Jenny Heston

8 Rituals to help you celebrate Winter Solstice.

I love Winter Solstice and I can feel the energy of it for a few weeks before it even arrives. It’s dark far earlier, much colder outside and there is a desire to cocoon, wear warmer clothes and eat soup (at least for me). There is a sensation of reflection, going inwards and questioning that arrives naturally from this energy. To me this is a time where I notice those “meh” moments more and really examine my life and ask the question “Am I showing up and embodying what I am called to do?” That’s why, to me, I feel it vital to take some time out to honour this energy and work with it which in turn allows me to feel aligned. In fact I feel more balanced, connected and inspired after I have taken some time.

So what is Winter Solstice and why celebrate it? Why take the time to honour it? Good questions, so let’s explore from whence it came and what it means.

Winter Solstice takes place on the day where the night is the longest and the hours of sun or daylight are the shortest. In fact “Solstice” comes from two Latin words: sol meaning “sun” and sistere meaning “to stand still” because it appeared as though the sun and moon had stopped moving across the sky. This longest night of the year, followed by a renewal of the sun, demonstrates the cyclical order of the cosmos. In this way, celebrating the solstice can be a beautiful remembrance that our lives are part of a larger order, always changing, always renewing. It’s a gorgeous invitation to not be afraid of the dark or the shadow, as it is in that place is where we shift, grow and recharge.

Winter Solstice has been celebrated in various forms and for thousands of years across a myriad of cultures.

There was Saturnalia in Ancient Rome which began on December 17 and lasted for 7 days. These celebrations were held from as far back as around 217 BC to honour Saturn, the father of the gods.

Feast of Juul – This is where we get the term Yule from at this time of year, was a pre-Christian festival observed in Scandinavia at the time of the December solstice. People would light fires to symbolize the heat and light of the returning sun and a Juul (or Yule) log was brought in and dropped in the hearth as as a tribute to the Norse god Thor. This log was burned until nothing but ash remained. The ashes were then collected and either strewn on the fields as fertiliser every night until Twelfth Night or kept as a charm.

Yalda – or Shab-e-Chelleh (night of fourty) is an Iranian festival celebrated on the “longest and darkest night of the year” – Solstice. Every year, on December 21st, Iranians celebrate the arrival of winter, the renewal of the sun and the victory of light over darkness on Yalda Night.

Santo Tomas – a celebration in Guatemala where the Mayan Indians indulged in the ritual known as the Palo Volador, or “flying pole dance.” Three men climb on top of a 50 foot pole as one of them beats a drum and plays a flute. The other two men wind a rope attached to the pole around one foot and jump. If they land on their feet, it is believe that the sun god will be pleased and that the days will start getting longer.

If I were to try and explain this celebration in a nutshell it would be a time for introspection, embracing of the shadow, a willingness to walk into the dark, to then celebrate the returning of the light within and without. This is a celebration of honouring the dark before calling into the light and then most certainly celebrating the return of the sun and the light.

So let’s talk rituals – some people get really weirded out when the word “ritual” is mentioned. So let’s put some myths aside right now – there is no right way or wrong way, you don’t have to have all the ingredients for a certain ritual, it doesn’t need to be complex and over the top (but if that’s your style, go for it). I personally like simple rituals that I can do with my kids, on my own, with friends I trust and I don’t ever want them to feel like I am adding to my “to do” list, especially in this frenzied time.

To me ritual is intentional and all about creating space for you to tap into the seasons, the reasons and yourself. By performing simple rituals with personal meaning to celebrate the solstice, these rituals will serve as touchstones to help you cultivate an attitude of receptiveness and appreciation that will carry you through the holiday season with more ease. A good starting point might be to make a promise this winter to spend more time listening, watching, and honoring the slower, quieter rhythm of the season.

Always, always start with setting the space. Whether it is lighting a candle, hanging a wreath of evergreens or just sitting in silence for a while. Honour yourself, your connection to Gaia and Spirit, the celebration and get clear on your intention. Let’s explore some rituals to help you tap into this gorgeous energy, gain more peace and clarity and release whatever is not serving you.

Be Still, Be Quiet – Tools – You, a candle.

The minute I wrote that title I thought of the song based on “Christina Rossetti’s” poem – In the Bleak Midwinter.

If you don’t know this poem the first stanza is “In the bleak mid-winter, Frosty wind made moan; Earth stood hard as iron, Water like a stone; Snow had fallen, snow on snow, Snow on snow, In the bleak mid-winter long ago.”

Yet for some reason this poem captures the energy of this celebration. It is a time to stop, stand still.

So if you are willing (appreciating we are all very busy – as we tell ourselves), take some time to just be quiet. Turn off all the electronica, the TV, the cell phone, your laptop or whatever it is. Sit in the dark and just breathe and as you breathe imagine a glorious sunlight coming into your heart space and as you breathe out release the strings of darkness that we all have. Keep breathing in this way and with those intentions and when you’re ready gently bounce up. Turn on the lights, light a candle and eat something sunny. An egg perhaps?

Release, Cleanse and Create!- Tools – Frankincense, Myrrh, Cedar, Juniper Berries or Sage, a candle, journal for writing in. Peace and quiet for 20 minutes.

Create a space. Just sit, light a candle and give out a blessing. Anne Hayman has a lovely one that I work with – “ Bless me on this holy day, as I honor the traditions of my ancient sisters. I hold space for myself + for all living creatures on this planet. I stand strong in this long night of darkness. I trust that the light returns. I see my own energy reflected in nature as I go within, only to emerge full of light. May the blessings be… And so it is!”

Then take a bit of time to write out what you want to release, physically, emotionally, mentally, spiritually. Where are you holding it in your body and how you will feel when it is released? When you’re finished writing, rip the paper up and place it to the side.

Then using Frankincense, Myrrh and Cedar (if you are using the real thing then you will need a charcoal disc to burn them on). If you don’t have these, no panic – use Sage smudge or whatever you have. Light this sacred incense up let it waft through the air and take a moment to think about all you have released. Then with the candle you lit at the beginning, over a safe container, light up the pieces of paper you ripped up.

As you watch the flames devour your darkness and releasing see it all absorbed back into the sky, the Universe, healthy, cleaned and transferred. .

Sit for a moment with the waft of incense around you and your candle burning and say to yourself – “Light above me, light around me, light within me, light below me. My light is my strength and my protection.” You have just welcomed the light back.

So now you have created a glorious, sacred space within yourself with this ritual. What do you want to fill it with?

Imagine yourself as fully connected to the Divine and the Earth, you are a conduit in the middle. With this glorious energy pulsing through you – what do you want to create? What makes you feel energised? What makes you feel vibrant and alive? How do you want to share your light with others? Write it all down. If you use cards and feel fully connected to them, do a yearly spread. If you want some help, let me know.

When you are done, place both hands on your heart and breathe long and deep. You have just done something that is powerful and changes energy in a deep, subtle way. Breathe in, breathe out and know, trust you are a delicious being of light and love. So it is, and so it will be.

Get outdoors! Tools – You and the outdoors.

Is there a trail you can walk or a field or bank of snow you can lie down in?

A perch that provides the perfect view? Perhaps it is the top of your apartment building or a rocky outcrop. Wherever it is, even it is in your yard, find a quiet place to just acknowledge and BE. Get outside, whether it is at night or to watch the glorious sunrise. Get outdoors.

Create a Giving Tree – Tools – Food in the fridge, popcorn strings, a tree, candles.

This is deliciously easy and can be done on your own, with your partner or with your kids. Create a giving tree (this is where the idea of Xmas trees came from). Make some strings of popcorn and berries, apple slices or whatever you would like to do. I have done nuts on strings, apple slices covered in peanut butter embedded with seeds, popcorn and cranberry strings.

Take all your glorious offerings to the tree you picked, whether inside or outside. In the dark hang your strings on the tree and tell the tree how you welcome the light back so that there is more than enough abundance for everyone and everybeing. Stand back in the dark and revel. Then light your candles up and just take some time and appreciate where you are, your glorious tree, the offerings you made and the light coming back. If you want to burst into song with something like “Here Comes the Sun” by Simon and Garfunkel, then you so need to send me a video!

Invite People for Dinner! – Tools: You, friends or family, candles, food and a willingness.

This is a celebration time and what better way to celebrate than share food with others.

Sharing food is an important part of any celebration, it is particularly meaningful during Solstice as it represents faith in the return of the sun and the harvest. So have a friend or more than one over for dinner! Light some candles, share your goals, intentions and what you want to “harvest” in the next 6 months.

Turn off the Lights! – Tools: You, lights and thermostats?

This is super easy, turn off all the lights in your home, turn off your furnace, radiators, , baseboard heaters or whatever form of heat you have. Open the doors and windows wide and allow the cold air to flood in and breeze through (I highly recommend you bundle up).

In that soft darkness sit and BE in silence for a good 5 minutes or more. With the combination of dark, cold and silence it cultivates a stillness in yourself. You may feel a tad wiggly or odd but just keep breathing.

I used to do this with the kids when they were younger (and this is also my youngest monster’s birthday) it was quite profound to see what came up and out. When you are done with the dark (and don’t run from it), go around and gently close the doors and windows, put on your heating supply and as you do send a little blessing out “As the darkness begins to retreat and light begins its return once again – I am grateful”.

Then light candles galore (this welcomes back the sun), sing songs, share food and stories and what came up. And most importantly relax, enjoy and celebrate! If you are doing this on your own, after you have lit your candles, put on music that makes you feel awesome. Move your body and eat something delicious that is not your norm and give huge thanks.

Walk into the Dark – Tools – evergreen boughs, candles, apples and again – a willingness.

I have done this one for quite a few years with my kids and friends and it is stupendous and delicious. The Spiral Walk.

A few days prior to Solstice we go gather a truck filled with cedar boughs (keep in mind I do live on the side of a mountain). Then on the white snow we create a spiral that you could walk like a labyrinth. In the centre of the spiral is a tree stump covered with nature’s offerings – berries, shells, pinecones and crystals and a large candle.

The evening of Solstice we all gather together and each has an unlit candle in an apple and the only lit candle is the one in the centre of the spiral. One at a time gently holding the unlit candle someone walks the spiral into the darkness, towards the light they whisper what they want to release. When they hit the centre they light their own candle and as they walk slowly back out of the spiral they say what their creation, hearts desire, manifestation are going to be.

When they see a lovely spot that resonates for them they put their apple candle on the spiral and so it goes. By the time this ritual is done the spiral is lit up all over the place and then we would go inside, turn on all the lights and eat a meal and celebrate together. Have to say, every time we have done this as a family the spiral has been lit up all night and the centre candle has never gone out, no matter the snow or the winds.

Gift and Share – Tools: You, your stuff, large bags.

You’ve heard the saying “What is one man’s trash is another man’s treasure?” What better way to release and invite in the abundance that comes with the sun than releasing things you don’t need. Now I’m not talking about those tatty, ripped stained jeans – but what about that sweater you haven’t worn in years, those jeans that are lovely but you don’t like? Things like that. What about the food in your pantry that was given to you or brought to a gathering that you are never going to eat as it isn’t your thing? (For me I think of nuts as I don’t eat them).

So intentionally gather these things together and as you bag them up to drop off where they can be really used, set the intention of releasing for yourself and that you have created space in your physical life for more abundance and light and that your donations are welcomed and helping someone who will really enjoy them and appreciate them.

So wishing you a stupendous Solstice and a massive release and intention setting. Remember there is no right way, you just have to take the time, set an intention and do it.

Happy holidays to all of you, whether it is Hanukkah, Christmas, Solstice or none of those. May you feel peace, love and tap into your light.

New Moon in Sagittarius and only 3 days to Winter Solstice!

Jenny Heston · 2:30 pm ·

Happy Magnificent, Marvelous, Magical Monday!!! How are you? How are you doing with Solstice and Christmas quickly rushing in? I hope you are taking some time every day to just breathe, BE, laugh and play – it balances some of the crazy out! Today is the New Moon in Sagittarius and holy hannah what a delicious New Moon to work with prior to Solstice and Christmas. This New Moon has the energy of traits that ordinarily don’t surface till New Year’s Eve.

It brings awareness of time passing and chapters ending, even as it orients us to the future. It stirs optimism and possibility in the midst of somberness. And instead of resolutions, it encourages making concrete wishes that stand a very real chance of manifesting. At this New Moon there are 5 planets in the visionary sign of Sagittarius and it’s in the galactic center of our Universe. So Holy Hannah, please take a few moment to make some New Moon wishes! If you need a prod, this is it!

I shared with you last week how I was advised quite clearly by the gorgeous Universe, to help kids at Xmas and do a kind of Secret Santa thing and wow, I have been floored with the response. A lot of you stepped up with tinsel and bells on to the nth degree even though you don’t live in this community, and sent messages asking how you could help. Well let me tell you – drum roll please……….. 79 little people will have something awesome under the tree for them come Xmas morning and two families who really needed some help will have the full Xmas meal along with fun treats, pressies and grocery cards for after the holidays and last but not least blankets and warm coats are flowing in to give someone who is on the streets some warmth and succour! So for all of you near and far who participated, thank you, thank you, thank you! You have just made an amazing impact on over 130 people and wrapped them in a blanket of love and care! This makes me feel huge Joy and as we have worked with the tenets of Hope and Peace, this week we are going to work with Joy, okay?

What is Joy? Isn’t Joy just feeling Happy? Nope, gotta say, nope. Happiness comes from something external and Joy is an inside job. Joy is clearly aligned with freedom because the joyful human being experiences life’s fullness and nurturing. It is an internal state of being, one that emerges from a profound belief in the sacredness of life. It’s that glorious inner understanding that all things are held in the loving embrace of God and the angels (and don’t let the words trip you up), and that there is a meaningful explanation or learning that emerges that will ultimately benefit us all. I love, love, love feeling Joyful it’s the oxygen for my spirit or the heart warming warmth of a perfect cuppa tea (and I am very picky lol!) If you are feeling at all that Joy has left the building for whatever reason, I have your back and some tips to reconnect with that sense of Joy, right here.

Interestingly enough I thought a bit of a darker, edgier deck would pop out to come play – but the Oracle of the Dragonfae insisted, I think they strongly feel we need a little magic and warmth as we enter the shortest and darkest day of the year. The crystals that came to play are:- Red Snowflake Obsidian – it brings things to the surface and aids in seeing the patterns in life, Mookaite – a gorgeous crystal for the here and now and a crystal for the lower triad of chakras. Then we have – Bloodstone – a glorious healing stone used to cleanse and align the lower chakras and help connect back to heart.

Okay, with all that being said (I do tend to chunter on), stop, stand still, roll your shoulders up back and down in a languorous way. Feel your shoulder blades nestle down neck to your spine, gently stretch your neck and sway your torso from side to side and breathe. Just breathe. Breathe in that effervescent, safe energy of Joy and as you exhale send it to person, place or thing that you want to receive this energy (and of course it can be yourself). To help you really tap into that space of Joy there is a brief guided visualisation if you feel inclined.

Ready to pick?

Let’s go have a looksee, yes?

Nimue

Between my two hands lies the power of all that is; the connections between the Earth and the stars, the realms through which you can move to bring about your deepest desires and dreams. But do you dare to dream it? Are you courageous enough to declare your desire? I can create, but I will not be brought froth when you do not have the fortitude to commit to your change. Make a commitment to thy own self now – she, who you truly are, is worth this trust, this pledge, this courage you must have to birth your own changing self. For I am gentle, but I too have no more time to spend if you wish to waste the jewels life has given you. I will turn away, because it may not yet be your tiem. Only you can say it is not so, and walk forth into your new self, with me as guide and light, with transformation as your nature, with your incarnation without material death as your truth.

Do this with me: Bless theyself. Love thyself. Know that you are beyond your own imaginings. Act this day, this hour, this minute, and change will flow. Do not hesitate. Be transformed now!

It is time for you to free yourself from the confines of others’ expectations and investigate other less conventional ways of making a living. You may be drawn to a particular crystal at this time, and may enjoy simply entering into more regular communion with the element of earth and its minerals. Wear jewellery that has been cleansed by you, and energised by you, and understand its significance and power for you. Make each piece you choose to wear a totem symbolising your own self, adorning and expressing who you truly are. Above all, the message of Nimue is to free yourself. Stop expecting others to unshackle the chains and force you to walk free. You, and only you, can remove that which is holding you back.

The Listener

How much have you missed because I could not have the space, the wild quiet, the blessed peace in which to whisper my secret straight to your soul? How much more could you be aware of if you simply took the time to be still and silent? The whole world can be heard in a moment….and now it is your time to be still, and to be silent. Listen and truly understand what it is you are hearing. Listen with your being, your entire being, not just your ears. Allow your senses to be the soul’s messengers. Sometimes we need to be quiet and listen. But first of all we need to be quiet. So many people talk so much of the time. And the talking and the talking and the filling up of space simply drowns out the messages. The dragonfae do not decry conversation and robust dialogue, the joyous clash of friends talking with each other, or the singing out of voices….especially when raised in joy, celebration, song and good cheer! But this card speaks of a time when it would be right for you to be still, and to listen, as the world whispers her secrets to you. We do not want to be making so much noise that we drown out our own signs and messages. So be still. Be silent. And be ready for the messages to come in sweet, subtle and magickal ways.

It’s time to remove yourself from the hustle and the bustle, from built-up urban and industrial areas, and go deep into nature and find the still pace of solitude in which the soul can speak – and be heard! Turn down the stress, the demands, the social whirl, the noise that can drown out meaning. In the words of Shakespeare, chatter is often “a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.” You would do well to seek the counsel of spirit in nature, to rest in a quiet grove within. Furthermore, when the soul speaks, listen, come into alignment and act from that space of integrity. The Listener does not feel the need to tell all about what she has heard. In fact, she is content to simply act, without broadcasting her moves, and to allow her dreams into being, to follow the guidance of her message without exhausting the energy of the message by talking it out.

She is silent and she seems still. But all of her actions are powerful and purposeful because they are born from a pure, still place of energy. Hers is the quiet glade and sudden, glad truth of the soul, and in these truths are great wisdom and delight.

The Time Guardian

The feelings you have, of time contracting and expanding, are real insights, not simply your imagination. Time is a living dimensional being, whose powers include the ability to devote more time to those of us who require it, and for time to speed up or slow down then it may be necessary, too. It is in this way that we are able to divine and travel through the threads and weavings of time, and move forward into seeing our future…in truth, we are already there. And much of who we truly are remains an echo. The time beings of the Dragonfae, of whom I am one, know this, and guard and protect you from confusion. Similarly, they can assist you when you require time to be created. If you feel you are short of time, send a thought message to me, the Guardian of Time, and I will send you all the help you need to meet your goals within the time you feel you have. Know that time is available to work for and with you; you need only tune into it as a dimensional reality, and connect with the time beings. Know that you are a timeless being. Know that you are dimensionally vast, that you are protected, cherished and loved.

If you work with time rather than trying to compartmentalise, control and define it, if we return to the lunar and solar and astronomical ways, if we celebrate the time changes apparent in nature all around us with the Wheel of the Year, then the time span we have will be richer and more joyful, our vocations will be discovered and we will no longer struggle to cram so much into our days. Because changing our perceptions is such a mammoth task, the Time Guardian is sometimes very tired, as the prevailing human mindset now is of time needing to be constrained and watched. He encourages us all to experience the natural flow of the energy we call time, and experience its multi-dimensionality. There is one simple way to work with him. Be in the present moment, more often.

Wow, that was a delicious reading! So gorgeous one I wish you a week of Joy, Hope and Peace. Here’s little prayer to remind you about Joy – “Dear Heavenly Teachers, allow me to believe in the rightness and goodness of life even when I see to much of the opposite. Permit me to bring love into the world even when my first response is to doubt love. Accept my life as as means of service to the Universe so that joy may bound on earth and within each living thing.” I also will write the word Joy on little pieces of paper and pop them in my wallet, makeup bag etc, just to remind me. With Solstice just around the corner I am going to send you all a lovely ritual on how to connect with this gorgeous energy as a thank you, so look for it in your email on Thursday. Stay warm and toasty, and there won’t be a reading for the next two weeks as I plan on having some lovely family time and finishing off my 2018 planning. But saying that, if the Divine says – yes – then yes it will be. Wishing you and yours a peaceful, hopeful, joyful and loving festive season.

Oh yes, for all those who have asked for private readings, we have had all sorts of technical difficulties with lovely mercury retrograde, so I just wanted to let you know, you haven’t been forgotten.

It’s time for Peace and juggling Mercury Retrograde! – Weekly Reading December 11th.

Jenny Heston · 2:00 pm ·

Happy delicious, divine, marvelous magical Monday! How are you? How is Mercury Retrograde working for you this time round? Personally, my oven blew up, the printer stopped working, the power went out for hours and I had to get a new phone lolol. It so makes me chuckle as all of these things happened when I felt “stressed for time” and that “it had to be a certain way”, ahhh yes, well the glorious Divine had a different message such as – slow down, be present and remember to laugh, trust and breathe, feel the peace. Which I most certainly did (and laughed at it all as well). How was the last week for you – working with the tenet of Hope? This week we are working with the energy of Peace.

The other day I noticed a sign in town that was counting the days down to Xmas – it read something like “Only 18 more shopping days until Xmas.” Really? That’s what Xmas is about, shopping? Hmmm, didn’t work for me and I was a tad grumpy that there was no sign that said “Only 14 days left to Solstice and then the days start getting longer!” Ah well, we each do it our own way, but I have noticed people getting more tense, shorter fused and most certainly not smiling as much and that to me is not celebration, that feels like obligation. This is a time of connection, this is a time of celebration and creating memories (as is every day in my world). A time of Hope and Peace.

I had an interesting experience the other week I would like to share with you. I was happily sitting and writing away in my own little bubble and there was a huge WHOMPH of energy that came flooding in through my feet, down through my head and whirled like a mad thing around my body with a very clear message – What about those who need a little bit of help and extra TLC? WTF? So I sat with it for a little bit (although the temptation to bolt and run was high) and images of little people and Xmas, people cold and alone, single parents looking feeling despair and less than as they look at what they have and wonder how on earth they can even fake a Christmas dinner, pay the rent and buy a gift for each of their kids. I cried! I mean I cried a full body, holy hannah fat tears dripping onto the paper kinda cry as this had hit a really personal chord, but that’s a story for another day. I will be honest, I kept trying to pretend that this whole scenario hadn’t happened, as after all I was too busy to do anything about it, and came up with every frigging excuse under the sun. Yeah, let me tell you – don’t even attempt to run from messages from the Divine, she comes and finds you, even if you are hiding in the bottom of the closet under a pile of coats!

What ended up happening was I contacted the elementary schools and asked if they knew of any small people who might need a little TLC and support this Xmas and also if they knew of any families that might need help. I contacted the homeless shelter and asked them what they needed and blankets was the resounding answer. Within a week I had been advised of two families that could really do with a loving hand and 60 little people from 4 – 12 that could do with some TLC. So I talked to an organisation that I love and work with – The Royal Canadian Legion and they stepped up loud and proud and are doing a blanket drive and creating two amazing hampers of food, gifts and certificates for the two families. Then I threw it out on Facebook to my community to see who could help with all these little people as we only have 2 weeks and I wanted to see who was willing to be a glorious, gorgeous Secret Santa. Quite a few people in the community stepped up and were assigned a small person to get a gift for, but what gob smacked me was the support from people in different areas of the world, France, Southern US, Vancouver. Thus, as of this moment we have 35 out of the 60 little people covered with a cool gift, all wrapped and ready for them come Xmas morning. Which to me is frigging cool. So on those days when you think you are alone or don’t matter, trust me, you most certainly do. This reminder gives me that beautiful sense of peace and trust and massive joy. Each of us can make a difference, it doesn’t have to be massive and lavish, it can be heartfelt, loving and little.

Okay, so keeping with the energy of the shorter and shorter days and coming to the place on Solstice of being willing to step into the dark to bring your light beaming bright out into the world – The Divine Circus Oracle stepped up loud and proud! Now, if you have never worked with this glorious Oracle deck, this deck is for those who find it hard to follow rules, conform, bend to authority and generally do what they are told. May your rebel heart always be bold. Interesting to see the glorious crystals that wanted to come share their energy today. We have Septarian – a shamanic healing stone, Smoky Quartz – Grounding and protects from negative energies and last but not least Shungite – a glorious purifier and transformation crystal. Let’s go play with the energy of Peace this week and a little more into the dark, it’s safe – honest.

So gorgeous one, get anchored and grounded by breathing long and deep in through your nose and out through your mouth. If you need a little help with tapping into the energy of Peace that we are working with this week there is a little visualisation to help. Otherwise, just breathe and drop into your body. You are safe, you are loved, you are Peace. Ready?

Let’s go pick, shall we?

Take another glorious breathe and feel it fill you from top to toe and then let’s go see, yes?

DARK HARLEQUIN

Bells are ringing from deep inside. Something that once had to hide is seeking your attention. It want out! It wants to be free! As you release what was once shut away, your discomfort shall turn to glee. You are a spiritual adventurer! You are not afraid to go to the edge of what you know, of who you have believed yourself to be. Even when before you there lies the darkness of unknown worlds, of undiscovered parts of you, even when you feel uncertainty, discomfort or doubt, you are still willing to figure out what it’s all about,

So you’ve come to a place in you, and in your life, where you don’t know. You don’t know what’s happening. You don’t know how to work through it. You don’t know who you are (well, not all of who you are). You don’t know what you don’t know. You are at the point of not knowing because you are growing. There will be surprises. There will be discoveries. You’ll feel awkward at times, like you are trying to see in the dark.

Don’t be afraid to let there be some inner rattling and rampaging. You are at a time when you are naturally diving into the darkness for a healing purpose. So ask the difficult questions. Do things you wouldn’t normally do. Experiment with thinking in ways you wouldn’t normally think. Be willing to let everything change for the better by first letting go of how things are now. The messier your inner world seems to be right now, the more you can expect complete and utter transformation as a new order comes into form. Expect the unexpected, for you were born to grow into what is happening now. It’s time to let the wild thing out!

NEBULA WARRIOR

There are advocates for love on this earth, those that are passionate defenders of the freedom for all beings to grow and fulfil their divine destiny. These warriors for the soul know they can either use darkness to serve the growth of the light, or allow it to consume their sense of hope, trust and faith in the right outworking of the destiny of all living things. You are being initiated in the ways of working with darkness constructively, to become a soul warrior with all living beings.

Some things in life are worth fighting for – but how do you fight with love? How do you fight without becoming bitter, hateful, tired, disconnected from the whole reason you needed to fight in the first place? To be a warrior for love and the soul, you have to be smart. You have to know how to fight without fighting, how to use the natural darkness on this planet as a way to birth a new consciousness that is unafraid. Nebula Warrior isn’t afraid of the dark. She isn’t interested in the rules of war established by fear-loving minds. She creates her own rules, not based on what people want her to believe, but based on what works to keep her free and liberate the minds and hearts of all beings.

She comes to you now because whatever situation needs healing in your life, or in the world, you have the power to bring it about. If you go for the goal directly, trying to force a change, you will be putting your considerable energy into pursuit and unintentionally set up resistance and repulsion. Guiding rather than forcing the solution to come into being , is a more effective use of your power. Do what you can do, each day. If you cannot do something you want to do, ask for help from the universe and then let it go. When you need rest, take it. You are a warrior of love and you will win any and every war, through cool compassion and smart, simple strategy.

DIVINE DISGUISE

Some blessings are obvious – the door that opens, the person who says yes and the instant success of an idea. But not all blessings are instantly recognisable. Some blessings are so veiled that at first you might consider them to be an unwanted development. A concealed blessing is either already at work in your life or on its way. Don’t worry if you feel like things aren’t working out as they should. Soon enough, the disguise will be dropped, and the blessed unmasked in all its beauty.

Blessings are the mysterious workings of the universe, there to help us along our unique life path to live our truths and fulfil our potential. The universe has the knack of knowing just what it is we need, even when sometimes we might think we need something altogether different. This is how it can be that something we resist and reject in our lives can become the very thing we’re most grateful for later on. We realise it had been a blessing masked, something actually helping us, even though it might have come in the form of a challenge or a struggle before we eventually gain great benefit from it.

The real beauty of a situation isn’t obvious to you yet. But trust and have peace of mind and a realisation that the universe does really know what it’s doing. It’s in your corner, on your side, cheering you on and helping you avoid unnecessary pitfalls, even if you don’t know they exist. There is no need to worry, even that which appears to be most troublesome is going to reveal itself to be working in your favour!

How did that feel? Remember to give yourself moments every day where you just drop into the lotus flower in your heart and breathe in Peace and release “Shoulds”. Breathe, Receive and Allow. You’ve got this! Wishing you a fantabulous week and next week we explore Joy!

Gemini Super moon and Mercury in Retrograde – Weekly Reading December 4th

Jenny Heston · 2:00 pm ·

Hello delightful darling of deliciousness! How is your Marvellous Monday? Did you have a glorious Thanksgiving? It seems like Thanksgiving was just yesterday, but no it wasn’t, and wow December is already here bringing with it a Supermoon in Gemini, Mercury just went retrograde (gulp) and the energy of this month is Upgrade. So we are in a delicious energetic time (you thought you had escaped it didn’t you?) But let’s boil this all down and look at what the heck it all means.

Last month the theme was Turning the Soil, digging deep into things and coming to terms with certain areas of our lives. We are now in the last month of the year and with this Super moon in Gemini and Mercury being the ruling planet of Gemini we are being asked to do a celebrate, review, release and realign. Now what do I mean by that? As humans we are really good at looking at the things that didn’t happen, or went wrong (which is a load of bollocks), instead of regularly acknowledging and celebrating our glorious successes. So it’s time to acknowledge those and then review what goals that you set that didn’t come to fruition and ask yourself why. Please don’t use this as an exercise to beat yourself up, that’s not what it’s about, it’s an evaluation. The energy right now is about releasing the things you aren’t fully connected to and not for your highest good (or they would have come to pass) and re-visioning your future. To me that is very cool, especially as we are winding up the year and we are heading into the dark of the Winter Solstice.

Over the last couple of weeks a few new decks picked me,which I love! However, most interesting to see I had some energy about one of them. I don’t tend to do “cute”, I most certainly don’t do generic, platitudes and avoiding looking at the pink elephant in the room. So it was most strange to me when a deck kept hopping into my hands, calling to me and literally getting up and in my face. A deck that “looked cute, bland and have to say meh.” So after the third of fourth time of this deck trying to come to me I said – what the heck, and holy hannah I am glad I did. Why? I like to be real, raw, true and go deep, which means embracing all aspects of who we are. We are composites of dark and light. When we try to continually stay in that “light place” because it’s the societal norm and stuff our gifts and our truth because it makes others uncomfie it is so frigging draining! So this Oracle deck really asks you to step out of the shadows, to no longer hide your light away, and to acknowledge your individuality and strange genius. You are being encouraged to acknowledge your whole self and stop cloaking your gorgeous quirky traits in the gray garb of “normality”, it’s okay not to fit into that mould. Which again totally ties into going into the dark of the Winter Solstice to bring your light back out. So please let me introduce you to The Oracle of Shadow and Light, by Lucy Cavendish. The crystals that wiggled and jiggled to join in are:- Cinabrite, Moonstone and Snowflake Black Obsidian, good fits for this deck methinks.

I had also thought that for some December can be a bit of a challenging month with commitments, obligations and expectations running rampant. With that in mind each week there will be a brief guided visualisation to help you reconnect to the tenets of Advent – Hope, Peace, Joy and Love. So with that all being said, take a moment and just breathe. Listen to the visualisation if you want to really tap into your sense of Hope and then pick the card or cards that are calling to you.

Did you pick? Shall we go see?

Angel de los Muertos

I bring you a message from a loved one: one whose spirit seems to have already departed, but whose physical presence lingers on for now . I as you now to acknowledge your loved ones who are resting, in spirit, or creating new selves for their souls. You may soon be about to meet a beloved in a new form: I ask you to stay open minded about the form in which the souls can come, and I ask you to be open to the message from the loved ancestors. For they have something to tell you, and it will come to you soon, in a vision, or a dream, or a message during a daydream that will bring such sweet tangible proof of what some people still call life after death.

There is no death. There’s only life and resting and change. Be ready to be comforted and to learn more of the world beyond this world, which is always with you, but is not always believed in, or trusted, even when we send messages to you, as clear as a flag in the sky.

You are not to delay activating this lifetime’s purpose. The message is not just from those who have passed, but of the truth that you can activate your new life now, whilst alive. It is no longer necessary to pass, to re-create the life contract and purpose you have. Do not wish to leave in order to start anew: believe that this life is a constant process of creation and that you are at a point where you can end a pattern, without ending this life. Energy is changing, and death is no longer the greatest reshaper. She comes to visit you now so the fear of mortality passes and so that you understand you can being to rebirth yourself into a new life, now.

Mend A Broken Heart Fairy

Here she comes to gather up your heart’s sore pieces and place a sweet bandage on the place that is most wounded. And this one tender gesture does more to heal you than could a thousand years of therapy. It’s time for small kindnesses to be received, for you to know that the little gifts of friendship and sweetness are the ones that will assist you most at this time.

Allow yourself to be treated gently, to be attended to with kindness, and to be hugged. Allow yourself to accept that this is a time when you need to take good care of yourself. You are healing, and on the mend, but do not undo her medicine by forcing yourself to hurry up and get over it!

When you have heartache, it is important to treat yourself well: take time away from the flurry of shoulds you are so often confronted with. Why not take some time to snuggle on the couch with a favourite old movie, and have a sniffle. Have a long, comforting bath, and be sure to make a promise to yourself to let close people who are worthy of you and of your love! It is not about being bitter or guarded, but you are a sensitive and tender sweet being, and some people are just…not! So now is not the time for harshness. Soft blankets, sweet dreams, long baths, and a reduction of the harsh energy around you are best.

Then the Mend A Broken Heart Fairy can fly in to soothe you….. You will feel her presence, and she will lift the pain, until all that is left is sweet, gentle wisdom!

Violet Duchess

Bored! Stifled! Ah yes, she’s trying to be “good” and “nice” and polite – but it’s not working. This lovely and very passionate aristocrat has her fairy wings tucked firmly in, not visible at all, and is sitting stiffly, listening to someone give a lecture on manners.

In your admirable quest for balance, you can actually become too neutral, pretending to be serene, acting polite, not making waves – and not speaking your truth! Now that I’ve arrived showing you exactly how you feel, it’s time to discover – or rediscover – a raw and honest emotional reaction you had to a person, or to an issue, and express it. It’s all very well being a lover of harmony and not wanting to be a “troublemaker” but being a lukewarm person in regards to situations that really matter is not going to do you any favours. Bottling up your true self leads to unhealthy relationships, aches, pains, and even illness! Go for the passionate and truthful option – and rediscover just how strongly you can feel, and how much fun you can have!

Your desire to be liked, to please to the be seen as a “lady” or a “gentleman” is cheating yourself out of something wonderful that you deserve to experience. Sometimes, there are rules that simply need to be broken. Keeping to the spirit of the law sometimes means breaking the letter of the law, that’s how things change. There is a situation at the moment that has revealed itself as unjust, unfair, and absolutely unattractive to you, but you have yet to speak up! The most inspiring thing about this situation is that you’ll discover just how safe it is to stand up for what you truly believe in. Others will be inspired, too, so while it feels like you’re taking a risk, at first, after awhile you’ll realise you’ve started your own small revolution.

Wow, that was a very strong reading! Remember you can only see the brightness of the stars against the backdrop of the dark night sky, they are both equally important. So delicious one, wishing you a beautiful week where you breathe in Hope, Ease and Flow and breathe out “Shoulds and overwhelm”. Don’t forget to drink your water and do something lovely for yourself each day to recharge you. If you have any feedback on the new deck, would love to hear it. See you next week! Huge hugs and squeezes.

It’s Post New Moon in Scorpio – Weekly Reading November 20th.

Jenny Heston · 2:30 pm ·

It’s Monday, it’s Monday – fa, la, la (Trust me, I’m singing out loud!) Remember we are re-framing Monday and making it magickal, mystical, marvelous, meditative and absolutely magnificent! Gone are the days of “Oh F#@$#K it’s Monday!” So delicious one, how are you this most magnificent Monday? Did you take a bit of time on Saturday to play with the deep watery, emotional energy of the New Moon in Scorpio? Did you make your New Moon wishes? I had the joy of a window of time and going outside, lighting a fire, smudging and writing my New Moon wishes and have to say it was really, really good. As I was focusing on my writing I hear a rustle in the plants nearby and then another and as I look up there is a lovely skunk gently pushing through the plants and exploring. She stopped for a moment, looked me up and down and then gently went on her way (thank goodness).

To all our American friends Thanksgiving is coming up this week and I hope you take time to just BE, Play, be Thankful and Feel. For some people family holiday celebrations can trigger all sorts of stuff, some great and some rather challenging. So remember to take the energy of the New Moon and be clear about how you feel and what is okay for you. I have to ask what’s with the Black Friday Sale thing? I appreciate a good deal, but I went once to a store in the states on Black Friday and it was insane! People were pushing, shoving, being rude all for $100 off of an item they wanted. Totally terrified me and have never gone to a Black Friday sale in person again. With that being said I do wish you all a marvelous Thanksgiving filled with family, gorgeous food, connection, joy and big laughter.

I have had the luxury and the time this weekend to spend a lot of time playing outdoors in the woods, finding random paths and exploring. The snow that we did receive the other week has thankfully vanished and so as long as my elevation isn’t too high there are still glorious places to go play. To me this is “Green Therapy”, to get out for a couple of hours with no idea where the path will lead and just breathing in the crisp air, watching small little animals bustle about their business, random dens, abandoned nests and walking along huge trees that fell down years ago and are now covered in lush green moss. Aaaaahhhhhhh.

So it was no surprise to me that the glorious Oracle of the Wild Green World – The Faery Forest came to play. Love this deck for the magickal and insightful look at what we need. When you look at the cards, can you see the witch, the blackcat and the elven character? The crystals that were adamant they had to play are Smoky Quartz, Aragonite star cluster and Snowflake Black Obsidian. Smoky Quartz is a the aspirin of your crystal healing first aid kit, great for grounding, protection and soothing pain, both emotional and physical, it’s a crown chakra stone. Aragonite Star Clusters facilitate the release of negative energy, anger, anxiety and fear from the body. They radiate energy outwards in all directions, beaming rays of light and love out in all directions, Last but not least is Snowflake Black Obsidian this one is a stone of purity. It balances mind body and spirit. Placed on the sacral chakra, snowflake obsidian will calm and soothe and allow you to view unhealthy patterns in your own behaviour, thus opening the door to change.

So let’s take a moment and just stop, ignore the phone, back away from the day to day and just breathe. Breathe long and slow in through your nose and out through your mouth and as you breathe give your fingers a little wiggle and your toes. Feel the energy flow from above your head down through your body and out through your feet down deep into the womb of the earth. Then feel that healing, nurturing energy flow up through your feet and out through the top of your head to connect with Spirit, Divine and flow back down. Just breathe and let the energy pulse through you, cleansing you, healing you and wrapping you in a gorgeous blanket of Divine Love. Breathe and when you are ready give your body a little wiggle and pick the card or cards that are calling to you this week.

Ready to go see?

FAERY GODMOTHER

When the Faery Godmother comes to you, be aware that this is time when you will discover what has been long hidden to you – your true self will be revealed in surprising ways every day, and sudden moments of heightened perception will make this time especially significant for you. People finally get found out, manipulators can be seen through, true costs of circumstances are revealed, and any lies about you will be seen. This can be hard, but it is truly a hardship that is born of protection – you are safer for knowing in whom you can trust in order to make the right choices for your soul.

Throughout these revelations and insights will be a guiding hand – and this is the Faery Godmother. She is showing you what it is you need to know in order to create and foster life that works for you – and she is a protective force too. So what you need will come to you now, sometimes in very strange ways. Be mindful of counting your blessings at this time – for this is the energy your Faery Godmother can draw upon to keep transforming your life into one which is more abundant, magickal, meaningful, and joyful.

Note every moment of truth – they are all significant, and you are better for discovering what was once hidden from you.

QUEEN OF THE DARKWOOD ELVES

Sometimes there is a stirring, a shimmering movement, subtle but unmistakable, in the web called wyrd that connects us all. This is one such time. The Queen of the Darkwood Elves has come forth to speak with you and ask you to be aware that something is approaching. When she appears, there is a kind of foreboding and unsettled energy, akin to when a storm is gathering its power. There is a very potent force readying itself in your life, and while its impact is yet to be truly felt and experienced, it is best to ready yourself now.

So, when this card comes, make good your defences. Tend to injuries and wounds, be they psychic, mental, or physical. Take care of unfinished business, and bring in whatever you can – gather up resources and be ready for when the moment strikes and descends upon you. Because something that was unexpected could have harmed you, could have taken you unaware – but now you are forewarned, and truth be told you are now forearmed.

There is no cause to be scared, frightened, or anxious – this card indicates that you have time to prepare, grow stronger, and meet whatever it is that is coming, face on. You will move through the time you are now warned of, and you will be even stronger due to the challenge. But make no mistake – there is a challenge coming, and you can now prepare to minimise its impact and ride out the intense wave of energy it brings into your life.

OTHERWORLD

This is a time when you are passing through a veil that separates the worlds. When once all was clear and life felt stable and grounded, for now, there is a shaking of the firmament and a shift in your reality that makes you feel at times as though you are living in a waking dream. What once seemed solid is no longer to be relied upon, and throughout this time, you may be suffering ailments of the physical self.

This is a time when the thin boundaries between the worlds have dissolved for you, and there is a raw and unfamiliar energy to your world. When this take place, we can sometimes fall ill, suffer from a great loss of vital energy, and begin to feel we lose a connection with our minds that is strong. We can suffer, and in that suffering, we can begin to forget who we once were. And that, in some ways, is the purpose of this time.

You are now a walker between the worlds, and this time of being apart from the reality others seem to dwell within is going to bring you to greater wisdom, knowledge, compassion, and insights. This time will serve its purpose, and is the breakthrough that your soul requires for the next stage of their journey. But for your humanity, this is challenging indeed. Ask yourself, how can this create meaning and depth within my life, when I return to my own reality? And how can this experience be used to serve others, the planet, and the magickal world? That will give you great strength, even while you experience the shadowlands of the worlds between the worlds.

Holy Hannah, have to say – wow. The cards pick themselves, the crystals pick themselves and all of them tie in together. Some days I look at a crystal and think – really? Then I trust the guidance that comes and I take my ego out of the way and yes, Spirit knows far better than I. I love that the cards also reflect the energy of the New Moon in Scorpio which is dig deeper, trusting and being willing to walk between the worlds. So delicious one, I wish you an amazing week and if you are in the US – Happy Thanksgiving and next Monday there won’t be a reading as we are having a retreat planning time. However, I will be back the following Monday. Take care, drink water and keep your toes warm. Light a candle in your home and if you feel inclined as you light it set the intention of “hearth and home are holy and happy”. Huge hugs!

Jenny Heston

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Release Anxiety And Claim Your Power