Guest post on 365 Days of Tarot

The lovely professional tarot reader, Rebecca Brown has featured me as a guest blogger today on 365 Days of Tarot today on the my favorite Tarot Card, the Tower Trump! 

Please check it out!

April Brings Changes

I've been delving deeply into the dark corners of mine. Life has a way of throwing us curve balls, or as my High Priestess used to say, AFGO, (Another F#*%!& Growth Opportunity). Some refer to the realization of the growth moment that throws you off your horse, the spiritual Clue-by-Four, or a Dark Night of the Soul. I have decided to refer to the past 6 months of my life a breakthrough, because I couldn’t leave it ending as a breakdown. So, as is to be expected, I’ve made a lot of life changes for the foreseeable future.

First of all I have stepped down from my position as High Priestess of Order of the World Tree coven. I will be using this time to write a book, and nourish my personal work including magickal, spiritual, and health related projects, as well as do a lot of prayer and meditation. Basically I am getting back to the basics of home, family, and the Gods and creating happiness in those engagements.

I’m not falling off the face of the earth though! Many of my goals for my work ahead include staying plugged into the world and the people around me. I still have a few teaching engagements and will be available for readings and doing some blogging. I'll be featured before the end of the month at www.365daysoftarot.com as a guest Tarot blogger. I'll be blogging on the Tower card, one of my favs!

A couple of my friends have suggested that we could do a monthly book discussion group together too. If you’re interesting in joining us for this, let me know.

 

Below is my schedule for the next couple of months. 

 

Tarot Readings and Spiritual Counseling at Mystic Spirit most Sundays 1-5 and by appointment on the phone or in person. $30 per 15 minutes Call 973-509-7155 for an appointment. Or just email me!

6/1 (5-8pm) Intro To Qabala class at Mystical Parlors,

17 Washington St, Norwalk, CT 06854. Phone:(203) 810-4491

6/28-6/30 I'm presenting at Woven Roots Festival, Brendan Byrne State Park, New Jersey

A 3 day Family Friendly Camping Event With Workshops, Kids Track, Music and Vendors.

 http://bit.ly/WovenrootsInc. https://sites.google.com/site/wovenrootsnj/home

7/28 (10am to 6pm) Women’s Spiritual Retreat, at my house in Hackensack NJ!

             Join me for a day of nurishing the soul, body, laughing, singing, and celebrating magickally the Goddess in all her forms.

8/24 (4-7pm) I'll be teaching Celtic Myth and Pagan Practiceat the Crystal Fox,

311 Main St Laurel, MD 20707, (301) 317-1980. $35

9/7 (5-8pm) The 27^thPath class at Mystical Parlors,

17 Washington St, Norwalk, CT 06854. Phone:(203) 810-4491 $35

10/25 to 10/27 I'm presenting at the Crucible Convention

Hotel Somerset-Bridgewater in Somerset, NJ. 110 Davidson Ave, Somerset, NJ 08873.

 Crucible is a large get-together of people, from a very wide variety of backgrounds, who are serious about the practice of magic(k), and want to have a good time.  http://www.crucibleconvention.com/

 

Other Events I will be attending

6/23 (1-5pm) Jupiter Lightning Glyphs by Jason Miller,

Hilton Garden Inn, 70 Challenger Rd, Ridgefield Park NJ 07660. $45.  RSVP to owt@sacredwheel.org

9/28 to 9/29 (10am to 6pm)Plant Spirit Familiars by Christopher Penczak,

Hilton Garden Inn, 70 Challenger Rd, Ridgefield Park NJ 07660. $145.  RSVP to owt@sacredwheel.org

Letting Go...

From my very first moments at birth I struggled for each breath.  I wanted to live with a burning desirous will that no one could ignore.  I would say that the first 15 years of my life were about the struggle to engage.  I had to engage my mind, engage the world around me and learn how to survive.  The next 15 years were about starting to connect with people; through words, touch, breath, and passion. 

Wheels within wheels

The last 2 years have been about releasing my death grip, releasing the external qualifiers, releasing my presuppositions on success.  Now I stand under the light of the Sun, gathering the courage to look up and no longer bow my head.  If I am able to let go what is needed, I will let go of my ego for the search for the union with the Divine.  When the light becomes blinding, then I will reach out into the blind darkness in faith and finally find, that letting go is flying.

The first cycle was one of worldly negotiation with people, meetings, trials, and the building of community.

The second cycle was an underworld journey of death, release, and reformation.  Once the bottom was finally reached, only then, could the next stage start.

The third stage is one of surrender and sacrifice.  It is a seemingly timeless journey outside the cycles of time and season.  Only along the path of the Mystic can the next door be opened.  This door is set hidden in the sky and can only be reached without your feet on solid ground.  This door is hidden within blinding light, which is the central heart of darkness.  My Lower Self gave me the key many years ago.  I give the key to my Higher Self, to turn it in the keyhole, and let God Herself open the door.

Sublimation

“Broke in my hand. 
This was never the plan. 
But I guess since it’s here,
I’ll stay strong where I stand. 
I'm falling apart
My name used to be grace
But now if you call me
Just call me misplaced
I feel with my core
No more with my hands
I see through a blindness
You don't understand
I reach for the quiet...
I live on what's left”.  – Ego Likeness

 Sometimes when everything this seems static and you seem trapped, you are not looking at the change that is needed in the appropriate way.  I came to such a point a couple of weeks ago.  At the pointed tail of winter, everything seemed to be made of the ragged, cold daggers of icicles.  The earth demanded change deep within and shuddered, causing all the ice that had formed on the bridges and windows of the world to shatter.  The depth of silence that followed was as if the Earth herself was holding her breath.  Rather than look at the broken pieces underfoot, I looked up into the sky and saw a raven headed toward my home.  You can push in one direction for change and find that you are pushing against a wall.  No matter how much you push, you won’t budge the stones that were set into their thick mortar. 

I had been given a message at Imbolc to exalt the Gods through my movement.  The Morrigan challenged me to delve into my practice in a way I had never done before, that I should be more blood thirsty and truly experience practice.

Everything then fell apart.  And in the depth of stillness, I found a voice.  That voice showed me that my next step for personal transformation was sublimation.  My normal fires of desires stilled, becoming more subtle and refined.  Through the practice and work that awaits me I sublime my practice.  The word sublime comes from the Latin root sublimare, to raise up, to exalt.  There again, my work will be that of exaltation, change, and deep transformation. 

 

 

 

 The path ahead of me is sure, and good.  I am embarking on a path of healing, prayer, and meditation.  I will be doing self-reflection, learning, review, and change.  I am looking forward to the work ahead in the moments of each passing now.  I don’t have goal markers or a map.  I do not have a timeline for the work ahead, but I know that it is one of deepening faith, compassion, change, growth, and connection with the Gods.  It is the Fool becoming the Magician.  It is the Hermit going away from the Tower.  It is Death leading the way to the Star.  May I be an empty cup holding each moment of Now for this new beginning.  May the time allow sublimation that leaves salt, sulphur, blood, and quintessence.