Tomatoes, oil pastel on paper @saragetter Poetry @Jenfountain Art, blue hunter moon @themoonjournal
Sometimes you don't want love and light. Sometimes you want shadows and secrets. It isn't the sun you crave, but the moon. I will sit with you in the dark. @victoriaerickson Come and lay by my side, Love. I’ll color your empty spaces with moonlight, I’ll scatter kisses all over your fragile bones. There is space for you in my arms, and I will hold you, even when your own skin no longer feels like home. @almazspilledink She loves moonlight and rainstorms and so many other things that have soul @jmstormquotes Rise with the pride of a full moon. @daniellelaporte She held the moon, the way she held her own heart, as if it was the only light that could guide her through the darkest nights. @chrissiepinney As if you were on fire from within, the moon lives in the lining of your skin @pablonerudaoficial Tonight I’m gonna sleep beside the moon beneath a blanket of stars and think of you. @jessweymouth
Hello beautiful, How have you been? Have you taken a moment to slow down, to turn in and on? My last newsletter came a few weeks ago in which I promised to come to you with a monthly love note instead of a weekly one. I have missed writing to you, but it has been such a gift to see a lot of you weekly in our Female Sensual Qigong gatherings. Our practise in the past few weeks has been gentle, sensual and slow. Mirroring the season we are in beautifully. Thank you for sharing of your beautiful kind energy and love. For sharing your stories and for your support to each other. It has been such a gift to be able to move together. To be able to move and inspire one another, to share our light with each other as we move deeper into the darker and colder seasons. Becca Reitz writes so beautifully about this....
Art and words @beccareitz "I love October because of the veil thinning on Halloween, the start of Scorpio season, the transition into fall… It can be tough with Winter on the horizon. Especially this year. The shorter days arrive. The energy feels palpable though around this time. We all start to get a little cozier, a little quieter. The darkness gives us a lot to process, but it’s in that space where the communication with your subconscious is sharpest. Light sources are easier to see, and the noise settles, and the quiet can whisper to you what is working and what is not. The person who comforted you vs the one that didn’t. The habit that energized you vs. the one that didn’t. The list goes on. As we approach the end of the year / winter / Scorpio Season / etc. –– we can always feel this energy shifting. We pause…we go inward (or we just get cold and go inside, ha whichever way you want to look at it). Our intuition our thoughts our reactions are clearly telling us to let go of the things we cannot bring with us into the next season –– urging us to evaluate and carry forward the things that will truly fuel us during the darker months / hibernation if you want to call it that. With the earthly plane and spiritual plane colliding on Halloween, I will be listening. I feel like there’s a reason that happens as we transition into winter. I am doing a lot of inward preservation. We’ve been inundated with a lot this year –– a lot to process. I hope I can be honest with myself about what I know I need and what I do not. What are your “lights” during your darker hours?" I would love to see you in class soon. If you wish to dive deeper in to the practise of Female Sensual Qigong, feel free to connect with me to set up a time to explore what a customized experience could look like for you.
SAMHAIN INSPIRATION Celebrating Samhain @selenafox
art @cocorrina "Samhain is a festival of the Dead. As October turns to November, thousands of Witches, Wiccans, Druids, and other Pagans across America, Canada, Europe, and elsewhere observe the sacred time of Samhain. Meaning "Summer's End" and pronounced saah-win or saa-ween, Samhain is a celebration of the end of the harvest and the start of the coldest half of the year. For many practitioners, Samhain also is the beginning of the spiritual new year. Originating in ancient Europe as a Celtic Fire festival, Samhain is now celebrated worldwide. The timing of contemporary Samhain celebrations varies according to spiritual tradition and geography. Many people Samhain over the course of several days and nights, and these extended observances usually include a series of solo rites as well as ceremonies, feasts, and gatherings with family, friends, and spiritual community. In the northern hemisphere, many Pagans celebrate Samhain from sundown on October 31 through November 1. Others hold Samhain celebrations on the nearest weekend or on the Full or New Moon closest to this time. Some Pagans observe Samhain a bit later, or near November 6, to coincide more closely with the astronomical midpoint between Fall Equinox and Winter Solstice. Most Pagans in the southern hemisphere time their Samhain observances to coincide with the middle of their Autumn in late April and early May, rather than at the traditional European time of the holiday. Samhain also has been known by other names. Some Celtic Wiccans and Druids call it Calan Gaeaf, Calan Gwaf, Kala-Goanv, or Nos Galan Gaeof. In Welsh, it is Nos Cyn Calan Gaual. It also is known as Oie Houney. A medieval book of tales, the Yellow Book of Lecan, reports that common folk called it the "Feast of Mongfind," the legendary Witch-Queen who married a King of Tara in old Ireland. In the ancient Coligny Calendar, an engraved bronze dating from the first century C.E.and dug up in 1897 in France, Samhain is called Trinouxtion Samonii, or "Three Nights of the End of Summer." Variant spellings of Samhain include Samain, Samuin, and Samhuinn. With the growth and spread of Christianity as the dominant religion throughout Europe, Samhain time took on Christian names and guises. All Saints' Day or All Hallows on November 1 commemorated Christian saints and martyrs. All Souls' Day on November 2 was a remembrance for all souls of the dead. With the coming of Christian Spaniards to Mexico, the indigenous customs of honoring the dead at this time of year mixed with Roman Catholicism and gave birth to the Day of the Dead, Dia de los Muertos, in early November. Samhain shares the ancient spiritual practice of remembering and paying respects to the Dead with these related religious holidays of Christianity. Halloween, short for All Hallow's Eve, is celebrated on and around October 31. Although occurring at the same time of year and having roots in end-of-harvest celebrations of the ancient past, Halloween and Samhain are not the same, but two separate holidays that differ considerably in focus and practice. In contemporary America and elsewhere, Halloween is a secular folk holiday. Like its cousin, Thanksgiving, it is widely and publicly celebrated in homes, schools, and communities, large and small, by people of many paths, ethnic heritages, and worldviews. Furthermore, Halloween has evolved to be both a family-oriented children's holiday as well as an occasion for those of all ages to creatively express themselves and engage in play in the realm of make-believe and fantasy through costumes, trick-or-treating, storytelling, play-acting, pranks, cathartic scary place visits, and parties. In contrast, Samhain and its related Christian holiday counterparts continue to be religious in focus and spiritually observed by adherents. Although observances may include merry-making, the honoring of the Dead that is central to Samhain is a serious religious practice rather than a light-hearted make-believe re-enactment. Most Samhain rituals are held in private rather than in public. Samhain's long association with death and the Dead reflects Nature's rhythms. In many places, Samhain coincides with the end of the growing season. Vegetation dies back with killing frosts, and therefore, literally, death is in the air. This contributes to the ancient notion that at Samhain, the veil is thin between the world of the living and the realm of the Dead and this facilitates contact and communication. For those who have lost loved ones in the past year, Samhain rituals can be an opportunity to bring closure to grieving and to further adjust to their being in the Otherworld by spiritually communing with them. There are many ways to celebrate Samhain. More info here and below: Samhain Nature Walk. Take a meditative walk in a natural area near your home. Observe and contemplate the colors, aromas, sounds, and other sensations of the season. Experience yourself as part of the Circle of Life and reflect on death and rebirth as being an important part of Nature. If the location you visit permits, gather some natural objects and upon your return use them to adorn your home. Seasonal Imagery. Decorate your home with Samhain seasonal symbols and the colors of orange and black. Place an Autumnal wreath on your front door. Create displays with pumpkins, cornstalks, gourds, acorns, and apples. Set candles in cauldrons. Ancestors Altar. Gather photographs, heirlooms, and other mementos of deceased family, friends, and companion creatures. Arrange them on a table, dresser, or other surface, along with several votive candles. Kindle the candles in their memory as you call out their names and express well wishes. Thank them for being part of your life. Sit quietly and pay attention to what you experience. Note any messages you receive in your journal. This Ancestors Altar can be created just for Samhain or kept year round. Feast of the Dead. Prepare a Samhain dinner. Include a place setting at your table or at a nearby altar for the Dead. Add an offering of a bit of each beverage being consumed to the cup at that place setting, and to the plate, add a bit of each food served. Invite your ancestors and other deceased loved ones to come and dine with you. To have this as a Samhain Dumb Supper experience, dine in silence. After the feast, place the contents of the plate and cup for the Dead outdoors in a natural location as an offering for the Dead. Ancestor Stories. Learn about family history. Contact one or more older relatives and ask them to share memories of family members now dead. Record them in some way and later write accounts of what they share. Give thanks. Share what you learned and have written with another family member or friend. Add names of those you learned about and wish to honor to your Ancestors Altar. Cemetery Visit. Visit and tend the gravesite of a loved one at a cemetery. Call to mind memories and consider ways the loved one continues to live on within you. Place an offering there such as fresh flowers, dried herbs, or a libation of water. Reflections. Reflect on you and your life over the past year. Review journals, planners, photographs, blogs, and other notations you have created during the past year. Consider how you have grown, accomplishments, challenges, adventures, travels, and learnings. Meditate. Journal about your year in review, your meditation, and your reflections. Renovate. Select an area of your home or life as a focus. Examine it. Re-organize it. Release what is no longer needed. Create a better pattern. Celebrate renewal and transformation. Bonfire Magic. Kindle a bonfire outdoors when possible or kindle flames in a fireplace or a small cauldron. Write down an outmoded habit that you wish to end and cast it into the Samhain flames as you imagine release. Imagine yourself adopting a new, healthier way of being as you move around the fire clockwise. Divinatory Guidance. Using Tarot, Runes, Scrying, or some other method of divination, seek and reflect on guidance for the year to come. Write a summary of your process and messages. Select something appropriate to act upon and do it. Divine Invocations. Honor and call upon the Divine in one or more Sacred Forms associated with Samhain, such as the Crone Goddess and Horned God of Nature. Invite Them to aid you in your remembrance of the Dead and in your understanding of the cycle of life, death, and rebirth. If you have lost loved ones in the past year, ask these Divine Ones to comfort and support you. Transforming Expressions. If you encounter distortions, misinformation, and/or false, negative stereotypes about Paganism and Samhain in the media, contact the source, express your concerns, and share accurate information. Help eradicate derogatory stereotyping with courteous, concise, and intelligent communications. Community Connections. Connect with others. Join in a group ritual in your area. Organize a Samhain potluck in your home. Research old and contemporary Samhain customs in books, periodicals, on-line, and through communications with others. Exchange ideas, information, and celebration experiences. Regardless of whether you practice solo or with others, as part of your festivities, reflect for a time on being part of the vast network of those celebrating Samhain around the world."
FULL MOON INSPIRATION
Taurus Full Blue Moon
by Tanaaz @foreverconcious
"October 31st is a potent and magical day that brings a Blue Moon and the observed celebration of Samhain, which is where Halloween gets its roots. Across many cultures, this time of year is also believed to be when the veil between dimensions is at its thinnest.
A Blue Moon occurs when we have two Full Moons in a calendar month. The first Full Moon we had in October was on the first day of the month in the sign of Aries. The second Full Moon or Blue Moon of October falls on the last day of the month in the sign of Taurus.
Having two Full Moons within the same calendar month indicates an overall theme of release, and it seems there is a lot unraveling under the power of this Blue Moon.
The October 31st Blue Moon also happens to be a Micromoon, which means it is further away from Earth than usual. The Moon may appear smaller in the night sky and be less bright.
Micromoons are steeped in superstition and are believed to bring bad weather and natural disasters. Even though the Moon is further away from Earth, Micromoons are believed to have a greater influence on our moods.
Full Moons are always powerful points of completion and letting go, but we may find that this Full Blue Moon doesn’t bring the release we are looking for.
While it may stir things and notify us of what needs to be released in our lives, it may lack the strength to help us go the distance.
Even though we may want to be done with something, it looks like we may find ourselves hanging on a little longer than we would have liked.
It may take until the next Full Moon in November, which just so happens to be an Eclipse, for us to take the plunge and finally say goodbye to whatever it is that we wish to release.
Uranus the planet of awakening and surprising news is conjunct this Blue Moon, which means its energy will be very active.
Whenever the Moon and Uranus come together, there is always the chance that some shocking information could come to the surface. We may also experience heightened emotions, making it easier to fall victim to our triggers.
While we may feel pulled in many directions under this energy, we can also connect to the earthy, grounded stability that Taurus can offer to us.
By rooting and grounding ourselves in whatever the present moment brings, step by step we can make our way through.
As mentioned, this Blue Moon falls on an auspicious night, where the veil between dimensions is considered to be at its thinnest. This is connected to the rising of the Pleiades at this time of year in the Northern Hemisphere.
October 31st is also linked to the Day of the Dead or Día de los Muertos, which is commonly celebrated in Mexico and Central America, and originated from the time of the Aztecs.
Similarly to the pagan traditions of Samhain, it is believed that on this night, the veil between the living and the dead is thinnest. With the veil between dimensions thin, it is easier for our loved ones to return to Earth and make contact with them.
Having a Full Moon on this night can amplify the thinning of the veil, helping us connect with our intuition and higher realms with greater ease.
Even the planetary influence of Uranus can help us to access these higher dimensions, as Uranus also rules over the awakening of our life force or kundalini energy.
Under the dim light of the Blue Moon, visualize your chakras awakening one by one. See them shining like bright balls of rainbow light. See them opening and connecting you to your higher self and to the realms above.
If you have a loved one that has crossed over, on this night say a special prayer, or do something to remind you of them. Eat their favorite food, or light a candle in their name.
And beyond reaching out to passed loved ones, make time to acknowledge the “deaths” both great and small in your life.
There are so many things that have “died” this year, so honor the ones that matter most to you, even if they are a little painful.
Look to nature for guidance, as it is always showing us how it dies and rebirths itself again and again.
So, while this Blue Moon carries some volatility, it also reminds us to get grounded and rooted in our being, so we can reach into the realms unknown.
Death is the greatest unknown for us as we walk this life, but we need not be afraid.
Honor the deaths you have faced, and know that all things lost eventually come around again. It is the law of the Universe that nothing is ever destroyed, only reborn."
FEMALE SENSUAL QIGONG MOVEMENT
"Under the dim light of the Blue Moon, visualize your chakras awakening one by one. See them shining like bright balls of rainbow light. See them opening and connecting you to your higher self and to the realms above."
by Tanaaz @foreverconcious
Connect to your heart energy. Come home to joy, passion, desire, compassion and unconditional love.
Breathe love into your heart and let it flow through your whole body. Let your breath reach and hug every cell, every corner, every tissue and every emotion.
Breathe in as your hands filled with the healing energy of your unconditional love flow up and down in front of your body. And breath out as you bring light from the heavens, from this beautiful full moon and grounding energy from the earth back to your heart. Uniting Yin and Yang energies in your heart center. Nourishing and nurturing you and bringing a bright light into your heart to guide you through the darker months ahead. Let Yin and Yang and the energy of love ignite the energy in every chakra. Visualize each chakra lighting up in the colors of the rainbow and activate the energies of safety, grounding, creativity, playfulness, intuition, strength, love, expression, connection, vision, inner knowing, spirit and light.
Once you connect to the movement in your body and you know the moment, maybe you can connect to how this movement feels in your body. Be curious in your body. Play with the speed of the movement and the quality of your breathe. Move your hands close to your body or farther away. How does it feel when you stand up? This movement can be done seated and standing.
Feel into the sound and rhythm of your heartbeat, and the music. Engage all your senses to be fully present in the moment. To feel!
Connect to love, what you love and how you feel loved. Tune into what you want and wish for and let that energy flow to every part of your body in need of self care. Such a beautiful movement to practise and play with under this powerful full moon. If you wish to create a connection to a loved one no longer with us, visualize your love and light flowing up through time and space as your hand moves up above your crown. When your hand moves back to your heart, bring their love and light towards your heart and let it flow into every corner.
ARTIST HIGHLIGHT
Self-portrait, oil on canvas
Sara Getter is a 17 year old girl, half-Serbian, half-American, living in London. She has a passion for art and has attended art camps and classes to feel inspired, learn and grow as an artist. Her great grandfather was an artist and both Sara and her sister have inherited his creative talent.
She is also passionate about public health and has volunteered at The Red Cross for years. She has worked with Doctors Without Borders and has experience working at a refugee camp. She has a strong interest to move from London to the States to pursue both interests and passions.
Sara's mom comes to our Sensual Qigong classes regularly. When she showed me her daughter's amazing work, I immediately got excited to share it with you.
For her self portrait above she writes: "I wanted to incorporate the layers of my identity as influenced by my heritage and the context I live in. I decided to flirt with the style of painting used in the orthodox icons (nodding to my Serbian origin) while presenting myself as if taking a selfie. My idea was to create a sense of two-dimensionality, both as an homage to a particular artistic form, but also as an ironic comment to the selfie culture."
Cherries, acrylic on canvas
"My Serbian heritage and identity has always been shaped by a key part of its culture, food. For this work I decided to draw a fruit that to me can only be associated with my Serbian roots, cherries. In my eyes, they represent the days I spent cherry picking in my great-grandmother Nace’s backyard. Moreover, through this painting I developed my confidence with acrylic paint, in particular, with my fluency of light and shadows. I depicted these by using a wide range of tones, from bright white to deep blues and purples."
Tomatoes, acrylic on paper
"Growing up with a Serbian mother and American father, food always made up a large part of both cultures and held great significance. Therefore, I decided to use tomatoes as the subject of my art, exemplary of the Serbian summer, but also representative of the Sacramento, California region in America. I used different mediums and techniques to suggest the major differences between the cultures, but the same objects and colour scheme to represent the interconnection I feel between them."