SACRED TRAVELS…I’m in Love with a Lake!

I woke up on the morning of July 14th from a ‘Crush-Dream’.  I was all warm and cozy in bed thinking how fantastic it was to be in love, how much I couldn’t wait to see my Beloved again, and then I realized I was dreaming about a lake.  In truth, it was not just any old lake, but the Great Mother herself; Lake Superior.

I must admit the stage had been set perfectly for me to meet the majestic queen of lakes, for I had traveled by car, plane, the kindness of a stranger & then caravan to get to her.  In short, there is no easy or quick way to travel from the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont to the Upper Pennisula of Michigan.  That being said it was worth it.

I have been traveling to the Mid-West (Wisconsin in particular) for the last 4 years, as a teacher and guide,  my teaching focused on the development of Psychic perception and expansion of consciousness. I have worked primarily with the same group of women, with additions and subtractions to the group as life demanded.  The Virmond Crows; as they call themselves (the name was chosen for the closeness in name of one of Milwaukee’s many parks ‘Virmond’ to my home state of Vermont) has grown to become kindred to me, they are my Mid-West Tribe and I look forward to my time with them each year.

Last year two of the women from the Virmond Crows spent some time in the sacred wild camping with my sister and me, while visiting Vermont; bonding in a way that can only take place through the use of a sacred container.  Sacred Container refers to time spent in deep connection, in which the group stays in contact with each other for the duration of the study; eating, sleeping, and playing together while exploring mystical studies.  This is my favorite way to learn & teach, for it takes us out of our everyday habits, rocks the boat of our subconscious programming and allows us to become more deeply ourselves.  After spending the weekend with us in New Hampshire, the visiting Virmond Crows said “We want that!”, and so our magical journey to the Upper Penisula and Lake Superior was birthed into being.

One of the Mid-West Tribe lives in the U.P. and became my host and partner on the ground.  When doing this kind of work, in which I must travel to teach my partner on the ground is of utmost importance, for they take care of the logistics with an eye that only a local can have.  She picked our location, arranged lodging and chose the places we would be working from.  I came with the teachings for the weekend set in my mind like a sailor on the water; strong and loose at the same time, ready to bend and bob when needed.

 

We arrived at ‘Black Harbor’ as the sun was setting, after spending most of  our day working with nature on the Black Harbor River.  We saved our introduction to Mother Superior/Lake Superior for dusk for the times of Betwixt & Between are particularly powerful when it comes to magical workings.

Dawn & Dusk are times of betwixt & between as they are neither day nor night, but somewhere in between.  Places and times in the Betwixt & Between hold the magic of becoming and carry a certain level of enchantment that even the novice can perceive.

Arriving at the lake the sky and water were ablaze with reds and oranges; the water reflecting both the sun and the iron in the sand of the supporting hills and embankments.  We had come to the lake to perform a water ceremony; an offering of thanks and an energetic blessing for the water and those who step into her embrace.  It was a magical experience from the start, the colors that welcomed us as we walked from the parking lot to the water were outstanding from the start, and only got better when we were blessed with seeing ‘the Green Flash’.

The Green Flash is caused by light refracting in the atmosphere, and it is hardly ever seen…It can be experienced by the lucky at sunrise and sunset when the light travels through more of the atmosphere.  For the viewer, the Green Flash is more like a green strobing line along the horizon.  It is such an amazing color; a technicolor sea-green strobe light that lasted for about 3 minutes.  I tried to take pictures, but could not do it justice…so I stood in awe capturing the image in my mind.

Driftwood @ Black Harbor/Lake Superior

The beach that we found ourself on was like something out of a hobo-beach dwellers dream.  It was covered in large pieces of driftwood, which had been deposited on the shore by the long hard winter of the following year.  The sky was starting to darken and the shore was alight with fires, and small make-shift shelters the locals had made for fun.  I felt like a child who had stepped into a magical park and allowed myself a few moments of fantasy; in which I imagined I would see Peter Pan and the Lost Boys camped out at one of the fires.  But soon I was back in focus, remembering that I was here to do magic that did not involve flying away into a fictitious world.  We were here to give our thanks and honor to the life-sustaining water of Lake Superior.

Lake Superior is known as ‘Gichi-Gami’-the big liquid or great sea to the Ojibwe/Chippewa who lived along her shore.  Lake Superior is the largest fresh-water lake in the world!

Although the beach was alight with fires, they were spaced far enough from one another that we were able to get a relatively private spot for our working without much effort, and the people who were there were respectful, seeming to understand that we were there for deep work with Spirit.  As the sky darkened we gathered wood and I easily started a fire (super easy when you are carrying charcoals to burn incense on…just saying). 

 

 

When darkness finally settled upon the water, we gathered close and began the evenings magic with a personal attunement to water; something I developed after a profound experience I had with water while visiting a spring on the side of Mount Shasta (more about that in the book I am working on).  The attunement process came to me partially through channeling and partially through my personal study of Structured Water.  Structured water is a molecular arrangement of water molecules that exists when water is near hydrophilic (water-loving) surfaces, such places are available in nature and in our bodies.  It is the belief that under ideal situations; which can be created, water is more viable and more easily programmed/blessed.  With the group circled around me, I opened their energetic bodies with sound and movement and first gave them the water blessing, that the waters in their own body may become energized.  This was a profound moment, in which I felt like we had stepped out of time and space, existing both in the present as well as in a timeless state of being that traveled through the sands of the beach connecting us to the past and future.  I love that liminal space, for it is perfect for magical workings.  We then gathered ourselves in sacred sovereignty and walked to the water where I shared the movements and words of the water blessing/attunement with the group.

Standing in a line along the shore, in water up to our knees we stirred the water with hand and wand creating spirals and infinity waves.  Our voices rang out in a shared song as we Toned the words of attunement.  The feeling of being between worlds was strong, as I heard the sound of Native women singing along with us in the Spirit world.  I soon found myself overcome with a knowing that I must go into the water after the blessing was done.  I needed to completely submerge myself in the dark waters of the lake.  The more I stirred, the more I sang the deeper the knowing sank in.  I did not have a choice in the matter.

Now, this was a bit of a dilemma for me as I was wearing leggings and a long-sleeved shirt.  I had not brought my bathing suit, as I was sure I would not go into the water for a swim until the following day.  Things I should point out-I am not one for skinny dipping.  I am not ashamed of my body, I simply am not much of a naked in public kind of gal.  But I had limited options…I could go into the water naked, or wear my undergarments, something that was at a disadvantage as I only had one bra with me on the trip.  So I stripped off my clothes and went into the water.

When my head was fully submerged I felt a great awakening come over me.  I found myself surrounded by what for lack of better words, an embrace.  It was not a physical holding, but an energetic cocoon of love.  It was so deep and all consuming that I felt like my paltry offering of a blessing had been but a peck on the cheek when compared to the level of love that was offered back to me.  I stayed in the water but for only a few minutes, the rocky floor of the lake feeling unstable beneath my feet in my altered state of mind.  I knew that I had been greeted by the Spirit of the Lake herself, and I knew I would be called back to her waters many times in my future life.

As we gathered our belongings and left the beach it was powerful to see how others had responded to our doings on the waterfront.  When walking by the large group of locals, we noticed that they all bowed their heads slightly when we walked by.  This to some seemed as it could be more of a ‘holy shit, don’t make eye-contact thing’, but in truth, I believe it was more of an acknowledgment that they had just witnessed something sacred.  Whether we share the same beliefs or differ in our faith, the sacred is recognizable to all.

My host Jamie and her daughter Nina.

I did return the next day, after waking from my crush-dream, I had no choice.  I needed to see my lover one more time before I departed her lands.  Returning in the daylight I collected rocks and driftwood (which I mailed home to myself).  I have always been a fan of nature given souvenirs, for they hold far more memory in them than some plastic trinket bought in a souvenir shop.  We lounged around the beach taking in the beauty of a space that is still seen as sacred.  In my personal thoughts I was already planning my next trip to Mother Superior/Lake Superior, knowing that I would be back.

Keep your eyes out for more information on Sacred Travels to Lake Superior by visiting my website http://Salicrow.com (be patient, stop by often, the site is going to be transforming in the next month or so/under construction).

I ended my trip to the Upper Penisula with a trip inland with my host & her daughter.  Where I got to take in the beauty of the many lakes and waterways that make up the U.P.  We repeated the water blessing at the little lake on my host property.  It was a powerful (and buggy) way to finish up my short stay.

Sacred travel can happen anywhere and everywhere.  It is more of a conscious switch of how you view the world and your place in it.  It requires the ability to take a step back from the hub-bub of our electronic world and choose a slower pace.  It is not a superpower, but something we all have innately inside of us.  We can all recognize the beauty of nature, connecting with it in a sacred way is to take it one step further and see that nature is also sentient.  The water, like the trees and the stones, is alive.  It has consciousness, and if you are patient enough to listen you will hear the love story that she is speaking to you.  I am thankful to be so blessed and love sharing this knowledge with others, I can feel my ancestors watching over me with pride when I do.

spreading love-salicrow

Virmond Crows in the U.P. (I love these ladies!)

 

Wake up Calls…

I feel tired today.  I feel like I want to cry.  The tears welling up inside me cannot be pushed down or told to go away, for they are made of deep, lonely, heartbreaking things, filled with fear, confusion, and grief.  The emotions that fill me are not mine alone, but the coagulated smeg of a culture staring at its own poor decisions.

I don’t feel this way often, as for the most part, I am an optimist.  I believe I knew what I was getting into when I signed on for this ‘tour of duty’ or ‘life’ as it is more often put, but there are days when even my sunshiny viewpoint is obscured with ‘what if’s’ & ‘what the fucks’; times when I wonder what the point of it all is and whether we can change anything or are just here to watch the ship go down.

I know this is not the usual inspiring words you are expecting to hear from me, the ones that put you at ease and make you feel like things will turn out ok in the end.  But it is important to see all sides of the story, and in a sense feel all sides of it.  We can’t deny our fear for denying it is a fool’s game, it keeps us from seeing what we are truly up against.

We are living in changing times, we have reached a point where you have to be a complete idiot to not believe in Climate Change/Disruption.  I mean today 5′ of snow, hail & ice fell in Mexico…in July!  We see signs of it every day on the television, the internet and in our own worlds, and on a shared emotional wavelength we are all scared.

So what do we do?

In moments of my life when I feel afraid I hear my fathers voice speaking to me in my head.  He is usually saying one of two things…“Bravery is going forward in the face of fear”, or “You don’t want to go down like a punk”.  The first has a response saying “Having no fear makes you a fool”.  The second statement was my dad’s way of saying ‘we don’t give up!’  I think about these things often, and know that I chose my father well even if some of the lessons were less then pleasant.  He taught me what it meant to be a warrior, to be a person of strength, and how to stand tall even when the odds were against me.  After all, if you’re going to go down, go down knowing you did everything in your power to stay up.

We are not living without hope, for the thing about impending doom is that it creates genius!

Along with all the horrific things flashed through our news feeds each day there are other less noticeable things happening, things that are not getting as much attention as they should. The news channels don’t want to cover inspiring stories, because the advertisers won’t get as much compulsive spending out of viewers watching pieces on  how oyster farming is growing in popularity; due to the amount of carbon they pull from the water, or how they are extracting carbon from the air in Iceland and transforming it into Basalt (rock).  The truth is, fearful things unsettle us to the point that we seek comfort in whatever way we can, often through unhealthy choices such as drug use, excessive shopping, gambling, etc.  Fear is big business…

When we focus our lens on what we can do…reuse, reduce, recycle, conserve, grow, share, educate, pray, meditate, etc.  we stop feeling quite as hopeless.  On the days like today where I feel like I don’t want to look at the positive, I sit with it, acknowledge my feelings and then ask myself what I plan on doing with those fears.  I then remember my father’s stories of standing up with half his face blown off, fighting his way to a helicopter and safety.  I remember stories told by my grandmother of living through the depression; lying under piles of blankets with her children when there was hardly any food and not much for heat.  I remember moments in my own life when I thought I would lose my house during the housing market collapse, and I remember that in all of those moments there was nothing to do for any of us, then keep on doing our best to survive, have hope and thrive.

My husband is a stoic kind of guy, and his view is also comforting in its own way.  He often says ‘God doesn’t care about our comfort, he/she is more concerned with our character’.  This quote is another I repeat when I feel the weight by hard times.  I focus on the character of a person I want to be.  Who do I want to be remembered as?  If I were a fictional character in a book, how would I want to act, do, be in any given situation?  It helps me get out of feeling sorry for myself and makes me realize I am living in exciting times, times that will be hard no-doubt, but times when wonders can be made and our actions matter.  Seeing myself as a hero/heroine in my own story empowers me.

Do not give up hope, do not turn to vices that make your life harder.  Yes, it’s hard, but there are things we can do to help us regulate our emotions and thoughts far more efficiently than habits that create more problems.  This is the time to pick up all our old tricks; go back to our yoga mat, sit in meditation, walk in the woods, sing, dance, create sacred art, tell stories, create daily rituals that keep us aware in this time of change.  We must focus our minds, create networks of like-minded people, get to know our farmers, healers, builders, thinkers, and spiritual leaders.  We need to become the co-creators we were intended to be, for that is where our salvation truly lies.   We are powerful beyond our belief. If we were to focus collectively on healing ourselves and our planet, we would see miracles.  We need to become unified, not torn apart by our ‘differences’, for the truth of the matter is we all share one thing in common, we are Earthlings.  WE NEED TO WAKE UP!

Becoming a co-creator in one’s own life starts with focusing our mind.  We need to really think about what matters to us, what world we want to see, and then put ourselves into it whole-heartedly.  Quantum physics has proven that thought matters, that what we focus on we draw to us.  I like to put it this way…when we spend our time thinking about what we do not want to happen, it’s like we are standing at the lunch-counter of life ordering it.

Right now, most of us spend many hours a day with a low-level feeling of fear and anxiety, often fueled by the media.  Looking at it this way, it’s easy to see how we feel hopeless, defeated and doomed.  We are telling ourselves this every day, enforcing it with the help of media every time we turn on the television or look at our newsfeed.  We should not blind ourselves to the truth of our world, but we need to make sure the ‘truth’ we are viewing gives us the whole picture, not just the profitable one fueled by fear. We also have to stop using convenience as an excuse not to do our part.  If you’re not recycling, reducing, reusing because it’s too much work, you might want to think about how much work we will have if we don’t start doing our part.  This is the kind of procrastination we cannot afford.

I do not want to leave you with a feeling of doom or despair, I want you to think about where your emotions and feelings really lie.  I want you to ask yourself what you are doing to make it better; no matter how small of an act, it all adds up.  I want you to join me in helping others wake up.  I want you to cocreate hope with me.  I want you to remember that like me, you chose to come in at this time and be a co-creator in a time when the world really needs us.  After all…who wants to go down like a punk?

 

spreading love-salicrow

The Power of Burning Stuff…

I finished my evening last night sitting in front of the open woodstove door watching wax burn.  It was the final step to a spell (energized intention/active prayer) I have been working on a month.  The wax was accompanied by scribbles of paper, birch bark, rose petals, lavender, and bits of moss; all remnants of the magical working I have been tending.

I love to burn things, I love hosting gathering around an open fire, the smell of woodsmoke on a chilly day, and most of all I love using fire as a magical ally.  Fire is the great consumer it takes what we offer it and breaks it down.  Energetically it incinerates that which is no longer needed and releases that which we are becoming to the air & earth through smoke and ash.

There are many ways to use the element of fire in our magical workings; the light of a candle can be used to illuminate that which we desire, divination can be practiced by the act of staring into flames, coals or smoke, and we can use fire as a visual focus for activating our will.  But my favorite way to use the power of this element is transformation by fire.  I have walked on fire as an act of personal transformation, and I regularly burn the leftover bits of my magical workings offering that which I no longer need as fuel for that which I am calling in.

All acts of magic in some way are acts of personal transformation, even if we are not doing magic for ourselves.  The act of performing powerful prayer/sacred manifestation changes us.  It opens our belief system to the idea that we are co-creators of the world we live in.   That our actions have power takes away from the idea that we are helplessly at the whim of a higher power who may or may not have plans for us.  Magic does not take away from our ability to believe in God/Goddess, it adds to it, for we see how amazing the world can be.  With every act of creative force we become closer to the Universe we are a part of.

In my own magical workings, Fire is not always the key ingredient, but it most certainly is one of them.  This last working of mine started at the Beltaine and ended at the New Moon (last night) following my birthday ( 5/29).  It had many magical acts that were connected to one another, and many of these left behind bits and baubles; paper used for writing sigils (magical writing & grids), the remains of candles used in ceremony, flower petals & resins left over from offerings and the likes.  I try whenever possible to burn the remnants of my magical working; not wanting to waste the potent energy they contain.

As I sat in front of the woodstove watching my offering of wax, bark, flowers, resin and magic transforming I was impressed with how long the fire burned.  In fact, I actually contemplated shutting the stove door and walking away for it to do its thing, but I know that honoring the work I had done was far too important for me to walk away.  I had to watch it burn.   There was apparently quite a bit of wax in the offering, so I sat for 10 minutes or more watching the fire dance about in my fireplace.  Staring into the fire, watching it kindle, I practiced the art of Pyromancy (divination/psychic viewing by fire) I knew by how long it burned and the nature of the working that the work I put in motion would be far reaching, and long lasting.

There are many ways you can use fire in your own transformation & magic.  One of my favorites, that I often recommend to clients is the Healing Fire.  Below is a how-to for those of you who want to try it out…

HEALING FIRE RITUAL-

What you will need…a notebook or stationary, pen, & fire source & a safe place to burn shit.  (a fireplace, firepit, candle and cauldron for burning bits).

Take the time to set up a beautiful altar for yourself, decorate it with sacred items, pictures of ancestors who support you, etc.  Taking the time to set your space adds to your magic, for true magic is the whole working.  You may want to play relaxing music in the background. It starts when the idea enters your mind, with every action taken along the way being part of the work at hand.  Make sure you are in a place where you will not be disturbed.  It is helpful in when we are learning to have an atmosphere that leans into the work at hand, the fewer distractions the better the outcome.

With our space set, light your fire (candle, bonfire, etc) and take a few deep breaths.  Imagine there is a pinprick of white light in the center of your chest/heart chakra.  With every inhale in you become more relaxed, with every exhale the white light at your chest expands until after a few breathes you are completely relaxed and can sense (see, feel, know) the circle of protection around you.  Call in your guides, ancestors and the deities you work with at this time.  It is now time focus on that which needs healing.

What part of your life is dysfunctional, taking away from your true essence.  Sit with it for a while, allow yourself to see it’s roots.  This will be easy for some people and difficult for others, know that you can repeat this working anytime you like.  However, magic is more potent if we put ourselves fully into it, so if your sitting on the sidelines of your life, hokey-poking around the working, it will be lacking in the energy needed to produce results.  If you’re going to do something do it, don’t pretend to do it.  Magic requires us to be vulnerable, at least with ourselves.

Allow your mind to look at where your pain or troublesome habits began.  Perhaps the beginning is connected to a certain person or event.  If so, pick up your paper and pen and begin to write.  If it’s a person, compose a letter (you are not sending it), stating everything you wish you could have said to the person…how much you loved them, how much you hated them, how they disappointed you, wounded you, and what they taught you.  For true healing, we must admit all feelings, including the good ones.  If we are writing about a traumatic event, compose your offering as if it is the most vulnerable diary entry you can muster.  Remember we are exposing that which wounds us, and holds us back from our true self.

When your letter/journal entry is complete…sit for a moment in front of the Fire.  Gather your attention on this moment, and read your letter/journal entry out loud.  You may want some tissue here, as you will most likely be crying by this point.  Do not hold back, go tantric with it…do a deep dive into the pain allowing yourself to witness that which has shaped you, knowing that you will use it again once more to shape yourself, this time for healing.  When you have read your truth, burn that bitch!  Knowing that you are offering up your pain to be transformed, inviting your true self to emerge on the other side of the flames.  Make sure to watch the flames as they transform your truth, paying attention to any thoughts that come through the images seen in the fire.

When you have finished your working, close your circle by thanking your ancestors, guides, and deities, and releasing your circle of power.  You can do this by imagining it dissipating or by pulling the white light back into your body, calling your protection back to the source.   If you like visual aids/reminders, take a bit of the ash and put it into a small container to keep on your altar as a reminder of the work you have begun.

I hope you enjoyed the read.  Thanks for following me folks, you can find out more about me and my work by checking out my website Salicrow.com.

spreading love-salicrow

Symbolism & the Intuitive Mind (psychic development)

E-en, infinity, lemniscate- no time/no space

Do you identify as Empathic?  Do you feel or sense the emotions and/or physical pain of others? Can you sense when there has been a fight in a place before you got there?  Do emotions lay heavy on your body?

Many of you said yes to these questions, in fact, I believe the majority of you did, as we are going through a Psychic Evolution.  As a species we are becoming more psychic.  Our collective consciousness is expanding and we are ‘awakening’ at a more and more rapid rate.  I like calling it evolution for I believe it is a natural process, that has been encouraged by the way we live our lives.  The use of the internet and cell phones have connected us to webs of understanding that tell us we can have the knowledge we seek at the click of a finger.  This belief has loosened the thread of our thoughts and made us question possibilities of how else we can retrieve information, and from where.

Another factor in our expanding consciousness is the fact that we have compacted our words into symbols again, creating a modern hieroglyphic language.  The days of elaborate cursive manuscripts and fancy thank you letters are gone.  We have quickened our step and shortened our transfer of information…we have gone backward & forward, connecting to forgotten magic the use of emojis and anacronyms have become common text, allowing us to transfer information rapidly.

Symbols are shorthand for the brain, they are a way of conveying a large thought in a compact form.  They often have various nuances and meanings depending on their context and can be found everywhere in the dreamscape, natural world & electronic universe.  The idea of symbols in metaphysical thought can be expanded to include animal and plant totems, musical notes, colors, and vibrations.

For those seeking to help their expansion of consciousness along, it’s important to develop a relationship with symbols.  I recommend The Woman’s Dictionary of Symbols and Sacred Objects https://www.amazon.com/Womans-Dictionary-Symbols-Sacred-Objects/dp/0062509233.  although I am unsure why it is called such, and feel it would be better-renamed something less sexist….butwith that critique it’s important to remember this book came out in 1988.

I have always had a fascination with symbols and have studied & interacted with many over the years.  I love to explore the multitude of languages there are for opening the doors to my mind.  As a kid, I first interacted with symbols through religion.  The cross for Jesus was a powerful thing, as was the idea of water being a great healer.  I could easily understand how bread could be a representative of the body of Christ and accept how water could cleanse away the impurities of the soul.  As I grew up and my mind expanded, my symbolic vocabulary grew to include the markings of many religions and cultures.

I don’t like to talk about religion through the concept of different or separate.  I personally believe that God is god/goddess no matter how you look at it.  That the greatness of the creator/created is like a gemstone that we like to look at from many perspectives, and that we must find what way we connect best with the Divine.  Personally, my mind is too vast for one religion, one way of seeing this being that is the Collective Consciousness.  For me, the use of symbolism has been a powerful devotion to the connection I have with myself, my gods, and psychic knowing. The more I learn, the more I want to learn…so my symbolic language is quite large.  However, we do not all have the same obsessions.  So I have compiled a few suggestions for developing your own symbolic language.

*The most important thing when it comes to working with symbols to develop one’s intuition is that your interpretation is the most important one.  Symbolism is powerful because it triggers our personal knowledge, often the first thought that comes to our mind is the one that matters most.  Try whenever possible to write down your thoughts and feelings, before diving into the books or asking friends.  Books and websites are great for studying, and helpful when you really can’t figure something out, but they should always be secondary to your own mental cueing.

*Books on Dream Interpretation and Symbolism are great places to start building your symbolic language.  Place a book on symbols in your bathroom, and pick a new symbol to read up on instead of scrolling through your phone.  If you want to add to the psychic development of the exercise, don’t just randomly pick.  First, ask the question in your mind “What symbol do I need to work with at this time?”  And then really work with it, study it, think about what it has to teach you.

*Learn a symbolic language, such as the Runes or the letters of the Hebrew alphabet.  These formulas are compiled of symbols that have both individual meanings and the ability to be combined to create words.  An interesting fact about the systems named is they are both believed to have been given to the people directly as gifts from their gods.  I have a personal relationship with this form of symbolic work; particularly with the Runes and Odin, as they came into my life as a door to a greater relationship with the Norse Gods and magic.  It is my experience that when properly activated these symbols hold a potent life force energy, and are ‘Beings’ of sorts.

*Keep track of your experiences with symbols; write down your dreams, record your meditations, journeys, and wyrd sightings.  Remember the Universe is communicating with us all the time, we just have to expand our vocabulary so it’s easier to understand.

I hope you have found this helpful, remember this is a journey and you do have some control over how it unfolds.  Enjoy the ride…

spreading love-salicrow

Salicrow.com

Sacred Travel…Reflection, refraction, mirrors and transformation, part 1-

I have been in a place of deep reflection and examination for the last few months.  After 5 years of running at super-squirrel speed (I refer to my dark-totem as a ‘squirrel on crack’), I have decided that I need to dial in my focus, move away from ‘collecting every nut I see, to thoughtfully planning my next steps to best serve my community, while giving myself the time I need for personal growth and happiness.

This was not something I came to lightly, but more something that attacked me with flailing arms, & steam coming out of its ears.

By the end of January, I was exhausted, short-tempered and emotionally drained.  At first, I didn’t really understand where it was coming from, for my life did not feel or look any different than it normally did; my kids & grandkids were doing well, my home life & personal relationships were good, my businesses were running well.  Despite the outer vestige of my life, I was finding it hard to keep my temper in keel, and felt a building desire to just say ‘fuck it, I don’t care what you do’, to most inquiries.  Now, this does not mean I was showing my cards to the public, after all, I am a trained professional and I know how to put my stuff away while taking care of business.  But, as time went on, I found it harder and harder to ignore the fact that I was short-circuiting.  So I did what any good healer would do, I started to investigate the problem.

The answer came quickly; like a poke in the eye, and was not surprising at all…I was simply doing too much, running too fast for too long, and I needed to slow down.  This realization brought to mind the old adage ‘Healer, heal thyself’; which speaks to the need for those who care for others to practice self-care.  So I made an appointment with my apprentice Vanessa; who runs the Reiki clinic @ my wellness center and began to contemplate how I would cut back on the doing part of my life.

Now the problem with being me, is I invest in everything I take up.  Everything I do is important to me.  Which means selecting what to let go of, or pass on to others, were difficult questions for me.  I generally do not spend much time on things I don’t believe in or value.  I knew this was not going to be an easy switch, and that as much as I may want to put the squirrel in a cage it was going to take some time and planning to do so.

I began my transition while visiting family in Florida this last February.  Normally when I take my winter jaunt south, I plan on working part-time while there; doing private Seances, and Readings or workshops at stores in the area, weaving my sacred work with my sacred travel together.  But this year, I just kept hesitating to book any work, and the closer it came to my departure date the more I started limiting what my work would look like until it finally looked like “I am not working while in Florida this year.”

I have always seen travel as a time to initiate change, as we are away from our paterns, things, and the way others see us.  So instead of working for others, I spent the time in the sun working on myself…simply being; taking deep breaths, walking in the green parks, soaking up the sun and enjoying the magic of the water that Tampa Bay had to offer.

Simply embracing each day as it presented itself…swimming in the Ocean and walking along the bayou’s of public parks was truly the medicine I needed.  I received guidance in many forms…I watched a dolphin hunt & play, was lucky enough to hold a lovely snake, I even visited the shrine of the Arch Angel Micheal, while in a Greek fishing village (Tarpon Springs, FL).  I was looking for answers, or better yet I was waiting for answers.  Answers to how I was supposed to move forward, what I should focus on and what energy I should ask to help guide me. I even stayed in an Airbnb house filled with wyrdly, intriguing mirrors (note the picture at the start of the post), that I imagine would be great for deep scrying.  Instead, I fell asleep early while staying there; my body deciding I needed rest more than a spiritual deep dive into the world of mirrors.  In this stillness, answers slowly came.

The first step of my transformation was to choose another power animal to work with.  For as much as I have joked over the last few years about Squirrel on Crack being my dark totem, Squirrel has truly been the sacred animal ally calling the shots for the last few years. To call something my dark-totem, means the qualities of that animal are ones that I have to be cautious of in my life.  They are the parts of our personality/behavior that have short term benefits, but often overwhelm us when we play with them too long. I am truly squirrelish in my behavior, I gather from everywhere, often creating treasure caches of knowledge, learning, and cool stuff when working with this energy.  But when I play with it too long, I just keep collecting…more jobs, more classes, more travel, more businesses, more, more, more…until I wonder why I am even doing it, what I am collecting for and where the free time I use to have has gone.

We all have a dark-totem, an animal whose behaviors resemble ours, behaviors which we need to keep in check!

It may seem strange to say I needed to choose a power animal to work with, as in most cases our totem animals present themselves to us.  But I have many animals I have worked with over the years, some of them staying with me a lifetime (Crow) while others are active for only a few years, long enough to share their lessons with me.  It is from the latter variety that I was looking to choose.

From my slow-down time in Florida, I knew what qualities I was looking for, I wanted to keep moving forward, while focusing my intent, choosing to be more selective and purposeful in my movement.  I needed to learn to stalk the prey/goal I am after and to rest when I had downtime.  I needed the teachings of Cat.  For me, these lessons come in the form of ‘Big Cat’…Lion, Lynx, and most of all Panther.  This was not a new relationship so to speak, simply the re-emergence of an old alliance.

Creating a bond with a new Spirit Animal or rekindling an old relationship takes time.  It helps to remember that the lessons are being offered, which means if we are sincere and open, the teachings will come.  It is also beneficial to create space on your altar for honoring the ‘Spirit’ (animal, plant, ancestor, otherworldly being) relationship you are building.  You can do this by placing items that remind you of the ‘Being’ on your altar and studying their ways through observation (if you’re so lucky), books and websites.  One of my favorite books for Animal symbolism is ‘Animal Speak’ by Ted Andrews.

It is normal and perfectly alright to be working with more than one Animal Spirit Ally at a time. Personally, when asked the question “How many Spirit Allies should you have at once?”, my answer is “How many living friends and colleagues do you have?”  If your a person who likes to have only a few good friends, your most likely going to be the same way in Spirit-work.  But if you’re like me; a very social Gemini, your likely to have a whole slew of Spirit companions, teachers and guides.

With my mind clearly set on changing my speed & focus, and the aid of ‘Big Cat’ magic I was ready to return home & put my changes to the test of real life.  Something that was not without its challenges. Thankfully, I have a great partner; my husband, who offers his support in a very practical way.  Knowing that I need/want to slow down when I start squirreling up he reminds me of my intentions, by simply saying things like “Really Sali, you need to do that now?”

At first, this reminder triggered me, but I quickly staunched that voice by reminding myself that making changes in our life is easier when you have a practical support team.

My journey continues in part 2.  COSM/the Chapel of Sacred Mirrors.  Look for it Wednesday, the 3rd.

spreading love-salicrow

https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/562306/jump-girl-by-salicrow/9781623171926/

Stories of Spirit…The Magic of Spring [the vernal equinox, full moon, and the magic of renewal]

Photo-Hannah Frigon 2015

The sun is up before me these last few mornings, & puddles of water are gathering on the melting snow of my driveway…it’s a sure sign that Spring is on the way.  My soul feels it coming, and is ready for the awakening that it offers.  People like animals are in tune with the cycles of nature.  We settle in, get comfy and do a lot of contemplating in Winter & when Spring arrives we are ready for action.  Like the seeds that germinate, our minds are alive with projects waiting to be birthed, and we feel a kindling inside of us wanting to take action.  This energetic space of percolating ideas is a place of magic, from here we transform our thoughts into being.

Magic/manifestation is simply activated prayer.  It is something we are all capable of, we simply need to believe in ourselves and be realistic.  I know that sounds like counter-intuitive after all isn’t magic outside the realm of ‘reality’?

Hollywood Magic is outside the realms of reality, Real Magic exists within the domain of reality with an understanding that it is not as concrete as most of us like to believe.  Real magic has rules and repercussions, real magic takes focus and the ability to soften the boundaries of what we believe.  It is far less flashy than the movie version, but working with it gives us a greater connection to self and far more control over the path our life takes. Real magic is being proven every day by the science of Quantum-physics.  Through the quantum lens, science is finally catching up with what witches & shamans have known forever…the real world is energetic, made up of thought, light and electricity.  Solid is questionable!

I grew up on magic.  It was in the food my grandmother cooked, the paths we walked in the woods, the playing cards on the table and the ancestors coming for a cup of coffee.  Magic was not reserved for the fullness of the moon or the turning of the season.  It happened every day in the simple actions of living.  That being said, I also learned that ‘Big Magic’, the stuff you really desired could be helped along with the aid of the moon, stars, and cycles of the earth.  This belief was further instilled in me when I began formally studying magic (through books, workshops and experimental study).  This study helped me understand how nature could be a strong ally in my magical working.

With this in mind, I am looking forward to vernal equinox and the energy it carries…

This year the arrival of Spring will be especially potent time for igniting our dreams, as the Equinox takes place during a full Moon, one that just so happens to be the last Super Moon of 2019.  During a Super Moon the Full (or new moon) coincides with perigee; meaning the Moon is the closest to the Earth it’s going to be; making the Moon appear very large. I am all for stacking the deck when it comes to manifestation and this combination adds some tasty ingredients to the pot.  If you were to imagine working magic like making a soup, the Moon & Equinox would be like adding prime-organic ingredients to your meal.

So how do we use this energy? What kind of things should we be focusing our prayer/spellwork on?

The Spring Equinox is a time of new beginnings, a time for planting the seeds we wish to nurture throughout the coming year.  It is a time of peeling away the layers (clothes included) we have put upon ourselves during our winter slumber.  It is a time for setting goals that need tending, and time to develop.  It is also a time of balance, in which there are equal hours of light & darkness…a time of setting the proper footing if you will.

I am personally going to use the energy to refresh projects I am already working on, using the energy of renewal and growth to reconnect with that which I have been fostering for years.  Although my magical dreams are not ‘new’ so to speak, they have been refined over the Winter.  One of the big things that came through loud and clear to me in the darkness was that I need to put the squirrel in a cage.  I have been going too fast for too long, and I need to engage in a different pace in order to enjoy the life I am creating for myself…Time for some ‘Big Cat’ action.  More stalking less running around in 20 directions at once.

For those of you looking to use the energy of the Vernal Equinox to help activate magic in your life here is a simple ritual to start with.  It is non-denominational, you can incorporate your own spiritual beliefs as you see fit.

 

Vernal Equinox/Full Moon Manifestation-

*The Vernal Equinox takes place on Wednesday, March 20th, 11:19pm EST, the Moon becomes full on March 20th @ 9:43pm EST

*Things you will need-A CANDLE (any candle will do, but white candles are great for all-purpose use, and green is good for new beginnings, fertility, and growth), SEEDS (herbs, flowers or something you can grow in a pot), planting soil & a small pot or if your not a grower of green things you can use a crystal (my go-to), spiritual items for your altar.

******************************************************************************************************

Ideally, you want to do your spellwork/prayer/ritual on Wednesday the 20th, preferably between the hours of 10pm & midnight.  This is not necessary but does add some pop to your work.  Please note that full moons and seasonal markers/holidays energy is potent for 3 days prior & 3 days after such events.

• Set up an altar with your candle, small pot, soil and seeds, spiritual items as you like
• Light the candle and call in your protective spirits, guides, Gods/Goddess, and other allies
• Take deep breathes through your nose, imagining with every breath out you are sending protective energy around you, in a sphere of white light (you’re the center of the bubble)
• Intention is key here.  Take a few moments in meditation, breathing into your circle of light…allowing yourself to imagine your dreams/goals coming to fruition.
• Hold this deep meditative space while you place the soil in the pot (if you’re using the crystal instead you can skip this step).  This is an act of magic, every step is to be held with thought.  The soil you are placing in the pot is an active ingredient, an ally (go organic)
• Now pick up your seeds or your crystal.  Cup them in your hands and gently send energy (Reiki is great) into the seed/crystal.  Imagine you are awakening the seed to your potential, placing your dreams within it to germinate.  Pour love and support into the seed/crystal and gently place the seeds into the soil, and place them on the window sill (crystals can go straight to the window sill), make sure to water the seeds.
• The space on the window sill should receive moonlight for ideal use
• Close your circle by thanking your spirits, gods/goddess’, allies and putting out your candle
• over the next weeks, you will need to tend your seed/crystal. Do so by watering the plant, holding the crystal, looking at it longingly, or whatever act of love you have to offer (I sing my magic).  Tend your seed/crystal as if it is precious to you.  You do not need to go back over the work you have set in motion, simply treat your seed/crystal with love and the acknowledgment that you are working magic.
• It is important in magic that we direct our focus without knit-picking what we are creating/manifesting.  This is what makes most magical prayer fail.  The constant re-doing of magic is like saying to the Universe “I didn’t get it right the first time, second time, third time, etc…”
• Support your magical working by living your life as if you are already standing in your power.  Remember magic is activated prayer and we should be cautious what we wish for.  Is it really in your greatest good, are you being ethical in your manifestation.  “IN ALL THINGS HARM NONE” is a good tenant to go by. For what we put out comes back to us 3-fold.

I hope the Vernal Equinox finds you with a Spring in your step and a sense of wonder in your heart.  Know that magic is prayer, prayer is spellwork, ritual is sacred creation and we are all co-creators of our lives.  What do you want to manifest this year? I would love to hear what projects you are working on this spring.

spreading love-salicrow

Stories of Spirit…Love in a hateful world

I admit that sometimes I too am overwhelmed by the darkness that seems to be settling on our world.  At times it feels as if we are being pulled into a hateful ravine of ‘other’, in which society functions with the foremost thought being “Everyone who does not think exactly like me must be sinister, wrong & evil.”  This thought process has everyone walking on eggshells, expecting that at any moment they are going to say/do something that offends someone, or someone is going to say/do something that offends them.  Add to this an underlying fear from global climate change and the abyss can seem all-consuming.

In this time of global chaos, I chose every day to be a light in the darkness.  I center my mind and remember that I may not have a choice in how others/the larger world acts, but I do have a choice in how I personally present myself, and I chose LOVE along time ago.

My belief system is deeply rooted in the concept of ‘thought effects outcome‘; manifestation is in my blood.  I have been aware of my own ability to affect the world around me for a long time, and am quickly reminded of my ability when I let my thoughts go to anger & despair.  When I let myself sit in those feelings, the world around me does it’s best to prove to me how right I am; how fucked up and stupid human beings are and how there is no hope.  But you know what?  When I focus on love & abundance I see those things everywhere I go as well.  I prefer to live in a world in which happiness exists!

I believe none of us are here by chance, we are here at this moment in time, when the world is changing dramatically because we chose to be agents of change.  Each and every one of us is responsible for being the best version of self that we can at this moment of exponential growth.  Our consciousness is waking, evolving, and with that comes many aches and pains as growth is seldom easy.  We need to start acknowledging our thoughts, both conscious and unconscious.  It’s time to clean up our minds!

I am not saying that we must forgo drinking, smoking, and naughty (nudge-nudge, wink-wink) thoughts, I am saying we must clean up the continuous negative banter of our mind.  The outdated dogma that tells us we are eternally flawed and lacking in what is necessary for happiness, success, and love.

The first step to cleaning up one’s mind is to track its behavior… This is easiest done with the aid of a journal or notepad.  For a full day take note of any negative thought that crosses your mind, be thorough but quick, if we make it too tedious most of us won’t do it.  Simply, jot down the basic idea of the thought, was it directed at yourself or others, was it something you recognize as a frequent flyer?  Did it carry emotion with it, and if so what was the dominating emotion felt?

After spending a day critically looking at our thoughts, most of us are going to be awe-stricken by the sheer amount of negativity we express daily.  I know, as I have done this very thing, only mine was not done with a notepad it was done with the voice of ‘other/spirit’ keeping track of my pissy brain rants; the majority of which were directed at myself.  When I became aware of how much of my energy I was wasting or worse yet manifesting things I definitely did not want with, I was stunned and immediately could see how such things were affecting my life.

Our brains are like super-computers, and like computers they get viruses.  In the case of our mind, the viruses are often negative brain patterns, things we say over and over again, in the forms of self-abuse and entitlements.  If we examine these thoughts closely, following the strands of their being, we will find that the original seed of thought was not placed there by ourselves, but by others.  No child comes into this world believing they are ugly, stupid, or worthless, these thoughts are created by things outside our own belief.

When the thought demons we fight are not our own flogging, but a deeper fear, a fear of the darkness that is set on the planet, of climate change, political unrest, and world changes.  For these things, we must take comfort in the knowledge that we chose to come at this time of great change, and we must ask ourselves how we can be the best version of ourselves at this time.  For when we shine our light bright we do make a difference in the world.  It may be just a little one, but a lot of little lights can be brilliant.  Plus, who wants to go down like a punk?

spreading love-salicrow

 

 

I have never been known as someone who takes the slow road, but this year has me thankful for my dark-totem/Squirrel on Crack.  The fullness of my life has left me little time for blogging….my book ‘JUMP GIRL, the initiation and art of a spirit speaker’ https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/562306/jump-girl-by-salicrow/9781623171926/was released in February and on June 1st I stepped into a grand-expansion at my studio {the Grindstone Cafe & Wellness Center}.    Things are moving along with ease and flow, but sometimes getting a few extra moments to write are looked over for sitting in a zen-like haze on my couch.

Where the construction/expansion of the Cafe & Wellness Center connects me deeply connected to my community, JUMP GIRL’s release has me traveling all over the country this year; from book signings to literary festivals, workshops, psychic readings & spirit communication, I am on the go.  This movement has brought many songs to mind of late, but one that sums it up is ‘On the road again’ by Willey Nelson.  For the Irish Gypsy in me loves traveling… I have also found myself very conscious of the words I use inside my mind.  For a short while, I was repetitively saying “I am crazy busy”, whenever I was asked about my schedule.  Then I started thinking about quantum-physics and quickly changed my response to “my life is abundantly full’.

Quantum-physics has proven that thought matters, that we are indeed co-creators of our reality, and that what we put our thoughts into we manifest.  With that in mind, it was quite clear I needed to change my wording, as I had no desire what-so-ever to be ‘crazy busy’ or ‘crazy’ at all…Changing my the repetitive wording I used in my mind gave me a deep sense of well being, a feeling that I was solid and grounded in my growth, instead of feeling like I was zipping around without plan or thought.  The truth of the matter is there was a lot of planning and thought that has gone into me being in the place I am at this moment.  My book took over a year to write/edit/produce and the growth/design of the cafe/wellness center was something I did over 3 years ago (the benefit of being Psychic, sometimes I know something has to happen and plan ahead).  Even the high energy flow of this year was something I knew to expect before it’s arrival.

About this time last year, I was sitting on my couch when I heard a familiar voice in my head, that of my own.  I do not mean I was talking to myself as myself in this present moment.  Instead, I was hearing the voice of Salicrow in what I perceived to be about 2 years in the future/2019.  This was a bit unusual; not the visiting myself from the future or past, but that I was being visited by an incarnation of myself that was so close in time.  Usually, my visits are by my deep future self or past, with more than 10 years difference.  The visit from my near future present had me curious, as this had never happened before.  What would spur such an event?  My future-self spoke to me briefly, informing me that my life was going to go from 10-100 (speed/fullness) within the year.  I had taken her words to pertain to my book alone, but as most things Gemini there is always more…the more, in this case, being the sudden expansion of my wellness center.  Sali of the future assured me that it would all be good and that I could handle it.  but that I must learn to take downtime when it presents itself.  I believe I have heeded this information well, and am pretty good at checking out when I need to.

previous adventures with Lavender

I have learned many things this year so far, and have gained a few unexpected allies…Hummingbird & Lavender.  Hummingbird came into my life with a bold message.  Literally showing itself within a foot of my face, when I asked the Universe what I needed to be working on.  It’s message…to enjoy the rhythm and flow, that constant movement does not need to be tiring if one moves with the vibration of the world around them.  I am practicing this, listening to my body and mind and allowing myself to be carried by the momentum of my ever expanding life.  Lavender has shown up on my playing field in a huge way.  I am teaching at a Lavender farm in Montana in September, and have been invited to teach at another Lavender farm in NY.  My randomly generated computer background has been showing up as fields of Lavender for about 2 months now, and I have been given cards, and greetings carrying the image of Lavender at all turns of my path.  The teaching of Lavender is one of balance, and calming to the nervous system, as well as Psychic protection.  I believe it is showing up as an ally at this time to help people make a gentler transition to spiritual opening.  I am looking forward to working in the fields of lavender and seeing how its energy infuses my work.

Life is made up of the experiences we have and the way in which we interpret them.  I am a constant student of the Universe and I see the road ahead of me as teacher.  I look forward to where this year’s journeys will take me.  Thank you for your patience, I really do appreciate all my readers.  I promise to be more diligent in getting my thoughts to writing.

 

spreading love-salicrow

 

SACRED TRAVEL…Down to the South I Go [Little Rock]

When you have lived in the North your entire life there are preconceived notions of what you will experience in the South, the biggest being racism and conservative values.  I am pleased to announce that my short visit to Little Rock showed me a different view of both.  I traveled to Litle Rock, Arkansas as a guest presenter/author at the Little Rock Literary Festival.  I went alone, as a snaffoo on the part of the organizers left me without my hotel or flight information until the prices per ticket were over $800.  As much as my husband likes to travel with me, we both agreed that $800 could pay for 2 plane tickets to a place of our choosing, and a trip longer than 2 days.

As I flew over Arkansas, approaching my destination, I couldn’t help but notice how the city was surrounded by open fields, winding rivers and greenery…trees, parks, and nature were everywhere.  The Arkansas River runs between Little Rock & North Little Rock; twin cities that together are about the size of Burlington, VT.  In fact, there were definitely aspects of the city that reminded me of the Queen City.  I was greeted in the airport by a sweet woman, holding a sign with my name on it.  Her kindness and charm were delightful, and upon talking a few moments I found out that all the authors were picked up and dropped off by volunteers.; local folks, who like literacy and thought picking up a writer might be a fun time.

My literary duties began an hour after landing, with a meet & greet, dinner & drink thing, in which the public could come and meet authors.  This was my first time as such an event, in which no-one really knew each other and we all had to interact by reading name tags.   However, as you all know, I am quite social and did not lack abilities on the introduction level.  The interesting part came when I told people what my book was about.  Here is where I was reminded that I was not in my liberal, cozy corner of the universe.  Most people were interested, but there was about a third of the people who responded by stepping back a step or two.  Curiously enough, 1/2 of those who stepped back, thought of Mediums as bullshit, the other half that stepped back were doing so for religious reasons.

My response to their back-step depended on the reason they were doing so (the benefits of being Psychic).  For those that thought of Mediums as hokie (this group was primarily other writers)…I made sure to let them know that I had a book contract before I had a book written.  My way of saying…”Hey, I am the real deal”.  The second group, those with religious leanings on the conservative level (mostly local), I made sure to tell them of my family background; being Irish Gypsy & Blackfoot Indian.  With this information, the local conservatives visibly opened to the discussion.

Happily caffeinated Salicrow

Things that were difficult in the south…coffee & food allergies.  I experienced the same thing while visiting Florida a month ago.  Northerners are way ahead of the curb on the food allergy spectrum.  In fact, the writer’s party/meet and greet had a lot of lovely food…all of it made with wheat and the majority of it also containing dairy.  Seriously not even a veggie platter.  But what the lacked in food options they made up for in free drinks.  LOL, so needless to say, I drank my dinner that night (I am a serious light-weight so it wasn’t much).  And coffee…well I believe Northerners are almost cultish about good coffee.  We will  (I admit doing this) walk block after block in search of a decent cup of coffee.  

 

The real eye-opener came the following day when I met my moderator; the person who would be assisting my book-talk.  I met Russell in the author’s room half an hour before my talk.  He had read my book and was prepared to ask questions during the talk if needed.  Upon being introduced to him, I discovered that he was a Chiropractor and a leading member of the local Unity Christian Church.  He had stepped back from his work as a Chiropractor and was primarily working in ministry and counseling for his church community now.  This fact made my thoughts do a side-step, a Christian Minister in the South had been chosen as the perfect match for my work?  After a few moments of talking to him though I was delighted to hear that he practiced energy work, led meditation at his church, and that they believed that God consciousness resided within us all.  Holy Shit!  This was not the South I had prepared myself for.

When my book talk came about, I had a pretty full room & I was prepared to let it all hang out, as I always do.  I read from the early part of my book, speaking of my experience with Spirit in childhood, of communicating with myself and Spirits though mirrors, and I ended my discussion with speaking about ‘the November Incident’; my walking the line of crazy, spiritual opening.  It was generally well received, all of it…the only person who seemed put off by it was sitting in the back room with his wife, but he didn’t leave early, nor did he have anything rude to say.

I do not expect everyone to understand the path I walk or even believe in the experiences I have had, but respect and politeness are a lovely thing….and the South has that in accolades!

After my discussion, I was pretty much free to do whatever I wanted.  I decided I needed to walk, and chose to walk the downtown area, check out shops and get some food.  After eating, I was in a small art gallery/store connected to the library system when I ran into an older lady who had come to my discussion, and waited patiently in line to have me sign her book.  Mary, a spritely 80-year-old was truly delightful.  After talking to me for a few moments in the store, and my talking about how much I loved nature, she said “Alright then, let’s go walk the river walk”, and like that, I was off on a journey with a complete stranger.

As we walked along the river, Mary told me tales of her city, and of her life.  She had lived in Little Rock for the majority of her life, and apparently, I was not the first stranger she had hooked up with before.  She was a retired school teacher, with a keen mind, a strong intuition and a great deal of kindness.  When I walked her back to the library she invited me to come stay with her the next time I came to Arkansas.

On my voyage along the river, I was again delighted to see that my view of racism was also not completely true.  Now I am not saying that there is no racism in Little Rock, what I am saying is I was surprised by the number of mixed race couples I saw.  In fact, there were almost as many couples of mixed race or same sex as there were heterosexual couples  of the same race.  I found myself thinking on this, and questioning if this was the result of the ‘Little Rock 9’ ‘https://www.history.com/topics/black-history/central-high-school-integration.  The Little Rock 9 in short, refers to 9 black students who enrolled in a formerly all-white high school in Little Rock in 1957.  There enrollment was due in part to the Supreme Court ruling school segregation illegal in 1954.  It is a tremendous story of bravery that you really should take the time to read (see link above).

After my time with Mary, I attended a panel discussion featuring cartoonist who wrote about important political and ethical issues.  I was there primarily to see Trina Robbins; a prolific feminist writer, who I had met at the Authors dinner party the night before.  I had found a natural bond with Trina (also a spitefully, delightful senior) when we realized we were both carrying Wonder Woman purses. (Trina was the first woman to draw a Wonder Woman comic).  The other panalist were also waving their liberal flags…Erin Nations, a transgender man who bravely writes the comic series Gumballs, which speaks on transgender issues, and MK Czerwiec a nurse, who writes comics for the Journal of the American Medical Association.  Taking Turns: Stories from HIV/AIDS Care Unit 371 is about her time spent working with HIV patients in the 90’s.     Way to go Little Rock, for bringing in writers (and cartoonist) who are rocking the real word!

After listening to the panelist I headed out to the river walk again, this time to do some work.  I made my way down to the Clinton Presidential Park Wetlands, where I did a bit of earth magic.  Singing/toning to the wildlife and water itself.  If your interested in seeing what I did, go check out my Facebook Live video on my page Sali Crow.  I delighted in seeing the abundance of turtles in the water (I saw at least 50), and the biggest bat-house I have ever seen.  I continued down the river, stopping periodically to sing to the Earth and place crystals here and there (I placed some in other metropolitan areas as well).

All in all, my trip south was a refreshing view of Americans.  Almost all of the local Arkansasians said the same thing “There is a strong current that runs below the surface of most Arkansasians”.  They are in general, or at least the folks I met, more open-minded than I ever imagined, and genuinely interested in meeting people.  The highlights I will keep securely in my mind are those of meeting Russel, and his open-hearted soul, and of Mary taking me on a journey without even blinking an eye.   Thanks for shedding some southern charm on this Northern girl.

spreading love-salicrow

 

 

 

Stories of Spirit…Betwixt & Between & the Shared Dream [the ever evolving story of growth]

April in Vermont exist in the Betwixt & Between; it is no longer technically Winter, but looking out one’s window it is hard to consider it Spring.  Snow and mud cover the landscape, the trees are bare with only the occasional buds starting to appear.  On the warm days, sap is running from the Maple Trees, and steam pours out of the local Sugar Houses.  There is a feeling in the air akin to waking from a dream, as people, animals, and spirit begin to emerge from the deep slumber of Winter.

This time of Betwixt & Between, when things are neither one or the other is a magical time when the dreamscape of the mind is rich with ideas.  People begin planning their gardens and dream of sitting with the sun upon their faces. It is a time when I feel the woods calling me the most.  A time when I can feel the Spirits of Nature and the Ancestors energetically humming in a kind of precognitive trance.  This rich state of becoming is fertile ground for planting one’s dreams/intentions.  It is not the same energy as New Years, where we boldly declare our declarations of change…it is instead a time of groundedness and planned growth, a time when we lay the pathways upon which we imagine ourselves guided toward the change we envision.

As a Medium, I am aware that many of my plans, particularly the big-business ones; the ones that are important to my soul’s path, are worked on by more than myself.  They are shared dreams, dreams in which more than one person, and often more than one Spirit are actively taking part in creating.  This April, I have begun weaving the pattern of growth and collectiveness with others in a grand and holistic way.  Working with a blueprint I created with Spirit over 3 years ago, with roots much older than that.

Last fall I stepped up from renting a studio space @ the Grindstone Cafe, in Lyndonville, VT to sharing ownership/management of it.  This happened naturally and organically, and within a few months the cafe was transforming to include a wellness component, and as it evolved the shelves began to fill up with crystals, and cards, lotions, and potions, geomancy tools and more.  The studio I rented became a shared space, with other practitioners, until it reached a point in which I was starting to schedule myself out of a workspace.  I approached my business partner and said that I thought we needed to talk to the landlord about the possibility of renting another room (the building is large and maze-like) and she agreed….the next day Spirit intervened, to assure us that we were on the right path.

The day after our discussion, before my partner could reach out to our landlord, she reached out to us, letting us know that the people who rented the space next door had decided not to renew their lease and that the space next door to our cafe would be available as of June 1st.  You would have to be blind to not see this as a sign from the Universe, especially when I put it in context with the fact that I had envisioned a wellness learning center over 15 years ago when my Spirits told me that it would be so.  At the time I was overwhelmed with the information they gave me and scrambled to imagine how the hell I was going to be able to afford a big brick building…’How the hell was I going to build Hogwarts? (the problem with interpreting the visions of others).

We decided to trust the path that the Universe was presenting to us, and I put out the idea of turning all the small rooms in the next door space (it is currently a tanning salon) into work rooms we could rent out to other holistic healers.  We never had to advertise, people who we felt would be natural fits to our vision just started filling the spaces.  In fact, we had all of our space filled before we ever did a walkthrough of the space next door, something that will make our growth both affordable and comfortable.  After all, one of the things everyone involved agrees upon is the importance of community…

This is an exciting time in so many ways.  For one, I have an outline already…as I had planned on opening a center like this 3 years ago.  I recognize the Wyrd of it, I see how connected to Fate it is.  It is one of the things I have come to recognize as normal when one has the mind of a Psychic.  Often I know things I am supposed to do, right down to the details years before I am actually supposed to do it.  It comes to me in the form of Awen (the spirit of creativity), often consuming my thoughts.  I have notebooks upon notebooks with detailed ideas and designs, my mind fantasizing about it whenever there is space to do so.  I recognize it as being more than a fantasy, I know what I am experiencing to be a connection with Creation and it comes to me in the form of a download.  The downfall is I can often get so wrapped up in the experience of download to the point where I cannot see the timeline.

This particular dream I have is not mine alone, as I said above it is being shared and created with a group of people all of whom have a deep love of community, and want to share in responsibility and celebration of this center together.

In brief…the Grindstone Cafe & Wellness Center (where I have my studio) will be growing this summer.  In June we will be opening the wall between our current location & the space next door to us.  We will be adding 5 new holistic practitioners to the services already offered by myself and Michele Wildflower of Wildflower ImmunoTherapy.  My current studio space will be emptied out making it even better for the Yoga classes we offer.  We will be extending both our indoor and outdoor seating and retail offerings (holistic and magical goods, hand-crafts & more).  The Cafe offerings will grow to include food (soups/sandwiches/salads),  and light medicinal tonics.  We are excited about this growth, and cannot wait to share it with you.

This blog article started with me wanting to talk about the power of co-creation, and manifestation in the time of dreaming that exists in the Betwixt & Between, it is still such an article.  We are powerful forces of creation, especially when we get out of way and start thinking from the perspective of  ‘What if?’ instead of getting stuck in the reasons why something cannot be.  Our minds and souls are deliciously alive and we are here to be co-creators of our story.  Ask yourself how the story you tell yourself serves you?  If it doesn’t, perhaps it is time to start telling a different story.  Quantum Physics has proven thought matters, it is important to see our dreams, thoughts, and ideas as powerful tools of manifestation, and to remember that is true whether we like the story we are telling or not.

spreading love-salicrow