season's spirit

“If ‘I think, therefore I am’ is true, we are people who are. We are, and we stand on this ground. If you deny us ground, you are denying us our ‘I am.’ Isn’t that negation of our existence? We are here and we are you and we are yours.” ~ Patrick Fealey, The invisible Man

Too true for all humans - badly needed and sadly lacking in our overwrought world. On my second year after closing up my apartment and locking my few must haves in storage - this definitely strikes a raw nerve. 

descent of the holy spirit mosaic - image by Holger Schué 

My innate Cancerian nature requires a homey nest to keep me warm and cozy. I've relocated halfway around the world - going and coming, moving every two years, easily settling in, happy to call myself a global citizen. 

My own space is a sought-after sanctuary at all times - however temporary or simple. As easy as it is for me to claim a place, its removal or lack can easily displace and cause concern. I value my solitariness and have worked for years to claim it absolutely. 

In the 15 years away from and the last 15 back - there have been shifts and surprising realizations. Space can open up or shut down. Folks can accommodate or adjust, resent or be threatened. There are several pros and cons either way. 

Family, friendship, connection, community - come under strain and are tested. Much is unearthed and revealed in the exchange. A migrant, an immigrating immigrant - what does it all entail? A refugee seeking refuge, a transplant being relocated, shelter and asylum. 

Even when planned for and prepared success is not a given, countless concerns and challenges are faced, others along the way may not welcome or care. We exist and are in a world grown tense and tight, fearful and lacking. 

Making it harder to hold and manifest, grasp and work our magic. May the spirit of the holidays come alive in our hearts and homes. 

festival of light & life

As we celebrate All Hallows Eve and the veils between worlds thin - folks around the world, according to varying practices, beliefs and cultures - prepare altars for our ancestors. This is important work that has been passed on through generations. 

Now more than ever, we can all use that supportive energy - as we recall and honor our ancestors who have paved the way and supported our survival. I celebrate an accumulation of 38 years - from when I first started my shamanic practice and apprenticeship all those years ago. 

clay diya lamps - © Uma Shankar sharma

It is also the festival of Diwali (Deepavali) - when myriad little clay lamps (diyas) light the way to remove darkness from the face of the earth. The dharma of fire illuminates wherever it falls - giving light and warmth. 

sacred reciprocity

As the Aries full moon rises, it invites us to embrace the energy of intensity swirling around us. This lunation may bring feelings of tension and the urge to release pent-up emotions. It’s a perfect time to confront what’s been bubbling beneath the surface and create space for new beginnings.

Observe all the change happening around you and embrace it within. 

supermoon blessings

This full moon is asking you to be brave, bold, and authentic. Your dreams are within reach, and now is the time to go after them with everything you’ve got. Embrace the changes coming your way and trust that they are leading you toward the life you’ve always wanted. ~ Alex Myles

To help you navigate this transformative period, call on the healing power of bloodstone to partner with the vibrant energy of the Aries full moon.

Bloodstone is known for its ability to enhance vitality and freshness, making it a perfect companion during this time of emotional release. 

Emotionally, this Full Moon can feel like a rollercoaster. Aries’ fiery energy may stir up tension, especially if you’ve been bottling things up. Let yourself feel these emotions, but don’t let them control you. This is also a time for deep emotional healing. 

The Full Moon shines a light on the areas where we need to grow and release old wounds. It’s time to forgive yourself, let go of past hurts, and move forward into a more empowered version of yourself.

Ultimately, this full supermoon in Aries is a powerful reminder that you are in control of your life. It’s time to release any fears or doubts that have been holding you back and step into your power. 

The Universe is supporting you, but you have to be willing to take that first step. Trust that everything is happening for your highest good, even if it feels challenging right now.

Now is the time to harness the energy of this moon and work through those difficulties. Bloodstone holds the power to empower our journey, helping to clear the way for honesty and authenticity.

Embrace the energy of the Aries full moon and be guided towards clarity and courage to connect with our inner strength. 

#ActForHumanity

World Humanitarian Day takes place every August 19 to raise awareness of the plight of civilians around the world who have become caught up in conflicts, and to honor and support humanitarian workers who risk, at times lose, their lives to help. 

As the United Nations explains: "No matter the danger or the hardship, humanitarians venture deep into disaster-stricken regions and, on the front lines of conflict, strive to save and protect people in need."

#ActForHumanity. JOIN THE CAMPAIGN

World Humanitarian Day was established in 2008 by the United Nations General Assembly and was first officially celebrated in 2009. The date of 19th August was chosen as it marks the anniversary of the bombing of the Canal Hotel in Baghdad, an event in which the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Sergio Vieira de Mellothe and twenty others lost their lives.

Lammas | Lughnasadh | Loaf Mass Day

The 2024 dates for Lammas | Lughnasadh | Loaf Mass Day are August 1 to 12. Many cultures celebrate Midsummer - this week we also mark 8:8:8 Lion's Gate as well as the peak of the Perseids meteor showers.

We are halfway through the summer in all its glory - with its COVID spreading county fairs, backyard barbeques, political rodeos, and Olympic upsets. 

image c/o National Today

At Lammas we honor the past with a feast of bread to celebrate grain from ancient cultures. Because of its association with Lugh - warrior, king, master craftsman, savior - it is also a traditional time of year for craft and music festivals. Folks gather and feast as skilled artisans showcase their workmanship and sell their creations. 

migrants' maps

Aristotle believed. . . .the regions centered around the equator -

too hot to be inhabited -

he dubbed them the torrid zones. 

We know them today as the tropics -

both share the equator as one of their boundaries. 

The north torrid zone extends to the Tropic of Cancer.

The south reaches the Tropic of Capricorn.

visit the equator

trash or treasure

Each year two meteor showers converge over our late summer skies - the famous Perseids and the lesser known Delta Aquariids. The best time to watch for both is before the moon rises in late July.

A meteor shower occurs when the Earth passes through a stream of debris left behind by a comet. As the bits of rock and dust in the stream of debris collide with the earth’s atmosphere, they burn up and create fiery streaks across the sky.

Delta Aquariids always peak in late July but the waning gibbous and last quarter moon of 2024 will light up the sky past midnight - making it more challenging to view.

Past 11:00 a.m. on July 16 a meteorite passed over New York and New Jersey. Wrapped in a bright ball of light and trailing loud explosive bangs. Fortunately this stellar light and sound extravaganza did not land on earth or cause any havoc.

Star Fall by Wang Zheng, Astronomy Photographer of the Year 2021

The Southern Delta Aquariids are active beginning in mid-July and are visible until late August. These faint meteors are difficult to spot, and when the moon is visible, they disappear from view. With the moon out our best chance to see the Southern Delta Aquariids is at the shower's peak between August 29th and 30th.

by the skin of our teeth

AT the dentist recently for a cleaning and check up, they found it admirable that at the ripe old age of 68 I still had a mouth full of my own teeth. 

But they also found two tiny packets of thinning enamel that were deemed potential future cavities. Rather than wait and see, they were quickly patched up. 

Bringing me to ponder the phrase - by the skin of our teeth. 

Surviving by The Skin of Our Teeth

Job of the old testament bible and Thornton Wilder in his Pulitzer winning Broadway hit have made this idiom famous. 

blood bond

The red string talisman is a global practice of religions and spiritual beliefs, cultures and continents, and various folk customs throughout the ages.  

A scarlet or crimson thread is worn as a bracelet or band on the wrist of the wearer - a protective shield against evil or a mindful reminder to attract good. 

my blood band

The tradition is not explicitly superstitious or religiously followed by believers of major faiths - Hindu, Buddhist, Jewish, Muslim, Christian, etc. 

Many cultures wear red to ward off the evil eye. There are sacred texts associated with wearing a red band as well. 

At a women's voice retreat in Bali last year our circle of women unraveled a ball of red wool - tying a length of it around each member's left wrist. 

As we wound each round, we invoked personal prayers for beloved women ancestors and descendants in our blood lines, biological lineage, and teaching hierarchies. 

My band weaves nine individual strings - myself, my mother, my daughter; my sisters, resisters, rebel warriors; my ancestral clan mothers, my blood descendant daughters, our female saints and sages. 

These are the girls and women of blood and bone who have merged with me in body and soul. Together we face what the world gives and takes - we absorb it all and share it equally. 

This is our sacred bond. 

we'moon beltane blessings

With roots established and delightful growth all around, we honor the fertility, beauty and resourcefulness of our creative and soil-based spaces. Give thanks for the clarity of vision and the potency of our prayers, which set our visions in motion. 

We have all that we need, and the abundance of our ideas is confirmed and affirmed. Our determination has sown such beautiful resonance. 

We'Moon 2024, page 79

May we continue to stretch forward and ground our plans. So many blooms of possibility are on the horizon, and they are ready to make their presence known. Let's find nourishing ways of being that create echoes of joy and pleasure throughout our bodies, together in community and towards the Great Mother. 

Feed your inner landscapes and let us build upon and amplify our stories. Together may we practice gentle ways to pivot towards wholeness, cultivate a harmonious connection to the elements, and honor this fierce planet that supports us all.

—Karen L. Culpepper © Mother Tongue Ink 2023
from page 79 in We'Moon 2024

Let’s find nurturing and nourishing ways of being that feed our bodies, connect together in community and honor the Great Mother. 

As we sustain our inner landscapes we build upon and amplify our stories. Create collaborative circles and practice gentle ways to pivot towards wholeness. Cultivate harmonious connections to the elements and honor this planet always - as it supports us all.

intention + imagination = inspired insight

Around this time last year we began posting a series we created on Instagram called mantra | prayer | poem. These digital decoupages were created by Bhakti Creative Design. 

EcoDeo on Instagram

Declarations of intention, devotion, and vibration designed to capture the imagination to inspire and ignite insight. 

older & wiser

Ageing is an art we all too easily overlook since oftentimes it is a double-edged sword. Ageism rears its ugly head in so many cases — a bias too often practiced in societies obsessed with youth and ill equipped to face death.

“For older people, ageism is an everyday challenge. Overlooked for employment, restricted from social services and stereotyped in the media, ageism marginalizes and excludes older people in their communities.” ~ World Health Organization

For menopausal women this is a particular challenge as we undergo a roller coaster ride of changes. I used to laugh at the concept when I was unaffected and I didn’t understand.

With good genes from both parents and our ancestors I would ridicule batchmates who started slowing down years ago and some even a decade or more younger than me.

on the beach

But the year I turned 65 it all came crashing down on me. Suddenly I noticed soreness or stiffness blooming where there didn’t used to be any. I broke one foot, then two years later, the other as well. How? Running full tilt with heavy bags in both arms. Yes! 

Now as I’m aging, my appreciation for life and the process of getting older is expanding. It is an exceptional gift to age year after year — no matter how we feel about our age. 

an animated world

Long before any ism or religion existed in humanity's consciousness, animist practice was the embodied experience of living beings. 

Animism is not a theory, a philosophy, or an idea. It was simply how things were. A common understanding - across the entire world, for all of time. 

The fabric offerings tied to a tree mark offerings to a being of the landscape.
Olkhon Island, Irkutsk Oblast, Russian Federation. Roberto Quijada, CC BY-NC

Animism is not a religion one can convert to but rather a label used for worldviews and practices. It identifies and describes acknowledge relationships between nature and the animal world. A driving force and influence over humans and a way of being that needed to be respected.

Tara Mangalartha

The Tara Mangalartha Mantra is a prayer to restore climate balance. 

Oṃ tāre tuttāre ture Maṅgalaṃ śrī mahā pāṇi svāhā

Tara Mangalartha, the 12th Tara

Translated as, "she who brings about auspiciousness." This mantra is a sacred chant associated with the deity Tara - a revered figure in Tibetan Buddhism.

Tara Mangalartha (Drölma Tashi Dönjema) is the twelfth Tara, depicted as peaceful and golden yellow goddess. Seated serenely on her lotus flower with an auspicious infinity knot.

day of love

Christianity often modeled early celebrations and holidays on existing festivals and feasts. For example, Christmas holiday started out when winter solstice was celebrated. 

On the same trend, Valentine's Day was held on February 14 while Lupercalia was celebrated February 13 to 15. In time many of these old-time festivals were replaced by the spreading influence of this latest religion. 

La Lupa Capitolina "the Capitoline Wolf" with figures of Romulus & Remus added

Lupercalia was observed to honor pagan gods of love, marriage, and fertility -Pan and Juno. It is celebrated with a rite of purification and health. Only slightly connected to fertility and more as a part of celebrating health. Not at all about love. 

new face

With the remake of the movie "The Color Purple" interest in Alice Walker and her words has surged more than usual. 

In her book "The Same River Twice: Honoring the Difficult" the Mendocino County-based author revisits the film set - describing her personal reactions to the whole experience, in brave, naked detail.

Her writing brilliantly unveils an artist’s pain and joy at seeing her work take on a surprising life of its own. For writers and artists, it is full of valuable insights. 

Sandra Ingerman | shamanic journeying for healing

Today is the start of a new course with Sandra Ingerman - "Shamanic Journeying for Healing" at the Shift Network. 

Shift course page

It is perfectly timed - opening 2024 to much of it potential and possibility. Exploring an ancient practice intimately intertwined with the elements of nature. Journeying into non-ordinary realms in ceremony - for healing, support, and guidance. 

Sandra Ingerman in an intimate connection with helping spirits and nature beings of these unseen realms. Into worlds beyond our world - shamanic journeying to connect with multidimensional guides and their insights since ancient times. 

Sandra Ingerman teaches how to experience firsthand what it looks, feels, and sounds like to explore other worlds and be in true physical presence with the divine beings who dwell there. 

Providing options and solutions to our greatest personal and collective challenges to share - with family, friends, colleagues, and community. A truly life changing experience. 

May we all contribute in the creation of a better world for all. A glorious 2024 to all!