Merry Mabon & A Candle Ritual!

Mabon is one of my very favorite times of year! Autumn has arrived, bringing with it sweet relief from our Texas heat. The season of pumpkins and fall leaves is rushing in like a fragrant dream. And the holiday season is only a breath away--a wonderful time for enjoying the company of family and friends. This "quiet" half of the year often feels like anything but. And yet, it is a time to take stock, connect with gratitude, and sing the earth a lullaby as it drifts into its seasonal slumber.

Crystals to Help You Let Go

 

RELEASE ... It sounds so easy, but often it is one of the most difficult processes we face. We all have a tendency to "hold on", whether it be literally, emotionally, or otherwise. We all resist the constantly evolving flux of nature. When our life path takes an unexpected or undesired turn, we tense up ... tighten our grip ... grit our teeth ... Until we are forced by building circumstances to finally let go.  And then, if you allow it, the joy of liberation eases the pangs of loss. I have often hit this very moment and thought, "Why didn't I just let go in the first place?"

Harvest Season

For those of us who follow a magickal path, this is a wonderful time of year. The first of the harvests is in (Lughnassadh), and two more harvest festivals lie ahead (Mabon & Samhain). It is a season for focusing on reaping all we've sown in the past year, drawing in our bounty as we wind down and prepare for the period of rest and renewal that begins at Samhain and carries on through Yule.

Smudging Basics

I work at a wonderful metaphysical book and gifts store, Body Mind & Soul in Houston, TX. And one of our biggest selling categories, and most frequently asked about, is our smudging department. Smudging is a space-clearing practice involving the smoke of sacred plants. Often cited as a Native American practice, smudging is not limited to any one indigenous culture, but something we see utilized in one way or form across many cultures. However, the white and desert sage bundles we most commonly associate with smudging are indeed native to North America.

Crystals That Attract Money

Many people are interested in tapping into the infinite energy of abundance. Prosperity thinking vs. poverty thinking is a technique that anyone can manage to start drawing more money, opportunity, and overall wealth into their lives. And crystals are the perfect tools to help you do it! Crystals are a wonderful reminder of the vast resources at your disposal because they are literally manifestations of the earth's abundance.

Solstice Crystals

LITHA 2014

 

The Summer Solstice is upon us! The sun is arching high into the heavens, the fae are out and about cavorting, and the very air is heavy with the ripening of the season. Can you feel it? It's like a caress of orange blossoms, cedar needles, and saltwater. I love the solstices. And I'm looking forward to ringing in Litha in circle with my circle-sisters. But as for the rest of you, I wanted to leave you with a little list of crystal goodness to inspire your own Midsummer celebration.

Full Moons: Peak and Potency

It's been too long since I've blogged here! Moving threw a very large stone in my path. It's taken some time to get my footing once more. In the meantime, I've begun leading full moon meditations at Body Mind & Soul in Houston. And I'm surprised at the number of people who show up that have virtually never celebrated or marked a lunar cycle before. When I ask if they know why we'd hold a meditation on the full moon, I often get blank stares. The moon's effect on our planet and our species is well documented.