I had been intending to write a blog post about some recent explorations I’ve had with the chalice as a symbol when I opened Sue Vincent’s Thursday Photo Prompt this morning. There before me was a photograph of water in the shape of a chalice illuminated by the light of the sun. The title, “yearning.” I realized that perhaps I had just been provided with the image I needed to explore this ancient symbol in the way it has come to me recently…
Photo Credit: Sue Vincent
Years ago, when I first began exploring Tarot, I bought myself the Rider-Wait deck. I often shuffled the cards to find guidance for my life and writing journey. As frequently happens with Tarot, a card will repeatedly show itself. The Queen of Cups was that card for me.
The Queen of Cups in the Rider-Waite Tarot Deck
The archetype of The Queen sat before me on her throne contemplating a capped golden chalice in her hands bearing a cross at its top. The card is filled with archetypal symbolism, which is up to the individual to explore in relation to his or her own inner journey.
The little girl peered up at me with teddy bear eyes as she asked her question. She was just a few years older than my daughter was when see used to boldly inquire, “Who are you?” while gazing her deep blue eyes into mine.
The question from the little girl this morning made me smile. Wide and free. “I’m the yoga teacher,” I told her.
“Am I taking yoga? I hope I am.”
“I want to take yoga,” the boy beside her chimed in.
“What’s your name?” Another child joined in the conversation.
I resisted the impulse to gather the group of preschoolers ready to go outside for their recess, turn on some Kira Willey, and lead their eager bodies in an impromptu yoga class. Their faces were irresistibly sunny as though they had no idea it was raining just outside the windows. Instead, I gathered the registration forms together out of the envelope I had hung on the bulletin board just last week, and smiled my way home.
It was my third errand of the morning. Before collecting the registration forms from the two Montessori schools, I had dropped off a bag at the high school. A post-it labeled it for the writing teacher, but it was for one of her students. A girl very different from those three exuberant young children in the preschool classroom. What a difference a dozen years can make in a life.
She had never said a word, not even in introduction. Perhaps the teacher had overlooked her on purpose because she was shy. But I had seen the shrug of her shoulders and the head bowed a little further towards the table. The head that never looked up in participation for the hour-and-half I was there.
“I see you,” I wanted to whisper in her ear. Not in the tone of a creepy stalker, but with the words of understanding. “I’ve sat in that seat too. Many a time,” I wanted to tell her, but didn’t.
I didn’t because it was not my classroom, and I did not know her story. Sensitive to the fragility of the teenage mind, I kept quiet, like her. But I couldn’t forget about her. Although she was the only one in the classroom that never said a word, to me she was just as important the eager participants who sat around her. Even though she looked like a forgotten island. Or, an island that wanted to be forgotten.
She reminded me of me, but also someone who wasn’t me. I may never know her story. Why she chooses to wrap into herself. But, I ache for what she has lost, already. Perhaps she was once like that little girl with the happy brown eyes who thought nothing of asking a stranger who she was. I’d like to think so, but this also makes me sad.
I don’t know if she’ll read the book I offered her in return for not acknowledging her presence, and for not knowing how to bridge her island for fear of further harm. She may not read even the first word, and that’s okay. I hope she reads the card, though. I think she will. I hope she realizes that someone saw her when she thought she wasn’t seen. Not by the eyes of judgement, but the eyes of understanding. And, I hope that one day she’ll realize she has a beautiful light inside of her that is waiting to be seen.
It was a strange day, but I didn’t leave feeling defeated or discouraged. I had made $60. The booth fee for the paranormal convention table was $50. My net profit: $10. I didn’t sell one book, instead I sold some totem figurines, a few “Ghost-Be-Gone” sprays and a chakra pendant. Visitors trickled in throughout the day, but not many of the faces changed. Instead, most people were there there for the long-haul, having paid the ticket to see the lectures that were going on every hour or so.
I think I counted five people under the age of 21, but I may have missed one or two. I didn’t know what to expect, so there was really no reason to be disappointed.
Although I had never attended a ParaCon before, and probably looked a bit out of place sitting behind a booth without skulls or haunted baby dolls, I wasn’t entirely out of my element. I’ve done some ghost hunting in my days. I know what it’s like to be haunted. Heck, one of my main characters is a ghost, and that’s just in book one…but, it makes sense that most of the visitors that day were seeking the dark instead of the light. Or so it appeared on the surface.
There were those that stopped. The trio of teens who lingered in their black garb, flipping through the box of totem animals while eying my postcards and books until my friend in the booth beside me brashly announced, “I think you guys should read her book.”
“Really?” the tall one, who never made eye contact asked as he flipped over the cover?
“Yeah, especially you. I can tell you’re looking for answers. You’ll find them there.”
“It’s in Kindle,” I offered. “And it’s much a lot cheaper.”
“Oh really?” he sighed with relief as he took the postcard with all the information he needed.
Throughout the day I found myself wondering if I should lower my price. If I had, I probably would have sold 1 or 2 copies, but there would have been very little or no profit in return. The Indie writer’s world is not easy, and I am still figuring it out. I’ve written a book geared toward, but certainly not limited to, the younger generations. Kids and teens who rarely hold a book in their hands unless it is part of an assignment. A topic we joked about with the three teens who had lingered at my booth yesterday.
I am realizing how much I have ventured into the unknown, or rather, the undetermined. I am not discouraged, though. One seed planted is enough. And there were, perhaps, a couple planted yesterday. Three (not the teens mentioned above) signed up for my newsletter, a handful of others grabbed cards and postcards…maybe a few will go poking around on my website in a search for some answers. And, me, well, I’ll keep writing and venturing into the unknown when it beckons. I’ll welcome, as best as I can, whatever awaits.
I’m okay with that. It’s what I signed up for, after all.
It was an interesting night in the world of dreams. A night filled with a whole lot of flying, but for a very apparent reason. To fly into my fears. It seems my mind had decided to show me every fear I am holding onto at the moment, while my soul decided, you’re ready, let’s go.
There is that saying that you see all over the place, “Whatever you fear most, do it.” Sometimes, for practical purposes, we simply should not do what we fear most. Say, for example, we harbor an intense fear of fire and being burned. Should we really step into a furnace? Probably not if we don’t want to seriously harm our physical bodies. What, though, of the metaphorical furnace?
If we examine the roots of our fears, we can arrive at a greater awareness of self. Sometimes what we fear can seem irrational until we realize why we are harboring it. An intense fear of being burned alive might lead us to a past life in Pompeii. Whereas an over-whelming aversion to speaking in crowds might point us back to circumstances in this lifetime when we were rejected for speaking our truths. There is always an origin to our fears, and it is worth exploring the roots if we want to heal and release that which is holding us back from living fully.
Fears lead to growth, when we allow them to. When we open the door to our fears and fly into them, examining all their nuances as we face them head-on, we can discover the core of our being. We are not here to live small, wrapped in the cloaks of protection that are so easy to don when life presents us with defining moments.
In each moment, we have a choices. We can live in stasis, or we can allow the true self to spread wide our wings and fly. Recently, I have made two choices that I would have shirked in the past. At the end of the month I will be vending at a local Paracon fair, where I will be promoting my new visionary fantasy series for kids and teens, Warriors of Light, and its companion teachings. This takes me out of my comfort zone, but instead of being afraid, I’m filled with excitement.
Next month, I’ll be flying across the pond. My soul is calling me back again to a place that feels like home, but for different reasons than my previous visits. In what might appear like a whim of fancy, there is wrapped within a nest of fears that I have decided to unweave. I have, over my years of self-investigation, discovered that it is not easy for me to receive. As I work with the truth that “I am worthy,” I have begun to allow myself to accept the hands that extend in offer to me. There doesn’t, I have come to realize, have to be a string attached to it, just an open-hearted gratitude to receive the gifts of love.
I have been so utterly amazed by the out-pouring of love that is offered when the heart is open to receive. It is a huge obstacle to overcome when one is used to conditions. Yet, so wonderful to free the tethered heart and fly into trust. I don’t know what I will meet in the hills of Cumbria standing among its ancient stones, but so many hands have extended their offers of love to help lead me there. My husband and children, who without even batting an eyelash, have accepted that I will be gone for a few days. My mother-in-law, who has offered to clear her schedule to be with the teenagers, should they need her, and the pets. And, once again I am amazed, humbled and filled with gratitude for dear friends who live in the land of Albion, some of whom I have only known for a few years. It is one thing to accept the offers of one’s family, it is quite another to accept those of friends and strangers. Yet, I have come to realize how much love there really is in the world. How much abundance housed within our hearts.
So, I am flying into my fears, literally and metaphorically, and instead of trepidation, I feel joy, excitement, and a wellspring of gratitude for all the hands that are lifting me into flight.
What are the fears that are holding you back from flying into joy? Perhaps it’s worth taking a moment of self-reflection and examination to discover what is weighing you down at this moment. Release is often much easier than you might expect.
When I began writing The Labyrinth about six years ago, I had one central question in mind, “How can I help kids and teens live their truths without fear?” As a child who lived in fear of speaking her truths, I have experienced the physical and emotional effects of not living in alignment with your inner truths. I believe the greatest gift we can give our children is the gift of empowerment through unconditional love. When we open up to the realization that our children are here for their own unique purpose, and that it is our job as their caregivers to help honor and nurture their inner gifts, we allow them to bloom into the light of their true selves.
The six main characters in The Labyrinth are young teens who are at that pivotal point in their lives when their sense of self is being developed. They are learning who they are and how they fit into the larger world around them. As each young warrior of light works through their fears and insecurities inside a magical labyrinth filled with light shadowed by darkness, they begin to unlock the gifts of their true selves. Realizing, in this journey of self-discovery, that they are not only powerful, but a necessary part of the web of light that connects all life.
The characters from the Warriors of Light series are featured as teen teachers of life on the site warriorsoflight.club
The Labyrinth is available worldwide in print and Kindle formats, and I have developed a companion website for readers who seek to explore its themes for self-empowerment and personal growth. As I work to enhance and expand the teachings of the book series, I am looking for input and engagement from its targeted readership. I’d like to bring together a group of kids & teens between the ages of 10-14 who are interested in exploring life through The Labyrinth in an online book club. Over the course of 7 weeks, we’ll read and discuss the themes and passages from the book that have the greatest impact on them.
Empowering Youth Through The Labyrinth
Some of the topics that are explored in The Labyrinth include:
Intuitive guidance
Yoga, mindfulness & meditation
Working with crystals & stones
Animal & spirit guides
Energy balancing & protection
Overcoming fear
Finding & embracing one’s gifts
Our discussions will be used to help develop games, workshops and interactive tools, some of which will be hosted on the warriors of light club website, for kids and teens to explore freely. In exchange, I will send participants a signed copy of the book, and a uniquely designed chakra pendant. Unfortunately I can only ship within the U.S. due to international shipping costs, but if there is a reader outside the U.S. who wishes to join the book club I’d be happy to reimburse the cost of the book ordered off of Amazon.
If you know a child or teen who might be interested in being a part of this online bookclub, which will be hosted via Zoom, please share this post with their caregivers. I’d like to begin soon after the New Year and hold the online gatherings on Sunday evenings around 7pm EST.
More about The Labyrinth & the Warriors of Light Club
About The Labyrinth:
Six young teens find themselves drawn inside a mysterious labyrinth. They have been told they are the chosen ones, tasked with a mission to repair the broken paths of light in the planet. A darkness, they discover, that is driven by a fear that is as much outside of them as it is inside of them. In order to save themselves and the planet, the young warriors must find the strengths of their inner gifts. Becoming, in the process, warriors of light bound together on a journey of discovery that will take them to hidden places in Earth and within themselves.
Reviews of The Labyrinth from readers:
“This is a beautifully written book that can be enjoyed by anyone who appreciates adventurers who work to improve themselves and their situations with courage and intelligence. As characters the youngsters show up well in the various situations they find themselves yet not without having to battle their personal demons. I enjoyed it that the violence was not out of proportion to the story, and that there wasn’t a lot of silly “teen age” behavior. Best of all, I felt was the interesting way the author presented nuggets of he Ancient Wisdom, those principles that guide us to our best selves. I can’t wait to see the next book!” — Tasha Halpert
“The Labyrinth is a beautiful metaphysical journey that will appeal to kids who like fantasy and magic. It has at its core an exploration of our relationship with the Earth, and how we each have a shadow side (our fears) that we must be willing to face in order to understand how we can heal ourselves and our planet. The language is beautiful and accessible, the characters diverse and engaging, and the story invites kids to ponder their place in the larger web of life, without being “preachy”… I deeply appreciate the author’s mission to help kids dive below the surface in an age where it’s easy to get lost in the technological and material world.” — Carol Goff
Warriors of Light.Club:
Warriorsoflight.club, a companion website for the book series, was created to provide children, teens, and their caregivers a free, accessible, and safe environment to explore a deeper awareness of self. A monthly newsletter is offered via the website for youth who seek a community where they feel accepted and honored for embracing their true, unique selves.
Alethea Kehas, MFA, RMT, RYT200, owner of Inner Truth Healing & Yoga, works with people of all ages to discover, heal, and realign with their inner truths. The Labyrinth is her second published book, and she is in the processing of writing book 2 of the Warriors of Light series.
Years ago, when I began the creation of my metaphysical fantasy series, Warriors of Light, I seeded the intention that I would give a portion of the sales to support causes that relate to the themes in the book.
The six main characters in the series are young teens who feel as though they do not quite fit into society. All of them struggle with their inner demons and at least one, with his sexuality.
I have decided that 50% of this month’s proceeds from book sales of The Labyrinth will go to The Trevor Project. The Trevor Fund supports LGBTQ youth who may be contemplating suicide. Even if you choose not to purchase a copy of The Labyrinth this December, perhaps you will consider a donation to The Trevor Project.
To learn more about The Labyrinth and the Warriors of Light series, please visit my websites, aletheakehas.com and warriorsoflight.club. Warriorsoflight.club was designed for the young readers of the series who desire a deeper exploration of self, as well as a sense of community and belonging. Here you can sign up for a monthly newsletter, which will further explore the metaphysical themes from the series and provide a platform of interaction for the readers.
A companion site of the Warriors of Light metaphysical fantasy series.
I am pleased to announce the release of warriorsoflight.club, a companion site for the Warriors of Light metaphysical fantasy series I am writing. Those of you who have read book one, The Labyrinth, will recognize the characters Dell, Shesha, Sula, Lupe, Aponi and Ari, as well as a guest appearance from my personal favorite, Grandmother Crow, on the pages of the site.
Written from the character’s perspectives, the website offers a page for each of their focused teachings:
At “Intuition with Aponi,” visitors will discover the wisdom of the inner voice, and how it is always there, waiting to be heard.
Shesha takes readers on a journey through the chakras at “Shesha’s Energy Tips,” offering tips and exercises to live a balanced, grounded, and connected life
Grandmother Crow makes a guest appearance as an interviewee as Ari’s spirit guide on his page “Spirit Helper’s with Ari”
While Dell explores the sometimes hidden realms and shares a few of her favorite “magical” photographs at “Dell’s Magical Realms.”
The power of the mind and living in the present moment is eco-warrior Lupe’s topic of choice on his page, “Mindful Living with Lupe.”
And, Sula, the reader, shares her favorite (and growing, she loves suggestions 😉 books and more at “Sula’s Library of Resources.”
I’ve designed the site with the intention of interaction and expansion. There is an option to subscribe to a monthly newsletter where kids and teens can explore topics of interest in more depth, and write in with their questions and comments.
Above all, warriorsoflight.club is meant to be a resource of discovery and exploration for kids of all ages (that means adult kids too!). I’d be honored to have you visit it and share it with anyone who might find it of interest.
I am excited to introduce to my blog a new column featuring young “Warriors of Light” to complement my newly released book series. I am hoping to make this a weekly feature, and am looking for your help finding kids and teens who are shining their inner light out into the world in some way, whether it is through community service, being a compassionate friend to someone in need, cleaning up trash on the roadside, etc. If you know of a child or teen you feel is a Warrior of Light and whose story may help inspire others, please contact me.
In the meantime, I’d like to introduce you to Ethan Wasiejko who is becoming a well-known presence as a young Warrior of Light in the metaphysical communities around where I live. Ethan graciously agreed to be my first interviewee for this column. Here is what he shared with me:
Ethan Wasiejko
Hi Ethan, thank you so much for being my first Warriors of Light interviewee, and to your mom for agreeing to the interview. Can you tell our readers how old you are and what you believe to be your life purpose? Or, are you still figuring that part out?
I am honored and grateful to be your first guest! I am 17-years-old, and I am a high school student. I believe my life purpose is to help others discover who they are, and help them learn how to embrace their human experience and enjoy their journey, in both the positive and negative moments. I am forever grateful and blessed for the opportunities that come my way to live out my purpose every day. Being there for my fellow human beings is not something I believe to be an obligation, but something that is within me. It is who I am!
How old were you when you started realizing you had a unique gift, or set of gifts, to offer the world?
When I was 13-years-old, I was at my family lake house. I was with a family friend of ours who practiced Wiccan practices and I was fascinated when he read my aura and performed mediumship. I immediately knew that I needed to learn more, and I did. My Aunt Sam, who works closely alongside me, gave me a book by Elizabeth J. Foley, an Angel Healer, and I reached out to her to get a reading of my own. She told me this was my purpose, and gave me a deck of oracle cards to practice with. I read my family, friends, etc… and before I knew it I was giving psychic readings. I have taken many other classes and courses, I have read many books, and I kept practicing everyday, which helped me greatly. So, yeah, at age 13 I began my awakening, and now at 4 years later, it was worth opening my eyes to say the least!
*I think it’s rather cool that Ethan had a spiritual awakening at the age of 13, which happens to be the age of the protagonists in my coming-of-age middle-grade fantasy series, Warriors of Light. They, like Ethan, discover their paths as they open to their unique gifts.
Did this make you feel different from your peers?
Well, in a way, I have always felt much different than many of my peers. I always felt a little different, even before I realized the gifts I have. I have always walked to the beat of my own drum, and I have always been truly proud to do so. I believe that awakening to my gifts helped me realize who I really am, and I know now that everything in my life has happened for a reason. I have had many people, adults and teens, who have made me feel badly for my gifts. Every time I heard them say something negative to me, I immediately had an opposite reaction. I would wish them well, and I would remind myself that one day, they will understand why I do things the way I do them. I know who I am, and that is all that matters at the end of the day.
Have you had any challenges bringing your gifts into the world and your community?
I would say the biggest challenge I have had so far with my gifts and bringing them into the world is actually my age. Many people tend to think that because I am young, and because I am still in high school, I don’t really know what I am doing. I understand the concern, of course. But, it has been a difficult time in terms of feeling like I have to “earn” someone else’s trust in a more difficult way than if I was an adult. I have not been practicing for 40 years nor have I taken many intensive classes or college courses, however, I have been able to develop a very great self-made practice and everyday I continue that practice. I am proud of the “work” I do!
You are still in high school, have you ever experienced misunderstanding from your peers or teachers?
I most certainly have experienced some misunderstanding in my high school career thus far. I would say it is mostly with those who do not necessarily believe in the gifts that I have. I do not mind, nor are they judgmental about it. As for peers, I know there are many who really love and embrace the gifts that I have. I know a lot of them who are happy to know that they aren’t alone, and that if they feel they have gifts too, they can open up about it. It is more common to see teens and kids these days embracing spirituality, which I am thrilled about. I would say the only thing that bothers me is when I am asked if I can read their minds, see their grandparents who have passed away, or tell them how many fingers they are holding behind their back, to name a few. And yes, I have been asked this by students and teachers. I encourage and do not mind the curiosity, but I certainly wish for people to understood that I am a human too, and I do not have a “try me!” sticker on my forehead.
If there was one thing you could tell kids or teens who are struggling to find their place in the world, what would it be?
To every child and teen who is struggling to find out who they are, where they are going, and what their purpose is, this is what I have to say: forget everyone and everything that has ever made you feel like you are not living your truth. Be strong, be bold, be powerful, and love yourself. Even if you do not know what your truth is right now, the moment you get to know yourself better, you will see exactly who you are. And, know that there will always be someone who is out there supporting you. And finally, always remember this: I am powerful, just like you.
What, or who, has been your biggest source of strength and/or inspiration?
First and foremost, I must honor my Aunt Sam here. She has helped me awaken to my gifts and understand what it means to be psychic and a medium. We both began to understand our gifts together 3 years ago, and we are grateful to have one another! My mother is hands down the strongest person alive, so I am truly honored to have her as a mom. My family is wonderful and their support is the best thing I could have! I have many incredible mentors, and I am so grateful for them all. I have the most amazing friends who truly support me every day, and even when we annoy each other, the love is real and it is something I would never trade for the whole world. I must, as always, pay my respect to Lady Gaga, as her message of kindness, love, and acceptance is truly incredible. I have loved her from day one, and I always fight to carry her message to everyone I meet.
How did you find the resources you needed to develop your gifts?
As I continued awakening to my gifts, I collected a lot of books from many different places. I learned everything from angel healing to mediumship, to Reiki and even table-tipping. I would search YouTube for hours learning about other people’s journeys, I would learn how to meditate, and I would even watch mediums and psychics giving people readings to understand how it works. I also work with a wonderful group of people that I have known for many years now. Chrissy Masterson is a mentor whom I work with regularly, and I am very honored to have her by my side.
If you could change one thing about this world what would it be?
This question, in some ways, is challenging for me because a few big ideas come to my mind. I would like to see a world where people are able to at least try and understand one another. We move so fast in this world, and we often forget to take a moment to honor and empathize with one another. If we could all, just for one moment, pause and try to understand what someone is going through, we would be able to work together rather than against each other.
What do you love most about life?
Well…I am young, and I have a feeling I have a great amount of time ahead of me before I leave the earth plane. However, with all that I have been through in my life so far, I have learned there is always something to love in life. I have always thought it was interesting to think that I am here on earth during the same time as everyone else that I know, personally or not. It is truly incredible to me that I am able to be here at the same time as the amazing people I have in my life, my family, my dearest friends…it is almost unfathomable to me, when I think about it, that we chose to be here on earth, all together, at the same time. I would not want to live my life without the beautiful, amazing and monumental relationships I have formed with my friends and family. That is what I love most about life-the people I am able to enjoy life with.
Thank you again, Ethan, for being who you are and sharing your light with the world. If you would like to learn more about Ethan, his social media links are below:
The washer is dead, the kids are back in school and the new neighbors are murdering felling all the trees in their front yard. The tears are simmering just below the surface, but I’m feeling the urge to rant more than cry. It’s one of those lifetimes days when you find yourself asking (over and over again), What is wrong with this world?!
Here’s the thing with the washer: I had a feeling it had officially kicked the bucket, but we decided to pay the $99.95 service fee to find out that it is not only dead but unfixable. Even if we wanted to repair its multiple issues (there was talk of the display board being broken, as well as the motor), we can’t. It’s ten-years-old, apparently long past its predicted lifetime, and its parts are no available to fix it. I’m really wishing we had not bought that new dryer still sitting in a box, waiting to replace our still-working, albeit-not-very-efficient, yet rarely-used-because-we-let-the-sun-dry-our-clothes-for-free-dryer that is at least forty years old, even if it is a fire hazard…because you see, there was a time when we built things to last, and not consume and throw away.
Yesterday, while emptying the dishwasher that is only a year old, I found myself putting more glasses in the sink than in the cabinet. Spots. Tiny spots, all over them. Thoughts of going back in time and living the life of Anne Shirley (my favorite childhood heroine) danced across my mind while I hand-washed glasses, and later, sodden laundry that smelled like gym shoes after being stuck in a locked, broken washer for two days. I could see myself in a gingham dress, my hair braided and tucked behind my ears while I sat with my bucket of clothes. My arms felt the satisfaction of racking the dirt free across the imaginary rippled back of the washer-board. And, I was smiling. It was a happier day in my mind. Life simple and unblemished by the advances in technology that distract us and push our minds away from the present moment. There is a certain satisfaction that comes with doing a job yourself, instead of letting a machine do it for you. I thought about how much I enjoy hanging laundry on the clothesline and pressing my face to the dry cloth that’s been kissed by the wind and the sun before I fold it away; running warm water in the sink and watching the bubbles multiply before I scrub clean the pots and pans I have used to cook a meal for my family.
Where do you think a washer goes when it’s time to bury it? I Googled the question, and actually found this article in Scientific American, “Where Do Old Appliances Go After They Die?” Since the author sounded like a kindred spirit, I decided to read what he had to say. I was already feeling a bit lighter after the first paragraph, which is actually a question posed by a concerned consumer who does not want to “add to the waste stream” and would rather repair her old appliances. Good luck finding parts, I smiled wryly before I continued on.
But, there’s hope, the article reveals. Utility companies will sometimes recycle your old appliances if you buy a more energy efficient one (at least when it comes to fridges and freezers), or you can go to Earth911.org to find a recycler near you. Aside from the annoying pop-up asking me to subscribe, I’m already loving this Earth911 site, which I’m pretty sure I’ve visited before. It appears to be updated regularly with great articles on how you can reduce, reuse, and recycle, and find more Earth-friendly products. It’s Lupe’s kind-of site, and I think I’ll dedicate this post to him.
“Each time his peers showed off their newest smartphones, Lupe thought of children in China walking barefoot through acres of discarded electronics, picking cadmium and copper from metal circuits with bare hands. He thought of poisons leaching into the porous tissues of skin, coursing through blood with oxygen along pathways to hearts and brains.” (chapter 5, The Labyrinth)
It literally takes two seconds to type in your type of dead appliance and zip code to find a potential appliance recycler near you. I found one in the neighboring town. Looks like they take washers & dryers, so I’ll be investigating this a little further. There are also links on the Earth911 website for recycling a whole host of other products including yoga mats and nail polish. Yep, things are looking a little brighter around here (there’s also a LOT more sun in the neighbor’s yard).
The grinding of machines crunching tree limbs can still be heard, though, and I am doing my best to breath in the possibility of new life forming to replace what has been lost. I know we will soon need to take some of our own trees down that are dying and diseased, and top others to provide enough light for our solar panels. It will not be easy, I will be blessing the Earth and the trees once again for their sacrifice. If you have a moment to add a personal blessing to the trees and the Earth, adding with it the vision of new life flourishing next door, the elemental spirits, (Lupe), and I would be very grateful.
Not at the neighbor’s but down the road where a forest was destroyed for a new safety complex
As for the kids going back to school. There’s not much I can say about that aside from this: I feel like I didn’t sleep at all, but I must have because I can recall having a dream that I was their age, struggling to decide what to wear, and then missing the bus. They both made it to school on time, though, and it’s rather quiet here, aside from the machines next door. It will likely take me a couple of days to get used to it, but I will. Maybe that’s why I agreed to have a tooth filling replaced on my birthday tomorrow. A little pain distraction is sometimes welcome.
Wishing all kids and parents much happiness at this time of year, and if you’re in the market for a new washer or dryer, don’t buy one “made in China.” A word of advice from the serviceman who declared my washer offically dead. May she rest in peace and be repurposed into some new form. And, may our new washer last at least as long as she did.
I used to keep a journal of my animal encounters. Not just animals, insects too, and birds, and all manner of non-human life forms I met up with each day. I was interested in their symbolism and what it might mean to me. Synchronicities and patterns. The universe talking in code. I used to do a lot of things I no longer do, and these days I am acutely aware of how much I am allowing myself to be wrapped up in the mundane, favoring it over the magic of life. Not because I want to, but because I have somehow convinced myself that I must. I must not search for encounters, but for what feels like artificial messages. Messages that I must send to get readers for my new book. It is a task I do not like, but that in itself is a lesson and, therefore, a gift. How do I make magic out of the mundane? Somedays it’s easier than others.
When the jobs we feel we must do become a chore, should we continue on in toil, or should we pause and breathe into the depth of being to find the magic contained within the moment that is always offered to us? The moment upon which we trail our breath and our thoughts, whether they be rapid, or peaceful? Today there were many encounters throughout my day which felt forced, labored, and without the fruits of joy. Yet, there were also pauses when I stopped to be present.
I watched the squirrel, boldly wearing red fur as it masqueraded as an acrobat climbing up, then down my “fairy” tree stealing apples in its mouth and leaping through limbs as though gravity is a ruse. I could almost believe anything was possible until I returned to the drudgery of musts. “You must do this to sell books.” “You must do that.”
The voice inside my heart forever whispering against the pull of musts, “just let it be.” “They’ll find the words you wrote for them, somehow.” I don’t always believe in somehows, but the voice inside me tells me I should.
The crow that stopped my feet today was dead. Its head pointed downhill. Black feathers tucked above the vibrant green of grass on this sunless day. I couldn’t help but think of magic extinguished. It had fallen beneath wires. Was it electrocuted by too much force? Energy coursing outside its bounds? The owl had been found in nearly the same place, also dead, one month before. I cannot help but think of the two bird messengers in my book. Grandmother Crow. The owl who haunts the last pages with a warning…
Yet death, I am reminded by yesterday’s snake, is not an end, but a beginning. Decayed life breeds new life in that ever-lasting cycle. How can I forget the wisdom of Shesha? Did I not write his story upon the pages too?
Briefly, today, I thought about fairies. Sue had reblogged a post about the fey and for some wonderful moments, I was transported into the realm of magic not often seen. Perhaps that was why I was led by the turkey feather, which floated up from the blackened road as though wanting to be seen. To be caught, as I drove home. So I took the ever-willing dog for a walk, and there it was. In the middle of the road. Large, curved, and perfect. Banded in brown. A solitary turkey feather waiting for my hand to receive its gift.
So I twirled it in my fingers, feeling the life still present. Blessed life. A reminder of abundance. Down the road, a red fox wandered from the twilight woods and stopped to fix my gaze. We stared as though each daring movement, until a car passed by. Some say foxes hold the secrets of the fey. Cunning, bold, stealthy. Red, like the squirrel. Have I lost touch with the red blood of Earth? I wrote the words in this book, in part, to save her. Created six warriors with a mission to repair her broken veins, forgetting, after I had finished, that one must care for the inner body, always, while caring for the outer. And so I look back upon today. To the red squirrel taking with ease the fruit of the apple back to its nest. The dead crow charged with too much power. The lone turkey feather in the middle of the road. One perfect blessing waiting to be held. And the red fox who had ventured, for a moment, out of the hidden realm to say hello.
Grandmother Crow speaking her ancient wisdom from the pages of The Labyrinth. Order your copy today.
a balanced, grounded, and connected life
Grandmother Crow makes a guest appearance as an interviewee as Ari’s spirit guide on his page “
While Dell explores the sometimes hidden realms and shares a few of her favorite “magical” photographs at “
page, “
And, Sula, the reader, shares her favorite (and growing, she loves suggestions 😉 books and more at “
The Light Behind the Story 