Author Archive

I decided to create an exercise that was a bit of a mundane-to-magickal wordplay. I began by considering the word reflect as well as it’s other iterations. I began by looking initially what their meaning was from the viewpoint of everyday usage in our spoken or written expression.

Reflect: to consider, to look back
Reflection: mirror, a result (ie: “this is a reflection of her work as a…”)
Reflecting: to turn or look back, remembering, impacting

Next I considered the words and then began to shape them into power words that hold meaning for me magickally and could aid me in impacting the world around me through my intention.

In my mind the word “reflect” in magickal terms is one of mirroring.

From that perspective, “reflect” also brings up the word “deflect” in my mind. When we deflect, we are placing a guard up that deflects all manner of responsibility, fault, or blame away from us. This can be both self-defeating as well as harmful to those around us. It could also be considered a powerful tool for protective shielding, however for me I find it a less empowered way for me to control exactly what I want and what I don’t want to come inside.

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A Place of Enchantment
“Magical Housekeeping” by Tess Whitehurst
A review by Willow Raevynwood

From the moment I started reading “Magical Housekeeping” by Tess Whitehurst, I was spellbound. Tess writes with an easy, friendly style that feels as if she was sitting right there in the room with you enjoying a cup of tea and passing along her advice. Her writing style is very reminiscent of the great Scott Cunningham, who I absolutely adore. Tess appears to adore him as well as he is thanked in the acknowledgments at the beginning of the book. Word to the wise, don’t skip over the introduction. It gives a lot of insight into Tess’ life.

In “Magical Housekeeping” Tess draws upon her extensive knowledge in Feng Shui. This knowledge comes from her personal practice as well as her professional consulting. The great thing about Tess though is that she only introduces you to the basic, and in my opinion, most important aspects of Feng Shui. She does this so as not to bog down the reader with the numerous paths and practices of traditional Feng Shui. She makes it accessible to everybody so that they may incorporate it easily into their own lives.

Tess starts the reader off clearing clutter. Prior to reading “Magical Housekeeping”, I learned that clearing clutter from our living and workspaces is vital to eliminate stagnant energy and welcome in fresh, revitalizing energy. She teaches us how to recognize clutter…sometimes it is difficult to tell. She also reveals to us the affect this clutter has not only in our household energy but also in our own lives as a whole. In the Clutter Clearing chapter, Tess illustrated methods to help us not only clear up the physical clutter but also the mental, psychological, and spiritual clutter that may be plaguing us. I’ve never seen this mentioned in any book that I’ve read so I found this to be brilliant and extremely helpful. At the end of the chapter, she includes a very useful checklist that can be used to guide you through clearing clutter.

After we clear out the clutter, Tess leads us into how to clean our homes, again physically and energetically since they’re both linked. She shares with us recipes for fragrant washes and methods of how to clear our homes of sticky, stagnant energy that prevent positive and active energy from entering our space. As is her style, these methods are very easy to follow. As I was reading these methods of space clearing, numerous times I mentally said, “Now why didn’t I think of that?!”

Once the clutter is gone and the space is clean and clear, we learn how to draw in positive energies such as harmony, prosperity, inspiration and love. And let’s face it, who couldn’t use at least one of those energies in their home at any given time, right? She uses her Feng Shui knowledge to guide us into realizing where the power centers are within our own homes and how to maximize the energies of those centers. She gives important tips of what should and what shouldn’t be in certain rooms of your house. It shed a lot of light on my current living situation.

As part of drawing in beneficial energy, Tess covers gestures, vocalizations, and visualization that she garnered from her own meditation, yoga, and magical practices. By using these 3 empowerments, we are able to draw in even more of the good energy that we wish to manifest within our homes and in our lives. Personally, I think I will be using these 3 Secret Empowerments often.

Tess guides us even further to not only draw in active, beneficial energy but to transform our home into a place of enchantment. She covers gemstones, spiritual entities (such as faeries and angels), animal friends, and scents. I found these chapters to be very informative and exciting. This chapter was designed so that we can continually draw in the energy we desire even when we can’t be present. By tapping into the ethereal realm and the beings who reside there, we draw the mystical and enchanted toward us.

Feeling safe and secure in our homes is important in maintaining the energies we wish to keep in our lives. If you don’t feel safe then all your work will just fly out the window. To finish off the book, Tess leaves us with some rituals of home protection and blessing. She also includes additional rituals to attract money, love, or a peaceful household. She even includes rituals to remove unwanted “house guests”, physical or spirit.

This book is magnificent and I truly believe it has something for everybody. Since reading it, I have recommended it to numerous friends, magical and non-magical. With Tess’ style, she doesn’t overload the reader with information but rather gently guides you with suggestions so I believe even non-magical practitioners would benefit from reading this book. As someone who will be purchasing their first home soon, I know I will be making use of “Magical Housekeeping”. It will be one book that I will not remove from my bookshelf when I am clearing clutter because I think it is an invaluable resource. Extremely well done Tess! I eagerly await your future books!

I have some thoughtful affirmations I’d like to share. They come from my heart and provide insight into my philosophy as a teacher of Wicca and as one who knows that my life touches many as the days and years pass. These are truths that I model in my interactions with students of Sacred Mists, my children and family, and those with whom I am fortunate enough to meet on my journey through life. My hope is that these affirmations will bring to those who need them peace, to those who crave them solace, to those who reject them awareness, and to those who live them harmony. Blessed be to one and all!

1. Never jump to conclusions.
2. Always give the benefit of the doubt.
3. Make constructive criticism the only criticism you will give.
4. Always give a second chance.
5. Find forgiveness in your heart, no matter the issue.
6. Recognize that everyone makes mistakes, even yourself.
7. Always treat others how you wish to be treated.
8. Never forget to place yourself in the other person’s shoes, even if just for a moment.
9. Recognize that we all carry baggage. Don’t make yours someone else’s.
10. Recognize that we have all come to Mother Earth to learn our life lessons. You can choose to help those who are learning, or reject them when their lessons become hard to deal with.
11. Always give importance to yourself in every situation, but not so much that it removes compassion and understanding.
12. Open yourself to the love and harmony that is offered within your spiritual path.
13. Remove yourself from any place or person where you find yourself incapable of being loving and nurturing, but always recognize that it is your issue and not their own.
14. No one can do anything to you that you do not allow them to do, consciously or subconsciously.
15. We are all complete with perfection and faults that balance us into imperfect beings.
16. To dislike, hate, or otherwise reject one whom you feel wronged by is to reject your own ability to learn lessons that are being presented to you.
17. Be a positive influence.
18. The old adage, “if you can’t say something nice, don’t say anything at all” holds true in all group settings, at a minimum. Create a “safe haven” experience wherever you are. Be a part of holding that philosophy in every interaction.
19. Love. Simply love. Yourself, and others.
20. Be the change you want to see in the world.

Before you panic, please let me clarify. We’re not going offline as in we won’t be available online just as we’ve always been (and will always be!), but we are expanding to include an offline location in Napa, CA where we will be developing a beautiful retail store for Sacred Mists Shoppe that will be open to the public. Our new home will also provide us an incredible venue to host in-person seminars, classes, drumming circles, special events, author and artist appearances, and more! We are very excited to see the hard work we have devoted to the Craft over the past ten years continue to manifest into more outreach, more services, and more opportunity for us to share the path with others.

In the planning of the overall development, it was of utmost importance to us to ensure a completely green and eco-friendly build-out of the space we will be residing in for the next ten years or more. We are striving to ensure that those who enter Sacred Mists’ offline location will feel the harmonious energy that is being put into each and every step of the process. We are also in hopes that our design and attention to these critical details will influence other businesses in the area to follow suit. Positive influence flowing outward simply by living your path is one of the most important aspects to the Sacred Mists tradition, and one we will reinforce through this new venture!

We are anticipating that we will be opening in September of 2010, which will give us time to bring the enchantments of Sacred Mists to each and every visitor that comes through our doors. Through the coming weeks and months, I will be sharing the process of this exciting journey through pictures and updates here on our blog.

I hope you are as excited as we are and look forward to sharing the beauty, wonder, and magick of Sacred Mists in even more tangible ways. You all have open invitations to come visit us once the doors open and in the interim, please send your positive energy to help the process continue to move forward smoothly as we work to bring the growth and vision of Sacred Mists to fruition. Blessed be!

Staring straight into the face of opportunity seems like it would be an exciting thing, right? Not always! For some, the unknown can be frightening. Many of us are filled with the ever-present “what if?” that seems to come from all directions, making us wonder if we will be doing the right thing by moving out of our comfort zone. For some people, the fear of making a mistake or doing something wrong can be paralyzing, and it is here that we must learn to make sound decisions for ourselves by trusting our instincts and our inner voice.

We all have an inner voice, deep within that guides us. How many times have you said, “If only I had listened to my gut….”? When faced with a decision, we feel the answer within the very core of our being. We hear the voice that tells us whether we are moving in the right or the wrong direction. Just listen to that voice and all will be well, right? Sadly, it’s not that easy. That voice, that feeling, is often in direct opposition with our minds and hearts. Our minds can think of a myriad of reasons why we should or shouldn’t do something, rationalizing away our inner voice and silencing it. Our hearts can override both in an intense wave of emotion-driven reaction, pushing aside everything to achieve fulfillment. How can we possibly know what is the right or wrong way to go with such conflict going on within us? The answer is simple: Self-empowerment and self-trust.

Self-empowerment provides us the strength to move forward in our lives with the ability to know, deep within, that we are able to accomplish what we set out to do because we are capable of doing so. We provide ourselves the tools to be accomplished, and take every opportunity presented to us and achieve success each and every step of the way. When we misstep, we pick ourselves up and look deep within to see where we made the mistake, and, most importantly, did we listen to the inner voice that will guide us like a homing beacon toward the best outcome. Each time we do this, we build our feeling of self-empowerment and soon we will start truly believing in and trusting ourselves to be able to make sound decisions and step forward in our lives with great success.

Self-trust is a learned ability that comes to us over time. Each opportunity we are given provides us a moment to listen to our inner guiding voice and to make sound decisions. Each time we are successful in our endeavors, we prove to ourselves that we are trustworthy and can guide ourselves in the best way possible. When we make mistakes and then look within to determine how better to achieve our goals in the future, we prove to ourselves that we will do whatever is necessary to take care of ourselves.

Self-empowerment and self-trust are two of the most important keys in magickal work as they remove the presence of doubt. Ultimately our doubt is the very thing that can hinder success in our practice. Have you heard the old adage, “We are our own worst enemy”? Doubting ourselves, thus hindering our own empowerment and trust, is a perfect example.

Listen to your inner voice. Develop a relationship with it. Learn to know it intimately and to be able to discern between your true core voice and the conflicting messages coming from your mind and heart. Trust it to guide you in the right direction. Looking back at choices we have made in the past, almost every action we have taken in life that we consider to be a mistake can be directly correlated to not listening to that voice.

Know this… your inner voice will never steer you wrong and will guide you toward manifesting the successful outcome of every opportunity you are ever presented with!

Beltane is one of my favorite turns of the wheel. It is a time to celebrate the sensual and sexual nature of all beings, and to drink in the passion that swirls around us. Here in the northern hemisphere we are seeing the land awaken after a deep slumber through the cold winter months. We see the blossoms appear on fruit trees, with their gentle fragrance and delicate stamen tempting bees toward them in a seductive dance that ensures a bountiful harvest later in the year. The air is charged with fertile, fiery energy that seems to emanate from every direction and fills us with passion as we look around and celebrate life.

Beltane, just as its counterpart Samhain, is a time when the veil between the worlds is at its thinnest and the two intermingle. It is a time when the faeries awake from their winter slumber and begin to dance and play in the fresh grasses and flowers that herald their coming. In times past, branches of Rowan were set in window sills and flower petals were laid at entryways to serve as protection from the mischievous Faerie folk who were buzzing with energy, much like child awakening from a long nap; ready to play!

It is said that on the eve of Beltane, the Queen of the Faeries rides out on her white steed, tempting those she comes across back to the Land of the Fae. There is a lovely ballad from Scotland, written in the 13th century, called “Thomas the Rhymer”. In it, a young man named Thomas meets a beautiful woman riding a white horse while he rests upon a riverbank. She reveals herself to be the Queen of Faeries (Elfland) and, after sealing him to her with a kiss, takes him on her horse. They ride long and far until he expresses hunger, but she refuses to allow him to eat anything other than what she gives him. While they are stopped, she reveals to him where they are headed. She shows him three distinct paths: one heavy with thorny brambles leading to heaven, one beautiful and inviting which leads to hell, and one that is lush and green which leads directly to her lands. There she tells him not to speak lest he never return to his own land. She then gives him clothing and keeps him there for seven years. To read more about this, do visit the website dedicated to Tam Lin.

Thomas the Rhymer
also known as “True Thomas”

1. True Thomas lay on Huntlie Bank,
A ferlie he spied wi’ his eye
And there he saw a lady bright,
Come riding down by Eildon Tree.

2. Her shirt was o the grass-green silk,
Her mantle o the velvet fyne
At ilka tett of her horse’s mane
Hang fifty siller bells and nine.

3. True Thomas, he pulld aff his cap,
And louted low down to his knee
“All hail, thou mighty Queen of Heaven!
For thy peer on earth I never did see.”

4. “O no, O no, Thomas,” she said,
“That name does not belang to me;
I am but the queen of fair Elfland,
That am hither come to visit thee.”

5. “Harp and carp, Thomas,” she said,
“Harp and carp along wi’ me,
And if ye dare to kiss my lips,
Sure of your bodie I will be.”

6. “Betide me weal, betide me woe,
That weird shall never daunton me;”
Syne he has kissed her rosy lips,
All underneath the Eildon Tree.

7. “Now, ye maun go wi me,” she said,
“True Thomas, ye maun go wi me,
And ye maun serve me seven years,
Thro weal or woe, as may chance to be.”

8. She mounted on her milk-white steed,
She’s taen True Thomas up behind,
And aye wheneer her bridle rung,
The steed flew swifter than the wind.

9. O they rade on, and farther on–
The steed gaed swifter than the wind–
Untill they reached a desart wide,
And living land was left behind.

10. “Light down, light down, now, True Thomas,
And lean your head upon my knee;
Abide and rest a little space,
And I will shew you ferlies three.”

11. “O see ye not that narrow road,
So thick beset with thorns and briers?
That is the path of righteousness,
Tho after it but few enquires.

12. “And see not ye that braid braid road,
That lies across that lily leven?
That is the path to wickedness,
Tho some call it the road to heaven.

13. “And see not ye that bonny road,
That winds about the fernie brae?
That is the road to fair Elfland,
Where thou and I this night maun gae.

14. “But, Thomas, ye maun hold your tongue,
Whatever ye may hear or see,
For, if you speak word in Elflyn land,
Ye’ll neer get back to your ain countrie.”

15. O they rade on, and farther on,
And they waded thro rivers aboon the knee,
And they saw neither sun nor moon,
But they heard the roaring of the sea.

16. It was mirk mirk night, and there was nae stern light,
And they waded thro red blude to the knee;
For a’ the blude that’s shed on earth
Rins thro the springs o that countrie.

17. Syne they came on to a garden green,
And she pu’d an apple frae the tree:
“Take this for thy wages, True Thomas,
It will give the tongue that can never lie.”

18. “My tongue is mine ain,” True Thomas said;
“A gudely gift ye was gie to me!
I neither dought to buy nor sell,
At fair or tryst where I may be.

19. “I dought neither speak to prince or peer,
Nor ask of grace from fair ladye:”
“Now hold thy peace,” the lady said,
“For as I say, so must it be.”

20. He has gotten a coat of the even cloth,
And a pair of shoes of velvet green,
And till seven years were gane and past
True Thomas on earth was never seen.

I wish you a most blessed and beautiful Beltane for our readers in the northern hemisphere and Samhain for our readers in the southern hemisphere!