Resolutions for 2010

Dear Friends and Curious Visitors,
It is that time of year, when one year closes and the next year approaches.  We love it. We hate it. Anticipation. Fear. A brand new start. Will we be able to keep those resolutions we make to ourselves as we usher in 2010?
My resolution would normally be to not make any resolutions. However, the coming new year will be much different for me. Big changes...a brand new start in so many ways. I have to promise myself something, so I've decided on one thing only...
I will be true to myself, true to my heart. It begins there. If I don't use that as a springboard, I may as well forget setting any goals. You see, for quite some time now, an aspect of my life has not been right. All else was just fine, but I lacked something vital, and when that something came along, I gained the courage to change my life, chase my dream and give my heart in return. So, if I follow my heart, I cannot go wrong. It never lies, it never cheats on me, it knows what I need, and it helps me let those I love know how I feel at all times.
There is someone specific that I wish to make a promise to regarding my resolution. You know who you are. I promise to bring to our relationship all the love and commitment that I am capable of offering to you. You've shown me a beautiful path, now its time for me step onto it with you. So, as we begin to build our new life, I hope that we will both remain sensitive to the fact that we are human beings and come to our union with our own unique personalities and issues. It may take a little work, but we already know that what we have is right and it is rare. So, as I resolve to follow my heart, I want you to know that I'm looking foward to our future together with the deepest joy I've ever felt.
As for my friends and family, I would like you all to know just one simple thing. Love happens when you least expect it. It is worth the effort and it is the truest kind of magick that life holds. Let your heart be your guide in 2010. Every time you are met with a difficult situation, immerse it in love and know without a shadow of a doubt that you are already blessed in being whole and having the ability to choose to follow your heart wherever it may lead you.
May you all enjoy a peaceful, prosperous, loving New Year!

Namaste'
Autumn

Are You Too Sensitive?

Is it possible to be too sensitive? And if you think that you are, then ask yourself if you'd be happier if you were to try to 'cure' that issue. Chances are, you're ok with your level of sensitivity, and you only feel 'too sensitive' when someone else points out that you're touchy or overly emotional. Ouch.
Life, though, is not just black and white. It is color, sound, touch, taste, smell, intuition....Human beings have the capacity to experience a vast array of emotions with the help of our senses, and then there is the ability to reflect and reason. This is what sets us apart from all other species, that we know of, and yet, we try our best to fool with Mother Nature's beautiful, intricate creation at every turn. I've been thinking about my own life lately, and some of the huge changes that have come my way have also brought me to a new level of sensitivity. As well-trained as I am, I still feel a bit off center, unbalanced. Finding my way back to balance is a daily challenge. But I'm finding it very helpful to just slow down and not miss a thing...to celebrate my sensitivity, even if others feel it is inappropriate or just plain too much. I consider it a gift to feel everything that life sends my way, to not block the magickal path to deeper wisdom and understanding. I thrive on feeling wiser and more whole with each passing day, and that does not happen by numbing-out certain unpleasant feelings. As an empath, I use my intuition and the ability to be compassionate more than any of my other soul traits.
Next time you find yourself feeling touchy or vulnerable, ask yourself what the message behind that emotion might be....what lesson is your soul drawing to you by opening you up wide to an experience that is uncomfortable or even unpleasant? Are you feeling insecure, undervalued, invisible, maybe just bored(a sign that you're tuning out at a time when you should be tuning in!)? Then take some action, any action. What usually works well for me is to spend some time alone in nature....I feel a walk coming on!....I can connect with the Divine, get back in touch with my true roots, and consciously slow down and savor every moment. We may never pass this way again according to an old 70's song. Our souls come into human form alone, and we go out the same way. Love yourself, honor your feelings, respect your needs, and take it at your own pace. The people who truly love you will never fault you for that.
Peace & Love,
Autumn

How Well Do You Listen?

I was reading Rosemary Altea's website content just a bit ago....and my guide whispered to me, 'that is so important to any healing process!'. As we move through life, and as life speeds up(just look at the advances in technology over the past 20 years), we lose the ability to listen, in so many ways. It is the greatest gift we can give ourselves and those we love, and yet, all too often, we ask questions and then don't really listen to the other person's response. This is true with ourselves, as well. How many times have you done something that you knew would cause you some kind of pain(body, mind, heart, soul) as time wore on, ...but you did it anyway? So what's going on here?
I believe we are trying to either deaden some kind of pain that we're dragging along from past wounds by turning off our ability to listen, or we're trying to feel something, ANYthing. We're not really LISTENING to ourselves and our world, but as long as we're breathing and have the desire to make the change, its not too late.
In my practice, I counsel people from all walks of life, and I also provide Animal Reiki both in person and by distance. Having a great capacity for listening to the client is key in knowing what they need and how I may be of greatest assistance to them. Listening is not just done with the ears.
One can listen:
-By observing and picking up on the client's body language(if in person)
-By asking yourself how you feel about the client's energy vibrations at that time
-By watching how the client reacts to questions put to them
-and much more!

So, it is safe to say that listening is not limited to just what we hear with our ears. We can listen with our hearts, our bodies, ALL of our senses. If you're seeking healing or offering it to others, or if you're simply trying to help someone out in some way, try this experiment:
     Ask a question. Say no more. Allow the person or animal to respond, give them a good amount of time, mainly because they may not expect you to wait for an answer(remember how fast life has become these days, we're conditioned to hurry through everything). As they begin to answer or respond to what you've put to them, observe first their tone of voice...is it calm or is it nervous? Then, watch their eyes....are they looking at you, or are they looking away? Now, notice what you feel energetically....do you feel relaxed or do you feel uneasy(a sign that they are uneasy or unwell). Lastly, what are they saying? Do they seem to be open to your concern or are they averting the question altogether by bringing up something unrelated? It doesn't really matter what's going on at the surface of the conversation or interaction, but what you're picking up on with your other senses. Putting all of this information together and assessing it will help you to become a better healer, and also, if you observe yourself in this kind of situation(or even a pet), you'll learn things about how you communicate with others and how you may be not be listening to your own needs.
I'd love to help you learn more about listening to yourself and others, and I can also help you learn how to pick up on your pet's unique way of communicating. I offer Reiki healing, spiritual counseling, wellness & relationship coaching, and more at www.autumnsenchantments.com  If you have any questions about my services, drop me a line---I'm happy to listen and respond with care and compassion. I look forward to hearing from you! Pun intended :-)

A Witch's New Year

The Wheel of the Year is ever turning, and for Witches, October is the month that brings our year to a close. November is generally considered to be the first month of our New Year. Last November, we began anew, incubating ideas and setting new goals which were intended to come to fruition at Harvest-time this year. Now is when we look back at the year as it closes, asking ourselves how our goals panned out. We are currently in the stage of reaping what we have sown throughout the year, taking note of what worked for us, and what didn't. We celebrate our accomplishments, as well as release what did not come to fruition, and we ask for advice & guidance from our ancestors just after sundown on October 31st, when the veils between the worlds is considered to be thinnest, and they are willing to step forth so that we may connect with them. There are many myths surrounding the meaning of Samhain and Halloween, but overall, for a Witch/Wiccan, it is a time of celebration, of honoring those who have gone before us and laid the groundwork for us to thrive and prosper, and asking for their guidance through various forms of ritual and divination(tarot cards, for example).
Rather than focus on the haunting aspects of Halloween, I'd like to look at a more positive scenario, one that I have deep personal experience with....the lighting of a white candle to connect with my ancestors during Samhain-time. I sometimes begin a week early, and at sundown on the days prior to the 31st, I will ask for guidance several times, or, if I feel moved to light the white candle at a particular time, I will do so....I consider this to be a message from beyond the veil when this happens, and I listen to it.
I would say that Halloween is my favorite time of year. The air grows cooler, and the beautifully-hued leaves swirl in the sky and fields, seeming more alive than when they languished on the trees at Midsummer. Night falls early and the full moon glows over the land like a beacon. There is an aliveness to Mother Earth at this time that stirs something very primal within my soul. Every cell in my body feels electric and connected to the Universe in a magickal, meaningful way. I don't fear the darkness, I embrace it, for it allows me to view my weaknesses so that I may work with them to bring them into the light and heal them. I reflect, reassess, and rework just about everything in my life. The advice I glean from beyond the veil at this time is vital to my life path.
A simple ancestral-connecting ritual for you to try:
At sundown on Samhain/Halloween, bathe in a purifying, clearing salt soak, and after your bath, dress in comfortable clothing for your ritual. Go to your sacred space, bringing along anything that you'll need to be completely comfortable, as well as a few questions written down on paper or held within your mind's eye---for asking the ancestors when they step forward. Make sure all of the necessary tools are there with you, and as you begin, visualize a protective circle of white light around you. Light your white candle and gaze upon the flame for a few moments. Notice how you feel, and when you are quietly relaxed, put your questions out there one by one. Try not to bring so many that you might overwhelm the spirits or need to spend all night in your circle! I try to stick to 3 questions, max. Use all of your senses to receive your answers, however, if you do not receive advice immediately, do not worry, it will come! When you feel ready, release the white light circle and whatever your preference may be, go about your holiday celebration! Keep an open mind all evening and into the next day so that when the ancestors speak, it will be appropriately received by you! This past week, at sunset, I lit my white candle in memory of my father, who passed in 2008. That evening he spoke to me when I least expected it, gifting me with an idea that my sister and I have just begun working to bring to fruition in the coming year. Blessings are everywhere if we choose to remain open to all paths, not just the ones we feel sure about. Great things can come in many ways, from many places, so be careful not to miss an opportunity by holding too tightly to an outdated way of life that no longer works for you!
Have a merry, magickal Halloween everyone!

Creativity and Spirituality

When I was a young girl, my parents would periodically take my sister and I to church. We'd move to a new town, and we'd join a church. We'd go for a few visits, but ultimately, I believe that we were all arriving back home feeling as though there was something missing...we just didn't really know what it was.
I was an artistic, creative child; always inquisitive, but shy, too. I invented a lot of scenarios for my dolls to exprience, and I believed in fairies and magick. I knew from a very young age that there was more.
Being creative was like a religion for me. If I wasn't creating, I felt dead inside. I remember the hot summer day I awoke(at age 10) and asked my mother who would live in 'our' house hundreds of years after we'd gone. She looked at me puzzled, 'Well, I don't know', was her reply. She was asking why as I ran to locate a small metal file box I'd acquired for school but never ended up needing. I was so excited about the prospect of making a time capsule to bury, I hadn't noticed the storm moving in. I sat on the floor of our garage watching the rain fall hard on the steaming pavement, happily filling my 'time capsule' with odds and ends, including a small locked diary, which seemed very necessary to the process. The lightening made the approaching evening darkness seem otherworldly, and I could almost see all of time in one small moment then---all the way backward, and all the way forward...and I imagined who might open my treasured time capsule someday. As the rain slowed to a mist, I dug a hole in the yard where I couldn't be seen from the kitchen window. Just as I was finished, Mother called me for dinner. I placed the baggie-sealed box in the hole and covered it all back up with dirt. I placed the grassy turf on top last. Satisified with myself and my glorious secret, I went inside for dinner.
Many years later, I think about the time capsule and wonder just how many years it will indeed be before someone finds that box. It could be a hundred. At the time I was creating my time capsule, I had not realized that I was but a tiny part of something we call universal creative energy, which is the source of all things in the Universe. I placed bits of my energy into a box, watched as the rain mysteriously came out of nowhere to soften the Earth enough for me to dig a good-sized hole, and buried the box in Mother Earth as if planting a seed. That morning, I had a creative fire within me that ripped me from my bed like a wildcat---who knows where that came from, but in my humble opinion, it came directly from the source, The Divine. And I knew somewhere in the vast halls of eternity, someone would touch the energy that was on those treasures, the energy that was me. And with a smile, they would connect, the same way that each and every one of us is connected like spiders in the giant web of the Universe.
I am, to this day, passionate about creating---whether I'm manifesting a lovely oracle to help others explore their subconscious or higher selves, or cooking a delicious dish for my family to enjoy. The list goes on, and as I create, I always intend to leave a positive energetic impression upon the Universe, which will hopefully trickle down and bring inspiration to another soul who needs to make a change and longs to create their own personal gift for humanity in some way. I feel that Creativitiy IS Spirituality, and vice versa. The inspiration for creativity, in whatever way, comes directly from that which the Universe has already blessed us with.
If we have something we are passionate about in our lives already, we will be passionate about creating more of that same energy. I challenge you to spend some time thinking about how every day is magickal, filled with potential, and alive with an energy just awaiting your seeking hands to bring it to life. Use your creativity to help others become inspired. You'll love yourself for it!
Namaste'~ Autumn

This Day...

I had to write something for all of you on this day. Not only is it the anniversary of the worst act of terrorism in US history, it contains within it the potential to cause deep fear, doubt, hatred.....and can stir up a host of horrible emotions once again, IF we let it. Of course we should honor and remember, that goes without saying. I suggest a slightly more positive path to take today, though.
Rather than looking back in anger, feeling hopeless in the present, and fearing the future, let us try to let go of the emotions surrounding  the event, feel love and gratitude for those who died so that we might learn how to be stronger and survive something more than a broken radiator hose, and vow to put some positive energy and light into this world..which I am well aware is quite dark and frightening these days. Ask yourself, 'what can I do to make the world a better place?'. I've often said to friends over tea, what if this morning we all awoke and decided to just love? Every last one of us, from the middle east to the north pole to the Black Forest....Just love, letting the past and its wars, hatred and need to be right just fall away... The earth would transform on this day, and it would thrive in the atmosphere of love.
Mother Earth would sing to know that her children finally 'get it'. I know this is at best a fantasy, like so many things, but who says that if a group of us put that energy out there anyway, it cannot have a ripple effect somehow? After all, energy affects energy...
I remember where I was on 9-11-01. I remember the feeling I had; I wanted my husband to come home from work at that moment. As soon as I saw the first tower fall, it was as though I could feel the heart of this country fall with it. In our human folly, what HAD we done? Who knew what would come next. The quiet was unmatched when I went outside, and yet, the sun shone in the sky. Birds chirped, the process of life continued in other ways. Still,it was a day which would transform life as we knew it. There was no going back. But friends...I ask you this: Has some good not come out of this tragedy? The Universe does not just randomly dump its waste on us so that we may suffer, because we are 'bad'. There is a deeper lesson. MUCH deeper. I won't drone on about what that lesson is, because naturally, it is different for each of us. My only suggestion is that you rise up to spirit level and look down upon the human race and our one and only physical planet with deep gratitude. Stop living in denial, you CAN do something to better this world. Don't ever say that what you have to offer is too tiny, because 10,000 of us could be saying the same thing and then, not bother. Always give back when you receive. Say 'thank you', share your blessings, touch a heart in need, remember that for as badly as your problems may seem to be there will always be someone else whose problems are worse, who could use a friend in times of despair......when you put love where indifference or hatred once was, you change the entire world. It cannot help but have an effect, and it surely returns to you.
Right now, I want to acknowledge someone who lost her son, Mark, in June to a tragic accident---Earlene. Thank you for turning to me for comfort. That is the greatest compliment I could receive, and in return, I send you immeasurable love to help you cope and bring you soothing healing at this time. Your beauty reminds me that something good can result from something tragic...it just may not come in the form one might expect. Keep looking to the light.
To all of my friends, thank you for being my friends. It is by your light that I find my way. Allow me to offer you that in return. Now go spread some love today!
Namaste'

What Does a Witch Do?

Well, the question should perhaps be, what is a Witch's life like, anyway? Over the years, I've been asked one constant question so many times, I can't recall the number anymore...."how and when did you realize you were a Witch?". My reply has varied as the years progressed, but suffice it to say, I just knew--from a young age, in fact. I just didn't know what it was called, so as a young girl, I assumed I was just overly sensitive and extremely different. But honestly, you just know. There are magickal women in my family tree, but they never referred to themselves as Witches. There is a common thread, though. We all share the gift of second sight, of deep sensitivity, of photographic memory, and the ability to perceive the world as a place of expansion and possibility rather than contraction and limitations. A Witch bends or shapes energy through positive intention, deep focus, firm belief and will.
I received the High Priestess training in 1992 through a lovely woman named Rhiannon, but it was simply a formality to enable me to carry the title and lead others responsibly on the magickal path. It taught me direction and solidified my identity, and from that time forward, I have always lived between the worlds without fear...a place that sparkles, flows, echoes and resonates with my very soul.
I am nurturer, wife, chihuahua mommy, teacher of metaphysics, Wiccan business owner, spiritual counselor, wellness coach, energy healer, parapsychologist, etc....the list grows as I pursue new avenues for growth. And there is one word that encompasses every facet of my being, Witch. If it is magick you seek, in whatever form---kind and loving energy exchange---please keep reading. I have so much to share with you! Blessed Be!