Health, happiness, & herbs for pleasure
Peripatetic Shamanism
Embrace The Fool this spring Tap into balance
Mystical Messages
Wood Elemental guided meditation for true abundance
“The clouds are marshalling across the sky, Leaving their deepest tints upon yon range
Of soul-alluring hills. The breeze comes softly…”
Margaret Fuller
At one time, challenging one’s own thoughts was not only highly regarded, it was considered a vital part of learning, an essential element of crafting a democracy that could last the ages and weather the worst of times. Delve into these ideas and practices with the expectation of looking at something from a different perspective. In the pages that follow, we explore how people think, feel and interact with nature, rhythm and the mysteries of life in ways that support observation, discussion, and reassessment. It is one of the great joys of living to question what we see and feel, to stand in the place of caught breath.
CO-CREATOR AND EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
TL Woodliff
Terran@TLWoodliff.com
CO-CREATOR, DESIGN & EDITORIAL
Dr. Ruth Souther
RuthSouther52@Gmail.com
CO-CREATOR, DESIGN & EDITORIAL
Michelle Angone
THIS MONTH’S CONTRIBUTORS
Elliott Challandes
Loralyn Elizabeth
Teri Freesmeyer
Dwight Harriman
Peggy Patty
Ruth Souther
TL Woodliff
How to contact us:
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2945 Stanton St, Suite F, Springfield, IL 62703 PerceptiveEdge@gmail.com
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EDITORIAL
Unsolicited submissions of your story are always welcomed. Visit our website for guidelines.
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
If you would like to respond to an article, your thoughts are welcomed and may be printed. Email directly to Terran@TLWoodliff.com
The Celtic Lunar Tree calendar shares the wisdom of the Rowan Tree at this time of the year.
March 18 - April 14
*Increase motivation through action
*Change yourself
*Balance your masculine and feminine energies
This practice is to connect to the Earth through her trees. Each month, we’ll share the wisdom of the Celtic Lunar Tree calendar. Each practice lasts a month. If one speaks to you, stay with it through an entire season. Or, make note of its potency for next year.
THIS MONTH’S PRACTICE IS TO DESIGN SOMETHING THAT SUPPORTS YOU TAKING ACTION.
The Spring Equinox moon reminds us that we can rebloom by planting new goals and shedding the darkness of winter. Others may encroach defend your territory.
Take stock of fears or blocks to your happiness. Seek ways to defend your freedoms and have space to explore what makes you feel balanced and whole.
• 1. Take stock of what is holding you back.
• 2. Create a mantra that supports you moving into action.
• 3. Use that mantra several times each day for one month.
People tend to scoff at mantras, but the fact is that YOU are training your mind each and every day with each and every thought. Use this! A mantra can be a one-sentence statement. Make it focused on positive action (not release) and put a reminder on your phone to repeat it each day for a month to help retrain your brain into moving toward your desired life.
Are YOU ready to Spring into action?
“The Goddess falls in love with Herself, drawing forth her own emanation, which takes on a life of its own.
Love of self for self is the creative force of the universe. Desire is the primal energy, and that energy is erotic: the attraction of lover to beloved, of planet to star, the lust of electron for proton. Love is the glue that holds the world together.”
by Starhawk
The Edge of Perception brings sacred stories into the mainstream through seasonal celebrations, ceremonies, blessings, trance work, and meditations. We offer fantastic writing retreats, programs for new writers, and a weekly writing group to find support, receive constructive feedback, and enjoy unique writing exercises while setting goals. We believe everyone has a story –check us out and submit your work to our newest collection.
Spring is a time of growth, but also a reminder to seek balance. I really dive deep into this when the equinox strikes. (Yes, “strikes.” After years of doing this, it feels like a bolt of lightning screaming “Wake up!” and “Evaluate your life!” at the same moment.
What better to balance with growth than giving? Our experts are beyond generous this month, sharing freely their wisdom and offering tools you can use to look for balance in your life. Teri Freesmeyer shares an entire booklet she made to help young ones dive into the complexities of emotions in a way they can handle, and I love it!
Our healing vibes expert, Peggy Patty, offers a potent and powerful story that has me rethinking things: Did I fail to acknowledge or even see a helping hand when offered? What am I missing by not listening?
And I’m beyond thrilled that our wandering shaman is taking us along on his coast to coast journey. What a gift!
Storytelling is always a gift, and Ruth Southern does a beautiful job of weaving the tale of tarot in such a way that it becomes accessible to every day living.
Loralyn brings balance by teaching how you can incorporate the joys of Spring inside your home, each and every day. And Elliott Challandes offers a way to connect with this season on a deeper level, incorporating the blessings of spring into your body, mind, and spirit.
with Peggy Patty
Have you ever been woken from sleep by a song, yet no device is playing music in the room? When you rise to peer into the dark, you realize no radio or TV is there to emit sound. Then, you discover the melody is playing in your head.
Maybe you begin to hum along with it. You realize it’s the musical vibrations that woke you.
When it began happening to me, it was like musical, morning wake-up calls.
The first time I was graced with a musical message - it was from a person who had crossed over. Perching on the edge of my bed in early morning, I closed my eyes to let the song swell inside my head. Immediately the vibrations flowed to encompass my body in soothing serenity as a soft smile spread across my face. So sweet.
I listened to the words in the lyrics closely in case they might hold clues to any message being sent.
I’ve come to eagerly anticipate these mystic musical interludes, though I try not to expect them.
Once I awoke hearing a sacred chant from an acquaintance with whom I’d shared a heart connection. I learned later in the day she had passed unexpectedly twelve hours earlier.
I had sung the enchanting song with her at sacred women circle gatherings over twenty years.
I Enter The Circle With Love And Trust.
Love Helps A Weary Heart Find Her Way Back Home.
I Enter The Circle of Song.
When my spiritual mentor Mary passed over, I awoke with a tune loudly playing in my head. I jumped out of bed to capture on paper the song, lest it recede from my conscience mind. I discovered poignant lyrics from Ubaka Hill’s Spiral Dance CD I hadn’t played in years.
Each line of the cherished song held a heartfelt significance I could feel deep my mind.
Dream Shift
Change the Dream
Things Aren’t Always As They Seem!
Transcend Time and Learn To Fly. You Know You Want To!
“Once, I awoke hearing a sacred chant from an acquaintance with whom I’d
shared a heart connection. I learned later in the day she had passed unexpectedly, twelve hours earlier.”
Mary’s vibrational gift to me was deeply-rooted. The song summed up many of our spiritual exchanges when we attempted to language the mystery that is Life.
As I newly embraced the lyrics, my skin began tingling with awareness. I reremembered deep truths revealed many years prior.
Sometimes musical comfort comes to me during the daytime.
Once invocative song lyrics began playing that encapsulated an answer to a yearning quest I’d tried in vain to find words for. The lyrics were from a Dixie Chicks tune Not Ready to Make Nice. Confused I couldn’t understand where the music was coming from as I searched the room.
Finally, I traced the source of the vibrations. My own cell phone in my pocket was emitting the song through iTunes.
Forgive, sounds good.
Forget, I’m not sure I could.
They say time heals everything. But I’m still waiting.
I’m through with doubt. Nothing left for me to figure out.
I paid a price and I’ll keep paying.
Can’t bring myself to do what it is you think I should.
I go to bed and I sleep like a baby with no regrets.
Why was this song playing? I hadn’t activated the iTunes app on my phone to choose any Chick’s song. In fact, I hadn’t listened to that particular song in several years. Laughing out loud I was grateful for the comforting gift of synchronicity given to me.
The song with its powerful words encouraged me after returning to my living room from a long walk. I’d been meditating beside the Mississippi River pondering the deep channel cut by centuries of water destined to flow around the world. It had put me in touch with powerful age-old wisdom.
This was the first time music from my cell phone had independently responded to my emotionally state with poignant vibrational encouragement.
I look forward to the next musical message. I encourage you to stay tuned for any vibrational messages coming your way!
“Why was this song playing?”
My articles will highlight a few powerhouse herbs and spices each month to inspire your magical creations. By the end of the year, you'll have a compilation of ingredients to turn to for extra insight and manifestation. I hope these monthly additions will help you craft your kitchen witch’s Book of Shadows, one spellbinding recipe at a time.
Feeling the cold March blues? If you need a rise that you will not be getting from the temperature any time soon, the best way to up the happiness level is to start seeds inside while you wait for Mom Nature. (I call her Mom, not Mother, since we are unusually close.) It’s time to grab your seeds, get your hands in some soil, and let the spring magic begin!
Every year, I tell myself I am going to keep it simple. Every year, I am lying. But again, I am going to set that as my goal. I will thin out the seeds; I won’t get attached to all 15 tomato sprouts living in a 3-inch diameter paper cup.
Ok, Intentions set. Let’s talk materials.
Think easy. Choose seed varieties that thrive in your area. I do tomatoes, peppers, kale, fennel, dill, leaf lettuce, basil, savory, and lots and lots of sage.
I thought I knew better with depth and timing. I was wrong. Lesson learned, now I check the seed packets for planting times specific to my zone and follow the directions.
“Every year, I am lying.”
I have bought those paper containers that are supposed to disintegrate. They don’t work. So now I reuse what I have. Egg cartons, yogurt cups, or any small container with drainage holes work perfectly. Seed trays from the garden center are great, too, if you want something ready-made. Then, when it comes time, pull them out and replant.
I like to splurge a bit on good seedstarting soil. I grab a small bag of the best I can find—it’s worth it, and the bonus is that it’s light and easy to
“…misting seeds every day will bring you so much happiness!”
handle. I’ll admit, I chose it at first because I could lift it! Perfect for anyone who’s not training for a weightlifting competition.
A sunny windowsill works, but an inexpensive grow light will help your seedlings thrive even if you live in the bleak Midwest. I have a three-season room and bought a cheap grow light. A spray bottle is my go-to for moistening soil without washing away the seeds or having them float atop a pool of mud water. Any kind will work, and I tell ya, misting the seeds every day will bring you so much happiness! It’s my favorite part.
The unimposing yet powerful queen of spices. Saffron is said to reveal hidden truths. After cooking with saffron, I always save a single thread and place it on my nightstand to inspire a dream future forecast. Legend has it that your dreams will offer a glimpse into the future. New opportunities, adventures, or the spark of inspiration you need to chase away those winter blues.
The big job is done, and I can mist and think about the happy future I am creating. The little seedlings come up. A day for celebration! It is nothing short of a miracle! You created this and are looking at something that has neverand will never- exist again in this universe.
When your seedlings sprout their first true leaves, you should thin them out by snipping the weaker ones at the base. This gives the most substantial plants room to grow. I am preparing myself to think of it as making a delicious sprout salad.
My research has taught me that you should introduce your seedlings to the outside world about two weeks before
“A day for celebration!”
planting outdoors. I have a full-time job, so I am not good with this step. If there is a wonderful sunny day, I will set them outside, but I usually wait
until after Mother’s Day (or whatever your no more frost day is in your area) and put them outside for good. I have a small plot for bigger plants like tomatoes and peppers. I have containers for the rest. I always plant mint in pots. Because that grows like crazy, if you put it in the ground, you will be thinning forever.
Pro Tip: Invest in some cute little signs to show what is growing where. I think they add nice decoration, and I forget what is what. I can’t tell you how many times I have had to ask if that is fennel or dill.
Starting seeds indoors is a magical way to kickstart your gardening season and connect with the rhythm of nature. Plus, it’s fun to personalize your garden and (my personal favorite) save money. So grab your seeds, get your hands in some soil, and let the spring magic begin!
Worst case scenario: your plants don’t thrive. No big deal make a quick trip to the garden store, grab a replacement, and slip it into the soil. No one will ever know!
If you need more inspiration, consider the amazing health benefits of herbs. Herbs are loaded with essential vitamins.
• Parsley: Packed with vitamin C for immune support and vitamin A for eye health. Herbs provide trace minerals often overlooked in daily diets. For example:
• Oregano: Contains calcium and magnesium, essential for strong bones and nerve function.
• Thyme: Rich in iron, which supports healthy red blood cells. Also:
• Rosemary and mint are high in antioxidants, which help fight free radicals in the body. This can reduce inflammation and lower the risk of chronic diseases.
• Dill, cilantro, and mint can aid digestion, reduce bloating, and soothe the stomach. For example:
• Basil: Contains vitamin K, crucial for bone health and blood clotting.
A quick and delicious way to enjoy fresh herbs: add purple basil and oregano to filtered water, chill, and sip.
Refreshing and flavorful!
Dear Reader,
I have become a peripatetic shaman. My lease ended with the ending of last year. Rather than sign a new lease, I put everything in storage and embarked on a road trip, from one ocean to the other.
To warm up, I started in the Atlanta area, did a two-day event in Augusta, Ga, and then visited a friend in South Ga. The trip started in earnest when I hit Jekyll Island and the Atlanta Ocean.
As I drove through Georgia and Florida, I saw many effects of the recent hurricanes. Dozens of trees were uprooted completely, snapped in half like a matchstick, or only stood somewhat upright because they were leaning on another tree.
There were entire groves where every tree was at a 45-degree angle. Seeing a 60-foot-tall pine snapped in two helped me remain right-sized.
As soon I stepped on the beach, I knew it was the correct decision. I started on Jekyll Island, but with it being the off-season and cold, the beach was almost deserted. Walking on sand, listening to the waves crash, and hearing the gulls screeching complaints
“Rather than sign a new lease, I put everything in storage and embarked on a road trip, from one ocean to the other.”
The Shaman’s Lens
about…something. These things fed my spirit in a way that no place else does.
I heard a beach sound I hadn’t heard before on this trip. There are spots where there are thousands of tiny shells together on the shore. When the waves are hitting those shells, an occasional wave will dump hundreds more of the tiny shells on top of the ones already there. If the wave is the right size, the final sound of the wave is those hundreds of shells rattling against each other. I could not record it. It fascinated me.
I walked the beaches of the sea islands off the Georgian coast for hours over a few days, looking for shells and shark’s teeth for elemental wands I plan to make once the road trip ends.
I found one shark tooth. One lucky person will get that. Most will get the spiral tops of whelks or a shark’s eye, or some part of a spiral shell.
An elemental wand represents the four elements. I had plenty of feathers for air and quartz crystals for earth, and now I have plenty of shells to represent water.
One of my other goals for this trip is to mine some obsidian to represent fire. Any suggestions as to where I might find them would be appreciated.
“I could not record [the sound.] It fascinated me.“
The Shaman’s Lens
I also took so many photos. I have several good shots of anhinga, pelicans, herons and more. There are multiple landscape images as well. I’ve included some of my favorites with this article.
One goal of this trip is to increase Harriman Photography’s portfolio.
This trip is more than collecting raw materials for my pieces and photographs for my website. This feels like a time for me to make changes in my life, to shake things up, to see what surprises me on this journey. I spent a week in Yellowstone last year. That trip now feels like a dress rehearsal for this one.
“This trip is more than collecting raw materials for my pieces and photographs for my website. This feels like a time for me to make changes in my life, to shake things up.”
The Shaman’s Lens a stoat and buffalo, so many buffalos.
There are some differences. I took the entire week off from my day job for Yellowstone while I’m working throughout this one. My day job is entirely online; as long as I have an internet connection, I can do my job and travel. The length of time is obviously the major difference. I plan for this trip to be three to four months long while I spent seven days in Yellowstone. For much of this trip, I will be visiting friends and family along the way.
Last year was the first time I had given myself a trip like the one to Yellowstone. I was exhausted when I returned home. There was so much to see and to record with photos. Bears, geysers, elk, pronghorns, more geysers, the continental divide, eagles, ospreys,
For this excursion, I have to pace myself. My day job is parttime but still needs to be done. In Yellowstone, I could pull off into one of the hundreds of pullouts for viewing wildlife and take a 15minute cat nap. The interstates, and even state roads and highways, are much less forgiving.
I aspire to become a better shaman, to do deeper work, to do more healing. This journey is a reset for my life. Deciding what to take on the trip becomes a metaphor for what I want to carry with me through my life. What does my life look like without the normal routines in place? Can I be disciplined enough to keep practicing Tai Chi and my
meditations and journeys? How will I be different when I return to the Atlanta area and stay put for a while?
One thing that happens is that a calendar becomes much more important to me. I need to mark the solstice, or is it the equinox? You know, as a shaman, I feel I should just remember the difference between the two, but I don’t. Hold on, let me check…. (Jeopardy theme plays) …
Right March 20th is the equinox. It’s the turning of the season, one of the checkpoints of the great dance of the earth and sun. With no home for the moment, ritual and ceremony have become more important in keeping me balanced. I can use the solsti-equinox as a decision point. Do I start heading home from there? I’ll let you know.
There was a time when you rested between lives. You had a complete, juicy existence while on Earth, with enough joys and sorrows to write a book.
Oh, the lessons you learned! Some experiences you wanted. Many you didn’t, yet you rolled with each bit the physical world threw at you.
“The question then arises: why did you decide you were done with physical life?”
It was a good life, with one thread running through it. “I don’t want to come back. I’ve had enough to, well, last a lifetime.”
As you float in the spiritual ether, you have an opportunity to revisit the highlights. From this advantage, everything is revealed, even the cringy ones and the creative, exciting, and happy flashes.
But there were moments when you hid in the forest and caves of your mind, friended only by your dog. Going it alone was the only way to sort out the pros and cons of Earth-living.
Sometimes, you fought back like a warrior, planning and plotting your next move. You checked your intel because you weren’t about to be ambushed by those who disagreed with your outlook. This left you wary of relationships. You held the mysteries of the timeline, moving back and forth, assessing each magical encounter as a thing of wonder. Even when you ultimately rejected the outcome, the experience was rich with information.
Every day was a challenge to stand in the moment and not constantly look to the past or future for answers.
Especially when they are right in front of you in the guise of your own proficiency.
You are amazed at how well you did. The question then arises: why did you decide you were done with physical life?
At least Earthly life. You can go anywhere, any dimension or plane of existence in your current ethereal form. You can accept a life on a different planet. And you can stay without substance for as long as you like. It’s your choice.
You are at a crossroads. There is no one or thing to advise you this is your decision.
You recall the end of that life when you danced with exhilarating delight from knowing you did your best. You left nothing behind in your transformation into
Tarot Wisdom spirit and stepped into the next energetic level with profound courage.
Your current insubstantial form doesn’t allow you to participate you can only watch as the mortal world grows and flows. Your lust for spicey living cries out for action.
So why not take that leap of faith again?
Why not step into form and begin the process all over again?
This is a big decision. It will affect you for decades. Are you sure you’re ready to jump into a human being again?
Life is pretty easy just floating around with no concerns. Conceptualizing the possibilities: easy peasy.
Becoming physical: whew. You have to own the consequences of your actions. You have to roll with the ups and downs of being mortal. You must contend with disappointment, frustration, heartbreak, and grief. You remember. And you hesitate. Was it worth the effort?
As you ponder this, a warm rush of energy swoops through you. If you had a body, you would be flushed and maybe a little embarrassed. Your memories are enhanced by sensations as you recall the visceral act of lovemaking. The sensual, sweet, and tender moments with your mate.
The raw, instinctive way you moved together, and then, the children you created. There was no greater love than those little beings. Unconditional, visceral care of another human being. That leads beyond the nuclear family to a life welllived. You stepped into selfless service to save the planet you cared for, a suffering planet you’ve witnessed from afar.
You remember the fierce protection of vulnerable animals and people with nothing but you standing in the way of disaster.
Even now, bodiless, you feel the blush of pride, knowing you did your best. Yes, there were trials and tribulations, but all that was overshadowed by ecstatic joy as you danced through the years in a significant, luscious presence on Earth. There is no place in the many galaxies and dimensions that offer such a reality.
You realize it’s a crap shoot to be born again into human life. You know you’ll forget everything, even the lessons you worked hard to conquer. You won’t remember the pleasures either.
It’ll be a brand new beginning without any guarantees.
There is the truth: you want to take the risk because, in the end, it’s worth it. You can make anything work.
You are fearless.
You take that leap of faith back into life.
Do you dare to take a leap of faith?
Mercury, the messenger of the gods, pushes away clouds with his caduceus, symbolizing the clearing of winter and the arrival of spring.
I love using small personal ceremonies and trance-work to align my mind, body and spirit. Perhaps it is better to say that these help align my mind and body to spirit, allowing my higher self to be a more active force in my life. As a certified Zen Shiatsu practitioner, I was trained in both Traditional and Classical Chinese Medicine. I often rely on the Chinese Elements in my professional and personal life, as I find them more dynamic. These elements relate more closely to the natural world and to the changing of the Earth’s seasons than the static Greek ones.
As we welcome spring and turn our attention to the Earth becoming alive again, the Wood Element becomes dominant in our lives. It is a time when new forms are created from energies that rested, geminated, and hibernated through the cold winter (Water Element).
“Agoodplanis needed.”
Abundance becomes a focus during spring regarding what we are seeding to manifest in the upcoming months. Wood is about the Big Picture of our lives, “the plan,” and the process of getting there. However, when our plans are thwarted, Wood energies become unbalanced. Both frustration and anger begin to arise.
In a recent social media post, one witch wrote a blessing: “I say that in 2025, abundance will flow to you...” A couple of responses she received were unsettling to me. One response said, “I prefer not to ask for abundance because it can also bring horror and abuse and bad things.”
Another reply was, “no girl, we have too much bad coming at us now, we don’t need more.”
I feel these responses were so misinformed about what abundance is and how to get it. Anyone with experience in manifesting knows that you need to qualify any request so that you get what you need and not what you don’t want.
Right now, we, our country, and our world need abundance of courage, faith, health, happiness, equality, justice, compassion, love, acceptance, respect, etc. The Wood Element of spring is wonderful energy to use to plan for all the abundance you desire.
Of course, there are horrible and bad things coming at us right now in our country. I understand that. But it is not any abundance that I (or presumably you) requested. Those problems do not fit into my plan! However, a good plan is needed if we want to grow and manifest our best selves and our best life.
“Anyonewith experiencein manifestingknowsthat youneedtoqualify anyrequestsothat yougetwhatyouneed andnotwhatyou don’t want.”
” There are lots of questions and perhaps very little answers right now. For many of us, we could use an abundance of focus to help us make our plan for this spring.”
This begs the questions: What do you want to manifest this year? What ideas emerged during your self-reflection in winter that you want to activate? What is your “big plan” and how do you overcome obstacles without succumbing to anger and frustration? What abundance will help you make that plan?
There are lots of questions and perhaps very little answers right now. For many of us, we could use an abundance of focus to help us make our plan for this spring. If you’re like me, you have so many ideas and thoughts that it can be overwhelming. So, this month I offer a ceremony of focus to help direct the plan forward.
• A comfortable and quiet place to sit
• A candle (green is good for Wood Energy, but any color with do)
• Soft relaxing background music
• Your favorite incense (optional)
You may wish to begin by reviewing the list of thoughts and ideas from last month’s column. This is the list of those things that emerged during the winter Water Element phase.
light your incense and the candle. Take a few moments and gaze into the candle flame while you slow your breathing and begin to relax. (pause)
Allow your mind to clear of any distracting thoughts and simply focus on the candle flame. If thoughts emerge, briefly acknowledge them and then let them flow on through. If they are truly important, they will be there when you finish.
Take another deep breath and focus even further into the flame. (pause)
Take one more slow deep breath and close your eyes as you allow yourself to relax even deeper. (pause)
I wonder if you can see, sense or simply imagine walking down a path
in a spring forest. The trees are budding, and their leaves are beginning to emerge. The smell of fresh earth arises with each step as you continue to walk deeper into the forest. The sounds of bird songs fill your ears. The connection to the earth beneath your feet becomes more powerful with each step you take. (pause)
As you continue to relax even deeper, enjoying the sights, sounds and smells of this wonderful forest, you will come upon three separate paths. One path takes you to a forest clearing, one takes you to a babbling stream, and one takes you to a sacred place that only you know there is no wrong choice; simply choose the path that most calls to you and continue walking deeper and deeper into the forest. (pause)
When you reach your destination, find a place where you can sit or lie and enjoy spring’s scenic beauty. As you relax you begin to notice that the light changes. There is a bright light coming from above. This is not ordinary light, but a magical light from the universe. It shines on you and through you.
Focus on the light. Follow the light and let spirit guide you. Let it fill you with the positive abundance of focus. Allow the light to nourish you and to give you the wisdom you need to make a focused plan for your future manifestations. Allow the light to align your body and mind with your higher-self and spirit.
Follow the light for as long as you need before returning to the here and now and extinguishing your candle.
I call to the Wood Element to help me make my plan
Let me be focused on my path forward
I ask that I receive positive abundance without hardship
Let me receive good health, wealth and wisdom
I invite the energies of spring be with me
Let me be filled with positive grow and new beginnings
Welcome Spring
Ruth Souther is a metaphysical and natural arts practitioner in Springfield, IL. She is a Master Shamanic Breathwork Facilitator, Master Reiki Practitioner, Hypnotherapist, Ritualist, Priestess, and Minister. She holds a Master’s in Shamanic Intuitional Practices and a Doctorate of Shamanic Psychospiritual Studies and is an Initiated Priestess
She facilitates Vega’s Path Elemental Priestess, Universal Priestess, and Elemental Mystery School, a new addition as of 2024, which takes her Priestess Path program to Nashville and Teotihuacan, Mexico.
She authored The Heart of Tarot (an intuitive guide to the cards), Vega's Path: The Elemental Priestess, and three novels: Death of Innocence, Surrender of Ego, Rise of Rebellion, and many more stories are percolating her mind.
She is a facilitating member of The Edge of Perception (NFP spiritual organization) and, along with other members, creates a safe space to offer rituals and ceremonies.
In the summer months, you'll find her in Michigan at a family-owned cottage on Lake Gilead, surrounded by kids, grand and great-grandkids, and many cousins. It's her happy place where creativity flows just as the water ripples.
At home, another lake beckons her to boat, kayak, and enjoy all the wildlife that wanders, flies, or creeps into the yard and waterways. A cold beer on a hot day, floating on the pontoon with family and friends aboard the boat, is the most delicious way to spend a day
Reach Ruth at ruthsouther52@gmail.com www.vegaspath.com or www.Facebook/vegaspath
Edge of Perception | Springfield IL | Facebook
Ruth Souther | Facebook
Ruth is a contributing author and board member/Chief Editor of Crystal Heart Imprints an independent cooperative press supporting and guiding authors and artists in their creative projects.
Amanda Cornett is an ordained shamanic minister, licensed massage therapist, and the voice behind The Pondering Priestess. With a deep commitment to healing and spiritual growth, Amanda blends her work as a teacher with her passion for guiding others toward transformation and self-discovery.
As a dedicated practitioner with Vega's Path, Amanda teaches the Priestess Process, helping individuals connect with their inner power and heal on all levels. Her writing reflects her compassionate, Scorpio nature, offering insights into spirituality, personal growth, and emotional wellness.
Based in Tennessee, Amanda integrates energy healing with her massage therapy practice to support holistic well-being. Through her column and healing work, she strives to meet others with understanding and compassion, guiding them on their own journeys of empowerment and peace.
Learn more at amandacornett.com.
Teri’s specialty is Intuitive Integrative Bodywork. This trauma-informed holistic and body-based energy psychology offers ground-up practices for whole-being integration. Teri has followed her divine guidance to explore her innate skills in the metaphysical and shamanic realms.
She is an artist, speaker, writer, and retreat facilitator online and in person. “I tune into my Divine Guidance for information from your higher self to customize and guide each coaching, bodywork, or energy reading session.”
Teri serves as a Transformation Game Facilitator © and an Intentional Creativity Teacher (c) using the creative arts and intuitive medicine painting as a powerful self-empowerment healing tool.
Teri is the creatrix of The ART of Receiving and Transforming Energy Academy, an online course supporting others to learn and develop their innate skills and gifts. Teri offers her coaching skills as The Art Doula to guide you into birthing new levels of your essence into form.
Contact info: terifreesmeyer@gmail.com
Website: TeriFreesmeyer.com
Workshop info: Contact me to join my mailing list.
Upcoming events: Join me via Zoom on the first Tuesday of every month @ 7 pm CST for a collective community Transformation Game© Workshop. Firsttimers attend for free. Monthly fee, $33. No RSVP is required. You must contact me to get an invitation for the Zoom link.
The Art Academy Saturday Retreats will be back on Zoom, in February 2025.
Elliott Challandes is the owner of A Healing Place Springfield providing integrative, complementary and alternative medicine. He is a Certified Practitioner by the American Organization of Body Therapies of Asia and specializes in Zen Shiatsu, which combines the benefits of acupuncture, massage and chiropractic care all in the same session (see more about Shiatsu), as well as a Licensed Massage Therapist
Additionally, he is Certified in the John F. Barnes' method of Myofascial Release, a Usui Reiki and Karuna Reiki Master/Teacher and a Certified Consulting Hypnotist. Elliott provides sessions offering complementary and alternative medicine which promotes holistic health, pain relief, injury recovery, deep relaxation and the integration of mind, body and spirit.
As a Zen Shiatsu Practitioner, Elliott’s treatments assist in releasing stagnation, increasing blood and fluid flow, all while allowing your body to open and expand. Shiatsu treats a variety of issues and conditions, including musculoskeletal concerns, diverse organ dysfunctions (digestion, autoimmune, sleep, energy levels, etc.) and of course, it promotes general well-being and relaxation
As a Certified Consulting Hypnotist by the National Guild of Hypnotists, Elliott has received specialized training certificates in PTSD, Relaxation, Phobias, Grief, and Smoking Cessation Elliott's approach is client-centered, putting you and your level of comfort at the forefront. You will always be aware and in control of your session. He will take the time to discuss with you what the reality of hypnosis is, how it works and what to expect.
As a Reiki Master / Teacher, Elliott has been trained in both Usui Reiki and Karuna Reiki® (Registration #85477) and is an Affiliate Member of the International Center for Reiki Training. Often he will combine the warm gentle energy of Reiki with a simple meditation to achieve a deeper state of relaxation which allows your body to heal, revitalize and rejuvenate.
Elliott holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Illinois College, a Master of Arts degree from the University of Cincinnati, a Zen Shiatsu Practitioner Certificate from Zen Shiatsu Chicago and a Doctor of Divinity Degree from the Sanctuary of Formative Spirituality . He has practiced for over 25 years in the areas of guided meditation, relaxation / stress reduction, goal manifestation, personal development and complementary medicine. He often facilitates exercises, workshops and events that promote self-health and the integration of mind, body and spirit in the community
Loralyn Elizabeth, an author with a unique perspective on life, has established herself as a voice of creative introspection and exploration. Her blog, "DYA," is a testament to her commitment to living life distinctively, inspired by the quote from Neale Donald Walsch: "Today the earth is populated with billions of people desperately hoping to 'get somewhere,' but having
having no idea of where they’re going” This ethos is embedded in her writing, where she delves into personal growth, self -discovery, and “Punching Today in the Face.”
Loralyn's literary work is exhibited by her books "(Amazing): Mostly True Stories From a Fake Guru," and "More (Amazing) Adventures of Mimi Bayczyk," because once you have a great book title, you don’t mess with it. These encapsulate her knack for blending humor with insightful musings, presenting readers with a rejuvenating take on navigating the weirdness of life. The book has raked in rave reviews for its engaging narrative and thought-provoking content, mainly because Loralyn bribed all her friends with promises of pizza and eternal friendship to write them.
Additionally, Loralyn has contributed to the educational field with her coauthorship of "Microsoft Office 2010: Productivity Strategies for Today and Tomorrow."
Professionally, she is a marvelous instructional designer with a background in curriculum development, instructor training, and adult learning.
Dwight has been a mystic all of his life. He has been formally practicing as a shaman for over 25 years, deepening his relationship with Nature and Spirit through a melding of various paths
Called by visions as a child, his early mystical leanings ripened through long-time recovery work, his studies of religion, the study of anthropology, and through his shamanic practice. He sharpened his intuition with Tarot cards and is a Reiki master.
Dwight earned his degree in anthropology with honors from Georgia State University. He studied for years with different shamans, including an apprenticeship with elder, shamanic healer, and visionary Peter Calhoun.
Dwight has worked with thousands of people in private sessions, in workshops, and in his Shamanism 101 classes, which he designed to make shamanic practices accessible to everyone. Each one has a journey or meditation able to deepen a person’s relationship to Spirit and to themselves. Class titles include Past Life Spelunking, Meet Your Dragon, Shed Your Skin (to give up limiting beliefs), Council Fire (to meet your Spirit guides) and Meet Your Higher Self.
As the Atlanta Shaman, Dwight’s greatest joy is helping people shed limiting beliefs and step into their own personal power. He believes everyone has gifts they can share with the world. He delights in helping people find and develop these gifts.
He loves nature and works outdoors as much as possible. He mines crystals and creates wonderful and powerful shamanic tools with them. The same insightful eye that makes him such a good shaman has recently led him to create amazing nature photography.
Contact Dwight through www.atlantashaman.com or dwight@atlantashaman.com. View his photography at www.dwightharrimanphotography.com.
Peggy was born on an Indiana farm where she delighted in playing with the abundance of kittens in the woods and collecting shiny stones from the meandering creek.
She’s been a Reiki Master for over 25 years. For many years she organized reiki volunteers to offer free sessions to patients and caretakers at the Simmons Cancer Institute in Springfield, Illinois.
Peggy’s passionate about sharing the rejuvenating power of music and vibrational sound throughout the Midwest for 25 years. She facilitates monthly SoundBaths, Crystal Bowls Meditations, and drum circles in central Illinois. She presents Healing Vibrational Sound workshops at state and national women’s conferences, including the National Women’s Music Festival and the Illinois Women in Leadership Symposium.
Peggy Patty also offers Individual and Couple Sound Vibrational Sessions
She’s been offering instruction to medical students in the Southern Illinois School of Medicine’s Integrative Medical course on the Power of Sound Vibrations for several years.
Even though Peggy holds many Healing Vibration training certificates, her reverence is the highest for her many Sound mentors who encourage her to, “Let the Sound teach you.”
She obtained a B.S in Social Work and Masters in Human Services in 1975. Working in the women’s movement inspired her to obtain a Law Degree. The next thirty years she spent advocating for victims of violence against women in not-for-profit organizations in Illinois, plus was a sought-after Illinois trainer.
As an Assistant State’s Attorney in Illinois, she prosecuted felony domestic violence cases, including attempted murder. As Director of the Legal Institute at the Illinois Coalition Against Domestic Violence, she provided legal assistance to victim shelters across Illinois.
Peggy appreciates people clarifying any illusion of where they stand in the world. New awareness is always possible
Connect Peggy on Facebook at EarthBeat Healing Vibrations or by email at earthbeat3@gmail com
Amanda Wanless, also known as The Wandless Witch, is an intuitive reader and writer exploring the intersection of everyday life and spiritual discovery.
Amanda Wanless is a Licensed Massage Therapist, Reiki Master/Teacher, and ordained minister through The Sanctuary of Formative Spirituality. Her professional journey spans over 15 years, beginning with massage therapy in 2008. However, her connection to spiritual practices started much earlier, in 1998, when she first embraced her witchy path and began exploring holistic healing and self-awareness. Over the years, Amanda has cultivated a rich practice focused on awareness, healing, empowerment, and wellness.
Amanda offers services by appointment, including massage therapy, Reiki, and sound therapy for physical and energetic healing. She also provides intuitive tarot readings, mediumship, and customized ceremonies or rituals tailored to her clients’ needs.
As The Wandless Witch, Amanda leads transformative workshops and classes throughout the year. These include Reiki training (Levels 1 through Master), Candle Magick, Intuitive Art Activation, Vega’s Path Elemental Priestess Process, and other metaphysical practices that empower participants on their spiritual journeys. Amanda’s approach is rooted in the belief that true healing begins from within. She works closely with clients to address their unique needs, guiding them toward achieving their goals and manifesting meaningful change.
To learn more or schedule a session with Amanda, please email thewandlesswitch@gmail.com or visit her website at www.thewandlesswitch.com.
TL Woodliff (Terran, Terri, Mom, Babe, Sissy, and more) is an author, editor, writing coach, creator of the handmade Burn Book series for workshops, and Dance Meditation facilitator.
“I had a degree in literature, but I feel like my writing really changed when I studied to become one of the few, certified Dave Farland Fiction Writing Coaches. His ability to cut through a lot of disinformation and nonsense helped tighten my work, and made me a better motivational and writing coach.
“I also have a MS in Applied Psychology, which makes a lot of sense when you read the books I’ve written to use at Burn Book workshops. Journaling is the most powerful tool we have in our well-being toolkit.”
When she’s not writing and facilitating, she’s reading. “Life is all about learning and journeying, and I do both every time I read fiction and nonfiction alike!”
TLWoodliff.com
byTLWoodliff
Hail Goddess of Spring, Help me know you better That I may walk beside you.
Changeme. This world feels like a battle. Make me strong enough for this fight.
Beginanew. Give me the strength to organize, create, and forge ahead.
Blessed is your name.