Illumination, Inspiration, and Imbolc | Coby Michael Ward

Good Witches Homestead

For years I considered Imbolc, just another extra holy day to be observed. It didn’t hold a lot of personal resonance with me, and this can feel true for many individuals when it comes to the pagan holy days or witches’ Sabbats. Simply reading about the day’s history and traditional observances, learning the myth of an associated deity; or making Brigid’s cross every year because that’s just what you do, leaves some wanting for relevance and deeper meaning. Celebrations like Samhain and Beltane are outwardly witchy and their symbolic associations are self-evident. While every day can’t be Samhain, (unfortunately!) additional occult understanding of the Sabbats can be discerned by looking at them holistically. By looking not just at one Sabbat, but three; the Sabbat in question, its predecessor and the one following, we can gain additional insight into the story being played out by the stars. Think of…

View original post 983 more words

Cycles of Nature, Cycles of our Lives: Allowing for Fallow and Abundance in Spiritual Studies

The Druid's Garden

Preamble: Now that I’m the Grand Archdruid of AODA, starting in 2020, I will be doing one AODA Druidry-based post a month. A lot of my posts are already tied with AODA practices as it is my core spiritual practice, but I wasn’t always as explicit about it as I will be now! 🙂 All of these posts, while framed in the context of AODA druidry, will be applicable to many different kinds of nature-based spiritualities and druidries.

A beautiful cardinal flower in late summer

The Wheel of the Seasons offers us many lessons and one of the core principles in AODA is the principle of the Cycle and Season. In Western Pennsylvania, where I live, we have a growing season that runs from May to late October. That us, from Beltane to Samhain, during the light half of the year, we can grow vegetables, forage berries, and be…

View original post 2,026 more words

Chinese New Year – 2020 Year of the Rat: What is it and what does it symbolise

Clearing Space for the New; New Moon in Aquarius…

Good Witches Homestead

Today, January 24^th, we have a New Moon in Aquarius @ 1:42 pm PST (4:42 pm EST). This is our first New Moon of the Year and can help us to set the tone of our year, and even our new decade. Tomorrow, January 25^th, we celebrate the Year of the Rat ~ the Rat is the first zodiac sign of the Chinese Calendar and so we have a lot of new beginnings this year of 2020. Rat is yang energy and represents the beginning of a new day. The Rat Year is a time to develop your abilities, to think out of the box and to be resourceful and creative. The metal element signals renewed ambition and a desire to fulfill unmet needs. And during a Rat Year, you are encouraged to take care of yourself and not worry about others.

Aquarius Moon energy is…

View original post 1,119 more words

Sage Moon Cycle Lunar Report

Spirit de la Lune Sage Moon Lunar Report

This is the first official New Moon of the New Year and can bring about some intense emotions and dynamic mood swings.

This New Moon is square Uranus which can cause some big changes, unpredictable energy and intense moods.

This New Moon is in Aquarius and Capricorn depending on your location and time zone. Aquarius gives you an imaginative outlook and Capricorn can help you focus that into something tangible!

A new moon marks the end of the last 28 day cycle and the first day of the new one. This is a great time to set intentions for the cycle ahead. Each month using our Tune to the Moon Planners and Decks as our guide we put together the Moonthly Lunar Report to help us navigate the new moon cycle ahead.

Grab a cup of your favorite warm beverage and scroll down to see what this new moon cycle has in store for you!

Read original article at: Spirit de la Lune ~ Sage Moon Cycle Lunar Report

3rd Moon of Winter 2020

Self Love

CRYSTALS + PRACTICES TO MAINTAIN SPIRITUAL ALIGNMENT

Crystals + Practices to Maintain Spiritual Allignment / Alignment -- power word for 2020 that keeps you in the flow of synchronicity, your soul's vision, and your life purpose.

Alignment: power word for 2020. If you follow spiritual circles or teachers, you may have been hearing this word a lot.

The energy of 2020 is lined up to help us build our foundation for the next level of our success, fulfillment, Grace, health, new phase or story, but the key is setting this foundation in a way that is in alignment with our true heart’s desires and souls.

What does spiritual alignment mean? Simply put: embodying your soul’s truth and authentic feelings and desires.

What does alignment look like? Making choices and taking actions from that authentic place within, that keep you on your path and bring you towards deep fulfillment. It keeps you in the flow of synchronicity, magic, and Universal collusion — not to mention in a place of authentic joy.

It’s saying yes to YOU, your needs, feelings, honoring your soul’s vision, and saying “no” or “not right now” to anything that is out of alignment.

It could be career choices, relationships, where you live, right down to what you eat, how you pray (or not), and the small choices and decisions that make up your daily life.

It can look like buying the bright green couch that your friend thinks is hideous, because the color thrills you. Or saying no to the second date with the person who looks great on paper, but who just didn’t vibe right with you. It could be quitting the job, selling the apartment, moving to the country, getting a dog, and starting a lifestyle blog, because that fills you with fuzzy joy right down to the tips of your toes.

And, most importantly, it feels right.

Sounds like a magical way to live? IT IS. In every sense of the word.

BUT, for most people, there are inherent challenges to living an authentic life that is in alignment with their heart and soul.

Why? Let me count the ways:

Conditioning
Social conformity
Fear
Limiting beliefs and thought-forms
Fear
Self-doubt
Too much noise or conflicting inner impulses
Fear
Ego
The instinct to remain safe at all costs

Living in alignment, quite simply, takes courage. It takes risk. It takes listening. AND, most importantly, it takes practice.

What I’m sharing with you in this article are crystals and practices I work with as part of my daily practice of being/living in alignment.

View original article at: Kristin Mitchell ~ Crystals + Practices To Maintain Spiritual Alignment

A Tree for Year Challenge

The Druid's Garden

Into the trees

One of the most common questions that people ask when they start down a druid or other nature-based spiritual path is: how do I connect deeply with nature? Connecting to nature can happen in such a wide variety of ways. It can happen through connecting with our heads, through learning, study, and engaging with books or classes. It can happen through our hearts, where we emotionally connect with nature and places. It can also happen through our bodies when we physically experience the natural world. It can be through our spirits when we connect with the spirit of the tree. But regardless of which of our selves and methods we use, it requires an investment of ourselves, our time, and building a relationship.

A while back, I wrote about the Druid’s Anchor Spot, which is a spot that you can use to regularly engage and observe…

View original post 1,512 more words

Inner Harmony; Full Moon in Cancer

Good Witches Homestead

We are moving into a new decade and there is a freshness in these cool, crisp days that clears mind and heart and gives us a new perspective on our lives.

Today at 11:21 am PST (2:21 pm EST) we have a full moon in Cancer and at 11:10 am PST (2:10 pm EST) the peak of the Penumbral Lunar Eclipse. Eclipses are not times to place intentions, although the energies can create emotional responses, so be acutely aware as to where you are and how you are responding.

Many of you may have already worked with your New Year Intentions, however, with the Full Moon and Penumbral Lunar Eclipse tomorrow along with the movement and conjunction of Saturn and Pluto on Sunday you may want to open space to nurture them ~ or for those of you who have not finalized or created your yearly intentions…

View original post 2,015 more words