Blessed Litha
Blessed Litha, or as I call it: Midsummer (a few days late)!
Celebrating another turn of the Wheel with Summer Solstice celebrations means gathering late into the night, burning the brush in a bonfire, releasing the shit in the way of an awesome harvest season. Some call it Midsummer, Summer Solstice or Litha or Leetha, as others pronounce it. I could not get a clear pronunciation of it. I found an Irish speaker who said Litha, but Wiccans will sometimes say Leetha. Ultimately, the word for the holiday comes from the Anglo-Saxon name for the month of June — Ǣrra-Līða. That essentially translates to “the first liða” — and July is effectively named “the second liða.”
I am holding an online healing circle and guided shamanic journey with dragon in honor of Midsummer! You can find more information here.
impermanence
Hello, my Buttercup,
In the tiniest moments, if I take a breath, focus my attention, center myself, if I empty the mind of its chatter, and pay attention to the blood coursing through my veins, I find peace.
It takes work. A cup of tea, when poured into a beautiful mug and encircled with crystals, a prayer of thanksgiving, and all attention on the act of drinking tea can restart my day, if I allow it to.
I don't always allow it.
I am a bevvy of chaotic thoughts with my post-menopausal ADHD coursing through my brain. SIDE QUEST: LAUNDRY! 80s SONG REFRAIN ON INFINITE REPEAT IN MY BRAIN! (Pop Musik, I am looking at you!) COFFEE! DOG PETTING! Wait, what was I doing?
I sometimes hold on to my inattention, my distractions, my mind chatter like a security blanket, enjoying the torture of retelling a story about how I was the victim of someone else’s unkindness. My shamanic teacher says that storytelling can be a vital part of the healing process at some point, then a complete detriment to the healing process at another. Our wisdom lies in the discernment process.
In the last fifteen years, as I began walking a medicine path, I found myself more sensitive to noises and smells, to foods and chemicals, to storytelling and toxic thoughts. It isn't that I simply needed to banish them, but I needed to notice the way they move through my body and my mind. And then I could discern what is and is not serving me, and what is simply white noise distracting me from right-now.
When I was diagnosed with Celiac disease in 2012, I couldn’t imagine living a life without wheat. I basically lived on baguette, brie, and red wine in my 20s. In my 40s, I realized I could eat none of those things without severe intestinal disruptions. Wheat causes severe arthritic pain and stiffness and stomach pain and flare-ups. Brie keeps me on the toilet for days. And red wine, well, that makes me not care about the above stuff at all, and just want more red wine. Celiac disease strangely coincides with other autoimmune disorders, and the inflammation causes other autoimmine symptoms. So, if I eat wheat, I activate all the diseases. Truly, the cycle of suffering feeds itself.
In Buddhist thought (and, I suppose you can say, Hinduism too), the first noble truth is suffering. The suffering is about being human—just the act of having a body that breaks down, a mind that attaches to distractions and soul sedatives, a spirit that feels separate from everything, and emotions that dictate our actions. So, the idea of death and rebirth is a cycle of suffering. So, the cycle of suffering is not this or that—it is simply being human. Attaining Enlightenment (Moksha in Hinduism or Nirvana* in Buddhism) is about escaping the cycle of rebirth (Samsara), so it is about never having another human life again.** To jump out of the cycle of birth, death and rebirth, because being human is (excuse my bluntness) fucking hard.
Pain is a pain. When you experience it, it is all you can pay attention to. I don't think I deserve that, even though cupcakes are delicious and I once enjoyed them immensely. I don't think I deserve that even though I work hard all day and sweets are a nice reward. I don't deserve to suffer physical pain and bloating. And yet, I couldn't wrap my brain around this not-eating-sugar-or-chocolate thing. It felt like a punishment. As it is, I don't drink, smoke, take anything that alters my consciousness. Even caffeine is limited to half a cup a day. Surely, I deserve chocolate!! Surely, I deserve that thing that makes me feel terrible and bloated, right?!
Sometimes we just need an editor to rewrite the story in our head.
We can sometimes be our own editor, but often we need someone else to read our story with new eyes and perspectives. Someone who understands our typos and strange patterns of speech that do not translate well. I consider myself a leader and a strongly opinionated woman, but I don't always know what is best for me. Case in point, cupcakes and chocolate feel like rewards, and good health feels like a punishment.
I make terrible decisions sometimes. I have friends I call and ask their advice, or talk. I have mentors and a sponsor*** and a therapist and a mother. And I don't often go wandering in my head alone--there be monsters in those woods.
But it takes presence and mindfulness and attention to catch the story in our head leading us off track, and, honestly, mindfulness is much less interesting than scrolling dog videos. And sometimes my defiance rises up—I absolutely do not want to pay attention. I just want some ice cream and a nap. I want to zone out and forget the right now.
The most revolutionary thoughts are centered in love—not simply loving the meek and the vulnerable, but loving the stranger, loving those that we deem the least worthy of our love. Loving the one that irritates you, maybe even loving thy enemy. And most importantly, loving the self. ****
I am still working on it. Like every beauty queen, I just pray for peace on earth. And for every recovering post-menopausal lady, I pray for peace within myself.
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This year has been difficult so far. I am so far up my own butt, I cannot see the light some days. It is storytelling, self-loathing, and mindlessness. It is grief and loss and disappointment and anger at myself. Soooo much grief.
After the death of my daughter in 2008, impermanence was no longer some esoteric topic I read about in Buddhist magazines. It was my life now, and it scared the crap out of me. If my daughter died, then it could be anything, really. My other daughter. My sons. My husband. My marriage. My house. Myself. Everything dies. Everything changes. Every situation will morph and grow and change. And when I am content, I really don't want anything to change because I like things exactly as they are. Well, mostly, I want this to change, that to change, but the other stuff has to stay exactly as I want it. And THAT's the thing, right-now is much different than the right-now of five years ago, or the right-now of last week or the right-now before Celiac disease. And sometimes we have to change the thing we don’t want to change to change the thing we want to change. Our suffering comes from imagining right-now as immutable, absolute, and never-changing. The only thing that doesn't change is that everything changes.
When we lose people, jobs and things, we dance with impermanence in an intimate way. We can be paralyzed by the fear of it, or we can be enlightened by it, empowered by it, motivated to be present with the right-now. The truth of impermanence causes us to choose either suffering or mindfulness.
Is a cupcake torture or reward?
Perhaps that sounds too simplistic, but truly, we can make it that easy. When you are suffering over a sick friend, or a broken crystal, or a comment on a political post on social media, what if you shifted the focus to right now? Right now, I am honored to offer healing and prayers for my friend. Right now, I am grateful for the years I worked with the amazing medicine of this crystal. Right now, I am grateful I know so many people with differing views of the world, so that I may expand my understanding of other points of view.
Mindfulness doesn't have to be another meaningless buzzword. It can be a practice borne out of ADHD side quests, sneaky hate spirals, resentment storytelling, out of fear, out of suffering and into your right-now. And the present moment is where peace lies, and where happiness exists, if we just take the time to notice it.
So, this week, I am giving you permission to ask someone for advice about some truth you have held for a long time. I would tackle that sneaking suspicion you have that one truth not serving your Highest Good. Ask a friend if it is true. Pick their brain. Maybe it is how you approach your work, or how you have envisioned your body, or what your childhood was really like. Whatever it is, remember to listen with wide eyes. I often quote this speaker I once heard who said, "It is not what you don't know that will kill, but what you know with absolute certainty that simply is not true that will kill you."
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I actually wanted to write to you today about something else, which is to remind you that I opened a little in-person healing studio, and I see clients for tarot reading and earth medicine/crystal healing, Reiki and shamanic sessions both in-person at the Moon + Stone Healing Studio in Harrisburg and through distance work on Zoom. You can make an appointment with me right here:
If you are in the Harrisburg area, I am running a little special tomorrow for 30 minute session for $60. Give me a text or call to book: 717-770-9109.
*Bodhi refers to the state of enlightenment, while Nirvana signifies the ultimate goal of liberation from suffering and the cycle of rebirth. Bodhi is the path to, and the state of, enlightenment, while Nirvana is the destination, a state of perfect peace and cessation of suffering.
**About past life work, when I hear people talking about their past lives and who they were, I want to ask—what did you learn in that life? Why is that life popping up in your consciousness now? What were you to learn that you either learned or continue to carry that karma? Past life work isn’t about finding out all the cool things you once were (because we were all cool in one life or another.) It is about learning what karma we are carrying and learning how to clear it. Looking at patterns to break them.
***I have written a podcast, but not recorded, in my Recovery for the Masses series about what a sponsor is and is not. Anyone who thinks that would be a good addition to my podcast series, let me know!
**** My latest podcast is all about the Stranger in the Bible and Ancient Mediterranean religions. You can listen to that here:
dia de los muertos
Honoring the Days of the Dead around these parts, and hoping you are feeling that sense of connectedness with your ancestors and passed over loved ones. If you are looking for a guided way to honor the dead, join me on November 1st for Cacao Ceremony & Muertos journey. We will first partake in the sacred cacao, then move into a shamanic journey to connect with the dead—whether it is your passed over parent or loved one, your grandparents, ancestors you never met, but want to connect with or a famous artist, sacred figure or philosopher, thinker or religious figure, join me on Friday for our circle.
Lots of bonuses with this one, including a how to guide for your ofrenda, how to make a cup of cacao, how to bake pan muerto or sugar skulls, and of course the healing work we do together in circle. Everything is recorded if you cannot attend live. Until then, enjoy this playlist I pulled together for Dia de los Muertos.
Spirit Journey with Skull
I am so honored to welcome a piece by Julie Taylor, ACM. Julie and I got to know each other through Hibiscus Moon Crystal Academy. Later she studied Tarot through the Moon + Stone Healing Academy and joined my weekly circle. Since then, she has become one of the moderators at the Moon + Stone Healing Academy’s Facebook page and one of the contributors here on our site.
Julie is a certified Advanced Crystal Master and Reiki Master. She's a lover of words and moon magic. She received her bachelor's in professional writing and associate's in early childhood education and practices crystal reiki on herself and with others. She lives in sync with moon cycles and seasons and practices her witchery in the Las Vegas Valley of Nevada. She's the author of the children's book, Blue Hissy Highness and the Shiny Stones, founder of StoneSpelling.com, a new community for sharing witchery, curator of the Private Facebook Group, Stone Spelling & Witchery, is a moderator for the Moon + Stone Healing Academy Facebook group, and is a contributor here at the Moon + Stone Healing Academy.
Follow Julie Taylor on Stone Spelling
Trigger Warning: Touches on topic of death
Skulls, the spirit of them, have called to me. In years past, I’ve noticed them in crystal stores, seen them around Halloween time, and noticed them around Day of the Dead. But I hadn’t yet felt the urge to buy one or spend time learning about them enough to open to what they might mean to me--until this year. Now that I think back, I think skull spirit started calling to me late last winter.
More and more my eyes landed on crystal skulls as I shopped stones but I couldn’t land on any that felt a right fit for me. I started to wonder why. I started to think maybe I’m missing something. And then I thought that if the universe was speaking to me, sending a call to connect with skull spirit, that maybe I’m meant to learn before I leap.
So, this summer, I started a quest to find out what skulls represent for me in a spiritual sense. I began with the dictionary. It’s one of my favorite books. It’s like a marker at the beginning of the trail, a spiritual reminder to keep me from falling down too many rabbit holes or from traveling astray of where I want to go.
The first definition is what one might expect with its description of the skeleton of the head.
And even definition 4 with its “emblem of death” seemed expected considering celebrations around Halloween and el Dia de los Muertos. But definitions 2 and 3 sparked something new for me.
Definition 2: the seat of understanding or intelligence: mind
Definition 3a: the crown of the head
Hmm...my eyes paused over “seat” and “understanding” and “crown,” and my intuition translated “seat” to the root chakra and connected “understanding” to the “crown.” My thoughts started running ahead, following the ideas popping into my imagination, sparking for me the sense that I’m meant to connect special meaning between earth and skeleton with crown and skull.
They’re interconnected but there’s emphasis on the journey up to the skull...starting from the root charka, building air in the belly, moving up through the heart, and signaling to the crown.
And I take in that mindful, deep breath, and as I let it out, I feel the Element of Air moving in me to connect body, mind, and spirit.
Whoosh
Ahead of me on this spiritual path, a rabbit hole appears, and I’m spiked to go down it. The Element of Air is wafting and saying to me, “when breath becomes air.”
Wait, what? My mind’s eye feels an almost mental shake of clarity, because I know those words. I ask myself, “Where have I heard those words?” And I remember.
I attended a Death Cafe last year, and I saw a book titled, When Breath Becomes Air, by Paul Kalanithi. Poetic. Four words that conjured in me a sense, a feeling about life after human death. That when a last human breath is taken, the soul enters Air, moving into spirit, wafting through realms, and at times keeping me company with their essence.
Air is moving in me. In through the nose, out through the nose. The skull represents that for me.
The sense that with every breath I take, I connect body, mind, and soul to spirit, and my heart guides me to who and to when. The air I breathe is air my ancestors once breathed. Skull spirit helps me connect to air of loved ones--loved ones who have crossed to a place so close yet so far that I ache to translate all they have to say. Dear ones whose breath became air speak through skull, waiting patiently for me to understand, willing to return again and again, to sit with me, to come closer and to place signals in my path until my imaginings light up in my mind’s eye. And I breathe in the spirit of connection to spirit.
Now the next step in my journey is to find the stone skulls meant to be with me.
Episode 72: Positivity + Chronic Conditions with Julie Taylor
Today’s episode is near and dear to my heart, as Julie and I dive into living with Chronic Pain and Chronic conditions and positivity. I am so honored to introduce Julie Taylor. Julie is an Endo and IC Warrior who's passionate about mindset as medicine. Endo is an abbreviation for endometriosis and IC stands for Interstitial Cystitis (a painful bladder syndrome). While healing with these chronic conditions, she learned the power of crystals and energy to heal and how using a positive mindset as a tool to help manage her moods and emotions helped her body build resilience. Julie's formal degrees are in writing and early childhood ed, though the innate cheerleader at home in her heart drives her to write words, she hopes will spark a mood or mindset that might brighten things for others. Julie is the author of a children's book, Blue Hissy Highness and the Shiny Stones (you can buy that here). The book focuses on how a positive mindset can reframe and heal. It also reminds children that we can move toward mutual acceptance and forgiveness, but also the very adult reminder that acceptance isn't a one-and-done ideal—a lesson we need to revisit as we age. Julie also tends a website and an online space called Stone Spelling & Witchery, which is also the name of her private Facebook group Stone Spelling & Witchery to connect and share the metaphysical and mystical, celebrate earth and moon cycles, share spells, post favorite crystals, chat about witchiness, and ask questions. Julie curates a beautiful community that serves as a magical hub for joy and positivity.
Julie and I talk about living with chronic conditions and chronic pain, how we manage our spirit during times of flares. We talk about positivity, staying positive, toxic positivity or not toxic positivity, the benefits and downfalls of emotional bypassing, and what Julie has terms LoMo—or how to manage Low Moods and shift them to help with chronic conditions. Honestly, this is such a refreshing conversation for me—I could talk about pain and living with autoimmune disorders without censor. As someone who has to manage many chronic autoimmune conditions, speaking my truth about living with pain and fatigue feels like a long deep exhale, as I often just go through life sucking it up. Julie is so wise, intelligent, and articulate about her approach to living with physical challenges.
Here is the latest podcast:
You can also follow this link to listen on Spotify. Episode 72: Positivity & Chronic Conditions with Julie Taylor. You can also listen on any of the podcast services you can think of—Apple Podcasts, Pocketcasts, Amazon Music, I Heart Radio, Google Podcasts, Podbean and whatever you listen.
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In other news, this upcoming week, Julie is popping in for a guest post about Crystal Skulls. Monday, I will have a piece on the history of Crystal Skulls, debunking some myths, and talking about skullies in general. I will have a cool Tarot Layout using the Skull as a basis, and I will be sharing a journal entry about my meditation experience with my Fossilized Skull. All SKULLZ—this week!
Recovering Empaths Anonymous
Hello, my name is Angie. I am a recovering empath. And I have a quote to share with you.
Honestly, I think about this at least once a week. When I studied with Pixie Lighthorse, it was powerful and humbling for her to explain this to our group of earth medicine practitioners. She said it just like this, "What if it is unethical to pick up on other people's emotions?" 🤯
Unethical?!?!
But but but…I can’t control who and what I feel! And besides, all these messy people who just avoid their work…THEY ARE THE PROBLEM!
Um. I deeply value ethics and integrity and boundaries. But omg, to discover you are a violator of other people’s boundaries takes some real cajones to admit. But that is the work we engage in here, no? We are engaged in meaningful self-discovery. I often say that I am on a fact-finding mission, and if I get stuck in the eddy of shame and guilt about not knowing something, then I will never change that thing.
If shame worked, we’d all be sober and thin. But it doesn’t and we aren’t.
There is two layers here. One is the one who is the empath, and the other is the one who is “empathed upon”. Last first, um, so, that is what I was feeling when people were trying to comfort me after Lucy died by saying, I KNOW JUST HOW YOU FEEL, Angie, my cat died last year, cue tears. Now I am comforting the grieving cat mom and I feel less understood than before. It is also why it enraged me when people were telling me how I was feeling or reading me without my permission, and why my empathy wasn't healing me. Feeling other people’s emotions did nothing for me, but cause an autoimmune disorder and crippling anxiety.
Being "an empath" was not my path to psychic work or third eye opening, but my biggest blockage. Understanding that it is my work to keep boundaries around feeling other people's energy, not theirs, freed me. Pixie reminding me that being an empath and feeling other people’s feelings made it impossible for me to truly hold space for them. It made me messy and erratic. It also wasn’t exactly true. I am intuitive. I am empathic. But that involves wild sweeps of assumptions about another’s emotions. I have no idea if I was ever right about another person’s emotions. How presumptuous to think I ever knew that. Maybe what happened instead is that person triggered emotions of my own that I hadn’t touched in a while, and I thought they were theirs?
Pixie’s challenge and argument provoker empowered me to feel able to hold and maintain my boundaries around empathy and start doing some work around my wounded childhood. Not only that, it helped me understand and face my own emotions when I stopped feeling other people's emotions. I had spent so much of my childhood trying to figure out adult emotions, reading faces and body language to figure out what was going on, or how I should act that empathy became a natural result of being emotionally neglected and trying to read people’s emotions. You just become hypervigilant in any changes in the force. And by force, I mean, the force of emotions. Kids who grew up with emotional or physical neglect are hyperaware of the subtle, microchanges in someone’s facial expressions, emotional energy, and body language that defines a good 70% of communication. Energetic hygiene means clearing your own filter...a filter used to perceiving others through wounding and people pleasing.
Ethics and integrity is so important to me as a healer, and engaging in it means looking at ourselves--what can I control? Me. But first I had to divorce the moniker Empath, and embrace myself as a highly sensitive neurodivergent person. As I am preparing my work teaching my first online Earth Medicine Mentoring Circle, I know boundaries, energetic hygiene and understanding our gifts is going to be my first stop.
Where are you on this journey?
Kyra and I talked about the dark relationship between narcissists and empaths on my podcast a few years ago.
Lion's Gate Portal
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Episode 69: Workaholism, Self-care, and Dropping with Angie
In this episode, which I initially wrote as an open letter to my clients and friends, is actually a series of writings about workaholism, alcoholism, codependency, self-care, self-preservation, being of service to others and some of my history. It is split up in 6 parts. I hope it resonates.
I also mention some things. Last words are Those last four words are not mine. It is Ho’oponopono, the Hawaiian practice that combines love, forgiveness, repentance, and gratitude in four powerful phrases. I’m sorry. Please forgive me. I Thank you. I love you.
Links I mention:
https://www.amazon.com/Laura-Dernoot-Lipsky-Trauma-Stewardship/dp/B07VPNP3XF/
Tarot, Earth Medicine + astrology for the month of November: Podcast + Info
Happy November! Angie talks about the astrology of the month, pulls a Tarot card archetype for November (the 9 of friggin’ Swords), and the Earth Medicine allies—Plant Medicine of Yarrow; Stone Medicine: Turquoise, Aquamarine + Lepidolite as well as work with the medicine of our Animal Guide of Alligator +/or Crocodile
Remember these earth medicine guides can be tools for this month, and help you do your thang! A medicine bundle is for sale in the shop, as always.
Remember Angie does her Tarot thing through her collective Full Moon + New Moon readings for the Moon + Stone Membership group as well as a Guided Shamanic Journey with the animal medicine of the month. The private Facebook group is a place where the group gathers every Friday for a checkin and circle plus lots of other activities (meditations, craft night, death café, Q&As) to have camaraderie and fellowship. Check out more information here: https://themoonandstone.com/monthly-memberships
In this episode, I do mention the Body Keeps Score by Bessel Van Der Kolk: https://www.amazon.com/Body-Keeps-Score-Healing-Trauma/dp/0143127748
PS from Angie: Dearest listeners, Apologies for the lateness of this episode, we had some personal family emergency stuff come up and as a result, my stutter makes a wee appearance here. It is too hard to edit out and I am unfortunately too behind in my work to do that, so enjoy my "I-bursting-at-the-seams-with-lateness" stutter. Much love, Angelica
October's Tarot Card, Earth Medicine + Sky Medicine
It's Eclipse season and the last of the two year cycle of Taurus-Scorpio Eclipses.
In this episode, Angie talks about the astrology of the month, pulls a Tarot card archetype for October (the Hermit), and the Earth Medicine allies—Plant Medicine of Mugwort and Damiana; Stone Medicine: Charoite, Moonstone + Hematite as well as work with the medicine of our Spirit Guide the Valkyrie and the Animal Guide of Phoenix
You can listen to this latest episode of Centered on Spotify (https://spotifyanchor-web.app.link/e/VXWTngQezDb) or wherever you listen to podcasts (Amazon, I Heart Radio, Apple Music, Pocketcasts, etc) or right on my website. Or just check out my blog.
Remember these earth medicine guides can be tools for this month, and help you do your thang! A medicine bundle is for sale in my shop, as always.
You can find October's Medicine Bundle here: https://themoonandstone.com/.../oct-2023-earth-medicine...
Remember I do collective Full Moon + New Moon readings for my membership group as well as a Guided Shamanic Journey with the animal medicine of the month. We also meet each Friday for circle, and you get free bonus of Q&As with me. Check out more information here:
Happy Libra Season!
Welcome to Libra Season, creators of beauty! This year’s Libra season is infused with Eclipses, meaning that the usual Venus-ruled Libra who loves love and beauty, helping you emphasize relationships means some serious business. Why you love love, Libra? Aren’t you sick of the same partner archetype that ends up draining your bank account or energy account and hits on your bestie and gaslights you?
My sense is you are sick of it. Well, you are in luck!! This Libra season, we are looking at patterns in our relationships, particularly around why our peckers, uh, I mean pickers, might be off a bit. Why we might delve into people-pleasing, ignoring our own needs and wants, to support our partner’s needs and wants.
This is your time, witch, to break any co-dependent patterns, and finish that damned karma already. Libra excels at finding and maintaining balance, which is what makes them excellent diplomats, mediators, and judges, but also puts them in a quandary in relationships. They can beautifully see each side of an argument. They understand the complexities of each situation, including complex or difficult pasts. And what I mean by that is they often will see a big red flag in a person, friendship, romantic partner, spouse, work situation or other relationship, and then look right on past in, climbing into way back machine and putting themselves into the story—wanting to heal the wounded child. While it is great to have empathy and compassion, it isn’t great to justify bad behaviors. We often hear it as justifications and excused—"She was abandoned;” “He was cheated on;” “They had a bad day at work,” “their parents always screamed at them, that is why they scream;” or “They were not nurtured enough as a child and that is why they are:” angry, mean, short, abusive, unkind, unfaithful, etc, etc, etc.” (Fill in your favorite excuse for being treated like crap.) These are the shadow of mediator, the one that wants to remain so objective, they take themselves out of the equation of care.
Whether it is a relationship or a situation in life…if it has a number of sides, Libra is well-acquainted with each of them. But this can often lead to analysis paralysis—or for my Tarot peeps, a Seven of Cups type situation. I always want to scream, “Choose yourself, Libra.”
Sometimes Libra season embroils itself so much in compassion and empathy, the self gets lost. Libra will sometimes be in the space of having no idea what they want (that’s the analysis paralysis, I was talking about.) In relationships, intuitiveness, compassion and empathy make them favorite targets of narcissists and attachment-wounded individuals.
Of course, when Libra realizes this, they often cut and run. Because when we look at the light aspect of Libra (seeking and maintaining balance), we need to address the shadow aspect too (acting impulsively in an extreme way). So, in Libra season, if your instinct is to say, “F*ck all y’all.” Stop. Practice the Sacred Pause, and gives yourself the gift of getting curious about the desire to cut everyone out.
Listen, humans can complicate a paper bag. We are never all light or all shadow; we are often a beautiful mélange of our wounds and our wisdom. We hope to be on the path of not lashing out, of self-discovery and peace, but we are wounded, and wounded complicated people sometimes act out of their wounded self. Libra always strives to balance the two (wounds and wisdom), but hell, we are human. We can be frustratingly predictable when we get our feelings hurt. So, give yourself grace. Love yourself when you are most unlovable. And remember Libra is ruled by Venus/Aphrodite, Venus can sometimes be smitten with the façade, the beauty someone presents, rather than the complex truth of the individual. So, seeing a red flag and protecting yourself isn’t being judgmental. It is being discerning, intelligent. It doesn’t not mean you never talk to that person; it means you hold space, take them where they are, and then meet them with your empathy and kindness without having to fix them, adopt them, take them on as a project or marry them. ‘Mkay?
This Libra Season, I encourage you to find the equanimity within yourself. Who are you? Libra is a Cardinal Air sign, meaning it is heady, intellectual, thoughtful, and can be an excellent leader if that self-knowledge is there. Where Libra gets muddy is if they are subsumed in another person, ideology, dogma, religious group, identity beyond the self…they can lose who they are. Subsequently, when the Sun is in Libra, we can sometimes tap into that energy whether or not we have Libra in our charts. Approach each day checking in with your emotional regulation or emotional sobriety…where am I on the emotional sobriety chart if the Dalai Lama is one end and fall down black out punching drunk is on the other? Take the Sacred Pause before speaking, check in with yourself. Here is my usual inner monologue when I take the Sacred Pause: “You good, bitch? You gonna lash out or shut down? Can you access your wisdom? How old are you, Mami? Did you invite Spirit into this conversation? Do that now.” And if I am going to lash out or shut down and I cannot access my wisdom, I politely excuse myself, or say, “Hey, I’m feeling a little weird or emotionally dysregulated. Let me take a minute and come back to this convo. Kk.” Then I go do something calming—meditation, gentle movement, pulling weeds, journaling, pulling tarot, scrolling tiktok (though that could be addictive, so be careful with that one.)
Healthy relationships are not about completing each other. They are two fully formed and fully realized individuals coming together on parallel paths with their own desires, goals, dreams, sexuality, work, and identity. Libra brings beauty, compassion, love, empathy, but it has to start at home, so take care of you during Libra season. It wants to gift us with the tools for centering the self, honoring your identity, bringing peace, and balancing polarities, as long as your own house is in order. As Ram Das said, “We are all here to walk each other home.”
Blessed Autumn Equinox!
Blessed Autumn Equinox!
Autumn Equinox or Mabon comes any time between September 21-23. As one of the lesser Sabbats on the Wheel of the year, it has a more modern approach from witches and pagans, but do not be mistaken--this time of the year has always been celebrated as the Second Harvest on the Wheel of the Year. First Harvest is August 1 when we celebrate Lammas or Lughnasadh honoring the harvest of the delicate grains, including wheat, corn, and others. Second Harvest celebrates the more abundance harvest of again corn, root vegetables, squashes, gourds and pumpkins, fall fruit including apples, pears, grapes, plums and others, and other abundant crops that last in root cellars through the winter. Third Harvest festival is Samhain, celebrated Oct. 31st, when the fields are basically done, and animals are harvested for winter.
Just for reference, the Wheel of the Year is a way on understanding what are called the Solar Festivals, or the eight points on the year that are celebrated in connection to agrarian festivals throughout the world.
Mabon is considered a Masculine sabbat (like Lughnasadha). Key concepts here are gratitude, Balance, Equality, Equity and Equanimity, Abundance, Protection, Prosperity, Self-confidence, and Harmony. If you are interested in learning more, check out my latest podcast on Centered (available wherever you get podcasts) where I talk about Autumn Equinox, the Pagan understandings of the Second Harvest (I also do a deep dive into the history of the word "pagan" and then how witches started Wicca and compiled the Wheel of the Year, including how they were named, then I talk about Mabon, the correspondences for altars and grids, and then spiritual work and insights for this time. I also share journal prompts and a personal gratitude reset ritual from her upcoming book + oracle card deck called Cycles.
Listen to my podcast about the history, lore, and rituals of Mabon (and literally so much more) right here:
I also created a Tarot Layout for Autumn Equinox, so you can work with the energies in your own practice.
I also wanted to include some pictures from my cacao ceremony and healing circle, including my altar, the distance healing grid, some candles I created and more.
Blessed September
Holy cow, it is all retrogrades, all the time. In this episode, I talks about the sky medicine, I mean, astrology of the month, pulls a Tarot card archetype for September (10 of Cups), and the Earth Medicine allies—Plant Medicine of Evening Primrose; Stone Medicine: Rose Quartz, Clear Quartz and Pyrite as well as work with the medicine of Wolf.
Remember these earth medicine guides can be tools for this month, and help you do your thang! A medicine bundle is for sale in my shop, as always. You can find September's Medicine Bundle here: https://themoonandstone.com/medicine/sept-2023-earth-medicine-mojo-bag-4lgxz
Remember I do collective Full Moon + New Moon readings for my membership group as well as a Guided Shamanic Journey with the animal medicine of the month. We also meet each Friday for circle, and you get free bonus of Q&As with me. Check out more information here:
https://themoonandstone.com/monthly-memberships
Some pieces I mention in the podcast that you might find interesting:
Most U.S. wolves are listed as endangered—again. Here’s why: https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/article/gray-wolves-relisted-endangered-species-act
I love the story of Cailleach told by Scottish storyteller Shona Cowie. I link it in the show notes. https://youtu.be/faX4qZ4Ipbk?si=4egBKt39TAjw2UJs
Fresh Air: What we get wrong about Armageddon in the Bible. https://www.npr.org/2023/04/03/1167732024/what-we-get-wrong-about-armageddon-in-the-bible
Genesis Chapter 9:http://web.mit.edu/jywang/www/cef/Bible/NIV/NIV_Bible/GEN+9.html
blessed lughnasadh
Blessed LUGHNASADH or Lammas, depending on what you call it!! It is Angelica with your Wheel of the Year Lughnasadh history and reading. Lughnasadh (pronounced LOO-nah-sah) begins the three harvests on the Wheel of the Year. Sometimes called Lammas (literally translated to Loaf-mas), it honors the first harvest of wheat—the most delicate of the harvests. Celebrated on sundown July 31st to August 1st, it can sometimes be changeable depending on the timing of harvest. Our key word here is self-sacrifice…listen to this episode for more.
In this episode, Angelica Yingst talks about Lughnasadh, the first Harvest Festival, the beginning of Autumn and Harvest season, and the community and individual spiritual work and insights for this time. She talks about rituals from her upcoming book + oracle card deck called Cycles as well as discussing the Tarot Layout of the month. She mentions Corn Husk Dolls. You can check out this bougie one from Martha Stewart:
https://www.marthastewart.com/968909/harvest-time-corn-husk-dolls
Or watch it done with Magical Crafting:
blessed august
Angie talks about the sky medicine, I mean, astrology of the month, pulls a Tarot card archetype for August, and the Earth Medicine allies—Dandelion (that persistent ally wants to hang on for another month); Stone Medicine: Citrine, Dumortierite, and Spirit Quartz as well as work with the medicine of Spider. Remember these earth medicine guides can be tools for this month, and help you do your thang!
Remember I do collective Full Moon + New Moon readings for my membership group as well as a Guided Shamanic Journey with the animal medicine of the month. We also meet each Friday for circle, and you get free bonus of Q&As with me. Check out more information here:
https://themoonandstone.com/monthly-memberships
https://herbiary.com/dandelion-root-tea-caddy-2-5-oz/
Beyond the Reiki gateway: The Songs and Science of Crystals with Angie Yingst
I was so honored to be on the Beyond Reiki Gateway Podcast talking about all things crystals!!
Do you love crystals? Have you ever wondered how they work their special magic?
Tune in as Kathleen and Andrea welcome Angie Yingst to the pod! Angie is an Advanced Crystal Master, Reiki Master, Tarot reader, and Earth Medicine Practitioner. She owns the Moon + Stone Healing Studio and hosts the podcast Centered with Angie Yingst.
In this must-listen episode, Angie shares her treasure trove of wisdom and knowledge about the mineral kingdom, as she seamlessly blends science with spirituality. She describes the "songs" of the crystals and how listening to them can assist us on our own unique paths.
Angie Yingst also offers practical tips on working with crystals so you can optimize their healing benefits in your life!
Listen to the latest episode of Beyond the Reiki Gateway on your favorite podcast app!
You can listen to The Songs and Science of Crystals with Angie Yingst 🎧 ➡
Also available on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@BTRGPodcast
#BTRGPodcast #beyondthereikigateway #universoulheartreiki #mainstreamreiki #crystals #kathleen_johnsonrmt #andreakennedy #spiritualgrowth #reiki #reikimaster #energyhealing #spirituality #Clairsentience #spiritualgrowth #reiki #reikimaster
Holding Space
I love the phrase “Holding Space”. I love the way it makes you think about space as something tangible and weighty. I definitely think of space this way—substantive, tangible, having its own energy. I walk into places and feel my energy rise and feel joyful and other places that drag me down and creep me out. The lovely side effects of being a highly sensitive person, neurodivergent, psychic, weird. Whatever you want to call it. I also feel that from people. Authenticity. The energy signature of each person is a bit different. It is how I feel my father with me even though he died five years ago. I feel his energy.
When I studied with my mentor, Pixie Lighthorse, we covered holding space—creating a safe environment for our clients and for ourselves. Of course, all my teachers cover sacred space and how to create an energetic neutral environment, but this was different. We talked about how to HOLD space. How to create a vessel for safety and trust. How to honor our clients. How to respect ourselves. We talked about psychological terms like transference and counter-transference. I can hear you say, “But those are psychological terms, Angie, and you aint a psychologist.”
True dat.
But the psychological model can be very useful for all of us who hold space for other people. Without a governing body, energy workers, Reiki practitioners, tarot readers, yogis, spiritual coaches, all of us really can get lost on our path. We burn out from working on people. Boundaries get crossed without us even knowing their should be a boundary there. Most of us need some guidance or guideposts on the way. A kind of moral compass and guide book for this landscape of energy.
When I got my first certification, I hung a shingle. I saw friends and colleagues, expanding my business online and in-person. I loved it. I held Moon Circles with no qualification other than I had been to Moon Circles. And as I got deeper into the work, the clients came to me with complex issues that needed a multi-pronged approach, and I had no idea what to do.
This is me saying—I made a lot of mistakes in my practice and my circles.
I let myself get triangulated. I became friends with clients and then had them calling with at all hours with Tarot emergencies. I tried to do everything for clients. I had my work and classes stolen from me by students. I let people not show up to appointments or come in late and got more and more resentful without talking to them. Truthfully, I was just a person in over her head in a community that were searching for more than I was trained to give.
Studying with Pixie changed my perspective. I am a professional and holding space is the most important part of my job. For my sanity and for the wellness of other people. I love research. I call myself a research monkey (though, honestly, the more I think about that, the more it sounds like I let people experiment on me). When I began my healing journey, I found called to work on others. When I began my healing trauma, I went down some really important rabbit holes for being trauma-informed in my practice. I felt I had unknowingly allowed my own privilege and bias not inform my practice. I have always taught ethics and boundaries in my circles, but through the years, it deepened and expanded with the core of my beliefs residing in love, kindness, and compassion. From there I rebuilt my approach to not only be loving, kind and compassionate to my clients, but also loving, kind and compassionate to me.
As I have said before, my philosophy can be summed up as “Do no harm, but take no shit.”
Ethics + learning how to hold space were the cornerstones of my successful energy healing practice. They’re the North Star that guides you to successfully have a thriving practice and honor your precious clients and protect your energy.
I am very honored to bring you the full scope of holding space, ethics + trauma-informed crystal therapy. My goal with this class is to EMPOWER you to have a practice that fulfills you, brings out the best in you, and serves your client’s highest needs.
I originally taught this class at Hibiscus Moon Crystal Academy, and am offering it here. Read more about it here:
scheduling
Episode 40: Tarot + Earth Medicine Reading for December 2022
Blessed December! It’s going to be a dumpster fire, or it isn’t. We are working with the Hanged Man, so it is hard to know, but one thing is that if you want clarity, you can have it. Just don’t ask a question you don’t want to hear the answer to. Honestly. Seriously. We are hanging in a place between Justice (skewed Justice or real Justice, who knows for real?) and Death. And when we know the truth and we can’t unhear it.
We are working with Pyrite, Hematite and Petrified Wood. Quaking Aspen and Vulture. I think I am going to work with Condor, a type of Vulture, as South American Quechuan guide and ally.
Have an amazing December!! I’ll be back with Midwinter/Winter Solstice Reading December 21.