Feb 26, 2010

Cards, Anyone?

The cards and a few books have arrived! What fun to unpack and "ooh" and "ahh" over the pretty boxes and lovely art! The worst part is, I think I may have spent my next paycheque now - but at least the money is going to my own business!

I am going to give away one deck of Oracle cards, and one Tarot deck. It's easy - all you have to do is leave a comment! I will draw the two names in one week - on Friday, March the 5th, and post the names here - and contact the winners.

These are the two decks I've selected to give away:

An Oracle deck called: Path of the Soul Destiny Cards. These have gorgeous pictures of fractal art on them. I'm really drawn to this art form. Fractal art is the image of geometric equations. I was never very skilled at math in school - but if math was visual like this, I may have paid more attention!


The other deck is my first Tarot deck, and still my favourite. The Halloween Tarot by Kipling West. This deck is great for Tarot enthusiasts who like to switch up their decks seasonally (or, if you are like me, to use year-round!) It's also a lot of fun for those people who just dig Halloween themed items! I just adore this deck!




Feb 24, 2010

Good Energy Afoot


This is a pic of the waxing moon that I took last Wednesday as dusk was settling. I'm feeling really connected to this phase right now, and it's building energy. I find that I'm drawn to different phases during the year. Sometimes I crave the dark moon energy. Sometimes the full moon is too intense, and I wait for it to start waning. But right now - the waxing phase has been a great boon.

I'm grateful that I've been able to watch her grow this week. I've been fortunate to have a great sky view each night, except last night when it decided to snow.

I'm also grateful for the energy I have this week. My walks and/or yoga in the mornings have been really nurturing - I'm feeling really 'taken care of.' There must be some Spring stirring, because I'm feeling the energy!

I'm also feeling the generosity flying about. The Wizardess Epi, at Go Out Beneath The Naked Night is having a giveaway over at her blog. She was lucky enough to get to attend the Sacred Space Conference and take in some teaching by Christopher Penczak, Raven Grimassi, and Judika Illes. She is generously giving away a book by Judika as well as a few other lovely items. Pop over and give her blog a read while you are there!




Feb 22, 2010

Who Knew Shopping Could Be This Much Fun?

I had so much fun today. Guess what I did?

My sister in law and I spent quite a bit of time going through Tarot and Oracle decks and kits, and ordered about 40 or more different decks for our online store. Although the store isn't up and running yet - April 1st is our official start date - we should have boxes of cards showing up on our doorstep later this week.

My favourite find was Ciro Marchetti's "Legacy of the Divine Tarot." (Ryan talked about it here.) I have his "Guilded Tarot" and we have ordered some of each deck. I think one of these may be staying with me....



I also really liked these "Spirit of the Wheel" cards. I am interested in learning more about Shamanism and Native Spirituality, and these cards grabbed me. So we ordered some of these too.



If you are looking for some great Tarot info, do check out Lyon's Tarot Den - she has super info and readings for you! Also Lizzy, from Lizzy's Logic does a Tarot Tuesday post each week.

As soon as the decks come in, I'm going to grab two (not telling which ones!) and do a giveaway. So check back - by about Friday I should have them in my hands. Looking forward to sharing them with you!


Feb 19, 2010

I Really Want To Not Suck....And World Peace


The Frog Queen over at Frog on the Pumpkin, passed on this award to me....two weeks ago...

Although I seem to be falling desperately short on my blogging duties, The Frog Queen is on top of her game! (And seemingly addicted to a game called "Plants vs Zombies.") Not only that, but she is one-half of the husband and wife team that brings you the Davis Graveyard every year. (Well - one third, if you count Halloween Cat.) This haunt is definitely on my list of places to see!

The award comes with rules, of course. Which I will break, of course.

The rules are:
1) Link back to the blog/blogger who nominated you.
2) Paste the picture of the award in your award post
3) Nominate bloggers you think deliver great comments to your blog
4) E-mail/post/tweet or do whatever you need to do to inform these bloggers they have been nominated for an award.

Okay - seriously. Do you know how many great bloggers comment on my little space on the web? Everyone who comments gets a virtual squeeze from me, because I am just so damn thrilled that anyone cares a lick about what I post.

I should first say, that I am one of those people who don't always have the "right words" when commenting on your blogs. Sometimes it's a hit. The rest of the time, not so much. Sometimes I worry that I come off a little passive or uninterested, or placating.

Please know, that if I say "have a great weekend" - what I really mean is: "you rock. I want nothing more for you than to have the best weekend OF YOUR LIFE and if you win the lottery, meet the man/woman of your dreams, and get a movie deal, it would still not be all that you deserve." Unfortunately, all I seem to get out sometimes is "have a great weekend."

Having said all that, I'm going to give a few shout outs. Merely for the sake of not being a consistently sucky award-recipient.

Mary over at Moontides is just the most wonderful woman. I feel a bit like she's my big sister or my fairy god-mother! She always has something wonderful to say (and several blogs to follow) and she is always positive, even when going through trials. She is a beautiful soul - do go spend some time with her!

And since I'm listing bloggers who I've somehow decided are actual family members, I will mention Ryan from Old Man Sutton who has far too many similar tastes not to be my brother. He is much more well-spoken than I am, and has a wonderfully insightful blog that you must read! Plus - he cross-stitches. Enough said.

Debra at She Who Seeks is witty and brilliant. And her lol-cat menageries that she puts together are too much fun. Just don't drink while looking at them - diet coke doesn't feel good coming out of your nose! She is also detailing a spectacular trip her and her Rare One took to Glastonbury. You must see the pics! (Plus, I must confess that I love her because she is from Winnipeg, and you must love people from Winnipeg as they are forced to live through 6 months of Winter, and they are still happy people!)

And a few others, who sprung to mind, and who I'd love to rave about, but am worried about the length of this post....

Halloween Spirit at Orange and Black.
Lyon at The Wandering Hearth.
Ange at Signed By Ange.
Jeanne at The Candy Corn Chronicles.
Jessica at Chronically Vintage.
Dede at Brightest Blessings Wiccans.

But seriously. I really, really love you all!

Feb 15, 2010

The Spiral


I've been thinking about how my life journey seems to be less a "crooked path" or a "path less taken" and more of a spiral path. At times I feel like I've gotten so far ahead, and grown so much, only to come back into contact with feelings or situations that I have experienced before. If I'm lucky (or wise) I'll have learned from my previous experiences, and can sail through these new situations. But if I'm holding onto baggage or unhealthy feelings or emotions, I find that I have to learn these lessons all over again.



"The spiral represents the flow of physical & spiritual energy. It symbolizes both solar & lunar, male & female energies. Long before the discovery of spiral galaxies, the ancients have used the spiral image to represent the universe, the earth's rotation, the moon's orbit, and as a symbol for growth."

I love this symbol so much, that my sister in law and I have named our business "Spiral Spirit Offerings." Although the store front didn't pan out, we are currently building our online store, and are joyfully ordering product from suppliers.

This is such a great "next step" for me right now and I'm very thankful and happy about how this is working out. So blissful I am, that I forget that the world keeps on turning, and the path wraps back around, and low and behold....here I am facing an old issue.

Instead of thinking "crap - this again?!" and hiding, I'm going to try and meet this head on. I really don't want to come back around in two years or five years or.... and be facing the same situation. Habits are a hard thing to break, whether they are something you are doing, or something that you've allowed to happen to you.

At any rate, I am feeling much more "capable" these days, and I have faith (blissfully naive or not) that everything will work out just fine.

I also wanted to beg pardon, as I'm fussing with my blog background and header again (you are all so patient with my limited attention span!) I think I rather like the swirls in this one...reminds me of spirals!

Feb 14, 2010

Happy Everything!


Happy Valentine's Day! Happy Chinese New Year!

Sending out much love and blessings to everyone on this celebratory day! I hope everyone has either spoiled themselves, has been gifted, or is going to go out and do something nice today.

Yesterday, to celebrate "New Year's Eve" I went out with my friend and my mother to a Chinese restaraunt for Dim Sum. It was amazing, and my first experience eating this way. The carts being wheeled around stacked with wonderful little plates of food, was fun! And the food - wow. All I can say is, I could get used to eating like this!

I stopped at the Chinese grocery too, and bought some red envelopes to put a bit of money in to give to my neices. To read up a bit about Chinese New Year, check out Wikipedia.

I'm also stopping to get some chocolate for myself (of course) and my best friend for a little Valentine's treat. Hopefully I'll find some daffodils too, because not only are they the perfect little Spring flower, but the Chinese regard them as being a symbol of prosperity - so that's always a good thing to have around!

I'm still busily setting up my house, and have been working on my Reiki area - I'll snap photos when I'm done. I found a great bamboo mat and some wall art. Divider screens have been spotted, and I'm going to go purchase them this week.

So much going on, plus I'm trying to find time to get caught up on my blog reading, and book reading. I've just unpacked my books finally, and it's rather frightening how many I have, and how many I have yet to read! I just need about a weeks vacation I think. That would be enough time to settle into a few good books and catch up here in blogland. Too bad that I don't see that kind of time coming available in my future... One thing at a time, I guess. It will all get done.

Hope your future is very fortunate for this Year of the Tiger! Health and Prosperity to you!

Feb 10, 2010

I Spy With My Little Mastercard - Take 2

Today I bought a few "Sinfully Wicked Bath & Body" products. I was drooling over the Ginger Pumpkin products, but eventually settled on the Java Mocha Body Scrub and Soap. A girl needs her coffee!

Looking forward to receiving these and perking up in time for Spring!

To visit "Sinfully Wicked" just click on the pic above - it's one of hers, and links to her Etsy store.

Feb 9, 2010

Nirvana Day

I noticed on my nifty calendar (that lists holidays and sabbats for all religions) that yesterday (Feb. 8th) was Nirvana Day.

The BBC "Religions" site says:

"This (Parinirvana Day or Nirvana Day) is a Mahayana Buddhist festival that marks the death of the Buddha.

Buddhists celebrate the death of the Buddha, because they believe that having attained Enlightenment he achieved freedom from physical existence and its sufferings. Buddhists celebrate Parinirvana Day by meditating or by going to Buddhist temples or monasteries.


In monasteries Parinirvana Day is treated as a social occasion. Food is prepared and some people bring presents such as money, household goods or clothes.

The day is used as an opportunity to reflect on the fact of one's own future death, and on friends or relations who have recently passed away. The idea that all things are transient is central to Buddhist teaching. Loss and impermanence are things to be accepted rather than causes of grief.
Meditations are carried out for the newly deceased to give them help and support wherever they might be now."


This somehow reminds me of the Mexican Day of the Dead - albeit less flashy. I do think there is a benefit to pondering our own mortality, and the celebration/wonderment of what is to come when our spirit/energy leaves this physical body of ours.

I think it's rather fitting that I got together with my girlfriends last night for drinks and appies and we chatted about who would be the last one left and what she was to do with all of our "ceremonial shot glasses." (Not as morbid as it might sound - it was actually a lot of laughs!)

Do you spend much time thinking about your own mortality or your ancestors, or do you save that meditation strictly for Samhain time (if you are Pagan?)

Feb 5, 2010

Instant Magick

I talked to a friend in Florida the other night, and we were chatting about how wonderful "instant magick" works. You know, the kind of magic we do in our mundane lives to get the good parking spot, or for a quick health fix, or for whatever you need at a moments notice.

This also came up in last month's lesson for me in my course, and I read Christopher Penczak's book (titled Instant Magick) on the subject which offerred many ways to use these types of swift spells for getting what you need.

Christopher invites you to create a "trigger" which puts you in a state of mind to do magick which is a great idea, but moms have been doing this kind of magick for years without even knowing it!

My mom always found a good parking spot - she just expected one to be where she wanted to park, and it was always there. And my grandmother had a magickal teapot. Whenever I was feeling blue or sick or indifferent, I'd bike over to her house for a cup of tea, and I'd always feel better when I left. I even have a friend who finds a great deal everytime she goes shopping - she just expects to get a discount, and it never fails! Even if she doesn't find anything on sale on the store shelves, she finds that something is on sale when it's rung through the cashier.

I strongly believe that what we put out there is what we get back, so why shouldn't instant magick work? If I'm sending out an intention for something to happen (I'm not talking the Lottery here - I'm talking about something that could reasonably happen) and I fully expect that to happen, it often does. There are times we just randomly think about something - like a person we want to get in touch with - and the Universe aligns with our thoughts, and the next thing you know the phone is ringing, and that person is on the other end of the line.

My favourite new use for instant magick is the "step on your brake" trick my sister in law told me about. Whenever someone is really on your tail when you are driving, just mentally step on their brake. Imagine you are in their car, and are slowing stepping on the break pedal. You'd be surprised how well this works! I've had really agressive drivers back right off. (This may fall somewhere in the grey area of influencing others - but I tend to think that preventing an accident is good for all involved!)

Do you use instant magick? What's your favourite use? I'd love to know about your experiences!





Feb 2, 2010

Happy Groundhog Day!


I'm a sucker for a good groundhog. And Phil is a good groundhog!

Although they look remarkably like our Canadian marmots, and are of the marmot group of large ground squirrels, groundhogs (or woodchucks) are a much larger critter than our local furry friends. And you know what larger means! Larger....brains! All the better to predict weather with, of course!

And use a cellphone. Apparently Phil can text! And you know I would be in line to receive that message - so I registered here, and am awaiting a report from Phil from his post on Gobblers Knob.

He'd better have good news!