THE ROWAN MOON OF VISUALIZATION


Here we are, smack dab in the middle of the Rowan moon, named after the Rowan tree in the Celtic calendar. 
On the verge of Imbolc (the 1st of February), while the moon is waxing, the Earth is beginning to stir.  The first signs of life will soon appear – crocuses, snowdrops . . . here is Ireland, the daffodils are thrusting green swords toward the sky.  At this time, when many of us are tired of the winter months and eager for spring, the soul pulls away from the body.  Astral travel is likely, clairvoyance is real.  Our visualization and divining powers are at their peek.  For the last two weeks, I have been having prophetic dreams, and this is why. 

Spring is whirring just below the surface, in some places, so far below the surface that we cannot see it.  But, it is coming.  The days are growing longer and all living things are aware.  So, while the Earth, the moon and all of creation are whirring with such forceful energy that we can actually feel it, NOW is the time to set our desires in motion.  The most efficient way to manifest that which we truly desire is through experiential visualization. 

For anyone interested, I offer this powerful visualization method specifically for this time of year: 
Light a ruby red or bright pink candle (the colour of the winter sky at sunset).
Dab a bit of frankincense or patchouli oil on your pulse points and on the candle.
If you have harp music, let it play softly in the background.
If you can recline in front of a fire, naked, do so, and close your eyes. 
Let the warmth and the scent flow slowly up your body, from your feet to your head. 
Actually feel this energy moving through you and lifting you. 
This will take some time, do not rush. 
When you feel yourself lifted above your body, imagine yourself soaring gently into the future you would claim. 
What does it look like?  What do you see from inside your body?  Experience all five senses from this place in your future. 
This is the most important part:  What to you FEEL emotionally?  Now that you have manifested this reality you wished for, what does the joy, security, love, etc, feel like? 
When you have allowed yourself to enjoy that feeling for a few moments, you can slowly come back to your body. 
Let the candle burn out so that its smoke can carry your desires into the Universe and bring them back to you in physical form. 

The Rowan Moon is also a prime time for divination.  If you don’t do divination yourself and would like me to do it for you, I am happy to help. 

And, of course, I’d love to read of anyone else’s experience with visualization and divination, so if you have comments, please share. 

Until next time,
Deep Peace of the Sacred Grove to You

A FERTILE GODDESS OF CREATIVITY

If you lived in Ireland hundreds of years ago, you might have, as protection over your front door, a figure of a naked woman, squatting down and holding her – uh – pink parts open for the world to see.  No, really, it’s true.  This isn’t an x-rated post; it’s just the facts, ma’am.  And it gets better . . .
Sheela-na-Gig is the Anglicised version of Síla-na-Ghig.  Síla is the Irish spelling of Sheila but could also be, in this instance, Sidh (pronounced ‘shee’), meaning a female faerie.  Ghig (pronounced ‘gee’, with the ‘g’ as in go) is Irish slang for a woman’s genitals.  

And, why, you may ask, would anyone want some crouching, ugly hag to rudely display herself over their door?  For good luck, fertility, protection and inspiration, of course!  Yeah, I know, those crazy ancient Celts were nothing if not imaginative.  

It helps to consider this from the historical perspective.  The Irish Cailleach goddess or ‘Old Woman,’ gave birth to all things, including Man.  So, generally speaking, Celts protected their doorways with some female genitalia fetish in honor of the Goddess.  Sometimes it was the classic Omega sign over a doorway, which evolved into a horse shoe.  If you look closely at a Sheela-na-Gig, you will notice that she is always crouched in a sort of horseshoe position. 

The usual place you will come upon a Sheela-na-gig is on an old church in Ireland.  Lots of churches have them.  Ages ago, if you were building a church, you would put one of these squatting naked women over the south-facing door or wall of your church.  She would protect your building’s opening with . . . her opening, so to speak.  The south-facing door would be the best location for rebirth in the Northern Hemisphere, as it gives the longest period of sunlight to fall on the opening of the carving. 
At the magnificent Rock of Cashel, the bishops and clergy who lived there had no less than three Sheela-na-Gigs gracing their walls. 
If you were entering the town of Fethard, Co. Tipperary, via boat (as this was the only access into town in medieval times), you would pass right under this Sheela in the old town wall overlooking the ford and the bridge.  So she was kind of like a medieval ‘Welcome to Fethard!’ sign. 

 In later, Victorian times, Sheela-na-gigs were thought of as similar to gargoyles - carvings meant to scare off devils and evil spirits.  That’s probably because those poor old Victorians were so messed up about sex. 

I have my own personal Sheela-na-Gig, whom I like to think helps me with all things creative.  My friend, Tony Fazio, a brilliant sculptor, made her.  His designs can be seen here:  http://www.fazioartinstone.com/.  The Sheela Tony made for me is much more attractive than those old Sheelas and he added gold leaf at her opening to symbolize, ‘the birth of inspiration.’  Behind the sculpture, I usually have a lit candle for added positive energy. 
I like to think those ancient Celts would be happy to know their Sheela-na-Gigs are being transformed by modern artists into attractive Goddesses that still symbolise the good luck they originally did. 

From Sheela and I:  Good Luck in all your creative endeavours! 

MOVING FORWARD WITH PURPOSE


It is the soul’s duty to be loyal to its own desires.  It must abandon itself to its master passion. 
That’s a quote from Dame Rebecca West.  In 1947, Time Magazine called her, “indisputably the world's number one woman writer.”  Clearly, Dame Rebecca followed her soul’s duty, or, to put it another way, her purpose in life. 

Lately, I’ve been revisiting my purpose.  That’s because I recently read or heard something three different times.  Usually, when a message comes in 3’s, it’s from your higher self or a higher place.  The something that I read/heard three times was simple:  When you are on purpose, the people, resources and opportunities you need naturally gravitate toward you. 

Back in the early ‘90’s, I was in a marketing workshop for actors where we all had to complete several assignments designed to help us discover our purpose in life.  The teacher (a producer and follower of Scientology) used Cher as an example of someone without purpose.  She had won the best actress Oscar for Moonstruck and then just went underground for several years.  He reported that she had become overwhelmed and unable to work (at that time) due to the Oscar win.  How could she possibly top that?  The producer claimed that, if Cher had been conscious of her life purpose, there would be no need to top the Oscar win.  A purpose is something that is never completed. 
The assignment in that class was challenging and stimulating and it was definitely inspiring to hear each other talk of our newly defined ‘purpose.’  There were purposes like:  ‘to educate and inspire,’ ‘to empower others,’ ‘to uplift human consciousness.’  Then there were more ego-driven ones, like:  ‘to inspire others with my fame and success,’ ‘to become so rich that I never have to borrow again.’  Through the work in this class, I discovered my purpose was, ‘to help people laugh.’  At the time, I was getting cast in a lot of sitcoms, doing comedic leads in theatre and funny commercials.  It felt right. 

Now, I’ve retired from acting, I love to write and still enjoy helping people laugh, but not in the same way, so I’m not entirely sure about my ‘soul’s duty.’  Thinking it might be time to revisit this assignment, I unearthed the notes from that long-ago marketing class and am re-defining my purpose.  Maybe it’s the same as it was then; maybe not.  Because it was so much fun (and easier) to share the process with others all those years ago, I thought it might be fun to share it again, via this blog. 

So, if you’re interested in defining (or redefining) your purpose, here are the steps that helped me. 

WHAT IT IS: 
1.  Your purpose is something you love to do so much that you’d do even if you didn’t get paid for it. 

2.  Once you discover your purpose, it will be like hitting a nerve.  You might even cry. 

3.  Your purpose is something that automatically serves others. 

HOW TO FIND IT:
1.  Set an oven timer for 20 minutes.  Write or type everything that comes to mind – everything you love to do.  Keep writing even when you want to stop. 

2.  Write or type your earliest memory(ies); ask a parent or loved one what they remember the most about you as a toddler. 

3.  What things do these two lists have in common? 

I’ve been inspired by all the blogs I’ve been reading where everyone is naming and claiming their goals for the new year.  It seems to me, if one is to be successful in achieving one’s goals, then it helps to have a strong foundation first.  Like a life purpose.  So, if one of your goals is to get a publishing contract this year, then why?  How does that serve your purpose?  If everything will fall into place when you are serving your purpose, then that uber agent, grand publishing deal, literary first prize, whatever, should come with greater ease, once you have defined your ultimate purpose. 

Good luck, and please let me know what you discover!