We've Moved!

Just in case you missed it--the NEW website and blog have both moved. Bookmark us so you have all of the Milagro Roots goodness at your fingertips.
The old store is also no longer functioning, but at the new site you can order:

custom 100% beeswax vigil candles
mojo hands
archangel michael packets
floor wash
high john the conqueror roots
intuitive counseling sessions
and root magic rituals

See you in the new neighborhood!
xoxo

Dia de los Muertos 2011

A little more on Dia de los Muertos which was officially celebrated last night. My husband attended a lecture where he learned (and reminded me) that the 4 elements must be represented on the traditional altar for day of the dead. Those elements are: earth, air, fire and water. Earth is represented by the flowers and sometimes corn and the special bread-pan de muerto. Air is represented by the paper cut-out flags-in San Antonio we call them Fiesta flags-that are draped around the altar. Fire is of course represented by candles and now water is often represented by the spirits placed on the altar to honor the people who loved them. (On our home altar this year we served beer, tequila, and whisky.)

My husband also learned that according to traditional wisdom the single sense that the dead have left to them is the sense of smell. This is why flowers-specifically marigolds are so abundant--many altars actually have small pathways lined with marigolds leading up to the altar proper so that the ancestors may be guided by scent.

We the mortals touch the metals, 

the wind, the ocean shores, the stones, 

knowing they will go on, inert or burning, 

and I was discovering, naming all the these things: 

it was my destiny to love and say goodbye.”--Pablo Neruda

Dead Can Dance

Happy All Hallows, Blessed Samhain, and Feliz Dia de los Muertos!

If all goes according to plan this will be the LAST post I make on this blog as a brand new website and blog are launching on THURSDAY!  MONDAY  On top of the usual load of candles, ritual work, and intuitive consultations, I have been busy, busy, busy getting the website up to snuff! I can't wait until you all check it out!

Couple of quick notes for those who don't follow Twitter~

Momma Hen's floor wash--this stuff is selling like hot cakes. Once its gone, its gone so get some pronto!

Question & Action Video Series-is a new monthly series that will be posted at the blog at in my newsletter. I answer questions on divination, conjure, magic, and provide workable and immediate actions to put advice into ACTION. So, have a burning question? Go ahead and shoot me an email.

In the meantime, feast your eyes on some images of our day of the dead altar!

"Death borders upon our birth, and our cradle stands in the grave."-Joseph Hall

"I had seen birth and death but had thought they were different."--T.S. Eliot

"Our dead are never dead to us, until we have forgotten them."--George Eliot

Pretty, Pretty, Petition

photo by gnuckx

"Action is eloquence."--William Shakespeare

I will be off line for most of the day working on a couple of BIG projects (all will be revealed in due time) However, I leave you with a pretty image, a great quote and instructions on making your very own magical petition papers.

Magical petitions are one of the oldest forms of magical work--they are featured in the Holy Bible and the Tanakh. The idea of applying pen to paper to manifest magical intention has a simple elegance to it that makes many people feel like more is needed for a true ritual or spell to occur. While roots, herbs, oils, incenses, and brews are all delightful additions to ritual work, a well crafted petition can absolutely serve as the working's solid foundation. So how do you do it? Below I give you 3 forms of petitions commonly used in Conjure and Hoodoo. The first-a petition for dominance:

This is the petition that you use when you need someone to do it your way, see things from your perspective, pay attention to you, listen to you, or in some way, shape or form, be influenced by you:

--get a piece of paper the size of a post-it note and write your target's full name on it 3 times in pencil.
--turn the paper clockwise 90 degrees so that you now read the name up and down instead of left to right.
--write your name on top of the target's name in permanent ink. I recommend the color red for issues dealing with straight up power and/or love and romance, blue for healing or peace, brown for legal issues, purple for success and mastery and green for financial matters.
--embellish your petition with designs and symbols that are relevant to your case. If you want someone to shut up you might draw a mouth with an X on it. If you are making the petition for someone who owes you money you might draw dollar bills or money bags.
--anoint the petition with oil in a 5 spot pattern-4 corners and center.
--if the petition has been made to draw something or someone closer to you then fold it towards you, turn it 90 degrees clockwise and fold it again. If it has been crafted to get rid of someone then fold it away from yourself.

Next we have the type of petition that is commonly used in ritual work involving magical containers like honey jars:

--get a piece of paper the size of a post-it note and write your target's full name on it 3 times in pencil.
--turn the paper clockwise 90 degrees so that you now read the name up and down instead of left to right.
--write your name on top of the target's name in permanent ink. For honey jars the most common colors used are red, blue, purple, brown, and green.
--the tricky part: you must inscribe a circle around the names you have written WITHOUT raising your pen. So choose a prayer, command, or mantra that is short and sweet and easy to write. For a love drawing honey jar the command to: love me, come to me, want me-is perfectly acceptable.
--anoint your petition in a 5 spot pattern
--embellish your petition with images and symbols appropriate to the case.

And finally, a Break Apart or Separation petition:

--if you have a picture of the couple you want to break up then use that--if not get a single piece of paper the size of a post-it note and with a pencil make a line down the middle of the paper so that its divided into 2 columns. Write the full name of one half of the couple over their picture or in one column and write the other person's name over their picture or in their column. Whether you are using a picture or a plain piece of paper you should have 2 columns with a name in each written 3 times.
--cross each name with red ink and your petition that they break up and separate.
--anoint the paper or picture with break up oil
--tear the paper in half-symbolizing the rent in the fabric of their relationship

A note on personal concerns in petitions: when I use personal concerns I like to fold them within the petition. There are different schools of thought on this but I like the have my target being influenced at every possible level-that begins with my written prayers or commands. As I wrote earlier, petitions have been worked with forever-so there is no one way. These are three traditional ways I was taught and it is my hope that they will be of use to you!

Happy Birthday-and a gift for each of you!

photo by cursedthing

Its my birthday today and I want to take a little bit of time to reflect on birthdays, the rituals that surround them and what they might really be about. I have a friend who simply adores her birthday and is always excited when it comes along (me too, I love birthdays!) and then I have a friend who is like, "what's the big deal? Its not like I personally did anything of merit on this day-why am I getting gifts." Having had the pleasure of giving birth and being in labor for over 36 hours earlier this year, I hear what he is saying, and yet it cannot be denied that birthdays feel important in some way.

So why do they feel important? What's the big deal about getting one year older? Other than the obvious-cake and ice cream-yum! I started thinking about this and recollected my feelings prior to Jasper's arrival. The entire time I was pregnant and especially when giving birth it was apparent to me that I was on someone else's time schedule and that another person's will (namely Jasper) was involved in this situation. I wasn't going to into labor until Jasper was ready--the kid even overcame pitocin, and I was not going to give birth until he was ready to drop (at the last possible moment). This experience led me to conclude something I had always suspected but now feel that I got to witness first hand--we choose to be here. On this earth, in this time, right now. Its a choice, incarnation, maybe its a choice influenced by law or by Divine Will, but there is still choice involved in the process.

So that is what I celebrate when I celebrate my birthday. I celebrate the joys and pain and heartbreak and ecstasy of another year on the planet, of 365 days full of sun, moon, stars, and all the big and little dramas that make up a life, specifically my life. Choosing to be flesh and blood, choosing to participate in the highs and lows of humanity takes spirit and courage in my book. I wouldn't trade it for anything. I also believe (of course I do) that we are part of a greater whole. There is more to our lives and our purpose here than we may suspect--especially at our most difficult and most delight-full times.

Its a tradition for me to do something nice for the people that rock my world on my birthday--my little way of giving back, of saying thanks for being a light in my life. All of my clients, anyone who is reading this blog, is someone who falls into that category and so my birthday gift to you is a lovely discount on the most time and spiritually intensive intuitive session that I offer-an Ancestor Reading. It feels right and appropriate to me to offer this up on my birthday-for along with choice I believe that we do carry the messages, hopes, dreams, fears, and potentials of those who have gone before us. I feel honored to stand in witness and partnership with every individual who comes to be for an Ancestor Reading-it can be a life-altering experience. So! My gift to each of you is 10% off Ancestor Readings for the month of October. These sessions never go on sale so get it while its hot! And feel free to celebrate a little bit today--its my day and I say-rock on!

Signs, Signals, Omens, and Portents

photo by D. Sharon Pruitt

In certain almost supernatural states of the soul, the profundity of life reveals itself entirely in the spectacle, however ordinary it may be, before one's eyes. It becomes its symbol.--Charles Baudelaire

I am knee-deep in designing an e-course on reading and interpreting symbols, signs, omens, and portents. If you have a burning question about any of the above send 'em on over.

Mamma Hen at it again+new freebie!

Couple of quick announcements before you all check out for the weekend: If you have funk in your space then clean it up already! The first step to clearing out the bad vibes and ushering in good juju is to physically and spiritually clean the space in which you live and love.  Momma Hen has made some truly awesome floor wash! The 16 oz bottles are chock full of organic cleansers and spiritually cleansing and blessing herbs from momma hen's very own garden. You can buy the floor wash here or at our Etsy store. And, there is a new freebie page up at Milagro Roots-a handy reference guide for some commonly seen symbols and what they represent.

Making Magic Happen-The Magician in the Tarot

The following article is reposted here from my monthly newsletter! Want to learn more awesome stuff and get some freebies while you are at it? Check out the newsletter and sign up!

When I was a cheerleader we did a yell that reminds me of the Magician card-it went like this: "Action, action, we want action! A-C-T-I-O-N!!!" This was accompanied by a lot of spirit fingers and spasmatic arm motions that I think we are all better off forgetting. But the yell was used when our team was flagging in energy and strength and needed to do something magical and miraculous to get the game back on our terms and this idea is not too far from the Magician.

When we look at the card we notice a somewhat androgynous looking male figure dressed in red and white. The lemniscate or infinity symbol is floating above his head, his right arm is raised to the sky, his right hand holds a double ended wand and his left hand points down to the earth. Above his head is a swag of roses, around his feet and legs we find more roses and white lilies. An altar is in front of him with 4 items precisely arranged: cup, gold coin or pentacle, dagger, and wand. In ceremonial magical traditions and some Wiccan traditions the knife and cup may be referred to as an athame and chalice respectively. And of course I am referring to the card as we find it in the Rider Waite Smith deck. The background of the Magician is bright yellow-the exact same shade we find as the backdrop for the Fool card and this indicates to us that in some way the Magician is an extension or an outgrowth of the Fool. But of course, there are also differences. For starters, the Magician is much more organized and orderly than the Fool--there are no ripped clothes or barking dogs in this card! There is intention, energy, and ritual purpose in the place of the fool's abandon, wild faith, and courage/foolhardiness. The Magician has channeled the Fool's raw enthusiasm (deriving from the Greek words en Theos meaning "filled with God) and is going to DO something with it.

The tools of his trade are arrayed in front of him indicating that he has all of the resources he requires to do the work he needs to do right at his fingertips. His arms and hands are the most stylized aspect of the card and also the most symbolic--one points up with a double ended wand to heaven--as if summoning or pulling down divine and heavenly energy. The second hand points down towards the earth, as if pulling up the earthly energy of manifestation. These two apparent opposites meet within the core of the magician's body, instilling him with the power to create real change. The center of the lemniscate rests directly above the Magician's head and reminds us of the Word logos descending upon the head of Christ in the form of a sacred dove so that the Word could be made Flesh. The Magician stands at the center of the infinity symbol, able to see what has come before, what comes after, and where his specific place is within the mystery and magic of life. The wise Magician accepts his position and does his work for the greater good of all and for the Truth. The unwise Magician refuses to accept his place, jostles for power, prestige, and control.

Then we have the color play in the card. Our mage is cloaked in red and white and this theme is echoed in the roses and lilies around his feet and legs. The color red is strongly associated the the feminine since ancient times and white is just as strongly associated with men. Roses are associated with the ladies and lilies are associated with men-specifically again Jesus Christ. The colors and the masculine and feminine attributes that they symbolize call our attention to 2 other pairs of opposites we find in the card-heaven and earth, transcendence and immanence. This indicates that the Magician is able to take aspects, energies, and elements that are in some ways naturally in opposition to one another and blend them, creating unity from division. And that in turn brings us to another important feature of the card, the number. In all traditional decks the Magician is assigned the first position, card number one. Unity and unification are the themes behind this numeral. The number one  points to a sense of something higher, eternal, and unified going beyond the apparent duality we see in the world and symbolized by the infinity symbol above the Magician's head.

To recap: The Magician deals with magic and the magical process of transformation. He stands in a unique position where he can view what has come before, what comes after and where his place within this cycle stands. The inner character of the Magician determines how he works with and uses this knowledge--is it for his own personal gain or to be of service to others. He is unique in his ability to unify apparent opposites and he is resourceful and intent upon his work. Connected to both the heavens and the earthly realm, the Magician stands as a Christ figure-suspended between the 2 and serving both.

In divination the Magician card can indicate any combination or all of the following:
--someone involved in the querant's situation may be working in a magical or ritual context to either help or harm the querant
--the querant may do well to seek out the aid of a professional who does perform magical+ritual work
--the querant has magical ability themselves that could be developed
--the querant needs to be aware of someone who is creating an illusion or using their ability to sell illusions to put the querant in a difficult situation (for instance, a con artist could be represented by the Magician card in some readings)
--the querant or someone that the querant is asking about may be leaning too far in one direction and needs to harness the opposite forces in their lives in order to get the picture, book, deal, (fill in the blank with your project here) manifested and solidly real.
Remember in divination that the Magician is ALWAYS an alchemist. His work is to take one thing and through the power of nature and the power of his intellect and will transform it into something else. In some cases this is an improvement, in other cases it is not, but transformation is key.

Money+Prosperity+Abundance-Make some space in your place!

OK-so often one of the first things that I ask people when we get on the subject of making money, keeping cash, and letting the good times roll--is--what is on your prosperity altar? And often the reply is some version of "huh?" I work and teach is several different magic and ritual traditions-and creating space in your place for prosperity and abundance is advised in all of them! Because if you can't be bothered to dedicate a tiny bit of space to keeping the abundant good things in life flowing then you have already shut so many doors to your potential growth. So…for those of you who want a step by step, play by play of how to do this, sit back, get a cup of tea, and enjoy the ride!

Choose your space-it can be a room, a corner of a room, a window ledge. When we do prosperity and abundance ritual work we are usually hoping and praying to increase our abundance, our earning potential, the size of our wallets so I like to place these types of altars in the East. In some traditions East is associated with the season Spring-when all plants are beginning to sprout and grow and become, you guessed it, abundant! In other traditions East is associated with the strengthening of the sun (which of course rises in the East)-as the sun rises and gains in strength so may our fortunes. If you don't have a place in the east where you can dedicate space then choose the North-that direction is associated with the element of Earth and also auspicious for money making.

Dedicate your space--I am not talking about performing some fancy ritual-I am talking about dedicating your space in order to set it apart. Since you are working on the ideas of abundance/cash/money/security/and wealth you want to set this space apart with items that resonate to those themes. Material or items that are green are an obvious choice. I like to use living plants in my personal abundance altar. Gold coins, cash money, toads and frogs (which are associated with financial flow in China, parts of South American, and in certain Native American tribes) might appeal to you. If you are not overwhelmed with a million ideas its ok-put down a piece of green or gold material, place a candle in the center, and consider your options. Altar building is an art.

Gather your materials--Are you going to pray, burn candles, recite a specific mantra, or work with a lodestone or prosperity box? What is your ritual? If you are not sure what types of rituals are appropriate or speak to you start with something simple-maybe an incense stick burning as you consider a new way to bring wealth+abundance into your life. You can also get some ideas about your attitudes regarding wealth and abundance during an intuitive counseling session-so if you are really stuck on this, consider that. Traditionally these are some of the items you might find on a prosperity altar:
--green or gold candles
--incense
--cash and coins
--oils to draw money and abundance
--herbs and roots to draw money and abundance
--matches
--figures of Deities/icons/ancestors that support you in your desire for an abundant life
--journals/books/magazines that assist you with planning and creating abundance

Summon your allies--In pretty much every religious tradition there are Saints, Gods, Goddesses, or Holy Figures that are associated with drawing wealth on every possible level (material, intellectual, spiritual, etc). Consider your tradition and the tradition(s) that resonate with you. Is there a figure that you believe might assist you in your endeavors to create more prosperity in your life? What about icons from history or popular culture? Anyone that just screams WEALTH! to you? And finally, consider your background and ancestors. With a little digging you are sure to uncover some truly remarkable individual who had financial savvy.

Bless your projects--What are you working on? What project or idea or craft are you dedicated to that just thrills you? What amount of money would you like to be making? What forms of abundance do you most need in your life right now? An altar is not just a conversation piece or a pretty decoration. An altar is where you bring your hopes, dreams, fears, successes, and failures. It is where we go to seek blessings and to acknowledge and bless ourselves. Show up to your altar-work at it and use it on a daily basis-consistent and meaningful ritual practice will begin to create magnificent and positive prosperity for you almost immediately-try it!

Divination in a secular age

The other day I was noodling on the net and came across a blog post by a well-respected colleague. This individual was commenting on the difference between a predictive approach to divination versus a more philosophical approach. In concrete terms any reader or intuitive counselor will recognize this in the 2 different types of clients that we experience--there is one type of client who wants a nuts to bolts description of what will happen next in their lives as opposed to the client who wants an overarching reading that will most likely give them insight into their spiritual gifts and/or purpose. The former is the predictive case and the latter the philosophical (or probably in more correct terminology, the metaphysical). I have read similar articles in the past stating the same dichotomy and experienced how from this dichotomy springs another idea which is gaining currency--that working with an oracular system (whether its tarot, runes, tea leaves or what have you) for the purposes of prediction is "low" or less-than while working with the same system for meditative or contemplative purposes is "high" and the mark of an enlightened soul. So. This is wrong. But let's talk about why its wrong.

There are 2 issues at hand--the first is that the split between a predictive approach to divination and a metaphysical approach to divination rests on a false dichotomy. The greater spiritual questions are essential to correct prediction and correct prediction touches upon the greater spiritual questions. The false dichotomy comes out of the enlightenment period of history and the subsequent age of secularism that the enlightenment ushered in. Divination is one of the oldest arts and professions. One need look no further than the ancient texts that both encourage and prohibit certain forms of divination to understand that it has been around, in one form or another for a long, long, time. And of course it has! One of the most fundamental questions that we humans ask is…what's next? What will happen if…What will happen if I don't…voila the need for divination and diviners is born!

Because divination is such an ancient art we know it was practiced when our sense of the world and our place in the world was a different animal than it is now. Please note: I do not actually think much changes about our experiences-but I do think that our perception and explanation of why we experience what we do has changed, and not necessarily for the better always. To continue, I often explain to my students and clients that when we work with my preferred system of divination-the tarot--we need to place ourselves in what I refer to, somewhat incorrectly, as a "middle-age" mind set. Tarot cards have been documented as arriving in Europe in the early 1400's--although I and many other readers suspect the cards were worked with much earlier but unless my client is a history scholar (of which I do have a few!) they mostly know what I am talking about. I am using the example of tarot here because it is the system of divination that I work with, but the same thing applies to any system of divination that has ancient roots as well as the general art of divination itself. When I ask a client to enter the medieval mind set I am asking them to envision a world where the day is bracketed by rituals celebrating what is divine, unseen, and mysterious. We can say a lot of negative things about this period of history-the social and economic structures, the role of women and minorities, etc, etc, BUT one thing that the pre-Enlightenment folks had over us moderns hands down is a deep sense of the sacred. This sense was communal and participated in by the greater community. Belief in things that cannot be seen and touched-only felt or intuited did not mark you out as insane or weird or woo-woo-it was something that you most likely shared with your friends and neighbors. The sense of the sacred-of God, of the Divine was a part of daily life. A sense of wonder at the mystery of nature and the world was ingrained in individuals. So it is with any system of divination. For you see, divination is a system, as well as an art, and like all art and systems it does rest on certain presuppositions. For instance, if you are a fatalist it doesn't really make sense for you to have your cards read as the whole point of divination is to learn what is most likely to happen--and then if need be, take actions to encourage or stop certain events from taking place to the best of your ability. And among these presuppositions is the belief that our daily lives, thoughts, actions, and behaviors are touched and influenced in every possible way by our sense of the sacred, the world and our place in it, the questions that really matter--in short, our philosophy. Wonder-at ourselves, at the grandness of the word, the greatness of the Divine, the mystery of it all--undergirded our sense of philosophy until the Enlightenment. Now, don't get me wrong--we needed the Enlightenment to happen. It brought us physics, the scientific method, vaccines, and all kinds of goodies that make modern life possible. BUT one thing that gave way in the onslaught of this new approach to wisdom was that sense of wonder. No more would nature hide her secrets from us-brave and strong men were going to come, ravish her, and empty her skirts of any remaining mysteries.  (Thats not a fancy analogy by the way-that is Sir Francis Bacon, the father of the Enlightenment who says it more elegantly: "My only earthly wish is... to stretch the deplorably narrow limits of man's dominion over the universe to their promised bounds... nature will be bound into service, hounded in her wanderings and put on the rack and tortured for her secrets.")

Yes--its the knowledge that in some way led to the machine that I am typing this on right now-yet there was a price, and it was steep. We can see it in many areas but the area I am interested in is divination. As we lost our sense of wonder and the sacred we also started to buy into the false dichotomy I mentioned earlier and a schism grew between the art of prediction and an individual's philosophy. And so we have today the situation of clients and readers who think of these aspects as separate in the best case and at odds with one another in the worst case. In theory philosophy is for the academy and divination is for woo-woo mystics or wannabes. In practice, as any reader knows, its much more complicated and people from ALL walks of life seek divination now just as they always have. And any truly useful+insightful divination is going to place prediction and philosophy in relationship to one another--because what you think about yourself and the world around you influences the direction your life goes in today as it always has. Or to put it more plainly--whether or not you and your boyfriend are going to take it to the next level has everything to do with "big questions" like how you think about yourself, commitment, relationships, faithfulness, honesty, and hard work. If we want answers we gotta delve into your philosophy--its the way that we get clarity! I was talking to my husband about this idea this morning and he reminded me that the same principle can be seen in the Chinese character of the Tao (which of course translates to Way or in some translations "way-making" to capture the progressive sense of the idea). Originally this character was understood to be an eye with legs--because you have to both see (understand) where you are headed and have the practical ability to go there. That is what we strive for in divination-as client or reader-you shouldn't settle for less.

World's Biggest Summit

I woke up this morning, stumbled into my kitchen where my handsomely disheveled husband handed me a cup of strong coffee and I sat down to my email inbox where there is always something new. BUT this morning I had an especially auspicious email from Goddess Leonie inviting me to teach at the World's Biggest Summit! I am totally excited because I love Goddess Leonie's work and the teachers at the World's Biggest Summit are all pretty incredible. I am totally honored to be among them. Perhaps even more exciting for all of YOU--tickets to the summit are absolutely 100% FREE! Just think--tons of great information on topics ranging from business to prosperity to spirituality and creativity--why wouldn't you want to be there?! And now I will be teaching as well! So go on y'all--get your tickets and buckle in for an awesome October ride!

Shop Talk

Alright-the Milagro Roots webstore has FINALLY been updated. Teaser: there will be a new+vastly improved web shopping experience coming soon to Milagro Roots--sign up for my newsletter to learn more! In the meantime…I have both Break Up and Court Case spell kits in stock as well as Marriage, Hot Foot, and Queen Elizabeth oils! Ladies: QE oil is one of my faces for promoting love but also overall women's health and vigor!  Also, while we are on the subject of spiffy merchandise do not forget that for this month ONLY Archangel Michael Home Protection Packets are 10% off at my Etsy store and I am happy to announce a NEW offering as well: Prosperity Boxes!

I was taught how to make prosperity mirror boxes--to mirror good fortune and lotsa money throughout your life--YEARS ago but it wasn't until a couple of months ago when one of my face clients asked me about it that I realized I could go ahead and start making them again! So, if you want a gorgeous altar piece to play with and make money with order yours today!

A Blessing Wash

Sometimes we feel low, lacking spirit and vitality, unlucky, and just generally blah. You can bathe when you are down or have a candle lit, but I also recommend going around and counting your blessings and wishing blessings on others. The law of attraction is a real thing-we do reap what we sow. That is not to say that life is always fair or that even if we are good all the time we won't experience hardship--but our attitude in dealing with both pleasure and struggle define our character and contribute in large part to our ability to either hold up under the struggle or collapse. I call the act of counting blessings and sending blessings out to others a Blessing Wash--and really, this is a great little ritual to do ANYTIME! Here is mine:

I am blessed with loving family members who are willing and delighted to watch over my child while I work--may others be blessed with trusted and good child care options.

I am blessed with work that satisfies me spiritually, intellectually and creatively--may others be blessed with work that satisfies them in all of their parts.

I am blessed with bright faith, strong hope, and deep love--may others be blessed with ideas to believe in, dreams to hope for, and many people to love deeply.

I am blessed with abundant income that allows me to support myself and my family--may others be blessed and always have more than enough of the good stuff in life, may those in need be blessed with succor.

I am blessed with clients that I truly care for, whose stories move my heart, and whose lives I am invested in--may others be blessed with at least one person who, though maybe having never met you face to face, care for you deeply nonetheless.

I am blessed with a beautiful child and a wonderful partner--may others be blessed in their family and home lives-with loving partners and miraculous children.

I am blessed with a strong body that can walk, run, swim, hike, laugh, and sing--may others be blessed with health and vitality.

I am blessed with a chronic illness that keeps me real and humble--may others be blessed with a challenge that turns into a blessing.

I am blessed with a great mom and sister. May others be blessed with family that loves and supports them.

I am blessed with wise mentors. May others find guides to walk with them on their paths.

I am blessed with friends who love me no matter what. Period. May others be blessed with unconditional friendship.

I am blessed with fears and insecurities that inspire me to reach deeper into myself, to love myself more fiercely, to serve with a passionately open heart--may others be blessed to find that their fears may be their greatest allies.

And today we in San Antonio are blessed with RAIN! May others be blessed with nourishment that enriches their land, their spirit, their work, and their lives.

Quick Cues on Not Being Taken for a Sucker!

So…you have decided to consult with a psychic, a spiritual advisor, someone who is willing to advise you and help you achieve your goals…for a price. So far, so good. But as my longtime readers know, I get stories on a weekly basis from people who have been SORELY taken advantage of. Here are some quick tips on how to make sure that you are working with someone who is ethical, legitimate, and honest:

1.) Check their testimonials+website--how long has the site been around? How many testimonials do they have? If you ask them to speak to one of the people who left a testimonial will they hook you up or leave you hanging?

2.) Do they belong to any professional clubs or organizations that guarantee an ethical approach? I am a founding member of the Association of Readers and Rootworkers because our field needed an ethical watchdog--AIRR is it.

3.) Is it clear to you what you are signing up for and what you are getting in return? Is there a contract you can sign? How much contact can you expect from the individual and will they agree to a set number of contacts in writing? If not, its a big sign that something might be amiss.

4.) Are they guaranteeing their results? This is mystery and magic not math--every situation/perspective/person is different and there are a million extenuating circumstances-someone who is guaranteeing results to you is someone to look at very carefully.

5.) Can you verify that they actually are delivering on their promises? Are you getting reports and analysis, photographs, contact--or are you getting vague promises and excuses?

6.) USE common sense! For most of the tragic stories I hear, the teller begins with "I should have known better when…" and then they tell me something that definitely should have (and in many cases did) set of warning bells. Hey! Pay attention to those bells. There are lots of spiritual advisors out there. You don't have to settle for the first one that you try. (This is not an encouragement to go and knock on every spiritual worker's door either though--be honest with your current worker about past experiences.) If you do not feel comfortable working with someone after giving them a fair shot then move on! Not every person will be satisfied by any one worker.

May you be smart, savvy, and satisfied!

Love Letters to Me :-)

Calling all clients who love me! Chances are you have already sent me a super sweet email (or 20!) telling me how I rocked your world and for that I thank you--I love waking up to warm+fuzzies in my inbox. Howeva--my ace web designer and I are going to be revamping the website and I am going to have categorized testimonials--that's right-I have so many that they need their own categories! So…if you would love to help a gal out send me your testimonial via email LABELED with one of the following categories so that I can file it easily--cause ya know I have a full plate and a baby! Yes! You can say nice things about me for more than one category! No! I will not use your full name unless you give me written permission to do so! I will use your initials and location-it will look like this: BH-San Antonio, Texas OR BH, Texas. Yes! If you want to leave me your full name and website I will link to it from mine! OK--are you excited? Start your engines and here are the categories:

vigil candles and custom vigil candles
custom ritual work
mojo hands
archangel michael packets
intuitive counseling (used to be "readings")
magical coaching
ancestor reading
general
Just pick your cat-copy+paste it right into the email subject heading line and let the love flow!
Vroom, vroom! Start your wordsmith engines and THANK YOU!!! in advance.

Quick Reminders

I still have a few packs left of Fields of Gold herbal mix for Wealth-Prosperity-Abundance as well as Snap the Whip! Compelling Love Herb Mix. Also, my September Pay What You Can Day still have one spot open! If you need an intuitive counseling session and you cannot afford my regular prices this is a once a month opportunity to get lots of insight for little dough!

An open letter of love and support:

To you, the ones who are hurting, keening, baffled, shocked, bruised, and broken,

I can't tell you that it will always be ok-because sometimes it won't.
I won't tell you that it will always work out the way you hope-because sometimes it doesn't.
I can't tell you that it won't hurt, or that it will only sting a bit-because sometimes pain does last a good, long, while.
But I can tell you that its not forever, that every night is followed by a new day and that there is something of wisdom in every experience-it's yours for the taking, don't ignore it.

I am holding you each in my heart-talk to someone who loves you tonight-may you each be blessed.

Archangel Michael's Feast Day-Sale!

In honor of Archangel Michael's Feast Day at the end of the month, my Archangel Michael home protection packets are 10% off at my etsy store ONLY for all of this month! Stock up--they make great gifts and every house needs at least one!

Happy Birthday Mom!

It is my mom, momma hen's, birthday today. She is up in Canada panning for gold and having an awesome time in the gorgeous mountains (and fantastic weather). Mom taught me so much of what I know and continues to teach me every day. Love you mom-and hope you have a really awesome birthday :-)

September Newsletter is Out!

Read it here and sign up!
Among the exciting announcements is my latest Pay What You Can Day-scheduled for 9/29!
Four sessions available-grab while you can!

Dedicating the merits of your practice

This one goes out to all the yogis and wannabe yogis and folks who feel ridiculously blessed (or challenged which is also a form of blessing) and simply don't know what to do with themselves.  There is a practice in many 21st century American yoga studios of "dedicating the merits of your practice."  You can dedicate merits to someone, a cause, an affirmation, even a Deity.  As best I can tell, this idea comes out of the Hindu practice of asceticism (and it was picked up by Buddhists later in a very similar manner).  Ascetics--usually of the Brahmin class but not necessarily so--were individuals who dedicated themselves to doing tasks of great difficulty.  Often these tasks were physical in nature, for instance, the Goddess Uma seduced and captivated Lord Shiva by standing on one toe and surviving on nothing but dried leaves for over a year--how's that for unconditional devotion?!  Occasionally the tasks were more specific and intellectual or spiritual in nature--chastity for eons was another popular form of ascetic practice.

Behind these traditions lie two powerful principles: the first is that the physical body and the sensations it experiences are largely illusory and the second is that through an understanding of the first principle an individual can pierce through the veil of the unreal and discover powers within him or herself that have the ability to manifest real change in the physical realm.  Now, on some level if you have ever exercised in your life to lose weight, increase muscle tone, or repair an injury you already believe these things because your physical self imposed some kind of limitation (impossible weight gain or an injury), you agreed that through effort and work you could positively impact that limitation, pierce through it and go beyond it, and once successful you discovered that your efforts did indeed cause physical change.  In traditional Hindu parlance the act of effort is known as karma--yes, karma comes from the sanskrit root kr which means to "act or do" and it is where we get such words as create, and what is generated by this effort is tapas or heat.  Again, physical exercise is a really great place to look at this because it is grounded and we have all experienced it--what happens when you make a physical effort?  You get hot and sweaty.  Well, as it turns out most major religions believe that a similar phenomena happens on a spiritual/energetic/soul level when you engage in certain ascetic or devotional practices.  This tapas in turn creates a kind of merit--in our words today it says that you give a damn about something greater than yourself, and this merit in turn carries a kind of power.  And, as a favorite comic book hero was told, Power can be used for good or evil.

So…back to dedicating the merits of your practice.  Now in today's world most of us are not standing on one toe and eating dried leaves BUT I talk to people all day who are willing to follow the example of the Hanged Man tarot card and make efforts to secure what they want/need/desire.  Not spending money can be an effort, not eating the cookie can be an effort, being nice to your brother when he is super difficult can be an effort.  Yoga teachers talk about dedicating the merit of your practice because yoga is an effort--on multiple levels at the same time.  If you are feeling blessed, loved and illuminated by the universe then give back--to your family and friends, to your favorite charity, to strangers you have never met. Blessings are meant to be shared, not clutched close to your vest in miserly desperation.  If you are feeling stuck or challenged ask yourself: am I making an effort here?  Be honest.  Can you make more of an effort?  Be honest.   What is your practice around the people, situations, and life areas that cause you the most difficulty, pain, anger, and stress?  What might a sustainable practice that could improve these feelings look like? And then, don't make the effort with the expectation of the reward.  Make the effort because you care about more than your own situation--dedicate the merits of your efforts to someone or something that really needs it.  All I can say is that you'll be surprised at the results and it worked for child birth--but that's another story.

A little Blake today

This poem has been on my mind all day--who better to share it with then all of you?

To see a world in a grain of sand,
And a heaven in a wild flower,
Hold infinity in the palm of your hand,
And eternity in an hour.
A robin redbreast in a cage	5
Puts all heaven in a rage.
A dove-house fill’d with doves and pigeons
Shudders hell thro’ all its regions.
A dog starv’d at his master’s gate
Predicts the ruin of the state.	10
A horse misused upon the road
Calls to heaven for human blood.
Each outcry of the hunted hare
A fibre from the brain does tear.
A skylark wounded in the wing,	15
A cherubim does cease to sing.
The game-cock clipt and arm’d for fight
Does the rising sun affright.
Every wolf’s and lion’s howl
Raises from hell a human soul.	20
The wild deer, wand’ring here and there,
Keeps the human soul from care.
The lamb misus’d breeds public strife,
And yet forgives the butcher’s knife.
The bat that flits at close of eve	25
Has left the brain that won’t believe.
The owl that calls upon the night
Speaks the unbeliever’s fright.
He who shall hurt the little wren
Shall never be belov’d by men.	30
He who the ox to wrath has mov’d
Shall never be by woman lov’d.
The wanton boy that kills the fly
Shall feel the spider’s enmity.
He who torments the chafer’s sprite	35
Weaves a bower in endless night.
The caterpillar on the leaf
Repeats to thee thy mother’s grief.
Kill not the moth nor butterfly,
For the last judgment draweth nigh.	40
He who shall train the horse to war
Shall never pass the polar bar.
The beggar’s dog and widow’s cat,
Feed them and thou wilt grow fat.
The gnat that sings his summer’s song	45
Poison gets from slander’s tongue.
The poison of the snake and newt
Is the sweat of envy’s foot.
The poison of the honey bee
Is the artist’s jealousy.	50
The prince’s robes and beggar’s rags
Are toadstools on the miser’s bags.
A truth that’s told with bad intent
Beats all the lies you can invent.
It is right it should be so;	55
Man was made for joy and woe;
And when this we rightly know,
Thro’ the world we safely go.
Joy and woe are woven fine,
A clothing for the soul divine.	60
Under every grief and pine
Runs a joy with silken twine.
The babe is more than swaddling bands;
Throughout all these human lands
Tools were made, and born were hands,	65
Every farmer understands.
Every tear from every eye
Becomes a babe in eternity;
This is caught by females bright,
And return’d to its own delight.	70
The bleat, the bark, bellow, and roar,
Are waves that beat on heaven’s shore.
The babe that weeps the rod beneath
Writes revenge in realms of death.
The beggar’s rags, fluttering in air,	75
Does to rags the heavens tear.
The soldier, arm’d with sword and gun,
Palsied strikes the summer’s sun.
The poor man’s farthing is worth more
Than all the gold on Afric’s shore.	80
One mite wrung from the lab’rer’s hands
Shall buy and sell the miser’s lands;
Or, if protected from on high,
Does that whole nation sell and buy.
He who mocks the infant’s faith	85
Shall be mock’d in age and death.
He who shall teach the child to doubt
The rotting grave shall ne’er get out.
He who respects the infant’s faith
Triumphs over hell and death.	90
The child’s toys and the old man’s reasons
Are the fruits of the two seasons.
The questioner, who sits so sly,
Shall never know how to reply.
He who replies to words of doubt	95
Doth put the light of knowledge out.
The strongest poison ever known
Came from Caesar’s laurel crown.
Nought can deform the human race
Like to the armour’s iron brace.	100
When gold and gems adorn the plow,
To peaceful arts shall envy bow.
A riddle, or the cricket’s cry,
Is to doubt a fit reply.
The emmet’s inch and eagle’s mile	105
Make lame philosophy to smile.
He who doubts from what he sees
Will ne’er believe, do what you please.
If the sun and moon should doubt,
They’d immediately go out.	110
To be in a passion you good may do,
But no good if a passion is in you.
The whore and gambler, by the state
Licensed, build that nation’s fate.
The harlot’s cry from street to street	115
Shall weave old England’s winding-sheet.
The winner’s shout, the loser’s curse,
Dance before dead England’s hearse.
Every night and every morn
Some to misery are born,	120
Every morn and every night
Some are born to sweet delight.
Some are born to sweet delight,
Some are born to endless night.
We are led to believe a lie	125
When we see not thro’ the eye,
Which was born in a night to perish in a night,
When the soul slept in beams of light.
God appears, and God is light,
To those poor souls who dwell in night;	130
But does a human form display
To those who dwell in realms of day.

Happy Birthday Virgo!

OK--I know that its not every virgo's bday today but it is the birthday of my best girl friend today and the Sun did enter the sign of the Lady of the Harvest early this AM so I think we are on topic.  As my Virgo clients will testify--I love these earthy, do-gooder, organizer, systematizer, and yes, a lil bit dreamy, signs!  Virgos are rock solid when you need them to be, shyly imaginative when you least expect it, and always willing to shoulder more than their fair share of the burden.  They are associated with grain and all cereal crops--the harvest of which is celebrated at the beginning of August with festival of Llamas.  But just because cereal is their province they are not flaky (sorry, I couldn't help it).  In fact, if I had to come up with one work to describe Virgo when he/she is working with all systems go it would be: acumen.  They have great business, money, and style acumen.  They always are put together even when they feel out of sorts, they excel at pretty much anything they put their intensely bright minds too and most of the time they stay pretty humble in spite of all of these talents, in short, they rock.  Fortunately for those of us who are a bit scatter brained or indecisive--that's right Libra, I'm looking' at you--we can all harness the power of Virgo to bring order into chaos, revise, plan, and strategize.  This is a good sign and a good energy to work with if you need to improve business, financial or communication endeavors as Virgo's ruling planet is Mercury.  So, if our recent (and almost finished) Mercury in retrograde got you all riled up about organizing your closet/car/life then the Sun could not have picked a better time to enter into the sign that won't just help you put everything where it needs to go but will actually IMPROVE your overall life as you do so.  All hail Virgo!

Pay What You Can Day-we have an opening

Hi everyone,
I have a surprise opening for next Wednesday, also known as Pay What You Can Day, for the 10:30am cst slot.  Anyone want it?

audio recordings now available!

I am very pleased to announce that I am now able to record readings and make the recordings available as MP3 files for my clients.  If we have a reading and you would like it recorded please let me know (I will be asking for the time being as well!)  A recording is an invaluable tool, especially if you have a longer session and you want to be able to refer back to it again and again.  Recordings cost $5 and are available a couple of hours after our session has taken place.

Why I use the word "ritual"

There are spells and then there are rituals.  What's the difference?  Using the word spell is highly descriptive and straightforward, ritual has a more mysterious quality to it, but it also implies more in the way of the sacred.  Some people perform magical workings without any religious or spiritual framework--I have spoken to atheists interested in learning the basics of candle magic on many occasions. But for me and the type of work that I do--every component is heavily based upon my understanding of the Sacred.  Ritual does not have to be fancy or formal--the act of simply lighting a stick of incense or arranging flowers can be imbued with a sense of ritual, but there is a discernment, precision, and impeccability captured by the word ritual that spell just does not articulate.  I have described the ritual work that I do on many occasions as being a form of moving prayer or prayer with props.  My understand of the nature of the work that I am honored to perform on behalf of others is that of the petitioner.  I petition a higher power for aid, assistance, and succor in a specific individual's life usually for a specific situation.  The connection with the Source is the most crucial aspect of what I do, the herbs, oils, roots, incense, baths, washes, and curios that I work with during this moving prayer are also essential but they are absolutely secondary to that connection.  Furthermore, all of my working have a beginning (invocation), middle, and end.  They are performed in sacred space and time with a heart full of devotion and a mind fixed on what is eternal, unchanging, absolute, and divine in each of us.  To me, this describes a ritual mind set and goes beyond the scope imagined by the word spell.

Fields of Gold Herb mix for abundance-wealth-prosperity

Hi everyone--I was up late Saturday night/early Sunday morning as the full moon was at its brightest and shiniest concocting this delicious herbal blend for abundance, wealth, and prosperity!  Each biodegradable bag contains a piece of iron pyrite and a custom blend of over 13 herbs and roots that came out of my private stash.  I only had enough to make 6 5  4 bags of this fantastic blend so its a limited edition kind of thing.  As with all of my herb blends Fields of Gold can be used to dress candles, fill mojo hands, doll babies, honey jars, bottle spells, burned as an incense or even combined with epsom and kosher salts for a spiritual bath!  The bled includes five finger grass, cinnamon, blue flag root, alfalfa, grains of paradise, alkanet, sassafras and much, much more!  You can purchase a bag for yourself here.

How-to: Set Up an Altar

This is a question that gets asked on a pretty regular basis--how you you set up an altar or what is the "right" way to set up an altar.  For starters, it really depends on what tradition(s) you might be working in.  Someone who is a practicing Catholic is going to have a very different looking altar than someone who is Baptist or Hindu.  Furthermore, in many folk magic traditions altars are not necessary or are even relatively late inventions.  However, there are some general rules to consider when creating an altar or sacred space for yourself.

• What do you do?  Do you light a lot of candles?  You probably need a place for matches as well as candle lighting tools, if you use oils you need a dark cool place to store those as well.  If you work with needle and thread a lot then you might want to consider dedicating a part of your craft or sewing room to your ritual work.  If you write recipes and petitions then you writing desk might be where you do most of your work.  An altar is a place of honoring the Divine and a place where you can do your sacred work--it does not have to be in any one specific room or locale.
• East is for gain and West is for decrease.  This idea comes out of the very old tradition of following the sun--the sun rises in the East so on a spiritual and metaphorical level our desires, fortunes, and dreams can rise and gain strength with that fiery star.  It sets in the West allowing our fears, bad habits, and negative issues to go down with it.  If you want to set up a prosperity altar you might think that given the above rule you would place it in the East, but I encourage you to think about what the biggest challenge to your prosperity is.  If you really need to draw more money then make that altar in the East, but if you really need to decrease debt you might want to consider a Western banishing altar.
• Altars need to have tools that you actually use.  If you are going to use your altar for prayer then have your rosary or mala or prayer beads and sacred text ready to go.  If you do a lot of hands on ritual work at your altar have the tools that you need for that--do not try to have a high magic ceremonial altar unless you actually are a ceremonial magician
• Altars need to be private--usually this is true--an altar needs to be in a more private place so that when you are working at it you attention and intention are clearly focused and uninterrupted.
• Altars should be beautiful--consider your tradition and influences, build something that is pleasing to you and to your Higher Power(s), don't skimp and remember: simple can be beautiful.  You are also not limited to only working with table top space--decorate the walls and floor around your altar as well.
• You might need more than one.  If you are an active amateur or a professional then I recommend you have at least 3 altars--2 are for clients: one for increase and one for decrease and the third is your own personal altar where you go to reground and pray or meditate.  If you find yourself doing a lot of one type of work you might want to consider creating an altar specifically for that as well.
• Altars are not magically shielded from dust and debris--at least mine aren't--like everything else they require consistent upkeep and cleaning.

Creating altars should be invigorating and fun!  If you start to really stress about it then stop--don't force the issue--altars have a way of letting you know where they need to be and when they need to be created.  Trust yourself to know when the right time is.

Mercury in Retrograde and What you CAN do

Hey crew!
So as you all probably know by now, Mercury, that pesky, lovable little planet is all backwards for the next couple of weeks (16 days from today to be exact).  In previous posts I have talked about all of the things that you should NOT do during this time but today I am going to give you all some ideas about what you can do.  Here is what I am doing during this retrograde cycle:

• Revamping my website--scheduling and working with a fabulous web designer to redo the site so that its more user friendly and clear
• Going over by business--considering what components of my work are flourishing and what aspects are taking time/energy that I don't really have
• Scheduling appointments with professionals who can support me in my work--like writers, accountants, book keepers

I think of Mercury in Retrograde as closet cleaning time.  Its an awesome time to assess what is going on in one (or more!) areas of your life, get rid of the stuff that no longer works and begin to lay plans to fully integrate the things you love.  Get clear, get organized, get detailed and get rid of time wasters and energy suckers--yay for Mercury in Retrograde!  Not sure how to start--a consultation with me can help you figure it out!

Personalized High John the Conqueror Roots Just In!

If you have not worked with High John the Conqueror before and you are into roots, herbs, and magical talismans then you are totally missing out.  This lil guy is the root to end all roots according to some folks.  I love High John and I love placing them in mojo hands, on altars and around candles.  The root is purported to bring good luck, strength, mastery, skill, prosperity and acumen to its wearer--with all that good stuff its amazing that everyone isn't carrying them around.  Somehow the idea has gotten around the High John is only for me--that is just not true--women, including moi, work with High John and experience great success and fortune when doing so.  And there are a bunch of places where you can score generic High John root for a relatively inexpensive price.  However, sometimes your work needs a little more punch or maybe you are working on a project that has a very specific goal.  In those cases you may want a spiritually clued in worker to do some customizing for you--anointing a root in your name, perhaps over your picture, maybe with a petition, covering it with prayer and good fortune vibes.  If you find yourself nodding and wanting such a root NOW then I recommend you head over to my Etsy listing where you can order yourself a fantastic and personalized HJC root today!  Please note that the ritual I perform to personalize these roots is 7 days--so your special root won't ship out immediately.

Got Purpose?

Got Purpose?

Have you ever met someone and watched in awe as their life just seemingly fell into place?  The right job came along, the right living arrangement, the right partner, the right child, the right opportunity to rock it?  Some people describe this as being "in the flow" and some people describe it as being "damn lucky."  Most of us have had glimpses of what life can be like when it unfolds this way but that's it--a glimpse and then its gone and it feels like we are back to trudging uphill, knocking on a closed door, shouting always louder and still never being heard.  I don't think that flow or luck have much to do with this phenomena of rightness--in my experience a beautiful life takes blood, sweat, tears and a lot of hands on, do it yourself work. The people around me who objectively have the best lives revel in their lives--they love life and they love the way that they live it.  There is a word for that feeling--purpose.  Living in a world undergirded by ritual and a belief in the unseen (as I do), it is common and easy to chalk up frustration to bad juju, crossed conditions, jinxes, and bad luck.  I believe in those things more than most--I have seen first hand how they can screw things up BUT I see and talk to more people suffering from a lack of purpose and experiencing frustrations, blocks, and obstacles because of that as opposed to bad juju.  A friend of mine who is a reader herself and I were talking several weeks ago--she posed the question--how do you know that you are on the right path, that you are doing the right work?  Then she answered her question--because your life works for you!  If you feel like your life is working against you and you have prayed, cleansed, fasted, and prayed some more but don't feel improvement then what you may be looking for is your purpose.  I believe that each and every soul on this planet is unique and uniquely gifted.  You can do something with more grace, beauty and perfection than anyone else can--your job is to figure out what that something is and nail it.  And this doesn't mean that you quit your day job so that you can go find yourself--it means that you look at your job, your work, your family and ask yourself--what am I bringing to the table here?  What are the people around me bringing to the table?  Is this the best that we can do?  Is it the best I can do?  Then be honest with yourself.  If you are doing your best and your life still isn't working something needs to change.  Confucius and Jesus both recommended when making changes that individuals begin with themselves--only after your own house is in order should you go around trying to mess with other people's houses.  What do you need to do to put your house in order?  If you are not doing your best--then why?  Is it because your lazy?  You don't care?  You are trying but somehow not getting there?  You need support?  Inspiration?  Satisfaction?  Accolades?  These are the questions that can help you point yourself in the right direction, the direction of YOUR work and YOUR purpose--the work you are supposed to do and the reason why you are here, on the planet, right now.

Pay What You Can Day!

Have you read the latest edition of the Milagro Roots Newsletter--its hot off the presses and you can get it here.  Of course there is always exciting information in the newsletters--why would I write them if there wasn't?!  But this edition was thrilling because it announced Pay What You Can Day--one day, every month, when I make 4 half hour readings available to folks at whatever price they can afford to pay. Each month all proceeds will go to a different charity of my choice--the charity for August is the Humane Society of the United States.  So, here are the rules (soon to be made into a web page)!

• This is a service for low income folks--if you have oodles of cash but just want a good deal please consider your fellow brothers and sisters who may not be as financially fortunate.  I am not doing background checks on your finances but we are working on the honor system here.  Cool?  Cool.
• You cannot book Pay What You Can readings two months in a row--let's give everyone a chance to participate
• If you want to book a Pay What You Can session with me just email me with the Subject line: Pay What You Can Reading
• Readings can only be booked within the month they are offered.  In other words, you cannot book a Pay What You Can reading for September in August, you must wait until September.
• I will announce the Pay What You Can Day at the beginning of each month.

Pay What You Can Day for August is Wednesday, August 24th.  Currently there are 2 1 0 slots left--let's do some good and make some money for the HSUS!

Update: Pay What You Can Day for August is officially full--see you in September!

Loss of a loved one

Hi everyone,
I just wanted to let you all know that we found out my grandfather passed away this morning.  I was very close to him and though we knew it was coming, it is still a shock.  I will be rescheduling some readings so that I can help my family in funeral arrangements--thank you all for understanding.  Prayers and good wishes are as always appreciated.

Back in the office

Wow--everyone has been really patient while I have been gone--thanks so much.  The family took a much needed vacation and now we are back, and back on the school schedule too!  OK--here is the skinny--there are new Lucky Mojo Curio Co products at the web store including oils and spell kits. The Etsy store is doing fantastic--and if you have purchased from the Etsy store and feel compelled to leave some positive feedback please do!  Candle reports will begin trickling out this week, most likely starting tomorrow.  I intend to have them all finished by the end of the month if not before.  Also, I have stream lined the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ's) pages at Milagro Roots.  Now you can read about Vigil Candles and Custom Candles, Shipping and Store Orders, Rootwork Rituals, and Readings/Consultations at their various pages. I really encourage each individual to read the FAQ pages as they answer many, many commonly asked questions.

Fabulous new altar material

Picked up some chalk cloth for the altars today, it is cloth that you can write on:

Drawing signs and symbols on the altar space before commencing with work has a very, very long tradition in various spiritual practices.  And if you have ever purchased a spell kit from lucky mojo you know that its one of the things we do in Hoodoo.  This cloth makes it really easy (and fun!)

Reminder: Store closed

Just a reminder that the store section of Milagro Roots is closed from July 5th until July 8th.  I won't be back in the office full time until July 11th.  I do have readings scheduled during those days and if yours falls on one of them do not worry--we are still on!  But any candle orders or supply orders I receive will not be filled until after I return.

Introducing hand crafted herb mixes!

We are very excited to announce the first in a line of custom blended herb mixes from Milagro Roots! Snap the Whip compelling love herb mix is a blend of herbs that facilitate loving and romantic relationships but also give an edge of command and mastery to whoever is doing the spell work--so its really a love compelling mixture.

Snap the Whip herbs and oils in their raw form

The herb blend is ground by me into a relatively fine blend that is perfect for dressing candles, using as incense or even as an all herb sachet powder.  Each blend is labeled with name, maker (mysel or Momma Hen), and the date that it has been made.  They will arrive to you in a plastic bag which can be recycled or placed in a composter because it is 100% biodegradable.  Unlike other commercially available herb mixes, Milagro Roots herb mixes are ready to work with right out of the bag, if you anoint your candle in oil the herbs will stick to them, they are perfect for dressing vigil candles, and they are already fine enough to use on charcoal bricketts for incense. And of course, each batch is prayed over by me.

 

Front and back views of a pack of Snap the Whip compelling love herb mix--made today!

New Candle Page up at SOUL

Most of you know that SOUL is the spiritual church that I and Momma Hen run.  SOUL is run exclusively on donations--every candle, deity figure, altar piece, decoration, and incense stick that goes into SOUL is donated or purchased with donated money.  But I don't like donations where you don't receive something in return!  So, if you have been wondering how you can help build SOUL then I recommend that you consider purchasing a vigil candle where 100% of the proceeds go directly to the church!  And for those of you who want something a bit different, I have just created a page dedicated to various Hindu Deities and the vigil candles we set for them and a Catholic Saints page is not far behind!

 

Crystal Silence League and the Power of Prayer

It is a common thing for a professional worker to tell a client "I'll pray for you."  And I often tell my clients, "I will keep you in my thoughts and prayers."  Well, have any of you ever wondered what exactly that means?  For me the answer is two-fold.  I practice daily devotionals at my personal altar every morning and part of that devotional is to remember in prayer each and every client and case that I am working at the moment as well as any individuals clients or not, who have asked me to pray for them.  This is part of my personal practice and prayer has always been an active discipline in my life ever since I was a little girl.  I have witnessed first hand what heartfelt prayer can accomplish and I am a believer!  And a common question that I get from clients through email and phone calls is "how do I pray?"  No one can tell you how to pray but for those who did not grow up in a family with some religious observance the thought of prayer may be daunting and paralyzing and you may be left feeling like you don't even know where to start.  Fortunately, there are people who have dealt with this issue before, one such individual was a man named C. Alexander and he wrote a book about this issue called The Crystal Silence League.  When I first learned about this from friend and colleague cat yrwonwode I thought it sounded like a guild of super heroes!  But the Crystal Silence League is really a group of individuals all over the world who dedicate a few moments each morning to sending love, well wishes, and blessings to their friends, neighbors, and complete strangers dwelling to the West of them, following the arc of the sun. For folks who want to give prayer a more active role in their lives or for people who have never engaged in any type of prayerful practice before and want to start doing so, I highly recommend the Crystal Silence League.  My church SOUL is an affiliate of it, and joining is very easy.  Check it out and find out what the power of prayer can do in your life!