Thursday, June 11, 2015

What I'm Reading - Booknificent Thursday

I'm joining in at This Linky Party for Book Reviews - Booknificent Thursdays!

http://mommynificent.com/category/booknificent-thursdays/
 
What I've been reading;
 
The Codex Alera (series)
 
I just finished the last book in the Codex Alera series by Jim Butcher.  I devoured this series of six books in about 4 or 5 weeks.  I love Butcher's Dresden Files series and I wanted to check out his other series - I'm so glad that I did!  It has a different style and far different setting than the Dresden Files series.  The Codex Alera series is set in a world quite different than our own.  Alera is a realm of humans, yet each human has the ability to control a "Fury" - best described as an Elemental.  Some people can control more than one element, some people just one or two.  Except for Tavi - our main character who has never had any ability with Furycraft whatsoever.  In a realm where your position and level of citizenship depend on your level of Furycrafting ability - life isn't going to be easy for Tavi. 
Very early in the series we learn that there are other races of beings in realms outside of Alera - beings that Alera has consistently been at war with.  Within the realm of Alera itself a Civil War is brewing as there is no clear heir to the throne and a power struggle to claim the throne begins.  Through the six books we follow several characters in their adventures.  There is war, subterfuge, mystery, action, love and more.  These books have it all and are a great series for anyone who loves fantasy fiction.
 
The New Vesta Secret
 
I began reading The New Vesta Secret by Debra may Macleod.  If you follow my blog you know I have an affinity for Vesta.  I was thrilled to find an author who is renewing and helping create a modern Spiritual path honoring Vesta.  The author walks you through her own life and how she discovered and reinvented this path for herself.  I'm very much enjoying this book and it has renewed and uplifted my own spiritual home practice
 
Grimoire For The Green Witch
 
I'm reading Grimoire For The Green Witch by Ann Moura with a Pagan Book Club.  I'm enjoying the perspective of Green Witchcraft.  There is a lot of helpful information and spells, rituals, recipes, etc in this book.  Will review further when I am finished.
 
 

Monday, June 8, 2015

Card of The Week - The Chariot - Kitchen Tarot

from The Kitchen Tarot by Susan Shie
I decided last night to draw a card for the week; both for study and inspiration/guidance.  I used The Kitchen Tarot by Susan Shie and Dennis Fairchild (Hay House Publications).  I love the imagery of this 22 card deck.  Featuring only the Major Arcana, each card is drawn like a quilt and features imagery and symbolism of the kitchen.  Perfect for a Kitchen Witch or Hearth Witch, or anyone who loves the kitchen!

The Chariot in this deck is interpreted as The Rolling Pin.  I love that so much!  In the classic RWS version of this card, many people notice that the Chariot doesn't actually have any wheels.  They wonder, how can it symbolize progress if it's not going anywhere?  Well The Rolling Pin helps you picture that type of progress.  In the kitchen, standing in one place and not really going anywhere, you can make a lot of progress.  It's the type of progress that comes from being firmly rooted; grounded.  The focus of self-discipline.  On the rolling pin featured on this card it says, "Groundedness and the ability to accomplish tasks on the physical plane. Victory of self-discipline. The Chariot belongs to the Activist, leadership, courage, a strong will.  The independent Amazon Warrior directs her will from a strong central self - balanced and whole.  Don't mess with The Chariot"

Affirmation; "I am heading in the right direction at a healthy pace."

As you continue through your week, being grounded and having self-discipline will be important.  Don't be too hard on yourself, but recognize that your progress comes at the pace that is healthy for you.  Resist the urge to compare yourself to other people, but when the time is right - step forward to be a leader, teacher, or motivator for others.  Trust in your own willpower and have faith that your hard work IS moving you forward toward your goal.



For more information of this card's meanings click here.

Monday, June 1, 2015

Housekeeping and The Law of Attraction

I've been writing a series of blog posts about Magickal Housekeeping and the spiritual aspects of the home, room by room.  Starting with the spiritual power of Clearing Your Space and getting rid of clutter I've challenged myself and my readers to begin to declutter the home.  I've so far covered the Bathroom and the Bedroom and will be moving on to the Kitchen soon.

This post is a bit of a follow-up on the original post on this series - Clutter As A Block To Spiritual Flow.  I wanted to talk again about the Law of Attraction.  As mentioned in my original post, Clutter and mess can be a factor in slowly draining away energy, or blocking the flow of energy in your home.  The best of intentions and the positive thinking that are crucial aspects of the Law of Attraction can be diminished if your home is in disarray.

Trust me, my home is far from clean and organized!  I'm probably the last person to be telling someone else how to get organized!  But, I've recognized it as a challenge for myself and have learned a lot over the past few years.  My housework has become a spiritual practice - giving it meaning instead of letting it feel like a chore that I do grudgingly.  I often fall behind on my goals and upkeep - I suffer from Chronic Migraines that end up limiting how much I can do from day to day.  When I feel good, I often spend my time playing "catch up" on the chores like laundry, dishes, and basic cleaning. This is part of why I'm challenging myself to de-clutter and get organized.  It is much easier to maintain and "catch up" when there isn't all this extra stuff cluttering up the place!  Plus I know I have felt a difference in a room that has less junk.  When the things in a room all serve a purpose - and they are all either useful or beautiful - the room functions as it is designed.



Here are some of my thoughts about The Law of Attraction and how it applies to the home and housekeeping:

  • Everything around you elicits some kind of emotional response or thought.  The pile of papers on your desk that need to be organized - makes you feel stressed, overwhelmed, or panicked at the thought of those upcoming bills or things to do.  The beautiful trinket that is a family heirloom and makes you think of a beloved family member can bring feelings of comfort or belonging.  The gift that was given to you by an Ex - while it is nice and you like it, just reminds you of the failed relationship or the anger associated with that person.  The clean countertop with a beautiful vase of flowers makes you feel refreshed and joyful every time you walk past it.  Now, thinking of the Law of Attraction and how our thoughts and feelings attract things to our lives - which of the above examples would you want around you?  It's easier to maintain the positive thinking when you're surrounded by things that promote feelings of positivity.  And much harder to maintain the positive attitude when things around you are consistently making you feel stressed, regretful, or sad.

  • What are you thinking of while you clean the house?  If you're thinking "I hate doing this." or feeling angry that other household members haven't helped out as much as they should; what effect is that having on the Law of Attraction?  If you can maintain some level of mindfulness while you do your chores, however - you can change those simple jobs into a beautiful experience.  While you wash the dishes, try focusing on feelings of gratitude.  After all if you have dirty dishes it means that you had food to eat.  You have running water and dishes to eat off of.  When you sweep or mop the floor you can visualize sweeping away the negativity or any stress that may have entered your home.  When you fold the laundry you can focus on feelings of love and protection for each family member.  There are many ways you can turn those chores into active meditations or spiritual rituals.  And then they become a powerful source of positivity to contribute to the Law of Attraction, rather than moments of frustration or anger that are attracting the wrong sort of energy.

  • Taking care of your home is a strong expression of LOVE - for yourself and your family.  I love the website www.FlyLady.org and the methods FlyLady teaches.  Her primary message is that cleaning your home is a powerful act of Self Love.  F.L.Y. stands for "Finally Loving Yourself" and she teaches that creating simple routines and doing little things every day to bless your home is simply another act of self care.  Just as we must care for our body with healthy diet and hygiene, we must take care of our environment as well.  Not only does it do the obvious part of providing a sanitary place to eat and sleep; it also promotes an environment that is good for our mental and spiritual health.  Avoiding the stress of trying to find some important paperwork that was lost in a pile of clutter.  Feeling more empowered to go about the tasks of the day because you have a plan, a routine.  Having more time to focus on the things that truly bring us joy and satisfaction. 
Having a "Perfect" home is not the goal.  It's about creating a home that is functional to what you need it to be; a place of rest and safety.  I've come to accept the fact that I'll never be perfectly organized and tidy.  I'm okay with that.  But I've listed some attitudes and tools that have helped me maintain a sense of control.  A place to start and things to remember when I'm feeling bogged down or overwhelmed.  As a person with a chronic illness I have trouble sticking to daily routines because not every day comes with the energy or ability to do even the smallest tasks.  I'm working on creating habits that help me on my good days and my bad days.  Getting rid of clutter is just a part of the process; as well as having a spiritual purpose or mindfulness behind the tasks that I do.

Good Luck and Blessed Be!

This post was inspired by the writing prompt at The Pagan Experience for more posts about the Law Of Attraction from Pagan Blogs click here