Settle in for A Snake of A Year

A Way to Return

As in all things I am never really predictable, least of all to myself. So after a much needed break, I am back. And honestly it was not just what was going on in the world or even in my own life, I believe it came to a point where I needed to define for myself why doing this work was important and how doing it enriched or added to my life. I know that value now far better than I ever did. So I am looking forward to journeying with you all. And now I think we have a little lunar talk to get to, seeing that the Lunar New Year is just around the corner let’s get into it! 

To Begin Again

Preparing for a new lunar year can be daunting or tiring, but having a self made guide book for yourself will allow you to navigate the coming Lunar Year in unparalleled fashion. The significance of the Lunar New Year is that there will be 13 new moon cycles with which to dream, learn, give, receive, and hope all over again. There are roughly four days remaining where we get the opportunity to ask questions, hear answers, listen for indicators, and conjure up the future that is upon us. Know we are the masters of our destinies. And the other very practical note is that if we don't have a clear plan of where we'd like to go, how do we know when we have reached it?

A Snake’s Surprise

Slithering this way is the Year of the Snake (also called the Serpent). This is a Wood Snake year and can be represented by the colors Green, Yellow or Red. Not to be overestimated, this year will be pregnant with possibilities as Snake packs a punch that is riddled with creativity, passion, and power that is hard to match at any other time. For you see the best gift given by dear Snake is the ability to transmute ANYTHING, that’s right anything (no matter if it’s person, place or thing). The beauty and the curse of Snake time is that it is a heavy spiritual reality to wield, but the rewards are overwhelmingly worth it. If there is an inkling to do something, then do it, it’s Snake Time. If you get a rush  of an emotion that was out of nowhere, trust it, it’s Snake Time. And even if you believe that which is impossible, know it will manifest. You see all of these are reminders that Snake Time is here and she will gift us as much as we allow her to, but we must remember it comes at a price.

Wooded blessings

Before I forget, I am choosing to focus on the Green and Wood as other attributes for this Snake year. The significance of the words Green and Wood mean that much of our focus will be on grounding and centering ourselves in a very Earth based space.  There will be stability, prosperity, nature, renewal and the ability for things to become evergreen in our lives, if we are open and willing to work towards it. Surely these are trajectories we can all use.

It’s Habit Forming

Set time aside each day (same or different times isn't relevant) and make sure you are making note of what issues, ideas, concepts. or images come up. Often times people want to make large proclamations and stands on what their year will be about and yes that is one way to set your Lunar Year off, but more often than not we are given a skeletal idea of the year and then it's up to us to see the specifics as they come. It takes work but I find that we are able to harness and utilize our spiritual connection/powers better that way.

Setting it Up

I want each of you to decide how best to set out the year for yourself. Ritual and ceremony only heightens our link to the spirit realm so whether with ourselves or with others we must bring in this Lunar New Year in a way that makes us comfortable (food, music, gathering, elemental objects, etc). The power lies not in what we have around us, but rather the energy we activate.

Make it So

Below are general areas that often help as a springboard for portions of our life that we want to emphasize in a given Lunar Year.  Figure out the who, what, when, why, and how and have it ready with you when you begin doing work for the Lunar New Year. Also intuit and mantra for the year, either from a guidance card pull or an overarching theme for your path this Lunar Year.  I have found that manifestation springs forth from the ability to conceive it, write it, speak it, and share it.  All of this together makes up for some powerful mojo that will help us navigate through the next 13 moons and beyond. I look forward to hearing what this has sparked. Remember caring is sharing!

Lunar Year Totem - Snake 

Cosmic Consciousness

Eat, Ingest, Integrate & Transmute

Transformation is always by request

Be wary of resistance to Change

Release the Skin that no longer serves me

Move freely into the newness that awaits

Lunar New Year Elements

Let these objects guide you towards what is in store for you this lunar new year. Other things may also appear for you and this is just as appropriate. Marking the lunar new year allows you to goal set and take ownership of the power you have within yourself. Happy Lunar New Year!!

• Journal

• Sacred Space (altar, ritual space, a place in nature)

• Sage/Cedarwood smudges or dried herbs to burn

• Written intentions for the year

• Green, Yellow, Red candles (all shades)

• Spiritual tools or books that are guiding

--Andrea

 

Excited to incite my WILD!!!!

credit: mrwallpaper.com

Summer kissed
This morning I wake with joy in my heart for Father Summer has made his entrance in the Northern Hemisphere. It's official, the Sun has returned once again. And yes, the days may be warmer and we will perspire, but the trade off of sun, warmth, and blue skies is all worth the bit of sweat that may come my way.  Most importantly, we have entered yet another season during this year and that means another opportunity to set longer more structured spiritual goals for ourselves.

Let light lead
The Summer Solstice represents the time of year when all things are growing, blooming, and stretching out in its own way.  With the extra light we will have access to, stretch and grow yourself.  I believe summer comes to illuminate (with all of that extra light) the unseen, help us focus on the harder aspects of ourselves, and celebrate the milestones we have reached unknowingly. The fires of summer awaits us all.

Running with the wild

credit: wallvan.com

With all of this added uumph I suggest we harness that sun kissed energy and boldly burst through our own barriers by accepting our WILD.  Wild in the sense of being closer to who we are within, wild in the sense of expanding our talents and interests further than before, and lastly wild in the sense of bringing to the surface that rarely seen or heard part of ourselves that also needs to see the light of the summer.  This task during summer will be easier for some than others, but it's not a competition, it's a chance for true change. Take the time, find your WILD!

Me, me, and oh me
Personally, there are things I have been saying I will focus on for months and well I just haven't made the time. For me, this Wild will be about being so evolutionary that the ONLY focus I will have this summer is on me. My health, my art, my spirit, my path, my love, my finances, my healing, and yes, my WILD.  Rarely in my life have I even thought of giving myself this much unabridged time, but this is what my spirits have said are necessary and who am I to disagree!

Jump from here
Below are a few tools that can help in accessing and processing your Wild this summer.  Take this totem, this concept and this affirmation and use them as a jumping off point for your works.  Often times we wonder how do we start, well this is one.  Take time over the next few days meditate, write, dream and ponder. As always answers are there we just have to recognize them.

Summer Animal Totem - Snake

Concept - Healing through Wisdom

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Eternity

Experience all without Resistance

Transitions are afoot

Wisdom, Understanding, Wholeness

Summer Concept - Capturing my Wild

credit: michelleshealthrevolutionblog

Know there is Wild in Me

Value Solitude

Know your Wild, Unprotected Spaces

Healing even through Fear

Summer Mantra

credit: healthandyoga

I am open to my wildness knowing, it leads straight to my healing

--Andrea

Along came a snake

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Taurus time
This morning we entered the Taurus lunar cycle. Welcome, we have lots to do and this is the PERFECT time to get it done.  Taurus, which is Venus ruled, is the best time to take on the triple P's: Perseverance, Patience, and Practicality.   This cycle should be about taking action, moving on our dreams, and putting in the necessary work to continue to evolve.  Since Taurus is an Earth Sign we need to find solace in grounding ourselves around what we will undertake.

A serpent's gift
Snakes. That's right the descendent of the mighty serpent.  In the image above what do you notice? Is it the color, the coiled body, the eyes or the skin?  And what feelings come to mind: fear, intrigue, excitement, or amazement? The snake/serpent is one of the most power symbols of the concept of Transmutation, something that is so timely during the Taurus lunar cycle.

Know the cycle
What is transmutation? Well, transmutation is the ability to intake something (negative or positive), ingest it, integrate it, and then change it into whatever you need at that time.  Simply explained yes but, much harder to put into practice.  With the power of this lunar cycle I challenge us to transmute the small things in our lives like traffic, tardiness, a spill on our clothes or the many other things that plague us daily.  Taurus is here to support and amplify our power to transmute. All we need to do is take that first, small step.  If we begin with the smaller things as the cycle progresses we can take on bigger more challenging occurrences in our lives in order to transmute as well. We have to start someplace and this is as benevolent a time as any.

GPSing myself
My personal work this cycle will be around knowing exactly where I am in the transmutation cycle whether it be intake, ingestion, integration, or transmutation.  I do understand the concept and have reaped the great benefits of practicing it, but I need to continue doing it. And for me I can be more Macro aligned than Micro, so my use of transmutation with the little things will greatly improve some of my day to day mishaps.  I am ready, are you?

Just do it
Please look below for ideas of ways, where, and how to work on transmutation this cycle.  Don't be afraid to dream big that is how miracles are granted.  As always what resonates with you either negatively or positively is probably what you should be focused on during this cycle. It's not rocket science, but we make it that way :)

Work in Sign of Taurus

Abundance

Love Magic

Employment

Healing

Taurus Lunar Cycle Concept - Transmutation

Growth & Generation

Healing

Fertility

Life - Death - Rebirth

Taurus Lunar Cycle Herbs/Essences

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Benzoin - Air Element - Calming

Passion Flower - Water Element - Peace

Thyme - Air Element - Courage

Taurus Lunar Cycle Stone - Malachite

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Stimulate Dreams

Rebirthing

Transformation Stone

 Taurus Lunar Cycle Affirmation

With this cycle I ask that I am connected to my intuitive understanding and am able to make progress,

I will knowingly look my creators in their faces and see my own divinity reflected back at me and I will be humbled, confident, and charged,

The portions of myself that no longer serve me will be discarded and room will be made for learning about newer parts of me that are now waiting in the wings,

I will do all of this with grace, humility, and steadfastness

Andrea

Inside the Silence

credit: guymarc-aurele.ca

The dust is settling
As the leaves fall and the grey clouds come we must welcome, with open arms, Sister Winter. Although she's been here for a week I'm sure we are still getting used to her idiosyncratic ways.  I hope we all can stand and absorb all the blessings she can bestow upon us, IF we are ready.

Medicine that is unsaid
While winter is here I hope we are able to take advantage of the true medicine that can come from sitting in our own silences and hearing the messages spirit(s) have for us.  Let the barren branches of the trees make way for light and sight.  What has been thought of as a time of year for colds and sedentary lifestyles can be replaced by movement and activity. 

To accept and forgive
For me this winter is about self-forgiveness and acceptance of the transmutation that has already begun.  Since I can be one of my hardest critics I often forget how profound my impact is on my community, near and far.  Well this winter I stop all of that kind of thinking because my guides have given me such supportive care and compassion on this part of the journey, so who wants to challenge that.  Certainly not me.  I am working on self-forgiveness and acceptance from the inside out and the outside in.  My aim is high, but whatever heights I reach with this will be another step closer and for that I am willing to take the risk.

Choose your ways
I am sharing with you symbols, concepts and benchmarks for you to begin your winter journey.  And take your time, you have many more weeks to get to wherever you are going.  Along the way be honest and when you need help, ask for it. Being in need is not a sign of weakness, but rather a sign of true understanding of one's place.  Happy Journeying!!!

Winter Animal Totem - Snake

Focus - Dive Into The Snake's Mouth

Know I possess Fire Energy

Amalgamate the Female and Male

All life's poisons can be altered

 Winter Concept - Transmutation

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Enter the West Lodge

Silence

Death/Rebirth

Forgiveness

Winter Mantra

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In this chill I am clear and have clarity

*** Try saying the mantra to yourself 108 times at each sitting the mala above can be useful and meditative.




--Andrea

 

Dip into the waters deeply

photo: smittenkitchen.com

Making it here anyway we could

We have pushed, pulled or punched our way to yet another lunar cycle.  This new moon is in Pisces, the sign that has the potential to be the cosmic man or woman.  At a time in nature when Spring is just starting to stir and wake up we are gifted with Pisces, but more importantly Neptunean energy.

Blessing from the deep

Neptune, a planetary energy impossible to capture, is that piss or get off the pot kind of urging.  A representation of the deepest part of the Ocean, this planet is the realness, no faking accepted.  At this point in our evolution we are either going to grab for what we want or shirk back into that old self.  Now, this does not have to be a jerking, whip lashing ordeal.  If we set your minds to it, humble ourselves to the experiences and stay open, Neptune can bear great gifts.

Just saying yes

My focus this lunar cycle will be on submerging myself willingly.  That's right I am giving into it, without resistance.  That which is for me, will be for me.  The places where i am to be, I will be.  The experiences I am to have, I will have.  Long gone is that fear of "what if" I have replaced it with "I am obedient".  Now, not looking for a perfect scorecard in this effort, just the deeper knowing that Neptune allows me to access.  And with this deeper knowing seeing myself as one drop, dipped into a lake of life.

What will you do?

Below are concepts and facets in the Pisces (Neptune Ruled) Lunar Cycle that should help us dive deeply for those dark messages that await us.

Work in Neptune

 

Deep Waters

Psychic & Mystical Journeys

Reveal the Hidden

Pisces Lunar Cycle Totem-Snake

Concept-Transmutation

Life-Death-Rebirth

Release my old Skin

Transmute to accept Power

Pisces Flower/Herb Essences

Lemon-Clarity

Rosemary-Transformation

Vertivert-Strength

Pisces Cycle Affirmation

Open me to the transmutative powers of the divine,

Keep me rooted in a willingness to experience all things whether comforting or discomforting,

Most of all invoke on my path this cycle a dance of freedom that is full of creation energy 

--Andrea/DreaofWaters