Thoughts on Mindfulness

One of the beauties of mindfulness is that you don’t need to sign up for a class, buy special pants, or chunk out hours in your day. It can start by inviting yourself to be more aware, more present, and live with more intention. 

Mindfulness starts with awareness and choosing to focus and simplify. Despite our current tendencies for multitasking, the brain really only likes to be occupied with one thing at a time. 

Here is a focusing meditation that is super simple and easy to learn. Notice what comes up for you. Allow yourself to enjoy this state for as long as you like. This narrowing of focus while engaging the senses is extremely useful in creating periods of relaxed, focused concentration. It makes for a great walking meditation or game to play while waiting in a restaurant. 

Three, Two, One Meditation. 

 Begin by taking some deep breaths, eyes open or closed. 

 Focusing on three things that you can see while taking three deep breaths. This can mean either right before you if your eyes are open, patterns of light if your eyes are closed, or anything that you can see in your mind's eye. Feel free to use your imagination. If you're not a visual person, choose a different modality.

Next, become aware of 3 three sounds while taking 3 breaths - in the environment, in your body, or in your inner monologue. As you turn more inward, try to hear your breath or heartbeat. 

 Then, switch to three physical sensations with the 3 breaths. Often we begin by noticing what is uncomfortable - an itchy nose, an ache in the back. Bring your awareness to pleasant or simply neutral sensations - the weight of a shirt, a breeze on the cheek. 

 Now, repeat the same exercise, this time focusing only on: 

Two sights

Two sounds

Two sensations

 Last, go down to: 

One sight

One sound

One sensation

This is a wonderful practice, whether you are trying to fall asleep, concentrate on a task, or are bored driving while driving or in a meeting. :Youi'll notice feeling sharper, more relaxed, and completely present.

Pink Moon Reiki Ritual

 

We had a Full Pink Moon, a micro moon, two weeks ago. What a lovely day for a full immersion ritual.

I started the day purifying my body, scrubbing down with a lava exfoliant respendid in essential oils. Next, I did a self-blessing Reiki ritual with St.John's oil - Affirming,  "Too blessed to be stressed, too anointed to be disappointed."

After some light housework, I got into the goodies. I began by carving my intentions on a white candle using my athame - from base to tip, all I was willing and ready to let go of; From tip to base, all I was now welcoming in. 

Usually, I'd do a Dragonsblood ritual, but I was out of my beloved resin. Instead, I discovered a sage wand in my attache case of magical goodness, probably back from Herland days, maybe some thirty years old.

It felt so good to smudge myself, the house, and the garden. I always wonder what the neighbors think, but then I remember I live in Santa Cruz and nobody cares if you're out blessing your space.

I did some journaling work and created a collage. Currently, I'm studying Black Moon Lillith in one's astrology chart, and doing this type of shadow work is poignant. We hear a lot about the Super Moon, but here was the Micro Moon, the microscope, the laser, honing in to essential truths and deep revelations.

I placed two bottles of water to be blessed by the moon over the next three days outside on the glass table - one, "Divine Intention," and the other, "Elixir of Life." 

I added four tumbled rose quartz stones into a foot bath, relaxing into soothing hot water, remembering that both my Black Moon Lilith and Chiron (the wounded healer) are conjunct in Pisces in my natal chart. I remembered the surgery on my feet (which Pisces rules) and how my daughter would always say I was a witch because I know when it is going to rain when the scars throb.

And so I ended my day of ceremony. The candle had burned to completion, I thanked the four directions, opened the circle, and stepped back into the mundane world - refreshed, rejuvenated, and reinspired.

Blessed be.

Fog Meditation

Sappho’s Delights: Poems 1984 - 1997

 

Sappho’s Delights: Poems 1984 - 1997

A delicious collection of feminist and lesbian poetry that chronicles the adventures of a young baby crone as she crosses the country and discovers home.

These tasty morsels span almost a decade. From coming out as bisexual during high school in Maryland, a frisky four years of college in Connecticut (with an interim in zesty California), a healing year in Northern Idaho, participating on the Global Walk for a Livable World (where she walked from Los Angeles to Flagstaff, Arizona), living as a lesbian separatist, as well as opening the feminist bookstore in Santa Cruz, California.

Friends, lovers, cats, and companions are celebrated through poems, haiku, songs, ramblings, and even some blues. Dip your toes into the honey!

Sooner or Later

 

Sooner or Later

Sooner or later a person begins to notice that everything that happens to them is perfect, relates directly to who they are, had to happen, was meant to happen, plays its little role in fulfilling their destiny.

When they encounters difficulty, it no longer occurs to them to complain—they have learned to expect nothing, has learned that loss and frustration are a part of life, and come at their proper time—instead they asks themselves, why is this happening?… by which they means, what can I learn from this, how will it strengthen me, make me more aware? They let themselves be strengthened, lets themselves grow, just as they lets themself relax and enjoy (and grow) when life is gentle to them.

Strengthened by this simple notion, simple awareness, that life is perfect, that all things come at the proper moment and that they are always the perfect person for the situation they finds themself in, a person begins to feel more and more in tune with their inner nature, begins to find it easier and easier to do what they knows is right. All chance events appear to them to be intended; all intentional actions they clearly perceives as part of the workings of Chance.

Anxiety seldom troubles them; they knows their death will come at its proper moment; they know their actions are right and therefore whatever comes to pass as a result of them will be what was meant to happen. When they do feel anxiety, they realizes it is because of that thing they've been meaning to do but hasn’t been done, some unfulfilled relationship they've been aware of, but… They perceives the anxiety as a message that they'll have to stop hesitating if they wants to stay high… - Das Energie

Feeling Witchy

Chant for Self Esteem

 Chant for Self Esteem

By Luisah Teish

Earth, Water, Fire, and Air,

Within me all things are there.

The flesh on my bones is like the earth,

It’d soft and strong, full of self worth.

The blood that flows within my veins,

Is like the ocean, river, and rains.

My spirit soars, and takes me higher,

Here is where I keep my fire.

My breath and thoughts are like the air,

I can do anything, I can go anywhere.

Earth, Water, Fire, and Air,

Within me all things are there.

And so I pledge unto My Self:

Power, Love, Health, and Wealth.

Blessed Be.