Hello again my dears,
It is safe to say that we are officially in my favorite time of the year-autumn! And with that of course comes the second largest American holiday - Halloween!
And before I jump in I want to apologize for cutting it so close with this review. I got the lion's share of it done a couple of weeks back but the Universe has been keeping me on my toes and I have been doing my best to keep up! Following shortly will be my article about this upcoming (or you know, right around the corner!) turning of the wheel, Samhain!
Now, being a pagan, I am usually too busy focusing on Samhain to recognize Halloween on the 31st of October, but I am trying to be better about merging the worlds as it were. One of the best ways I can think of doing so is by getting a wide understanding of both aspects of this special day.
I've had this book for a few years and have only read it once, I thought now would be the perfect opportunity, and another excuse to perhaps add this book to my suggestions list. Which one of these days I might actually get around to make...
Anywho! The book being reviewed today is The Pagan Book of Halloween: A Complete Guide to Magick, Incantations, Recipes, Spells, and Lore by Gerina Dunwich. This title was published in 2000 with a whopping 176 pages prior to the bibliography and index to which it doesn't quiet reach 200 pages.
I do want to throw it out there that she does mention some Wiccan
perspectives, but the book itself is not written from a Wiccan stand
point. I really felt as though the book was written from as unbiased
position as possible - which I think is important when you're looking
for general information.
One thing that I not only enjoy as a reader but appreciate as someone who has done my homework; is the way that the author addresses the facts regarding the early days of Samhain in Ireland when it was being practiced by ancient Druids.
She doesn't use flowery language to explain why the Druids had human and animal sacrifices, she just explains it. She doesn't point fingers at the offenses of the early Roman church against the people of Western Europe after Constantine declared Christianity the official religion of the empire; she gets straight to the heart of the journey of this ancient holiday.
Rather than spending an exorbitant amount of time with dates and names that might not be remembered later, she gives us the highlights, which might seem lazy to some, but from where I'm sitting curled up with my kitty and some tea it makes the information a bit easier to take in, and return to at a later time so that if there's something specific that catches one's attention, it's not like diving into a giant pool of information which can be difficult to navigate.
Dunwich spends a chapter discussing variations of this holiday celebrated throughout the world. One such holiday that seems to have grown popular in pop culture has been Dia de los Muertos, and their tradtional sugar skulls.
I really enjoyed that she took the time to shine light on how this is not just a holiday for North America, but that there is a world wide observance when it comes to honoring the dead; painting that much of a broader picture for this mystical day.
She even spends a couple of chapters going into the history and associations of common figures we see during the commercialized Halloween; Jack O'Lanterns, scarecrows, ghosts, vampires and of course, she spends a decent chunk on witches.
Along with touching on olden day divination practices, there is a small section for spells, ritual ideas, and recipes to round out the book.
Over all I really enjoyed reading this little book. It's a great way to introduce beginners to this ancient holiday without overwhelming them and potentially scaring them to death.
(Sorry, I had to sneak one joke in there.)
I hope you have enjoyed this book review and I hope that this was helpful!
I'm looking forward to talking about Samhain with you, the article should be live tomorrow along with a fun announcement!
Take care loves!
In light and love,
Thealynn
Thursday, October 29, 2015
Wednesday, October 7, 2015
Oh, So Much to Say
Hey there loves,
Of all the things I've written about here Through the Secret Door, I honestly feel like today's topic is one of the most difficult thus far. My opinions are what make this blog, and even though I do share factual information regarding certain subjects, today I am speaking completely from my soul, these views are what make the most sense to me, and as most personal beliefs do, admittedly they provide a little comfort.
For those who do not already know, I call the Pacific Northwest of the United States home. For anyone who watches the news or is simply on social media, there was yet another shooting last week, this time in Roseburg, Oregon. This hits extremely close to home being that I am originally from Salem, and what's more is that a very dear friend of mine is from Roseburg, itself.
On the day of, I was on the way to work when I learned of the shooting, and as I read updated news during my forty minute trip - rest assured I was not driving, I found myself fighting to hold back tears which was only mildly successful.
Once I had finished with the most recent information, I found myself rather puzzled as to why this particular shooting was so upsetting to me. It wasn't in my hometown or my school, it wasn't in my current town of residence, these were not people that I knew and no one I did know was connected to this tragedy, was I perhaps more connected to my home state then I had thought?
Throughout my shift at work, in the back of my mind I tried to piece together why I was so upset, what about this particular incident was so different then all of the rest?
When I arrived back home that evening I hopped back online to see if there was a new update, and mostly what I saw was others reaching out to the families and friends of those who were killed, a few religious messages thrown in, and a couple of jack offs who didn't respect the dead enough to wait a full twenty-four hours before defending the use of guns.
In the next couple of days that followed I was still trying to sort out what had seemingly gotten under my skin so easily. It wasn't until I was discussing the shooting with my boyfriend that the picture began to take shape.
Now, this is where it gets tricky for me to tie everything together, so please bear with me. What I was able to narrow down was the idea that these individuals died for seemingly no reason. Which then lead me to the series of questions I think everyone struggles with:
If there is a higher power (call it whatever you like) that has the ability to stop these things from happening, why do they still happen?
Is said higher power so committed to the idea of 'free will' that they are content to sit back and watch us kill each other?
If there is no higher power, or 'master plan' then why are we all here in the first place?
During various conversations with several people, I've found myself making the joke, "If someone had told me how hard it is living this way/being a pagan, I might have changed my mind about being one/living this way."
And while it is said in jest, there is a ring of truth to it. One thing that sets pagans apart from most other religions and philosophies is that if you don't identify with a specific branch such as Wicca or Druidry, just to provide examples, then you're pretty much on your own for figuring things out.
What's more is that as we continue to grow and learn, our perspectives change, and thus our beliefs can evolve right along with them.
I've been familiar with the idea of karma for a long time now, as most of us are. One new concept that I was introduced to a couple of years ago was the idea of soul contracts. The idea of soul contracts is tied into the idea of reincarnation, and from my perspective, takes it one step further.
Reincarnation is the belief that you live more than once, and in doing so, part of that process is that you work towards freeing yourself from karmic debt. The main idea being that if you're here, it's because you have karmic debt, so don't worry too much about being the odd one out. I do feel that there is more to it than that, but in the interest of staying on topic, I will digress for the time being.
Now, soul contracts are the belief that before you come into this world again, you agree on what you are going to experience in this life time. That includes the good and the not so good. You make agreements with every other individual you encounter and you agree to the extent of your interaction with them.
Believe me, when I first heard about this concept, I was not a fan-at all. Why on earth would you agree to go through potentially horrible things?
But then I remembered past conversations about some of the struggles I've been through, especially those which contributed to my PTSD. I've said multiple times that even though those times were hard, that despite it all, I wouldn't go back and change anything about my life - for the simple reason that it's made me who I am. During those conversations I've also said that if my painful experiences are able to help others in one form or another, then they are completely worth it.
I took a moment to try and fit all of these potentially separate thoughts together because there seemed to be a connection there, I just had to find it.
The more I thought on it, the more I realized that I was going to really have to be open to any answers that might be waiting for me to come across. Perhaps even answers that I didn't necessarily like. I tried to look at things on a grander scale versus just me in my own little world.
I looked back on history and began to think...There has been so much violence, so much war, so many deaths, so many injustices; until someone said enough was enough, until someone said that we as people are better than this, so why are we not doing better?
It's horrible and upsetting to think that we need so much tragedy to make positive change, that we need such a major push. But what do we call the people who commit these monstrosities? Well, the answer is right there; we call them monsters, we call them animals.
We as people like to think that we're at the top of the food chain, and somehow we're better than every other species on the planet - but what makes us so? That we know the difference between right and wrong, that we're vastly intelligent, that we have a verbal language?
We are animals at our core. The one true thing that sets us apart from every other species is that we have the ability and the choice to become better than what we are. We have the opportunity to become enlightened and what's more to share our journeys to enlightenment.
Not all of us choose, there are some who blatantly stick to their guns, and remain savage.
But why? Why would you choose to take that route? Is it simply because that's the price we pay for being human? Or is something bigger than that? Does it have something to do with this higher power, this Universe that is based on balance that requires such things?
Being that I am here to have a human experience, means that somewhere along the line I agreed that I wouldn't have all of the answers.
I cannot begin to fathom what the 'bigger picture' is and I cannot say with any certainty that I will ever truly understand, and I believe that if I did know it would defeat the purpose of me being here at all.
I feel as though I do know what my purpose is for this life, if perhaps only one aspect of it. And rather than drive myself crazy trying to figure out why people do the things that they do, or fool myself into thinking that the most recent victims of a mass shooting died without reason, I like to think that before they arrived for this life, they agreed to die when they did.
Maybe it was to work off some karmic debt; maybe it was to help inspire someone they knew into accomplishing something they might not have otherwise; maybe it was to bring awareness to gun violence, and by extension be a part of the solution and to help be the a contributing factor to the question: how many more innocent people have to die before we make appropriate changes?
Regardless of their reasons for doing so, I find it to make much more sense and to believe that their purpose was fulfilled in the time that they had here.
As I said before, the idea I just shared does provide comfort. It doesn't take away from the devastation, or sense of loss, or the frustration that is being felt - no more than it does when people say, "it was just their time to go or the Lord/Jesus/God decided to bring them home."
I truly believe that there are lessons out there in very situation, most often the valuable lessons are learned in the most painful of times. No one said that life was going to be easy, but isn't it the trials that makes us push ourselves and evolve into the best versions of who we are?
My heart goes out to all of those who were affected by this event. I will be honoring those that passed in the shooting during Samhain, but not just those who passed in Roseburg, but any and all who have been the victims of senseless gun violence.
I would encourage all of you to do the same; honor them, acknowledge that their time here and their passing was not in vain, thank them for their contribution to creating a better world. Changes are being made, even if we here on Earth can't see them yet.
I would like to take a moment and say that I normally do not get political here, and while I cannot promise that I will not in the future, I will say this - for me it comes down to the fact that the system we have is not working; our loved ones, our country men and women, our children are suffering because of it, so let's do what what needs to be done for the highest good of all, and change things.
For those who stayed with me and read this entire article, I want to thank you. The topics discussed here were probably no easier to read about than they were to write about.
If you are in the midst of exploring what you believe when it comes to life, death, and the after life, I would encourage you to do some research into what rings truest for you. And never be afraid to take your time developing what you believe, and never feel like you have to justify what it is that you believe.
This is your path, this is your journey, this is your life. Make the most of it, and hold those you love close to you.
I would like to leave you with one final thought.
Throughout my relatively short life, my beliefs have been all across the map. From atheist, to agnostic, to christian, to pagan, and of course some nooks and crannies in between. There were times that I believed in everything and times when I believed in nothing; with one exception.
For the majority of my time here I believed in one thing - that there is a reason for everything. We might not like the reason, we might think it's a stupid reason, we might not know what the reason is right away, we might never know what the reason is. But there is always a reason.
Sending you and yours light and love,
Thealynn
Of all the things I've written about here Through the Secret Door, I honestly feel like today's topic is one of the most difficult thus far. My opinions are what make this blog, and even though I do share factual information regarding certain subjects, today I am speaking completely from my soul, these views are what make the most sense to me, and as most personal beliefs do, admittedly they provide a little comfort.
For those who do not already know, I call the Pacific Northwest of the United States home. For anyone who watches the news or is simply on social media, there was yet another shooting last week, this time in Roseburg, Oregon. This hits extremely close to home being that I am originally from Salem, and what's more is that a very dear friend of mine is from Roseburg, itself.
On the day of, I was on the way to work when I learned of the shooting, and as I read updated news during my forty minute trip - rest assured I was not driving, I found myself fighting to hold back tears which was only mildly successful.
Once I had finished with the most recent information, I found myself rather puzzled as to why this particular shooting was so upsetting to me. It wasn't in my hometown or my school, it wasn't in my current town of residence, these were not people that I knew and no one I did know was connected to this tragedy, was I perhaps more connected to my home state then I had thought?
Throughout my shift at work, in the back of my mind I tried to piece together why I was so upset, what about this particular incident was so different then all of the rest?
When I arrived back home that evening I hopped back online to see if there was a new update, and mostly what I saw was others reaching out to the families and friends of those who were killed, a few religious messages thrown in, and a couple of jack offs who didn't respect the dead enough to wait a full twenty-four hours before defending the use of guns.
In the next couple of days that followed I was still trying to sort out what had seemingly gotten under my skin so easily. It wasn't until I was discussing the shooting with my boyfriend that the picture began to take shape.
Now, this is where it gets tricky for me to tie everything together, so please bear with me. What I was able to narrow down was the idea that these individuals died for seemingly no reason. Which then lead me to the series of questions I think everyone struggles with:
If there is a higher power (call it whatever you like) that has the ability to stop these things from happening, why do they still happen?
Is said higher power so committed to the idea of 'free will' that they are content to sit back and watch us kill each other?
If there is no higher power, or 'master plan' then why are we all here in the first place?
During various conversations with several people, I've found myself making the joke, "If someone had told me how hard it is living this way/being a pagan, I might have changed my mind about being one/living this way."
And while it is said in jest, there is a ring of truth to it. One thing that sets pagans apart from most other religions and philosophies is that if you don't identify with a specific branch such as Wicca or Druidry, just to provide examples, then you're pretty much on your own for figuring things out.
What's more is that as we continue to grow and learn, our perspectives change, and thus our beliefs can evolve right along with them.
I've been familiar with the idea of karma for a long time now, as most of us are. One new concept that I was introduced to a couple of years ago was the idea of soul contracts. The idea of soul contracts is tied into the idea of reincarnation, and from my perspective, takes it one step further.
Reincarnation is the belief that you live more than once, and in doing so, part of that process is that you work towards freeing yourself from karmic debt. The main idea being that if you're here, it's because you have karmic debt, so don't worry too much about being the odd one out. I do feel that there is more to it than that, but in the interest of staying on topic, I will digress for the time being.
Now, soul contracts are the belief that before you come into this world again, you agree on what you are going to experience in this life time. That includes the good and the not so good. You make agreements with every other individual you encounter and you agree to the extent of your interaction with them.
Believe me, when I first heard about this concept, I was not a fan-at all. Why on earth would you agree to go through potentially horrible things?
But then I remembered past conversations about some of the struggles I've been through, especially those which contributed to my PTSD. I've said multiple times that even though those times were hard, that despite it all, I wouldn't go back and change anything about my life - for the simple reason that it's made me who I am. During those conversations I've also said that if my painful experiences are able to help others in one form or another, then they are completely worth it.
I took a moment to try and fit all of these potentially separate thoughts together because there seemed to be a connection there, I just had to find it.
The more I thought on it, the more I realized that I was going to really have to be open to any answers that might be waiting for me to come across. Perhaps even answers that I didn't necessarily like. I tried to look at things on a grander scale versus just me in my own little world.
I looked back on history and began to think...There has been so much violence, so much war, so many deaths, so many injustices; until someone said enough was enough, until someone said that we as people are better than this, so why are we not doing better?
It's horrible and upsetting to think that we need so much tragedy to make positive change, that we need such a major push. But what do we call the people who commit these monstrosities? Well, the answer is right there; we call them monsters, we call them animals.
We as people like to think that we're at the top of the food chain, and somehow we're better than every other species on the planet - but what makes us so? That we know the difference between right and wrong, that we're vastly intelligent, that we have a verbal language?
We are animals at our core. The one true thing that sets us apart from every other species is that we have the ability and the choice to become better than what we are. We have the opportunity to become enlightened and what's more to share our journeys to enlightenment.
Not all of us choose, there are some who blatantly stick to their guns, and remain savage.
But why? Why would you choose to take that route? Is it simply because that's the price we pay for being human? Or is something bigger than that? Does it have something to do with this higher power, this Universe that is based on balance that requires such things?
Being that I am here to have a human experience, means that somewhere along the line I agreed that I wouldn't have all of the answers.
I cannot begin to fathom what the 'bigger picture' is and I cannot say with any certainty that I will ever truly understand, and I believe that if I did know it would defeat the purpose of me being here at all.
I feel as though I do know what my purpose is for this life, if perhaps only one aspect of it. And rather than drive myself crazy trying to figure out why people do the things that they do, or fool myself into thinking that the most recent victims of a mass shooting died without reason, I like to think that before they arrived for this life, they agreed to die when they did.
Maybe it was to work off some karmic debt; maybe it was to help inspire someone they knew into accomplishing something they might not have otherwise; maybe it was to bring awareness to gun violence, and by extension be a part of the solution and to help be the a contributing factor to the question: how many more innocent people have to die before we make appropriate changes?
Regardless of their reasons for doing so, I find it to make much more sense and to believe that their purpose was fulfilled in the time that they had here.
As I said before, the idea I just shared does provide comfort. It doesn't take away from the devastation, or sense of loss, or the frustration that is being felt - no more than it does when people say, "it was just their time to go or the Lord/Jesus/God decided to bring them home."
I truly believe that there are lessons out there in very situation, most often the valuable lessons are learned in the most painful of times. No one said that life was going to be easy, but isn't it the trials that makes us push ourselves and evolve into the best versions of who we are?
My heart goes out to all of those who were affected by this event. I will be honoring those that passed in the shooting during Samhain, but not just those who passed in Roseburg, but any and all who have been the victims of senseless gun violence.
I would encourage all of you to do the same; honor them, acknowledge that their time here and their passing was not in vain, thank them for their contribution to creating a better world. Changes are being made, even if we here on Earth can't see them yet.
I would like to take a moment and say that I normally do not get political here, and while I cannot promise that I will not in the future, I will say this - for me it comes down to the fact that the system we have is not working; our loved ones, our country men and women, our children are suffering because of it, so let's do what what needs to be done for the highest good of all, and change things.
For those who stayed with me and read this entire article, I want to thank you. The topics discussed here were probably no easier to read about than they were to write about.
If you are in the midst of exploring what you believe when it comes to life, death, and the after life, I would encourage you to do some research into what rings truest for you. And never be afraid to take your time developing what you believe, and never feel like you have to justify what it is that you believe.
This is your path, this is your journey, this is your life. Make the most of it, and hold those you love close to you.
I would like to leave you with one final thought.
Throughout my relatively short life, my beliefs have been all across the map. From atheist, to agnostic, to christian, to pagan, and of course some nooks and crannies in between. There were times that I believed in everything and times when I believed in nothing; with one exception.
For the majority of my time here I believed in one thing - that there is a reason for everything. We might not like the reason, we might think it's a stupid reason, we might not know what the reason is right away, we might never know what the reason is. But there is always a reason.
Sending you and yours light and love,
Thealynn
Thursday, September 17, 2015
The Autumn Equniox
Hey there lovelies,
I am excited to write and share with you about this next turn of the wheel. It wasn't too long ago that we wandered through the mysteries of Lughnasadh, and now as we approach the second of the three harvest festivals, a lot of us here in the pagan community begin to look back on the previous year and take time to reflect on what seeds were planted that prospered and grew, and which ones did not.
Over the last several weeks I've heard a lot of folks refer to this holiday in a couple of different ways, all of which I thought would be fun to share with you here.
First, which is of course an alternative name to this holiday, which is Mabon, pronounced may-bon. There are several ways to pronounce this name, so don't be surprised if you see some variations here and there. There was some debate for a time whether or not the name Mabon was really connected to the holiday or not, but as the name came from a harvest deity, much like Lughnasadh, for one reason or another it stuck.
If you're curious about this Welsh god and his story, I found a great rendition by a fellow blogger, Meadowsweet and Myrrh.
The second was a comparison to the three harvest festivals; Lughnasadh, Mabon and Samhain, as the three phases of the goddess; maiden, mother and crone.
When Lughnasadh arrives it's the first harvest and the maiden has taken that ultimate step into womanhood by becoming pregnant (either literally or figuratively with the crops of the Earth.) Come Mabon the crops have been reaped and she prepares for the next stage of her life, and the long winter she knows is coming and thus transitions to the phase of the crone by Samhain. At Samhain she welcomes her death and ultimate rebirth during the time of year when the veil between the physical world and the spiritual world is the thinnest.
The third concept that I heard recently was the comparison of Mabon with Thanksgiving. This one took me a little by surprise. Whether you are brand new to the path or are well weathered, most of us know by now that the sacred holidays we celebrate are quite common place these days, the majority of them having been Christianized in one way or another in the middle ages. But Thanksgiving is not one of them.
So as I was reading a few different articles, the idea really clicked with me and I've decided to spend this year celebrating this autumn equinox as a pagan Thanksgiving. A time to spend with my loved ones and circle members, to reflect on the fruits of my labors, to put to rest the dreams or goals that didn't pan out that they might return to me at a later time, or simply as a lesson well learned.
Now, what is so special about the autumn equinox? Why do we take the time to recognize this time of year?
Glad you asked!
In the Wheel of the Year, we have what are called the cross quarter days, meaning that we have four days to mark the beginning of each season and therefore, divide up the year into-you guessed it, quarters. When you line up these days they tend to make a cross like symbol, one light diagonally across, and one vertical line.
We have the two solstices, Summer and Winter, and we have two equinoxes, Spring and Autumn.
During the solstices, we have the longest day of the year (Summer) and we have the longest night of the year (Winter). With the equinoxes, the day and night time hours are equal in length, making it quite the magical time, encouraging us to seek balance and harmony as we make the transition from light to dark, from dark to light, and back again.
This particular equinox falls on September 23rd which is a little bit later than usual as it typically falls between the 20th and the 22nd of the month. It's also going to pack a bit more of a punch since we are currently in Mercury Retrograde. This retrograde began on the 17th and runs through October 9th. If you're new to the dance of Mercury Retrograde, I would encourage you to read the article I wrote back in January on my Facebook page. I also recently wrote about the current retrogrades and how that might be affecting us all through the rest of the year. Here's a link to that for you as well.
Up until the 23rd our lovely sun is in the sign of Virgo, but come the equinox, she shifts into the sign of Libra. A sign universally recognized for balance. If you're curious what to expect from this retrograde, I would encourage you to check out this article I found, it definitely paints a happier picture than most do concerning Mercury's retrograde.
So how does one go about celebrating such a day? Well, for that I found a couple of great sites with some fun and easy suggestions, as well as some specifics if you're wanting to incorporate something in particular.
I know this article was from last year, but it still has some great ideas that can be done individually or in a group setting, you can even do both if you so desire! Huff Post: Religion.
The Celtic Connection is a really great resource for all sorts of goodies, especially if you don't have a your own copy of books such as Autumn Equinox by Ellen Dugan or Supermarket Magic-both of which I highly recommend.
If this is your first year celebrating and you're looking for something small and informal to simply connect with the energies of the day, weather permitting, take a walk outside in a local park or in your neighborhood. It's a great way to not only get out in nature to feel the natural balance of things, but depending on where you live you might already be seeing some of the affects of this time of year.
Mabon is a time where you take account of the fruits of your labor and you celebrate your accomplishments. I think that it's something we should all be doing more often, in general. We're at a time in our society where we are constantly trying to achieve more, trying to do better, trying to get to that next peg on the ladder to wherever it is that we're trying to get; and we lose track of the progress we've made and all of the things that we've conquered along the way.
Before you take that walk, or maybe once you're there, take a notebook and pen/pencil with you and write down all of the achievements you've claimed this year. And as you walk, pick up a leaf, a pebble or an acorn orpine cone to represent each of those things.
For example if you're in school, pick up a representation for each good grade you got, or each paper and/or project that you're proud of.
Also, don't be afraid to write down the goals that didn't work out. Now is the time to leave them behind; to release the energy you invested into them back into the Universe so that it may return to you for better uses. When you return from your walk, set out your collection in a space where you will see them often, on your desk, night table, or alter. With the 'crops that didn't bear fruit' take the list and invite your guides, your angels, and the deities that you connect with most, or that you would like to honor during this time to come witness as you release those things. You can burn that part of your list with a candle, or in a heat safe container. Which ever method you choose, always practice fire safety. You can also bury the list if you so choose, just make sure it's buried deep enough that a critter won't mistake it for food.
One recipe that I found recently isn't entirely a Mabon tradition, but it sounded too good not to share, I know I cannot wait to make this a seasonal tradition. Who doesn't love the sound of Sparkling Cider Pound Cake? To be honest, it sounds like something you should be able to order at Starbucks around the holidays, but I think making it is more fun.
One character that you'll see mentioned during this time of year is John Barleycorn or Jonny Barleycorn. When broken down, it is a tale regarding the process of making beer, and depending on which version of the song/story you read it can be quite graphic. You can read a little bit about the legend here.
But there is a really important message in good ol' Barleycorn's tale. Sometimes in life, you have to make sacrifices. It's not always the easy choice, and more often then not, it's painful but it's a necessary part of life.
I was talking with my new boyfriend the other day about this time of year, as naturally I am introducing him to this way of life, and when I told him that autumn was my favorite time of year, something made me stop to think about why.
Don't get me wrong, I love sweaters, and slippers, scarves, pumpkins and pumpkin flavored just about anything, so many different kinds of soup, the changing of the leaves...
The changing of the leaves is always a sure sign the winter is on the way; a time of quiet, or reflection, the physical death of most trees and plants. Why would that be something that I take pleasure in?
I then realized that there is beauty to the end of things. There is something magical and mystical and comforting knowing that there is a form of closure to everything. It's a subtle reminder that death is part of the natural order of things. Nature does it in a way that's beautiful, and filled with a kind of comfort.
Things need perish and be let go of to make way for new life, and new opportunities. The Earth understands this, and does this out of pure necessity. If you're struggling with something like this, which trust me, we have all been there-reach out to the deities who are connected with this time, with this season and allow them to shower you with love and perspective and invite them to help you with the upcoming transitions.
I hope that this equinox brings you much joy, much clarity and much needed balance.
Sending light and love to you all dears,
Thealynn
I am excited to write and share with you about this next turn of the wheel. It wasn't too long ago that we wandered through the mysteries of Lughnasadh, and now as we approach the second of the three harvest festivals, a lot of us here in the pagan community begin to look back on the previous year and take time to reflect on what seeds were planted that prospered and grew, and which ones did not.
Over the last several weeks I've heard a lot of folks refer to this holiday in a couple of different ways, all of which I thought would be fun to share with you here.
First, which is of course an alternative name to this holiday, which is Mabon, pronounced may-bon. There are several ways to pronounce this name, so don't be surprised if you see some variations here and there. There was some debate for a time whether or not the name Mabon was really connected to the holiday or not, but as the name came from a harvest deity, much like Lughnasadh, for one reason or another it stuck.
If you're curious about this Welsh god and his story, I found a great rendition by a fellow blogger, Meadowsweet and Myrrh.
When Lughnasadh arrives it's the first harvest and the maiden has taken that ultimate step into womanhood by becoming pregnant (either literally or figuratively with the crops of the Earth.) Come Mabon the crops have been reaped and she prepares for the next stage of her life, and the long winter she knows is coming and thus transitions to the phase of the crone by Samhain. At Samhain she welcomes her death and ultimate rebirth during the time of year when the veil between the physical world and the spiritual world is the thinnest.
The third concept that I heard recently was the comparison of Mabon with Thanksgiving. This one took me a little by surprise. Whether you are brand new to the path or are well weathered, most of us know by now that the sacred holidays we celebrate are quite common place these days, the majority of them having been Christianized in one way or another in the middle ages. But Thanksgiving is not one of them.
So as I was reading a few different articles, the idea really clicked with me and I've decided to spend this year celebrating this autumn equinox as a pagan Thanksgiving. A time to spend with my loved ones and circle members, to reflect on the fruits of my labors, to put to rest the dreams or goals that didn't pan out that they might return to me at a later time, or simply as a lesson well learned.
Now, what is so special about the autumn equinox? Why do we take the time to recognize this time of year?
Glad you asked!
In the Wheel of the Year, we have what are called the cross quarter days, meaning that we have four days to mark the beginning of each season and therefore, divide up the year into-you guessed it, quarters. When you line up these days they tend to make a cross like symbol, one light diagonally across, and one vertical line.
We have the two solstices, Summer and Winter, and we have two equinoxes, Spring and Autumn.
During the solstices, we have the longest day of the year (Summer) and we have the longest night of the year (Winter). With the equinoxes, the day and night time hours are equal in length, making it quite the magical time, encouraging us to seek balance and harmony as we make the transition from light to dark, from dark to light, and back again.
Up until the 23rd our lovely sun is in the sign of Virgo, but come the equinox, she shifts into the sign of Libra. A sign universally recognized for balance. If you're curious what to expect from this retrograde, I would encourage you to check out this article I found, it definitely paints a happier picture than most do concerning Mercury's retrograde.
So how does one go about celebrating such a day? Well, for that I found a couple of great sites with some fun and easy suggestions, as well as some specifics if you're wanting to incorporate something in particular.
I know this article was from last year, but it still has some great ideas that can be done individually or in a group setting, you can even do both if you so desire! Huff Post: Religion.
The Celtic Connection is a really great resource for all sorts of goodies, especially if you don't have a your own copy of books such as Autumn Equinox by Ellen Dugan or Supermarket Magic-both of which I highly recommend.
If this is your first year celebrating and you're looking for something small and informal to simply connect with the energies of the day, weather permitting, take a walk outside in a local park or in your neighborhood. It's a great way to not only get out in nature to feel the natural balance of things, but depending on where you live you might already be seeing some of the affects of this time of year.Mabon is a time where you take account of the fruits of your labor and you celebrate your accomplishments. I think that it's something we should all be doing more often, in general. We're at a time in our society where we are constantly trying to achieve more, trying to do better, trying to get to that next peg on the ladder to wherever it is that we're trying to get; and we lose track of the progress we've made and all of the things that we've conquered along the way.
Before you take that walk, or maybe once you're there, take a notebook and pen/pencil with you and write down all of the achievements you've claimed this year. And as you walk, pick up a leaf, a pebble or an acorn orpine cone to represent each of those things.
For example if you're in school, pick up a representation for each good grade you got, or each paper and/or project that you're proud of.
One recipe that I found recently isn't entirely a Mabon tradition, but it sounded too good not to share, I know I cannot wait to make this a seasonal tradition. Who doesn't love the sound of Sparkling Cider Pound Cake? To be honest, it sounds like something you should be able to order at Starbucks around the holidays, but I think making it is more fun.
One character that you'll see mentioned during this time of year is John Barleycorn or Jonny Barleycorn. When broken down, it is a tale regarding the process of making beer, and depending on which version of the song/story you read it can be quite graphic. You can read a little bit about the legend here.
But there is a really important message in good ol' Barleycorn's tale. Sometimes in life, you have to make sacrifices. It's not always the easy choice, and more often then not, it's painful but it's a necessary part of life.
I was talking with my new boyfriend the other day about this time of year, as naturally I am introducing him to this way of life, and when I told him that autumn was my favorite time of year, something made me stop to think about why.
Don't get me wrong, I love sweaters, and slippers, scarves, pumpkins and pumpkin flavored just about anything, so many different kinds of soup, the changing of the leaves...
The changing of the leaves is always a sure sign the winter is on the way; a time of quiet, or reflection, the physical death of most trees and plants. Why would that be something that I take pleasure in?
I then realized that there is beauty to the end of things. There is something magical and mystical and comforting knowing that there is a form of closure to everything. It's a subtle reminder that death is part of the natural order of things. Nature does it in a way that's beautiful, and filled with a kind of comfort.
Things need perish and be let go of to make way for new life, and new opportunities. The Earth understands this, and does this out of pure necessity. If you're struggling with something like this, which trust me, we have all been there-reach out to the deities who are connected with this time, with this season and allow them to shower you with love and perspective and invite them to help you with the upcoming transitions.
I hope that this equinox brings you much joy, much clarity and much needed balance.
Sending light and love to you all dears,
Thealynn
Sunday, August 23, 2015
The Green Light
Hello lovies,
Not too long ago I wrote about the current planetary retrogrades and how they might be affecting us here on Earth which you can read about here if you haven't already. I've heard from several people how much better they feel having at least an idea of where some of the changes in their life are stemming from-which is what I had hoped for.
But I never expected that they would create such a clear road map for my own life, and ultimately push me into making some very unexpected changes within myself.
The biggest retrograde that seems to have everyone talking right now seems to be Venus, which goes direct again on September 6th, so we've got some time left with that one, and with Uranus not going direct until December 26th, we've got changes coming our way for the remainder of the year.
It sounds daunting, there's no arguing that. And with this being an eight year which suggests prosperity and abundance, I don't know that anyone thought there would be an abundance of change.
I knew that I would be going into this year with hope and determination and that I was going to make 2015 my year. And up until recently I felt like I was still trying to figure out how to make that happen, and in some ways I think I was waiting for it also.
If you've been keeping up with my blog you know that there has been no lack of changes taking place, and some of the changes haven't exactly brought on the warm and fuzzies; but because of those experiences it's encouraged me to react with more positive changes and in doing so I'm receiving a clearer picture of who I am, where I'm going, and what it is I am here to do.
It's been about four months since I've moved now and since that time I've been receiving fairly regular messages and signs from the Universe about the number one thing in my life that needed changing.
It was a change that I ultimately felt conflicted about and despite having moments of clarity and resolve, I was unsuccessful in implementing the change that needed to take place. It became such a struggle for me that eventually when I had a moment to myself I released all of the frustration, anger and resentment that was being fed by my ego through tears of sheer vulnerability. I prayed to the gods to simply take the burden from me since I felt that I was not strong enough to handle this task by myself.
I really just left it up to the Universe on what I was supposed to do and how I was supposed to handle this change because every thing I had tried up until that point just hadn't worked.
And then seemingly out of nowhere, I was presented with an opportunity to once and for all let it all go. That's not to say that it was a painless release, but the truth of the matter is that it was going to be painful regardless of when or how. And if I wasn't going to make this change at the time I was presented with, I simply wasn't ever going to.
It really came down to giving myself a chance at something I deserved and something that I had been holding out for. That's not to say I wasn't cautious and I certainly wasn't invested in the potential outcomes, I was simply open to it.
Besides, how many of us can honestly say that when the gods are doing everything short of a light show to get your attention and repeatedly giving signs that not even a blind man would miss, are you really going to ignore that?
Today is the day that the sun traveled into the sign of Virgo which promotes action and taking initiative. So if you've been putting of that change that you know you're supposed to make; this is your green light.
I've said it before, and I doubt this will be the last time, change can be scary. Terrifying even. But we can here to LIVE not merely exist or survive as best we can until the inevitable end.
I took the biggest chance of my life so far, and it has left me feeling free, and light and full of joy. I don't know what the future holds, but I am excited and ready to take this journey and to not take it alone.
Earlier this year I said goodbye to love, and just a few short days ago, I said hello again.
What is it that has been knocking at your door, tapping on your window, whispering to your heart?
In light and love my dears,
Thealynn
Not too long ago I wrote about the current planetary retrogrades and how they might be affecting us here on Earth which you can read about here if you haven't already. I've heard from several people how much better they feel having at least an idea of where some of the changes in their life are stemming from-which is what I had hoped for.
But I never expected that they would create such a clear road map for my own life, and ultimately push me into making some very unexpected changes within myself.
The biggest retrograde that seems to have everyone talking right now seems to be Venus, which goes direct again on September 6th, so we've got some time left with that one, and with Uranus not going direct until December 26th, we've got changes coming our way for the remainder of the year.
It sounds daunting, there's no arguing that. And with this being an eight year which suggests prosperity and abundance, I don't know that anyone thought there would be an abundance of change.
I knew that I would be going into this year with hope and determination and that I was going to make 2015 my year. And up until recently I felt like I was still trying to figure out how to make that happen, and in some ways I think I was waiting for it also.
If you've been keeping up with my blog you know that there has been no lack of changes taking place, and some of the changes haven't exactly brought on the warm and fuzzies; but because of those experiences it's encouraged me to react with more positive changes and in doing so I'm receiving a clearer picture of who I am, where I'm going, and what it is I am here to do.
It's been about four months since I've moved now and since that time I've been receiving fairly regular messages and signs from the Universe about the number one thing in my life that needed changing.
It was a change that I ultimately felt conflicted about and despite having moments of clarity and resolve, I was unsuccessful in implementing the change that needed to take place. It became such a struggle for me that eventually when I had a moment to myself I released all of the frustration, anger and resentment that was being fed by my ego through tears of sheer vulnerability. I prayed to the gods to simply take the burden from me since I felt that I was not strong enough to handle this task by myself.
I really just left it up to the Universe on what I was supposed to do and how I was supposed to handle this change because every thing I had tried up until that point just hadn't worked.
And then seemingly out of nowhere, I was presented with an opportunity to once and for all let it all go. That's not to say that it was a painless release, but the truth of the matter is that it was going to be painful regardless of when or how. And if I wasn't going to make this change at the time I was presented with, I simply wasn't ever going to.
It really came down to giving myself a chance at something I deserved and something that I had been holding out for. That's not to say I wasn't cautious and I certainly wasn't invested in the potential outcomes, I was simply open to it.
Besides, how many of us can honestly say that when the gods are doing everything short of a light show to get your attention and repeatedly giving signs that not even a blind man would miss, are you really going to ignore that?
Today is the day that the sun traveled into the sign of Virgo which promotes action and taking initiative. So if you've been putting of that change that you know you're supposed to make; this is your green light.
I've said it before, and I doubt this will be the last time, change can be scary. Terrifying even. But we can here to LIVE not merely exist or survive as best we can until the inevitable end.
I took the biggest chance of my life so far, and it has left me feeling free, and light and full of joy. I don't know what the future holds, but I am excited and ready to take this journey and to not take it alone.
Earlier this year I said goodbye to love, and just a few short days ago, I said hello again.
What is it that has been knocking at your door, tapping on your window, whispering to your heart?
In light and love my dears,
Thealynn
Monday, August 3, 2015
My First Book Review! Celtic Magic by DJ Conway
Hey lovies,
Today I want to do something a little different, because I am writing my first book review! Just for the record this is nothing official, I'm not being asked by anyone to do so. My hope is that as I am expanding my knowledge and read more spiritually based books I want to share them here so that others might have a some sort of reference.
I want to do this review for two reasons:
Number one: Finding books that have what we consider to be worthwhile information can be tough. Especially when a lot of places don't necessarily carry the kinds of books you might be interested in. I am incredibly fortunate that I live close to a bookstore that carries books from every genre and sub-genre that a person can imagine, so I really have no restrictions on what kinds of books I can get my hands on.
For so many of us, ordering on the internet is really the only option, and while that's a great option, sometimes it doesn't work out. The book is damaged or it's not what we thought it would be like, or we don't want to or can afford to pay an arm and a leg for shipping. And then at the end of it all, what if we end up not liking it?
I don't know about you, but I don't know many people who order from online and then pay to return it in addition to what they paid to get it.
Number Two: Much shorter answer-I just think it'll be fun.
I was gifted the book Celtic Magic by DJ Conway. Prior to reading this book, I didn't have a lot of knowledge of this author; I'd heard of her a couple of times, and I did inherit a tarot deck that she co-created which I use for the monthly tarot card.
Before jumping in too far I thought it would be helpful for me to know a little bit about the author, and to my surprise, the most information I found was from Wikipedia...
I want it to be know that I tried several other sites before resorting to Wiki. There seems to be a running joke that because Wiki is editable by anyone, that there is a bunch of misinformation-my stance is that for everyone trying to fudge up Wiki articles, there is someone who is there to fix them.
Either way, here are the pages I was able to find.
Sources:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/D._J._Conway
http://www.faeryshaman.org/djconway.htm
Now, onto the review itself.
When I originally sat down to write this review I was really excited about it because this little book had been waiting on me for a couple of months and I was finally able to get to it. I wanted this review to be in depth and fully explanatory, but before I was even fifty pages in I was on my fourth page of all the things I took issue with or disagreed with, or was just flat out confused by.
Rather than have you sit and listen to me rant for potentially ten pages I thought it would be easiest to provide the main points why I would not recommend this book, but before doing so I will point out a couple of things that I tried to keep in mind as I read through this book.
The first thing that I tried to keep in mind is that this book was published 25 years ago. Even though the history of the Celts including some traditions and their belief systems are still somewhat mysteries to us, I think it's safe to say that we knew considerably less 25 years ago then we do now.
The second thing I tried to keep in mind is that this book is very small, and when I say small, I mean short. The entire book is 206 pages including the bibliography. If I'm being brutally honest that should have been a warning sign.
As far as why I did not enjoy this book, and why I would not recommend it-I promise I will try to keep this as short as possible.
Overall I didn't enjoy her writing style. She writes with a lot of, 'you should' and 'you must' and for me personally speaking, being someone who doesn't follow a specific path, feeling as though I am being told what to believe rather than being provided with a suggestion or a perspective makes it a take difficult to get into the book itself.
The first thing that really got to me was that the writing is kind of all over the place, there's no feeling of a concise flow from one subject or idea to the next. It's very choppy.
In the second chapter of the book she brings up Wicca, and there is no real reason provided as to why. As you get a little further into the book you see it much more and it's made clear that this book is written from a Wiccan perspective-or in an effort not to generalize, in the author's perspective as a Wiccan.
This wouldn't be a big deal except for the fact that there is no forward, no introduction, and no preface to inform the reader of this fact.
I went into this book expecting to learn about Celtic magic and tradition, not how you can use those things in your Wiccan path which is the tone this book takes on.
The other major theme that I found throughout the book that I would say I had the biggest problem with was that she writes in absolutes throughout the book. She randomly throws out 'facts' and makes a lot of claims without explaining where they come from and without anything to back up or support them.
Over all I was very disappointed and ultimately refused to finish reading the rest of the book. It is not one that I would recommend and would even go so far as to encourage anyone interested to avoid it.
I want to make it clear that I don't have anything against the author herself. Again, this book is almost thirty years old and what was considered acceptable for these kinds of books was probably very different.
I would be willing to look into one of her more recent books to see how she evolved as a writer and as a spiritual practitioner, and would be even more interested in learning how she went about writing this book.
If you're curious to see what else I've read this year, you can head on over to my Facebook page and give it a Like so that way you can see my reading lists as well as get updates about what's happening Through the Secret Door.
If there is a title that you would like me to read and possibly review you can leave me a comment below or send me an email, or you can even write to me on Facebook.
As of right now I do not have a book lined up to read next but I will be sure to let you know what it is soon.
I hope you all had a wonderful Lughnasadh\Lammas and Blue Moon-if this is your first time here I would encourage you to follow the links so that way you can get all caught up.
I'll be starting my research for Mabon here soon, seven weeks should be enough, right?
Sending you all light and love,
Thealynn
Today I want to do something a little different, because I am writing my first book review! Just for the record this is nothing official, I'm not being asked by anyone to do so. My hope is that as I am expanding my knowledge and read more spiritually based books I want to share them here so that others might have a some sort of reference.
I want to do this review for two reasons:
Number one: Finding books that have what we consider to be worthwhile information can be tough. Especially when a lot of places don't necessarily carry the kinds of books you might be interested in. I am incredibly fortunate that I live close to a bookstore that carries books from every genre and sub-genre that a person can imagine, so I really have no restrictions on what kinds of books I can get my hands on.
For so many of us, ordering on the internet is really the only option, and while that's a great option, sometimes it doesn't work out. The book is damaged or it's not what we thought it would be like, or we don't want to or can afford to pay an arm and a leg for shipping. And then at the end of it all, what if we end up not liking it?
I don't know about you, but I don't know many people who order from online and then pay to return it in addition to what they paid to get it.
Number Two: Much shorter answer-I just think it'll be fun.
I was gifted the book Celtic Magic by DJ Conway. Prior to reading this book, I didn't have a lot of knowledge of this author; I'd heard of her a couple of times, and I did inherit a tarot deck that she co-created which I use for the monthly tarot card.
Before jumping in too far I thought it would be helpful for me to know a little bit about the author, and to my surprise, the most information I found was from Wikipedia...
I want it to be know that I tried several other sites before resorting to Wiki. There seems to be a running joke that because Wiki is editable by anyone, that there is a bunch of misinformation-my stance is that for everyone trying to fudge up Wiki articles, there is someone who is there to fix them.
Either way, here are the pages I was able to find.
Sources:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/D._J._Conway
http://www.faeryshaman.org/djconway.htm
Now, onto the review itself.
When I originally sat down to write this review I was really excited about it because this little book had been waiting on me for a couple of months and I was finally able to get to it. I wanted this review to be in depth and fully explanatory, but before I was even fifty pages in I was on my fourth page of all the things I took issue with or disagreed with, or was just flat out confused by.
Rather than have you sit and listen to me rant for potentially ten pages I thought it would be easiest to provide the main points why I would not recommend this book, but before doing so I will point out a couple of things that I tried to keep in mind as I read through this book.
The first thing that I tried to keep in mind is that this book was published 25 years ago. Even though the history of the Celts including some traditions and their belief systems are still somewhat mysteries to us, I think it's safe to say that we knew considerably less 25 years ago then we do now.
The second thing I tried to keep in mind is that this book is very small, and when I say small, I mean short. The entire book is 206 pages including the bibliography. If I'm being brutally honest that should have been a warning sign.
As far as why I did not enjoy this book, and why I would not recommend it-I promise I will try to keep this as short as possible.
Overall I didn't enjoy her writing style. She writes with a lot of, 'you should' and 'you must' and for me personally speaking, being someone who doesn't follow a specific path, feeling as though I am being told what to believe rather than being provided with a suggestion or a perspective makes it a take difficult to get into the book itself.
The first thing that really got to me was that the writing is kind of all over the place, there's no feeling of a concise flow from one subject or idea to the next. It's very choppy.
In the second chapter of the book she brings up Wicca, and there is no real reason provided as to why. As you get a little further into the book you see it much more and it's made clear that this book is written from a Wiccan perspective-or in an effort not to generalize, in the author's perspective as a Wiccan.
This wouldn't be a big deal except for the fact that there is no forward, no introduction, and no preface to inform the reader of this fact.
I went into this book expecting to learn about Celtic magic and tradition, not how you can use those things in your Wiccan path which is the tone this book takes on.
The other major theme that I found throughout the book that I would say I had the biggest problem with was that she writes in absolutes throughout the book. She randomly throws out 'facts' and makes a lot of claims without explaining where they come from and without anything to back up or support them.
Over all I was very disappointed and ultimately refused to finish reading the rest of the book. It is not one that I would recommend and would even go so far as to encourage anyone interested to avoid it.
I want to make it clear that I don't have anything against the author herself. Again, this book is almost thirty years old and what was considered acceptable for these kinds of books was probably very different.
I would be willing to look into one of her more recent books to see how she evolved as a writer and as a spiritual practitioner, and would be even more interested in learning how she went about writing this book.
If you're curious to see what else I've read this year, you can head on over to my Facebook page and give it a Like so that way you can see my reading lists as well as get updates about what's happening Through the Secret Door.
If there is a title that you would like me to read and possibly review you can leave me a comment below or send me an email, or you can even write to me on Facebook.
As of right now I do not have a book lined up to read next but I will be sure to let you know what it is soon.
I hope you all had a wonderful Lughnasadh\Lammas and Blue Moon-if this is your first time here I would encourage you to follow the links so that way you can get all caught up.
I'll be starting my research for Mabon here soon, seven weeks should be enough, right?
Sending you all light and love,
Thealynn
Tuesday, July 28, 2015
In Dreams
Hello lovies,
I had a dream not to long before I made this huge decision to offer readings in a public, professional form, which you can now find here. It was something that at the time was relative enough to the path I've been on, and the progress I've made on that path, but it didn't sink in until the Solstice how much deeper this dream went.
I knew that I wanted to share this dream right away, but I also wanted to take my time getting back into the groove of this blog, and with writing rather than blurting out and publishing every thought that I have.
This post alone as been added to several times, mostly because of timing. I will say that it is quite rare for me to hold on to a post for as long as I have, but I am happy that I did so.
Without further ado...
Earlier in the REM cycle I experienced a dream and the only thing I can remember about it was that in my dream state, I concluded that the meaning of this dream was that I had been trying to approach things the same way or do things the same way and that things were simply not working so I simply needed to changed them...Okay.
This second dream, I had given birth to a baby girl, and my mother was with me. In her motherly duties she was preparing for the baby to baptized and made an official member of the church. (Just to be clear my family is not Catholic, those who fall under the Christian umbrella are mostly Baptist. But all the same.)
At point point it was even discussed that I would go through the baptism-which in my dream I was uncomfortable with being that I've never been baptized in the physical plane and dream me knew this, dream me was not keen on the idea.
I could feel myself panicking because even though I have nothing against baptism, it simply wasn't something I wanted. I began to feel as though I wold have no say in my daughter's life, I mean, the kid was just born why not wait until she knows what it means and then let her decide?
When my mother returned to take my daughter to be baptized, I told her no. I looked straight at my mother and told her that I didn't want to raise my daughter that way, that I wouldn't allow it.
I spent some time considering what this dream might mean, and it wasn't until a meditation in which I was instructed to find my sanctuary that I made the connection.
I sincerely believe in following your soul's truth, your own path and while I have never explicitly come out to my mother as a pagan, she's a smart woman, I'm sure she knows on some level.
When I was asked to find this sanctuary, I found myself in the ocean. My breathing sounded to me as though I were underwater, I felt the waves around me, the sun beating down through the blueish green glass.
By finding this sanctuary, by going to these meet ups and being introduced to certain people I am finally seeing my path being illuminated. When I come out the other side of this journey, I will have been reborn, I will not be able to conceal my work from my family, and I don't want to.
I will always be my mother's child, she will always want to protect me and do what she thinks is right for me. But I need to find the strength that I've always lacked when it's come to her and use my voice to tell her the truth.
I am beginning to see the woman that I am slowly transforming into, and while I'm slightly nervous about this process, I move towards it with heart.
I may even change my name, but that's for future me to decide.
I had a dream not to long before I made this huge decision to offer readings in a public, professional form, which you can now find here. It was something that at the time was relative enough to the path I've been on, and the progress I've made on that path, but it didn't sink in until the Solstice how much deeper this dream went.
I knew that I wanted to share this dream right away, but I also wanted to take my time getting back into the groove of this blog, and with writing rather than blurting out and publishing every thought that I have.
This post alone as been added to several times, mostly because of timing. I will say that it is quite rare for me to hold on to a post for as long as I have, but I am happy that I did so.
Without further ado...
Earlier in the REM cycle I experienced a dream and the only thing I can remember about it was that in my dream state, I concluded that the meaning of this dream was that I had been trying to approach things the same way or do things the same way and that things were simply not working so I simply needed to changed them...Okay.
This second dream, I had given birth to a baby girl, and my mother was with me. In her motherly duties she was preparing for the baby to baptized and made an official member of the church. (Just to be clear my family is not Catholic, those who fall under the Christian umbrella are mostly Baptist. But all the same.)
At point point it was even discussed that I would go through the baptism-which in my dream I was uncomfortable with being that I've never been baptized in the physical plane and dream me knew this, dream me was not keen on the idea.
I could feel myself panicking because even though I have nothing against baptism, it simply wasn't something I wanted. I began to feel as though I wold have no say in my daughter's life, I mean, the kid was just born why not wait until she knows what it means and then let her decide?
When my mother returned to take my daughter to be baptized, I told her no. I looked straight at my mother and told her that I didn't want to raise my daughter that way, that I wouldn't allow it.
I spent some time considering what this dream might mean, and it wasn't until a meditation in which I was instructed to find my sanctuary that I made the connection.
I sincerely believe in following your soul's truth, your own path and while I have never explicitly come out to my mother as a pagan, she's a smart woman, I'm sure she knows on some level.
When I was asked to find this sanctuary, I found myself in the ocean. My breathing sounded to me as though I were underwater, I felt the waves around me, the sun beating down through the blueish green glass.
By finding this sanctuary, by going to these meet ups and being introduced to certain people I am finally seeing my path being illuminated. When I come out the other side of this journey, I will have been reborn, I will not be able to conceal my work from my family, and I don't want to.
I will always be my mother's child, she will always want to protect me and do what she thinks is right for me. But I need to find the strength that I've always lacked when it's come to her and use my voice to tell her the truth.
I am beginning to see the woman that I am slowly transforming into, and while I'm slightly nervous about this process, I move towards it with heart.
I may even change my name, but that's for future me to decide.
Monday, July 27, 2015
What in the Universe is Going On?
Hey lovies,
In honor of the fact that we will be having a Blue Moon this coming Friday, I thought I would write a little post and give my thoughts about this event and while I was at it I started looking into what else was going on in our solar system.
I've heard in several places that we currently have seven planets in retrograde, but I was only able to track down five of them. I fully admit that I am not an astronomy buff, and most of the time I find it quite confusing simply because there is just so much of it! If I learn which other two planets are currently in retrograde, I will certainly amend this or if anyone knows and would like to share, please feel free to do so below!
In my effort to become more in tune with the Universe as a whole, I've started trying to pay more attention to astrology whether it's learning about my own natal chart or learning about planets when they go into retrograde.
Before I go too much further, I want to explain what retrograde is. I myself was unfamiliar with the concept not too long ago, so if you're new to this, that's okay! Dictonary.com defines retrograde as:
"adjective
1. moving backward; having a backward motion or direction; retiring or retreating.
2. inverse or reversed, as order.
4. Astronomy.
moving in an orbit in the direction opposite to that of the earth in its revolution around the sun.
appearing to move on the celestial sphere in the direction opposite to the natural order of the signs of the zodiac, or from east to west."
What we've learned from astronomers and other scientists is that the planets are not actually traveling backwards, but rather their orbit slows down to the point where from here on Earth it only looks like they are traveling backwards.
Moving right along!
We've talked once before about Mercury going into Retrograde which it seems to do about every three months. But what about the other planets? Does this Blue Moon really have any special meaning that a regular full moon does not?
These topics are what I'll be diving into today, to hopefully form a bigger picture of what is going on out there in space, and what we can do about it. Before I jump in, if you have are interested in receiving your own natal chart, I recommend Astro.com, it's very informative and best part is, it's free!
All righty then, so the planets (that I could find) which are currently in retrograde are Venus, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune and Pluto. I'll list there dates below.
**A quick update for you all, as each planet goes direct again, I will be marking off each retrograde to make finding the current ones a bit easier for returning and current readers.**
Venus - July 25-September 6
I don't know about you, but when it comes to retrogrades aside from the bad rap that Mercury can sometimes earn, Venus going into retrograde sounds just as scary when in reality it's probably one of our greatest opportunities.
As we all know (or so I like to think) Venus is the planet of love, and relationships. So when this planet starts going backwards what does that mean for us? Do our relationships unravel, is this just going to be forty days and forty nights of chaos?
While there is always a chance of communications going array, Venus retrograde is more about moving on and letting go of past loves that might still be lingering around. Whether it's emotionally, or physically.
A lot of times after relationships end, unless they ended really badly, we still hang onto little mementos from that time; whether they're pictures, gifts, mix CDs (depending on your age), little knick knacks. If you've been hanging onto things like that and they only bring you sadness, hurt, longing, or feelings of loneliness-why keep them?
Those physical reminders are holding a space for that person, and thus it's keeping those wounds open. If you're ready to move on and let them go, then do so! Free up that space for self love, and perhaps down the road, love from another.
If you're going to get rid of those items, please keep in mind that in some instances other people can still get use out of them. Before giving anything away, bless them with a few simple words of thanks for the positivity they brought you and send them away with it so that they can bring joy to someone else.
Burning pictures and letters can be extremely cathartic-I myself have done this and I cannot tell you what a difference I felt. If you do go this route, try to do with a friend, and always use fire safety.
If you're currently in a relationship, now is an opportune time to reflect and consider what you're getting out of your relationship, and if that's working for you or not. Use this time to be open with your partner and find ways to heal and/or improve the relationship.
I've seen it advised during almost everywhere to not take any drastic action while the planet(s) remain in retrograde. But always follow what's best for you, if you're in an unhealthy relationship, don't wait on the planets to get yourself into a better situation-your safety and well being should always come first.
One last thing I want to mention, and then we'll move on.
Venus only goes into retrograde every 18 months. So, take some time to look back on December of 2013 and think about where you were, and think about how far you have come. Think about where your relationships have been, and where they are now-are all of those relationships still intact?
Even when it's painful, try to be grateful for those experiences; without them, you wouldn't be who you are.
Saturn - March 14-August 2
We're coming to the party a little late with Saturn being in retrograde, but that doesn't mean that we're out of time or that we can't reflect on what's taken place since the retrograde began.
There were two main themes that I kept coming across; time and krama. Both of these aspects are ruled by Saturn and being a Capricorn, that means that planetarily speaking, I am also ruled by this planet. Now knowing that Saturn has been in retrograde really does explain A LOT.
It's times like this where karmic balances are brought about in a more distinct way, and you may have been feeling like time has slowed down in a sense. As frustrating as it can be, taking the time to examine projects and commitments that you have have agreed to in haste and whether or not you want to amend those decisions.
When people think of karma, they usually think of the not so fuzzy side, and while that's true, we also can't let ourselves forget the brighter side of karma. Another thing to keep in mind about karma is that, karma doesn't recognize time like we do. Past, present, and future are fluid when it comes to karma, and it's really about when those lessons will mean the most to you.
Uranus - July 26-December 26
In the research that I have done, I feel like Uranus is the planet that puts butts in gear. Uranus is the planetary influence that keeps us on our toes if we're getting to comfortable.
So when Uranus goes into retrograde, it goes into a bit of an overdrive. Any issues that have been swept under the rug, put in the closet, out of sight out of mind; Uranus brings them front and center with bells and whistles, and even potentially a light show.
If you've been heading down a not so great path, this is typically the time when Uranus will give you a big wake up call, and an opportunity to turn yourself, and your life around. Such events can be painful, but in all honesty some times we need that to bring us back to who we are and what we really want for our lives.
If you find yourself in a relationship or in a job situation that you're not exactly happy with but you stay out of fear of change, this is the time to really be honest with yourself about why you're where you are. It provides you with an opportunity to step out of your comfort zone, face your fears and allow the Universe to provide those signs and guidance to help get you where you want to be.
If left alone long enough, Uranus will end up doing all of that work for you, and it'll potentially prove to be considerably more uncomfortable than if you work with the energy of Uranus and steer into the grove that is radiating from this outer planet, you'll handle these changes much easier.
These changes that Uranus brings us is not just in our personal lives, but can be influential on a much larger scale; which helps to explain all the changes we've been seeing here in the US.
Neptune - June 12-November 18
I've been finding more and more that when people hear the word 'retrograde' there's a sense of panic that comes with that, and I think it's safe to say that Mercury is at the very least, a contributing factor for that.
As it turns out, Neptune is a planet of dreams and illusions, which can lead to outright denial in extreme cases, and the invention of excuses and procrastination in other cases.
One thing you might experience during Neptune in it's retrograde is a harsh wake up call. While Neptune is direct we're able to escape into our inner worlds and to set on the back burner all of the things that we don't want to deal with.
Neptune's retrograde isn't all bad though, all of the following are more prominent during this time: the breaking of illusions, seeing truth and reality, conscious thinking and planning, clarity, seeing what is really important, heightened sensitivity, deeper insight and intuition.
This provides us with the option to do some serious digging into the deeper aspects of our lives, whether mundane or spiritual and to shine some light on what kind of affect those illusions are having; the picture isn't always pretty, but again, it's easier to clean up a small mess versus an explosion.
Daydreaming and having fantasies can be what makes life bearable for some of us, if not all of us from time to time. But it's about balancing that dream world with reality, and bringing those dreams to life in a tangible way so that we don't feel the need to 'escape' all the time. Because we've brought those dreams into the physical world, and by doing so we can possibly help others do the same.
Pluto - April 16-September 25
I don't know about the rest of you, but I still consider Pluto to be a planet, forget that astronomers say! Besides, if it wasn't important why would be we getting close up photos of it, huh??
Stepping off my Pluto for Planet soap box, this little planet has got some serious shadow work headed out way until it turns direct on September 25th.
Pluto is ruler of the underworld, and with that comes the connection with the darker side of things; of secrets, skeletons in the closet, and maybe just some personal dilemmas that we've thus far either been unable to deal with or have outright refused to deal with. Pretty much anything that might be hiding beneath the surface.
By bringing all of these things into the light, it provides the opportunity to do much needed healing and transformation. If that's the case, now is the time for some serious emotional and spiritual house cleaning.
The timing that comes across to me is rather auspicious as we're preparing for the first harvest which you can read about here; and as the summer dwindles down and we head into the darker time of the year, the more light, love and positivity we can bring with us the better.
One thing to keep in mind about shadow work is that it's never done. As human beings we are constantly changing and learning and with that comes less than desirable experiences which can include mistakes.
This is not something to fret over or to beat yourself up about, the sooner you embrace the fact that you have the shadow work to do, the sooner you'll find the strength within yourself to conquer those fears that have been lingering in the dark.
~*~
Whew! With all of the information floating around in the air and our brains now, there were several resounding themes that came up, but I am going to focus on the main two.
First and probably the loudest was that there's change coming, it's inevitable, your best bet is to prepare yourself now.
Followed very closely by; stop lying to yourself, treat yourself like you matter, don't let those excuses and what happened in the past keep you from being the best you can be.
With that comes the whole reason I started this endeavor, the upcoming Blue Moon-who knew I would end up spending so much time on the planets when I sat down to write this? I know I sure didn't!
I wanted to do something special with my Circle with this one and I wanted to have my plan set, so I went searching for what is traditionally done, and from everything I've found regarding this event there seems to be one common factor: goals.
This will be the last Blue Moon that we have until January 31st 2018 so it's super important to me that I make this moon count. This moon is all about allowing yourself to think about those dreams, desires, wishes that seem too big or extravagant to come true.
With everything else going on in the Universe this is possibly the biggest sign I have ever seen to be open and honest with yourself, allow yourself to let go and move on from past hurts regardless of how they are caused and to make that space available for planting the seeds of what you want to manifest in your life.
Change is a natural part of life, and fighting it doesn't keep it from happening, all it does is make the transitions more painful. Some times change is painful, but that's how we learn and grow and doesn't it make sense to accept our lessons and the pain that goes with than to drag it out, thus creating more pain?
That's not to say that we don't all move at our own pace, and that some pains take longer to heal than others. Simply that when given the chance to live a better life, wouldn't you take it?
The Universe has a way of making this changes either with or without us at one point or another. I don't know about you, but I personally find it easier over all to do my best to pay attention and to go with the Universal flow of things than to try and fight against the current.
These can be trying times, but know that you are never facing these trials alone, you always have someone there who believes in you, and wants to best for you. Accept the support, we're not meant to do everything by ourselves.
Sending much light and love to you dears,
Thealynn
In honor of the fact that we will be having a Blue Moon this coming Friday, I thought I would write a little post and give my thoughts about this event and while I was at it I started looking into what else was going on in our solar system.
I've heard in several places that we currently have seven planets in retrograde, but I was only able to track down five of them. I fully admit that I am not an astronomy buff, and most of the time I find it quite confusing simply because there is just so much of it! If I learn which other two planets are currently in retrograde, I will certainly amend this or if anyone knows and would like to share, please feel free to do so below!
In my effort to become more in tune with the Universe as a whole, I've started trying to pay more attention to astrology whether it's learning about my own natal chart or learning about planets when they go into retrograde.
Before I go too much further, I want to explain what retrograde is. I myself was unfamiliar with the concept not too long ago, so if you're new to this, that's okay! Dictonary.com defines retrograde as:
"adjective
1. moving backward; having a backward motion or direction; retiring or retreating.
2. inverse or reversed, as order.
4. Astronomy.
moving in an orbit in the direction opposite to that of the earth in its revolution around the sun.
appearing to move on the celestial sphere in the direction opposite to the natural order of the signs of the zodiac, or from east to west."
What we've learned from astronomers and other scientists is that the planets are not actually traveling backwards, but rather their orbit slows down to the point where from here on Earth it only looks like they are traveling backwards.
Moving right along!
We've talked once before about Mercury going into Retrograde which it seems to do about every three months. But what about the other planets? Does this Blue Moon really have any special meaning that a regular full moon does not?
These topics are what I'll be diving into today, to hopefully form a bigger picture of what is going on out there in space, and what we can do about it. Before I jump in, if you have are interested in receiving your own natal chart, I recommend Astro.com, it's very informative and best part is, it's free!
All righty then, so the planets (that I could find) which are currently in retrograde are Venus, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune and Pluto. I'll list there dates below.
**A quick update for you all, as each planet goes direct again, I will be marking off each retrograde to make finding the current ones a bit easier for returning and current readers.**
Venus - July 25-September 6
I don't know about you, but when it comes to retrogrades aside from the bad rap that Mercury can sometimes earn, Venus going into retrograde sounds just as scary when in reality it's probably one of our greatest opportunities.
As we all know (or so I like to think) Venus is the planet of love, and relationships. So when this planet starts going backwards what does that mean for us? Do our relationships unravel, is this just going to be forty days and forty nights of chaos?
While there is always a chance of communications going array, Venus retrograde is more about moving on and letting go of past loves that might still be lingering around. Whether it's emotionally, or physically.
A lot of times after relationships end, unless they ended really badly, we still hang onto little mementos from that time; whether they're pictures, gifts, mix CDs (depending on your age), little knick knacks. If you've been hanging onto things like that and they only bring you sadness, hurt, longing, or feelings of loneliness-why keep them?
Those physical reminders are holding a space for that person, and thus it's keeping those wounds open. If you're ready to move on and let them go, then do so! Free up that space for self love, and perhaps down the road, love from another.
If you're going to get rid of those items, please keep in mind that in some instances other people can still get use out of them. Before giving anything away, bless them with a few simple words of thanks for the positivity they brought you and send them away with it so that they can bring joy to someone else.
Burning pictures and letters can be extremely cathartic-I myself have done this and I cannot tell you what a difference I felt. If you do go this route, try to do with a friend, and always use fire safety.
If you're currently in a relationship, now is an opportune time to reflect and consider what you're getting out of your relationship, and if that's working for you or not. Use this time to be open with your partner and find ways to heal and/or improve the relationship.
I've seen it advised during almost everywhere to not take any drastic action while the planet(s) remain in retrograde. But always follow what's best for you, if you're in an unhealthy relationship, don't wait on the planets to get yourself into a better situation-your safety and well being should always come first.
One last thing I want to mention, and then we'll move on.
Venus only goes into retrograde every 18 months. So, take some time to look back on December of 2013 and think about where you were, and think about how far you have come. Think about where your relationships have been, and where they are now-are all of those relationships still intact?
Even when it's painful, try to be grateful for those experiences; without them, you wouldn't be who you are.
Saturn - March 14-August 2
We're coming to the party a little late with Saturn being in retrograde, but that doesn't mean that we're out of time or that we can't reflect on what's taken place since the retrograde began.
There were two main themes that I kept coming across; time and krama. Both of these aspects are ruled by Saturn and being a Capricorn, that means that planetarily speaking, I am also ruled by this planet. Now knowing that Saturn has been in retrograde really does explain A LOT.
It's times like this where karmic balances are brought about in a more distinct way, and you may have been feeling like time has slowed down in a sense. As frustrating as it can be, taking the time to examine projects and commitments that you have have agreed to in haste and whether or not you want to amend those decisions.
When people think of karma, they usually think of the not so fuzzy side, and while that's true, we also can't let ourselves forget the brighter side of karma. Another thing to keep in mind about karma is that, karma doesn't recognize time like we do. Past, present, and future are fluid when it comes to karma, and it's really about when those lessons will mean the most to you.
Uranus - July 26-December 26
In the research that I have done, I feel like Uranus is the planet that puts butts in gear. Uranus is the planetary influence that keeps us on our toes if we're getting to comfortable.
So when Uranus goes into retrograde, it goes into a bit of an overdrive. Any issues that have been swept under the rug, put in the closet, out of sight out of mind; Uranus brings them front and center with bells and whistles, and even potentially a light show.
If you've been heading down a not so great path, this is typically the time when Uranus will give you a big wake up call, and an opportunity to turn yourself, and your life around. Such events can be painful, but in all honesty some times we need that to bring us back to who we are and what we really want for our lives.
If you find yourself in a relationship or in a job situation that you're not exactly happy with but you stay out of fear of change, this is the time to really be honest with yourself about why you're where you are. It provides you with an opportunity to step out of your comfort zone, face your fears and allow the Universe to provide those signs and guidance to help get you where you want to be.
If left alone long enough, Uranus will end up doing all of that work for you, and it'll potentially prove to be considerably more uncomfortable than if you work with the energy of Uranus and steer into the grove that is radiating from this outer planet, you'll handle these changes much easier.
These changes that Uranus brings us is not just in our personal lives, but can be influential on a much larger scale; which helps to explain all the changes we've been seeing here in the US.
Neptune - June 12-November 18
I've been finding more and more that when people hear the word 'retrograde' there's a sense of panic that comes with that, and I think it's safe to say that Mercury is at the very least, a contributing factor for that.
As it turns out, Neptune is a planet of dreams and illusions, which can lead to outright denial in extreme cases, and the invention of excuses and procrastination in other cases.
One thing you might experience during Neptune in it's retrograde is a harsh wake up call. While Neptune is direct we're able to escape into our inner worlds and to set on the back burner all of the things that we don't want to deal with.
Neptune's retrograde isn't all bad though, all of the following are more prominent during this time: the breaking of illusions, seeing truth and reality, conscious thinking and planning, clarity, seeing what is really important, heightened sensitivity, deeper insight and intuition.
This provides us with the option to do some serious digging into the deeper aspects of our lives, whether mundane or spiritual and to shine some light on what kind of affect those illusions are having; the picture isn't always pretty, but again, it's easier to clean up a small mess versus an explosion.
Daydreaming and having fantasies can be what makes life bearable for some of us, if not all of us from time to time. But it's about balancing that dream world with reality, and bringing those dreams to life in a tangible way so that we don't feel the need to 'escape' all the time. Because we've brought those dreams into the physical world, and by doing so we can possibly help others do the same.
Pluto - April 16-September 25
I don't know about the rest of you, but I still consider Pluto to be a planet, forget that astronomers say! Besides, if it wasn't important why would be we getting close up photos of it, huh??
Stepping off my Pluto for Planet soap box, this little planet has got some serious shadow work headed out way until it turns direct on September 25th.
Pluto is ruler of the underworld, and with that comes the connection with the darker side of things; of secrets, skeletons in the closet, and maybe just some personal dilemmas that we've thus far either been unable to deal with or have outright refused to deal with. Pretty much anything that might be hiding beneath the surface.
By bringing all of these things into the light, it provides the opportunity to do much needed healing and transformation. If that's the case, now is the time for some serious emotional and spiritual house cleaning.
The timing that comes across to me is rather auspicious as we're preparing for the first harvest which you can read about here; and as the summer dwindles down and we head into the darker time of the year, the more light, love and positivity we can bring with us the better.
One thing to keep in mind about shadow work is that it's never done. As human beings we are constantly changing and learning and with that comes less than desirable experiences which can include mistakes.
This is not something to fret over or to beat yourself up about, the sooner you embrace the fact that you have the shadow work to do, the sooner you'll find the strength within yourself to conquer those fears that have been lingering in the dark.
~*~
Whew! With all of the information floating around in the air and our brains now, there were several resounding themes that came up, but I am going to focus on the main two.
First and probably the loudest was that there's change coming, it's inevitable, your best bet is to prepare yourself now.
Followed very closely by; stop lying to yourself, treat yourself like you matter, don't let those excuses and what happened in the past keep you from being the best you can be.
With that comes the whole reason I started this endeavor, the upcoming Blue Moon-who knew I would end up spending so much time on the planets when I sat down to write this? I know I sure didn't!
I wanted to do something special with my Circle with this one and I wanted to have my plan set, so I went searching for what is traditionally done, and from everything I've found regarding this event there seems to be one common factor: goals.
This will be the last Blue Moon that we have until January 31st 2018 so it's super important to me that I make this moon count. This moon is all about allowing yourself to think about those dreams, desires, wishes that seem too big or extravagant to come true.
With everything else going on in the Universe this is possibly the biggest sign I have ever seen to be open and honest with yourself, allow yourself to let go and move on from past hurts regardless of how they are caused and to make that space available for planting the seeds of what you want to manifest in your life.
Change is a natural part of life, and fighting it doesn't keep it from happening, all it does is make the transitions more painful. Some times change is painful, but that's how we learn and grow and doesn't it make sense to accept our lessons and the pain that goes with than to drag it out, thus creating more pain?
That's not to say that we don't all move at our own pace, and that some pains take longer to heal than others. Simply that when given the chance to live a better life, wouldn't you take it?
The Universe has a way of making this changes either with or without us at one point or another. I don't know about you, but I personally find it easier over all to do my best to pay attention and to go with the Universal flow of things than to try and fight against the current.
These can be trying times, but know that you are never facing these trials alone, you always have someone there who believes in you, and wants to best for you. Accept the support, we're not meant to do everything by ourselves.
Sending much light and love to you dears,
Thealynn
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