NEWS AND UPDATES I am looking for the loan or use of some land - a quiet, rural meadow, field, or small woodland preferably in the South West of England although anywhere would be considered for a permaculture project to grow wild indigenous herbs, plants and flowers, and somewhere to offer Mother Nature and her creatures sanctuary and sanctity. A place to ethically wildcraft and harvest natural foods and medicines, and to be freely in harmony with Creation. Can you help? Please mail me here with ideas, offers or any other information and thank you.   ----------------------------------------------------- 20th January 2012 We are just about to enter the Chinese Year of the Black Water Dragon, on January 23rd. There is likely to be conflict between the forces of water and earth because of the particular placements for this year, so anything that you can do to send calm to the waters of local lakes, rivers and oceans or areas known for earthquakes or earthy/watery places like bogs, marshes, or  deforested areas of land, will be much needed this year. Please give your love, gentleness and stability to earth and water this year. ---------------------------------------------------- 11th October 2011 The Wild Walks are proving incredibly popular. Pop on over to my Courses page to find out a bit more about them. Each month we cover a different area of Nature (such as Tree Barks and Resins or Wild Berry Leathers or Drying and Preserving). These really are proving to be great fun as well as educational - and all on a Tuesday morning once a month! Come to as many as you like. To book a place online please go towww.wix.com/magicalnature/natural-living ---------------------------------------------------- 8th July 2011 Doesn't time fly! Don't waste it on trivialities & distractions .... as Mahatma Ghandi said "be the change you wish to see in the world" ---------------------------------------------------- EARTH CHANGES - 18th January 2011 No-one needs to be convinced now, I am sure, that transformative changes are happening upon our planet. What exists in the outside world could be said to be a reflection of humanity's inner world. Basically, our consumerism, our greed, our hunger for more is creating 'debt' in our world. We owe the Earth so much, we have taken and not given back for too long. We have not really cared about the suffering caused by our greed (evolved souls excepted here!!) and now the hungry mouth of wanting more, our lack of generosity towards others and all life is coming back to bite us! The answer is simple - be generous, give of your last, balance the un-balanced. Stop consuming, start caring far more deeply and thus begin to get yourself out of spiritual and karmic debt. ----------------------------------------------------------------- 31st October 2010 I have been 'in other lands' for the last few months. This has been an extremely busy year for me, full of new plans and new projects - all of which are now beginning to come to fruition.  I have developed a new shopfront for Sally M products - please go to www.wix.com/MagicalNature/Natural-Living where you will find heavenly scented, hand blended fragrance balms and salves as well as "Going Wild" my new wild foods recipe booklet. Below you will find a 3 part article on Samhain, which you may find interesting to read. As 2010 closes for all Celtic pagans, and a new year is about to dawn, may I wish you all a very beautiful and fortunate rising year. SUMMER’S END By Sally Morningstar This paper explores the origins of Halloween, touching upon some superstitions, explaining how the soul comes into the picture and exploring the reasons for Halloween, or as it was originally called ‘Samhain; summer’s end’ The origins of Halloween – go back a long, long way – prior to the Church - way back into antiquity, so far in fact that much of what we have today can really only be described as a hotch-potch of various pagan, Celtic, Roman and Christian practices that I’ll be doing my best to unravel here. Samhain - Festival of the Ancestors – honouring the soul’s of the dead - is the third and last of the harvest festivals in the pagan calendar and falls on October 31st. To the Celts this date marked the end of their year, the point where the Plaiedes were are their most northerly point in the northern hemisphere’s night sky. Because Celtic festivals ran from sunset to sunset the sacred day of the ancestors would begin on the eve of October 31st. Because this marked the end of the old year and not yet the start of the new, this night was believed to be an open door between spirit and matter, between the living and the dead, hence it’s associations with divination, superstition, spirits and magic. It was - and still is - believed that this is the night that souls and spirits can return to their families, their homes and can wander the Earth freely –a night where the veil between the worlds is thin. The ancients believed that we are more than the physical body – we are also the soul and in the past this was fully recognized with ceremonies acknowledging an afterlife. We shall be going deeper into the soul aspects of this festival later. Let us begin with superstitions, omens, and items associated with Halloween as it is manifested today. THE WITCH’S HAT In ancient Rome, Pagan priests called Flamen, wore a conical headdress. There is historical evidence that points to the conical hat being worn by priests and shamans as an item of power, directing cosmic forces into the wearer. This then got twisted by the church into the heretic’s cap, placed on the heads of those sentenced to death for witchcraft or acts against the church. My view on the witch’s hat is that it is most likely a combination of ancient shamanic beliefs in the power of the cone, the Roman priests’ headdress, the conical mediaeval hat or hennin – and one need only look at traditional Welsh hats to see remarkable similarities in shape and design. Round that off with the more sinister undertones of the heretic’s cap and one will know why no self respecting witch would be seen (excuse the pun) dead wearing one of these hats today! PUMPKINS/JACK O’LANTERNS/ carved illuminated heads – Some historians say that the Celts had a fascination with the head, some even calling them the Cult of the Head and it is true that there have been a few archaeological finds at Celtic sites of a severed head or two, but not enough evidence to prove this view one way or the other. One fairly consistent belief is that the Celts venerated the head as the seat of the soul, although again this cannot be proved. In days of old pagans in this country didn’t have pumpkins, they would hollow out turnips or even beets for the purpose. Pumpkins came into play when the Irish took their Samhain traditions over to the USA and discovered pumpkins were far easier to work with than the much smaller European roots. Continuing with the Irish influences for a moment, we come to the story of Stingy Jack - Stingy Jack tricked the devil not once but twice out of taking his soul – outwitting him with cunning and trickery. First jack made a pact that gave him 10 more years on the Earth, then when that 10 years was up and the devil came to take his soul, Jack tricked him again by enticing the devil up an apple tree and putting crosses all around it so the devil couldn’t get down again…..and Jack kept him there until the devil promised not to take Jack’s soul upon his death. Jack’s miserable, miserly, obnoxious life finally ended and the story goes that when he arrived at the pearly gates, he was denied entry due to his nasty, malicious ways, so Jack went to hell and begged entrance there, but the devil kept his promise and denied him. Jack then realized he had nowhere to go but could not leave as it was too dark to see anything. The devil threw him an ember from the fires of damnation and jack hollowed out a stolen turnip (there was always in his pocket) in order to carry it around with him and light his way. From that day to this – the story goes -Stingy Jack roams between the worlds without a home. Placing a Jack O’Lantern in the house was said to deny entry to this wandering spirit looking for ‘somewhere to inhabit’ but what a load of superstitious, irrational bunkum this is! My view is that this practice has far older roots going back into antiquity and that Stingy Jack is a fairly recent addition to Halloween customs, most probably as a result of when the church got involved with this most ancient festival. My feeling on the actual reason for the Jack O’Lantern is as a light source for souls returning to the Earth and we need to remember there was no electricity in those days, so a suitable receptacle would have been needed to cradle the fuel for the lights. One pagan tradition for Samhain is today called the Dumb Supper – laying places and food at table for any deceased family members and eating any supper that is for you in silence, out of respect for those who can no longer speak. The tradition used to be leaving food and light out all night for them. Food and light would also be left outside the door for any lost or wandering souls to offer them sustenance as they pass by. Back in history quite a lot more thought was given to the souls of familial ancestors as well as souls that may have been in any form of purgatory. BLACK CATS Cats were highly venerated in the past, most likely because of their ability to catch the rats and mice that posed very real threats to the grain harvests that would feed the people. Archaeological finds have unearthed several little cat mummy cases carved of wood or made of copper and jewels wrapped in fine linens. But the cat’s fate, specifically the black cat turned one night in Lincolnshire in the 1560s. The story goes that a father and son were alarmed by a small creature that crossed their path one dark night and disappeared into a hollow. Hurling stones into the opening, they saw an injured black cat scurry out and limp into the house of a woman already suspected of being a witch. The following day the pair met the woman whose face, they said, was bumped and bruised and one of her arms was bandaged. To make matters worse for the poor woman, she was also walking with a limp. Thus began the belief in Lincolnshire, that black cats were really witches in disguise prowling under the darkness of night and this belief fueled the black cat being nearly driven into extinction, during the middle ages! Which brings me to the strange findings of cat bodies within buildings; a mystery to archaeologists and historians to this day. My view is that perhaps those people who had a cat during the middle ages, decided it was probably safest to get rid of it, to ‘hide’ it - thus explaining why cat bodies are found all over an old house’s structure, in roofs, under the floor, within walls and in various nooks and crannies. ----------------------- Sally Morningstar   --------------------- SUMMER’S END – Part II Today’s blog will focus upon divination, superstitions, ghosts and omens, beginning with divination. DIVINATION The word itself stems from the root word for Divine. Divination was once highly venerated and considered as a means of ‘communing directly with the Divine’ and only questions decreed to be of extreme significance and importance were allowed to be asked. At Delphi for example, one of the most highly venerated divinatory temples of its time, the oracle was only asked questions by royalty, the priesthood and the wealthy who paid a high price for the privilege. It was extremely difficult to gain an audience with the Oracle, who spoke on only 9 days of the year, that would be on the 9th day of each of the 9 months dedicated to Apollo. The other three being dedicated to another deity not associated with oracles. Today, divination has been relegated to the same level as superstition, fakery, and entertainment and is used for the most part for very mundane, earthly questions. Very few people these days consider working with divination as a way of communing with the Divine and asking questions for self improvement. BOBBING FOR APPLES – By A.D. 43, the Romans occupied most of what we would have called Celtic land. Over the next four hundred years they combined two of their own festivals with the traditional Celtic celebration of Samhain. The first was Feralia, a day in late October when the Romans traditionally commemorated the passing of the dead. The second was a day to honor Pomona, the Roman goddess of fruit and trees. Pomona’s symbol was the apple, hence bobbing for apples and apple associations with Samhain today. What is little known is that the Romans introduced the apple into Britain, our native rather sour crab apple was cross pollinated with their sweeter Roman varieties to produce over 6,000 varieties available to us today. Apples when cut width-ways reveal a pentacle shape that is made by their seeds. This star is said to have been the symbol of a Goddess who was worshiped over a vast area of the globe in the past. Her name was Kore (a.k.a. Carnac, Ceres, Core, Karnak, etc.). The Romanys still refer to the core of the apple as the ‘Star of Knowledge’ There is so much folklore associated with the apple that I can’t cover it all in this paper, but one thing to carry with us is the knowledge that it is a sacred fruit associated with the soul. OMEN The modern word ‘omen’ is most probably derived from the Latin word ‘omentum’ which means ‘apron’. The omentum is an apron like anatomical structure made up of fatty tissue covering the intestines within the abdomen of most animals and humans. In ancient times, reading the omentum of animals sacrificed to specific gods was a common practice, used to determine important signs about such things as crops, the weather, the outcome of wars. Interpreting omens and portents is an art form in itself, but the age old superstitions are for the most part founded in good old common sense or have arisen from irrational fear or lack of understanding as to what is really going on. SUPERSTITIONS The Ladder - In the days before the gallows, criminals were hung from the top rung of a ladder and their spirits were believed to linger underneath. Common folklore has it to be bad luck to walk beneath an open ladder and pass through the triangle of ghosts and spirits. Others say this superstition comes from Egyptian origins where a ladder was placed in the tombs of royalty to help them cross to the otherworld. To disturb any ladder by walking underneath could obstruct or even block a spirit from it’s crossing. A third explanation is a christain one – it would be very disrespectful to step into and thus disturb the trinity (that is the triangle shape the ladder forms). Salt Throwing salt over the shoulder – in the past salt was a rare, expensive and precious commodity and to some represented the soul because of its durable nature. To spill it was said to bring bad luck to the family so to pick up what one could and throw it over the left shoulder into the ‘eye of the devil’ to avert his evil eye! And so it goes on, don’t put hats on the bed or shoes on the table, or cross on the stairs – superstition after superstition, most of them having a good sound reason behind them, for example hats on beds would have spread lice, shoes on the table – germs etc.. But what of those things we see out of the corner of our eye, flitting, fleeting, shadowy things. What is this phenomenon? Well we all have a second sight – what in physical terms could be called our peripheral vision. With our peripheral vision we are able to view more subtle energy, such as the aura and other etheric happenings. GHOSTS We will most often sense a ghostly presence through our expanded senses, our super senses, call this intuition, psychic vision or our subtle perceptions and feelings. A ghost can also be ‘seen’ with our peripheral vision. A ghost is usually an earthbound spirit, a restless energy, or a kind of etheric memory caught in time and space – a shell of a traumatic event for example. Examples of haunted environments can be tangibly felt at places like Auschwitz where no bird sings and the area lacks life and luster, or in old houses with a troubled history. Occasionally at a crossroads one can feel a shiver going through ones bones. Crossroads were where gallows and criminal cages were set up and lynch trees and felon oaks were often specifically chosen precisely because of their closeness to a crossroads. Those not allowed burial in sanctified ground were buried at crossroads, all of which were once very sacred to pagans, who venerated nature spirits and the goddess Hekate there. All this was a deliberate act by the church to desecrate the sanctity once held for crossroads as places of pagan worship. Today, many crossroads can have that ‘haunted’ feeling to them and now you know why. Funnily enough, most places that I have lived have been within walking distance of a cross-roads! And I have been known to say a prayer or two as I wander by. There are several ways to deal with lost or wandering spirits, the least helpful of all being to exorcise or banish them!! This is not only unkind, it is unhelpful, unwise and ignorant. Here is a way to bless a troubled energy, especially at Samhain The Peace Meditation – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9xNnkRBZmFI Sally Morningstar -------------------------------------------------------------- Summer’s End – Part III In this final piece, I shall be discussing Hallowe’en and exploring how I feel the past has influenced the Festival we know today. HALLOWEEN – Halloween – from hallow or holy 1. (Christianity / Ecclesiastical Terms) to consecrate or set apart as being holy 2. (Christianity / Ecclesiastical Terms) to venerate as being holy [Old English halgian, from halig holy] There is no doubt that Halloween was originally a pagan festival. Around 610 the pope of Rome ordered that the heathen Pantheon should be absorbed into the church and thus Samhain, an ancient harvest festival and festival of the ancestors became a Christian festival to honour all martyrs and saints of the church. November 1st was re-named All Saints Day – and from then on was set aside as a day of prayer for all martyrs and saints. All Soul’s Day to pray for everyone else was assigned to November 2nd. November 2nd is still The Day of the Dead in many cultures around the world and remains very much alive as a tradition. As I said right at the beginning the ancients believed that we are more than the physical body – we are also the soul and in the past this was fully recognized with ceremonies acknowledging an afterlife - in Ancient Egyptian culture to name but one. 4,500 years ago around 2,500 BC the tombs of the ancient Egyptians were filled with goods to aid the soul in the afterlife, down to very fine details. Mummification was a process to preserve the physical form as much as possible through which the ka (soul) of the deceased could return to in order to receive offerings of the things s/he enjoyed while alive. In ancient Egyptian culture, they believed one of the worst fates to befall a soul was to be forgotten and so much was done to ensure remembrance of the departed. Priests and family members were encouraged to speak the name of the deceased, to perform prayers and give offerings at tombs, in order to keep the spirit of that being alive in this world. So valued was this practice, that priests were paid a portion of any offerings for their services. Moving forward in time about 2 to 3,000 years we find it a common practice for hermits to be given hermitages and wandering religious people to be paid with food or funds in exchange for entreaties and prayers on behalf of the souls of their benefactors and/or their deceased relatives. These hermits were called beadsmen. It is now only a small step that takes us to ‘souling’  When the church took over the Festival of Samhain, it discouraged everything but the soul related aspects of the festival and thus emerged ‘souling’. The poor would go from door to door a-souling and in return for a trick or a poem or a song, the householders would give pennies or beer or fruit or soul cakes. In the past a cake was more like our modern day biscuit and a soul cake was a spiced biscuit indented with a cross much like those that top our hot cross buns of today. So in exchange for food or money the poor would offer to pray for the souls of the family they were visiting. It was a real trick or sleight of hand that was offered in those early days in return for a treat. Then we have mumming…..the act of disguising oneself in a special costume  and wearing a mask and this is where I feel the dressing up aspects of trick or treating may lie. Scholars say that the term Mumming most likely originates from the middle French word mommer (to go masked) although I personally believe it is far older than that. Shamans of old and even today still cover their faces when working with the otherworld, and with the ancestral spirits. It is not considered wise or fitting to show ones face in the Spirit world. Seeing as Samhain was (and still is) considered the time when the door between the worlds was open, and the dead were free to mingle amongst the living, the wearing of masks or veils to hide one’s features most likely stems from this belief. The custom of mumming can be traced back to the Stone Age. In ancestor rites mumming was included in funeral ceremonies; especially amongst the ancient Romans, as well as many of the peoples of America, Africa, and Asia. Mumming was widely practiced by the ancient farming people. In India on certain festivals they leave food out for the ancestors and if the crows come and feast on the food, they know that Yama their god of death is pleased with their offerings and that their ancestors have accepted them. Around the world November 2nd All Soul’s Day sees many cultures from the Chinese to the South Americans still put aside this time of year to visit the graves of their loved ones and have large feasts and celebrations in their honour. Traditions change as time goes by. For example, in the old days death masks were made of the deceased and at funeral rites a nominated individual would dress as the departed and lead the funeral procession. In Ancient Roman funeral processions the custom was that the survivors bore masks bearing the images of the family's deceased ancestors. The right to carry the masks in public was eventually restricted to prominent families but this could well be another basis for dressing up in veils and masks at Halloween. Death masks are fascinating and if you look at them you will see that the wise old saying that “We always end up with the face that we deserve” is absolutely true. When one looks at the death mask of Voltaire compared to the death mask of Cromwell, for example, we can distinctly ‘see’ that Voltaire was a great thinker, humanist, a gentle soul, whereas the mask of Cromwell shows a hedonistic, puritanical, self-interested individual - a brute working against the rights of the common man of his times and brute he was to many - from the gypsies to the Irish, to those accused of witchcraft. You may not know this but between 1649 and 1658, 3000 to 4000 people were killed, under Cromwell's dictate most without trial, under the accusations of witchcraft. So we can now see that masks/mime/tricks and costumes have all played a significant role in ancient traditions venerating the dead. Today, however, in the western world, commercialism and plastic tat have totally obscured the real depth and meaning behind Samhain . In this country our ancestral festival is now little more than a children’s party or a spooky evening at the pub. Perhaps one day we will return to those more ancient appreciations of this festival and recognize the significance of remembering the ancestors and acknowledging the eternal nature of the soul. Sally Morningstar --------------------------------------------------- 16th May 2010 Sometimes life will disappoint us, let us down, hurt where no hurt was called for.....at those times remember that a Divine hand is holding yours and that everything you do with love is seen and remembered by Creation.   --------------------------------------------------- 6th April 2010 True to form, this time of year accelerates the growth of ideas, creativity and inspirations. In my own world this has included creating the first CD for Feorin, more photographic ideas, articles for magazines and some interesting projects. I wish you every success with whatever inspirations you are working on at the moment. Springtime has finally arrived as the violet flowers have come into bloom! 4th January 2010 Here we are in a new decade, a decade that happens to include "2012" Many of you will have heard of the catastrophic Mayan 'end times'  prophecy, however many of you may not have heard the TRUE Mayan prophecy for these times. Grandfather Cirilo, head of the Mayan Council of Elders, has some videos on you tube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e6VDk7Us2DE . I highly recommend them - the end of the world is not nigh, however the lies about 2012 only have 3 more years to run!! The truth is out here.   10th November 2009 Our Weekend with the Ancestors was truly magical, special, indescribable. We visited many sacred sites, walked the dragon paths, sang songs on ancient mounds, and so much more. And just as we annointed the Dragon's Egg - a dragon danced over the moon. The ancient landscape still exists, beneath all the trappings and trimmings that 'civilisation' hangs upon it. Beneath your feet the sovereign Queen resides, the true Queen - our Mother the Earth.   1st September 2009 As the world gets a little crazier and life gets a little more unpredictable - do remember that the eye of any storm is always at its centre.  Likewise - the still calm place untouched by any tempestuousness happening around you is at the centre of your being and is the one place that will navigate you wisely through any troubled waters you may experience or are experiencing right now. Take time out each day to re-connect to Source and hold on tight to the central force!    1st August 2009 Vitamin D is an excellent immune booster, helping to stave off colds and flu. Visit www.mercola.com for further information about it. Oil of Wild Oregano is another natural anti-viral as is garlic.....Mother Nature is so full of wonderful things, I just love her to bits xx   1st June 2009 We had our first Shamanic Flying Day and were blessed with the most glorious sunshine and a gentle westerly breeze. The woods were magical and a baby woodpecker kept us company throughout! The next Flying day is scheduled for Sunday 5th July. This is now fully booked up..... if you would like to learn the technique, please contact me and I will organise another day later in the year. Have a magical month. 1st May 2009 Headlines come in pairs these days, have you noticed that? For example Headline One "fatties are responsible for global warming!" (http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/article2387203.ece)  Headline Two "Wonder diet pill for 2009!" http://www.marieclaire.co.uk/news/health/296761/the-wonder-diet-pill-for-2009.html And again - we have the swine flu 'pandemic' being hyped up whilst sales of tamiflu skyrocket......hmmmmmmmmmm? Join the dots!! Get healthy, stay healthy, rest, exercise and de-stress every day.  Please feel free to contact me for a simple immune boosting and cleansing remedy. 2nd April 2009   Now, more than ever before, it is important to Do What You Love - Love What You Do!   27 March 2009 Natural Lifestyle Coaching is a new addition to my website. I have had several enquiries recently from people asking how to navigate wisely through the global downturn, how to simplify and adapt to new lifestyle requirements. From food, to water, to crops and wild foraging, from making one's own wild medicines to cleaning products, and toiletries. Natural Lifestyle Coaching can help you make the right lifestyle choices - help you make the transition - help you de-tox every room in your home and feel great in the process! You choose how many sessions you want. At £15 per session, it is easily affordable. Sessions take place securely online or over the phone, whichever you would prefer. If you want to change but don't quite know where to start - Natural Lifestyle Coaching is something you may like to consider. 25 February 2009 This new year is just flying by - oh and talking of flying, take a look at the courses page for details of a shamanic flying workshop to be held at the heart of the Glastonbury Zodiac. The first one is to be held on Sunday 24 May. If you cannot make that date, then book in for Sunday 5th July.   12 January 2009 Are you wondering how you are going to navigate through the challenges that face you? Are you prepared for the shifts and changes? What do you wish for yourself and the world this coming year? Consider having a reading or take a short course with me to help you find your way. Just drop me an email - here - and my warmest wishes for the year ahead to you.   4th December 2008 Feorin - our Celtic folk rock band now has a You Tube channel (www.youtube.com/feorintv) - this is one track off the album we are currently working on. More tunes and songs coming shortly so watch the space!   Sally M talks about Codex in the Western Daily Press podcast from Mysterious West. Hope you will tune in..... 17th Octoer 2008 The following link will take you to an article about Iraq....the terrible things that are happening there in the name of 'democracy.' Did you know of the 100 orders? Click on the link to find out what these poor people are enduring from western occupation. You won't read this in mainstream media! http://www.uruknet.de/?p=m47991&hd=&size=1&l=e 1st September 2008 How much do you know about your local environment? Do you know what lives and grows there? Do you know what is edible, medicinal, helpful, harmful? It may be a good idea to find out.....I graze the wilds daily these days and find that as a result my body, mind, spirit are aligned even closer with Mother Nature.  The usual caveats apply - stay away from agricultural farming areas, roadsides, chemical works and so on....plant wild edibles in your garden or back yard too.  Did you know that the sea beet is the wild origin of our modern day spinach, or that meadowsweet (along with white willow) formed part of the natural signature for today's aspirin? It's all out there.   1st July 2008 It is time! Time to get healthy and stay healthy. Time to prepare yourself for your future work. Time to let go and trust. Many of you will be feeling the urge to find your place, to move on, to outgrow your limitations. There are four levels to consider. The physical, emotional, mental and spiritual. Physical - diet and lifestyle, Emotional - evolve those raw emotions into love, Mental - think positive, update your belief system Spiritual - find your inner peace, your well-being. The message from Mother Earth is "Prepare." Are you listening? Most important of all - trust your own guidance, your gut feelings, your inner voice. Learn to listen to its wisdom. And if you need a litle help knowing how to identify the true inner voice - then why not consider studying with me for a while. --------------------------------------- 3rd April 2008 Here is some helpful support to anyone out there who has difficulty meditating. Look at the image below and say to yourself "if Conan can do it, so can I!" Conan (L) the Chihuahua, joins Buddhist priest Joei Yoshikuni (R) in prayer at Jigenin temple in Naha, Okinawa (AFP/Toru Yamanaka)   15th March 2008 - The Ides of March That magical time is dawning again - the greening of the land. This evening, for a while I thought back across the years to all those students whose paths had crossed mine and I know many of you check into my website now and then. I would like to  say hello and I hope you are well and happy and to say that I also hope the wise path we walked together for a while continues to lead you to Wisdom, Love and Truth. Keep in touch!   1st January 2008 Happy New Year, traditionally a time to make 'new year's resolutions' and by February many of us are familiar with these being broken or forgotten. However, it is not just on the night of December 31st that we can make such changes. Every moment can be that 'new year' moment and so we actually have thousands of opportunities to break a bad habit, make a promise, hold a good intention. Every moment. How fantastic is that - so many chances to be who we wish to be! So - I would  like to also wish you a Happy New Moment - may it be blessed with light and love! x      1st November  2007 Happy New Year to all pagans and Celtic calendar followers! It was a quiet one for me - but beautiful all the same. I will write more shortly, but love to those who know me and love to those I am yet to know!   1st September 2007 The world today, when viewed through certain eyes, can seem a crazy place with confusion, chaos and concerns rising and falling all around us, especially during these exceptional times in human evolution.I have not watched TV or read a newspaper for many years now and I don't miss it at all. In fact, now I wonder how on earth I had time for TV - and I still get to hear news that is important - I am not isolated or uninformed. I just began to ask myself why TV was generally so dark, unintelligent and generally so negatively biased, and why newspaper stories were becoming more and more sensational......I asked myself if it brought light and happiness into my world, whether it brought solution or problem.  I decided to turn it all off and instead to find an inner peace - even more so because I wish for peace to prevail on Earth.  If you have been feeling negatively influenced by TV, or the media, consider turning it all off and filling this spare time with your spirit and your soul and things that you love.  If you have been experiencing an increase in unusual phenomena around you, or have had more dreams or visions than usual, or have had an increasing sense of 'the time is now' whatever that may mean to you, then the above is highly applicable to you too. Find your way to your place here on Earth where there is love and peace and compassion and fairness for all, including you. You are advised to stay centred and to follow the spiritual truths that you know in your heart, for no matter where ignorant forces in this world may try to lead you - you are a powerful spiritual being and have the right to freedom, to joy, to peace and to your Divine place in this Universe. Therefore, find your centre and if you would like to - align with your earthsoul for this is a completely trustworthy and true inner guide that knows you and your potential destinies very well. To align with your Earthsoul (that which is soul in an earthly body) please follow the instructions below...... Take a few deep breaths. Tune in now to your inner spirit your soul and feel its presence. After a few minutes, sense your outer skin, your form, your physical body and feel its presence. Sense and feel whether they are in alignment. Are your ‘energetic’ feet in your physical feet and so on all around your being? Then - giving time for each part of you to align and for you to feel that alignment happening - say   “Are my feet in my feet? (Check). Are my knees in my knees? (Check). Are my hips in my hips? (Check). Are my shoulders in my shoulders? (Check). Are my hands in my hands? (Check). Are my elbows in my elbows? (Check). Is my head in my head?” (Check).   Wait, experience each alignment. When all is in its rightful place you will be more fully aligned with your Earthsoul!   ------------------------------------------------ 1st August 2007 Holiday time is here - schools are on summer vacation and many families and individuals are planning their annual break, their vacation, or some well earned time off......it all starts so well doesn't it - the group activity, the long walk in beautiful landscapes, the solitude, the late night beneath the stars, the book at bedtime....but then before too long, we can become irratated by someone or something in our surroundings. This irritation can sometimes lead to conflict, argument, discord and ultimately to a fraught and frustrating holiday season.....TRY THIS The next time you find you are becoming irritated by someone's behaviours or habits, instead of remarking, reacting or responding in any negative way, breathe deeply and calmly a few times and then take yourself off somewhere quiet and contemplate what irritating habit or behaviour you may have that would or does annoy someone around you! Yes, so often we denegrate others little thinking to look to our own faults. Therefore, this holiday season, why not take some time to consider your nature, your ways, and how best to improve yourself so that you can change an annoying or frustrating habit that others may find annoying about you. Happy Holidays.   ------------------------ 1st July 2007 So much to do, so little time to do it - the paradox of the more we try to save time the less we seem to have of it. TIME is relative - the faster we live the faster it passes. There is a solution - to slow down. Not just physically, but energetically, so that we come to find our natural rhythm, our unique signature that beats in time with the place each of us holds in this universe. Then a doorway opens to synchronicity, to ease, and to funnily enough plenty of time! Why rush - there is so much to explore in each magical moment - if we have the eyes and of course - the time - to stop and wonder. Some may say, but you don't understand the demands, the must be done todays, the job, the kids - believe me I do, I have lived 'the busy life' and learnt its lessons. Now my tune is simplicity, is making time for what is important and taking time to enjoy and appreciate what is so often overlooked - life itself.  -------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------- 1st May 2007 - WISHING YOU A MAGICAL BELTAINE! HERE ARE SOME SUGGESTIONS TO AID SELF-DEVELOPMENT AND WELL-BEING Consider why you are here on this Earth and look closely at what events and circumstances have led you to the point you are at today, for these are your teachers and guides. Begin to view your life as your best and closest friend - for is it not with you in every moment? View any daily challenges as quests for understanding and personal growth. Take one hour of any day and observe how often you judge, criticise or react to self or others. Do something you have always wanted to do, but never allowed yourself the time to explore or experience. Find what makes you happy and what makes your heart sing with joy and then do more of it!! Trust yourself for you too have great wisdom within. Allow that wisdom to guide you. Sort out your material life so that it serves you well. (Clear clutter, complete unfinished tasks, re-arrange your home or office to suit your needs, set attainable short and longer term goals. These are just a few examples to get you started.) Understand that your life is yours alone and that only you can walk the path back to your true self. We cannot rely upon others to do it for us! The answer lies in the question. When you are stuck or confused, look at your quest-ion. If in need of guidance, ask your Spirit, your guardian angel or higher self to help you. Adopt the four tenets of Nobility, Courage, Honour and Integrity. Imagine you are already  a great presence and allow that presence to work its magic upon you. Regular spiritual practice leads to real and tangible results. Do not allow yourself to become lazy about your life and who you are within it. Try to always strive for the greatest good of all, including yourself! ------------------------------------------------ 25 Februrary 2007 Spring is dawning within the Earth with the promise of this being a year for creative manifestation for all who act with good intent. May all your dreams of good intent be blessed and may those dreams come to fruition for you. Now is a time to believe in miracles!  ---------------------------------------------- 12 September 2006 In this world of ours are many tests and trials, things sent to measure the soul and its progress. But, even the darkest moments have the ability to birth into light, if we can be open and trusting that this is ultimately a loving universe, if we can hold to the highest good for all, if we can do our best to find the teaching, the wisdom and the understanding, then progress is always made. The dark night can seem long and indeed dark! However, trust me when I say that this too shall pass, take courage, take heart and step into your lessons with spirit as your guide. All shall be well.   12 July 2006 Another Sacred Nature workshop held in the hills of west Somerset on 8th July, was another blessed day. These are such gentle days, yet so powerful. We all gained greater understanding of the sacred nature of the Air Element including its spiritual gifts and teachings of right communication and right listening. The next workshop on the sacred nature of the Fire Element is in October. There are now only 5 places free and not 10 for all remaining workshops of this season. -------------------------------------------------------- 12 June 2006 The Wiccan healing weekend (10/11 June) was a joy and delight. A lovely group of people interested in the ways of healing using natural and nature based practices. The weather was fiercely hot and so a challenge when we raised various cones of power for healing those we loved and cared about, because we were also then charged with internal heat as well as external temperatures, but we managed! The date for the next Wiccan Healing weekend will be announced shortly, but will be scheduled for some time early next year. ------------------------------------   31st December The greatest gift of all is life. Always and above all else follow your own heart, for only then can you truly live that gift and find your joy. May joy bless you and yours this Gregorian new year and may peace prevail in the hearts of all.   29th October 2005 A blessed Samhain to you and yours. The veils thin at this the festival of the ancestors, of remembrance of our roots, our heritage, our Earth. May all be at peace. May peace prevail on Earth.   ----------------------------------------------------------------- 14th October 2005 Peace Meditation Calm your breath. Breathe deeply for a while then quietly repeat the words below before entering a 10 minute meditation. Can be repeated as often as you wish each day or perhaps once a day, or even once a week. Peace to all beings may all beings be well and happy and free from fear Peace to all beings Whether near or far known or unknown real or imaginary visible or invisible born or yet to be born Peace Peace to all beings within and beyond the imagination. In the world of ideas, in the world of memories and in the world of dreams. Peace. Peace in all elements of Earth, Air, Fire and Water Fulfilled in Space Peace Peace in all universes from the smallest cells in the body to the greatest galaxies in space Peace and Light rising   ----------------------------- Leafy Sea Dragons & Hummingbird Moths! If you are not yet aware of these two creatures then I invite you to do a search for images of them online -  to me yet more amazing wonders of Creation - two creatures that have only recently touched my world - the hummingbird moth came supping from flowers in my garden not long ago and the leafy sea dragon I found only yesterday, when one appeared on a web search about leaves! I never cease to be amazed by the diversity of life, its complexity, colours, shapes and textures, and I am delighted to be here to appreciate it! Let us be grateful for what we have, for what we are given. Let us celebrate each other, each moment with love! ------------------------------- 24th September - Harvest Moon - reaping what we have sown..... The time of harvest is upon us again. In spiritual terms whatever seeds (ideas, projects, new ventures etc.) we have sown for this year should now be coming to fruition in some shape or form in our lives. This is the time of year to acknowledge what we have managed to achieve (reap) and also to acknowledge those things that we intended back in the Spring but are yet to come into bloom, or indeed, failed altogether! Time to check if the things yet to fully come into being need some attention, care, or nourishing and also time to give thanks for all the seeds that have borne fruit for us. It is also a critical time to prune or cut back those things in our world that no longer serve us well or that are no longer helpful or necessary. Just like the harvest of the fields requires effort, so the harvest of our life requires some effort and care. Check your harvest. What has grown in your life for you this year - what has your nature grown for you this year? If your harvest is not quite what you expected or planned for, try to find the message, the learning or growing that did occur for you and then begin to consider what seeds you could plant in your consciousness over the coming few months, for your future harvests.   ------------------------------ 13th September 2005 - An Earth Blessing Visualisation Do you believe there are Earth changes upon us? Do you feel things increasing in intensity? Do you feel called to be part of the solution, rather than the problem? Here is a daily Earth Blessing Meditation that can also be done without any of the suggested tools or equipment, by simply following the visualisation parts of the Blessing outlined below.  First of all prepare yourself and your surroundings so that all is peaceful, sweet smelling and calm. Turn off all appliances and phones. Decorate a low table or area with a circlet of flowers and place a crystal or glass bowl in the centre. Float a night light in the glass or crystal bowl that is ¾ filled with spring water. Light your night light and then sit before your altar and ring a bell or gong to begin. Visualise the Earth slowly and gently spinning and turning in front of you and floating suspended and roughly at eye level with your forehead or brow about 12” or 30cm above the bowl beneath. And around this earth imagine a bubble made of crystal clear pure light that is enfolding the planet in safety and warmth. This crystal light is healing and calming. Hold the Earth in this bubble of light visualising our planet at peace, and that humanity is in harmony with all life that lives upon it. Feel for peace with in yourself, feel for peace for all life, open your heart to send your love and healing swathed in this white light around the globe. Hold to life on this Earth being warm and happy, joyful and rich, and a safe place to call home. Believe in peace and goodness, hold to brightness and right outcomes for all. Upon completion of your meditation, you may wish to say something like “Peace and Light enfold the Earth thus all life is touched with love” Do this visualisation once a day for as many days as you like. Extinguish your night- light. Ring your bell or gong three times to complete. © Sally Morningstar ------------------------------------------- 1st September 2005 Many people ask me "what can we do when there is suffering, crisis, catastrophe in the world?" How can we help when we are not close by? The one thing to hold to during times of darkness is love - love reaching out to those in need, love that cares enough to act, to feel, to work to heal what calls for our attention. We may not be on the battlefield, starving to death, battered by natural disasters, and we may not be the ones having the hard time, but we are from the same family - the human family - and so if you would like to fill the void of all that is suffering with your compassion and light, then please consider the following, alongside any other practical assistance that may call to you. It is simple - find a white candle and hold it in your hands to your heart. Ask that this candle should represent the Light of Spirit and that when you light it, the Spirit of Light will burn brightly for all those who need the strength of its light. Then at the same time every day light your candle and open your heart. Breathe gently and quietly for a few moments to calm yourself. Rest your hands palms upwards on each knee and then flow love from your heart to all who need it. Continue with this for 15 minutes per day if you wish. Extinguish your candle after each meditation and remember to complete your meditation after 15 minutes too, or else you may become exhausted, from remaining an open channel. To close yourself down, simply put your hands palm to palm and then wipe them across each other saying to yourself  something like "this meditation is now completed." May the blessings of love, light, wisdom and truth guide you well in these times. -------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------     --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------