The Four Winds - Part 2

Just a little more detail for you on each of the Four Winds as described in the previous post.  These descriptions are based on Neo-Pagan reconstruction of the Greek versions of the Four Winds; Eurus, Notus, Zephyrus, and Boreas.

EURUS - The East Wind, Lord of East and Air
Eurus is accompanied by a youthful maiden, and together they open the portals of the dawn, spring, and the element of Air.  The sylphs and Air Elementals come flying through the gates of the Eastern Realm, bringing gifts of clarity, concentration, communication, divination. learning, and music.  Eurus and the Air Elementals can be a great help when you need to concentrate on a ritual, and can also help in times when you may need something ordinary, like a clear road ahead; when you are in a hurry; sending messages; or when you need success in an exam or interview.  Call on Eurus to open the gates of the East Wind, imagine the doors opening wide and the Air Elementals gleefully rushing to your aid.

NOTUS - The South Wind, Lord of South and Fire
Notus is accompanied by a dazzling queen.  He and his bride open the portals of midday, summer, and the Element of Fire.  The salamanders and Fire Elementals come rushing through on the warm winds and hot breath - beings of flame, energy, inspiration, passion, and enthusiasm.... all of which they are excited to share with anyone who calls upon them.  While the Air Elementals can help you think clearly and logically, Notus and his Fire Elementals come with those flashes of pure brilliance and inspiration that come like a lightning strike or a "lightbulb moment".  The South Wind and his Fire Elementals bring passion and energy to your ritual, and can help you when you need a boost of confidence, optimism, passion, courage, inspiration, and enthusiasm..  Call upon Notus to open the gates of the South Wind, imagine the doors opening wide and the Fire Elementals rushing to your side like warriors.

ZEPHYRUS - The West Wind, Lord of West and Water
Zephyrus and his gentle lady bring with them the tranquility and repose of the evening, fall, and the element of Water.  With them come the Water Elementals, Undines and Mermaids - diving and splashing with joy; diving deep into the inner realm of feeling and emotion.  The West Wind and his Water Elementals bring compassion and emotion to your ritual, and will aid you in life by bringing self-knowledge, empathy, love, and affection. Zephyrus teaches us about the ebb and flow of life, the cycles of the moon and the tides, and the rains which are sometimes refreshing and sweet; and sometimes harsh and cold.  Call on Zephyrus to open the gates to the Western Realm and imagine the Water elementals spilling forth, to support you, renew you, transform you, and teach you.

BOREAS - The North Wind, Lord of North and Earth
Boreas and his noble crone queen bring with them the solidarity and protection of night, winter, and the element of Earth. With them come the Earth Elementals and Gnomes, practical beings who bring organization, grounding, and protection to your ritual.  They can help us when we need common sense; basic survival needs; comforting; solitude; security; certainty, and a sense of purpose.  Boreas and his Earth Elementals teach us the importance of being prepared, but not afraid; and the importance of nurturing ourselves and others.  Call upon Boreas to open the gates of the Northern Wind and imagine the Earth elementals marching peacefully yet purposely to your side.

I wrote this Invitation Prayer which can be used in opening a circle for ritual.  You can use it in full, or simply call upon the individual Wind and Element that you need at the time.  Make sure that when you are done, you thank The Winds and the Elementals for joining you and helping you, and release them back to their realm.

INVITATION TO THE FOUR WINDS

Eurus - Lord of East and Air, I invite you to my circle!  Bring your Sylphs and Beings of Air to bless and partake in my ritual.  I need your clarity of thought and a steady mind - help my words to be clear and true and my prayers to be heard!  Wind of the East, join me!

Notus - Lord of South and Fire, I invite you to my circle!  Bring you Salamanders and Beings of Fire to bless and partake in my ritual.  I need your passion and enthusiasm - light my spirit with your fire of courage and give energy to my pure desires! Wind of the South, join me!

Zephyrus - Lord of West and Water, I invite you to my circle!  Bring your Undines and Beings of Water to bless and partake in my ritual.  I need your empathy and emotion - pour the waters of self-knowledge and compassion into my spirit! Wind of the West, join me! 

Boreas - Lord of North and Earth, I invite you to my circle!  Bring your Gnomes and Beings of Earth to bless and partake in my ritual.  I need your grounding and protection - strengthen me and bring fortitude and success to the core of my being!  Wind of the North, join me! 

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!!"

A Spell For Balance

Air Element Studies, Lesson Two

Air Pollution and What We Can Do about it.

A Spell For Balance

by Starhawk, from "The Earth Path"

"When you are faced with a choice to do something small in service of the Earth that requires some sacrifice [or change] on your part, stop first, breathe and ground and say;

"I offer up this (walk, bus ride, effort of recycling, creation of a compost pile, money spent on an energy saving light bulb... etc.) to the greater balance and healing of the Earth.  Let this small act be like a ripple that grows into a wide circle as it moves outward, leading to greater change.  With every breath in as I (walk, ride, compost, enjoy the light...etc), I will remember my gratitude to the ancestors for the miracle gift of air.  With every breath out I will renew my love and commitment to the balance"."

If you haven't yet, choose something you can do to help prevent and clean up air pollution.  Make a commitment to do it, say this prayer, and remember to breathe in and out slowly and feel gratitude, respect, balance, and intention every time you do whatever it is you have chosen.  No matter how small it seems, it is an act to restore balance and show your love for the Earth and respect to your Ancestors.

This is one small thing I have done so far.  I bought a second trash can for my kitchen, and I labeled it so my kids know to use it for items that can be recycled.  This helps them remember to sort the recyclables from the regular trash, which means we should be recycling a little bit more every week!  I am going to say the above prayer every time I empty this trash bin into our Recycling Collection bin that the city provides for us.  

Environmental Healing Spell Guide

Air Element Study, Lesson Two

Air Pollution and what we can do to help.

If you are wanting to create your own spell or ritual for Healing of The Earth, here are some correspondences you might want to keep in mind.  Creating your own spell is easy and fun, and I think sometimes a spell created on our own can be more powerful because we put our own energy into coming up with it.

Environmental Healing Spell Correspondences

Colors; (Colors can be used for candles you use, paper your write on, color of pen you use for writing your prayer, ribbons or string/cord you use, or fabric to make a sachet.)
For Earth Healing; Green, Brown, Black
For Air Healing; Yellow, White, or Sky Blue
For Water Healing: Blue or Sea-Green

Plants;  (Used in the form of incense, essential oils, or dried herbs you use in any other way)
Acorn, Apple, Basil, Copal, Elm, Frankincense, Lavender, Maple, Myrrh, Pine, Rose, Sage, Sandalwood, Tobacco, Willow, Yarrow

Crystals and Gemstones;
Amber, Bloodstone, Calcite, Carnelian, Copper, Garnet, Jasper, Obsidian, Petrified Wood, Quartz

Astrological Signs (For timing of your spell, or for writing / carving a sigil representing the sign's power into your candle or paper, etc)
For Earth Healing; Taurus, Virgo, Capricorn
For Air Healing; Gemini, Libra, Aquarius
For Water Healing; Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces

Day of the Week (not necessary, but might add a boost to your spell if you can do it on the day of the week related to it's element.)
For Earth Healing; Saturday, Thursday
For Air Healing; Wednesday, Sunday
For Water Healing; Monday

Element/Direction/Elementals.  All directions may be summoned for your circle, as all elements are connected.  But you can pay special attention in calling these elements or directions depending on what kind of environmental healing you are doing.
Earth Healing; Earth/North/Gnomes
Air Healing; Air/East/Sylphs
Water Healing; Water/West/Sprites or Mermaids

Tarot Cards; (Some people like to place Tarot Cards on their Altar to represent the magick they are working)
Earth Healing; The Empress, The World or Ace of Pentacles
Air Healing; The Sun, The Lovers, Ace of Swords (or Ace of Wands depending on your deck's correspondences)
Water Healing: The Star, Temperance, or Ace of Cups

For a list of Archangels, Gods & Goddesses, and Elementals you can call on for Environmental work and Earth Healing, read this post.

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.

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

12 Days of Yule; Day 5 - Darkness

I have been posting Blog Prompts and Journaling suggestions at my other blog, Spirit Self Awareness Journaling.  They have been based on the 12 Days of Yule prayers at Pagan/Wiccan About.com by Patti Wigington, and I have prepared these prompts in advance with no way of knowing what the day would hold on the day the blog was scheduled to be published.

The prompt and prayer from the blog that was published today was this;


December 14, 2012 - Day 5

Day 5 ; A Prayer For The Beginning of Winter
In early winter, we can see the skies becoming overcast, and smell fresh snow in the air. Take a few minutes to think about the fact that even if the skies are cold and dark, it's only temporary.


"See the gray skies overhead, preparing the way
for the darkness soon to come.
See the gray skies overhead, preparing the way,
for the world to go cold and lifeless.
See the gray skies overhead, preparing the way
for the longest night of the year.
See the gray skies overhead, preparing the way
for the sun to one day return,
bringing with it light."

By Patti Wigington; http://paganwiccan.about.com

My Journaling / Blogging suggestion;

Take time to think about how everything comes in cycles. The winter months eventually give way to spring... things won't always be dark and gloomy. What were some times in your life you remember seeming the darkest? They didn't last forever. Even if pain from those dark times still lingers, you have had moments of joy and light again. Thank the Earth for these cycles for they help us grow and make us stronger. I recently asked a group of friends, "If you could erase the memory of the darkest time in your life, would you?" The answer was a resounding NO, because those memories, though painful, have shaped us into who we are today. So even if the weather isn't pleasant, be thankful for it. It makes us more appreciative of the sun when it does return. 

----------------------------------------------------------------------

I had planned on writing about some of my own personal dark days.  Something perhaps about many years ago, when I was a rape victim, or a drug addict.  I have recovered from those days, though their memory can still cast a dark shadow on me at times.  I was going to write about how I had overcome those "dark days" and found myself to now be a much stronger and more positive person.

But today, there is a present darkness that has cast it's shadow across our country - and across the whole world.  I think it effects all of us as humans very deeply and profoundly.  I am refering to the tragic massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut.  A darkness has cast a cloud on all of us today as 28 people were killed by the gunfire of a madman, 20 of those beautiful souls being just children, between the ages of 5 and 10.

My original plan for blogging was to talk about how many of our dark times are "lessons" we need to learn, which make us stronger.  Yet when we experience something senseless, so meaningless, so tragic, we can't really think of it in the same way as a "lesson" which needed to be learned.  My own personal struggles with drug addiction in my early 20's (12 years clean, by the way!!) was one of those things that can be looked back on as a lesson.  My spirit needed to learn self-love, self-control, and to not seek "temporary fixes".  Today, the darkness and pain felt everywhere is a different kind of pain.  Because I don't think that God and Goddess send us lessons in the form of senseless violence and the loss of lives in tragic meaningless ways.  The sad truth is, bad things happen on this planet.  They happen every day.  While we don't need to look at this as a "message" from the Gods, or a "lesson" sent by the universe to our people.... we DO need to find a way to grow from this experience.  Let it change you, let it teach you.  Not because it's a lesson to be learned, but because if you don't let it change you, THEN it becomes even more senseless and pointless than it already is.  Hug your family close.  Show kindness to strangers.  Give, even when you have little or nothing to give.  Pray more often, lift up all of mankind in your prayers.  Greive for the children, and the adults who lost their lives, greive for the people who are so lost and disconnected from the Light of Spirit that they act in any way other than Divine Love.  The Sun WILL return.  It's in US... the solar power to light up the world again.  My heart is breaking for this tradgedy, and I pray for hope, I pray for peace, I pray for Light.  May The Great Wheel's turning carry us with it, forward into a place of Light, where we can learn the true meaning of Brotherhood and Love.....

Blessed Be...

Calling on The Fates or Norns to aid in Divination

Honoring the Fates

Connecting with The Fates, also known as the Moerae, can be very helpful when you are doing any type of divination or dream work, or just wanting a clearer glimpse at your life to help you make better choices.  Since The Fates weave each person's "Life Thread", they can help you look into your life through dreams, meditation, or divination.
You can also look at any Three Card tarot reading in terms of the Three Sisters known as the Fates or The Norns... Past, Present, and Future.  Before drawing your three tarot cards, call upon each sister by name... Clotho (Past), Lachesis (Present), and Atropos (Future) and see what each card, or each sister, reveals to you.  If you wish, you can call upon the Nordic Norns for your tarot reading in a similar fashion;   They are Urd (The Past), Verthandi or Verdandi (the Present), and Skuld (the Future). 

The Dark of The Moon is a good time for Divination and Dream work.  The night before the New Moon, it is the night of No moon... the darkest night of the cycle.  In this time we experience a long period of darkness, and the night is not even illuminated by the moon... we can delve deep into the psyche and the inner, secret realms of the Night.  The Fates in Greek Mythology are the daughters of Nyx (Goddess of Night), so the dark moon is a perfect time to call upon them to help you see things more clearly.  Ask them to assist you in your tarot readings, rune readings, or to show you answers or clues in your dreams during this dark night.  Here in this blog post I have included some information on The Fates, along with a beautiful ritual for honoring them.

The following information is from the book, "Moon Magick" by D.J. Conway and you may find it helpful in connecting with the Fates, The Norns, or The Wyrd Sisters before you try to attempt any ritual invoking them. 

THE FATES & THE NORNS-

The Greek Fates and Nordic Norns are very similar. It may be that these Goddesses all came from pre-Aryan cultures in the Far East, before these cultural groups migrated to their respective areas to settle. Although there is no record of sacrifices to The Norns, the Nordic clans held them in awe and high regard. In Greece and Rome, the Fates were taken very seriously. They were given sacrifices of honey and flowers. Well into Medieval times three rings were used in special rituals to invoke the Fates. The three gunas, or colored threads (white, red, and black), of India were said to run through every life as ordained by the Fates. Ovid, Theocritus, and others wrote of the same colored life-threads in Greek literature.

 * The Fates

The Greek Fates ("portions, shares") were also called the Moerae or Moirai and became known as the Parcae during the Middle Ages. These three serious daughter of Nyx (Night), were Clotho, Lachesis, and Atropos. Clotho spun the life-thread, Lachesis measured it, assigned the destiny, and added a portion of luck. Brooding Atropos with her shears cuts the thread at any time without warning. Not even Zeus would go against a decree by the Fates. The Goddess Nemesis was the only one who could influence Atropos to let the thread spin into a longer length. They were often accompanied by the Keres (Dogs of Hades) who were three beings with sharp teeth and robed in red. Although this trio was feared, the beings were also invoked at weddings for a happy union.

* The Norns

In many aspects, the Nordic Norns were quite similar. This trio of fate Goddesses live at the Well of Urd near one of the roots of the World Tree Yggdrasil. They are Urd (The Past), Verthandi or Verdandi (the Present), and Skuld (the Future).   The Norn Urd (Fate) was defined as "that which is becoming"; Verthandi (Necessity) as "That which is"; Skuld (Being) as "That which should become".  Predestination and predetermination were were unknown to the Norse.  They believed that what each person did influenced his/her future. 

The Norns were almost as important as the Aesir themselves.  In fact, these Goddesses were said to weave the destinies of men, gods, giants, dwarfs, and every other living being.  Each day the Norse Gods held their counsil at this Well in the presence of the Norns.  The fact that the water from the Well of Urd turned everything white may tie these deities to the three phases of the Moon. Certain records also speak of the helpers of the Norns, who were the Disir; in some writings these were called elves. The Hamingjes were like guardian angels to the humans. There were elf-maids who cared for unborn babies. The decrees of Urd were carried out by the Giptes. Other Disir oversaw certain families or clans. There were even supernatural women , not Valkyries, who brought the souls of the dead to Hel's realm. 

It is rare for a person to know exactly where their future is going, including all the sidetracks that invariably go on.  It is difficult to even get a clear glimpse of the broader picture.  Learning to work with the Norns and The Fates and Listen to their advice is important to avoid major pitfalls.  If they point out coming problems, and we manage to change our direction to avoid them, we have taken responsibility in the molding of our future.  If the problems revealed by the Norns seem to stay in our path regardless of our efforts, then we must work through them, learning the necessary lessons.

 * The English knew of the Norns by the name of the Weird Sisters. The Anglo-Saxons called them Wyrd; in Old High German Wurd. These Wyrd Sisters are quite likely descendants of the Greek Moerae or Fates.

RITUAL:

 This is from the book "Moon Magick" by D.J. Conway. It is suggested for the Dark Moon that falls in December. I am not copying word for word except for the ritual and the info on the fates... I have done this ritual before and have added my own notes and thoughts.

* You will need; * 3 long cords (thick string or ribbon) - one white, one black, and one red
Your altar set up however you want for the Winter season and whatever candles or incense you find fitting.
You may choose to have three candles, one of red, one of black, and one of red, also, to represent the three sisters (The Fates/The Norns) or three candles of any color you wish... however you want to set it up is fine.

 * The Ritual;

 Call upon The Fates. You can call upon the Greek Fates (Clotho, Lachesis, and Atropos) or the Nordic Norns (Urd, Verthandi, and Skuld), or call on them as The Wyrd Sisters as they are known in English traditions.

* Take the three cords and braid them together. If you wish, make this long enough to be tied around your waist and in the future use the braided cord as part of your ritual garment, (or something to be kept on your altar at all times) As you braid, repeat this chant; *

 "Over, under, threads of Fate.

As in my life, so in all things.

Weaving the pattern, soon or late,

I see the result that action brings."

 (You may also choose to chant the names of the Fates between each repetition of the above chant.) When you finish braiding the cord, knot both ends and kiss the braid. Wrap it around your waist or drape it over your shoulders (or wrap it around your wrists and lift your hands upward) Visualize the Fates of Norns before you, lift your hands to them and chant;

"A new year dawns, the threads weave on,

to ultimately reveal my destiny.

Oh Fates of Life, I ask your aid

To clear my path and set me free.

Let old things die and blow away.

Let new come in to prosper me.

Oh Fates of Life I ask your aid,

To clear my life and set me free."

Sleep with the braided cords under your pillow and pay attention to your dreams.  And be prepared to do whatever is necessary and proper to straighten out your life and make your path smoother.

You may also choose to use the braid to wrap around your deck of tarot cards, or to wear around your wrist, shoulders, or waist whenever you do divination of any form, to help you connect with The Fates or The Norns during future readings.

12 Days of Yule; Day 1

12 Days of Yule; Day 1

Follow along with my 12 Days of Yule Blog Prompts here;  http://journalyourselfawake.blogspot.com/2012/12/12-days-of-yule-day-1.html

Today's Prayer;

"Cold and dark, this time of year,
the earth lies dormant, awaiting the return
of the sun, and with it, life.
Far beneath the frozen surface,
a heartbeat waits,
until the moment is right,
to spring."

By Patti Wigington

Here in the desert, the winter is not the classic "winter" that they sing about in the Christmas songs.  It doesn't snow here, many of our trees are still green, so it can be difficult to connect with that "Winter" feeling.  But there is a chill in the air, the nights get pretty cold, and there are subtle differences.  It sounds different outside, there are no cicadas chirping loudly in the Palo Verde trees, no buzzing of bees, and many birds have gone further south for the winter (spoiled, aren't they?)  I don't hear the mockingbirds anymore.  There are no lizards or geckos crawling the walls of my house, and the un-ending stream of ants that was trying to invade my home all summer has mysteriously disappeared.  So even while I can't really connect with the songs about snow, and my picture of winter is quite different than my ancestors must have experienced in Germany, Ireland, and England many many years ago....I can still find ways to contemplate the winter and what it means for me here in the desert.  Today's blog prompt asks us to consider what has gone dormant around us, and what might also need to go dormant in our lives.  The Earth simplifies herself in the winter, shedding all that she doesn't need, reserving energy for the spring.  She becomes a minimalist.  So I ask myself, what can I minimize in my life?  What parts of my life need to "Hibernate" for a while?

I know that in my home, I have a lot of clutter and "things" that I need to let go of.  I had begun a room-by-room decluttering process in the fall, and I need to continue with that and really purge the closets and shelves of things I no longer need, use, or love. 

I need to let go of an attitude that creates procrastination.  This may seem counter-intuitive to winter dormancy, since a lack of procrastination would actually result in me doing MORE.  But my procrastination creates more stress, and I need to let that go. 

I drew a tarot card, asking what I need to release and how I can do it, and I got The Ace of Pentacles.  The Ace is about beginnings and planting seeds of prosperity, reaching out and grasping the abundance that is available.  I feel that this card is confirming my thought that I need to release my procrastinations and stress.  Although the earth lies dormant, some seeds of the spring are already in the ground, preparing for spring so they can grow.  I can take this time to plant my own "seeds" and prepare for the future.  I need to keep planning, and "planting" and even though I might not see the fruits of my labor right away, the process needs to begin now.  I need to let my financial fears and worries go dormant, and focus on the hope for better times that are on their way.  Today I will work on putting my fears to rest, and to know when the time is right to act.  I plant the seeds and expect the best!

The following is from "Around The Tarot in 78 Days" by Marcus Katz and Tali Goodwin;

The Ace of Pentacles says;
"There is a material opportunity in the making that is not yet fully formed.  You must be open and receptive  to material reward; good times could be awaiting you.  Now is the time to set the ball rolling on any venture or transaction, or to court prosperity by merely investing in a solitary lottery ticket."

Connect to your card;
Plant a seed -- whether literally or one of an idea.  Have a fresh start at something new.

You are blocking this card today by;
1. Not investing in your future security.
2. Turning down that lucrative deal you have been offered.
3. Not buying a lottery ticket.
4. Refusing the support you have been offered.

Meditation;
"Great oaks from little acorns grow." Allow yourself to be like the little acorn; know that you will grow forever upwards and fulfill your destiny.

Affirmation;
"I am the seed of all that can be created"

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!

New Moon, Meditation & Motivation!

After yesterday's post I was feeling a little lost, needing direction, and searching for my motivation.  My motivation to clean the house was GONE, I was feeling overwhelmed, and just a bit miffed.  I knew I needed some time to meditate, and I wanted to meditate and connect with the Goddess for the New Moon.  I figured after the kids went to bed I would sit in my Living room and meditate and have a small ritual.... but by the time night came my house was still a mess and my living room looked like this;

It was then (finally!) that I found my motivation!  The Goddess!  SHE motivated me to clean up my space.  I knew the energy wouldn't flow right if the room was like this... so I dedicated the time for cleaning to do it for the Goddess so that I could connect with Her, and so she could better work through me!

Guess what?  It only took FIFTEEN minutes to clean up that room!

 This included picking everything up, putting stuff away, throwing away trash, vacuuming the room, AND smudging/blessing the room with sage!  Here's another angle of the Before & After pics I took for my cleaning group.

 Fifteen minutes!  I'm not lying, that's all it took!  I felt so empowered by this!  I was motivated to do it... for the right reasons... not because it's expected of me, not because it's my job or duty, not because I HAD to do it, but because I wanted a clear space so I could commune with the Goddess and the energy of the New Moon!  And that motivation in turn reminded me that it does NOT take long to get something done if I just DO IT!

After that I decided to do a pre-ritual cleansing bath... so I went in my bathroom and of course, I had to clean the bathroom before I could expect to energetically and physically cleanse myself in that space.... FIVE minutes was all it took and; Wha-La!  My bathroom got cleaned too!
After a lovely bath, I went back in my clean living room and had a wonderful time meditating and praying.  I set up a small altar on the floor with a couple candles, my Hestia/Vesta figurine, sandalwood incense, and my tarot cards.  I set out The Heirophant (Taurus), The Empress (Venus) and The Hermit (Vesta) as focal points to underline the energy of the New Moon in Taurus.  (I also put out the Queen of Pentacles - Fixed Earth, and the 10 of Pentacles - Earth, and I used The Celestial Tarot)

 I read this article by Rebecca Brents about the New Moon in Taurus energy, and followed by this creative visualization/meditation :)  I LOVE this New Moon series by Rebecca Brents!  This meditation is so peaceful and positive, I plan on doing it again tonite!

 I followed up that meditation with this purification ritual.  This is from "Moon Magick" by D.J. Conway and it is the suggested ritual for the energy of the New Moon in May.  I haven't included all of the details here, just the basics and the prayer.

Vesta of the Hearth Flame Purification Ritual(Red Candle, purifying incense)

Cast your circle.  Kneel before the altar until you feel recognized by The Goddess, then say
"May I be cleansed outwardly and inwardly, body and soul,
that all things in my life may be made new."

Light the red candle and meditate on it's cleansing and purifying energies, and think about the myth of Vesta, the Deity of both domestic and ceremonial fires.  Keeper of the Hearth flame she was considered very pure, and if a condemned man were to happen upon one of her priestesses, his trespasses would be forgiven and he would be set free.  Come before Vesta in your heart and mind, knowing that she will help cleanse you of any negative patterns you may be repeating, and ask her for purification and renewal with the following prayer;
"Vesta of the Sacred Flame,
Goddess of purification and renewal,
lady who sets the imprisoned free,
Pour your cleansing fires upon my heart and soul
That my life may be made new, my spirit receptive.
Awaken my mind to new opportunities.
Call my soul to greater spiritual knowledge.
Reveal to me your Inner Mysteries
that I may experience initiation anew.
Purify and bless me, O Vesta!"

remain in front of the altar in meditation until you feel the blessing of the Goddess.  How you feel it will be different for every person... a tingle, a warm or cold sensation... anything!  Listen and wait for the blessing of the Goddess.  Once you feel you have been blessed, Thank Vesta and close your circle.  Your purification may be received in different ways.  Within a couple days you may have a change in attitude, a desire to change your eating habits, or otherwise experience changes... embrace your purification as being personally meant for you from the Goddess for your Highest Good!
----------------------------------------------
Even my cat looked more peaceful and happy after my New Moon meditation and ritual!

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 - 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!

Festival of Sarasvati - Ritual for Inspiration and Wisdom

The Festival of Sarasvati is traditionally held in India on the New Moon that falls closest to January 12th, or on January 12th itself. The festival is known as The Besant Panchami, or Duwat Puja. Since Sarasvati is the Goddess of Learning, Writing, and book-keeping, it was traditional to clean the ink stands and pens. Since last night was the New Moon, with January 12th just around the corner, when I found this ritual I knew it would be perfect for me! I was born on January 12, Sarasvati's Festival day.... is it a coincidence that I love to write and learn? I think I have been blessed by this Goddess throughout my life... though it took me 30 years to find Her.

SARASVATI -
Often depicted as a beautiful woman with 4 arms, she rules over the arts of civilization such as all branches of learning, writing, communication, the alphabet, math, and calendars. She is often called upon to bring inspiration, knowledge, wisdom, and to clear away sluggishness of the mind and ignorance.

The ritual I found is from the book, "Moon Magick" by D.J. Conway. (Can you tell I love this book? I'll probably reference it often throughout the year, it's so fabulous!) The book suggests honoring Sarasvati at the time of the New Moon in January, after New Years Day, but I think it could be held at any time you want some inspiration and help from Sarasvati. Here I will outline what I did for last night's ritual.

I actually started on the 3rd, by cleaning out my computer desk. I cleaned out the paper caddy on top of the desk and put important papers into files and threw away the junk. I cleaned out three desk drawers on the 3rd, doing the same thing - filing the important stuff and throwing away the junk. This was actually an important part of the ritual for me... and I found it very fitting to do this so close to the New Year... getting a fresh start with paperwork, so to speak. On the 4th I continued and completed my project of clearing out the desk. I had books that needed to be put back in place, scraps of paper to be thrown away, things to be filed.... but I did it and it feels great!! The book also suggests organizing and dusting your book shelves, and dusting/cleaning your computer area and keyboard. Basically clean up any area that you use to read, write, and learn.

Next, I set up my altar. I have The Goddess Tarot by Kris Waldherr, and I found that the equivalent of The High Priestess in this deck is called Wisdom and depicts Sarasvati. Since I don't have a statue of Sarasvati to put on my altar, I used this tarot card. If you don't have anything, you can perhaps print a picture of her from the internet, draw a picture of her, or at least write her name on a note card to place on your altar. I surrounded her with flowers, and I laid out a fresh clean peice of paper and a pen, and a white candle. I also added the two tarot cards that relate to the current moon cycle - Death for the New Moon in Capricorn and The Chariot for the upcoming Full Moon in Cancer (Capricorn's polarity). Since I was already using The Goddess Tarot, these cards brought into attentance the Japanese Goddess Nyai Loro Kidul and the Celtic Goddess Rhiannon. I am sure I will be blogging about them at some point this month, but the focus here was on Sarasvati!

After my altar was set up, I prepared myself by taking a bath, shaving my legs, brushing my hair, and getting dressed. It was probably 9:00 at night, but I dressed myself as if I were going to a job interview. I figure that when you are invoking a wise Goddess such as Sarasvati, you can't just show up in your bath robe and slippers! Conway suggests that you should light the incense and candle, and meditate for awhile in front of your altar, chanting the OM. But in my research of Sarasvati I found something I thought would be even better... I found a Mantra specifically used to invoke Sarasvati! So I turned this lovely video on from my computer, and chanted/sang the Mantra while facing my altar until I could feel myself vibrating and I truly felt that I was having an audience with Sarasvati!
Sarasvati Beej Mantra

Candles lit, incense burning, wine poured, I spent some time in meditation, chanting the mantra and thinking about how Sarasvati has blessed me with a strong desire to learn and a passion for writing. Then I prayed this prayer from the book;

"I stand at the center of this spiritual universe,

within the heart of the sacred mandala.
Gentle Sarasvati, I come to you for aid and blessings."

On the piece of paper I wrote down some goals that I have... asking for assistance with my organization and help keeping important papers straight in my home. I wrote down that I would like to be inspired to write in my blogs; to learn more, share what I learn, and teach others. I asked for clarity in my writing, clarity of thought. I filled the page with several wishes, then laid the paper back on the altar and prayed;

"Beautiful Sarasvati, Goddess of Light and Inspiration,
Reveal to me the knowledge I need.
Grant my requests in a manner that benefits me.
Thankyou, lovely Goddess."

I made sure my candles would be safe for the night (placed on fire proof holders, nothing too close to them, banished the cats from the room, etc.) and I went to bed. This morning when I rose, I lit another white candle, chanted the mantra again a few times, and meditated some more, then I burned the paper in a metal pan and watched the smoke swirl around my altar and the image of Sarasvati. When the ashes cooled, I took them outside and scattered them to the wind, thanking Sarasvati for the Knowledge and Inspiration I know she will bring me.