Bone Songs Myth & Magic - January Theme - Focus

 As a member of the group called Bone Songs Myth and Magic, a group of gifted Pagan practitioners offer their experiences and guidance in their field of expertise. This past month our theme was Focus.  I wanted to share my contribution to this group with my blog audience and offer you the opportunity to find us and join us for our journey into learning more about ourselves and how we interact with the magical realm.

Here's my offering for January's theme called Mindful Magic. I hope you enjoy.

Mindful Magic

As we kick off 2022, it is a great time to start thinking about where you are spiritually. Our spiritual self, our inner self or our true self as it is often referred to, is that place where we are who we really are. This is the self that rarely is shared with others. This self, is the self that sits back and judges our actions; it rates those actions and then gives us a feeling of guilt or pride based on that judgment.  That self is often thinking into the future about what will come of those actions or looking at the past, wishing for or regretting actions that led us to where we are now.  That self is often negative. 

I know what you’re thinking, not another one of those mind over matter mumbo jumbo pieces. Why yes, yes it is.  Because my dear readers, it is true. We have within us the power to decide if we want to be happy or sad. We decide if we want to continue to pave a road with our tears or brush off our cheeks and move forward with a smile. And this year, my friends, is the year that we need more than ever before to move forward with a collective happiness that can indeed, change the world.

Mindfulness is the act of being fully present in the here and now. In this fast paced world of multitasking this is much more challenging than it seems. Every day we often sit at our computers, while watching TV and stopping to read an instant message that pops up while thinking ahead about the next task.  We are preparing for the future and fretting about the past so much that we miss out on what is in our lives right now. Mindfulness is a deliberate act. We stop doing multiple things and focus on the one thing that we’re doing right now with intent and purpose.

Being mindful is the beginning of meditation. Mediation is a state of calm where you sit with yourself and seek to recognize the exact moment of where you are right now. Meditation has been scientifically proven to lower blood pressure, ease the symptoms of anxiety and improve self-esteem. A study in 2016 showed that introducing a group of meditation practitioners into a community of those who do not mediate lowered crime rates and violence by about 20%  in what is called the Maharishi effect.  If we could get 1% of our population to meditate, we could change the world.

So what does all these mean, you’re asking? What does this mean for my magical practice?

As witches, intuitives, mystics and healers what this means to use is that we are in a unique place to help bring about positive change to our planet. We can look at each of our specific gifts and add mindfulness to it so that we can add focus to our result. Whose magical work does not benefit when you take a few extra minutes of self care time to focus your energy on your intentions? What healing energy isn’t reinforced when you spend some time directing that energy with purpose? I think we all know the answer. 

For 2022, think of ways that you can begin moving into a mindful place. Think about the simple act of drinking a cup of tea. We need to be here to hold the cup, and to drink from the cup. Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh teaches us that all acts including drinking tea should be done so, mindfully.

“You must be completely awake in the present to enjoy the tea.

Only in the awareness of the present, can your hands feel the pleasant warmth of the cup.

Only in the present, can you savor the aroma, taste the sweetness, appreciate the delicacy.

If you are ruminating about the past, or worrying about the

future, you will completely miss the experience of enjoying the cup of

Tea…..” - Thich Nhat Hanh

Make 2022 the year that you remain right here, right now. I look forward to taking this journey with you. 

Namaste

Sosanna

Rev. Renee Sosanna Olson - CSM, PMI-ACP

Ordained Spiritual Counselor

Certified Holistic Wellness Coach

International Yogi Certification

Certified Crystal Master & Aroma Therapy Practitioner

Resources:

The Maharishi Effect - https://research.miu.edu/maharishi-effect/

How to Meditate - https://www.mindful.org/how-to-meditate/

Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh - https://plumvillage.org/

Thich Nhat Hanh’s Tea Meditation - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LNiwOI0u9AI

The Bell of Mindfulness - https://plumvillage.app/how-and-why-to-use-the-mindfulness-bell-on-the-plum-village-app/

Exercises:

Mindful Dishwashing

While washing dishes, think very deliberately about the task. Feel the warmth of the water on your skin. Feel the sponge or cloth in your hand. Think about each stroke across the dish. Feel the smoothness of the clean dish. Now repeat this for each item in the sink. Really feel it and focus only on that one thing. This is mindful meditation.

Applying a magical context would be - take a ritual bath and think about these same things.

Mindful Sweeping

While sweeping the floor, think very deliberately about the task. Feel the handle of the broom in your hand. Feel the wind that is created from the stroke. Watch the dust and dirt collected into the pile. Feel the dustpan as you collect it. Now take it out to the trash and feel it leave the dust pan. Send it out of your space.

Applying a magical context would be - clean your ritual space, sweep that negativity into its place and remove it from your area. Direct the energy here, same intensity, same focus.

Journaling Your Experience

Journals are a great way to document what you’re feeling before and after your mindful experience. I recommend picking up a small book or if so inclined use an electronic journal to jot down your feelings. This is going to be useful to come back to at the end of year to look at how you have grown.  Some example labels for entries could be:

Date/Time

Day of the Week

Moon Phase

Activity Practiced (examples, mindful sweeping, mindful walking, mindful dishwashing)

Feelings Before

Feelings After

Goals/Notes

Take this time to jot down anything that comes to mind around your mindful activities. Even if you get distracted, jot that down. These things will help you on your path to grow into being mindfully present in all you say and do.

Making Magic - Moon Water

 

Photo Credit - Renee Sosanna Olson

Moon water is really as simple as it sounds. Water exposed to a particular phase of the moon. I have a collection of different waters that I use for assorted spell intentions or components.  Filled with positive energy, some believe drinking moon water will help ease symptoms of PCOS and help regulate menstrual cycle.  

Moon water can also be used for ritual bathing before or after magical rites or used to cleanse crystals or stones of the negative energy that have collected. Choose certain phases of the moon or certain astrological settings of the moon is said to enhance the water's properties. If a moon is conjunct with Jupiter, it could bring luck and abundance. 

Alternatively, putting it in a spray bottle with a bit of sage or basil can turn it into a lovely cleansing spray. Adding lemon can brighten up any space.

Full Moon Storm by Renee Sosanna Olson

I'm sure you're asking.. well what other types of waters can I make? Well, my friends, the options are as endless as the velvety nights sky. Aside for the obvious lunar phase and astrological choices for moon water collection, there are always eclipses, convergences and times of the year. A bottle of water when the moon is in a one house would one type of energy whereas when it is in another, another would be captured. Yule water or Samhain water could be used for different sprays -  Yule with cinnamon as a pray or Samhain with eggshells or tea leaves for communing with the dead.

Now think about the possibilities, Storm water, Hurricane water, Ice water/Winter water. Each one of these having their own magical properties to help enhance your magical efforts. I have put together a short list below.

• Moon Water - Feminine Energy, Healing, Cleansing
• Sun Water - Masculine Energy, Strength, Growth
• Storm Water - Banishing, Cleansing, Protecting
• Moon in a Fire Sign - Passion
• Moon in an Earth Sign - Grounding
• Moon in an Air Sign - Intellect
• Moon in a Water Sign - Intuition

Storing your various water types can be a challenge. To keep moon water fully charged for example, you'll need to store it in a closed container in a dark space. It can be pulled out and poured into a glass for drinking or in a bowl to add to a bath but the container must be put back in a dark space and exposed to as little sunlight as possible.  Some even create unique bottles to store their ritual water. Here is a bottle I created for my moon water.

Using these types of water in your rituals will enhance your magical energy and the outcomes of your magic. Just be sure to collect the type of water you need, store it properly and the take care with cleansings your crystals or other fragile items. 

Moon water will help you bring the goddess energy into your magical workings and daily life.

What do you think? Leave your comments below!

Renee Sosanna Olson

The Ultimate Guide to Energy Healing - A Review

 Today I'm reviewing The Ultimate Guide to Energy Healing - A beginner's Guide to Healing Your Chakras, Aura, and Energy Body by Kat Folwer.

Book Link

Author Link

Release Date - Feb 1, 2021

Let's start with a review of the physical book. It is an oversized book. For folks with small hands, like mine this may be a challenge to take on the go.  It will take a larger size bookbag or backpack to take with you. It is a smooth paperback with a lovely smooth cover. The images on the outside and within are vibrant and beautiful. I loved looking at it. The font size is great! Easy to read, even for these old eyes and I found it to be easily read from contents page to index without issue.

The book is broken down into three parts.  The Basics, The Preparation and Energy Healing Techniques & Exercises. The beginning includes a guide for using the book and an opening meditation which was really nice. I found the direction to be helpful and purposeful. Something that I think most of these types of book miss before delving into the book.

I found the sections on understanding your anatomy and the break down of each Chakra to be very informative. I think that many begin this type of healing with out fully understanding the process of Chakra energy and how to work with it. Knowing where these points are located and how they interact with the Auric Field is critical for any real work in using healing energies. The author also takes us through tools to use for this work such as crystals, light, water and sacred geometry. Something I feel very connected to. Line art, and geometry have been looked at from a magical perspective for thousands of years. From indigenous tattoos to wall art, we can find examples of sacred geometry across cultures around the world. 

Part two offers several exercises to prepare us to work with this energy for healing. From breathing meditations to setting up a sacred space, the author provides a step by step guide for getting the most out of this healing experience. I found the setting expectations section and the part on what to expect to be especially helpful for beginners. 

Finally part three gives us the exercises to begin our healing experience. I found the visualization section to be one of the most beneficial. Understanding the white bubble of light and how to use it to create a safe space for yourself is something that can be used in a mindful way as well.  Think about all the times in the every day grind that you're pushed to the edge. Remembering that bubble and pulling yourself back inside when you need is a great way to refocus stress and anxiety in order to return to the now, and be able to go on with your day. Sometimes my bubble includes the following verse - "I'm walking, and I know I'm walking.  I'm sitting and I know I'm sitting.  Right now, I am sitting. Nothing else is happening right now.  Just sitting/walking"  

The book continues with some more focused healing practices and a few to move you from beginner to intermediate to advanced. I was really in love with the section on the pendulum work. As one who connects greatly with earth energies and the magnetic pull on us, I can tell you that working with this energy will aid you in so many ways. This book has a step for you no matter which level of healing you are on. 

Overall I think this is a great book to have on the shelf of any energy healer. It is easy to read and offers a number of exercises to help move you through your healing journey. I do recommend taking the time to check out this book.

Blessings

Sosanna

The Magickal Tarot - Guidebook & Deck - A Review

 

Today I'm reviewing The Magickal Tarot- Guidebook and Deck by Robyn Valentine.

Book Link

Author Link

Release Date - Jan 4, 2022

As many of you know from my previous posts, I'm not a huge Tarot reader. I found years ago that my attention span and my dyslexia prevented me from being able to accurately connect with the imagery on most cards. I literally needed to count the swords to even get a grasp on what was showing up.  My divination preference align with oracle readings. I will say however, I don't need cards to read someone. Usually that info is all right there for the taking.  You just need to be ready to see it.

Now on to the review.

The deck comes as a boxed set with the box as the "dust jacket" if you will, for the set. The book is a tall, but narrow paper back with a smooth cover. The font is small, smaller on the author/content pages and does pose a small issue when trying to make out the words for these old eyes of mine. 

The book is broken down by the major arcana and gives a brief background and correspondences of each. These come after the introduction chapters which include an overview of the major arcane, how they relate to magic and how you can relate to them.

As you go through the section on the major arcana, the card image is displayed on one page and the "stats" if you will, on the other along with some magickal work sprinkled in.  If we look at The Empress card for example we see a full page view of her card along with the author's description on the facing page. She includes a section on the lunar phase, the energies and directions on how to leverage the energy of this card in magic. For this card, the author provides us with a fertility spell called "egg candle".  She provides detailed instructions on getting the most from the spell.  For me, I'm just going to sit this one aside.  I don't need any more babies up in here.  (laughing)

The art on these cards is just adorable. I love the artists take on the traditional cards, changing them, updating them but not losing the original design. I can tell who these cards are in relationship to the Rider-Waite deck, of which I am the most familiar.  Sometimes an artist takes so much license with changing the deck that it looks nothing like the original and I'm at a lost for what we are actually looking at.  The illustrator is Stasia Burrington and her work can be found here.

The book does not mention the minor arcana as a separate chapter.  They are included in the deck, but the focus of the book is harnessing the magical energies associated with the major arcana and using it to manifest the intent of the reader. 

Overall I think this is a nice deck and accompanying book. I like the way the author guides you into the energies of each of the major arcana. I like the way the spells are written out in an easy to understand and easy to follow. The packaging was a bit awkward, like many of the book/box desk combos. I wish publishers would stop with that. Find a new way. I'm tired of my deck falling out every time I open the box.  

If you're looking for a new deck to incorporate into your magical work, and want a place to get started, I recommend checking out the Magickal Tarot by Robyn Valentine. It is a unique interpretation of the Tarot that I believe you will enjoy.

Blessings!

Sosanna

Life Update - Goals & Desires

 It has been a while since I posted an update on the status of life here. I've been working on a few things this year and still have a few goals to reach before the end of the years. 

The majority of my year this year has been focused on my health. I had a situation with a hernia that needed to be repaired and had some issues with my iron levels. About 22 years ago I had a Roux n Y gastric bypass where the surgeon was incompetent and ended up removing most of my stomach and small intestines. This removal resulted in me becoming unable to absorb nutrients from any items that I ingest orally. In early January of this year I went for my physical and the resulting labs showed anemia. A follow up appointment showed it drop so much that I was referred to a hematologist for iron infusion therapy. Fast forward to today, I've had 5 infusion sessions which consist of 5 weekly iron iv drips at the hospital. After each of the sessions, I go back for another round of blood work which reveals another drop in my iron levels. It has been exhausting. 

This year we lost Turtle. She was such a powerful energy in the house. Since we first got her and took her for rides on the motorcycle to carrying to the vet for the last time, she was everything to me. Her voice ever so present, her energy, a force not to be ignored. It has been about 4 months or so now and I miss her terribly. There will never be another one, she was indeed my only one.

 

During this time, I completed three certifications for my mundane job and began to tidy things up for my shop. I now have all my items back on Etsy and am working to get the word out about my coaching services. I now offer holistic wellness, self help and personal counseling services. These range from divination/oracle/aura and photo readings to wellness management in lifestyle coaching for diet nutrition and general wellness. I've outlined that information on this page.

     

I have even created my own line of magical tools. I introduced Witch Tacks this year.  These are resin filled tacks that can be placed upright on a shelf, mantle or altar to surround your areas with magical intentions or alternatively they can be "tacked" into the ground around your property or in planters and such to create magical wards and protection circles around your space.

I also have created a protection set, a prosperity set and a healing set.  These also come as a set of four, but are clear and have magical herbs incased within each.

 

These would generally be placed on an altar or at the four directional points in a magic circle. You can find these in my Etsy shop here.

Overall it has been a pretty amazing year, even with the pandemic. Even with the illness and the lack of events. I'm trying to get this thing working as an online thing.  We'll see how it goes. Here's hoping for a better 2022!  I hope you have had a healthy and happy new year!

Blessings!

Sosanna