The Trip...

Here are a few photo's from  my sweetie, Chris'  trip to Talladega Alabama to see a NASCAR race on Halloween eve...

Leopardskin Jasper

Jasper is an extremely varied and versatile stone. The light colors are best for healing and darker colors are more grounding and can be used for protection. Jasper can also be used to further both the development and continuance of business pursuits .. to provide for coordination of activities leading to an increase. It is also reported to give you the courage to speak out and the bravery to achieve personal independence. 

Leopardskin Jasper is an excellent protection stone, providing protection for both travellers and astral travellers. This stone is also a good grounding stone and is especially useful in healing, It instills a feeling of wholeness, serenity and being cared for and aids mental clarity and functioning and balances the heart center. It was widely known as a “nurturing” stone.

It is known to help draw into your life whatever you need for physical healing. When Leopardskin Jasper is  in contact with your skin, the stone's energy flows into your aura, where it captures information about you. This information then rides on the return flow of the stone's energy back to the stone in contact with your skin. In this way, the Leopardskin Jasper learns your needs.

However, these stones do not discriminate between true and artificial needs. An example of an artificial need is a child's "need" to have ice cream for dessert, while his true need might be for an apple. Leopardskin Jasper helps attract whatever will satisfy one's true needs, which are not necessarily the same as desires or wishes.

Jasper (as a whole) is a form of semiprecious chalcedony, or microcrystalline quartz and is usually red, brown or green. Its patterns are usually more irregular and better defined than those of the other chalcedony variety, agate. Another difference between the two is that jaspers are generally opaque, while agates tend to be translucent, or at minimum will contain translucent bands. This distinction stems from the composition of the stones. Jasper contains microscopic "grains" of crystalline quartz and agate has microscopic "fibers" of crystalline quartz.

Jasper derives its colorful patterns from other minerals present, and is often named according to its pattern. It has a dull luster but takes a fine polish, and its hardness and other physical properties are those of quartz. Leopardskin Jasper was once believed to help prevent infection and heal wounds caused in fights or battles. In the modern world it is more commonly used to help heal emotional scars caused by past traumas, abuse or neglect.

Native Americans believe that jasper brings rain. The word for Jasper in some Native American cultures meant "rain-bringer." It was often worn by Shamen to provide protection. Jasper was thought to drive away evil spirits and protect against snake and spider bites. According to Native American beliefs, crystals can communicate while existing on multiple dimensions. They offer us information we cannot reach ourselves, and they promote harmonic symmetry and perfection within the world. You must become friends with the crystal energies you work with so that they can reveal their purpose to you

* The stones that you see (the first photo) on the wooden box are the very same ones I ordered last week, after seeing them in a photo (along side a couple of beautifully made tarot bags, that I ordered as well). My sweetie, Chris took the photo of the stones  just after they arrived yesterday.

Tarot Shadow Work- Coping Strategies

This week I'm going to start discussing some of those wonderful coping strategies and to start off with the number one coping strategy...DENIAL!

Denial seems to be quite popular in today's society, for  example's sake, look at alcoholism ( a topic not so near and dear to my heart.) A person in denial might make excuses for his/her drinking and blame other people or circumstances. A person in denial might think that alcohol is not a problem because he or she holds a job or has never been in an accident.

Often if we look at the root issues that cause the alcohol addiction, we can see a history of childhood abuse, neglect and other problems. They then develope  denial as a coping mechanism and that leads to harmful behaviors which may have been avoided if they had dealt with their "Shadow-selves". Often the person is not trying to be dishonest with themselves and others, it is an unconcious process and  functions to "deny" that which cannot be dealt with on a concious level, due to  emotional traumas .  The next step in dealing with the denial is to take the twenty one Major Arcana cards and shuffle them while concentrating on what information is needed in order to know about denial. The card I drew was The Fool.

Looking at The Fool, I keep in mind the questions of... "What I may be avoiding...?" "What is it that I am afraid of...?" and "How does this card represent the "blind spot" that blocks my growth...?"


The Fool's Shadow Qualities are: not listening to my inner voice, refusing to try the "new", lacking playfulness and rigidity. I for one can truly speak from the heart when I say that the "blind spot" that blocks my growth is all of the above Shadow Qualities! I learned at a very early age that my inner voice could not be trusted since I was always told that (whatever the situation happened to be), it wasn't really as bad as I thought it was, playfulness was something to be avoided because I must remain guarded for I never knew when life would become dramatica and traumatic, so I was always poised for the storm so to speak.

As far as rigidity goes, things were always so chaotic so I set up a rigid routine for myself both emotionally and mentally just so I could have some system   that I could count on remaining constant (even if it was somewhat crazy, now that I look back on it.) So much of my childhood I have forgotten and really need to look at now, so that I can move past the blocked paths to healing my Shadow self. This book has really brought to my attention little coping skills my mind  has created, just to be able to survive my turbulent childhood.

Next week...I look at another coping skill, repression.


**Chariot Update**
My car is now running better than it has in months! It turns out there was a  little screw (supposed to) be holding the rotor in place. It had worked it's way loose and therefore the car  jumped time and ceased to run. I  can now reassure everyone that I just had a screw loose!

"What Is...?" Wednesday

The Akashic Record

A theosophical term that refers to an "universal filing system" which records every occurring thought, word, and action. The records are impressed on a subtle substance called "akasha" (akasha is a Sanskrit word meaning "sky", "space" or "aether") . In Hindu mysticism this akasha is thought to be the primary principle of nature from which the other four natural principles, fire, air, earth, and water, are created.

Information about these Akashic Records can be found in folklore,  myth, and throughout the Old and New Testaments. It can be traced at least as far back as the Semitic peoples (and includes the Arabs, the Assyrians, the Phoenicians, the Babylonians, and the Hebrews). Among each of these peoples was the belief that there was in existence some kind of celestial tablets which contained the history of humankind as well as all manner of spiritual information.

A more modern example  regarding the Akashic Records comes from the clairvoyant work of Edgar Cayce (1877-1945), a Christian mystic and founder of A.R.E. For forty-three years of his adult life, Edgar Cayce claimed the uncanny ability to lie down on a couch, close his eyes, fold his hands over his stomach, and put himself into some kind of an altered state in which virtually any type of information was available. The results of  some 14,000 of his  readings are currently contained at the Cayce headquarters. 

Skeptics often argue that the concept of Akashic Records has been attributed indiscriminately and inappropriately to a wide range of historical religious figures and movements and  this theory has also been rejected by the scientific community, due to a lack of any independently verifiable evidence.  Just how the scientific community  is able todismiss theories that cannot be seen, touched  or quantified (such as The Akashic Record) and retains  other conceptual theories (such as those  found in Quantum Mechanics), is a topic for another day.

Tarot Tuesday

The Chariot and The Ten of Swords  (a tale of two issues...)

I'm going to use my daily draw for yesterday because I think it illustrates all too well one of the many nuances (not to mention sense of humor) that tarot can involve.  Usually, I don't have to ponder much when certain cards come up but I almost never get the Chariot...in fact in the last several months I don't believe I've  even pulled it, so it seemed rather unusual.

Monday started out to be a normal, run of the mill first day of the week... I drew  the Chariot (my daily draw) and the Ten of Swords (shadow card)  as I've been making a practice of lately. I think I must have sat for a good half hour trying to figure out just why I may be having melodramatic control issues that day. What a strange combination!  I felt fairly good today... the kids were going to a whole day of school as opposed the the half days they had  all last week due to parent/teacher conferences...I had my morning coffee...the dogs went out on schedule just like everyday and I had planned on a typical day .

It seems, however, the tarot  had a good dose of irony in store for me and all those  deep, mystical meanings I was searching for were not as deep or mystical as I had made them out to be.

The Ten of Swords usually represents a melodramatic kind of ruin, misfortune and anguish a little like my youngest two children act when one of their friends decide to play with someone else..."The world has ended... so and so doesn't like me anymore..."  or it can also imply   one's troubles and worries  (of a intellectual nature, since Swords represent thoughts and intellect) are coming to an end...a kind of  "It can only go up from here" situation. As far as melodrama goes, we can see that ten swords does seem a bit overkill!

 The Chariot, as I have stated, usually pertains to control issues..one's will, self assertion and assuming authority. In the card we can see a man in a chariot, standing  stiffly upright with a sense of firm resolve on his face. I thought it  had to do with me because goddess knows I have autonomy issues..well, maybe a bit of ego as well... but it didn't turn out  that way and it was all very simple... all those deep and mystical meanings I was looking for this morning just weren't that deep or mystical. They were rather shallow and  a tad literal.

I had just turned the corner and onto the main road headed to the school when all of a sudden my car started choking...and sputtering...and then...well, then there was nothing. Nothing at all.. it wouldn't start up again. As I sat there in a severe state of anxiety, my mind whirled about what it was that I should do first. My first rational thought (well, okay...not so rational) was to call my sweetie, Chris. Did I mention that he's  been in Alabama for the last six days and won't be home until late tomorrow night? I promptly began cry and feel very sorry for myself indeed... I was sure the week as I had planned it was over!.

To make this long story short, my  friend Bobbi and her husband Danny  came to my rescue and took me to pick up the children (and tow the  car back home) and  suddenly it struck me ... the meaning of the Chariot was obvious! Another less occurring but entirely possible interpretation is  one of automobile or transportation issues.  Right then and there I started laughing because I had heard others remark that sometimes the tarot has a sense of humor but I never really believed it until today.  It's kind of funny how we can be going right along in our lives with the assumption that today will be just like any other day ( "I'm in control!") only to be rudely shaken ("Arrgg! my world has ended!") out of that notion. I think it serves to teach us how to appreciate  our lives, mundane or magical. As for my car...I'll have to keep you posted!

"Must Have" Monday

Confession time...

I'm a tarot junkie...(and stones and crystals and herbs and oils and incense...) but that's probably not big news given the circle I hang out with..( now that was a pun, wasn't it?) I was looking for tarot bags this last week and I came upon a few really great Etsy shops, one I ordered two really beautiful tarot bags and even searched Google for the  really cool little stones that were shown in the picture with them. I have a few favorite Etsy merchants and today I thought that I would share list with you....

My MUST HAVE List:

Quixoticxa Studio - Some beautifully hand sewn tarot bags, of course I had to order two! Then I had to Google the stones...Leopard Skin Jasper, and order some of those too!

 The Imporium:: For all your familiar needs- These have got to be the cutest little critters I have seen in a long time! These little knit creations will definately warm your heart.

Magical Enchantments- I just love this shop, it has everything you might need for that spell, potion or special witchy occasion. I was very impressed with the Hecate magical enchantment oil and candle set that I ordered.

Earthen Creations and Moonlit Creations  both by Mel Kickland, she has some wonderful jewelry all made by hand. Check it out... she is quite talented and creative!

Hibiscus Moon-  Where you can find wonderful pendulums, tumbled stones and gorgeous crystals. I like the Amethyst pendulum myself. On my MUST HAVE as we speak!

Carioca Witch- Handcrafted products from Brazil. These hand sewn items are really great and in fact I have a few on my MUST HAVE list as well!

I hope you have a chance to check out these Etsy sites, there are some terrific items just perfect for gift giving or just because occasions. Don't forget, tonight is the full "Beaver" moon. It's a good time for spells about manifesting, about what you wish to bring into your life...what a great time of the year, when Samahain and the full moon are at almost the same time!

Bright Blessings!

Trick Or Treat!

Kids gathered around the table before going out trick or treating.

My youngest granddaughter, Autumn, the ladybug.

My daughter Meaghan and granddaughter Heaven posing for pictures. Heaven did her own make up!

My youngest two,Conor and Meaghan, the pirate twins.

Everyone out on the town..."Candy, here we come!"

The great flaming pumpkin...

And one very worn out witch!

Serenity Sunday

I hope everyone had a very blessed Samhain and a very happy Halloween yesterday! Conor and Meaghan (my youngest two) dressed up as pirates and went trick or treating with their older sister Caitlin and nieces, Autumn and Heaven. I did my releasing  prayer ritual, honored all my loved ones that passed on as well as  beloved cats that have gone to Rainbow Bridge... I then blessed our house and charged it with positive, loving energy. I even got to speak with my sweetie over the phone (he's been in Alabama for a NASCAR race in Talladega) and can't wait until he gets home in a few days! Now, for my weekly gratitude list...

My List:

1.) My children

2.) My sweetie, Chris

3.) Jack O' Lanterns

4.) Chilly moonlight nights

5.) Ancestors

6.) Chakra stones

7.) Happy memories

8.) Life lessons

9.) Hot chocolate (with whipped cream and chocolate sprinkles)

10.) Fun sized Milky Way bars