 When I heard of wars that destroyed entire neighborhoods in places like Gaza and Ukraine, I would sometimes go out and look around my own area and wonder what that must be like. Now I have some idea. Hurricane Helene ripped through Western North Carolina with the force of a military attack. The floods were so swift and powerful that they destroyed indiscriminately and with little warning. To say we weren’t prepared doesn’t mean we didn’t heed the warnings. We just had no conception of the impact. This never happens in our corner of the world. My family and home were spared but I do grieve for my community and the long road to recovery. In a conversation with my Dad, we talked about the question “Why us?” It’s an understandable response but perhaps isn’t very useful. I have often marveled at my good fortune to be born with the privileges that I have simply by accident of birth. Why me? How did I get so lucky? When the hurricane hit us I thought “Why not us?” Asheville, it could be argued, is a place of privilege. We are known to many because people came here to have fun or relax. We were for a large number of vacationers their favorite escape, for those who had the money of course. The advantage of this is that we have reached people all over the world who saw the place they got married or spent a weekend completely transformed and in many places destroyed. As a result the eyes of the US and further afield have been on us. They have marveled at the community’s resilience and generosity as well as the impact of climate change on place that was supposed to be a climate haven. We must, as a community use this time in the limelight while it lasts to share how important it is to support one another for we are nothing without it. Not just in disasters but everyday. Climate change does affect everyone. But we must acknowledge that the first to be hit the worst are the poorest. Right now the area is being inundated with donations and that is truly wonderful. But further down the line, when the novelty wears off, the world will turn to the next drama and we will be left to figure out how we move forward. We will do this together, I have no doubt. There are many magical people here and to quote the occultist W.G. Gray “... magic is concerned with doing.” 
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We are entering the waning phases of the moon. This is a good time to clear negative energies and move away from struggles.
For this ritual gather the following:
The Star Tarot Card Some candles one or more could be scented Some incense/incense stick A bath Journal First let us meditate on the Star tarot card. Look at the iconography and symbolism represented on the card. How does it make you feel? Read the descriptions of the card below: “As The Star follows The Tower card in Tarot, it comes as a welcome reprieve after a period of destruction and turmoil. You have endured many challenges and stripped yourself bare of any limiting beliefs that have previously held you back. You are realizing your core essence, who you are beneath all the layers. No matter what life throws your way, you know that you are always connected to the Divine and pure loving energy. You hold a new sense of self, a new appreciation for the core of your Being.” https://biddytarot.com/tarot-card-meanings/major-arcana/star/ The Star brings hope, renewed power, and strength to carry on with life. It shows how abundantly blessed you are by the universe as evidenced by the various things around you. It may not be directly evident at the moment, for this card follows the trauma of the Tower card. Remember that you hold within you all that you need for your fulfillment - the only thing that you need is courage. For this, you have all reasons to rejoice. To see this card is a message to have faith, for the universe will bless you and bring forth all that you need. https://labyrinthos.co/blogs/tarot-card-meanings-list/the-star-meaning-major-arcana-tarot-card-meanings?srsltid=AfmBOopDbkCF-88XdWGjTRYq2nqAAXm0che1usYTkQlHGy-fNgC1TS-6 The Star is a very positive omen. It is the period of calm and stability that follows the storm that was The Tower. The Star indicates that you have come through your tough times with a renewed sense of yourself and the world around you, you are full of calm, well-balanced energy and you are open to healing the wounds of the past. Whatever mental, emotional, physical or spiritual issues you were experiencing are now behind you and you are ready to embrace what your future holds. Trust that the universe has a plan for you and trust the feeling you have that everything is going to be OK. https://www.thetarotguide.com/the-star/ When you are ready run yourself a bath, keep the lights off and light the candles and incense. The water should be almost hot but not at all uncomfortable. Get into the bath. Relax and clear your mind for a brief meditation. Think about the Star tarot card. What importance does it have for you? What was the Tower experience you went through? How is the Star guiding you? In your mind imagine a star. It could be a real star in the sky or perhaps one off a Christmas tree. It doesn’t matter. Imagine the star glowing bright but not too bright. Keep your eyes closed but open your hands and imagine that you are holding the star. You can feel its warmth on your hands as it gives off its glowing light. Allow the warmth to grow in your open hands. Its warmth spreads up your arms, to your shoulders and head and down through your torso. You whole body is bathed in warmth. You can lower your hands into the water and stay with your eyes closed if this is more comfortable. Imagine the water is glowing with the star light. Hold this feeling for as long as you wish - luxuriate in it.When you want to, get out of the bath, drain the water, extinguish the candles. Journal about your feelings. You might choose to draw a star and decorate it with doodles or words of support. Perform this ritual whenever you have had a rough time or you want to give yourself some TLC.  If you haven't heard of Fat and the Moon, allow me to introduce you! They make body care products such as this deodorant (that actually works) as well as moisturizers, make-up, scents and more. I love them because:
https://www.fatandthemoon.com/discount/fatmoonluv
It's been a couple of weeks since we returned from the UK and Ireland. Below are some snaps of things I love, food, texture, color. You can see more about my travels on my YT channel.
I have to admit that it is hard to look at these memories now and know they are so far away. Such is life.  Recently I have been examining how capitalism has colored and distorted our culture and society. This is no new revelation but I have been trying to address how I can combat this monster of a system in my own small world. A major tool in this, you will not be surprised to learn, has been hand sewing. The clarity in my thinking that comes with my creative practice allows for insights that I think come from our collective divine voice. Sewing or any creative pursuit for its own sake not only is a conversation with the divine (to me creativity and spirit are the same) but it is in of itself rebellion. The fiber arts work I do has no purpose other than pure enjoyment - a radical idea in a world that bases the value of a person on their productivity. Another way of fighting capitalism is by building community. Community allows healthy interdependence to flourish where we share resources and time together. In the process we consume less and hopefully talk more about what we need to heal and grow a significant blow to a system that is set on selling to us what we do not need. I am taking these two elements - creativity and community and using them to offer this sweet class that I hope will be full of medicine for those who participate. This is the Slow Stitching as Spiritual Practice class that I am teaching with Cherry Hill Seminary.  As a further personal push against capitalism, I want to share that all profits from my embroidery kits will be going to Operation Olive Branch - a grassroots movement looking to support Palestinians through many different projects. Learn more here: https://linktr.ee/opolivebranch
This will continue for the foreseeable future as I look to ways of using my position of privilege to breakdown a system that oppresses us all. |
