HOW THIS WINTER SOLSTICE WILL AFFECT YOU NEXT YEAR
The most recent New Moon a few days ago on December 12. In Daoist and Chinese lunar traditions, this moon cycle is considered the Winter Moon or 11th Moon of the lunar year. The Winter Solstice or Dongzhi is celebrated as a festival of observing Yin at her greatest, and it is this honouring of her height that the Yang can re-emerge. In Daoist thought, this acknowledgement and sitting with Yin is vital for Spring, in order for the gifts of the subsequent year, to arrive and come to fruition. This year's return to and observance of the Great Yin is crucially important on two main levels.
HOW DOES BEING TEA DRUNK FEEL?
From spiritual and energetic perspectives, being tea drunk is often associated with being over-filled with Cha Qi, the life force of the plant or the plant’s spirit. When channeling 'cha qi' in both body and spirit, I've observed it to be highly suitable for creative and intuitive work.
DO PLANTS FEEL THE SAME?
No matter how often we are told we are loved, it’s still possible to forget it. I wonder if plants ever feel the same. I confess my love for them, again, as sweetly as the first time. I think the Tea in my cup today blushes. The Ferns, too.
Following the plants,
YOU ARE THE ENERGETIC COMPANY THAT YOU KEEP
To the wu shamans, and later Daoists and Ch'an Buddhists (whose sentiments can still be found in present day Chinese culture, such as in Traditional Chinese Medicine and Chinese Astrology), the separation between consciousness and landscape did not exist.
SIMPLE MOON RITUALS FOR POWERFUL ENERGETIC SHIFTS: IN COLLABORATION WITH GOOP
I return to goop, and was interviewed about Moon rituals that highlights principles of Yin, Yang, and Daoism (the philosophy that birthed the Five Elements and Chinese Zodiac) in general. The idea is to slow right down, get tactile, and relate differently than you typically would.
HOW TO DETERMINE YOUR ELEMENTS ACCORDING TO CHINESE ASTROLOGY
For those who have not yet worked with me, or are simply needing a refresher, refer to the following tables I’ve created to self-determine which Elements are with you and within you:
WHAT ARE SIGILS?
Traditionally speaking, sigils are a form of magick that holds the energy that is accessed through a specific intent and ritual. Sigils are often created by combining letters, symbols, shapes into an abstract design that is charged with energy of the desire. Common purposes include protection, peace in a home, recovery and healing, success on a project, and so forth.
HOW DOES THE FORCE IN STAR WARS PLAY PARALLEL WITH THE DAO ACCORDING TO DAOISM?
In Daoism (Taoism), the concept of the Dao (Tao) refers to the fundamental vital life force that underlies and connects all beings and all things in the Cosmos.
In Star Wars, the Force is portrayed as a powerful and all-encompassing energy that connects all living things in the galaxy.
The Dao and the Force are both accepted as beyond the realm of human control and full human knowledge. It is the Dao that has the ultimate say; all else may be understood as mystery.
THE OFFERING ARRIVED
Qing Ming Jie, a dedicated day in early spring for traditional Chinese peoples to visit loved ones who have passed on at their graves and pay respects, was on a Wednesday this year, the day of Mercury. By custom, with the tombs freshly swept by the living, and the debris removed, the spaces consecrated as doorways to connect with the living dead were renewed at a minimum of each year. Even portals need cleaning.
EARTH DAY AND THE FEELING OF FUTILITY
Oh, loved ones. Reading my friend, Carmen Spagnola's post on Earth Day, resurrected so much within me. I remember the once held feelings of naive might-- the one individual can take on the ugly world of big corporations, the machines of government, the systems of isms. I can do this, using the stronger, faster, smarter, louder, harder mindset, and wouldn't you know, it burned me to a crisp.
NATURAL LAWS FOR INTUITION
1. Intuition require spaciousness and an unrushed pace to be the most authentic and reliable.
2. Rest and play fuel and sustain intuition.
3. Curiosity, receptivity and non-judgment to associations, signs, symbols (dreams, omens, synchronicities, correspondences) develop fluency.
DO SPIRITS CHANGE?
This morning, during my visit to the Inner Spirit Temple (an inner, spirit space where members of the Homing Coven can seek solace, meditate, and do group work), I was met by a few spirit beings I learn from and work with closely. One of the beings, Fire, along with a few plant allies, said to me, 'We change, too, you know."
DOES INTUITION CHANGE AS WE AGE?
Even the most seasoned intuitive, psychic, witch, healer, or spirit worker experience plateaus or deep winter seasons from time to time. The idea here is not to force our work into perpetual springs, as every phase of a cycle can be opportunities for engagement with the Seen and Unseen, to deepen our spiritual practice, to return to foundational lessons and skills, to renew our sense of humility and commitment to our craft.
MIST IN DAOISM
In Daoism (Taoism), mist (and fog) is often used as a metaphor for the Unknown, the Hidden, or Mystery. Mist as a symbol of the hidden forces of nature, the secrets of life, and the elusive nature of the Dao (Tao) itself.
WORKING WITH YOUR PAST AND YOUR FUTURE IN MAGICK
The power of recalling the past or envisioning the future in magick are such that for most humans our memories, desires, anxieties and expectations are not AS real, but are actually MORE real than reality.
