esoteric traditions
The Scorching Year Of The Yang Fire Horse
Today is the first day of the 2026 Chinese Lunar New Year, and with it the Fire Horse year begins, setting a faster and more intense pace for the months ahead.
The Year of the Fire Horse brings a powerful mix of independence, urgency, and honesty. The Horse is known for its need for freedom, movement, and self direction. When combined with the Fire element, those qualities become stronger and harder to ignore.
This year will push us to stop waiting, or hesitating, or pretending that situations are fine when they are not.
Unlike the cautious Metal Horse or the steady Earth Horse, the Fire Horse is not about careful delay. It favors action. It rewards people who are willing to make decisions and take responsibility for the direction of their lives.
This makes 2026 a year that supports bold changes, clear boundaries, and personal independence.
In many cultures, the Horse symbolizes travel, progress, and the drive to move forward. It is associated with vitality and the desire to explore new territory, both physically and emotionally.
This year invites you to look honestly at where you feel restricted and where you have outgrown your current circumstances. It encourages you to take steps toward a life that feels more honest and more self-directed.
Why Love Feels Different Around Valentine’s Day
Valentine’s Day is a romantic time of flowers and gifts, candlelit dinners, and declarations of love for many people.
But beyond the red hearts and love language gestures, many also feel a curious shift in their emotional state during this time. For many people love feels more intense, more revealing, or even more confusing this time of the year.
Why does this happen?
From a spiritual and astrological perspective, February carries unique energetic patterns that directly influence our emotional awareness and relationships. While Valentine’s Day shines a spotlight on romantic love, the entire month operates like a cosmic mirror, quietly revealing the truths beneath our connections.
It’s not just about Cupid’s arrow, it’s about clarity, emotional timing, and spiritual alignment.
Valentine’s Day did not begin as a holiday celebrating modern romance. Historically, February 14th was observed as a Christian feast day honoring Saint Valentine, who was associated with devotion and commitment in early traditions.
Over time, the day became associated with romantic love in medieval European culture. Writers helped solidify the notion of Valentine’s Day as a day for expressing affection and making heartfelt promises to a loved one.
Why Some Of Us Must Walk Alone To Find Our Tribe
The topic of belonging comes up a lot lately in conversations with close friends, and it is often a concern for my clients when I do readings. A rise in loneliness appears to be a worldwide issue.
A conversation I had with a Spanish family recently was truly food for thought for me. We spoke about the disconnect with people in general, but the family in question strives to maintain family meetings and chats over meals, even though the younger ones spend more and more time on their phones.
One of the younger family members, told me that having a sense of community is part of his family’s religious practice. He makes a conscious effort to be disciplined about phone use when the family comes together. Hopefully, he will educate more of his peers about the importance of being present for in-person connection.
Personally, I have always tended to shy away from group gatherings, but I must say that I have been impressed by the warmth of the locals here in Spain, and their desire to include me in their community.
A few years ago, when my husband died just before Christmas, my Spanish friends in the farming community where I lived at the time told me, in no uncertain terms, that I would be joining them for Christmas and New Year’s family gatherings. I told them I’d prefer to stay home, especially considering the snow the previous Christmas that had confined us to our property for a few days.
My Magical Experience With Indian Palm Leaf Reading
A few years ago, I had amazing experience with Indian palm leaf reading.
As a professional psychic and lifelong spiritual adventurer, I’m always eager to explore lesser-known forms of divination and ancient spiritual practices. Over the years, I’ve had the incredible opportunity to dive into a wide range of mystical traditions, some well-known, others more obscure. Each one has offered a unique and enlightening glimpse into the mystical and unseen.
It was that same sense of wonder and incurable curiosity that led me to explore the mysterious tradition of the Nadi Leaves. I’m so glad I did!
The Nadi Leaves, also known as Nadi Astrology or Palm Leaf Astrology, are ancient texts found primarily in South India, specifically in the state of Tamil Nadu. They are believed to contain the pre-written life stories and destinies of millions of individuals, inscribed thousands of years ago.
According to tradition, these prophetic records were created by the Saptarishis (Seven Sages) like Agastya, Bhrigu, and Vashistha, who used their yogic powers to foresee the past, present, and future of humanity. The Sages are said to have recorded these destinies out of compassion for future generations.
Originally, the Nadi Leaves were archived in Hindu temple libraries, especially in South India. These sacred texts were carefully preserved by temple priests, who regarded them as divine revelations. As the centuries passed and the original leaves began to decay, they were carefully recopied onto fresh palm leaves to ensure their survival.
The Mythical Mysteries Of Crows And Ravens
People have been fascinated by crows and ravens for thousands of years. There’s something about their glossy black feathers, their watchful eyes, and the way they seem to understand more than they let on that makes one wonder what they might know that we don’t.
Throughout history and across many cultures, these amazing birds have been seen as more than just animals. They are traditionally seen as messengers, guides, and keepers of spiritual wisdom.
Their stories are all about myth, religion, and folklore, and they give us a pretty interesting look at how different peoples saw the mysterious world around them. Even now, in our modern time of screens and certainty, many still feel a quiet sense of magic when one of these birds crosses their path.
In the ancient Greco-Roman world, birds were a big deal. They were thought to be divine messengers and living signs that connected the heavens and the earth.
The practice of interpreting their movements, known as augury, was very important spiritually and politically. It wasn’t just superstition; it was a big part of religious and community life.
Augurs, the trained soothsayers of ancient Rome, were responsible for “taking the auspices,” or reading the signs that the gods sent through bird behavior. From the way it flies to the sound it makes, every detail could mean something. Out of all the birds we saw, crows and ravens stood out in particular. People thought their appearance held weighty messages, partly because of their dark, striking plumage and partly because these birds seemed unusually intelligent and intentional in their actions.
A Beginner’s Guide To Moon Manifestation
The Moon is a powerful and mysterious satellite in our sky. It governs the tides, controlling the movement of our planet’s vast bodies of water. Water, as an element, is connected to our emotions and intuition.
Considering that our bodies are 70-80% water, the power of the moon cannot be ignored; its influence runs deep within our cells.
Throughout time, the moon has been seen as a powerful energetic body across many cultures. As we observe the moon wax and wane, it teaches us about the cycles of time and the rhythm of nature. It also provides an opportunity to harness its energy to amplify our intentions of creation and release.
How can we attune ourselves to the rhythm of the moon and use this natural cycle in our practical lives?
First, we must pay attention. With so much going on, most people aren’t even aware when the moon is full or new.
Get a calendar that shows the lunar cycle to make this easier. Once you can easily track the moon’s cycle, you can incorporate it into your spiritual practice.
To take advantage of the moon’s energies, align your intention setting with each phase.
The Full Moon is a great time for setting intentions of release and letting go. This is because, after the moon is full, it begins to wane, meaning the crescent gets smaller and smaller until the moon is completely dark.
Connecting With Gaia Through The Art Of Dowsing
I’ve always loved working with dowsing rods. Over the years, I’ve used them in many different ways, such as tracking down lost car keys, finding jewelry, and locating missing household items in the most unlikely places.
Dowsing is a wonderful intuitive practice. I’ve dowsed for many things over the years, but water dowsing has always fascinated me, because it connects nature and the physical world with the spiritual and mystical.
While digital technology and scientific methods have become the preferred tools used by engineers and geologists to accurately locate groundwater, pipes, and leaks, the ancient art of water dowsing is still practiced today. This practice is often called “water witching” in some parts of the United States.
Many farmers and homeowners still hire dowsers to find well locations, especially in rural areas. In fact, some professional water companies and utility providers have been known to also use dowsing rods to help locate pipes and leaks, alongside modern technology.
For me, this way of tuning into the earth’s natural flow and sensing what lies beneath the soil is deeply grounding and primal. It feels like aligning with the consciousness of the Earth herself, to Gaia, or Mother Nature. Gaia is more than a poetic metaphor; she is a living, breathing entity whose subtle energies speak to us if we know how to listen.
When I dowse for water, I feel as though I’m entering into quiet communion with her. I am attuning to her rhythms, her hidden pathways, and her silent wisdom. It’s a sacred act of reconnection, a reminder that we are not separate from nature, but part of her great, mysterious web of existence.