Samhain Check In

Oh my dears,

What a year it has been. Before I jump into anything else, I wanted offer a warm hug through the ether and to offer my deepest thanks. I appreciate you being here more than I can express, and I don't just mean here, reading my blog. I mean here, living on this Earth, in this time, or whenever your time is.

Thank you to all of my readers whether you have been with me for a long time, or if you have only read a couple of my pieces, perhaps this is the first time you're visiting me and you deserve thanks as well. I also wanted to remind you how precious and needed you are in this world.

We all need to be reminded some times, and personally, I don't think we hear those things enough. We are heading deeper into the dark half of the year, and like our ancestors knew so well, coming together and being available and supportive to one another is priceless.

Around Samhain time, you might find yourself wanting to reflect on this past year. Samhain is the final harvest of the season, so you may feel called to take a look back to see how far you have come, to take stock of what came to life for you this year, and what did not.

For me, I feel called to look back further than just the last year, but to where this journey came alive for me...

I remember sitting down at my desk in my tiny little apartment a mere two months before I had the catalyst struck which was ultimately what became the first step on my healing journey.

I had participated in my first full moon ritual with Sage Goddess and I can recall the overwhelming feeling of connection and hope. This space became my main focus and I threw my whole self into it.

I had ideas for topics and a list of books I wanted to read and review for you, I had lists of different ways you could connect with your guides and Spirit, I truly believed that this space would be chalk full of information and tips and ideas for ritual.

And that did happen for a little while. I wrote out and shared the magic I was working, although I didn't recognize it as such at the time. What's more, is that I didn't realize how powerful that magic was. I was simply unprepared for the consequences of what I was asking the Universe for, and it knocked me on my ass.

Since then, it's been a wild ride. In my previous post I shared how my life and my journey with Spirit are simply too closely woven together to really keep them separated. At first I worried that not staying objective with my original intent for this blog in mind would alienate my readers or people would get tired of hearing about my life.

But what I've come to realize that, while that might be true for some, this is in truth what I had intended all along. It's all wonderful and good to share ideas and facts about certain things, but by sharing how I myself am living and experiencing all of those things, can in fact create a more relate-able conversation.

In a way, this is a chance for me to own my experiences and to take ownership of the things that I struggle with, to show what I have found to be helpful and useful. The whole reason behind my starting this blog was to be a guiding hand for those who struggle with the same things I do, to be that voice that tells them,

You can do this, you're not alone. 

As Samhain approaches, I want to connect more deeply with my ancestors than I have in previous years. This year, I want to honor them and show my respect as I know they are with me always. I also want to ask them to assist me in healing our collective past, to lay down the struggles and strife that so many have endured. I want to be able to heal our past and therefore allow that healing to flow into our present and on into the future.

Samhain is a day to celebrate, to be still in the quiet, to honor, and to take up vigils and lay down the past. It is a day to remember and it is a day to release. Cutting the chords that carry the pain, suffering, and regret is so important. Everything comes and goes in cycles, and it is when we refuse to allow the ending to be such as it is do our lives attract more of the same obstacles; the same pain and suffering and regret are fed rather than being allowed to go.

That's not to say we will notice a difference all at once, or that the shift will happen all in one day. When I wrote the Open Heart Series, I had no idea that two years later I would still be seeing echos and ripples of those intentions. I had no idea that magic worked like that. I had no idea that magic worked.

To the best of my recollection, I've never been in a place where I was ready to move forward when this turn of the wheel came round. I was always in a place of pain, or I was in a space of searching, or I was simply trying to be at peace with where I was. All very important things, and I think always where I needed to be at that time.

As we make ready for winter, I intend to rest, and to study, and to heal. Letting the past stay in the past is not always easy, and if I'm being completely honest it's never something I have been good at. And that is why this time of the year, this year, is such an amazingly beautiful opportunity. Because now, I am ready, I feel prepared, and possibly the most important, I want to.

I have every intention to share my Samhain experience, but I also don't want to promise as to when that will be. Life has a way of sweeping me up and away, and as I am practicing my patience I hope that you will bear with me a time.

In the interim I hope to be able to share other works and the like as we continue on.

Until next time,

Warm and Bright Samhain Blessings to you and yours,

Image from renegadetribune.com

~Thealynn

©2013-2017 Thealynn Oceanna Rosewolf

Full Moon in Virgo Tarot Reading

Hey there loves, 

If you have been with me before then this might appear a bit different to you. In a slightly unintentional move while attempting some editing, I ended up deleting all of the pages I've had on my blog; most of which had been deactivated but were still visible, in an effort to remove them, I ended up removing the page where the Monthly Tarot Card used to be.

Rather then attempting to recreate it and to redo the page with every new card, for the time being, I have decided to simply add the Full Moon Tarot Card each month as a regular post, this way those who wish to do so will be able to go back through previous postings and see previous card readings.

With all of that being said! If you are new with me, I have been pulling a monthly tarot card for the majority of my time blogging, and recently felt called to pull during the full moon of each month rather than at the beginning of the month.

When I pull a card, I pull for the general collective, for anyone who either follows my blog on a regular basis or maybe they just check in from time to time. I always smudge myself and my cards before a reading to ensure that not only am I focused but that I am in sacred space to allow the energy and flow of the messages are clear and concise from Spirit.

The deck that I will be using for these monthly card readings is the Oceanic Tarot by Jayne Wallace.

Card: The Vortex
Keywords: Illusions, Temptation

Before I jump into this, I want to openly acknowledge that I am roughly a week behind the full moon, as I stated about, I had this all ready to go and in a twist of fate or humor depending on how you choose to look at it, I lost everything I had written about this reading.

I became frustrated with it all and decided to wait until I had a clear head to really convey the message of this card. And if I'm being completely honest, I think it really worked out in the long run because I've been able to spend this time reflecting on how this card is as much a reminder for me as it is for everyone who is going to see this.

One thing I want to point out about this card is that in the traditional tarot, this card would be the Devil card. However, I feel like the message is so similar that it's almost too on the button, but I think that's how things are when they really hit home.

The Vortex shows to Merfolk caught in an underwater tempest with no real way of knowing if they are capable of making it out or not. I feel that this reflects life a lot of times, or rather, how we view life a lot of the time.

"If it's not one shit show, it's another." Translates to, "If it's not one storm, it's another."

It's tempting to maintain the illusion of continuously being stuck inside of a storm, going from one problem to the next, having to deal with this bullshit here and that bullshit there, when is it ever going to let up?

What this card is asking us to do is to really be honest with ourselves and to break free of the illusion of blame. So often we end up blaming other people for the situations that we find ourselves in, and we do this to the point where we end up refusing to take any form of responsibility. Thus feeding the Vortex, and keeping us in a place of perpetual unhappiness.

The Vortex is asking us to cut the crap and to really be open with ourselves when it comes to the extent of making our own hell. The only person keeping us trapped in that space is ourselves, and the only one who can free us, is ourselves.

When we look at the card we can see the two Merfolk not even close to each other, and yet they wouldn't be able to help each other escape if they can't even get themselves out first.

We encounter so many situations that test our patience, our resolve, our strength; no one said that life was easy. We only have control over ourselves, and how we chose to react to the obstacles that enter our path. That's not to say to never get angry or frustrated, that's just part of the human package, the trick is to not stay in that place.

If you allow yourself to stew and dwell in the negative spaces, that's all you'll be able to see because that is all you will attract to yourself. Leaving the Vortex can be difficult, but it's not impossible. Again, it all comes down to choice.

With the Spring Equinox just a couple of days away and the New Moon following the next week, this is a prime opportunity to really ask yourself, what kind of vortex have I created for myself, and am I ready to leave?

There is no shame in taking it one day at a time, we all learned how to walk one step at a time. Making the choice every single day is a big step in and of itself.

I genuinely feel that this card and this message came up now because so many of us are already on the path to making this kind of change. I also genuinely believe that when I pull these cards for the collective (meaning anyone who sees this posting) needs this message at exactly the time that they find this reading.

It feel like the world is being shaken awake, and this is part of our wake up call, as individuals who are on the path, or perhaps folks who are trying to find the path. This is for you, this is the Universe telling you that you deserve better and all you have to do is believe that it's true and start treating yourself like you deserve better.

Until next time loves,
be sure to take good care,

~Thealynn

©2013-2017 Thealynn Oceanna Rosewolf

Discovering Ostara

Hey there loves,

It's been quite some time since I have taken the time to write about a pagan focused topic, so much of my writing over the last year or so has been very self focused and with the Spring Equinox right around the corner, I wanted to set aside some time and talk about this holiday.

I touched very lightly on the topic a couple of years back when I wrote a very generalized post about the Wheel of the Year. Since I began this blog it has always been my intention to take the time to not only write about but to also celebrate every holiday in the Wheel, and let me tell you, it just hasn't happened.

Looking back through my archives it seems to be that Ostara and Beltane are the two holidays that I've yet to dedicate any real time to. I hope to change that this year, not just with taking time to honor them here but to honor them with ritual and to connect with the deity that the holidays are connected with.

You might recall that for Imbolc, this year, I celebrated in an unusual way, I moved into a new home. There were several things taking place at the same time, and I didn't feel that I could honor Brigid and really recognize Imbolc as I would have liked to. So rather then do nothing, I prayed to Brigid in the early hours of the morning, and invited her to simply be with me in spirit all throughout the day, I even remember carrying boxes to and fro whispering that Brigid was welcome every time I entered into a different room.

Now that I've had time to settle in and to really claim my new home, I want to make sure I take the time to do something extra or simply something fun to welcome the growing strength of the sun as our days become longer and our nights become shorter.

Before jumping into all of that however, let's take a look at the Spring Equinox, also know as Ostara.

Image from avaloncloaks.co.uk

There is one lovely tale about the Goddess walking the Earth, bringing Spring with her very steps. As she traveled she came across a wounded bird, to ease the bird's suffering the Goddess transformed it into a hare. As a way of giving thanks, the hare was still capable of laying eggs, and so every Spring the hare would present its eggs as a gift to the Goddess.

Hares or rabbits are symbols of fertility in many cultures around the world, and with Spring being a time of birth and renewal, and since eggs are so closely connected with the concept of birth (considering we all start out as eggs) it only makes sense that these symbols have traveled with us through the ages and why they are present in our celebrations today.

This day like a couple of other holidays such as Lughnasadh are named after a specific deity, but Ostara or Eostre seems to have very little to do with how this holiday is celebrated. This Germanic goddess of the Spring and dawn is so scarcely mentioned  in any written text that some scholars don't believe that she was a goddess at all. Some even saying that Eostre is really a face of the goddess Freya as she is a goddess of life, death and sexuality, among other attributes.

Don't let that discourage you though, being that this is the Vernal Equinox, and the celebration of life returning to Earth being one of the major themes, even arguably, the major theme to this holiday, there are many more goddesses to work with and invoke during this time. And because this is one of two days throughout the whole year that the day and night are of equal length, it makes perfect sense to honor the divine masculine along side the feminine.

As the Spring is a time of new birth, it's a common practice to work with the goddess in her Maiden aspect, such as Persphone, Aphrodite, Venus, Eos, Blodeuwedd, Gaia, Rati and Flora just to name a few. As for gods that you may choose to work with on this day, there are Dionynsus, Kamadeva, Aengus MacOg, Cernunnos, Pan, Mabon, Dagda, Min, Thor, and the Green Man.

These are all gods and goddess from different pantheons and traditions that have their own connections to birth, rejuvenation, creation, sex, and life. They all bring something to the celebration of life anew, and to coming back to life, and not just the World around us, but an awakening within ourselves as well.

I know that in the past I have shied away from celebrating the Wheel of the Year because I simply had no idea how to observe the holiday. Some times it comes down to not having a space for ritual or feeling that the lack of tools will make your contribution less then what it could be.

There are many ways of observing any holiday, here are a few ideas for you:

You can celebrate by simply lighting a candle and taking a moment to observe what is in need of balance in your life as the Equinox is a day of equal day and night.

Because it is the first day of Spring, you might want to take a walk outside (weather permitting) and see how life is returning to the Earth.

You can wear bright colors; yellow, purple, green, pink. Think of your favorite flower for inspiration if you're feeling stuck.

Now that Winter is over (depending on where you live you might still experience winter weather) start thinking about what goals you want to accomplish, create a 2017 bucket list if you will. Now that the Earth is waking up from her slumber, you might be feeling the itch to begin creating yourself.

If you are stuck inside, try opening up the blinds and letting in some natural light.

If you're looking to work in a little magic, perhaps you could give your alter a nice spruce. Change the alter cloth, use different colored candles, preform a dedication ceremony to help charge the your crafts or goals for the upcoming season.

You can work with crystals such as rose quartz, amazonite, amythest or citrine.

You can try your hand at making your own incense with herbs like meadowsweet, spearmint, clover, lemongrass or lavender.

If you're looking for guidance as we begin the next cycle of the year, perhaps try meditating. Give yourself as much time as you think you might need. Be sure to get into a comfortable position, if you need help concentrating feel free to put on some music, some times that can help us to get into the right frame of mind.

Try to imagine yourself in nature; you may be in a wooded area or perhaps you're in an open field. Just let your intuition take you where you are needed. Imagine that there is still snow on the ground, there is a slight wind in the air, the trees are still bare. Maybe you see a snow hare or birds flying overhead. You're dressed for the weather but you certainly wouldn't mind warming up. As you walk you come across a cabin, there is light emanating from inside and there is a sense of welcome as you come closer. 

You move your hand to knock, but before you can you can hear the door unlatch and you feel the call to let yourself in, so you do. Inside of this little cabin you can see and feel a roaring hearth, there is something wonderful cooking that compliments the smells of the herbs you see all around the cabin; some of the are hanging to dry, some might be in jars or on a work bench. There is a wonderful rug under your feet and you feel at ease in this place. 

You see a large table that has been set, with a generous helping of steaming food already waiting, as if someone was expecting you. Coming around the corner you see your guide, is it a god, is it a goddess, is it both?

Whomever is there to guide you welcomes you into this space with open arms, perhaps they even embrace you and they invite you to sit at the table with them. It is the day/night before the Equinox and they are preparing for the work ahead to bring Winter to a close. They are happy that you have come to celebrate with them, and they are even more filled with joy that you have invited them to guide you. This is your time to speak about your worries, ask your questions, and simply spend time with the Divine. 

As your visit comes to a close, perhaps you want to ask that they continue to visit with you, perhaps you wish to work with them through the Springtime, or even beyond that. As you prepare to leave, be sure to give thanks to them for the time spent with you and for the wisdom shared. As you depart, do they send anything with you? A word, a symbol, maybe an object, did they introduce you to an animal guide?


If you're looking for something that will connect you more with the Earth herself and you need a little rejuvenating, you can try a meditation like this one.

You can imagine yourself as a flower; sleeping soundly waiting for the snow to melt and as it does you can feel the warmth of the sun, giving you strength. Imagine what blooming would feel like, your roots seeping into the ground going deeper and deeper, perhaps you have leaves on your stalk or perhaps you're a bush with many branches. Perhaps you're a single bloom your petals growing stronger and more bold as your reach towards the sun. Opening slowly you soak in the nourishment from not just the sun and the clean air but from the soil beneath you. How do you feel as you grow taller and as you begin to bloom? Do you feel refreshed? Do you feel anxious? Are there other flowers around you? What about other plants or animals?

Doing a meditation like this can help you feel grounded, and to feel the transition from Winter to Spring.

Whenever you are finished meditating, be sure to give yourself plenty of time to come back into your body, wiggle your fingers and your toes, open your eyes slowly, take some deep breaths.

If you're curious about reading materials, I have read both Ostara by Edain McCoy and the Llewellyn's Sabbat Essentials Ostara and enjoyed them both.

I personally feel that Ostara by Edain McCoy goes into considerably more detail and provides a good amount of information from rituals to crafts, to recipes and myths. It is also a considerably larger book.

Ostara from Llewellyn's Sabbat Essentials is a decent take on the subject, is well written and is potentially better for those who don't need or want as much information.


Spring is a wonderful time of transformation, give yourself a chance to step outside of your comfort zone and try something new. Try a meet up, enroll in a class, allow yourself the chance to grow in areas where maybe you thought that you couldn't. You may just surprise yourself.

One finally note, just one week after the Vernal Equinox is the New Moon, yet another great time to set intentions for what you wish to create. This is such a powerful time of year, everything is wide open, you just have to decide what you're going to do with all of that energy.

And don't feel like there is a big rush to accomplish your to-do list. This is just the beginning, give yourself time and space to really develop what you want to bring to life, give yourself a chance to stretch your legs, your wings, your fins, whatever your creative side features. Allow yourself time to awaken just as nature takes time.

Image from rabyabegum.wordpress.com

Brightest Blessings to you and yours during this Vernal Equinox,

~Thealynn

©2013-2017 Thealynn Oceanna Rosewolf

Removing Skeletons from the Closet

Hey there loves,

As I have mentioned in the last couple of postings, I am preparing to move, and a part of that is going through and deciding what is coming with me into this next chapter of my life. One of the projects I've had for myself over several months now, was to go through a storage tote which contained binders, and notebooks, and journals, and letters from as far back as 2003.....

One could easily deduce that the tote was freaking heavy and I simply did not wish to move it one more time. Which is true, but it isn't the whole truth. 

I knew that some of the energy in those entries was going to be heavy, and that if I allowed myself to read too far into any given journal, that I would essentially be transported back to that time and feel precisely what I had written about. While I am sure that for some that would be a valuable experience, for me, I just knew that some pages were better off not being disturbed. 

When I started the project last night, I decided to burn some essential oil, and as luck would have it, I pulled out my Kali oil, and as I lit the candle I asked that she be present with me as I decided what to keep and what to let go after so many years of being carted around.

As the first oil died I wasn't half way through, so I went to put more into the defuser, I ended up pulling out the Sacral Chakra essential oil instead. I felt as though it was no coincidence so I went with it. 

There were journals from my earlier years which contained so much despair and hopelessness, pages upon pages of repeating the same goal of the utmost desire to let go of the feelings I carried for the boy I lost my virginity to at 16. 

As I made my way through the last of the binders in which so many things were preserved in plastic protective sheets, one page caught my eye as I recognized the penmanship immediately. It was a poem that my ex-fiance had written for me so many life times ago. Here I thought that I had disposed of any and everything from him, yet here was this single sheet from a legal pad that had managed to go unnoticed until now. Needless to say it went into the recycle pile without hesitation. 

After all of the struggles and trials that I have endured over the last four years, last year in particular, I want as much of a clean slate as possible. There are a couple of things that I will be keeping of course, but I already feel so much more prepared for this move by taking the time to release so much that I didn't even fully realize I was carrying.

I would be lying if I said that so much of what I kept was mostly on a sentimental level, I thought that somewhere down the line I would want those mementos and to remind me of where I had been and how far I have come; but the truth is that all I have to do is look into the mirror to remember. All I have to do is close my eyes and allow the pictures to come together to be back in those places.

But when it comes down to it, most of those memories are better left alone. It's unnecessary for me to travel so far back to times of feeling wrong, incomplete, unwanted and so unsure of myself. Those years and experiences helped to mold me and will always be a part of who I am. But they do not need a physical representation in my current world.

They are tiny pieces of lives in worlds that no longer exist, and while I continue to hold onto them, the less space I have within myself for the future possibilities, the future world I have worked so hard to get to, a place that I believed in so desperately that if I could manage to get there, that everything I had endured would be worth it.

I realize that not everyone equates energy and energetic imprints with their belongings, but I do, at an extent. I knew months ago how important it was to do this project, but it isn't until roughly a week before starting a new chapter in my life is when it is accomplish. I don't see that as a coincidence, like so many other things I see this as the Universe exercising Divine Timing. 

As my night drew to a close I began thinking about how close I am to this move, and how much/little needs to be done.

I started thinking about the new space I'll be in, and how this is the first time that I am choosing to move in with a partner because it's simply the next 'natural' step in our relationship, versus it being a matter of happenstance, and how ready I am for this step.

I started thinking about how much love and adoration I have for this individual and how, despite how different the financials might differ from my current situation, that I haven't worried or obsessed over how we are going to make it work, because I simply know that we will.  

Never before in my life have I felt such trust in the Universe, never before have I felt such trust in my partner, but most importantly, never before have I felt so much trust, in myself.

In the past when I had shared bits and pieces of some of the major life events that I've experienced, I would shrug my shoulders or shaken my head when people told me how strong I was for moving past such a 'thing.'

I never felt like I was completely through the experience, or that the 'surviving' that I was passing off for living was really worth any admiration, because, well, what the hell else was I going to do?

It's only now that I am able and ready to recognize and honor the warrior I have been, and continue to be. To thank others when they acknowledge my triumphs, because yes, it has been hell getting here. To thank them again when they congratulate me on my accomplishments, because I am no longer to acknowledge how much work has gone into not just my person, but into my journey.

I don't know if I will have time to write again before my move, but I will prepare a tarot card reading for February and have that up and ready before the first.

 Brightest Blessings to you all,

~Thealynn

©2013-2017 Thealynn Oceanna Rosewolf