Thursday, May 29, 2014

Journey to the Lower World

Today's journey was to peek into the realm of the Lower World. I meditated back finding myself before my tree. Again I saw a deer (doe) standing to the right of my tree.

I was pulled down into one of the tiny caves at the root of my tree, spiraling down into my inner sanctuary inside the base of the tree, and beneath the earth. The room looked as I remembered but now I noticed a small door. The door was round, wooden and barely small enough for a small child or animal to enter. I wasn't sure Id fit.

I opened the door and was brought into a long, narrow and dark hallway. The hall was so long that I couldn't even make out if there was an ending. I immediately got a sense of this being my hall of ancestors. I walked down the hall searching for the end and to discover it, I noticed portraits of all of my ancestors that had gone before. Some I did not even recognize or know in this life. I noticed a portrait of my grandmother on my mother's side, who was a very important woman in my life. She is someone that Ive always known to be one of my guides and guardians currently.

At the end of the hall, I found another small door. I opened it and stuck just my head outside to explore. At first I noticed a land of brilliantly green grass, that covered over rolling hills, with smaller mountains in the background. I smelled the saltiness of the ocean in the air, and looking over to the left noticed the coastline off in the distance.

My Lower World was a beautiful sight to take in with all of my senses.

I made my way back down the hall, stopping before the portrait of my grandmother. She told me to remember that I was always protected and safe. That I was a strong healer, and needed to have confidence in my abilities. She said I know what steps I need to take, and what I had to do. I just needed the courage to move forward, and know that I was safely being guided in the right and true direction. I just had to listen and follow.

I thanked the ancestors and moved back into my inner sanctuary and was immediately whipped up and back to the outside of the tree. I knelt before the deer and made contact with it, knowing this to be one of my power/spirit animals. I held out my hand to make contact, and to feed it. The deer nuzzled my hand and began to eat from it. The deer kept changing from a doe into a stag/buck and back. Letting me know that it was both the feminine and masculine.

The deer then led me over to the small creek that ran alongside my tree, and encouraged me to look at my reflection in it. As I knelt I saw a younger, beautiful, stronger version of myself. I always noticed that I had wings, and got the impression that this was my image as me as an Earth Angel. On Earth working as an angel in some aspect to help to heal others and the planet for the time I was here.

The deer then began to drink from the water and encouraged me to do the same. I was nervous to drink it but the deer let me know it was healing water and that it was safe to drink it. I took a small sip and has I did I felt a wave of electricity run through my physical body both there in back in the middle world.

I hugged the deer and thanked it. It then leaped into my heart space and told me that it was now one with me. That I could always contact and use its energy and power anytime I need whether in the psychical middle world, or here in the lower world. I thanked it again.

I then moved to the tree and thanked in for being a place of sanctuary and protection. As I sat down with my back to the tree. I felt Archangel Michael sit behind me, enveloping me in his embrace and wrapping his wings around me. He cleansed me energetically and cut any cords to negative energies that were attached to my aura. I thanked him, and he gave me a kiss.

I sat for a bit more at the base of the tree. Inhaling the energy of the earth and the lower world and letting it go up to the sky and upper world on the exhale.

I slowly brought myself back from the journey meditation. Thanked my spirits, guides, angels and gods and goddesses that I work with. I performed some Reiki on myself to further heal and cleanse. Then I grounded the energy left over down deep into the Earth.

Tuesday, May 27, 2014

Shamanic World Tree Meditation

The drum beats counting me down into a deep meditative state I arrived before a large tree, my tree. Its base was thick, with knotty roots that broke through and down into the soil. The trunk was massively thick, with rough bark and many little sections of holes and tiny caves.

The trunk stood near a body of water, and was surrounded by other large, ancient trees all around. I made my way to the base of the tree and stuck my hands into the wet soil at it's base. It had just rained and the smell of wet earth filled my nostrils. I grabbed the wet soil and let it run through my hands, as I lifted them over head in honor of the tree.

My feet rooted down into the wet earth like the trees roots, and my hands lifted up growing tall like the branches of the tree. I looked up as the canopy of the tree shadowed over me. I turned to see Archangel Michael, my protector, watching over me. He flew gently to my side, and grabbed my hand. We turned to stare at the tree, holding hands.

Off in the distance one of my spirit/power animals, the doe, watched on as Michael and I bent down and dug our hands into the soil. We then placed our muddy hands onto the trunk of the tree, feeling its roughness. We both wrapped our arms around the tree giving it a hug. We released the tree and stood facing each other, placing our muddy hands together. Palm to palm.

I looked at the base of the tree and saw a paticular cave like entrance that I knew would take me into the inner part of the tree. My secret temple that only I alone can enter. What looked like stairs took me down. But instead of walking down, I was led downward in a spiral, my body turning and moving down like a corkscrew into a bottle of wine.

I landed at the base and looked around at my inner temple. It was dark, but spacious. I looked up and could tell I was inside the tree. I noticed a small table and chair, and a large full length mirror on one side.

On another wall was a large rack of every herb, or plant substance in nature. Beneath the herb racks, was a large book. I flipped through it and heard Airmid tell me that she had given me the working knowledge of every herb. That she would be there to guide me as I learned them all. The book would also give me the knowledge and access to form any spell that I could ever need.

I moved over to the mirror and looked in. Instead of my own reflection I was met with the face of Apollo, and felt Micheal's hands on my shoulders as he stood behind me. They both told me that they were there to help me on my healing journey. That I wasn't to worry about weight, my body, or anything. Every time I came down with them I could have access to a healing journey for any need that I may have. That through the healing journeys my body would grow stronger and more beautiful each time.

I took another look around and realized that it was time to go back. I felt myself moving back up through the tree in that same spiral sweeping motion and landed outside of the tree at its base. I said thank you and backed away.

Calling myself back through the beat of the drums.


Wednesday, May 14, 2014

Jasmine


This week is the second week for the letter "J" for the Pagan Blog Project. I decided to blog about my latest obsession: Jasmine. I recently got a massage bar that was Jasmine, Ylang Ylang and Vanilla. I keep putting it all over my skin to just have the smell enveloping me. 

This has never been a flower/plant that I've paid much attention to. I think we all know someone who has/had Jasmine in their yard. Maybe we remark on the pleasant fragrance when we visit. Maybe you even have or know someone who wears a Jasmine perfume. At some point we have all at least come into contact with the flower and its intoxicating and sensual fragrance.

I have always worked with herbs in my practice in some form or another, and I've always considered myself a little bit of an amateur Herbalist. Recently I've decided to really further explore this part of my craft practice. I am working on further expanding my working knowledge of herbs and plant life and all it can do for us both in the magickal and mundane worlds. I am also looking at becoming a Certified Herbalist. So you will see a lot more posts on different herbs and ways to use them in both your magickal practice and your day to day life.

One of the ways Ive been using Jasmine recently is just brewing it in a lovely Green Tea. It's delicious sweetened or unsweetened. I've even combined it with other herbal teas such as a Hibiscus tea. Now that the weather is warming I've made them in an ice tea that is so refreshing.
Jasmine is a shrub or vine that is related to the olive. It can grow all year round in certain parts of Europe and Asia, and is more native to tropical and subtropical climates. It has over 200 species with the most common being Jasminum Officinale. Jasmine is the official flower of Hawaii, Indonesia, Pakistan and the Philippines.

Medicinal Uses:
  • As a syrup can help with colds and coughs
  • Calms nerves
  • Cleanses blood
  • Relieves Stress and Anxiety
Magickal Uses:
  • Love spells
  • Money/Abundance spells
  • Scent can be used for prophetic dreams
  • Aids in meditation
I'm ordering some supplies to make my own Jasmine infused oils that will be partially used for massage, bath oils, and I'll be making my own Jasmine and Vanilla scented massage bars.

Friday, May 9, 2014

Rune: Jera





I've been bad with following the Pagan Blog Project lately. I think I left off on the letter "B". B is for oh bother. This week starts the first week for the letter "J", so immediately the Rune Jera came to mind.

Jera symbolizes a time of harvest. This can represent a physical harvest such as a successful crops in farming, or more like a harvest of rewards after a long period of hard work or challenges. I find this pretty fitting for this period of Spring that we are currently in. Summer will be here soon and that is a time to reap/harvest what you have planted in the early Spring.

Jera can also represent fertility, new beginnings, success. This is a period of bounty that is to be reaped. Everything is happening just as planned, and it's time for you to rest and enjoy it.