Posts Tagged ‘ancestors’

Ancestor worship is a wide-spread belief system, in both primitive and sophisticated cultures. Ancestral healing unfortunately gets very little attention these days, even though some of our patterns and energy imbalances may well stem from our genetic pool.

My first exposure to the concept of communicating with our Ancestors occurred many years ago, during initiation into the Southern African culture of divining and healing. During my training to become a Sangoma*, in a remote area in Southern Africa, time was always put aside for offering prayers to, and for consulting with the Ancestors. My mentor taught me how the Ancestor energies affected their still living relatives, and how, in most African cultures, they are seen as being our link to the spirit world. Read the rest of this entry »

One of the quaintest concepts, that seemed to captivate imaginations around the turn of the 18^th century, were the elements and their embodiments in the form of Elemental Spirits. These beings were the personification of the Classical elements of Earth, Water, Air and Fire.

In the Middle Ages, great attention was given to these four elements in terms of diagnosis, such as the Choleric being linked to the Earth, which would be thus be linked to Taurus. The Phlegmatic was linked to the water element, or Pisces, which often would diagnose lung disorders, thus the word origin for phlegm. Read the rest of this entry »

I believe cats, like many animals, have special gifts. They are mystical creatures that share a special world. Unlike other animals, I think somehow they are aware they have these gifts and share special secrets with each other, within a mystical and magical life.

Animals send us messages of healing and caring if we are intuitive and open to receiving them. Cats can be instrumental in helping us find peace when we are troubled or upset.

When I am doing a psychic reading, one of my cats, Paddy, always insists on being near me. On calls, when the caller is particularly troubled, Paddy begins to meow and almost takes over the reading. On one occasion I had to gently guide him out of the room. It is almost like he is trying to use his psychic and intuitive abilities, and I am merely his channel. I feel grounded when he is around me; it is like he knows the person calling needs guidance and support. Read the rest of this entry »

Since the time of the ancients, the use of salt (halos in Greek) was widespread for its healing properties. In our modern era, spending time in salt caves (speleos) are becoming popular as therapy. What can this accomplish for us?

Humankind evolved from the oceans; we have a natural connection to the sea and its properties. Since most of us are not in close proximity to the water, a salt cave in a landlocked area can offer a variety of healing properties. These caves are the remnants of inland seas from millions of years ago.

Salt caves, as individual micro-climates, are balanced chemically and harbor few, if any, allergens. This offers an ideal environment to recuperate for persons suffering from chronic allergies, respiratory ailments, or bronchitis. Think about the properties of a simple salt lamp, then imagine being surrounded by a large room of one of nature’s most beneficial substances. Read the rest of this entry »

There are many stories about the Sun and the Moon that have been passed down through the generations. A lot of them are instructional, passed from mother to daughter, and father to son, in order to teach the young about the pitfalls and lessons of life. Some African tribes tell a tale explaining why you never see the bat and the Sun in the sky at the same time.

In the beginning of time, Creator sent his messengers to gather all creatures, great and small, to receive their purpose. The messengers were given a specific time to arrive so they would all be there before him.

The messenger assigned to bring Sun was Bat. He wasn’t very diligent and was easily distracted along the way. So, when all the other creatures had been given their assigned roles in the world, and Bat had not yet returned with Sun, Creator sent Dove. Dove was one of Creator’s most trusted messengers and was sure to complete Bat’s task and bring Sun to him. Read the rest of this entry »

I discovered Moonstone when I bought it online. it was set in a ring and I instantly fell in love. Now, I use it in the jewelry I make whenever I can.

Moonstone is a very powerful stone. According to Crystal Vaults, Moonstone is traditionally thought to lose its silvery luster if the owner continues to hold onto anger. In the Orient, the Moonstone was known as a “phenomenal gem” that should be worn on Mondays.

Scott Cunningham writes that the mythical deities associated with Moonstone are Diana, Seline, Isis, and all Luna Goddesses. He notes that, according to legend, Moonstone is more potent during a waxing moon and less in the waning moon. Moonstone is receptive and draws love, and you can wear it or simply carry it. Read the rest of this entry »

We all take for granted the sun’s diurnal and seasonal activity and its life-giving energy, but to many civilizations it was also its passage that marked the agricultural and seasonal alterations that were essential for survival and migration. For the ancients the Sun marked the passage of time, as it went through the twelve Celestial Houses of the Zodiac.

It is interesting to note that the Sun itself is one of the orbs that acquires the characteristics of every astrological house, or the personality of each zodiac sign it passes through. When we look deeper into the astrological methods used to divine the planets, we know, in part, the sun is not a planet, by a technical margin. It has a third path of travel known as the precession of the equinoxes, in which it retrogrades around the Zodiac through the twelve signs at the rate of one degree every 72 years. Read the rest of this entry »

Today’s August Full Moon is traditionally known by many names in different cultures. The Native Americans call it the Sturgeon Moon or Green Corn Moon, and some tribes also know it as the Red Moon.

In the Northern Hemisphere the August moon signifies that Earth’s bounty is fully matured and ready for harvest. Wiccans and Neo-Pagans therefore often refer to it as the Wort Moon. Wort is an old-fashioned term for “plant” or “herb.”

My favorite Moon legend is the story “Moon Waters” which originates from Colombia.

Many, many years ago there lived a man named Bochica who was highly honored among his people. Bochica was a very wise man and taught his people how to build sturdy homes to protect them from harsh weather, and how to plant fields and nurture them, so they would be able to reap the crops to sustain them until the next harvest. Read the rest of this entry »