Divination
Do You Believe In Magic?
Do you believe in magic? I certainly do! I have not only experienced it, I have also been told by several different psychic readers over the years that I am descended from a very long line of witches. This does not really surprise me, as it is a well-known fact that people like me were called witches in our time.
People that were labeled witches were often those that others confided in. They were the sages that others went to for advice from spirit, the ancestors, or the cards, runes, bones, and many other divination traditions.
They were also the healers who cured with herbs and tinctures. Most witches had a sense of what plants and food would aid in healing the body and strengthening the mind.
And they were the mystics who blessed the tribe with rituals and ceremonies, and the prophets who guided the community’s warriors and leaders.
When people don’t understand something, it creates fear. The ‘evil witches’ often also knew too many of the local secrets. So, the witches were branded as malicious and wicked, instead of being appreciated and admired.
They were shunned, ridiculed, and even executed. Common methods were hanging, drowning, and burning at the stake. Burning alive was often favored because it was seen to be a more painful way to die.
But the esoteric wisdom and knowledge was passed down to select members of families and communities for generations by word-of-mouth. Not everyone was trusted with their secrets and not much was written down at that time either, for fear of persecution. But some would rather practice alone to avoid harassment, and much wisdom was lost in the process. Continue reading
Astrology Forecast October 4 – 10, 2021
We could feel a bit skittish or anxious this week as four astrological events unfold.
Today’s Virgo Moon has us running on all cylinders, and we could find it difficult to keep up with all that’s on our plates! But beware the Moon’s opposition to Neptune in Pisces later today, because it has a tendency to deflate our drive and motivation, and can also cause some of us to be anxious and overly sensitive.
Luckily the Moon will move into Libra tomorrow to restore some balance, cheer us up and stimulate our desire for harmony. The Libra Moon may also have us feeling romantic today. It is a great time to meet that someone new to sweep you off your feet!
The Libra New Moon on Wednesday gives us the opportunity for a fresh start or a ‘do-over’ if something we’re working on has hit a block. But be patient, as moodiness, restlessness and irritability may be a possibility today for those of us with a fragile temperament.
Pluto will also turn direct on Wednesday, after five months of backward motion. Pluto generates karmic shifts and is more generational than personal, so we may not even notice its influence for a month or more, but it promises to reverse and right some global problems we’ve been dealing with.
Venus will move into the light-hearted and fun-loving sign of Sagittarius on Thursday, bringing six weeks of joyful movement as we move closer to the holiday season next month. Speaking of Sagittarius, the Moon will travel through this fair-minded sign over the weekend, lightening the mood considerably. Saturn will turn direct on Sunday, calling for a restructuring of boundaries and schedules as we move into a cycle of busyness and high activity for the remainder of the year.
Last Quarter Mars Transit Report 2021
The red planet, fiery Mars, rules war, agriculture, competition, defense, our passions, and how we react. The positive side of Mars is bright, energetic, and driven, while the more negative aspects indicate aggression, impulsiveness, and bullying.
Astrologically, Mars cycles through each sign every six weeks unless it’s in retrograde motion where it can stay for a longer period of time. For the rest of 2021, Mars will enter the signs of Libra, Scorpio, and Sagittarius.
Earlier this month, on September 14th, Mars moved into Libra which is now highlighting our relationships and social connections of all kinds. There is now a desire to create balance and compromise where there has been lingering conflicts and unresolved issues.
Until Mars transits from Libra into Scorpio at the end of next month, a more passive approach is recommended and think twice before making a decision. Being methodical and strategic in a step-by-step fashion will be the best route to take.
On October 30th, Mars changes signs and moves into the watery sign of Scorpio, where the energy becomes more intense and emotional. We will want to experience life on a deeper level, know the truth , and feel more drawn to things that stimulates our senses. People tend to be more dramatic or calculating under the Mars in Scorpio influence. It’s best to avoid any situations that could trigger you or have you wanting to seek revenge.
Lastly, on December 13th, Mars goes into Sagittarius where things can get more exciting and unpredictable. Mars is typically compatible with fire signs, so it feels at home in Sagittarius. We will be craving more adventure and spontaneity towards the end of the year, and some of us may be more prone to impatience.
Astrology Forecast September 27 – October 3, 2021
Today may be the beginning of a somewhat ‘bumpy ride’ for next three to four weeks. With Mercury going retrograde today we also may not get much done this week. If you find yourself stalled on a project, your best bet is to swicth and do something else for a while, until the energy shifts.
Mercury retrograde is associated with confusion, communication issues, delays, technology malfunctions, and lots of frustration. So, until late October we can expect undelivered emails, misunderstandings on social media, computer issues – and if you have travel plans make sure you have good insurance! The good news is that our intuition is increased during this time, so put it to good use. It is also an excellent time to reflect on the past and release what no longer serves us.
Today’s Gemini Moon could cause additional miscommunication under the retrograde influence, so document everything, pay attention, keep your opinions to yourself and stay out of the confusion that abounds today.
Tomorrow through Thursday we’ll glide along more easily under a Cancer Moon, but this could also give us the “I don’t want to” blues, as we won’t feel like doing much of anything.Don’t worry if you feel the urge to procrastinate, as you’ll be able to pick up the pace again on Friday when the Moon moves into energizing Leo.
Thursday morning’s Cancer Moon trine Venus in Scorpio will be a great opportunity to surprise your partner with a surprise gift or a romantic breakfast in bed. This trine is all about courtesy, cheerful moods, love, and harmony, without a very low risk of arguments and conflicts.
Save any paperwork or detailed activities for Sunday, as the Moon will move into Virgo and heighten our attention span and recall, making it easier to access the information or ideas we’re in search of.
Throwing The Bones
Before studying various Western disciplines of healing and divination, I trained to become a sangoma some 30 years ago, on the borders of Mozambique and Kwazulu-Natal in Southern Africa, where I learned among other things the divination method known as ‘throwing the bones.’
A ‘sangoma’ casting the bones is the African equivalent of the Native American shaman, the Old Norse rune reader, or the European Tarot reader. To uninformed Westerners, indigenous African methods of divination are often thought of as ‘witchcraft,’ but just like there is good and bad in all cultures and professions, the true calling of the African diviner or shaman is a spiritual one of seeking advice through the wise ancestors. In the same way modern Western diviners rely on spirit guides, angels or the ascended masters for divine guidance, so the African diviner relies upon the ancestors.
My training came about after I consulted another sangoma and was told it was my calling to become sangoma myself. She also cautioned me that until I took up this calling, I would repetitively become ill – and how right she was!
Eventually I heeded the ‘calling’, as unusual as it was at the time for a young English woman to enter the mysterious realm of African mysticism in the country in those days. Training was harsh and intense with my mentor and included coaching in various disciplines, such as divination, dream interpretation, ritual, indigenous medicines, and herbalism over a two and a half year period.
One of the divination methods I was taught is known as ‘throwing the bones’. Since the beginning of recorded history the notion of throwing tokens, casting the dice or drawing lots to interpret the divine will of spirit and the ancestors has been viewed as symbolically linking the diviner to his or her mission. Casting or throwing the bones is an ancient practice native to many regions of the world, including Africa, Asia, and North America. In Southern Africa it is a long-standing ritual among the sangomas of the Zulu, Swazi, Xhosa and Ndebele tribes.
Each bone or token used for casting is part of a kit the sangoma carefully selects with the guidance of spirit, initially with the help of a mentor. Spirit and the ancestors instruct the seeker as to the symbolism and meaning of each sacred item in the collection, and precisely shows the student where to find it and which one to use in a divination. In Southern Africa, a mentor assists the thwasa (trainee sangoma) in the process of learning to receive information from the bones, and in reading the patterns in which the bones are likely to fall.
Astrology Forecast September 20 – 26, 2021
Three major astrological events impact our heavens this week, beginning with today’s Pisces Full Moon, also known as the Harvest Moon. This Moon marks the completion of a cycle and a time to reap what we have sown, as well as the opportunity to release the past once and for all.
On Wednesday, the Sun will move into Libra and mark the start of a new season: autumn in the northern hemisphere and spring in the southern hemisphere. With the Sun in Libra for the next four weeks, a sense of inner peace and balance will accompany all we do. As the sign that rules partnerships, love relationships, beauty, and harmony, we’ll gravitate to the things that make our hearts sing!
It might be challenging to get much done this week, until the Moon moves into Taurus on Thursday, but we’ll be able to make up for lost time under this grounding sign.
Mercury will go retrograde again on Sunday, and with the Moon in Gemini on the same day (a sign Mercury rules) we may find it impossible to make up our minds or figure out what action to take next. Remember, when in doubt, do nothing!
As always, Mercury retrograde may be causing digital problems and electrical glitches, as well as miscommunication, lost emails and misconstrued text messages, so be vigilant when you go online and be sure back up any information you simply can’t afford to lose. During this time read the small print with great care and be more cautious when signing anything, especially important contracts. Expect delays and booking issues if you have to travel and where possible postpone your trip until Mercury turns direct on June 22nd. Most of all, practice patience when glitches or setbacks do show up as they do have a purpose and are designed to get your attention and increase awareness.
The Lotus Flower Reading
I recently attended an online psychic development workshop. In one of the tasks, we had to partner with another student and do a ‘flower reading.’ I know touching an object using psychometry works well in readings, but this is something else.
Our teacher paired us up and we didn’t know in advance with whom. We also had to intuitively pick a flower for our partner beforehand. At the beginning of the session, we had to show the other person the actual flower or a color photo of the flower we had chosen for them on our shared screens.
In preparation for this, I placed many pieces of paper, each with the name of a different flower on it, into a bag, shook it up, and drew one. Spirit guided me to select the Indian lotus flower or nelumbo nucifera.
When it was my turn to read for my classmate, I relaxed and observed the image of the lovely white lotus in front of me. The depth of information that came forth in the reading about her past, how her life was now, and what lay ahead, was truly amazing!
The reading revealed that she was going to be blossoming soon like the lotus, because she currently finds herself in a strong development stage. I later learned that she’d been through some dark times, almost giving up on herself. She had recently begun doing deep shadow work, as well as exploring her psychic development.
She is also recovering from a recent trauma and the lotus is traditionally known for being the ideal gift for someone recovering from any traumatic experience or physical injury. Many years ago, I attended a Yoga class during which the challenges of the lotus position was discussed in-depth. The teacher said that through proper breathwork and becoming more flexible, one’s body will allow you to achieve this pose.
I was only 19 years old at the time and not very supple. I saw no hope of achieving that position for quite some time. However, only a few classes later, we did a session during which a lot of emphasis was placed on our breathing. And to my amazement, I was able to easily get into the lotus position!