Stopping to Smell the Roses in a World on Fire.

Gorgeous Soul,

Happy May.

And can we all just take a collective moment to whisper, “thank goodness the energy shifted,” after the absolute firestorm that was April? Whoot. I don’t know about you, but April felt like being spiritually tumble-dried at times. Fast, fiery, intense, illuminating… and honestly a little exhausting.

But May?

May arrives differently.

She doesn’t burst through the door demanding transformation. She slips quietly into the garden barefoot, smelling faintly of lilacs and damp earth, asking us to soften our shoulders, unclench our jaws and remember that life is meant to be lived, not merely survived.

Yesterday was Mother’s Day and if I’m honest, it felt gloriously bitter-sweet.

Every Mother’s Day I would head over to my Mum’s with baked goods, plants, soil and planters and create beautiful overflowing pots for her to enjoy. It was ritual. Tradition. Love woven through dirt-covered hands and flowers.

But with Mum dying just over a year ago, that ritual no longer exists in the same way.

And grief is funny like that.

It sneaks into ordinary moments. Into garden centres. Into seeing someone reach for petunias. Into the instinct to pick up an extra plant before remembering there is no longer a doorstep to place it on.

There is something profound about ancestral lineage and the threads that connect us through simple acts of care. Sometimes we inherit recipes. Sometimes stories. Sometimes gardening habits and the understanding that tending living things is its own form of prayer.

So instead, I spent the day with my horde.

We wandered amongst the camas flowers, meandered slowly, dug in the garden, laughed, got muddy, and bless them, they gifted me the coolest gargoyle ever, who has already been officially named Quido. Naturally.

And funnily enough, last year they gifted me a glorious Hansa Rose, which is hands down my favourite rose ever because the scent is utterly divine. This year she is blooming like an absolute fiend.

And honestly?

That feels like the energy of May itself.

Blooming. Softening. Rooting deeper. Opening anyway.

May brings us countless opportunities to pause long enough to stop and smell the roses.

And yes, I know that saying can sound a little cliché at first glance, but perhaps our souls desperately need exactly that right now.

To stop and smell the roses means intentionally slowing down. It means lifting your gaze from the doom-scrolling, the pressure, the endless to-do lists and noticing what is beautiful. What is nourishing. What makes you smile.

The sunlight through leaves.
Tea while still hot.
Birdsong at dawn.
Hands in the dirt.
A dog proudly bringing you a random bone while you garden.
The smell of roses drifting on warm air.

These moments may seem tiny, but they are not insignificant.

Scientifically, practices of presence and gratitude have been shown to increase satisfaction, emotional wellbeing and our overall sense of connection to life. But spiritually? I think they help us remember who we actually are beneath all the noise.

May offers grounding influences that feel deeply supportive to our minds, bodies and souls. This month encourages us to become intentional with our energy.

Not feeding what we fear. Not endlessly watering what drains us.

But instead consciously turning toward what we want more of.

More peace. More beauty.
More joy. More connection. More softness.
More truth.

And on May 16th we are gifted with the Taurus New Moon.

Now Taurus energy knows exactly how to stop and smell the roses. This New Moon brings in a lunar cycle that feels calmer, steadier and far more restorative than the chaos we have been collectively moving through.

This is not rushed energy. This is deliberate energy. Grounded energy. Long-term roots instead of frantic branches.

We are being invited to slow down enough to hear ourselves again.

To breathe deeper.
To move intentionally.
To choose what truly matters.

So with all that being said… let’s crack on with the reading, shall we?

Gorgeous One, breathe, just breathe.

Allow yourself to simply BE for a moment. Let your mind soften. Let your breath slow. Let the energy of stopping to smell the roses wend its way gently through your spirit.

Then quietly ask your wise inner self: “What do I need to know this week?”

And when you are ready, choose the card — or cards — that tug at your heartstrings.

Don’t let your mind choose. Let your soul do the talking.

And if you feel called to go deeper, I have a glorious wee guided visualisation waiting for you as well. Don’t worry… you won’t need gardening gloves. 🌹

Did you remember to pick?

Let’s go have a look, shall we?

QUEEN OF HEARTS

Your heart has been chosen by the Divine to be a temple for spiritual light, an inner place where grace and healing can dwell.  This is very special.  A temple is kept clean and pure, scented with sacred perfumes of incense, made beautiful with our feelings uncluttered and spacious so that as much spiritual presence as possible can enter.

When spirit enters and fills the temple of the heart, things of extraordinary beauty take place.  Even the seemingly impossible becomes possible.  Clear your heart temple with forgiveness, gratitude and love for the spirit, so it can fulfil its divine destiny of being a sacred channel for beautiful divine grace.

The mind may believe it has got the power to rule, but, in truth, the heart is queen.  You are a true goddess of love, one who consults the heart for answers.  You will courageously follow the guidance of the heart.  Even when the mind doesn’t want to surrender to the call of the heart, and fearfully lists numerous reasons why it is crazy and stupid and will end badly, you know that the doubt of the mind is no match for the power of the heart.  

Things don’t need to make sense to your mind or to anyone else, they just need to make sense to your heart.  You are already a divine queen, your heart aflame with passionate purpose.  Stay true to your heart’s wisdom and you will change the world!

SHAMAN OF SKULLS

In your heart, you have been asking for something different, something more, and the Universe is answering your prayers.  You don’t need to be afraid of the changes happening, or that are going to happen, for you.  They are part of that answer from the Universe!  You might feel uncertain because you cannot see how it is going to all work out – but know that the Universe is caring for you, and will provide a way to move through the transition with grace.  

You are not crazy to willingly enter this experience.  There is nothing that you need avoid, and so much that you will gain.  

Something is ending.  Something that has meant a lot to you.  Maybe it is a relationship, a phase of your life, and identity that no longer suits you.  Maybe it is an inner ending that you can’t quite articulate, but you feel nonetheless.  This is a symbolic death with a greater purpose.  

The shaman is spiritually trained to overcome the fear of symbolic death and, instead of avoiding endings, to willingly go through them with the awareness that an ending is simply the other side of a beginning.  The shaman learns that endings happen when something new wishes to be born.  

Be patient with yourself, be kind, but also know that new life is happening for you now according to a higher purpose and loving plan.  Your life is meant to change at this time.  Be encouraged!  From the ashes of this symbolic death, you shall rise again.  

FINCH SPIRIT GUIDE

Finch Spirit Guide comes to you with guidance to care for yourself in a particular way. Finches can become beautifully coloured, but only when they eat foods that nourish them. They have the power of beauty within, but they need the correct nourishment to be able to transform that potential into expression.

You also have beautiful divine potential to shine your light and beauty in the world, but you must feed your soul what it needs to do this. Be respectful and loving to yourself as you choose what to take into your being – be it physical nourishment or emotional energy or even the kinds of books you read and entertainment you watch, for all has an impact on you.

Do you feel better for the experience? Does it nourish your soul?

The best growth-enhancing food for your soul is that which increases love. Finch Spirit Guide also brings a prediction of a celebration of happiness ahead of you – and wants you to know that your connection to the spiritual worlds is real, to trust in the messages you feel from the Universe as they make themselves known in your heart.

It’s a good time to experiment with how to best care for your mind, body and soul. It’s not about being perfect; it’s about finding what works best for you. You are in a phase of your life where giving back to yourself is important.

Perhaps you have been sharing a lot of yourself with others, have come through a challenging time or, in the near future, will be stepping up in a new way to share more creative energy and soul fire than ever before.

All that you need to know now is that it is the right time to take extra special care of you.

Woosah! Gorgeous guides for this week! Sending you massive hugs and squeezes, set your intentions under the Taurus New Moon, stop and smell the roses  and ground yourself!