My Gratitude List for 2024

Where do I begin to express the immense amount of gratitude I feel for the year that has brought me so much and blessed me in untold ways that I never expected?

Let’s start in January 2024, when we turned over a New Year, and I lit my bayberry candle to welcome prosperity & abundance into my heart & home. Celebrating with my little one (who lovvveesss staying up until midnight) and wearing the paper hats, blowing the plastic horns, and watching the ball drop. It was also the month we started our Magickal Market of Witchy Wares, and pulled off that event despite that big snowstorm we had the night before!

February brought in lots of love during the cold Winter month as I snuggled our new puppy Raven, whom we had rescued the previous September. Watching her run & romp in the snow filled my heart with joy and it grew 3 times that one snowy day.

March heralded my birthday, which I celebrated quietly with close friends & family ~ I’ll wait for the Zero Hero birthdays to go all out, which is still a few years away. It also brought in lots of luck as I found a 4-leaf clover in my front yard and put it on my altar (which my puppy promptly ate!) Oh, was she ever one lucky dog that day!

April was a month for Spring Renewal, and although it continued to be cold, hearing the birds chirp early in the morning brought that season into my ears and heart. Not to mention, we sprang the clock ahead and the later light gave me a productivity that only Father Sun can charge this Aries with! It was also the month that we all felt and survived a 4.8 earthquake on the East Coast - that was a trip!

In May, I was nostalgic about my Mom…a lot. I get wistful to hear her voice again but I also still communicate with her spirit - wherever she may be - especially when I am connecting with my own daughter and think aloud, “Mom, you were right!” How she must be smiling hearing me say that on the regular!

In June, I was visited by April - a friend of mine for the past 15 years whom I hadn’t seen in some time. She’s one of those people that no matter how much time has gone by, we just pick right up again as if no time had passed. It was also the month where I almost died. We had a tornadic storm on Wednesday, June 26 and I thought I could drive home and beat the storm, but what ended up happening was I drove right into it. I was terrified and incredibly grateful that I survived that traumatic ordeal. The trees in the front of my house…not so much. I lost several large trees, but thankfully, none of them landed on the house.

July brought me some much-needed down time, and as usual, we closed for the first week so I could get down to the beach to visit some family members and celebrate the 4th of July with my daughter at the beach…during a heat wave! It was so stinkin’ hot, and we were glad to come home to…a broken air conditioning system. Thankfully, the heatwave didn’t last long (9 days, but who’s counting?) and I have a few portable AC units that kept the house at a tolerable temperature.

Fast forward to August when guess what? It’s already back-to-school for the Lehigh Valley and there were some beautiful rainstorms, especially the one on August 14th, when it was fully sunny out while it rained. Lots of rainbows were seen that day. August is also a time of remembrance for me, as it is the month when my Mother passed away, so I invited my siblings to come join me for a Celebration of Life for my Mom.

September holds one of my favorite days of gratitude - Labor Day - and while it may seem like a minor holiday, it was the day that I finally made the decision to do some major re-arranging in my home, and open up my bedroom in a way that allowed both the light and the wind through my bedroom windows. I’m still adjusting to the change, but I was never so grateful as I was on that day as I engaged in a labor of love to create a sanctuary for my spirit.

Now October - don’t even get me started! Bats & Ghosts & Spiders bedecked the walls of the shop along with purple & orange lights to herald in my all-time favorite holiday: Halloween! I loved decorating and we had some of the nicest weather for Trick or Treat in Hellertown. My daughter was thrilled! And she’s STILL eating on all the candy she received from Trick or Treat.

Finally, November, which we’re only halfway through, but I can still find so much gratitude, even in only 15 days of November. I finally, FINALLY went to my hairdresser and got rid of my two-tone hair and decided to add blue & purple in my hair for the upcoming 9-Year Anniversary Celebration for Kindred Spirits Crystals, Books & Gifts. I’m so excited to celebrate this milestone and regularly call driving into the shop my “Dream Job.” It was a dream of mine for so long, then it was a thought, then it was a plan, and then…it was my business.

Word cannot convey the amount of gratitude I have for all of you, my kindred spirits, for allowing me to serve you in some way for your spiritual connection to your spiritual journey; for making acquaintances and friends along the way; for the kindred conversations I get to have each day I’m there; and for the incredible amount of love, energy & support that is exchanged through that space.

Thank you to each and every one of my customers for being the reason I keep showing up for these past 9 years. The connections that have been created never cease to amaze me, whether it is me connecting with customers, or customers connecting to one another.

I couldn not have imagined the untold benefits of running my own new age shop. Sure, I want to pay my bills - isn’t that why any of us goes to work every day? - but to be able to help other people day in and day out is the real benefit. To be able to offer a listening ear, a warm hug, or shared experiences - that’s where my gratitude comes from - from being with all of you, My Kindred Spirits.

🍂 Autumn ~ The Most Wonderful Time of the Year 🍁

Here’s why I love Autumn…

It’s not just the Fall colors of autumn leaves changing and brightening up the landscape with what I call “fireworks stuck into trees,” nor is it just the cooler days & nights. It’s not even the back-to-school routine that puts the day into little airtight compartments.

It’s all of those, but it’s just the Spirit of Autumn ~ The way we all draw together to celebrate the light in the darkness.

The way a single tree can make us ooohhh and ahhhh as if we were watching a fireworks display.

The way everyone starts making PSL memes on-line and joking with each other about that one flavor.

The way we start baking and sharing recipes and meals with one another.

The way we connect to our collective communities after a summer of running all over the place to vacation.

Autumn is a homecoming, to ourselves and to each other. It’s a season of connecting with our kindred spirits, our families, our communities.

Fall Festivals, pumpkin patches, Halloween parades ~ In a word: Community.

I don’t know what it is about Autumn that seems to bring all of us together. It could be the many ways I listed above, but one thing is for certain: It’s a time of restoration & reflection, of simpler times and activities that delight us, like jumping into a pile of colorful leaves, or handing out pieces of candy to neighborhood children.

This is why I love Autumn.

Mercury in Retrograde ~ What Does It Really Mean?

It’s become a regular part of our everyday language now ~ Mercury is in retrograde.

Phone’s not working? Mercury’s in retrograde.

Computer’s on the fritz? Mercury. Retrograde.

Can’t get your voicemails, even though someone said they called & left you a message? Mercury.

So what is the phenomenon that IS Mercury in Retrograde.

Every few months, the planets revolve around the Sun (and each other) at a certain rate. (Feel free to Google if you want to get into the weeds on this one.) But at some point, Mercury appears to be going backwards…”retrograde.”

Prime Example: As a passenger, you see the cars wheels next to you appearing to go backwards, when in reality, you are seeing the wheel turn ever-so-slightly slower, so it gives the impression to your brain that it is in effect going backwards. It’s also called the Wagon Wheel Effect.

Planets in rotation are doing the same thing. However, Mercury is the planet responsible for communication, therefore, all electronic forms of communication (which, I mean, come on…) get looped into this phenomenon and you may notice an uptick in just weird or inexplicable electronic problems during a retrograde.

So what can be done during a Mercury in Retrograde phase? A few things…

First, Slow Down…way down. Easy does it, but do it at a snail’s pace. Now, this can’t be applied to every single situation, but for the most part, don’t rush during a retrograde. If you’re signing a contract or any agreements, be sure to read, re-read, and re-re-read it before signing anything. Make sure you’re clear on anything you are agreeing to during this time period.

Next, Easy Does It. Retrogrades are a fantastic time for reflection, rest, and recharging. Retrogrades aside, it’s always a great idea to give yourself a break from time to time, and Mercury usually goes into retrograde about 3 times each year.

Finally, Rest and Re-emerge. It’s always a great idea to give ourselves some down time, but isolation can feel very alluring to stay in for a while. Set some post-retrograde intentions of how you would like to emerge from your break.

Hitting Rock Bottom

What’s the saying about hitting rock bottom? The only way to go is up!

After hitting rock bottom in my life, the only way for me to go was in the direction of my dream ~ the dream of owning my own new age shop.

I had seen the “For Rent” sign outside of 66 W. Water Street one day while I was sitting in traffic. A few days later, I pulled into the parking lot, wrote down the number, and called. The man who answered told me that someone else was at the borough filling out paperwork for the space, but if that fell through, then I was next on the list. I accepted that if I was supposed to have it, then I would. If not, I’d look somewhere else.

On October 27, 2015, we buried my Mom’s ashes - on her birthday - and as I was leaving the cemetery, he called. “The deal with the other people fell through - it’s yours if you want it.” I wanted it. It was mine!

I had planned to open the store on December 1st, because I’d been given a month to get the empty space ready. Then it hit me - Black Friday was the biggest shopping day of the year, so the deadline was moved back by a week, which now gave me 3 weeks!

Conserve Your Internal Energy, Help The World

With Earth Day here, it’s helpful to think about how our daily actions affect the world around us. Our internal and external worlds are dynamically interconnected. Focusing on mental energy conservation leads us to conservation in the physical world. And that’s good for Mother Nature. 

Create a routine by setting up time blocks for work and personal time. During your personal time, a key to conserving mental energy is to limit the number of mental distractions. One of the best ways to do this is with a regular quiet ritual. There are many different ways that you can implement this sign in your home or office, but they all have the same goal: giving you time and space to clear your mind and conserve your internal power. Burn some Palo Santo incense and light a bayberry candle while you meditate. Use moon water to clean and energize your crystals. Or journal about what you’re manifesting in the next few days. 

Living simply is the best way to help the environment. It saves time and energy, and it reduces stress. Living simply could cut carbon emissions by up to 50% in the US. Use sunlight, moonlight, or candlelight when possible. Reuse your food jars for spell jars. Eat, shop, and travel with awareness and intention. 

Nature and lifestyle are linked. When we choose to make space for internal energy conservation, all of nature benefits. May you live every day like it’s Earth Day. 

Preparation Makes Its Own Luck

Although it’s a quote that has often been attributed to Oprah Winfrey, it was actually Roman philosopher Seneca who said that, “Luck is what happens when opportunity meets preparation.”

How can we prepare to be lucky when those two ideas seem to contradict one another? Doesn’t luck just happen? And isn’t preparation planned?

We need to set our intention on what kind of luck it is we want to prepare ourselves to receive. Finance? Romance? A new home? A new car? A new pet? A new life? Any of these require some prep-work on our part while The Divine weaves our wishes together in the spiritual realm.

For example, a couple decides they want to have a baby.

First, the intention is set. “We want to have a baby.” Then begins trying to have the baby. Next, in Divine Timing, the pregnancy begins. During this time of the baby developing, the couple does preparations on the outside.

Getting the nursery ready. Reading parenting books. Having a baby shower. Going to pre-natal classes or birthing classes. Then finally, the baby is born. This is definitely a condensed version of this example, but the idea is that we need to prepare ourselves for that which we desire to manifest.

Some things that help me manifest my own good luck are using crystals, practicing meditation, journaling, self-care, and mindfulness.

Green aventurine and pyrite are great crystals for inviting luck and good fortune.

Regular meditation allows me to get in touch with Divine Will and to quiet the chatter in my head so Spirit can manifest its lucky love through me in the material. I love to burn Yuzu or Green Tea MorningStar incense. They’re short and last about 30 minutes. And as you’ve heard me say numerous times on the Sunday Live Sale, I love anything mini - like my mini celestial incense burner with stars and the moon.

Some wonderful journaling tools are the new Day and Night Reflection Journals we just received: Meditation; Mindfulness; Self-Care. These beautiful journals ask us to reflect on how we tap into these concepts to prepare to receive our own good “luck.”

As Thomas Jefferson said, “I am a great believer in luck, and I find the harder I work, the more I have of it."

Making a Vision Board on 111: Believing is Seeing

Every year for the past nearly 15 years, I’ve created a Vision Board for the next year. This practice began when I lived in the midwest and my friend Claudette had invited a group of us to her house, as she was often wont to do, to participate in a New Year’s Eve vision board making session.

I remember the fun — the good, clean fun that comes with having given up drugs and alcohol — that we were all able to have, especially the belly laughs but also the camaraderie we shared when one of us would find an image in a magazine that we thought another person would want to put on his or her board.

It became my annual ritual once I had moved back to the northeast and gave me something else to focus on rather than getting wasted and ringing in the new year with a raging hangover - it gave me a focus.

Yes, New Year, New You has gotten the proverbial and literal eyeroll from people these past few years since cliches elicit that kind of reaction on social media, but to me, there’s still something magical and meaningful from that first vision board gathering to the one I will do this year.

See this year, I haven’t done one yet and not because I didn’t want to - I just didn’t think I had to…yet. I wanted to let the New Year sink in a little bit, especially with ending last year on the heels of Betty White passing away on December 31st. Major bummer!

But this year, I wanted to ease off of the pressure of doing it THAT night, of letting a few days marinate so I could meditate on what it is I truly wish to affirm, intention, and manifest this year. What exactly do I want to take aim at on my Vision Board?

I’ve gathered my materials together: my posterboard, glue sticks, scissors, and magazines along with some markers, glitter sticks, and stickers. I’m even going to let my little one join in on the fun this year and hopefully pass the tradition onto her, though I’m sure she’ll enjoy some traditional New Year’s Eve festivities along the way.

So this Wednesday, on 1/11, an angel number having to do with manifestation, I am going to put on some background music, open up those magazines, and start the manifestation process for 2022. Hope you will all join along with me this Wednesday from your own sacred spaces.

How to Remember Using Your Sense of Smell 🍪

When I used to teach freshman English classes, one of the biggest and best things I could teach my students was good study habits. It is easy to cram and over study at the last minute only to panic and zone out on the exam the next day. Cramming information into the mind is like waking up late to get to the airport and you haven’t packed yet. It’s a rush job, useless things are packed, and necessary items are left ignored on the floor.

One technique that helps us remember is our sense of smell. Smell, or chemodetection, our oldest sense helps us stay safe in our environments. This is directly connected to our memories so we can remember which areas, foods, or people are safe and which are harmful.

So how does this remotely connect to studying? When we are trying to remember new or difficult information, using smell can help connect new information to old information. For example, lighting a lavender scented candle while studying and then wearing an aromatherapy necklace or bracelet to class with lavender oil in it during the test will trigger the memory which is connected to the lavender aroma. To say that it is truly that easy is an understatement!

We can use smells to change our mood to uplifting (lemongrass), keep us focused (peppermint), or calm us down (lavender). Just thinking of the smell of chocolate chip cookies baking in the oven evokes memories – our brains can’t help but take us back to the smell connected to the associated memory.

Practice including your favorite smell during your daily or weekly meditation practice to help you feel calm and centered throughout your day or week. You can also create combination scents that serve dual purposes, like orange and clove for a calming warm feeling or lemon and lime for a peppy get up & go citrus smell. 

No matter what you want to recall, using our olfactory-installed sense of smell is an easy way to combine our physiology to help enhance our spirituality.

✨ Blessings ✨ Blessed Be ✨ Namaste ✨

Red Cardinals on Memorial Day 🇺🇸

❤️ Sitting out back, enjoying the sun. ❤️

❤️ Cardinals fly by, one by one. ❤️

❤️ Bright red cardinals, reminders so dear. ❤️

❤️ Of departed loves. Remind me “I’m here.” ❤️

💙 Happy Memorial Day, My Kindred Spirits! 💙

💙 To all of the servicemen and servicewomen who have served our country 💙 

💙 Thank You ~ One and All 💙

✨ Blessings ✨ Blessed Be ✨ Namaste ✨

🌸 Spring Cleaning 🌸

What a lovely spring we've been having these past few days. The warm sun. Puffy, white clouds. Opening the windows. Letting air in. Clearing old stagnant air out. And cleaning things out of the house that we no longer need or use.

This Spring, it's not only a great time to clean out the house, but also to clear out the clutter from our minds, spirits, and energy fields. What a great feeling to have clarity in our homes and in our minds.

What are some things that you need to clear out of your home, your mind, or your spirit?