The Wheel. Of. Medicine. !!!!

You were supposed to imagine me saying that in the voice of Charlie O'Donnell (announcer from the Wheel of Fortune) !

 The medicine wheel symbolizes the interconnection of all life, the various cycles of nature, and how life represents a circular journey. The number four is sacred and can represent many things: the four seasons, the four parts of a person (physical, mental, emotional and spiritual); the four kingdoms (animal, mineral, plant and human); the four sacred medicines (sweetgrass, tobacco, cedar and sage). Hence, you may see the medicine wheel represented in several different ways:

(1) The four points of the compass, each with a guiding spirit, symbolizing stages in the life journey. The East, direction of the daily birth of the sun, represents a person's birth and early years. The South relates to childhood and intellectual growth. The West symbolizes adulthood and introspection, while the North represents the old age, wisdom and the spiritual aspects of life. The center of the wheel is symbolic of Mother Earth and the Divine, and their role in the beginning and continuation of life.

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(2) The four points also represent the balance between spiritual, mental, physical and emotional aspects of health.

(3) The quadrants of the wheel are often colored red(South), yellow(East), black(Autumn), white(Winter)- and/or green (I usually place this in the center for balance).

(4) They can also represent the different symbols of the tarot...

For a traditional healer, an imbalance  in any area of your personal wheel may create an imbalance within and around you. Since not everyone has a large piece of land or the time to create a huge outdoor wheel, I've come up with an idea to bring one inside to you! A mobile medicine wheel!

I brought all of the elements that I choose to represent MY wheel together in a planter dish. You may feel drawn to different things...make this personal! It's your place of healing. Your emotions will heal through different totems, images, plants smells etc. 

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Materials

Planter Dish

Semi precious stones and crystals

candle, matches

incense

feathers

moss

shells

seeds

wood, branches

Starting with white, in the Northern quadrant I used white stones and feathers to represent air, North, winter, New Moon, Mental, logic, receiving energy.  I placed all of my yellow items (candle, matches, stones) in my eastern quadrant, representing spring, East, new beginnings, fire, spirit, birth, determining energy and the 1st quarter of the moon. In the Southern quadrant I use red stones and pine needles as well as shells for South, Summer, water, growth, giving energy, Full Moon, trust, innocence, youth, emotions. And Finally, in the west I placed earth in the form of soil and plant matter as well as black stones for West, physical, adult, physical, introspection, insight, shadows, evening, 2nd quarter of the moon, and holding energy.

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I also placed moss in the middle for centering, balance, harmony, self love and beauty...with some incense to cleanse the entire area.  By creating my little mobile medicine wheel, I can use it to contemplate or meditate as well as realize what needs to be worked on within and around me. And, it's freakin BEAUTIFUL to look at. 

I hope you enjoy creating a sacred place of healing for yourself. Please feel free to ask any questions or leave comments!

Frost Moon Ritual

November 6th marks the Full Moon- Beaver Moon or Frost Moon. 

 At the Full Moon, the energy is powerful and intense. This surge enables you to take action – especially in regards to the New Moon intentions you may have set two weeks ago. Cleaning closets, getting winter clothing down and putting away summery things, friends that are no longer friends, shame, pain, anger- anything that is holding you back. This is a perfect time for releasing something that no longer serves you; or letting go of something that you no longer need in your life; or an opportunity to let go of an aspect of yourself that you have outgrown. A Full Moon ritual is a powerful way to invoke this- Releasing. Letting go. Unburdening yourself. Purging. You get rid of the old, celebrating your emergence by stepping out of an old way of being / an old identity / behaviour /  attitude / relationship / frame of mind / situation. The ritual marks this inner transformation in a formal, ceremonial way. Emphasising to yourself and the Universe that you are ready to let go for the new you to emerge. Making way for new magical opportunities to come to you. The easiest way to create and perform a ritual is to follow your intuition. But I'm going to offer some ideas from my own practice. Use them, and introduce some of your own things as well!

What you will need:

A quiet spot, water, a fireproof container, something to write with, paper, candle.

* Start by finding yourself a quiet spot where you will not be disturbed. If you can practice under the moonlight to feel her full beam, great, if not, no worries, as long as you are somewhere you feel safe and sound. 

* Create a sacred space- free of clutter- place a candle, a bowl of water, your favorite crystals or other special items, and anything else you want to represent this time in your life.

* Cleanse your area by smudging, or praying, meditating, or envisioning being enveloped in a bright white light that protects you.

* Close your eyes and slow your breath, taking deep, slow, cleansing breaths. Clear your mind and just listen to the sound of your breath.

* Write down what you no longer need. What (or whom) you want to free yourself of.

* Breathe deep into your root and say aloud, "I no longer need this, I now release you into the Universe".

* Light the paper and allow it to burn in your container, watching the smoke carry away what no longer serves you.

* Dip your fingers into the bowl of water and 'anoint' yourself with it, declaring "I am washed anew, and now I may began again". 

* Meditate on your breath once again, allowing the sound of your body to be the only thing you hear.

* Ground yourself with a bite of food, or drink, or walk into the grass with barefeet. Allow your energy to be centered and solid.

Please add or subtract whatever parts of this ritual that don't feel 'right' to you. I sometimes like to dress up with flowy gowns or glitter, head adornments and fun makeup.And instead of anointing myself with the water I sometimes drink it. And I usually finish my Full and New moon rituals off with a glass of wine. This is the time to create your own traditions. I promise there is no right or wrong way to create a ritual if you are coming from a loving and positive place. 

More things to do in the Full Moon Light

Cleanse your crystals by laying them in the moons light so they can gain her energy.

Create a crystal or oil essence to absorb the moon's strength and energy. 

Make "Full Moon" Water: Grab a mason jar (a clear glass container with a lid) and fill it with water (tap, spring, distilled) allow it to sit in the moons light all night and absorb the energy of her. I drink my water throughout the next few days, absorbing the Moons positive strength and energy.

Cleanse your tarot cards by allowing them to absorb the energy of the moon light. 

Remember, this is YOUR ritual, your time. there is no right or wrong way to do this. And have fun! This doesn't have to be such a solemn practice!

It's time to get Unfucked.

Sure, it's easy to sit on your ass all day and complain nothings ever going your way. It's easy to say this+this+this=my ruin. But really, is anything getting done if you're not doing it? The old saying "you want something done right, you do it yourself", is a saying because it's TRUE. Want to make and sell art? Then MAKE IT and SELL IT. Hmmm, but that sounds too good to be true. Nope. the people out there that you look up to/admire/envy all have something you don't. They bust their ass getting their shit done. All day every day. It's your time. Your time to have what you want in life. And I'm going to help you do it. I'm gonna help you UNFUCK YOUR LIFE.

LIST OF SEVEN

1. Cut the TV and FB off. Sorry, I love reruns of SVU as much as the next gal, and boy do I love looking at everybody's yummy food pics, and trying to figure out who's passive aggressively talking shit about whom...but it's a big fat 'ole time suck. 

2. Get yer butt to bed! Quit staying up till 2 playing some BS game on your phone, or staring at (again) the TV. Another quote? "Early to bed, early to rise" Man, I can get SO MUCH accomplished when I have a nice quiet house/studio to myself. I can work, clean, do what needs to be done and get it done before three!

3. Write a list. What do you need/have to do? Now, what do you want to get done? Do the need to first, and get as far as you can on the want to...if you don't finish that then slide it on over till tomorrow, but the need/have to do's are done! And that's how you get it done!

4. Cut off ALL distractions. I quit bringing my phone into my studio. I'd take a photo, then instagram it, then look at everyone else's instagram, then follow their links, then...day gone. ALL DISTRACTIONS, if that means petey the pooch is trying to play, send him out...pretend you're not home.

5. Quit procrastinating. You're gonna have to do the shit eventually. Might as well get it done, and then not only is it done, but it's not ramblin' around in your head, worrying you to death.

6. Quit shaming yourself. Yeah, so you had a shitty morning, so you laid on the couch and the next thing you know it's 2 o'clock...don't beat yourself up over it. BUT, don't let it happen tomorrow. It's the same with a diet or anything else...you fuck up, you start over, you win! 

7. No more "poor me, I'm so _____________________. "Fuck that shit. Yeah, you may be broke, you may be out of shape, you may be sad...but the only way to fix it is to GET OFF YOUR ASS and DO IT YOURSELF. You don't get to talk shit about yourself, believe me, there are plenty of folks out there breaking their necks to hate on you. Don't pull yourself down with the self hate. You ain't so broke that you ain't on a computer...You ain't so out of shape that you're dead...and You ain't so sad that you're debilitated...if you're reading this, then you're curious as to how you can get unfucked, which means, you still have hope. 

I'm not just writing this from some glass house in Utopia, btw. I go through this shit too. I get sad, I feel fat, I AM broke. But the only way I'm going to get help is to help myself. Stay positive, surround myself with people who love and understand me, and take care of my own biz. It really can be that easy. You can even start small...just say nothing but positive stuff to yourself all day. After that little self-confidence boost, tomorrow should be a piece of pie!