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!
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Even my cat looked more peaceful and happy after my New Moon meditation and ritual!

Mommy Time Monday - The Fool

Yep... I got this card again.  Last week I didn't draw a card, but the week before I did, and it was this one.... (see my last post).  So, I'm feeling I really need to dig in deeper to the meaning of this card.

As I shuffled I was asking the Housewives to give me a message to help me with my attitude towards housework.  Today, and thru most of last week, I have been slipping.  My motivation is lacking, and my house is suffering.  I'm having these moments of feeling sorry for myself, complaining that I get no help, that it isn't fair, etc.  It's the same story every week.  Thru the week I work hard to get my house in order... the laundry caught up, the bathrooms cleaned, the kitchen cleaned, and whatever extra organizing I can manage, on top of dealing with the kids, cooking dinners, and trying to get the best possible deals with coupons at the grocery store and attempting to balance the budget and make sure the bills are paid.  Sometimes I get along just fine, happy to do my part, enjoying the blessings of being able to do all these things for my family.  But sometimes I just feel bogged down, unappreciated, overworked, and stretched too thin.

The weekends come and go, and for 20 hours of the weekend I am at work, only home on Saturday night to sleep and then back home Sunday evening in time for dinner.  During my absence, the house seems to fall apart.  No one does the dishes unless they need a clean dish to eat off of, no one clears those flat surfaces of junk, no one does any laundry.  Now I can't say I blame my husband... he works all week and deserves to relax on his 2 days off.  But I must admit I have been growing bitter at coming home to such a mess after I spend the weekdays keeping it clean.

So as I shuffled my cards, I asked; what can I do to change my attitude about my situation?  I am not looking to change my husband, I love him the way he is, and I love the other ways in which he provides for me and our family.  But I don't want this bitterness to grow.

The Fool card indicates a new beginning, an new journey of sorts.  It's obvious that the housewife on this card needs to pull herself together a little bit... she's so scattered and a bit un-organized.  Maybe she needs to prioritize.  Maybe she needs a little help.  So, maybe it's not a bad thing for me to ask for help, and maybe I'm being a fool thinking I can handle all of this myself!  The Fool card often indicates a new attitude, new adventure, new journey.  Maybe I'm just going about things the wrong way and I need to re-evaluate and think of things a little differently.  Not that I want to shirk any of my responsibilities.... but maybe an attitude adjustment is in order here.  I can swallow my pride and ask my husband for help... I just have to make sure I choose my words carefully and let him know I do appreciate what he does... while at the same time re-evaluating my priorities and figuring out just exactly where I want to put my energy and what I need to direct my focus on.... so as not to be the fool running around with mis-matched shoes and a trail of chaos!

Weekly Housewives Report 4/18 - 4/22

Weekly Houswives' Report 4/18/2011 - 4/22/2011

The week began and I drew this card for myself from The Housewives Tarot - The Fool.  I could certainly relate to this harried housewife, running around in somewhat of a frenzy, excited about the prospects of her week but just not quite in control.  Like the housewife on this card, the multitude of tasks and responsibilities of the week were just an unorganized mess of plans and emotions.  Once I saw this card I knew I needed to just slow down, simplify, and FOCUS.  Not always an easy thing for me to do!

With the FlyLady.net program this week we were focusing on the Master Bedroom.  I figured that focusing some of my energy on renewing my personal space would be a perfect way for me to slow down, simplify, and prioritize.  When my Bedroom is clean and inviting I tend to spend more time taking care of myself.  I sleep better, I meditate more, and I just feel better!

 So... this area needed some work.  This was my bookshelf next to the bed.  Most of my books were either in the closet or in the computer room because there just wasn't enough room for them here.  I had gotten a new book shelf a couple weeks ago, but hadn't brought it in here yet.  I hadn't really decided if it was going to go in my Master Bedroom or in another room.  But I decided my books and tarot cards needed a better home than their present location, sooo....

 Ta-Da!  Transformation!  ALL my "woo~woo" books in one place!  Now I actually WANT to stay in my room... I mean with all my books straightened and easy to find, I've got my own personal witchy library here and I love it!

 My Tarot and Oracle Card collection... now in it's worthy home that deserves some showing off!

And my Tarot Library!   Still growing... but it just makes me so happy to see all my tarot books in one place, happily on a shelf together with my tarot journals!

The lower shelves contain my spiritual books with topics ranging from Astrology, Meditation, Yoga, Wicca, Witchcraft, and other Pagan Paths.

Tuesday night I had my Yoga Class and our meditation on Awakening your Inner Child.  I was inspired to write a couple blogs about that experience...
Awakening Your Inner Child
Peace of Mind
Thirteen Ways to Awaken Your Inner Child
I was also reminded that as a child, our personal space in the world is our bedroom, it is our sanctuary, our kingdom where our imagination can roam and our play and fantasies really come to life.  This inspired me to keep working on my bedroom, even when it began to look like this.... 

But 30 minutes or so took care of THAT problem....

Ahhh!  Feels so much better now, doesn't it?!?!

I ended the week by getting rid of some clothes from the closets and dressers and immediately taking those clothes to my local Goodwill thrift store.  I got myself 1 new pair of jeans for work, and found a new lampshade to go with the lamp I got at a yardsale... so now my Master Bedroom is not only clean and organized, but well- lit also!  The sheets and comforter have been washed today also, so I'm about to crawl into bed and enjoy the scent of lavender on my sheets as I drift of to sleep in my energetically cleansed sanctuary!

All in all, I think this Fool managed to pull herself together and accomplish exactly what needed to be done!  Now I'm ready for the next stage of my journey, whatever that may be!

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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