Message from the Angels; Breath

This is from the book, "Messages From Your Angels" by Doreen Virtue.  Doreen works very closely with the Angels, who are non-denominational beings of Light and Love.  She can see, hear and feel them, and she wrote this book of messages she has channeled from the Angels for all humans to hear.  I felt this is an important message to share right now, with our focus on Breath and Meditation in this week's lesson on the Air Element

Breath

"Ahh yes, your relationship to oxygen.  The very breath that you take at this moment is fueled by a desire to continue on this path that you have started.  Some may say that breath is an automatic instinct, but from our perspective, it is a behavior that you engage in, as confirmation of your desire to stay upon the earth.

Each breath contains information within it's molecular structure.  We are in charge of this exchange of information.  For, as you continue with your stay upon Earth, you need sustenance and assistance.  We imbue each molecule of precious oxygen with guidance and instructions.  It is our chief means of staying in touch with you, and within you.

Your breath is tantamount to a continuous meeting between us angels, your higher consciousness, and your Earthly self.  It is a round-table discussion, in which your next move is planned, and then the next.  All of this is based upon your intentions, you see.  With your out-breath, we are able to extract from you that which you no longer desire.  And with your in-breath, we imbue positive direction that holds you up in the face of apparent discourse.

The stronger your desire, the stronger your breath.  That is why during moments of strong desire, your breath deepens, and during moments when you feel helpless, your breath is shallow.  Anytime you desire to create strong and rapid movement in your life, simply deepen your breath while perceiving your desire.  You can achieve this through physical exertion, or simply through breath combined with meditation.  

This formula may seem quite simple, yet we assure you that it is a powerful one that is instilled deep within your subconscious mind,  So often we see you weary and in need of our help.  You call upon us, yet our effectiveness is hampered by your slow and shallow breath.  Right now, draw upon a deep and elongated breath while you call upon us for assistance.  You shall feel our presence as you inhale.  

When we encourage you to exercise, we do so partly to encourage this deeper form of breath.  We know you have noticed how many of your questions and troubles are answered at the conclusion of your exercise activities.  That is because we are deeply transmitting to you as you exercise and deepen your breath.  We are instilling you with comfort, guidance, and new perspectives on the situations at hand.

Awareness of your breath is essential for you at this time.  Breathe deeply into your belly, and enjoy the sensation of filling your lungs.  The higher the percentage of oxygen within each breath, the greater our degree of transmission to you.  This is why it is more difficult to hear us when you block your body from receiving oxygen through such activities as smoking, drinking alcohol or carbonated drinks, and breathing fumes and polluted air.  That is one more reason why we ask you to join with us in dispensing toxic soot from your air, as it diminishes our abilities to freely communicate with you and all beings.  For now then, dear child of God, establish your foothold strongly by concentrating on deepening and strengthening your breath.  Then, we shall see what information is in the store for you - information that can free you in so many ways!!"

Chemtrails - Info & Prayer For Healing The Skies

Air Element Studies; Lesson Two

Air Pollution and what we can do about it.

Here are two documentaries about chemtrails.  Please watch them when you have time.  Below is a prayer invoking several different Archangels and Deities to help with clearing away the toxins in the skies left by chemtrails.

What in The World Are They Spraying?

Why In The World Are They Spraying? 

Chief Calls for World Prayer for Chemtrail Healing

This is another link to someone praying for healing of chemtrails, though I can't get the video to load you can check it out as well; http://youtu.be/Toa45HexG9g 

Simple Prayer for Healing of Chemtrails.  Simply ask whatever God, Goddess, Archangel, or Elemental you wish to work with to clear the skies when you see chemtrails.

Example, "Archangel Michael, please help clear away the toxins in the skies left by chemtrails.  Heal the skies and let them shine clear.  Amen."

Or, you can even include all the Archangels, Dieties, and Elementals I mentioned in This Post.

For Example;

Archangel Ariel, please help protect the animals of the earth, including humans, by clearing away the toxins created by chemtrails.  Archangel Jophiel, please help make the skies beautiful again and clear away all traces of these chemtrails in the sky, and help all people see the beauty of nature.  Archangel Michael, please help clear away the toxins in the skies left by chemtrails and help us heal the skies.  Beautiful Amaterasu, Goddess of the Sun, please help clear the skies of pollution and let us absorb the true, healthy light of the sun, and help us show others the way to heal the planet.  Beloved Aine, Queen of the Faeries, please help heal the skies and protect the earth and all it's inhabitants.  I offer my aid to You and the faeries in doing my part to help take care of nature.  Beautiful Sylphs, creatures of the Wind, please help clear the skies and bring only weather that is natural, not man-made and toxic.  Powerful Dragons of the East and the Air Element, we would be ever grateful to you for flying through the skies to clear away these toxins, chemtrails, and smog with your powerful wings.  Swift Mercury, messenger of The Gods, carry our prayer through the skies, take our message of love and healing far and wide and let our prayer be heard by all Divine Forces, Angels,  Elementals, and Ascended Masters.  

You can say this entire prayer, or just choose the parts of it you feel comfortable saying.  Or, call upon your own deity of choice, or simply The Divine, Mother Nature, etc.  Let's join together in daily prayer to help heal the skies, and in prayer whenever you see chemtrails over the areas where you live or work.

Goddesses & Archangels to call upon for Environmental Help

Air Element Studies

Lesson Two; Air Pollution and what we can do to help

Below is a list of specific Goddesses, Gods, and Archangels that are particularly concerned about Air Pollution, and a brief description of each.  They would be more than happy to help you in your endeavors to clean up the planet, and can be called upon in prayer and spell work to help clear away Air Pollution, and to help motivate you to do your part.

Archangel Ariel - Ariel is also known as the "Lioness" and she is a powerful light worker.  Her main focus is helping people love each other, but she also has a strong affinity with nature and wild animals.  She can be called upon to protect animals, and to help people develop a more loving attitude towards each other, resulting in humans better working together to save the planet.

Archangel Jophiel - Jophiel is known as "Beauty of God" and she helps people see the beauty in their lives.  She can help you find ways to beautify your yard, neighborhood, and home in the process of cleaning up the environment.  She can also help you see that whatever you do for nature... no matter how small or insignificant it may seem to you, is a beautiful act of love.  She can also be called upon to help others see the beauty of the planet and thus be inspired to help take care of it.

Archangel Michael - Michael is God's Warrior.  Anything that is important to you, he can help you with.  Many people have called upon Archangel Michael to remove all kinds of blockages from your life, and this can apply in an environmental sense too.  Ask Michael to help clear the way for your efforts to make a difference.  Many people have also had great luck in calling on Archangel Michael to help clear away chemtrails in the skies and clear away air pollution in their area on a smoggy day.

God- Mercury - Mercury is the Messenger of the Gods of Olympia, flying back and forth between Mount Olympus and the Earth with his winged shoes.  As a god of Air and Sky, associated with Mercury and the Air Element, he can be a powerful God to call upon in asking for help to heal the earth's skies, and to help spread the message about the importance of this work.

Goddess - Aine - Irish Moon Goddess of love, fertility, protection, and environmental concerns.  She is aligned with the Fairies and is thought to be a Faerie Queen.  She is a protector of women, especially those who respect planet earth and care about the environment.  Call upon her aid to help bless your efforts, and to help in the process of clearing negativity from the earth, protecting it's animals, and help in working with the Faeries.

Goddess - Amaterasu - Shinto Goddess of the Sun.  In the Shinto (Japanese) tradition the roles of male/Female for the sun and the Moon are switched.  Most Pagan paths see the Sun as a Father figure, but in this case, the Sun is a Mother Figure.  Amaterasu wants her light to be able to shine on the Earth in a healthy way, to help the plants grow and life thrive.  She would be an excellent Goddess to call upon to help clear away air pollution.  She also helps people with self-confidence and with being able to see their own light and power... so in working with her you may be able to more clearly see your own gifts and what you can do to help the environment, or gain more confidence in teaching others about environmental care.

Elementals;

Sylphs - Sylphs are creatures of the Wind, much like Angels, flying high in the sky with huge wingspans, invisible except for the patterns their wings leave in the clouds and in chemtrails as they disperse them.  They are relations of the Sidhe, and care little about human affairs, but you can gain their respect by showing an interest in healing the skies.  You might feel their presence with a strong gust of wind, and if they choose to walk on the earth for a moment or two, you may see a tall, shadowy human figure out of the corner of your eye and sense a "Fairie-like" playfulness and curiosity about them (though you won't likely see anything when you turn to look directly at them)
Dragons.  Specifically, Dragons of The East for healing of the Air.  Dragons are powerful Spirit Guides and should not be called upon lightly.  Call upon them with respect and gratitude.

If you want, copy this list into your Air Element section of your journal or Book of Shadows.  You may wish to write a prayer calling upon one, two, or even all of these Deities and Archangels to help heal the planet's skies and Air.

Air Element Study - Lesson 2 - Air Pollution

Air Element Study, Lesson 2

Monday, April 22 is Earth Day!  Even though realistically we know that EVERY DAY IS EARTH DAY, I thought our next lesson on the Air Element in our Elemental Studies should be on Air Pollution and a few things we can do about it.

Please make an effort this week to pick some things in your lifestyle you can change that can help reduce Air Pollution.  There are some ideas for things you can do in these posts;

Air Pollution Info & Solutions (for kids)

Air Pollution - what you can do at home

Air Pollution - what you can do while traveling

Make a list of some of these things and add it to your Air Element section of your Book of Shadows or Element Journal.  If you want, just make a list of the things you can do.  You can even write down a pact... a promise to the Air Element to do one or two of these things, and dedicate the action you take to the Air Element & the God & Goddess.

I have also posted some prayers, meditations, and messages from the Angels and Faeries to help us focus on this problem at a spiritual level.  If you choose, you can copy or print copies of these for your Book of Shadows or Air Element journal as well.

Environmental Awareness - Message from the Fairies (including a meditation and affirmations you can add to your Book of Shadows or Journal)

Pollution - Message from The Angels

Prayer to remove toxins from the Air - not posted yet... coming soon!

Environmental Magick Spell Guide - coming soon!

Fresh Air Spell - Coming soon!

Message from The Angels; Pollution

This is from the book, "Messages From Your Angels" by Doreen Virtue.  Doreen works very closely with the Angels, who are non-denominational beings of Light and Love.  She can see, hear and feel them, and she wrote this book of messages she has channeled from the Angels for all humans to hear.  I fell this is an important message to share right now.

Message from The Angels on Pollution
     "We are grateful that you are examining this situation concerning pollution, and that you are consulting with us for our opinion and direction upon this matter.  For as much as it saddens you to face this topic, it is only through direct action that any measurable effect can come about.  The concern for pollution comes from its effect on all bodies upon the earth, in lowering their energy and morale, as the choking smog and toxic soil create heaviness everywhere.
      This is a case where Heaven and Earth must work in unison to make shifts within matter, to avoid saturating the Earth with toxins and pollutants that pierce through your body's defenses.  You, who are working for the Light, must bring more physical light to the planet by allowing the sun's rays to reach your planet without filtration from soot in the air that you breathe.
     In some areas of the universe, there is no need for oxygen because the bodies that inhabit the planet are different from your own.  They are made from lighter, less dense materials, barely visible to human vision.  Your own bodies would not be adaptable to such an environment, however, as you have lungs that inflate to propel your cardiovascular system with energy molecules.  Without oxygen, your light would still shine, but dimmer still, and without the benefit of your body as a learning tool.
     So, we seek to party the sooty darkness from the atmosphere surrounding this sacred planet, and let you breathe the fresh air that God intended for you.  This air is a gift so sweet and soft that your first breath of it would cause you to rapture.  Yet, many have forgotten the feeling if ingesting sweet oxygen, and have adapted to air of less quality.
     There is pollution on your planet today because of your intention to provide goodness to yourselves through dense, material means.  With the emphasis today that is upon the teaching or reteaching of the ancient sciences of manifestation, these old means should be eased out soon enough.  When that occurs, your lesser dependence upon machinery will create relief on the earth's soil and atmosphere.  You will witness a cleansing like the earth has never before seen!
     Yet, during this time of transition, with continued dependency upon machinery and increasing use of electrical telecommunication powers, we must advise you to seek another course for the manifestation of your cleaner environment.  We see many of you taking means to use cleaner products within your household environments, and we assure you that such efforts are not minuscule by any means!  Your intentions are charged with an energy that inspires and excites those around you, and you are thus a role model for care taking of the environment.  Never fear that your efforts go unnoticed or that they are wasted.  Beloved One, you are deeply honored for your contributions, and every action of care for your planet is viewed as a highly significant act of great love.  You who are attempting to rid yourself of machinery and electrical dependency, your intentions are honored!  You who are voluntarily changing your lifestyle to support the animals and farming to be free of noxious chemicals, you are honored!  You who collect rubbish from the grounds of nature, you are honored!  You who invest in household goods that are less harsh than others, you are honored!
     And together, we hold an eternal viewpoint of nature in her pristine glory.  We do not saddle our thoughts about the planet with anger, or cloud our vision with fear and see only the soot filled air.  No!  We refuse to gaze at the mistakes, but peer beneath them to the beautiful truth that the planet's will for health is stronger than the environmental mistakes that could be temporarily conflicted.  Join with us Angels, then, in holding this elevated viewpoint of the clean and healthy planet body.  See her body as healthy and healed, and you will soon discover the enormous power that such a viewpoint holds."

Morning Rituals and Routines

Magick of the Mornings
Most people think of Magick as something that happens at night, preferably under a starry night sky or a glowing full moon.  While the night does hold certain power, all times of day have a different type of energy and a different type of Magick to them!  The Air Element is associated with Mornings and Dawn, perhaps because this is the time of day when the air feels the freshest, and the morning light of the sun is the most life-giving and least damaging (for plants and animals alike).  Whenever you first wake up, you are still strongly connected to the Astral Realm from your time of dreams and sleep.  Upon first waking up it is a great time to pray, meditate, say your daily affirmations, and set your intention for the type of day you want to have - because part of you is still connected to Spirit, the Astral Realm, and the Divine.  It is easy for you to communicate with your Spirit Guides, Angels, Deities, and Faeries in the mornings when you first wake up.  Mornings are the perfect time to practice yoga, do some meditation, say prayers, and just set your intentions for the day, asking The Air Element to bring you focus and help you manifest the kind of day you want to have.  Every morning is a fresh start and an opportunity for a new beginning!

Morning Devotions & Meditation
It might be a good idea to come up with your own Morning Devotion, prayer, or meditation.  Write or find a simple prayer you can say every morning, and spend a few moments breathing deeply and feeling gratitude.  Focus on what you want for the day and visualize your day going just the way you want it to.  Smile.  Even if your day doesn't go exactly as you wanted, keep up this positive thinking and prayer every morning... it takes time to get used to meditating and manifesting your desires.  Mornings would also be a good time to say daily affirmations.  You can choose an affirmation the night before, or use an affirmation from our Tarot Card or Air Element studies here... that way you could have a different focus for your meditations and affirmations every week!  Maybe write down the affirmation you want to use for the week and tape it somewhere next to your bed or in your bathroom where you will see it first thing in the morning!

Morning Routines & Housework
I have gone over some basic FlyLady stuff here before, such as the baby steps.  FlyLady suggests having a morning routine of things you do every morning in your home to keep your household running smoothly.  You can infuse your morning routine with Air Energy Magick by asking the Element of Air, the Fairies, or your Angels to help you with your routine.  You can also look at it in a way that reminds you that today is a new day, time for a fresh start - and what you do around your house in the morning is a blessing to your home and family for a wonderful day!

FlyLady's Basic Morning Routine from www.flylady.net

* -Get Dressed to Shoes including Hair/Face, Brush Teeth
* - Make Bed
* -Swish & Swipe
* -Empty Dishwasher
* -Reboot Laundry (a Load a Day Keeps CHAOS Away) 

* -Check Your Calendar

* -Check Your Control Journal

* What's For Dinner?

* Drink Your Water

* Declutter for 15 Minutes

* 15 Minutes of Loving Movement (exercise)

I have my morning Routine Broken down into rooms (zones) and 15 minutes at a time.  Here's my current Morning Routine (Which I have not been doing lately, but I plan on changing that very soon! 

MORNING HOUSEWORK CHECKLIST

Getting Started

• Deep Breathing / Positive Thoughts / Daily Affirmation
• Make sure kids are doing their morning routines.  Start coffee or make tea.
• Get Dressed To Shoes / Veil
• Morning Prayer or Invocation.  Meditation.
• Take My Vitamins.  Drink Water.  
• Start a Load of Laundry

Bathroom & Self Care (15 to 25 minutes)

• Gather dirty laundry
• self-care (Hair, face, teeth, make-up)
• Put away self-care products
• Swish & Swipe

Bedroom (10 minutes or less)

• Make Bed
• Gather Laundry
• Hot Spots - Tops of Dressers & Bookshelf

Kitchen (15 minutes)

• Put away clean dishes
• Wash Breakfast Dishes
• Wipe Table & Counter top
• What's For Dinner?

Living Room & Front Entrance - (15 minutes)

• Living Room Hot Spots (side tables)
• 5 Minute Room Rescue Living Room (Floor & couches)
• Front Room Hot Spots (coffee table, bar, Launch Pad)
• Sweep Front Room

Office - 10 minutes

• Hot Spots - Homework Desk, Computer Desk
• 5 minute room rescue

Finishing up (10 to 30 minutes)

• 5 minutes of folding laundry
• Dinner Prep if possible (crockpot, etc)
• Calendar / Budget work.  Check today's schedule, pay bills if needed.
• Prayers of Gratitude, Affirmations

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Morning Routines For Kids

Angelic Guidance for the week of April 15 - 21

As many of you know, I am a huge fan of Doreen Virtue.  I consider her to be one of my personal spiritual teachers, one of my "gurus".  Although I have never met her in person, I own many of her books and oracle card decks, listen to her radio show, and watch her weekly oracle card readings on youtube.

This week I wanted to share with you the video she posted for the coming week.  It speaks of the empowerment that comes from our own personal choices, and also the importance of seeking for an accepting the help or guidance of others.  I think this week's reading goes quite perfectly with our Fairie message for this week, don't you?  The Fairies have urged us to cleanse and detoxify our bodies; cleansing ourselves of harmful toxins we put in our bodies.  Watch this reading for the week by Doreen and see how it might fit in with our week as we embark upon a somewhat uncomfortable - yet empowering - journey of detoxification!

I also found another Oracle card reader who works closely with the Angels who posted a similar style of reading for the week, using a different Oracle Card Deck.  I was delighted with how these two readings seem to really align with and support each other!  Once again keep in mind our goal of detoxification as you listen to this reading;

Overview from both readings & my thoughts as they apply to our "Detoxification" reading from Friday.
Beginning of the week;
Page of Water.  Intuition, sensitivity, fears.  (deciding to give up an addiction or detoxify your body can be scary, overwhelming, and set your sensitivity on edge.)
What do Your Desire? - set your intention clearly in your mind, decide why you are doing this and that you deserve to treat your body with respect.
Manifesting Dreams; My dreams are coming true!  Again, all about setting your intention clearly and trusting that you can manifest your desires, and you CAN accomplish this goal!  Oh, and check out the picture on that card- full of fresh fruits and vegetables!

Middle of the week;
King of Air; Brilliant, impartial, professional, diplomatic.  You gain confidence as the week goes on, and possibly encounter a person or people who are supporting you along the way.
Energy Work; The power of self-healing, taking care of your body... these are now coming through on a spiritual and energetic level as well!
Awakening Ancient Wisdom; Deep inner knowing is emerging within me!  This card perfectly complements the King of Air - confidence, knowledge, support, and wisdom! Pay attention to sychronicities and signs that will be affirming that your detoxification process is going well, and trust that this process will bring you great inner wisdom!

End of the week; (Weekend)
Eight of Water; a new emotional level.  You will have moved on from fear and sensitivity of the beginning of the week, to a point where you are feeling ready to move on to the next stage in your life.  Isn't that one of the goals of detoxification?  Removing some blocks and freeing ourselves to see and feel what we really want!
Be Honest with Yourself - Clarify what you are feeling.  Now that you have detoxified your body, you can take a more honest look at how you are feeling, without worrying about whether your feelings and intuitions are being clouded by certain toxins or physical ailments.
Exceeding Expectations; I soar into excellence!  If you have followed through on your detoxification and the advice of the cards from earlier in the week (Setting your intentions clearly, manifesting what you want, being confident, getting support from others, doing energy-work and self-healing) then you have something to be proud of and you have probably exceeded your own expectations!  You have removed blocks and physical ailments and are now able to be truly honest with yourself.... you are ready to soar to the next level of healing and learning!

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Thanks for reading and make sure you come back often as we learn more about the Air Element, and listen to and apply the advice of the Fairies and The Angels as we continue our Air Element Studies!

Hestia, Housework, and Headcovering

This post is going to be pretty long.  (yes, Longer than most of my blog posts, which admittedly can get pretty windy!)  But I've been working on it for a while now and it's something near and dear to my heart so please bear with me!  The upcoming theme for Pagan Blog Project is the letter H, and this fits perfectly with something that has been on my heart and mind for the past couple weeks... three "H" things actually; Hestia, Housework, and Headcovering!
For many years I wasn't particularly drawn to any one Goddess, God, or Pantheon.  I was content just calling The Divine, or Great Mother/Father, or "Lord and Lady".  Then my studies of astrology led me obviously to Greek Mythology and I really resonated with the stories of the Greek Pantheon.  At some point I stumbled upon Hestia, Goddess of the Hearth.  For the first time, I really felt connected to a specific Goddess.  I felt Her call me, I heard Her spirit from somewhere deep inside me and I finally knew what it meant to be called upon by a specific Goddess... something I had heard other Pagans, Wiccans, and Heathens talk about but had never fully understood.
Since then, I have heard the call of other Gods and Goddesses, they come to me at different times to teach me in their unique ways.  I may work with a different Deity from time to time, but in the end, Hestia is always there.  She is my Flame, she opened the door for me to understand that it is possible to work with specific aspects of The Divine - and through that understanding I have found myself working more and more with The Goddesses in all aspects of my life.  Following is some basic information about Hestia and her counterparts.  (If you are familiar with the history/mythology already and are pressed for time, you can scroll down to the section called "Me & Hestia"... but you might learn something here as well.)
HESTIA
Hestia was the first born of the Olympians, her sisters are Hera and Demeter, and her brothers are Zeus, Poseidon, and Hades.  When her father, Cronus was told that he would be overthrown by one of his children, he swallowed all of them (except for Zeus... he thought he swallowed Zeus but only swallowed a swaddled rock).  Eventually, Zeus overcame Cronus and forced him to spit out his siblings... they were all "released" in the reverse order of their birth, so Hestia was last.  She is often referred to as "The First and the Last" because of this.  She refused to marry either Poseidon or Apollo, and eventually swore herself to perpetual virginity, becoming the domestic opposite of Aphrodite.  Zeus assigned Hestia the role of maintaining and keeping the fires of the Olympian Hearth.  Some stories make reference that Hestia could have gone to join her brothers and sisters on Mount Olympus and become one of the Olympians, but she didn't take up the offer and instead let Dionysus take the place as the 12th Olympian God, again attesting to her attitude of service and a degree of passiveness.
Hestia's name means "Home and Hearth" and she is The Goddess of The Hearth-fire, or Goddess of the Home.  Prayers and offerings were made to Hestia to keep the home fires burning, to keep the household strong, healthy, and warm.   The people responsible for honoring Hestia were usually the head women of the household, and it is believed that Honoring Hestia "both first and last" before every hearth fire was lit or each meal was prepared was probably a very common practice.
VESTA
Hestia's Roman counterpart is Vesta* - the Virgin Goddess of the Hearth, Home, and Family.  Vesta's presence was symbolized by the burning of sacred fires in homes and temples.  Vesta was particularly important to women, since the home fire (hearth fire) was the central source of Food and heat for the home... therefore Vesta / Hestia is the center of a Housewives' focus and gratitude. 
Although neither Hestia or Vesta had any children, their role in the Home and the household is very similar to that of a Mother Goddess.  She was seen as the great nurturer... as Fire represented not only the means to survive, but also represented wisdom, inspiration, focus, community, purity, power, and even divination.  In ancient Rome, some women would devote themselves to become keeper's of Vesta's temple and become "Vestal Virgins".  They would take a vow of celibacy and commit part of their lives to keeping Vesta's temple flame lit and tending to her temple.  Legend has it that if a convicted person crossed paths with a Vestal Virgin, he would be released from his penance.  The Vestal Virgins were known for being kind and graceful. After their time of devotion, a Vestal Virgin could choose to marry, it did not necessarily mean a lifetime of celibacy and devotion, though many probably chose to continue their life of service to Vesta even after their time had been fulfilled.A couple previous blog posts involving Vesta - New Moon Purification Ritual, and Vesta/Virgo.
(*note - by pointing out Vesta as Hestia's Roman counterpart, I'm not saying she IS end all/be all the same Goddess.  Some people get kinda touchy about this.  I'm saying that in each culture there are similar stories that blend the lines between Goddesses, Gods, myths, folklore, etc... because regardless of distance and time, the Human Experience is essentially the same...and I find that many different cultures and pantheons have "crossovers" and "Counterparts" who share very similar attributes and in some ways teach us the same things about our human nature.  Personally I see all Goddesses as different aspects and faces of The Divine Feminine, so I do see Hestia and Vesta as one in the same, but this is not to say that this is what others should see or feel also.  And this leads right into my next point, which may be controversial)
The Virgin Mother Mary (?)
Personally, I see a connection between Hestia and Vesta and the Hebrew Mother Mary.  Hestia and Vesta are both usually depicted as veiled or wearing some kind of head covering, as is the Virgin Mother Mary.  They are all virgins, although Mary did bear a child but the stories still depict her as a virgin anyways.  Vesta is represented in historical drawings and carvings with an Ass (donkey/mule), and the Mother Mary is also associated riding an ass from when she rode pregnant into Bethlehem.  Catholic nuns who devote their lives to service of God, wear headcoverings, and take vows of celibacy bring to mind the Roman Vestal Virgins. I recently found a votive prayer candle in the religious candle section of my local grocery store that depicts "The Sacred Heart of Mary", with a picture of Mary and the glowing heart within her chest is burning with a bright orange fire. Hmmm.  The connection seems obvious to me and even though I know most pagans are probably not comfortable working within the "Christian Pantheon", it's something worth considering.  (The Sacred Heart of Mary candle now resides on my permanent home altar to Hestia and Vesta)

My home altar to Hestia

Me and Hestia, hangin' out at home.
My personal relationship with Hestia comes from my own position as the "head woman" of my household.  As the housewife, mother, and wife, it is part of my daily life and responsibility to run the household.  My house (and many modern homes today) doesn't have a central hearth fire, or even a fire place.  The Greeks paid honor to Hestia with offerings of the fat from animals, which served as oil to keep the fire lit.  (Pretty simple and straight forward, yes?  Make an offering of Oil to the Fire and it keeps burning.)Today, we don't need to literally keep a fire lit in our home, but we do have certain things we need to do to "keep the home fires burning"... cleaning, cooking, paying the bills.  So I honor Hestia by attempting to keep my home running as smoothly as possible.  I like to re-create the "First and Last" concept of honoring Hestia by praying to her first thing in the morning and again at night.  Simply saying "Good Morning and thank you for this day." and maybe asking for help or blessings for the day ahead; and then saying a prayer of gratitude at bedtime.  I like to light an orange candle to do this, but it's not necessary - if I'm rushed for time or low on candles, just pausing to honor Her is enough.  If I really need an extra boost during the day, to tackle some household chore or for focus and motivation to clean house when I really don't want to clean, I might go to Hestia again... spend some time meditating with her, talking to her, praying to her.  She is pretty good at reminding me that my home is my sacred place in this world, and that in taking care of my home I am taking care of my spirit, my family, myself, and... as a bonus, honoring Her.  She is also pretty good at reminding me that serving others (namely my family) is a respectable and beautiful thing.  As a person who is "Domestically Disabled"; allergic to housework, NOT born organized, and easily distracted, Hestia has become my "Go-To" Goddess for motivation and support in all things household-related.  She is a big supporter of the FlyLady program and I think the FlyLady concepts of breaking down housework into Morning and Evening routines is something that Hestia is particularly fond of (which reminds me, I need to get back on my routines!)

Headcovering
And now we come to the final portion of my Letter H related blog post, although I did not have to force these concepts together, they all go together in my home!
A couple weeks ago, I was cleaning my bedroom and found this scarf that I have never worn as a scarf.  I have used it for a small altar cloth from time to time, or to wrap a deck of tarot cards in... but it had been stuffed in a drawer for awhile, unseen and forgotten.  When I found it, I paused, and felt that gentle urging of Hestia, saying "keep this out".  So instead of putting it back in the drawer, I put it on my altar, folded neatly next to my Hestia Statue.  I didn't know what on earth I was going to use it for, but I figured it's purpose would come to me if I just listened.
Maybe only one, or two days later, I stumbled upon a facebook conversation about Pagan Headcovering.  I was intrigued, I had never heard of or considered that headcovering, or veiling would be a pagan thing to do... except for in cases of the people who like to dress up in robes and hoods for ceremonial magick and rituals.  I learned that a lot of Pagan / Witchy women feel drawn to headcovering or veiling in their daily lives as a way of honoring and connecting to their deity.  And guess what Goddess kept popping up in articles, blogs, and conversations about Headcovering?  Hestia, of course!  The bells are going off in my head at this point, as I had just placed that scarf next to Hestia on my altar, trusting that she would let me know how she wanted me to use it...
I joined the facebook group called Covered In Light and met a wide variety of women who choose to veil, or cover their hair as a spiritual practice.  I started asking questions and reading discussions and learned that for each woman, there was a very different and very personal reason for choosing to cover.  Some find it very comforting.  As empathic people, wearing a headcovering can help you feel more grounded, and more protected from the unwanted energies of other people.  Some women commented that they felt more intuitive when covered; and spoke of wearing a headcovering when doing tarot or oracle readings or for going to ritual.  Some women felt it was a call to modesty, and a practice of declaring their status as either a married woman or as someone devoted to the Goddess.  Not all the women here were called by Hestia or Vesta, but there is quite a wide variety of deities and pantheons that seem to have brought these women to the practice of veiling.  Many women commented that once they started headcovering, they felt more connected to their Goddess, more feminine, sexier, more powerful, and more comfortable in their roles at home.  Some feel drawn to cover their hair/heads in public, while others feel drawn only to do it while at home.  The wonderful thing about the group Covered In Light is that through this diversity, all the women are supportive and tolerant of each other.  No one says, "This is how or why you should cover", but it is all about learning about eachothers' reasons and experiences, learning from each other, and supporting one another.
So I began that very day to experiment with headcovering and find out exactly what it meant for me.  I have discovered that if I put on a headcovering when I say my morning prayers to Hestia, I stay more focused on my housework through the day.  Feeling the scarf on my head reminds me that my daily tasks are a reflection of my devotion to the Goddess, to myself, and my family.  In other words, the headcovering keeps me mindful, living in the present moment.  It is very much like an active meditation.  I also feel more intuitive about what housework needs to be done.  Sometimes it's hard to know where to start in a home with three children where the messes abound.  But when I am covered - instead of feeling overwhelmed and frustrated, I tend to feel more peaceful and less worried about everything that needs to get done.  I'm easier on myself, easier on the kids, and happier with the progress I make.  It becomes less about how much I get done, and more about the loving attitude I come to each small task with.  Mostly I feel very comfortable with my head covered, but if I start to feel uncomfortable, I take that as a cue from the Goddess that my "work" is done.  I take the headcovering off and take a break to do something for myself - like read a book or play on the internet... so in this sense I feel that headcovering has made me more aware of how I take care of myself as well.  I'm overdoing things less, taking more time for myself, and feeling overall more connected with Goddess than ever before.

me, wearing my scarf with a headband

Another thing I have noticed when I am covered; I feel a lot more in-tune to not only The Goddess and Divine, but to messages from my family.  First of all, when I am covered and cleaning, I am having a lot more of those inspired moments when something I have been thinking about suddenly makes sense, or I get inspired ideas for art and craft projects, blog and journaling ideas, etc.  Today for example, I put on my headcovering and said my devotional prayers to Hestia, intending to get as much housework done as possible.  I got a little cleaning done, but the one thing that kept coming to mind was this blog post.  Different points I wanted to make, different thoughts of what to write.... finally I stopped resisting and just came to sit down and write!  I am feeling like wearing the headcovering takes that energetic flow from The Divine and my Higher Self that flows through the crown chakra, and instead of that energy flowing away from me; being covered helps pull those energies down into my third eye, throat, and heart chakras to be assimilated from there.  Before experiencing this, I would have assumed that wearing something on my head might block this flow from the Crown Chakra, but now I am experiencing quite the opposite.  It comes right back to the way that Covering just keeps me in a higher state of awareness; fully in the here and now.  I'm a lot more aware of what my children and husband are saying to me, what they need from me, and what they feel... but without their feelings overwhelming me.  As if the covering works as a kind of filter, I can understand my children's feelings without getting wrapped up in the emotion and frustrated by my empathy.  I'm becoming a better listener, and I'm also much more aware of the words I say and how I treat others when I am covered.
I'm personally not drawn to wearing the covering outside of my home or in public.  I don't feel like Hestia is calling me to cover at all times, but just when I want to feel more connected to my role as a housewife and mother.  For me, it is something that keeps me more centered and grounded while at home... although I have kept my scarf on to make a couple quick trips to the grocery store. 
When I first started veiling, I drew an Angel card from the "Daily Guidance From Your Angels" oracle card deck by Doreen Virtue.  This is the card I got; (This was the day after joining Covered in Light and only my second day covering)

I had been asking myself if this was really right for me, really something I needed to do or wanted to do.  This angel is Covered!  I looked through the deck and there is not a single other angel card that depicts artwork of an angel with it's head covered in any way!  Later that day I felt an urge to go to the mall and just walk around.  I didn't really have money to spend, but I just kept feeling that nudge to "Go!"  So I went, and found another beautiful scarf, on sale!  I knew it was my gift from the Goddess and the Angels for listening to my heart, so I bought it for myself.

feeling just beautiful!

Here is a wonderful prayer to Hestia that was written by another member of Covered in Light and I have been using it when I veil before going about my household duties;

"Hestia,
Keeper of the flame
Goddess of the Hearth
Gentle Hestia,
Eternal Virgin,
Sister, Daughter,
Veiled one
Bless this the hearth
Of Thy sister,
She who comes
Veiled before you
May the flame
Never be extinguished
May your blessing and spirit
Always abide here"
 ~ ZedralZ/Nar

And this is my own prayer that I wrote that I use to connect with Hestia each morning and night;

"Oh beautiful Hestia, you who are both First and Last, Goddess of the Home and Keeper of the Hearth Fire, may your Love and Light continuously burn in this home.  Show us each how to live in unity, peace and love.  Guide us each to bring blessings upon this home through the service of our own unique gifts.  Thank you, Hestia, for your lasting blessings and presence here!"

And I also wanted to share this one with you.... and Invocation to Vesta by Doreen Virtue;

"Beloved Vesta, please bring your flame of Divine Love into this household and light the fire of kindness, compassion, and understanding within everyone who lives in and visits this home.  Help us burn away any fears concerning love, and to feel warm and secure."

So I understand this has been an incredibly long blog post, and I truly thank and appreciate those of you who have actually read the whole thing!  This is a post that contains many things near and dear to my heart and I have been inspired to share with others!

In Love and Light,
Lady Josephine

Update 4/13 - Look, another blog about Hestia which also mentions Headcovering!  http://witchfire02.blogspot.com/2012/04/pbp-hestia.html

Unconditional Love

Tonite at my yoga class we were talking about relationships, and how relationships improve if one can come from a place of true unconditional love.  If someone can find the peace, self-worth, and happiness within themselves to be happy... truly happy... they would not need the approval or love of others in order to feel loved; and in turn they could give love endlessly and unconditionally without expecting anything in return.  How wonderful this would be, if we had such peace and love within our hearts that we could just love our partners without expecting or needing something in return.  Just like the next woman, I can struggle with feeling unappreciated.  Sometimes I find myself thinking; "My marriage would be better if HE only _______."  Fill in the blank in any way; Appreciated Me, Talked To Me, Touched Me, Spent Time With Me.  These are expectations we hold of our lovers and friends... we love them, yet we feel unhappy or unloved if they don't do these things for us.  In reality, the love has to come from inside of each of us.  No matter how much your lover, partner, or friend does for you... if you don't love yourself you will never be able to find that feeling of peace and happiness.  So we must begin with loving ourselves, and then be able to love others without expectations or conditions.

After our yoga practice, we decided to meditate on this concept some more.  We asked The Archangel Raguel to guide us in our meditation; to show us HOW to Love Unconditionally.

As the meditation began, I found myself walking through a beautiful forest with Raguel.  The warm sun was shining and everything was green with life... tall trees, green grass, colorful flowers surrounded us.  I could hear the birds, crickets, and frogs.  I could see the rustle in the leaves of the squirrels, lizards, insects, and birds all co-existing in the forest with the trees and plants.  I could feel how in this Eco-system, everything worked together... even the poisonous plants or insects played a crucial role in the cycle of life here... and the feeling of peace and love was overwhelming.  As the Angel and I walked through the forest, I asked him "How do I love others unconditionally?"  He smiled at me and we walked up to a large tree in the middle of the forest.  Archangel Raguel said "Be like this tree."

I immediately saw the answer and knew what the Angel was telling me... and it was so simple and so beautiful, and I spent the rest of the meditation watching the life of this tree... feeling what it was to BE this tree, and exploring the many possibilities of the answer I had received.

Ask yourself, How does a tree show unconditional love?  Let yourself feel and think what it is like to be a tree in a forest with all the creatures who co-exist in your habitat with you.

These are the things I felt and learned;

• A tree is perfectly happy being a tree.  It does not aspire to be anything other than a tree.  It just tries to be the best tree it can be.  It is happy being a tree.
• A tree does not need someone to tell it that it is a beautiful tree in order to be a beautiful tree.  It does not need to be told that it is loved by the forest... it knows it is a part of the forest and therefore it is loved.  It also knows happiness without being told by someone else that it is worthy.
• Many creatures in the forest co-exist with this tree.  It provides shade for the animals, a place for nests for the birds and branches for the squirrels.  It provides oxygen from it's leaves and nutrients for the soil with it's roots.  It provides food for the animals who eat it's bark or leaves.  And the tree never says, "You owe me."  It does not ask for anything in return from the bird who has nested in it.  Yes, the bird helps keep the insects off of the tree... but the tree would not be angry or have it's feelings hurt if the bird did not eat the bugs.  The insects that make their home in the soil around the tree's trunk also help provide nutrients in the soil which help the tree grow; but if the insects didn't do this would the tree be angry and ask them to leave?  No.  The tree does not feel angry at the sky when it does not rain.  A fox sleeps under the tree's shade and then leaves.  Does the tree feel it has been used?  No. The tree is simply a tree... giving and loving and asking for nothing in return.
• And the miracle is... the tree does not ask for anything, does not expect or demand anything from the forest around it.... yet somehow all it needs is given to it.  Freely, from other creatures who also have no expectations of the tree or each other.  If there is not enough rain this year, the tree does not curse at the sky.  The tree simply has to dig deeper into the ground to find water... it has to work harder to be a better tree.  And even in a drought, the tree is still happy... just being a tree!

Archangel Raguel told me to be like a tree in order to find how to give Unconditional Love.  The answer is so simple and so beautiful.  Love yourself, be happy being you.  Love, love and love others without any expectations or demands.  Be like the tree!

Thursday Thirteen - 13 Ways to Nurture your Inner Child

In keeping with the theme of my previous two blog posts, I thought it would be fun to list 13 ways to Awaken and Nurture your Inner Child!



1. Eat healthy foods.  Think to yourself, would I let a child eat this way?  Chances are, you wouldn't let a child drink that soda or eat that junk food... so why do you let yourself eat that way?

2.  Get enough sleep.  Don't stay up too late!  Again... think of how you would care for a child.  Would you let them stay up this late and then still expect them to go through the next day without being grumpy and sleepy?  Why do we have different expectations for ourselves?

3.  Color!  That's right... get some crayons, markers, or colored pencils and some paper and let yourself draw and color!  This can be very theraputic!  Don't judge your artwork for perfection... once again... would you tell a child that their drawing is not good enough?  No, you would praise them and tell them how beautiful it is!

4. Read a book.  Read something light hearted and fun!  As a child we love a good story, and a good book has the power to transport us to another land or another time.  If you have a favorite book from your childhood, consider re-reading it.  Or, try reading something new!  Your inner child will love a new adventure, fantasy, or mystery novel!

5. Listen to some favorite music from your childhood.  What music reminds you of your childhood?  Music has a powerful ability to awaken the Inner Child by returning us to a time when we felt happy and peaceful.  Find some of that music that takes you back to a happy time in your childhood and listen to it!

6. Watch a movie you enjoyed when you were a child.  We all had a favorite movie, cartoon, or sitcom we loved to watch as a child.  Take some time to find and watch something that makes you smile and laugh... even something that makes you cry!

7. Play outside!  Don't make excuses about the weather... if it's too cold or there is still snow on the gound, bundle up, make a snow man, splash in some rain puddles!  If it's warm, take some time to play in the dirt, get your hands dirty digging for worms, making mudpies, and working in your garden or planting a tree or flowers!  If it's hot outside, put on some sunblock and go swimming or play in the sprinklers!

8. Go to a zoo or museum.  Look at some animals or learn something new!  To a child everything is new and amazing!  Find the joy in learning again!

9. Dance and Sing!  Turn up the music and let yourself dance and sing along!  You can even do this while you're doing housework!  Let yourself bounce and waggle however you want... a child doesn't care if anyone is watching.... so just dance like no one's watching and let yourself laugh and sing!

10. Play Dress-Up.  Every child likes to play dress up!  Find something in your closet you haven't worn for awhile... even that fancy dress or your nice Sunday Suit... put it on and just let yourself feel "Dressed Up" for awhile!  Ladies, Do your hair, paint your nails, do your make up... but do it a little differently than you would normally do it.... let yourself experiment and play the way a little girl plays with her mom's make up!

11.  Look for Fairies.  Find magic in every moment!  You can do this however you choose... it can be as simple as just taking time to notice the magic of a blooming flower or a magical moment in nature, or building a "Fairy House" to welcome the fairies into your home, garden, or yard.

12.  Treat others with kindness and compassion.  Children love pleasing others.  What can you do to bring a smile to someone's face, or warm someone's heart?  Chances are you have multiple opportunities in a day to show random acts of kindness and compassion to people... seize the moment!

13.  Love yourself the way your Gaurdian Angel loves you!  I got this idea from Delia at Open Your Heart Project.  This blog post outlines a simple meditation and awareness activity that will help you to love yourself the way your Gaurdian Angel loves you! - Love Yourself The Way Your Gaurdian Angel Loves You!




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Tuesday's Oracle - Solar Plexus Chakra

Welcome to this week's Tuesday's Oracle! On Tuesdays (When I have the time) I draw an oracle card from one of my Oracle decks and share it with you. Always before I draw the card I pray for guidance and support from the God and Goddess, the Elements, the Angels, and the Fey. I also pray that while this guidance is generally for me, that it may also be something I can share with others, and that this message from the Divine will reach the hearts of others who may benefit from it. Namaste!______________________________________________ This week's oracle card is from the Angel Therapy Oracle Cards by Doreen Virtue. I drew the card "Solar Plexus Chakra", with artwork depicting the Archangel Michael, by Howard David Johnson. The inscription on the card reads, "It is safe for you to be powerful and take charge of your life in positive ways." ___________________________________________ __ The Solar Plexus Chakra relates to our personal power. The energy center located right below and behind the naval, The Solar Plexus Chakra is yellow, golden, and bright white - like a sun. If our body is a solar system, the Solar Plexus is the Sun and it's light gives energy and vitality to the rest of our chakras. When our Solar Plexus Chakra is balanced we have confidence in our decisions, and feel that we are in control of our lives because we recognize that we take responsibility for every aspect of our life. When the Solar Plexus in imbalanced, we feel that other people or events have control over us, and we have fears and insecurities and lack confidence in our ability to make wise, discriminating choices. ___________________________________________ Doreen Virtue's book, "Chakra Clearing" tells us this about the Solar Plexus; "The solar plexus chakra is affected by thoughts and feelings about; * Power: the fear of being, or desire to be, a powerful person; fear of authority figures; obsessions with power; concerns about people or nations that wield a lot of power; current or past experiences in which you felt overpowered by another person. * Control: fears of being controlled by others; fear of losing control; desires for control over yourself, situations, or other people; current or past experiences in which you felt controlled or out of control." _____________________________________________ This card's message is that you need to work on these issues of Power and Control, and the Archangel Michael can help you heal those issues and find your sense of empowerment again! Visualize your sacral chakra glowing bright yellow, gold, and white in your center and affirm; "I am in control. I have power and I use it wisely for the Highest Good in my life!" Repeat this affirmation and visualization frequently, especially if you feel fearful, overwhelmed, or out of control. Also, the guidebook that comes with the cards suggests this wonderful meditation and prayer for healing the Sacral Chakra with the Archangel Michael: _________________________________________ _____ "Recline on your back in a quiet location and focus on your solar plexus, which is the energy center behind your belly button. Say, either silently or aloud: 'Archangel Michael, I call upon you now. Please cut any cords of fear from my solar plexus to anyone whom I've given my power.' Then inhale and exhale deeply as Michael disentangles you from those whom you've feared were controlling you. Then say: 'Archangel Michael, please give me the courage to take complete responsibility for every aspect of my life.' " (~ Doreen Virtue) ________________________________________ Remember, your true power is found within you, and no one can control you without your permission! (*note - while editing this post, for some reason it's not showing any line breaks between paragraphs, so I had to use lines ____ to actually try to separate each paragraph! Don't know why that happened! Sorry!)

Tuesday's Oracle - Vacuum Away Fear

This week's Oracle Card is "Vacuum Away Fear" from the Angel Therapy Oracle Cards by Doreen Virtue. This card is beautifully illustrated by Howard David Johnson and shows a Golden-winged angel holding high the serpentine staff that represents health and healing. When an angel is depicted holding this symbol it is usually representative of Archangel Raphael who is considered to be the Archangel of Healing.

The card reads; "Call upon Archangels Michael and Raphael to lift fear-based energy from you, your surroundings, this situation, and everyone involved."

There is a simple visualization and meditation technique that I LOVE, during which you ask the Angels, your Spirit Guides, or the Universe to vacuum away any negative feelings, fears, illnesses, etc. from your physical and auric field. This week I have had some concerns because my schedule at work has been changed and I will be making less money. I think this card is an excellent reminder to give my fears over to God/Goddess and not let these fears or worries plague me. We all need a reminder now and then to release any negative energy we are carrying, and the Angels can help us with this! The exercise is simple;

Sit calmly and breathe deeply for a few minutes. Relax and pray. When you feel comfortable, call upon Archangel Raphael (the Divine Healer) and Archangel Michael (God's Warrior and our Protector) to come to you.... visualize and feel their presence close to you. Visualize that they are holding a golden Vacuum tube that extends to the heavens. Ask them to use this vacuum to suction away any negative thoughts, worries, anxieties, and fears. They will slowly and gently attach the vacuum tube to your Crown Chakra (at the top of your skull) Breathe deeply and evenly and feel the vacuum suctioning away all negativity from your being. You can visualize black and gray flecks like bits of dust being pulled from your body into the vacuum. These flecks of dust may be held in any part of your body.... start from your feet and work your way upwards visualizing and feeling the release of worries and toxins as these feelings are vacuumed away. Visualize the dark spots being sucked up the vacuum tube all the way to the heavens.... here they are given to The Universe and The Divine to be healed. Once you feel like you have been cleared, ask Michael and Raphael to fill you with healing and love. They will put the vacuum tube in reverse and it will fill up your body with light. You can feel and visualize this as a warm white, purple, or blue light which seeps into every part of your body, healing the places that were holding the negative energy, giving you a feeling of peace and strength, and filling you up with the Love of The Divine. Thank the Angels and The Divine for their help and healing, breathe deeply, and when you are ready, open your eyes. Stretch and look around. Your vision may be brighter and clearer, and you will have a deep sense of calm and a new confidence and love radiating through your aura. Go about your day as planned. If you find yourself worrying or feeling fearful again, stop and visualize the light inside of you erasing away that dark spot. Sometimes it has become a habit to worry, we just have to work on replacing the fear-habit with a love-habit. Don't punish or judge yourself for being fearful or worrying.. this is what you're used to doing. Just gently correct the thought and replace it with a positive, loving thought.

The guidebook for the Healing With The Angels Oracle Deck gives us a prayer that we can use when we do this exercise.

"Archangels Michael and Raphael, I call upon you and your healing Band of Mercy Angels to come now with your spiritual vacuum cleaner. Please deposit the vacuum hose through the crown chakra and suction away toxic, fear based energy."

Meditate and visualize as suggested above. Before you ask the Angels to reverse the flow and fill you with light, say this prayer;

"Thankyou, Michael and Raphael for this healing. Please now fill the body with your diamond-bright white light to heal and protect."

(Doreen Virtue suggests asking for a white light, but I have noticed that sometimes the light the Angels send me is purple, violet, or a sparkling blue.... trust that whatever color of light the Angels choose to give you, this is the type of healing you need at this time. If you have trouble "feeling" the color then just visualize sparkling white with prism like rainbow reflections and trust/know that whatever type of healing and protection you need is flowing from the heavens straight into your physical body.)

You can also help others with this healing by guiding them through it, or with their permission, simply asking the angels to do this and visualizing the same as above, but on the person in need. Another thing you can do is ask the Angels to vacuum away negative energy from your physical surroundings. They will gladly assist you in clearing away negativity from any space, room, house, or object using the same technique as above. You can visualize the Angels attaching their Spiritual vacuum hose to your vacuum cleaner and as you literally vacuum away dirt they will vacuum away the negative vibes that may be present in that area. (But you don't have to physically vacuum to do this, just ask for their help!)

Archangel Azrael

I didn't get a chance to draw and post an oracle card yesterday for "Tuesday's Oracle", but I still wanted to draw an oracle card for the week! So here is "Tuesday's Oracle, on Wednesday!"

I decided to use the deck, "Archangel Oracle Cards" by Doreen Virtue, Ph.D. and see what Archangel is coming to me this week for advice. As always, this Archangel will have a message for others, not just me, and I trust that those who need to hear this message will be guided to it.


The card I drew today is Archangel Azrael; Counselor
The message on the card is, "You are a natural counselor, and many people benefit from your guidance and reassurance."


I have always been one of those people whose friends come to her for advice and comforting. I think this is a big part of my life purpose, and why I am so drawn to fields such as Tarot and Oracle card reading, astrology, and teaching. I love to help others and often it is in the form of advice and comforting or counseling others that I can help them.
Sometimes I doubt my abilities. Of course, it is human nature to doubt and fear our own abilities. I sometimes fear that the advice I give in a reading is wrong, or that I'm not saying the right thing to help or comfort a friend in need. I think I got this card because Archangel Azrael wants to reassure me that I am doing the right thing. As the card says, I am a natural counselor... I need to chase away these doubts and worries and just trust! Not only trust in myself, but trust that the messages I receive are divinely guided! I think this is a message that many people can relate to. In our life, there will ALWAYS be a time when we are called upon to be a counselor in some way or another. We will have times when our friends ask for advice, or just need someone to listen. There will be times when we need to comfort the living when someone they know has died, and times we need to counsel our children through rough patches of life. In any of these times you can call on the Archangel Azrael to help you be the best counselor you can be, and trust that what you say and do is Divinely Guided and comes from a place of pure Love.

Archangel Azrael is commonly known as The Angel of Death, though his name actually means "Whom God Helps", and he assists those who are helpers of others. Azrael is the angel who helps guide souls to God after death, and he can also help assist us in contacting our loved ones who have passed on. Azrael is the Archangel who watches over, guides, and helps Counselors - especially grief counselors, mediums, and many forms of people who offer guidance to others. Any time that you feel you are being called upon to counsel someone else, no matter how small the matter is, you can ask Azrael to give you guidance and compassion. Trust in yourself, with the help of God and Azrael, to be the best counselor that you can be to your friends and family - for it is in being able to help others that we find a greater connection with the Divine and our true purpose in life.

Heres another link to some correspondences on Azrael.

Tuesday's Oracle - make a God Box!

Welcome to this week's Tuesday's Oracle! On Tuesdays (When I have the time) I draw an oracle card from one of my Oracle decks and share it with you. Always before I draw the card I pray for guidance and support from the God and Goddess, the Elements, the Angels, and the Fey. I also pray that while this guidance is generally for me, that it may also be something I can share with others, and that this message from the Divine will reach the hearts of others who may benefit from it. Namaste!

Today I used the "Angel Therapy Oracle Cards" by Doreen Virtue and I drew the card called "God Box"

The bottom of the card says "Write any worries, concerns, or desires on a piece of paper that you put into a special container called a "God Box", as a way of letting go and allowing the Divine to help you."


I have heard of this before, and I know many people have. Actually I was rather surprised at myself that I didn't already have a "God Box". We all know the concept of surrendering our worries to The Divine, to "Let go and let God." The God Box gives us a physical tool to use to help us in giving our worries over to God/Goddess and the angels.


The guidebook by Doreen Virtue says: "The angels want to relieve you of the burden of worry by giving you a physical method for releasing your cares to Heaven. Writing down your prayer requests or worries for Divine intervention is an effective way to work in partnership with God and the angels. What matters most is that you write from the heart and then "give" the paper to heaven symbolically either by burning it (which releases it), putting it in the freezer (which stops the situation from progressing), burying it (which helps heal the situation), or putting the paper in a God Box."



I've had this little ceramic box that I painted tucked away fro so long that I forgot that I had it. Actually, I think I had originally wanted it to be a "God Box" but it got packed away before we moved last year and honestly I totally forgot it even existed. As I read today's card, I started scanning my bedroom, looking for something that I could re-purpose as a God Box. I prayed for the angels to guide me to something I could use. I was drawn to a small box on the bookshelf in the closest... a small box I hadn't opened since we moved out of the apartments over a year ago. I opened it.... and right inside of it... here it was! The little ceramic God Box that I made so long ago!


Now that my God Box has found it's way out into the open again, I have found a home for it where I can see it often and add my prayers or write my worries and hand them off to the Divine. You can use anything to make a God Box of your own. Beautiful ornate boxes are sold almost anywhere, or your can find something in a craft store to design yourself... or even find something in a thrift store that you can use. Chances are you already have something lying around the house or packed away in a closet that you could use for your very own "God Box"! I'm so thankful that the Angels guided me to my lost God Box and reminded me of the importance and power of giving my worries over to God!

Clear Your Space

Today I was reminded of the importance of having a Sacred Space. I have my altar, tucked into a nice little corner in my bedroom; but it isn't always a place that I can go to unwind. Sometimes the kids are running amok and I can't just leave them unnatended. Sometimes my husband is sleeping or reading in that room, etc. I was sitting at my computer this morning, wanting to do a reading for a client and do my daily facebook postings of a positive nature... and I thought... what am I doing? I just wasn't feeling it. I was feeling this overwhelming anxiety. I've been feeling it for a while now. I could feel the depression there; lurking in the background... waiting to get in. Latley it gets in every day... I start off positive and then end up feeling bogged down, overwhelmed, lost. And I haven't been getting much of anything done. I would retreat to my haven; the computer desk and facebook... but end up feeling worse. This morning as I sat here and looked around, it hit me... THIS needs to be a sacred space. This area needs to be peaceful and serene. I mean, how can I sit here and offer advice to others and try to feed this positive light through the wires of the internet when I am surrounded by this;Clutter and mess and not even a clear space to set down my coffee mug? Why is it that even though I know the importance of keeping these flat surfaces and "hot spots" clear of clutter, I tend to neglect the one area where I spend the most of my time? No wonder I've been procrastinating on giving readings.... I don't even have enough room here to lay out my cards. No wonder I have a sense of anxiety and depression... when I come here to "take a break" and escape from stress, I'm surrounded by clutter. This picture doesn't show it all... but there is even clutter on the floor all around this area. Well... there WAS. But then I got up and cleaned it. In a matter of 30 minutes I cleared away the clutter, threw out the trash, and added some items to help this area become a peaceful, sacred place to rest, do readings, meditate, listen to music, etc.I began to feel better almost immediatley. Like.....LOTS better. I could kick myself for not doing this sooner.... for letting it get to this point to begin with. I get so occupied with trying to keep the kitchen, livingroom, bathroom, etc. clean that I tend to put off cleaning my personal areas. (Speaking of which... my bedroom and altar area are a mess right now! But that will be for another day) I tend to put off those personal areas, sacrificing the cleanliness of my personal spaces because I "don't have time", or the other areas seem more important. But you know what? I spent 30 minutes clearing this space... felt immensley better... and my energy started flowing again. I cleaned more of the spaces in this room. Then I cleaned the kitchen.... really good. I mean, my kitchen is SPARKLING like a Cullen Vamp. AND I still had time to give the kid a bath, have a phone conference with my daughter's teacher, and cook dinner. I'm sitting here right now, not worrying about what I didn't get done today... but relaxing with my candle lit, a cup of hot tea, and getting ready to catch up on my favorite TV series Fringe by watching the episode I missed last week. Life is good, and yes, it CAN be as simple as clearing a sacred space for yourself.

I was reminded of this card from the Archangel Oracle deck by Doreen Virtue, Ph.D. -

"Archangel Jophiel - Clear Your Space" (Card posted at the top of this blog post)
This is one of the first cards I drew for myself when I got this deck two years ago, and it is part of the inspiration that got me started on www.FlyLady.net . I'm a devoted FlyBaby, but even I need a reminder now and then to do something a little extra, and how important it can be to have a Sacred Space. The message along with this card from Archangel Jophiel says;
"Your home and work environments affect you on many levels. Clutter can erode your energy, creativity, and prosperity. I'll help you find the time and motivation to clear interferences from your physical environment. Together, we'll release anything thats not serving you. We'll donate, recycle, or discard unused items. We'll open the windows to circulate fresh air in the rooms. And I'll escort lower energies away. You'll notice huge improvements in all areas of your life as a result of this endeavor."

Perhaps it was Jophiel who came and tapped me on the shoulder this morning and reminded me to do this. Perhaps I was reminded of this card because it's message is exactly what I needed right now... even though I didn't physically or randomly draw this card for myself today... I still feel like this was my Oracle card of the day. And I'm sooo glad I have this peaceful space in which to tell you about it!