Jenny Heston

Claim Your Power and Step Into Your Magick

Divine Support

Equinox and Libra New Moon (the only one this year).

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Happy Magickal, Misty, Mellifluous, Magickal, Mysterious, Manifesting Monday!

Equinox is nearly here!  Equinox is nearly here! (Can you tell I love it?) 

September 22nd brings in the Fall Equinox in the Northern Hemisphere.  For all you gorgeous beasts in the Southern Hemisphere it is Ostara.   And yes the new Mabon Magickal Manual for 2022 was released on Thursday (and thank you so much for all  your lovely emails sharing how you are enjoying it). And if you have no clue what I am talking about, just go check it out.  No pressure.  

There is also a lovely Ostara Magickal Manual for our gorgeous Southern Hemisphere friends.   

When I was out hiking on the weekend and the smell of woodsmoke wafted on the cool early morning breeze, it was the perfect reminder that we are transitioning from summer to fall.  And yes, I know many people love summer and I do enjoy it, but give me Fall and Spring any day!

The leaves will soon all be resplendent in the most delicious arrays of oranges, yellows, crimson reds and then will drop slowly to the ground to offer nutrition to the seeds that you will plant come Spring. 

I always use the change of seasons as an opportunity to pause and reflect.

It’s the perfect time to reflect on your life, your Self, and any growth & changes you’ve gone through over the year so far.

When we look closely at the energy present in each season & what’s happening in nature, we’re able to see the personal growth work the Earth is really supporting us in right now.

Because, nature WANTS us to grow and expand with ease and grace, and sometimes, like the trees we need to release and turn inwards.

When changes occur in nature, they resonate within our own spirit. Deep in our bones, in our DNA and in the whispers of memories we have forgotten.  There was a time when we were deeply connected to these rhythms, but, over time, technology and our modern culture has separated us from those celestial vibes. 

Aligning yourself with the cycles of nature as a practice can be exceptionally transformative.

Here is a simple, easy ritual that you can do on Mabon (Equinox).  Do you have apples in your house?  Good, why not take a moment and pause.    

I personally, am taking the day of Equinox off, going and playing, taking that moment to move into ritual and celebration as it is also my birthday!

On Saturday the 25th (whilst still in the Equinox energy of balance and gratitude), we welcome in the New Moon in Libra, which is the only New Moon this year in this sign.  The New Moon is all about a new cycle, and the Libra New Moon is all about finding ways to reestablish balance that has been lost. 

Finding a sense of balance allows us to deal with life’s issues smoothly, and helps us to discover the peaceful neutral point from which clarity, common sense, and cooperation come from.  It allows us to see where we are over giving and where we are resistant to receiving.  (Hmmmm, how many of us have done that?)

“The cosmic music that flows from this New Moon is sweet, harmonious, and aligned to help us vibrate with our true and highest Self.

Under the dark night of the New Moon, ask yourself, how and where is my energy best used? Where can I be of greatest service?”

If working with the moons is new to you, don’t fret.  You can explore New Moon energy here.  

Okay, enough chuntering on.  Let’s crack on with the reading, shall we?  

When I asked the guides which cards they wanted to use, they picked the glorious Foxfire guides.  Now if these are new to you, please let me introduce them.  

Welcome to the Kitsune, the shapeshifters, the foxes and the magickal beings of immense and divine power, rich with Foxfire light.  They are here to help you.  They care, in their wily way, about interacting with us.  They wish to light your way with Foxfire.  They yearn to connect with you, to rekindle the sacred flame within you.  For you.  This is their promise to you.  

For you are like the ancient wanderer in the forest who has at some time been very kind, for no good reason, and at no small inconvenience to yourself.  And Kitsune have noticed this kindness, and so now they come to you, with their messages and their blessings, with the rice of abundance and the ancient flame with its power to bring us back to life.  

They wish for you to know the wisdom and the secrets and the powers that lie within you.  These are the grains of rice that will feed your soul with golden light, with Foxfire, whose origins are ancient, until you shine once more like the bright soul you are.  

Yummers!!!  What glorious guides to help you shine!

So dear heart, be here, just this moment.  Don’t worry about the other moments, they will or won’t happen.  Just breathe into this very moment.  Take a glorious deep breath in, and then a long sigh out through your mouth.  Let your shoulders drop, let your jaw relax and breathe again in the same way.  

I then invite you to see in your mind’s eye that place of balance, that place of neutrality, calm and ease.  What does it feel like for you?  What do  you have to release to come to that place?  What might you have to change to walk in that flow daily?  Breathe that all in.  Then when you are ready pick the card or cards that call to you.  

Did you remember to pick?

Come see gorgeous one.  

THE SENTINEL

Within the world you dwell in, a storm is brewing.  It is visible to many, so far, and most are completely unaware of its approach.  They no longer notice the fall and rise of the air about them, the tightening of the pressure, or the release of rain, for they dwell within their glass towers and longer feel a part of the elements and the dance between them.

But you do, Seeker, and you are aware that there is a force gathering.  What its outcome will be, how it will break, and what it will do are still mysteries, but you can prepare for this storm approaching.  Others will not listen.

Others will see you as “negative” or “odd”  when you inform them of what it is you are preparing for.  Regardless, prepare anyway.  Watch.  And take care of what it is you need to do.  This is nothing to be fearful of.  It is simply advanced knowledge of a storm – and storms can damage, or they can pass by overhead and clear the air.  

The Sentinel of the Skies, this dragon being, invites you now to see things from his magickal perspective – to go high above buildings and the everyday, and see the implications of the change that is coming.

Foresight is a gift and enables you to look out for those who will listen.  Know that when the storm passes – for they all will – you will be standing strong and able to help others, if necessary and continue with your life.  You are being watched over – the Sentinel will stand with you, always.

BRINGER OF CHANGE

You are not as they expected you to be, are you, dear one?  They thought you would be one who was more like themselves, who would be a part of the predesigned patterns and the wave after wave of people who keep the world travelling in the same direction.

But you, friend, were different.  It was not intentional, nor was it a reaction – it simply was that something new was born into the world when you were brought forth.  So now you are releasing the special light and qualities that only you can bring to this planet.  And you will find that there are others like you.  Beautiful souls who seem at times to not belong and who are sometimes rejected.

Yet, part of your creation, and part of your soul’s journey, is not to come here to be a part of what already existed.  It was to come here to change what already was.  And now you are at the moment where you will show who you are, all of it, without shame or fear.  

You will no longer fear rejections or scorn or even the fear of disappointing those you love.  You, all of you, are here to give to the world something that is needed, to offer it medicine, so that we all, human, animal, winged ones, all beings are released into the freedom to be who they came here to be.  

You are flying free, now, and in turn, you will free others.  So, bring to us your own unique vision and energies and experiences, and teach us how to become who we are all meant to be.  

BENEATH THE SURFACE

There is much within the world that can be misread when we look upon the surface.  When we see with over-accustomed eyes the world around us, we cannot truly “see” what is there.  We need experience and depth and perceptive attention when we seek to truly know something.

Go beneath the surface, which this beautiful mermaid is preparing to do.  It can be easy to glide above and to avoid the depths or to fail to see the true power of something.  Because we look upon the ocean and see its calm, we can underestimate its strength.  And this is what you are being asked to do – do not go lightly into deep emotional waters, but know their strength and life-changing power by diving beneath the surface.  Know that as you go deep, you will encounter currents and the power of the ocean – the emotional world – above you.  But it is not the time to stay on the surface.

So many others feel this is adequate – and their lives are in many ways satisfactory.  But to know the true potential of yourself and of your life, you will need to take a deep breath and dive deep.

There is no need for fear or for panic – remain calm, no matter how challenging it can seem to be beneath the world in which others seem too content to live.

This life is not for you, friend, and nor are the ailments and personal stuning of growth that others experience, over and over, because they never found a way to go beneath the apparent nature of reality and go deep within.  Know you are seeing the truth about your own soul.  Explore the hidden depths of life.  That is a reward worth the risk.  

Wowzer, some delicious energy and guidance there!  So gorgeous one take some time this week to think about what areas of your life need a bit more balance, use the energy of this incredible Equinox to do some reviewing and releasing and play!  Grab your Mabon Magickal Manual and enjoy the crispness, the smells, the beginning of the leaves changing and there will be no reading next week as I plan on celebrating all weekend!   Have a fabulous next couple of weeks and huge hugs and squeezes!

Crisis, Mercury Retrograde, Full Moon, and Equinox. Phew!

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Happy Magickal, Muddling, Miraculous, Musical, Magnificent, Manifesting Monday!

And it’s the first Monday of September, and here in North America it is a Labour Day weekend, which means a 3 day weekend – let the glorious play time unfold!  Which is what I’ve been doing!

I got dressed up for a fabulous outdoor adventure room experience themed as Alice in Wonderland, gathered ocean treasures, played in the garden, painted and started teaching myself how to draw a crow!  (And believe me, drawing without using words is not normally my forte).

I know I don’t normally pop in on a long weekend with a reading, however ……..

With Mercury going Retrograde on Friday (the 9th), a Pisces Full Moon (aka Harvest Moon) on Saturday 10th, and the energy shift of September, let alone Equinox coming – phew!  There’s a lot!  So I was told very clearly I had to pop in.  Voila!

Thus, I thought I would pen you a quick note about what to expect (and there were new guides that were getting bitchy with me as they wanted to play!)

Ready?

Okay, here we are at the very beginning of September (and no it is not Fall yet), that doesn’t happen until my birthday on September 22nd – Equinox!  

So let’s start with the overarching Shamanic energy theme of this month, which is…….. CRISIS.

Now before you baulk at the word and get your knickers in a knot, what does the word actually mean?  Our word “crisis” comes from “krisis” and “krino,” ancient Greek words meaning “to decide” and “turning point.” So think of any crisis as a moment in which you decide to take a different direction.

I’m going to let Lena share about the energetic theme of Crisis.  

When we hear the word crisis it often brings up a negative response. In truth, crisis is often the catalyst for much needed change supporting movement towards necessary and positive evolution. Our physical nature is designed to respond to crises with reaction and action, the instinctive response of fight or flight. Crisis often brings up fear. If we can work through the fear, there is power on the other side. This month is a good one to work proactively with the theme of crisis and use it as a catalyst.

Think of this as a month of potential breakthroughs as we are forced to go within for deep reflection and introspection regarding our values, habits, patterns, beliefs and actions.

Next up on the agenda is Mercury Retrograde on the 9th.  I know that Mercury retrograde gets a bad rap, but think of it in a different way – Mercury is the planet of the mind, communication and thus it’s a glorious time to slow our thoughts down, be purposeful with our words and just take a wee bit longer.  Mercury retrograde this time around starts in Virgo and ends in Libra, really inviting you to look innerwards and reevaluate  what needs rebalancing in your life.  

(Are you seeing a theme here yet????) 

Let’s dance under the energy of the Harvest Moon on Saturday the 10th. 

“While we may feel our outside world slowing down, our internal world is likely to be buzzing under the September Full Moon. We may feel past issues, old wounds, or things we have been too afraid to look at coming back up to the surface. We may have to finally take the time to pause and listen to what our inner world is trying to say. 

Trying to control or force things is not going to work under this energy. Instead, we need to surrender; we need to allow; we may even need to sit back and allow things to unfold without our interference. 

Your inner world always presents the wisdom you need at the perfect timing, so trust in this, and allow it to bring you comfort as you work through these energies.”

Are you picking up on the theme now?

Then on September 22nd we have the glorious Equinox (and yes there will be an amazing bundle available probably next week), but ask yourself – what does Fall Equinox (or Spring if you are in the Southern Hemisphere) bring to you?

Fall Equinox or Mabon  is a time to celebrate your harvest, offer gratitude and embrace the sense of sorrow and release that Fall brings!   

(I know for sure you have picked up on the theme now!) 

What’s working for you, what have you forgotten to celebrate, what needs to be released, what new choices need to be made and how can you stop clinging to things with your fingernails?

So can you see now why I was told very clearly to pop in?  This week is the start of some amazing opportunities for you this month, you just have to be willing to open the door to your heart and invite them in.  

Okay, let’s crack on with the reading and I take great pleasure in  introducing you to your new guides this week. 

“At the edge of the mind awaits the holy wilderness of the soul.  It beckons you, like a great forest filled with vast mysteries and wonders.  While this mystical realm exists in a higher dimension, beyond normal reality, it is real nevertheless.  Although unable to be seen by our physical eyes, it can be felt in the core of our being.  To enter this mystical realm, it’s simply a matter of having an open heart.   In this healing and holy place, long-sought answers to your deepest questions become known.  It’s a place where miracles unfold, and your spirit can fly.  In the deepest sense you remember who you are in this enchanted place.”

So take a breath honey.  Just come back to your glorious heart space and breathe.  That’s all that’s being asked of you at this moment.  Then when you have taken a few delicious breaths in and out, pick the card or cards that tickle and niggle.

Did you remember to pick?

Come see.

AIR SPIRIT

Knowledge

As you stand in the centre of the forest,a  subtle breeze lovingly touches your cheeks.  Gentle gusts rustle the leaves above you as the spirit of air approaches upon her boat of light and wind.  In the quietude, you sense the wind whispering messages to you from the Spirit.

It’s time to think things through.  This is not the time to be impulsive.  Do not react instinctively to situations and people.  Take into consideration all points of view.  Do your research.  Listen to others.  Speak your truth.  Take time to weigh the pros and cons of a situation.

This is an excellent time to begin a new venture or project, however.  

It will succeed as long as you are thoughtful, organised, and focused.  There is a remarkable wellspring of wisdom within you.  Take a breath, slow and deep, and delve into that inner knowledge.  It will guide you in the right direction.

Air represents wisdom, our mental activity, and our ability to reason.  It’s also associated with thoughts, intellect, communication, and comprehension.  Through our breath, we can speak and express ourselves.

Our lives begin with our first breath, so air is connected with new beginnings.  

Take a lovely delicious inhale.  Take a moment to think things through.  

Think as well as feel the right direction.

Get clarity and become focused before stepping forth.  And always remember to take care to have thoughtful communication with others.

Truth without compassion is brutality.

EARTH SPIRIT

Stability

In the lazy quietude of a warm summer afternoon, you recline on the soft moss on the forest floor and listen to the heartbeat of her earth.  Her rhythmic cadence surges up from the ground beneath you.  With each beat, you remember who you are and what is truly important in life.  The strengthening, grounding energy of the earth will fill every part of you.  

It’s time to take measure of your life and put your roots down.  Assess who you are, and where you are.  Make plans for the future, but don’t act on those plans until you feel secure in stepping forward.  This is the time of preparation and going deeper.

Darling one, it’s time to ground and create more stability in your life.

Think things through before you take action, but don’t overthink.  Take time to plan your future carefully, but please don’t micromanage.  Don’t rush into anything.  Strength is growing within you.  Security and protection surround you.  You are safe.  

The Earth Spirit provides the trees, plants, flowers, rivers, streams, oceans, mountains, and valleys, and supports us all with her bounty.  

She’s stable and strong in her devotion to us.  

You’re supported and loved, even if you’re not always sure of it.  The seeds that you plant now will bring abundance in the future if you bring yourself into alignment with them and if you take the time to nurture the new beginnings.

Be present in the moment.  Slow down and let go of the busyness and frenetic pace of life.  Delve into your roots.  Honour and release your past.  Go deep.  Reflect on your life with appreciation and then plan for your delicious present and future.

BLUEBIRD SPIRIT

Happiness

You follow the sweet songs of birds into the forest.  As you find the source of the sound, you see in the tree above you a flock of bluebirds.  The bright colour of their wings shimmers in the sunlight.  Their song envelops you in a soft embrace of bliss.

Bluebirds are glorious harbingers of delight.  Celebrate and have fun!  Embrace life, yourself, and others.  Say yes today!  Soar to the clouds and let your doubts dissolve.  All is well.  It’s simple:  Your purpose in life is to experience happiness!  That’s all that’s required of you as a soul.  You do not need to be unhappy to please another.

Whatever your circumstances, there’s always something that can bring you delight, and what you put your attention on will grow.  When you focus on the areas of your life that bring you happiness, these areas will prosper.

One of the fastest paths to true pleasure is through sharing and giving, so give of your heart and share your love.  Happiness spreads to others like wildfire and can help heal the world.  Dance and sing with abandon:  Joy is your spiritual birthright.  

Affirm:  Happiness and ecstasy flow through me wildly and freely.

Remember, all is well.  Say yes to life and let your doubts dissolve.  Don’t wait until the future, live life fully now.  You do not need to struggle or suffer to grow – you can grow leaps and bounds amid joy!

Oh my giddy goddess, you seriously can’t make this shit up! Happy Labour Day, happy week and remember to open your heart door and take advantage of all the beauty inside your soul and listen to your wise inner self (not your ego). It’s going to be a fun month! Big hugs and squeezes!

The Last Week of “Summer” and How a Panic Attack can make you Forget it’s all Okay!

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Happy Magickal, Merry, Mystical, Magnificent, Manifesting Monday!

Did you take some time to set your New Moon Intentions?  You still have time and if you want to explore what playing with New Moon Magick and Intentions that Manifest looks like.  I talk about what New Moon energy is and how to use it here. 

And if you want an easy (but intentional and amazing) ritual for this Virgo New Moon (trust me, you will have everything you need in your home) I have that for you here.

If you remember, last week we talked about Joy and I loved all the amazing emails and messages that you sent it sharing how you were feeling and how talking about a “Joy Meter” really resonated.  

A reader did write in with this and ask me this question:

“You talked about Joy and it really got me thinking about my life.  If I look around my life, it’s pretty good.  I have a nice home, a great family, a good circle of friends, but my Joy level is low.  I have long Covid (so a lot of fatigue), do I have to “go out and do big activities to feel Joy?”

Fabulous question and the answer is NO!

Remember, there is a huge difference between Joy and Happiness.

Happiness is caused by an externality, Joy is an inside job.  

Joy is not based on externalities, for example you get a new car, you don’t feel Joy, you feel happy.  As you drive the car, relish and remember how you saved for what you wanted, feel the safety, revel in the heated leather seats –  you start to feel Joy when you drive the car, not because of the car per se, but because of the experience.    Does that make sense?

Okay, so let’s say you agree it’s an inside job.  Now what?  From my experience, the more you feel anything the more it becomes a default.  So if you continually feel that the world is out of whack or that there is something wrong with you as you don’t feel Joy and Passion every moment of the day – guess what?  That’s your default.  So it is time to gently, and with massive compassion,  deconstruct that default.  

It’s all about shifting the perceptual lens from which you look at life through.  

An example.  On Friday I had the worst panic attack I have had in nearly 5 years.  As I took a break in the middle of my work day and took Danu for a yomp, out of nowhere came this panic attack and  I was pretty sure that I was dying.   I immediately went to the place of “Fuck I’m having a heart attack and I will die on the side of the road and Danu will be scared and get hit by a car!”  (Not a helpful thought).  All the tools flew out the window in a flood of cortisol and I forgot that this was transitory and  I was actually okay!

The cars nearby sounded too loud, the sun was too bright and everything felt very sharp and edgy.  Have you ever felt that?  Have you ever had a random panic attack?

Needless to say I didn’t die (or I am writing this from a totally different place!) Lol  And once I had the panic under control and had given the anxiety and fear (that had flooded up out of nowhere) a little bop on the nose.  I was able to breathe again.

So I took myself out to the garden and just sat and looked around for all signs and things that bring me Joy.  To bring me back to that place of connection.  

As let’s be honest when you are flooded with a panic attack, anger, despair the connection gets thrown out the window.

What did I see, smell, hear or taste that brought me Joy?

I saw the hummingbirds who kept dashing in to suck up some of the sweet nectar of the wildflowers.  I heard the massively fat squirrel chatter away at Kali (the cat) whilst he dashed up one of the Garry Oaks.  I could smell the honeysuckle (that is now in its fourth bloom this year!)  I sipped on my lovely cuppa lavender tea, and watched the 12ft sunflowers allow their heads to bob and flow with the breeze.  

I kicked off my shoes and put my feet on the earth and breathed in that delicious healing energy and I could feel the Joy and Ease flooding in.  

Did it cost me any money?  No.

Was it “active”, yes in the way that I was participating in and with everything around me, but I didn’t need to leave my garden.  

The key thing was, as frigging scared and freaked out by a random panic attack that made me feel vulnerable, less than and weak.  I could shift the lens that I was looking at life through and remember to look for and EXPECT (intention) Joy to show up all around me, and it did.

Okay, I have chuntered on long enough.  Let’s crack on with the reading.  

When I asked the cards who wanted to talk and guide this week I laughed to see that it is the  delicious Spirit of the Animals.  

So in case you may have never met them, let me introduce you.  “Animal Medicine, Animal Totems, and Animal Mascots have had cultural significance throughout our history.  Europeans adopted animals as tribal symbols that were later incorporated into crests for nations.  China has an animal associated with every birthday.  The Romans celebrated the eagle as the symbol for the empire.  Our ancestors observed the appearance of animals as omens and signs.  Shamans and mystics rely on spirit animal helpers.  Native Americans have vision quests to discover their personal animal totem.  School sports teams choose animal mascots.  It is no wonder that the interest in animals as emblems and how they relate to us still persists.  Animals as symbols live in our deepest memory.”

Okay delicious lovely, take a gorgeous deep breath and allow your shoulders to drop and your jaw to gently relax.  I invite you to see in your mind’s eye a place of stillness, a place filled with ease and flow, a place where you feel connected to earth and source.  From the place pick the card or cards that whisper to you.

Did you Remember to Pick?

Let’s go have a look, shall we?

PENGUIN

Authentic

Penguin is the bird that cannot fly but instead swims.  They can see better underwater than on land, symbolising better access to the subconscious mind than usual.  

Penguins are full of surprises just like the people they represent.  The males and females experience role reversals.  Male penguins will sit on the eggs for months while their female counterparts hunt for food.  

Penguin urges you to adapt to extreme circumstances, break free from expectations and reinvent yourself.  Penguin says adapt, change, find your tribe, sing and celebrate your uniqueness.

Penguin people often feel awkward or out of place.  Tapping into Penguin energy can help you embrace your differences.  Self – acceptance is a big part of Penguin medicine.  They remind us that there is no right way to be!

Like all diving birds, Penguin relates to the truth that lies below the surface.  Maybe Penguin is telling you to go below, find your deeper truth and your most authentic self.  

These are things in life that really matter.  Finding like minded people (your tribe) will help you see your beauty as you see theirs.  

The wisdom of Penguin asks you to just be the unique and colourful person that you are!

Break free from others’ expectations.

Love your uniqueness.  Just be Yourself!

PRONGHORN

Action

While it is often called an antelope, the pronghorn is a unique species native to North America.  Their thick hide protects them from the cold and predators.

Pronghorns’ energy, quick wit and speed are their gifts.

They never drop their antlers, which like antennas represent connection spirit, psychic abilities and intuition.  

For Pronghorn, these gifts remain a constant in their lives.  Their strong sense of smell and hearing helps them know when things are not right.

If Pronghorn has come to you, you are energetic and have an agile mind.  You will have all you ever need.  Your intuitive gifts help keep you alerted to danger when you listen.

There is a new path on offer, use your keen eyesight to find the way. In other words, the Antelope meaning reminds you to make your decisions wisely by using your instincts rather than your intellect

Pronghorn people are ultimate adaptors and possess the power of survival.  If Pronghorn crosses your path it is saying “Do it now, don’t wait.”  Trust your intuition, harness your courage and get ready to “take the leap.”

Your talents will always

Help you land on the pinnacle.

Your quick wit and keen senses 

Will lead you to success.

SEA OTTER

Happiness

You are being called to the spontaneous art of playful living.  

Otter people swim in the iconic watery world of their intuition and feelings.  Otter people are inclusive and welcome the company of family, tribe and community.

Otter people know how to “go with the flow” and master celebrating life with simple things.  

Otter energy is the playfulness of a child, available to us at any age.  They have a giddiness and reverence for life itself, without the presence of doubt, worry, or skepticism.

Are you fighting life’s currents?  

Imagine yourself with a little more Otter energy.  What would life look like?  What would it take to bring you there?

Your inner child needs room to frolic and play and if you let it out, you will be sure to enjoy life and not simply endure it.  Let Otter lead you to all that is good in the world: happiness, abundance, friends and love.  The celebration awaits!

Be the master of playful living.

Release expectations and enjoy every day.

Let worry go and instead choose love.

Surrender to the waves.

Your good destiny of love is sure.

What glorious guides for this week as we head into September! Wishing you a stupendous week filled with Ease, Love, Joy and Remembering – You are okay! Big hugs and squeezes!

Where’s your Joy? Virgo New Moon and Equinox is rapidly approaching.

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Delicious, lovely!  Happy Magickal, Mysterious, Merry, Melodious, Magnificent, Magickal Manifesting Monday!  

How are you?

Let’s talk about Joy shall we?  Where is your daily Joy metre sitting at?  Is it 90 out of a 100? 50 out of a 100?  Or are you having a dalliance in the negative numbers?  (There is no wrong answer to this and I will not be checking your homework!)

Now what do I mean by Joy?

Let’s differentiate between Happiness and Joy, they are both emotions, however Happiness may be caused by luck, good fortune, or other person-centric pleasures. 

Joy is caused by elation at a moment in time. Joy may not always be about oneself but be about others’ contentment also.

Joy is an emotion composed of feelings of happiness, contentment, and harmony. It differs from general happiness in that it is not caused by a particular event but comes from within the individual. … Joy is a generalised feeling that comes from the person.

To put it bluntly, Joy is an inside job!  

So let’s come back to the original question – Where’s your Joy metre sitting?

If your Joy metre is meh, come with me and write a list.  

Around mid June I noticed that my Joy metre wasn’t nearly as high as it normally was.  It was sitting at about 30/100.  It’s not that there was anything wrong in life, I love my clients, my work, but I had got into a tad of a rut of doing the same things over and over.  

Then near the end of July as the anniversary for my big sister approached and the grief rose up, yet alone the holding space for all the family, I realised it was down to 10/100 and by then I couldn’t seem to muster the energy to change it, it felt too hard (does that make sense?)

So the next day I managed to come down with Covid that kicked 7 bells of Hell out of me and my Joy metre went down to about a negative 50!  

Something had to frigging change and shift as this is not how I chose to participate in life.

So I made a list (not a to-do list, but a Joy list).

My list consists of 59 things or more that I want to see, try, do, feel, taste or experience.  All new things to me.  Note – this isn’t “what do I like”, but more “what am I willing to try that I might like?”

So far they range from trying a new hike, to eating pickled lemons, trying a hip-hop dance class, learning a new craft, trying out the ukulele, going to a new market, and a myriad of others.  

Some are simple and easy, some are a tad more complex.  Some cost money, others don’t, I just have to have the willingness and the curiosity to try something new and different and to look out at the world in a way that invites in new as well.

The miraculous part of making the original list is it ignited my sense of curiosity and playfulness and almost every other day I find myself adding something else onto the list that piques my interest.    So I’ve signed up for an “Alice in Wonderland outdoor escape adventure”, where the streets of downtown are turned into an outdoor escape room!

Since starting my list I have tried 6 new things, one of them being kayaking on the ocean and I will say my Joy metre is steadily rising, I feel much more grounded and I look forward to playing everyday.  And this time next year I will have a list of 52 or more “new to me” things I have tried!  

I invite you to try this process, it’s glorious fun and helps you shift your lens of perception.  

Give it a try.  What do you have to lose?  And if you want to go deeper there are 7 Steps to Reclaiming Your Joy that will help you as we approach this New Moon.

As August comes to a close, we welcome in the New Moon in Virgo on August 27th (Saturday).  

Now if you remember New Moons are a fabulous time for setting intentions and making New Moon wishes.  As Forever shares:-

“Falling in the earthy sign of Virgo, there is a grounded energy to this New Moon. It beckons us to sink our feet into the earth, to feel a part of all that surrounds us, and to remember that life is so much easier when we flow in harmony with the season of our lives.

Use the energy of the Virgo New Moon, to accept your reality, to bring yourself back down to Earth, and to recognize that your soul chose to be here, on this planet, at this time. It doesn’t really matter the reason, but knowing you are walking where you are meant to be walking, even if it doesn’t feel like it, can bring a sense of peace into your being. Allow yourself to find truth in that idea, whatever that looks like for you.

Give yourself permission to fully and wholeheartedly accept that you are right where you need to be, and all that is unfolding right now is leading you to your highest growth and highest expression of your soul.

How can you treat yourself as the sacred being that you are?

So as you make your New Moon Intentions (which will walk with you until March 2023), what will bring you more Joy, creativity, ease and flow and help you really honour yourself?

Okay, let’s crack on with the reading.  So when I went to the cards and asked who would like to guide and support this week I giggled when I saw it was The Oracle of Shadows and Light.  With the invitation to walk into the darkness of New Moon, they are positively perfect!

Now if these guides are new to you, please let me introduce them

Wisdom for Misfits, Mystics, Seekers, and Wanderers. 

Bittersweet…Unheard…Unconventional…Rebellious…Cheeky…Whimsical…Invisible.  They’re not the words you often hear associated with the spiritual world, are they?  

Nevertheless, some of the most spiritual beings who have ever lived are those who have been most at odds with what we call the mainstream.  They do not fit in.  They have had moments of despair.  And they know being truthful, and being real, is one of the greatest strengths and spiritual paths of all!  They ask you to step out from the shadows, to no longer hide your light away, and to consult with an oracle that acknowledges your individuality and strange genius!  

How’s that for a warm welcome?

So darling one, take a moment to just be here now (how many times have you heard that and ignored it?) Breathe deep into your belly, let your shoulders relax and allow in your minds eye the sensation of Joy to swirl. Let your Joy show you what her colours look like and give you images. Then when you are ready, pick the card or cards that whisper.

Did you remember to pick?

Let’s go look shall we?

SEWER MERMAID

Your sensuality is beautiful!

You’re being reminded of the treasures you have that you may have labelled “bad” and perhaps even pushed away, forced underneath.  We often have negative thoughts – that we are too short, too tall, our thighs too large, our breasts too small, our hair not right, our face not pretty enough.  We speak to ourselves in negative ways, and we begin to feel we are not good enough.  

And when this takes place, the result can be that we begin to create negative experiences, blockages, and difficulties.  

We push away, rather than attract them.  We hide for fear that what others see will not be good enough. 

But this mermaid of the hidden spaces is here to show you that your dark thoughts have told you lies about your great beauty; you are your own self, and all that you are is perfect, whole, and complete.  

You may try to push her away and refuse to believe that you are beautiful.  But when you are ready, she will swim to you and free you from all the harmful, negative thoughts and experiences, all the “sewage”.  You will begin to believe that no matter what, you are a beautiful being, healthy, attractive, and one who deserves love, respect, and affection.

It’s time to believe in yourself – that you are attractive, beautiful, and worthy of love and respect.  She will show you how to see your body as a place of health, delight, and strength.  Let’s clean up your physical and mental acts.  Let’s love all aspects of the physical self.  

Let us not criticise and hate ourselves, no matter our size, shape, or differences.  We are all unique expressions of the Divine – and that truth most certainly applies to you.  Let us not be ashamed anymore.  

Let us celebrate who we are, and learn to love the differences, and be grateful for all that we have, are, and will be.  

It is time to clean up your act – not of your natural looks, but of the way you have thought about yourself!  Something beautiful has been treated badly.  It is now up to you to begin to reframe your ideas and thoughts and therefore your experiences of yourself, your body, your worth, your ability to attract others, and to see yourself as worthy of love, respect, and consideration.

You are beautiful and very worth loving.  This is the only truth that must be told at this time.  

VIOLET DUCHESS

Stifled, bored and stuck.

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.  

She’s polite on the surface, but it’s easy to see (and feel) that she is bored, frustrated, and ready to fly away at the first opportunity.  For now, she will bide her time, but  you can see the frustration growing beneath – and frustration is, after all, only your own life force, turned within, and longing to break free of its restraints.  

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 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 a while you’ll realise you’ve started your own small revolution.  

THE THREE FATES

What comes around…..

It’s happening again!  Many of us have faced difficulty and troubled times in our lives.  Sometimes the impact of a negative experience is so profound that it leaves us with physical, mental, and yes, spiritual residue for months, even years, after the actual event.  

While you’re still vibrating – as the Three Fates put it – to the energy of a negative experience, you tend to repeatedly attract echoes of that exact experience.  

It seems you need another cosmic reminder of something that needs to be cleared and mastered.  Letting go is this moment’s very important lesson for you to learn.  It’s not about forgetting this lesson – because where’s the wisdom in that?

The Three Fates are suggesting that you move on and learn and actively replace this experience with completely different versions of the same theme.  No more repeats!  This is the opportunity to try something different, and see what magick takes place when you vary the approach!  

You may have been enjoying your own life’s reruns lately – wallowing through the memories and feeling sad, bittersweet, and nostalgic about the Good Old Days, whenever they were, exactly.

You know what?  It’s fine to muse on the past – your memories are precious and do need to be tended.

But it’s another thing altogether to be filled with regret, wishing you’d one things differently.  Life is a constant do-over.  You get a fresh chance every second you are alive.  So stop beating yourself up.  You have an opportunity to heal, to clear, to no longer hold onto and feel sad about the same thing anymore.

You can do things differently – you are not a prisoner of how they have always been done.  What  you have done – even if you judge it to be a mistake – can be reworked and learned from.  That is its wisdom!

You are so not alone – we all have karmic lessons, themes, stories that seem to repeat.  Learn from this.  Beware of what is taking place as a fateful encounter to master Life.  

If you take this approach, you’ll be all the richer for learning – wise, free, and able to help others, too.  

Okay seriously, frigging fabulous guides.  As we talked about Joy and then we expanded it with sensuality, bursting out of the confines and releasing the past – perfect for this New Moon on Saturday.  Sending you massive hugs and squeezes and have a fantabulous list.  Play with Joy!

Minions, Memories, Grief and The New Moon.

· ·

Happy Magnificent, Magickal, Moody, Melancholy, Manifesting Monday!  Here we are in Leo Season with a New Moon on Thursday.  

This is a longer post as we have  a couple of things to explore this week, two sides of the coin so to speak.   Thus, if you aren’t willing to come and play in the messiness of human life, which can be real and raw, I highly suggest you skip this section.  We are melding Grief, Memories and Lughnasadh (aka as Lammas) – which is about abundance and harvest, and the New Moon.  

Yup I did say Grief out loud, something that is often classified as “taboo” in our Western Culture.  As most people don’t know how to deal with it. 

Let’s be honest, over the last few years with the lovely pandemic, war and massive climate upheaval, many people have experienced loss on so many levels including people transitioning and them not being able to be there when it happened.  

Which got me thinking a lot about how we’re all just muddling through life.  Honestly, it’s a wonder that any of us have the energy to reach out to others when we all have such complicated dramas playing out in our own lives.  Add in the overwhelming stress of losing someone we love, and the volume gets turned all the way up.

The trouble, of course, is that as humans we’re not meant to be isolated.  We are built for community, so even though it would be easier to wrap ourselves in cotton wool (or perhaps a duvet) and hide when we’re hurting, the real healing happens in relation to other people.  This has been a huge challenge for many of us and this is something that I do struggle with in the month of July.  

Three years ago I spent the month of July in the UK helping my big sister and best friend Fi to die.  It was the toughest thing I have ever had to do so far in my life. 

To watch someone you love so dearly in pain and being given one drug so the body will digest food, another drug so that the body will evacuate, another drug, another drug – it was inhumane and heart breaking. 

To be with her 24×7 in the last week and witness the physical body shutting down and to hear the death rattle was almost more than I could bear.  

Fi was one of my touchstones and I soooooooo didn’t want her to leave at all, but she did.  It was transformative, painful and powerful all at the same time.  And it fucking sucked!!!

When I returned back to Canada, numb and empty I struggled as all I wanted was to be alone.  It felt primal.  I wanted to wear soft clothing that felt cosy against my skin, I didn’t want to talk.  I wanted to sleep and curl up, eat comforting food and drink hot tea.  As after all it is difficult to be our most raw, broken selves in public.  

Grief, to me, felt like having a limb chopped off.  How was it possible that my sister – my best friend – was gone from the world in such an irreversible way?  The shock of her absence followed me around for months, like an empty space where my shadow should have been. 

And dealing with other people!  Oh my Goddess – I had to remind myself that other people were trying their best.   Even when they seemed to say or do precisely the wrong thing.  

So when the first July came around I didn’t realise how it would gut me.  To remember that on her birthday, July 28th, she started leaving us and died 3 days later.  Staying with her 24×7, the candles, the music, the stories that I would tell her in the hopes that she would open her eyes and would be totally fine.  It knocked me for seven to be honest.

The second year wasn’t much better, although being a bit wiser I made sure to clear space and time to feel all the feels and take myself off into the woods and be alone. 

This year I’ve been handling July – okayish so far, but I can feel it all burbling and needing honouring.  So I’ve been asking myself if being alone to mark her birthday and her “death day” (as I’m not too sure what to call it) is the only way, or could I hold the space for others?  

So I am striking a compromise.  On her birthday 28th, (New Moon), I am going to play, take time out and pause, invite her to the ocean, into the woods and into a lovely Leo New Moon ritual, as she was always telling me – pause, breathe, check in and set your intention.  

So with the Leo New Moon being one of the sweetest New Moons we have experienced in a while, that makes total sense.

This Leo New Moon carries the vibration of abundance, joy, and creativity. It is a beautiful New Moon for checking in with the flow of our lives and if we are where we want to be.

Some days, life tends to pass in a blur. We get caught up in the rush and swept up in the flow of our past actions and beliefs. But July’s New Moon is a good time to pause and consider the direction of our lives.

Are we moving in a direction that feels good? Are we taking actions each day that fill us with joy and inspiration, or are we living merely out of habit?

To really make the most of this energy, bring your attention to your heart centre under this New Moon. Listen to your heart, what whispers does it share?

One powerful and quick exercise you can do to connect with your heart is to close your eyes. Take three deep breaths, and then place your hand over your heart. From this place, ask your heart what it needs the most right now, and then trust the feeling or message that arises.

Yes, grief does lessen – in other words it doesn’t walk with you every day, but when it floods up it is as intense as it ever was.  

Then on Sunday – her death day – I’m going to hold a wee celebration of life with my family and close friends, instead of running to the woods on my own.  It will be hosted in the garden, there will be Minions (as she loved, loved the minions), cake and tea, great music, bubbles, stories and wee little origami boxes with ladybirds – to be released into the garden, each carrying a blessing.

  All the things she would have loved.  I’m trusting I will keep it together lol.

And as a gift to all you wonderful beasties, on Thursday (if you are part of our email community) and in honour of my most magickal, wise, amazing sister there will be a glorious Lughnasadh bundle available for free.  Why?

On August 1st (Monday) Lughnasadh or Lammas happens, it is the first of three harvest festivals.  A time of appreciation, gratitude, abundance and  it is a time of awareness that the strength of the Sun (Lugh) is beginning to wane and there is a shift and change afoot.  Active growth is slowing down and the darker days of winter and reflection are gently and slowly raising their heads. 

I love Lammas as it’s such a glorious celebration of food, first harvest and gathering.  All things that Fi loved and understood.  

You may not think you have anything you are harvesting in your life. You may not be able to name what, exactly, you’ve been growing & tending this year. BUT I PROMISE YOU, simply being a human being living through the uncertainties & upheaval has caused you to stretch & grow in ways you may not realise yet. And that growth is GOING TO bear fruit in some way.

One of the most beautiful lessons Lughnasa/Lammas teaches us is to TRUST.

So make sure you snag the Lammas bundle when it’s released this coming week.  It is filled with lore, stories, rituals and glorious things to make and do to honour YOU.  (Yes You!)  And how wonderful you are and all the ups and downs, the hiccups and the accomplishments you have experienced.  

Now enough chuntering from me, let’s crack on with the reading.   When I went to the cards to ask who would like to be present this week it made my heart smile to see who showed up.  The amazing Faery Blessing guides were most adamant.  As after all, who doesn’t need a Blessing?

Now if these guides are new to you, please let me introduce them as it would be rude not to.

Faeries are present in every droplet of water, every blade of grass – they are everywhere there is a trace of nature – thus every field, flower, and forest is theirs.  They inhabit the wild rainforests and the old castles; they dance within standing stones and burial mounds; they are on the top of mountains and within the grove deep in the valley; and they appear in the cracks in the pavement and beneath the cities in the old, tangled tree roots.  Faeries are part of this world, and they were here before we were born into this world, and they know us better than we know ourselves.  

For humans, many of us have lost our sense of play, our sense of relationship with nature, our courage to be ourselves – as well as our hope, creativity, and personal power.  We have looked outside of ourselves and nature and the sacred ones for answers, and in doing so, we have become quite lost.  The blessings of the faeries can bring us back into relationship with ourselves, back into relationship with the elements and the elementals, so that we can become more at home within the world, while creating a personal world which supports our dreams, our wishes, and our purpose.  

Yes!  Positively perfect!

So gorgeous one take a breath.  Just a normal breath and then as you carry on breathing allow it to slow down.  Breathing in through your nose and out through your mouth.  Allow in your mind’s eye a gorgeous rainbow swirl to form, this pattern is made of loss and abundance.  It holds any grief you may feel about a person, place, situation or thing and it melds with the abundance and appreciation of who you are.  As you breathe just let it swirl, you don’t have to control it.  

Then with this energy pick the card or cards that call to you.  What Blessing is for you this week?

Did you remember to pick?

Shall we go look?

A BLESSING FROM QUEEN MAB

The Faery Gift of Being the Ruler of Your Own World

With this faery gift from the formidable and enchanting faery queen, Queen Mab, comes the blessing of being the owner of your own life.  This is a powerful blessing indeed, for with this blessing comes the most precious gift of all, that of knowing that your life is yours to live.  

With this blessing, let you now take up the reins of your life, let you decide what it is you do, and who it is you are, and who you are now becoming.  It is your life, this wild and sweet thing, to be lived only once, and it is rare and priceless.  You shall no longer be owned, nor forced, nor pushed, nor pulled, for with her gift comes the solidity of determining your own fate – for you are a being who has often been pressured to give away the crown that declares that you are the sovereign.  With this blessing, it is returned to you.

Let yourself be a queen, a king, and know your world is as great as any other person’s.  Your life is a jewel, and no more shall you spend it pleasing others.  When this blessing comes to you, all who you know you will love and support you, and you will now take back the power that you gave away.  You will climb the stairs to your throne and look upon your world and know that you will be a strong leader of your own soul.  And you will inspire others to do the same.

With this gift from Queen Mab will come the sure knowledge of what is wise for you to do, and what would be foolish, and to know the difference between pleasing others and doing what is in the very best interest of the path of your soul.

You faery friend, are a magnificent being, and your life, your world, and your very being are royal.  Be most loyal to your ownself, and know now the gift of great and deep self-respect, and of choosing what is right for you.

Blessings of the great and good Queen Mab to you, friend.

BLESSED BE

A BLESSING OF A FAERY GUARDIAN

A Faery Gift of Magickal Protection and Lifelong, True Loving Care.

At your birth into this world, human child, a faery came to you and offered you the blessings of your soul.  For each of us, this blessing will be unique, created especially for the journey we are destined to take in this lifetime.  So, with this blessing, may you know again the beauty and sweetness of your own faery godmother, your faery guardian.  For she is still with you, helping to ease the way and remind you, as often as she is able to pierce the veil, that you are her charge, and she will remain with you all the days of this life.

May you now feel the presence of her love; may you feel that sense of being looked out for, that there is one being from the elemental world who works with your soul and helps you at all times.  

When this blessing comes, tune in to her presence and know that all about you there is comfort, and goodness, and a way to move through all difficulties.  Yoru faery guardian has always been with you this lifetime, and will remain until you have journeyed on.  Know you are her most precious charge, and when times become troubled, and life seems bleak, know there is a being whose duty it is to bring you back to hope, to optimism, to the sense that you are a gifted, cherished being.  Feel now the love of the faery guardian, your own faery godmother, and believe again in your own blessedness.  

BLESSED BE

A BLESSING OF CLEAR FORESIGHT

The Faery Gift of Knowing what is likely to come from the dimension we humans call the future.

A gift is given this day to you, a blessing of the faeries true.  This gift is that of the long vision, the ability to see the consequences of actions taken in the present and, indeed, the outcome of decisions of the past.  With this blessing of clear foresight, may you be blessed with the ability to see the lasting influence of what it is you choose to do – what will you be granting to the future of this world, to the children, to the ones who come after.

May you understand, therefore, what would be best for you to do, not only for your own self – though it is good and right for you to think of yourself – but of what is best for those  you love and for those who come after us all.  For the faeries love long, and see many a human unable to contemplate beyond their own needs – and, in that moment, unthinking of consequences, create a future they do not wish to inhabit fully.  With this amazing faery gift, this enchanted ability to see further into the dimension of time, you will make the best decision for yourself now and for the future and the future of others.  Time unfurls before you, a green scroll unwritten upon, but one upon which you can see what could come.  

Take this blessing and use it wisely, for the fae, for the human children, and for the betterment of your own precious self.  

Faery blessings of the long foresight to you, friend.

BLESSED BE

And so it is.  May your week be filled with Blessings galore.  If you are walking with Grief, please know that you are not alone – I see you, I hear you and you are so loved.  I won’t tell you it will pass, as it doesn’t – but the gap where your shadow would be does lessen.  To celebrate you and the fact that you are here, muddling through life and doing your best, do make sure to grab the Lammas bundle when it comes out on Thursday.  Happy New Moon and Huge Blessings and I will see you in two weeks as I’m taking my time to feel all the feels and not dumb it down.    

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