Troll Bridge

 

The Backpack

It was a cool fall day as I crunched along the red and gold leaves. It was not that I was lost, but more at a loss. I knew where I had come from, but up ahead were the crossroads, and I’d need to make a decision. Wearily, I shrugged off my backpack and sank into the little wooden bench on the side of the pathway. Time to do inventory.

It was a dark blue Janson backpack, which had belonged to my daughter in high school. The zippers felt sticky as I began rummaging through, discovering all that I had been secretly carrying for years.

In the outside pocket was the little pack of white lies, crumpled Kleenex already pre-stained with crocodile tears.

In the side pocket were all the things that I had lost or pawned for drug money - my dad's little gold travel alarm clock, encased in green leather; my mom’s platinum wedding ring, both of my grandmother’s sets of pearls, countless single earrings.

The other side contained all the locked diaries, stale letters, and old emails that I should not have read, but felt compelled to know, much to bitter regret.

I reached into a center pocket, but sliced my fingers on the sharp blades of blame, those barbed shurikins flung out in anger. They were protecting tiny packages of grief, each beautifully wrapped and tied with silk ribbons; no need to get into them just yet.

As big as it was, the medical scale - the kind you hate stepping on when you go to the doctors, the nurse pushing the weight more and more to your growing dismay, no matter what the numbers actually say - came out easily with a resounding thud.

Then the snarled ball of jealousy, a sickening chartreuse, not worth untangling the infidelities, the betrayals, the love triangles, the ins and outs of nonmonogamy, all the bad breakups despite good intentions.

So much shame came tumbling out, as acrid as yellowed cat piss, while I tipped the backpack upside down. Memories of shoplifting the gold and jade pin in elementary school, stealing rolls of quarters from Sunshine Farms for laundry money when in college, and all the times of driving drunk.

I scraped out the mouldy helplessness, the ineffective thoughts and prayers, the absolute despair at the news each day, whether it be Ukraine, Gaza, or L.A.

Now, for the main large pocket - I lifted out the gilded crown of thorns, studded with blood-red rubies, and noticed how easily guilt lay on my head, keeping me frozen in victimhood or too busy being a martyr. Too busy feeling guilty to do anything of consequence.

By now, the trash can by the bench was overflowing, as I dumped asthma inhalers and Sudafed, vestiges of allergies and illness, as well as the albatross of a failed business that kept haunting my dreams. I let go of each of my masks, the fake mustaches and the clown shoes, all the props of feeling the imposter.

The blue canvas backpack felt light, filled now only with stories of survival, a few bad puns, and those precious packages of grief. With a sigh of relief, I unfolded my astrology chart as a new map, checked my moral compass, and knew that I was headed in the right direction.

Creative Abundance - 10 Weeks to Greater Prosperity

 

Creative Abundance - 
10 Weeks to Greater Prosperity

Engage both your right brain and your left brain in an interactive 10-session program with Kayla Garnet Rose, Ph.D., Certified Hypnotherapist, designed to activate greater abundance and prosperity in your life. Includes:

• Vision Boards
• Money Meditations
• Helpful People Boxes
• Paths to Abundance

and other tools to continue to generate money, support, energy, love and all that you need to create abundance in your being.

This class is awesome! I took it last year and went on a 23-day vacation (to Brazil and Antarctica) this year! It works! - Lisa Carter, Santa Cruz, CA

The Buddy System Works!

Bring a friend for FREE to any Creative Abundance Lesson!

Plant Meditation

Path Meditation

Listen to Your Heart

New Review on Yelp

Kayla Garnet wanted to share a review of Kayla Garnet Rose, Ph.D. 9 288 Marianne M. Sacramento, CA 5/19/2025 Dr. Garnet is kismet, I'm grateful the reiki session met my needs and the mind fog is a thing of the past, just like a cocoon turns into a butterfly is a perfect depiction of feeling rejuvenated. My metamorphosis is on a roll :)) Thank You Dr. Garnet for listening to my my life's hiccup's. Read this review on Yelp Kayla Garnet Rose, Ph.D. 23 Reviews Categories: Hypnosis/Hypnotherapy, Reiki, Astrologers Santa Cruz, CA 95060 (831) 435-5182

This email was sent to kgr3.enchanted@blogger.com Manage your email preferences © 2025 | Yelp Inc., 350 Mission Street, San Francisco, CA 94105, USA | www.yelp.com

Moment on a Bench

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.

Fog Meditation

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.

3,2,1 Meditation

Laphrodite's Guide to Mindful Menopause

 

Laphrodite's Guide to Mindful Menopause 

or the Adventures of a Baby Crone

An enchanting collection of midlife musings, moon magic, and meditations for mindful menopause. Over the last few years, menopause has brought me to my knees. In this humbled position, I offer anecdotes, potential antidotes, and some not-so-common advice.

According to the Mayo Clinic, menopause is experienced by over 3 million women a year in the United States alone. What makes this book different is viewing menopause as a time of incredible spiritual growth and creativity, rather than just a physical experience that needs a special diet or more exercise.

The book offers concrete tools such as guided visualizations, meditations, and rituals to honor this significant passage in a woman's life. Rather than a dry reference book, it includes humorous stories, inspiring poetry, and juicy practices to experience mindful menopause. 

3, 2, 1 Meditation

 

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. 

3, 2, 1 Meditation 

•  Begin with the Simple Self Hypnosis Technique from chapter 1, or by simply taking some deep breaths. This meditation can be done with your eyes open or closed. 

• Focusing on 3 things that you can see while taking 3 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 minds eye. Feel free to use your imagination. 

• Become aware of 3 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. 

• Next, switch to 3 physical sensations with the 3 breaths. Often we begin by noticing what is uncomfortable - an itchy nose, 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 focus only on: 

• 2 sights with 2 breaths 

• 2 sounds with 2 breaths 

• 2 sensations with 2 breaths 

• Last, go down to: 

• 1 sight with 1 breath 

• 1 sound with 1 breath 

• 1 sensation with 1 breath 

First published in Laphrodite's Guide to Mindful Menopause

It Took Me a Few Times

It Took Me a Few Times

To curl my tongue

Around your name

Encrypt

My minds script

Saying I meditate

Is like

saying I exercise

What form

How often

What does it bring you

We sorted

Plastic macro

Charismatic fauna

Into acrylic bins

I don't usually

Blurt out my story

But when I saw your

Pearlescent fingernail polish

I knew

I was safe

Changing Woman: Poems 2007 - 2016

Changing Woman: Poems 2007 - 2016

Kayla used to be a priestess of Aphrodite, but she was such a bitch - all those lessons in love, including jealousy, heartache, misery, and despair. Now she is the Priestess of Laphrodite, Goddess of the Belly laugh. Laughter is the best medicine, but as far as Kayla was concerned, it's also the best lube. Reflecting a time of questing and questioning for our Baby Crone, she changes careers, discovers online dating, and fuels her passion for blogging.  

Writer’s Talisman

Go out when the Harvest moon is full,

Cut yourself a slender switch by

Pruning the plum runners

 - Those suckers of energy -

Remember to ask permission first.

Strip the tender green leaves,

Gently bend into a circle,

Weaving in, out, in, out.

Let it dry in the morning sun for a few weeks,

Until the New Moon is as thin

As a newborn’s fingernail clipping.

Now, begin braiding in your tales.

Dreamcatcher, pentacle, God's eye,

Or simply a spider's web.

Find your tin sewing box that's

Full of needles, embroidery threads.

Take the time to untangle

Silver, gold strings,

Satin ribbons, bits of knobby yarns,

Projects once begun, not necessarily done.

Measure out your silk cords,

Cut them like one of the Fates.

Begin to add the ephemera collected,

The spiritual smegma of the past:

Broken charm bracelets, lone earrings,

A tiny Aladdin's lamp, a tinier key,

Hummingbird skulls, raven feathers,

Your mother's beads, grandmother's pearls,

Antique buttons from your mother-in-law.

The helping hand milagra,

Other tokens of luck, affections past.

Maybe add in a wisdom tooth or 

That first baby tooth your child lost, 

You know you have it somewhere,

Take the time to find it.

Purest white seashells with holes, 

Palest sea glass jaded by time.

A lachrymal filled to the brim with

The dried salt from an ocean of tears.

Use glue for butterfly wings, other things,

Of course, add some glitter - 

Really, make it yours.

Don’t tie on the wishbone,

Remember, you have a backbone.

Choose instead snake vertebrae,

Relics of coyote found in the desert.

Keys that have been lost in the junk drawer-

They still unlock your imagination.

A crystal to reflect all your facets.

Don’t worry if it’s chipped,

It will cast more rainbows that way.

Honor all the elements.

As you work, remember:

Every bead, every breath, 

Every knot is a prayer.

Tie everything three times while chanting:

In the name of the maiden, 

The mother, the crone,

I'm here by myself, but never alone.

When it feels almost complete,

Or at least good enough,

Hang it above your desk,

In the window, the tree outside.

As the wind ruffles the feathers,

Makes the beads clink, bells tinkle,

Take in their essence, 

Let them come out as stories...

Sit now, here in this sacred space,

The corner of the kitchen table, 

Cats meowing for attention.

Write down in your women’s notebook, 

Ubiquitous journal, book of shadows,

Every memory, every symbol.

Because, you know, as they say...

Witches 

Spell 

It 

Out.