Earth Mother Moon Journal, Issue 17
Samhain Edition, October 31, 2007
Samhain Edition, October 31, 2007
The New Year- new beginnings and priorities, by Calesta Ana
In Pagan traditions it is now the beginning of a new year. I've been thinking on the future to come, and how to best prepare for that future. This week, I was lucky this week to meet with an incredible woman I respect very much. One of the first things I said to her was- I'm struggling with sorting out my priorities right now, I don't know what is going on with me! And she said- you are not the first person to tell me this this week, I think something must be going on regarding this on a larger scale. So I started looking, paying more attention and noticed what is happening in the outside world. On the news was a sound-bite: are we going to give the financial break at the gas pump, or in the housing crisis", or, are we going to go green or focus on the economy, and the threat of the government shutting down because there are these two polarized sides who each think they are the only right way... and I thought, this IS all over the place! And then it just hits me... how these sound-bites are shown- it is an either or. Priorities, and future decision making or planning is never something black or white. Life is always much more complicated and beautiful with sparkles of all shades of colors in between. Like the light that hits a diamond and sparkles all around the room- what we do and what happens around us is reflected in a myriad of ways around the planet. It is something that comes day by day, moment by moment. Going with one's heart, and gut instinct, and if there isn't a strong feeling, waiting until there is. Or making the best with what you can. Witches often spend this next day doing divination for the future year... and tonight after the kids are in bed, I too will be meditating and working with the cards. But the cards messages are never what will happen, but possibility- that we can learn from and change. And one great way to do that is to look back. I encourage you tonight, to look back at this past year- what is it you were grateful for, enjoyed, loved, and learned from. What do you hope to take with you into the new year? What do you hope to learn from and leave behind? What part of yourself do you want to shine and radiate to those around you? Happy Samhain:)
Calesta
In Pagan traditions it is now the beginning of a new year. I've been thinking on the future to come, and how to best prepare for that future. This week, I was lucky this week to meet with an incredible woman I respect very much. One of the first things I said to her was- I'm struggling with sorting out my priorities right now, I don't know what is going on with me! And she said- you are not the first person to tell me this this week, I think something must be going on regarding this on a larger scale. So I started looking, paying more attention and noticed what is happening in the outside world. On the news was a sound-bite: are we going to give the financial break at the gas pump, or in the housing crisis", or, are we going to go green or focus on the economy, and the threat of the government shutting down because there are these two polarized sides who each think they are the only right way... and I thought, this IS all over the place! And then it just hits me... how these sound-bites are shown- it is an either or. Priorities, and future decision making or planning is never something black or white. Life is always much more complicated and beautiful with sparkles of all shades of colors in between. Like the light that hits a diamond and sparkles all around the room- what we do and what happens around us is reflected in a myriad of ways around the planet. It is something that comes day by day, moment by moment. Going with one's heart, and gut instinct, and if there isn't a strong feeling, waiting until there is. Or making the best with what you can. Witches often spend this next day doing divination for the future year... and tonight after the kids are in bed, I too will be meditating and working with the cards. But the cards messages are never what will happen, but possibility- that we can learn from and change. And one great way to do that is to look back. I encourage you tonight, to look back at this past year- what is it you were grateful for, enjoyed, loved, and learned from. What do you hope to take with you into the new year? What do you hope to learn from and leave behind? What part of yourself do you want to shine and radiate to those around you? Happy Samhain:)
Calesta
Divination from Calesta
Asking the cards... 'what lesson should we take with us into this new year?' Using the 'witches tarot' deck, I pulled the prince of pentacles reversed, and the queen of wands upright. So what this means is one thing early in it's beginning will not come to pass... but an even great and stronger journey has begun and taken root. I love how one card followed the other:) when things do not take form, there is always something great forming behind them. In other words, when one door closes, it makes room for another door. This is a perfect lesson for us to remember going into the new year:) Namaste!
"Change- inspiring quotes!"
(quotes are from 'Treasury of Women's Quotations by Carolyn Warner')
The only thing I can guarantee for you in this new year is change, and here's a little inspiration on that!:)
"The only constant in life is Change. Change permeates everything we are and do. The absence of change is worse that inaction, it is atrophy. People change. Plans change. Organizations change. Change is natural, it is normal. yet, the resistance to change is also just as normal and natural a part of human nature as the acceptance of change."
"That's the risk you take if you change; that people you've been involved with won't like the new you. But other people who do will come along." Lisa Alther
"I learned in my four decades in Washington that one person can make a difference." Liz Carpenter
"Life is change. Growth is optional. Choose wisely." Karen Kaiser Clark
"Today if you're not confused you are not thinking clearly." Irene Peter
"Union with the Shadow-Self or Co- Walker"
Quoted from 'Celtic Women's Spirituality by Edain McCoy'
"The Celts believed that a part of themselves dwelled within each world. The Otherworld self was known as the shadow-self or co-walker (coimimeadh in Irish) and was a double of the living person. This belief gave rise to the concept of the 'fetch' or spirit-double, who appears to people a few weeks prior to their death in order to fetch them to the Otherworld for union with the rest of the selves. The shadow - self is not a polar image of the physical self, bad where the physical self is good, and good where it is bad, but rather and accurate mirror of the true self. union with this shadow self can immediately show us our good traits and bad, and can help us find ways to overcome fear blockages tat hold back our spiritual progress. In this respect it is also a guardian spirit. The shadow-self is intimately linked to the crone Goddess and to her cauldron of transformation in the Otherworld. Only by union with the self, and the willingness to enter the cauldron, can we hope to become whole begins while still in an earthly incarnation."
Reading the above passage, reminds me of the need for all of us to walk with all of ourselves, our light and dark. What better time to enter the cauldron than tonight:)
"Day of the Dead, October 31" Quoted from 'Celebrating the Great Mother, a handbook of earth- honoring activities for parents and children by Cait Johnson and Maura Shaw'
"This is the only earth- centered festival that falls on the same day as a major cultural holiday; much of our work around Samhain then, involves undoing the negative cultural messages that have been superimposed on its ancient sacredness... Our ancestors believed that Samhain, out of all of the days of the year, was the one when the veil between the worlds was thinnest- permitting the comings and goings of loving ancestor spirits, who spent the dark hours dropping by for visits and helping out with the myriad kinds of divination activities that were so prevalent at that time. Samhain is the Celtic New Year, and at least part of the reason for doing divination on this night is to receive guidance and information for the coming year."
I wish you the best during this Moon Time:)
Feel free to email me using the contact form.
<< Previous Moon Journal Entry
Next Moon Journal Entry >>
Asking the cards... 'what lesson should we take with us into this new year?' Using the 'witches tarot' deck, I pulled the prince of pentacles reversed, and the queen of wands upright. So what this means is one thing early in it's beginning will not come to pass... but an even great and stronger journey has begun and taken root. I love how one card followed the other:) when things do not take form, there is always something great forming behind them. In other words, when one door closes, it makes room for another door. This is a perfect lesson for us to remember going into the new year:) Namaste!
"Change- inspiring quotes!"
(quotes are from 'Treasury of Women's Quotations by Carolyn Warner')
The only thing I can guarantee for you in this new year is change, and here's a little inspiration on that!:)
"The only constant in life is Change. Change permeates everything we are and do. The absence of change is worse that inaction, it is atrophy. People change. Plans change. Organizations change. Change is natural, it is normal. yet, the resistance to change is also just as normal and natural a part of human nature as the acceptance of change."
"That's the risk you take if you change; that people you've been involved with won't like the new you. But other people who do will come along." Lisa Alther
"I learned in my four decades in Washington that one person can make a difference." Liz Carpenter
"Life is change. Growth is optional. Choose wisely." Karen Kaiser Clark
"Today if you're not confused you are not thinking clearly." Irene Peter
"Union with the Shadow-Self or Co- Walker"
Quoted from 'Celtic Women's Spirituality by Edain McCoy'
"The Celts believed that a part of themselves dwelled within each world. The Otherworld self was known as the shadow-self or co-walker (coimimeadh in Irish) and was a double of the living person. This belief gave rise to the concept of the 'fetch' or spirit-double, who appears to people a few weeks prior to their death in order to fetch them to the Otherworld for union with the rest of the selves. The shadow - self is not a polar image of the physical self, bad where the physical self is good, and good where it is bad, but rather and accurate mirror of the true self. union with this shadow self can immediately show us our good traits and bad, and can help us find ways to overcome fear blockages tat hold back our spiritual progress. In this respect it is also a guardian spirit. The shadow-self is intimately linked to the crone Goddess and to her cauldron of transformation in the Otherworld. Only by union with the self, and the willingness to enter the cauldron, can we hope to become whole begins while still in an earthly incarnation."
Reading the above passage, reminds me of the need for all of us to walk with all of ourselves, our light and dark. What better time to enter the cauldron than tonight:)
"Day of the Dead, October 31" Quoted from 'Celebrating the Great Mother, a handbook of earth- honoring activities for parents and children by Cait Johnson and Maura Shaw'
"This is the only earth- centered festival that falls on the same day as a major cultural holiday; much of our work around Samhain then, involves undoing the negative cultural messages that have been superimposed on its ancient sacredness... Our ancestors believed that Samhain, out of all of the days of the year, was the one when the veil between the worlds was thinnest- permitting the comings and goings of loving ancestor spirits, who spent the dark hours dropping by for visits and helping out with the myriad kinds of divination activities that were so prevalent at that time. Samhain is the Celtic New Year, and at least part of the reason for doing divination on this night is to receive guidance and information for the coming year."
I wish you the best during this Moon Time:)
Feel free to email me using the contact form.
<< Previous Moon Journal Entry
Next Moon Journal Entry >>