more feng shui A-C

Feng shui is such a fascinating subject and many have perused the blogs previously written with tips on how to enhance the energies in surroundings.  Simple improvements may require changes and placements of objects.  According to Angi Ma Wong, feng shui offers a return to a simpler, more intuitive, natural way of living that fulfills a deep need for many people.  It must be done in concert with your spiritual, emotional and physical health.  As you practice feng shui, be sure it is with a pure heart and in moderation.  Keep a journal of the feng shui changes you implement and what happens after you do.  Be patient, as there is a reason and a season for everything in our lives.  Feng shui is as much about symbolism as it is about placement. 

thought you would get a chuckle

Antiques - Be mindful of the original purpose or use of an old or second-hand item.  Avoid masks of the dead that were used for burials or exorcisms, or statues that have come from tombs, caves, pyramids, cemeteries or temples.  Purify antiques with wind, water, fire, sound, salt or other techniques outside of your home before bringing them inside.  Refrain from bringing purchases from flea markets or tag sales into your home if the previous owners deceased, divorced or bankrupt; have been fired from jobs; or have experienced other misfortunes.

Aquarium - Place aquarium in North areas (associated with business success and career growth) or in East or Southeast areas for prosperity.  In every corner of the world, water - in the form of rivers, lakes and oceans - has brought trade, commerce and prosperity. Use a metal and glass (or acrylic) aquarium as metal creates water.  Don't put an aquarium in or facing a bathroom or a bedroom.  This is considered unlucky and can result in loss of fortune.  Don't keep an aquarium in your kitchen.  Since the kitchen is in the domain of fire and is nourished by wood, the element of water will destroy your prosperity. 

Do keep fish in multiples of nine, a symbol of long life, or in odd numbers.  Eight fish should be gold in color, since eight is the homonym for the Chinese verb "to prosper."  One fish should be black, a color that will provide protection and absorb negative energy.  Don't fret if any of your fish die, for it means tht the deceased animal has absorbed something negtive that would have happened to you.  Replace the fish as soon as you can to maintain your protection.  Do keep one arrowana, known as the "prosperity fish."  Arrowanas are beautiful silver, gold or black-tinged ribbonlife fish from Southeast Asia.  They are very auspicious, but they are tropical and need water heated to about 82 degrees in order to survive.  Do keep an odd number of fish; this represents yang energy.  Keep your aquarium at a level about waist-high. Keep your aquarium and its water clean and keep the pumps, filters and other equipment in good working order.  Don't hang pictures of family members, especially those who are deceased, on the wall above your aquarium.

Basement - Keep your basement free of clutter.  Don't locate a bedroom in the basement.  Finish basement rooms for occasional use only - as a family room, guest room or game room.

Bedroom - Create a safe haven for sleep, rest, intimacy and recharging your spirit and body.  Don't keep more than a few books in your bedroom; they are too stimulating.  Don't use a lot of yang colors, such as gold or red, in a bedroom.  These colors stimulate your energy, resulting in poor sleep.  Take notice of the view that greets you when you awaken. What is outside your bedroom window - a lamppost, church spire, neighboring rooftops, or a corner of your neighbor's house?  Are any of them "poison" arrows disturbing your sleep or rest?  If so, use a concave bagua mirror to absorb their negative energy.  Remove as much electronic equipment from your bedroom as possible, especially televisions, stereos and computers, which emit electromagnetic energy that is detrimental to rest, health and fertility. Don't use an electric blanket or sleep on a water bed.  The former generates electromagnetic energy, and the latter is believed to cause arthritis, muscle pain and joint problems.  Don't use round windows, skylights or unusual ceilings in a bedroom, as these shapes create odd pockets that collect negative energy.  Avoid sleeping in a bedroom situated above a garage, which channels the noxious fumes from the automobiles to the room's occupants, affecting health.

Don't occupy a bedroom that is in a direct line with a straight road.  If a vehicle's headlights shine at or into the bedroom at night, use the room for exercise, storage, sewing, computer work, play or other leisure activities. Do use plants and flowers to introduce healing yang energy into an ill or convalescing person's bedroom.  Don't keep a broom in the bedroom of a dying person; brooms are believed to sweep away life. Keep your bedroom free of clutter and minimize the amount of furniture so that chi, or life energy, can flow easily throughout the room.  Don't have any water features, such as fountains or aquariums, in your bedroom, where they are considered unlucky and can lead to loss of wealth. Do cleanse the energy in your bedroom several times a year with wind (airing) sound (music, bells) fire (smudging with incense) or water (misting all walls with purified or holy water.)  Use the form of energy cleansing that matches the upcoming season - water for spring and winter, fire for summer, and metal-generated sound for autumn. 

Clean your bedroom (or house) during a new moon, at the solstices (March 21, June 21, September 21 and December 21) or whenever the atmosphere feels heavy, stale or hostile, such as after an argument, illness or death on the premises.  Air out the bedroom thoroughly for at least an hour after smudging.  Open all the doors and windows, so that the negative energy is drawn outside and dispersed.  Close any bathroom doors and toilet seat covers if a bathroom leads into your bedroom.  This simple habit can ensure a good night's sleep.  Don't install a ceiling fan directly above a bed, where it will adversely influence the health of the occupants underneath.  A ceiling fan can be situated past the foot of the bed, where it can still effectively cool a room without affecting the people sleeping in it.  Encourage your child to study in the Northeast area of his or her bedroom to facilitate learning and achieve scholarly success.  Remove pornographic, violent, warlike, depressing or lewd posters and publications from a young person's bedroom if you want him or her to achieve success in school and life.  Don't keep too many plants or any plants that have sharp foilage, such as cactus, in your bedroom.  Plants emit yang energy that can disturb high-quality rest. 

Beds - Position your bed so that it is not in line with the entrance to your bedroom, especially if your feet point toward an entrance.  This is almost universally considered a "death position" because those who die at home are carried out of the room feet first.  Don't place the head of your bed against a wall shared with a bathroom.  Don't put the head of your bed against a window unless there is a solid headboard, curtain, drapes, blinds or shutters to block off the window.  Energy enters the body through the head; this holy part of the body needs protection and support in the form of something visually solid.  Use a headboard made of wood, metal or foam.  Match its shape to the element associated with the direction of the room - arches and round shapes for West and Northwest; rectangles and squares for East and Southeast; curvy, wavy or irregular shapes for North; and triangular shapes for South.  Don't position a bed on the short wall of a room with a pitched ceiling.  The energy of  the sloping ceiling will press down on the bed's occupant.  Make sure the corners of desks, shelves, cabinets, wardrobes, other furniture and architectural features do not point toward the bed.  These corners resemble the points of arrows and sha, or "killing" energy. 

Choose bedding and linens in solid colors.  If they have patterns, avoid geometric, angular designs that emanate negative energy and disturb your rest.  Don't use twin beds pushed together or twin box springs under your king-sized mattress if you share your bed with someone.  These arrangements symbolize a split in your relationship.  If you have twin box springs, tie the adjoining legs together securely with red cord so that they will not separate.  Don't place your bed under a beam.  If this cannot be helped, install a false ceiling with fabric, or hang wind chimes, flutes or red fringe on the beam.  Beams symbolize separation if they appear between a bed's occupants, and they represent health problems in the area of the body that they bisect.  Don't move the bed of a pregnant woman, as this may disturb the life energy present in the bed that led to the conception.

zhouzhuang bells

Bells - Ring a bell in the corners of a room to clear stagnant or stale energy. Use bells with pleasant tinkling sounds to activate yang energy in your home.  Give your bell a single, firm shake above a person's head; then,  holding it about six inches away, trace the person's body from head to toe to cleanse his or her energy.  Choose bells that are new and have a wooden handle for cleansing activities.  Select brass and silver bells in the sound or tone that appeal to you.  Clean your bells by wiping them after each use. Store them in West areas which represent the element of metal. Use bells across from an entrance.  String one or three bells with red ribbon, thread or cord.  Hang the ribbon on your doorknob or above your door, so that the bells sound joyously whenever someone enters.  Bells attract good luck and fortune. Don't select bells that have been used inside temples or churches.  They have absorbed the energy of those with sin, and you will bring that negative energy into your home.

magpie

Birds - Keep a red bird, such as a parrot, in South areas.  Red is the traditional Chinese color for protection.  Don't ask for feathers from others.   Hang feathers that you find near your front door.  These feathers represent protection for you and your family.  If your feathers blow away, try to find others to replace them.  Don't throw feathers away if you find them.  Don't keep your pet bird caged; confining it means that your wealth will be limited.  Keep birds in the Southwest when they are in pairs to strengthen your romance, love, marriage or motherhood area.  Put a pair of metal cranes in the North area of your garden with a water element.  The crane has long been associated with good fortune, wealth, wisdom and longevity for the patriarch and matriarch of a family.  Use a statue of a rooster to offset the divisive effects of ceiling beams and interior pillars and posts.  The bird's beak should be aimed directly at the offending spot.  Use a ceramic rooster to mitigate the dreaded symbol of illness and affliction, the centipede.  A "centipede" is a lammpost outside your house or window that has three or more crosspieces intersecting the main posts.  Point the rooster's beak directly toward the centipede.  Put doves carved in wood in South areas to fuel the element of fire there and increase longevity.  Improve your relationship with your partner by putting a pair of Mandarin ducks, a male and female, in the Southwest areas.  These ducks represent marital devotion, fidelity and happiness because they are deeply attached to each other.  When separated, the birds are believed to pine away to the point of death.  Use two wild geese, which always fly in pairs, in the relationship and marriage area of your bedroom, the Southwest.  These animals are messengers of good news and represent the married state.  Use figurines of a pair of lovebirds in the Southwest corner of your home, garden or bedroom to enhance the romance aspect of your life.  Put statues of eagles or hawks outside and away from your house for protection.  Good locations are at the bottom of a driveway or on either side of a gate.  Don't display statues, pictures or other images of predatory birds with their victims clasped in their talons or hovering about their dead or half-eaten prey.  Use magpies as decorations in South areas.  They are harbingers of joy, happiness and festivity and are good luck omens.  If they set up residence near your home, in your trees or under your eaves, good fortune is sure to follow. 

Place the phoenix in Southwest areas to attract happy relationships and marriage.  This bird personifies everything good and beautiful and is believed to appear only when China is governed by a just, reasonable, and fair ruler, or during peaceful and prosperous times.  Put a phoenix or a pheasant, another symbol of beauty, in the South area to attract fame and fortune.  One carved in wood is doubly powerful because the wood element nourishes the fire element of South.  Place a swallow in East (wood) or South (fire) areas to enhance your prosperity and good fortune.  The swallow, which builds its nest under the eaves of buildings, portends approaching success or a lucky change in the fortunes and affairs of the house's occupants.

Buddha - Pick a laughing Buddha for your home or business.  He is the cheerful, chubby chap with a potbelly, carrying a gourd or a bad hanging from a staff held over one shoulder, and sometimes an ingot in one hand.  The bag contains your troubles and problems, which he has collected for you.  Do select the largest-sized Buddha that appeals to you, keeping him in proportion to the size of the room in which he is located.  Display a Buddha with children climbing all over him.  This represents an abundance of good fortune coming from heaven.  Do not put your Buddha on the ground so that people look down on him.  Keep him level with or higher than the occupants of a room.  Position your Buddha diagonally across from and facing the door, which is the position of power and honor in the room.    Don't bring a used or antique statue or figurine of the Buddha, especially one from a temple, into your home unless you cleanse or purity it first.  It may carry unwanted negative energy.

Candles - Use scented candles to purify a room, help you relax and improve your sleep.  Don't use candles in the metal element areas of West and Northwest; fire melts metal.  Light red, blue or purple candles in South areas to stimulate celebrity, fame, fortune, reputation, happiness and festivity; light white, yellow, orange, pink or red candles to reinforce the Southwest area, which represents love, marriage, relationships, motherhood and romance.   Put blue, green or turquoise candles in the Northeast area to enhance knowledge, scholarly success, wisdom, experience and self-development.

Coins -  Tie three coins, either ancient Chinese coins or silver dollars, together with red cord or string and hang them on the inside of the main door to your home.  This gesture keeps your prosperity inside your home and is especially effective if your front entrance faces one of the metal directions, West or Northwest.   Don't hang any coins on your back door; this represents money leaving your premises.  Wear Chinese coins in any combination of jewelry, such as earrings, bracelets, brooches or rings, to attract good fortune.  Tape three Chinese coins to the underside of your telephone to encourage it to ring more often.  Hang a hallow-rod wind chime or crystal above the telephone. 

Colors - Use aqua or turquoise in the Northeast to enhance knowledge, wisdom, self-development, experience and in the East to promote family, harmony, growth, vitality, prosperity and youth.  Use brown, beige or tan to represent spring, youth, prosperity, family, harmony, nutrition, strength, growth and vitality.  Don't use black in bedrooms or on the walls or ceilings of any room, and don't combine it with yellow or use it in an earth area (SW or NE).  In the North, it enhances business success, career, and new beginnings but it also represents mourning, evil and guilt.  Use blue in the North to attract business success, and in the East to enhance family, harmony, growth and health. Don't use blue in the earth areas (SW and NE) or wear it in a ribbon or bow in your hair; it is one of the traditional Chinese mourning symbols.  Use metallic gold in the West to enhance children, children's fame, creativity, business and career success, supportive people, trade, travel, prosperity, wealth and interests outside the home.  Don't use metallic gold in bedrooms, as it destroys health and harmony, or in East areas (representing health, prosperity and family) or SE areas (wealth and prosperity.)  Use non-metallic gold in NE areas to enhance wisdom, knkowledge and scholarly success.  It also enhances SW (the area of marriage, motherhood, love and relationships.)  Don't use non-metallic gold in the North, which represents business and career success.  Non-metallic gold represents earth and earth destroys water, the symbol of financial prosperity. 

Do use green, the color of health, harmony, prosperity, youth, growth, spring, wealth and prosperity, to enhance South areas (representing fame, fortune, joy, festivity and protection from evil.)  Don't use green in earth areas (SW and NE.) Green symbolizes wood, which destroys earth.  Don't use gray in wood areas (E and SE.)  Gray represents metal, which destroys wood.  Do use gray in NW, N and W areas to enhance supportive people, benefactors, mentors, international trade, trips, travel and interests outside the home.  Do use orange in SW areas to promote motherhood, romance, love, relationships and marriage. Don't use orange in North areas.  Orange is a fire color; if placed in the North, it will be doused by water, that area's element.  Do use peach liberally in your unmarried daughter's bedroom so that she will marry well; it is the color used by single women to attract a good husband.  If you can find peonies or pictures with this color, put them outside her bedroom.  Don't use peach in your bedroom if you are already married.  This hue will activate your partner's roving eye or heart, causing infidelity.  Do use pink in a single woman's bedroom; it represents romance, love and marriage.  It is especially powerful in South and Southwest areas.  Do use purple, the color of knowledge, wisdom, intelligence, wealth and spirituality, in the East to enhance harmony, prosperity, family and health, or in the SE to promote wealth and prosperity.  Do use red in any form in South areas.  Next to black, it is the most powerful yang color in Chinese culture.  It represents fame, fortune, joy, festivity, longevity, summer, passion and protection from back luck and evil.  Do use red for newlyweds, brides, people celebrating their birthdays, temple doors, baby blankets, firecreackers, embroideries and tapestries.  Use red hearts and silk flowers in the Southest, the area of relationships, marriage, love, romance and motherhood, or the South, area of fame, fortune, long life, reputation and prosperity.  Tie two cords or ribbons on the inside of your bedroom doorknow if you would look to attract a serious partner.  Don't put too much red in a bedroom.  Its yang energy is too active and will disturb the occupant's rest.

Cows - Put a wooden figure of a wishfulfilling cow on your desk in the SE or East area.  Use a metal figure in the West or SW, or a ceramic one in SW or NE locations.  These placements will encourage wealth.  The cow represents spring and is revered because it pulls the plow to prepare the fields from which the harvest comes. 


Crystals - Clear your new crystals by running them under cold water (preferably sea, holy or purified water - don't use tap water) to wash away the energies of all the people who have handled them before you.  Let the water drip down from the point.  Purify natural crystals before using them by gently rinsing them in rainwater, the ocean, or a solution of sea salt and cold water (mixed in a glass or ceramic container, not a metal or plastic one.)  Bury them in the earth for at least three days and up to one moon cycle or store them under pyramids.  Don't keep your colored crystals in the sunlight, as it will cause them to fade.  Do recharge your crystals by placing them out in the moonlight as often as you can. Hang two white, red, gold or pink heart-shaped crystals in the SW corner of your bedroom to activate love, marriage and relationships.  Put crystals in multiples of eight in the NE area of your office or study if you want to excel in your work or incease your intuitive and thinking powers.  Put them in the NE area of your child's bedroom to help her or him do well academically.  Use crystals in the earth areas of SW (marriage, relationships, romance, love), the earth area of NE (knowledge, wisdom, self-development), and especially the metal area of W, because earth creates metal, which is made into coins and represents wealth.  Place six crystal balls in the NW, another metal area, to bring supportive people into your life and to strengthen the power and influence of the male head of the household. 

Hang a crystal from an exposed beam, or from a door frame if you have three doors in a row in a hallway.  Crystals break up the negative energy created by beams and long hallways.  Hang a crystal in a dark corner to activate  chi, or life energy, in that location.  Put a crystal jar or vase on a desk to deflect sha, or "killing" energy, if the desk is in line with a door or corridor.  Dangle a crystal from a window if the view includes corners of buildings, rooftops, lampposts, chimneys or other other unpleasant sights.  Clean your birth gemstone after each use to keep its energy pure.  Collect citrine crystals to tuck inside your wallet or purse, as this stone is associated with wealth and fortune.

If only your "positive" beliefs given were materialized then you would never clearly comprehend the power of your thought, for you would not completely experience its physical results.   Jane Roberts

Someday, after we have mastered the winds, the waves, the tide and gravity, we shall harness for God the energies of love.  Then, for the second time in the history of the world, we will have discovered fire.  Pierre Teilhard de Chardin


more to follow xo

i am woman

I am strong

We have been blessed with fabulous weather and I stay outdoors as long as possible.  Last night we enjoyed a play featuring my cousin, Brittney, at the Joliet Junior College.  Her talent knows no bounds and her natural acting ability will bring her accolades galore.  It was nice seeing members of the Girtman/Lutz family.  Today I tended my garden, went to the grocery store, dropped off clothes at the cleaners, paid some bills, went to the bank, cleaned the house, did the laundry - before 10:00am.

I am invincible

Then I gave both dogs a very much needed bath, took them for a long walk, washed two vehicles, inside and out, prepared a delightful spaghetti dinner, baked some sugar cookies - all this with a broken phalange.  I am learning from Aunt Diane -  my inspiration.

I am woman

Now I will indulge in a nice glass of black currant wine while I take a hot bubble bath in lavender suds and wait for my honey to arrive home for a romantic evening together.  This is a day in the life of a domestic goddess.  Life is good.  And so I share. Thank God for all these blessings.  Have a beautiful weekend.   xo

There are no little things.  "Little things" are the hinges of the universe.  Fanny Fern

If you can learn from hard knocks, you can also learn from soft touches. Carolyn Kenmore

The soul is here for its own joy.  Rumi

Then she knew that whatever power she might have had was...wasted and gone.  Rebecca Harding Davis

It is never too late to be what you might have been.  George Eliot

The blessings for which we hunger are not found in other places or people.  These gifts can only be given to you by yourself.  They are at home in the hearth of your soul.   John O'Donohue

happy autumn

my pretty heart-shaped mum

The cool season is upon us, gently reminding us of colder days to come; but in the meantime, I plan to enjoy every sunny, crispy day as much as possible.  I notice the air is so fresh as I take my dogs for their daily walk, and they sniff around much longer, taking advantage of the new smells.  We spent three weekends trimming trees and brush, saving us at least a grand on landscaping bills, but we enjoyed working outdoors and everything looks so manicured once again.  Our flowers are still blooming but I decided to plant some golden mums called Sweet Cheryl around the home. 

don't be too scared...

Instead of watching football I decided to decorate for Halloween to give the kids a little spirit to come home to, not to mention I was supremely bored.  I have fun putting fake spiders on their pizza and they return the favor by putting them in my water jug.  It keeps things interesting around here and they wonder what they will find next. 

Pumpky

We spent this weekend cleaning up after our former tenant and together we made great progress.  I look forward to the day when we have one dwelling to maintain, but until then, onward soldiers...I got such a deal on the flowers so I went and spread the beauty at my Dad's place and brought some for Carrie to plant as well.  We lost another member of the Greatest Generation this week, for my Great Aunt Jeannie passed away.  She was the last of the Sutter family to join her 8 sisters and brothers. It was nice spending time with our relatives and catching up on our lives.  I was surprised to find out her real name is Genevieve.  May she rest in peace; although, I imagine with all of them together, they will be partying up a storm.

Ozis and Thumper

We celebrated Karen's 21st birthday at Dao and it was such a treat to see all the artistic meals spread all over the table.  We continue to enjoy the visits with our boys and their significant others.  The girls bring a sweet energy to our lives.  Today I am preparing the Chicken Parmesan Pasta dish and will dabble in my weekly baking by making Halloween cupcakes.  Our fireplace is on again and will remain so everyday until May.  This is one of the best investments we ever made.  The Bears are 3-0.  Let's see if they can keep it up; Wayne is very happy all week when they win.

You can't win any game unless you are ready to win. Connie Mack

Negativity always arises out of an unhealed part of you. Neale Donald Walsch

No pessimist ever discovered the secrets of the stars, or sailed to an uncharted land, or opened a new heaven to the human spirit.  Helen Keller

I keep the telephone of my mind open to peace, harmony, health, love and abundance. Then, whenever doubt, anxiety or fear try to call me, they keep getting a busy signal - and soon they'll forget my number.  Edith Armstrong

GO BEARS! xo

owls

Legends of the Guardians

The Owls of Ga'Hoole

I just returned from indulging in an afternoon cinema adventure and was pleasantly entertained by the 3D version about owls.  I always had an affinity toward these furry creatures and I found myself wanting to reach in the screen and take each one home with me.  I think I may have been an owl in a past life and/or definitely have a few as my spirit guides.  Today I share what I know about my little buddies.

barn owl

Owls are nocturnal hunting birds that usually live and hunt alone.  They are closely related to hawks.  Owls sleep during the day and emerge at night to hunt small prey.  Some owls can see well enough in sunlight to hunt by day as well as by night; however, the majority of owl species hunt for food at night.  Most night-hunting owls have keen vision in the dark; however, some have such sensitive hearing that they rely very little on vision. 

barred owl

These owls locate and catch their prey in total darkness by listening to the rustling noise the animals make running through the forest.  Owls are stealth hunters and their fluffy feathers give them almost silent flight.  Owls eat mostly mammals.  The larger owls catch rabbits and squirrels, the smaller ones catch mice, rats and shrews.  Some owls hunt birds and insects, others have been known to take fish from shallow waters.  Like hawks, owls tear large prey into pieces when they eat it.  If the prey is small enough, they swallow it whole and later they cough up pellets of undigested bones, fur, scales and feathers.  These owl pellets are found under their nests and roosting areas.  The owl is at the top of the food web; it has no major predators.

snowy owl

Owls have a large head and large eyes that face forwards (unlike other birds, whose eyes are on the sides of their head.)  This eye placement gives them binocular vision and very precise depth perception.  There are circles of radiating feathers surrounding each eye, giving them a wide-eyed, alert look.  Some owls have feathered ear tufts; these are not ears, but are a part of the owl's camouflage.  Many owls have thick feathers that absorb the sounds that their wings make in flight. 

There are about 145 different species of owls.  They are found throughout the tropical, temperate and subarctic regions of the world and on many oceanic islands.  The smallest species is the tiny elf owl, measuring about six inches long, that lives in Southwestern United States and western Mexico.  The largest species is the great gray owl that lives deep in woods of Canada and Alaska as far north as trees grow.  Gray owls grow to about 30 inches long and have a wingspread of up to 60 inches.  Owls are unable to build their own nests and depend on cavities in trees.

saw-whet owl

Some familiar owls are Barn, Barred, Burrowing, Eagle, Elf, Great Gray, Great Horned, Long-eared, Northern Hawk, Saw-whet, Short-eared, Snowy, Spectacled, Spotted and Western Screech.

eagle owl

To our past ancestors, the animal held great spiritual power and symbolic meaning.  In Native American culture, mythology and ancient civilizations, each animal is embodied with its own symbolic meaning and held its own spiritual power. A particular animal crossing your path had deep significance to your life and indeed a strong message to impart.  The presence of animal wisdom may appear to you in a dream, on the physical plane or intuitively.  We can also utilize and tap into the energy of animal guides around us to assist us in the daily challenges that life sometimes brings to our door.  We can ask that we be imbued with the energy and strength and call forth the energy and spirit of a particular guide for their character and special abilities that is unique to that animal.  We can utilize that energy to assist us in general life, or in a specific situation we may be facing.  To the Shaman, the owl has many special energies, as the owl is a noble and powerful spirit guide.

owls cuddling

The owl is a bringer of wisdom.  The all-seeing owl possesses supernatural qualities and is often associated with intuition, clairvoyance and clairaudience.  The owl's energy is at its peak in the very heart of darkness.  When we are plunged into blindness and disorientation, he penetrates the darkness of the blackest night, seeing and hearing that which others cannot.  The owl is considered a magical creature of the forest, enigmatic and powerful.  If the owl is calling you, or you are aware of the owl being present in your life, dreaming or waking, you are being called upon to open your eyes, ears and mind to the truth of a situation;  to listen to the wisdom deep in your heart and soul; that still, small voice is trying to reach you in some way; to assist you or help you in a current challenge you may be facing.  Tap into the power of the owl by calling on your own intuition, listen to your own wisdom, for there is something you need to see or hear.  As the owl is so strongly associated with the night time, his wisdom may come to you while you slumber.  Take the time to be aware of your dreams or make a special effort to remember and write down any important dreams you may have.  The owl is a messenger that can bring clarity and illumination.

The owl perceives truths that are unveiled thanks to its silent flight at night.  An owl spirit guide is skilled in detecting untruths thanks to its acute hearing which detects what others do not.  The legendary intelligence of the owl is indeed a characteristic of the totem and a Shaman with an owl spirit guide is an old soul with much wisdom thanks to this maturity.  The symbolism on a totem includes the barred owl which is a very vocal creature that will duel with its mate, is gifted in speech and cooperative with others; the barn owl which is graceful and beautiful, can hunt at night using hearing alone, has the gift of clairaudience, excellent hearing and persistence in difficult situations;  the tawny owl is an adaptable hunter, brave and bold, and offers ingenuity, courage and resilience; the little owl is a determined creature that will tackle prey many times its own size and is naturally persistent and optimistic.  These are the traits of the spirit guide energies that you may wish to tap into.

Affirmation

I open my heart and soul to the truth

And ask that my life's journey be illuminated before me.

I ask for the wisdom to see

Even in the darkness of life's challenges

And the ability to manifest my true path. xo



que pasa?

jon hamm going after the bad guys

Today I am simply sharing what's happening in my life these days.  The weekend was enjoyable as we visited with Darcy's mom, Julie, in town from St. Louis to bring her winter attire.  We had a nice roast dinner and went to see The Town (how appropriate.)  The cast delivered and it is always great to see Jon Hamm on screen.  Ben Affleck wrote, starred in and directed this flick and I feel he did a good job (albeit he looked a little old.)  Jeremy Renner stole the show.  He's the guy from Hurt Locker that I raved about previously.  Wow!  He was awesome. 

Ben and Jeremy

Later that evening we indulged in more movies and rented The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo since Julie highly recommended same.  She was right on!  What a captivating movie.  It has subtitles, but I always watch my shows with captions anyway, so no problemo there.

Swedish entertainment

I do not have a big sweet tooth, hence, do not spend time baking; however, having a sugar and spice girl around the house, I am inspired to offer her some delights.  Last week I made simple, basic sugar cookies and this week dark chocolate brownies with walnuts and morsels.  Wayne brought some to the office and the women working with him love them.  The incentive is to bring some sweetness into the workplace to make the intense workload less stressful.  A little sugar goes a long way.  Next week I'll dabble in oatmeal raisin cookies. 

dark chocolate brownies soothes the soul

Today is leftover day but I prepared a light tuna salad.  Megan keeps writing about bacon and I had such a taste for it, but will only sample a few slices and leave the rest.  I now have incentive to get in shape for the wedding next year.  I don't have a problem with over-eating, but drinking more water is essential.  Working out more often will definitely do the trick.  Time will tell.

tuna and bacon- yummy in my tummy

I am determined to drink this container filled with purified water each and every day.  I am such a slacker when it comes to hydration, but I know it is necessary and now I am on a mission.

water jug

This Saturday I have been invited to tag along as Margarita tries on over a dozen wedding gowns at Ultimate Brides on Oak Street downtown.  I have not been to the Loop in a while so I am looking forward to spending time in our glorious city. 

My friend, Helena, mentioned a new restaurant is opening in the area, so we could possibly have lunch there.  I can't wait to see Margarita in a wedding gown.  No matter what she tries on, she will look divine, for she was a model for Elite in the recent past.  Just envisioning her sashay in the room will take my breath away.  It is exciting to spend time with the girls and their moms these days. 

trimmed brush

We trimmed some trees and bushes last weekend and this weekend.  Our pickup in the area is not until the end of the month, so we had to leave the limbs by the air conditioner, not knowing we would have this summer-like weather.  It is buried under all the brush. I don't mind, for the sun is shining and the breeze is blowing on this ultimate, balmy day.  The other members of the household will not agree but they can tough it out for a day or two.

my one and only mum

This is the only survivor of last year's mum plantings.  We put in over a dozen but only this one returned and she is gorgeous, right at our entrance with the wind blowing marker.  Next year I will plant them in the spring and get some clippings from my Aunt Diane, for hers are absolutely fabulous. 

cute little guy

I forgot what this plant is called but it is so unique, I had to share.  I buy one every year because it is so pleasing to the eye and lasts all season.   That's about it for now.  I am excited to preview all the new seasonal shows this week, a nice respite from listening to all the football during the weekend.  My ears still hurt;  'tis the season, I guess.  Enjoy this glorious day, no matter where you are.  Take time and count your blessings.  xo

superstitions

Today is the anniversary of my blogging journey.  I have shared my thoughts, daily conquests and what I have learned in my humble life.  I am grateful to all my readers as it is inspiring to know what I share is being acknowledged and not just wasted words to the universe.  The most frequented subject has been regarding feng shui, so I will offer more tips on how to improve the energies in your surroundings (supply the demand concept.)

I am sensitively attuned to various life forces and energies that surround me and lately have felt a strong, negative force.  This happens in life and now I am receiving visits from little creatures.  There was a cricket in my bathroom which portends good luck, a sparrow came in my dining room and eventually flew out (sparrows are messengers of warnings), a woodpecker pecked on my family room door and entered and left (warning not to argue within the family, hold my tongue) and a cute little black mouse hung out in the family room all day.  I inquired about what the universe is trying to tell me and my Aunt Aletha offered some tips on how to clear the house and prepare it for protection.  I smudged with my sage, blessed each room with holy water, and made the sign of the cross with a flashlight at night on each wall and window.  I typically clear my home at each Equinox, just a week early.

I heard of many superstitions and found I am in awe at the folklore that inspired them.  We want to be in control of our surroundings and if some little action will provide the security we need, the power of our thoughts can increase the chances of positive energy.  Now I will share some old wive's tales to be taken lightly, or just as information.

SOME SUPERSTITIONS

ACORNS should be carried to bring luck and ensure a long life.  An acorn at the window will keep lightening out.

AMBER beads, worn as a necklace, can protect against illness or cure colds.

AMBULANCE Seeing an ambulance is very unluckly unless you pinch your nose or hold your breath until you see a black or a brown dog.

APPLE Think of five or six names of boys or girls you might marry.  As you twist the stem of an apple, recite the names until the stem comes off. You will marry the person whose name you were saying when the stem fell off.  If you cut an apple in half and count how many seeds are inside, you will know how many children you will have.

BABY To predict the sex of a baby, suspend a wedding band held by a pice of thread over the palm of the pregnant girl.  If the ring swings in an oval or circular motion, the baby will be a girl; if it swings in a straight line, it will be a boy.

BASEBALL BAT Spit on a new bat before using it for the first time to make it lucky.

BED It is bad luck to put a hat on a bed.  If you make a bedspread, or quilt, be sure to finish it or marriage will never come to you.  Placing a bed facing north or south brings misfortune.  You must get out of bed on the same side that you get in or you will have bad luck. When making a bed, don't interrupt your work, or you will spend a restless night in it. 

BEE If a bee enters your home, it's a sign that you will soon have a visitor.  If you kill the bee, you will have bad luck, or the visitor will be unpleasant.  A swarm of bees settling on a roof is an omen that the house will burn down.

BIRD A bird in the house is a sign of a death.  If a robin flies into a room through a window, death will shortly follow.  If you see a red bird, make a wish. If a bird flies by while you are driving, it is a message to slow down, either your speed, or your activities in life.

BIRTHDAY CAKE If you blow out all the candles on your birthday cake with the first puff you will get your wish. 

BREAD Before slicing a new loaf of bread, make the sign of the cross on it.  A loaf of bread should never be turned upside down after a slice has been cut from it.

BRIDGE If you say goodbye to a friend on a bridge, you will never see each other again.

BROOM Do not lean a broom against a bed.  Never take a  broom along when you move.  Throw it out and buy a new one.  To prevent an unwelcome guest from returning, sweep out the room they stayed in immediately after they leave.

BUTTERFLY If the first butterfly you see in the year is white, you will have good luck all year.  Three butterflies together mean good luck.

CANDLE If a candle lighted as part of a ceremony blows out, it is a sign that evil spirits are nearby.

CAT  If a black cat walks towards you, it brings good fortune, but if it walks away, it takes the good luck with it.  A cat onboard a ship is considered to bring luck.

CHEEKS  If your cheeks suddenly feel on fire, someone is talking about you.

CIGARETTES It is bad luck to light three cigarettes with the same match.

CIRCLE  Evil spirits cannot harm you when you stand inside a circle.

CLOCK If a clock which has not been working suddenly chimes, there will be a death in the family.

CLOVER  It is good luck to find a four-leaf clover.  Clover protects human beings and animals and brings good luck to those who keep it in the house.

good luck cactus

COIN  It is bad luck to pick up a coin if it is tails side up.  Good luck comes if it is heads up.

COMB  To drop a comb while you are combing your hair is a sign of upcoming disappointment.

COUGH To cure a cough; take a hair from the coughing person's head, put it between two slices of bread, feet it to a dog.

COW Cows lifing their tails is a sure sign that rain is coming.

CRICKET A cricket in the house brings good luck.

DANDELION Pick a dandelion that has gone to seed. Take a deep breath and blow the seeds into the wind.  Count the seeds that remain on the stem.  That is the number of children you will have.

DOG  A dog howling at night when someone in the house is sick is a bad omen.

DOOR  It is bad luck to leave a house through a different door than the one used to come into it.

EARS  If your right ear itches, someone is speaking well of you.  If your left ear itches, someone is speaking ill of you.

ELEPHANT  Pictures of an elephant bring luck, but only if they face a door.

EYE  If your right eye twitches there will soon be a birth in the family.  If the left eye twitches there will soon be a death in the family. 

FINGERNAILS  It is bad luck to cut your fingernails on Friday or Sunday.  Fingernail cuttings should be saved, burned or buried.

FISH  A fish should always be eaten from the head toward the tail.  Dream of fish: someone you know is pregnant.

FISHING  Throw back the first fish you catch then you will be lucky the whole day fishing. If you count the number of fish you caught, you will catch no more that day.  It is bad luck to say the word "pig" while fishing at sea.

FLAG It brings bad luck for a flag to touch the ground. 

feng shui good luck

FLOWER  First Flower of Spring:  The day you find the first flower of the season can be used as an omen:  Monday means good fortune; Tuesday means greatest attempts will be successful; Wednesday means marriage; Thursday means warning of small profits; Friday means wealth; Saturday means misfortune; Sunday means excellent for weeks.

FOOT  If the bottom of your right foot itches, you are going to take a trip.

FORK To drop a fork means a man is coming to visit.

FRIDAY THE 13TH how did this day become such an unlucky day? 

fear of Friday the13th is rooted in ancient, separate bad-luck associations with the number 13 and the day Friday.  The two unlucky entities combine to make one super unlucky day. Personally, this day has been lucky for me in the past. 

There is a Norse myth about 12 gods having a dinner party at Valhalla, their heaven.  In walked the uninvited 13th guest, the mischievous Loki.  Once there, Loki arranged for Hoder, the blind god of darkness, to shoot Balder the Beautiful, the god of joy and gladness, with a mistletoe-tipped arrow.  Balder died and the Earth got dark.  The whole Earth mourned.

There is a Biblical reference to the unlucky number 13.  Judas, the apostle who betrayed Jesus, was the 13th guest to the Last Supper. 

A particularly bad Friday the 13th occurred in the Middle Ages.  On a Friday the 13th in 1306, King Philip of France arrested the revered Knights Templar and began torturing them, marking the occasion as a day of evil.

In ancient Rome, witches reportedly gathered in groups of 12.  The 13th was believed to be the devil. 

Both Friday and the number 13 were once closely associated with capital punishment.  In British tradition, Friday was the conventional day for public hangings, and there were supposedly 13 steps leading to the noose.

It is traditionally believed that Eve tempted Adam with the apple on a Friday.  Tradition also has it that the Flood in the Bible, the confusion at the Tower of Babel, and the death of Jesus Christ all took place on Friday.

Numerologists consider 12 a "complete" number.  There are 12 months in a year, 12 signs of the zodiac, 12 gods of Olympus, 12 labors of Hercules, 12 tribes of Israel and 12 apostles of Jesus.  In exceeding 12 by 1, 13's association with bad luck has to do with just being a little beyond completeness.

chinese good luck charms

FRIDAY THE 13TH - how is fear of the number thirteen demonstrated?

More than 80 percent of high-rises lack a 13th floor.

Many airports skip the 13th gate.

Airplanes have no 13th aisle.

Hospitals and hotels regularly have no room number 13.

Italians omit the number 13 from their national lottery.

On streets in Florence, Italy, the house between number 12 and 14 is addressed as 12 and a half.

Many cities do not have a 13th Street or a 13th Avenue.

In France, socialites known as quatorziens (fourteeners) once made themselves available as 14th guests to keep a dinner party from an unlucky fate.

Many triskaidekaphobes, as those who fear the unlucky integer are known, point to the ill-fated mission to the moon, Apollo 13.

If you have 13 letters in your name, you will have the devil's luck.  Jack the Ripper, Charles Manson, Jeffrey Dahmer, Theodore Bundy and Albert De Salvo all have 13 letters in their names.

FROG  A frog brings good luck to the house it enters.

GOOD FRIDAY A child born on Good Friday and baptized on Easter Sunday has a gift of healing.  If a boy, he should go into the ministry.  Cut your hair on Good Friday to prevent headaches in the year to come.  A person who dies on Good Friday will go right to heaven.  Shed no blood on Good Friday, work no wood, hammer no nail.

HAIR  Pulling out a gray or white hair will cause ten more to grow in its place.

HAND  If the palm of your right hand itches it means you will soon be getting money.  If the palm of your left hand itches it means you will soon be paying out money.

HORSESHOE  A horseshoe, hung above the doorway, will bring good luck to a home.  In most of Europe protective horseshoes are placed in downward facing position, but in some parts of Ireland and Britain people believe that the shoes must be turned upward or "the luck will run out."  A horsehoe hung in the bedroom will keep away nightmares.

ITCH  If your nose itches you will soon be kissed by a fool.

IVY  Ivy growing on a house protects the inhabitants from witchcraft and evil.

KNIFE  A knife as a gift from a lover means that the love will soon end.  A knife placed under the bed during childbirth will ease the pain of labor. If a friend gives you a knife, you should give him a coin, or your friendship will soon be broken.  It will cause a quarrel if knives are crossed at the table.  It is bad luck to close a pocket knife unless you were the one who opened it.

KNITTING  It is bad luck to leave a project unfinished.  The intended recipient will get bad luck from the unfinished item.  Stabbing your needles through your yarn balls brings bad luck to anyone who wears something made from that yarn.  Don't knit a pair of socks for your boyfriend or he'll walk away from you.  If you knit one of your own hairs into a garment, it will bind the recipient to you.  Knitting for children you may have in the future, but before you are pregnant, is bad luck (it may prevent one from getting pregnant, or bring ill health to the baby.)

LADDER It is bad luck to walk under a ladder.

LADYBUG If a young girl catches a ladybug and then releases it, the direction in which it flies away will be the direction from which her future husband will come.  It is bad luck to kill a ladybug.

LEAF  If you catch a falling leaf on the first day of autumn you will not catch a cold all winter.

LETTUCE Lettuce is believed to have magical and healing properties, including the power to arouse love and counteract the effects of wine.  Lettuce promotes child bearing if eaten by young women, and certain types of salad can bring on labor in pregnant women.

LIZARD  To dream of a lizard is a sign you have a secret enemy.

Indian God of Good Luck - Ganesh

MANDRAKE Mandrake is a mysterious plant believed to have powers of preventing sterility in men and animals, causing barren women to bear children, and compelling love.  Mandrake is thought to have aphrodisiac and fertilizing properties.  Clairvoyants use mandrake to increase their visions to enable them to see strange and wonderful things.

MILK It is bad luck to let milk boil over.

MIRROR To break a mirror means seven years bad luck.  It is unlucky to see your face in a mirror by candlelight.  A mirror should be covered during a thunderstorm because it attracts lightening.  If a mirror in the house falls and breaks by itself, someone in the house will die soon.

MISTLETOE  Mistletoe in the house protects it from thunder and lightening.  It also cures many diseases, is an antidote to poison and brings good luck and fertility.  A girl standing under a mistletoe cannot refuse to be kissed by anyone who claims the privilege. 

MOTH  A white moth inside the house or trying to enter the house means death. 

NOSE  If your nose itches, someone is coming to see you.  If it is the right nostril, the visitor will be a female; left nostril, male.

ONION  An onion cut in half and placed under the bed of a sick person will draw off fever and poisons.  A wish will come true if you make it while burning onions.

OPAL  Unless you were born in October, it is unlucky to wear opals.

OWL  It is bad luck to see an owl in the sunlight.

PENCIL  If you use the same pencil to take a test that you used for studying for the test, the pencil will remember the answers. 

PEPPER  If you spill pepper you will have a serious argument with your best friend.

PHOTOGRAPH If three people are photographed together, the one in in the middle will die first.

RABBIT'S FOOT A rabbit's foot will bring luck and protect the owner from evil spirits if carried in the pocket.

RAINBOW  A rainbow in the Eastern sky, The morrow will be fine and dry.  A rainbow in the West that gleams, Rain tomorrow falls in streams.

good luck raven feather

RAVEN To kill a raven is to harm the spirit of King Arthur who visits the world in the form of a raven.

RED  A red ribbon should be placed on a child who has been sick to keep the illness from returning.

ROBIN A wish made upon seeing the first robin in spring will come true - but only if you complete the wish before the robin flies away.

ROCKING CHAIR If you leave a rocking chair rocking when empty, it invites evil spirits to come into your house to sit in the rocking chair.

ROSEMARY Rosemary planted by the doorstep will keep witches away.

SALT Bad luck will follow the spilling of salt unless a pinch is thrown over the left shoulder into the face of the devil waiting there.  Put salt on the doorstep of a new house and no evil can enter.  Salty soup is a sign that the cook is in love.

SCISSORS  If you drop scissors, it means your lover is being unfaithful to you.

SEA GULL Three seagulls flying together, directly overhead, are a warning of death soon to come.

SEVEN  To break a mirror brings seven years of bad luck.  The cure:  to bury the pieces, or run them in a stream.  The seventh son of a seventh son has magic powers, according to Irish folklore, but is a vampire in Romanian legend.

SHOES  Do not place shoes upon a table, for this will bring bad luck for the day, cause trouble with your mate and you might even lose your job as a result.  It is bad luck to leave shoes upside down.

SINGING  If you sing before seven, you will cry before eleven.

SLEEP  You sleep best with your head to the north and your feet to the south.

SNEEZE  Place a hand in front of your mouth when sneezing.  Your soul will escape otherwise.  The devil can enter your body when you sneeze.  Having someone say "God Bless You" drives the devil away. 

If you sneeze on a Monday, you sneeze for danger. Sneeze on a Tuesday, kiss a stranger. Sneeze on a Wednesday, sneeze for a letter.  Sneeze on a Thursday, something better.  Sneeze on a Friday, sneeze for sorrow.  Sneeze on a Saturday, see your sweetheart tomorrow.  Sneeze on a Sunday, and the devil will have domination over you all week.  One for sorrow, two for joy, three for a letter, four for a boy, five for silver, six for gold, seven for a secret, never to be told.

SPARROW Sparrows carry the souls of the dead, it's unlucky to kill one.

SPIDER Seeing a spider run down a web in the afternoon means you will take a trip. 

STARS All wishes on shooting stars come true.  Star light, star bright, first star I see tonight.  I wish I may, I wish I might,  have the wish I wish tonight.

SWAN A swan's feather, sewed into the husband's pillow, will ensure fertility.

TONGUE If you bit your tongue while eating, it is because you have recently told a lie.

UMBRELLA  Dropping an umbrella on the floor means that there will be a murder in the house.  It is bad luck to open an umbrella inside the house, especially if you put it over your head.

VALENTINE'S DAY If a woman sees a robin flying overhead on Valentine's Day, it means she will marry a sailor.  If she sees a sparrow, she will marry a poor man and be very happy.  If she sees a goldfinch, she will marry a millionaire.

VEIL  A bride's veil protects her from evil spirits who are jealous of happy people.

WOOD  Knock three times on wood after mentioning good fortune so evil spirits won't ruin it.

WINDOW  All windows should be opened at the moment of death so that the soul can leave. 

WISH  If you make a wish while throwing a coin into a well or fountain, the wish will come true.  If you tell someone your wish, it won't come true.

WISHBONE  Two people pull apart the dried breastbone of a chicken or turkey until it cracks and breaks, each one making a wish while doing so.  The person who gets the long half of the wishbone will have his or her wish come true. 

X The number of Xs in the palm of your right hand is the number of children you will have.

YAWN  A yawn is a sign that danger is near.  Cover your mouth when you yawn, or your soul can go out of your body along with the yawn.

I am not SUPERstitious, just a little stitious.

Michael Scott from The Office

Good night and good luck. xo