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

For the Love of Numbers…

I have never been good at math.  In fact, I got through High School math with teachers tutoring me, and the good grace of C’s.  I believed numbers and their equations to be the bane of my existence.  Then I discovered Numerology…and I was hooked. It was as if the whole process of working with numbers had been completely wrong until I approached them in this manner.  It was as if someone had turned a photo right-side up, and I could suddenly make sense of it.

Numerology is the esoteric study of numbers, in which numbers are seen for their vibrational value and how they influence over lives & future.

Numerology works with a method of breaking numbers down into single digits…1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 or into Master Numbers 11, 22, 33, 44, 55, 66, 77, 88, 99.  To get to these basic & master units we need to add numbers together,  such as my birthdate…5/29/1971=5+2+9+1+9+7+1=34, the number is broken down once again, until it reaches a single or master unit.  34…3+4=7, which gives you the number associated with my birth.  The number associated with our birth is known as our Life Path Number, and it reveals the broader aspect of who we are.

My life path number is a 7, and 7 is a number of higher awareness, it is associated with people who are analytical, highly intuitive, often carrying a deep spiritual faith.  People with a Life Path of 7 are most often seekers of the truth & wisdom, and often searching for the answers to everything.  I find this entirely fitting, as I often say ‘when I die, my tombstone should read “Why?”‘.  Not why did I die?  But why? Why did this happen, why did that happen, what does this mean and that mean, and why?  I have an incredibly inquisitive brain, which has led me to explore the unseen world with vigor.  The negative or challenging side of having a 7 Life Path number is that those of us who fall into this category can be cynical and without faith have a high tendency toward seeking escape through work, drugs, and distraction.  I can attest to this personally, for when I lost faith in a higher power as a teenager, I found myself wandering down the dark path of I don’t give a fuck, with my faithful companion’s drugs & alcohol.  You can read about my personal journey in my book ‘Jump Girl, the initiation and art of a spirit speaker’…here’s a link https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/562306/jump-girl-by-salicrow/9781623171926

Our ‘Life Path’ number is not the only important number in our personal Numerology, the letters of our name; both given & chosen, have numerological values and can be broken down as well and show us fascinating things about ourselves.  This knowledge helps us to better understand our underlying personalities, as well as the challenges and strengths that come naturally due to the numbers vibrating in our life.

The study of Numerology goes further to look at temporary number vibrations such as those associated with our phone numbers, street address, and the dates connected to weddings, business openings, project launching, travel, and more.  Once you start working with numbers in this way; if you’re like me, you will find yourself breaking down numbers randomly and constantly, and thinking about what that vibration says about the situation.

Many people are already fascinated with numbers and can’t help but notice how the Universe uses them to get our attention, such as the 11:11 phenomenon (11:11, 1:11, 2:22, 3:33, 4:44 & 5:55) with clocks. When numbers show up in this way, they are like an alarm clock going off.  They startle us a bit and make us question the why of the matter.  When we experience numbers in this fashion it is a good idea to make note of what you were thinking about, talking about or doing at the time you noticed the occurrence.  It’s also a good idea to look up the number as a Master number, for they are most definitely vibrating at a higher frequency.

There are many good books out there on Numerology and you can learn a lot from internet web-pages, but always remember to trust your own feeling on how that number is interpreted in your life. Intuition matters and each number-vibration has varied associations.  (Remember the #7 associated with my life path, would be a hard one to live with if I was not a person of faith.)  For those of you who want to dive deeper into Numerology and do better with a guide, make sure to check out my upcoming workshop ‘Introduction to Numerology’ @ the Grindstone Cafe & Wellness Center in Vermont.  https://www.facebook.com/events/2207640429549737/

Numerology is best pursued with a mindset on fun.  Allow yourself to explore what numbers have to say about you and the ones you love.  I am still exploring and still having fun with them.  They speak to me every day in multiple ways, and I have gone on to purposely use them…choosing the numbers I use for the many projects I am part of.  Happy numbering folks!

spreading love-salicrow

Exceptional Moments of Spirit…

I was in Montpelier yesterday, having breakfast with a dear friend who is going through a tremendous opening & healing.  This was something she asked for; something she cultivated & strove for, as she peeled away layer upon layer of emotional debris that kept her from her truth.  Guided by a dedication to bettering herself & allowing her true light to shine, she stepped fully into her wyrd (connection with fate) and yesterday I got to experience a bit of it myself.

WYRD-connected to Fate

When we are going through profound moments of shift, the web of wyrd appears to vibrate around us,  synchronicities abound as the Universe and our personal Spirits seem to be doing everything in their power to ensure we get the message.  It is as if the weavers of fate are spinning the web directly around the recipient, and all who come close to the person get glimpses of what it’s like to dance with creation, it is true magic!  I have experienced these moments both as the person who the web is vibrating around and as a personal witness to someone else’s Wyrd.  Either way, it is awe inspiring.  Yesterday was no exception.

We met in Montpelier, a central location as we were both making unexpected time in our busy schedules.  Like all things connected to fate, it came together quickly and with ease.  When we are going through deep healing & opening often we can get what we need simply by putting it out to the Universe.  I find the straight forward approach to work well “I am in need of some balancing, grounding support, I need time for this, I need space for this”, and there seems to surface a minor reprieve from the deep work, a short hiatus to recollect our thoughts before diving in for more.

The synchronicities began for me as soon as the date was proposed.  My appointments shifted easily, the day opened for me and I was on my way.  I had experienced such things before, so I knew it should be an interesting day and I was not only eager to see my friend and hear her story so far, but to see what kind of magical bits sprung up throughout the day.  The first noticeable omen came in the form of numbers.  After eating a delicious breakfast while my friend told me her miraculous tale (she brought her’s home in a to-go box…too much to say for eating) we left to put money in the meters before we both ended up with tickets.  We walked to her car first, passed by it actually, so deep in conversation that we had walked past her car until it yelled at her.  By this I mean spirit spoke up through the distraction with a quick “hey, your car is back here”.  We turned around laughing as she explained how she was happy she was with me, as I would understand her saying that her car yelling at her.  As she added more money to the meter we were talking about the synchronicities that had been occurring in her life, with money added we couldn’t help but go ‘huh’, as the time on the meter now equaled 1:11.

Omen-an event of prophetic importance

Laughing about how the Universe works, we headed back the other direction to where my car was parked.  Deep in conversation, spirit reminded us once again, as I also walk past my car only to hear Adam say “your car is over there Sali”.  Crossing the street and putting money in the meter, again the time came out to 1:11.  Now the interesting thing is we may not have had those times appear if we had not walked by our vehicles.  The distraction was actually part of the magic, allowing us to arrive at the scene not once, but twice to receive a divine confirmation that wyrd stuff was taking place.  This number sequence persisted when we walked to the statehouse lawn and noticed that the building next to it boldly carried the address of 111, and again when my friend returned to her car with 11 minutes on the meter, and when I was thinking about our experience on my way home and noticed the clock read 1:11.

Numbers are my thing, or at least one of them.  I have worked with Numerology for most of my adult life and am always breaking down numbers, noticing master numbers and sequences as part of how I perceive psychic information.  Traditionally in numerology numbers are added together and broken down until they reach a single digit (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, or 9).  The exception, however, is Master Numbers.  Master numbers are produced when the digit breaks down to a repetition of the same number 11, 22, 33, 44.  We can also witness these powerful energetic codes in the repetitive form of clocks…2:22, 11:11, 5:55 or as we did yesterday 1:11.  Master numbers hold more energetic impact than regular numbers, their lessons are bigger and they demand more attention.  Often when we see repetitive numbers such as our clock showing 4:44 it is the universe or our spirit team giving us a heads up to pay attention, that what we are thinking about or doing is very important.  The number itself must also be taken into consideration, for each number has a different energetic code. 

For those of you interested in the study of Numerology, keep an eye out for my workshop coming in June, and check out some of my other blogs around the subject like this one https://salicrow.wordpress.com/category/numerology/

The meaning of 1:11- 1:11 resonates at a high vibration, similar to 11 or an empowered 1.  It is a number that reminds us something big is starting; that we are connected with our purpose, and that we are working with personal karma.  Carrying the energy of beginnings, it has presented itself in our life to help us move into our new self, leaving behind that which holds us back.  It carries the power of stepping onto the path of one’s truth, and the ability to open psychic doors to our true self.

One of the other wyrd-anomalies that happened yesterday was a quick gift for me; a reminder that I too was swimming in the cosmic wake that surrounded my friend and her wyrd experience-I knew my friend and I  would only be able to spend a few hours together, and Montpelier is about an hour and a half drive for me, so on the way over, I started thinking about how I wanted to catch up with another friend from the area whom I missed dearly.  I started thinking I would drive out to her house after breakfast on the off chance I would get to see her as well.  These thoughts kept coming up on my drive until I was determined I would do my best to connect with her.  After breakfast, when I was scuttling about with my friend, putting money in meters and talking about the wyrd synchronicities that were popping up, we crossed paths with the other friend whom I had planned to go see… As we were talking away, a car came to a stop at the crosswalk along our path, and who should it be…but the very friend I had been thinking about on the ride over.  I was so excited to see her, for not only did it save me a trip out of my way (she was heading out of town), but it was a huge shout out to the powers of magical manifestation that take place when we are in such moments of karmic growth.  I told her I had been thinking about her the entire way over and that my intention had been “I just want to see her, even if it’s just for a minute”.  Wish granted!  

I love how magical life can be, and how clearly the universe is speaking to us when we gain the ability to listen.  It is not always flashy, ‘holy shit’ moments.  But the universe and our spirits are constantly reaching out to us.  I was honored to bear witness to my friend’s healing & growth and had a great time playing in the magical wake of her deep dive with fate.

Exceptional Moments of Spirit are those times when the world itself seems to be speaking to us as if we are the main character in a big play.  These times slow down, speed up, stand still and out of time and space.  For most people, these flashes of fate are triggered by deep emotional catalysts, like death, birth, reunions, and marriages.  For those on the spiritual path, they come more often and are usually connected to the moments in which we are actively growing as a soul.  It is important in such times to be kind to ourselves, take rest when it presents itself and surrounds ourselves by those that support us.  This is not a time for hanging out with the challenging aspects and people of our life, we need to make our circle small and strong in such times, remembering that we will reemerge a different person in many ways.  If you are going through such a time, get some body work…Reiki, massage, sound healing.  These all help to bring balance into our lives and help us let go of that which is holding us back.  My personal experience with such growth is documented in my book ‘JUMP GIRL, the initiation and art of a spirit speaker’, which a memoir of my life.  You can find it here https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/562306/jump-girl-by-salicrow/9781623171926/

Thanks for reading folks, may your path be filled with magic, spiritual growth, and love…stay Wyrd!

spreading love-salicrow

Does Everyone Have a Spirit Guide?

One of the most commonly asked questions by people experiencing spiritual opening is “Do I have a Spirit Guide?”  The short answer to the question is “Yes!” but there is so much more to the subject than that simple answer.

I would like to start by saying I am in no way an authority on all things spiritual.  The perspective I give however is that of a seasoned Medium; giving it a bit more clout than the average bear’s.  Here are some things I have learned over the years through stories told to me by the dead and through my incessant questioning of personal guides.

Spirit Guides are not angels, at least not in most cases.  Angels are powerful, often misunderstood beings.  If you do any reading of the Bible you will quickly be reminded that Angels often carried swords and had flaming eyes.  They are big business & generally don’t stop by to talk to just anybody…no offense, but I think most of us are really not existing in the visitation from Angels club.  I do believe some people work with Angels, but this is deep work that requires commitment and lots of trust.  What most people refer to as Guardian Angels are really ancestral spirits; Beloved Dead from our blood or spirit line who have agreed to work with them from the other side.  I refer to these lifetime spirit companions as our the ‘Main Guides’.  ‘Main Guides’ generally connect to us by the time we are toddlers.  It is common for well-adjusted people to become Main (Spirit) Guides shortly after dying.  This happens most often when there is a birth shortly before or after someone’s death.  If grandma or Uncle Ted didn’t have a lot of unfinished baggage from life, they often want to stay connected to their family line and help in what way they can, often by looking over a living loved one.

Another common form of Spirit Guide is the Healing Guide.  Healing Guides are spirits of people who were Healers in life, Masters, Shamans, Doctors, and Magi who continue to teach from beyond the veil.  These guides often come forward when a person takes a serious step onto the path of the Healer.  [It is believed in Reiki circles that after a person becomes a Reiki 2 their healing guide will start to make themselves known.]  There are however those who are pulled onto the path of the healer, those people might find that their Healing Guide shows their presence in desperate times of need, particularly related to health (mental/physical).  Healing guides may come and go throughout one’s life, sometimes only staying long enough to share knowledge, other times forming life long partnerships with the living healer.

For those that seek a deeper connection with themselves and the world around them, guides can come in many forms.  For many animals spirits (totems/power animals) are a big part of their spiritual tribe, and more so, there are those among us who have relationships with otherworldly beings.  Guides such as this are similar to the friendships we form with the living, some last but a short time, others last a lifetime.  As someone who identifies as a Mediums, the community of Spirit Guides I work with is as vast a circle as that of my living friends.

When we are looking to make contact with our Spirit Guide the first thing we want to remember is these spirits care about us, they would not speak to us in demeaning ways, or abuse us in any way.  This is important to remember as most of us have garbage reels we play in our head that talk trash to us.  We don’t want to confuse the voice of the garbage reel with a guide.  Our guides are trying to help us evolve, grow & heal.  Remember in most cases these guides are ancestors who love you.  When we keep this thought straight in our head it helps us relax into the connection with our Spirit Guides.

For most people, the easiest place to meet up with our Spirit Guide is in the world of dreams.  This world is accessed both while we are asleep and when we are on spiritual journeys & guided meditations.  This world of visions is as real as the world we live in, it is a place where deep soul growth can take place, and it is accessible to everyone with practice.  Some people are naturals to the art of dreaming, others have more resistance to get through.  For those of you wanting to do guided journey work, there are a lot of good journeys on YouTube, try out a few, until you find someone you like.  For those of you in the Northeast Kingdom, there is a guided journey class weekly on Mondays at my shop https://www.facebook.com/grindstonecafe/.

Working with my personal Spirits; the guides who teach and travel with me, I have grown as a person.  I have become a better writer working with Adam, I have become a better Psychic working with Peter, I have learned the art of sacrifice from Thor, and the gift of the Runes from Odin, I have stepped further onto my path as a healer through my connection with the Spirit of Water, and have reminded others of the path through my connection to Crow.  I highly recommend forming a relationship with the spirits that make up one’s personal community, whether it be one spirit or many.

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…Love, death & soul mates

February is a month that immediately brings love to our minds.  Valentine’s day dominates the short month with its proclamations of emotional commitment and adoration, it stirs the heartstrings of those of us lucky enough to be engaged in loving relationships and vomits feelings of loneliness and despair on the rest of us.

I am amongst the fortunate, as I have been happily married to my husband for 26 years this February.  I thank the powers that be every time I do Spirit Communication for someone who has lost their spouse, particularly when working with someone who was married much longer than my mear 26 years.

To know deep, true love is to experience one of the greatest treasures that exist in our reality.  When we find someone who’s wyrd flows & dances with the intricacies of our wyrd, we know what it is to have a soulmate.  Soulmates are not something reserved for ancient memories, other lifetimes, and reincarnation.  We can form new relationships as soulmates in any life we live in.  To be a soulmate is to share a deep personal connection, that goes beyond words, beyond emotions, it is a connection that remains when the body is no more.  It is a connection that waits and recreates itself, again and again, allowing us to know one another on deeper and deeper levels.

When our soulmate dies; whether we spent decades in this life together or days, we feel as if a part of our soul has also left this reality.  We find ourselves confused as if our internal compass no longer knows where to find home.  This loss never completely goes away, but it turns to something beautiful and melancholy over time, like a love song you enjoy listening to and crying.

In time, we find a new normal, in which we can make space for our Beloved Dead/soulmate.  This happens by creating patterns, and rituals that give us boundaries for communication.  Sacred space such as altars of remembrance are great ways to create healthy patterns with our dead.  Talking to the ones we love in spirit is normal and is a part of spiritual practices around the world.  When a soul crosses the veil (barrier between life & death), they can see & hear us quite clearly.  It is more difficult for us, in the living world to perceive the ones we love in spirit.  Repetition, such as always talking to our dead in the same location (the kitchen, near their altar, at the graveyard, etc.) makes it easier for us to feel our Beloved Dead.  They know to come to us at these places, and using the same locations creates an energetic pattern over time making communication easier.  Remember thought matters, therefore telling ourselves we communicate in the kitchen, makes the kitchen a good place to communicate.  For this reason, I recommend comfortable places, particularly the kind of spaces your soulmate would like to hang around.

It is often these bonds; the ones with deep feelings of intimate love, that create the most lasting spirit relationships.   These relationships are often so close that the living partner may take on some of the dead partner’s traits, beliefs or interests.  This is not limited to relationships with spirits we had spousal relationships, in fact hanging around with the same spirit for long periods of time is much like hanging around with a friend for a long period of time, we pick up each other’s habits.  I have seen this in my relationship with Adam (my doorman/spirit guide), in fact when I first submitted writing to my editor; while writing my book Jump Girl, my editor noted that my writing was good, but I wrote like a journalist.  Adam was a journalist!

Soulmates exist beyond death, and although we are not limited to one, when we do get the opportunity to have a life with one of these treasures of reality, we need to cherish it.  Remember to stare deeply at the one you love, do this often, allowing your senses to absorb all of who they are.  For these will someday be memories more precious than gold.  May we all be blessed with the ability to see each day as our last, so that we can savor that which is in front of us.

For those of you who have experienced the deep loss associated with losing a soulmate/partner, know that you are amongst the most fortunate in this world, to have experienced such beautiful love.  Your loss as deep as it may seem holds nothing to the light that shows in your memories.

spreading love-salicrow

STORIES OF SPIRIT…Entering the Otherworld [connecting with our Beloved Dead on Halloween]

Halloween (Samhain/Alfablot) is tomorrow, October 31st.  It is a time of honoring our Beloved Dead; our friends, family, loved ones and ancestors who have crossed the Veil into the land of the dead, entering what is often referred to as the Otherworld by spiritual practitioners.

The Otherworld is a place of Spirit.  In many traditions, it is seen as a realm inhabited by not only our Dead but by the Fae Beings (fairies, trolls, elves and the like).  It is an ethereal place where the body is not as important, a place where the eternal soul is paramount.  In the Otherworld form is mutable, beings residing there are not stuck to one shape, one form, one incarnation of self.  It is a place of creation, where communication comes not only in the form of words but through imagery, sound, feeling, and knowing.

I have traveled to the Otherworld many times, starting as a child when I would visit Spirits on the other side of the mirror; although to be quite honest, that was more of a video conference of sorts.  At this time, I also visited the world of Spirit in my dreams, particularly those that were Lucid (Lucid Dreaming-to be conscious/awake inside your dream).  Over the years I have visited this realm over and over again, in my dreams, while journeying (active spiritual dreaming) & by slipping through the veil with my physical body.

My experience of entering the Otherworld became of great importance when I was 30, and had a hugely significant spiritual opening; which I refer to as the November Incident.  Those of you who have read my book JUMP GIRL, the initiation & art of a spirit speaker, can refer to the 2 chapters dedicated (and titled) to this experience for more details.  During the November Incident, my spirit guide Adam taught me rules of engagement while in the Otherworld.  We spent many hours playing games in my mind in which we would transform from one image of self to another.  In many ways, this was familiar to a video game or a Bugs Bunny cartoon, for we would often trap on another and then figure out how to escape.  He would turn into smoke and I would suck him up with a straw, only for him to turn into ants tickling my esophagus until I coughed him up and out.  I would become a lioness only to have him form a cage around me, to which I would become a crow and fly free of the cage.  We spent many hours this way, developing my ability to change form at will while in the world of Spirit.

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

Grammy Brown & my Dad ‘Richard’, two of my Beloved Dead.

The Veil thinning between the worlds does not just mean that Spirit is more likely to show up in our world, but it also means that those of us brave enough (or chosen) to venture may find ourselves in the Otherworld.   This is not a place one travels with their body, it is a journey we take with our spirit.  One that requires safeguarding, trust, and the ability to experience with an open mind.  We must put aside the idea that the only reality is the solid state of matter in which we live and the belief that what happens in our ‘mind’ has no effect on our physical reality.

Preparing for a Halloween (Samhain/Alfablot) visitation to the Spirit World-

For those of you who have never journeyed before I will give a brief logistical overview to make your voyage safer and more comfortable.

First, we must remember that we are in control of our body.  In short when it comes to this world, and our incarnation here in the physical, having a body means you have more power.  It means that the body you inhabit was assigned to you, this ownership means that Spirits can not inhabit your body unless you have asked them to, or allowed them in through the fearful belief that you are powerless.  One of the most important lessons I learned during the November Incident was that Spirits were no more important than the living.  Just because someone has died it does not make them more powerful.  Fear is what makes us powerless when we give over to fear we make ourselves vulnerable.  This is why I recommend only working with/seeking out your Beloved Dead (friends, family, loved ones and ancestors) when you are beginning your work with Spirit.  For all beginners, and as a safe practice that before doing any Spirit work we call in a friend or family member in Spirit, who we trust, asking them to be our doorman/guardian on the other side.  This is a simple practice that not only helps us to feel stronger, but also offers us the benefit of having someone familiar with the Otherworld looking out for us.  Whenever I do Spirit work, whether it be personal or for clients I always start with inviting my doorman/spirit guide Adam to join me. 

PREPARING TO JOURNEY-take time to set up an ancestor altar in the room you will use for your astral travel.  Place pictures and mementos of your loved ones in Spirit on the altar, as well as flowers, crystals, holy symbols and whatever else brings you joy and remembrance of them.  Incense and candles are fantastic for setting the atmosphere, and good incense is often created with sacred herbs and resins that help alter the mind slightly, allowing us to slip into a deeper state of relaxation.  Don’t forget to place their favorite food, drink, smoke, treats on the altar as well.  This is an offering the dead love!  Make a comfortable spot for yourself to sit or lie down.  Dim the lights and spend a few moments relaxing your body.  I prefer a simple breathing technique for this.  *Aside note-sometimes it’s helpful to be lead through a journey, especially for beginners.  If you would like to take this approach, I suggest recording yourself reading the below information so that you may listen to it.

family altar

Before beginning your journey, check and make sure your altar is to your liking, light a candle, and incense, and take a few moments creating sacred space.  The easiest way to do this is to imagine there is a dot of white light in the center of your chest, as you breathe that light spreads our around you until it fully encompasses the room you are in.  At this time, you may call in whatever guardian spirits and/or deities your work with.

*Circular breathing- with your spine straight, eyes closed, breathe deeply in through and out through your nose.  On the inhale count the length of your breath, as you slowly inhale.  Now exhale through your nose for the same count.  Do this for 5 full breaths.

*Relaxing your body-As you continue to breathe deeply; trying to keep to a rhythmic pace of equal time inhaling as exhaling.  Now bring your attention to your toes, and allow your consciousness to pull energy from your feet/the earth slowly up over the back of your body, all the way to the top of your crown, and then back down over the front of your body until it touches your toes/ground again, repeat this for 5 full cycles.

*At this point you should be deeply relaxed, and ready to begin your journey (this is the part you may want to record yourself reading)…

As your breathing becomes deeper and deeper, you find yourself standing at the edge of a forest.  As you look around your perception awaken, allowing you to observe your surrounding with whatever senses are strongest for you.  You continue your deep breathing, and remind yourself that every person experiences the world of Spirit differently, there is no right way or wrong way, only your way.  The woods around you is vibrant and teeming with life, pay close attention to what you perceive, taking in all the details you can.

Before you lies a path, leading deeper into the lush woodland.  There is a mist laying heavy along the forest floor, adding a feeling of mystery, and there seems to be a warm glow coming from a sun you cannot see.  Again your awareness is pulled to the details along the path, as you wind your way deeper and deeper into the green.  Pay close attention to any creature/animal/being that presents themselves to you.  Staying in the role of observer, remembering that now is not the time for analyzing what you see, it is a time to be present & aware.

As you make your way along the path, you see the remains of an ancient building ahead of you.  It is in ruins, the remains of what was, a place of betwixt and between, where memory lies heavy.  Allow yourself the time to take in the details of the remains that are before you.  As you walk around the site, you notice the mist has become thicker, making it hard to see the ground on which your feet trod.  As you make your way around the ruins, you notice a stairway leading into the ground.  There is a deep feeling of magic around the stairwell, a feeling of mystery and something that feels like the tickling of a memory.  This is a place you have been before, although you may not remember when or how.  There is a feeling of dreaming about you.

You step onto the top stair and remember to invite your spirit guide/doorman to join you.  You feel a familiar presence stand beside you, you may observe them in whatever manner comes to you, trusting your senses, and being careful not to make expectations.  You begin to descend the stairwell, as you place your foot on the step below, make note of what you see, what does the stair look like? what is it made of? what are you wearing upon your feet?  You descend the steps, counting as you go…9….8…..7…..6…..5….4….3….2….1…

At the bottom of the stairs you find a door, again it is familiar to you.  Make note of whatever details you can.  You open the door and before you is a room, with 2 chairs and a fireplace.  You take a deep breath in and out before entering the room, allowing yourself to feel calm and present.  In one of the chairs, someone is waiting for you.  You step into the room and make your way to the empty chair, making note of the details of the room as you cross it.  As you sit down in your chair you see/sense/know who it is sitting in the chair next to you.  They are one of your Beloved Dead, a loved one in Spirit come to visit with you on this All Hallows Eve.

Allow yourself to sit for a moment acclimating to your surroundings, permitting yourself to observe and emotionally connect with the Spirit that has come to visit.  In this time, in this space, you are completely protected.  Take a few breaths here, as you do not want to rush.  When you feel acclimated to the presence of your loved one, ask them if they have any messages for you. Take a few moments here, breathing deeply, and receiving whatever communication they wish to share, remembering that some Spirits communicate in words, some in images, some in a deep sense of knowing.  Whatever way your message comes through be thankful.

You now may share your own feelings/messages with your Beloved Dead, you may also at this time offer up to them the treats (food, drink, smoke) you placed on your altar, knowing that what you offer here in the Otherworld is also being offered on your altar in the world of the living.

As your time in the Otherworld comes to an end, your Beloved Dead presents you with an offering, a gift that they believe will help you on your spiritual path.  Make note of what they present to you, for it is an item you should seek out in the waking world.  As you accept your gift, give thanks.  You are beginning a relationship in spirit that will be a profound asset to your waking life.  The item they present you with will be a key to connecting with them in the future.

It is now time to return, you say your goodbyes and turn for the door.  As you walk across the room, once more take note of any details you perceive.  Upon opening the door you see/sense the familiar stairwell in front of you.  You take a deep breath in & out and begin your ascent to the surface.  1…2…3….4….5…6…7…8…9…

You are again standing in the misty ruins deep in the forest, the path leading home stretched out in front of you.  At this time, thank your guardian/doorman for accompanying you on your journey.  As you leave the ruins the mist begins to dissipate until the trail you are following comes to an end in the room, you inhabit in the waking world.  You see the altar you have set up for your ancestors and the familiar body that you call self, sitting and waiting for you.  You slip into your body and begin to become aware of the Waking World.

Begin by wiggling your fingers and toes, then move onto a soft slapping of your arms in legs, connecting fully with your physical body.  At this point say out loud, my work is complete, I am fully back in my physical form.  Do this for a couple of minutes, then pick up a journal and write down whatever you experienced.  Knowing that we all experience the Otherwold differently.  To complete your work (after journalling), pick up your candle, and walk counter-clockwise around your room, thanking all the spirits that came this night, those seen and unseen, reminding them that now is the time in which they must leave your space and return to their own.

So mote it be!

I hope you enjoyed the read and the journey.  The Otherworld is as real as ours, only different.  Visits from our Beloved Dead come in all shapes and forms, what we receive in a journey is ours, and may very well be like no others.  Some people are naturally proficient in journeying, while others struggle at first.  If you are a person who struggled, you may repeat this exercise daily for 3 days after Halloween.  Making a note each time in the journal of your progression.  We are all spiritual beings, and this is not foreign to us, only forgotten.  Our Ancestors have used the art of journeying to communicate with their Beloved Dead for time untold.  I wish you a magical Halloween (Samhain/Alfablot), may your Spirits bless you with a visit.

spreading love-Salicrow

salicrow.com

Stories of Spirit…Omens, Ravens, & Numerology, Oh My! [2018 has just begun…]

3Crows/3Fates tattoo on the back of my throat Chakra.

I saw 3 Fat Ravens on my way to work this morning.  I didn’t casually notice them. They stood boldly in the middle of the road, wanting to be seen.  The energetic presence of their aura was striking.  They psychically triggered me, instantly, pulling me out the casual conversation I was having with my husband, to declare “Holy Shit!  3 Fat Ravens in the middle of the road, that’s big business”.  I knew instantly the Ravens were not there by coincidence, on the day I re-emerged into the waking reality of 2018.  They were an  Omen.

Omen-a foretelling of the future.

Today is the first day of the New Year that I have been fully present in the day to day world of our shared reality, for it is my tradition to turn inward during the dark days that follow the Winter Solstice; to slow my pace down to that of a half hibernating animal, until after the New Year has come and gone.  This time is sacred to me, for in the slow dark I recalibrate and prepare for the year ahead.  I do personal divination, meditate, and relax.  When the year begins; which I start on day 2, I step onto the path of becoming.  An Omen received today is a portent for the year to come.

Crows, Ravens, Magpies & Rooks…I haven’t met a Corvid I didn’t like.  

I have had a deep connection to Crow since just before I turned 30.  Crow came to me as a Power Animal/Totem in the form of dreams, feathers, and the birds themselves.  I saw Crow in my visions and in my waking world.  I recognized myself as Crow, for the medicine/magic Crow shared was the tonic of my soul.

CROW/RAVEN-prophesy, magic, communication with the unseen world, deep wisdom, connected to fate.

Crows and Ravens are so closely connected that they share symbolism, with the big difference being how much power they pack.  Crows trigger me on a psychic level regularly, I see them as part of my regular world.  They pull my attention to things I should remember, speak to others about me (people often tell me they keep seeing Crows when they are in need of guidance and know they should give me a call), and are a major part of my inner landscape.  I see Ravens less often, and have always referred to them as ‘big business’.  When they present themselves to me, in this reality or the spirit world, I know that something important is about to take place.  They are harbingers of Fate announcing “Pay the fuck, attention…things are about to be taken up a notch”.

Upon first laying eyes on the Ravens, I felt that the omen was for me on a personal level, and I still do on many levels.  For I am about to experience my life in a whole new way, in which my life is shared publically for any to see.  My book Jump Girl, the initiation, and art of a spirit speaker  http://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/562306/jump-girl-by-salicrow is due to be released on February 13th, and on a personal level, this will be a reversal of roles for me in many ways.  I have always had the lens focused on other, it has always been me knowing things about people, but with the release of my book, the lens will be turned…allowing others to know things about me.  However, after the reaction I got upon sharing my viewing of the Ravens on Facebook, I realize that the omen was meant all of us.

So what do I think it means?  Well, before I can answer that let me add another piece to the puzzle.

We have just entered 2018, which numerologically breaks down to an 11, which is a Master Number.  Numerology is the branch of knowledge that deals with the esoteric/occult meaning of numbers, for the use of divination.  In Numerology, numbers carry a vibration or frequency that affect all that fall within it, allowing us to expect certain situations under certain numbers.  This study can be applied to phone numbers, street addresses, the numerical breakdown of the letters of our name, and dates…birthdays, anniversaries, years.

In numerology, all numbers are broken down into single digits (example- 2017 is 2+0+1+7=1/making the vibration of last year a 10/1), unless the number breaks down to a Master Number-11, 22, 33, 44, etc.  2018 breaks down to 11.

Eleven is a Master Number, which means it carries a bigger punch; growth and spiritual evolution are often pulled along in its wake.  Eleven is deeply connected to intuition, it guides us to our goals.  If we have a good foundation laid we will experience a smooth and swift push toward our goals.  If we are hesitant, or off track we will be bumped and shoved a bit until we find our path.  11 is connected to Psychic Evolution and speaks of opening to one’s higher potential.   It takes things up a notch, hence the saying “taking it to elevensies”.

To help you understand the Numerology bit, and how accurate it can be, let me briefly cover the Numerological value of 2017.  We already showed in the above example that 2017 breaks to a 10/1.  I call it a 10/1 because it first added up to 10 before it was broken down a second time to 1.  Having studied & worked extensively with the Tarot for many, many years I see the numbers 1-10 often, as each suit of the minor arcana have numbered cards of Ace-10, much like the common playing card (not a coincidence).  10’s in the Tarot are seen as a beginning and an ending, for as one cycle begins another must end.  To make way for the new we must let go of what no longer serves us.  In relation to 2017 and the number 10/1, I would ask you to take a look back at your last year.  How many of you saw endings or huge changes in relationships?  How many experienced upheaval and loss?  How many felt out of balance, as if you suddenly didn’t know what all the rules were anymore?  10/1 as a numerological vibration can be unnerving, for it is stepping out the door of what we know into the unknown.  It is often chaotic and filled with the unexpected and unpleasant, it has a tendency to be brisk and challenging.  If you look at it from the terms of a video game, it is a lot like leveling up.  It’s a bit rough as we get used to the new rules, but it holds much promise!

Back to our current year and vibration…2018/11 and the Omen of 3 Fat Ravens.

I believe this year is going to be a powerful one for opening-up Psychically (healing/intuition/manifestation/perception).  As I have said in the past, I believe we are going through a Psychic Evolution and 2018/11 is going to show some significant advancements on that path.  I drew a few cards to help me focus on this and as I see it we are going to have our view of reality adjusted, our perception as a species is going to be stretched.  People will be asked to look at the world from a different perspective, one in which we see/feel our connection to the divine world around us more strongly.  We must allow ourselves to be fluid like water, for this is a year that should be experienced like a dance.  Practicing being fully aware at random moments of the day will strengthen intuition.  We can train our brain to pay attention to more input, while still staying completely balanced…that is the dance.

This is a time of being maneuvered by Fate.  During the vibration of 11, we will find ourselves shifted into the places where we can be the most service, and receive the most benefits.

Important connections will be made at this time, so pay close attention to relationships you make this year, and to the voices that step forward from the crowd to speak…a lot of wisdom will be coming through during this vibration.

If this resonates with you, make sure you chose your steps with care this year.  By this I do not mean to become rigid and analytical in your movements, instead, I mean think about the choices you make, get out of autopilot, ask for what you really want, speak your truth.  We are stepping into a powerful year of manifestation, if we all shine our light we can find our way.  I am so excited for the change that is coming, I feel the evolution of people waking intuitively, it’s good stuff Folks, good stuff.

spreading love-salicrow