Echoside: Phoenix Rose

As taken from Llewellyn's Spell-A-Day Almanac today's blessing is The Number Four for a Balanced Beginning.  Photo credit: Phoenix Rose 2019 It's a very simple ritual that involves lighting four candles while reciting a blessing.  Earlier this week I felt I wanted to do this as it is easy enough to fit into the day of my busy mom-life. As I was doing my usual daily routine I kind of forgot about my desire to do this blessing.  I made an impromptu call to one of my friends during my little one's nap.  I'm a walk-as-I-talk-on-the-phone person.  As I saunter from the living room to the kitchen the book caught the corner of my eye and I wondered to myself whether I should do that ritual.  Upon entering the kitchen the time on the microwave is 4:44. Well then, I guess it's settled.  I took that as my higher self affirming the ritual.  Took 4 tea lights and recited the blessing as I lit them one by one.  It's little ways like this we can...

The other night I was on the phone talking about archangels with a close friend of mine. We discussed whether an archangel can be a spirit guide of sorts or whether they are too busy for our petty human lives. Many people call upon archangels, especially Michael. I have stated in a previous post that I was not always open to angels. These were not things I resonated with. As I've been growing, learning, and expanding I more and more see the value in working with these beings. Several times AA Gabriel and AA Michael has come to me. In several readings I have done for my friend whom I was on the phone with Gabriel has attended those readings, or showed up closely after. In an angel reading I received from an different friend Michael was drawn, then her intuition told her to draw another, which of course was Gabriel. Through a series of synchcronistic events I came into possession of an Archangel Gabriel oracle deck. I knew as I continued on my creative writing journey t...

This was written by me a few weeks ago. Some of you who know me will have already heard/read this . However, being called to share these exact type of things.  Daily practice. Daily practice is sooo important. Whatever it is you want to be good at. Whoever the person is that you want to be. Practice it daily. Even if only for a few minutes of the day. Be open. Angels - not something that has resonated with me... now seems to be resonating. Being open to learning, to new things. Just because you know something, and have known something for 20, 30, 40 years... there is STILL something to be learned. There are always nuggets of truth and wisdom to be found in everyone's bullshit. Once you believe you're an expert, the energy goes stagnant. Be open to things you think you can't learn from. I am magical. I am powerful. Those moments where I feel like an absurd whack-a-doo have been some of the times that have proven to be my most accurate. Remember the times of accuracy...

For the past few weeks I've been focusing on tarot and dreamwork. This week and last I have taken a break from my weekly tarot and dream blog. Although, I am still fully immersed in working with those things daily. This blog's intention was to follow my magical and spiritual journey and I haven't been sharing too much of it. I went on a crazy ride for the past few years. Especially when I endeavoured to answer the question "what is magic?" To describe magic would take too long, but to sum it up, it's something that's felt and experienced. It can be seen with the right eye, can be heard with the right ear, but if those things are closed off you cannot perceive magic in those ways. Magic is available to anyone and everyone. I have neglected to write about a lot of the magical things that has been going on and that I have witnessed and experienced simply because it's unbelievable. Some of it has been very personal. Some of it makes no sense. The nonse...

In last week's Tarot Talks I spoke of comparing yourself with the have-nots in life and how tarot can take you out of that head-space and provide clarity and offer a different perspective. This week I would like to go a bit further into using clarity provided by tarot. This is a bit of a paradox because tarot can sometimes have us raising more questions than answering the ones we came in with. It is true that tarot is complex, but it doesn't have to be complicated. Learning it's language -  I don't mean memorizing the instruction book either - and how it speaks to you is the key to a successful and insightful reading. Oftentimes tarot gives insight into different paths when we find ourselves at a crossroads. I don't believe that tarot should be used as a GPS, but rather should be used as a compass. GPS systems have a set destination and you follow exactly where the voice tells you to go. A compass on the other hand tells you where True North is and it's up ...

We all search for clarity in various ways. While the motivations may be different for the individual, it all comes from a place of comparisons - wanting what others' have that we don't, believing the grass is greener on the other side, or even comparing our current reality to what we think our life " should " look like. This place of comparing emphasizes our insecurities and doubts. It makes our frustration signal rise and the downward spiral begins. We become clouded and need to clear the way to make more effective decisions in our lives. Tarot is a tool that helps move from a place of comparing to a place of clarity Tarot is a tool to help gain clarity into a confusing or frustrating situation. The place of comparing isn't necessarily a negative thing, as humans we need to be able to compare, make sound judgments that could literally mean life or death. We tend to take this comparing to other levels: jealousy, envy, self-doubting, insecurities, and feelings...

I have been thinking about this for some time now, as we are shifting to 5D consciousness, I had seen a group discussion on FB on the topic that since we are striving for 5D why bother working with the first 7 chakras when we should be working with the chakras above Soul Star. I did not partake in the discussion at the time (months ago, can no longer find where I seen it) however, I have went within and found my answers. Chakras 1-7 reside in the body, the Root and Crown bridging us to Upper and Lower Worlds, chakras 8-13 are in our Auric field First, before working with chakras 8-13 and above, I have some self-reflective questions.  What is the condition of your chakras between the Earth and Soul Star chakras? Are they functioning at optimal levels? Do you work with them everyday, or on a scheduled weekly routine? Are they under- or over-active, spinning out of control or not spinning at all? This is why we work with the "basic" chakras. Because a lot of people do n...

When I say "collective" I am referring to the collective consciousness of this Earth, perhaps even the entire Universe.  I have seen it work through many people that have no awareness of the other person.  Think of it in terms like this, how two people on opposite ends of the earth can come up with very similar ideas and inventions, even before the internet this phenomenon was happening. There was a lot of synchronicity last week for Root / Base chakra energy and healing.  I decided to run a workshop with some close friends.  It turns out many of them had the same thoughts on the chakra work, then it started popping up that others were running similar workshops!  It's really amazing when you think about it. This week we are running Sacral chakra energy and healing.  The theme comes again, running through many different channels.  People working on masculine/feminine energies, someone randomly deciding to paint a wall orange.  People are gettin...

How can you do a tarot reading when you are not face-to-face with the person? I, and many other readers, get that question often.  I have provided tarot readings in person, through my Facebook page and email .  I have read for a querent when they couldn't be live in the chat.  It all remains very accurate.  Receiving digital readings have become quite common place.  Heck, if you wanted to get an old time feel, I will mail you hand written reading. >_<  heehee Some still wonder how....  If their energy isn't there, how can the reading be done?  Don't they need to shuffle the cards?  No.  The querent does not need to shuffle the cards.  I know many readers who don't allow anyone to touch their cards.  As someone who has done it both ways, I prefer to just shuffle the cards myself. Energy.  Energy is all around.  Essentially we are all connected by tiny molecules.  The esoteric and scientific communitie...

During a channeling session last week, which was not intended, and had quite an interesting outcome, the nursery rhyme of She Sells Sea Shells by the Seashore has been on my mind ever since.  The message, though not intended for me, is still applicable. Yesterday, despite the chilliness of the day, the boys and I went down to the waterfront with the intention of collecting driftwood for some projects my husband is working on.  I didn't expect to collect much for myself, until seeing that all the "rocks" and "sand" were actually shells.  My heart warmed me to the core, and I should have expected as much.  With the weather very similar to the northern shore of Northern Ireland's coast where the Giant's Causeway lays, the shoreline here was eerily similar: shells.  No sand, just shells. Everywhere, all along where the water met land, shells, all sizes, and two distinct shapes on this shoreline of Lake Ontario. The seagulls and other birds, must have a f...

I have been on and off my spiritual path over the years.  Some ears I have taken more seriously than others.  Other times I figured, what's the point, and I'd just stick to the daily grind of humanness.  When I began this blog in 2015, I was reawakening my spirituality, and wanted to record it.  However, when I decided I was going to answer the question "what is magic" I began a ride that I cannot put half of it into words to describe the magic that I have seen, and even if I did, many wouldn't believe it. If I had to choose a movie title to describe the past year, Fast and Furious comes to mind.  Highs and lows like you wouldn't believe....  Or maybe you would.  I know I am not alone in this.  I know this now. There has been a whirlwind of changes, shifts, upgrades.  This time of year, getting closer to Halloween the veil is said to thin and be at it's thinnest on the night of All Hollows Eve.  On top of that, the collective veil is...

#XiiiDeath renewal, rebirth, transformation, end of a phase and beginning of a new cycle. Hanson-Roberts, Essential Tarot (1984) Despite the ominous feelings, and stigma with receiving a Death card in tarot, this is actually a very good card to receive.  Especially if you have been going through an emotionally traumatic time.  It is showing an end to that phase and cycle.  If you are going through a particularly positive time it doesn't necessarily mean the good times will come to an end, even though this life is cyclical and based on a balance ebbing and flowing.   Very rarely this denotes a physical death, even in times of illness, it may point to a death of the illness itself.  A specific combination of cards would need to happen to point to physical death.  Personally, this card is coming at a precarious time for myself.  Things are definitely changing and it's for better or worse.  I am comforted that thi...

#TheHierophant order, tradition, spirituality, religion, authority, power, responsibility, knowledge |Hanson-Roberts, Essential Tarot (1984) Hierophant sits between the two pillars of the material and spiritual suggesting a balanced between the two in ourselves.  As much as this card is about spiritual journeys it is also about learning, knowledge and wisdom here in the material world. There is great power and authority with this card.  The crossed keys represent intellect and intuition, delicately balanced. The Hierophant holds the staff of the three worlds - physical, astral, and etheric.  Suggesting he is knowledgeable about all existence. While this card suggests creating order and balance within our world, it also points to hanging on to out-dated belief systems that may be holding you back.  Knowledge and understanding are fluid.  Once we believe we know everything about something we stagnate and no longer grow.  We c...

Many things since March have been pointing me towards water.  It's cleansing and healing properties.  As someone who has identified as a Fire sign and element for so long, water and working with it as an elemental is somewhat foreign to me. Summer Solstice is fast approaching and a common theme is making a pilgrimage to sacred water.  However, this can be accomplished at home using a decorative fountain, bowl/basin, bathtub, or shower.  And I will be taking the opportunity to do the following water connection spell. Focus on the water and give yourself time to connect.  Say this spell, written by Deborah Blake, feel free to adapt it or completely create your own.  Her words have resonated for me and I will be using them.  After the words are spoken take a nice refreshing drink of water. "Water to cleanse and wash away fears / The rain like Gaia's gentle tears Ocean's fierce and rumbling roar / As its waves rush to the shore Water flows...

According to the dictionary magic is defined as, "the power of apparently influencing the course of events by using mysterious or supernatural forces."   We have discussed light fibers in the previous segment Cooking, Food and Spirituality - What Are Light Fibers? in regard to using them in food and with cooking we identified them as good feelings that we imbue into our food.  Here we will discuss light fibers a little further.  Light fibers are, basically put, feelings.  We are nothing more than a mass of light fibers that intersect with the universe and all the other light fibers in it.  Psychically adept people may actually be able to see these light fibers, which are seen as our auras.  Magic at a rudimentary level is nothing more than a manipulation of these fibers and energies.  Which most people do, on some level, daily and quite unconsciously. A skilled surgeon, when in the operating room, is performing magic.  While there is medical ...

Eating is one of the most powerful acts that we perform on a day-to-day basis.  It should be treated as a sacred and joyous act, performed mindfully and with love.  This society is laden with body image issues and unrealistic pressures from the media to look or feel a certain way.  The only thing this actually does is create shame, and we feel shame when we eat.  Whether it's overeating, or obsessively counting calories, this amount of disconnect and shame is widening the gap between our physical-selves and our spiritual-selves.  Both halves of ourselves are suffering in this modality. How do we close the gap between trivial, mediocre, mindless eating to the sacred, respected rite it should be?  First, you do not need to be wearing ritual robes, burning incense, or calling on the quarters for every meal.  You can if you wish and feel comfortable doing that!  However, that is usually reserved for special feasts in some circles.  For every...

What are light fibers?  Light fibers are energy.  They are basically the energy of good feelings.  Light in this sense not only refers to the opposite of dark, but also the opposite of heavy.  These light fibers are psychic, ethereal fibers.  These exist in and around everyone, and mostly in everything.  Mostly.  Here I will be referring to light fibers in our food, and the lack thereof. Why do we want light fibers in our food?  Light fibers in food give us a sense of connectedness to the food we consume.  Eating should be a joyous, spiritual act.  We should be one with the food we consume.  After enjoying a meal we should actually feel light, perhaps energized, and glowing.  However, so much of the food we consume today lacks light fibers, and is treated as something disconnected from us.  Eating the foods common to the Western world, in what I call "Texas-sized" portions we feel heavy, sluggish and lethargic. ...