Moonbeams Magazine June 2023

From the Editor

Summer is here! It's hard to believe we're halfway through 2023, but here we are. This Leo baby born in the middle of a Phoenix, Arizona, Summer always loved the season of fire and heat...which, of course, is the season of swimming, beaches, camping, and NO SCHOOL. Now I've come to appreciate what Summer means for life, creation, and manifestation.

This is the season of BIG GROWTH. I had to capitalize that because I mean BIG. Just look at your garden, if you have one, or even the Sun blazing brightly, feeling bigger now than any other time of year. It's the same with us and all we're trying to create. It's time to grow, grow, grow whatever it is you're working on this year.

Summer brings in the element of Fire, the energy of creativity and passion, of courage and power. This is when we shed old skins that no longer fit, like the snake in the desert, so we can become something more. The time of burning away attachments to what no longer serves, such as limiting beliefs and old behavior patterns. It's the time to rise out of the ashes of those fires like the phoenix, born again and soaring to new heights on wings of fire. It's the time to boldly and bravely blaze down your path with purpose, passion, and power.

In six short weeks, we bring in the first harvest of the fruits of our labors this year. You have six weeks to make huge strides in what you're manifesting into the world, and all the energy and power of nature, the world, and the Universe are behind you. Make the most of it!

For us at Of Starlight & Moonbeams and our parent company, Ang'dora Productions, that means we're ramping up the goods and offerings we're bringing to you. We have hit our first major milestones for the magazine, which means it's time to move to paid subscriptions. Yes, this is the last free issue - and our largest one yet, but so much more is coming. Be sure to visit our website at ofstarlightandmoonbeams. com to subscribe so you don't miss out on all the amazingness to come.

For now, we send you so much love and gratitude for reading and supporting us.

With blessings of Starlight & Moonbeams, Kristie Cook

Kristie Cook is the owner of Ang’dora Productions, LLC, and Of Starlight & Moonbeams, and publisher and executive editor of Moonbeams Magazine. She is also a bestselling and multiple award-winning author, a certified life and spiritual coach, Reiki practitioner, elemental and crystal healer, and certified alchemist. She is currently studying shamanism and following the priestess path. Her indigenous lineage includes Celtic and Native American, with a bit of Norse, each of them contributing to her spirituality. By leaning into her faith, creating and adhering to a spiritual practice, and learning the continuous process of alchemy, she has been able to come through many dark nights of the soul shining brighter than ever. Now she strives to be the light to help others learn how to do the same.

nataSha dauBny

Contributors

A homesick Aussie living amongst the cactus and mountains of Arizona, Belinda Boring is a self-proclaimed addict of all things swoon-worthy and bestselling romance author. Whether her books delve into the paranormal or fantasy, Belinda works hard to infuse each story with magic, emotions, and her love of all things mystical. When she’s not crafting her next tale, you can find her exploring her favorite crystal store, being creative with her budding craft, and studying her oracle decks. Surrounded by a supportive cast of friends and family, Belinda’s living her best life and invites you to join her in discovering magic in the world around us.

Jackie Sab holds multiple certifications in Astrology, including Certified Applied Astrology by Debra Silverman, Certified Astrologer by Rebecca Gordon, and Past Life Astrology Certification by Steven Forrest. She is available for natal readings, solar return readings, synergy readings for couples, and custom monthly readings. She’s also certified in energy clearing, soul coaching, Feng Shui, and Reiki Master in Usui Reiki and Karuna Fire Reiki. Growing up in a large French-Canadian family, she’s #7 of 12 children. She now has 4 children and 6 grandchildren of her own and lives in beautiful Manitoba, Canada. As the resident astrologer for Of Starlight & Moonbeams, you can connect with her in our Facebook group.

Rosemary Nevara uses her psychic aptitude for communication with all manner of Beings including those who have transitioned. She provides valuable information to clients through personal readings. She does direct readings and uses various forms of divination tools with oracle and tarot cards being among her favorites. She has been a card enthusiast for years. She has collaborated with Carole Franques in co-creating an oracle deck: “Oracle of Crystals, Gemstones and Rocks – Conversations with the Mineral Kingdom.” They are currently creating additional oracle decks. Rosemary is thrilled to be providing spreads for Moonbeams Magazine.

Belinda Boring

Jackie Sab

Rosemary Nevara

Contributors

Carole Franques is a Practitioner of the Healing Arts & Metaphysical Sciences, a facilitator of Exponential Shifts in Consciousness™ and Artist. She uses her Ensoulistry® Art to create tools of introspection for self-awareness, expansion, support, and transformation, which includes decks of oracle cards. Her heart’s desire is to support others in embodying a Soulful Joyful Living® lifestyle to bring their gifts and messages to light for the betterment of humanity.

Carole Franques

Natasha Daubny is a Witch, Earth Priestess & Mother of four wildlings, residing in Melbourne, Australia. She is passionate about guiding women to deeply honour and meet all of themselves, so they can own their Magick and express it in the world. She shares with you the path of liberation and the power of Wild Feminine Alchemy that will allow you to reclaim your divine power and destiny as a woman.

Dyana is a lifelong naturalist, speaker, blogger, psychic intuitive and culinary herbalist. She has created hundreds of pollinator gardens in her professional design and landscaping career for the past 20 years. Specializing in remote locations, her areas of expertise include soil health, medicinal herbs, edible flowers and native plants. She served as an advisor to the National Wildlife Federation’s Backyard Habitat program and currently creating programs for the masses for the Pollinator Partnership Stewardship program that will be translated into 3 languages. To find out how you can become involved, contact Dyana @ PO Box 22, Athens, OH 45701 or dyana@dyanarobenalt.com.

Sunny Stormbringer is a metaphysical business woman specializing in integration of the Mind, Body, and Soul. She has started the Lunatictuary, an art-based business focused on mental health and healing by means of Tarot and Art Therapy. She has started the Lunapothecary for the body, using plants as medicine and gardening as dirt therapy. And she has started Stormbringer Publishing, for her writing and editorial pursuits. Sunny counsels those from all spiritual backgrounds. She believes there is not a pill for every ill, but a seed for every need. Find her at https:// www.etsy.com/shop/TheLunapothecary

Sunny Stormbringer

Natasha Daubny

Dyana Robenalt

Walking the Wheel of the Year: Summer Solstice & Litha

By Belinda Boring

Once again, the Wheel of the Year turns, and this time, it brings us into the deliciously hot and fiery season of summer. For those who enjoy celebrating the different Sabbats, it is during the month of June that we honor and recognize the arrival of the Summer Solstice and Litha. Observance of this pagan holiday and festival is around June 20th to the 22nd and it marks the longest day and shortest night of the year. People revel in the abundance of life and light—knowing that the summer months are filled with activities that bring them outdoors beneath blue skies and the bright sun.

For the first half of the year, we have been planning our lives and setting goals and intentions on where we want to best direct our creative energy. We began sowing those seeds, nurturing, and caring for each task, channeling our own innate magic to manifesting our ideal life. Just as those who came before us—our ancestors who worked the land, planting crops that would feed themselves, their families, and aide their community—we now find ourselves in the most fertile and exciting season of the year. Now is when we’re beginning to see new growth and the start of flowers and fruit from our hard work. This is why Litha—the Summer Solstice or Midsummer, as it’s sometimes referred to—is an excellent opportunity to not only celebrate our progress but also offer up our gratitude for the blessings we’ve received and the support that’s been offered. It’s yet another gift from Mother Gaia to tap into her potent energy and pour that rich, vibrant magic into our own lives.

THE HISTORY OF LITHA & CELEBRATING THE SUMMER SOLSTICE

Throughout history, our ancestors have found reason to celebrate this turn of the Wheel of the Year and changing of seasons. As with most cultures, those festivals often surrounded the revering and honoring of the Goddess and/or God of the people—their way of acknowledging the abundance of blessings they’d received.

For the Celts, bonfires were often lit on top of high hills as a visual reminder that during Litha, the Sun was at its highest point and the light of day lasted longest. Rings of fire were constructed for revelers to jump through, and folklore shared that the higher someone could jump, either the luckier they would be or it would predict the height of the approaching crop. Fire played a large part in Litha celebrations as many believed they could lend strength to the Sun—many lighting wheels on fire to roll down the sides of hills. As with other festivals, people would gather together to eat, drink, and be merry—dancing about the fire in praise of their Goddess, Aine, who oversaw love, summer, and fertility.

The Romans used the Summer Solstice to pay respect and homage to two Goddesses—Juno, a Goddess of fertility, women, and childbirth, and Vesta, a Goddess

of hearth, home, and family. The Goddess Vesta was especially popular to the citizens of Rome, and women would visit her temple to leave offerings of gratitude for the abundance the deity had poured upon their families. It was also an opportunity for them to petition Vesta for needed blessings as well.

An energetically powerful tradition that’s been passed down through history is the trek to Stonehenge each Summer Solstice to witness the rising of the Sun at the sacred site. While the origin of these beautiful stones have been hard to trace to a precise date, one thing that draws celebrants in throughout history is the way Stonehenge perfectly aligns with the movement of the Sun. If you’re able to stand in the center of the circle, and look toward the rising sun, you can see how it lines up with an outer stone known as the Heel Stone. Whether you are a practitioner, have Celtic or Druidic ancestry, or simply enjoy the beautiful and reverent ambience of Stonehenge, a trip there to celebrate the Summer Solstice is definitely a bucket list item.

The Incas in Bolivia also have their own rituals when it comes to the Summer Solstice. Passed down through generations, the Quechua indigenous people gather together alongside the shores of Lake Titicaca on the Isla del Sol to offer their own gratitude and observance of the changing of the seasons. Traditional native dancing occurs to the sounds of

drums and various wind instruments as offerings, and praise is offered to Pachamama, their beloved Mother Earth. Once the Sun begins to rise, as a community, everyone raises their hands to the first rays of light, symbolizing the acceptance of divine, life-giving energy given and received.

A common theme that can be seen threaded through a variety of traditions and cultures is that of fire and jumping over bonfires. The flames and smoke represent purifying and protecting individuals, families, and communities–and lighting them wasn’t limited to solely the United Kingdom and Celts. In Sweden, Finland, Spain, and Slavic communities such as Belarus and the Ukraine, people celebrate by gathering around these powerful totems of fiery energy to dance, sing, and perform their own unique ritual.

FOLKLORE OF THE OAK KING AND THE HOLLY KING

These two kings are said to have shared ruling over the Earth—the Oak King ruling from Yule, or the Winter Solstice, to Litha, and the Holly King reigning from Litha, the Summer Solstice, until Yule. At Litha, they come together in battle, fighting for the crown until one— always the Holly King— emerges as victor. It is a cycle that repeats itself over and over for as long as the stories have been passed down throughout history. Those who follow the Wiccan path, however,

believe that there is much more to the story than merely two kings battling it out. The Oak King represents God, and joining beside him in his rule is the Goddess. She is heavy with child, and her pregnancy mirrors the energy and fertile abundance that’s seen during the first six months of the year. Litha marks the peak of the Oak King’s authority, yet his power will begin diminishing, and that is when the two kings battle for governance. We see this reflected once Litha passes and darkness will slowly return to the earth once more as the days shorten and the nights grow longer.

LITHA, THE SUMMER SOLSTICE & THE FAE

Just as Beltane honored and recognized the Fae, the Summer Solstice is the second of three yearly festivals dedicated to faeries—also known as the Feasts of Faeries. Litha is when the veil between our world and theirs is the thinnest, and we have a greater chance of encountering these otherworldly beings because their powers are also at their strongest. Folklore shares that this Sabbat marks the battle between the light and the dark, leading the Fae to acts of mischief and trickery. It’s important to make sure you’re protected during Litha and that you ward yourself against being led astray, because you never know where you might find yourself! It’s always a safe bet to leave out small offerings of honey, fruit, flowers, or bowls of milk as a way to say thank you for any help they might’ve offered in keeping your gardens flourishing.

FIVE FUN FACTS ABOUT LITHA

In the past, there were many who believed that evil spirits would appear during Litha and haunt them. As a way to protect themselves and their families, it was common to wear protective garlands of herbs and flowers. One of the herbs used was called Chase Devil or what it’s commonly known as today, St. John’s Wort.

Bonfires were a prolific way of celebrating the Summer Solstice. Once the fires were out and all that remained were ash, people would gather it up to either keep in their homes as a protective measure against bad luck or scatter it over their gardens with the belief that doing so would make their harvest more abundant.

The Summer Solstice is historically one of the most popular times for people to get married and/or handfasted. Perhaps it’s because of the beautiful weather, the vibrant

fertile energy that’s flowing, or it’s a season of spending time with family. For whatever reason, Litha holds powerful magic that can bless the newly married couple!

The world solstice is derived from the Latin words sol (sun) and sistere (to stand still). The people who lived then had begun to notice that as each Summer day passed, the Sun would stop moving northward in the sky.

History, or perhaps legend, shares that it was during the Summer Solstice in 1633 that Galileo Galilei was forced to withdraw and deny his controversial statement that the Earth revolves around the Sun. Sadly, even though he retracted his beliefs, he would still go on to live the remainder of his life confined to his home under house arrest.

WAYS TO HONOR LITHA TODAY

Whether you honor Litha as your ancestors did or find new ways to celebrate the Summer Solstice, one sure fire way of doing so is with the mindset of being grateful for the various blessings you’ve received so far through the year. Standing at this point of the Wheel of the Year gives us a wonderful opportunity to reflect on our choices and intentions so far, make any course corrections necessary, as well as look forward to the upcoming harvests with hope and optimism. It’s a fantastic chance to press pause, as well—to take a muchneeded breath as we tilt our faces to the sky and bask in the warmth of the sun. Life can quickly sweep us up in its hustle and bustle mentality, often keeping us busy without much thought to recharging our inner batteries and ensuring that we keep our energy levels full. Now, more than ever, we need to remember and realign our priorities to make sure that all our hard work and magical deeds are being directed into a life that will bring us joy and fulfillment.

To help you find ways to celebrate the Solstice—either alone or with friends and family, may we offer you a few suggestions to spark your imagination and perhaps begin your own Litha traditions:

Just as in times gone by, build a bonfire. This may be as simple as starting up your fire pit and burning fragrant herbs or woods. You could also use your BBQ to burn some herbs over wood or charcoal, especially after having a family dinner to celebrate. Remember

to exercise fire safety and check to make sure that it’s permitted by the officials where you live. Don’t forget to scatter the ash over your garden afterward!

Get out in nature. Whether it’s a walk around the block or a hike at your favorite park, take this opportunity to ground yourself to the energy of the earth and enjoy the abundance surrounding you. Are there any new flowers or trees since the last time you visited? Can you spot any birds or wildlife? How does it sound and smell as you explore? Pay attention to how your body and energy feel.

Create and decorate a Litha altar. What a wonderful way to channel all the potent energy that Litha brings by setting up an altar/sacred space in your home. It doesn’t have to be anything big or elaborate because most important is your intention when creating it. Whether you set up your altar as a main focal point or even in as small as a mason jar, here are some suggestions of items to include: any offerings that you’ve found out in nature—leaves, twigs, herbs, and flowers. Sunflowers, sage, mint, and lavender are great examples. Color is another element that can infuse your altar with Litha energy—specifically bright citrusy colors such as oranges, yellows, and reds—colors that represent the Sun. Candles are always an excellent choice to add, as well as crystals (which you can charge beneath the Summer Solstice sunlight for an extra boost!). Look in your collections for stones such as carnelian, citrine, amber, and tigers eye.

Greet the Sun as it rises. If you’re able to wake up early, a wonderful way to honor Litha is to watch as the Sun rises for the day and take those precious moments to express gratitude and perhaps meditate. The world around you is just starting to wake up, and in the stillness that surrounds you, enjoy the chance to simply be in the moment.

We hope however you choose to celebrate Litha that you continue to remember how loved and valued you are, and that you hold all the magic you need to make your dreams come true. May you harness the beautiful power that comes each Summer Solstice and use it to shine as bright as the Sun!

Blessed be, sweet friends.

Deities in the Rainbow

By Kristie Cook

If the many faces of the Divine came into corporeal form today, several would be leading the Pride parades and events around the world this month as members of the LGBTQIA+ community. After all, putting confines on who we’re allowed to love is a human construct. The Great Divine is gender-fluid, flowing with both feminine and masculine energies. As Father God, He would be at the end of the parade, waving the biggest rainbow flag ever seen, and as Great Mother, She stands at the finish line wearing a T-shirt offering “Free Mom Hugs” as she hands out bottles of water. In fact, they are there, at every single one, their Spirits filling the human bodies of all that are present.

From the myths and legends left for us, we can see that many of the deities of cultures around the world stand with and as part of the community. Here are only but a few.

Depending on the story, Artemis, Greek goddess of the hunt, was asexual or a lesbian with many female lovers. She had a strong following of gay and lesbian worshippers. Dionysus, the Greek god of wine, had many male lovers, and is also revered as the god of transgender and intersex people. Truth be told, Greek mythology is full of gay, queer, trans, and asexual deities.

The Egyptian god Set is shown in many depictions as having intimate sexual relations with males, including with the god Horus, son of Isis and Osiris. Isis also granted what may have been the first Divine gender affirmation, transforming a human born as female into a man.

In the Hindu religion, Ila/Sudyumna, known as the chief progenitor of the Luna dynasty, changes gender in different stories. Agni, the Hindu god of fire, creativity, and wealth, and also known as the mouth of the gods and goddesses, was married to both the goddess

Svaha

and the moon god Soma.

Chinese folklore includes Tu Er Shen, who became the god and safeguarder of homosexual relations. Chou Wang, Yu the Great, and Shan Gu are also associated with homosexuality, bisexuality, and transgenderism. We would be remiss to not honor Quan Yin, also known as Guanyin and Kwan Yin, the beloved goddess of compassion. Up until the 12th century, she was the male bhodisattva Avalokiteshvara, who was genderfluid, taking the form of many beings, including gods and goddesses, to relieve people of their suffering.

There was also the Mayan deity Chin, who introduced homosexuality to the Mayan nobles, and the Aztec Xochipilli, the god of art, games, dance, flowers, and song.

The Akan people of Ghana worship transgender and androgynous celestial deities, including Awo (the Moon), Aku (Mercury), and Abrao (Jupiter).

In Inuit, the creator goddess Sedna, who rules marine animals, is said, in some stories, to have been lesbian or bisexual, living at the bottom of the ocean with her wife.

The Haitian Vodou and Louisiana Voodoo Ghede Nibo is an Iwa (spirit or deity) who cares for those who die young and is sometimes depicted as a drag queen. Both of his Iwa parents, Baron Samedi and Maman

Brigitte, were considered transgender and/or bisexual.

Lakapati, a revered deity of fertility in Tagalog mythology of the Philippines, was a hermaphrodite.

In Norse mythology, Odin himself is sometimes referred to as the “queer god of the Vikings.” As the trickster god, Loki often transformed himself into a woman to play his mischievous tricks.

There are even stories from the Old and New Testaments of the Judeo-Christian bible, as well as the Islamic Quran and the Jewish Qabal, that may have shown transgenderism and homosexual relationships, but they’ve been (re)interpreted as platonic or that of unrelated “brothers.”

This provides barely a glimpse into the gods and goddesses, the spirits and deities, and the mythology of the human race over millennia and around the world that show that relationships and gender identity have always been more fluid than in the modern era. Our world—our universe—is meant to be one of infinite diversity, with humans, spirits, and deities alike filling every color of the rainbow in all facets of existence, including love. Because the real Truth is, we are all simply fractals, individuals created by the prism of the One Heart, the Divine, the Source of All.

Lessons I Learned From My Garden

By Belinda Boring

One of the few books I remember having to read at school growing up was the story The Secret Garden by Frances H. Burnett. We used to take turns reading a paragraph or two out loud, going around the classroom, and then once we were finished, the teacher would wheel in the T.V. and VCR so we could visually see

what we’d just read. I loved it. I loved the idea of finding a secret garden that had been neglected and brought back to life through diligence, love, and innocence. As an adult, I know there is a wealth of wisdom and insight to be gained from the book, but for the purpose of this article I wanted to share a quote:

“Earth!” he repeated. “What do you mean?”

“To plant seeds in—to make things grow—to see them come alive.”

The Secret Garden, Frances H.

Burnett

When COVID-19 came and threw our society and world into chaos, there seemed to be a real need and push to reconnect with ourselves, our ability to depend and rely on ourselves, and get back to basics. Personally, I was used to the grind culture to the point where my days would blur into the next, and I felt like I didn’t ever really have a time for much of anything. I frequently would offer up the excuse that I really did want to do things—to learn new skills, heal old wounds, improve myself, spend my time wisely—but without a real push of incentive, my claiming the life I always wanted happened slowly. But what I did see was a beautiful explosion . . . an exploration . . . a freedom that others were rediscovering for themselves. They now had more than enough time to pursue those dreams, and even

make new ones, and what I also saw was people turning to nature again—to gardening.

I was one of those people, but I’ll be honest with you, I flopped something hard and instead became someone who watched others succeed and find that abundance that comes with trying something new. I found myself repeatedly promising myself that “next Spring I’ll figure it out and have the perfect garden!” and that “I just have to try harder and do more.” Sitting here, writing this, my heart hurts a little for that Belinda. Without even realizing it, she’d set herself up to struggle with limiting beliefs and toxic positivity. She was already approaching her new task with basically her hands tied behind her back, her mind and focus already searching for signs of failure.

So when I talked with my hubby at the beginning of this year and shared my desires and excitement in building a new garden in our backyard, he was justifiably nervous and skeptical. Here is the man who has always been my biggest cheerleader and supporter, wondering if I’d lost my mind. Granted, I hadn’t really factored in just how big my plans would become or how much time and energy a family garden would expect from me, but just like Mary in The Secret Garden, and her “Might I have a bit of earth?”, I found myself asking the exact same thing.

And that’s when my healing truly began.

“Might I,” quavered Mary, “might I have a bit of earth?”

It’s been three months since I actively started plotting and building my garden. I learned how to use a rotortiller and felt the glorious pull of a machine shake through every muscle and joint in my upper body and arms. I’ve lifted more manure, mulch, compost, and soil—a combined weight that seriously blows my mind because holy cow! I’ve screwed and screwed my fingers, gotten epic splinters, hurt my back from bending over to build multiple beds, and endured Benadryl comas from all the weed pulling and itchiness that came after disturbing soil. I built a glorious garden with eight raised beds, two metal trellises, a creative irrigation system, and an herb tower that doesn’t quite lean like the one in Pisa. I did it. I turned an empty, dusty section of my backyard into a family garden where we could build many memories with my grandson.

And that’s when the lessons started to come. That’s when I started to realize the Universe was working alongside me—not just to grow food to eat and create opportunities to grow closer with my family, but to also start peeling back those layers of trauma and old wounds so I could reconnect with myself again. Because I’m someone who likes to share my own experiences with the hopes that someone else might find something helpful, I

decided to write about it and . . . voila! Let’s get started.

Lesson 1: Overwhelm

Instead of doing everything all at once, it’s okay to space things out—to break up the job into smaller, manageable bite sizes. There’s a quote I love to say whenever this situation pops up in my life and that’s “eating an elephant is very possible . . . if you eat it one bite at a time.” It’s amazing how frequently we pile our plates high with things like we’re starving and just entered an all-you-can-eat buffet. We convince ourselves that we can do it all, so we ignore our boundaries and completely overwhelm our day and time— often with things that don’t always need to take priority. Working in my garden, I realized that I am guilty of doing this—of saying “yes” without taking any thought to what it might actually demand. I learned how important it is to pay attention to my energy levels and body. We are meant to live from our saucers, so make sure that you don’t completely drain your cup because you believe everything has to be done in one day. If Rome wasn’t built in a day, neither can you be.

Lesson 2: Energy Matters

Pruning in the garden is essential, if not vital in

making sure your plants keep healthy and producing. I remember watching TikTok posts after posts where experienced gardeners shared the importance of pruning the variety of different plants—even when they first start sprouting extra branches, fruits, and flowers. That felt so counter-productive to me! Isn’t that the entire point of growing your own garden? Doesn’t it mean you’re having early success if you’re seeing the end result so quickly? That’s when I had a reminder course in energy and that just like us, plants need it to thrive as well.

The goal to any successful crop is abundance but that can’t come by skipping steps or without ensuring that you have a sturdy foundation to grow from. It’s important what kind of soil will nurture your seeds and plants. It’s important that the stem and branches are sturdy enough to support future growth and fruit or vegetables. You want to set up your plant to prosper, so redirecting the energy in those beginning stages is vital—remove the suckers that divert nutrients away, pinch off the early fruit and flowers so the small plant can mature enough to survive, prune away any leaves that can become diseased or drain the system. It feels weird to do it at first, but it’s with the intentions and hopes that you’re giving the plant every chance it needs.

The same with you. As an energetic being who is capable of all kinds of abundance and amazingness, sometimes we need to “prune” away the things in our lives that don’t truly support the life we’re building. Be mindful of where you’re directing your own energy and make changes along the way so you can nurture the right kind of growth.

Lesson 3: Perfectionism

One of the biggest hold-ups and obstacles I face whenever I start a new project is overcoming the need to be perfect. It paralyzes me with fear and self-doubt to where I struggle to fully commit—even when I’m bursting with enthusiasm. This time I reached out to some family members who were also building their own gardens, and we formed an unofficial group called Garden Gnomes. It was from them that I learned a huge lesson that I know my spirit has been waiting to full embrace and incorporate.

One day, I was sharing how close I was to being able to plant seeds and plants, but that I was terrified of screwing up. No matter how much I’d researched—somewhere in

my brain, I’d already started creating a scenario where no matter what I did, I’d mess up. Remember those thoughts I had previous years about failure . . . yeah, they showed up again and started throwing their weight around, trying to paralyze me with fear.

I think whenever we start something knew, there’s always an element of hesitation—we care about what we’re attempting and we want things to go smoothly. But there’s a line that we can cross, and if we’re not careful, we can become stuck and then give up. That’s when my sweet family member smiled at me and gently reminded me that gardening wasn’t about being perfect. It’s about trying, and that just like an experiment, if it doesn’t work the first time, learn from it, then keep going. I latched onto this like a mantra and whenever I felt my energy dip because a seedling didn’t survive or didn’t water enough, I’d say it out loud . . . “I don’t need to be perfect! Better luck next time.”

It seems small, but it’s become a game changer. Gardening has taught me that there aren’t mistakes— just opportunities to learn and it’s crazy to think that everything goes perfectly. Don’t lock yourself into one way of doing something. Don’t be afraid to ask for advice or assurance that you’re on the right path.

My gardening experience is still young, and I’m sure I still have many lessons to learn while I nurture it in the upcoming months. I’m grateful that I have the opportunities I do and that this is something I’m doing with my family. Whether you grow your own, or you’re navigating your way through your own healing journey, my hope is that my sharing of these insights might spark something within you that makes life a little easier. Let us end with another quote, one that is both simple and profound.

May the seeds of growth you plant each day bring you an abundance of joy and assurance that you can create the life you want. Come back again for the next issue of Moonbeams Magazine as I share more lessons from my garden! Amen. A’ho. And so it is.

“As I work on the garden, the garden works on me.”

– Gayla Trail

Be Like Nature… Standing for Each Other in Harmony and Balance

By Dyana Robenalt

This month as we celebrate Pride, may we turn to our gardens and nature’s metaphors as a calling to our world for peace in a harmonious world that works for everyone and every sentient being.

Many of the people in our world and nature are out of balance as we are undergoing the biggest frequency shift our earth has ever experienced. Einstein supposedly told his daughter that love will save the planet. We are witnessing a lack of and a rise in this powerful frequency as the world is seemingly spinning out of control.

What does Pride have to do with nature and our gardens? Can we talk about the dichotomy of exclusion, false expectations, anger, and hatred that exists in our humanism vs. cooperation, communication, and support in the way the natural world exists above and below the soil level? If our goal is peace of mind, harmony, and love, let us think in terms of a spiritual blending of some of the complexities occurring in soil and above the ground with plants to bring us more love among humans on the earthly plane.

Plants have a sacredness and grace that come in all forms of shapes, colors, size, and scale. Blue plants do not criticize and judge each other for being blue or red or orange (God forbid!). All colors of the spectrum are gloriously presented and expansive in their beauty.

What if we lived in a world like plants without judgment, fear, and the concepts of good, bad, right, and wrong—but instead with the moral compass of love and integrity? Of course, some are drawn to the frequencies of specific colors, though why not simply

allow every color to exist in their beauty as humans despite their orientation?

Scientific studies continue to show an underground soil world of cooperation and communication to heal and protect each other among the roots of trees and plants. What if our humanoid world was driven to be more like this, allowing for all the slightly wild, less than perfect and range of humanness in all of us?

Perhaps we can seek guidance from the plants themselves in the way of Boundaries, Tolerance, and Stability.

Differences among us as humans have been programmed into our psyches that somehow, it is “wrong” to be out of the “norm.” What would it look like to approach each other with compassionate curiosity? To understand each other and when something does not resonate, simply have the patience to allow it rather than forcing toxic feelings upon each other? Just as plants develop, we, too, are each awakening into our highest souls at our own pace.

Awareness such as this comes more easily through the tolerance of others’ differences. Like roots intermingled underneath the soil, what if we simply allowed each other to be whatever and whoever we choose to create deeper, closer connections?

In witnessing all the invasive species taking over our yards and woods, it feels like the aggressive bullies of the natural world. May we tame the bullies in our own temperaments to a less obtrusive, caring way of being. Small shifts, like random acts of kindness can tame our world into a kinder, gentler Yin.

May we restore balance to our human existence through the lessons of the earth working with a new view of boundaries and tolerance to create a more stabile existence. Having peace and patience within our own hearts is a great starting point.

The magic question to ask yourself is, “What am I doing or willing to do to create a world that works for everyone, including people who are different as in the LGBT community…or with bees or wasps or funky looking bugs and birds that I know nothing about?” Isn’t this all the same after all?

Cancer Season: Crabs, Scarabs and Turtles— Oh My!

By Sunny Stormbringer

Your Rising sign, or ascendant, is your personality and what you’re working on becoming in this lifetime. If your Rising or Sun sign is a Cancer, you might be a very deep and healing empath. Cancer is ruled by the Moon, and if you can imagine as many planets as there are in the universe, you can bet nearly each one has a Moon. Cancer has the power of 10 trillion moons. The motion of the oceans. The claws to grab tightly and hold on forever. The hard exterior to protect its soft and vulnerable interior. Cancer was represented as a scarab beetle by the Egyptians and a turtle by the Mesopotamians. Both of them perceived the animals to be pushing the Sun through the heavens.

Cancer is my Rising sign, which could be why I’m obsessed with the Moon, why I named my farm The Lunapothecary, and why I get along best with lunatics.

A Cancer is someone whose entire body becomes a vessel for human emotion. We experience energy in motion as emotions. We are the mediums, the channels, the puppets whom through us Spirit experiences light, dark, and love. A Cancer can feel someone’s feelings if they’re within ten feet of their electrical field. They know when energy moves, shifts, changes. They will

hurt themselves to avoid hurting others. Cancer values security and honors intuition before logic.

The Moon is full, I am full. I feel all the feelings, all the feelings feel me.

If ill-nest syndrome creeps your way, be your own apothecary.

Dichrome day and black sun night, I’ll tuck you in the stars tonight.

If you wake up and I am gone, wait for the sun, for I am dawn.

The birds sing to wake the plants. The seeds are sown in droves by ants.

The turtle doesn’t win the race, it flies nonstop through time and space.

Whisper your need into the echochamber…

I will hear you. I will always hear you.

Manifest

Abundance and Relationships With the Bagua Map

By Jackie Sab

The Bagua is an energy map that outlines where energy is best harnessed in different sections of a space (e.g., your home, office building, or a specific room). You can use it to set up your space for maximum energy efficiency and flow according to Feng Shui practices.

USING THE BAGUA MAP

Draw your floor plan on paper, then superimpose the tic-tac-toe design (see image) to divide your space into nine squares.

You must always look at the Bagua as if you are looking into your home from your front door. You can also use this same method for any room, your office, your desk, your bedroom, with the door/entrance at the bottom of the Bagua.

Decide which section(s) you want to activate.

ABUNDANCE

Most people always want to know about abundance, so here are some tips. As you can see, the wealth and prosperity are on the left-hand, furthest square of your home, room, office or desk. Enhancing this area would include (after decluttering):

Adding colors that represent wealth, such as gold, purple, or a lush healthy green plant with tons of leaves. A money tree is a good choice.

Adding a little dish with objects representing

abundance, like coins, rice, filled to overflowing, the wealth Buddha…something that would make you feel abundant. If this space happens to be in your dining room or kitchen, overfill a basket with fruit or simply place a fancy piggy bank.

Adding a picture of something that represents richness to you—real estate, a luxury car, etc.

To stop resources or money from leaving you, you need to keep the bathroom doors closed, the toilet seat down, fix any drips as well as clogged-up sinks and toilets.

Taking that a step further, tie a red string (embroidery thread, thin ribbon) around the faucet of toilets, under sink drain pipes.

The stove of your home represents prosperity. Make sure all the burners and the oven work.

If the stove is placed against a wall (not on an island), you might need a mirror or a reflective surface behind it, so that you are not “taken by surprise or snuck up on,” which represents sudden or unexpected expenses. The mirror does not have to be very big, just so that you can see what is going on behind you.

If the stove is directly opposite your kitchen sink, then there needs to be an adjustment, which is as simple as drawing a red line (under the counter of the sink with thick red marker or red tape). This will help to stop the clash between your water and fire elements.

You also want to activate the travel and helpful people corner to help you gain wealth. Some of the tricks would be to decorate a box, or a container, and add people’s business cards that could help you, or little papers of the type of clients you need, or even a written intention of how much money you need to feel successful and prosperous. Place this box in the right side of the same wall as your front door. That will help activate what you will need to feel prosperous.

Place a mirror beside your till, cash register, or your computer so that you can see the money coming in twice and watch your clients and your money double up.

Never place your credit card alongside cash or debit card. Keep them separate. Otherwise, the credit card will eat your money.

Keep a positive affirmation that you see in your wallet or purse every time you pay for something, such as “there is more than enough money to get exactly what I need.”

Activate your fame and reputations gua (middle back corner) by placing your certificates, diplomas, or excellence awards in that area, ensuring that you will get the recognition that you need, as well as the clients and salary that you are worth.

Keep lights on outside your front door allows opportunities to come in. As usual, keep your front door cleared and fresh (as mentioned in last month’s article).

RELATIONSHIPS

The Relationships area is the furthest back, right-hand corner of your home or bedroom, when you are looking in from the front door. To attract someone into your life: Place things in pairs: a couple of crystals, no pictures of only one person, no deities, no pictures of parents or children. (Do you really want them to witness what is going on inside your bedroom?)

There should be room on either side of the bed so either person can get in or out easily. Both sides should have a little table or nightstand and look balanced. I’m not saying it has to be two exact same tables or lamps, but the proportions should be similar.

Make room in a drawer and in the closet for someone special to be able to put a few things.

Make room in your vanity (wherever this is) for their toiletries and/or a partial shelf for their toothbrush, deodorant, etc.

Put out two towels, even if you only use one. You are placing the expectation (setting the intention) of having another to share the bath with.

Sleep on one side of the bed. If you are in the middle, you are subconsciously telling the Universe that you are fine by yourself.

NOTHING—ABSOLUTELY NOTHING— SHOULD BE IN THREES. You are inviting someone else into your intimate space (unless that is your preference, of course). You should have two pillows, or if you use two for yourself, have four so that your partner can also have two.

No mirrors in the bedroom, especially if you can see yourself getting in or out of bed. If there is one, cover it up with a silk scarf to prevent a third party from entering your relationship.

The bed should have a solid headboard, not slats. If you don’t have one, create one with paint or by gluing a faux headboard to the wall. If there is a window behind the bed, you will not feel supported, so put up heavy curtains to help curtail that feeling.

If you use a king size bed with a two-piece box spring, to keep you connected, place a strip of red fabric across the box spring, beneath the mattress. Otherwise, the two pieces can make people feel separate.

If there are beams on your ceiling and they’re placed parallel to (in line with) your bed, then it will cause separation between you. If there are beams going across the bed, it will cause illness (regardless if you are alone or if there are two people).

Artwork in the bedroom should never depict a single person or object. If you want to be a couple, there should be two people, two flowers, two horses, etc.

If your relationship gua (square) is in a different section of your home that is not the bedroom, make sure that your home’s back, right-hand corner is activated by something romantic and sweet, such as two candles, two plants, matching pictures, etc.

Adding fresh flowers to the foyer or anywhere in your home is great to bring in new beginnings, fresh chi, and an uplift to relationships.

Recipes to Celebrate Litha and the Summer Solstice

By Belinda Boring

Summer is here, and with it comes deliciously hot days and warm nights. What better way to cool off and celebrate Litha than to brew your own refreshing drink using the fresh fruits, Sun,you’re your imagination! Whether it’s sipping on iced tea or making your own enchanting sangria, we hope that you enjoy this Summer Solstice, and that you’re able to celebrate this turn of the Wheel by taking a quick break from all your hard work! Happy sipping!

Hibiscus Rose Sun Tea

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 TBS of dried hibiscus flower

• 1 TBS of dried rose petals (crushed)

• 3 orange slices (cut to your own preference)

• Ice cubes

• 1 quart of cold water (filtered tastes best)

Note: You’ll need a quart sized mason jar to brew your tea in. Should you want to make more, you can double or triple the ingredients.

INSTRUCTIONS:

• Place all your ingredients into your mason jar, crushing the flowers a little to help release the flavor. Position the orange slices last.

• Next, pour your cold filtered water into the jar, filling it to the top.

• Take your filled jar outside where it can sit directly beneath sunlight for at least 3-4 hours. To avoid bugs or anything getting into the mixture, place a cheesecloth or fabric or lid over the pitcher opening.

• Once your tea has been infused, strain out the flowers and orange slices and pour into a tall glass that you’ve filled with ice cubes. If you need to sweeten your drink, you can add some syrup or honey. You can also add an extra orange slice to float on the top if you’d like.

• Enjoy your refreshing drink!

Strawberry Mint Sun Tea

INGREDIENTS:

• 4 bags of your favorite brand of green tea

• 6-8 cups of cold water (filtered water tastes best)

• 1 32 oz bag of frozen strawberries (whole) or if you prefer, fresh strawberries.

• 2-4 mint leaves

• Ice cubes

Note: You’ll need a large glass pitcher or mason jar container to brew your tea in.

INSTRUCTIONS:

• Pour the fresh cold water into the pitcher/jar/ container you’ve chosen.

• Add all the green tea bags and mint leaves.

• Place the container outside, making sure that it is directly under sunlight for 4-5 hours and allow it to brew. To avoid bugs or anything getting into the mixture, place a cheesecloth or fabric or lid over the pitcher opening.

• Once the tea has infused for the specified hours, remove the tea bags and add half the bag of frozen strawberries into the pitcher. Make sure to stir it and then leave it alone for another 10-15 minutes.

• While your sun tea is finishing, add some of the remaining strawberries into the bottom of a tall glass along with ice cubes. You should have enough tea to pour roughly 6 glasses.

• Once you’re ready to drink, you can sweeten the tea with honey and add an extra 1-2 leaves of mint, placing another strawberry on the top.

• Take a sip and enjoy your refreshing iced tea!

Chamomile Sangria

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 cups of freshly brewed chamomile tea (cooled)

• 1 bottle of your favorite Prosecco

• ½ cup of gin

• ¾ cup of lemon juice

• ½ cup of white sugar

• Lemon slices

• Strawberries

• Ice cubes

Note: You will need a container or pitcher to mix your drink in as well as glasses to pour into at the end.

INSTRUCTIONS:

• To make your tea, bring two cups of water to boil and then add 2 chamomile tea bags, allowing

them to brew for 5 minutes. Once that is completed, throw out the used bags and stir in the sugar while the tea is still hot so it can dissolve.

• Next, prepare your lemons and strawberries, cutting them into slices before dropping them into your pitcher. Add in the chamomile tea, lemon juice, and gin. Stir before placing into the refrigerator where it can chill for 3-4 hours. The longer you allow the fruit to soak in the liquid, the better!

• When you’re ready to drink, add ice cubes and finally the Prosecco into the pitcher. You can also add some ice cubes to your individual glass.

• Serve and enjoy!

Note: Please drink responsibly!

Sacred Spaces

Stonehenge

By Kristie Cook

The September morning in London started damp and chilly, the sky gray with clouds as we dodged puddles to make our way to the station to find our tour bus. We could only hope the weather would clear during the two-or-so hours to our destination. As I gazed out the window and watched the city give way to the English countryside, anticipation danced in my belly. This was my third visit to the United Kingdom, but my first time to Stonehenge.

I can see now how that was Divine planning. I was in completely different head and heart spaces on my previous trips to the U.K. several years earlier. My life had transformed in the time between, and I’d grown, awakened, and deepened into my spirituality. I believe this deeper, truer, purer connection to Spirit influenced my experience greatly.

When the stones first came into view while our bus still traveled the highway, a mix of excited and disappointed energy exploded from the tourists. The initial sight of them perked up everyone after the long drive, all of us craning our necks to see out one side of the bus’s windows. That was immediately followed by a few people joking about how the stones’ greatness had been hyped up by the media, another marketing ploy, which, of course, tainted the energy throughout. I didn’t let it get to me, though.

I already felt the deeper connection.

We stepped off the bus to a beautifully clear blue sky, the sun shining brightly, although not warmly enough for these Florida girls. As we made the trek from the parking lot and along the visitors’ path toward the stones, the wind battered at our cheeks and tugged at our hair. The closer we came, though, the less I noticed it. At some point, I became separated from my traveling companions, lost in the beauty and energy of the site. They seemed to be making it a race around the stones compared to my slow meandering as I took it all in.

I stopped at some of the info-stations to read more about what I was seeing, and every time, there was inevitably someone in the crowd complaining about how disappointed they were. “This is nothing. Just some stones stuck in the ground a long time ago. What’s the big deal?” After a few times of hearing similar laments, I just wanted to shout, “Are you kidding me?! Don’t you feel it?” I felt like my body was LIT. UP. by the ancient energy pulsing through my blood, my flesh, my bones.

This wasn’t the first time this had happened to me. Even before I’d really deepened into my spirituality, I’d visit historical sites and the people with me would look at me like I’d grown two heads because I’d go on and on about how I could feel the energy of long ago eras zapping through my body. They just didn’t get it, but this sensation is one reason I love York, England, Boston and Salem, Mass., and New Orleans so much. I don’t just sense the energy of the present, but also that of yesteryears, so intensely and clearly that visions of those times dance in my mind’s eye as though they are my own memories. I’ve since learned this is the gift of psychocartography.

You don’t need this gift to appreciate the sacredness of Stonehenge, though. Once I caught up with one of my traveling companions, I made her stop, close her

eyes, and hold her left (receiving) palm out toward the stone circle. Within seconds, she gasped audibly, and a moment later, she shuddered.

“Thank you,” she eventually whispered as we continued basking in that shared energy that took us back thousands of years to when the stones were erected. “If you hadn’t stopped me and made me really connect in, I would have missed the true beauty of this place. I felt it in my hand first, and then it traveled through my arm and has settled here.” She placed her hand over her heart.

It’s estimated that the first stones of Stonehenge were placed over 5,000 years ago. About 500 years later, around 2,500 BC, the circle around it was erected. Think about that for a second: For us, this would be like not only honoring a church built in the 1500s as historical and sacred, but expanding it to continue worshipping there. Not only that, but the types of stones used are nowhere to be found in the immediate area. These peoples would have had to haul these multi-ton boulders hundreds of miles to this exact spot, from as far away as Wales. Such a monumental task would not have been taken on if the site didn’t continue to hold extraordinarily profound meaning. Over the next hundreds of years, more people added and built burial grounds around the site.

And still, 5,000 years later, we can continue to feel the deep connection to those people and to the Divine. Five thousand years later.

Stonehenge was started three thousand years before Christ was born, before Yeshua and Mary Magdalene, before the beginning of modern religion. Back in a time when we were more connected to the Earth, the Sun, and all that they provide for us—the life that they give us. We should be so blessed to receive the gifts that these stones and other circles around the world offer: a reminder of how Divinely human we are. We are able to receive and hold the unconditional love and power of the Creator while being an integral part of this world, our very bodies formed from her rich soil and the bones of the people who have walked these lands for eons before us. To me, this place is more beautiful, more precious, and more sacred than any modern-day cathedral.

Whether it’s on Summer Solstice, when the sun rises directly over the Heel Stone, or any other time of year, I hope you have the opportunity to visit Stonehenge sometime in your life. If so, I invite you to make a point of tuning out everyone else there and slowing down to truly become aware and receive the blessings it has to offer.

It is a place to connect deeply to the Divine, making it one of my favorite Sacred Spaces.

Summer Reading List

Compiled by Kristie Cook & Belinda Boring

If you listen to Starlight Tea, the podcast produced by our publisher, Of Starlight & Moonbeams, and hosted by Kristie Cook and Belinda Boring, we recently shared our favorite magical books as well as new (to us) ones to add to our Summer Reading List (a/k/a To Be Read or TBR list). We shared 10 non-fiction books to support your growth in spirituality, magic, and healing, and 10 fiction titles that are full of magic, mischief, and mayhem. Here is our list, as well as some special recommendations to celebrate Pride Month.

NON-FICTION

one of balance and harmony that teaches us to live with the ebb and flow of the earth, developing our own craft along the way. A devotional book full of wisdom, spells and rituals that shows you how to manifest abundance with the Spring Maiden, and heal your inner wounds through shadow work with the Dark Goddess.

The Book of Blessings and Rituals by Athena

Perrakis

Persephone’s

Pathway: Wisdom, Magick, & Growth by

Jennifer Heather

The Goddess Persephone is the epitome of duality; as the Spring Maiden she revitalizes the earth with abundance and light, and as the Queen of the Underworld she transforms and rejuvenates in the dark. Persephone’s Pathway is

Drawing from different world traditions, leading metaphysical teacher Athena Perrakis presents blessings to cover a wide array of occasions and intentions, including holidays and sacred days, love, healing, protection, prosperity and success, lunar blessings and rituals, and manifestation. Organized by month, you’ll be able to celebrate the sacred all year long. Deepen your experience of the sacred, find inspiration, and heal with this nondenominational guide to blessings and rituals.

Dear Universe: 200 Mini-Meditations for Instant Manifestations by Sarah

Prout

Dear Universe reveals the real answers to create abundance, love, freedom, and joy in all areas of your life. From the moment you open it’s pages, you’ll begin to understand your hidden, untapped power to guide your emotions and create the life you want, no matter what you’re experiencing.

Found & Foraged: A Curated Collection of Magical Plants and Herbs

by Tish Thawer

Herbal craft and kitchen ‘witchery’ have been time-honored traditions of cultures past and present. Understanding how herbs, flowers, fruits, and vegetables provide soothing relief or healing benefits is something we can all learn and practice even today. Want to meet someone special? Hoping to improve your financial situation? The answers could be found in nature. Found & Foraged provides a small peek into how our ancestors utilized the bounty of the earth to create harmony within their daily lives.

Tarot by Tina Gong

Get to know each card in detail - meet The Magician, who encourages you to trust in your abilities; connect with the nurturing instincts of The Empress; feel the confidence of The Chariot - and explore the meanings of each card for you.

The Spiral Dance by Starhawk

This bestselling classic is both an unparalleled reference on the practices and philosophies of Witchcraft and a guide to the life-affirming ways in which readers can turn to the Goddess to deepen their sense of personal pride, develop their inner power, and integrate mind, body, and spirit. Starhawk’s brilliant, comprehensive overview of the growth, suppression, and modern-day re-emergence of Wicca as a Goddess-worshipping religion has left an indelible mark on the feminist spiritual consciousness.

Journey to the Dark Goddess by Jane Meredith

If you have been unable to shake off depression, or fear its return; if you have inexplicable “blank patches” in your life; if you know that something is missing, or something is calling to you; if you seek the source of women’s power—it’s time to journey to the Dark Goddess. Weaving the stories of Inanna, Persephone, and Psyche with self-enquiry and sacred ritual, we learn to journey internally, creating maps in our darkest places and return enriched, integrating our deepest understandings.

Self Source-ery by Lisa Lister

Self-love is coming into relationship with the truth of who you are – your inner landscape, your body and your connectivity to nature

and the world around you. It will help you to develop body awareness; take responsibility for your own physical, mental, emotional and spiritual needs; and access your energy, creativity and unique-to-you frequency and magic so that you are nourished, satiated and able to show up for yourself and others in times of chaos, uncertainty and transition.

You Are a Goddess by Sophie Bashford

Discover the Goddess energies that lie within you through nine Goddess archetypes—an empowering guide on finding healing, strength, and transformation. Understand the many ups and downs, emotions and cycles of your life through the “eyes of the Goddess.” Discover how the Goddesses can ignite your spiritual growth and uncover your feminine healing gifts. Learn how to work with each Goddess for self-healing, positive inner change, and empowerment. Get in touch with a divine feminine support and healing system comprising nine archetypes, including Kali, Mary Magdalene, Aphrodite and Isis.

Goddesses in Everywoman by Jean Shinoda Bolen, MD

Myths are fascinating stories that become even more intriguing when we realize that they can reveal intimate truths about ourselves and others. Jean Shinoda Bolen brings the Greek pantheon to life as our inner archetypes and applies the power of myth to our personal lives. Once we understand the natural progression from myth to archetype to personal psychology, and realize that positive gifts and negative tendencies are qualities associated with a particular goddess within, we gain powerful insights.

FICTION

Museum of Magic by Beth Revis

Emmi Castor grew up in a small town near Salem. Her home is centuries old, originally built by an ancestor renowned for witchcraft. Her grandfather converted the house into the Museum of Magic, collecting the arcane and putting it on display for all to see. Emmi knows Magic is not real. But then a fae boy named Puck appears inside her house, the broken remains of a centuries-old witch bottle at his feet. At nearly the same time, a Hunter arrives on her doorstep, weapons drawn.

The Witches of Dark Root by April Aasheim

My name is Maggie Maddock, and I’m a wilder—a natural born witch who cannot control her powers. My sisters and I were trained in the old ways of magick by my mother, my Aunt Dora, and various members of The Council. With Dark Root’s steady supply of magick, and our talents, we were deemed the generation destined to save the world. When The Council fell apart, Mother stopped caring, and the town, and its magick, began to die. One by one, we moved away, leaving the ghosts of our childhoods behind, and forging new identities for ourselves. Now, 7 years later, I’ve been called home.

Of the Blood by Cameo Renae

Raised in a war-ravaged continent, temptation comes to Calla Caldwell in the form of a charming and mysterious stranger. Giving in to his intimate seduction, her world is forever changed by a single bite. Thrust into a new nightmare by the Prince of the corrupt kingdom of

Morbeth, Calla is captured, tortured, and starved in the dank confines of his dungeon. While in captivity, she takes part in a séance with a witch of light where she contacts a departed relative—a Princess of Incendia—who bequeaths a gift to Calla that will tip the scales of good and evil . . . if she can learn to harness it.

The Witch Handbook to Magic and Mayhem by

Tish Thawer

Five sisters share one business like no other. Warded by fae magic, this shop’s inventory shifts to meet the needs of its customers, summoning the sister whose expertise is required. As one of the few chosen covens, Lily’s family has spent centuries fulfilling their true duty— protecting the fairy portal hidden in their basement. But when a particularly perplexing customer crosses the threshold and causes the store’s magic to go haywire, it becomes clear that a new chapter in Lily’s life is about to begin.

Of Thornes and Bones by Heloise Hull

I haven’t seen Hades for fifteen hundred years, but he is the key to the one thing I desire above all else: revenge. After what I did to him, it’s going to take more than batting my eyes to regain his trust. For weeks, he ignores my requests and my gifts, so I do what any jilted wife would do. I sneak into the Underworld, breaking every rule that has been in place since our

separation. But he can’t ignore one thing, the mythical passion that burned our land from the inside out, leaving us both with scars, seen and unseen. With every second we spend in the same realm, it’s reigniting. One stray spark could destroy us both.

Stolen Magic by Marina Finlayson

Lexi Jardine may be a thief, but she’s not stupid. When a crooked fireshaper wants her to steal a ring from the boss of his order, she knows it’s a one-way ticket to sleeping with the fishes. Her answer is to drop off the face of the earth. Safely hidden in a quiet seaside town, she just needs to keep her head down and pretend to be a regular human. When her best friend disappears, Lexi knows the time for hiding is over.

Shadow Guild: The Rebel Series by Linsey Hall

People say I’m a weirdo. Sure, my idea of a party is a mini box of wine and hanging out with a feral raccoon, but it works for me. When I’m accused of murder, things get crazy. One, I learn that I have magic. Two, there’s a secret magical city hidden right in London itself. And three, my only hope is a vampire who’s sexy as sin and scary as the devil himself. He’s called the Devil of Darkvale, and he all but owns Guild City.

The Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros

Twenty-year-old Violet Sorrengail was supposed to enter the Scribe Quadrant, living a quiet life among books and history. Now, the commanding general—also known as her tough-as-talons mother—has ordered Violet to join the hundreds of candidates striving to become the elite of Navarre: dragon riders. But when you’re smaller than

The Hades Trials Series by

Eliza Raine

I’ve been kidnapped by Zeus. Plucked from the streets of Manhattan and frightened half to death by a freaking Olympian god.And now I’m trapped in the Underworld, being forced to compete in a series of deadly trials for the position of Queen of

everyone else and your body is brittle, death is only a heartbeat away... because dragons don’t bond to “fragile” humans. They incinerate them. Friends, enemies, lovers. Everyone at Basgiath War College has an agenda—because once you enter, there are only two ways out: graduate or die.

the Underworld. Which would mean marrying Hades, the utterly terrifying Lord of the Dead. Who the hell wants a husband at all, let alone one made of smoke and riddled with death?

Magical Midlife Madness by K.F. Breene

“Happily Ever After” wasn’t supposed to come with a do-over option. But when my husband of twenty years packs up and heads for greener pastures and my son leaves for college, that’s exactly what my life becomes. Do-over. This time, though, I plan to do things differently. Thankfully forty isn’t too old to start an adventure, because that’s exactly what I do. A very dangerous adventure that will change my life forever. I have a chance to start again, and this time, I make the rules.

Magical Books With LGBTQ+ Main Characters

The End of August by Rue Volley

It’s 1985. Everyone is wearing a Swatch Watch and carrying a Trapper Keeper. Goonies, Back to the Future, and The Breakfast Club are killing it at the theaters. Super Mario Brothers is a lifestyle. Posters of Duran Duran and Madonna are on every bedroom wall. But for fifteen-year-old, August East, the biggest news is the move his family made to the odd little town of Whynot, Ohio, a cute boy named Keller West, and, of course, that murder thing.

The Midnight Ball by L.L. Hunter

At the Midnight Ball, leave your inhibitions at the door and be who you were born to be… In the magical kingdom of Sydlandia, 17-year-old Grace is hiding a secret. When a devastating event upends Grace’s world, it will force her to rethink everything she’s ever known. And question everyone around her. After all, she’s not the only one hiding secrets. From the bestselling author of The Dragon Heart series and

the Legend of the Archangel series, comes the complete Midnight Ball trilogy in one magical collection.

Witch’s Lesson by Laura Greenwood & Arizona Tape

When a new tea witch arrives at the Oasis, the last thing Reese expects is to need to teach her how to use her magic. Annabelle has never had a chance to explore her powers, and now there’s a beautiful and charming witch determined to help her unlock them. Sparks soon fly between the two women as they figure out how to navigate their connection.

long to seize control of the monstrous fury within him

Knights of Souls and Shadows by Kristie Cook

The Color Red by Elliott Rourke

Sold by his father. Experimented on for science. Left for dead for being the monster they made him.

Bates was once a normal teen. Now, he’s fifteen feet tall with a bloodthirsty hunger surging through him. Yet the kindness of one young woman, and her band of friends, makes him

The

Corpse Queen (Death Diggers Handbook Series) by Stacey Rourke with M. Rourke & E. Rourke

Journey to the delightfully macabre city of the dead known as Carnage Crossing, where biting sarcasm and gallows humor await with the turn of each page.

Never make a deal with a fae, they say. But sometimes there’s no choice, consequences be damned. Two years ago, Elliana and her twin sister Brielle were whisked away to another realm to hide them from their family’s enemies. When they return home, they discover their parents are missing, their people have scattered, and every faction hunts them. Some want to claim their formidable power for themselves. Others want them dead. They’re back for less than a day when Elliana ends up as Winter Court’s prisoner in Faery. And it only gets worse from there.

Sun & Moon Academy (Havenwood Falls) by Multiple Authors

The brand new Sun & Moon Academy College of Supernatural Guardians is an elite training program for a covert army that protects the supernatural community around the world. After a series of grueling trials to test their worthiness, only the top tier of applicants are admitted to the hidden college under the mountain. We are ten of those students. But classes haven’t even begun when our campus is terrorized, and the dangers continue throughout the semester. What the hell kind of place is this, anyway?

Of Salt & Stars (Havenwood Falls) by Seven Jane

For as long as she can remember, Maris Heilen has been haunted by dreams of a beautiful woman beckoning to her from beneath the water. When she discovers her past is linked to a legend even more haunting than her dreams—and that the woman in them is not only real but in danger of being lost to an unfathomable darkness—Maris resolves to outshine the evil that has crept into a small corner of a forgotten forest in Havenwood Falls.

Fate’s Demand (Havenwood Falls) by Emily Cyr

Lana Velis always knew she might one day inherit the powers and duties of the Oracle of Delphi, but the inheritance arriving in the middle of her lastever college final wasn’t something even she could predict. With a power she never wanted, Lana must take over the never-ending petitioner list her ya-ya left behind. She’s bound by the laws of the gods to never tell someone’s future if they aren’t on her list—a law she struggles with, especially when she sees an unfathomable future of a little boy. Now the gods are angry, and the Fates demand a soul in place of the one she stole—or all of Havenwood Falls will suffer the consequences.

Unicorn’s Lament (Havenwood Falls High) by Megan Linski

Thea has no idea what her future holds. When she’s whisked off to a mysterious town in the mountains, she finds out magic is real—and so are unicorns. If that wasn’t shocking enough, she also learns that her mom’s an evil sorceress who desires to destroy the unicorns, and all of Havenwood Falls is in danger. Thea has until her eighteenth birthday to learn how to control her magic, lead the herd . . . and maybe kiss the cute girl at Havenwood Stables.

Havenwood Falls Short Story Anthology 2020 by Multiple Authors

Prepare your warm drink, grab your favorite blanket, and settle in for a heartwarming and romantic read of several short stories about some of your favorite Havenwood Falls families. These short stories are all about love, friends, and family, brought to you by USA Today and Amazon bestselling and award-winning authors in the Havenwood Falls Collective.

Midsummer & the Fires of Litha Spread

By Rosemary Nevara

Ensoulistry® Spread Image by Carole Franques

Welcome to Summer energy! As soon as the Sun enters the sign of Cancer, the season of Midsummer begins. It is the time of year when the Sun appears to hang endlessly in blue skies, sharing its warmth. In the northern hemisphere, we experience the longest day and shortest night of the year. It is time to celebrate the Summer Solstice with the fire festival of Litha. Now is when we fully embrace the Sun and its life-giving rays. It is time to nurture and celebrate Gaia and her growing belly full of life. Breathe in the scents, sights, sounds, the feel of Midsummer, and as your hearts fill with joy, light the bon fires of Litha!

Blessed Be, Rosemary & Carole

1. As the Strawberry Full Moon in the sign of the Archer, Sagittarius, graced the night sky of early June, what growth and expansion were at play when I released what no longer served my highest good?

2. With the New Moon in Gemini, what are new ways I can gather information and communicate it effectively?

3. Cancer, ruled by the Moon, the definer of my egoidentity and my inner emotional security, as the Sun moves into you, what new things will come to light about myself?

4. Using the sidling sideways walk of Cancer the Crab, what obstacles can I avoid?

5. As I celebrate the Solstice, the longest day of the year, with the Sun shining brilliantly upon me, what can I expect to nurture and develop in the warmth of its light?

6. What will the Fires of Litha ignite in me?

Goddess Remembered: Saule

By Kristie Cook

While most pantheons honor the Sun God, the Baltic religions of Latvia and Lithuania celebrate Saulė, the Goddess of the Sun, as well as the Goddess of Life, Fire, Warmth, Fertility, Harvest, the Home, Healing, and Spinning. She is also known as the patroness of the unfortunate, particularly orphans. She rides her golden chariot across the sky, pulled by horses of gold, silver, and white. Stories and folk songs say she carries a large jug on her journey, pouring her brilliant light from it over the lands.

Saulė was married to the Moon God Menulis, and she birthed the planets. He betrayed her, though. Some stories say he fell in love with their daughter Aušrinė

(Venus), while others say he betrayed Saulė with her maidservant. Saulė lashed out at Menulis with claws across his face, causing disfigurement that we see as the dark spots on the Moon. Other stories say they divorced and they both wanted to see their daughter, Žemyna (Earth), so they share the sky, shining at different times. Or, according to some, Saulė banished Menulis to the night sky so he could never be graced by her beautiful, golden presence again.

At the end of the day, Saulė drives her chariot to her castle in the sea, where she rests and cleanses her horses, or frees them so they can swim in the ocean. Some folk songs say her chariot transforms into a boat, and

she travels across the World Sea during the night. She returns on the Eastern horizon to dance along the hills and land at sunrise.

As the Sun Goddess, Saulė is, of course, associated with the colors gold and yellow. However, red, silver, and white are also used to symbolize her. She wears a golden crown, and her dress is woven with threads of gold, silver, red, and white. Red depicts the fiery aspect of the sun. With fire as her element, Saulė is a Creatrix Goddess, birthing all life into the world. She loves all unconditionally, bathing them all equally in her light. She is also associated with birds, bees and honey, grass snakes, horses, the Linden tree, roses, and daisies.

Summer Solstice is when Saulė is at her strongest, so of course this is her main feast and festival. It is believed that the dew gathered on the morning of Summer Solstice, blessed by her first rays, possesses magical healing qualities. Her followers collect it to use throughout the year when they or their family fall ill. Other traditions to celebrate her on Summer Solstice

include lighting bonfires early in the morning to greet her first light, weaving flower crowns and wreaths to represent the sun wheel, searching the forest for the magical fern flower, and dancing around and jumping over fires throughout the night.

After harvest, Saulė’s strength begins to weaken, and the people perform ceremonies, prayers, and rituals to give her strength to battle the darkness. Winter Solstice brings her secondary feast day as her worshipers celebrate her victory and return with feasts, dances, and festivals that last until January 6. She is also honored at the Spring and Autumn Equinoxes.

Strangely enough—or not, if you believe that we are all truly One—these are the same or very similar traditions performed around the world on these Solar Holidays throughout the year. This Summer Solstice, you may want to honor Saulė as one of the few Sun Goddesses of the world by greeting her in the morning with prayer, making her a wreath of flowers, and/or jumping the bonfires at night.

Blessed be.

By Belinda Boring

Merry Litha and Summer Solstice, my sweet friends! We have arrived at a wonderful point in the Wheel of the Year—one that surrounds us with delicious fiery energy of warmth, brightness, and growth. All around us, the earth is celebrating, and we’re able to see that in the abundance of nature and our gardens. Flowers are showcasing their beautiful petals, bees and other pollinators are taking their fill, and we’re in the midst of creative energy as we go about our goals that we set for this year. How are you feeling? Do you still carry that same hope and determination for the future that you did during Imbolc? Or have you begun to see your own inner growth—the growing of your own internal spark that dances each day? We hope wherever you are on the path you’re traveling, that you continue to find the blessing of the Divine Mother and your own inner Magic continues to work through your day. This month’s offerings are shared with love and with the intention that you might find ways to enhance your own power. Blessings!

CRYSTALS

Amber—Solar Plexus/Sacral Chakras

Amber is a beautifully earthy stone that has appealed to so many people through time because it straddles the line between being a crystal and that of a wise, ancient tree because in essence, amber is the resin found in tree bark. While it

doesn’t form as a rock in the ground, don’t be mistaken by the power and deep healing it can bring into your life. Some have described amber as the stone that energetically feels like you’re holding sunshine in your hand because it’s capable of burning away the negative and replacing it with light that soothes away the rough edges and fills you with warmth. It has a profoundly cleansing and renewing influence over your spirit—especially if you place it over your chakras. Keep a piece in your collection that you can carry throughout the day whenever you’re feeling stressed, overwhelmed, and in need of energetic protection.

Carnelian Sacral Chakra

Carnelian comes in gorgeous hues of deep reds, oranges, and yellows, and when used, gives a huge shot of motivation to tackle life and all its challenges. Some even say that using carnelian when being creative and working can offer you a boost of energy that feels a lot like a shot of strong espresso! This is a stone that revels in the sensual and passionate energy found in the sacral energy, which makes it a powerful ally when trying to pour all that artistic and imaginative goodness into your daily life. It helps fill you with the necessary drive to see a task through to completion, to nurture those sparks of fire within, and find a way to channel that love for adventure into reality. If you find yourself needing inner strength to face a particularly difficult situation, carnelian in your pocket can help bolster

your courage and confidence. Healing and overcoming abuse is also aided by the sacral stone—allowing you to tap back into your own inner wisdom and power.

Tigers Eye Solar Plexus/Sacral/ Root Chakras

This powerful stone has a long history in being worn as a way to protect the person from negative— shielding them with grounding medicine that can in turn, help the owner feel safe and secure instead of fearful. Tigers Eye is truly a crystal that encompasses the energy of all three lower chakras, and when used, it can help keep those pathways free from blockages that might prevent you from feeling truly connected to yourself. Because it’s a grounding stone, it alleviates those scattered thoughts that distract you from your purpose and intentions, helping to keep you focused so you can see your way through doubts and fears to the truth. This is a great crystal when you’re having to sort through information that appears confusing or overwhelming at first—not only will Tigers Eye bolster your confidence but help you with much needed clarity.

HERBS

Vervain—For those who enjoy watching paranormal TV shows or reading books, you might have heard the name of this herb before in The Vampire Diaries. This was the herb that was poisonous to vampires and helped the characters fight against the powerful creatures. Vervain holds plenty of magical properties that can help us in our dayto-day life. One being its ability to cleanse away stagnant energy that has remained too long and has become a blockage in our system. By cleansing through our energetic bodies, this herb aides in opening those psychic connections to our gifts, talents, and intuition. Where it does hold similarities with The Vampire Diaries and other such shows, is that it’s used as a protective herb—warding against evil spirits and those who mean us harm, as well as cleansing sacred places. In fact, Celtic Druids, the Ancient Romans, Greeks, and Egyptians used vervain which led it to being called the Enchanter’s Herb.

Yarrow—This plant also has a long, rich history of being used to protect the wearer from evil and was believed to be potent enough to ward off malignant forces of darkness that worked at robbing the person of hope, joy, and love. This is the flower of the Goddess Venus, and was actually named after Achilles, the legendary Greek Warrior who seemed to be unbeatable and unkillable in battle. Myth states that Achilles possessed a powerful wound-healing herb that he used on himself and shared with his fellow soldiers—yarrow being a strong contender because it holds medicinal properties that help with bleeding and speeding up recovery. The flowers have long been found around graves and cemeteries, perhaps due to yarrow being seen as a symbol of love. Today, you can also use the magical energy of this plant to help with your divination skills and strengthening your psychic abilities—especially when understanding dreams.

Cinnamon—Did you know that cinnamon is actually the bark of several different trees from the Cinnamomum genus that is peeled, dried, and then ground into the spice we use in our kitchens whenever we bake? It’s a spice that holds strong memories for some—of family traditions of cooking around the holidays—of pumpkin pies and other delicious goodies. Did you also know that is because it holds powerful memory enhancing and creating properties that help you lock those moments, or information you need to remember, into your brain? Many use cinnamon as a way to draw in abundance and prosperity—either by setting intentions while cooking and/or by blowing ground cinnamon into your home through the front door on the first day of a new month to symbolize new beginnings. Its aroma is wonderful at invoking that warm, safe feeling of protection and is another reason why it’s involved in healing rituals or incense that can be burned to purify a room. There are so many wonderful uses for it.

New Moon in Gemini June 18, 2023

By Kristie Cook

The Twins of Gemini are curious, love to learn and then tell you all about everything. They enjoy sharing their knowledge, and sometimes they like to talk for the simple sake of talking. With their Air energy, socializing and communicating are important to them. Calling in their positive qualities with the energy of beginnings and possibilities that the new lunar cycle brings, your intentions under this New Moon in Gemini might want to focus on learning, socializing, and communicating. If you are a writer or a speaker, this is an excellent time to start a new project, particularly one that provides the opportunity for research and learning. In the days leading up to the New Moon, you may already be feeling this call to start something new.

If you’re feeling the inspiration but struggling to gain clarity on the specific project, you can thank Neptune, the planet of dreams and illusions, for that. Neptune is trine to the Moon during the new phase, making things a little hazy and confusing. However, you can overcome this by tapping into your intuition and imagination, which Neptune absolutely supports. The Twins represent the two sides of us—the mortal human and the immortal divine—and Neptune loves to deepen this spiritual connection.

Mercury, which rules Gemini, is at home in Gemini right now, amping up this New Moon’s energies. Take some time to feel into what intentions you want to set under this Moon that makes the most of these energies. A new project in self-expression, such as something artistic or written, will bring many rewards.

NEW MOON IN GEMINI RITUAL

You can do this outside directly under the stars, or perhaps at your altar, or in your most comfortable chair. Or you can join our online ceremony on June 18.

Tools/Items to Gather

• Journal (including, if you have them, your pages from the last New Moon, the Full Moon in Gemini last November, and the 2022 New Moon in Gemini last May)

• Pen

• Candle

• Sage or other herb/method you use for cleansing

• Favorite crystals (labradorite is a good choice for New Moon work)

We always begin by clearing the space with herbal smoke and/or sound. Cast a circle of protection around you, and, if you’d like, call in the directions and elements. Then allow yourself to become present, settling into your seat and relaxing into the here and now.

First, we sit in the energy of the Dark Moon to review and release. We’ve completed a cycle, and now we review where we’ve been and release the old so we can make way for the new. I like to consider a few different cycles to bring to a close at this time: 1) the last 30 days since the previous New Moon; 2) the last 6 months since the Full Moon in the same sign; and/or 3) the last year, since the last time the Moon was New in this sign. Take some time to meditate on and then journal the answers

to these questions for each cycle:

• What intentions did I set at the beginning of each cycle?

• Did any of them come into reality?

• Do any need to be reviewed, revised, and reset?

• What do I need to simply let go of?

Hold gratitude in your heart for the experiences and what you gained, then release what needs to be released. You can do this by placing your hands on the floor or ground and stating out loud what you’re letting go of, directing the energy into the Earth for transmutation. You can write it on something to burn (do so safely, please) or to dissolve in water. You can envision releasing it into a river or the ocean, watching as the currents carry it away.

Now that you’ve made energetic space, you can set your intentions. Take a few moments to meditate again, and journal your answers to the following questions for this New Moon in Gemini:

• How can I be a better listener?

• What fears might I need to overcome to feel comfortable expressing myself?

• What’s something I’ve been wanting to learn? How can I make that happen?

• What am I feeling inspired to bring into the world? What do I need to do to make this happen?

• What do I want to create for myself, my family, my community, and the world in this next cycle?

When you’re done, list your intentions for the new cycle that’s beginning. Make them present tense, as though you already have them. For example, “I enjoy _________.” “I claim _______.” “I love feeling

“I’m learning

“I’m helping ________.”

Stating your intentions out loud gives them more power than simply thinking them, but taking the time to write them, infusing your energy into them, strengthens them even more. Plus, as mentioned above, writing your intentions gives you a record to review at the end of the cycles, allowing you to see your progress and how much you’ve manifested.

You can finish the ritual by lifting your intentions up to the Universe, the Divine, the Higher Powers by silently repeating them, stating them out loud, shouting them, singing them, or dancing them. Bang a drum or shake a rattle to carry them upward. Light a candle for each one and sit with the flames, envisioning your intentions lifting from them and out into the Universe (chime or even birthday candles work great for this). Write them on bay leaves and burn them in a bonfire or fire-safe container, sending your intentions upward with the smoke (please do this in a safe place and exercise caution).

Then imagine yourself drawing down the energy of the New Moon into your crown and through your chakras, sending it out from your root chakra and into the Earth. End with gratitude. Have a blessed New Moon!

Full Moon in Capricorn July 3, 2023

By Kristie Cook

The Full Moon in Capricorn shines a bright light on those areas that mean “success” to you. So what does “success” mean to you? What does it look like? How do you know when you’ve achieved it? These are good questions to ask under the ambitious Capricorn energy, and your answers may be very different from anyone else’s, or even from your answers of a year ago. Tied into your definition of success is what you value

most, and this Moon will shed light on that, as well. If you’ve been searching for your core essence, your true self, your inner North Star, this energy will light your path directly to it.

Whatever “success” means to you, this Full Moon is pumping out the energy to achieve it. Capricorn doesn’t take “no” for an answer, especially from yourself (as a Cap rising, I can attest to this first-hand). This Moon

will not only illuminate obstacles, but also help you see the solutions for removing—or breaking through— them. This is the time to claim those intentions you set at the New Moon a couple of weeks ago and at the New Moon in Capricorn last December.

To celebrate this Full Moon in Capricorn, you can join an online ceremony (there are several—look on YouTube) or do your own. Some ideas include:

• Create a vision board for what you want most in life.

• Make a collage or write a story that expresses the personal and professional legacy you’re building.

• Draw a map or create a Kanban board that will help you plan the steps to take to achieve your goals.

• Design a family tree that shows your foundation at the roots and what your branches are reaching for.

• Connect with your Higher Power in meditation and ask what needs to be illuminated in your life right now.

You can also take some time to meditate on and then journal your answers to these questions:

• What have you manifested in the last cycle(s)?

• What plans are you currently making or already working on?

• What results do you want to achieve?

• What are 3 things you can learn to help you achieve them?

• Is your career or daily work fulfilling you? If not, what can you do to change that?

• What are at least 5 things you’re grateful for?

Happy Full Moon!

Cosmic Forecast for Taurus Season

By Jackie Sab Astrologer

Welcome to Cancer season! Remember, if you’d like a more in-depth analysis of your own personal monthly forecast, just private message me, through the Of Starlight & Moonbeams page or group! I would love to work with you.

June 21: Sun in Cancer Summer Solstice. HAPPY BIRTHDAY, CANCER!

Sun touches the sign of Cancer and a nostalgia can accompany us. It is the beginning of a new season, where we can be closer to those we love. Leave shyness aside and don’t worry about what others think of you. Bring your friends for a cozy dinner at home or seek a quiet refuge to enjoy these first days of a new time.

Mercury in Gemini sextile Mars in Leo. Our mind is more powerful than anything. We don’t ever want to stop learning but to stand out on our merits. This is a day to receive an award, to shine with an innovative

idea, to gain visibility for something that came from your heart. Have the courage to be who you are.

June 25: Moon in Libra.

Mercury in Gemini squares Neptune in Pisces. Distraction and dissipation today—good thing it’s Sunday and we can rest and meditate! Painting, dancing, social programs, and music are all welcome, but beware of deception; you may be too distracted today!

Week of June 26th-30th

This is a week of feeling courageous, a little impulsive or risk-taking, but if you can control this, you will find victory in your undertakings, especially if you take a step back on how you behaved in the past and make some minor adjustments. By the end of the month, you feel committed to your old dreams and will be able to plan and structure them with more ease.

June 26: Mars in Leo squares Uranus in Taurus. An important aspect that can help you become a leader, however, it can also make you become even more impulsive, so learn to control yourself and victory will be assured.

Mercury enters Cancer until July 11. After a tense moment in the sky, we may want to look for answers in our past attitudes. A good time to remember old stories and evaluate our behavior today compared with previous actions. Feeling the rhythm of the Universe is essential to overcome challenges.

1st Quarter Moon in Libra 4 degrees. Intend better relationships. You will share even more of your intimacy with someone special or associate with the best partner in business. All relationships gain a drive to be even better.

June 28: Moon in Scorpio.

Sun in Cancer trine Saturn Retrograde in Pisces. A good aspect to commit even more to old dreams and plans. Their success and realization depend on your effort alone, and your ability to research, analyze, and plan the next steps. Trust the Universe!

June 30: Moon in Sagittarius.

Mercury in Cancer trine Saturn Retrograde in Pisces. Great concentration, excellent for any artistic studies or learning a new hobby. Any work involving research, archives, memory, antiquity, family roots will bear fruit. Enjoy the concentration and delve deeper into your research.

Neptune stations Retrograde at 27 Pisces. Neptune prepares for its 6-month deep dive. Take off those rosecolored glasses and prepare to face the naked reality.

July 1: Moon in Sagittarius. Happy Canada Day!

Sun meets Mercury in Cancer. A perfect day to visit the past and its origins. All research work and archives are also favored.

Mercury in Cancer sextile Jupiter in Taurus. You may find even more ancient relics in your search. If you are in a study phase, today is a wonderful day to complete a project, thesis, or assignments.

Sun in Cancer sextile Jupiter in Taurus. A great weekend to enjoy lots of comfort and perhaps some good food. You can organize a reunion of family or friends, at home or in a cozy spot. Remember old stories, tell the tale of your family to the younger ones. A day to be in a home full of love.

Neptune Retrograde in Pisces until December 6. We have until the end of the year to look at our reality in a truer way. Our inspirations and intuition gain a reality filter. It’s wonderful to give even more expression to what we have always dreamed.

July 2: Moon in Capricorn.

Venus in Leo squares Uranus in Taurus. Your selfesteem may be tested today. Try not to prove your worth to those who don’t even deserve your attention. Surprising news could make you fall into unnecessary drama. Beware of spending on online purchases.

Week of July 3rd-9th

Great week to be with loved ones in cozy, familial relation. You want to be able to look at your past and either bring it out in the open to heal, or to pass the knowledge down through the generations. Or you may prefer the beauty and the gentleness of nature with your special someone and to rekindle the romance and the communications.

July 3: Full Moon at 11 degrees Capricorn. The Full Moon this month will make you look at the material achievements you have built all this year. Are you happy with your achievements in 2023? What steps do you believe you still need to climb in your life to feel fulfilled? What is being “successful” for you? Answer these questions and reflect on your journey so far.

July 4: Moon in Aquarius. Happy 4th of July, USA!

July 7: Mercury in Cancer sextile Uranus in Taurus. Another great weekend to get away, especially to the mountains, near a lake, or by the sea. Invite someone special to have an intimate conversation. Try to overcome past communication difficulties. This is a good time to explain to someone who you felt a long time ago. Overcome your shyness by talking about your emotions.

July 9: Mercury in Cancer trine Neptune Retrograde in Pisces. A Sunday to settle down in Love. Enjoy a pleasant Sunday, with great company and good laughs. Have lunch at a place you’ve always dreamed of going to or take the opportunity to cook an old family recipe for someone special.

Last Quarter Moon 17 degrees Aries. Put aside your armor, drop your weapons, drop the defensiveness, and reveal the real you. We are all pure child souls, yearning

to learn to Love! A great idea to put on some music and dance like no one is watching!

Week of July 10th-16th

Time to come back to the real world of work. You feel it easier to get jobs done with much attention to detail. With Mercury coming in Leo this week, you will be able to speak more dramatically, and people will listen. You have the ability to shine!

July 10: Moon in Taurus.

Mercury in Cancer Opposite Pluto Retrograde in Capricorn. All the romanticism of the weekend suddenly meets reality. Maybe you had your head in the clouds, but work demands attention, and your boss may call you in for a bit of tough talk. Get back on track and get to work!

Mars enters Virgo until August 27th. At this time, you will find it easier to get back to the practical details that our work on Earth requires. Even with your heart pounding, try to focus on getting the job that needs to be done, done, and done impeccably. Don’t do things casually, or you’ll have to redo them in the future.

July 11: Mercury enters Leo until July 28th. You will notice that your energy changes dramatically. We gain a fuller voice and want to speak from our heart. Time to think about how to be even more generous and share your brilliance and message on a stage, with the spotlight on you. The show must begin!

July 14: Sun in Cancer sextile Uranus in Taurus. As if by magic, something that happened to you in the past can attract the attention of others and make you recognized and valued in the present. Your story of overcoming difficulties can inspire others to face their own. Tell someone about something that has happened to you but that you managed to turn around.

Week of July 17-23rd

The beginning of the week is a great time to nurture yourself and to do whatever it may take (inner work) to plant the seeds so that your confidence builds. Your dreams can take you far, but you do need to be practical when it comes to achieving them. What are the right steps for you? It is time to look at yourself realistically: all your talents and your warts. These are unique to you and how you will respond to the world.

By the end of the week, you are in a great position to roar in your authenticity.

July 17: New Moon in Cancer at 24 degrees. Helps you to monitor how you nurture yourself emotionally. Plant the right seeds to gain confidence and feel that you belong in the world. Light is born from deep within you.

Mercury in Leo squares Jupiter in Taurus. Maybe your desire to be recognized and valued will push you to increase the stories and situations to boost your image. Don’t try to start a journey from the top just yet.

July 20: Moon in Virgo.

Sun in Cancer trine Neptune Retrograde in Pisces. A day of plenty of creativity and turning memories into art! All work involving effective writing gains prominence. Write a letter or postcard to someone who is far away from you at this time.

Mars in Virgo opposite Saturn Retrograde in Pisces: Imagination and dreams take you far, but we need to have our feet firmly on the ground for the manifestation to happen. Today is the day to align the cards between your visions of the world and the real world. Put everything in lists.

July 21: Sun in Cancer opposite Pluto Retrograde in Capricorn. Power and intensity are today’s central themes. Whether you are the one exercising or the one suffering, try not to get stuck in any complicated situation that makes you even more insecure. A demanding Friday, as despite your willpower, your superiors challenge you to be more practical and develop a more realistic view of the future.

July 22: Venus stations Retrograde at 28 degrees Leo. This is the time to look in the mirror and see yourself without filters.

Sun enters Leo. Happy Birthday, Leo! A real party can be had. Perhaps with the help of Venus, this could be a more democratic and generous celebration than in recent years. We’ll see!

SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE

Winter Solstice: Slipping Between the Worlds The Practice of Turning Inwards

By Natasha Daubney

The Sun is slipping lower in the sky, and the days have shortened as a result. The air chills, fingers and toes no longer content to be bare to the world. Draw in your limbs, wrap yourself in a blanket and the scarf your Nana knitted. A cup of hot ginger and elderberry tea in one hand to warm you from the inside out, and a book that calls you to other worlds in the other.

Turn inwards a little more. This is the season of rest and replenishment and not just for your body. Winter brings rest to the heart, the mind, the soul, and it invites us to seek the creature comforts that soothe and nurture. We have an opportunity to unravel and release the pressure of doing, making more space for building foundations of being.

For this is where Mama Earth wants you to go. The wetter earth, the darker days, they all bring a sense of density and heaviness, and while it may seem like it drags you down and makes things hard, She is asking you to be more inhabited within your body. To notice the whispers of your soul. To be more dedicated to what it is to be present and know yourself and the world on all levels. To be more devoted to your self-tending and connection practices. To see yourself and what you need to thrive in all ways.

It is the perfect time to immerse yourself in practices that connect you to Spirit, your magick, the earth and

add a new layer of richness to your relationship with them. To give extra time to solidifying the foundations of your beliefs and exploring how they live within you.

At the Winter Solstice (June 22nd AEST), we gather to celebrate the return of the light, making fires, filling rooms with candles and creating feasts of soups and winter stews to warm the bones as we tell stories and begin to share our visions for the year to come. We lift each other’s spirits and remember that though the nights have been long, when we connect with each other, they do not drag.

As we near the Solstice, the shortest day and longest night of the year, feel into what it means to truly live within the season of Winter. This is the time of the year that mirrors the menstrual phase of the womb cycle, the bleeding time of a woman, and has the ability to teach us about how to slow down more intentionally each time our womb sheds its lining (or you move through the New Moon period, if you no longer bleed). It is a call to learn to love all aspects of being a woman, living upon the Earth.

JOURNAL PROMPTS

Create yourself a cosy space, with a hot brew, candles alight and take out your journal.

• What do you love about the Winter months?

• What do you dislike about the Winter months?

• Do you slow down, or resist it?

• What magick lies in this season for you when you take some time to contemplate its qualities?

• What do you desire to devote yourself to, knowing it will become the fertile garden for seeds that are planted and sprout in Spring?

YOUR INNER SANCTUM

Home is my sanctuary, and as the weather gets colder and wetter, I crave more and more of it. I do my best to simplify my schedule and ensure that there is plenty of space to just be and enjoy its cosiness. When we spend more time in our home, though, we need to remember that it will need more energetic tending in order to keep its energy flowing and nurturing. For the more time we spend here, the more energetic residue collects from all of the emotions, thoughts, and interactions that take place within the walls.

This is where you get to pull out your favourite cleansing spells, crystal grids, and herbs for smoke cleansing and set to tending the hearth.

SMOKE CLEANSING PRACTICE

Choose your herbs or incense that you desire to work with and burn it on a charcoal disc in a heatproof vessel (I love using my cast iron cauldron for this). You could also use an herb bundle or stick of wood.

Begin at the front entrance and move anti-clockwise around your home, gently wafting the smoke into all corners as you hold the intention of clearing stagnant or discordant energy.

“I cleanse and clear this space of all stagnant and discordant energy. In its place I call in harmony, joy, and compassion for all who move within”

Once you have moved through each room and feel complete in your clearing, have some fun and activate your home with singing, dancing, drumming, or any other activity that brings the energy to life!

HERBS FOR THE HOME

Chamomile—Inner calm, healing, abundance

Lavender—Disperses dense or negative energy and invites calm and content

Mullein—Protection, health, love

Opoponax—Attachment removal and banishing

Rosemary—Purifying, healing and remembrance

Sandalwood—Entity banishment, protection, healing

WOMB CLEARING

Just as we take the time to tend to the energy of our home, it’s important that we’re paying attention to the energy moving within our own body. When we want to do this on a deeply impactful level, we turn to the womb, the organ within our body that naturally shows us the path of life, death, and rebirth through its physical cycle and brings within it a spiritual cycle of the same that we can tap into.

The womb is a gateway to your greatest wisdom and a potent ally when you desire to create embodied magick. When Winter arrives, we have a wonderful long exhale of breath in which to take more time with her. To feel the way she rests in your body (as an energetic womb if yours no longer resides physically in your body) and understand that she carries imprints of your life experiences.

As we move through this time of less light, there is a beautiful invitation to reset and re-calibrate through deeply cleansing practices and rituals. Clearing out old energy and stagnant patterns in order to lay down fresh soil to plant the seeds for your next year. Take a moment now to place your hands over your lower belly, close your eyes, and simply breathe. Turn your attention inwards to your womb. Connect and feel. Contemplate. Have a conversation, asking her what she needs.

Build upon this each day, tuning in so acutely to her that you begin to notice what is being held onto, that it is time you let go of. At your next bleed, massage it from your body, to flow out with the shedding lining of your womb. A physical and spiritual cleansing taking place.

We are the flow

We are the ebb

We are the weavers

We are the web

We are the flow

We are the ebb

We are the witches

Back from the dead

Ritual: Cleansing the Womb

Ritual is a powerful way to support the releasing of the old and the processing of the emotions and thoughts that come with letting go. This ritual is an opportunity to observe, feel, and be with all that has been in this evolution of the wheel and symbolically return it to the earth to support the next turn.

You Will Need

• A candle

• A small dish to blend your oil

• 4-6 drops of essential oil

• 5ml carrier oil such as sweet almond or olive

Essential Oils to Support Your Practice

• Clary Sage—Clarity, balances of hormones, wise woman, third eye

• Patchouli—Bridging the physical and spiritual, grounding, healing

• Buddha Wood—Sacred cycles, earth rhythms, grounding, awakening

• Blue Tansy—Feminine mysteries, shadow work, priestess, beneath the veil

Essential oils are a powerful way to enhance your womb clearing practice. You can work with a single oil at a time or create a blend.

A Note on This Ritual

You can complete this ritual as a practice each day during your monthly bleed, or because we are in the cleansing and connecting months of the year, use it as a daily ritual to foster a more intimate relationship with your womb, your inner rhythm, and your energy. You can adjust the oils to suit the different phases of your cycle, or see how your shifting rhythm responds to the same oil/blend.

The Ritual

Take a moment to light your candle and connect to the sacredness of being in ritual for yourself.

Open with connection and prayer to yourself, the Earth and Spirit, and notice if you have a specific intention for cleansing and clearing your energy. Place your hands on your womb, close your eyes and connect, then intuitively choose your essential oils.

Add 4-6 drops of your chosen oil(s) into your dish and add 5ml of carrier oil.

Dip your fingers into the oil and begin to massage it over your lower belly in circular motions using both hands.

As your belly begins to warm, shift the movements of your hands to sweeping strokes that move from your belly button down to the pubic bone and turn your vision inwards to the lining of your womb. Feel the energy, thoughts, patterns, emotions, experiences you are wanting to shift out of your body and see them leaving the womb in the same way its lining sheds each month.

Let the pattern of your hands shift and change, following what feels good. Notice how you feel physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually.

When you are ready to complete your ritual, give gratitude to your womb and blow out your candle. Take time to record your experience in your journal.

As women, many of us have been conditioned to see our cycle as something inconvenient, painful, only useful for having babies and otherwise a pain, but our womb is so much more than this. It is the place within our feminine body that teaches us about our cyclic nature, our connection to the earth, our emotional well-being, and feminine wisdom. When you take the time to learn about your womb and form a relationship with her, you open up an infinite flow of magick that will support you to create a deeply satisfying life.