Issue #:
five
Focus/Theme:
Change/Emotional Growth/Balance
February is the 2nd month of the year in both the Julian & Gregorian Calendars.
In numerology the number two signifies transition. It represents duality and finding harmony within. With the quiet power of judgement decide where the needed changes will occur in your thoughts, habits and life. Honor the divine feminine during this time of sacred self initiation .
A word to the wise: "Flow with the energies of kindness. Find your sacred center and release indecision. Choose whatever enhances your soul. Make plans for your bright, empowered life."
February is the shortest month of the year. It is named after the Latin word februum, which means 'purification'. Imagine an entire month dedicated to purifying mind, body and spirit. Since we are gifted an additional day this leap year, let's devote one entire day to this holy purpose.
Focus Image:
You Are Beautiful.
Self-Love. Confidence is a key element to empowerment.
Mantra:
Wahe Guru Wahe Jio
wha-hay guroo wha-hay jeeo
This mantra links the essence of our soul purpose with the bliss of the divine
source which like light in darkness gives clear perception and great blessings.
Affirmation:
"I am open to the divine and the divine opens me."
Greetings from the Priestess Leesa:
Abundant blessings beloved readers,
February for me is a time of determining what works in my life and what doesn't. It's important to be honest about what we really want and what we do not. While making plans for spring, let's re-evaluate our hopes and goals for the year. To find a place of balance in our lives we need to honor who we are and what makes our soul rejoice. To achieve equilibrium we must welcome what inspires our creativity and simply cherish more experiences that 'feel' good. The secret to living from the heart is to follow its promptings, and trust it leads to our highest good.
As this month unfolds, let's take time to meditate, to walk, to journal and to sit in silence with our knowing. May we find ways to heal our emotional wounds, soothe our worried minds and embrace our secret longing. May we embody the strength required to fully live the dreams we deeply desire to manifest in our daily lives by being brave enough to make choices which are in harmony with our authentic selves..
Monthly Plans/Ideas:
Goddess of the Gypsy Moon:
Explore 13 Archetypes of Woman on the Path of Wholeness
Oracles by a Gypsy Priestesshttp://www.goddessofthegypsymoon.com/oracles-by-a-gypsy-priestess.html
Holy Days:
1 St. Brigid's Day
2 Imbolc & Candlemas (Feast of St. Brigid)*
3 Wear Red Day
7 Full Moon - the Snow Moon
8 Laugh & Get Rich Day
9 Read in the Bathtub Day
11 Make a Friend Day
13 "Madly in Love with Me" Day
14 Valentine's Day
17 Random Acts of Kindness Day
20 World Day for Social Justice
21 International Mother Language Day & New Moon
26 Read a Fairy Tale Day
29 Leap Day (Take a Leap of Faith Today)
*
If Candlemas day be fair and bright, Winter will have another flight.
If Candlemas day be shower and rain, Winter is gone and will not come again.
Personal:
* Light candles & bask in the glow
* Create a sacred space to meditate
* Splurge on a new pair of shoes
* Write a love letter to your authentic self
* Read poetry to the naked trees
* Buy a bouquet of tulips
* Enjoy a girls night out
* Change something, anything...
An Interview with a Goddess:
Fran at age 16.
Fran Beth Pilgreen
As if described in a fairy tale, Fran has long rivers of flowing hair, intense, soulful eyes the shade of a forest glen and an air about her that is reminiscent of a summer meadow. Something about her essence is delicate and fae, and yet, she is perhaps the bravest woman I know. She lives her life of adventure with grace and a flair for subtle beauty that opens the space for others to linger often. Her travels have taught her well, expanded her soul vision and polished this gem of a woman until she shines! With a gentle, playful spirit, Fran reminds me that even heart break can be experienced with a passion for life, an expectancy of wonder, and an honest integrity which not only allows you to grow, but to blossom as if you've only ever been showered with love. It is my hope that you are blessed by this interview with a goddess.
5 Questions I ask of the Goddess in You:
1. How do you nurture & nourish your self so that you may embody the goddess?
With a Rainbow Diet: I am at my happiest when there are rainbows in my life. I thrive on color in my visual field and in my personal consumption and nourishment. I have recently discovered a personal favorite, roasted produce; sweet potato, eggplant, butternut squash, garlic, red-yellow-orange bell peppers, carrots, minimal white carbs and dairy. I prefer a raw diet wherever possible, minimal use of animal protein. No red meat. A cornucopia of fruits, seeds, nuts, quinoa. Use of natural sweeteners honey or agave syrup. Naturally sun dried fruits whenever possible. Herbal teas, green, black and white teas, (Ceylon is my favorite) natural juices, Ginger tonics. The use of organic garden made skin care products made with love from Sanandra of Sea Chi.. Flower essences by Jane Marrow Innman. Frequent dead sea salt baths for ultimate relaxation and spiritual enlightenment. Bathing in green and white tea for healing properties to skin and rejuvenation of my goddess hair. Use of natural sea water as a healing aid.. Member of Massage Envy where I treat myself to a monthly massage. Walking around the lake at sunrise. Experiencing natural elements when they stand before me in all their glory. Forgiving myself for losing my soulmate in life. Allowing self-healing to take its course so that I am able to rebirth the essence that is me, so that I have the strength to plant a completely new organically divine garden, even more fruitful than my last.
2. What inspires you and expands your awareness?
Nature. Whispering Wind. Touch. Sound.
Connecting with spirit, guardian angels, and spirit guides, while living in gratitude for the warmth and guidance I am shown daily. Having gracious acceptance of the shortcomings of mankind, and forgiving of trespasses, including my own. Allowing myself to be a conduit for information but not a vessel. Giving of myself completely to those souls that cross my physical path. Feeling a deep sense of connection to universal consciousness. Inspired by other goddesses and spiritual gurus. Nature is my ultimate source of inspiration. Recently inspired by the Agape Center, Marianne Williamson, my soul sistars, my healing friends, and the endless flow of serendipity in my life. Acceptance and strengthening the reality of living an independent life in the absence of my twin flame and eternal soulmate. Being kissed by the suns warm energy. Daily inspiration from the internet information highway. Spiritual Cinema Circle movies- which fill my heart with joy every month. Reading or listening to transformational self help topics. Listening to the rhythmic sounds of the waves and sea life as I close my eyes and embrace my soul's sense of just listening-being.
Living in the...
M: Mother
O: of
M: Mermaids
E: Earth
N: Nature
T: Time
I am a Goddess of Love (Venus)
Goddess of Light
Goddess of Peace
Goddess of Touch
Goddess of Intuition
3. Please share what poem, quote, song, or book both breaks & opens your heart?
Book: Clan of the Cave Bear Series by Jean M. Auel
The book that has broken and open my heart is Jean M Auel's 'Clan of the Cave Bear', as I identify personally with the main character Ayla as she goes through and overcomes great personal loss, is taken in and then outcast, and then is able through being true to her spirit, universal awareness and connection, to be able to: Not only persevere but to have great triumph.
Poem: by my Soul-Sister Tina Marks
'Mirror in the Snow' (c 2005) resonates deep within my soul.
My dear soul-sister shared it with me years ago, and it immediately resonated like a self-reflection. It filled my spirit on such a deep level that it remains home in my heart.
Mirror in the snow
The gift of inspiration for this imagery was received on a dark, cold, snowy February morning. Preoccupied with the typical morning routine and haste, I vaguely noticed something in the snow-covered grass and paused to get a closer look. To my surprise, I found a single, tiny flower bud peering out from beneath the white blanket. I stopped…and sat down on the step, instinctively responding to my discovery and to the present moment….
In the prelude to dawn, all was still and quiet on the Earth. The air was crisp and gentle. And there…. behind the mist of my own breath, the subtle silhouette of my little flower, standing ever-so-strong and uninhibited in the moonlight. I focused quite intently on capturing every detail of those few moments….It seemed as though time briefly stood still...and throughout all the ensuing activities of that day, my thoughts repeatedly returned to my little flower…
Take a moment to imagine that you are the tiny flower bud.
Silent and still in the darkness of early morning.
As dawn approaches and awakening begins, inhale and reach deep into the Earth, drawing nourishment in through your feet….your roots…and allowing this food to satisfy and slowly arouse every cell of the body, flowing throughout…. all the way to the tips of each shiny green, newborn leaf….
Say to yourself….I will never hunger.
There is enough food.
Feel the pure, white snowflakes gently descend upon you and surround you. Fresh, clean, water droplets softly coming to rest….trickling over your leaves, your physical body….
Take a drink…. absorb…..allow the fresh liquid to gently seep through your veins and downward through your roots….visualize the gradual flow….slowly saturating the body and then at last sinking to its resting place, deep within the Earth below.
Say to yourself…I will never thirst.
There is enough water.
As the sun arises and greets the new day, picture its glowing presence, naturally suspended above the Earth. Imagine your head rising and tilting back slightly, fully experiencing and enjoying the warmth enveloping your entire being. Your leaves begin to open, reaching toward the sky, eager to receive the prana awaiting you….the vital nutrients necessary to grow and thrive.
Say to yourself…..I will not be depleted.
There is enough sunlight and energy.
Nightfall beckons….the winds begin to swirl…the night sky dimly illuminated with millions of stars, each of its own unique size and intensity. No two the same. Consider the vastness of the galaxies and heavens. There is no beginning….and no end. You are the tiny flower, firmly centered and grounded in the Earth. Visualize the space surrounding you…your aura… protecting and exuding the life force within. The wind sporadically encircles you. Your leaves uniting with the air….flowing freely, bending and swaying with grace and ease…..at times softly sweeping the Earth with your fingertips. As tranquility evolves, you gently lower your head…leaves caressing and folding over you, providing warmth and shelter. You are the tiny flower….free…at peace…resting…
Say to yourself….I am one with the heavens and the Earth.
There is enough air and space.
With each new day, you rise, with renewed strength….patiently awaiting the anticipated time and season….keenly aware and accepting of the cycle of life….confident in your purpose…willing and eager to adorn the world with your inner beauty….to share your bloom…..to celebrate new life….
Say to yourself….I am the tiny flower.
What color might you be?
Copyright 2005 Tina M. Marks
Two signature quotes personify my goddess. One is a quote from the American father of architecture while the other is my own.
Quote from the architectural master Frank Lloyd Wright.
"LOVE is the virtue of the HEART,
SINCERITY the virtue of the MIND,
COURAGE the virtue of the SPIRIT,
DECISION the virtue of the WILL"
The Organic Commandments FLW
"We are all God's candles, illuminating the world. Together we shine brighter♥♥♥
Shine your light."
F. Beth Pilgreen
'Stairway to Heaven' by Led Zeppelin. The music resonates within my core from the deepest level of my soul every time I hear it. The song has inspired me to explore learning the electric guitar!
Stairway to Heaven Lyrics
Song: Hard Part by David Wilcox and John Whalen
Washes over me like the cascading ebb and flow of the ocean's foamy wave exhale that laps upon, kisses, and gently caresses the shoreline.
Hard Part:(David Wilcox and John Whalen)
I see the look that's in your eyes
That says 'I must keep most of me inside
'Cause you'd never love me if I didn't hide
the secrets of my heart
Well I'm not here for the surface stuff
I just get bored with all that fluff
So show me the edges even if it's rough
And let the real love start
You think your shame and deep disgrace
Are more than I can bear
But you can go to your darkest place
I will meet you there
And I'm strong enough to take it
And I know what you've been through
You've got a whole heart
Give me the hard part
I can love that too
You look at me with some surprise
And I see the doubt that's in your eyes
Like something deep inside you cries
With a hunger to be known
Like a tiger born in a city zoo
There's been no place for what's inside of you
You try to live like the others do
And it leaves you so alone
I know you think that the heat of your pain
Is more than I can stand
Burn it all in one big flame
And I will hold it in my hand
I'm strong enough to take it
And I know what you've been through
You've got a whole heart
Give me the hard part
I can love that too
Now your eyes well up with tears
As desire mixes with you fears
After so many wounded years
Can you long for what you've missed
You want a cool breeze to dance with your flame
A long lost lover who knows your true name
A secret garden beyond this shame
And it all comes down to this
You think your drowning hope will die
In a sea without a shore
But I can drink that ocean dry
And still come back for more
I'm strong enough to take it
And I know what you've been through
You've got a whole heart
Give me the hard part
I can love that too
I'm strong enough to take it
And I know what you've been through
You've got a whole heart
Give me the hard part
I can love that too
You've got a whole heart
Give me the hard part
I can love that too
2006 Gizz Da Baboo (SESAC)
4. What truth do you live by that brings you back to your center, your place of balance?
"Less is more." I have discovered that personal chaos in the form of clutter and procrastination have been historically and consistently the items that have created great havoc in my life, including even the demise of my 25 year marriage. I am truly a living dust devil, in the sense that I have a life force that stirs things up a bit when I drive my focus in a particular direction, picking up and adding to the chaos as I will have typically arrived at a location to find an item previously lost in the shuffle. I have done a substantial amount of soul healing and clearing recently. From Conscious Uncoupling coaching sessions to registering for a clutterology course. My life has been turned upside DOWN and insideOUT. I have discovered that the secret to having ULTIMATE BALANCE in LIFE is by first and foremost taking care of yourself. Breathing passion into every aspect of your being. By so doing this, you are HERE NOW! And in that place in time, you will experience the ultimate balance, your ULTIMATE CENTER.
5. What are you creating now that may inspire your sistars?
I am writing a book 365 Dates a Year. About how I am rekindling my free spiritedness, fun and love again. In the book I will share my personal journey, experience and guidance on fulfilling our internal desires. Through personal soul connections with like minded beings, and how to reel them in.
I am also dreaming into existence a self-powering architectural world where we can live in harmony with the earth by using fewer non-renewable natural resources. With my eye on designing vacation resorts and Eco Villages. I started an architectural grad prep class last night, and am applying to the New School of Architecture San Diego Masters program with emphasis in sustainability.
Please share a personal blessing for my readers as closing to this interview.
Heavenly mother and father, thank you for the wonderful gifts in our lives with your presence. Thank you for leading us on a stepping stone path of discovery, learning, and enlightenment. Each stepping stone reveals a worthy lesson. With a completely open mind, each step can be accomplished with grace-joy-fulfillment. I feel truly blessed we have these stones to step on, and I welcome you to join me and FEEL the love and warmth of god/desses hand in our own, as we walk through the valley of light, love, and peace. And so it is, Amen.
Bio
:Fran is a highly educated, and talented career woman. She had a passion for drawing plans from an early age. She has a Bachelor of Arts in Architecture and a career history that is quite impressive. She has been a professional business owner, a residential and commercial general contractor, a property manager, a designer of: architecture, interiors, jewelry, product design, and has been an English teacher to over one thousand Asian children aged 4- 17. Fran is a devoted mother to a pair of talented, lovely daughters. She has lived in and traveled to many exotic countries but currently resides in California where she is experiencing transformation and making her dreams come true.
Vacation rental: www.vacationhomerenrals.com/14027
Linked in: www.linkedin.com/profile/view?id=13699832&trk=tab_pro
Facebook: fran.pilgreen
Twitter: fpilgreen
Skype: fran pilgreen
The Goddess Speaks:
The Wheel of the Year- Imbolc Greeting Card
'Brigid' Handmade by Etsy.com artist EarthStarStudios
Imbolc brings with it the first small signs of Spring. The Crone aspect of the Goddess is now replaced with the Maiden aspect, as the land grows more fertile. This Sabbat is most often associated with the Goddess Brigid. Many fill their houses with candles and honor her by making Brigid Crosses from the wheat of last years harvest. Brigid is a goddess of creativity, fertility, protection and fire. In this painting, the Spiral Dancer seems to represent Brigid herself, as she glows deeply from within. It’s still rather barren and cold outside but she is warm, comforting herself by the fireplace. Upon her altar is a goblet of milk to honor the renewed fertility of the Earth. She is part of the Spiral Dance Collection which portrays the goddesses as a mix of human features and expressions of energy, which flow out from their hands and feet as spirals but can also be expressed through other elements associated with them. She is faceless so that each individual can imagine the features that they need to see in order to have a personal connection with her.
Brighid/Brigit/Bride/Danu
In Celtic religion/Irish mythology, Brighid, which means 'exhaulted one' or Breo-saighit, 'a fiery arrow' is woman, goddess and saint. She had two sisters with the same name, which indicates She is a triple goddess (maiden, mother, crone). It was said that half her face was comely and the other, that of a hag. She was known as the Lady of the Flame. The flame of inspiration for She was a muse known as a woman of poetry; the flame of divine spirit, for She was a healer and made all things fertile; and quite literally the flame keeper, for She was a blacksmith and was associated with home and hearth. And as is the tradition of female priestesses, She tends the sacred, "eternal flames". She is honored at Imbolc because everywhere She walked, flowers sprang up under her feet. She offers hope for an abundant springtime. She blesses the earth with Her abundant life-giving spirit.
She speaks:
"Come, cross the threshold and gather round my hearth, my darling ones. Stare into the flames so they may spark your creativity and warm your weary mind and heart. Though the days are cold and dreary, I usher in sweet springtime blessings. My cauldron is never empty; partake. I offer my healing gifts that you may dance. I offer my deep wells that you may drink and bathe in comfort. Be fertile and full. Be wise and whole. With my fiery heat I lift you up; as my priestess, you are elevated above mankind. Do not fear, as you travel through the darkness. Listen for my whistle to guide you home. I stand ever beside you, midwifing your sacred birth. Be proud of your fertile womb, my daughter, and do not hinder the flowing of your milk. You shall be transformed, my love. You shall blossom profusely, as do I. The promise awaits you. Remember, you are never alone. I am with you."
Poem:
Brighid Bright
Brighid my Mother
nurture me
so that I may nurture and nourish
Brighid my Maiden
make me fertile, sensuous, feminine
so that I may know the power of my female form
Brighid my Crone
make me quiet
so that I may know the patience
to grow wise with time
Brighid my Blacksmith
forge me strong and true
so that I may stand tall and solid
Brighid my Poet
give me eloquence and a moon-graced tongue
so that my words may find their way
to open eyes, hearts, and minds
Brighid my Healer
wash me clean in health
so that I may touch and heal
myself, my land, my people
Brighid my Warrior
imbue me with courage and dignity
so that I may fight an honest fight
for respect, equality, and freedom
for all minds, hearts, souls, and bodies
Brighid my multifaceted star
no matter how cloudy the night sky
a spot of clarity
all sides combine
one bright one shines
to give me what I need
one woman, one heart, one soul, one mind
but with her on my side
I am so much more
every step a new door
to who I can be
because she makes it so
I can be free to be
who deep down I know
is the woman i have always been.
by Autumn Skye
Herstory/Ancient Wisdom:
February is International Boost Self-Esteem Month
Ruth Saint. Denis 'Reclining' by Nickolas Muray
"We have the capacity to receive messages from the stars and the songs of the night winds. ...
I believe that my whole creative life stemmed from this magic hour under the stars on that hilltop." Ruth St. Denis
Ruth Denis was born in an artist’s colony near Perth Amboy, New Jersey, on January 20, 1878. At an early age she studied ballet with the Italian ballerina Maria Bonfante. At age 13 she began her professional career in New York City, performing in a number called "the Ruth Only". For the next ten years she would perform in private concerts and revues.
"We can hear the silent voice of the spiritual universe within our own hearts." Ruth St. Denis
She held herself to very high standards, and in the early 1900's she began forming her own ideas about dance based on many training techniques, and her studies of philosophy, science and stories about ancient cultures. In 1904, after seeing an image of the goddess Isis, in an advertisement for Egyptian Deities cigarettes, she became inspired to start her own style of dance. As a serious artist with a mystic soul, she began to study Indian and Egyptian dance. In 1906 she toured Europe as Ruth Saint Denis and performed her exotic 'Radha', the first Western dance interpretation of Eastern dancing tradition, which was quite risque at the time. By the time she returned to New York City in 1909 she was acknowledged as an international success. With great confidence she opened her own studio.
"I identified immediately with the figure of Isis. She became the expression of all the dark mystery and beauty of Egypt, and I knew then my destiny with the dance, ... I see dance being used as communication between body and soul, to express what is too deep, too fine for words.” - Ruth St. Denis
Ruth St. Denis in Radha
Ruth St. Denis as Parvati, a Nautch dancer.
Her husband, who was also a talented dancer wrote: "She is more than a great dancer; the dance is but one of the many facets which reflect the dazzling light of her genius. She conceived a whole new system of movement, a revolutionary school of dance; she performed these dances with indescribable beauty and dramatic power; she originated costume, scene, lighting, music, story, and movement, all blended with consummate art into one unified whole. ...And so Ruth St. Denis, the woman, because of her sweetness and light, the high principles of love and truth which dominate her life, the profound depths of her spirit, makes me know that we have not yet heard her greatest message. She is wholesome and sound morally, keen, analytic, and profound mentally, clear-visioned and consecrated spiritually. Verily, I say, this is one of the world's illumined!" *1
+DANCER+RUTH+ST+DENIS+STRIKES+ART+NOUVEAU+POSE+AT+NEW+YORK+PUBLIC+LIBRARY+DENISHAWN+COLLECTION.jpg)
Ruth St.Denis in ”The Legend of the Peacock”, just one of her noted solos.
Others include: "Incense", "Puja", & "The Lotus Pond".
"Our bodies are at once the receiving and transmitting stations for life itself. It is the highest wisdom to recognize this fact and train our bodies to render them sensitive and responsive to nature. art and religion. ...
The real message of the Dance opens up the vistas of life to all who have the urge to express beauty with no other instrument than their own bodies, with no apparatus and no dependence on anything other than space."
Ruth St. Denis
Ruth St. Denis - in the 'East Indian Nautch Dance' (1932)
Ruth St. Denis founded Adelphi University's dance program in 1938 which was one of the first dance departments in an American university. It has since become a cornerstone of Adelphi's Department
of Performing Arts.
Ruth St. Denis was inducted into the National Museum of Dance C.V. Whitney Hall of Fame in 1987.
In her unpublished book, The Divine Dance, she wrote: "the Divine Dance of the future should be able to convey with its slightest gestures some significance of the universe.... As we rise higher in the understanding of ourselves, the national and racial dissonances will be forgotten in the universal rhythms of Truth and Love. We shall sense our unity with all peoples who are moving to that exalted rhythm." She died July 21, 1968.
History time-line in honor of Women in Sports Month:
http://www.northnet.org/stlawrenceaauw/timeline.htm
Woman as Goddess:
To embody who we are and who we are becoming we must see ourselves with eyes of love. When we love ourselves enough to claim our goddess energies, something powerful begins to awaken with us. We begin to listen more closely to our bodies. We begin to pay attention to our hearts longings. We begin to express what our souls are asking us to do. Embodying the goddess within is a personal journey, as we each reflect a different facet of SHE... the way we look, the way we walk, move and dance, the way we speak, the way we behave in the moment to moment living of our lives. The choices we make and the courage we exhibit are unique to each of us. When we have confidence in who we are, we are empowered to live fully, freely and with passion. When we love our selves, we treat our bodies with respect, we are disciplined to follow healthy habits which revitalize us. When we love ourselves, we are content within our skin, we trust our instincts and follow our intuition. When we love ourselves, we make the changes required to live our life as we dream it to be. When we love ourselves, we embody who we are, past, present and future. We embody wholeness. We embody the goddess.
Beauty:
When winters chill mandates we bundle up to stay warm, we mostly hide our feet away (in boots, warm socks, and layers of blankets). Yet, when the weather is cold and the air is dry, our feet need extra care. Simply washing, moisturizing and protecting them from the elements is not enough. Our feet are the most worked and often, the most neglected part of our body.
Our ancestors practiced a simple treatment that not only soothes and relaxes tired, achy feet, and reduces swelling, but also releases toxins and heavy metals from the body.. Did you know that your feet have over 250,000 sweat glands, each? Soaking them for as little as ten minutes can provide healing benefits for your whole body! After soaking them for 20-30 minutes you will notice the water has become cloudy with the toxins withdrawn from your body. This is such a simple, yet powerful healing tool that also improves circulation and energy flow within the body which leads to better over-all general health.
I've created a simply fabulous recipe which I think you will really enjoy. I do!
Rejuvenating Sole Dreams foot bath:
Ingredients:
2 green tea bags,
1 1/4 cups Epsom salts (Magnesium sulfate)
1/4 cup sea salt (Sodium chloride)
1/4 cup baking soda (Sodium bicarbonate)
1/4 cup of milk
orange peel
5 drops orange oil
7 drops lavender essential oil
3 drops ginger essential oil or fresh ginger slices
5 drops tea tree oil (if treating fungal infection - think toenails)
Preparation:
Gather two towels, the needed ingredients, and whatever else you desire or need during this mini retreat. Place a folded towel on the floor where you wish to be (a comfortable place) while soaking your feet. Set a foot bath basin (or appropriate size bowl) upon the towel. Sit down and check for proper placement, remember to leave space for reclining with eyes closed. Run very hot water from your tap (if hot enough) or boil some water for the purpose. Carefully fill the basin by bringing the water to it, via a pitcher or kettle (to avoid spilling/burning accidents). Into the water, dissolve the salt and baking soda by stirring gently with a wooden spoon. Add the tea bags and let steep for a few minutes. Remove the tea bags. Add the essential oils and twist the orange peel before tossing into the water. Add the milk and test the temperature. If it is too hot, allow it to cool to a safe, comfortable temp, or add warm water to the mixture. Testing with your toe is best, as you hands may be accustomed to a higher temperature than your feet are. Set a gentle timer from 10-30 minutes, trust your own internal clock or allow the water to determine when the foot bath is over. If you wish, keep the kettle close by to add more hot water as you may desire a longer soak and it won't be very relaxing if your water turns too cool. It's also a good idea to silence phones, and close out distractions. I like to play very soft, calming music.
Directions:
Sit down and carefully slip your naked feet into the water. Doesn't it smell wonderful? Relax. It feels so good, I know. Close your eyes. Let your mind drift through thoughts. Allow your body to sink into a place of comfort. Wiggle your toes or stretch your feet, then be still. aah...... let the rejuvenation and purification begin. When your foot soak is done, gently exfoliate your feet (if desired), rinse your feet off, towel dry and apply moisturizer in a massaging fashion.. Carefully empty the basin and remember to keep this healing treatment in your beauty repertoire.
Benefits of Ingredients:
Green tea has saponins which are healing to the skin; Epsom salts softens skin and promotes detoxification; sea salt is cleansing and reduces swelling; baking soda exfoliates the skin and in combination with salt may reduce the negative effects of minor exposure to the radiation from X-rays; milk hydrates the skin and encourages skin cell renewal; orange peel is antiseptic and relieves itchiness; orange essential oil eliminates toxins and stimulates the lymphatic system, while supporting collagen formation in the skin; lavender essential oil reduces pain, heals skin/wounds and relieves depression and tension; and ginger essential oil relieves cramps, arthritis, and bruising.
Health/Healing:
Reclaim Your Radiance.
During the winter we can feel 'blah', dull and anything but radiant. Yet, awakening our bodies, minds and souls enlivens our energy and allows us to glow luminous from within. Radiance is the quality of emitting heat or light; characterized by health, intense joy, happiness, etc. Radiance indicates how much life force we have; the more we generate, the more we can reflect. A healthy life style, a good attitude and a deep connection with the Source/ Goddess/ Great Spirit/ Universe are needed to build up the inner flames so we can shine bright. Are you aware of the body, mind and soul connection?
Body
We are physical beings. Our bodies are intricately woven. We need energy and healthy bodies to live sensual, fulfilling and magickal lives. There are many exercises designed to refresh and revitalize the body. Stretching, walking, and practicing yoga are gentle ways to awaken our body and get our blood flowing every day, which is essential for vibrant well-being. Beauty and health originate from inner balance and harmony, they are intertwined. To be radiant we must recharge our energy, essence and spirit.
Honoring the sun as the primary source of energy on Mother Earth is another way to recharge our physical energy levels. By charging our energy centers/our chakras with the solar force strengthens and energizes the whole structure of the body. The following is a morning ritual that is best done out doors, before 10am. We all know the importance of sunshine for supplying our bodies with vitamin D. Because this exercise is completed within minutes and done in the early morning before the suns rays are too intense, it's okay to skip the sunscreen. If for any reason you cannot perform this in the morning, you may wish to perform the lunar charging exercise, instead..
* Facing the sun with as much of your body as possible in sunlight.
* Stand with your eyes closed. Raise your arms out to the sides, (like a cross), palms forward.
* Breathe slowly, feeling the sunlight soaking into your entire body.
* After a minute or so, bend your arms at the elbows, bringing your hands inward and slightly up,
so that they almost touch each other a few inches in front of your forehead.
* Visualize as clearly as possible light and heat flowing from your palms into your forehead.
* Move your hands together slowly downward from your forehead to your solar plexus,
maintaining the visualization the whole way.
* Once completed, separate your hands with a broad sweeping movement, bowing as low as you can.
* Then return to the first position with arms spread wide.
* Repeat this process seven times.
Lunar charging is done in exactly the same way, except that moonlight is used instead of sunlight. Though the moon softly reflects the suns light, it is still powerful. Lunar charging should only be done when the moon is waxing and is best if done before 10pm at night. Lunar charging can stimulate your intuition and increase sensitivity to subtle energies. Both practices have positive effects on physical health.
Mind
A body without a mind, is empty of energy. Therefore it is vital that we engage our minds. Keeping our thoughts positive, being grateful and allowing time for no-thought are keys to a healthy mind. Our minds are creatures of habit. If you've allowed your thoughts to carve deep ruts that lead no where, you will end up depressed, discouraged and sad. To be happy we must keep our minds active. A sound mind thrives in the present moment NOW. When we welcome change, our mind creates new synapses/pathways which allow our minds to remain young, curious, and sharp.
The following are but a few ways to live radiantly with change:
* Try something 'new' every week (a recipe, take a new route home, or act on fresh an idea)
* Take a class, learn a new craft/hobby, read an book (mysteries are good)
* Play games, work puzzles, challenge your mind power
* Meditate - completely let go of thought streams... stilling the mind
* Daydream (follow where ever your mind leads you)
* Imagine the possibilities - they are vast!
The radiant mind is one infused with spirit. Our brains require oxygen.. Our minds require spirit. The essence of spirit is nothing more and nothing less than to confidently trust in the radiance of your pure being. The mind without spirit is off balance and in jeopardy of illness. When we live in a state of enlightenment we experience radiant mental health. Being aware of our breath and breathing with awareness helps channel our energy.
Alternate Nostril Breathing is an exercise to improve mental clarity/radiance.:
* Use right thumb to close off your right nostril.
* Inhale slowly through left nostril
* Pause for a second
* Now close left nostril with ring finger and release thumb off right nostril
* Exhale through your right nostril
* Now, inhale through your right nostril
* Pause
* Use thumb to close off your right nostril
* Breathe out through left nostril
This is one round. Start slowly with 1 or 2 rounds and gradually increase. Never force.
Sit quietly for a few moments after you have finished.
Deep, mindful breathing is required for radiance. Breath has been called the Spirit of Life.
note:
Did you know that 70 % of the waste that our bodies generate is removed by the breath? Sweat and elimination remove the other 30%. I find this very interesting. It indicates to me, that spirit/breath and body take responsibility for purifying the body, and we must by our will take responsibility for purifying our mind and spirit. Just a thought.
Spirit
A radiant spirit requires acknowledgement and connection with the Divine. We each hold within our selves a spark of Divine love, light and purpose. Some consider the Divine something apart from us, something separate and distant. Yet the Divine is in every thing...every leaf, every breath, every tear and every dance.
Meditate for ten minutes, while being mindful of NOW, focus your attention on what is - allow your senses to guide you. What do you feel? What can you see? What do you hear? Are you savoring what you can taste, touch and smell?
Our spirit, like our senses, supply our minds and bodies with information and energy. The simple acts of life, the mundane experiences and the secret knowings all hold a part of the Divine. Our bodies and minds cannot be radiant without our spirits to shine from within. Our soul connections with life and the unseen are what give passion to our existence. It is vital that we find ways to connect with our spirit in order to reclaim our radiance fully. For a radiant spirit we must raise our energy/our vibration. The higher your vibration, the more spiritual energy in your body. When spiritual energy flows freely throughout our mind and body we have optimum health and vitality. Become an alchemist and be transformed, allow all negative energy to be transmuted. Follow spiritual processes which lift your spirit into a state of unity with the Divine.
Violet Flame Visualization and Affirmation:
Sit straight in a chair with feet firmly on the floor, hands resting palm up in your lap.
As you visualize a violet flame affirm your connection with the Divine.
The more you speak your affirmation the stronger the more energy you generate.
Make up your own affirmation or use this one:
Violet fire, thou love divine,
Blaze within this heart of mine!
Thou art mercy forever true,
Keep me always in tune with you.
Colour Therapy:
The birthstone for February is Amethyst
Amethyst is the stone of spirituality, meditation and contentment. It facilitates the transmutation of lower energies into the higher spiritual and ethereal frequencies realms. It helps you attain clarity and wisdom by reminding every aspect of your being of its inherent spiritual nature. It helps awaken your consciousness to your authentic self by forming a column of energy that extends from your physical body through all your inner bodies to your Soul itself. This energy is channeled through your chakras bringing balance which grounds you in this earthly reality while at the same time connecting you to the Divine. It's a truly remarkable stone to work with and the colour is exquisite, don't you think? The colour of Amethyst inspires beauty and creativity. It is the colour of visionaries, as it purifies our thoughts and connects us to our spiritual self.
Amethyst Teaches Us How To:
* live in the present moment.
* know the sacred truth
* let go of unhealthy attachments
* improve our ability to focus
* redirect undesirable tendencies
* gain self confidence and belief in our self.
* protects our self against psychic attacks
* express ourself with more confidence
* achieve a personal relationship with the Divine
* let go of the past and not worry about the future
* connect and attune with our inner source of wisdom
* release a situation that is holding us back
* develop our intuition or sense of inner knowing
* speak or sing with greater ease, authority and truth
* gain emotional stability during interactions with others
* stay on our spiritual path with out falling prey to impeding distractions
The Healing Benefits of Wearing Amethyst:
* kills bacteria
* heals skin rashes
* stabilizes mental disorders
* balances emotional extremes
* treats arthritis and joint problems
* dissipates insomnia, headache and pain
* realigns and readjusts the cellular structure
* used in the treatment of hearing disorders
* awakens cellular memory to a state of health
* bestows stability, strength, invigoration and peace
* opens and activates the crown, throat and heart chakras
* strengthens the skeletal system and improves posture
* balances the pituitary gland, endocrine, lymphatic and central nervous systems
* aids in the treatment of disorders of the heart, skin, teeth, stomach and digestive system
Home/Sacred Space:
February is a good time to give your bedroom make-over. Our bedrooms should be peaceful retreats, where we can relax, and feel safe. It will be more pleasant if it is uncluttered, clean and simplistic in layout and design. Clear out everything except what is useful, soothing and calming. Though storage is an issue for many, try to keep under your bed clean and clear (including dust bunnies). Choose colours that are soft and muted. It is best to have no electronics in our bedrooms, including alarm clocks and televisions, because the electro-magnetic field emitted is not conducive to health and deep sleep. Since we spend so much of our lives in bed sleeping, relaxing and making love, it's important for the bed to be positioned in a beneficial way. Meaning, we should have a solid wall behind our heads and we should be able to see the door while laying in bed, without having our feet pointing directly at the door.
By honoring our bedrooms as sacred space where we seek rejuvenation, rest and tranquility, we will reap the rewards of deep, therapeutic slumbers and happy, energized awakenings.
Kitchen Witchery:
Here's to you, beautiful. I am offering this cheer:
"To all my sistars, that you may know how beloved you are."
Raise your glass darlings, to your self and to your sistars.
Whether we will be alone or not this Valentine's Day matters not if we love our selves.
Oh, and we do! Don't we?
Bubbly Blood Orange Campari Cocktail
Ingredients:
2-3 large blood oranges, juiced, about 1/3 cup juice
1 oz campari
Chilled sparkling wine – choose from prosecco, champagne, cava, brut, etc
Optional garnish – blood orange peel or blood orange slice
Preparation:
1.Pour 1 ½ oz of blood orange juice in each champagne flute.
2.Add ½ oz of campari.
3.Top off each drink with sparkling wine, garnish with a slice of blood orange and enjoy.
This recipe makes two, you may share with someone you love, or enjoy them your self!
Create:
Creating a vision board is an easy way to give voice to your subconscious mind. Vision boards are a very
powerful and effective tool which allows us to focus our attention in effortless and pleasing ways. What we think about, we draw to us. It's the Law of Attraction.
Vision boards are easy to make. You simply gather images and words/phrases/truths that you feel drawn to. This can be done either randomly - allowing spirit to guide you, or with specific themes, things, attitudes, goals and energies in mind. Then simply glue them onto a poster board, or as I did with my vision board above: gather, cut & paste in cyber space.
Make your own vision board if you wish to:
* have a visual representation of what you want to achieve
* document want you want to embody and have in life
* record your aspirations, goals and dreams
* have a reminder that inspires and motivates
* hold your self accountable
* uncover inner wisdom, purpose or guidance
* honor your subconscious longings
* keep record of your progress
* clarify and manifest your hearts desire
Gaia, our beloved Mother Earth:
"In a way winter is the real spring, the time when the inner things happen, the resurge of nature."
- Edna O.Brien
a snippet from my journal:
The silent falling of white, as flakes of snow dance upon the air lends a certain mystery to the day. Sitting warm and child-like peering from the window, I feel a deep love emanating from the snow globe world I see. Frozen in time, it seemingly waits. I wonder if Mother Earth feels the stirring I feel, deep within? This haunting anticipation; this longing for something to give, to burst open within my life... a blossoming of spirit, of dreams, of opportunity? I wait as if behind a blurry veil, for a door to open. Winter weaves her magickal spell around me and I gather my dreams as I move away from the chilled window panes to lay upon the sofa.
As snow flakes kiss our mothers body, we wait with frosty breath...
listening to her silent murmurs to awaken our own sweet desires.
Though motionless and dreaming, beneath her contours and hidden cleft...
awaiting with longing and anticipation, the blossoming she for us aspires.
My thoughts are floating across the scene of rolling blankets of snow behind closed eyes, and I go where they will lead..... Other wise I may remain captive to this room, this space, this
unchanging moment on this winter afternoon. I've noticed throughout my life, that winter has this affect upon me. She gets inside me... She holds me close and unyielding leads me ever inward. There must be wisdom in the darkest depths, amid tangled roots, under the heavy fertile soil where the many seeds I planted long ago lay sleeping. I wait. Perhaps this is the year they will shoot forth, reaching for the light, to grow profusely and blossom with unknown beauty.
Perhaps this year, I'll taste the sweet nectar of that wisdom. I hold this vision as a prayer.
The Realm of Fae:
RED FAIRY WING Zindy S. D. Nielsen
She sits frozen, as a huntress waiting. Hungry for what awaits her, ready to pounce
on the next fleeting opportunity that is revealed in the nakedness of winter.
"The Red Shoes" originally published by Hans Christian Andersen in 1845
The moral of the story:
Love yourself enough to dance your dreams without being entangled in the illusion of perfection. Though the male dominant cultures condition and encase women to fit within mans 'ideal' and
punishes in insidious ways the women who desire autonomy, empowerment, freedom, women are being called by the sensual and the sacred. And we must follow our intuition and inner knowing if we are to live authentic lives..
"And because they come with an extra symbolic helping of magic both helpful and dangerous, red shoes in particular walk the line between aspiration and alienation, mobility and repetition, liberation and compulsion." by Louise Jolly
Tarot or Oracle Message:
3 of hearts
The Fairy Tarot by Lo Scarabeo
Relief, Celebration, Merrymaking
Altar:
LOVE Altar
For the goddess in you by the priestess Leesa
The altar I've created is to invoke self love.
To dedicate ourselves to our authentic self which is our essence.
Guidelines for creating your own Love Altar:
East -
Flames from many candles to illuminate your path.
Flames from red candles to spark a passion for for life, and a deep love of self.
Fire representing Divine inspiration. Fire blessings you with energy.and vitality.
South -
Roses fragrant and in full bloom. Red roses just for you.
A love letter from your authentic self so you may accept and respect your self just as you are.
A symbol to represent your open heart and willingness to be adored.
West -
Pomegranates full and ripe representing the sacred seeds within you.
Abundant red fruit that you may taste the sweetness of life, that you may enjoy health.
The Goddess with arms uplifted in gratitude for many blessings.
North -
Rare red butterfly representing connection to the earth mother, your sistars, to sacred blood.
Books represent an adventurous spirit, being open to change, to infinite possibilities.
A symbol of wisdom, being receptive to the spirit of creativity and to the Divine.
Center -
Golden bowl to hold your deepest dreams and wishes.
Bowls represent your ability to hold and share energies.
Golden bowl, sacred chalice: drink and be purified, be cleansed of fear, of doubt, of worry.
Ritual:
Self Love Ritual:
Stand before your consecrated altar, the one you just created.
Stare into the flickering flames and imagine this holy fire igniting your passion, your motivation, your will to act in ways that support your dreams and goals. Visualize what you wish to manifest. See your spirit shine bright.
Gather a rose in you hand and bring it to your face. Breathe deeply of its fragrance. Brush its tender petals across your lips and feel the softness of love. Listen to your heart beat, and acknowledge your beauty, your value and your expression in this life. In this way, be gentle with your emotions. Open and feel utterly adored.
Take a bite of fruit, allow its juices to delight you. Welcome the sweetness into your being. Embrace the energies given for sustenance and health. Ask the Goddess within you to reveal Herself. Feel Her power.
Follow the example of the butterfly and allow your transformation to begin. Speak the truth and wisdom your higher self, your authentic self, your own unique expression; the Divine wants for you to believe in your truth.. Affirm you are love. Affirm you are beautiful. Affirm you are wise. Affirm you are whole. Keep your thoughts positive.
Pour wine or water into the bowl/chalice and drink deeply. With gratitude and self respect give thanks for being you! Give thanks for your life, your ability to choose, and your sacred journey. Breathe in Love. Be.
Wrap your arms about your body and embrace the wonder of you.
Know that love is your birthright. Dance.
''Love's reflection come to me, give me wings. As I will, so mote it be.''
Chant:
I love myself.
I love myself.
I love, love, love myself.
Deep at the centre of my being,
there is an infinite well of love.
I now allow this love to flow to the surface.
It fills my heart, my body, my mind, my consciousness,
my very being, and radiates out from me in all directions
and returns to me multiplied.
The more love I use and give, the more I have to give.
The supply is endless.
The use of love makes me feel good,
it is an expression of my inner joy.
I love myself;
therefore, I take loving care of my body.
I lovingly feed it nourishing foods and beverages,
I lovingly groom it and dress it, and my body lovingly
responds to me with vibrant health and energy.
I love myself; therefore provide for myself
a comfortable home, one that fills
all my needs and is a pleasure to be in.
I fill the rooms with the vibration of love
so that all who enter, myself included,
will feel this love and be nourished by it.
I love myself; therefore I work at a job I truly enjoy
doing, one that uses my creative talents and abilities,
working with and for people I love and who love me,
and earning a good income.
I love myself; therefore, I behave and think in a loving
way to all people for I know that that which I give out
returns to me multiplied.
I only attract loving people in my world,
for they are a mirror of what I am.
I love myself; therefore I forgive and totally release
the past and all past experiences and I am free.
I love myself; therefore I live totally in the now,
experiencing each moment as good and knowing that
my future is bright and joyous and secure,
for I am a beloved child of the Universe
and the Universe lovingly takes care of me
now and forever more.
And so it is.
Louise L. Hay
Journal Question:
How do I show love for myself? Where am I willing to change? Am I living my life in balance? In what ways can I grow emotionally? How can I honor the Divine feminine with myself? Am I willing to take leaps of faith and trust that I am loved and that my dreams are worthy of life? How am I purifying my body, mind and soul to make room for the sacred? Am I brave enough to be honest with myself about: what I want and what I do not - what is making my life a joy and what is hindering my growth? What inspires me? What makes my heart race with excitement? Am I free enough to dance? Do I really listen to my heart? Do I follow my own wise intuition? In what ways can I treat myself with more respect? In what ways can I reclaim my radiance?
What is required to honor my mind, body and soul on a daily basis? Am I holding my breath or breathing with ease? What does it mean to live in the moment? How can I focus my attention to the present and be here now?
Your Homework for the Month:
* Love yourself
* Find ways to be happy
* Embrace change
* Listen to your inner wisdom
* Do something new; be brave
* Uncover your authentic self
Prayer/Blessing:
Sleeping Goddess Within Me Awake
That I may be a reflection of Your love.
That I may be a vessel for Your mercy.
That I may know my authentic self.
That I may know my truth Divine.
That I may heal all woundedness.
That I may heal all doubt within.
That I may dance my soul song.
That I may dance with You.
written by the Priestess Leesa
My Blessing For You:
May you feel loved.
May you be purified.
May you know joy.
May the energies of grace kiss you.
May the energies of hope bless you.
May the energies of love embrace you.
Namaste
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Goddess Bless
note:
*2 Full text of "Ruth St. Denis, pioneer & prophet : being a history of her cycle of oriental dances"
