occult
Spiritual Rituals Provide Sacred Space
Spiritual ceremonies, where humans gather together in a circle, are especially potent. An energetic hoop gathers over the circle to assist in the endeavor for the gathering, whether it be for the purpose of celebrating a new birth, honoring a solstice, or to express anything of importance to humanity, as individuals, or as a group.
Altars are also powerful. They are a gathering place for spirits to provide protection and shielding, to aid in a calling or, perhaps, to provide a sacred place for the energy of one who has crossed to another dimension to gather and connect. Or, we might choose to build an altar dedicated to providing an anchor for our business when we are away, the same as when we are present. Continue reading
The Cosmic Weather Channel
We have all checked a daily weather forecast at some point. Will it be hot or cold? Will it rain or snow? But did you know that a different kind of ‘weather’ affects our lives just as much? We are also impacted by the ‘cosmic weather’ – the astrological positions of the planets and other heavenly bodies, as well as related phenomena, such as eclipses, solstices, equinoxes, aurora borealis (Northern Lights), solar flares, and meteor showers.
The recent “Great American Eclipse” was a large-scale event which many people observed. But what did it mean? Solar eclipses represent the shadow of the Moon (the yin, feminine, and intuitive) obscuring the Sun (yang, masculine, and logical). An eclipse therefore creates the illusion of twilight in the middle of the day. From a metaphysical perspective it is the perfect time for added insight, previously hidden knowledge, and inspired ideas. Continue reading
The Sins Of The Forefathers
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. Continue reading
Dream Symbols
Our dreams have been a source of fascination since the beginning of time. Clients sometimes ask me to help them interpret a dream that’s intrigued them, or which has been of great concern to them. I feel that the best people to interpret dreams are the dreamers themselves, but I will always give my take or feeling on the deeper meaning of the dream, and suggest they take my version on board only if it truly resonates for them.
Many cultures see dreams as life lessons, as a means for our ancestors or loved ones in spirit to connect with, and to communicate with us. Amongst those cultures, much emphasis is placed on dreams as a means of prophecy. Often these dreams are meant to guide us or to warn us of impending danger, but sometimes they are meant to just to show us that we are indeed loved by those in the spirit world. Continue reading
Mediumship Is Not A Psychic Sideshow
Mediumship presented as entertainment is a double-edged sword. The media hype generated by psychic television shows, and live stage performances featuring celebrity mediums, has no doubt contributed much to an increased public awareness of mediumship. It has liberated spiritualism from the stereotype of the 19th century séance by bringing the work of the psychic medium into the public domain, and into mainstream pop culture.
But does mediumship as an entertainment genre do spiritualism and the daily work of psychics any real justice? I am certainly not a purist. Neither am I a traditionalist when it comes to spiritual matters. I tend to shy away from any form of fundamentalism or fanaticism. But having the work of talented mediums dished up as trivial amusement has certainly proven to be a mixed blessing in my own practice as psychic medium. Continue reading
The Secret To Smudging Is In The Smoke
“The secret to smudging is in the smoke.” These were the words of my mentor when I undertook my Ukuthwasa as a shaman initiate many years ago in Southern Africa. I have also come to know that the true intention behind any smudging ceremony is a very significant part of its success.
An initial part of my rigorous training as a Sangoma, or traditional healer, was a self-cleansing ritual using Mphepo, made up of herbs indigenous to Southern Africa.
“Smudging,” simply put, is the burning of certain herbs to create a cleansing smoke bath. The smoke is used to cleanse areas used for rituals and ceremonies, as well as any tools or objects used for such cleansing, as well as to cleanse people. Continue reading
The Ouija Board Is Not A Harmless Toy
The Ouija board is an occult item that you don’t want to mess with, or even try. It looks like something harmless and it’s supposed to be a fun, friendly board game, but using it may open you up to something that could bring harm to you.
My brother once thought it was harmless to try and use the Ouija board to make contact with a good friend we had lost in a car crash. We grew up together, and when we heard that our friend had passed in an accident my brother was very distraught. He was looking for answers as to what had happened and for some mysterious reason so he decided to turn to the Ouija board for assistance. I told him I felt it was not a good idea, since I had read stories at the library about people who used the Ouija board and the disturbing things that happened to them. Continue reading