Mermaid Monday Reading- Let Heaven Help You With Your Goals and Business!

"Awaken" New Mixed Media Work and Fairy Shelf

"Awaken"- new mixed media work and the fairy shelf it now sits on. Pulling in all that is me and embracing who I truly am. :) I am also a Tarot/oracle card reader and this is an artistic display of some of my card collection and a few pieces of my art. I'm very inspired by fairies, mermaids, spirituality, and the natural world. 

It's Spring! Let's Celebrate!

Sorry for my absence last week. Construction is still going on and it has been harder getting to the computer. But, while I'm here, I want to make sure of a couple of things:

1. That you check my Facebook Fan Page for the weekly Tarot Tuesday reading. I'm posting there first, since it actually works out for me to post from my phone. When I can get to my computer, I'll still post here, but it will be later in the day.

2. That you know about my Spring Sale!! We in the northern hemisphere have been waiting for this day for SO long!! That is reason to celebrate all on its own, but I'm adding more to the happiness mix … perhaps to make up for the fact that it's still cold here, but we won't dwell on that.  

I'm offering 20% off in my Whether Stone Etsy store until March 27th! 
  Use coupon code SPRING20 to add color, beauty, healing, and intention to your life!!   

Photo art by Narah Kimberly A. Minardi. © Feel free to pin, post to Facebook, Twitter, etc. :) 

What Happens When Mars Goes Retrograde?

Mercury is now direct (though still in a shadow period until March 22nd, so we aren't totally free from its grasp), so we can turn our attention to another big retrograde- Mars. For a few days, I was feeling incredible tension and knew I had to look into it further. After a couple of Tarot readings, I finally looked up how a Mars in retrograde affects us. This article explains it nicely:http://www.evolvingdoor.ca/miscarticles/rxmars.htm

Seems Mars wants us to re-visit anger we've kept hidden from ourselves or its counterparts resentment, depression, and frustration. The Scorpio side of Mars (Mars rules Scorpio) wants us to dig all that up and release it for healing. The Aries side (Mars also rules Aries) prefers to get to where it's going quickly and can get frustrated easily by roadblocks. Mars in retrograde can also release buried ambitions and passion. How this manifested for me personally was that I was feeling incredibly creatively inspired but kept running into issues getting the time and space to actually create. Seems this can be a message to learn patience and to slow down. Once I spent some time clearing my work space and took a process oriented, leisurely pace to creating, I felt magically transformed.

I like what the author says about "not letting Mars energy out without a leash". After all, Mars is currently in Libra, so we are seeking balance. (Note the date on the article and that the retrograde dates at the end are for several years ago. The nature of Mars retrograde still holds true.)

Jupiter stations direct today in Cancer, so the expansive energy of Jupiter joins the love of hearth, home, family, and protective nature of Cancer. These properties flood the collective during the stationing, so add that layer over the Mars retrograde energy and there may be tension, passion, and/or ambition uncovered at home. Add that to the moon moving into Gemini, and you'll probably have plenty of conversations about all you've felt and discovered. And if you're an empath like I am, you are not only experiencing your personal feelings, but also those of others and the collective, so be sure to take care of yourself! Exercise, drink plenty of water, eat healthy foods, use healing crystals, flower essences, meditate, get creative, clean, or whatever else helps you stay grounded. (Remember to contact me for Reiki, Tarot readings, and healing crystal jewelry.)

How have you been feeling with all this planetary shifting? I'd love to hear about it! After all, I am a Scorpio sun, w/ Uranus and South Nodes in Scorpio, Libra moon, rising, Mercury, and Pluto, so I love research/a good mystery and am very interested in people! 

9 Acts of Self-Love

Art Journal entry by Narah Kimberly Minardi

1. Getting a massage or energy work, even if only a half an hour.

2. Speaking kindly to oneself, as you would to a beloved child

3. Making time for creative work, even if it does not make money or serve a "practical" purpose. Enjoy the process. It heals you. If you must "justify" it, then consider it a way to cut down on health care costs.

4. Letting go of what no longer lights you up, even if it makes money or serves a practical purpose.

5. Taking good care of your physical body with nourishing foods, exercise, and meditation, even if others need your care too.

6. Repeating mantras to remind yourself that you are worthy of love, abundance, freedom and peace just because you are a Divine child of God. We are all from the same source, no matter how you name it.

7. Connecting to your Angels and calling upon them for help. They are always ready and are there for you. You only need to ask.

8. Accepting the human state of imperfection. A great way to even appreciate imperfection is to make art- messy collage and painting really helped me see more beauty in doing things imperfectly, and helped me flow more with life.

9. Thanking the Divine for every breath that you take. Your Soul chose to be here, learning these lessons and gratitude for your very existence draws exactly what you need.

My word for 2014 is "self-love". By focusing on this word, I become more aware of how many ways I've denied myself love from many sources by not giving love to myself.  This awareness changes everything. What is your word? What are your acts of self-love?

11 Steps to a more Peaceful life

1. Regular meditation- There are many free online guided meditations. Do a search on YouTube or Beliefnet. A simple five minute meditation in which you observe the breath will do wonders.  Deepak Chopra's Soul of Healing Meditation cd/audio download is probably the best one I've done. Even if you cannot do the whole CD, then try just the breathing awareness part. It is short and will make you get big difference. You can build up to doing the whole meditation. You will feel amazing afterwards! Amethyst is a great healing stone and Frankincense, sandalwood, and lavender are great essential oils for meditation. Reiki is an amazingly relaxing way to reach a state similar to meditation and is excellent for those who have trouble finding peace on their own. 

2. Yoga Asanas- regular exercise of any kind will help you burn away stress hormones, but yoga asanas (positions) are based on ancient wisdom that yoke together mind, body, and spirit. 

3. Positive thinking- Even if you do not believe in or aren't sure about the Law of Attraction, do a little experiment: Try spending five minutes only thinking negative thoughts. Then spend five minutes thinking only positive thoughts. See which one feels more peaceful. Books to read: "The Happiness Makeover", "Easier Than You Think Because Life Doesn't Have to be So Hard".  Call upon Archangel Jophiel to help beautify your thoughts. Flower essences help one think positively.

4. Removing toxins from your life- Ridding yourself of toxic substances, cleaning and body care products, pesticides (both ones you use and ones your food was grown with), and especially relationships will give you the freedom to be who you really are. A great book to read:"Detox for Life"by Josephine Collins Clear crystal quartz purifies body and soul.

5. Expressing yourself creatively- This idea is not based on something you feel you would be good at. Though being good at something may add to your satisfaction, just the process of creating a song, dance, painting, beautiful meal, or knitting a sweater will tap into your Divine nature. We are all of the same source, which is naturally creative. Belly Dance is an excellent way to be creatively expressive! A good book to start with his SARK's "New Creative Companion." Many also like "the Artists Way ".

6. Find your Life's Purpose- A reading by me is one way to go about this. 

7. Forgive- "Unconditional Forgiveness" Is a great book for this step. Holding on to anger, resentment, and pain only gives another person or situation power in your life. Forgiveness is not about saying what happened was okay, but that you will not give it space in your heart any longer. 

8. Keep a gratitude journal

9. Let go- "The Little Book of Letting Go" really helped this Scorpio start to learn about this process... Let go of perfection, other people's expectations, old beliefs, and anything else that no longer serves you. Flower essences also really help with this process.

10. Love yourself first- really contemplate this idea, because you have probably heard it 1000 times. Until you actually do speak to yourself kindly, set boundaries, and do the things you enjoy because it is healing for you, the concept has not sunk in. Read "This I Know" for a beautiful account of a woman's road to self-love. Rose quartz helps one feel more self-love.

11. Connect with Source- This can be anything from spending time in nature or quiet contemplation, asking questions and speaking to the higher realms. Knowing we are fully supported and guided by loving beings removes the anxiety of feeling you have to do it all alone.

Allowing Joy and Love Through Art

All rights reserved.

This is a custom painting I commissioned by Chrishanthi Liaropoulou, aka ppinkydollsart on Etsy. Her work, which I'd been admiring for a while, is full of depth and emotion.  The sweet soulfulness of it really touches this Scorpio's heart. This art is something I will always treasure and am so grateful for having. Finding this artist and allowing myself this gift have given me a real lift. What a joy to have, especially in this time of "descending into darkness"- Sun in Scorpio, Mercery retrograde in Scorpio and I believe Saturn in Scorpio have stirred up dark emotions for all of us. As a Scorpio myself, I've felt it acutely. It has come with healthy release for me, especially after my natal chart consult, which began last night. More on that when the 2nd half is complete. Since the baby naps frequently, it was best to break it up into 2 half-hour segments. 

Hopefully you have been able to pull up and clear out deep seated emotions that are no longer serving you. Now is a wonderful opportunity to draw them out and set yourself free. There's no need to continue suffering with the old wounds, so instead of stuffing them back down or covering them up with food, alcohol or some other distraction, my wish for you is to expose these dark feelings to the light for healing. 

One hint that I will give from my astrological chart review is that I have been a Shaman over and over. While I knew I'd been a healer of various types, given psychic guidance, and done Reiki in past lives, apparently my direct connection to the other side is much more powerful than I realized and Tarot is only the beginning. My Reiki practice is a bridge to something much deeper. For me, this is worth digging deep and experiencing the darkness. For without darkness, what do we have to compare to the light?

Artists Supporting Artists

Every year, our neighborhood has an event called "Art in the Park"... though now it's "Art in the Park-ing lot" since it has moved from the tree filled park to an uptown parking lot. Not sure why, but that's not really my point here.

Individual artists display and sell their work and we get a chance to see and experience much at once, just as any artist's fair provides. It is particularly exciting to me to have this opportunity right in my neighborhood, only a few minutes from my house. Growing up, we had my favorite town event ever called Heritage Day, which was filled with people in historic costume, making apple butter in huge iron cauldrons or other demonstrations. There were also makers selling their handmade wares- rag dolls are what I recall the most, probably because as a kid, that is what caught my eye. Even as a teenager, I made the effort to put aside my surliness and go join the fun on Heritage Day.  While Art in the Park(ing lot) is not really the same as Heritage Day, I am still thrilled to have it because I love art and the handmade movement.  Creative energy is such a delicious feeling.

When I walked into Karen McKee's tent where I bought the dishes in the above photo, I had a vision of her peacefully working on her ceramics and could really feel the love she put into her work.  That sealed it- I was definitely buying from her. When I saw these wonderful organically shaped dishes, I instantly knew I wanted them to hold my healing crystals. Rather than placing them on the surface where I do my Tarot readings, I could have them in a beautiful place of honor. Anything that adds to the ritual makes the readings that much more connected IMO.

If you find the picture interesting, you will certainly appreciate the energy and intention behind Karen's work. It always feels like I'm making my money count for so much more when I support an individual rather than a large corporation. The individual's ripple effect seems to contain so much light and love compared to buying one of many from a company who will never see your face.

Tell me about the art fairs you have been to and what you love about them. What does the energy feel like to you?