Tonight is the New Moon in the constellation of Aquarius. We are right at the edge of Spring. Earths energy is getting ready to transform. We move between worlds, we transition between chapters. Aquarius, the water bearer brings forth the cleansing, fresh winds of change ahead.
We have the power to birth something at this New Moon, be it a new direction in our lives, a creative project, a new career path, or even a new awareness of who we are. This powerful New Moon can initiate many things and it’s up to us to set our intentions and choose the direction we want to head into. New Moons are like seeds, our intentions need to be planted and fertilized and tended with care in order for them to grow, blossom, and bloom.
Aquarius is a very creative sign. This is a time to let your mind wander into fantasy, open yourself up to your surroundings and let yourself dream. Doing something artistic now can be a big release for you whether this be drawing, writing, poetry, crafts, or even just decorating your home. Give your life a little color and flare, try something new, do something a little different with your hair or makeup, be a bit bolder in the way you dress.
This New Moon asks you to look at things in a different way, to see the potential in everything, even the small, everyday things, to see how things can be improved upon with a little artistic flare. This New Moon offers you the chance to grow, to change, to express your own personal power with style and grace.
The Aquarius New Moon brings the confrontation of the old with the new, it is revolutionary and edgy. A Moon like this is an innovator, the breaker of molds and can be a major catalyst for change. A restless, experimental, inventive mind will bring success. This is a time during which we should solve problems that require thinking “outside of the box”; look to the future with a brand new, positive, and hopeful vision. Let your individuality flourish, walk your own path, this is not the time to follow the crowd this is a time do what you need to in order to grow mentally, physically, and spiritually. Aquarius reminds you to follow the beat of your own drum. Be unique. Be original. Be who you really are.
The message of this New Moon is to find balance. Knowing when to push and when to rest. Take a step back and look at everything more clearly. Now is the time to start clearing out junk, both in our homes and work, as well as in our emotional lives. Out with the old and let in the new is this New Moon’s mantra. Expel negativity and try to let go of any bad thoughts and feelings by looking at how to improve any situations rather than just complain about them. The Aquarius New Moon holds magical healing power. We are in a profound cleansing and clearing cycle. Allow the deep roar emotions emerging from the unconscious to flow and be healed.
Have a blessed New Moon. May the Goddess watch over you.
I haven’t been quiet intentionally, I’ve been quiet because I’ve been sick for the majority of the month we have recently said goodbye to until 2017. February didn’t exactly begin with a sense of calm, either. I’ve had maybe one or two migraine-free days over the past month or so, and the migraines themselves have been intense.
I’ve spent a lot of time punishing myself over the past month and a half. I only just realized it last Sunday evening. I am utterly horrible to myself, and I don’t deserve it. Admitting it is the first step, moving on and self-correcting the behavior as I go is the only way to improve upon it. It’s hard to erase a habit that has existed for such an incredible length of time overnight, but I will simply make myself aware of it so that I can work on it this year. That and personal “mind noise” are issues I wish I didn’t have.
Being sick, overly stressed, and exhausted within my soul has deeply affected my writing. I am torn between what I am used to doing each day and what I am drawn to. They are two completely different things, yet both on the creative spectrum. I am working hard to launch a new project, which is basically an upgrade to something that already exists. It’s a springboard to a career change, but yes, I will still be writing.
When people consider writing “a hobby”, it’s insulting to me. I’ve never used writing as any type of hobby form. I wouldn’t know how to do that either, because I’ve been writing for so long that it’s an art form. I absolutely hate it when people tell me, upon learning that I’m a writer, how much they’d love to write, but don’t have the time or when someone says “I’d love to read a book, but I don’t have the time.” That’s implying that I have time to basically goof off, because they do not perceive writing or reading as life priorities. How do you learn if you don’t read? No, documentaries on the History and/or Discovery channel don’t count.
We all have passions in life; things we prioritize over other things on a professional or personal level. I am a master multi-tasker, but I do know people who can’t multitask. I can do five things at once, which is astounding to anyone who cannot, but it’s also my attention span and how I work on a brain level.
There are always going to be days when I can’t get out of bed due to migraines or Fibromyalgia, but I still force myself to feed Cat and Kitten and give them love, even if I can’t force myself to eat. I still scoop three litter boxes more than once a day. OGK still gets attention from me, or he has tantrums because he likes to be included in everything. Unlike Cat and Kitten, who are younger and love differently, OGK likes to be a part of “the family”. He likes to sit in the middle of conversations and do silly things. The girls are goofy and silly too, they’re all incredibly smart cats, but he’s approximately 16 years old and is set in his ways. He wants what he wants and he wants it yesterday. That aspect of my life is day-to-day stuff. You do it because you have to do it, or it doesn’t get done, but it’s not necessarily what you live for.
No matter what I feel or what I am doing, shit still has to get done. Laundry still has to be done. Food still has to be bought and cooked, but when someone asks me what I do for a living, I am a writer and an editor, albeit one who aspires to do more. I’d prefer to grow, as opposed to remain stagnant. (Kudos to everyone who thinks I should be a personal chef. That’s a lovely compliment and anyone willing to pay me can hire my personal cooking skills for holidays and/or special events. Hell, you can hire me to come over and cook for you daily, I don’t mind.)
It doesn’t always pay to be a writer or an editor, I’ve talked about that many times, but it’s still a huge part of who I am. On the flip side, I am also incredibly enterprising and entrepreneurial. I inherited that from my Grandfather, who ran many businesses (bars, candy stores, etc.) until he passed away at age 40. In the throes of pain, I don’t always believe I’ll live to see 40, much less 50, but words, they live on. Words can, and do, impact lives.
There are books that speak to me. There is music that speaks to me and feeds my soul. There are people whose words are an inspiration to me daily. There are TV shows and movies that make me laugh. All of this stems from writing. Words on paper. Words in any format made to enlighten, educate, communicate, or entertain. Words have power and magic in them.
Today is Imbolc, pronounced ‘im’olk. This is the first of 8 Pagan holidays throughout the year called Sabbats. Imbolc is a time to acknowledge the “First Spark” of embedded energies that have been sleeping over the winter. The seeds that are underground acknowledge the returning energy and will begin to convert it to life deep within. Underground and unseen by man they will start to make their way to the surface and break through the soil and begin to bud. Even though it is still the dead of winter and feels like winter in most places, the Sun’s energy has been returning ever since the Winter Solstice (the longest night of the year, Yule).
On Imbolc we celebrate the first days of Spring. Snowdrops and crocuses begin to appear, things become very spring-like with daffodils and hyacinths coming early. Animals begin to wake from their winter hibernation. Nights get shorter and days will get longer, and it will start to get warmer as winter snow and frost begin to thaw.
We celebrate the rebirth of the Goddess on Imbolc after she sacrificed herself on Yule to give birth to the Sun God. Both the God and Goddess are young, the triple Goddess is in her maiden form and gains strength from the earth, while the Sun God will grow in strength over the coming months.
Imbolc is a Celtic fire festival, where in ancient times most towns and villages would build a ceremonial bonfire. The Goddess Brigid, the Goddess of fire, healing, and fertility is worshiped on this day. The lighting of fires celebrated the increasing power of the Sun. The Goddess Brigid was so loved by the Celts that when the Christians were converting Pagans, they could not change the holiday of Imbolc, so the holiday was reformed and renamed ‘Candlemas’, when candles are lit to remember the purification of the Virgin Mary, and they changed the Goddess Brigid to Saint Brigid.
Imbolc indicates the end of Winter and the beginning of Spring. To celebrate Imbolc, light a fire, it may only be a small one, and make wishes for the coming year into the flames. Burn any leftover evergreens that were decorating your home at Yule. Clean your homes of clutter that gathered over Yule, and get rid of the old and bring in the new. Plant seeds for them to bloom in the Spring and Summer. Use a sage smudge stick to cleanse your home of stale and/or unwanted negative energies.
It was customary to make a Brigid Cross or Sun Cross on Imbolc, this is a cross woven traditionally from reeds, but can be made with anything such as wheat, straw, or paper and put them around your home to bring luck and protection for the coming year. Fill your alter with lit candles and leave them to carefully burn through the day. Add any blooming flowers such as daffodils or daisies and anything yellow, orange, gold, or silver to honor the Sun God.
Imbolc is a time of contemplation, to think about the year that has past and the mistakes or successes we have had and what we have learned from them to help us achieve our goals, dreams and ambitions for the coming year. As well as planting seeds to grow in the earth also plant seeds and ideas in your mind to grow and blossom over the coming months.
Have a blessed Imbolc. May the God and Goddess watch over you.
Tonight will be the first Full Moon of the year. It is called the Wolf Moon because at this time hungry wolves would howl up to the big, bright January Moon outside of towns and villages. It is also called the Cold Moon, Winter Moon, and the Old Moon.
The word January comes from the Roman name for this month. It is named after the God, Janus, who was the God with two faces. This was the God of the past and future, beginnings and endings.
This Moon is a time of protection and strength for guarding ourselves. While it is the first Full Moon of the calendar year, in terms of nature it occurs in the middle of the cold, winter season; a season of death and desolation. In these respects, the Wolf Moon can be seen as a time of both beginnings and endings. We have said goodbye to the old year and are now looking toward the new year in front of us.
This is not a light and casual Full Moon. It is kicking off 2016 in a big way, with focus on what needs to shift, change, transform, end, and be released in our lives. We can use this Full Moon to gain clarity on where we are holding on and what we need to let go of.
This Full is in the sign of Leo, which will give us great strength a courage to meet any new challenges coming our way. This can be a loony lunar peak, so stand by for moments of irrationality or lashing out. Your emotions will be on high alert for a while, so watch what you say to people in heated moments. Try to find some time to relax and calm down and to soothe frayed nerves. It may feel hard to make decisions at the moment, as you may feel you’re being pulled in all directions and aren’t sure which way to turn. Try to stay calm and the right decisions will come to you.
The Leo Moon is reminding you to use your feelings to guide your life. What you think and feel matters. Feelings are powerful indicators in every moment. Feelings don’t lie. Feelings are never right or wrong. Feelings are the best part of you. Your power lies in what you do with your feelings. Watch out for mental obsession, when we worry that we focus on what we do not want. Wherever your mind goes, energy follows. Focus on what you want to happen, not on what you do not want to happen.
This Full Moon asks us to make a decision. We will feel as though we are at a crossroads; to stay with the old and familiar or to move into the unknown of something new. Try not to go to extremes, as it is all about keeping a balance. The waters may seem stormy now, but they will calm and you will feel a sense of clarity and see everything for what it is. This may bring up crisis points, but also the potential for major realization. “Aha moments” and inner or outer shifts in our personal lives, relationships, home/family situations, career, or life purpose. We are looking at big changes coming this year, steer these changes in a positive direction. Open yourself up and allow love, support, and happiness to enter your life.
Use the fire aspect of Leo to burn away the old, negative energy and cleanse your spirit, letting the flames heal you physically and emotionally. Sometimes, like a phoenix, you have to die a little inside in order to be reborn and rise from the ashes a stronger and wiser you.
Have a blessed Full Moon & may the Goddess watch over you.
I hope everyone had a prosperous, happy week and weekend. Me? Not so much. I’ve been plagued by migraines at a near non-stop pace. The warmth of last weekend (which wasn’t all that warm, really.) gave way to incredibly awful Fibromyalgia pain during the past week into this weekend. The cold has forced its way deep into my bones, as if dry ice resides there. A pleasant feeling it is not. I cycle back and forth between being too warm and suddenly feeling as if I’m dying from exposure. All of this is indoors, mind you. The ‘great outdoors’ is a whole other ballgame entirely. 😦
I was lucky to spend Friday morning in Boston with my Zia. I’d like to thank David’s Tea (They have locations in the U.S. & Canada. Do not hesitate to shop here for all kinds of tea-related happiness. I’ve included the link to their website which includes free shipping for purchases of $50 and up, as well as specials for clearance items.) for the yummy tea goodies to be enjoyed. Seriously folks, Banana.Nut.Bread.Tea. Those are four words I never thought I’d utter in a sentence, much less type. It is delicious, but my favorite, for now, is the Organic Earl Grey. They have three different types of this particular tea, if you’re so inclined. Also, the staff is particularly wonderful at the Washington Street location. An enormous shout-out to Falafel King for inducting me into an aspect of Judaism I had not yet embarked upon. I am obsessed. I’m also hard-pressed to stay away! 😀 Also, thank you to Ten Thousand Villages where, upon browsing, we came across Spicy Hot Cocoa. If you know anything about me, you know I am a chili pepper dark chocolate fanatic. Mexican hot chocolate is made with cayenne pepper and cinnamon, among many other delicious things you tend not to find in regular hot cocoa. It is unmatched in its fabulousness. I can’t wait to make it! Here’s hoping it’s as sinful as it should be. 😉
Saturday I spent some time in Swampscott, MA. I would have taken some photos, but other than low tide, there wasn’t much to see because the weather was atrocious. It was a grey, stormy morning with heavy rain and a period of slushy snow. Today I am grateful to be home in the warmth where I can recuperate, despite the 3-4 inches of snow that fell overnight. It was quite pretty until all the shoveling and plowing began. Now it’s only pretty in the backyard, though the wind isn’t helping. It’s bitter out there!
Due to the rough time I had on all levels last week, the stress of the past few months, my Boston-induced injuries that suddenly manifested as I was getting off the T (I’m in excruciating pain, so bear with me.), and something in my personal life that I can only constitute as a form of passive-aggressive abuse, I bring you my “Rules Of TheWeek”.
I have decided that many of these are rules for life. Some of this is merely where my head is at now, and other things are more about common sense and how others treat you. If someone reads this and doesn’t like what I’ve said, by all means; Please say something to me about it directly. Try any day that doesn’t end in a Y. That will be the day when you’re right and I am wrong.
1) I don’t care who a person is; If they’re yelling & screaming at you, or accusing you of insane shit you haven’t done; Walk away. It cuts down on the time you might have to spend in jail by staying put and opening your mouth in response…or worse.
It has never occurred to certain types of people that they are truly in the wrong, so let them rant and rave in their wrongness. When they finally realize they’re wrong (Eventually it may happen.), you will likely be blamed for it. You have big shoulders, you can handle the hypocrisy/stupidity.
2) No one has the right to question your pain or tell you that it inconveniences their life. They are NOT you, they are NOT suffering (Why isn’t stupidity painful? It should be.), they do not reside within your body, and quite frankly, they can jump off the nearest bridge and see if the landing is smooth.
3) If someone tells you that other people are in worse pain than you, it is more than okay to tell them off. In fact, it should be automatic. I nearly did tell someone off for it. I still might.
Realistically speaking: How the fuck does anyone know what my pain levels are? If it hasn’t been brought up in conversation then precisely how do they know that “other people are physically in more pain than you are” each day? Do they even hear what they say or how it is presented? And by the way, for the person that did say this to me: BITE ME, but please do so after living for a year in my body and then come back and tell me how other people are in more pain. Don’t denounce the pain you don’t experience. You do not have the right to that.
What I experience and endure could very easily happen to you. It is a life-sentence I would not wish on anyone, except Hitler, so please, don’t ever question how bad it is.
4) Just because someone says something in a blase’ tone of voice does not mean they are being disrespectful, rude, or sarcastic. It probably means they don’t feel good or feel burdened by their day/life/situation/physical pain, etc. Not everything in life requires a fireworks display in response.
People should know me by now. I don’t hide sarcasm beneath a flat tone of voice. I DELIVER. The way in which I say things is rarely, if ever, delivered in a tone of voice that denotes someone else’s perception. If I wanted to say something disrespectful and/or rude, I’d say it in a different tone than my normal speaking voice. I’m nothing if not a powerful speaker, and you can tell a lot by the tones I use, providing you a’re smart enough to realize something has shifted. Moreover, I’ve lost the ability to give a damn about how people interpret things. Buy a clue, stop being so anal-retentive, and realize that not everything I say or do revolves around you or has anything to do with you. Sometimes “Whatever.” really just means “Do what you want, I don’t have a preference.” Also, I don’t understand the double-standard of a person doing that to me, but disliking when I’m not feeling so great and say something similar. That’s not disrespectful. I am smart enough to know the difference.
5) When a person expresses extreme unhappiness, depression, and/or suicidal thoughts to you, it is NOT okay to act like that’s no big deal. NOTEVER. Don’t claim to love someone and then abandon them to their pain. I assure you, that is not love.
6) Do no harm, but take no shit.
7) It is a hell of a lot more powerful to destroy a person with words than to do so physically. I highly recommend the former, especially if, like me, you are gifted with words.
If you feel the urge to hit someone, it’s often better to hit back with the appropriate statement. If you’re a passive, non-confrontational sort, as so many people are, it’s okay to say how you feel in private and cut someone out of your life. It’s okay to write about it and get it out of your system. Don’t be afraid to rid yourself of the toxicity, and make no apologies for it.
8) Unfortunately, some people think they can say anything to you. They can’t. Their assumptions, presumptions, and idiocy need to be nipped in the bud. Much like the filter in a Brita pitcher, which needs to be replaced every 60 days, you might want to suggest they have their internal filter(s) checked regularly, lest they run into some form of ‘water-poisoning’.
9) Never disrespect the person that does the cooking. This is absolute. If you don’t like something and it doesn’t adversely effect your health, pretend to be deaf, dumb, and completely fucking blind, but by G-d, do NOT be rude and ungrateful. Also, call if you’re going to be late.
10) If you can’t say it to my face, you’re a fucking coward.
11) If you do say it to my face, be prepared for the outcome.
12) Don’t say shit in a text message or e-mail that you wouldn’t dare say to a person’s face. It’s cowardly, classless, childish, and a host of other things that just plain annoy me. If you’re going to show your true colors, I want to be able to see the vivid yellow stripe down your back.
13) Assumptions are the death of so much. They’re major relationship killers. Don’t assume things.
14) The people you may know who suffer from any chronic, debilitating illness and are on disability, privately wealthy, or work from home in some capacity are, in all likelihood, NOT “sitting at home all day watching TV”. Strictly speaking, I fall into the category of a disabled person who works from home, at least for now (the “work from home” part applies). If I’m “sitting”, it’s because I’m writing. I’m not “being lazy”. And NO, writing is not “some hobby I have”. Introduce me to the hobbyist writer who’s been doing it for 29 years. I have yet to meet one.
15) Curb the douchebag tendencies. Curb the bitchiness. There is always a better, clearer way to communicate.
16) Sometimes a person doesn’t hear you, usually for an extremely valid reason. That does not mean they aren’t listening. It is not a tragedy to repeat yourself.
In situations like this, I remember my Grandmother, an absolute saint of a woman, who would patiently have the same conversation with one of her best friends sometimes a dozen times a day once this friend was stricken with Alzheimer’s. Never once did she tell her “We just talked about this five minutes ago.” or ever let on that they’d spoken so many times about any particular topic. She would patiently and calmly repeat what she’d said in the previous conversation, reassure her, she was always kind, and when the phone rang again, sometimes a minute or two later, she would simply repeat the entire process, and continued to do so as often as necessary. She NEVER complained about it. They do not make them like her any more. 😦 It baffles me how long she’s been gone because I feel like I just spoke to her yesterday. I am glad our last words spoken were of love. There are so many people who could take a lesson in patience and grace from her.
17) Take moments each day to enjoy something. It might be your morning coffee/tea, a long walk, the sun, the moon, the crystal clear sky full of stars. Choose something each day and let that be yours.
18) People are not predominantly good. It’s a simple fact of life. Be discerning in those you allow around you because some energy is so toxic, it can physically make you ill. If you feel drained in a person’s presence, they are likely a psychic vampire. Google it, I can’t make this shit up.
19) Unless you legitimately suffer from multiple personalities, there’s no need to go from on to off a hundred times a day, or more. Pick a personality everyone likes and stick with it. Your mood swings, be they due to an illness or not, shouldn’t blow so hot and cold that a person could take a shower standing next to you. Perhaps a trip to the doctor is in order?
20) When in doubt, treat people the way you want to be treated. We all have bad habits and idiosyncrasies, but are we capable of coexisting? Yes.
21) If you’ve had a bad day, just say so. It’s easier to say you need/want space and don’t want to talk as opposed to thundering in on someone and being so unpleasant that they cannot stand to be in your presence.
22) If you cannot empathize with someone, I think it’s best to keep your fucking mouth shut, as opposed to judging when you’re completely not “in the know”. That pisses me off. Judging situations you aren’t privy to is a secondary mistake. You can’t apologize once the judgment has come out of your mouth or been put in some form of print. Well, maybe you can apologize to someone who’ll accept it, but I won’t.
23) Just because I’m an introvert does not mean I am a negative, unpleasant person. Some of the most talented people on the planet are introverts. A great deal of them are wonderful human beings. In the right setting with the right people, I am always an introverted extrovert, but I do not respond kindly to negative people or toxic energy. Please refer to #6.
24) Sometimes I am incredibly silent, but that doesn’t mean I’m not paying attention.
25) Random acts of kindness are important. Do things that you’d want done if it were you, your siblings, or your children/nieces/nephews in a bad situation. Prepare a meal for a homeless person or volunteer at a shelter. It might seem like a small thing, but to someone else, it’s HUGE.
26) Choose a charity and do what you can, even if it’s not a financial contribution. Delete Blood Cancer is looking for plasma, stem cell, and bone marrow donors. I cannot donate because I have Fibromyalgia (I still plan on doing an event as soon as I am settled into this new community.), but if you’re healthy and can get swabbed (they send you a kit in the mail), you could very well save a life, or multiple lives. I’ve included a link, and if that doesn’t feel right to you, choose something that does. We all have causes that are close to our hearts, or at the very least, we should.
27) Don’t sacrifice yourself for anything and everything. If you know a person would sacrifice for you, don’t take that, or them, for granted.
28) It’s okay to say no or to admit you don’t want to do something. Being honest isn’t a crime…yet.
29) Choose your friends wisely. I have friendships that have outlived marriages, relationships, other friendships, and endured serious illnesses, the arrival and loss of children and other family members, etc. Treat your circle with the same level of love and respect as the circle treats you. Check in with people when you haven’t heard from them. I have a few friends with whom I always check in on. Not because I have to, but because I want to. It means the world to them to get an e-mail or voicemail message because they know my heart and they know I am genuine in my concern and love for them. I wish I had people like that in my life who were as loyal and loved with some fierceness, but when they made me, they broke the mold and beat the hell out of the mold-maker. 😉
30) Do not harm, but take NO SHIT. (Because it bears repeating.)
Basically, no one is going to flog you for your imperfections, so go out there and BE YOU.
We’ve all be there. We have likely all had internal dialogue that wasn’t kind, or even verbal dialogue to ourselves that was negative. Here’s hoping this inspires someone today to take treat themselves in a kinder fashion.
Written by LISA MARINO-Molchanova 