The Smiling Spirit

Archive for January, 2010

Good Moonday Everyone!
Here’s me trying my hand at astrology. I’m really loving learning about these things. I know you can find this information virtually anywhere on the net, but I need to find it HERE if I’m going to be learning it.

I started my education by going here to have a FREE birth chart drawn up. If you want to pay $25, you can get a full, 30sumthin page report. I’m starting with the basics, so the free version was perfect for me.

I learned that my sun sign is Aries (which I already knew)… my moon sign is Leo… and my rising sign is Libra. Of course I learned a lot more, but those are the basics and that’s why I’m here.

Disclaimer: I am not a traditionally educated or a professional ANYTHING. All astrological and manifestational musings found here are my personal interpretation of what I see and am learning. It is not in any way to be considered official or professional advice. I am but a simple, Earth and nature based solitary witch learning my path as I go a’walkin’ it. Follow me astutely or blow off every word I say. The choice is yours but I claim no “official” knowledge. All times listed are in EST which is MY time zone.

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On Friday, January 15th, last week, Mercury came out of retrograde and began traveling direct again. Mercury in retrograde is notorious for communication and electronic difficulties. I’m delighted to report I’ve had no such luck of my own. If Mercury is strong in your chart, you’ll likely notice more evidence of the retrograde than others, and as Mercury slows and begins it’s direct revolution again, you may continue to notice it’s effects right through until the beginning of February.

On Wednesday, January 13th, last week, Saturn went into retrograde. This means that from our limited perspective here on Earth, Saturn appears to be moving backwards through the sky, just as Mercury was a mere week ago.

One of the places where I’ve been getting much of my learning material is LynnKoiner.com. Here’s what Lynn has to say about Saturn:

Saturn rules the physical and psychological supports, structures and armatures in our life. It produces the rules and regulations by which we guide our lives, our sense of responsibility, and our limitations. It allows us to define boundaries for ourselves by saying NO!

When Saturn is in retrograde, if affects our ability to define our boundaries. It fills us with insecurities that can make us say Yes when the answer should be No. It is said that Saturn in reto is a time for “Re”. Re-evaluate, Re-consider, Re-structure. Re-organize… you get the idea!

That makes THIS period of Saturn in reto PERFECT in my opinion. Here we are in mid January. Eighteen days into our fresh start of 2010. No more making new commitments. No new plans or limits. This is the time to look BACK. What did you resolve for this year? What did you resolve for this month? Is it working? Have you fallen off the proverbial wagon? Now is the time to sit down and re-evaluate your plans and commitments.

Maybe you are feeling pushed and a commitment you’ve begun is just too much. Now is the time to drop it. Look backwards and give yourself some time to RE-consider what it is you’re actually wanting in 2010.

This morning(Monday 1-18-2009) at 1:17am the moon entered Pisces. Pisces is a water sign and water signs are known for their emotional attributes. A moon in Pisces puts our focus on nostalgic ideas and dreaming.

This is REALLY going to work for us with Saturn in retrograde right now. As we’re looking back to RE-evaluate commitments and resolutions, the energy is right for us to be dreaming up better approaches and ideas. But remember, we’re looking back and “RE” ing. No new undertakings.

Moon in Pisces is also a great time to focus on your volunteering and/or charitable occupations and also to focus on Spiritual ventures and activities. Emotion, emotion, emotion.

The moon goes void of course on the 20th(Wednesday) from 1:06 am until 1:36pm, so during this 12.5 hour window, intentions and magic should be avoided as things started when the moon is void of course rarely stick or turn out as you want.

At 1:36pm on this Wednesday(20th), the moon will enter Aries who lacks staying power. Things may line up easily, but will pass just as quickly. That’s okay though because we’re not starting new things right now anyway!

The moon goes void of course again on Friday the 22nd from 2:46 pm until 11:49pm when it will enter the house of Taurus. Taurus DOES have great staying power. Things started with the moon in Taurus not only stick, but tend to increase in their value.

We can’t stick to a strict “no magic” policy during Saturn’s backwards turn through the sky because He’s going to be back peddling all the way until May 30th, 2010! Right now, we ARE in the waxing light of the moon which generally makes this a good time for magic and creation, but be wary. You could be wrangled into saying Yeses when what you’re really meaning is big, fat, Nos.

Don’t become fanciful and let your daydreams and imaginings run away with you. Saturn in retro blocks up our ability to set and create boundaries.

The moon goes into it’s 2nd quarter on Saturday (23rd) morning @ 5:33am, but will remain in Taurus until Sunday when it becomes void of course again at 10:33pm (Sunday 24th) where it will remain until Monday morning.

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My Week

I intend to follow my own advice this week! I’ve been doing very well with sticking to my new schedule since the new year, but I think there’s room for tweaking. I’ll spend some time for the next few days, focusing on RE-figuring and RE-evaluating my resolutions and new habits. I’ve been DREAMING up some great ideas too!

As a side note, moon in Pisces is said to bring with it increased psychic energies dealing in intuition and impressions. I found myself having the most amazing dreams last night. Keeping a more regular dream journal is something I should RE-consider doing :)

Anyway, while the moon is in Pisces through Wednesday, I want to take advantage of this time and make some phone calls regarding some volunteer work I wanted to get involved in. Seems a perfect time!

Wednesday afternoon through Friday night, I intend to keep to myself and catch up with things at home. Moon in Aries can make people argumentative and AS an Arian, I can vouch for my own argumentative nature and stubbornness. Best to just lay low and enjoy being home.

This weekend I’ll take advantage of the Taurus moons accentuation of beauty and enjoyment to do something fun. Maybe a hike or walk or just a drive through the country to enjoy Mother Earth’s amazing beauty.

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And that wraps up my basic introduction to current astrology. I know there’s so much more. Many other houses and planets to consider and explore, but for now, I will keep in simple.

I hope you have a great week! I know I intend to.

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Who Do You Want to Be?

That’s a question I’ve been asking myself for a few months now. Back in September when I finally embraced the path of a solitary, I began asking myself this question and it’s one of the best manifestation techniques I believe I’ve ever found.

In honor of this first new moon of 2010, I’d like to share this manifestation technique with you so you too may begin to become the person you really want to be. With whatever traits and free of whatever habits. This is your year! Allow yourself to become!

Everyone has a picture of who they WOULD be if given the resources. Or even who they WILL be when they win the lottery and are finally happy (snicker). Sorry, the lotto one always gets me.

Making a clear decision about the person I seek to become has made all the difference in my growth I believe. When I chose my craft name, “Luna”, I also created a BIO of sorts, for her… This witch that I was becoming acquainted with who was bursting right out of me whether I liked it or not. I fabricated her. I made her my ideal.

That’s what I could control. Maybe not the how or the when, but the WHO is all me. I even added in that she lived in clean, organized, and love filled surroundings. The result of that so far has been wonderful!

For the past couple weeks, since New Years Day, my husband and sons have been taking greater care with their dishes and belongings which has been leaving all of my surroundings much much neater and more organized.

Also, the people that I care about in my life have been filled with outpourings of adoration lately. Not putting me on a pedestal or anything ridiculous, but they’ve been very forthcoming with kind and caring words of love and respect. The feelings that you have for them, yourself, and you assume they have for you, but the words that people rarely say…. I’ve been hearing them. It’s been delightful!

You can change your life! You can become whoever you want to become! All you have to do is answer this question. Who do you want to be?

Get a pen and paper or open one of those nifty writing programs that comes on every computer. Write it down. If you could be anyone, any way, who would you be? What would your traits be? What would your life look like?

When I wrote mine, I wrote it in a third person, as though I were describing somebody outside of myself. I’ve added it as a page on my blog and you may read it here. I intend to change the bio as my expectations, passions, and ideas change, but for now, she is who I am/am becoming.

Not a day goes by that I don’t see evidence of everything I wrote becoming my experience. It is blissful.

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I don’t understand astrology much. I believe in it’s power for 1 simple reason. I know beyond a doubt that I am affected by the moon, so why wouldn’t everything else “out there” affect what’s “down here”? I know there’s still much dispute as to whether the moon has an effect on people (full moon lore, legends, and wives tales), but in my own personal experience, and in the end that’s all I’ll ever have, it absolutely does.

I set several “resolutions” for this new year, but over all they can be classified as simply an intention to explore my new Spiritual path. I’ve been constructing my book of light and really allowing the natural witch that was already within me, to come forth and take over my life.

By identifying with the label “witch”, I find I’m letting go of outside thoughts and judgments and allowing myself… giving myself permission even, to become. I’ve been becoming for a while now, but now that I’ve clearly identified it and stepped into it, things are changing… and moving faster. Some people may read that and have no freaking CLUE what I mean by that. For those that got that, it was for you. LOL

Anyway, I’ve been studiously living my life according to the moon cycles for the past year and I find it a rather comfortable rhythm to align with. Very natural. Even my own monthly cycle seems to synch itself up nicely.

In the spirit of taking inspired action, I’ve decided to expand my cosmic awareness to encompass some astrology. I’m not setting out to become a master at it, but in keeping with my “Jane of All Trades, Master of None”, shining reputation, I do endeavor to become adept with it.

So, in honor of my first love, on Moondays I’d like to start trying my hand at an astrology forecast. Not to be confused with a horoscope! It will be a basic introduction (because I’m BEING introduced!) to astrology and astrology in relation to spell casting, intention setting, and manifestation. It will be bits of what the cosmos have to say and snippets of how I personally intend to use the information I’ve gathered to effect change and manifestation in my own life.

Basically, a cosmic road map to what energies are abounding in the week to come and where your (MY!) focus will be most productively spent in relation to manifestation and personal/Spiritual growth, coupled with my own personal ideas and strategies for the coming week because face it, it’s my blog and it’s about ME! LOL

See you Moonday!

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I’m learning about other people, and how they have walked their paths that were/are similar to mine. I’m trying to learn from people who find their connection the the Universe in ways that I can relate to.

That, I believe, should sum up your religion.

I’ve recently had an epiphany about religion. I was thinking about how we think of religion as an organized spiritual affiliation. What about when you say, “Oh, I do that religiously,”?

According to TeachingAboutReligion.org, this is the where the word religion comes from:

The root of the word “religion” is usually traced to the Latin religare (re: back, and ligare: to bind), so that the term is associated with “being bound.”

Now, considering how it’s used, I feel that “religion” means your tradition, your practice. The way you are bound to.

And I believe that your belief is personal. You collect your beliefs and you hear many things and it’s your job to listen to what you’re told and when you hear something and recognize it as truth, it becomes your truth…. and every ones truth is different… at least a little… but you have to find your own way… and do what works for you… and allow your originality to shine through because that IS your magic….

Organizing into a coven or church or synagogue and doing things like anyone else and falling into a tradition that doesn’t belong to me stifles my creativity… I believe it does to anyone who conforms to someone elses Spiritual tradition…

Your relationship to Spirit is… your own. And like no one elses. Why on earth should your way of speaking to it be the same as anyone elses…

I could see gathering with OTHER solitaries to share our truths…. and combine our energy into collective intention or meditation… but I don’t need to dance around a fire and be part of a coven because someone who called themselves a witch 100 years ago did it.

A witch is just what I am. It’s the way of life I am comfortable living. I have a close relationship to nature and I can feel the entire Universe speaking to me when I tune into the nature around me. I don’t do things like anyone else. I do things like me.

SO! I’m learning about other people, and how they have walked their paths that were/are similar to mine. I’m trying to learn from people who find their connection the the Universe in ways that I can relate to. That, I believe, should sum up your religion.

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Here’s a little poem I wrote about a year ago. I’d forgotten all about it until I happened upon it this morning. It’s sort of silly because it rhymes, but I don’t care :) I was having the most fantastic morning when I wrote it and rereading it made those wonderful feelings come rushing back! I love how our human memory works.

Now that I’ve got the remembered feeling down, I should apply some imagination and make something nice out of it! Boy O boy do I just LOVE conscious creation :)

Attitude of Gratitude
By El Baugher
Thank you for the sunshine bright
And night time dark and deep.

Thank you for the ones I love
And all the one’s I meet.

Thank you for the leaves in fall
And flowers in the spring.

Thank you for the JOY inside
my heart that makes me sing!

Thank you for each trial I’ve faced
And all my lessons learned.

Thank you for the chance to love
And have that love returned.

Thank you for the thankfulness
That drives my life to bliss.

I can’t imagine any life more wonderful than this.

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No, really. Regardless of what you do for a living or what mistakes you’ve made in your past. The fact that you are sitting in your chair, right now, reading this makes you awesome.

Today is Sunday and being raised Christian, I automatically observe Sunday as the day of Spirit. Not a day of rest really, but a day in which I consciously seek connection to Spirit in the things that I do. Sunday is the day I water and/or feed my plants. I enjoy weed pulling and gardening on Sundays too. There’s just something wonderfully grounding (pun intended) about having your hands in the dirt and encouraging the Spirit around you into growth.

I like to spend Sunday playing with my children. The 2 AND 4 legged varieties. It’s the day of relaxation, enjoyment, love, reflection, a counting of one’s blessings.

Sometimes I find myself completely struck speechless by the wonder that is me. And you. Us! We are amazing! Today is one of those times. In the spirit of our collective AWESOMENESS, I’d like to present you with this wonderful video. Deepak Chopra really has a way of expressing the magnitude of our divinity that I love.

Happy Spirit Day to you and yours! May you find a direct line to the Source of all that is good and be in peace.

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I spent my morning, Wednesday, volunteering with my shorty’s second grade class. They’re such a cute bunch of kids. I’ve been volunteering with Kyle’s class since he was in kindergarten, so many of these kids I’ve known for a few years, and I’ve watched them grow up right along side my own.

I was leaving the house at my usual 9:50 to be there by 10:00, but I found a layer of ice so thick on my windshield that I couldn’t scrape it away with my snow brush scraper! It was a lost cause. I got inside and waited with the defrost on until the ice started to look a little… different… and THEN got out and hit it with the scraper and it came off in sheeeeeets. The roads were completely ice covered with a nice, thick layer of slush on top.

I stood at the door a moment ago and listened to the crackling of the landscape in the breeze. It’s only 25 degrees out, but still the rain continues to fall periodically. I’m going to call the school in a few minutes here and put my kids on the “pick-up” list. In any kind of hazardous driving weather, I just can’t allow them to ride the bus. Thank Goddess, I am blessed to have the option :)

As I’ve been here in my chair, watching this blizzard rage for the last 3-4 days, my mind has been entertaining ideas of spring. I know it might seem like January 3, 4, 5 might be a touch early to be entertaining gardening fantasies, but I disagree! Ever since 2008’s winter solstice, I feel differently about this time of year. Yes, everything is completely buried under FEET of snow and ice right now, and will stay that way for 3-4 months.

HOWEVER!!!

I feel almost charged with electricity this time of year! We’ve passed the darkest day and now the light is building. It’s the upswing. Even in the snow and cold, the earth below is renewing itself and resting. As the light builds slowly, so does the temperature until one morning VERY soon, I will look out into my back yard and see the tiny green chutes of life poking through the leftover snow where my daffodils will soon stand tall. It’s…. thrilling… magical.

Ah Magic! The word that brings me here to this post.

In looking forward to constructing a garden this spring, I had a sudden thought. Gardening. Growing vegetables, herbs, fruits…even flowers. THAT takes a little magic. That takes some know-how and some research and some reading and some trial and error (mostly error for me thus far! LOL). Gardening and all things related is DEFINITELY something that belongs in the Book of Light that’s used by a wife, mom, homemaker &/or solitary witch.

Hey! That’s me!!
And so it shall be done. I need a catchy name for it…. OH! All things grown… That would be Earth Magic :)

I’m very excited now! I know that the reason I’ve had garden flop for the last 2 years is because I was REALLY half-assing it. This year, the whole ass goes in baby! Wait. Oh never mind.

I’m looking forward to spending the next few months gathering information on the plants I want to grow and learning about what I need to do to make THIS year’s harvest a total success! I foresee the “Earth Magic” section of my book filling up quickly!

Be Blessed* )

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*You enjoyed my post and would like to buy me coffee?!
WOW! I really appreciate that!*

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