Blessings of the Wolf Moon

Happy Full Moon of January, 2015

It's the first Full Moon of the year, sometimes called the Wolf Moon, the After Yule Moon, Big Cold Moon, Buckeyes Ripe Moon, Moon of the Child, the Old Moon, Pine Moon, Plum Blossom Moon, Quiet Moon, and Whirling Wind Moon. As I noted last time, when the Moon is full, it is always in the sign opposite where the Sun is. So with the Sun currently in Capricorn, this Moon is in the sign that rules the Moon, Cancer the Crab. Cancer is the sign of nurturing and mothering. It is very protective and will skitter sideways sometimes, rather than directly confronting things. Capricorn, on the other hand, is much more explicit, straight-forward, and is a climber. The combination can be very empowering, helping us get in touch with our needs for safety and love, and then come up with practical solutions. So under these brilliant Moonbeams, I am writing to share lots of luscious juju for your own new beginnings. I hope you'll take advantage of the ideas, guidance, and good vibes that are just waiting to sparkle for you. Happy New Year, dear one! And speaking of Astrology... Starting this year, one of the changes I am making is to move my Astrology Tidbits column to the Full Moon issue. Makes sense, right? Especially since for the first half of the year (at least), the Full Moon is coming very close to the first of the month. So without further ado.. Astrological Tidbits - January, 2015 A Softer Focus Through Transitional Times The reverberations continue after the second to last exact square between Uranus and Pluto that hit on Dec. 15. This has been a heavy, revolutionary event that has been knocking us around, hard, for nearly five years. There will be one more, in March. To characterize this momentous event, astrologer Robert Brown writes, "Uranus square Pluto rages on, creating the need for us to let go of that which no longer serves us in lieu of new ways of living life. "If you are hateful you must change. If you are controlling you must change. If you are running a country and your citizens are not happy you must change. If you want to cut people’s heads off to make a point you must change. If you are unhappy you must change. There is no way around this and we should all be getting this by now, especially if you have planets that are between nine and sixteen degrees of any sign. If you don’t know your chart but you are experiencing high highs and low lows then you are most likely getting a nod from Uranus square Pluto." My friend Lynn Hayes (mentioned elsewhere in this newsletter) also notes that Uranus is going to be impacting us in another way this month.   (To read the rest, please click here)..

Start the New Year Right... The Tarot Boutique is Back If you've been looking for a more personalized, dynamic learning experience, join us for a cozy afternoon in these intimate, tailor-made workshops. The Tarot Boutique classes are offered in exclusive, specialty morsels that stand alone, or can combine to help your practice sparkle with new depth and brilliance. Each includes all handouts, light refreshments, and plenty of hands-on experience. The first offering for 2015 is a brand new workshop that will help you SEE the cards in new ways. The Wordless Language of the Tarot January 31, 2015 1pm – 5pm Laurel Hill Cottage in Durham, NC $60 Why is the sky yellow? What is that strange-looking hat about? Does it mean anything if two court cards in a reading are gazing at each other? In our first workshop of the year, we will be discussing the cues packed into the cards, including some of the symbolism, the colors, and body language. As you may know, I am on a mission for everyone to learn the Tarot that wants to, because I am convinced anyone can, starting by looking closely at the cards. This class will teach you new, more powerful ways to do just that! Registration is now open, but don't delay. Only seven seats will be available.   Back by popular request: Understand and Develop Your Intuition Sunday, February 15 Saturday, February 28 1-5pm both days Laurel Hill Cottage in Durham, NC $75 (Covers both days) Psychic ability is not a rarefied talent for only a few. It’s not some uncanny, woo-woo gift for only the specially select. Whether you read the Tarot or not, intuition is our birthright – yours and mine. It is as much a part of our humanity as our eyes, our ears, our tender skin. Are you ready to claim your intuitive power? Wouldn't it be wonderful to actually train it, discovering and developing the talent you already have? (Yes, you do!). In our first session, we’ll discuss techniques for accessing and expanding the gifts you already have. Then in the next week’s gathering, you’ll have a chance to share your “homework” assignments, fine-tune your abilities, and cultivate your new skills for the future. Although it's being offered via my Tarot Boutique, this is not for Tarot people only! Anyone with an open mind is welcome. Only seven seats are available, so sign up today. And there's more! Save the dates -- I will be offering my introductory "Tarot Without Tears" again this Spring. Part One, Planting the Seed, will be Sunday afternoon, March 22 at Dancing Moon Books of Raleigh. Then we'll dive in for our all-day extravaganza, The Wisdom Journey, that will have you reading with confidence by the end of the day. That will be Saturday, May 2 (11am to 6pm). Registration will begin in a couple of weeks, so be on the lookout for the announcement in your next issue of WINGS. Runes and Astrological Perspectives for 2015 Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Raleigh, Founders Hall 3313 Wade Avenue Raleigh, NC What are you doing this Thursday evening, Jan. 8? If you are in the Raleigh-Durham area, you won't want to miss the Spiritual Frontiers Fellowship Predictions for 2015. This is their most popular annual program, which always features two professional practitioners, teaming up to offer their insights for the twelve months ahead. And this year, you are in for a particularly extraordinary evening, because the two adepts are author, shamanic expert, and Rune master, Kelley Harrell, and world-renowned astrologer and author, Lynn Hayes. Kelley will be casting the Elder Futhark Runes to to see the seasonal opportunities and challenges in store for us, as well as the general tone of life force available throughout 2015. And Lynn will be discussing the vital astrological influences of the coming year through her uniquely therapeutic and healing approach, which encourages greater empowerment and personal growth. Never mind the frigid weather forecast. Join us for an evening of warmth, wisdom, and enlightenment! 6:30 PM – Early Meditation (free) 6:45 PM – Tickets go on sale. (Admission is $10; or $8 for seniors 65 and over, and for students) 7:15 - 9:30 PM  – The evening's program (includes a brief intermission).   Want more insight as to what this year holds? It's the Tarot Year of the Strength card, and as I've been doing for over a decade, I have written an essay with all the scoop on what the Tarot Card of the Year means. Find out how to take advantage of its enormous gifts and avoid its pitfalls. I've even tackled (briefly) the ongoing kerfuffle about whether the eighth trump of the Major Arcana is Strength or Justice. To read all about it, please visit here. Relaxing and Learning! If you wish you could snuggle in this Winter and delve into some profound educational experiences (all without having to get out of your jammies), you are in luck. Cherry Hill Seminary has once again raised the bar for Earth-based spiritual studies. They have just announced a feast of brilliant topics in their January-April classes. As you may know, Cherry Hill Seminary is the leading provider of education and practical training in leadership, ministry, and personal growth in Pagan and Nature-Based spiritualities. They offer several graduate degrees, certificates, and short courses for topics of general interest. All via online classrooms, so you can stay comfy and cozy. You don't have to be in their graduate degree program to take advantage of these outstanding opportunities. Registration is now open for both Master's level courses, as well as their 4-week Insights courses. A treasury of classes is available, including:  Sacred Relics of Our Pagan Past Healing the Spirit of Place Sacred Cycles I: The Way of the Earthbound Witch Public Relations Best Practices Sacred Cycles II: The Way of the Earthbound Witch Building a Community with Teenagers and Young Adults Sacred Cycles III: The Way of the Earthbound Witch Developing a Pagan Program for Children As always, Cherry Hill is fanatical about vetting their instructors, so you know you are working with the very best leaders, academics, and practitioners in the world. Do yourself a favor and check them out! ps: Don't have time for a class, but would like to support Cherry Hill Seminary in some other way? They receive a portion of the proceeds for books sold on their site, or you might join the Hypatia Society. You can also simply donate to help them grow. Every bit -- large or small -- is vitally important. Please consider making a gift today! Owl's Life Hacks From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia: Life hacking refers to any trick, shortcut, skill, or novelty method that increases productivity and efficiency, in all walks of life... in other words, anything that solves an everyday problem in an inspired, ingenious manner. Hacking One of the Most Popular New Year's Resolutions On just about every New Year resolution top ten list, you'll find people wanting to get more organized.  Whether you wish your home was tidy enough to be presentable for unexpected company, or you want to straighten out your office files and paperwork so you can find things when you need them, getting your stuff together is a worthy goal, and one that is not nearly as difficult as, say, giving up cookies. For instance, are you drowning in paper? Yeah, I know. It happens. But this is a great time to go on a paper purge. After tonight, the Moon is waning, making it an especially powerful period to let go and clear away. Here are some suggestions from Organizing Paperwork for Dummies: Start simple: Come up with a filing system that’s relatively easy to use. You don’t want your filing system to be more stressful than the stress it’s supposed to alleviate. Make filing a habit: Find a time during the week to empty your To File basket and file those needed papers away. This task really shouldn’t take long — 15 or 20 minutes should do it. Fine-tune later: At a later date, take a look at what’s in your files. Usually, you find that a file is either underused or bulging. If you find that you have only one or two things in a file folder, find or create a file that’s broader in scope. Alternatively, if you find that a folder is overflowing with contributions, create subcategories, either by topic or by dates. Be colorful: Files of different colors, or tabs and labels of different colors can not only turn your filing system into a work of art but also make it easier to find different subjects and interests. Don’t scrimp when you buy a filing cabinet: Invest in a cabinet of good quality. Poorly made filing cabinets tend to break down in the crunch. When your files get larger and heavier, their weight can strain a cheap filing cabinet and make it difficult for the drawers to open smoothly — or to open at all, for that matter. And if that's the case, you'll find yourself being reluctant to dig through them -- a sure recipe for making piles, not files. But even the Dummies writers admit that trying to find a cabinet that isn't big, clunky, and depressingly industrial is not easy. So here's another hack for you:  Simply jazz up your cabinet with a border of washi tape, or those cute variations of Duck Tape®. If you're really ambitious, you can make miracles happen with Mod Podge® and pretty paper or fabric. But that sounds like a lot of project, especialy when the point is to simplify! Meantime, here are some suggestions about what to keep and what to get rid of. These are only suggestions, so if in doubt, please check with your accountant or legal professional. Bear in mind that anything related to claiming a tax deduction is an exception and should be kept at least seven years.  Otherwise - Okay to Shred After One Year: Automobile records (for a car you no longer own) Cable bills (household) Cell phone bills (personal) Certificate of deposit (that's expired) Credit card receipts and statements (personal) Receipts that will not be used for tax purposes Service agreements (expired) Social Security statements (from prior years).  Keep the most recent statement. Telephone bills (personal) Utility bills (household) Warranties (expired) Generally, you should also immediately shred expired credit cards, visas, passports, and other IDs. Again, when in doubt, consult a professional, as there are exceptions. And by the way -- you do shred your private papers, right? Anything with personal information like your name, address, phone number, social security number, or bank account information should be thoroughly shredded. Don't forget things like ATM receipts, credit card receipts, bills, and even used airline tickets. The best way to shred documents is with a good cross-cut shredder. They are not very expensive these days and the cost of not doing so can be devastating. Believe it or not, there really are people out there who will go through the trash and glue together poorly shredded papers, so just tearing something up won't really cut it. (Sorry, I couldn't resist!). While we're talking about hacks, if you need some savvy, eco-friendly help with your organizational resolutions, check out my brilliant friend and professional organizer, Julie Seibert Coraccio. I've raved about her before, so tell her I sent you! Want to feel better fast?  Decluttering, organizing, and clearing out the junk will ensure a less stressful, more serene beginning for this sparkling new year of you! That's it for now! As this magical Moon shines down where you are, I wish you more Plum Blossoms than Whirling Winds. May health, prosperity, and joy be your steadfast companions as you journey into this new beginning. Happy New Year!