Look at that moon!

Preparing a workshop outline provided me the opportunity to revisit notes I made over the years regarding my experiences during several moon phases. Many of my observations have held true and played out in my own life or the lives of friends, family and even throughout the world's social experience and politics. Sharing what have now become truths for me feels appropriate at this time and gives birth to a new series of moon astrology posts.

As many of us are aware, any full moon can bring with it times of heightened emotions. I have found that the full moon intensifies the energies of the particular sign it falls in, as well as having influence on the traits of the current sun sign. 

The full moon of September 2017 travels through the sign Taurus, while the sun sign is firmly in Scorpio until November 21st. Earth and water. Fluid, emotional Scorpio grounded by practical, steady Taurus. While the usual steadfast, strong reliability of Taurus gives Scorpio the security that is integral for its balance, the full moon's influence on Taurus may increase the potential for us to become materialistic and only focus on the superficial instead of digging down to the roots of a matter. This often plays out as greed, uncontrolled consumerism, and reacting rashly or becoming overly emotional. If you feel yourself becoming overwhelmed with emotion or seeing red, confide and vent to a trusted neutral third party. Pull your thoughts together, allow yourself time to find the most appropriate words before engaging with the offending person(s).

Ruling the throat chakra (fifth chakra), Taurus urges us to communicate confidently and honestly. Utilize the supportive energies during this full moon to express yourself - use your voice! It may be time to tell someone how you really feel, promote yourself or apply your voice to activism.

When friends struggled with anxiety around the apparent lack of funds in their accounts, a Taurus full moon acted as a reminder that money is energy. Keeping money in circulation by putting it back into small businesses and the local economy, creates a circle of good will, community and support that yeilds beneficial returns. They succeeded when applying this concept to their lives along with hard work, honesty and humility.

Another way I have found to tap into the energies of the Taurus full moon is through the use of essential oils and aromatic herbs. Play around to find the combination of herbs or oils to which you most favorably respond; a few  herb suggestions are peppermint (brew a cup to sip as well!), thyme, eucalyptus, violet, catnip, marsh mallow and sage. When choosing essential oils, do use organic varieties and if you like please try the following blend that I have used;

*This recipe blend is the creation of Kristina Bauer, The Untamed Alchemist. 

To 2 ounces of a carrier oil (e.g. jojoba, sweet almond or fractionated coconut) 

Add 1 drop ylang ylang, 2 drops cardamom, 4 drops cinnamon and 4 drops vetivert

I repeatedly find that the days leading to and just after a Taurus moon guide me strongly to take myself (and urge my clients) into nature. We often spend more and more time inside disconnected from the Earth. This pulls us spiritually, mentally and physically out of alignment. We become out of balance, being in such a state will impact each aspect of our lives and how we choose to go about them. Get outside! Breathe fully the fresh air! A walk through a local park or even through your neighborhood streets will help reset and refresh you.

However you choose to utilize the energies available, remember to do so with clarity, thoughtfulness and at an even pace.

My mind is fire; my soul fire. - Wild Wisdom Wednesday 12April2017

Fire represents our passions, compulsions, zeal, creativity and motivation. It is our inner light as well as a symbol of the Divine fire that burns in every soul. It is a source of energy that requires careful tending or we will burn out or be burned. Maintaining healthy and realistic boundaries for this fire is critical so we are able to tend it as it dims and contain it should it move to engulf us. Be it the hearth fire, the heart of the home, or a ritual fire around which people dance magic into being, the inherent nature of fire is combustive and transformative. As fire consumes, it gives back light and warmth. It gives life.

Far Eastern philosophies see fire as forceful and primal. Its physical manisfestation is our metablolism. Mentally it translates into personal drive, intention and desire. Ancient Greek philosophies classified fire as a foundational element tied to passion and desire.

Fire plays an important role in Native American traditions and is often present during ceremonies and rituals. Fire acts as a messenger and is a gift from Great Spirit. Smoke from the fire is used to cleanse sacred items as well as the body. Fire symbolizes the heart of the People and its smoke carries prayers to the Great Spirit. It represents cleansing and renewal because from the fire's ashes comes new growth , new thoughts and new plans.

What are your passions?  What ignites your inner flame?  What gives you a creative spark?  What is your truth?

Fuel your fire.

Tend the coals.

Mind the flame.

When writing and speaking about fire, the image of a great Phoenix rising in glory and grace, is close in my mind. Stories of this mythic bird span several cultures each focusing on the creature's ability to rise anew from its own ashes - the sum of its experiences and the whole of its wisdom wrapped in a stronger, more vibrant body. Creation from destruction.The immortal essence remains.

Becoming the Phoenix

The Book of Going Forth by Day (The Egyptian Book of the Dead)

"I flew straight out of heaven, a mad bird full of secrets. I came into being as I came into being. I grew as I grew. I changed as I changed. My mind is fire, my soul fire. The cobra wakes and spits fire in my eyes. I rise through ochre smoke into black air enclosed in a shower of stars. I am what I have made. I am the seed of every god, beautiful as evening, hard as light. I am the last four days of yesterday, four screams from the edges of earth - beauty, terror, truth, madness - the phoenix on its pyre.

In a willow I make my nest of flowers and snakes, sandalwood and myrh. I am waiting for eternity. I am waiting for four hundred years to pass before I dance on flame; turn this desert to ash, before I rise, waking from gold and purple dreams into the season of God. I will live forever in the fire spun by my own wings. I will suffer burns that burn to heal. I destroy and create myself like the sun that rises burning from the east and dies burning in the west. To know the fire, I become the fire. I am power. I am light. I am forever. On earth and in heaven, I am. This is my body, my work. This in my deliverance.

The heat of transformation is unbearable, yet change is necessary. It burns up the useless, the diseased. Time is a cool liquid, it flows away like a river. we shall see no end of it. Generation after generation, I create myself. It is never easy Long nights I waited, lost in myself, considering the stars. I wage a battle against darkness, against my own ignorance, my resistance to change, my sentimental love for my own folly. Perfection is a difficult task. I lose and find my way over again. One task done gives rise to others. There is no end to the work left to do. There is no end to becoming. I live forever striving for perfection. I praise the moment I die in fire for the veils of illusion burn with me. My nose fills with the acrid smoke of death so that years from now I might look on that scar and remember how it was to hold the light, how it was to die and come again radiant as light walking on sand.

I change and change again, generation after generation. I find anguish then peace. I am satisfied with my birth and the faith to which it led me. I do not regret the discomforts and terrors of my mortality and more than I regret the company of angels. I have entered fire. I become invisible; yet I breathe in the flow of sun, in the eyes of children, in the light that animates the white cliffs at dawn. I am the God in the world in everything, even in darkness. If you have not seen me there, you have not looked. I am the fire that burns you, that burn in you. To live is to die a thousand deaths, but there is only one fire, one eternity".

(image credit to , Tara Buel)

Wild Wisdom Wednesday - The Gift of Fog (from original post 28Dec2016)

Standing on the lake shore watching fog envelope the landscape I quietly call for

 Life's mysteries and gifts to reveal themselves. 

Recently I have been fortunate to be outside walking or driving on foggy days. Throughout my life fog has never frightened nor intimidated me. Instead, it excites me and I sense potential through its veil. Fog has a way of suspending reality and once an area is shrouded, it could be any moment in time and any place. I stand calmly alert, prepared for whatever may emerge.

I realize this is not the case for many people. Some of us fear the unseen and become confused and disoriented by the limited vision fog causes. At times, due to our own inability to acknowledge the truth of our own thoughts and feelings, we create our own fog that blocks our awareness and inner knowing. Our own thoughts and feelings create weather patterns that can inhibit or ignite our direction.

In the physical world, the Sun eventually burns away the fog enabling us to see everything clearly. When we find our judgement clouded or minds in a fog, what we are experiencing is the Universe telling us it is not yet right for us to make a decision. We should wait until all the facts and choices clearly become visible. By exercising patience and avoiding making decisions with an unclear mind, we will find that our personal inner Sun will burn away our mental and emotional confusion clearly revealing the situation and opportunities.

Fog is derived form water and water represents divine feminine energy. This energy is tied to emotions, feelings and urges. We can tap into the rhythm of this energy by following and living by moon cycles. With the end of the current year fast approaching and the current new moon phase in the sign of Capricorn, it is an optimal moment for taking quiet time to reflect on our present options and decision. We need not rush forward charging ahead blindly. This is a time for meditation and rest in order to gain the insight and clarity desired.

What obstacles can you remove that are blocking your clear view and preventing forward momentum? What emerges when you sit in stillness? When the fog clears, what is revealed?

Supportive focus suggestions:

* Manjushri (pronounced "man-choosh-ree"), is a Buddhist deity of wisdom who holds a sword to cut through illusions and bring about clarity and understanding.

* Third Eye chakra supports inner vision, insight, imagination, concentration, peace of mind, projection will and manisfestation

* The rune stone, Kenaz - represents a torch by which knowledge is lit and revealed. It symbolizes the control and harnessing of fire for warmth and illumination. It signifies the mystery of transformation and our power to create as nature does.

* Gem stones - sodalite, clear quartz, celestite, kyanite and emerald

* Herbs - mint, mugwort and star anise

Wild Wisdom Wednesday (originally posted via Facebook 7Dec2016)

* Endurance*Formation*Manisfestaion*

Life's persistence and its endless resourcefulness in the task of survival are all implicit within the rune meaning of Uruz ("oo-ruze"). It is a rune of manifestation, regeneration and endurance. We are reminded of the infinite primal power of the universe - its powers of perseverance and sacred gestation. Through time and tenacity, the Earth is able to heal itself regenerating and sometimes reformatting its landscape.

There are times in our lives when we need to reset and format ourselves, our direction, our relationships and /or personal boundaries. Self-care supports self-healing. It is unwise to rely solely on other people and situations for our healing. We need to be proactive on that front in order to maintain our vitality and manifest the change, improvement and strength required to shape and form fortunate circumstances utilizing our inner will and inspiration. Take the time for introspection then tap into the regenerative energies of the Earth to support and guide you.

What are ways in which you reset yourself? Do you meditate? Practice yoga? Do the creative arts help you communicate? Does a hike through the woods provide relief and perspective? Do the people around you support and uplift you? Are you able to freely and openly offer the same to them? How do you maintain and nurture your physical/emotional/mental/spiritual endurance?

Azurite helps connect us with the earth
and aids meditation and healing.

Garnet resonates with the root chakra
and supports self care and self love.

birch tree mandala for regeneration and renewal 

Welcome to Wild Wisdom - 1 (originally posted via Facebook 30Nov2016)

"Being able to maintain patience, calm and certainty even while there is chaos around us allows the 

Light of the Creator to enter and assist". 

~ Michael Berg

Sometimes the biggest blessing is not getting what you think you want. Strive to keep a sense of perspective. Do not allow situations, incidents or occurrences of past memories hold you back from living your life today. Pace yourself. Experience the pause for breath between thought and action.

The rune cast this week, Nied (aka Nauthiz, Nyd or Naut), speaks to us of patience. Though what you may now be experiencing feels debilitating and frustrating - delays,oppression, ill health, depression, confusion (and as tiresome as this phase may be), no amount of worry or haste will make it pass more quickly. These times are often accompanied by extreme emotional travail that hits us square in the solar plexus. Facing these emotions and overcoming your fear can be the catalyst that pushes you forward to a stronger, brighter future while simultaneously gifting you important survival skills and coping techniques. By learning from our troubles, we evolve in both body and spirit. Hold fast and conserve your energy. Think twice before taking on a new project during this time. To achieve our wants we often need to experience the very opposite. Turn inward and shape your power.

 Consider utilizing one or more of these 
 supportive tools:

* Clear, balance and nurture your Heart Chakra

* A gentle, supportive flower essence to use is Impatiens - 4 drops under the tongue 2-3 times per day has worked for me

* Wear the color blue or bring more of it into your environment. The energy of blue color waves helps to overcome distressing situations.

* Pull the major arcana card, Temperance, from a tarot deck and set it someplace you will frequently see it. The presence of its image will help you remember to live in moderation, to go within and to strive for balance in all things.

* For my tactile friends, the following stones may help you find the patience necessary during this time. Carry them with you or wear them. When you begin feeling impatient with the world or yourself, touch or hold them while taking 5 deep breaths.

 ---- amber, chrysoprase, howlite, labradorite ----

Blue color waves resonate at (approximately) the musical notes D and E

at a frequency of 570-630 Mhz.

simple pro-active mantras

Announcing; Wild Wisdom Wednesdays

The strength and resilience of so many people whom choose to stand and speak up in the face of threats, bullying, intimidation and fear-based violence keeps a flame of hope burning deep within me.
At times (especially during the last 6 -8 weeks) I have felt at a loss for how to effectively help and promote positive change. Personally, I choose to do more than I have and more than what I am doing.
As givers, healers, caretakers and protectors we often overlook ourselves - putting the task and requirements of other people and influences, first.
Others of us, in the face of such atrocities and hate, may become stagnant - stuck in the mire of fear, unable to move forward.
From a place of humble respect, love and support for us  (and those "in the thick of it") as we navigate these immensely challenging, uncertain and changing times, I am choosing to begin a weekly post of tips and influences for action (and sometimes inaction) from which self care ideas and guidance may be gleaned.

I welcome you to join me on Wednesdays throughout my Wild Wisdom series. I wish each of you the blessings of gratitude and grace.

Love & Light,
Teri

I 

Love is the Source of Your Own Being

"Someday, after mastering the winds, the waves, the tides and gravity,

 we shall harness the energies of Love,

 and then, for a second time in the history of the world,

 humankind will have discovered fire'.  

~ Pierre Teilhard de Chardin

In Kabbalah, the center of the Tree of Life is associated with the heart region. Christian Kabbalists associate this area with Jesus and with healing. Sufis, the mystics of Islam, talk about the Sirr—the secret, innermost heart of the heart. In the Chinese system of Qigong, the heart region is call the dantian, the “furnace” that transforms the qi energy into shen, spirit energy.

When you work to clear and balance your fourth chakra, you grow spiritually. It is in the heart that you can come into universal love and dissolve the illusion of separateness. It is here you can heal, both emotionally and physically. It is when you open your heart to love so you can forgive yourself and others, connect deeply to others, rise above the lower emotions of anger, hatred, and envy, and rise to a higher state of consciousness. It is in the heart center that you experience peace and deep inner balance.

A balanced heart chakra is beautiful. It is the center of compassion, altruism, devotion, and the ability to accept that all the circumstances of your life are within the divine order.

However, many of us have built walls around our heart chakra to protect ourselves from getting hurt again. A blocked heart chakra can make you feel defensive, or you may be critical, controlling, withdrawn, or afraid of letting go. You are likely to feel lonely, and think of others as being separate from you. Your life may be full of suffering.

So how can you open your heart and bring that center into balance? 

• Get out in nature. The color of the heart center is green. Let the green of nature start the process of healing for you.

1. Before you meditate visualize green light filling and surrounding your heart center.
2. Allow yourself to receive love, including loving yourself!
3. Love others unselfishly, not demanding anything in return.
4. Be thankful. Gratitude is a great way to stop finding fault in everyone around you.
5. Learn to forgive. A lot of heart chakra blockage is caused by not letting go of past hurts.
6. Move your body. Try a practice like yoga or tai chi to gently let go of stiffness and open your heart center.

 As you do the practices and meditations that are designed to help you open your heart, your ability to love grows. You go beyond what we think of as love (the affection and warmth we feel for someone) to unconditional love (love as a force that comes through you and has no attachment) and on to universal love, where you understand that love is the Source of your own being. You will be a more caring and joyous individual.