Full "Wolf" Moon Eclipse in Cancer and Uranus Direct

Hey friends! It’s that time again. Today there will be a full Moon at 11:07am she will be at her peak fullness. . Known as a “Wolf” moon, for because this is the time of year when villagers would hear ravenous wolves howling aggressively. They were hungry due to the scarcity of winter. In the sign of Cancer, ruled by the Moon itself, which represents emotions, feelings, intuition, psyche, divine feminine energy and shadow side. Because of the double emphasis of Moon and Cancer this one is really going to involve themes surrounding home life, stability, relationships, our own intuition, feminine energy and masculine energy finding their place together, potential power struggles between those energies and relationships. As well as it being the first full Moon of the year and decade there is also an eclipse that will be coinciding. We have been fully in its shadow and likely have been feeling it’s affects already, especially those of you with Cardinal sign placements. We have already experienced the solar eclipse in Capricorn on Christmas Day and now today we will be experiencing this full Lunar eclipse in Cancer. This will not be visible in North America I believe you can see it in places like India and certain Asian countries. However despite not being able to see it we will be feeling its powerful affects. This all started back in the summer of 2019. Our last lunar eclipse in Cancer was in July. Think back to July when the summer brings the typical eclipse season of 2 solar eclipses and 1 lunar eclipse. This was a very powerful and potent time astrologically/energetically. It really shook some people’s lives and changed things dramatically. It likely caused certain stresses, anxieties and dramatic events to arise, especially for those with Cardinal signs. Think back to July and the events that transpired back then. Have things been feeling in limbo for you? Themes from July are going to present themselves back again and things are going to start moving forward from this limbo state. This is the culmination of so many things that have transpired this year. There might be devastating, catastrophic and illuminating events that will transpire. It is a warning however there is nothing to do but prepare and protect yourself for some potentially harder times that will come your way. It doesn’t necessarily need to be a bad thing, and despite change being scary and sometimes difficult it can ultimately be the best thing that is for you. So do not fear change rather embrace it. Eclipses are fated events and there is nothing you can do but go with flow. Release what needs to be released and think of the lessons that this time period has taught you. If you are feeling anxious and not yourself try not to act on impulse and emotion. Rather take the time to ground yourself and remind yourself that this is all energy and energy does not lie It will pass and you will start feeling yourself again shortly. The last thing you want to do is act out irrationally and make the effects of the eclipse worse on yourself and the people around you. Ironically my family went through something major that started in July and it is FINALLY wrapping up, in a good way and for the better right around now. I won’t get into too many details but my husband is a Libra with a Cancer moon (double Cardinal) and he brought us all on one crazy ride for the past 6 months. Astrology is no coincidence. I would normally suggest to do a full Moon ritual but as I have stated numerous times, eclipses are not a time to manifest, perform rituals or other magickal work. I would highly refrain from doing any sort of Moon ritual. Rather than manifesting I would focus on the themes surrounding Cancer, family, home life, your relationships especially the one with your own mother. Are you happy with these things? What can be improved? What is your role and involvement with these things? This full Moon and eclipse will be affecting of course those with Cancer placements, but also Cardinal sign placements which include Aries, Cancer, Libra and Capricorn. You guys have been on an emotional roller coaster for the past 6 months and I wish I could say it was coming to an end but there are two more eclipses this summer in Cancer and Capricorn. After that you will get a break for a while.

As always full Moons and eclipses have very similar meanings, they both signify endings and new beginnings. Light is shed onto things that have been hidden in the shadows and depending on what sign it is in incredible transformation. It is also a time of heightened emotions. Be cautious of your reactions because you may act or think irrationally. This is a good time to use crystals to keep you grounded, balanced and steady. Some crystals you can use are Carnelian, Citrine, Rose Quartz, Red Jasper and Rhodonite. Full Moons are also a time of deep healing and can be overwhelming. Take the time to rest if you need. People often find they are either insomniac or extra sleepy during full Moons and eclipses. If you are feeling tired or not well definitely take the time to rest, stay hydrated and recuperate. Happy full Moon eclipse friends and remember to take this time for yourself whichever way you plan to.

Lastly I just wanted to also include a little tidbit on Uranus direct. Uranus has been retrograde since August of 2019. This combined with Saturn conjunct Pluto, this time we are experiencing is major. Life is changing and drastically likely for many of us. Some in good ways and some in harder, life-lesson learning ways. Uranus is the planet of innovation, rebellion, liberation, unique, wild and revolutionary ways. While in its retrograde period Uranus is actually more dulled, halted and manageable. Uranus energy is typically pretty chaotic and it can shake things up like lightning. During retrograde periods however we can focus on this chaotic energy and think to where we want to use it. We have better objectivity and a more even tempered approach and we think about changes we want to make, potentially around our own sense of self. However now that Uranus is going direct any changes you you have been thinking about will manifest externally. Because Uranus is in Taurus, Taurus which is ruled by Venus the planet of love, beauty and money there may also be an emphasis on outward appearances, money matters and relationships. You may get good financial news in the next couple days. You may feel the confidence to change up your appearance in a drastic or rebellious way. Now is the time to book that piercing or tattoo or wild hair style. The stock market may rise or it may fall. As always that is the unpredictability of Uranus. However now is the time to make changes if you have been wanting to. Do not put it off any longer.

A New Year Update: Upcoming Cancer Eclipse and Saturn Conjunct Pluto

Hey all! It’s been awhile since I have come here and given an update. So much has gone on in only a few weeks since my last post but yet it all feels like a lifetime ago and I feel like a brand new person. We of course had the holidays. All Christmas and New Years festivities. Unfortunately for myself I fell sick probably a week before all the major festivities began. Just a mild head cold that I picked up from my son Jaxson. He started pre school this year and has been bringing home every germ and sickness that has been rotating this year. Of course my immune system is down from being pregnant, little Salem is just sucking the life out of me, and I have experienced everything he has brought home and 10x worse than anyone else in this household. It has been a rough few months to say the least. But this head cold I thought I could handle went from uncomfortable but manageable to full blown sinus infection in a few days. I had one last pop up event I did for readings and selling my jewelry/art etc and basically after that day (the 19th of December) my health took a turn for the worst and I basically was bedridden for going on close to 3 weeks. Being pregnant there was not much I could take to help relieve my symptoms and being the holidays I was not able to get in to see my doctor. Funny enough my symptoms really took a turn for the worse during the Capricorn eclipse. I had the most intense migraines, toothache, fever and congestion. I was delirious with how sick I was and thinking some really crazy thoughts. Capricorn rules the teeth, knees and joints and I thought it was absolutely wild that I had the worst toothache I've ever experienced literally as the eclipse was happening. I was able to see a walk in doctor shortly after and was prescribed an antihistamine which helped with some of my worst symptoms which included the toothache and a day or two after the eclipse I finally got relief for my tooth. My fever subsided and I was on the mend. Unfortunately it would be another week and a half until I was fully functionable. I suffered migraines, major discomfort and sleepless nights. I missed all of Christmas celebrations and New Years as well. I missed the 2 weeks Jaxson was off school and the mild weather. I missed the time my husband had off for the holidays. It was just all very sad and unfortunate. It really made me appreciate my good health and all the people that pulled through for me to help take care of the boys while I couldn’t. Mostly it gave me a lot of time to think and reflect on everything I have gone through over the last year and how I want to continue to grow into the person I am meant to be. The timing of it all was very ironic to me as well. Just knowing what I know now about astrology and how eclipses can very much affect people physically, cause illnesses and pain, this one took me out.

Now onto 2020! It’s a new year, a new decade and a new era. Era for myself at least. By the end of this decade I will be 40 yeas old! It’s funny how grown a person thinks they are in their 20s, and I know people always fear turning 30. I have never felt better about my age and where I am at. My 30s are going to be a time of immense growth and potential. My 20s were a time of being young, carefree but also mainly a lot of stupidity and mistakes. Do not ever fear aging because the alternative is much worse. And with age comes wisdom, experience and growth. I cannot wait for the 2020s. Having said that, and I know many people are looking for an awesome year since 2019 was a bit rough. Astrologically speaking 2020 is not looking any better. There are some rough transits that will transpire this year and although I will speak about most of them as they come I do want to talk about a couple that have already started.

In 4 days we will experience another eclipse. A full Moon in Cancer eclipse. Again this will be affecting Cardinal signs, Aries, Cancer, Libra and Capricorn. It has been rough for you Cardinal signs I am so sorry. But this is it. After this eclipse you will have some relief hopefully for a long while. The Moon will be in Cancer and opposite the Sun, Mercury, Pluto and Saturn in Capricorn. This one is going to be intense, transformative and painful. More so than the Capricorn eclipse. Themes for this upcoming eclipse will focus more on the home life, family, situations potentially involving ones mother, living arrangements, security, life plan and career. Masculine energies with feminine principles may be highlighted. Power struggles between the yin and yang. As with all eclipses things that are hidden in the shadows will be illuminated and endings will happen. This is very much an earth shattering break up eclipse. Which is not anything to be feared. Even if you are a Cardinal sign or have Cardinal placements this doesn’t necessarily mean you are going to have this horrible break up. But some will experience this and is something that is very much out of your control. Eclipses have fated qualities to them. What happens is all a part of some divine master plan that is much bigger than you. If you do experience a break up or something life changing, trust that this is exactly what was meant to happen, despite how difficult this may be. This also is the complete and final culmination of all the eclipses that happened in the summer of ‘19. Themes from this summer may present themselves and things that have felt in limbo may come to a final or ending. All I can say is that you are likely feeling the energy already and just go with it. Resistance is useless and will actually make anything you are going through more painful. Accept what is going to happen as fated and allow the waves to take you on this journey you are about to embark. Come the summer we will be back in a whole new eclipse season and the majority of them will be affecting Mutable signs, Sagittarius, Virgo, Pisces and Gemini. So hang in there Cardinal signs. Your time of relief is coming.

Now the other transit that I wanted to talk about is Saturn conjunct Pluto. This is a major planetary aspect and one that happens every 34 years. It has been a long time coming. Saturn the planet of rules, structure, commitments and limitations and Pluto the planet of transformation, death, rebirth, birth, sex and anything taboo. This transit has many meanings coming up but I want to talk about a couple that are very very interesting considering everything that has transpired since the beginning of 2020. The main one that I think is going to affect most people is the hard working aspect of this transit. This is not a time of play. This is a time to buckle down, get whatever work needs to be done and grind it out. This is a slow moving transit so it is something that is not going to be quick and easy. This is where you build strong and solid foundations to live on for years to come. But with strong and solid foundations comes great work and sacrifice. With great work and sacrifice comes blood, sweat and tears. This is not always something that comes easy. Basically this its a time of hard work and serious business. You will need patience and determination to get through this. Expect even more responsibilities and commitments but also expect that during this time you are building what you need to in order to live a very comfortable life. Some people will not be able to handle all the pressure and will crumble under the intensity. Keep telling yourself this is only to better your future and all good things come through hard work. Accept the inevitable because again as I say over and over, resistance just makes everything harder on yourself. Accept the changes that are going to happen and go with the flow. The other interesting thing that I wanted to talk about regarding this transit is the very strong possibility of war and destruction. I am sure you have all seen the news regarding both what is happening in Australia and the US and Middle East. Themes that surround this transit involve politics, world leaders, propaganda, world trade, climate change. Many astrologers have sensed and predicted a war coming, and of course now there is so many rumours swirling about World War III. I have also seen predictions involving China in some ways. There is a lot going on there as well with their concentration camps, how they deal with climate change and also the power struggle between China and the USA. I think something big is going to happen and I think Trump assassinating Soleimani was the catalyst for it. Things are going to be changing and it is scary. But I think the thing to remember is how lucky and grateful we are to live in this amazing country. Yes war is possible but the ones who will be most affected will most certainly be innocent civilians from Middle Eastern countries. Count your lucky stars you live in a free and mostly safe country and pray for those who may be affected by what is happening.

Some of this is heavy. I am sorry it is not better and lighter information to start the new year. I talk about these things because it is important to be informed about what may or may no possibly happen. Knowing astrology doesn’t mean you can predict the future but it helps you to have insight into certain possibilities so you are not completely blindsided. Astrology doesn’t change the future, you are in charge of your life fully. If I tell you a breakup eclipse is happening that doesn’t mean you need to up and break up with the love of your life. Now if you’ve been thinking about it for a long time and are in a toxic or abusive situation, this is when things may blow up for you. But it may end up being a blessing in disguise. And again Saturn conjunct Pluto doesn’t necessarily mean World War III is about to break out, but things are certainly tense and it is important to know what is happening in the world and what may possible happen. It is also important to know that this is a time to work hard to build your future. All work and no play may be dull, boring and hard but it will pay off for you in the long run. Take everything I say with a grain of salt and stay tuned for more posts coming up. I will be talking about the eclipse in greater detail next week. Happy New Year friends. I hope the end of last year was good to you and if you are struggling know that you are not alone. We are in this together.

The Winter Solstice and Origins and Meaning of Yule and Ways to Celebrate

Although Samhain is my favourite sabbath, Yule comes in second for sure. Having said that the Winter Solstice is my very favourite solstice out of all the solstices and equinoxes. The Winter Solstice comes every year on December 21st and it is the shortest day of the year. Both equal parts day and night, from now on the days will start to get longer and longer as we move towards the Summer Solstice. I know most people have issues with the darkness that comes with winter. I am not one of those people. I absolutely love when the days start to get shorter and shorter leading up to the Winter Solstice. I LOVE THE DARKNESS!!! I can totally understand why people don’t, with seasonal depression, the lack of vitamin D and feeling low energy. I notice it more now since I became a mom but for the most part I thrive when it’s dark and I love the way the light hits this time of year. Its so different and moody I live for this! But for you light lovers, and I have to quote Ariana Grande here but “the light is coming to get back everything the darkness stole” so never fret and fear, now is the time to celebrate the return of the light. Which is basically what Yule and Christmas are all about. And every other holiday that is around this time as well. Like Samhain and Halloween, Christmas has very pagan roots that are traced back to Pagan holiday of Yule and like Litha landing on the Summer Solstice, Yule lands on the Winter Solstice. What the religious holidays during December, Christmas, Hanukkah and Kwanza all share in common is the same thing that really comes down to what we celebrate today on the Winter Solstice. The return and celebration of light or the sun. This is the most important part of Yule and the thing to remember when celebrating Christmas. If you are religious and celebrate for Christian reasons you need to understand that even if Jesus was a person (and this statement is not to offend anyone at all) there has been much evidence that he was actually born in the summer. The birth that we celebrate in December is that of the sun returning to bring light and life back to that that has been dead from the darkness. And don’t get me wrong, you can believe whatever you want to believe, I was raised Roman Catholic and know all about the religious origins of the Christmas holiday. I find it funny though how Pagans and Wiccans are persecuted for spewing nonsense however when their “religion” is more so science based and backed up than anything. Just a little food for thought and in no way am I trying to offend anyone. Please believe what you want to believe, but this little post is just to, no pun intended, shed some light on the origins of where Christmas came from.

Back to Yule now. It is important to talk about both the Winter Solstice and Yule because just as Yule is the origins for Christmas, the Winter Solstice is the origins for Yule. People have been celebrating the Winter Solstice for a millennia and all over the globe. This can be traced back to ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia and even beyond this. But Yule was celebrated in Germanic (think Norse people) countries. Originally meant to celebrate the Norse god Odin and a time of the “wild hunt”. It was a week long festival where feasting, drinking, bonfires and sacrificing animals typically took place. The Yule-tide celebration also has roots in the ancient Roman observance of Saturnalia. Saturnalia was the feast of the god Saturn. The Roman Saturnalia was a carnival like festival with participants taking part in carnal as well as carnivorous pleasures. Alcohol became a huge factor of this celebration so much so that it became synonymous with debauchery and lewd behaviour. But many of our traditions that we honour and celebrate today are from the Norse holiday of Yule. Some say that their influence was stronger than the Romans and eventually is what lead to the Christian holiday we now know today as Christmas. Christmas trees and wreaths, Yule tide logs, the colours of red, white and green, spiced or mulled wine for toasting “wassailing,” mistletoe and holly. And many Christmas songs that are absolute classics make reference to Yule or to traditions such as wassailing and figgy pudding. The one thing that they all have in common however is the return of the Sun. Which ironically when you put a nice story line on it we end up with the “Son of God.” Again I am in no way trying to change anyone’s minds on what Christmas means to them or convert them to believing something new I am just trying to bring awareness to where a lot of Christianity’s tales came from which is Paganism.

The Yule Log as we know now is a beautiful little cake in the shape of a an actual tree log, but it used to be that people would take an actual log and decorate it. It is one of the oldest traditions that dates back to Norse origins.

Here are 8 ways you can celebrate Yule/Winter Solstice which are likely already things you do to celebrate Christmas:

1) Decorate a Yule or Christmas tree

2) Bake cookies and cakes, or your very own Yule log

3) Donate food, toys and clothes

4) Host or attend a Yule (Christmas) family or friend dinner

5) Watch Holiday movies with your family

6) Drink hot chocolate or mulled wine (wassail)

7) Light red, white and green candles

8) Have a bonfire and/or enjoy some Yule lights

I will be celebrating tonight very simply by lighting some candles, watching some movies with my boys and drinking hot chocolate by the fireplace. I will also be wrapping some of our Christmas presents. Tomorrow we will be celebrating with family at Jesse’s sisters place by exchanging gifts and enjoying a home cooked supper. I very much look forward to it. This entire month I have been celebrating in my own way, taking the boys to see Christmas lights, baking and enjoying this cozy time of darkness. We will likely go for a walk later on too to observe the sun going down nice and early. Either way find some time to honour the true reason for all of this, which is as simply as the sun returning back to give us more light from this point forward. Happy Yule and happy Solstice friends!

Full "Cold" Moon in Gemini

Tonight there will be a full Moon. You can see her in all her glory tonight and I am sure most of you have seen her the past few days. She is stunning and takes my breath away each time. Tonight at 11:14pm she will be at her peak fullness. Get out there and soak in some of those gorgeous Moon rays tonight. Known as a “Cold” moon because for obvious reasons this is typically the time of year when the temperature takes a big dip and I think we can all agree it is COLD right now. As Winnipeggers we are all too familiar with this. In the sign of Gemini, ruled by Mercury the planet of communication and travel, this is going to be one on how we communicate and our goals for the new year and the 20s. This is the last full Moon of the year and the decade. It is really important to do a Full Moon Ritual tonight if you haven’t already done one. But above all now its the time to change your habits. Let go of that which is no longer serving you, toxic ties, bad habits and negative influences. This is also the time to manifest what you want for the next year and decade ahead. Set your goals, focus on them, visualize them, speak them into existence. I explain all about how to perform a Full Moon Ritual and what themes to focus on in my previous blog post so check it out for more information. This is a really good time to focus on how we communicate and get our points across. Also gaining perspective and understanding from ourselves but also others. Releasing unrealistic and uncertain thoughts, anxious tendencies. Focus our action and intuition on the things that are important. Focus is a big theme for Geminis, rather their lack of focus. They have so many varying interests and hobbies that it can be difficult for them to put their all into one thing so their creative/work pursuits may suffer because of this. I feel as well Geminis must create boundaries for themselves when it comest to socializing and how they give away their energy in group settings. Known as the social butterfly of the zodiac , learning to protect your space is a most valuable lesson to learn on this Gemini full Moon. Venus is also conjunct Saturn. Venus the planet of love, beauty and money and Saturn the planet of rules, responsibility and structure. This can be quite a favourable aspect for those who have been in a long term relationship. Serious commitments may be taken or professed. Either way there will be a serious reality check when it comes to love or financial matters. This is a really good time to make a commitment but at the same time duty and responsibility may take precedence over love and romance. This full Moon will be affecting of course those with Gemini placements, but also Mutable sign placements which include Virgo, Sagittarius and Pisces.

As always full Moons signify endings and new beginnings. Light is shed onto things that have been hidden in the shadows and depending on what sign it is in incredible transformation. It is also a time of heightened emotions. Be cautious of your reactions because you may act or think irrationally. This is a good time to use crystals to keep you grounded, balanced and steady. Some crystals you can use are Apatite, Sodalite, Moss Agate, Dalmation Jasper, Howlite and Serpentine . This is also an amazing time to do a full Moon ritual which month by month I post on how to perform one. We perform full Moon rituals to release and let go of toxic and negative energies and feelings. It is very therapeutic and if you can get 4 in your group, Earth, Air, Fire and Water you are a force to be reckoned with. Full Moons are also a time of deep healing and can be overwhelming. Take the time to rest if you need. People often find they are either insomniac or extra sleepy during full Moons. If you are feeling tired or not well definitely take the time to rest and recuperate. Happy full Moon friends and remember to take this time for yourself whichever way you plan to.

Lastly I just wanted to also include a little tidbit on this eclipse season we are currently in. There is an eclipse that is coming up in very soon, in only a couple weeks. We are fully in its shadow and likely have been feeling it’s affects already, especially those of you with Cardinal signs. A solar eclipse in Capricorn on Christmas Day. This will not be visible in North America I believe you can see it in places like India and certain Asian countries. However despite not being able to see it we will be feeling its powerful affects. This eclipse will be affecting those with Cardinal sign placements. That is Aries, Cancer, Libra and Capricorn. Think back to July when the summer brings the typical eclipse season of 2 solar eclipses and 1 lunar eclipse. This was a very powerful and potent time astrologically/energetically. It really shook some people’s lives and changed things dramatically. It likely caused certain stresses, anxieties and dramatic events to arise, especially for those with Cardinal signs. Think back to July and the events that transpired back then. Have things been feeling in limbo for you? Themes from July are going to present themselves back again and things are going to start moving forward from this limbo state. This is the culmination of so many things that have transpired this year. There might be devastating, catastrophic and illuminating events that will transpire. It is a warning however there is nothing to do but prepare and protect yourself for some potentially harder times that will come your way. It doesn’t necessarily need to be a bad thing, and despite change being scary and sometimes difficult it can ultimately be the best thing that is for you. So do not fear change rather embrace it. I will be writing more about the eclipse in the next week or so. Stay tuned for more information.

Full "Cold" Moon in Gemini Ritual

There is a full Moon in Gemini coming up this Tuesday night at 11:14pm CST. This is an amazing time to do a full Moon ritual. Full Moons are a time where emotions and sensitivities are already heightened, it is a good time to ground yourself and release some of the negative emotions you may be feeling and toxic ties you may be attached to. There are some really ancient rituals that have been done for 1000s of years. A lot of different astrologers, witches and healers use these types of things to help people with the difficulties of life. You can do a ritual for all kinds of different things but some popular times to commit to doing a ritual is during new Moons, full Moons and during the equinoxes and solstices. If you really enjoy doing them then you can start to do a ritual for other things you need in life. It can be very therapeutic. The power of manifestation is a crazy thing and that’s why these rituals are important.

The full Moon will be in the air element of Gemini. Full “Cold” Moon, known as Cold Moon because December is, let’s be real, getting really cold, especially with this cold front we are going through this week, it is very fitting. Gemini is ruled by Mercury the planet of communication, technology and travel. They are adaptable, outgoing, intelligent, indecisive, impulsive, flighty, unreliable, nosy, expressive, lively and moody. They are a Mutable sign however and because of this are associated with adaptability, flexibility and sympathy. This is a very important full Moon not just because it is in Gemini but because it is the last full Moon of the decade. This is a time to cut the negativity and toxic ties of the 2010s and manifest what you truly desire for this new decade ahead of us. Yes there will still be themes of Gemini. Use this full Moon to focus on communicating effectively, speaking your truth, exploring, how you want to socialize and what boundaries you need to set in order for you to socialize at your best, working on any flaky tendencies. Letting go and cutting toxic ties are always the number one theme on full Moons. Truths and lights will be illuminated as well.

Whereas we perform new Moon rituals to set wishes and intentions for the month ahead of you, the reason we do a full Moon ritual is to let go of things that no longer serve you. This could be attitudes, emotions, personal relationships, bad habits, illnesses. Anything you can think of that is negatively impacting your life. Things that have been hidden can also be revealed. Revelations and people being exposed. You can count on it for a full Moon. I like to burn my full Moon ritual intentions. It can be very symbolic and healing. You can also interpret the way your paper burns, so if your intentions light up instantly and burn the paper completely you have truly let go or maybe the fire fades quickly and only burns off a corner, what do you think that is telling you? Focus on the flames and how the paper looks at the end of it burning.

You have 3 days before the new moon to perform this ritual or 3 days after.

1) Gather any and all supplies that you will need for the ritual. Incense such as You can use sage to smudge beforehand, I will be using White Sage from my own personal sage bundles that I have been making, for this full Moon. You will need some crystals ( Moss Agate, Apatite, Dalmation Jasper, Howlite, Serpentine and Celestine are all Gemini crystals), a pen, a journal to write, a bowl to smudge in or burn intentions, a bowl of water and a white or silver candle.

2) Create yourself a special alter space for all the items that you have gathered. It doesn’t matter where your alter space is, it can be any table in the house or on the floor, wherever you feel most comfortable. Decorate with items such as crystals, plants, candles, things you find outside in nature like leaves or feathers, decorative table runners, anything you can really think of that seems appropriate. For the Aries full Moon I will be using lots of green and blue crystals such as Moss Agate, Apatite, Dalmation Jaspe, Labradorite and Selenite of course like always. I will be using silver tree candles to represent the winter coldness, the silver glittery leaves and reindeer candle holder to represent the Yule tide spirit. Sage and Lavender incense to represent Gemini air energy.

3) Start by smudging your alter space and say a little prayer. It can be along the lines of “I respect mother Moon and all she does for us. I plan to release that which no longer serves me. I do this to heal myself from past traumas and to fully let go and move forward.“ Write down your traumas and the things that we wish to let go of focus on them, meditate on them. What do you wish for your life? Can you actually picture these things happening to and for you in your life? Letting go WILL NOT work if you truly don’t believe it. It’s important to be clear on what you want. You can doodle and make your intentions “pretty” or it can be as simple as writing a list. This is a good time to set intentions for the new year and new decade. What do you want the 20s to look like for you? What do you need to let go of in order to attain these goals? What is no longer serving you? How can you communicate with those you love more effectively. Some of these intentions could be: I will communicate effectively with my friends, family and partner. I will cut my own toxic communication styles that no longer serve me. I will cut any nosy and gossipy tendencies that are no longer serving me. I will create boundaries for how I socialize with others. I will not socialize just for the sake of socializing and being out with the people, I will make sure it is the right time and place for me to be out and not overload my energies with other people’s energies. I will not bring any negative and toxic energies that have not been serving me into 2020. And so on and so forth. These are generic but you can better suit them to your needs

4) Light your candle and put your crystals in the bowl of water. You want to charge the water and cleanse yourself after burning your intentions. Hold your intentions over the other bowl and using the candle light them on fire. Like I have already said you will want to analyze how they burn, even take a picture or video to look back on later. Use the water to charge your crystals. Write about it in your Moon journal. Something to look back on over the next few weeks and to remind yourself of your intentions.

5) At this time you can take some time for yourself however you wish, write down your interpretations of the flame burning, further meditation, possibly a tarot reading if you do that, you can even enjoy a glass of wine. Tell the Moon you love her, clean up your space and now is a good time to put your crystals in a window sill to charge under the light of the full moon. You have just completed your full Moon ritual. Now can be a good time to take a detox bath. Use bath salts, flowers, crystals and maybe even a charcoal mud mask to help detoxify and destress.

I hope you guys enjoy doing this ritual and can find some peace or healing that you may be needing in life. I also hope you can take some time to appreciate all that is good in your life. Just like the oceans’ tides that ebb and flow as does the Moon wax and wane and although emotions can be heightened during the full Moon you will soon feel back to your normal self and ready to tackle a whole new month/Moon cycle and on top of that a whole new decade. Bring on 2020. On the 11th I will put out my Full Cold Moon in Gemini blog post. There is also a new Moon in Capricorn on the 25th of December as well as a partial solar eclipse. Also I will be talking about the upcoming Solar Eclipse in Capricorn on Christmas and what that means for us and especially for those with Cardinal sign placements. Happy full Moon friends!

8 Family Christmas Activities in Winnipeg

I really wanted to write a blog post about the upcoming holiday season and all the fun family activities that you can partake in whether you have kids or just love the Christmas spirit. People often commend me for getting out there and doing fun things with my family and putting in the time to make these great memories with my kids. To me it doesn’t really seem commendable but I do appreciate the praise nonetheless. Doing fun activities lets me relive my childhood and youth and brings back that spark that the holidays as an adult is missing. I have compiled a list of 8 holiday activities and the list is as follows:

1. Christmas photos at St. Mary’s Nursery or St. Boniface Museum. Normally I also would have added Shelmerdine’s Garden Center but I just checked their website and they are completely sold out for the rest of the season. I managed to get photos with Jaxson his first Christmas but I guess it has gained popularity since then. St. Mary’s Nursery has amazing family events on Sundays. Photos with Santa and Mrs.Clause and free sleigh rides. Bring a tin for Winnipeg Harvest. Noël au Musée is a free event at the St.Boniface Museum this Saturday the 30th. There is a chance to make crafts, get photos with Santa and Mrs. Clause and enjoy a craft market and pick up some local gifts for Christmas.

2. Breakfast with Santa at the Bay Downtown. December 14th from 9am-12pm and December 15th from 10am-1pm. Call 204-783-2112 to reserve your tickets for this event.

3. Christmas Lights at Assiniboine Park Zoo, CanadInns Winter Wonderland at Assiniboia Downs, Lights of the North at the Bay Downtown. The lights at Assiniboine Park Zoo Tickets are $12 if you buy at Co-op Grocery stores, $15 at the park per person and kids 2 and under are free. It started the 26th of November and goes all the way to January so you have plenty of time to check it out. CanadInns Winter Wonderland is $20 and starts November 29th until January as well. Lights of the North is the priciest for sure at a whopping $19.99 per person on weekdays and $22.99 on weekends. Kids 3 and under are free and they have family passes as well starting at $73.99. This one is also nice because it is indoors so depending on how our December is going, which so far has been pretty mild, it may be nice to check out indoors.

4. Eaton’s Fairytale Vignettes at the Children’s Museum. These are on display from November 19th - January 5th, 2020 and this free with general admission to the Children’s Museum. I have fond memories of seeing the Fairytale Vignettes at the actual Eaton Center when I was a child. And the Children’s Museum is always fun.

5. Visit a local craft market, there are dozens to choose from. Shop local, support small businesses and put your money back into our Winnipeg economy. I will be at the Cat and Craft Show this Sunday December 1st at the West End Cultural Center from 11am-4pm. Check your Facebook or Google events near me for more craft shows. South Osborne Holiday Market and Pop Up Brunch is on December 15th and if you are in the area you will definitely want to check out this one because Farm Fresh Food Hub always puts on great events.

6. See The Nutcracker put on by Royal Winnipeg Ballet at the Centennial Concert Hall. I have a very special place in my heart for The Nutcracker as that is where Jesse proposed to me in 2013. The event is on from December 19th to December 28th. Tickets start at $46 each but can be one of those great family traditions you start with. I would make sure to get tickets quick though because they are selling out fast!

7. Story time with Mrs. Clause at Scout Coffee Shop December 19th. This is a free event from 10am to 10:30am. No reservations needed and enjoy coffee, story time and a chance for photos with Mrs. Clause.

8. The CP Holiday Train with Scott Helman and Madeline Merlo. This is a free event and is from 9pm-9:45pm on December 2nd. It is located at grade railway crossing on Panet Road & Molson Street. Bring a donation of money or food with you when you go.

And those are my favourites! There are several more fun events around Winnipeg you can participate in just keep your eyes and ears peeled for ones that suit you. We will definitely be going to St.Mary’s Nursery for the free sleigh rides and Santa photos. We will also be going to the lights at Assiniboine Park Zoo, CanadInns Winter Wonderland and if we can make it we will also check out the Lights of the North. We may also check out the Eaton’s Fairytale Vignettes and Story Time with Mrs.Clause at Scout. I would love to participate in all the holiday events but it is just not realistic. December is a very busy month for us. Jesse is opening up 3 restaurants and a bar at Hargrave Street Market. We will likely be packing up most of our house and getting it ready to put on the market for January and then of course Christmas and everyday life. It’s going to be a busy month but even more important to get out there and spend some quality family time together and make some amazing memories. Get out there and enjoy the time with your families too! Happy Holidays friends :)

New Moon in Sagittarius Ritual

There are some really ancient rituals that have been done for 1000s of years. A lot of different astrologers and healers use these types of things to help people with the difficulties of life. You can do a ritual for all kinds of different things but some popular times to commit to doing a ritual is during new Moons, full Moons and during the equinoxes and solstices. If you really enjoy doing them then you can start to do a ritual for other things you need in life. It can be very therapeutic. The power of manifestation is a crazy thing and that’s why these rituals are important.

The new Moon moves into Sagittarius on November 26th at 2:06am. We set intentions for the month on the new Moon to be clear and concise about what we like to achieve. New Moons are about manifesting our goals and desires whereas full Moons are about cutting ties and letting go. The new Moon in Sagittarius asks us to focus on owning our passions, exploring the unfamiliar and our sense of purpose, philosophizing, speaking our truth, and wild and free adventure. Sagittarius is a fire sign, a Mutable sign and ruled by the planet Jupiter. Jupiter is the planet of luck and expansion so this is a particularly good time to manifest as anything you wish were will be amplified by the influence of Jupiter. The free spirited hippie of the zodiac, they cannot be tamed. They are adventurous, optimistic, blunt, honest, independent, and philosophical. However they are also bored, reckless, impulsive and flighty in relationships. Mutable in modality meaning they are adaptable, flexible and diplomatic. Sagittarius may just be my favourite fire sign because of their innate optimism. They might not make the best lover but they definitely make the best friend. A Sagittarius new Moon is the perfect new Moon after the intensity of the Scorpio new Moon and Mercury Retrograde in Scorpio. A time to manifest something a little more lighthearted.

You have 3 days before and 3 days after the new Moon to perform this ritual.

1) Gather any and all supplies that you will need for the ritual. You can use sage to smudge beforehand, crystals you will need (labradorite, amethyst, lapis lazuli, snowflake obsidian, black obsidian, goldstone, turquoise and topaz), a journal to write, a bowl to smudge in or burn intentions, and a candle. I will be using sage to smudge and plenty of candles to represent the element fire.

2) Create yourself a special alter space for all the items that you have gathered. It doesn’t matter where your alter space is, it can be any table in the house or on the floor, wherever you feel most comfortable. Decorate with items such as crystals, plants, candles, things you find outside in nature like leaves or feathers, decorative table runners, anything you can really think of that seems appropriate. I will be using labradorite, selenite, clear quartz, black obsidian, snowflake obsidian, amethyst, goldstone, sage, snowflake and winter decor, 4 candles both white and black, an abalone shell to burn intentions, my tarot cards and my Moon journal. My journal you can buy on Amazon. The tarot cards I purchased from a small bookstore in Kelowna but they are called Mystic Mondays and I believe you can also buy them on Amazon. Decorations and crystals have all been purchased over the years from various locations such a Michaels, the Forks, Stonebridge Imports, Dollarama etc.

3) Start by smudging your alter space and say a little prayer. It can be along the lines of “I respect mother Moon and all she does for us. I take this time to set honest intentions. I manifest all that is good and bright and light. I have the power to change my future. I will let go all that no longer serves me. I am totally and completely alined spiritually. I am in tune with my higher powers. “ Write down your intentions or wishes. focus on them, meditate on them. What do you wish for your life? Can you actually picture these things happening to and for you in your life? The manifestation WILL NOT work if you truly don’t believe it. It’s important to be clear on what you want. You can doodle and make your intentions “pretty” or you can just be as simple as writing a list. Some new Moon in Sagittarius intentions would be: I will learn something new that I have been meaning to study or look into. I will read every night and finish certain book I have been putting off finishing. I will plan a trip or go on a spontaneous trip. I will plan an adventure even if it’s within the city limits. I will work on my reckless behaviours. I will work on my bluntness. I will maintain optimism even in the most difficult times. Use the word WILL, over and over, reiterate it. As I said before it won’t work unless you truly believe. There are of course the typical ones for manifestation as well; make lots of money, lose weight, be a better person, better mother/father, better friend, etc. You can manifest whatever your heart desires truly. These are just some examples of Sagittarius themes.

4) Light your candle. You will write your intentions down into your journal. You will start off by writing down the goals and desires you have for this new month ahead of you. You will ask for the guidance in doing this. Don’t let fear or ego hold you back any longer. Next you will write about your wishes for the next month. What do you desire above all else. This is the perfect month to focus on yourself and your true desires. Now is the time to be realistic and focus on the things you truly need to accomplish in order for your dreams to manifest entirely. You will light the paper on fire and watch how the fire burns your intentions. Maybe it burns fast or maybe it fizzles out fast or maybe it burns slow and smouldering. This seals your desires and puts them out into the universe.

5) At this time you can take some time for yourself however you wish, further meditation, possibly a tarot reading if you are into that, you can even enjoy a glass of wine. Tell the Moon you love her, clean up your space and take the crystals to bed with you. You have just completed your new Moon ritual.

I hope you guys enjoy doing this ritual and can find some peace or healing that you may be needing in life. I also hope that you manifest your deepest desires and this Moon month goes exactly how you wish it to. Now is the time for action and to put forth effort into achieving your goals. Use this positive energy towards achieving so much more than you even think is possible. The Winter Solstice is just around the corner as well as Yule. We are also in the shadow period of Mercury going direct. So while Mercury Retrograde is over we must still be wary of its shadow period. And on top of this there will be a partial solar eclipse in Capricorn on Christmas Day! This eclipse will be affecting those with Cardinal signs the most, that is Aries, Cancer, Libra and Capricorn. We are currently in the shadow of the eclipse in Capricorn so if you are feeling off, especially as a Cardinal sign that is why. Stay strong and power through the best you can. Themes from this summers eclipse season will present themselves and either continue to wreak havoc or wrap themselves up. I will be putting out a new post for the solar eclipse closer to the day explaining a bit more so stay tuned. The full Moon will be December 11th in Gemini. Stay tuned for further blog posts coming up, Fun Family Holiday Activities, Full Moon in Gemini Ritual and eventually, An Open Letter to Mother of Boys, The Winter Solstice, The Partial Solar Eclipse in Capricorn, and the Origins and Meaning of Yule. Happy new Moon friends! Get to manifesting.

Pregnancy After Loss

Now that I can finally talk about my pregnancy and everything is all out in the open I thought it would be very important to write a blog post about the emotional roller coaster that has been my second pregnancy within 6 months and forth pregnancy in 4 years. I never thought a miscarriage at 11 weeks would affect me so much but it definitely has changed how I view pregnancy and my own body. I am sure hormones from pregnancy, postpartum, breastfeeding, not breastfeeding, postpartum period, miscarriage and ovulation play a big role in all of this. It is tough to be a woman, everything we go through is absolutely incredible and I would love to see a man go through it. That would be very comical to me.

I found out I was pregnant with baby Salem after we returned from our anniversary trip to Las Vegas. I had a sneaking suspicion I was pregnant because I was feeling so sick, I couldn’t without feeling nauseous or throwing up and I just wasn’t feeling myself at all. I took a test when we got back and sure enough I was 5 weeks pregnant. it was a whirlwind of emotions when I found out. Less anxious in some ways because the timing was way better than the pregnancy I had months prior but more anxious because I was terrified at the thought of losing this baby as well.

The symptoms hit me like a truck shortly after. Nausea, exhaustion, headaches, dizziness. Definitely the hardest pregnancy I have had to date. I could hardly eat, I couldn’t focus on writing or my business, I could hardly bring myself to be any type of mother, we sat on the couch and watched a lot of movies in those first few weeks. I was taking it day by day and basically just trying to survive at that point. My mind was all over the place. I was going through so much physically but also mentally. Taking pregnancy test after test to make sure my line didn’t disappear, it didn’t and got stronger each time. Terrified to use this washroom for fear of seeing blood. Terrified of every twinge, cramp and different feeling I got. Terrified to be intimate with my husband because that was basically how my bleeding started last time. I did take solace in the fact that despite how bad I was feeling my strong symptoms were a sign that I was very much pregnant and continued to be pregnant.

I was lucky enough again to get a midwife for this pregnancy. Again excited to go this route rather than traditional OB care. I made it to my first appointment. Was 11 weeks pregnant and very anxious to hear a tiny heartbeat. I was disappointed to not hear one and felt my anxiety peak. I needed to hear confirmation that my baby was okay. My midwife took pity on me and set me up for an early ultrasound so I could get confirmation all was well. Unfortunately I had to wait another 3 weeks for this appointment. At 14 weeks I was finally able to see our baby. See its heart beat, see it very visibly looking like a baby and see it wiggling around. A sense of relief flooded over me and I felt like I could breathe for the first time in weeks. We got into Babymoon when I was about 16 weeks and low and behold we found out we are having out our third boy! I was shocked because of how different I was feeling I thought I would for sure be having a girl. But also deep down I kinda knew I would have another boy. But either way what a joy to have 3 boys and a healthy baby! 3 brothers and the best of friends to grow up with. I couldn’t be more thrilled to officially be a boy mom for life.

The anxiety hasn’t dissipated. I have my 20 week anatomy scan in a week and a half and I think once I get the results from that I will finally start to feel as though I can maybe relax. The reality is though that there is no safe zone when it comes to pregnancy and even after that baby is born there are still so many risks. However as each week goes by the risks do go down. It doesn’t change my mixed emotions. I still miss and mourn the baby I lost. I won’t lie and say I was hoping for a boy, I have always wanted a daughter. I think about the baby I lost being a girl and I try to steer clear of those thoughts because it takes me to a dark place. And makes me feel immense guilt for a multitude of reasons. Blaming myself for what happened even though that thought is preposterous. There was nothing I could done and nothing to to prevent that type of outcome. My own guilt for my feelings over my loss and hopes for a girl meanwhile being so grateful to experience another healthy pregnancy and being grateful to have a healthy child period. And I am a damn good boy mom, I know what I am doing and I love this baby more than i can put into words. Like I said it’s been a roller coaster. I miss that blissful ignorance I felt towards pregnancy before my miscarriage. That feeling of safety and security. I wonder if the anxiety will ever really go away with this pregnancy. Part of me knows it won’t until I have our boy safe in our arms.

I feel a sense of judgement from the world for having 3 kids and 4 pregnancies within 4 years. It doesn’t really bother me that much because I am so happy with our life and if you knew us you would know that we have always wanted a big family. I feel a sense of purpose being a mother and pouring everything I am into these little boys to become the best versions of themselves they can be. Call me old fashioned for wanting to stay at home and be a mom but you can’t call me that old fashioned considering I practice tarot and witchcraft HAHA! I am the modern day stay at home mom. Very much modern with an open mind to how I want to raise my kids. Don’t tell me “you have your hands full” I am very well aware my hands are full but so is my life and my heart. I realize that judgement is a normal part of life but next time you see a mom walking around with 2 or 3 littles, offer her a smile or words of encouragement rather than “oh you’ve been busy” or “oh your hands are full.”

We are so excited for this little rainbow. After the year we have both had he couldn’t come at a better time. A tiny little blessing to complete our family. The beauty of a rainbow doesn’t nullify the devastation of the storm. When a rainbow appear it doesn’t mean the storm never happened. What it means is that something beautiful and full of love, light and joy has appeared in the midst of the darkness and clouds. Salem is our little rainbow and with him comes a whole slew of other really amazing things to come for our family. We have discussed this being our last child many times. Jesse is perfectly content with 3 and to be honest I am as well. There is that part of me that still yearns to have a daughter. But then I would probably end up with 4 boys HAHA. Which would not be a bad thing at all and actually I was recently told in Chinese culture having 4 boys in a row signifies good luck. The good thing is I am still young and have time to decide if I am truly done. We will see in thee future. But in the mean time we definitely plan to take a break on having kids and just enjoy the time with our three boys and all the good things to follow. I just want to say that if you are struggling with feelings of anxiety of pregnancy after loss you are not alone and the feelings you feel are very normal. I am almost halfway through this pregnancy so I can only speak on my experiences thus far. Just take it day by day and get through it the best you can. Do whatever you can to survive and above all take all the self care you need to get through it.

Full "Frosty" Moon in Taurus

Tonight and leading into tomorrow morning early there will be a full Moon. You can see her in all her glory tonight and I am sure most of you have seen her the past few days. She is stunning and takes my breath away each time. Tomorrow morning at 7:34am she will be at her peak fullness. Get out there and soak in some of those gorgeous moon rays tonight. Known as a “Frosty” moon because for obvious reasons this is typically the time of year when the first frost and snow would occur. As Winnipeggers we are all too familiar with this. In the sign of Taurus, ruled by Venus the planet of love and beauty, there is going to be an emphasis on relationships, beauty, money. For taking the time to slow down and fully enjoy the present moment. There will be an illumination involving security and self worth. And a light shone on your own sensuality and sexuality. Don’t be surprised if you have to deal with finally facing toxic relationships that you have been stubbornly holding onto. The Moon will also be trine both Saturn and Pluto which allows even more of a sense of security, stability and support. As well as this trine we also need to consider that Mercury will be conjunct the Sun. This marks the halfway point of Mercury Retrograde and oh boy, I know it’s been a doozy for plenty of people. What themes have come up during this retrograde for you? Mercury conjunct Sun is a fairly rare transit and one that has been photographed beautifully by several amazing photographers. If you get the chance I would definitely recommend checking out the photos because they are incredible. This is going to be a really good time to let go of toxic/negative aspects that are affecting your life. The date is 11/11, you still have a few hours for some powerful manifestation. Use this energy to release the things that are no longer serving you and be sure to check out my blog post on how to perform a full Moon in Taurus Ritual and what themes to focus on. Use this to set goals for your own finances, your own wellbeing, take time for self care and do something romantic in your relationship.

As always full Moons signify endings and new beginnings. Light is shed onto things that have been hidden in the shadows and depending on what sign it is in incredible transformation. It is also a time of heightened emotions. Be cautious of your reactions because you may act or think irrationally. This is a good time to use crystals to keep you grounded, balanced and steady. Some crystals you can use are Labradorite, Rose Quartz, Jade, Moss Agate, . This is also an amazing time to do a full Moon ritual which month by month I will be posting on how to perform one. We perform full Moon rituals to release and let go of toxic and negative energies and feelings. It is very therapeutic and if you can get 4 in your group, Earth, Air, Fire and Water you are a force to be reckoned with. Full Moons are also a time of deep healing and can be overwhelming. Take the time to rest if you need. People often find they are either insomniac or extra sleepy during full Moons. If you are feeling tired or not well definitely take the time to rest and recuperate. Happy full Moon friends and remember to take this time for yourself whichever way you plan to.

Lastly I just wanted to also include a little tidbit on eclipse season. There is an eclipse that is coming up in about a month and a couple weeks. We are almost in it’s shadow and are going to be feeling it’s affects coming up very soon. A solar eclipse in Capricorn on Christmas Day. This will not be visible in North American I believe you can see it in places like India and certain Asian countries. However despite not being able to see it we will be feeling its powerful affects. This eclipse will be affecting those with Cardinal sign placements. That is Aries, Cancer, Libra and Capricorn. Think back to July when the summer brings the typical eclipse season of 2 solar eclipses and 1 lunar eclipse. This was a very powerful and potent time astrologically/energetically. It really shook some people’s lives and changed things dramatically. It likely caused certain stresses, anxieties and dramatic events to arise, especially for those with Cardinal signs. Think back to July and the events that transpired back then. Have things been felt in limbo for you? Themes from July are going to present themselves back again and things are going to start moving forward from this limbo state. There might be devastating, catastrophic and illuminating events that will transpire. It is a warning however there is nothing to do but prepare and protect yourself for some potentially harder times that will come your way. It doesn’t necessarily need to be a bad thing, and despite change being scary and sometimes difficult it can ultimately be the best thing that is for you. So do not fear change rather embrace it. I will be writing more about the eclipse in the next few weeks so stay tuned for more information.

Full "Frosty" Moon in Taurus Ritual

There is a full Moon in Taurus coming up this Monday night leading into Tuesday morning the 12th at 2:56am CST. This is an amazing time to do a full Moon ritual. Full Moons are a time where emotions and sensitivities are already heightened, it is a good time to ground yourself and release some of the negative emotions you may be feeling and toxic ties you may be attached to. There are some really ancient rituals that have been done for 1000s of years. A lot of different astrologers and healers use these types of things to help people with the difficulties of life. You can do a ritual for all kinds of different things but some popular times to commit to doing a ritual is during new Moons, full Moons and during the equinoxes and solstices. If you really enjoy doing them then you can start to do a ritual for other things you need in life. It can be very therapeutic. The power of manifestation is a crazy thing and that’s why these rituals are important.

The full Moon will be in the earth element of Taurus. Full “Frosty” Moon, known as Frosty Moon because November is typically the time of year when the first frost or snowfall would occur. Taurus is ruled by Venus the planet of love, beauty and money. They are stable, grounded, loyal, strong, sensual, with a creative mind, a love for creature comforts, a love for anything luxurious and an eye for all things beautiful. They also can be very stubborn, fixed in their ways, at times lazy and overindulgent. They are a Fixed sign however and because of this are associated with stabilization, determination, persistence and dept. Taurus is as strong and steady as the bull. Use this full Moon to focus on your relationships, your own stubborn tendencies, how you view money and objects and any overindulgent behaviours. Letting go and cutting toxic ties are always the number one theme on full Moons. Truths and lights will be illuminated as well.

Whereas we perform new Moon rituals to set wishes and intentions for the month ahead of you, the reason we do a full Moon ritual is to let go of things that no longer serve you. This could be attitudes, emotions, personal relationships, bad habits, illnesses. Anything you can think of that is negatively impacting your life. Things that have been hidden can also be revealed. Revelations and people being exposed. You can count on it for a full Moon. I like to burn my full Moon ritual intentions. It can be very symbolic and healing. You can also interpret the way your paper burns, so if your intentions light up instantly and burn the paper completely you have truly let go or maybe the fire fades quickly and only burns off a corner, what do you think that is telling you? Focus on the flames and how the paper looks at the end of it burning.

You have 3 days before the new moon to perform this ritual or 3 days after.

1) Gather any and all supplies that you will need for the ritual. Incense such as You can use sage to smudge beforehand, I will be using White Sage from my own personal sage bundles that I have been making, for this full Moon. You will need some crystals ( Emerald, Jade, Moss Agate, Rose Quartz, Labradorite, Kyanite, Lapis Lazuli are all Taurus crystals), a pen, a journal to write, a bowl to smudge in or burn intentions, a bowl of water and a white or green candle.

2) Create yourself a special alter space for all the items that you have gathered. It doesn’t matter where your alter space is, it can be any table in the house or on the floor, wherever you feel most comfortable. Decorate with items such as crystals, plants, candles, things you find outside in nature like leaves or feathers, decorative table runners, anything you can really think of that seems appropriate. For the Aries full Moon I will be using lots of Labradorite, green crystals such as Jade and Moss Agate, I will be using one of my succulents and cacti to represent the element earth and some dead roses.

3) Start by smudging your alter space and say a little prayer. It can be along the lines of “I respect mother Moon and all she does for us. I plan to release that which no longer serves me. I do this to heal myself from past traumas and to fully let go and move forward.“ Write down your traumas and the things that we wish to let go of focus on them, meditate on them. What do you wish for your life? Can you actually picture these things happening to and for you in your life? Letting go WILL NOT work if you truly don’t believe it. It’s important to be clear on what you want. You can doodle and make your intentions “pretty” or it can be as simple as writing a list. This is a good time to set intentions to do with letting go of toxic relationships that you have held onto for far too long, overindulging in food, shopping and drugs or alcohol. Not putting your full effort into the things that are meaningful to you and being lazy in your goals and lifestyle. Letting go of your own stubborn side and streak. Some of these intentions could be: I will finally end my toxic, abusive relationship despite being together for years and feeling like I need them. I will work on portioning my meals and eating healthier rather than feeding my body junk because it is what I am craving in the moment. I will finally clean out the basement (or whatever action you have been putting off doing out of laziness) and organize my closet. I will work on admitting when I am wrong and letting go of my pride and ego especially in situations that may be harmful or hurtful to others.

4) Light your candle and put your crystals in the bowl of water. You want to charge the water and cleanse yourself after burning your intentions. Hold your intentions over the other bowl and using the candle light them on fire. Like I have already said you will want to analyze how they burn, even take a picture or video to look back on later. Use the water to charge your crystals. Write about it in your Moon journal. Something to look back on over the next few weeks and to remind yourself of your intentions.

5) At this time you can take some time for yourself however you wish, write down your interpretations of the flame burning, further meditation, possibly a tarot reading if you do that, you can even enjoy a glass of wine. Tell the Moon you love her, clean up your space and now is a good time to put your crystals in a window sill to charge under the light of the full moon. You have just completed your full Moon ritual. Now can be a good time to take a detox bath. Use bath salts, flowers, crystals and maybe even a charcoal mud mask to help detoxify and destress.

I hope you guys enjoy doing this ritual and can find some peace or healing that you may be needing in life. I also hope you can take some time to appreciate all that is good in your life. Just like the oceans’ tides that ebb and flow as does the Moon wax and wane and although emotions can be heightened during the full Moon you will soon feel back to your normal self and ready to tackle a whole new month/Moon cycle. On the 13th I will put out my Full Frosty Moon in Taurus blog post. There is also a new Moon in Sagittarius on the 26th of November. Also I will be talking about the upcoming Solar Eclipse in Capricorn on Christmas and what that means for us and especially for those with Cardinal sign placements. Happy full Moon friends!

Samhain - Origins, Celebration and Rituals

It is finally here! My favourite day of the year. Halloween is great and all but it has much deeper and Pagan roots. Samhain which is pronounced Sowin is the Celtic Gaelic festival that marks the end of the harvest season and the beginning of winter or the “darker half” of the year. It was known as the end of the Celtic year and the beginning of a new one, thus being the equivalent of New Year’s Eve and Day. The Christian religion adopted the celebrations and renamed it All Hallows Eve, similar traditions and where Halloween was eventually born. It is halfway between the autumn equinox and the winter solstice and is a very energetically potent day. The celebrations lasted from October 31st generally past November 1st into the 2nd. It is without a doubt the most important of all the harvest festivals during the Celtic Calendar. We talk about the “veil getting thinner and thinner”. This refers to the division between the real world and the spirit world, when it is at it’s thinnest this allows spirits to pass through. This was a day to honour, celebrate and communicate with the dead. Families would invite familiar spirits to visit at home while simultaneously warding off dark or evil spirits. People would dress up in masks and costumes in order to disguise themselves against harmful spirits. Like the rest of these pagan holidays bonfires and food were a big part of the celebration. The bonfires would symbolize mans attempt to assist the sun as it slowly descended further and further into the “underworld” and the days got shorter and shorter. This day has much symbolism but really when it all comes down to it we think about themes such as death, rebirth, cycles, transformations and celebrating the dead of loved ones passed. It is very Plutonion and very Scorpio. Many astrologers, tarot readers, psychics and other witchy people use this day and energy in order to access higher realms, honour that which we have let go of and focus on our own rebirth. Just like the sun that sets and rises each day, just like the leaves that fall and die and then rebud in the spring, life is a continuous cycle and death is never the end. With Mercury Retrograde and us being in the midst of Scorpio season this time is going to be extra illuminating.

Here are some ways you can celebrate Samhain, and a lot of them are already things you have likely done for Halloween:

1) Carving Jack-O-Lanterns out of Pumpkins, roasting pumpkin seeds

2) Dressing up in a costume and wearing masks

3) Working with your divination tools, such as runes, scrying, tarot reading, akashic records, whatever else you can think of

4) Having a bonfire and telling spooky stories around the bonfire

5) Connecting with your ancestors and familial spirits by setting up an Ancestor Altar, visit a family members tombstone, meditating and connecting with your familial spirits

6) Hosting a “Dead Dinner” which basically just consists of having a nice dinner but eating in silence. You invite your loved ones who have passed and enjoy a dinner together. Cook a family recipe that has been passed down to you, add family photographs, heirlooms and trinkets to make them feel welcomed. Feel free to write a letter to your loved one. I do recommend grounding yourself after doing something like this with meditation, or a bath, smudging yourself, connecting with the earth.

7) Visiting a pumpkin patch, corn maze or taking a hay ride

8) Baking an apple or pumpkin pie

There are actually many ways that you can celebrate Samhain on top of this. The most popular one would be going out trick or treating with your littles, or even yourself. While this has been completely commercialized but if you do it with the right intent it can be meaningful. Playing in the leaves, lighting autumn scented candles, and watching a spooky movie or reading a scary story are all other examples. Something that I will be doing on this special and sacred day is attending my very first tarot reading party as THE tarot reader. I am so excited as I really hope to connect with some people who likely will really be in need of my guidance and expertise. And I am sure I will be picking up on some very interesting messages with the electric energy in the air. I also of course plan to carve pumpkins and go trick or treating with my family and then hand out candy after my kids have done their neighbourhood rounds. I also will be dressing up in at the very least 1 if not 2 different costumes. It is going to be an amazing day and I really hope to connect with my very own spirit guides. I am ready for some guidance and clarity and ready to enjoy the second half of this year. Happy Samhain friends and I hope you find ways to incorporate this holiday into your life and find ways to honour and celebrate dead loved ones, even if you don’t believe. It is never a bad thing to celebrate someone you love who has passed on. Use this time to focus on the things you need to let go of and grow from as well. Blessed be.

Mercury Retrograde in Scorpio

It’s that time again. Another Mercury Retrograde is upon us. We have been in it’s shadow period for a couple weeks now since October 13th so you may have started to feel some of the affects already and tomorrow it will go full retrograde along with the celebration of Halloween and Samhain. It is going to be a very powerful and potent day energetically. Mercury the planet of communication, technology and travel. Mercury goes retrograde on October 31st until November 20th. What is a retrograde? When a planet is retrograde it means it’s orbit is spinning backwards and spinning slower than usual. Mercury is fast paced and not used to this energy at all and prone to going haywire. This is going to bring us drama, emotions and more drama. Expect some sort of spectacle in your life. Also expect confusions, miscommunications, travel delays, technological breakdowns, and hold off on major purchases, decisions and contracts. People from your past may pop up and it’s a known thing to expect a text from your ex during Mercury Retrograde. This is a good time to focus on your intuitive nature and dreams. This is a time to get in touch with your third eye and psychic abilities. Open up to the unknown. Always follow your gut and intuition it’s crazy the things it can lead you to. Expand your mind! Mercury Retrograde in Scorpio can be the most intense of all, this goes way beyond shitty texts from your ex or computers malfunctioning. Truths will be illuminated and relationships will be put to the ultimate test and some will likely not make it. Be weary of of your own negative thoughts and obsessing over your thoughts. Another thing to focus on this Mercury Retrograde in Scorpio is focusing on your intimate connections and own needs, your hidden desires and any impulse decisions. As always we must slow down and not make any rash decisions, in communication and personal matters. Please back up your computer and all of your work!!! Expect there to be confusion and make sure to triple check all forms of emails, social media and texts, even when you are speaking and listening in person. Do not speak irrationally and do not speak with anger or aggression. Deception and gaslighting may be a thing that happens as well as unnecessary fights over nothing. Mercury will go direct on November 20th so we have a few weeks of this retrograde energy. Get ready friends! Let’s get in touch with ourselves and our emotions and flourish but also remember to be mindful of how we communicate and receive.

New Moon in Scorpio Ritual

There are some really ancient rituals that have been done for 1000s of years. A lot of different astrologers and healers use these types of things to help people with the difficulties of life. You can do a ritual for all kinds of different things but some popular times to commit to doing a ritual is during new Moons, full Moons and during the equinoxes and solstices. If you really enjoy doing them then you can start to do a ritual for other things you need in life. It can be very therapeutic. The power of manifestation is a crazy thing and that’s why these rituals are important.

The new Moon moves into Scorpio on October 27th at 3:27pm. We set intentions for the month on the new Moon to be clear and concise about what we like to achieve. New Moons are about manifesting our goals and desires whereas full Moons are about cutting ties and letting go. The new Moon in Scorpio asks us to focus on transformation, forgiveness, letting go, disengaging from power struggles, working on compulsive and toxic patterns/cycles. Despite this all sounding like they should be Full Moon intentions for letting go but we need to understand the dark/shadow side of Scoprio. Scorpio is a water sign, a fixed sign and ruled by the planet Pluto. Deeply sensitive, but very good at not showing it and putting up a tough front. Calculated, passionate, manipulative, sensitive, stubborn, loyal, curious with an attraction to all things taboo. Sex, life, birth, death, rebirth and transformation. They are associated with the Phoenix, rising from the ashes to transform themselves, time and time again. This I find to be somewhat of a paradox, there is an incredibly stubborn and fixed part about them that makes it very difficult to get through to them and very difficult for them to want to make a change, yet they are constantly compare to the Phoenix. If you know or are an evolved Scorpio you may be one of my favourite kind of people. Unevolved Scorpios? Oooof, they can sting you in ways that you didn’t even know were possible. Be careful with this unevolved Scorpio and how close you allow them to get to you. This is not a Scorpio drag, I have a deep love for Scorpios, all the signs have a shadow side, but I will say that Scorpios shadow side is darker than most signs. This all comes into play when making new Moon intentions. We must focus on working on that shadow side of ourselves. Our toxic patterns, our problems letting go. Working towards forgiveness. Working towards transforming ourselves into the person we want to be. It all sounds like something that should be used for a Full Moon Ritual but despite wanting to release toxic pattern you can also set intentions to make sure you are continuously working on transforming your shadow side.

You have 3 days before and 3 days after the new Moon to perform this ritual.

1) Gather any and all supplies that you will need for the ritual. You can use sage to smudge beforehand, crystals you will need (labradorite, amethyst, citrine, black tourmaline, black obsidian, red jasper, Smokey quartz), a journal to write, a bowl to smudge in or burn intentions, and a candle. I will be using herbs from my garden to smudge this time because I have some leftover from my market.

2) Create yourself a special alter space for all the items that you have gathered. It doesn’t matter where your alter space is, it can be any table in the house or on the floor, wherever you feel most comfortable. Decorate with items such as crystals, plants, candles, things you find outside in nature like leaves or feathers, decorative table runners, anything you can really think of that seems appropriate. I will be using labradorite, selenite, aura quartz, clear quartz, obsidian, white pumpkin, some halloween decorations, black candles, Myrrh incense, an epoxy knife, dead roses, mugworts for smudging and my tarot cards. My journal you can buy on Amazon. The tarot cards I purchased from a small bookstore in Kelowna but they are called Mystic Mondays. Decorations and crystals have all been purchased over the years from various locations such a Michaels, the Forks, Stonebridge, Michael’s, Dollarama etc. The ceramic smudging bowl was made by my lovely mother.

3) Start by smudging your alter space and say a little prayer. It can be along the lines of “I respect mother moon and all she does for us. I take this time to set honest intentions. I manifest all that is good and bright and light. I have the power to change my future. I will let go all that no longer serves me. I am totally and completely alined spiritually. I am in tune with my higher powers. “ Write down your intentions or wishes. focus on them, meditate on them. What do you wish for your life? Can you actually picture these things happening to and for you in your life? The manifestation WILL NOT work if you truly don’t believe it. It’s important to be clear on what you want. You can doodle and make your intentions “pretty” or you can just be as simple as writing a list. Some new Moon in Scorpio intensions would be: I will focus on forgiving those who have wronged me. I will actively forgive those who have never apologized to me in the way that I deem acceptable. I will focus on my shadow side and work towards evolving myself past my shadow self. I will not be held back by my flaws. I will transform myself to be the best version of myself I can be. I will focus on my sex life, and areas that could be improved intimately. I will embrace my shadow side and accept my flaws to be part of me but at the same time am not limited to it and will continuously work on myself. I will release any toxic patterns I have developed over the years. I will heal from past traumas that enable my toxic patterns. Use the word WILL, over and over, reiterate it. As I said before it won’t work unless you truly believe. There are of course the typical ones for manifestation as well; make lots of money, lose weight, be a better person, better mother, better friend, etc. You can manifest whatever your heart desires truly. These are just some examples of Scorpio themes.

4) Light your candle. You will write your intentions down into your journal. You will start off by writing down the goals and desires you have for this new month ahead of you. You will ask for the guidance in doing this. Don’t let fear or ego hold you back any longer. Next you will write about your wishes for the next month. What do you desire above all else. This is the perfect month to focus on yourself and your true desires. Now is the time to be realistic and focus on the things you truly need to accomplish in order for your dreams to manifest entirely. You will light the paper on fire and watch how the fire burns your intentions. Maybe it burns fast or maybe it fizzles out fast or maybe it burns slow and smouldering. This seals your desires and puts them out into the universe.

5) At this time you can take some time for yourself however you wish, further meditation, possibly a tarot reading if you are into that, you can even enjoy a glass of wine. Tell the Moon you love her, clean up your space and take the crystals to bed with you. You have just completed your new Moon ritual.

I hope you guys enjoy doing this ritual and can find some peace or healing that you may be needing in life. I also hope that you manifest your deepest desires and this Moon month goes exactly how you wish it to. Now is the time for action and to put forth effort into achieving your goals. Use this positive energy towards achieving so much more than you even think is possible. Autumn is almost coming to an end now and planets that have been retrograde for months are no longer so. We have been in the shadow phase of Mercury Retrograde in Scorpio. There have been many lessons over the last several months and it is a good time to reflect on what we have learned. Samhain is in a few days on the 31st as well as the beginning of Mercury Retrograde. I will be putting out new posts for both of these events so stay tuned. The veil is thin and is only getting thinner for the nest few days so take care of yourself and be weary of the way your body feels and your reactions. Happy new Moon! The full Moon will be November 12th in Taurus. Stay tuned for further blog posts, Origins and Meaning of Samhain, Mercury Retrograde in Scorpio and a Full Moon Ritual in Taurus.

Full "Hunter" Moon in Aries Ritual

There is a full Moon in Aries coming up this Sunday the 13th at 4:10pm CST. This is an amazing time to do a full Moon ritual. Full Moons are a time where emotions and sensitivities are already heightened, it is a good time to ground yourself and release some of the negative emotions you may be feeling and toxic ties you may be attached to. There are some really ancient rituals that have been done for 1000s of years. A lot of different astrologers and healers use these types of things to help people with the difficulties of life. You can do a ritual for all kinds of different things but some popular times to commit to doing a ritual is during new Moons, full Moons and during the equinoxes and solstices. If you really enjoy doing them then you can start to do a ritual for other things you need in life. It can be very therapeutic. The power of manifestation is a crazy thing and that’s why these rituals are important.

The full Moon will be in the fire element of Aries. Full “Hunter” Moon, known as hunter Moon because this is the time of year when tribes would gather meat for the long winter months ahead. Aries is ruled by Mars, the planet of action and drive. They are fiery, passionate and action oriented. They are the first sign in the zodiac and because of this able to focus on themselves, not to say they are selfish but they are very good at doing what they need to do to put themselves first. They are courageous, determined, confident, enthusiastic, optimistic and honest. They are also impatient, moody, reckless, impulsive, short tempered and aggressive. They are a Cardinal sign however and because of this are associated with leadership, originality and idea making. Aries is a warrior. Use this full Moon to focus on yourself and your independence. Let go of any and all self doubts. Something I suffer from at times is imposter syndrome, the fear that people either don’t take me seriously or don’t believe me to be who I say I am. I need to let that go because even if there are people who think that who cares? It doesn't change who I am or the things that I know and am passionate about. Letting go and cutting toxic ties are always the number one theme on full Moons. Truths and lights will be illuminated as well. The Moon will square Pluto which is a tougher aspect and will likely bring up some deeper, harder stuff that you have been avoiding. On top of this Pluto Retrograde is no longer, Pluto has gone direct! Think of the lessons and things you learned during Pluto Retrograde, what did you hide and avoid dealing with, because now you are likely going to be facing the things you have been avoiding. The truth will come to light. Not only from this full Moon but also Pluto Retrograde. As well as both Moon square Pluto and Pluto direct we are currently in the shadow phase of Mercury Retrograde in Scorpio. Yes another Mercury Retrograde, I will talk about this more in a blog post coming up in the next couple weeks or so.

Whereas we perform new Moon rituals to set wishes and intentions for the month ahead of you, the reason we do a full Moon ritual is to let go of things that no longer serve you. This could be attitudes, emotions, personal relationships, bad habits, illnesses. Anything you can think of that is negatively impacting your life. Things that have been hidden can also be revealed. Revelations and people being exposed. You can count on it for a full Moon. I like to burn my full Moon ritual intentions. It can be very symbolic and healing. You can also interpret the way your paper burns, so if your intentions light up instantly and burn the paper completely you have truly let go or maybe the fire fades quickly and only burns off a corner, what do you think that is telling you? Focus on the flames and how the paper looks at the end of it burning.

You have 3 days before the new moon to perform this ritual or 3 days after.

1) Gather any and all supplies that you will need for the ritual. Incense such as You can use sage to smudge beforehand, I will be using White Sage from my own personal sage bundles that I have been making, for this full Moon. You will need some crystals ( amethyst, carnelian, jasper, labradorite, aventurine are all Aries crystals), a pen, a journal to write, a bowl to smudge in or burn intentions, a bowl of water and a white or red candle.

2) Create yourself a special alter space for all the items that you have gathered. It doesn’t matter where your alter space is, it can be any table in the house or on the floor, wherever you feel most comfortable. Decorate with items such as crystals, plants, candles, things you find outside in nature like leaves or feathers, decorative table runners, anything you can really think of that seems appropriate. For the Aries full Moon I will be using lots of amethyst, carnelian, red jasper, candles and pumpkins (tis the season).

3) Start by cleansing your alter space and say a little prayer. It can be along the lines of “I respect mother Moon and all she does for us. I plan to release that which no longer serves me. I do this to heal myself from past traumas and to fully let go and move forward.“ Write down your traumas and the things that we wish to let go of focus on them, meditate on them. What do you wish for your life? Can you actually picture these things happening to and for you in your life? Letting go WILL NOT work if you truly don’t believe it. It’s important to be clear on what you want. You can doodle and make your intentions “pretty” or it can be as simple as writing a list. This is a good time to set intentions for letting go of your lack of faith in yourself, imposter syndrome, any people who don’t support you or see you for who you are. Set reminders of who you are and how to put yourself first. Let go of the things that make this impossible. If you are going through a rough time now would be the best time for you to perform a full Moon ritual.

4) Light your candle and put your crystals in the bowl of water. You want to charge the water and cleanse yourself after burning your intentions. Hold your intentions over the other bowl and using the candle light them on fire. Like I have already said you will want to analyze how they burn, even take a picture or video to look back on later. Use the water to charge your crystals. Write about it in your Moon journal. Something to look back on over the next few weeks and to remind yourself of your intentions.

5) At this time you can take some time for yourself however you wish, write down your interpretations of the flame burning, further meditation, possibly a tarot reading if you do that, you can even enjoy a glass of wine. Tell the Moon you love her, clean up your space and now is a good time to put your crystals in a window sill to charge under the light of the full moon. You have just completed your full Moon ritual. Now can be a good time to take a detox bath. Use bath salts, flowers, crystals and maybe even a charcoal mud mask to help detoxify and destress.

I hope you guys enjoy doing this ritual and can find some peace or healing that you may be needing in life. I also hope you can take some time to appreciate all that is good in your life. Just like the oceans’ tides that ebb and flow as does the Moon wax and wane and although emotions can be heightened during the full Moon you will soon feel back to your normal self and ready to tackle a whole new month/Moon cycle. On the 13th I will put out my Full Hunter Moon in Aries blog post. There is also a new Moon in Scorpio on the 27th of October. Also the last harvest Sabbath of the Witch’s year, Samhain, also known as All Hallows Eve or Halloween, on October 31st. Happy full Moon friends!

Why I Quit my Job to be a Stay at Home Mom

The day has finally come. After almost 18 months of maternity leave my time is running out and I had to make a decision. Do I stay or do I go? If you’ve read my blog or are a friend you at some point have probably heard me talk about likely not going back to work after this maternity leave. For those who don’t know, I worked for the company called VIA Rail Canada for 7 years. It truly was an amazing job. Amazing benefits, great pay, opportunities to travel and see Canada in a way most never would, and for free, really good experience, and a unique work setting. I love working with customers, I am definitely a people pleaser and this is my forte. It was the perfect job for me. The hours were all over the place and one thing I can tell you about trains is that they are never on time. Unfortunately VIA Rail runs on CN’s freight line and freight trains get priority over the passenger train causing massive delays, sometimes over 24 hours. It was typical for me to work 16+ hour days from 6:30pm all the way until noon or later the next day on little to no sleep. I did everything from Baggage, Gate Attendant, Ticket Agent, Senior Station Agent, Stockchecker, Linen Stocking to eventually working in the office as the Word Processor Operator (a glorified title for admin assistant).

I became pregnant with Jaxson and fortunately was able to get myself into the office for the end of my pregnancy, being off of my feet and having a regular 9-5 schedule. During my time on mat leave with Jaxson I loved being home with him but by the time his first birthday came around I was sooooo ready to get back to work. Make some good money again, have adult interaction, get out of the house. I was very excited to go back to work which most people we're surprised to find out. After I went back I got an actual cold hard reality check. Life was chaotic, constantly go go go. Hardly any time to cook, clean, even run errands. Especially with how busy Jesse works. I am the primary caregiver. Jesse is the best hands on dad but let’s face it, he works A LOT. if Jaxson was sick and had to leave daycare, I had to leave work to pick him up. Our days off were spent running all the errands we were not able to get done during the week. I felt like I had no time to socialize or for family. Another horrible realization was how much I was missing of Jaxson’s first precious few years. Teaching him simple things like his ABCs or colours. Watching him walk, run and grow. It became really hard for me to drop him off at daycare knowing that she was the one teaching him all the things that I wanted to be teaching him. I am sure this is very common for working moms, and I am also sure there are moms who are incredibly grateful not to have to do this. But for me it really got to me.

I was working full time in the office at VIA at this point. There was not much room for growth for me. I was making a very good salary for an admin assistant but was maxed out at the top of my salary. I decided to ask for more responsibilities and take training in other positions. I thought this was what I wanted. Unfortunately again another hard reality check. The trains are never on time, they are never consistent, and not being in the office I didn’t have the luxury of leaving at the end of my shift. When you work in the station you work until the train leaves and your job is done, hence 16 hour days. It didn’t work with Jaxson being my priority. Luckily again I was able to stay in the office after taking training and not have to work those jobs very often. After learning this lesson I stayed away from the station jobs as much as I could. I felt frustrated about it though, there was no room for growth for me and that I would be just stuck as a secretary for the rest of my VIA career. I became pregnant with Asher. I was soooo excited but nervous about this because two of my kids in daycare full-time would not leave much of a pay check leftover for me. And I really wouldn't be able to work the hectic train hours with Jesse’s busy schedule. I was nervous about what the future held.

I was lucky enough to get 18 months of maternity leave, which I highly recommend to anyone considering. It was manageable financially and so worth it to get to spend that extra time with my baby. This time I didn’t get that same feeling of wanting to go back to work, I was nervous about it and somewhat dreading it. Luck was on my side because Jesse started a huge new work endeavour. True North Square which is a new high-rise building opening up downtown across from the MTS Center is opening up Hargrave Street Market which is a beautiful new food hall, think The Common but a little more high end and refined. It is going to be an amazing thing for downtown and Jesse fortunately was a big part of the project. He will be the executive chef of 6 kitchens, 5 restaurants and the bar as well. This meant a huge raise for him and thus meaning I could stay home with the kids! When he told me I was so excited I could cry. I was also nervous at the idea of leaving ViA though. At 30 years old I have never not worked since I was 15. It would be a big change for me to not have my own income. We decided that I would not go back to work and I would stay home with the kids and eventually have another baby. Then in the future if I wanted to go back to work I would find something that works for me. I did go back and forth on this decision many times after making it. I’ve talked about me being a fixed sign, Taurus. I do not deal well with change. Not having my own income is my biggest worry. After many reassurances from Jesse however, today was the day I officially put in my notice. To be honest I feel a weight lifted off my chest and I am so excited to focus on my dream role which is to be the best mother possible to my boys.

Luckily also while I was off on mat leave I started my own little business with the encouragement of Jesse and a couple beautiful souls seeing something in me that I was unsure of. So a few months ago not only did I start this blog but I also started my little side hustle, MommaBatApothecary. I do tarot readings, natal charts, make jewelry, sell crystals and recently started creating art with epoxy resin. I have so much creativity ready to burst out of me, my ideas feel endless. I have 3 craft markets coming up in the foreseeable future and definitely plan on applying for as many as possible in the future. It’s a nice little way to work on things that I am passionate about and also make a little side income. I am really proud of it and can’t wait to see how it grows over the next year. Also Jesse and I are planning to move ASAP. This is going to be a big project finding a home, decorating and renovating if need be. And then of course, in the future a new baby. I will definitely have my hands full with 3 little ones. Even two has me feeling crazy a lot of the time. Motherhood is one helluva job. Hardest job I have ever had, and I need to be the best I can be for my littles. If that means stepping away from a career for a few years to raise them then I am perfectly content with that. And who knows maybe my side business will take off and become something I can really live off of. The possibilities are endless for me right now though.

I am so grateful for VIA. It was an amazing opportunity and experience. I made a lot of good friends and met some interesting people. Despite my reservations and anxiety I am ready to leave it all behind. It’s a new chapter in my life and while things have felt in limbo for the past few months, things are finally moving in the right direction. I very much look forward to the future. And most of all I cannot wait to be home every day with my babies. I have already volunteered on Jaxson’s preschool’s board of directors and so it truly begins. I am going to be there every step of the way. Every PTA meeting, every swimming lesson, every art class. I cannot wait!

New Moon in Libra Ritual

There are some really ancient rituals that have been done for 1000s of years. A lot of different astrologers and healers use these types of things to help people with the difficulties of life. You can do a ritual for all kinds of different things but some popular times to commit to doing a ritual is during new Moons, full Moons and during the equinoxes and solstices. If you really enjoy doing them then you can start to do a ritual for other things you need in life. It can be very therapeutic. The power of manifestation is a crazy thing and that’s why these rituals are important.

The new Moon moves into Libra on September 28th at 1:27pm. We set intentions for the month on the new Moon to be clear and concise about what we like to achieve. New Moons are about manifesting our goals and desires whereas full Moons are about cutting ties and letting go. The new Moon in Libra asks us to focus on balance, harmony, partnerships, love, beauty and romance. It is no coincidence that the sign for Libra is the scales. Fairness and balance is everything to a Libra. This would be a really good time to set intentions to do with your aesthetic. Work on your look. Libra is ruled by Venus the planet of love and beauty. If there is something you want to work on looks wise this would be the month to do it. Venus also rules money so manifest your money or job desires as well. Set intentions for your love life. Maybe you need a little spark of romance in your life. This could be a really good time on reigniting that flame or doing something special for your lover just because. A perfect occasion for a date night and actually a really amazing night to for and to attend Nuit Blanche. If you are planning to go be mindful while you are there. Manifestation can take place anywhere.

You have 3 days before and 3 days after the new Moon to perform this ritual.

1) Gather any and all supplies that you will need for the ritual. You can use sage to smudge beforehand, crystals you will need (citrine, ametrine, heliotrope, jade and moonstone), a journal to write, a bowl to smudge in or burn intentions, and a candle. I will be using herbs from my garden to smudge this time just because it seems like a good fit for the last of the summer. I will be using rose scented incense which is associated with Libra as well.

2) Create yourself a special alter space for all the items that you have gathered. It doesn’t matter where your alter space is, it can be any table in the house or on the floor, wherever you feel most comfortable. Decorate with items such as crystals, plants, candles, things you find outside in nature like leaves or feathers, decorative table runners, anything you can really think of that seems appropriate. I will be using citrine, selenite, clear quartz and labradorite, some Halloween/autumn decor and tea lights, a white candle, some runes as I have recently started working with some runes that I have had for a while now, some rose incense and my homemade smudging bundles which includes white sage, lavender, basil flowers and more from my own garden.

3) Start by smudging your alter space and say a little prayer. It can be along the lines of “I respect mother moon and all she does for us. I take this time to set honest intentions. I manifest all that is good and bright and light. I have the power to change my future. I will let go all that no longer serves me. I am totally and completely alined spiritually. I am in tune with my higher powers. “ Write down your intentions or wishes. focus on them, meditate on them. What do you wish for your life? Can you actually picture these things happening to and for you in your life? The manifestation WILL NOT work if you truly don’t believe it. It’s important to be clear on what you want. You can doodle and make your intentions “pretty” or you can just be as simple as writing a list. Some new Moon in Libra intensions would be: I will focus on finding harmony and peace in my life. I will balance my life in all aspects and make sure I am pulling my weight in my relationships. I will change my hair colour or book that facial. I will go shopping for some new fall clothes. I will focus on my partner’s needs and do whatever I can to make them happy. I will do something romantic and surprising for the person I love. I will allow those butterflies to re enter my already long term relationship. Etc. Use the word WILL, over and over, reiterate it. As I said before it won’t work unless you truly believe. There are of course the typical ones for manifestation as well; make lots of money, lose weight, be a better person, better mother, better friend, etc. You can manifest whatever your heart desires truly. These are just some examples of Libra themes.

4) Light your candle. You will write your intentions down into your journal. You will start off by writing down the goals and desires you have for this new month ahead of you. You will ask for the guidance in doing this. Don’t let fear or ego hold you back any longer. Next you will write about your wishes for the next month. What do you desire above all else. This is the perfect month to focus on yourself and your true desires. Now is the time to be realistic and focus on the things you truly need to accomplish in order for your dreams to manifest entirely. You will light the paper on fire and watch how the fire burns your intentions. Maybe it burns fast or maybe it fizzles out fast or maybe it burns slow and smouldering. This seals your desires and puts them out into the universe.

5) At this time you can take some time for yourself however you wish, further meditation, possibly a tarot reading if you are into that, you can even enjoy a glass of wine. Tell the Moon you love her, clean up your space and take the crystals to bed with you. You have just completed your new Moon ritual.

I hope you guys enjoy doing this ritual and can find some peace or healing that you may be needing in life. I also hope that you manifest your deepest desires and this Moon month goes exactly how you wish it to. Now is the time for action and to put forth effort into achieving your goals. Use this positive energy towards achieving so much more than you even think is possible. Autumn is in full swing and planets that have been retrograde are no longer so. There have been many lessons over the last several months and it is a good time to reflect on what we have learned, particularly during Saturn Retrograde. Make sure to check out my blog post on Saturn Retrograde as it went direct over a week ago. Happy new Moon! The full Moon will be October 13th in Aries. Stay tuned for further blog posts the full Moon in Aries.

Mabon - Fall Equinox - Celebrations and Rituals

Tomorrow is the autumn equinox, both equal parts day and light for our world and a moment of perfect balance. This also goes hand in hand with the start of Libra season which as we know Libras live for harmony and balance. In the Southern Hemisphere they are celebrating Ostara and the Spring equinox but here in the Northern Hemisphere we are celebrating Mabon and the autumn equinox. Mabon, it’s the time where we take to honour the changing seasons and it is also the second harvest. Winter’s approach is felt as the days become shorter. Food is being gathered, the crops are becoming bare and the food is being stored to survive the winter months. The abundance of this harvest brings us together and encourages us to be grateful. The ever prevalent theme of life, death and rebirth is strong for this sabbath. The leaves are changing and the once lush green trees are starting to die. Soon the foliage will reach its peak vivid colours of red, yellow, orange and brown and then just as quick as the colours change they will fall and be bare. The green of the fields is replaced with gold. Everything is incredibly beautiful and you feel a little more grateful.

As always there are many different ways to celebrate Mabon. Some require more effort than others but you can go all out or as low key as you’d like. I have compiled a list of some ways to celebrate the autumn equinox.

Here are some ways to celebrate Mabon:

1) Go apple picking

2) Decorate your altar to represent Mabon colours and the season, orange, red, yellow and brown. Amber, citrine, peridot

3) Host a potluck with friends and family, bake apple pies for dessert, cook homemade, hearty soups

4) Go on a nature walk and pick up nature items to use for your altar, things like leaves, pinecones and acorns

5) Decorate your home with autumn decor

6) Sit outside, enjoy the breeze and enjoy the colours of autumn

7) Drink apple cider or any type of yummy fall beverage that makes you feel warm and fuzzy

8) Meditate with amber or citrine crystals, do a Mabon tarot reading

9) Get cozy in your favourite blanket and watch a fall (or better yet, HORROR) movie

10) Collect cans or donations for your local food drive. Donate to someone in need.

I am definitely going to be more low key for this sabbath. The big one is around the corner (Samhain) and I have already been doing tons of fall activities. Jaxson has school AND swimming lessons today so it is going to be a busy day. I may go shopping for some more fall decor but I definitely plan on going for a nice nature walk and pick up a lovely fall inspired beverage from my local coffee shop. I also did my part in donating some home items to a local neighbour that had nothing and was basically starting from scratch. I had some stuff lying around that had no use for us and tons of use for her so I was more than happy to give it to her. I also plan on watching a scary movie later this evening but let’s be real that is every day for me. It’s a big week for me and even though I can’t talk about it quite yet I am very excited for all that is to come. I hope you find some beauty and magic in today’s lovely day. Happy official day of fall! This is the best time of year so get out there and enjoy it!

Full "Harvest" Moon in Pisces and Friday the 13th

Hey y’all. I hope you all have been doing well. I know my writing has been slacking lately. A lot of things have been slacking to be honest. I have mentioned multiple times that I have been going through it and this has probably been one of the hardest years of my life. My Saturn return has truly affected both my husband and I in a lot of ways. But never fear because it has brought us so much closer together if that is even possible and I can tell you now that my little family I have built is the very best thing going for me. They make my days so full and happy. So at least I have all of that going for me. One of these days I am going to put a blog post out on what I have been going through and I am sure it will all make sense from that point forward. But until then I am just focusing on myself and my family. It is a good thing to make sure you are always working on yourself and continuously growing. Don’t get stuck in old mindsets and ways. There is always room for improvement whether you are 13, 30, 50 or 75.

Anyway today’s blog post is about the ever spooky and mysterious Friday the 13th. Which also coincides with a full Harvest Moon in Pisces. We are lucky here in Manitoba because our full Moon lands today on Friday the 13th, amplifying the affects of the day. A lot of other places depending on time zone will be experiencing the full Moon tomorrow on the 14th. Basically the full Moon is very close to midnight.

I did a post on facebook a while back explaining there significance of Friday the 13th. It is my most favourite day of the year. 13 is very meaningful for me and I know a lot of people think that Friday the 13th and the number 13 in general are very bad luck. This is a complete superstition and there is no truth to this whatsoever. If anything the day is quite lucky and something to be celebrated. It originated from Pagan times, because everything originated from Pagan times. Basically it was a day to celebrate the divine feminine spirit and considered the “Day of the Goddess”. Friday is ruled by the planet Venus. Venus the planet of love and beauty but also represented by the beautiful goddess Aphrodite. It was never meant to be something scary or horribly unlucky. 13 is also a feminine number. It represents the number of menstrual cycles in a year a woman has and again was twisted into something evil and bad. It also represents change and beginnings and endings of cycles. When the Christian religion took over they did everything in their power to twist the story into thinking it was something like that. But really it is an honour of our own fertility and the beauty that is life, birth, creation, death and rebirth. So basically if you have any bad feelings about Friday the 13th, especially if you are a woman this is coming from Patriarchal religions and society trying to tear you down and make you believe you do not need to be celebrated. Use this day to celebrate your own feminine energy. I wrote recently about a full Moon ritual and this is the perfect day to do one. Also go out with your girl friends and do something fun. Make sure to celebrate your own womanhood.

Now onto the Pisces full Harvest Moon. This is somewhat of a rare occurrence and will be the last Friday the 13th Harvest Moon until 2049. Definitely a special day. Known as a “Harvest” moon because now is the time when harvesting crops begins. With the full Moon in the mutable, water sign of Pisces you may find yourself feeling extra emotional, dreamy and spacey. This full Moon will be affecting those with Mutable signs the most, that is Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius and Pisces It is a really good time to tap into your intuitive side, your creative side, and any psychic powers you feel you may have. You may feel the need to escape and during this time cope with substances. This is very Neptunian energy which rules addiction. A Pisces moon is always a time when people hit the bottle. This is okay, everything in moderation, and as long as you are having fun. If you are using it as a way to deal with your pain and escape I would definitely recommend holding off on the drinking or drug use. Pisces are known for their sensitivity and compassion. You will be feeling likely extra sensitive and likely more emotional during this full Moon. They are also known to be somewhat of a martyr to any cause they deem worthy. The victim mentality can be present if they are not evolved. But these could be things to work on during this full Moon. Releasing bad habits that include dealing with pain and escapism with substances, releasing this victim mentality if you have one, working on being present and not allowing your mind to drift into a daydream. Some things to embrace for this full Moon are your creative side, your intuitive side. Tap into that intuition. You may think you have no psychic powers but you are dead wrong. Your intuition is telling you things constantly, that is your psychic power. Don’t tune it out, tune in and listen. Try to embrace balance. Pisces are givers. They give and give because they love so much and are extremely sensitive to the feelings of others. But in doing this they may not look after themselves. Life is a balance. You can give to others but make sure your needs are being met as well. Pay attention to any dreams you may be having. Neptune also rules dreams and imagination and you likely are having vivid dreams as well. There are some harsh aspects with both Neptune and Jupiter so escapist tendencies will be major for this full Moon. Mars the planet of action and drive is squaring both Neptune, the planet of dreams and illusion and Jupiter the planet of luck and expansion. Things may be confusing to say the least. Over consumption, over estimation and a desire to transcend this life will be at the forefront. Be careful not to be tricked by any illusions.

As always full Moons signify endings and new beginnings. Light is shed onto things that have been hidden in the shadows and depending on what sign it is in incredible transformation. It is also a time of heightened emotions. Be cautious of your reactions because you may act or think irrationally. This is a good time to use crystals to keep you grounded, balanced and steady. Some crystals you can use are Lapis Lazuli, Topaz, Peridot, Smoky Quartz, Sodalite and Turquoise. This is also an amazing time to do a full Moon ritual which month by month I will do postings on how to perform one. We perform full Moon rituals to release and let go of toxic and negative energies and feelings. It is very therapeutic and if you can get 4 in your group, Earth, Air, Fire and Water you are a force to be reckoned with. Full Moons are also a time of deep healing and can be overwhelming. Take the time to rest if you need. People often find they are either insomniac or extra sleepy during full Moons. If you are feeling tired or not well definitely take the time to rest and recuperate. Happy full Moon friends and remember to take this time for yourself whichever way you plan to and as always let it go. Let go of everything no longer serving you and no longer aligning with your life. Let the Universe know and grant it permission to leave.

Full “Harvest” Moon in Pisces Ritual

There is a full moon in Pisces coming up this Friday the 13th at 11:35pm CST. The energy is heavy and electric with 4 planets also currently retrograde including the most recent, Uranus which rules Aquarius. Luckily for us Saturn will be going direct very soon. This is an amazing time to do a full Moon ritual. Full Moons are a time where emotions and sensitivities are already heightened, it is a good time to ground yourself and release some of the negative emotions you may be feeling and toxic ties you may be attached to. There are some really ancient rituals that have been done for 1000s of years. A lot of different astrologers and healers use these types of things to help people with the difficulties of life. You can do a ritual for all kinds of different things but some popular times to commit to doing a ritual is during new Moons, full Moons and during the equinoxes and solstices. If you really enjoy doing them then you can start to do a ritual for other things you need in life. It can be very therapeutic. The power of manifestation is a crazy thing and that’s why these rituals are important.

The full Moon will be in the water element of Pisces. Full “Harvest” Moon, known as harvest Moon because this is the time of year when harvesting of crops begins. Pisces is ruled by Neptune, the planet of dreams, inspiration, imaginations and all things spiritual. They are very sensitive souls. Known as the psychics of the zodiac, they are the las sign in the zodiac and because of this all knowing. Sensitive, compassionate, intuitive with tendencies to play and feel the victim and also be susceptible to daydreaming/escapism. I hate to put the typical stereotype shadow stereotypes but yes they are also prone to addiction, they use drugs and alcohol as a form of escape. They are a mutable sign however and because of this are associated with adaptability, flexibility and sympathy. They are often described as diplomatic and helpful to others through difficult transitions. Use this full Moon to focus on your spiritual side. If you haven’t been in touch with yourself or your intuition now is the time to get back in touch with yourself. Focus on your dreams and psychic powers. Letting go of any bad habits especially any that include substances and substance abuse. Letting go and cutting toxic ties are always the number one theme on full Moons. Truths and lights will be illuminated as well.

Whereas we perform new Moon rituals to set wishes and intentions for the month ahead of you, the reason we do a full Moon ritual is to let go of things that no longer serve you. This could be attitudes, emotions, personal relationships, bad habits, illnesses. Anything you can think of that is negatively impacting your life. Things that have been hidden can also be revealed. Revelations and people being exposed. You can count on it for a full Moon. I like to burn my full Moon ritual intentions. It can be very symbolic and healing. You can also interpret the way your paper burns, so if your intentions light up instantly and burn the paper completely you have truly let go or maybe the fire fades quickly and only burns off a corner, what do you think that is telling you? Focus on the flames and how the paper looks at the end of it burning.

You have 3 days before the new moon to perform this ritual or 3 days after.

1) Gather any and all supplies that you will need for the ritual. Incense such as You can use sage to smudge beforehand, I will be using White Sage from my own personal sage bundles that I have been making, for this full Moon. You will need some crystals ( amethyst, jade, fluorite, labradorite, blue lace agate and lapis lazuli), a pen, a journal to write, a bowl to smudge in or burn intentions, a bowl of water and a white or black candle.

2) Create yourself a special alter space for all the items that you have gathered. It doesn’t matter where your alter space is, it can be any table in the house or on the floor, wherever you feel most comfortable. Decorate with items such as crystals, plants, candles, things you find outside in nature like leaves or feathers, decorative table runners, anything you can really think of that seems appropriate. For the Pisces full Moon I will be using lots of amethyst, leaves, acorns, and mushrooms that I picked up from my walk outside earlier today. This all seems appropriate because of the changing seasons and how quickly Mabon its approaching. Stay tuned for my post on Mabon coming up next week I did not include my tarot deck because unfortunately I do not feel comfortable doing readings at the moment for personal reasons. Once I am fully back to myself 100% I will get back to my readings, but for now I aim just taking a little break. I also used my personal smudge bundle made from white sage from my mom’s house in the country, basil flowers, lavender and creeping bellflowers from my own personal garden.

3) Start by smudging your alter space and say a little prayer. It can be along the lines of “I respect mother Moon and all she does for us. I plan to release that which no longer serves me. I do this to heal myself from past traumas and to fully let go and move forward.“ Write down your traumas and the things that we wish to let go of focus on them, meditate on them. What do you wish for your life? Can you actually picture these things happening to and for you in your life? Letting go WILL NOT work if you truly don’t believe it. It’s important to be clear on what you want. You can doodle and make your intentions “pretty” or it can be as simple as writing a list. This is a good time to set intentions for letting go of your lack of faith and your trust in your own intuition. Also a good time to let go of bad habits when it comes to your escapist tendencies, especially if these tend to involve substances. Ask yourself if you use substances just for fun or do you do it in order to “escape” mundane life or bad situations. Everything is good in moderation and for fun but when you start using things to deal with your pain this is when it can become a problem, This is definitely something to let go of. If you are going through a rough time now would be the best time for you to perform a full Moon ritual.

4) Light your candle and put your crystals in the bowl of water. You want to charge the water and cleanse yourself after burning your intentions. Hold your intentions over the other bowl and using the candle light them on fire. Like I have already said you will want to analyze how they burn, even take a picture or video to look back on later. Use the water to charge your crystals.

5) At this time you can take some time for yourself however you wish, write down your interpretations of the flame burning, further meditation, possibly a tarot reading if you do that, you can even enjoy a glass of wine. Tell the Moon you love her, clean up your space and now is a good time to put your crystals in a window sill to charge under the light of the full moon. You have just completed your full Moon ritual. Now can be a good time to take a detox bath. Use bath salts, flowers, crystals and maybe even a charcoal mud mask to help detoxify and destress.

I hope you guys enjoy doing this ritual and can find some peace or healing that you may be needing in life. I also hope you can take some time to appreciate all that is good in your life. Just like the oceans’ tides that ebb and flow as does the Moon wax and wane and although emotions can be heightened during the full Moon you will soon feel back to your normal self and ready to tackle a whole new month/Moon cycle. On the 13th I will put out my Full Harvest Moon in Pisces blog post. There is also a new Moon in Libra on the 28th of September so stay tuned for my blog post on what to expect and how to perform a new Moon ritual. Happy full Moon friends!

New Moon in Virgo Ritual

There are some really ancient rituals that have been done for 1000s of years. A lot of different astrologers and healers use these types of things to help people with the difficulties of life. You can do a ritual for all kinds of different things but some popular times to commit to doing a ritual is during new moons, full moons and during the equinoxes and solstices. If you really enjoy doing them then you can start to do a ritual for other things you need in life. It can be very therapeutic. The power of manifestation is a crazy thing and that’s why these rituals are important.

The new Moon moves into Virgo on August 30th at 5:38am. We have what is referred to as a New Black Moon which basically is the second new Moon of this month, and is something a bit more rare than your typical new Moon which we usually get once a month. It is also the culmination of both Mercury Retrograde and eclipse season which has deeply been affecting those of y’all with Cardinal signs (Cancer, Libra, Capricorn, Aries). Things may have seemed heavy for awhile now but from this point on we should be moving forward and feeling a sense of relief and renewal. We set intentions for the month on the new Moon to be clear and concise about what we like to achieve. The new Moon in Virgo asks us to focus on your health and wellness, gym and fitness goals, studying, back to school, organization and getting back into that strict routine that fall brings us here in the Northern Hemisphere. It’s no coincidence that back to school time is right when Virgo season begins. It really is the perfect time for back to school in so many ways. Virgos are the mutable earth sign of the zodiac. Extremely disciplined, intelligent and organized. Incredibly self sacrificing and loyal. Will do anything for a loved one. On the other hand they can be very critical of others and even more so of themselves. Perfectionism is huge for Virgos and despite it being a good quality to have it can also bring stress and pressure not only for themselves but for those who have to deal with you. This really is the best time to perform a new Moon ritual. I always find the summer is crazy and hectic. The routine goes out the window, you drink more than normal and Virgo season is the perfect reset into your normal day to day life routine.

You have 3 days before and 3 days after the new Moon to perform this ritual.

1) Gather any and all supplies that you will need for the ritual. You can use sage to smudge beforehand, crystals you will need (amethyst, aventurine, chrysocolla, howlite, labradorite and moss agate), a journal to write, a bowl to smudge in or burn intentions, and a candle. I will be using the plants from my garden to sage this time just because it seems like a good fit for the last of the summer. I would recommend using a yellow or orange candle because yellow and orange are associated with Leo. If not a white candle will work.

2) Create yourself a special alter space for all the items that you have gathered. It doesn’t matter where your alter space is, it can be any table in the house or on the floor, wherever you feel most comfortable. Decorate with items such as crystals, plants, candles, things you find outside in nature like leaves or feathers, decorative table runners, anything you can really think of that seems appropriate. I will be using sunflowers that I harvested from the Sunflower Expo last week, amethyst, labradorite, selenite, my growing cactus and other things that feel very earthy and Virgo to me.

3) Start by smudging your alter space and say a little prayer. It can be along the lines of “I respect mother moon and all she does for us. I take this time to set honest intentions. I manifest all that is good and bright and light. I have the power to change my future. I will let go all that no longer serves me. I am totally and completely alined spiritually. I am in tune with my higher powers. “ Write down your intentions or wishes. focus on them, meditate on them. What do you wish for your life? Can you actually picture these things happening to and for you in your life? The manifestation WILL NOT work if you truly don’t believe it. It’s important to be clear on what you want. You can doodle and make your intentions “pretty” or you can just be as simple as writing a list. Some new Moon in Virgo intensions would be: I will focus on my health and mental well being. I will make the gym my priority and go so and so many days during the next coming weeks. I will clean and organize any and all spaces that feel weighed down and cluttered. I will be the best student I can be and utilize my time efficiently for study and learning. I will detox and start eating healthier. I will take a break from alcohol or any mind altering substances etc. Use the word WILL, over and over, reiterate it. As I said before it won’t work unless you truly believe. There are of course the typical ones for manifestation as well; make lots of money, lose weight, be a better person, better mother, better friend, etc. You can manifest whatever your heart desires truly. These are just some examples of Virgo themes.

4) Light your candle. You will write your intentions down into your journal. You will start off by writing down the goals and desires you have for this new month ahead of you. You will ask for the guidance in doing this. Don’t let fear or ego hold you back any longer. Next you will write about your wishes for the next month. What do you desire above all else. This is the perfect month to focus on yourself and your true desires. Now is the time to be realistic and focus on the things you truly need to accomplish in order for your dreams to manifest entirely. You will light the paper on fire and watch how the fire burns your intentions. Maybe it burns fast or maybe it fizzles out fast or maybe it burns slow and smouldering. This seals your desires and puts them out into the universe.

5) At this time you can take some time for yourself however you wish, further meditation, possibly a tarot reading if you are into that, you can even enjoy a glass of wine. Tell the moon you love her, clean up your space and take the crystals to bed with you. You have just completed your new Moon ritual.

I hope you guys enjoy doing this ritual and can find some peace or healing that you may be needing in life. I also hope that you manifest your deepest desires and this Moon month goes exactly how you wish it to. Now is the time for action and to put forth effort into achieving your goals. Use this positive energy towards achieving so much more than you even think is possible. It was a really tough summer for a lot of us but September is brand new and we have a whole opportunity to go forward and start fresh. Happy new Moon! The full Moon will be September 13th in Pisces. Stay tuned for further blog posts on Virgo season and the full Moon in Pisces.