Start the New Year off right

A new calendar year is dawning and with it comes the opportunity to create a new start with the 21-day Journey into Freedom with Kali sadhana (spiritual journey) commencing on Sunday, 8 January 2023.  

Every day for the following 21 days, you will receive emails that will assist you in exploring this rather complex Dark Goddess of the Hindu pantheon.  You are invited to study at your own pace as you will receive devotional practices that will enable you to connect with this powerful goddess on a deep soul level in order to bring about ultimate change. 

“The earth quakes under Your leaps and bounds.
You are frightful with that sword in Your hand .”
(Kamalakanta)

Further information as to how you can register for Journey into Freedom with Kali can be found here. 

November Happenings

With this year almost done, so too are the number of markets that I will be attending, with only two appearances - the first being the Semaphore Community Market that took part on Sunday, 6 November 2022 in St Bede's Hall, located at 200 Military Road, Semaphore.  This market was the last public opportunity of which I was available for tarot and oracle card readings.  If you are after some guidance, clarity or confirmation, then I have only a few times available at the Isian Centre of Metaphysics (Parafield Gardens).

The last market for 2022 that I will be making an appearance at will be the Queen of Wands Psychic Fair at Blackwood that will be happening on Sunday, 13 November 2022 at the Blackwood Memorial Hall, 21 Coromandel Parade, Blackwood.  I will have an assortment of LunaNoire Creations products available, and if the weather is fine, I am hoping to have a selection of quality Renaissance-inspired clothing also for sale as I attempt to downsize.

WORKSHOPS AND EVENTS

The new year will commence with the 21-day Journey into Freedom with Kali sadhana (spiritual journey) on Sunday, 8 January 2023.  Every day for the following 21 days, you will receive emails that will assist you in exploring this rather complex Dark Goddess of the Hindu pantheon.  You are invited to study at your own pace as you will receive devotional practices that will enable you to connect with this powerful goddess on a deep soul level in order to bring about ultimate change.

Further information as to how you can register for Journey into Freedom with Kali can be found here. 

Further event being scheduled for the new year include the Yemaya Blessing of the Waters taking place a month later than normal, in February; the House Cleansing and Protection workshop as well as Journey through the Chakras full day workshop that investigates the body's seven main energy centres as well as a number of lesser energy centres.

EXTENDED CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS

The deadline for the proposed anthology about working with the sabbats and seasonal rites here in the Southern Hemisphere has been extended until the end of March 2023. If you are interested in contributing something, then more details can be found here.

Blessings, Frances

Insight into being Moon Book's Author

 I recently took part in the series on authors that my publisher, Moon Books has been running, and here is the result:

Links to my books published by Moon Books are:

Encountering the Dark Goddess from Moon Books (johnhuntpublishing.com)

Contemporary Witchcraft from Moon Books (johnhuntpublishing.com)

Due for release in 2023:

On Her Silver Rays from Moon Books (johnhuntpublishing.com)

Start the New Year clearing the past with Kali Ma

 

If you are seeking a new start, especially when 2023 rolls around, then the Journey into Freedom with Kali may be what you are looking for. This 21-day sadhana (spiritual practice) invites you to enter into the sacred temple of the Hindu Dark Mother. Here you will explore the sacred myths and practices to aid you on your exploration with the goddess. The sacred devotional practices that will be offered will enable you to connect with this powerful goddess on a deep soul level in order to bring about ultimate change.

Are you ready to finally let go of what has been holding you back and limiting your spiritual growth? To throw these outdated patterns into the pyre once and for all?

Are you willing to offer your head (ego) to the Terrible Mother?

Although her appearance may appear frightening, Kali is referred affectionally as “Ma” (mother) to her devotees. Her love may be tough, but it is true. If you allow her, she will show you a love so deep that it will never leave you.

October Happenings

October has arrived and so has spring. It has been a long, and somewhat cold and wet winter this year. The upcoming sabbat (seasonal observation) is Bealtaine, one of the four "lesser sabbats" that mark the gateway to the season, and in this case, it is summer here in the Southern Hemisphere. However, it is not uncommon to find some people celebrating Halloween at this time of the year, something that always seems out of place to me. If you would like to know more about Bealtaine, in this video I share some information from my book, Dancing the Sacred Wheel:

This month is shaping up to be a month of markets commencing with Sunday, 2 October 2022 where you will find me back at the Semaphore Community Market.  Here I will be available for tarot and oracle card readings as well as having an assortment of LunaNoire Creations products available.  The Semaphore Community Market will be held in St Bede's Hall, located at 200 Military Road, Semaphore, and will be open from 10am until 3pm. 

The following weekend, Sunday, 9 October 2022 I will be offering readings, as well as having an assortment of LunaNoire Creations products available, at the Adelaide Wellness Fair which is being held at the John McVeity Centre, 182 Peachey Road, Smithfield Plains.  This market will be open from 10am until 4pm.

September Happenings

September has arrived and the promise of spring is still being held as a tease as winter does not appear to be ready to loosen its grip.  The upcoming sabbat (seasonal observation) is the spring equinox, the time of the year when the hours of darkness and light appear to be equal, if only for a brief moment.  If you would like to know more about the spring equinox, in this video I share some information from my book, Dancing the Sacred Wheel:

On Sunday, 4 September 2022 I was invited to speak to the Indian Pagan Group about some of the challenges of following a more traditional style of paganism in the Southern Hemisphere.   Due to the time zone differences, this meant I had to stay up until 11pm to join the online call. 

I am delighted that my presentation was well received and I had been invited to present again at some time in the night so distant future.  

One of the attendees had noticed the 21 day online sadhana, Journey into Freedom with Kali, that I had run recently and commented that they has also undertaken a devotional journey with Kali that had brought many (mostly positive) changes into their life.

With it being September, this means that the Australian Wiccan Conference is only a week or so away, being held from Friday, 16 to Sunday, 18 September 2022, in rural Victoria, located close to the Great Ocean Road and adjacent to a  number of national parks including the Great Otway National Park  and Port Campbell National Park.

Freeing Yourself from Restrictive Energetic Cords

As energetic beings, it is natural for us to become connected to people, and in some cases, even circumstances, with "cords" made of energy throughout our lives. Whilst, in a lot of cases, these energetic cords tend do dissolve themselves once the connection has ended, if we have invested (and continue to invest) a lot of personal energy into these connections, then it is not uncommon for such attachments to linger and even remain. This is evident when a relationship has ended, yet one person refuses to accept the ending, or when a person finds that they attract similar people or situations into their lives.

Energetic cord cutting is a powerful healing technique that enables people to reclaim parts of their soul and be able to regain that much needed freedom.

August Events and Happenings

Another month has disappeared and all of a sudden we are greeted with Imbolc, the seasonal festival that marks the gateway to spring, and once again it feels like we are racing through this year.  If you would like to know more about Imbolc, in this video I share some information from my book, Dancing the Sacred Wheel:

ON-LINE EVENT

The last day of July also marked the commencement of the 21 day online sadhana (spiritual journey), Journey into Freedom with Kali where every day participants will receive an email containing information about this powerful Hindu goddess. I have extended the ability to join the sadhana until Saturday, 6 August 2022, so if you feel like you need assistance in removing blockages in your life, then make sure you register here before Saturday.

MARKETS

After a number of online conferences last month, during August you will find me back at the Semaphore Community Market this coming Sunday, 7 August 2022, where I will be available for readings as well as having an assortment of LunaNoire Creations products available.  The Semaphore Community Market will be held in St Bede's hall which is located at 200 Military Road, Semaphore, and will be open from 10am until 3pm.

The following Sunday, 14 August 2022, you will find me taking part in the Queen of Wands Psychic Fair at Blackwood. It has been a wee while since this market was last up at  the Blackwood Memorial Hall (located at 21 Coromandel Parade, Blackwood).  The market will be held from from 10am until 4pm, and you will find me at the LunaNoire Creations stall outside.

Then over the weekend of 20 and 21 August 2022, I will be at the Gawler Psychic Fair which will be held at the Gawler racecourse.  This is a huge bi-annual fair with stalls not only inside the club rooms but also under the pavilion and also around the grassed area.  The psychic fair will be open from 12 noon until 6pm on Saturday, 20 August 2022, and from 10am until 4pm on Sunday, 21 August 2022.  Look for me at the LunaNoire Creations stall under the pavilion.

At 10.30am on Sunday, 21 August 2022 at the Gawler Psychic Fair, I will be offering a free workshop on Witchcraft in the Southern Hemisphere.  If this is something that you are interested in, make sure you arrive early.

HEALING SESSIONS

In between these market appearances I will be available for Reboot Your Life sessions at the Isian Centre of Metaphysics in Parafield Gardens this coming Saturday, 6 August and the following Saturday, 13 August between 10.30am and 3.30pm only on both days.

EVENT

September seems to be shaping up to be a rather exciting month as I travel interstate to take part in the Australian Wiccan Conference that will be held from 16 to 18 September 2022.  I will offering a practical workshop on the Lesser Banishing Ritual of the Pentagram - a rather appropriate subject considering that I am currently taking expressions of interest for a study circle involving ceremonial magick, qabalah, alchemy and ritual that will run until the end of this year.  If this is something that you are interested in then please contact me.

Submission Call for a new Book on the Sabbats

It is hard to believe that it has been ten years since I published my first book - Dancing the Sacred Wheel - that focused around my understanding of the eight sabbats that make up the "Wheel of the Year" as it is referred to within modern paganism as well as my own tradition of contemporary witchcraft. Since that time my practice as well as connection with the land upon which I reside has evolved.  While the traditional eight seasonal festivals still form an underlying influence to what I personally do, I have continued to look beyond the standard meanings, evolving and shaping the associated myths, as well as how I observe things.

Therefore, to mark the 10 year anniversary of Dancing the Sacred Wheel, I am interested in putting together an anthology that will include not only my own additional discoveries and explorations since 2012, but the personal ideas, discoveries and even frustrations from other pagans, witches, druids and other earth-centric practitioners as to how they work with the sabbats outside the traditional framework, regardless of what hemisphere they reside in.

Dying and Death: Pagans Engaging End of Life Issues Virtual Symposium

The Virtual Symposium of Pagan Thought and Practice presents:

Dying and Death: Pagans Engaging End of Life Issues

to be held online on Saturday, 23 July, 2022 (9:00am to 5:30pm US Pacific Time - 1.30am to 10am ACST Sunday, 24 July, or British Standard Time 5pm on 23 July to 1.30am 24 July)

Death is an experience we hold in common. Whether it be the passing of a loved one or our own departure from life, the inevitability of death brings with it equally inevitable challenges. For Pagans of all paths and traditions these challenges may present differently, with no easy or compatible solutions offered by the currently dominant over culture. How do we, as magical folk, prepare for death? Where are the priests and priestesses to tend our passing? How shall our families, or friends, the people of the community celebrate our lives or dance upon our graves? How is the body disposed of? How are we remembered? How do we sit with Death?

This year we are proud to feature presentation on dying and death from end-of-life preparations, through grief and interment, and the processes through which those left behind remember the lives of their beloved dead. 

July Events and Other Happenings

It is hard to believe that we are over half way through this current year already.  

At the end of June, I spent a handful of days on the beautiful island of Bali, gaining ideas for a proposed spiritual retreat that I had been planning, but which was placed on hold over the last couple of years due to the pandemic.  While still very much in the planning stage, the proposed Transform the Soul spiritual retreat has been earmarked to take place in May 2023.  More details will be announced when they have been arranged.

Last weekend, the 2 and 3 July, saw the second Moon Con 22 organised by my publisher, Moon Books.  This free event was held online and consisted of various talks and discussions from various Moon Book authors.  My talk took place on the Sunday and was about the Dark Goddess.  While all the presentations were recorded and are now available for viewing on Moon Books' YouTube channel, my talk can be found here:

Upcoming Events and Other Happenings

The recent long weekend saw me head down to the seaside community of Robe (about four hours south of Adelaide) to take part in the annual Health, Harmony & Happiness Winter Fair.  

I had taken down with me a selection of my LunaNoire Creations products and was also available for card readings.  While the weather leading up to the trip wasn't the best, it did not really seem to deter locals, nor visitors to the seaside community, from popping in.

I thoroughly enjoyed being involved with the fair, especially as I am providing a new home to a couple of Life by Crystals crystal towers (no, I don't need any more crystals, I said - haa, haa, silly me), and a gorgeous candle from Coonawarra Candles.  It was wonderful to see the fair being supported by so many people despite the weather.

Having returned home again, I will be heading to Smithfield Plains this coming Sunday (19 June 2022) to take part in the Adelaide Wellbeing Fair that will be held at the John McVeity Centre on Peachey Road.  Once again I will have a selection of my LunaNoire Creations products as well as copies of the books I have written and even some quality second hand books as I attempt to reduce my overflowing book collection.  I will also be available for readings if you are seeking some confirmation, guidance or clarity with respect to things happening in your life.

On Sunday, 3 July 2022, I will be back at available for readings at the Semaphore Community Market (200 Military Road) which is held regularly on the first Sunday of each month.  

Later Sunday evening, I will be taking part in MoonCon 2022, a free online event consisting of talks and discussions from various authors from my publisher, Moon Books.

As this two day event will be is hosted from England, and therefore the times are British Summer Time, the time difference means that I have plenty of time to participant in the Semaphore Community Market before getting ready for this conference.  As all the presentations will be recorded, they will later be uploaded onto Moon Books' YouTube channel.

Come and See me at Robe

I am delighted to be taking part in the Health, Happiness and Harmony Winter Fair that will be held over this long weekend, 11 and 12 June 2022 at the Robe Institute in the beautiful seaside town of Robe.

The Institute building is directly across the road from the main beach so there is plenty of parking.

Entry to the Winter Fair is free and the doors will be open from 9.30am until 4pm both days.

I will be showcasing a selection of my LunaNoire Creations products, in particular my handcrafted crystal beaded bracelets, handknotted crystal mala beads, the beautiful leather journals that I import from India, as well as having copies of most of my books available for purchase.  

I will also be available for card readings over the weekend.

As I will be in Robe from Friday afternoon, if you are in Robe and would like to book in for a past life regression, energetic healing or card reading outside of the Winter Fair, I will have a few times available.  Please email me to take advantage of this offer.

Journey into Freedom with Kali sadhana

If you are seeking a new start, then the Journey into Freedom with Kali may be what you are looking for. This 21 day sadhana (spiritual practice) invites you to enter into the sacred temple of the Hindu Dark Mother. Here you will explore the sacred myths and practices to aid your on your exploration with the goddess. The sacred devotional practices that will be offered will enable you to connect with this powerful goddess on a deep soul level in order to bring about ultimate change.

Are you ready to finally let go of what has been holding you back and limiting your spiritual growth? To throw these outdated patterns into the pyre once and for all?

Are you willing to offer your head (ego) to the Terrible Mother?

Although her appearance may appear frightening, Kali is referred affectionally as “Ma” (mother) to her devotees. Her love may be tough but it is true. If you allow her, she will show you a love so deep that it will never leave you.

Journey into Freedom with Kali is a self-paced 21 day sadhana practice. Every day you will receive an email that will contain information of this powerful goddess. Some may contain mythology and personal connections, others suggested prayers and ritualistic practices for you to undertake. You will also receive a guided meditation for you to undertake as frequently as you wish to further enhance your connection and relationship with Kali.

How deeply you wish to venture into Kali’s sacred creative cycle of birth, death and rebirth is entirely up to you and how much you wish to personally commit to your spiritual evolution.

Are you ready to awaken to the gift of true freedom that Kali offers?

What you will need for this sadhana:

:: A journal/notebook to record your discoveries and journey with Kali in.
:: An image or statue of Kali - this can simply be a picture downloaded from the internet or even one you have drawn yourself,
:: You may also like to obtain a set of mala beads to assist you with the reciting of mantras.

More about the use and where you can purchase these beads will be provided within the course, however I do make traditional length crystal malas as well as an assortment of devotional beads (including those dedicated to Kali), oils, incense and other products through my Etsy store, LunaNoire Creations.

Journey into Freedom with Kali sadhana will be commence on Sunday, 31 July 2022 and will run until Saturday, 20 August 2022.

Investment: $99.99 AUD

More information about this 21 day on-line sadhana can be found here including how you can register.

The Use of Moon Names within Contemporary Witchcraft

These days it is not uncommon for people to use folk names when referring to the full moon. Such names are believed to have some kind of historical or even indigenous connection. However, as quaint as this may appear to be, this historical connection is not necessary the case.  This is because if any names were used, they actually referred to the whole lunar cycle, i.e., from new moon to the following new moon, or full moon to the following full moon, as opposed to solely when the moon was full.

While I am not personally against the common usage of these moon names, I do believe it is important to have an understanding of where and how they originated. This, in itself, is also highlighted when looking at the names used themselves because they are often rather localised. This later point is important when it comes to the Southern Hemisphere, as not every alleged folk name can be transposed south of the equator.

While I do have a book coming out later in the year (or maybe next year) that focuses on working with the moon, in the following video, I attempt to encourage beginners, especially those in the Southern Hemisphere, to once again turn to their local environment. What is it telling you?

When we learn to listen more to that land upon which we reside, it not only helps to ground our Craft, but, especially for those of us in the Southern Hemisphere, it offers up a deeper connection that in turn helps us to understand the Northern Hemispheric based mythos and lore contained within contemporary witchcraft.

It is also important to actually think twice and check resources/facts especially if social media is your means of gathering information.

New Moon in Gemini (30 May 2022)

The upcoming new moon will appear around 9pm on 30 May 2022 here in Adelaide and will be in the astrological sign of Gemini. Being the first new moon after the first major lunation since eclipse season, it is a time to center ourselves in our truth and start making sense of life’s recent surprises. Mercury is also in retrograde so do not rush into any decisions.

Use this time to catch your breath before making the best decision for moving forward.

The Seven Hermetic Principles

The seven principles are the foundation of Hermeticism, a branch of spiritual philosophy dating back as early as the first century CE. They were outlined by famed author Hermes Trismegistus, who is believed to have written the Emerald Tablet and the Corpus Hermeticum (two highly influential, ancient teachings).

In the 20th century, these teachings were compiled into a book called The Kybalion that was written by "The Three Initiates". Today, these principles remain an occult source of wisdom that can be found within numerous spiritual, religious and even personal development instruction, and of course contemporary witchcraft.

The seven principles are:

:: The Principle of Mentalism - The All is mind; The Universe is Mental.

:: The Principle of Correspondence - As above, so below; as below, so above. As within, so without; as without, so within.
:: The Principle of Vibration - Nothing rests; Everything moves; Everything vibrates.
:: The Principle of Polarity - Everything is dual; Everything has poles; Everything has its pair of opposites; Like and unlike are the same; Opposites are identical in nature, but different in degree; Extremes meet; All truths, are but half-truths; All paradoxes may be reconciled.
:: The Principle of Rhythm - Everything flows, out and in; Everything has its tides; All things rise and fall; The pendulum swing manifests in everything; The measure of the swing to the right is the measure of the swing to the left; Rhythm compensates.
:: The Principle of Cause and Effect - Every cause has its effect; Every effect has its cause; Everything happens according to law’ Chance is but a name for law not recognized’ There are many planes of causation, but nothing escapes the law.
:: The Principle of Gender - Gender is in everything; Everything has its masculine and feminine principles; Gender manifests on all planes.

In this video, I talk more about these Hermetic principles.

Culling out the Weeds - Mind over Matter

The power of the mind is a curious thing,

because it is so powerful yet so difficult to control sometimes.

The power of the mind is a curious thing, because it is so powerful yet so difficult to control sometimes. We find ourselves thinking a certain way, knowing that this thought may be creating trouble for us yet we find it difficult to stop. For example, many people have the experience of getting sick at the same time every year or every time they go on a plane. They may even be aware that their beliefs impact their experiences, so continue to think they will get sick and then they do.

Sometimes we need to get sick in order to process something or move something through our bodies. But often we get sick, or feel exhausted, because we don’t make the effort to galvanize the power of our minds in the service of our physical health, which is one of its most important functions. We really can use it to communicate to our bodies, yet we often regard the two as separate entities that have little to do with one another.

Working with the Full Moon Total Lunar Eclipse in Scorpio

This upcoming lunar eclipse on the full moon will be taking place on 15 or 16 May depending on when you live (it will be on the 16 May here in Australia), and will be in the astrological sign of Scorpio.

Full moons offer us the opportunity to let go of things that we are holding on to that no longer serve us, so during this full moon focus on letting go of fears, obsession, control, early psychological trauma etc.

Under the Scorpio full moon, emotions can run deep and surprise with their intensity. It emits alchemical energies that can help us transform our buried fears into pure power. First however we may need to plunge into the shadows and excavate the source of our pain in order for us to release it.

Queries Answered about the Online Course

In the following video I have attempted to answer some queries that I have received about the upcoming Gifts from the Dark Goddess online course that will be commencing on Thursday, 28 April 2022 with a zoom call that will be recorded for those who are not able to attend.

Over the month we will journey into the Underworld, a metaphor for the subconscious mind, utilising the concept of the Dark Goddess as a psychopomp, a "spiritual guide".  During this time, we will be tapping into the cosmic energies of both the partial solar eclipse on 30 April or 1 May (depending where you live) as well as the total lunar eclipse on 15 or 16 May 2022.

It is also interesting to note that just after our descension is the timing of two opposing Celtic festivals that mark the "gateways" to special turning points throughout the year - Samhain (for those of us in the Southern Hemisphere) or Bealtaine (for those in the Northern Hemisphere).  These festival occur on 30 April and according to their associated lore, are times when the veil between the land of the living and the realm of the dead is at its thinnest. 

Registrations for Gifts from the Dark Goddess are open until Wednesday, 27 April 2022.  After that time, the accompanying Facebook group will be changed to "secret" and we will commence our descent.

More information about Gifts from the Dark Goddess can be found here.

Gifts from the Dark Goddess

Gifts from the Dark Goddess is an exploration into your deep shadow self through the connection with various “darker” aspects of the divine feminine in order to commence positive change at the deepest level.

This workshop presents you with the unique opportunity to step through the veil and into the realm of the Inner Self, to meet and embrace your Shadow Self, to remove the unwanted and to reclaim what has been missing.

From the moment that you enter through the veil, you will be accompanied by various aspects of the divine feminine, those Goddess who prefer to reside in the shadowy realms, who move through the dreamscape, where linear concepts such as time have no meaning.

By awakening the “darkness” within your own soul, you can cast aside those rose-tinted glasses and see things for what they truly are.  Through her guidance and drawing upon her strength and power (that is often feared), you will find the courage to stand up and voice your own “truth” – to stand in your own “power”.

Deep soul work such as this requires 100% commitment.  If you are serious about wanting to make change in your life, to break free of cyclic patterns, to gain true closure, you need to step into the shadows and journey deep within yourself in order to face what resides there.

A month long on-line sadhana (spiritual journey) will be commencing Thursday, 28 April 2022 and will continue until Wednesday, 25 May 2022.

This journey is a spiritual exploration, into your deep shadow self through the connection with various “darker” aspects of the divine feminine in order to commence positive change at the deepest level.

During the month online journey you will receive:

:: Detailed information about the Dark Goddesses we will be exploring and working with over the month,

:: Instructions regarding how to set up altars and undertake daily devotional work,

:: Prayers, mantras, and offerings that relate to specific goddesses,

:: Weekly emails consisting on appropriate metaphysical and psychoanalytic concepts regarding working with the Dark Goddess and the “Shadow Self”,

:: Meditations,

:: A private Facebook group to connect with others who are undertaking this journey,

:: Group full moon lunar eclipse ritual,

and much more.

Investment: AUD $199 - (less than the cost of a daily cup of takeaway coffee)

Register online through Eventbrite or Paypal before 27 April 2022.  

Once registered, please email Frances with your preferred email address and Facebook profile so you can be invite to the secret Facebook group.

Moon Con is Happening Again

Due to the success of last year's event, Moon Books (the Pagan / Shaman imprint from John Hunt Publishing) will be organising another weekend long event where you get an opportunity to chat too and listen to a whole host Moon Book authors.

Commencing on Saturday, 2 July 2022, at 11am (British Standard time - or 7.30pm ACST) with Australian druid author Julie Brett, other authors include Rachel Patterson, Lucya Starza, Ellen Evert Hopman, Jhenah Telyndru and Irisanya Moon - and that is only day one.

I kick off the Sunday round, along Elen Sentier, Andrew Anderson, Morgan Daimler and concluding with Cyndi Brannen.  Sunday will also see a popular Druidic panel consisting of Brendan Howlin, Robin Herne and Luke Eastwood.

The event will be run live from the Moon Books' facebook page, and the best news is that this two day event is free.

If you miss your favourite author or would like to check out last year's MoonCon, then the videos can be found on Moon Books' YouTube channel.

Semaphore Community Market this Sunday

I am delighted to announce that I will be at the Semaphore Community Market this Sunday, 3 April 2022, that will be held at St Bede's Anglican Church at 200 Military Road, Semaphore.

The market will be open from 10am until 3pm and not only will I have an assortment of my LunaNoire Creations, in particularly my crystal beaded bracelets, handknotted malas and unique devotional and prayer/worry beads.  I will also have a selection of my imported leather journals as well as copies of my books available for purchase.

Another treat is that I will also be available for tarot and oracle card readings. I do not usually read at markets, preferring to make myself available through the Isian Centre of Metaphysics, so this will a bit of rarity.

So, if you are after a reading, there is no need to book.  Just simply come along on Sunday and I will fit you in.  

Weather wise, it is forecast to be a wonderful day, so a trip to Semaphore to check out the market and then a walk along the pier could make a perfect family outing.

Autumn Equinox has arrived

As the sun enters the sign of Pisces, those of us in the Southern Hemisphere find ourselves at a time of equilibrium once again, when the hours of light and darkness are equal.  At the spring equinox the energy is manifesting before action. Now here at the autumn equinox, it is repose after action.  We can take satisfaction in the work undertaken during the warmer months and reap the benefits.  Daylight saving is also about to end, and with it the realisation that summer is well and truly over.  It is now time to make preparations for the colder winter months, if we have not done so already.

The time of equilibrium has arrived and here in the Southern Hemisphere the energies point towards repose after action.

The Kaurna people of the Adelaide Plains note the arrival of the star Parna in the sky near the moon as this marks the commencement of Autumn and the time for building waterproof houses, as the autumn rains are about to arrive.  To the Ngarrindjeri people, the “far distant dull star” of Marangani, the Crow, marks the end of his journey by arriving at the river we know today as the Murray, heralding the season of roaring gales from the west.

The autumn equinox marks the completion of the harvest and thanksgiving, with the emphasis on the future return of that abundance. 

Here is a short video sharing some information about the Autumn Equinox from my book, "Dancing the Sacred Wheel".

An Insight into the Norse Goddess Hel

Hel, the ruler of Niflheim the Norse Underworld, a realm that 13th century author Snorri described as the primordial realm of snow, mists and ice. Yet to some, this reference may have actually related a more recent Ice Age, thus denoting Hel as a pre-Viking age deity.

The daughter of Loki and the giantess Angrboða, Hel is depicted with one half of her face beautiful and alive, and the other blue, the colour of cold, dead flesh, or that of a corpse.

She was also tasked by Óðin to give lodging to all who die of sickness and old age – a “straw death” - the people who did not die of honour and therefore were not able to enter Valhalla. This meant that oath breakers and murderers also entered Hel's realm, however they ended up in Nástrǫnd ("Corpse Shore") where lived the dragon Níðhöggr who devoured the corpses of the honourless dead, effectively destroying them entirely.