is what makes a difference. There are reasons we are each in an individual body, even though we are collectively connected. One of which is to naturally be who you are and to allow that to channel through your heart in the way that mirrors the gifts you chose to birth in with. Let your light shine.
This theme is perfectly and simply expressed by Sarah Ban Breathnach in her book, Simple Abundance: A Day Book of Comfort and Joy. I hope you find some gems of supportive insight in what she shares:
You Can’t Be Original – You Can Be Authentic
One of the reasons many of us have trouble getting our Work out into the world is that unconsciously we’re competing instead of creating, which always short-circuits the flow of inspiration. A friend of mine is a gifted playwright. She denies herself the pleasure of seeing anything on the stage other than revivals of classics, preferably Greek. It’s too painful for her to watch contemporary work because she is addicted to comparisons.
Why do we make ourselves sick competing against strangers? I believe it’s just another sophisticated, seditious form of self-sabotage. If we don’t measure up, why even try? The fault line of comparison runs so deep in the lives of many of us it’s heartbreaking. I know women who quake at the thought of school bake sales because their brownies don’t sell as fast as those of another mother, and the psychic phobia over Halloween costumes is the last frontier in feminine psychology.
Five years ago when I published my first book, which updated Victorian family traditions, there were few popular books on the Victorian era available. But the late nineteenth century was just about to be rediscovered, and within two years there were so many books in the stores the market was completely saturated. Today it would be extremely difficult to find a commercial publisher for a Victorian book even if you channeled Queen Victoria as a spirit guide. This doesn’t mean if you are writing one that you should stop. The cycle of creation is cyclical. There’s a reason the past is prologue.
Sometimes you’re ahead of your time. Mozart was known to qualify his genius by declaring he was composing for future generations. There are literally millions of aspiring and working artists writing books, publishing poems, selling scripts, directing movies, auditioning for roles, designing clothes, entering juried craft exhibitions, starting home-based businesses, looking for an agent, praying for a lucky break. Don’t panic. It is impossible for you to be an original. But you can be authentic.
“God has lots of movie ideas, novel ideas, poems, songs, paintings, acting jobs,” Julia Cameron reassures us. “By listening to the creator within, we are led to our right path.” You aren’t the only one starting a mail-order catalog this year, but that doesn’t mean that you don’t know exactly what niche yours will fill perfectly. Why do you think you were offered the spiritual and creative opportunity?
Once you accept an artistic assignment from the Great Creator, it’s yours. Nobody can take it away from you, unless, of course, you relinquish it. Nobody can duplicate your work because there’s no one in the world like you. They can imitate, but they can’t duplicate. Your work is born of your sensibilities, temperament, experience, emotion, passion, perseverance, attention to detail, idiosyncrasies, and eccentricities.
When you’re authentic, so is your art.
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Every day we slaughter our finest impulses. That is why we get a heart-ache when we read those lines written by the hand of a master and recognize them as our own, as the tender shoots which we stifled because we lacked the faith to believe in our own powers, our own criterion of truth and beauty. Every man, when he gets quiet, when he becomes desperately honest with himself, is capable of uttering profound truths. We all derive from the same source. There is no mystery about the origin of things. We are all part of creation, all kings, all poets, all musicians; we have only to open up, to discover what is already there. ~Henry Miller
Even Kings and emperors with heaps of wealth and vast dominion cannot compare with an ant filled with the love of God. ~Guru Nanak
When you are content to be simply yourself and don’t compare or compete, everybody will respect you. ~Lao Tzu
The Silver Lining
I had no idea (at least not mindfully) when I took the only appointment open for a hair transformation this week that it would be in the energy of the approaching Full Moon today, nor did I think about the choice of clothes I wore that day other than wanting my bunny loves with me. I simply felt that this change was essential, as I’d become bored and no longer aligned with the rapid shifts taking place, not to mention was feeling out of sorts with my inside-out essence expression. This Full Moon is in the fire sign of Sagittarius, which happens to rule the Moon in my astrological chart in the house of Pisces (my Sun sign). So there is/was certain to be an intense, very transformative and expansive energy pervading, which the Full Moon would then bring to clarity in order to know which changes and adjustments would best support us in peaceful flow.
2017 is a year of new beginnings for us all collectively and this shift will entail aligning more than ever with our highest path at this time. This may involve moving through some heavy stuff and “karmic” growth, but will provide deep healing as long as you can continue to see the “silver lining,” keep an open mind, invite new perspectives, and find the joy from the innocence of your inner child’s heart. Truth and freedom play big right now and finding ways to nurture yourself while also committing to more personal responsibility is key. This is a time for really tuning into a mission, dream goal, or heart-focused purpose that truly calls to you while tempering a narrow, but flowing focus to manifest it, so as not to dilute your energy.
With things transforming for me right now, the energy activated in Australia, and new doors about to open, I outgrew any of the changes I had already made, which then had me feeling like I was wearing clothes that didn’t fit, in a metaphorical, but also literal way.
So I have been clearing out and donating clothes, got a few new things, and really, really needed to change my hair even though I just did a little over 4 months ago. I get antsy about stuff if even a little bit feels energetically off and not lining up.
This led me to be even more vulnerable outwardly, which I’m finding no end to, and revealing more of myself without care of what that may seem to others (I have had many looks since the change, when out and about). And so I decided to intensify what has already been happening with my hair much more dramatically and much more “me” feeling with an enhancement to my silver.
I had tons of silver growing naturally, especially in two stripes near the front that were growing long, areas underneath, and then scattered and glistening throughout. I decided why not just go full on, or “Full Moon,” which got written to a friend by auto correct and felt right on, I guess, since I later received multiple reflections of “Moon essence,” “Moon child,” “Moon shine,” “Moon beam”….
And that then aligned with the Full Moon hot air balloon tank I was wearing with three white Cosmic rabbits flying in it across the Cosmos – representing my dear Nestor, Joy, and Cosmo who have moved on to the Otherworld.
My sweet friend Dawn mentioned something else I hadn’t thought of, that I was aligning with the new bunny (coming in 11 days) love’s Cosmic whiteness, as the magickal White Rabbit embodied. I loved that!
Not to mention prepares for a 10 day energetic cleanse I’m physically doing on Solstice, bunny love’s arrival, and what that portal offers.
Anyway, there’s something more than I can express happening (and it’s collective although I’m experiencing my own version of it) and it seems to be reflecting outside as well, as both yesterday and today have manifested magickal rainbow portals (3 of them!) over Lake Tahoe since I got my hair done Wednesday afternoon. And the weather shifted to this mystical energy from being at the beach just Tuesday (the day before) and sun bathing then and the days before in 70’s very warm weather, to now this mysterious, brisk, winds-of-change, stormy look and feel and dropping to the 50’s overnight.
Yesterday’s rainbow was a full one directly in front over the lake, which then intensified and started to split at center…..creating almost like two worlds converging. Perhaps another sign of this literally happening with multiple realities and worlds simultaneously existing, yet diverging.
And this morning’s first rainbow was a partial one, however, it lasted for an hour and a half, dissipating, intensifying, dissipating, intensifying….
After about a half an hour a full one appeared directly in front again (actually, while I was writing this) and just skimming where lake and bottom of mountains meet, but this one glided across the lake from left to right. Incredible!
I have been realizing the increased vulnerability I have been cracking open from depths within and how things are just melting away and also melding in that molten love. It’s amazing how deep things run, but not surprising giving the limitlessness of All That Is.
And to me, this silver feels to increase my feelings of fuller, expansive embodiment of me, as well as no longer blending into the world, but fully creating my own Cosmos on Earth – so to speak – increasing my joy and comfortability within my skin here, which has increased over time with changes I’ve been making and things brought to light.
We all have different ways in which we integrate transformation. I happen to choose and initiate as many as possible lol!
And interestingly, shifting my hair in this way is a process, which has small parts of my hair gold as well – all blending together – cool and warm colors, metallic energies of Sun and Moon. Feels like alchemy to me.
Many Native Americans believe that hair is spirit’s physical manifestation of growth that opens/enhances extrasensory perception and symbolizes connection to all things, as if like tentacles reaching out to the world around us. Cutting hair represents doors closing and heralds new life and doorways, honoring the past while making way for the future.
And that’s always how I approach life….seeing the “silver lining” and believing when no one else does. This is increasing, which is timely with what I’m working on manifesting short and long term for the journey ahead and my heart’s mission. Gonna take everything I have!
So while my threads of silver hair reflect much more than this, too hard to explain all of here, they also seem to bring this into literal light and hence, the “silver lining” mentioned above as an approach that may be helpful for us all, coming full circle.
How might you open more to the possibilities before you? You really do have opportunity to experience life differently, if you really commit to that, no matter what challenges are present. Each pain is a seed wanting to sprout freely without your restraining its growth.
Life Goes On ~ Keeping Hope Alive
Sunset at Byron Bay, Australia on the precipice of the New Moon after Crystal Castle activations
I’m definitely missing Australia, but also really enjoying pre-summer weather and beauty blooming all around here at Lake Tahoe. Life goes on and and with so much culminating around Summer Solstice, I’m clearly getting the sense of rapid growth and prolific possibilities manifesting. The energy available feels really rich with potential for anyone ready to run with it….ready to keep hope alive.
In the short few days we’ve been back we’ve been putting a lot into motion and quickly picked up right where we left off, quickly settling and organizing back while also hiking, enjoying a sunset cruise on the lake with friends, sightings right off our deck of Bald Eagle and hot air balloon gliding over Tahoe (awesome symbolism and messages), me finding both a large goose and hawk feather, talking about future travels, tons of garden delights and blooms from visiting my parent’s house, lunch and hair refreshening for us both in Reno…full, reflective, and balancing experiences for sure.
I’m getting back to my writing today (which will conclude my first draft here shortly) and we’re preparing for both my friend Lynne to come through again for a couple of days on the 10th, as well as our heading out on the 13th for a week to Austin for business mixed with some fun.
The day after we return, on the Solstice, I’ll both be heading to Northern California to pick up my new bunny love, as well as starting a big 10-day cleanse.
So yeah, a lot going on and I’ve heard from others experiencing in a similar vein and a lot of amazing things, greater fulfillment, and new beginnings starting to take root for them, which makes me happy to hear.
People have been pulling out of old frameworks and patterns, embracing more of their truth, and realizing how self-sacrifice has not served them and others in their lives they thought they were helping.
Every “setback” can be viewed as the potential for something more to be brought to light, greater alignment in process, or the opportunity to turn something from one thing to another and shift your vibration to match it.
While there may be a lot of drama and disturbing experiences floating about as well, I think that mentioning the lovely things is important to demonstrate what is available to experience and that we can choose where and how we place our attention and focus, not to mention how we integrate those contrasting things to our benefit or detriment.
Much is shifting in the world on a daily and moment-to-moment basis and if you choose to only focus and dwell on one perspective, not only will you be sucked into a cesspool of quicksand that keeps dragging you down, but you’ll also miss out on the rest, which includes how those things you may not like so much are, and have, actually been fueling all of the positive changes.
Let’s remind each other of our wholeness, by embodying it more and more and embracing all potentials of experience, not just the challenging, discouraging, and depressing ones.
People often wonder how I can always see the silver lining in things, but it’s because I know from experience that things always turn around, as is the nature of cycles, and that even in my darkest hours, allowing energy to flow through me without judgment and inviting perspective brought release and hope to light.
May you each experience the hope and potential seeded within all experiences to create from.
Personal Sound Channeling ~ A New Offering Reflecting the Power of Sound
I’ve been sharing my gift of sound channeling in a more public way since we’ve been journeying in the Magick Bus and experiencing the ancient energies of the land.
However, this is not a new expression for me, as I’ve been doing it all my life AND LIVES, as well as on sacred journeys and retreats and even focused an intro class on the subject on one of them.
Recently, I knew it was time to reveal it, as it is the essence of who I am and the way to step into embodying that more.
So with vulnerability I have been sharing my voice through several videos and at the start of the year had furthered my studies with intuitive sound, which just reiterated, intensified, and empowered this expression and foundations even more.
If you’d like to learn a little bit more about “sound” here is a blog post I wrote a year ago on the subject:
And if you’ve like to explore the recent videos, to just get a taste of this, here are a few videos you can listen to (each has a paragraph description of how they came about at their links under the video):
Channeling The Ancient & Womb Earth Energies
So this all leads me to the new offering I spoke about in my May Newsletter this month.
Down the road I may teach more in depth on this subject, but for now the most resonant thing for me feels to be able to offer this gift to others and is currently the only service I am offering (other than the spontaneous creative inspirations like the Magick Stones that pop up as guided) since it feels most aligned at this time.
NEW OFFERING:
I am offering personalized sound channelings for individuals.
These will include a video share with your sound healing message, which can be for a specific focus/intent in your life, or simply as a current signature resonance to support you into more fully embodying your essence and moving through challenges to get you to the next step along your journey.
It could also be for specific help with things like opening, clearing, and balancing a particular chakra, channeling the essence of elements in Nature or Cosmic frequencies, deep cellular shifts with traumas, supporting a new path you are trying to manifest, opening you to more creative inspiration, clarity, or courageous commitment and strength, receiving nurturing and love needed from the reflection of your inner child, working through releasing, tapping into your ancient soul, etc.
You simply bring to me your desires and we’ll tap into the essence reflection of that via sound.
I tune in to the essence of your energy and allow sound to move through me that is at the frequency needed to help support the shifts.
This will shift, as you shift, and no two sound channelings will be alike, although may have similarities due to frequency resonance…as sound is ever-evolving from creative impetus and power of the now reflective moment.
At times this can be musical, other times more like toning, or a combination. Sometimes it may sound like another language or chants. And it isn’t always what you think of as “beautiful”, although always comes from a benevolent and pure expression of All That Is moving through me to you…to help awaken and activate the latent pieces of your soul and DNA.
What you receive from me is a personal sound video, which you will be able to listen to over and over, as needed. This could be one song…or may need a layering of more than one. I will ascertain that when tuning in. I may have crystals or other shamanic accompaniments, which will be explained in either the video or an email you’ll receive from me with your video that may feel to be part of creating the field of energy to support the channeling. And as always, Reiki energy and a lot of love will be woven and infused into the sound offering.
In the future, I may make available MP3’s and/or CD/DVD’s of sound channeling for specific energy frequencies and meditational or facilitation purposes.
To receive your own personalized sound channeling and signature songs to help you to integrate healing on deeper levels, strengthen your self-empowerment, support movement of energy to the next step or leap, and open portals of experience that activate and balance your chakras into more alignment with your essence as an expression of All That Is, you may partner in this offering here:
Once I have received your sound channeling request, I will email you to discuss the intent for your personal sound channeling. So please make sure to include the email address you’d like to be contacted by, in your order or in the comment section of the invoice.
You may also gift these to a loved one, in which case, please provide me any needed information on that request in the comment section of the invoice as well.
I have also created a separate page link on my blog that you can visit with this same information, at any future time you may desire support with something else, as listed above and not limited to what you see here.
Here is the link to that page:
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“The sound that came from you, while you were in the sarcophagus of the King’s Chamber, is something I will never forget. I’m getting vibed right now. What came out of you was magical, mystical, angelic……. Words fail to pain the experience. I’m truly honored for the experience.” ~Michael, Arizona
“When you were Singing, it was one of the most Wonderous and Powerful things I witnessed the whole trip on our sacred journey in Peru–WOW! The energy you were bringing through was so Pure and Beautiful. You were definitely the pinnacle of the Triangle that day! I am Honored to have been able to support you in that moment. I am still filled with Gratitude and Awe for everything that happened!” ~Christopher, Montana