Musings from the Hedge

A Blog by Winifred​

Musings from the Hedge

A Blog by Winifred​

The 3 Biggest Challenges Witches encounter when stepping onto their Path

CHALLENGE # 1 

I’M NOT WITCHY ENOUGH 

I’M NOT MAGICKAL ENOUGH 

 I’M NOT PSYCHIC ENOUGH

(“NOT ENOUGH” NESS GETTING IN YOUR WAY)

One of the biggest challenges most Witches grapple with is to continually question their mystical calling once their Witch Soul has stirred and awakened

In case you need to hear this, you are witchy enough, right as you are, right now. 

This is the key phrase I find myself saying often to my students and members inside my community, The Witching Well.  We live in a culture that values and validates the intellect over our intuitive knowing. 

While there is absolutely nothing wrong with the pursuit of knowledge when it comes to Witchcraft, Paganism and Magickal Arts (actually, it IS important to have an informed foundation), at the same time these traditions are meant to be integrative, embodiment practices.  That means the real learning comes from integrating the wisdom of real life action, from your lived experiences. 

Embodying Practice

When folks ask me “HOW do I BE a Witch”, I remind them that you need to balance the consumption of intellectual knowledge with real life practice. I know that can be easier said than done, but the reality is this: You can’t think (or read or watch videos) your way into being a Witch, you must BECOME the Witch you aspire to BE.

The first step in doing that is to begin building a relationship between your desire to know authentic mystical teachings and actually integrating a consistent practice of your Spiritual Craft into your real life. 

The truth is that everyone struggles with “enough-ness” on some level. Every Witch questions whether they are “enough” in their mystical connection, innate gifts and abilities at some point in their journey. The cure to self-doubt and second guessing when it comes to your Witching is practice.   

Consistent practice is how you ground, embody and integrate your learning, which in turn grows your spiritual wisdom, confidence and capability. This is exactly the kind of work we focus on inside The Witching Well, my magickal community for Earth-Centered Mystics.

CHALLENGE # 2

I DON’T HAVE TIME, I DON’T HAVE SPACE,

I DON’T HAVE THE ENERGY 

(NOT PRIORITIZING YOUR SPIRITUAL CARE)

Another impactful challenge many Witch Folk run into is rooted in not prioritizing your spiritual care. (There are many reasons why this happens!)

If you are struggling with any or all of the following: not enough time, space and/or energy, chances are you are actually struggling with giving yourself permission, and setting boundaries, to prioritize your spiritual care, which is essential to your self-care and general well being.

If this sounds like you, you’re not alone. 

Many Witches fall into this false belief trap around time and space.

Partly, this is due to cultural messaging that devalues the importance of spiritual care and rewards over-working at the total cost of you.  In a busy, complex world, there is a perception of never enough time.  Depending on your circumstances, there might not be the level of spaciousness you desire. 

But in truth, you create the time by claiming it as sacred.  You make space by working with what you have on-hand, right now.  It really comes down to your relationship with time and space; what you have learned (or been programmed to believe) that can dictate what you prioritize.

Magickal Folk are notorious for putting everyone else’s needs way ahead of their own. Whether it is is your primary relationships, children (human or fur), your job, your co-workers and even your laundry pile, how often do you put yourself before everything else? ⁠(Be honest with yourself.) 

Too often Witches get stuck in the illusion that they will “reward” themselves with their spiritual care just as soon as they finish their never ending “to do” list. (BUT when was the last time you actually sat at your altar or did that full moon ritual you planned?)⁠⁠

Or maybe you are operating under the belief that it is “doing the right thing” by sacrificing your needs out of duty and obligation, thinking the most important thing is to take care of every one and every thing else even though you are running on empty. ⁠⁠

 

Have you noticed this just creates a self-perpetuating cycle of postponing prioritizing your rest and renewal? ⁠⁠

You might be thinking, well, there just isn’t time for me, especially with ______ going on. (psst…there will always be “something” going on, that’s just how life rolls)⁠⁠  Or maybe you feel that there isn’t any physical space for your Witch practice?  

Or you are completely exhausted by the time you finally arrive at your “me time” you set aside for your Witchy time. (this can be the result of considering your spiritual time as a “reward” or “entertainment” you get to have after you have completed a long check list of obligations)

But what is the hidden cost when you don’t claim time, space and energy for what inspires and renews, defending it as sacred ground? ⁠⁠ 

Some common indicators that you are overdue for quality spiritual self-care: feeling burnt out, ungrounded, restless and not really focused (that laundry pile never seems to make it to the wash…) Or worse, you might feel edgy, drained, disconnected, lost or exhausted.

For Mystical Folk, spiritual care is an important part of self-care. There is a unique level of deep renewal, connection and inspiration that comes from making regular time to nurture your Witch Soul.  It is essential to your wholeness and wellbeing because your magick nourishes you in a way that the mundane does not. 

So in a world that would prefer you believe there is not enough time, space or energy…how do you create time, space and energy?  

By inviting every day magick into your life, with a simplified approach to your practice, one that doesn’t compromise the integrity, process or authenticity of it.

This approach encourages you to cultivate a daily, regenerative practice using the resources you already have at your fingertips, one that fits and integrates with your current lifestyle and personal/professional obligations.

Transforming Your Relationship with Time,  Space and Energy

Let’s address each one in turn. 

TIME

Stop chasing the elusive unicorn notion of a “perfect” time for your spiritual practice. You create time for it by claiming it as sacred.  To help you do that make friends with a calendar, either a paper one (We’Moon, Witches Datebook or other planner) or digital (smart phone, smart watch or computer).  

If you are struggling to find, commit and follow through on making time I recommend not worrying about what time you choose (meaning, is it the actual full moon or when an astrologer said it was the best moment) but work with the time you find you do have. 

I recommend mapping your magick before the month begins and follow up before each week begins.

You might benefit from “personal time audit” to understand where and how you are spending your time (just how long do you spend endlessly scolling instagram every day?) Later on you can focus on working with more specific,  auspicious and magickal timing. For now, work with your natural rhythm and choose times when you are most rested and not as likely to be interrupted.  That might mean getting up a bit earlier or disengaging and retreating in the evening before you are too tired to keep your eyes open.  

Experiment with tagging your spiritual practice onto a daily routine you already have developed, such as your morning rituals (add bullet journaling or a quick tarot card while you drink your coffee or tea), exercise or even brushing your teeth or showering (great time for cleansing, grounding, intention setting and affirmations).  

Be sure to begin with something short and sweet, a 3-5 minute mini-practice, such as a single tarot card draw, short meditation to connect with your inner Witch Flame or share a small offering of what you are eating and drinking with your Ancestors. 

Most importantly, don’t under estimate the transformative, healing power of a simple, heart-felt and consistent spiritual practice. Consistency matters more than complexity when it comes to getting started, deepening your path or re-connecting to it if you have gotten sidetracked. 

SPACE

The cure to lack of space, is to practice your magick within the spaces you have right now, regardless of the size or limitations. Remember, most of Witchcraft and magick sources from and serves folks who are under resourced, who chose to utilize the resources that they DO have. 

Your altar doesn’t have to be elaborate to function. Yes, that artisan-made table full of unique, specialty witch tools and crystals, in a dedicated temple room, makes for a beautiful image on social media and is certainly delightful to work with, however, it isn’t required. 

Your magick and spirituality can be just as effective regardless of how simple or intricate you make it, because in the end YOU; your energy, will and intention are what fuel your magick and transformation.

To work with the space you occupy, first take a look around and do what I call an “environment audit”.  You are looking for a location that will not be overly disrupted by the prying hands, curious eyes and jumping or climbing beings you co-habitate with or who visit your home. Also consider how accessible this location is to you.  Being shut away in a corner of a cluttered room you almost never go in is not ideal for nurturing a daily practice.  

Get creative and think of spots that are “hiding in plain sight” such as a small cupboard, high shelf, top of a bureau or even a hutch with a door.  You might even try placing a simple altar front and center, like the middle of your dining room table, depending on your living circumstances.   

If you still cannot find a spot, explore the idea of a portable altar.  You can make your altar in a mobile vessel like a ceramic pot, basket with a lid or a re-purposed cigar box.  You can even pick up a cool box that you decorate for this purpose, such as a one made from dense, hard cardboard (like a memory box) or a wooden box from a craft store. 

Keeping your altar in this way allows you the flexibility to set it up and take it down easily as needed, while housing your spiritual supplies inside it for safe keeping. 

ENERGY

Too often we put our spiritual care at the end of our all ready long “to-do” list, treating is as something we “earn” like a reward or as “entertainment” rather then recognizing, honoring and prioritizing it as a necessity to our overall wellbeing, which, in reality, it is.  

When you “save” your spiritual and magickal practice for a future “later” you run the risk of never getting around to it (other life demands continually take precedent) or having no quality energy left for it.  

You might have heard of the popular way to measure energy as “spoons”.  You only have so much energy, or spoons, in a given day, week or month (even if that amount differs for each individual). If you don’t specifically set aside some of those spoons or feel you are not entitled to reserve some of your limited spoons for your spiritual practice, then you might not have enough. 

To help you navigate this issue, I suggest doing a “personal energy audit” so that you can better understand your unique ebb and flow as well as how many spoons you have and when.  Spend some time reflecting on your energies levels during the course of a day, week, month and even a season. The goal is to understand when you have the ideal quality spoons for your spiritual self-care and how that ebbs and flows over time. Then build a regular practice with regard to that insight.  Your spiritual and magickal practice can be ones that are restorative to your energy levels!  

So, it could be 5-10 minutes daily or 1 hour weekly or 1 day monthly. For me, I used to schedule my spiritual practice with my morning coffee routine.  It took 5-10 minutes and integrated with my coffee making and drinking ritual.  On a larger scale, I set aside one full day every 6 weeks to honor the Sabbats that are part of the Wheel of the Year.  You might choose to set aside time for every full or dark moon. 

Most important is that it fits in your life, your energy levels and aligns with your personal goals for your Witch Path.

Once you have that information, claim it as sacred!  

Put it on your calendar, whether in a paper planner or digital format.  Next clear your schedule and set clear boundaries that this time is sacred and not to be swept aside by life’s distractions, obligations or old programming the minimizes the importance and worthiness for you to have this time for yourself. If you need extra support, get a trusted person to be your accountability buddy to help you follow through.

The secret ingredient to growing your clarity, capability and confidence when it comes to your Witching is consistent action in practice and deed.  The way to ensure you have enough energy for that is to know your energy levels (spoons) and their ebb and flow, then schedule with respect to your personal tides.

CHALLENGE # 3 

JUST “WINGING IT”

(REACTIVELY RESISTING ALL STRUCTURE AND TRAINING AS INHERRENTLY “BAD”)

Many modern Witches make the mistake of  “just winging it” when it comes to their spiritual practice, craft and magick, resisting all forms of structure as overly dogmatic, or inherently bad, without the deeper examination of the role of structure itself when it comes to your development and growth within Earth-Centered Mystery Traditions. 

This challenge is more of an effect related to the dramatic increase of information accessibility (and overload) combined with the recent Rise of the Witch Movement taking place. 

In the past, you would have been hard pressed to find detailed, quality information on all things Witch and Magick without working with a teacher, mentor, dedicated group, being part of a formal tradition or a teaching Coven.

Before the internet, you would have had to rely on in-real-life people or the very limited selection of books out there, when you could find them, if you did not have access through a family tradition. And you would not have moved on to learn more advanced knowledge, magick and techniques if you had not demonstrated that you had competently mastered your foundational work. 

Prior to the modern revolution, popularity and trendiness of being a Witch, the depth of real information in witchcraft and magick books was seriously lacking as most books just repurposed the same beginner level stuff. 

The advent of the modern Witch movement has opened up so many avenues for learning about Witchcraft and magick, which in a “big sky” view is a very good thing, but on the micro level, has propagated a problematic belief that you don’t need to delve deeply into the rigors of study, training and application in regards to your Craft.

Along with this comes an attitude that you can simply just do “what you feel like”, letting your intuition take you “wherever it wants to go”.

The wonderful thing about Earth-Centered Traditions are that they are embodiment practices anchored in claiming your spiritual agency, celebrating your spiritual freedom and validating your direct experiences with the sacred and the mystical. 

Witching is very much about listening and honoring your inner knowing, your intuition and letting Spirit guide you, liberating, refreshing and free.

 

A huge reason folks are drawn to Modern Paganism, Wiccan, Witchcraft and other Earth-Centered Traditions is that they are NOT part of the mainstream Abrahamic Organized Religions (AOR) which subscribe to rigidly organized constructs that source from unifying sacred texts (each AOR has its own sacred texts, mythos and interpretations) with a strict prescription to rules or “commandments” and are steeped in colonialism, empire and oppressive systems.

Modern Pagan, Nature-Based, Earth-Honoring Mystery Spiritualities do not center on the “redemption and conversion” narrative as central to their practice, which makes them entirely different in foundation and context; opening up opportunities to be more inclusive and supportive of a holistic, often animistic, world view.  

NOTE: This is a general overview. Just because a spiritual path is Witchy in nature doesn’t exclude it from being dogmatic or problematic in structure. There are many modern Pagan, Witch, etc Traditions and Paths, each with their individual constructs, guidelines, requirements, rules, ethics and values. Be sure to invest due diligence to understand any group, tradition or teacher before you join to ensure it aligns with your needs, goals, ethics and values. 

 

All that said, there is a double edge sword that comes with embracing a spiritual tradition that doesn’t have a single governing body or recognized set code of beliefs and behaviours. There are challenges, and responsibilities that come with creative and spiritual freedom.  It is important to remember that claiming your spiritual sovereignty is not without responsibility, accountability and real consequences. 

While there are certainly problematic roots in our Witchcraft structures, ones that source from oppressive systems steeped in racism, classism, colonialism and empire, that requires us to review, dismantle and rebuild; structure, in itself, isn’t inherently bad. 

It is on us to do our due diligence to reflect and uncover which aspects of our structures those are and which they not, rather than reactively resisting structure of any form.  Structure itself is not inherently steeped in oppressive dogma and oppressive systems. Part of our work as Witches is to seek out, create and rebuild holistic, inclusive structures that support and empower.   

Other reasons modern Witches tend to just “wing” their spiritual practice is lack of access to formal teachings, beyond books, podcasts or videos. Without structured training, there can be a lack of personal discipline, feedback and accountability.

There is an important role that holistic structure plays in your spiritual awakening, growth as a Witch. In my experience, holistic structure provides the protective container for your education, action and soul evolution, giving context and continuity to your practice.  Structure grounds your intuitive knowing into the physical reality by supporting your Craft with a solid, foundational knowledge-base. 

While we always want to listen to our intuition and be open to spontaneity, it is essential to have a strong foundation to operate from, otherwise you risk having things go sideways; getting you into trouble, or worse, creating a spiritual crisis if you get yourself into a level of magickal technique or shadow work that you are not properly prepared for.

Seek Holistic Structures & Consider Aligned Training

A holistic structure, one that aligns with your ethics, values and integrity, can provide a supportive, safe container in which to learn, grow and expand.  

Having some sort of holistic structure can encourage your inner discipline, inspire your exploration and lend valuable guidance to your development.   This kind of structure can be internal or external or a mix of both.  It all depends on how you learn, what motivates you, what kind of environment do you need to thrive in order to grow and how much support you need to make stuff happen for yourself. 

Internal Structures are just that, internal.  Some folks are natural self-starters and great on following through even when they hit doldrums in their journey.  

External Structures utilize resources other than just yourself to support you.   That could be a book designed to walk you through your Witch Path with a clear map that includes action, reflection and specific assignments. That could be a teacher, mentor, group setting or formalized training that provides those kind of things. 

Many times folks have come to me and shared their very real struggles that sourced from skipping out on actual training due to their concerns with structure.  Other times they mistakenly think that just being naturally Witchy meant they did not actually need to learn about and develop their gift in any formal way. However, if you take your spirit craft for granted, or think you can just get by on pure talent, you eventually discover the lack of investing in yourself shows up in unexpected, and sometimes, exhausting and unpleasant ways.  

The reality is: the stronger your natural ability, the more you actually need to train. 

Think about a dedicated athlete, you almost always hear how they took to their field naturally, but then invested the time, energy and resources to refine their skill under the guidance of a mentor, usually one with years of experience.

They understood that to really honor a natural talent is to hone it.

Plus, there is the invaluable wisdom gained from learning from others that walked that path before you as they share their insight and feedback to empower you. 

The cure to “winging it” is to develop a holistic relationship with structure, both internally and externally so that you can discover and implement a safe container in which to grow as a Witch.

You can get started doing this with a “personal structure audit” by asking questions about what kind of environment, structures (internal and external) do you require to best support your development when it comes to…

• motivation
• learning & discovery
• planning & follow through
• action & implementing
• receiving and processing feedback

Part of your spirit work as a Witch is to seek an aligned, holistic structure that provides a safe, supportive container for your growth and development allows for deeper transformation.

So if you have been…

Struggling with enough-ness and questioning the validity of your Witch-ness. 

The Perception that there is not enough time, space or energy for your spirituality.

Just “winging it” is your only plan and mode of operation when it comes to your Witchcraft.

Remember that YOU ARE ENOUGH, right as you are now; just begin and grow from there. 

You make the time by choosing the time, you claim space by working within the spaces you have, you find enough energy by reserving and safe guarding some of it as a priority for yourself.

Your mystical calling is valid and real.

Like any journey, it begins by taking the first step and then deepens when you  continue to put one foot in front of the other.  

READY TO Cultivate YOUR WITCH path ?

IF…

You are done second guessing and overthinking and your magick…

Your spiritual practice is haphazard, pieced together and inconsistent…

You aren’t quite sure how to cultivate your Witch Path in real life…

Then you will want to watch my FREE WORKSHOP, Nurturing Your Witch Soul, and learn how to shift your approach to practicing your Craft, from the inside out.

WATCH THE FREE WORKSHOP

The post Recognize & Navigate the 3 Biggest Challenges Witches Encounter on their Path appeared first on AwenTree.

It is a hot summer day towards the end of August. You stand still for a moment in the lazy dry heat, listening.

Do you hear it? Autumn is whispering to us through the ripening tomatoes on the vines and the late summer flowers in our gardens.

My Mama always spoke about how the flowers this time of year held a bittersweet sorrow of the earth. As a child, I wasn’t quite sure what she meant by that, intellectually, but in my heart, I could feel it.

If you know the story of the Goddess and God through the seasonal Wheel of the Year, then you know that the sorrow my Mama spoke about was the sorrow of the Goddess mourning the loss of the God who willingly sacrifices his life force, in the form of the first grain harvests, so the People can live.

As we head towards the Autumn Equinox, also known as Mabon, we are riding the seasonal cycle of three aspects of harvest time.

The first harvest cycle, celebrated at Lughnasadh (Lammas) focuses on the first grains to be brought in. Think of it as the early fruits and vegetables of the season.

The second harvest is celebrated at Mabon and is about the larger vegetables and fruits that required a longer growing cycle.

The third and final harvest comes at Samhain, known for pumpkins, but also signaling the end of the growing season.

Back to our story about the Goddess and God. In their journey, as reflected through the cycles of birth, life and death upon the land, they are shifting too.

Once the God sacrifices his life force at Lammas, he returns to the Underwold.

The Goddess, mourning him, also feels the pull to return to the Underworld. She begins preparing for her descent with the approach of Mabon.

As she withdraws her life force from the outward expression of growth, you see the plants and trees withdrawing their life force as well. We are headed towards the slowing time. It is visible, palpable, all around us on the land, but also in the animals as they begin to migrate and prepare for the slowing time, the cold days to come.

Here, in the heart of the harvest season, there is deep and potent magickal work to be done.

This is the time of intense exertion that accompanies bringing in the harvest, of taking stock and preparing for winter, but also the pause-point, an in-drawing of energy and time for reflection. The year is not over and there is still work to be done.

As we review what we have harvested (and 2020 certainly threw us some SERIOUS curve balls), this is a time for using the wisdom gained by your inner work process so that you can redirect and realign in the remaining months.

Be the wise farmer, depicted so well in Tarot as the 7 of pentacles, and celebrate what you have harvested while analyzing and planning for the next growing cycle.

The Autumn Equinox is the perfect time for all of this, the celebrating, the gratitude, the inner work and the re-set.

For me, I always begin this work with an Altar. Maybe it is because I am a Taurus, but altars anchor my spiritual practice in a powerful way.  When you build an altar, you are creating a container for the sacred, both in your life and in your physical space. The very act can be a ritual in itself.  

A Mabon Altar is a seasonal altar, reflecting the autumnal tide and celebrating the harvest.  There are many ways to create a Mabon altar and I don’t subscribe to the notion that there is only “one” way or a “right” way to make yours.  What is most important is that it is meaningful and relevant to you. 

If you are not sure how to go about creating a Mabon Altar, I have put together a straight forward, user-friendly guide that you can get for FREE.  Just sign up below to grab your printable, guide.

The post Celebrating Mabon, the Autumn Equinox appeared first on AwenTree.

Tapping into this midwinter festival 

“The Snow Queen” by Thomas Bromley Blacklock

Imbolc (also known as Oimelc, Imbolc and Candlemas) is a midwinter festival marking the cross quarter day midway between the winter solstice and the spring equinox.  It is also one of the eight Sabbats on the modern Pagan’s Wheel of the Year. 

Imbolc means “in the belly” and Oimelc means “ewe’s milk” which both signify the significance of sheep to this holiday: agrarian society in Europe practiced animal husbandry methods year round, and early February was the time for lambs to be born. And of course, February 2 is also Groundhog Day, a time when we try to divine the remaining length of winter.

The holiday is also associated with festivals for Saint Brigid, thought to be named for the Irish goddess Brigid, and so many pagans honor the goddess Brigid on this day. She is associated with healing, childbirth, smithcraft, and poetry.

Some pagans and witches also observe this as the “Feast of Februa” which honors forest god Pan, and shares some some similarities with Lupercalia, which occurs a few days later. For those who follow a more eclectic expression of Wicca and other pagan paths, it’s fine to combine various elements for your observance of Imbolc.

Real life experience from celebrating this holiday has revealed how suitable it is to follow one’s instincts when choosing a focus:

(Image: The Guardian, by Jeanie Tomanek)

For those who refer to the holiday as Imbolc or Oimelc (literally “in the belly” or “ewe’s milk” depending on your source), it makes perfect sense to forge (no pun intended) a connection to the female goddess of poetry, healing and smithcraft. But I like the idea of a focus on a male god figure, especially one associated with sexuality and the forest. 

The former is more of an indoor archetype, the latter outdoors…The threshold, the door allowing us to shut the cold out or brave the biting winds, is a liminal place. This feeling of being on the brink is a powerful catalyst for many of us, urging engagement with new projects, or a return to old ones…Mercury’s retrograde periods in winter allow a perfect opportunity to return to unfinished work. We dig in, hibernate, reflect, craft, repair. Brigid approves, this stoking of fires as intellectual as it is visceral. But so does Pan, his jollity a balm on grey days, wafting Arcadian breezes into our winter dreams.

So, how to celebrate Imbolc as a solitary pagan?

With fire, poetry and healing

Fire

A candle is of course a fine representation of fire; but if you have a fireplace or woodstove, or if weather permits, you may have a small fire in your outdoor fire-dish or firepit (please observe standard safety precautions, your local laws and never leave an unattended candle burning!).

Spend some time looking at the flames, considering the gifts fire brings: warmth, food preparation, industry, social gatherings. Consider the symbolic power of fire: emotion, passion, creativity and inspiration, strength. Consider the healing power of fire: its literal power to cauterize, to cleanse, and to comfort. You may want to move or dance, or play a drum to build up some energy.

Poetry

Choose a piece of poetry you love suitable to the season, or write your own piece of poetry. Read it aloud, or listen to it (Loreena McKennitt’s “Snow” is a musical adaptation of a poem by Canadian poet Archibald Lampman, which I love for this time of year). Maybe you can copy your chosen poem into your journal, or post your chosen poem in a place where you will see it every day. Resolve to enjoy or create more poetry in your life in the coming months. Poetry is a respite from the prosaic everyday world, but it is also a source of focus, insight and inspiration.

Healing Power of Ritual

(Image: “Woman with a Burning Candle” by Alphonse Mucha)

Lastly, bring healing into this ritual. Consider the ways you would like to bring healing to your life, or to the world. Maybe you want to work on your health, prosperity or a personal relationship. Perhaps you want to get involved in a local effort to help the homeless, or shelter animals, or an environmental cause. Consider these possibilities for focus in your winter work, and let this focus on healing carry you through to the rejuvenating season of spring, and beyond.

Extinguish the fire or candle flame carefully when your ritual is finished. Look inward to rekindle its warmth any time you need to, and know that the fire of will and creativity is always inside you.

The post What is Imbolc and how to celebrate this festival of fire, healing and poetry appeared first on AwenTree.

The Real Magick Lies Within You…

I grew up just outside of Boston back when “free range” was how all kids were raised.  I was blessed to be born into a loving, lively and loud family descended from first generation Irish-Italian immigrants that nurtured my curiosity, creativity and spirituality. My childhood home was a place where creativity was celebrated. There are paintings and linen patterns all over my childhood home from my great-grandfather who trained as an artist back in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s. My grandfather was a skilled cabinet maker and his wife a seamstress.  One great aunt was a doll maker and another uncle a jeweler. On both sides of my lineage were entrepreneurs as well as independent minded, strong women who practiced divination arts. My Irish grandmother read tea leaves and my Italian great aunt read the “Malocchio”, also known as the “Evil Eye”, with olive oil. My mother passed onto me the Irish folk traditions and cures that her mother taught her.  In those days no one used the worlds Witch, Witchcraft or Magick and folks would have adamantly denied those connections. The folk magic cures they worked were just referred to as every day things you did to ensure blessings and good fortune.  From working with coins to locks of hair to hankies (and more), theses items were placed in special places and circumstances with intention.  It was clear that you were tempting fate by skipping them. It was just what you did. Growing up, I was encouraged to be outside often and to help in the garden.  I would beg to stay out playing at dusk because I loved the sweet wildness and magic the twilight held.  I was also a child “haunted” by vivid dreams, visitations and nightmares that I did not fully understand. Looking back on the these influences, I am sure it is no accident that I felt compelled to get my hands on anything I could about ancient mysteries, goddess traditions, psychic abilities and all things mystical from an early age; first in the town library, then when I became an older teenager, at bookstores and the local magickal store not too far from my home. I remember my excitement when I was gifted my first tarot deck (The Morgan Greer) on my 16th birthday by my best friend.

The call of my wild Spirit-Heart

My wild heart came alive when I traveled to the remote boundary waters of Ontario during extended, month-long summer trips as a teenager.   I delighted in the fact that access to this wonderful and untamed land, was by one hour boat ride (after a four hour car ride) to stay in a very rustic cabin (imagine no phones, no electricity, no planes even crossed the sky) on an island.  The cabin still used propane lanterns for light.  Travel, once you were dropped off, was only by canoe or small outboard motor boat. I can still feel that other worldly magick of the Northern Lights as the they danced across the sky. I can still hear the sound of the water lapping the shore and of loons singing into the sunset. It was then something deep within my blood remembered, responded and awakened.

I was transformed by those summers.

Once I tasted the raw beauty of the northern wilderness and connected to the elemental forces of the earth, water and sky, I could not stay in.  I was passionate to travel; backpacking up hidden trails, snowshoeing across frozen paths and climbing mountain cliffs whenever  I could get away.   I also took up more stationary, earth-centered practices such as organic gardening.   My time outside directly impacted my spiritual journey and provided much needed soul-full healing.

The road less traveled sometimes has potholes but the most rewarding view…

While I have many wonderful and radiant memories, my life has not always been easy; actually far from it.  I had my share of personal obstacles and wounds to overcome; some of them fairly daunting.  But I know this, whenever my path diverged in the woods, I choose to follow the voice of my heart. That has led to an interesting and winding journey, with some great and not-so-great scenery and side trips, but in the end I know that I am richer for it (and I mean those inner riches that feed your soul and define your truth).  I have experienced the deep sorrow of losing loved ones.  I have navigated healing a debilitating spine injury that profoundly affected my life. I have struggled to overcome poverty as a single mother but also in shifting my mind-set from deeply seeded scarcity programming to abundance living.   I have stumbled when learning to love deeper and learned to love even more completely. I knew that to achieve my goals in life, I had to fearlessly unpack my paradigm of scarcity-lack-thinking-imprinting in order to shed, transform and evolve into abundance-living.  I have spent years building an authentic ancestor spiritual practice and working with ancestral healing.

I sought to know my core truth, to live boldly, to love unconditionally and to step into the flow of healing grace.

I was initially drawn to the world of alternative healing therapies and earth-centered spirituality many years ago in my quest for personal healing. I consciously choose to find and embrace my inner radiance and restore my self-worth. This led me to work and study with inspirational mentors and teachers that were instrumental to my healing journey and spiritual growth.  They illuminated my path toward understanding the transformative nature of alternative healing and magick; the profound benefit of merging many threads into one tapestry to create change and restore well being.  And on that journey, my passion to help others was ignited.

Earth, Air, Fire, Water and Spirit

And all along, I knew deep within my heart another truth….something resonated deep in my soul whenever I stood beneath the moon, connecting to the elements, Earth, Air, Fire, Water and Spirit, touching plant spirits, dancing the rhythm of the Wheel of The Year…. I was born a  Witch Spirit and needed to follow the ancient ways of the earth-centered spirituality.  You might say that once my spirit blood was awakened, it could not be silenced; leading me to learn the ways of the Wise Woman, the Cunning Person, the Traditional Village Healer and the Craft.  Standing, rooted in the light, embracing the Witch as Healer, the Witch as Spiritual Midwife, is my soul’s purpose.  I bring this wisdom forward to positively inform and inspire my  work with my clients.

What I discovered….

The real magick lies within you.

If you are seeking to reclaim your power, find your voice, stand in your truth, define who you are, free your mind, body and spirit from limitations and re-member your whole-ness, I am here, ready to create the sacred container of transformation, witness and work with you. My goals are to empower your authenticity, grant you permission to embrace the sacred, invite you to unlock the healing power of unconditional love and forgiveness, encourage your spiritual revolution of grace and inspire you to dream your wild soul into being.

The post Read Winifred’s Story appeared first on AwenTree.

Note from Winifred: Ready to learn how yoga can help you manifest your dreams?  I am excited to host Irena Miller as a guest blogger.  Irena is a yoga instructor and teacher who loves to help busy, health conscious, spiritually driven seekers to create a yoga practice that works for them.  In this post she shares spiritual wisdom and yoga poses to help you transform dreams into reality.

Now over to Irena…

Ever wonder why some dreams just don’t take root?  A moment of inspiration hits us.  We can see it happening.  We get excited and share this dream with others.  Our heart is pumping now!  Then the bottom drops out.

Where does that dream go?  What happened to all that enthusiasm and passion?

It’s time to light a fire, do a little yoga, and figure it out.

Dreams Begin with Inspiration and Visualizing

The winter was a wonderful opportunity for day-dreaming.  A season of air to sweep us off into our thoughts.  Maybe you found yourself drawing out plans for a summer garden. Or simply being inspired by the seed catalogs.

Dreams Need Passion and Deep Feeling

Then we moved into spring, out of daydreaming mode and into a deep feeling sense.  The warmth of the sun on our skin after a long winter.  The smell of flowers in the garden.  A desire to create beauty all around us.  Excited to put into motion our plans that were made during winter.

Yet daydreaming and passion aren’t enough to manifest a dream.  Dreams require much more than that.

The Path from Dreaming to Manifesting

When that light bulb goes on over your head, take the time to:

SEE yourself living your dream

SHARE this dream with a confidant

let your heart bloom with ANTICIPATION and EXCITEMENT 

And know that these steps are fun and lighthearted, it doesn’t cost us anything physical to dream and talk.  We are more in the realm of spirit, water, and air – inspired, dreaming, and talking.

Stir Up the Fire In Your Belly

1. Put Value Behind Your Dream
2. Set Down Strong Roots
3. Bide Your Time – Patience
4. Keep Showing Up – Perseverance

Now we are moving into the realm of fire and earth.

The yogis knew that our internal landscape mirrors our physical experience and vice versa.  If thoughts engulf us, action will elude us.  If it’s all action and no thought, it’s wasted effort.  Let’s use some yoga postures to fire up our courage, tap into the value of our dreams, set down roots, and practice patience and perseverance.  Come join me in my garden and try these yoga postures!

Are you ready?

5 Steps to Manifesting Your Dream

1. Stir Up the Fire In Your Belly

Do we have the fire in our belly to make this happen?  There will be ups and downs in pursuit of our dream.  Prepare, and take courage – don’t live in fear.  This is our chance to let our true colors shine.  No more hiding behind talk.

Remember as Martha Graham said, “What people in the world think of you is really none of your business.”

This is your dream!  Get your fire going!

Modified Boat to Fire Belly (Navasana)

Activate the Third Chakra

• Lean back, draw the lower belly in,  and lift your feet.
• Legs bent, hold onto your shins.
• Press shins and hands into each other and look forward.

Full Boat (Navasana)

Continuing from the previous pose.

• Hold the backs of your legs.
• Stretch those legs straight!
• Press the backs of your legs into your hands and lift your chest.
• Look towards your feet.

2. Put Value Behind It

It’s time to get those creative juices flowing and put your money where your mouth is.  Because if you don’t put something of tangible value behind your dream, you’re showing the universe that it doesn’t really hold value for you.  The dream will fizzle out.

Cobra (Bhujangasana)

Activate the Second Chakra

• From your belly, place your hands flat on the ground next to the chest.
• Lift the head of your shoulders, drawing shoulder blades towards one another.
• Gently curl the chest forward and up, pressing the hands into the earth.
• Look straight ahead or up to the sky.

Baby Cobra (Bhujangasana)

• You always have the choice to do a baby cobra.
• Don’t lift up so high if your lower back is unhappy.
• Keep your chest just a few inches from the earth.

3. Set Down Strong Roots

Just like the Empress from the Tarot deck, you are getting ready to give birth to your dream and it needs strong roots and the ability to adapt with great patience.  Think of a nurturing mother.

Squat  (Malasana)

Activate the First Chakra

• Place feet outer hips distance wide and firmly planted on the earth (the heels must be pressing into something – this is great to do on a hillside).
• Gently lower the hips towards the earth.
• If this hurts your knees, sit on a little stool in this squatting position.
• Knees and toes always should point in the same direction.

Modified Squat (Sukhasana)

• This is a fun variation to the squat.
• From the squat, slowly stretch one leg off to the side, knee and toes pointed to the sky.

4. Bide Your Time

Dreams like babies need time to gestate.  It’s wise not to rush these things.

Meditation

• Listen to the sound of your breath.
• With every inhale, silently say to yourself, Ham.
• With every exhale, silently say to yourself, Sa.

Ham Sa = I Am That.

Thoughts are powerful.  Remember, where your attention goes, there your energy flows.

5. Keep Showing Up

Perseverance and determination will set your dream apart from others.

Even when things get difficult or uncomfortable we’ll keep showing up.

Why?  This is our dream.

The post 5 Steps to Manifesting Your Dreams (How Yoga Can Help) with Irena Miller appeared first on AwenTree.

Milkweed, butterflies and my Mama,  a story of letting go.

Milkweed grows in my untamed garden.

I discovered a single plant in my garden several years ago and made a silent promise to nurture it, to help it spread amongst the wild black raspberry bushes.

In the shortening days of Autumn I blow their seeds to the wind in hopes they will find safe harbor to grow when the warmth returns to the land.

There is magick in milkweed plants.

Their unassuming  green stalks steadfastly advancing through the green undergrowth of spring into summer.  You could easily overlook them or pull them in a weeding session, missing out on the richness they offer.  One of those precious gifts is monarch butterflies which cannot survive without milkweed.

Early one morning, July

Summer heat rolls in and milkweed brings forth magnificent, purple explosions of flowers right at the time that black raspberries ripen.

I imagined how the milkweed and the black raspberries plant spirits exchange whispered conversations, hidden in leaves and blossoms, as they drunk up sunshine.

Standing in my garden, picking raspberries, with summer sun on my skin, I saw the first monarch I have seen in years.  

In some secret miracle of synchronicity, at the very moment I saw the monarch, a hummingbird circled my head, so close I could hear its wings.

In an instant, my senses collided in a living symphony of the scent of summer, purple stains of raspberries on my fingers, sunlight, butterflies and hummingbirds.

I thought of my Mama and how I would tell her of this moment if she were still alive.

Summer exhaled into Autumn.

Afternoon, October

I stood in my garden with the full moon on the rise and the milkweed plant an explosion of seedpods before me.  And it struck me, how the milkweed tells the story of motherhood, reflected in the delicate seed pods.

I was the wild, untamed plant that grew in my mother’s well tended garden.

My Mama and I were incredibly different yet incredibly similar.  She craved a tidy home, order and cleanliness.  I craved adventure and dirt beneath my feet.  At times our different natures railed against each other and the friction was palpable, but always my mother loved me fiercely.  She transferred her indomitable will and nurtured my sense of self.  I imagine her inner struggle to raise me to be an independent woman yet wanting to shelter me as her little girl.  There were times she tried desperately to corral me, anxious that the winds of life would blow me to inhospitable soil, worried I would flounder to find solid ground.   I fought against the confines of expectations and properness.

But then we reached a hard won point of grace.

Somewhere along the way, she understood the hidden gifts that would emerge if she released her grip and let me fly.  She understood that the better course was to encourage me to soar on favorable winds and to trust that she taught me to land upright. Eventually, I did.

As a mother myself these many years, I understand the duality of my mother’s position.

Like the milkweed, I provided safe haven for my children  to grow and transform.

Like a partially closed pod, I held onto my little seedlings,  a secret dream in the dark, allowing just a peak at the greater world.

Yet, I knew that a baby must push itself forth from the womb at the right moment, and so must my children emerge to live their own lives.  I wanted to both hang on and let go. It is a theme whose thread is woven through the journey of motherhood.

I prayed that when it came time to finally let go, that a favorable wind takes them gently on their journey.  I realized I was not so different from my own mother.

My Mama merely wanted to hold on to her precious cargo til the last possible moment, just like I did.

Two years ago my beloved Mama passed away.

Like the milkweed pod releasing its seeds, the dreaded moment came when it was finally time to let her go.   I watched as she struggled to hang on and I, too, wanted to hang on.

But I knew it was time to let go.

I was there with her when she crossed that silvery threshold between worlds.  And I grasped a deeper level of the mysterious tides of life.  Motherhood taught me to respect the gateway between life and death,  and to walk in the liminal places between the worlds.  This tide ebbs and flows connecting me to all the mothers and grandmothers, stretching backwards and forwards through time.  I was born and thus I was the child of my mother.  I brought forth life and I  became the mother.  Death deepened the teaching when I sat and midwifed my sweet Mama back across the threshold. Inhalation, exhalation. The tides of life.

Loving means holding on and letting go. 

My Mama let me go, to evolve and grow into the woman I have become.  Now it was my turn to let her go and trust.  To allow the ancient winds of destiny gently lift her to the sky.  Trust that the seed knows how to take flight on a favorable wind.  Trust that the seed will arrive safely on the other side of the crossing.

To trust even though I can no longer touch the seed.

The milkweed plants are readying for winter.  The last of the seeds drift across the yard.  I think back on the monarch butterfly I saw.  It still remains the only one I have seen in years.  Much like the seeds, I may never know its fate.  Did it succeed in creating a fourth generation?  Did any of its descendants make the flight to Mexico?  If so, will they arrive safely to find their winter habitat still intact?  And what of our mutual fate on the planet in these times of change?

I envision the threads that connect us into one great tapestry of life on Earth; the milkweed, the butterflies, the mothers, the grandmothers and our collective seven generations.

I release a prayer for all the beings of earth with the last milkweed seed:

May we know the wisdom of love, when to hold on and when to let go.

The post Milkweed, butterflies and my Mama, a story of letting go appeared first on AwenTree.

Learn how the tarot can help you identify when you are giving away your power.

When you have plenty of personal power in your reserves you feel energized, clear, capable and positive. When you are lacking in personal power you may feel overwhelmed, drained, confused and like you are dragging through your day.

There are many ways in which you can restore your personal power such as achieving a meaningful goal your worked hard for,  mastering a new skill that excites you, practicing self-care, being outside in nature and spending time with empowering, positive people that inspire you.

As much as you work to restore your personal power, you also give your power away almost everyday. That is not meant to make you feel badly.  It is merely an aspect of life.

Most of the time power is leaked out, in small ways throughout any given day or week; through minor episodes or exchanges.  Perhaps you encounter a driver expressing road rage or you are the driver expressing road rage in your rush to get to work.  Out leaks some of your power. Maybe you get in a disagreement with a co-worker and you get really worked up emotionally.  Out leaks a little more of your power.  Then you meet up with a friend who always seems to be going through a hard time and needing your advice.  You feel drained when you part ways.  Out leaks more of your power.   Some times you experience bigger life events that impact you on a deep level; a major break-up, family struggle, illness or loss.

The reality is that being here on the planet, in physical form, means you are not going to be immune to these power losses.

But you do have a choice in how you respond.  You can choose to be aware and practice self-care. To identify the ways you are leaking power and when.  Then create change and call your power back to you.

So how can the tarot be a tool to help you gain awareness about personal power loss?

You can look for the following Minor Arcanas as indicator cards in your readings.  There three cards, from each of the four suits, that are highlighted here as particularly helpful at identifying potential power loss.

Now, that doesn’t mean that every time you pull one of these cards you are leaking power like a sieve.  You will want to tap into your intuition; check placement and look to see what other cards are showing up with them to determine if any given card is indicating personal power loss.

So, let’s take a deeper look at three cards from each suit.

Earth: Pentacles

Two of Pentacles:

The classic meaning of this card is about decisions; about juggling more than one option and wishing for more knowledge, confidence or clarity to know which pentacle to choose.   The figure is seen juggling two pentacles while appearing to be waiting for the ship in the distance to arrive.  This card can indicate physical power loss around the decision making process.  Perhaps the power loss comes from the timing to make a decision, whether that is dragging your feet or holding back due to uncertainty.  You may be juggling more than you can comfortably handle and this affects your focus.  It can reveal that there is a pattern of being up in the air rather than grounded. All this can result in a loss of personal power.

Four of Pentacles:

The classic meaning of this card is about being guarded, protective or even hoarding with the figure holding four pentacles close to them. This card can indicate power loss in regards to your flow of physical abundance. Sometimes seen as a card of stability, it can indicate that your need for security is fear-based; too restrictive and rigid.  If you are out of alignment with abundance mindset this can lead to you clutching, withholding or hoarding.  That results in pinching off your flow and restricts your capacity to receive (power loss).  Being miserly or fearful around resources can impact your ability to experience joy and that leads to more power leakage.

Five of Pentacles:

The classic meaning of this card about is about going through a difficult challenge or impoverished time.   The figures in the cards certainly look destitute, that fate has dealt them a bum hand, but there is a deeper message here.   In times of tests and trials, how do you respond rather than react?  Even in trying times, there are actions to take back your power.  How you respond can lessen the duration of the challenge especially if you are trapped in the mindset of a victim.  The two figures are right outside a church in the classic decks, signifying sanctuary is close by.  Do you choose to walk on without seeking aid or do you enter the place of sanctuary and be willing to receive assistance?  Do you find yourself in a pattern of crisis or drama often?  What steps can you take get help to let go of these cycles which drain your personal power?

Air: Swords

Five of Swords:

The classic meaning of this card is about knowing when to withdraw from a battle, struggle, drama or other form of engagement.   It appears that the figure holding the swords is victorious, that the conflict has ended but do they recognize it is time to walk away?  The victor clearly has the upper hand, but at what cost?  This card can teach you a wealth of wisdom about personal power and struggle.  Some battles are not worth the price you will pay.  It speaks to the importance of knowing when is it more appropriate to avoid engagement; to step away leaving others, and yourself, with their grace and dignity intact.  It can remind you to stop and consider if the power you will expend is worth it.  It can also show how personal power is given away by perpetually creating conflicts and seeking to fulfill the need to be “right” or vindicated.

Seven of Swords:

The classic meaning of this card is distraction and indecisiveness.  There is a central figure clearly headed in one direction with their arms full of swords but their mind is on the swords behind them. They are not fully focused on the moment or their actions, unsure which swords they should carry. When you choose to let distractions dictate your actions, you give your power away.   Do you hide behind perpetual distractions as a habit to keep you from what truly is most important to focus on? The same is true with indecision.  When you engage the pattern of indecisiveness, you give your power away to external powers. Know that failing to make a decision is a decision.  Do you give your power away by letting outside forces dictate what happens rather than committing to your own course?

Eight of Swords:

The classic meaning of this card is about understanding self-imposed limitations.  The figure is bound, blindfolded and surrounded swords.  The message held within this card is about understanding self-imposed limitations and how to set yourself free.  You might have been taught these limitations by external forces (tribe, family, teachers, significant others, culture, etc) but in reality you hold the key to your own liberation. You regain your power when you start asking: is this my own truth or someone else’s?   When you choose to let go of attitudes, concepts and stories that are not in alignment with your authentic self, you begin to see all the potential and possibilities before you. This card can also reveal an opportunity to stop allowing your head to rule you: “The mind is a wonderful servant but a terrible master.” (Orion Foxwood) You reclaim your power when you decide to live outside your comfort zone.

Fire: Wands

Five Wands:

The classic meaning of this card is about conflict, but energetic, passionate conflict.  In this card, there are many figures wielding staves and there is no organization.  This card indicates the potential of power loss when passions and opinions run high leading to conflict with other people or circumstances. Perhaps you are not connecting with guiding principles that could help open the way when working with others. Being in a perpetual state of conflict drains your personal power.  It can indicate power loss when this conflict is internalized and you are out of alignment with your spiritual passions or visions and dreams.  You can feel drained when you feel too much in your life is in conflict: pushing a constant boulder in your way.

Seven of Wands:

The classic meaning of this card is standing your ground, being on the defense or standing in your truth. There is a figure at the top of a hill and from your perspective they have the higher ground or so it appears.  This card can reveal potential power loss when we are repeatedly under siege or overly defensive or paranoid.   If you are under siege, it could indicate the need to take action to change your situation or environment.  If you are on the defense, it could be showing you that you are operating from a fear-based stance and need to consider why.  However, it should be noted that it can indicate a power loss if you do not stand your ground and defend your truth. You are passionate for a reason and standing in your truth will restore your power.

Ten of Wands:

The classic meaning of this card is being burdened but it can also speak to the perseverance needed to accomplish a task.  The figure is carrying a heavy load, perhaps too heavy, and their vision is impaired by their burden.  Are they truly responsible for this load or does it belong to another?  Does a situation require them to carry this extra load until a certain point where they can set it down?  This card can reveal to you when you are being drained of personal power by doing too much or doing the work of others (or taking on responsibilities that are not really yours in the first place). It can also illuminate if you have a habit of over committing or needing to care for others to the detriment of your own resources and well being.

Water: Cups

Five of Cups:

The classic meaning of this card is one of mourning and loss.  There is a figure looking sorrowfully upon three spilt cups but behind them are two upright cups. There is red liquid flowing out, looking like it could be blood as likely as it is wine, into the ground. While deeply upsetting, loss and grieving are a natural part of the cycle of life.  This card could signal your power bleeding away, like the red liquid, if you were to get caught in the stages of mourning and miss out on the blessings that you still have.  It can also reflect how you can lose power by trying to avoid the mourning process.  Another source of power loss could be revealed if you are too often stuck in the past, rehashing old hurts and disappointments and harboring regrets.

Seven of Cups:

The classic meaning of this card is understanding the role of illusion and delusion in your emotional evolution.  Before you are seven cups full of positive and negative visions.  The visions represent that not all in life is what it appears to be and that your growth comes from experiencing what each cup holds.  Some cups offer more pleasant experiences and some less but there is an important role in each cup that helps develop your heart and soul.  Power can be loss when you give in to temptations or get caught up in the pretense of illusions.  Power is regained when you step into the flow of grace and remember that you are the Fool on the fool’s journey and these encounters are natural tests as part of it.

Eight of Cups:

The classic meaning of this card is about walking away from that which you have already experience and completed (been there, done that) and heading towards what is next on the journey.   It can be seen as a card of letting go, but the figure in the card is not looking back at what they are leaving behind, rather, they are looking forward.  The figure knows that they take with them the wisdom and experience held within each cup, good and bad.  This card can indicate how you might be giving your power away when you resist leaving a situation, relationship or environment even though it is long past time to walk away. The truth it offers is that by choosing to leave a circumstance you have outgrown, or is not healthy, you engage your future, move on to new destinations and reclaim your power.

Now that you have these tarot tools to help you, how do you go about reclaiming power you already have given away?

While you will want to restore lost personal power and be a mindful steward to minimize power leaks as you move forward, remember that part of living is to encounter situations and challenges that will impact it.  Even being attentive, it is impossible to avoid.

That said, you can learn to be a mindful steward.  Checking in regularly with a tool like the tarot, developing healthy boundaries and practicing self-care will make a big difference. You might decide to review situations or relationships currently in your life and begin to re-direct your path. However, the very fact that you have brought your attention to this, is going to initiate change.

A great way to immediately bring back your personal power is to do this simple but profound exercise I learned from Orion Foxwood in Faery Seership.  It goes like this:

Chant the following.

By the Power of the Holy Mysteries, I Call My Power Back to Me.

As you chant, you will want to do the physical part of the exercise.  Stand with your eyes closed. Slowly, as you chant, extend your hands, one by one, palms facing up.  Imagine lost pieces of your personal power softly returning into your hands.  Pull each hand, one then the other, towards your body as you feel your power returning.  Do this exercise for at least five minutes. Repeat often. (Much gratitude goes out to Orion Foxwood for his permission to share this with you.)

Remember, the key is to use the wisdom of the past to illuminate your path. From this empowered place you can decide what actions to leave behind and what new ones to embrace.

Now it’s your turn.

I invite you to try some readings to track your personal power in your life right now and apply some of the concepts I have presented here.  I would love it if you shared how it went and what you discovered in the comments below or feel free to message me at info@awentree.com

The post Tracking Your Personal Power With The Tarot: Minor Arcana Cards That Reveal How You Give Your Power Away appeared first on AwenTree.

What draws you to the tarot?

Is it the emotive images whispering their secrets of a mystical story?

Tarot speaks the language of wild, creative souls.

It is no coincidence that you find yourself always in the tarot section of a metaphysical shop or book store.

The wild soul is a creative soul and its language is a sensual one of vibrant colors, delicious scents and luscious textures.   Tarot and oracles cards speak to the many layers woven in the colorful tapestry of your existence.  Some times tracing those threads is quite easy and clear; other times not so much.  Some times your soul is on-fire and in perfect alignment. Other times you are feeling lost.  That’s where tarot (and oracle) cards can lend a hand with unraveling those trickier threads or give you a shot of inspiration when feeling slightly bogged down by life.

Embracing Your Inner Seer

When you embrace your Inner Seer, you begin connecting to that part of yourself that knows how to listen and interpret the messages coming from your higher self, your spirit guides and Spirit itself. Tarot is a portable, dynamic and visual altar.  When you spend time as the Seer, seated at the feet of the oracle (whether working with tarot or oracle cards) your wild soul is renewed and your creative fire is fed.

And here’s a secret.  The practice of embracing your Inner Seer and feeding your wild soul is way more accessible than you may realize.

Think about it.

Were you drawn to the tarot or did the tarot call you to them? 

What is important is to heed the call.  To pick up the cards. (or maybe buy your first deck).  There is no perfect time for playing with your tarot cards in a busy life. You create the perfect time by communing with your Inner Seer and throwing down cards. The secret that all established readers know is that Tarot comes to life in your hands.

Using tarot to ignite your creative fire

Your wild soul longs to be free and dancing in the wind; to be creating expressively.

But some days you may just feel stuck.

It could be that your creative fire is sputtering or burning low.  Maybe life has gotten too stressful or too busy.  Perhaps you are overdo for meaningful self-care.  It’s time to reach for you tarot cards and do a Wild Creative Soul Reading.

Creative Soul Reading    

Ask these four questions and pull a card for each.  

• How do I feed my Wild Soul?
• What is important about taking time for myself?
• What do I need to understand about what gets in the way of expressing my wild and creative soul?
• What ignites my creative fire?

DOWNLOAD YOUR COPY OF THE CREATIVE SOUL READING SPREAD  >>

Here is how my Creative Soul Reading came out this morning.

I was having a hard time getting rolling with my day.  I had some great inspiration from the day before on a hike and I was surprised by how stuck I was feeling.  I pulled some cards from the tarot and connected with my Inner Seer.

This is what I got:

Laid out in this order: left to right, top row, left to right, bottom row) it reveals this:

1. Following my heart’s desire feeds my wild soul and informs my creativity. (hiking, gardening, etc)

2. I need to be discipline in carving out the time for doing the activities that make my heart sing. This means I need to set clear boundaries to honor that time and follow through on creative planning; my artistry needs breathing room.

3. My obligations to “duties and chores” (what I think I should be doing) can get in the way of doing the things I am more passionate about.  Finding a more harmonious balance between work and creative play is key.

4. My inner fire is ignited when I give myself permission and space to embrace my creative talents and spiritual practice.  Honor that time as sacred time.

Now it’s your turn

I invite you to play with the Wild Creative Soul spread and share it with others (I just ask that you give me credit for it since it is an original spread).   I would love to hear how this tarot reading spread worked for you.   Please leave your feedback in the comments below.

Tarot feeds the wild soul’s creative heart.

So, you know that you have a unique way of being on the planet, that you are a wild, creative soul.

Tarot has shown up in your life for a reason.

Tarot is a tool that can help you connect with you Inner Seer so that you can listen to, feed and align with  your wild soul.

You make the perfect time by choosing now.

Bright Blessings,

The post Tarot and Feeding Your Wild, Creative Soul appeared first on AwenTree.

Uncovering your roots: discovering what lies beneath using a tarot reading.

What does it mean to “read your roots” in a tarot reading?

When you seek answers and insight in a tarot reading, it is important to look at the foundation, the roots, that uphold you.   Imagine a tall oak or great spruce tree.  The trees achieve their height and longevity because of their roots.  The roots of a tree provide nourishment, oxygen, water and strength to it, just to name a few of the primary functions.   Trees have more than one kind of root, smaller ones and larger ones, working together in a complex system to sustain well being.

Much like a tree has physical roots, you have spiritual roots that sustain you and allow you to grow.

And like a tree, your roots can be varying states of being.

Your roots might need tending or be suffering from negative external forces (and you may find that you have internalize those forces). This impacts your physical, mental, emotional and spiritual alignments and can manifest in your life in various ways.

Perhaps you have encountered a run of “bad luck” or seemingly unexplainable dead-ends and obstacles?  Maybe you recognize a negative pattern playing out repeatedly and you want to create a positive change.

Root readings can help in times of challenges but also in good times when preparing for expansion and growth.

What if  you are in a really good place right now in your life.  Can a Root Reading still be helpful?

The answer is YES!

You might be experiencing a divine flow where everything is coming together and you are ready to launch into a new realm.  Perhaps you want to know what best supports your success while creating a new project or embarking on a new endeavor. 

A Root Reading can help you assess the energetic condition of your roots so you can map out a plan for co-creating for the your highest-potential outcome while maintaining your self-care.

So, to recap, you can use a root reading to assess the conditions of your roots, in both good times and challenging ones.

Can you give yourself a root reading?

YES, you can!

What does a Root Reading tarot spread look like?

I created this Root Reading based upon my spiritual practices and experiences.  To do this, I started with a brainstorming session to help me construct a spread.

First, I reflected on the image of a tree and what elements either support optimal growth or negatively impact it.   For a tree, if the ground is too compacted, then it is difficult for it to expand and grow.  If it has a girdling root, a root that grows sideways across other roots, that can cut off the flow of nutrients.

From the brainstorming stage, I moved to refining the spread.  Here is the finished spread.  I invite you to try it out. Feel free to share it with others (I just ask that you give me credit).

Root Reading Tarot Spread

Ready to do this reading for yourself?

Grab your copy of my free, downloadable, printable “Reading for Your Roots” Tarot Spread here >>

Here’s how to do the reading:

To begin, clear  your cards.  Take a deep cleansing breath to ground and connect you. Then shuffle.  As you shuffle, go within and reflect on a particular situation you would like insight upon the condition of your roots.  You could work with a general assessment rather than a focused topic.

Where you stand:  The first card you pull refers to where you stand in regards to a current situation, whether a challenge or opportunity.

Primary Tap Root:  The second card is to assess the overall condition of your primary root, also known as the tap root.

Flow: The third card is to evaluate the flow of energy running from your root to you.  It is helpful to look at the condition of your flow to see if it is restricted in any way (like a girdling root).  A pinched off flow or blockage can impact your ability to fully receive nourishment from your roots.

What Feeds Your Roots:  The fourth cards speaks to what feeds and restores you (self-care, inspiration, etc)

Environmental Factors:  The fifth card lets you check-in on the surrounding environment and assess the quality of your personal eco-system.  Think of it like a soil and air quality test.

Expansion or Restriction:  The sixth card lets you assess if you have plenty of room for growth and expansion.  Is anything restricting or constricting you?  Are the obstacles to be addressed?

Actions to Take: The seventh and eighth cards are cards of action to support forward movement.  The seventh card is action to take to support your expansion (card six) or assist with overcoming an obstacle or restriction.  The eighth card is action to take in response to the condition of your environment; either to uphold a currently good state or to help improve it.

Pulling it all the together, the message is in the story

As with any reading, once you have pulled the cards, sit back and take a moment to view the reading with “soft sight”.   That means scanning the reading and allowing your intuitive side, your right brain and your subconscious to come forward with insight on patterns and messages.

Take time to connect to Spirit and ask for guidance on interpreting the story in the cards.

You can access your knowledge of what individual cards mean but remember to look for the conversation that is taking place among the collection of the cards that have chosen to show up in your reading.

Root Readings allow you to connect to what nourishes and sustains you.

By taking time to look at the current conditions of your roots, you can better understand the actions to take to nourish yourself.  This can help support your success as you move forward in your life.

Now, it’s your turn.  

I would love to hear how this particular spread worked for you.  Leave your feedback in the comments, feel free to message me privately at winifred@awentree.com or ask to join my facebook tarot group, The Tarot Lab

About Winifred Costello

Winifred is an intuitive tarot reader and mentor having studied, experienced and worked with cards since she received her first deck at the age of 16. She is passionate about plumbing the creative depth and spiritual mysteries of tarot for the many dimensions it offers us as a tool of personal development and self-awareness. As such, she believes that tarot truly comes to life in your hands, charting a profound path of healing and transformation.

The post Reading for your roots, how you can use a tarot spread to uncover what lies beneath appeared first on AwenTree.

Are tarot myths getting in your way to working with the cards?

I  frequently encounter some popular tarot myths holding sway out there in the world of divination.  I believe in making tarot more accessible as a spiritual tool. We can choose to free ourselves from limiting beliefs.

Tarot Myth #1: Thou shalt not read for thyself

I am a firm believer that you should read for yourself.  Throw out the reasons why you shouldn’t and instead ask yourself, why wouldn’t I?  But there is a caveat.  So let’s break this down a bit further.

First off, you are your best practice buddy because you are almost always available and curious about the insight tarot offers.

Practice is Queen.

There is no better way to gain experience than to Practice (with the big P- meaning it is a Priority to Practice what you are learning).  You can choose from single card or multiple card spreads.   You can do readings for yourself for check-in before you start your day or to re-direct your energies if you feel you have gotten off-track.  Single card pulls are great for this.  If you have oracle cards like an animal deck or angel cards, they are great for daily insight.   If you are dealing with a larger concern or want more detailed guidance, then a multiple card spread is the way to go.

Maybe you are wondering how you can be impartial in your own reading.  It is true that it can be tricky to interpret your reading without over shadowing it with what you “want” to hear, but you can learn to discern with a few tips.   Here are my suggestions:

• Keep a journal of your readings. To develop discernment, it will be important to go back to older readings and write notes on how things ultimately unfolded.  Include observations on how you did for being objective in your readings.
• Keep a record of which cards and combinations are harder to interpret.  Which are easier?
• Restrict yourself to one sentence or just several key words for the first information that comes through for each card.  Challenge yourself to jot it down quickly and do not stop to over analyze. Do not go back and edit.
• Work with a trusted tarot buddy.   Record both the images and your interpretation. Afterwards, share your results with a tarot buddy.  Ask for feedback.  Choose wisely. Ideally you want a tarot buddy that can give helpful, yet constructive feedback.  The idea is to build your skill, confidence and independence as a reader.  Bonus tip: Even better if you then give feedback to you tarot buddy on a reading they did for themselves.  By giving and receiving you will expand in your ability to deliver self-readings.

Permission is now granted to read for yourself.

*So here is the caveat.  I not only believe in giving yourself readings but I also believe in the importance of getting readings.  Especially if you work as a professional reader.  And my wisdom from experience is this: the more you work with others in service (whether as a reader or a healer) the more important it is to invest in your own self-care.  There are times and situations where getting that impartial perspective is vital to increasing awareness and growth.

Tarot Myth #2: Thou shalt not buy thy own tarot deck.

While it is always magickal to be gifted a tarot deck and even more so if it is a deck you love, it is perfectly acceptable to buy your own deck.  It does not negatively impact your ability to read the cards if you buy the deck yourself.  On the contrary, you might be the best person in the world to choose a deck you really resonate with.  I have never, in my many years of experience, found that a deck did not “work” because I bought it. Actually, I have known folks to finally have that break through moment when they purchased a deck they really gravitated towards.  And on a practical level, what if there is no one to buy you a deck?  So, go forth and buy the decks you love.

Permission is now granted to buy a deck you love.

Tarot Myth #3: Thou shalt let no one touch thy tarot cards.

In my experience, letting the person receiving the reading shuffle the cards allows their energy to connect to the reading. It invites divine synchronicity as well as a collaborative energy to enter the space.

Permission is now granted to let others hold your tarot cards.

That said, I do have mulitple decks and they have organically aligned themselves to different roles in my reading practice.  One deck is my designate “public deck” that I use with clients (a pocket size Rider Waite).  I have many other beloved decks.  Some decks like to help with teaching and others for readings.  My Morgan-Greer deck is literally 33 years old and very dear to my heart so I keep it for personal use.  So, I recommend to putting some thought into which decks you will be comfortable letting the public handle if you are professional (or budding) reader.

This brings up another point to be aware of: cleansing your cards.  This is a good practice.  Here are some methods you can use.  I like to keep crystals with my cards to help clear and focus the energy.

• Smudge them with sage, cedar, palo santo or incense
• Reiki Energy
• Aromatherapy spray  (great option if you cannot burn incense or smudge)
• Moonlight: Leave them out to bask in the Full Moon light if it is a safe, dry spot.

By breaking down three of the most common tarot myths, my goal is to create more accessibility for folks on their tarot journey.  Working with the tarot is a great resource for increasing self-awareness and enhancing your personal development.  The tarot offers us a portal, a dynamic altar,  to engage with Spirit for conversations of wisdom and guidance.

Now its your turn.

Do you have tarot myth you have encounter?  Do you honor it?  Or have you deconstructed it?  Share in the comments below.

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