The Owl Orion

I have witnessed those prayers and given those prayers many times before, but it always bothered me a little. Why would God 'bless' all this high sodium, fatty, buttery, rich, fried potluck food?

I imagine God looking at us in frustration like, "I've given you lots of nourishing foods, try eating some of those once in a while.' 😂

In the book I'm now reading, Living Buddha, Living Christ, Thich Nhat Hahn writes:

Before every meal, a monk or nun recites the Five Contemplations: "This food is the gift of the whole universe--the Earth, the sky, and much hard work. May we live in a way that is worthy of this food. May we transform our unskillful states of mind, especially that of greed. May we eat only foods that nourish us and prevent illness. May we accept this food for the realization of the way and understanding of love."

So you want to celebrate your own wheel of the year, but you are not Wiccan (or maybe not a Celtic Polytheist or Heathen Polytheist when it comes to the specific Celtic or Heathen holidays)?  Why not try making your own wheel of the year to celebrate nature or your own holidays?

Note:  It’s important that if you do this, you do not try to make your own holiday yet still call it by another name.  For instance: if you make a holiday around February 1st and give your own attributes to it, it’s important to not call it “Imbolc”.  Imbolc is a specific holiday with its own customs used to celebrate Brigid.  If you want to celebrate Imbolc, then celebrate Imbolc.  If you’re not celebrating Imbolc, don’t call it Imbolc.  Make sense?

Second Note: The solstice and equinox holidays will be named as such, and the cross quarter holidays will be referred to as “mid-x”. Note, this is a bit different than what you may be used to since the solstice holidays are sometimes referred to as such. Ex: summer solstice as “mid-summer”. For the purposes of this post, only the cross quarter days will be referred to in that way. Just fyi to avoid confusion. I’m referring to them as “mid” because they are in the middle of the season.

Now, onto the ideas:

⛤ Winter Solstice (Usually somewhere between Dec 20th-22nd): Celebrate family, holiday cheer, resolve any old issues you’ve had this year, look back on the year and what you have done. What have you learned?? You can also celebrate this as a time of new beginnings.  Since the sun is returning and the days will be growing longer: you can view this as your new year.  Make witchy resolutions, or any new year resolutions!! Celebrate winter festivities and the return of the sun

⛤ Mid-winter (Feb. 1st-2nd): I view this holiday as a time for purification.  Get rid of any bad habits.  Cleanse yourself and your house.  Do some spring cleaning. Celebrate the growing strength of the sun, and celebrate the coming spring as well!!

⛤ Spring Equinox (Typically between March 19th-21st): I view this time of year as a time for growth.  This corresponds with the growing signs of spring in the environment.  The days getting warmer, etc.  Take the time to do spells that correspond with your growth as witch or just as a human being.  This time is heavily associated with fertility. But this could be fertility of many things - talents, the mind, imagination, projects, etc! Try out new things, practice the things you love to do, etc. Maybe even grow a garden as well.  Remember the new years resolution you made at the Winter Solstice? Now would be the time to make sure you’re bringing the list to fruition! Also, celebrate spring festivities!

⛤ Mid-Spring (May 1st-2nd):  For me, this time of year is about life and love. Celebrate life by helping others around you: donate food, money, or your time. This holiday can be a time for charity and giving to others. I specifically view this time as a celebration of life and the living because the opposite cross quarter day would be Mid-Autumn (Halloween), which is a day to celebrate the dead. You can also spend this holiday appreciating the life of nature by spending time outside, building a bonfire, going for a walk, or tending/creating a garden. You can also celebrate this holiday as a holiday for love - spend time with your loved ones! Do something special for them. For other’s, this time of year may also correspond with sex as well. Oh, and celebrate the coming of summer time!!

⛤ Summer Solstice (Typically between June 20th-22nd):  For me, this is a time for power.  Celebrate your power and magic as a witch.  I personally believe this is the day of the year when the power of the earth is strongest.  Some view this time as a day when the veil between worlds thins. Especially in regards to the Fae. So you could take advantage of that. Also, celebrate summer!  Woohoo Summer!!! Spend your days at the pool, hanging out outside….or inside where there’s air conditioning. Whatever works for you.

⛤ Mid-Summer (August 1st-2nd): First harvest.  Time for feasting.  Reap what you have sown so far throughout the year.  I correspond this holiday with food - specifically grain. Celebrate the earth and the food that it provides you. Also, celebrate the coming of Fall!! (My favorite season of the year)

⛤ Autumn Equinox (Typically between Sept 21st-24th): Second Harvest. Witchy Thanksgiving.  List all the things you are thankful for, and celebrate them! Do some Autumn festivities, and celebrate Autumn (arguably the best time of the year ;)

⛤ Mid-Autumn/Halloween (October 31st-November 2nd): The final harvest. The opposite of Mid-Spring which celebrates life, Mid-Autumn celebrates the dead/our ancestors. Do something nice to remember those who have past. Also, celebrate the coming of winter!

If you saw my post about my summer goals, you might have seen that one of my goals was to create a meditation plan. I wanted to share it with you.

I started with a title page that I decorated. The second page is my checklist for things I need to bring to my personal spot in the forest where I meditate. I also wrote a small index for myself for specifically this portion of my journal. 

I research many efficient breathing exercises for mediation and condensed it into a list of five techniques.  

I couldn’t find as many mind exercises for mediation, but I came across these which I am excited to try out. Let me know if you have any techniques you use. 

I also gave myself space for notes for each day that I meditate. I left space for up to thirty days. I plan on writing phrases or pictures or anything that comes to mind as I relax. 

It’s almost November!

I had fun with this challenge last year, and since November is pretty much the most boring month of the year I have decided to make some fun!

Rules are simple. Find a card that has the prompt, or reminds you of said prompt. Take a pretty picture of it. It’s like a scavenger hunt!

Draw three cards before your morning commute.

1. How the day will go. 2. Where you’ll find the energy to get all your shit done today. 3. How to relax or destress when the day is done.

I am in control of my life. I am in control of my love. I am in control of my mind. I am in control of my heart. I am in control of my soul.

Recently I attended a class at my local Metaphysical Shop, The IIISuns. It was all about the Moon, It’s phases, And how to incorporate them into your craft. 

Here’s what I learned 

The Instructor, “The LoonWitch” started of the class with telling us why the moon was so important. As we all know, The Moon controls the tides of the ocean, Right? Well the moon also has an impact on our body’s because we are also water. Like the tides, The moon pushes and pulls us. It can drastically effect our magic. 

She also emphasized that we should make the moon personal to us. It doesn’t have to be a feminine energy by default. It can be masculine, Or genderless.

Depending on which Phase of the Moon we are in, It “sheds light” or can “illuminate different things” or energys.  

[NOTE: Waxing means Expanding, or growing in illumination, And Waning would be decreasing in illumination) 

1. New Moon:  The New moon calls for a time of beginning,  fresh starts, optimism, hope and faith. It is when you would want to organize, And prepare your spells. 

2. Waxing Crescent: Manifestation,  Building, accomplishments, creativity, strength, growth and learning, positive transformation. As the Moon begins to illuminate, so does your spell. 

3. First Quarter: The time of light, and dark. Balance. Decision making, and inviting new positive energy. 

4. Waxing Gibbous. It’s about perfection. Getting things done, making room for positivity and attraction.  

5. Full Moon: This is when the moon is most powerful, It is fully illuminated. It’s a time of completion,  Abundance, harvest, and wish-fulfillment.

6. Waning Gibbous: is about reassessment, Letting go, clearing away, cleansing, releasing, undoing bindings, opening up, Making amends, and making space. 

7. Last Quarter: Banishment. As light leaves the moon it is also banishing, and letting go of bad habits, and negativity. 

Here are some quick magickal techniques you can use first thing in the morning to help make your day go a little easier!

Morning Shower Meditation - use the element of water to cleanse yourself of any lingering negativity from the previous day. Use herbal soaps, herbal bags for aromatherapy, oils, or other means to help you focus on your intent to wash away negative energy down the drain.

Light some incense - I do this on most mornings to set a tone for how I want the day to proceed. Aromas can produce powerful emotions and moods. Here’s a brief list of some of my favorites scents and some of their attributes.

Frankincense and Myrrh - uplifting

Amber - comfort, healing, and happiness

Cinnamon - success and strength

Jasmine - love and wisdom

Pine - grounding

Altar Devotion/Invocations - You can light some candles on your altar and speak some invocations for your deities to guide you throughout the day. I do a Goddess Devotion every morning to ask Her for her strength, vitality, love, and intuition to guide me.

Breakfast - Even your breakfast can be spiritual! You are filling yourself with the nourishment that the Earth has provided you with. Be conscious of what you eat. Try fruits, oatmeal, grits, milk, juices, meats, and breads to start your morning by showing your gratitude to all that is.

Glass of Water - Having a glass of water in the morning can be used to cleanse the body, just like the shower. You can even do an herbal tea blend to incite a mood just as the incense does.

Yoga and Exercise - This can also be a form of meditation in the morning.

Dream Journals - You can keep a dream journal by your bed so you can record your dreams in the morning when you first wake up. Writing can also be considered a form of meditation and getting into a routine can become your personal ritual.

Hi guys! I hope you’re all doing well :) I know that I have been really out of the game over the last couple of weeks–and I really miss being here! Because I know how busy we all are and how our personal goals can get muffled by our “need to do’s”, I wanted to host a giveaway that included some ways to keep organized and motivated!

Whether you’re looking to open your own shop, heading back to school soon and wondering how you’ll balance your passions with your school work, starting a new project, or just looking for some general organization help, I hope these prizes will be useful to some people :) I’m hoping that this pretty much stays in the tarot and witchy communities, but it’s not guaranteed to.

Here is some more info about the prizes and the guidelines you need to follow in order to have a chance to win them:

There are two options; each have the same items but with different patterns: 3 notebooks, 1 planner, and 1 pack of InkJoy pens. Every notebook and planner features gold foil details :) 

To enter, you need to reblog this post, keeping the text intact. 

Tag your reblog with  #frommoondusttoyou 

Because there are two options, I will be choosing two winners :) Make sure to include either a tag or added text to tell me which option you prefer!

You don’t need to be following me to enter, but if you want to–feel free! :)

One reblog per day!

Giveaway ends on August 17th, 2016–this will be a super short one! I will randomly select the winners by the end of the day on 8/18.

You must have your Ask or messenger active at the time I draw a winner so that I can contact you if you win. You will have 48 hours to respond if you’re chosen. 

This time around, the giveaway is not international–US only (unless you’re able to cover shipping!). Sorry my international buddies :(

Do not tag this as a giveaway.