I've been working a lot lately to deepen my spirtual awareness and expand my abilities with regard to communicating with Spirit. Of course my beloved LaSirene is right there to help guide me. Tonight Holly DeFount's version of the High Priestess from her Incidental Tarot spoke to me after tending to LaSirene's altars and then meditating. I did 22 min tonight which for me is a huge improvement from 7 min. As I look at the card, she appears to be in a blissfully meditative state. Completely at peace, she hovers between the realms of the conscious, mundane world and the watery world of subconscious mind. In her solitude she is able to disconnect from everything else to hear the messages that the moon chooses to convey by listening to what she is feeling. She has quieted her doubtful thoughts that once came from insecurity and caused her to question her capabilities. Her hands are open to confidently grasp, collect and offer information that was hiding in plain sight just beneath the surface.
Just a few pictures from Bacchus and Endymion. Today is Mardi Gras day, the end of Carnival Season and all its delightful foolishness. Damn am I glad to be living back at home!
LET'S ALL GO TO THE MARDI GRAS WITH PROFESSOR LONGHAIR!
In Vodou there is one particular lwa who must be saluted (honored) in ceremony before anything can happen or any of the many other spirits can come in. If Papa Legba doesn't come, no one else can. He is the keeper of the crossroads, that pivotal point of transition or choice. He is also the one who facilitates communication between us and the spirit world. Some say he is to be honored on Monday, some say Wednesday. I choose to on Mondays. He is not a spirit I work closely with so I have a lot to learn still. He looks like a gentile elderly gentleman who walks with a cane and a limp, smoking his corncob pipe with his two trusted companions, his dogs beside him and his jakut on his shoulder (a woven straw bag). For me, he feels like a grandfather. He is very wise and feels like a gentle soul to me, but I know he is not to be taken lightly! He may look like a disheveled old beggar, but do not be fooled! He is a very important and powerful man since he is the the keeper of gate between Heaven and Earth.
*my alter to him in my house*
Things sacred to Papa are: pipes, tobacco, rum, yams cane syrup, cigars, palm oil, coconuts, plantains, gin, strong black coffee, starlight mints, two keys, and three pennies. Any of these things can be put on his alter as an offering. He is the one to go to when you are at a turning point in your life and need to know which path is the best for you to take. He is the remover of obstacles that keep you from reaching your goals. He is also known to help with any trade or hobby that involves dexterity in ones fingers. Ever heard of folks who gamble with dice or play guitar going to the crossroads in order to become exceptional at their craft? That's Papa Legba. Christianity vilified him and made him the Devil. Most likey because he can be a tricky one. He lets you exercise free will but teaches you a lesson about the choices you make. Depending upon the tradition, Legba is seen as St. Anthony, St. Lazarus, St. Christopher, St. Roch, or St. Jude. With regard to tarot, is associate him with The Hermit and i think the version in the Universal Goddess Tarot by Lo Scarabeo (who's decks I almost always love!) is perfect, even though it is actually Hecate on the card. I'm looking forward to working with Papa and understanding him better. And getting help with choosing the pathways that lead to my highest good.
* I could listen to Howlin' Wolf sing the blues all day long!*
I have worked with quite a few of the Orishas (African spirits) as well as the Lwa (Haitian spirits) and have developed very special bonds with them. But one relationship in particular that is extremely sacred is the one I have with the Lwa LaSirene, which literally translates into "the Siren" or "the mermaid". There are several tarot cards I associate with her. She is, like all of these spirits, a very powerful and complex lady. Just like the ocean in which she resides, she represents life's constant state of flux and teaches us to how to stop resisting change and to go with the flow of life's many ups and downs through the process of self-reflection. She can be playful, inspiring, and adventerous like a dolphin. She can be very loving and nurturing, like a manatee. She can be seductive and enticing like a mermaid. But don't get it twisted, because she can be very protective and cruel like a shark, which I once saw very clearly while walking The Quarter in the wee hours of the morning. I never saw anyone, but I know danger was not far from me. It looked like the entire area was completely under water as I walked the 3 blocks to my destination. (Oddly enough to visit a child of Ezili Danto. I almost feel sorry for anyone who had even thought about bringing harm to me with Danto, a child of hers, and LaSirene around me!) I then saw as plain as day, not just from my third eye but with my human eyes, a massive hammer head shark swimming ahead of me, head turning side to side as it wove back and forth, then circled around behind me and then swam ahead to do surveillance. It was like she was making herself known to whomever would have tried to harm me. Like they may have had no idea why, but jsut decided against whatever harm they had planned. Another time I encountered her was at the Fête Kongo we had in January. When she came into possession and I went up to ask for her blessing, it was one of the most magickal and special moments of my life. The elusive mermaid recognized me and interacted with me in a way which I'm told very few get to experience. My heart still swells with joy, gratitude and love when I think of it.
LaSirene is known for her long, flowing hair and the intoxicating beauty of her face and well as her voice. She heals all wounds with the salty waters of her home, the sea. She brings wealth and prosperity from the many treasures of the ocean. It is said that she carries a comb for her gorgeous hair in one hand a a mirror in the other. This is not about vanity. It is about self-actualization, love, respect. Truly seeing into the depths of your being and learning to love what we see. She makes us face the things that we have tried to bury so we don't have to deal with them and teaches us how to do so in healthy ways. Not always pleasant mind you, but necessary for our spiritual and emotional evolution. She teaches us to listen to our intuition and have the confidence to trust and follow its advice. Working with LaSirene means having the courage to look into your own eyes and climb through the window to your soul.
To honor LaSirene I created an alter with the things sacred to her. Well, actually, we are up to two alters and my counter is kinda becoming a third! Like the sea that is her domain, her areas in my home seem to be spreading lol! In general, her colors are blue, white, silver, gold, and aqua. She is associated with Our Lady Star of the Sea/La Riena del Mar. For me, she presents herself in turquoise, sea-foam green, silver, and sometimes gold. Some of the items on her alters include: a plain mirror as well as the prettiest little turquoise glitter one, a beautiful little purse made of shells and blue and iridescent sequins, an abalone shell, a starfish, a fresh coconut as well as a can of coconut milk, a chalice of salt water, a selenite wand, Lindt milk chocolate and coconut, a spirit bottle I made for her with the vevé (calling card, direct line. Kinda like the Bat-signal) that she gave to me specifically, and her beautiful picture. Everyday at 7PM I say a prayer to her and on Saturday's at 7 I devote at least 5-10 min connecting with her. It cracks me up how often it ends up bring exactly 7 min lol. It feels like a melodic trance, floating just at the surface of my consciousness.
I could go on and on about LaSirene. I know our bond will only strengthen as I continue to work with her. I treasure my relationship with her and thank her everyday for the many blessings she has given me.
I had a wonderful day of reading for so many cool clients yesterday at Voodoo Authentica! The daystarted off with the nicest lady, Ellen. She is from Atlanta and the creatrix of Above and Beyond and offers intuitive coaching and energy healing. There was so much synchronicity in several areas it was amazing! I felt guilty that she had to pay because I feel like she gave me as much of more than I gave her in the reading! She is a devoted wife, amazing mother, and highly intuitive psychic medium in addition to some other career that I only remember to be very rewarding and yet anothr way that she gives so much of herself. She is one of the most grounded and even people I've ever read for.
I decided to ask my Wisdom of the House of Night oracle for information about this encounter because after Ellen left, my psychic clairaudient and sintient abilities went through the roof! I was getting so many messages before I even had a chane to look at the cards!
1. What gift did I give to Ellen? - #6 High Priestess of Air - This card is a stalker at this point because it came up in 4 out of 5 readings yesterday! and what is totally insane is THIS WAS THE CARD ELLEN PULLED! This card is about logical thought, communication, and reason in order to know what is the best corse of action to take next. Also to use your imagination. The card really resonated with her. I now notice that this card is #6 which corresponds to the Lovers VI in tarot. This is a time of making decisions that satisfy both the head and the heart, doing what you love, but approaching it from a more logic based approach.
2. What gift did Ellen give me? - #31 Risk - Holy cow this is spot on! This is just what she spoke of to me, to let go without hesitation or fear just as this woman is! To surrender to the process and trust my guides and myself to hear them and just speak without thinking about what is coming out if my mouth. (Something that believe it or not, I actually try very hard to do LOL) I had told ellen that I'd love to learn how to culitivate my psychic gifts and hear with more clarity. She let me know that I have to take more of a risk than I do to allow Spirit to speak through me. Even though this card isn't numbered 0 it is utterly the expression of the Fool 0 in tarot! As Nyx is quoted as saying from the book, "Rather than worry about how things will turn out, why not take a leap of faith?" I need to be like this woman on the card and just myself over to the process, knowing that I will land safely, exactly where I'm supposed to. Especially since my intuition has been so on point the past week or so that I've blown my own mind! I think the meditation work I've been doing is paying of in spades. I will do more, but specifically with my beloved Lwa (Spirit) LaSirene, the mermaid spirit of self-reflection and going down into the depths of ones psyche. I have also found my muse for tarot reading as suggested by my friend, Vodou priest, and fellow reader Toby; dub step! I know, I know... But if I works, hey, I gotta step!
I'm also going to book a few sessions with Ellen!
*I really like this song. It is more ambient trance than dubstep*
I've been making my way through the my fellow bloggers posts who participated in the Imbolc Tarot Bloghop (you can view the master list here) at a much slower rate that I'd like. It has been one of the crazier weeks I've had in... Well in about a month now that I think of it LOL! Mheh, such is life lol. Onward and upward, keep it movin'.
I decided to try the spread created by my girl Joanna, creatrix of the wonderful blog Sun Goddess Tarot. I'm using one of my oldest decks, the Gill Tarot from U.S. Games. (Damn if they don't use the best card stock and produce the best quality decks!)
1. What can I do to best bring light to my clients? - 6 of Pentacles - Remember to listen as much and sometimes more than I talk. The rainbow of disks tells me I need to do more chakra work (yes Shonna, I'm listening lol!) and to do chakra meditation in preparation for readings. The bright sunshine in the center and the title "well-being" is letting me know that the answer was already given to me within the question; always bring light to the situation no matter now dark the topic or outlook. Make sure that my clients don't feel like life is depleting them of power but that the reading is shedding light on what needs their awareness. (This ain't always easy like Sunday mornin' you know!) It also comes back to chakra mediation. Maintaining my own well-being will keep me balanced for the energy exchange that takes place. It also is reminding me to value my time and my skill and be confident and secure in standing my ground in getting paid what I'm worth.
2. What can I do to best bring light to myself? - HA! I KNEW IT!!! Something told me as I was about to begin the reading that I was to shuffle each time I asked the questions for the reading. So I picked up the card from question one and reshuffled. I KNEW as I was shuffling what the card would be for this question - Rx 6 of Pentacles! So the answer to question 2 is don't ignore what you just got told in question 1! I just heard "don't be a LaMont!" If you ever watched Fred Sanford you know what that means lol! (If not, it means that I have a very clear answer so don't be foolish.)
3. What can I do to best fan the flames and keep my creativity burning? - Rx Death XIII - the very short version of this is screaming at me to protect my creative vision and always remember I have everything I need to breath the constant breath of life into anything I desire. This card has so much meaning in this position for several reasons. I will have to delve deeper at a later time but it speaks volumes.
4. What can I do to prevent the flames from dying so I can see my plans to full term? - 3 of wands - 3's are synthesis, creation, giving birth to whatever the suite is about. This says keep my eyes on the prize. Focus on the end result that I want. Enterprise is the title, "a project or undertaking that is difficult, typically one that requires full effort". There is a women named Jan who's card of the day used to come to me via email and she taught me such amazing ways to see this card! It's all about being true to our inner needs and callings. It speaks to being clear about what want to create and confident in our ability to make it happen come hell or high water. That is where the third wand will become a torch and light the way to success as I define it to be. I remember she said this card is about being careful not to fall back into negative old habits and to trust in your own power and your intuition. Follow the light that is your passion that burns from within! Not from an exterior source.
5. Final advice to ensure successful delivery of my plans - DEAR LORD BABY JESUS - Ya can't make this kinda stuff up man! 6 OF PENTACLES!!! The bottom line is my own well-being is the key to it all! Nothing is more important than that! If something compromises that then it will throw my life energy of kilter and that of the people who entrust me with their life situations and that is irrisponsible and unfair to them as well as my own Self. And that just won't do! Maintain my mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual well-being and everything and everyone around me will benefit! (And just more you know, the card at the bottom of the deck was the 3 of wands! Can't make up shit this crazy lol)
Thank you Joanna, this was fantastic!
Friday, February 1, 2013
Weclome to all, especially those who are rolling along as a part of the bloghop and just coming from Aisling's lovely blog. I am so excited to be a part of another hop. I just love the idea of so many of us from the global esoteric community working on the same project!
So this year Arwen has posed two questions to help us gain an understanding of what Imbolc 2013 mean for us. I decided to use my Vanessa Tarot to answer because it has such a light, carefree feel to it, yet it is still so rich with symbolism.
The first thing I heard as I laid the cards out was "Work smarter, not just harder". I love that I've gotten these two Pentacles as I will now explain.
1. What's in my belly right now? Knight of Coins - This card really shows the need to work smarter not just harder. What a great version of the Knight of Pents! Here we see this chick being a total Rosie The Riveter. (Very interesting that I am sitting here listening to my Pandora station that plays 1940's music) She is dressed in her work clothes including overalls and rolled up sleeves (Is that a pack of Lucky Strikes rolled in there??) Her bandana and carpenter's apron are tied tightly. (Note the star at her sacral chakra. Talk about fire in the belly!) She is prepared, motivated and committed to doing the work that needs to be done. She's got that 2 x 4 thrown over her shoulder like it ain't no thang! Yet she's got her makeup on, her clothes are pressed and clean, and coiffed hair that was just pulled from metal orange juice cans used as hair rollers. She brings who she is comfortable with being to her new surroundings and she is also eager to learn a new skill set a gain a whole new sense of self confidence. She has such a determined yet content expression. She exhibits so much of an era long gone when attention to detail and pride in craftsmanship was not just ethical, it was the norm. (Did you know that Craftsman Tools STILL have a lifetime warrenty?! Like the ones made in the 40's!)
The War was on and the troops were needed overseas. But there was also the need for workers to manufacture the munitions the boys required. So the U.S. government came up with the solution by drafting women back here to join the workforce outside the home and bring their own lunch pails to the factories and shipyards, roll up their sleeves and learn a completely new skill set in order to make their necessary contribution to the cause. In 1942 the Westinghouse Company in Pittsburgh, PA hired a local artist to create a series of posters to encourage this effort, and Rosie the Riveter was born, proclaiming "We can do it!" It was a time where folks worked together, supported each other. Your beau, husband, brother, father was equally as important as contributing to the greater good of the Nation and The Allies.
The baby in my belly these days is creating a successful business as a tarot reader. The Knight of Coins is all about patience,attention to detail, pride in one's work and knowing that hard work will pay off in the long haul. I've made a lot of progress lately, but there is more work to be done. I have so many new skills to learn with regard to computer literacy. I am so insanely blessed to have the love and support of a mentor, friends like Vernon, Karen, Suzette and Michaelle who are rallying to my cause just because they love and believe in me. That is part of what keeps me inspired and on point. I'm a Creole dame, but my daddy was from Pittsburgh where I spent 8 years. Much like New Orleans, it's a hard working beer and a shot kinda town. Having that work ethic instilled in me as a young girl is what is keeping me in task now.
2. What will I give birth to in the Spring? Queen of Coins - I love tarot lol.
This is my card that I use to identify myself since I am a Capricorn. Now card #1 showed my inner Rossie the Riveter. Card #2 is clearly showing the glamour-puss side of me who loves to hit the MAC counter, rock a Michael Kors handbag and 4" pumps from BeBe and work on Apple products. While eating crepes in Montparnasse. Kitten LeRue here had her regular appointment with Mindy, her amazing Creole hair stylist and is preparing for a night out with good friends and family where she will enjoy delightful cuisine and a St. Germaine with soda and lime. When she returns to her home, her house guests will be greeted by the scent of a bouquet of star-gazer lillie's and made to feel completely welcome in her home filled with gorgeous furnishings from the Victorian Era. She will then put on her pajamas with moons and stars and fuzzy slippers and curl up with a black cat and a book about Vampyers. When she awakens the next afternoon she will pack her flight bags for the red-eye. Where to this time? Visit Drea in Cape Town? Yoga with Shonna in Cambodia? The Tabi convention and shopping at Marks & Spencer with Chloë? Baking cookies and a Dexter marathon with KiKi? Create new tarot spreads with Joanna in Singapore? Ahh decisions decisions.
If I keep nurturing the baby from the belly of the Knight of Coins, I will give birth to the woman I want to be, secure and generous Queen of Coins. All of the things I see in this version of the QofC is who I've been at times in the past and manifesting becoming in the not so distant future. And all from doing what I love which feeds my soul as well as contributes to the greater good.
I decided to add another layer. Imbolc is the half way point between Winter and Spring. So I decide to ask who I can make these things reality.
3. What do I need to frozen in the permafrost of Winter? I used my Wisdom of the House of Night oracle since it is told from the perspective of Nyx, goddess of all things dark. I got card # 22 Letting Go. Leave behind my fear of change. Also listen to Lisa Freidborg Llyod's advice to release the need to know the outcome. Nyx says "Miracles occur when you let go and allow the magick to happen of its own accord."
4. What idea I need to warm up to create growth for Spring? I used my Secrect Language of Colour oracle and got #13 Jade/Take Action! Look at all this lush greenery and earth energy! This card has other very specific symbolism that touches my heart. Total confirmation I'm on the right track!
5. Bottom Line - One more from Vanessa Tarot. Queen of Cups - OMG look at this card! I think I will need to keep my bags packed and my passport close in hand!
I hope you've enjoyed the view under the Creole Moon. The next stop on this Imbolc Boghop 2013 will be by the light of the New Moon Tarot with Sharon.
Posted with Blogsy
