New Moon & Lunar New Year Magic: Honoring Quan Yin in Times of Change
New Moon & Lunar New Year Magic: Honoring Quan Yin in Times of Change This January brings us a magical convergence. The New Moon on January 25th flows directly into the Lunar New Year on January 29th, creating perfect conditions for transformation and peace work with Quan Yin’s loving energy. Sacred Snake Wisdom for 2025 As we enter the Year of the Wood Snake, Quan Yin’s presence carries special significance. In her sacred iconography, the Snake represents divine protection and the transformation of fear into wisdom. This ancient symbol bridges earthly and celestial realms, bringing sacred feminine power into harmony with Snake energy. The Wood Snake year of 2025 deepens this symbolism. Wood element brings growth and flexibility, while Snake years traditionally usher in significant social and cultural change. Together with Quan Yin’s compassionate wisdom, this suggests a year of powerful but balanced transformation, with special emphasis on environmental protection and community leadership emerging from wisdom rather than force. This particular Wood Snake year invites us to embody Quan Yin’s ability to move like water while carrying Snake strength – fluid yet powerful, compassionate yet fierce in protection of what matters. Sacred Beginnings In these challenging times, when many hearts feel heavy with concern for our country’s future, we turn to Quan Yin’s infinite compassion. The darkness of the New Moon offers us sacred space to plant seeds of peace and transformation. Through creating a sigil infused with our deepest prayers for national healing, we anchor these intentions in both spirit and matter. Creating Your Sacred Space Create a peaceful altar with a white cloth, pink or white flowers, and an image of Quan Yin. Add a bowl of pure water, white candle, and any jade or crystals that call to you. The gentle scent of sandalwood or lotus
Wildfire Calming Ritual with Pachamama. A focused petition spell for California
Materials: – Blue candle or white (representing calm and cooling energy)– Rosemary (protection)– Pink Himalayan salt (purification and safety)– Small bowl of snow, or fresh water Create a sigil from: “CALM BRING PEACE”1. Remove vowels: CLM BRN G PC2. Remove duplicates: C L M B R G P3. Create a Sigil with remaining letters and carve into your candle in flowing lines Create Sacred Space and Ritual1. Create a circle of pink salt around your space2. Cleanse your candle with your choice smoke offering3. Anoint the candle first with olive oil (or avocado oil) and roll in crushed rosemary4. Light your candle and center yourself with three breaths 5. Call to Pachamama, you can say this or something like it: Pachamama, Mother of All, Present in mountain and valley, Guide this work of restoration,Bring balance to your lands, save the plants, the waters, keep your animals both domestic and wildlife safe and bring peace to their hearts. Gentle calm to wild windsProtection to all creatures. Safety for those who protec and healthy renewal and balance to the land. Safety for all, and peace to troubled heartsAs you do this, visualize the winds becoming gentle breezes, and in your mind’s eye, picture the animals finding safe passage, safety and home.By your wisdom, Pachamama, let balance return for the highest good of all, and so it is. Remember to take practical action too – consider donating to wildlife rehabilitation centers or supporting firefighter relief funds in California.
Welcoming 2025 with Pachamama, our Goddess of the Year
Welcome Pachamama as our Goddess for 2025 under a powerful Black Moon! Pachamama, the ancient Andean Mother Earth goddess joins us as we step into the new year with intention…and fun! Pachamama: Our Guardian for 2025 This year, we’re especially honored to welcome Pachamama as Goddess for the Community!In Andean mythology, Pachamama/Mother Earth, represents fertility, abundance, and the cyclical nature of life – making her a perfect goddess for new beginnings. Here are a couple of ways to work with the beautiful energy of the Black Moon, Pachamama/Mother Earth and the New Year: Black Moon Water RitualThe Black Moon occurring this New Year’s provides a rare opportunity for powerful manifestation work. Create moon water during this time and harness the energy of both endings and beginnings – perfect for New Year intentions. Place pure water under the dark sky, allowing it to absorb both the Black Moon’s energy of release and the New Year’s energy of possibility. Use this water throughout the year in rituals, and altar cleansing. New Year’s Candle Blessing: Honoring Pachamama Dress your candle with: – Patchouli or vetiver oil for grounding– Ground dried corn, ground dry quinoa-for Pachamama* Orange Peel: joy, happiness, vitality.* Lavender: calm, contentment, and peace* Chamomile: peace, calm, and soothing energy.* Rosemary: Protects and promotes mental clarity* Cinnamon: abundance, wealth, and prosperity.* Basil: good fortune, wealth, and success.* Bay Leaves: prosperity and success, manifesting goals.* Rose Petals: love, romance, and affection.* Jasmine: attracting love, positive energy, emotional connection. Anoint Candle: As you dress your candle, invoke Pachamama’s blessings of abundance, fertility, and protection for the coming year. Use a small amount of essential oil to anoint the candle. Rub the oil gently from the top to the base, focusing on your intention as you do so. Add the Herbs: Roll the candle in the
Goddess Green Tara and the Beaver Moon: Embracing Self-Compassion
As November’s full moon illuminates our sky, we welcome the Beaver Moon – named by Native American tribes and colonial settlers who knew this as the time when beavers prepared for winter, building their homes and storing food before the waters froze. Like the beavers who work with nature’s rhythms, we too are called to prepare our inner sanctuaries for the coming winter months. This lunar cycle beautifully aligns with the energy of Green Tara, the mother of compassion in Buddhist tradition. Green Tara, known as the swift protector, reminds us that the most important sanctuary we can build is one of self-compassion within our own hearts. We often forget to extend to ourselves the same kindness we so easily offer others; consider these moments when self-compassion is especially needed: When you have made choices you regret After speaking words you wish you could take back When you fall off a wellness or spiritual practice During times you’ve let others down When you haven’t lived up to your own expectations When you have made a poor financial decision When you feel you’re not progressing fast enough in your personal growth After ending relationships that weren’t serving you When you’ve prioritized others’ needs over your own for too long The Beaver Moon carries the energy of preparation and self-protection, and just as beavers build their lodges with careful attention, you can use this lunar energy to: Build stronger boundaries with love of self Create sacred space for your inner healing Store energy and resources for your emotional winter seasons Release judgment about your past actions Embrace our journey with all its perceived “imperfections” Full Moon Ritual for Self-Compassion Materials Needed: A green candle A mirror A bowl of water Your Sacred Mothers and Goddesses Oracle deck A crystal (rose quartz or moonstone if available) The Ritual Create Sacred Space Begin by cleansing your space (Sage, Sweetgrass, Palo Santo, incense). Place your bowl of water under the moonlight or near a window. Opening Meditation Light your green candle and invoke Green Tara’s presence: “Compassionate Tara, guide
Día de los Muertos: A Week of Remembrance
Today, October 27, marks the beginning of the Día de los Muertos season with a beautiful modern addition to the tradition: honoring our beloved animal companions. While not part of the ancient celebration, many families now include their departed pets on this, the “Día de los Angelitos Peludos” (Day of the Furry Angels). Of course, if you have feathery pets, reptiles, etc that you want to honor- that’s Ok too! This tradition is new as of only in the last decade, but we can join the collective energy! I will be honoring all my dogs and cats who are on the other side today with flowers and their favorite treats! You can place photos of them on your altar, their favorite toys, collars, and treats. The love between humans and animals transcends death, and today we celebrate that eternal bond. By the way, this is not “a closed tradition” – you too can honor and remember your beloved ones who have passed. It is a beautiful energy to join in with the collective, and magical moments you will experience when you tap in and connect in this way with your ancestors! Here are some helpful tips: October 28-31 are Preparation DaysThese days are dedicated to preparing for the main celebration. Families begin cleaning and decorating graves, gathering supplies for altars, and making traditional foods. Markets burst with marigolds (cempasúchil), colorful paper decorations, and pan de muerto (bread of the dead) The air fills with the sweet scent of copal incense as communities prepare to welcome their departed loved ones. November 1 – Día de los Angelitos (Day of the Little Angels)Today we honor children who left this world too soon. According to tradition, the gates of heaven open at midnight, allowing the spirits of angelitos (little angels) to reunite with their families for
Preparation for Your Ancestors’ Party: Dia de los Muertos
As Dia de los Muertos approaches, it’s time to prepare for welcoming our ancestors. This sacred time allows us to connect with our lineage, but it’s important to cleanse any lingering negative energy first. Here’s a ritual to help you prepare: Cleansing Ritual with Candle Materials– Black candle– Herbs (examples below)– Olive oil or sunflower oil– Salt– Veladora candle (tall candle in a glass vase with a protective deity image) Herbs:Select herbs based on the specific issues you want to address:– For laziness: Melissa (lemon balm)– For alcoholism: Angelica or Mugwort– For domestic violence: Lavender or Yarrow 1. Prepare the black candle: – Crush your chosen herbs – Dress your candle with the olive oil (for peace) or sunflower oil (for clarity and truth) as you intend it’s purpose. 2. Set up your space: – Light the Veladora candle as your protector – Create a circle with salt – Place the black candle inside the circle 3. Light the black candle and recite an incantation: (or recite your own) “Ancestors of old, I cleanse your energy. Negativity BE gone, only love may remain. Only in peace and understanding, shall we meet again.” 4. Stay with the candle until it has fully melted. 5. Thank your ancestors for their work in evolving together. 6. Thank your Veladora and the deity it represents, then extinguish it. You can do one candle for each Ancestor you feel the need to cleanse from, or one candle for a general problem (for example: mental illness). Once you are finished with the cleansing ritual, it’s time to begin to prepare your altar to welcome your ancestors. More on that, next time! 1. Clean your altar space thoroughly. 2. Decorate with: – Photos of your ancestors – Marigolds (cempasúchil) – Favorite foods and drinks of your ancestors – Candles