spiritual practice
By The Light Of The Moon
Oh, the Moon! How I love the Moon. What’s not to love? I love watching the moon dance on the lake’s surface outside our home or just to observe it in the night sky. It is so healing to me.
I remember going outside and just basking in the light of the moon. I remember waiting for it to be full and then putting a big bucket of water in the garden. I would let the light of the moon reflect on the surface and I would prop up my feet on either side of this and just go into the alpha state and meditate.
To this day I will wash my precious stones, like my moonstones and agates, with salt water. After that, on a full moon, I will let them absorb the light. I feel it recharges and cleanses them.
I always agreed with the school of thought that the moon affects the fluids in our bodies, just like the tides of the ocean. I also view the moon as a lovely lady who is in charge of our emotions and feelings; she is the ‘bringer of moods’.
Usually you can see her influence very clearly on a full moon. For example, emergency services and police sirens are often more prevalent on the roads, there are more arrests and accidents and people lashing out and doing things they normally wouldn’t dare.
There is much power and control to be found in knowing when the different phases of the moon are, and to have the heads up as to how it affects us. The moon also rules all female physiology; she is the mother of all things which are important and necessary for creating life and nurturing. It virtually has an effect on the growth of all living things, including all plants and animals. I call the moon ‘she’ because of this. She rules over the ‘internal ocean’ that keeps us all alive.
The Miracle Of Automatic Handwriting
Growing up in a psychic family, I was constantly among adults who were seeing ghosts and reading people’s eyes. But I always wanted to be different than the other psychics in my family.
I guess that is one of the reasons why I began reading ordinary playing cards, instead of the Tarot. But I wanted to experiment even further, and in time I also discovered that I could open up the flood gates with automatic hand writing.
I have to be very careful, because when you use automatic writing it can be like opening a can of worms. Each time I do this I make sure beforehand that my mind is calm and clear. I also see to it that I have lots of blank paper, because you can use a lot of paper in one session.
I also have to make sure that when I did connect with a spirit it was indeed from the Light. After some of the things I have witnessed in my life, I certainly do not want to invite any evil spirit or any other dark entity that could harm my family or me.
I remember my very first time I was very skeptical of doing automatic writing; I asked, “Are you with the Light?” A simple question. The only answer I received was a straight line. I was not very happy or impressed. That was it? Just a straight line? My second time it was not bad, because the pen wrote the word yes. It kind of freaked me out at the time.
I knew I needed to practice more. So, I put more hours into it and the more often I did it, the better I became. I would even try it while playing music. Eventually, I was ready to try this together with the cards. This is not a traditional method, but like I said, I wanted to be different. The first time I placed the cards face down and then did the automatic writing first, to see what it would say. The first word that came through was “baby”. Next was the word “girl” and then “candy.”
Connecting With Your Team Of Spirit Guardians
You have a ‘squad’ of spirit friends you can count on and talk to when you need support. Our spirit helpers, be they guardian angels, guides, animal spirits, ancestors, or departed family members, are there to look out for us. They want to make our lives better.
So, how can you get to know them better? Because these beings are of the spirit realms, it’s not quite as simple as calling a human friend or sending a text, but the channels of communication are definitely open.
The first thing you need to do is get to know their names. If they are the spirits of loved ones or pets, of course, they already have a name you know them by. Use your intuition to receive the names of your guides and angels. All you need to do is ask. They will reveal their name to you when you are ready to receive it.
It is also important to understand that our spirit guardians communicate through various unspoken messages and signs, such as patterns of recurring numbers, lyrics of a favorite song, or seeing the same patterns in nature, such as cloud formations or a particular animal. Pay attention to these special signs. In our world, it’s easy to become distracted and overstimulated, but our guardians are always sending these subtle messages if we pay attention.
Engaging in your daily spiritual practices is necessary to connect with your spirit guides. When getting to know angels, for example, an angel card oracle deck is a useful tool, or a Tarot deck to link archetypes to individual guardians.
For animal spirits there are also lovely card decks, which can be very useful in identifying your totem of guardian animals. You can also keep your departed pet’s favorite items after they’re gone.
The Symbolism Of Wedding Ribbons And Cords
In a recent reading, I had visions of a wedding and a shotgun! I did my best to diplomatically convey what I was seeing to the client. I also mentioned how I saw lots of colored ribbons, and a rather large gathering of people of all ages and cultures.
He laughed, and said that two years ago, he felt a strong urge for himself and his partner to get married. They both came from large families and wanted to make sure that certain ailing, elderly members would still be able to attend and join in the celebration.
He also said he was so glad spirit prompted them to marry sooner than later, because the pandemic would have prevented not just the large gathering of guests from attending, but also many from traveling from various corners of the world as they had done. Apparently, the ribbons I saw related to the traditional pagan handfasting they had chosen as the ceremony for their special event.
The handfasting ritual had always fascinated him, because of his own Celtic origins and he explained how both his and his partner’s hands were bound together with a ribbon during the vows and exchanging of rings. I later learned from a Pagan friend that cord is sometimes also used for this purpose in such a ceremony.
In many traditions the use of colored ribbons and cords is of spiritual significance at certain ceremonies, especially weddings. They are typically used to physically connect the couple, or they are placed in or around an altar. The cord is a symbol of the lifetime bond the couple is entering into.
For example, a wedding cord, also known as the ‘wedding lasso,’ is used in some Catholic wedding ceremonies. It typically consists of a loop of rosary beads made out of white satin or silk, and formed into a figure eight shape, and placed around the bride and the groom after they have made their vows.
Nurturing Your Psychic Child
Have you ever noticed how young children, especially before they enter school, are full of wonder, curiosity, and awe? And did you know some children are born psychic? Sadly, only a few children continue to use and refine their psychic gifts as they get older, as their sense of wonder diminishes. As a parent, guardian, or mentor of children, it’s our responsibility to engage with our young psychics to nurture and protect their gifts.
It may be our first urge to dismiss their imaginary friends, conversations with departed loved ones, or remembrances of past lives as ‘fantasies’ or the result of an ‘overactive imagination.’ Instead of this, gently encourage your child and ask questions. What they are experiencing is very real and may not entirely make sense to them.
For example, show them family pictures of ancestors. They may be able to show you whose spirit is guiding them. If they are curious about a particular time in history (a past lifetime), a family trip to the library for some good books or documentaries about that time can be a great learning experience. Imaginary friends, which most children seem to have at a young age, may actually be angels or other spiritual guides.
Some children also have deep intuition or psychic sight, which may unnerve the adults in their lives. Perhaps your child has specific dreams or instinctively knows things which they should not. It is important that instead of reacting with fear or anger, you respond with empathy and encourage and to talk about whatever is on their mind.
Instead of simple ‘yes or no,’ or closed questions, ask your child how they are feeling and what you can do to help them. These dreams, visions, or prophecies can be cryptic and not easily understood. The fledgling psychic may feel overwhelmed or scared by what they see. If a child feels they can confide in you, and trust you, they will be more willing to use their gifts.
Crystals And Stones For Your Spiritual Practice
Crystals and stones have grown in popularity in recent years, to aid in healing, protection, divination and wellness.
They can be worn as jewelry, placed under a pillow, infused in water, set around the home, or used in prayers, meditations, spells and rituals.
It is important, however, to purchase only ethically sourced crystals and stones from businesses that respect their high vibrational qualities, because they are precious metaphysical tools from Mother Earth that should not be taken for granted.
Here are some popular crystals and stones I recommend for use in your spiritual practice.
Amythest
This is one of the most popular crystals and aids in enhancing one’s spiritual vision. It is also great for recovery, sobriety and calming down anxiety. If dreams during sleep are intense, you can place this under your pillow to get a good night of rest.
Black Tourmaline
This stone works with the root chakra to ground one’s energy and cleanse the aura from negativity. It also promotes inner strength when dealing with difficult people and adversity.
Blue Calcite
A wonderful crystal for encouraging rest and relaxation. It is a gentle stone and assists in soothing emotional trauma and gain a positive perspective.
Manifesting Meditation For Beginners
The practice of meditation is tremendously powerful and has impacts on both our spiritual and physical well-being, as well as on our reality. Creating a routine meditation practice can help to super-charge your ability to manifest your desires, has incredible health benefits, and believe it or not – it can actually be a fun experience!
The idea that you have to be able to completely clear your mind of thoughts to successfully meditate is probably one of the most common misconceptions. This is only one form of meditation and honestly, it’s quite challenging! For someone who has never meditated before, it would be like giving a kindergarten student a complicated math equation to solve.
As with anything, it takes some time to learn the technique and train your brain to comply with your spirit. The first thing you must understand is, you are not your brain or your thoughts. You are not your body, or your emotions. These are all things you experience. You experience the thoughts in your mind, you experience the sensations of the body and of emotions, but these things are not you.
So, what or who is doing the observing? The answer is Spirit. Your spirit. This understanding is vital. Once you can separate your Spirit, your Soul, from the mechanics of the body, you can begin to tame the voracious beast that is your mind.
Going back to stillness meditations for moment, these are certainly powerful and wonderful to experience, but our brains are used to running the show! Instead of trying to turn off your thoughts, I encourage you to begin by giving the mind something to do instead.
Take some time to think about what you want to achieve through your practice. At its most basic meditation can be used as a tool to help align your mind, body and spirit with your overall goals. These goals can be anything! Reducing stress or anxiety, improving overall vitality, enhancing mental function, boosting your mood, improving your sleep patterns, and so on. Creative visualization is a remarkably powerful tool for manifesting. If you have never tried it before, start with just one simple intention. As you grow more adept, you can expand your goals and wishes.