How to Be Spiritually Sovereign: Making Magic with the Virgin Goddesses

When it comes to the gods and goddesses of Greek mythology, everyone is sleeping with everyone. Almost. 

Three goddesses remain untouched by the wanted—or often unwanted—passions of men. As Jean Shinoda Bolen shares in her iconic book, Goddesses in Everywoman, these are the virgin goddesses…

Meet Artemis, Athena, and Hestia. 

Of all the Greek goddesses, these were the only ones who never married, were never overpowered, and were never humiliated by male deities or men. 

Interestingly, as Bolen notes, only these three—among gods, goddesses, and humans alike—were the only beings never susceptible to Aphrodite’s seductive power. 

Why? How could these virgin goddesses maintain their independence? Because they are each whole in and of themselves. These aren’t just the virgin goddesses—these are sovereign goddesses. 

Virginity carries many connotations in our modern vernacular—though we will still apply it to some goods such as virgin oil, it’s most often associated with sex. 

When it comes to archetypal perspectives on virginity, the definition expands. The virgin archetype is one of purity—such as the spiritual clarity and pure heart of Mother Mary. And the virgin archetype is one of originality—meaning, “in original form”.

Your original form. Before you were touched, influenced, and hurt by all that we experience in our lives. 

The virgin archetype within us is our true self—that part of us that is whole, divine, and always spiritually free and fulfilled. 

As we move through life, most of us lose touch with our true selves to varying degrees. 

We experience trauma and soul loss. We’re enculturated into the rules and norms of societal and family systems that don’t always meet the needs of our wild spirits. And we’re subtly—and not so subtly—manipulated by forces and groups that thrive when we give our power away. 

This is normal. And it’s within the awesome gifts of the virgin goddesses to help. 

The virgin goddesses can model sovereignty, freedom, and wholeness for us.

And to be clear—this doesn’t mean we aren’t in relationship! Rather, it means that we are complete within ourselves, which allows us to enter into relationship with greater clarity, healthier boundaries, and more secure attachment styles. 

Each of the Greek virgin goddesses offers us a slightly different perspective on spiritual and personal sovereignty…

And, as a note—I especially love that these goddesses show us that the following qualities are all inherently feminine. These aren’t goddesses embodying masculine qualities within feminine form. These are feminine goddesses reflecting the divine feminine back to us—leadership, wisdom, contemplation, independence, focus, and achieving goals are innately feminine traits.

Gustav Klimt's Pallas Athena

Athena

Athena (Minerva), the goddess of wisdom and crafts, helps us connect our heads and our hearts in a way that illuminates Truth with a capital T. Just a few of her gifts we can explore:

• Athena helps us see beyond the surface and uncover the deeper mysteries and knowledge available to us. 

• Able to hold both strategic, practical insights alongside creative energy that is self-generated and refined, Athena is an invaluable ally for bringing impeccable creations to life.

• As a regal goddess who thrives in culture, Athena models true leadership, leadership we can apply to our own lives as well as draw from in service of others. 

The Goddess of the Hearth - Hestia by Roy the Art

Hestia

Hestia (Vesta), the goddess of the hearth, is said to be felt within the heart of every home, turning our everyday world into a sacred space. A few of the gifts we can explore:

• Hestia’s attention to the sacredness of our homes tunes us into the sensual nature of daily living, making simple household “chores” acts of pleasure and devotion.

• The sacredness of our homes is extended to our bodies as well. Hestia reminds us that we are whole and sacred, and helps us treat our body temples with reverence and gratitude.

• Hestia’s inward focus aligns with great mysticism. In meditating with this goddess, we touch into our oneness with the divine, receive deep spiritual insights, and cultivate the stillness from all movement arises.

Athena by Thomas Dodd

Artemis

Artemis (Diana), the goddess of the moon and the hunt, brings us the gifts of rewilding. A few of her gifts to explore:

• More at home in nature’s wilds than any society, Artemis is especially skilled at helping us deprogram from cultural conditioning and remember our own wild natures. 

• A fierce defender of women, Artemis is one of the few goddesses who show no jealousy toward other women, helping us both embrace the power of sisterhood and embody independence.

• As a skilled archer and goddess of the hunt, Artemis helps us pursue what really matters without fear of competition, judgment, or failure. She knows she can accomplish whatever she sets out to achieve, and helps us do the same. 

This is truly the tip of the iceberg when it comes to these goddesses, and I’ll be sharing more in-depth explorations of their magic and medicine in future articles. 

For now though, here’s a practice to give you a taste of what working with these powerful women can offer…

Decide on which goddess you would like to connect with from the above list, and then follow the instructions below.

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Goddess Meditation for Sovereignty

1. Get into a comfortable position. Bring your awareness to the present moment. Feel your body, sense the space you’re held in, and drop anything that’s not needed at this time. Use your breath to call in awareness and let go of distraction.

2. Visualize yourself in a beautiful, protective orb of light. Affirm that only love and compassionate beings are invited and able to be with you in this practice. 

3. Use your intention to call forth the goddess you wish to connect with, making sure to specify that you wish to meet with her most compassionate form. You might like to speak her name aloud. Repeat her name as a mantra until you feel her presence. 

4. As for an attunement to this goddess. She will take the lead so simply receive. You may get images, have a knowing of what’s happening, or simply feel vibrational shifts. Some people will even get a hint of an aroma as confirmation of the goddess’s presence. 

5. When the attunement feels complete, ask the goddess, “How can I embody greater sovereignty in my daily life?”

6. Allow the answers to arise in your consciousness. Remember, spirit speaks in symbols and feelings. If you don’t feel clear on the answer right away, it’s likely that more meaning will unfold in the coming days. Stay open to synchronicities and insights related to your question. 

7. Give thanks. Offer gratitude for the goddess and blessings and wisdom she’s shared with you. 

8. Close the meditation. Affirm that the process is complete, all beings may return to where they came from, and you are free to rest. 

If you’d like to explore the gifts of the goddesses further, it’s not too late to join the Goddess Activation Series.

Each month, we meet with a different goddess to explore her gifts and receive an attunement to her energy. These are accessible 90 minute workshops and each is recorded in case you can’t make it live. 

You might also like:

• The Heliacal Rise of Sirius, the Five Sacred Epagomenal Days, and the Egyptian New Year

• Healing with the Goddess Ma'at

• The Protection of the Goddess: Evaluation of Past Life Vows

• The Venusian Mysteries: Awakening the Sacred Feminine

The Protection of the Goddess: Evaluation of Past Life Vows

(image: Diana Hunting, Guillaume Seignac)

Have you ever felt inexplicably drawn to a particular deity?

Many women today have past life connections with goddesses that greatly influence our current lives.

If, in a past life, you were part of the cult of a goddess, worshipped in her temple, or prayed and made offerings to her frequently, it's likely that your bond extends beyond one lifetime. She is most likely still here, with you, supporting and loving you in this lifetime.

There are a few goddesses that I've had lifelong connections with, and over time, it's been fascinating to uncover more dimensions of our history together.  Freya and Isis are two of my most steadfast allies, as is Diana....

Artemis to the Greeks and Diana to the Romans, this goddess reigns supreme over the hunt, wild animals, the wilderness, fertility, and the moon. An eternal virgin (which really means complete and sovereign in this context), Artemis-Diana has remained a powerful ally for many modern women today, acting as one of the primary goddess of witches and Wicca practitioners.

While I've felt connected with many goddesses over the years, I came to explore the fullness of my relationship with Diana relatively recently. (Interestingly, though I'm usually drawn to the Greek pantheon, it was always clear that my vows had been made to Diana rather than Artemis - perhaps a clue to when and where our lives together took place.)

Through a series of profound spiritual experiences, I discovered that I had been a priestess of Diana in many lives. Realizing my deep relationship with this goddess has been incredible empowering - and it has explained a lot. My natural ability to communicate with wild animals, comfort spending days alone in the wilderness, fierce protective instinct for women's sovereignty...

Under the Protection of Goddess Diana

Diana came to me full force during a shamanic initiation with a teacher who unfortunately was under the influence of her own shadow. (I didn't realize it immediately, but she was targeting me psychically and caused me real damage for many years.)

During one of our sessions together, she told me that it was time to break my past life vows with Diana. That whatever vows I made in the past were holding me back from my path in this lifetimes.

At the time, I really trusted this teacher. But my whole body screamed NO to the idea. I checked in with Diana and my other guides for perspective. They showed me that my vows to this goddesses were of love and freedom, they provided me with her protection and power but in no way held me back from anything my soul was called to do.

If I had allowed this teacher to break my vows, I would have been released from the protection of Diana. And it turned out, I really needed her protection around this teacher.

The Need to Reevaluate Past Life Vows

I do believe it's important to examine the vows we make in past lives, as not all of them are supportive. For example, had my vow included certain caveats, like remaining a virgin or rejecting wealth, I would likely suffer the consequences in this life - perhaps through relationship or financial challenges. It's always good to examine the agreements and vows we've made.

But whether to break your vows is always your decision — never let a teacher tell you what's best for you. By developing your own relationships with spirit guides in your life, and by learning to activate and trust your intuition, you will know what's best for you. This is one important element of cultivating your personal sovereignty.

Activate Your Own Connections with the Goddesses

Which goddesses do you feel a pull to? What clues to past life connections can you see? Do you sense any vows that it is now time to break? To rekindkle?

Leave a comment if so. I'd love to hear from you.

Want to deepen your connection with Diana? The Diana-Artemis Goddess Activation workshop is filled with practices and rituals and recipes and meditations and more.

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• Humans are losing their ****, and how body and Earth can help

• Coregulating with the Natural World

• It’s Not Depression. It’s Exhaustion. ☥ Why Creative Women Are Burning Out and the Soul-Level Need for Deep Rest

• How to Be Spiritually Sovereign: Making Magic with the Virgin Goddesses

How I Make Natural Perfumes: Art, Aroma, and Alchemy in a Bottle

Each Alchemessence™ perfume is art, aroma, and alchemy in a bottle. They contain magical essences, transmission of spirit, and masterfully composed symphonies of fragrance. 

My formal training (and lifelong practice) in perfumery, aromatherapy, energy medicine, and shamanism provides a foundation for perfumes that not only delight the senses but act as catalysts for healing and awakening. 

These perfumes are primarily dedicated to deities, animals, and plant spirits. Before I begin, I journey to the spirit of the being I’m working with for guidance—sometimes this will come in the form of specific ingredients, and other times it will be more general aroma notes. I’m highly clairolfactory (psychic through smell), so I will also smell the perfume in my journey before it exists in ordinary reality. 

My collection of over 400 different botanical essences includes essential oils, absolutes, CO2s, floral waxes, resins, and handcrafted tinctures and infused oils. Unlike many natural perfumers, I do not use any isolates or animal ingredients (with the few exceptions of burnt seashell essence, honey absolute, and beeswax) in my perfumes. 

I select ingredients for each perfume based on several factors, including… 

The Journey—what the deity specifically requested:

• Aphrodite wanted her perfume’s ingredients to come only from the place of her birth—and the birth of perfume—Cyprus

• Magpie insisted on juniper berry and jasmine (which I have since learned is a powerful and common combo in Toaist aromatherapy)

• Horse requested fresh hay or course, which I complemented with fields of lavender

Geography—essences to honor the primary location of a deity:

• Kuan Yin has notes of green tea and ginger

• Pele is honored with rare frangipani absolute

• White Buffalo Calf Woman contains true white sagebrush

Symbolism—symbolic plants and essences associated with each deity:

• Diana, also known as Artemis, contains the artemisia that is her namesake

• Freya contains true fossilized amber, her favorite stone

• Oshun is blessed with honey absolute for the honeypot she wears 

Energetic Qualities—the way an essence’s energetic properties support the gifts of the deity:

• Persephone contains cypress, which helps with transitioning between life and death, just as she so gracefully moves between Hades and Earth

• Many moon goddesses contain a touch of clary sage, which enhances women’s natural cycles

Aroma—what truly makes each blend a perfume in the purest sense:

• I carefully balance base, middle, and top notes, adding accents and fixatives so each perfume reveals surprises as it unfolds and lasts 

• I match the perfume family requested by each deity as well, be it floral, spicy, chypre, or woody, among others

All of these factors come together to create rare, alchemical botanical perfumes.

Explore the Perfumes

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Mythoanimism: An Emerging Spirituality

Every day, more people are awakening to our interconnectedness, the symbolic language of the universe and the divine, the spiritual gifts within each of us, and the importance of cultivating a strong relationship with the natural world. 

Modern mystics no longer enjoy the trappings of organized religion. And they no longer can separate their spiritual practices from the earth that sustains us.

Spiritual Movements of the 20th Century

While there have always been spiritual explorers, the twentieth century catalyzed widespread radical leaps in consciousness. Largely thanks to the consciousness work of Jung and discovery of psychedelics in the first half of the century, the decades that followed saw a mass exodus from the organized religions of the West toward Eastern spiritual practices. Teachings from the worlds of yoga and meditation expanded the spiritual awareness of countless seekers.

Parallel to the influx of Eastern wisdom in the West was the rising of earth-based practices. Pagan rites and celebrations, women’s circles with witchy leanings, the Gaia hypothesis, and ecofeminist understandings of our interconnectedness, prolifically written about by Starhawk, greatly impacted mass consciousness. 

It’s no wonder that Western shamanism also arose during the seventies and eighties, as shamanism involves trance states (such as those attained with psychedelics or meditation practices) and deep relationship with the earth (as was also cultivated by other earth-based spiritualities).

Looking back at spirituality in the West, it’s safe to say that between the 1940s and 2010s, massive shifts in spiritual awareness impacted our collective consciousness in profoundly beneficial ways.

2000-2022: A Time of Reckoning

Unfortunately, humanity had not yet transcended the need for intermediaries with the divine. While hippies may have turned their backs on priests, many still welcomed gurus with open arms. 

In the past decades, gurus have fallen. And they’ve fallen across the board—yogis, meditation teachers, spiritual guides and healers of various sorts have all had their shadows exposed. I think of the sexual assult charges of John of God and K. Pattabhi Jois. The rise and fall of Doreen Virtue. Bizarre cults like NXIVM. 

Even more recently, a growing reckoning of power dynamics and cultural appropriation has bubbled to the surface of our collective conversations, leaving many modern mystics faced with difficult questions around what elements of their spiritual practices are still welcome, and which might be inadvertently causing harm. 

Current Trends in Spirituality

Today, with both religions and alternative spiritual communities dissolving, as we live in times of collective reckoning around power dynamics and the crises facing our mother earth, a few important spiritual trends are emerging:

1. People are seeking spiritual equality and sovereignty. They want to experience spirit directly for themselves and to know that they can trust their own intuition. 

2. People care about our earth. The climate crisis is forefront in their minds, and forming meaningful connections with nature has taken on a sort of spiritual urgency. 

3. People are rebelling against old power dynamics—especially patriarchal and colonial ones. Calls to end oppression and center previously marginalized voices have become intertwined with spiritual practice.

4. People are called to connect with their ancestry and ancestors. We’re here because of the ancestors that have survived challenging times before, and there’s a growing recognition of the wisdom we might find through ancestral work. 

5. People are creating a psychedelic revival. The shutdown of psychedelic research in the seventies was clearly meant to cut us off from cultivating their own direct spiritual connections—and therefore our ability to think for ourselves. Now, we’re reclaiming our right to research and use psychedelics for healing and connection.

6. People are re-engaging with Jungian thought. More and more people are finding meaning in the transpersonal realms of archetypes, omens, symbols, mythologies, and dreams—acknowledging that the universe is always communicating with us if we’ll listen.

7. People are embracing animism. With the climate crisis more pronounced than ever, more and more people are recognizing the need to shift out of human-centric worldviews and into an appreciation of the inspirited nature of all things.

These trends are universal and important, yet until now, we have not had language that clearly encompasses all of these components.

Witch, priestess, animist, earth-medicine practitioner, akashic record reader, starseed, energy healer, and lightworker are bandied about—and all are lovely words. Still others, feeling the limitations inherent in any of this language use the term “spiritual”—which is still too broad to convey much meaning. 

In truth, there is a deep layer of vast yet cohesive spiritual wisdom and truth that connects all the spiritual qualities listed above…

This is where mythoanimism comes in. 

Mythoanimism—A Spiritual Path for These Times

Animism nods to the inspirited nature of the universe—and not only to the spirits of nature we know and love. True animist practice acknowledges that even concepts and objects can have their own vital energy.

Mythos reminds us of the poetic, non-linear, symbolic, and archetypal reality of the universe. This invites trance states, direct revelation, and ancestral wisdom into our spiritual paths. Mythos also allows space for the non-embodied dimension of spirit—deities and beings of other realms are acknowledged and brought into relationship in this non-human-centric practice.

Together, these words give us mythoanimism. Mythoanimism is contained enough to have identifying characteristics, yet broad enough that each person can walk the mythoanimist path in their own unique way. 

As a universal and emerging spirituality, mythoanimism is welcoming to people of all backgrounds, and when practiced with care and intention, frees us from the trappings of outdated power dynamics, fears around cultural appropriation, and the often overly individualist qualities of the spiritualities that have come before. 

As we embark on this new—yet in truth ancient—path before us, let’s look more closely at the qualities held within mythoanimism. 

1. Spiritual sovereignty is our birthright.

Those on the mythoanimist path are waking up to an important truth: spirit is within. And while teachers on the path are valuable guides, we must never give over our own power and knowing. 

With so many realizing their own divinity, we are experiencing a zeitgeist moment in the realm of spiritual sovereignty—the idea that we can have our own direct connection to spirit, uninhibited and uninfluenced by outside forces.

This concept has rippling effects on our lived experience: When we understand that we are divine and that we have the power of spirit within us, we realize that we must take on a new level of responsibility for our lives. We must care for our health, our communities, each other, and our great earth. 

We must love life itself as much as the great spirit that created us does. 

Spiritual sovereignty, which sounds quite individualistic, actually brings us into greater relationship with all that is. 

2. Animism is the truth of our natural world.

We must view the earth as alive. And we must understand that all beings—from birds to trees to mountains and stones—have consciousness and are inspirited. 

Our ecological crisis requires a cosmological solution.

This is a vast departure from the human-centric worldviews of the past. And, while many people are waking up to the spirits inhabiting our natural world—those found in animals and plants—mythoanimism takes this even further: All is inspirited. 

We recognize the spirit of concepts—such as hope or money—as well as the spirit of objects. If you’ve ever talked to your car in a moment of desperation, you’ve tasted the relationships that are possible here. This may prove to be an essential shift for a world in which AI plays an active role.

When we truly integrate an animistic worldview into our consciousness, everything changes. We form new relationships with the land we live on, the food we eat, and the things we consume. We also become empowered to work with the energies in our lives—around wealth, habits, dreams—in new transformative ways. 

3. We are a web of equality and oneness. And we are individuals, here and now.

Spiritual sovereignty tells us that spirit is within us, and animism tells us that spirit enlivens all things. This framework gives way to the universal understanding that we are all one at the most fundamental spiritual level. 

Where there is oneness, there is no dualism and no hierarchy. With this understanding, no longer can we unconsciously treat that which is outside ourselves as lesser than or disposable. No longer can tribalism, us vs. them, and outdated power dynamics guide our consciousness. 

Returning to regenerative living and creating circular economies become spiritual imperatives. 

And at the same time we acknowledge our oneness, we also recognize that we are having individual incarnations. We are souls, with our own energy, karma, and life experiences. Holding multiple levels of seemingly conflicting awareness is a key part of the mythoanimist path.

4. The universe communicates with symbolic language and archetypes.

As mentioned earlier, Jungian psychology is undergoing something of a revival right now. Jung understood that we are all connected on subconscious levels. Interestingly, when Stanislov Groff did his LSD studies, he also found that not only did various layers of consciousness exist, but another layer not previously understood (in the West at least) revealed itself: the transpersonal.

Groff found that while in a trance state, people could experience universal symbols and archetypes—even connecting with beings and deities from cultures with which they had no previous connection or knowledge. There truly is a universal, symbolic language that we can tap into.

The universe is far more vast and interconnected than we could ever imagine—yet we’re not left in the dark. Our dreams contain important insights and revelations beyond our personal processing. Omens, often in the form of nature’s messengers, are waiting for our attention. Mythology from cultures around the world contains universal archetypes and clues for understanding our human experiences, here and now. 

5. The true nature of reality is far more layered than our consensus reality. 

Mythoanism pulls us out of our limited understanding of consensus 3D reality into an undefined and more expansive understanding of the true nature of reality. While you’ll find some new age teachers referring to this as “5D”, I personally find even that term too limiting. 

Many layers of reality exist beyond what we can validate with our five senses. Energetic blueprints and systems underlie our physical bodies. Various disembodied beings—from deities and angels to the recently deceased and fae—exist alongside us, just on the other side of our veils of perception.

This understanding opens us to possibilities that might otherwise seem like magical thinking or miracles. We know that healing happens on energetic and spiritual levels in addition to physical, emotional, and mental ones—and we can engage in a wide variety of practices and techniques to work in partnership with the other realms and their inhabitants. 

As we recognize that the “rules” we’ve been taught might not be set in stone, we can welcome energy, healing, and creation into our lives through radical new pathways. 

We can also learn to communicate with the various beings who reside in slightly different dimensions from us, opening us to new empowering relationships with real impacts on our 3D existence. 

This is also where altering our consciousness, or entering trans states, becomes important, as doing so can help us navigate the other dimensions of reality. While this can happen with psychedelics, there are many pathways available—breathwork, meditation, yoga nidra, music, and more.

A Shamanic Guide to Illness & Health

Explore the five main causes of illness from a shamanic perspective―and how to heal them.

In this free workshop, you'll discover:
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• The 5 types of spiritual illness we all encounter
• How to know if you're experiencing spiritual illness
• The surprising ways addressing spiritual illness can impact your life
• A practice to strengthen your energy field right now

TAKE A POWERFUL STEP TOWARD THE LIFE YOU'RE HERE TO LIVE.

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6. Our ancestors are allies—and so are our descendents. (And our ancestry is more complicated than many people realize.) 

Throughout the world and throughout history, ancestors—the well and good ones, at least—have been our primary allies. This is because of the deep care and trust built into these relationships. 

As we navigate the many dimensions of reality, not all beings we encounter are trustworthy or benevolent. Our ancestors, however, always have our backs, and we can check in with them when meeting someone—or something—new. 

Our ancestors have unique abilities to help us in challenging times. They knew how to survive, and they can help us do the same. Remembering ancestral skills, rituals, and ways to care for our bodies, homes, and families nourishes us on many levels.

As we engage with ancestral practices, it’s important to remember that our ancestry is much more vast than our current known DNA lines. Yes, our blood lineage is often a primary influence on our current life—but it’s not the whole story. Spirit is far too expansive to play by any set of rules we humans might like to make up… 

Which also brings us to our descendants. In kairos time, we are not tied to what we view as the past—it’s likely all our lives are happening simultaneously, and we can connect with our descendents just as we connect with our ancestors. 

When you think of a descendant a powerful exercise is to see if you can imagine how many different bloodlines from throughout an ever more connected world converge into that one magical being. 

As a note—you do not need to know your bloodline or have your own offspring to work with ancestral and descendent energies. There’s no way for our human minds to trace all the blood connections we form throughout time, and there are universal ancestors and descendents who are also here to offer us guidance and support. 

7. We are children of the earth and the cosmos. 

At the heart of mythoanimist practice lies a foundational relationship of reciprocity with the Earth. We have an unshakable knowing that we are born of the earth (and the stars) and we are also caretakers of the Earth and all her inhabitants. 

A deep love and reverence of the earth is perhaps the most central quality for all mythoanimist practice. This love might manifest indifferent ways for different folks—some may engage directly with the earth through with rewilding practices, herbal medicine, permaculture, and other such practices. Others may simply feel the presence of earth wherever they are, honoring her through ceremony and ritual, the arts, or advocacy. 

Regardless of the particular way one engages with the earth, cultivating an ever-deepening relationship with her is of primary importance for all who walk this path—this is one of the key factors that sets mythoanimism apart from other spiritual paths. 

While our deep relationship with the earth keeps us grounded, mythoanimism also invites us to expand our awareness into the cosmos. The stars, starbeings, and great mysteries of the skies are just as much a part of our consciousness as our lives here on earth. Just as we cross beyond the boundaries of human-centered cosmology, we invite ourselves to step into unknown territory beyond the world we know.

Being of Service in the Aquarian Age

By now you probably realize that mythoanimism offers us a beautiful individual path to connect with the earth, the cosmos, and spirit. Yet what’s also important to remember is that this path brings us into service, in whatever way aligns with our souls.

Perhaps this is why mythoanimism and all the trends that lead up to this path are emerging now, more strongly than ever. We are just entering the Age of Aquarius—a time of radical shifts in consciousness, more humanitarian and collectively focused service, and innovation that supports healing and equality. 

“Mythoanimism offers us a beautiful individual path to connect with the earth, the cosmos, and spirit.”

— Juniper Stokes

Cultivating an internal spirituality rooted in mythoanimist principles gives us a profound foundation for showing up in the world. We heal ourselves, illuminate our unique gifts, and find clarity in our personal soul-led paths. 

Does this resonate? Are you part of the growing number of mythoanimists who will change our world? Drop me a comment and let me know. 

(And consider joining Rewilding the Spirit—a transformative course rooted in mythoanimist principles.) 

An important request: Would you like to use the term mythoanimism in your own work or practice? I would love to see this term become widely used.

Since is this the first published work (other than my website content) to use and introduce this term to our collective, I would be deeply grateful if you would please reference me as originating this term.

I asked, prayed, meditated, brainstormed, journeyed, and opened myself to spirit again and again before this word arose in my consciousness. Thank you!!!

Mythoanimism—A Spiritual Path for These Times

Animism nods to the inspirited nature of the universe—and not only to the spirits of nature we know and love. True animist practice acknowledges that even concepts and objects can have their own vital energy.

Mythos reminds us of the poetic, non-linear, symbolic, and archetypal reality of the universe. This invites trance states, direct revelation, and ancestral wisdom into our spiritual paths. Mythos also allows space for the non-embodied dimension of spirit—deities and beings of other realms are acknowledged and brought into relationship in this non-human-centric practice.

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What Happens When You Watch A Sunrise?

I recently taught A Shamanic Guide to Illness & Health. I absolutely loved meeting everyone who came! What a treat it is to gather in community with others who are also open to the more than human world, even if via Zoom :)

During the class, I shared my personal breakdown of the five main causes of spiritual illness, and in my view, one of these causes is disconnection from the natural world. We can restore this connection in part by more consciously syncing our lifestyles with the rhythms of nature. 

One of my favorite ways to tune into nature’s rhythms is to watch the sunrise or sunset each day—or ideally both! The benefits of this practice are many…

• Researchers have found that the wavelengths at sunrise and sunset have the biggest impact on the brain centers that regulate our circadian rhythms, as well as our mood and alertness.

• The colors of sunlight at rise and set are especially helpful for activating the pineal gland—a portal to divine wisdom.

• Being intentional about watching the rise and set of the sun brings about mindful awareness, helping you find peace and presence as you begin and end your days

• On deep, subconscious levels, witnessing the sun’s cycles restores faith that all will be okay. Though we enter darkness, light comes again. Though the light feeds us in many ways, we crave the rest of dark. And so it continues.

• Pausing in our busy lives to enjoy nature’s natural beauty is the ultimate form of sacred self care, a rebellion against the hustle culture that binds us, and a celebration of the feminine energy seeking restoration in our cosmic consciousness. 

This time of year, when days are shorter, it’s a bit easier to witness both the rise and set of the sun. Though I prefer this as a daily practice, even if you can only squeeze in a couple times a week you’ll receive benefits. 

What can you do to create your own ritual around the great solar blessings of our sun?

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• 6 Ways to Celebrate the Autumn Equinox

• The Heliacal Rise of Sirius, the Five Sacred Epagomenal Days, and the Egyptian New Year

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• 5 Steps for Communicating with The Spirits of Nature

• 3 Creative Ways to Celebrate Summer Solstice

A Shamanic Guide to Illness & Health

Explore the five main causes of illness from a shamanic perspective―and how to heal them.

In this free workshop, you'll discover:
​

• The 5 types of spiritual illness we all encounter
• How to know if you're experiencing spiritual illness
• The surprising ways addressing spiritual illness can impact your life
• A practice to strengthen your energy field right now

TAKE A POWERFUL STEP TOWARD THE LIFE YOU'RE HERE TO LIVE.

Enter your email to access this 65-minute workshop today!

Send me the workshop!

The Venusian Mysteries: Awakening the Sacred Feminine

I awoke before dawn, set the kettle for tea, and gazed out my windows into the still dark sky, just a soft glow on the horizon suggested the light was returning. 

As I peered between the giant evergreen bows that reach across my yard, I was greeted by the most beautiful sight—Venus. Rising in her morning star phase, Venus lit up like a beacon in the lapiz sky, calling my soul to recognize her presence.

my morning view of Venus

Venus is a planet but also a celestial deity, and her gifts for humanity lie in helping us come into cosmic balance with the sacred feminine qualities of beauty, love, relationships, sensuality, and pleasure. 

Venus is a planet of beauty—symbolically and literally. Her presence shines brightest from our vantage upon the earth, and her trajectory creates a magnificent, symmetrical pattern.

The only planet named for a female deity, Venus is a loving and bright ally in restoring the sacred feminine to cosmic balance.

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Ready to claim your mantel a scent priestess & myrrhophore?

Join the Nectar & Alchemy mystery school devoted to the feminine, aromatic arts.

CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE<<<

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Restoring the Feminine to Cosmic Balance with Beauty and Astrology

Anyone who’s gazed at Venus in her bright morning star phase can understand why the ancients associated this planet with beauty. I wonder if they also knew her trajectory through our skies is the most symmetrical of all the planets: Over an 8-year period, Venus makes 13 orbits around the sun and has 5 conjunctions with the earth. Visually, this creates a beautiful mandala based on the golden ratio—a pentagram of petals—which you can see in the image below. 

The 13 orbits that bring Venus back to her place of origin in our skies tie this planet to the feminine—13 has long been associated with women because of how we cycle and bleed with the 13 moons of the year. 

Even the symbol for the planet Venus is the same as that which commonly represents the feminine—a circle sitting upon a cross: ♀ If we see the circle as the infinite cycle and wholeness, and the cross as representing the four elements and four directions—that which makes our material reality—we can see this symbol as also calling forth the intersection of spirit and earth. 

In this symbol, we can see how Venus helps us bring spirit into manifest form—just as women bring spirit into form through the birthing process.

In astrology, Venus rules both Taurus and its home, the 2nd house, along with Libra and its home, the 7th house. Together, these elements celebrate the many qualities of Venus — the earthy, sensuality of Taurus, the values and emotions and sexiness of the 2nd house, the high culture and beauty of Libra, and the love and partnership of the 7th house.

Here, not only are the sacred qualities of the feminine celebrated, but they once again symbolize the harmonization of earth and spirit. Anytime we’re able to ground into the beauty of nature and the present moment, we experience Venusian blessings.

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The Venusian Deities

Though Venus is represented through a few male deities in different cultures (see below!), the vast majority of Venusian deities are female, especially within the cultures that have most influenced my own Western heritage.  

The Greek goddess Aphrodite is perhaps the most well-known Venusian deity for many of us, as she even carried the name Venus to the Romans. Yet if we trace the evolution of Aphrodite through time, we find that she may well have been born from earlier goddesses—Isis, or Auset, in Egypt, and Inanna, also known as Ishtar and Astarte, in Sumeria. All three goddesses carry the mantle of being Venusian goddesses of the ancient world.

Psst: You can get a free booklet filled with rituals to connect with Isis and other Egyptian deities here.

Botticelli’s Birth of Venus, unknown artist, Burney Relief

“Freyja and the Necklace” by James Doyle Penrose (1890)

In the Norse worlds, we see both Freya and Frigg associated with Venus. Both goddesses embody qualities of love, romance, fertility, and sacred sexuality, though Freya is more independent in her expression and Frigg, as the wife of Odin, is more matrimonial (many sources also conflate the goddesses into one). Interestingly, Friday is named for Frigg, and guess which planet rules Friday? Venus. 

art by José-Patricio Aguirre

Now, let’s get a bit heretical…Do you know what the Roman word for Venus was? Lucifera. Yup. The very same word co-opted by Christans to describe the devil. Lucifera was used almost as suffix to many goddesses and sacred women’s names—Diana Lucifera most famously, but also Mary Magdalene, who was sometimes referred to as Mary Lucifera. 

Sex & Resurrection

Saint Mary Magdalene by Bernardino Luini

From what we know of Mary Magdalene, it’s likely she was not only a consort of Jesus but also a priestess in her own right. At the time, the art of sacred sexuality was practiced in the temples for communion and healing. And sex, in this sacred sense, is as Venusian as it gets—the sensuality, the romance, and harmony between masculine and feminine, and the fertile outcomes once again bringing spirit into material form. 

And while we’re looking at sacred sexuality in this Venusian context, it’s interesting to note the parallels between Isis bringing Osiris back to life and immediately consummating with him (which led to not only the birth of Horus but brought fertility to the land), and Mary Magdalene being the first to witness the resurrection of Jesus. I wonder if the way in which she anointed him before death, loved him beyond life, and cried tears of power into the earth, contributed to the magic that brought him back to life like Osiris. 

As a note on the theme of resurrection, we also see another Venusian goddess Aphrodite bring Adonis back to life through her pleas after he was killed by a wild boar.

It seems the Venusian power so naturally held by women—the power to commune with spirit, enjoy sensual pursuits, and bring life into being through the force of love—was a bit too threatening for the Church…

These tales of resurrection are also reflected in Venus’s orbit, as the planet cycles towards and away from the sun, symbolizing a natural cycle of birth and death.

The tale of the Venusian goddesses Inanna offers us a good reflection of how women can embody this cycle within themselves. Unlike the goddesses who resurrect their lovers to bring fertility to themselves and the land, Inanna is the one resurrected in her tale, modeling the feminine drive to face our shadows and integrate into wholeness. (Interestingly, she is hung on a cross before becomming resurrected…sound familiar?)

modern interpretation of Quetzalcoatl by BenArtsStudio on DeviantArt

The Venusian Masculine

Back to the male Venusian dieties…by far the most well-known masculine Venusian deity in modern days is Quetzalcoatl, a meso-American god. Quetzalcoatl was known as a feathered-serpent deity who brought fertile growth to the land. Again, we see the liminal meeting of spirit and earth in bird and snake, as well as sacred sexuality and fertility. In many ways, Quetzalcoatl offers us a model for how those in men’s bodies can embody the much-needed gifts of Venusian blessings, reminding us that we all have sacred masculine and feminine qualities within.

It’s time to allow Venus to upgrade our hearts.

As a planet that reminds us of the power of love, Venus could not be more important for us to connect with right now. 

I am, like I’m sure many of you are, an empath. 

Being an empath is not only a gift but is also the natural state of all humans, the state we are born into before culture and trauma cuts our hearts away from our innate ways of knowing. 

But being a really strong empath during times of mass hysteria, conflict, and trauma can be rough, even with the knowledge and skills to navigate these times. 

I find the vitriol, judgment, and especially righteousness I see online and in social media pressure cookers to be acutely painful. Just about all news—from left to right and mainstream to alt—has become a web of incendiary propaganda. When I turn into certain locations, I can energetically sense oppressive webs of fear hijacking people’s sovereignty. 

In all of these examples, I think what I find most heartbreaking is that people are being pulled off their path of spiritual evolution and heart-centered living. They are losing touch with what will actually help humanity survive the changes upon us: love and connection, with each other and the earth. 

Venus is a powerful ally in coming back into our hearts and allowing the wisdom of love to lead the way. 

Right now, Venus is in her heliacal rise toward the sun, allowing her divine beauty to be strengthened with solar blessings. Now it’s time to let the light of Venus and the Sun illuminate and strengthen the love within all of us. 

A PRACTICE

If possible, locate Venus in the sky — depending on her movements, dawn or dusk will be the best time.

Anoint your heart center with a sacred oil, preferably one containing rose — one of Venus’s favorite flowers. (The perfumes below are perfect for this practice.)

See the fragrant oil or perfume open a portal into your heart, a protected one that can only be entered by Venus herself.

Inhale, and feel Venusian blessings flow into your heart center.

When this practice feels complete, see the portal in your heart seal safely and give thanks to Venus.

As you go about your day, notice feelings of love and being loved fill your being. Practice seeing the world through a gaze of appreciation and gratitude for the beauty of life. Delight in the sensual experience of being embodied. Remember your true value and worth.

The Sensual Delight of Venusian Perfume

What could be more Venusian than a perfume dedicated to the goddess?

As a triple Libra, Venus is my ruling planet — meaning she’s especially influential in my life. It’s no wonder beauty is my core life code (you can read my artist statement here, just scroll down a bit). While I’ve always been an artist and experiment with many mediums, when I create perfumes I know they come straight from my soul. 

Many of the perfumes I’ve designed are dedicated to Venusian goddesses — so many, in fact, that I’ve decided to offer them all in a single discovery set. 

The Venusians Discovery Set includes six 1ml samples in glass vials, each perfume is all-natural (I’ve studied with the preeminent natural perfumers of today) and infused with the Venusian energy of goddesses from around the world

If you’re inspired to try these alchemical perfumes, please enjoy 10% off as my thanks for reading here :) Good now through the end of Venus’s retrograde on September 3rd, 2023. Use VENUSRX at checkout.

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An Imbolc Ritual

Welcome to February—what an auspicious start to the month! 

We have our Aquarian new moon, Imbolc, and the Lunar New Year all coalescing at the beginning of a new month. 

While Aquarius expands our vision of what’s possible, the new moon and the beginning of a new year invite us to set intentions for bringing these visions to life. 

At Imbolc, a cross-quarter celebration on the Celtic Wheel of the Year, we say our goodbyes to winter and welcome the spring. Traditionally, this is a time for planting seeds, trusting that they will spring to life when they’re ready. 

Now, as we envision and set our intentions this day, we plant the seeds for the year to come. 

Can you keep faith that your seeds will germinate even though there are not yet signs of life?

The wheel of the year will bring births and celebrations, gifts and harvests, endings and completions. At this turning, we’re asked to hold faith that all will come if we plant our seeds, taking the first step and trusting the cycle to carry us to the next. 

And yet, there are no guarantees, as we well know by now. Which asks us to find even more faith and resilience—can we effort enough to plant our seeds knowing full well they might not bloom? Can the simple act of planting and letting go be enough to fill our spirits, in this moment, at this time?

Setting intentions, letting go of attachments, and staying in the present moment—this is your invitation today.

An Imbolc Ritual

Begin by lighting a candle in honor of the Goddess Brigid, who presides over Imbolc.

Gaze into the flame, giving thanks for the presence of fire—its life-giving heat and light and its destructive and cleansing powers as well.

Allow the flame to clear your eyes and mind of preconceived notions. In tantric yoga, we practice trataka—the act of gazing into a flame, unblinking as much as possible, until your eyes water and cleansing occurs. You might like to experiment with this as you cleanse.

When you feel the cleansing is complete, close your eyes and come into your heart. Ask your truest self and heart what seeds wish to be planted at this especially potent new moon. 

Allow whatever arises to pour into the flame, where the spirit of fire carries it to spirit. Feel your desires with all of your heart, and then let them go.

When you feel complete, thank the fire, Brigid, and blow out the flame with gratitude. 

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You might also like:

• 6 Ways to Celebrate the Autumn Equinox

• How to Be Spiritually Sovereign: Making Magic with the Virgin Goddesses

• Mythoanimism: An Emerging Spirituality

• Celebrating Samhain: Modern Rituals and Festivities for Connection and Protection

The Color Bubble Practice for Energetic Protection

Here's a super quick practice for energetic protection.

This is a great one for times when you need a little extra "cushioning"—maybe you're about to go to a crowded place, for example—and a great daily practice. Try this each morning for a week and see what happens!

Quickie Practice for Energetic Protection

First, breath into your heart and notice the light there. See this light grow and fill up your entire body, and then go beyond your body, creating a bubble of white light around you.

Most of you have probably done something similar to this before—and it works! Your energy, intention, focus, and partnership with spirit will create an effective orb of protection around you.

But if you want to go further, experiment with filling your bubble with different colors! Every color has a different vibration, and therefore different protective and healing qualities.

Visualize the bubble filling with green, blue, violet, red...

How does each color feel? Over time, you'll learn your own  unique color language and know exactly what color to use when 🙂

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Discernment on the Spiritual Path: How to Protect Yourself in Unknown Territory

There's an interesting phenomenon at play these days...

In much of our lives, we've learned to discern truths from untruths, to question new information and check it against our trusted guideposts -- be those scientific findings, published books, educational institutions, non-profit research groups, church leaders and religious texts, or other authorities.

Everyone will have different guideposts, which can clearly lead to conflicting information and cultural clashes. But still, people do tend to have their own ways of knowing what to believe.

But in one area, I've seen perfectly thoughtful and sane, people become completely bamboozled.

Spirituality. Especially any spirituality that might have a "woo-ish" leaning.

It's only been in the last 50 years or less that we've seen a mass exodus from organized religious institutions, in the West at least. And people simply haven't figured out their guideposts.

It's almost as if, when someone says they have a direct channel to spiritual wisdom, people simply believe it. They have no existing guideposts to check this new information against.

What's especially fascinating to witness is how people will struggle to integrate every new spiritual teaching into their personal cosmologies. If it got published, it must be valid. And if it's channeled information from spiritual beings, then surely it's true!

Oh the existential crises this approach to spirituality leads to! It breaks my heart.

But it's not all that difficult to shift our relationship with incoming spiritual teachings, new teachers, different approaches...

Let's begin by remembering that everyone is working with their own set of human filters, and whatever teachings they offer have arrived through those filters. (And of course, some people are just liars.)

You have filters too. The more conscious you become of your own filters, the better able you’ll be to identify the filters in others. Question yourself. Look at your shadow. Celebrate your wisdom. Then extend the same grace to other teachers you feel drawn to. (And disentangle from those you’re not drawn to—you don’t need to listen to everyone.)

You can also learn to identify and trust our own inner guideposts with greater clarity. For me, this is often a somatic experience—while the brain can argue for the validity or falsity of just about anything, the body will tell you what actually resonates with truth.

As we travel deeper into spiritual territory, this phenomenon—the task of filtering spiritual truths from the messy soup of information out there—takes on an even more challenging dimension: direct experience with "spiritual" beings.

When we open our intuition and are able to communicate with the spirit world more clearly, we still need to remember that not everything we encounter is pure love and light.

Many people have the tendency to assume that because an entity or being is not embodied, because it resides in the spirit worlds, it knows more than they do.

And even more bizarrely, there's a tendency to assume that these beings always tell the truth.

I remember a woman telling me once that her friend talked with Jesus. Of course, I know this is possible. Jesus is a powerful and loving energy that appears to many people.

But in this case, "Jesus" was telling her friend to hurt himself. To make decisions that he never would have chosen for himself.

I was shocked to hear that they were confused about this--they were actually questioning how to follow Jesus's guidance even though it didn't feel right.

Hopefully you're tracking here and realize that this entity was not Jesus.

Yes, disembodied beings might seem super spiritual at first simply because their existence is so different from ours. But there are all types of beings out there, and they're perfectly capable of lying in order to fulfill their own agendas.

So how do you know if a being is a loving guide or just someone pretending ?

There are a few tips I offer my students:

1. Let your body be your guide. Cultivate an unshakable faith in your own body's ability to tell you what is right for you. (Yes, this takes practice, but everyone can learn to do it.)

2. Start with a trusted ally. This is a spirit helper that you trust beyond any doubt. It may be a power animal, well ancestor, or other deity. To help alleviate any confusion, I recommend meeting this ally in the presence of skilled teacher or healer. This might be during a healing session, a personal mentorship session, or a group class. Once you have your ally, you ask them to check out anyone new you might want to communicate with.

3. Learn more about the types of beings you might be encountering. We co-exist with land spirits, nature beings, spirit guides, ancestors, ghosts, angels, demons, and more. The more you learn about the non-ordinary realities around us, the more potential you have to see the truth when encountering new entities.

4. Develop highly attuned psychic protection skills. You can prevent and eliminate so many unwanted encounters simply by maintaining a good energy hygiene, spiritual sovereignty, and a vibrational state that does not invite them to communicate with you. Again, we can all learn how to do this work.

Though the spirit worlds are as full of diverse energies and intentions as our ordinary reality is, we can all learn to navigate them with greater skill and ease.

Stepping outside of mainstream or established religious belief systems isn't easy. Most of us will encounter confusion, dark nights, and more on our paths. But being able to cultivate a personal cosmology and inner guideposts to support your journey is such a gift. May you be blessed upon your path.

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You might also like:

• How to Be Spiritually Sovereign: Making Magic with the Virgin Goddesses

• On angels, psychic saviors, fallen gurus, and sovereignty (And the magic of being human)

• Humans are losing their ****, and how body and Earth can help

• 7 Signs You're a Modern-Day Mystic

A Shamanic Guide to Illness & Health

Explore the five main causes of illness from a shamanic perspective―and how to heal them.

In this free workshop, you'll discover:
​

• The 5 types of spiritual illness we all encounter
• How to know if you're experiencing spiritual illness
• The surprising ways addressing spiritual illness can impact your life
• A practice to strengthen your energy field right now

TAKE A POWERFUL STEP TOWARD THE LIFE YOU'RE HERE TO LIVE.

Enter your email to access this 65-minute workshop today!

Send me the workshop!

Are Your Thoughts Your Own? Claiming Mental Sovereignty

How many of your thoughts are your own?

If you've ever really looked under the surface of your thinking mind, you've probably already realized that so much of what we think, believe, and even feel is heavily influenced by outside sources.

Our family patterning. Our education systems. Our work environments. Our social groups. Religious organizations. The news or entertainment we give our attention to. And now more than ever, our social media feeds.

Yet beyond these clear pulls on our consciousness, there are even more subtle and potentially dangerous threads involved...

These are energetic threads created from magnetic thought forms, mass hysteria and hypnosis, collective trauma, and more.

Most of these threads are natural occurrences with no hidden agendas behind them. They simply arise, and we can learn skills to disentangle from them so we can return to sovereign wellness.

But some of these threads are absolutely intentionally created. As creepy as that might sound, we can 100% learn to unhook from them as well.

Curious as to what all this means? What kinds of "threads" I might be referring to? And most importantly, how you can protect yourself?

Good! Our world needs us to unhook from the chaos out there and come back into our hearts, our truth, and our power.

This is why I'm teaching a six-week course all about psychic protection. We begin February 1, and classes will be recorded in case you need to miss one.

There are a few spots left. If you feel even the slightest pull, it means you're ready to claim new levels of spiritual sovereignty. Join us.

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Is Possession Real? (Spoiler...yes)

Sometime around winter solstice, I got a possession.

A what? Like in The Poltergeist? Yeah...kind of. There really are disembodied spirits that can influence us to varying degrees. But I promise, I've never seen this actually look like The Poltergeist.

What typically happens is that someone starts feeling low energy or mildly depressed/anxious, but there's not really a reason why.

Over time, if the possession isn't taken care of, it can lead to a host of harmful effects—anger issues, addictions, chronic illness.

The problem is, these are all normal human things, so we don't realize that there's a foreign energy involved. Even people who live and breathe this work, like myself, can be influenced without realizing it.

I'm extremely grateful that years of training have taught me to recognize the subtle signs that a foreign entity is attaching to me early on.

For me, it's a very physical sensation. I know that when my back has a certain type of tingle, someone is with me who shouldn't be.

I've actually had bouts with this tingling for years, but I'd always chalked it up to my own anxiety. Thankfully, I have a better understanding of the layers involved now, and I know to take action right away.

With this possession, I tried to clear it myself. Well, I actually reached out to three friends who are gifted in this area first, but with the holidays and everyone traveling, no one had time.

So I tried and tried to clear this being. I went to nature to partner with the strength of the earth. I smudged all over the place. I tried to compassionately help the being move into the light.

While I felt a little better with the earth and smudging, nothing worked.

Sometimes, when a really big entity attaches to us, we become so depleted so fast that we simply aren't able to heal ourselves. This is why we need each other so much when it comes to healing!

Fortunately, one of my favorite magical energy healing women got back to me after the holidays and we were able to have a session. She confirmed what I felt and was able to do the work to clear the being (though it sounded like a heavy lift this time even for her!).

My heart's deepest wish is to illuminate this phenomenon to others. So many are suffering and don't need to be!

The first step is awareness. If this is new or interesting to you at all, please come to my free class on January 12th. I'll be talking about a lot of surprising influences on our wellbeing, including this one.

The next step is protection. Obviously, if my experience tells us anything, it's that sometimes shit just happens. Actually, if the past few years have taught all of us anything, it's that shit happens that we can't control, and there's no good reason for it.

That said, there are plenty of things we can do to lessen our chances of picking up foreign energy. Just like eating well and exercising can support our physical immune system, good energy hygiene can support our spiritual immunity.

If this sounds interesting, definitely sign up for Energy Hygiene and Psychic Protection! This is a live, virtual six-week class where I'll be teaching you how to identify foreign energy, protect yourself, and cleanse yourself from the basic subtle energies we all pick up on. This way, you'll be able to both keep yourself as healthy as possible and recognize the signs for when you need more support.

Then, for those who really feel called to this work, learning how to do extractions and psychopomp suffering beings would be a good next step. I only share these teachings within advanced trainings. If there's enough interest, I'll set some up this year—let me know!

May you navigate the wild worlds of spiritual beings with safety and ease.

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A Shamanic Guide to Illness & Health

Explore the five main causes of illness from a shamanic perspective―and how to heal them.

In this free workshop, you'll discover:
​

• The 5 types of spiritual illness we all encounter
• How to know if you're experiencing spiritual illness
• The surprising ways addressing spiritual illness can impact your life
• A practice to strengthen your energy field right now

TAKE A POWERFUL STEP TOWARD THE LIFE YOU'RE HERE TO LIVE.

Enter your email to access this 65-minute workshop today!

Send me the workshop!

---

Spiritual Sovereignty: Can You Heal Yourself?

One of the first things many people are taught when they step onto a spiritual path is this:

“Nothing can harm you without your permission.”

Followed by this:

“You have access to all the divine guidance you need within. You just need to learn to listen.”

And now, with sovereignty becoming such a buzzword, this line of thinking comes next:

“Your sovereignty is your birthright. No one can attach to you energetically without your permission. You can declare old contracts be broken.”

In my experience, all of these beliefs are both true and more complicated than they seem at first glance, and the implications of believing the most simplistic interpretations of these ideas are not without consequence…

Let's start with the idea that nothing can harm us―spiritually and energetically at least―without our permission. Take a moment to think about the implications of this teaching...

First, this can be a comforting thought. As you begin to realize how many hidden influences are at play in your life―including what we might call negative energies―you might start to feel overwhelmingly vulnerable. Returning to the belief that no "invisible monsters" can hurt you without your permission is incredibly reassuring.

Unfortunately, if we take this belief to its natural conclusion, what does it say about those who struggle with the spiritual and energetic dimensions of health? The implication is that if someone has a spiritual/energetic ailment―such as cording with another person, an energetic attachment, or even possession by a foreign entity―then they must have, on some level or in some lifetime, agreed to it.

This agreement isn't conscious of course, but subconscious. Nevertheless, you agreed. So it's up to you to "break your contracts" and "claim your sovereignty".

Oh, did you try and things were still difficult or stuck? Well then, this line of thinking goes, on some level you must feel as if you're benefiting and not really want to get better.

This way of thinking about sovereignty is what happens when a spiritual truth gets hijacked by a capitalist narrative.

Sound familiar? This was certainly the party line in my three-year shamanic practitioner training, and I've heard versions of this repeated in yoga, reiki, and energy classes often...

Personally, I absolutely DO NOT believe things are this simple, and I do not endorse victim blaming in this way.

This way of thinking about sovereignty is what happens when a spiritual truth gets hijacked by a capitalist narrative.

When I come across thought patterns that take individual empowerment and personal responsibility to the extreme, I feel grateful for having spent so much of my life overseas. Not all cultures are as individualistic as the American one is. There are other ways of being in the world and relating to spirit.

Yes we are powerful. Yes we can heal ourselves. And yes, there are times when we resist healing because of some perceived benefit, usually unconscious. But true spiritual healing is a much more complicated soup of karma, randomness, soul growth, and mystery than a simple declaration of sovereignty.

True spiritual healing is a complicated soup of karma, randomness, soul growth, and mystery.

When we remember that we are all connected, and that we were born into an ecosystem with layers of interconnection that reach far beyond our physical dimension, we also begin to recognize that healing happens in community.

Most of us need support at some point in our lives. Even with decades of training and practice under my belt, I still turn to beloved friends, teachers, and healers for help when I can’t see the whole picture or need a healing boost.

Healing also happens over time. Spiritual healing isn’t like taking a pill—more often it involves navigating layers of connections and contracts, lifetimes of karma and energetic patterning, and deep psychological integration and initiations. When we embark on this kind of healing journey, being held in community and supported by a healer are essential foundations for the path before us.

And let's be real here—when you're suffering, connecting with your true inner power is hard! How are you supposed to clear and recharge your energy field when you've been knocked flat?

This brings me back to the other common belief that is both true and more complicated than it first appears…the idea that we should be able to access our own intuition and not rely on others for guidance.

Well, yeah. I agree. And I'd say most people tend to overly rely on others to be their conduits to spirit—getting divinations, seeking out gurus, asking for advice, drawing endless oracle cards…many people fearfully avoid the personal responsibility that comes with committing to their own decisions.

But this doesn't mean that we should never turn to others for guidance and support, ask for help interpreting our dreams, or receive divinatory readings. Again, in our layered ecosystem of connection, we often are meant to have insights and wisdom reflected back to us by others.

As we walk the path toward true spiritual health and sovereignty, it’s both important to develop skills to empower yourself and to turn to others when you need support.

Healing is a delicate dance between personal responsibility and partnership with trustworthy healers who can support our journey. We are vulnerable and we are powerful. We are individuals and we are all connected. We are human and we are divine.

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If you’re interested in learning more about the unseen forces that influence your health and well-being—and how you can learn to better work with these energies—be sure to sign up for my upcoming FREE workshop:

A Shamanic Guide to Illness & Health

Explore the five main causes of illness from a shamanic perspective―and how to heal them.

In this free workshop, you'll discover:
​

• The 5 types of spiritual illness we all encounter
• How to know if you're experiencing spiritual illness
• The surprising ways addressing spiritual illness can impact your life
• A practice to strengthen your energy field right now

TAKE A POWERFUL STEP TOWARD THE LIFE YOU'RE HERE TO LIVE.

Enter your email to access this 65-minute workshop today!

Send me the workshop!

Why Healing Isn't Personal: Diet, Control, and Our Collective

I find it interesting that when any health challenge appears in someone's life, or in our own, the health-conscious, mindbodyspirit crowd has a tendency to immediately blame food. I’ve certainly been guilty of this myself.

Whether we encounter issues with our immune systems, chronic illness, joint paint, skin disease, depression, weight loss, or even cancer, the response is almost uniformly similar: Change your diet.

Go vegan and plant-based. This wouldn't have happened if you weren't eating junk food. Keto/paleo is life-changing. Processed oils, refined sugar, too many carbs, too much dairy,  nightshades, mycotoxins, non-organic produce, meat, unsprouted nuts and grains...the list is endless.

Looking at our diets makes sense. We've been struggling with a conventional medical system that has completely ignored lifestyle and dietary changes while over-medicating us for decades. The food industry has bombarded us with fast foods and artificial ingredients for just as long. Most of us know the FDA is rife with problems and not a reliable source of protection.

But as helpful as dietary changes can be, our collective tendency to look to our diets for the pinacle answer to any health concern is problematic.

Deep down we know this. We know that stress is a massive killer. We know our environment is full of poisons. We know our air quality can be harmful and that we're surrounded with toxins in everything from our mattresses to our office carpets and more. Those of us who haven't been brainwashed by amazingly effective marketing campaigns for five-gee know that it's yet another assault on our health. We know that past trauma can influence our present health and all sorts of preconditioning exists in our DNA. On some level, we even sense the karmic and spiritual components that might be at play with any illness.

Despite all of this, so many people still focus on diet to the exclusion of all other contributing factors to our health. Why?

It comes down to control.

We can control our diets much more easily than any of the other widespread assaults on our health we face. Because every other contributing factor to our chronic illnesses requires change on collective levels.

The collective stress we're under needs collective solutions—our individual lifestyle changes will only go so far. We can try to avoid buying products with known toxins and living too close to cell towers, but this is a drop in the bucket compared to what we're exposed to on large-scale levels.

So we retreat to the comfort of what we can change—our food, feeling superior to those who sadly poison themselves with poor diets.

One danger in this way of thinking is that it can lead us to miss catching serious illnesses sooner. I can't tell you how many people have kept endlessly changing their diets in hopes of easing stomach issues or joint pain, only to realize that they had cancer, parasites, a genetic condition, or something else that required far more intervention than a new diet.

Of course, it should be noted here that dietary changes are actually not easy. Not just because of our emotional attachments to food, but because healthy food is still inaccessible to huge portions of our population.

Thinking that we can stay healthy because we have healthy diets, and healthy lifestyles in general, is a symptom of our individualist, easy-fix American culture.

“We're in charge of our own health. When people suffer, it's their fault.”

This is a myth. Every bit of our health is tied to the health of the collective. We exist in an ecosystem, not a bubble.

So yes. Eat healthy (doing so can actually help the ecosystem, too). Take care of yourself and your loved ones. But also have compassion for others—and yourself—when you're faced with illness, whether a cold or cancer. Even those who "do everything right" are never guaranteed endless health.

And do not ignore our collective struggles. All of us need to keep the conversations around our environmental and shared challenges at the forefront of any discussions on individual health. When enough of us put our shared needs forward often enough, the consciousness of our collective changes. And then the policies and products in our life change. And then we can all enjoy thriving together just a little more. At least that’s the hope.

Rooted: A Seasonal Grounding Practice

Autumn is a season for roots and rooting. 

Those of us who forage and wildcraft know that this is the time to harvest our wild roots—dandelion, chicory, salsify, osha (if you're lucky and it’s sustainable where you are), solomon’s seal, and so many more earthy medicines await. The gardeners among us might celebrate the carrots, daikon, sunchokes, beets, and other root veggies that will continue to nourish us through the winter months. 

This is also a time of year for us to turn to our ancestral roots, as we celebrate Halloween, Samhain, and Dia de los Muertos with the thin veils of the season. For some, this rooting comes in the form of ancestral altars that are alight with photographs, candles, and offerings. For some, it’s as simple as tuning into ancestral rhythms -- preparing seasonal soups and herbal medicines to carry us through the cooling weather. 

I find that this time of year lays the perfect ground for rooting into the Earth, as well—grounding ourselves, energetically as well as physically, to carry us through the holiday festivities to come. We tune into our root chakra and the land we live upon, sending energetic roots into the Earth while the ground is still welcoming and soft, before winter’s freezes come. 

You’re invited to try the following practice any time you’d like to ground and root into the earth. 

Root Chakra Grounding Practice

1. Find a comfortable seat. Take a few deep breaths and make any movements to get just a bit more comfortable.

2. Bring awareness to your root chakra. Feel the energy begin to grow. You might even see the color red become brighter as you energize this chakra with your attention.

3. Feel a cord of light begin to extend down from your root into the earth. You may see this as a glowing cord or the roots of a tree..

4. Feel this energetic cord extend downward until it meets the energetic core of the earth. 

5. Feel your rooting cord sink into the core of the earth and begin to breathe this earth energy back up through the cord into your body.

6. Continue to breathe and feel the beautiful energy from the Earth’s core rise to meet your energy field and root chakra. Notice how this energy feels grounding, nurturing, and abundant. 

7. Enjoy this feeling for several breaths, knowing you can return to this practice anytime you need grounding.

If you’d like more grounding support this season, check out my Rooted Magical Bitters, which are newly available in the apothecary. These bitters taste like a bitter, spicy root beer and contain herbs and flower essences to help you stay grounded throughout the winter. 

Did you enjoy this practice? Please share on your favorite social accounts :)

Celebrating Samhain: Modern Rituals and Festivities for Connection and Protection

Blessed Samhain and Happy Halloween! Samhain (pronounced sowen) marks the end of autumn harvests and the beginning of our descent into the dark quiet of winter. It’s a time when the veils are thin and our ancestors beckon (it’s no coincidence that Dia de los Muertos is right around the corner!).

Samhain also marks the arrival of the new year in the Celtic calendar. Originally celebrated midway between the autumn equinox (Mabon) and winter solstice (Yule), we now celebrate Samhain in conjunction with Halloween.

Among my witchy and non-witchy friends alike, Samhain is an eternal favorite on the holiday scale. From the epic indulgence of a good Halloween party to the subtle thrill of thinning veils, this is a time of year for celebration, connection . . . and protection.

Here are a few ideas for your own connection, protection, and celebration this Samhain…

Connect 

Samhain is a wonderful time to connect with those who are not in physical bodies—this includes both our ancestors and those in the non-human realms (the fae, the elven folk, and other spirits). I also find that the combination of thin veils and the Celtic New Year make this a wonderful time for significant card readings. 

Honor Your Ancestors

With the veils thin, our benevolent ancestors are often more accessible. There are myriad ways to honor and connect with them, so these are just a few ideas:

1. Create an altar to honor your ancestors 

2. Take a shamanic journey to meet a benevolent ancestor that would like to teach you about your lineage and family gifts

3. Perform ancestral healing work on behalf of your family, in whatever traditions you feel comfortable with 

4. Learn more about your own ancestors' traditions and see if you can incorporate some of their dress, food, and ritual into your celebrations

5. Create a piece of art, poem, song, or write a letter to honor a deceased loved one

6. Have a ceremony to honor those who have come before

7. Celebrate a positive ancestral mythology—who among your ancestors do you admire, and why?

Connect with the Spirit World

Many people have an easier time connecting with the spirit world at this time of year, as the density that often stands between us melts away. What is your favorite way to connect with spirit? Try some of your regular practices, and see what happens! Here are few more ideas:

• Leave offerings for the fae, your house elf, or other local beings—they tend to appreciate special foods and treats. 

• Do a guided meditation to connect with your spirit guides (I’ve created one to help you meet a spirit animal ally here!). 

• Journey to meet with a benevolent representative of the fae in your area. Most neighborhoods have a fae council, though few of us are aware of them. See if a representative would be willing to meet with you during a shamanic journey and ask how you might build a good relationship with them.

• If you already have a practice in these arts, this is a good time of year to perform psychopomp or host a Wild Hunt (in other words, help lost and suffering beings cross into the light).

Do a New Years Reading

Grab your favorite deck of Tarot or oracle cards, a set of Runes, or perhaps the I Ching, and see what’s in store for your Celtic year. The Tree of Life and Wheel of the Year are great card spreads to do at this time. Or make up your own! 

Protect

Thinning veils aren’t all fun and games…keep yourself, your loved ones, and your space safe this season! While spiritual protection is a big topic—one I have a whole class on—there are a few things you can do to maintain your spiritual sovereignty right now.

White Light

So common it’s almost cliche, White Light works. And it’s the easiest, most accessible thing you can use for protection. How? Simply visualize whatever you want to protect surrounded by white light. Feel the protection in your body and energy field, and affirm that it is so.

Perimeter Protection

This is a practice that I’ve been doing for decades to protect my home and all inside it. Every night before I sleep, I walk my consciousness around the perimeter of our property. I go slowly, visualizing a powerful boundary of white light glowing all along the border. I then ask angels and spirits of the land to help me maintain the light-filled protection around my home. 

That’s it! Simple, but I swear it must work. When I lived in Denver, my neighborhood was plagued with porch pirates (our next door neighbors had multiple packages, bicycles, and a car stolen while I lived there!). Not only did we never have a package stolen, a psychic friend commented on the protection around my home during a reading, without any knowledge of the work I’d done. 

To go the extra mile here, you can infuse stones or crystals with your intentions and place one in each corner of your property. Just check back and recharge them often. 

Botanical Allies

Plants have long been used for space clearing and protection—especially through their smoke. Burning incense, resins, and dried bundles purifies the air and the energies in your home. When you combine your intentions for clearing and protection with the natural gifts of the plants, you’ll enjoy a powerful experience.

I offer sustainable and potent smoke bundles for clearing and protection in the apothecary. I make these bundles by hand and include a wide variety of plant allies—sages, mugwort, herbs, and high altitude flowers all contribute their unique medicines. These bundles make a nice alternative to the white sage bundles that are so popular today—white sage is vastly over-harvested, and there are local plants everywhere that are just as powerful for cleansing negative entities from your home. 

Discernment

The most useful tool in your kit this season is that of discernment. I’ve often seen people get so excited or thrilled by being able to contact the other worlds, that they take any spirit’s word as gospel, assuming that the spirit knows more because of their view from the other side. 

Here’s the thing: Not all spirits have your back. Some are tricksters, some are confused, and some are downright mean. If you’re going to intentionally engage with the spirit world on a regular basis, it’s worth developing skills to protect yourself and discern who you’re dealing with. (I have a really fun workshop on this coming soon!)

For now, as you engage with your connection practices this Samhain, just remember to fill and surround yourself with white light. Affirm that you will only allow benevolent spirits into your space and awareness, and keep the perimeter protected. If something doesn’t feel right, call on your angels to help clear it. 

With this protection in place, it’s time to celebrate!

Celebrate!

This time of year asks us to shed the guise of normalcy and embrace our dark sides in the funnest, most gluttonous ways possible. Watch that scary movie, dress as your alter ego, and delight your senses with delectable goodies! 

Dress up

Back in the day, the Celts would don costumes and wear masks to blend in with the spirits around them. Today, dressing up lets us freely play with self-expression in ways we rarely see throughout the rest of the year. 

One of my favorite costumes was my dark forest nymph outfit, an ode to my longstanding relationship with the great goddess Diana. I made an antler head band embellished with bones and roses and decorated a black corset with more dark imagery. 

Make some spooky treats

There are a million fun ways to make Halloween-themed treats. This year, I’m playing with black tahini. Yup—black. Made with black sesame seeds, it tastes almost like regular tahini but a little richer and definitely unroasted. But be forewarned--eating this will make your mouth black! (wipe the corners often…) 

Wondering what to do with black tahini? 

• Bake some vegan black tahini cookies or swap regular tahini for black in these healthy honey cookies

• Goth Hummus (the author uses black beans, but you can actually find black chickpeas here!)

• Make a spooky orange and black hummus duo with my favorite pumpkin hummus 

All the Halloween TV

I’ll admit it—I’m a sucker for a night in with spiced wine and Halloween movies on repeat. And my favorites? Really old Disney movies…silly, but yes. Escape to Witch Mountain, Donald Duck’s Trick-or-Treat, and The Watcher in the Woods to name a few. 

Also, I haven’t missed a Simpson’s Treehouse of Horror since Bart and I were the same age…gulp!

Craft party

Bejewel that shit.

A group of girlfriends, a couple bottles of wine or giant pot of mulled cider, and a massive amount of craft supplies. This is one of my favorite ways to celebrate any holiday. 

Pre-covid days, I hosted a sugar skull painting party in honor of the Dia de los Muertos aspect of this season. Everyone made amazing skulls…and I got carried away with gold and sparkes. As usual.

Carve a Jack O’Lantern

Years ago, I used to teach in English in Japan, and one of my favorite parts was putting together English history lessons of well-known American holidays. (I think I managed to stretch our Halloween lesson over 3 days, ha!) One fun tidbit—the Irish didn’t have pumpkins, so they carved turnips, adding a candle to ward off trickster spirits. 

I love keeping this tradition alive. Carve a pumpkin, or even a turnip! I save and roast the seeds, and let the squirrels and deer devour the rest in the days after Halloween (a gruesome sight indeed…poor disappearing pumpkin faces!).

You might also like:

• 6 Ways to Celebrate the Autumn Equinox

• Healing Pumpkin Soup with Cozy Autumn Spices

• Rooted: A Seasonal Grounding Practice

• Lessons from Squirrels

• The Ancestral Convergence: Food & Ritual for Healing this Thanksgiving

Are You Scared of an Animal? Here's What Spirit Has to Say...

What does it mean if you're scared of, or don't like, your power animal? Is there a hidden meaning when you have a fear of a particular animal in general?

In every intro to shamanism class I've taught, at least one student has received a power animal that made them uncomfortable. And I view this as an excellent opportunity...

Our power animals offer us just what the name suggests—POWER. True spiritual power that helps us decondition from false constructs and remember that we have far more ability to steer the direction of our lives than we may realizing.

When you connect with your spiritual power, your soul takes the lead and you enter unknown territory. And you know what doesn't like this? What wants to keep you small and safe and in the realm of the known? Your ego.

And what better way to keep you separate from your power than to make you afraid of it?

I remember years ago, at least a decade now, I dreamed that I was eaten by a crocodile. This dream was so insanely impactful that I developed a fear of crocodiles and alligators that lasted for years. On one level, I loved and appreciated them as part of the animal kingdom, but on a more subtle, embodied level, I felt fear whenever I saw them.

And I even saw one in the wild—only six feet from me! While kayaking in Queensland, I pulled up onto a beach and looked over only to see a baby crocodile calmly watching me.

This was both scary and exhilarating. And something shifted.

I now realize, through years of shamanic experience and study, that the crocodile that appeared in my dream so long ago was initiating me into its medicine through a dismemberment—one of the most traditional and time-honored forms of initiation.

When I understood crocodile’s true relationship with me, I began to work more intentionally with crocodile as a spirit guide. And wow. Talk about a powerhouse ally! So much power had been cut off from me when I resisted its medicine.

Now whenever I see a crocodile, my heart swells with love. All I see is beauty and all I feel is gratitude. The shift in my response has been a full-bodied transformation.

If you receive a power animal that you're scared of, take time to learn about its gifts and lifestyle. The more we know and understand our animals, the more we can appreciate and eventually learn to love them.

And, if you have an unexplained phobia or dislike of a particular animal, perhaps this is a signpost—where might you be afraid or resistant to your own gifts and power?

For help exploring these important questions, take a look at the Spirit Animal Workshop. It will guide you step-by-step through everything you need to know about claiming your power through your power animal relationships.

You might also like:

• Who is your Spirit Animal? A 4-Step Guide for Understanding Our Animal Allies

• Who Are the Ancestors? (Discover the three types of ancestral spirits that influence you)

• 8 Benefits of Partnering with the Spirits of Nature

• Ancient Egyptian Scarabs: 6 Reasons This Beetle is Pure Magic

• Lessons from Squirrels

A Shamanic Guide to Illness & Health

Explore the five main causes of illness from a shamanic perspective―and how to heal them.

In this free workshop, you'll discover:
​

• The 5 types of spiritual illness we all encounter
• How to know if you're experiencing spiritual illness
• The surprising ways addressing spiritual illness can impact your life
• A practice to strengthen your energy field right now

TAKE A POWERFUL STEP TOWARD THE LIFE YOU'RE HERE TO LIVE.

Enter your email to access this 65-minute workshop today!

Send me the workshop!

Bear Medicine

We are not alone...

I saw this marking just two days before a huge brown bear sauntered right by me, maybe 20 feet away.

My eyes must have looked like a cartoon character's—I've waited my entire life to see a bear in the wild and I couldn't believe it had finally happened. For better or worse, pure ecstatic joy overrode any fear.

If you look up Bear as a spirit animal online, you'll find everything from bear signifying a cycle of hibernation coming, being courageous, motherhood, appreciating the sweetness in life, protection, and so much more.

When I encountered Bear, I knew the appearance was significant. I knew Bear was coming as a messenger from spirit—but I also knew that online animal references could not tell me the personal meaning of my experience. I believe that we must cultivate the ability to work with spirit without a middleman, the ability to find our own answers.

I felt that this bear's appearance was less about Bear medicine specifically, and more about me opening up to a new era of power.

I've just been through—well, I'm still in it really—an extremely challenging period of major transformation and initiation. Everything, in every part of life, has felt stuck, blocked , grief-ridden, unnecessarily difficult, and bizarrely bad for so long, despite my best efforts. But I've been making my way through, trusting in spirit and doing the work, and have finally felt a shift and a bit of levity enter back into my life.

The day before I saw this bear, I commented to my partner that a bear was the one animal I hadn't yet seen in these mountains that I wished I would someday, even though seeing one in the wild might feel a bit scary.

The timing of all of this feels like a pure gift from spirit, a sign of encouragement and confirmation that I am in touch with spirit and on my path. A confirmation that indeed, I have reached a turning point.

As I enter this new era, I feel Bear blessing me with power, protection, maturity, sweetness, rest, and so much more.

Many of these qualities of course overlap with what you might read online, and yet the major lesson and confirmation from my bear sighting had to come from my personal reflections about this encounter, my own intuitive perceptions.

Have you ever encountered an animal and wondered if it carried a message of some sort?

Animal sightings are one of the most common ways spirit communicates with us, and learning how to understand the omens and messages coming to you is an absolutely invaluable skill. If you’d like to learn more about how to interpret the animal messengers in your own life, be sure to take a look at The Spirit Animal Workshop.

This self-paced mini-class will teach you how to differentiate between animal messengers and power animals, and how to understand what animals mean without having to look them up in a book or online glossary. If you have any interest in spirit animals at all, then this is for you!

You might also like:

• Lessons from Squirrels

• Who is your Spirit Animal? A 4-Step Guide for Understanding Our Animal Allies

• Are You Scared of an Animal? Here's What Spirit Has to Say...

• Shamanism: Ancient Practices for Modern Life

Ethical Wildcrafting and Making Mountain Medicine

Every summer, I head to the mountains at about 10,000ft for my annual botanical medicine making retreat. I hike for hours each day, communing with the plants and making wild medicines. This medicine making trip is by far my favorite time of the year, in my favorite place in the world. 

I've been cultivating my relationship with the plants and nature spirits at this sacred spot for nearly a decade now. My understanding of the unique gifts each plant offers, my ability to discern what is actually being offered and what wishes to remain untouched, has grown deep with time and intention. 

There’s something about being at such a high elevation when I collect and commune with these plants. I know it’s silly, as spirit is within and around us always, but I do feel just a bit closer, as if the veils thin with the atmosphere. Plus, the resilience in these high-altitude plants is astounding―to survive the alpine winds and winters and then the scorching summer sun...they have so much to teach us. 

As I've nurtured my relationship with the plant spirits over the years, I've refined the “mountain medicines” I'm able to share, as I call them. This year, I'll be adding new flower essences, teas, smoke bundles, elixirs, healing salves, and maybe a few tinctures to the apothecary, all full of wild botanicals.

All geared up and on the trail for some legit mountain foraging!

In order to gather the plants I work with, I hike for miles and miles everyday. This is in part because the plants I work with are spread throughout various micro-climates. But it’s also to support sustainability: When I make my smoke bundles, I clip only one or two sprigs from each Great Western Sagebrush. When I gather my resins, I take only what falls from a tree easily, so as not to hurt its defenses. Gathering this way might be a slow, laborious process, but it’s an enjoyable one. And the sustainability of the forest always comes first.

As interest in wildcrafting and foraging grows, attention to the sustainability of our wild places becomes ever more important. During my most recent stay in the mountains, I encountered another woman gathering rose petals. I must have come at the end of her harvest, because when I arrived almost no roses were left at all.

Part of me wants to give her the benefit of the doubt―it was the end of a bumper rose season and many hips had formed already, so perhaps there weren't many blossoms left to begin with.

Still…I have an especially protective instinct when it comes to wild roses. When I harvest rose petals, I do so very judiciously. The bees and pollinators need the flowers more than I do, so I want to make sure they have plenty to enjoy during the rose's short season. Plus, roses also turn into rose hips―one of the most important food sources for many animals during the winter months.

This is why when I harvest rose petals, I ask myself, "Could 10 people come to this same spot and harvest the same amount without making a visible dent in the blossoms?" The answer must be yes.

These sacred offerings are true gifts from the spirits of nature and provide us with a deeply wild healing—a healing so many of us could use these days. In a world where we’ve become overly domesticated, it’s critical that we remember to rewild a bit. When we touch into our innate wild natures, we tap into a well of resilience, sovereignty, and inner knowing. 

Preparing a basket of mountain medicine ❤️

Whether or not you have the desire or the ability to escape into the natural world, I hope the wild offerings in my apothecary will bring the healing wisdom of nature to you. Each carries the energetic imprint of the wilderness, an imprint which is passed onto you when you use the products. Plus, wild plants are especially potent healers on the physical level. I really can’t say enough about how much these products have changed my own life. 

As for those roses… 

I have a longstanding love of rose medicine, which you can read about here. But what did I make with the petals I carefully gathered?

Wild rose elixirs! They are my favorites. Sweet and floral, these elixirs open and protect our hearts. To make the elixirs, I use wild rose honey with organic wild rose-infused grape vodka and wild rose flower essence. If you happen to grab one before they sell out, take one dropper full three times a day to bring more love and sweetness into your body and energy field. (Rose elixir is also delicious added to sparkling water!)

A strawberry cupcake? Nope! Wild rose-infused honey in the making :)

And, if this looks like way too many petals for such a small jar of honey…it is! I hike with only a small jar, cover the petals to preserve them, and transfer this to bigger batch of honey when I return home. But it is quite the image :) 

You might also like:

• How to Use Flower Essences: A Complete Guide

• 8 Benefits of Partnering with the Spirits of Nature

• Wildcrafting with Fireweed

• The Magic and Medicine of Elephant's Head Flower

• Great Northern Bedstraw: A Beloved and Underrated Wild Plant

A Shamanic Guide to Illness & Health

Explore the five main causes of illness from a shamanic perspective―and how to heal them.

In this free workshop, you'll discover:
​

• The 5 types of spiritual illness we all encounter
• How to know if you're experiencing spiritual illness
• The surprising ways addressing spiritual illness can impact your life
• A practice to strengthen your energy field right now

TAKE A POWERFUL STEP TOWARD THE LIFE YOU'RE HERE TO LIVE.

Enter your email to access this 65-minute workshop today!

Send me the workshop!

A Shamanic Guide to Illness: 5 Types of Imbalance

Being human means we suffer (yes, I took that little gem from the Buddhists). Our bodies are susceptible to injury and illness, and our minds struggle with emotional difficulties, addiction, and more.

You probably have a pretty good idea of what’s behind your challenges—from viruses and bacteria, to brain chemistry and the microbiome, to emotional trauma and straight up injury.

While these factors are important to understand and work with, from a shamanic perspective they paint an incomplete picture.

Shamanism holds that everything originates in the unseen world before it manifests physically—and that includes illness and disease. By tending to the spiritual and energetic roots of illness in addition to whatever physical, mental, and emotional support is needed, we can heal more fully.

Causes of Illness from a Shamanic Perspective

On a basic level, shamanism views illness as an energetic imbalance of some sort—either something is there that shouldn’t be, or something should be there that isn’t.

That said, there are a few areas of imbalance that are helpful to understand:

1. Power Loss

In shamanic terminology, the idea of “power” could be likened to life force, vitality, or chi. The late shamanic teacher and physicist Claude Poncelet also defined it as “the ability to transform energy,” which makes sense—when you are fully empowered, you are more capable of creating the changes you want to see.

There are many reasons we lose our power—it seems to be part of the human condition. A few things that appear to be connected to power loss are: having our boundaries violated, sacrificing our own integrity to get certain needs met, internalizing limiting beliefs about ourselves, and anything that disconnects us from our true divine nature. In some traditions, there’s even the act of stealing power.

How do you know if you have power loss? This often shows up as a lack of vitality or zest for life. If you seem unable to make positive changes or take action on your dreams, power loss could be at play. Other common symptoms of power loss include chronic illness, depression, fatigue, low self-esteem, poor boundaries, suicidal feelings, or ongoing misfortunes.

2. Soul Loss

This might sound scary, but it’s actually very common from a shamanic perspective. Soul loss is when a part of your soul’s essence leaves, usually due to some sort of emotional or physical trauma. This can be from a sudden shock, such as a car accident, or an ongoing difficulty, such as an unhealthy relationship.

When part of your soul essence leaves, it does so to protect itself—soul loss is a survival mechanism. And not to worry, your soul essence is never fully gone and is usually comfortably waiting in the unseen world for an opportunity to return.

How do you know if you have soul loss? If you’ve ever experienced an injury or trauma and never quite felt the same again—even after your physical symptoms healed—there could be soul loss. Other symptoms include addiction, PTSD, depression, a weakened immune system, dissociation, grief, or, in extreme cases, coma.

3. Entanglement

Entanglement is often the result of power or soul loss. It occurs when we take on energy that isn't our own—this may come in the form of intrusions, attachments, cords, or even possessions. I’ll go into more detail about what all these terms mean in future posts. For now, just know that this is all totally natural, even common, and very fixable with shamanic healing.

Symptoms of entanglement vary widely. You might have localized pain with an intrusion or enmeshed relationships that are sustained with energetic cords between you and another person.

Now, I know “possession” sounds intimidating, and it kind of is. Yet, in my own healing journey, working with possessions has been one of the most powerful practices I’ve experienced. Basically, some sort of spirit becomes enmeshed in your field with varying degrees of influence on your personality and life. It is an amazingly healing process to decouple from this outside influence and reclaim your sovereignty through shamanic healing.

4. Lineage Patterns

Much of what we experience has actually been passed down through our lineages. This is a complicated subject, but in short, I work with three main types of lineage healing:

• Blood lines—this is the lineage held in your DNA, your genetic makeup

• Milk lines—similar to blood lineages, milk lines incorporate other influential relationships, such as adoptive or step parents and important caretakers

• Light lines—this is your own spiritual lineage, comprised of the many lives you've lived and all the vows, beliefs, influences, and experiences you carry from them

Shamanic work can help you uncover not only unhealthy patterns and curses, but also the hidden gifts within your lineages. It can also help you heal ancestral trauma in ways that serve generations to come.

5. Disconnection from the Natural World

For most of human history, our daily survival depended upon being in right relationship with the natural world. We recognized the spirit in birds and trees and rocks and rivers—in Mother Earth herself. We honored the sun, stars, and moon.

This need for intimacy with the natural world runs deep in our blood, yet we’ve largely forgotten how to nurture this relationship. As a result, we’re collectively becoming more and more out of balance with our environment.

The effects of this on our planet are clear—I won’t go into a laundry list of environmental destruction here. But what does this mean for us? What soul-level illness might be occurring because we’re missing out on some of the most important relationships in our lives?

Shamanism doesn’t ask that we all go live off the grid (and I’m in no hurry to give up my Netflix subscription!). But it does recognize that healing our relationship with nature is essential to the survival of our species and the planet. As above, so below; as within, so without.

Final Thoughts

So, are you worried you might have soul loss and intrusions and—gulp—even a possession?

I can't emphasize enough how common and normal all of this is. Shamanic healing has been around for thousands of years, and as my own teachers say, it wouldn’t have lasted this long if it didn’t work. The reason we’re discussing these causes of illnesses is so that we can tend to them and heal.

Also, please note that this information is not intended to define or diagnose anything you're experiencing. Your “symptoms” could be related to something that would completely surprise your human mind. And in truth, these areas overlap quite a bit (since when has the spirit world been a fan of categories anyway?).

Ready to experience shamanic healing for yourself? Learn more about my one-on-one offerings.

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A Shamanic Guide to Illness & Health

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In this free workshop, you'll discover:
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• The 5 types of spiritual illness we all encounter
• How to know if you're experiencing spiritual illness
• The surprising ways addressing spiritual illness can impact your life
• A practice to strengthen your energy field right now

TAKE A POWERFUL STEP TOWARD THE LIFE YOU'RE HERE TO LIVE.

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• On angels, psychic saviors, fallen gurus, and sovereignty (And the magic of being human)

• 7 Signs You're a Modern-Day Mystic

• Who Are the Ancestors? (Discover the three types of ancestral spirits that influence you)

• Is Possession Real? (Spoiler...yes)

• 5 Steps for Communicating with The Spirits of Nature

• Who is your Spirit Animal? A 4-Step Guide for Understanding Our Animal Allies

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The Magic and Medicine of the Rose

Perhaps no other flower has been so exalted throughout history, in mythology and for sacred purposes, as the rose. 

The rose appeals to our senses, opens our hearts, and enhances our beauty and health. As June ushers in the rose season here in the Northern Hemisphere, it is the perfect time to celebrate the magic and medicine of this sacred flower.

The Rose in History

The symbolism of the rose is highly complex and has inspired a variety of associations across cultures and times. It has represented both heavenly perfection and earthly passion, fertility as well as virginity, and life and death.

Primarily associated with the feminine, this complexity carries into the variety of important women the rose is associated with, from Cleopatra and her magical perfumes to the Queen of Heaven in Dante’s Divine Comedy to the Virgin Mary of Biblical times. 

In ancient Rome, the rose was a sign of pleasure, a companion of mirth and wine, and was also used at funerals. 

In Middle Eastern traditions, only the red rose was allowed to accompany one into the afterlife.

Roses filled the great gardens of Persia, and according to legend, the first bloom of the rose had an aroma so heady that it caused the nightingale to sing. Overcome by the rose’s perfume, the bird dropped to the earth, spilling blood that turned the first petals red.

In 15th century Europe, the secret society of Rosicrucians chose a rose on a cross as their symbol, for the rose represented the perfection of paradise to these alchemists and philosophers.

Early Christianity associated the rose with the blood of martyrs, and therefore life after death.

Some Native American tribes turned to rose for not just medicine and food, but to keep ghosts away.

And yet, of all that the rose symbolizes, love is perhaps its most enduring association.

Indeed, within the ancient Greek and Roman pantheon, the goddess of love herself, Aphrodite, holds the closest association with the rose.

Have you ever really studied Botticelli’s The Birth of Venus? In addition to sacred myrtle leaf Aphrodite holds, the rose appears floating through the heavens as she emerges from the sea.

The poetess Sappho was christened “the rose the queen of flowers” in 600BC, and has since inspired lovers throughout the ages.

The Rose as Healer

Just as the rose carries rich and complex symbolism, it also offers us one of the most chemically complex essential oils known, containing over 300 compounds, which contribute to the its many healing gifts.

And, when it comes to these healing gifts, ancient uses are almost identical to our modern ones, as we can see in part thanks to extensive medical compendiums like Pliney the Elder’s Natural History.

Though complex, rose medicine is remarkably consistent: the energetic, mental, and physical effects of rose medicine all assist us with the very things rose symbolizes most―love, beauty, and romance. 

Perhaps rose’s affinity for both the nervous system and heart center are part of what makes it such a well-known aphrodisiac: Mentally and emotionally, rose is wonderful for soothing a troubled mind and helping you relax, while physically, it nourishes the nervous system, so you can get into your body and enjoy a bit of pleasure.

Interestingly, Rose’s symbolic connections with the heart center and femininity are found in medicinal uses across cultures.

In Traditional Chinese Medicine rose is a well-recognized heart tonic and increases yin, the feminine and cooling energy of the body. 

Rose also supports skin care, which enhances beauty, and helps regulate the female reproductive system. (And for this reason, rose as herbal medicine is contraindicated during pregnancy, so do be careful!)

The wild roses of North America were used as food and medicine by many tribes, with similar but even more diverse applications than their European counterparts: Roots were made into hot compresses for reducing swelling, tea was taken for stomach upsets and reducing labor pains, and seeds were eaten to relieve sore muscles.

Today, we still use rose medicine in many of the same ways, as rose is known to soothe digestion, relieve cold and flu symptoms, relax the body and mind, and support the immune system.

On a spiritual and energetic level, rose is cooling, nurturing, and widely associated with the heart chakra. Both the essential oil and flower essence can balance our ability to give and receive love. 

In her fascinating book The Fragrant Mind, Valerie Worwood explores the subtle shifts in how different varieties of roses can act upon our energy bodies and our consciousness: She describes Rosa damasca, most commonly found as an essential oil, as a gentle type of rose with a truly feminine personality, one that is pure-hearted and opens us to unconditional love. Rosa centifolia on the other hand, which is what we most often find in botanical absolutes, is passionate, sensual, and erotic, helping us tune into our own sexuality and enjoy life’s romantic pleasures. 

As flower essences, Damask rose and other fragrant garden varietals are known to increase feelings of confidence when it comes to sexuality. 

I find that wild rose carries rose’s typical connection to the heart center with an added dose of resilience, joy, and independence.

The flower essence of wild rose is known for supporting feelings of love and joy, particularly how they karmically manifest in our physical experiences. According to the Bach Flower Essence Repertory, wild rose can help cultivate a will to live in those who struggle with lethargy or depression.

Rose’s magical uses include cultivating love, peace, sex, and beauty, with its planetary ruler being Venus and its element being water (I love that again, we see the connections between the rose and Aphrodite, as her Roman name is Venus and she was born of the ocean...).

The prolific author of many books on Western magick, Scott Cunningham notes that magical rituals to be done with rose include spells to draw in emotionally satisfying relationships and to enhance inner and outer beauty.

The gifts of rose will affect us in slightly different ways depending on the form of our “medicine”―be it in a tea or tincture, spell, flower essence, essential oil, infused oil, or living flower. That said, here are a few of rose’s many benefits at a glance…

Benefits of Rose

• Opening and balancing your heart chakra

• Sensuality and appreciating life’s pleasures

• Awakening and empowering your erotic, sexual nature and confidence

• Enhancing your feminine nature

• Love in all its forms―passionate, romantic, familial, friendship, spiritual, unconditional

• Supporting the reproductive system―regulating menstruation, toning the uterus

• Relaxing, anti-depressant, supports insomnia

• Enhancing beauty inside and out―wonderful for mature or sensitive skin, inner confidence

• Soothes the nervous system, sedative, cultivating feelings of peace

• Releasing negative emotions

• Clears heat and inflammation, cool and moist energetics

• An emotional stabilizer, relaxes untended tension and provides mothering love

• Supports digestion and boosts the immune system

• Soothing a tender, broken, or grief-stricken heart

• Attracting love and joy into your life

How to Use Rose Magic and Medicine

If you’d like to bring the magic and medicine of rose into your own life, here are a few ideas:

• Make a rose petal infused honey, glycerete, or tea 

• Spritz some rosewater or a rose hydrosol on your skin

• Infuse a nourishing oil with rose petals for skin care

• Enjoy rose hips dried in tea or fresh in jams and jellies

• Add a few drops of rose or wild rose flower essence to water or tea

• Diffuse rose essential oil, or a rose-forward blend

• Anoint yourself with a rosy perfume or ritual oil

• Display a bouquet of organic and sustainable roses

• Grow your own roses to really deepen your relationship with rose spirit

• Place fresh roses on your altar

• Stop and smell the roses whenever you can ;)

May rosy blessings be upon you!

Rose Offerings

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• Gnome Plant & Meeting the Queen of the Underworld

References

1. Mojay, G. (2014). Proceedings from NAHA ’14: The World of Aromatherapy VII: Beyond Aromatics. Seattle, WA.  

2. Battaglia, S. (2003). The complete guide to aromatherapy (2nd ed.). Brisbane, Autralia: The International Center of Holistic Aromatherapy.

3. Worwood, V.A. (1996). The Fragrant Mind: Aromatherapy for Personality, mind, mood and emotion. Novato, CA: New World Library.

4. Mojay, G. (2000). Aromatherapy for healing the spirit: Restoring emotional and mental balance with essential oils. Rochester, VT: Healing Arts Press.

5. Cunningham, S. (2013). Magical aromatherapy: The power of scent (7th ed.). Woodbury, MN: Llewellyn Publications.

6. Keville, K. & Green, M. (2009). Aromatherapy: A complete guide to the healing art (2nd ed.). Berkley, CA: Crossing Press.

7. Pliny the Elder. The natural history. J. Bostock, M.D. (Ed.). (F.R.S. H.T. Riley, Esq., Trans). B.A. London: Taylor and Francis, Red Lion Court, Fleet Street. 1855. (Original work published 77-79 AD). Retrieved from: http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.02.0137%3Abook%3D13%3Achapter%3D2

8. Wiles, B. (2018). Mountain states medicinal plants: Identify, harvest, and use 100 wild herbs for health and wellness. Portland, OR: Timber Press.

9. Kershaw, L. (2016). Edible & Medicinal Plants of the Rockies. Edmonton, AB: Lone Pine Pub.

10. McIntyre, A. (2010). The Complete Herbal Tutor: The Ideal companion for study and practice. New York, NY: Hachette Book Group.

11. Kamininski, P. and R. Katz (1994). Flower Essence Repertory: A Comprehensive Guide to North American and English Flower Essences for Emotional and Spiritual Well-Being. Nevada City, CA: Earth Spirit, Inc. 

12. McIntyre, A. (1996). Flower Power: Flower Remedies for Healing Body and Soul through Herbalism, Homeopathy, Aromatherapy, and Flower Essences. New York, NY: Henry Holt and Co.