Supreme Court Rules: Marriage Equality

In case you weren't bombarded with rainbows in every social media page online - yesterday the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in favor of Marriage Equality. 

As a LGBTQ supporter, we here at Seer & Sundry are very happy with the ruling and would love to raise our cups in toast to all of our friends within the community, both those that fall into the LGBTQ category and those that simply support Love. The 10 of Cups in the tarot is traditionally read as a card of joy, love, family, and celebration. This card often harkens to a marriage or union. It is the card that often says "Happily Ever After" within a reading. We are super happy to pull it out and wave it proudly in this instance of happiness.

Many of us are sadly dealing with hateful responses in our communities and even in our homes to the ruling. It is our dearest hope that those that disagree with same-sex marriage will do so in a peaceful manner. It is one thing to voice your opinion, quite another to act violently towards someone who doesn't hold to your beliefs. Our hearts go out to you in hopes that you will understand that the love of two people and their desire to join in legal union is not done to oppose you or your beliefs but done in order for individual and community happiness. We hope one day you can join us in this celebration of love and joy.

Joyful Blessings

Earth Shaking Meditation

Lately I've been struggling to find some balance between doing what I feel I need to do for  this blog and doing things like work on my body, focus on my pregnancy and upcoming baby, and the like. I feel super conflicted about being an entrepreneur and a soon-to-be momma. I sometimes scold myself, knowing that there are many, many moms out there that work full time in 9-5 jobs while pregnant and parenting and can do it so why can't I force myself to sit at the computer for a few hours a day and bust out some blog posts or work on my book or something! 

I sat down yesterday to work on this site. I just could not focus at all. The music I was listening to wasn't doing it for me so I spent like an hour trying to make up a working playlist. I was hungry but couldn't decide on a snack. I made some tea, forgot the water in the electric kettle so it got cold and then I had to make it all over again. I then, of course, forgot my tea brewing, it got cold, so I had to make it a third time. Still no writing was done and I felt so frustrated. 

At last I said screw it, closed my computer, and went in search for a better activity. I ended p trying out my new pre-natal yoga dvd that I bought at the thrift store - The New Method by Gurmukh Kaur Khalsa. The exercises, mantras, and meditations are great and each movement is emphasized by Gurmukh's explanation of how this helps during the pregnancy or later during labor. As a Sagittarius my body loves it when I move but as a Gemini Rising I have the most difficult time just doing any exercise that has no end goal or purpose clearly dictated, so her explanations really helped me get into the movements and I felt great by the end of the 45 minutes.

After yoga I did a meditation on releasing fears, worries, and anxieties regarding my pregnancy and labor. The core of the meditation was getting in touch with my own power as a woman and understanding that this act of creating my son and giving birth to him come this fall is something I was wonderfully and divinely created to do. It wasn't a guided meditation or one I read but merely one that I did based on some of the messages I'd been receiving lately from some articles, books and media I've been ingesting. 

I came out of my meditation like I normally do - a few simple stretches and waking myself to the world consciously like rising up out of a deep pool. I stood up, blinked a few times, and took a step off my yoga mat. The whole world shook!
Alaska has earthquakes quite often, if you didn't know. Usually these earthquakes are small and barely recognized by residents of the state. I can count 4 in my memory that I really felt things move. That being said, the earthquake we had here yesterday...well, I felt it. Our fridge rattled, dishes in the cupboard jangled, books bounced, and my exercise ball came rolling towards me like a fearful animal. 

I stood, one foot on the yoga mat, the other on the wood floor, and watched the scene around me. I was still in this calm, detached state from my meditation and I equate that to my response to the earthquake. It felt too surreal. I wasn't sure if it was even happening or if it was only in my head for a good moment. Also, time wasn't tangible to me.

The earthquake was only a few seconds long where I was at - about an hour away from the origin in Willow, AK. However, for me in my semi-meditative state, the earthquake lasted an eternity. I saw every little thing move. I noticed how it sounded and picked out different sounds clearly. I felt my own calm heartbeat pumping and my pulse in my belly around my baby. I pressed my hands there in an almost calming gesture though I do not know now if I was calming my son or myself or both for I didn't feel the need for calming just then. 

I'm still not sure if I could ever explain how unreal and detatched everything felt. It wasn't like watching a movie or tv show where there is an earthquake. I was aware that this was happening. I just didn't feel like I was part of what was going on and was merely the observer.
Looking back at it, I am grateful the earthquake was not stronger and that I was not in any danger as I'm not sure how I would have reacted to falling objects or breakages in the house.

Just as suddenly as it began, it was over. I walked calmly to the couch, picked up my phone, and dialed Damon. I asked him if we had just had an earthquake, or something of that nature. He said yes and told me that it was over a 5 on the scale but wasn't sure of the origin.
We later learned it was a 6'er out of Willow. No one was hurt but there was some concern about an earthquake on top of the forest fires out that way still being battled. 

Part of me wonders even now if my restlessness was like that of a cat's before a storm. Did I sense something coming? I know I've felt like that before during major solar flares and when huge storms are on their way but I don't recall ever feeling that way before a tremor. I also cannot help but wonder how it effects my baby, does he even know it happened. Part of me says yes, that he probably senses something happened even if its just sensing the change in how my body is acting around him. 

Today I ate and sat, thinking about which of my list of blog ideas to write on. Everything felt dry and the last thing I want is to post something that doesnt give you the juice of my knowledge, feelings, and experiences. The point of this site and blog is to show you that every part of life can be magickal and how to make steps to see the sacred in the mundane. As I thought about it, I thought, what more magick can I conjure than the earthquake the felt like it was the movement of my body just as I stepped out of meditative consciousness and back into the 3-d reality of the world? So I write with my son kicking and curling around within me. I breathe in the fresh air through my window and feel utterly blessed. 

Thank you for being,
December

Clean Up Your Crystals

My sister-in-law asked me recently how to cleanse her crystals. She's just been on a plane ride and dealt with some drama so her stones and gems could use a bath and some TLC.
I grabbed my chatty responses to her and put them together in this brief Crystal Cleansing Guide for you. I also included some resources at the bottom for further reading. 

Moonlight and Sun This method is much talked about during the times of the Full and New Moon. It is simply setting your crystals outside or in a window to be bathed in the moonlight, cleansed, and empowered. The same is done with sunlight for similar reasons. You can get really complicated with this such as using astrology to empower crystals with certain signs or use only certain stones based on their properties (feminine, water element, deity connection, etc) for moonlight cleanse and certain others (masculine, fire element, etc) in the sun. A good, easy example of the last is moonstone in moonlight, sunstone in sunlight.

Warning about Sunlight
Colorful crystals such as amethyst, citrine, or fluorite can suffer from sun-bleaching which will fade and drain their color. This does not hurt the crystal or make its vibration weak, I understand, but it might not be as pretty or vibrant after a few days in direct sunlight. 

This method would require you to do some research into your crystals and stones before hand and have a good book or internet resource handy that lists the metaphysical associations of the stones. However, some get stuck with stones that don't fall into the gender binary or, if they do, your particular stone might feel or vibrate differently...Like I said, complicated.
I say go with whatever floats you're boat and feels right on this one.
As for moon phases that are best for cleansing, I always following the idea that Waning (decreasing) and New Moon are best for cleanse and renewal and Waxing (growing) and Full Moon are best for empowering. 

Give Those Crystals a Bath!
Spring water, ocean water, holy water, moon water, even tap water has been used to cleanse stones.
I personally don't like or recommend tap water as its energy is not as clean to me, but that is my opinion. The idea behind it is the water flows and takes the non-beneficial energy down the drain and, presumably, back to the earth. You can use this concept by cleansing your stones in a stream or by running water over them outside by pouring your chosen libation over the stones and letting the residual fall to the earth below.
For cleansing stones I use moon water more than any other. Moon water is made by placing a glass jar or bottle of water in the moonlight to collect its energies and then storing it in a dark place until needed. I usually do this during eclipses, super moons, and other rarer occasions. When I want to cleanse or empower my crystals, I don't have to wait for a moon phase. I simply grab my moon water of choice and give them a bath (I do this with myself and other tools that can handle water as well).
Water Warning
Some stones that are naturally soft can dissolve in water - example: Selenite. Others, like hematite, will rust when in contact with moisture. Check on your stone type and the effects of water on it before bathing...sort of like a Gremlin, though I've never tried feeding my stones after midnight.
Of course also be wary of washing your crystals or leaving them in water if they are set in jewelry or tools such as pendulums as water will tarnish or rust some metal pieces. 

Bury Them
Burying your crystals in earth or in salt is done with the idea in mind that stone come from the earth and by connecting them back to their mother element they are rejuvenated and cleanses.
You can do this outside in the ground (be sure to mark the spot and draw yourself a treasure map) or indoors in a garden pot or in a simple bowl.
Salt Warning
Just like with water, some stones are soft and salt can cause them to become brittle and break. Be gentle. 

Let Them Hang Out With a Bigger Buddy Just like some humans are renewed by time spent with a friend who can enclose them in a hug and make them feel safe - so too are crystals. Place your crystals and stones onto a larger quartz crystal cluster.

Clusters are a matrix of crystal points that all stick out in different directions and, in doing so, send out their energies in that way. This disperses the non-beneficial energies out while regenerating the beneficial ones. 

Smudge the Smudges AwayWafting the perfumed air of a burning smudge stick or incense around a crystal or stone, bathing it in the smoke is a great way to cleanse. People do this to themselves and their space all the time, why not to crystals?
Make sure to use a smudge bundle or incense that is appealing to you - it would do no good to your crystals if you're choking on a noxious scent the whole time you're trying to do a cleansing. That would be like trying to clean your home with cleaners and room sprays that give you headaches and make you sick, who wants to be in that home afterwards? 

Sound Therapy for Stones
Singing bowls, bells, mantras, even a CD of singing monks can cleanse stones. Done in a similar manner to smudging, the sound waves waft around the item or person being cleansed, shaking off the non-beneficial energies. This method is best for those who, of course, enjoy the sounds of bells and bowls and monks. For some, the bells and bowls especially, are a bit high pitched and there's no need to make yourself or your loved ones uncomfortable for the sake of cleansing your rocks. Try another method if that is the case. 

Or a Simple Snuggle Will Do
This might sound weird but holding your crystals, sending them love and peace, and doing a brief visualization of pure white light encompassing them can be just as effective as any of the aforementioned methods. These crystals are your allies and companions. They are there to help you in healing, in meditation, in your personal and spiritual evolution. Of course they would like your love and blessing in return!

Combination
You can also combine the above cleansing methods into a ritual of your design. Some decide to use a cleansing method of all 4 elements; Air, Fire, Water, Earth. Others simply do what feels right or experiment with new ways each time. 

There is no "right" way or "one true way" despite what the books might say. Just be gentle with your stones and yourself. Not all crystals need cleansing. If you don't feel the need to cleanse your stones, then don't just because there are blogs and articles and books saying how to. We are all on our own individual journeys and there's no need to do something just because someone says to.

Crystal Blessings
December

Resources
Many books on the craft and energy healing will have a section in the index about crystals and their metaphysical properties. I suggest starting there if you already have a library started in this genre.
Hibiscus Moon Crystal Academy - Hibiscus Moon has some great e-books, blog posts, and articles, many of which are about cleansing and using her crystals (she apparently gets asked this a lot too). 
Katrina Raphaell's Crystal Enlightenment and other volumes on crystal use. These are my favorite crystal books and I highly recommend them for anyone wanting to delve into the magickal world of crystals, healing, and energy work

Staffs