9 of cups

(happiness and wish fulfillment)

Last wishes and cups of tea at thump.

xo

9 of swords

(anxiety and fear)

hmm.....

also the 10 of cups jumped out while shuffling.

WHAT DOES IT MEAN!?

this is fun

xo

3 of disks

(Hard work, determination and concentrated effort.)

That sounds about right for this Tuesday of continued packing, moving and cleaning!

Looking forward to some redwoods and solo time.

xo

a project

Ancestor worship, or veneration, is practiced by a variety of cultures all over the world. There are many ways of honoring departed loved ones and welcoming their support and guidance in everyday life. Having an ancestor altar, or boveda in Spanish, is one way. One of my favorite books, Finding Soul on the Path to Orisa: A West African Spiritual Tradition by Tobe Melora Correal, gives a great description of building an altar dedicated to the ancestors, or egun in Yoruba. Here’s my version based on what I was taught by my godmother. 1. Table. Dedicate a small table or top of a bookshelf to your altar. It should be out of the way where no one will touch the items on it. My godmother even suggested the top of the refrigerator! 2. White Cloth. Cover the surface with a white cloth. 3. Photos & Mementos. On the cloth, place photos of deceased loved ones (only) and mementos that belonged to them. You can also include a list of the names of loved ones and their dates of birth. Follow your instincts about other items to include. If a small doll or knick-knack calls to you, maybe it belongs on the altar. 4. Water. In the center of the altar, place a glass of water. The smaller and more simple the glass the better, but some people use large brandy glasses. 5. Candle. I like using tea candles or other short-lived sizes. 6. Food & Drink. Offer favorite food or drink to your ancestors. Rum and espresso are safe bets if you are not sure what else to offer. My maternal grandfather asked for Sanka in my sister’s dream, so that’s what he gets. My paternal grandmother loved cafecito, caramels and gladiolas. I try to offer these things weekly. 7. Weekly tending. Many santeros tend to their altars on Sundays, some on Mondays. Whatever day you choose, replace the water, food and flowers weekly. Remove flowers before they die or wilt and food before it goes moldy. Whatever you decide to offer, you should either make the offerings weekly or save the offerings for special occasions, like birthdays. For example, I make my grandfather his favorite pie on his birthday. 8. Communicate. Talk to your ancestors. Ask for their help. Pray to them. Ask them to offer you guidance in a form you can understand. Then, look for the omens, signs and dreams that will let you know that they hear you and are with you. (from accidentalsantera) I just began using mine. The act of cultivating relationships, even within the spirit world, makes me shy. xo

hello

(just off haight)

Hillary told me that I have an ally just waiting for recognition. She encouraged me to think about my relationships with animals and look at pictures online to see if any grab me. We later decided it was definitely a feline African animal. As I turned my phone back on after the session, I was greeted by this image. Grrr. xo

missing

this, in a good way. xo

last night

Dirty thirty fancy party (ended up at the west side), and a reminder from Journey to forgive the moment.

(that is easier than forgiving myself)

BIG LONG SIGH.

xo

color scheme

Here's a novel idea: use my suitcases to pack clothing! Also, fall tights arrived. xo

What is Metaphysics

anyways?

To me, this term applies to that which we don't really understand, and that which cannot be proved, yet all know on some level. The deep undercurrent. What lies beneath and above. The spirit world. The dreamworld. Levels of consciousness... unity consciousness... the astral plane. Clairvoyance. Mysticism. Tarot and palmistry. Archetypes. Enlightenment. The divine and otherworldly. Synchronicity. Transcendence. The ultimate mystery.

I've been wondering how to best reach these deeper layers...

xo

the other side

I can feel the calm before the storm. The right parts have been placed, and need only to be set in motion. And... someone has been appearing in my dreams again.

What a fantastic trip!

xo

The Way

I was rereading the intro the Tao te Ching (Stephen Mitchell... it's my favorite translation) and had a moment of clarity the other day. It's the guidance without strict guidelines that really separates Taoism from any other path of spirituality or religion, and I like that! How unnatural is rigidity anyways? No wonder Taoism has always appealed to me, it's all about flow and flexibility and acceptance. ah. xo

never fear the blue garlic

I've been wearing this outfit for the past three days now and see no need to change. xo

boots (church thrift)
dress (anthropologie)
lace bike shorts (american apparel)
tank top (I can't remember!)

focus on your tasks....

pick a direction for my writing
practice "I don't know!"
develop warrior alter ego
hold boundaries with mom
rainbow obsidian or amethyst
tarot deck photo project
pen drawings
find my great cat ally
yang outlet
ask a dream bear
enjoy my travel companion
live this fairy tale

(notes from palm session)

yesss!

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Help with Squirrel Costume Design & Sewing 

I asked my 5 year old boy what he wanted to be for Halloween and he said he wants to be a squirrel. After further brain storming we decided he needs to be a "Super Squirrel" With a cool cape and S on his chest like Super Man. Who's up for the task? If you have basic sewing skills and aren't boring i bet we could get this done easily and quickly. Call Will at 415-218-7936. 

Day 2

I was feeling pretty grumpy and discouraged yesterday, and then I remembered to be thankful. My body is talking to me! These symptoms are but compelling catalysts for change. I know what I have to do to feel my best..... bring on the kale :)  xo

day 1 (again)

Sluggish, itchy and foggy, I'm restarting the candida un-diet. I don't like word "diet" because, a) it implies that weight loss is the goal and, b) it suggests that it will end. The real goal is to eat sustainably, right? I am so incredibly bored of wrestling with sugar cravings and feeling conflicted about social situations and travel. I'm bored of this pattern of ups and downs. How is it that once I begin to feel better, I throw it all away for a passing sensation? BORING!! In my perfect world we would share salad greens from one big bowl and devour mangoes with wild abandon until the juice drips down our chins. And there would be slow lorises, red pandas and double rainbows for eternity. Yeah. xo

home sweet home

Back in Bend after two weeks of being here and there, and indulging to the max. A declaration has been made; the post-burning man binge is officially over! I'm looking forward to being in one place for the time being and relearning how to take care of myself. Some hopes for the next few weeks include:

begin a manifestation journal
write down dreams
palm session
sell things
make things
see friends
eat kimchi
rejuvenate
be alone
stretch
move
laugh

that should be doable, right? right. xo

exhaustion

The message of this card is about all the ways in which we set up safe but unnatural routines for ourselves, and by doing so keep the chaotic and spontaneous away from our doors.  Life isn't a business to be managed, it's a mystery to be lived. It's time to tear up the time-card, break out of the factory, and take a little trip into the uncharted.


ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

xo

a concept I like

Synchronicity is the experience of two or more events, that are apparently causally unrelated or unlikely to occur together by chance, that are observed to occur together in a meaningful manner.


The concept does not question, or compete with, the notion of causality. Instead, it maintains that just as events may be grouped by cause, they may also be grouped by their meaning. Since meaning is a complex mental construction, subject to conscious and unconscious influence, not every correlation in the grouping of events by meaning needs to have an explanation in terms of cause and effect.


So yesterday we met up with Elijah and some new friends with tails for an indulgent wanderfest through San Francisco. We hit up the bakery Tartine and headed to dolores park to share our treats (coconut tres leches cake YUM). Somehow a conversation got started about the rainbow gathering - Elijah and Scott had met there this summer and were turned off by what they described as the "undercurrent of desperation." Then I recalled an interesting guy that Elijah and I met at the string summit festival, he was part of the rainbow family and had impressed me with his kindness and wisdom, as well as sparking up a dialog about the gatherings. And then guess what happened!??  THAT VERY GUY walked by us in the park. Fini.


It's scenarios like this that confirm I've found my own undercurrent, even if it's just to dip my toes in. xo
     

journey

Frolicked and wandered with a bipolar bear in the dust. AND THEN we ate our way through San Fran. xo