Let's celebrate the sweet days between Beltane and Summer Solstice together!  June, 2016 - Leo Moon, Sun in Gemini

Happy Almost Solstice, My Magical Friends! It has been a busy Springtime for me, how about you? Honestly, I can't quite believe it is already almost time for Summer Solstice! Picking up where we left off last time ...  I had just finished launching my website redesign (thanks for everyone's thoughtful feedback!), when it was time for the Spring 2016 sessions of my introductory Tarot Without Tears classes in Raleigh. After Part One, I quickly switched hats from teacher to student, because the next weekend, my favorite magical mentors were coming to town. I love working with RJ Stewart and Anastacia Nutt, and their new class, "The Living World of Faery: The Way We Live Now," was one of their best yet. The glitter and glamour from that magical workshop had barely begun to settle when it was time to hit the road for my annual trip to The Readers Studio, in New York City. One of the biggest, most brilliant gatherings of Tarot people on the planet, the Readers Studio is a feast for the senses, for the intellect, and for heart connections. My evening class on the Plant Spirit Birth Card Magic was well attended by a very savvy, talented group.The exchange of information and experiences had the room crackling with good Green energy! My other personal highlight at Readers Studio was the privilege of priestessing the May Eve/Beltane celebration. Our devoutly rowdy crowd of over 50 raised a shimmering Cone of Power that showered sparkles of love fire across several galaxies and dimensions. If you noticed a happy shiver in the Axis Mundi around 10pm (EDT), April 30, that was probably us! Since then, I have been catching up on my readings, my local classes, Springtime magick, and looking ahead to Summer's juicy possibilities. While it's been fun, it also feels terrific to slow down a little, and catch up with you. May this season of light and growth (here in the Northern Hemisphere) be filled with promises sweetly fulfilled!

Astrological Tidbits:  Challenges Ahead!  Did you make it through that intense Mercury retrograde? Wait -- what? You didn't know it was over in mid-May, because stuff still keeps going wonky? You're not the only one. You see, it wasn't just Mercury. The ongoing Mars retrograde (April 17-June 29) has been eating people and projects alive. And just to make it even more dramatic, the planet of aggression, assertion, and putting our ideas into motion has now backed up from its more compatible fire-buddy Sagittarius into the seething depths of Scorpio. Look out for passive-aggressive behaviors and unpredictable bursts of anger out of proportion to the situation. It doesn't help, either, that Pluto, planet of transformation, destruction, and regeneration, is also retrograde. Pluto is sometimes considered the "higher octave" of Mars, so teaming them together in a backslide of frustrated power can make for challenging times. But that's not all. Saturn (the lord of time, karma, and task-master) is also in an uncooperative retrograde until August. And on June 13, artistic, hypersensitive Neptune dives into reverse mode, too. Beware of escapist or careless tendencies. So if things seem to constantly meander off-course, if false starts make tempers flare, or if life begins to feel like the story of Sisyphus, use this time to step back, recharge your batteries, and plan for more straightforward days ahead. Eventually. Hello  to the 33 new subscribers that have joined our little nest since the April issue of WINGS went out. Please feel free to invite your friends, or forward a copy to them if you wish (there's a link at the bottom to make it easy). The more, the merrier! I know your time and email real estate are precious, so thanks again for joining us. ♥ (Of course, if you've changed your mind -- I hope that's not the case! -- thanks for checking me out, and maybe catch you another time. Just PLEASE don't mark me as "spam.") A reminder that I am taking a very small number of in-person visits this Summer. Please visit here to take a look at my appointment book. Or look for the feather symbol on my website's calendar.

Feature Article: Thanks for my Tarot Reading... Now What? (With special thanks to my brilliant client who sparked this topic!)  I still remember one of the first "real" psychic readings I ever got. My knees were knocking, and I couldn't believe I had let my best friends talk me into it. They knew there was a lot going on in my life, much of it pretty dark and scary. So they had made an appointment for me with Mary Green, a South Carolina psychic who was famous back in the day, thanks to her uncanny successes working with the city and state police.  But as soon as I entered her modest suburban home, I turned into a nervous wreck. I had no idea what might happen. Could she read my private thoughts? Would she predict my death? She was not spooky or weird, very ordinary in fact. But her insights were so dead on, it was like she must have had a team of interns following me, reading my mail, tapping my phone, and interviewing everyone I'd ever known. Of course, that was not the case, and now that I am making my own living in a similar way, I have to laugh at how I was the worst possible client. I even refused to speak, except to say yes or no (partly to be recalcitrant, but also because I was terrified). But luckily, Miss Mary was a thorough professional, and gave it to me straight up, no punches pulled. She also recorded our session, and you'd better believe I still have that cassette tape to this day. It's a good thing it was taped, because ... (more here)...  Faith, Hope, and Charity: A New Feature on My Website With my new website redesign, one of the things that changed was that I no longer have a page of links and recommendations for some of my favorite people and organizations. But I feel that sharing our interconnected web of support and inspiration is an important component of my work. So starting with this June issue of WINGS, I am offering this regular feature, highlighting an individual, or group, or service that I think you might like to know more about. I hope you will be inspired to support their work, and share with your friends. Please click HERE to see my selection for June...  In the Spotlight: People and Goodies You'll Want to Know About  Coming  June 10-12: The incredible Robert Austin returns to our area with his beautiful healing concerts of singing Tibetan and crystal bowls. He will be at the Watersong Peace Chamber in Saxapahaw on Friday the 10th and Saturday the 11th. Then he will be welcoming the public to the Metaphysical Chapel in Bahama, NC on Sunday the 12th. For details, visit his website here.  And There's This: Have you been curious about learning to work with the runes? I have fantastic news for you! My friend Kelley Harrell, a rune-master and absolutely one of the best teachers I have ever worked with, is offering a year-long, online class, Reclaiming the Runes. The runes have been growing in popularity, but there is a lot of misinformation and downright silliness being passed around. Yet at the same time, some teachers make them so heavy and esoteric, they may seem too complicated and difficult for the novice.  Now there is a better choice! Kelley can show you how to bring the runes into modern, everyday life as the amazing alphabet, system of storytelling, timekeeping, and divination that they are. And she has a truly magical gift of making even the most complex concepts clear and accessible. Her skills and wisdom are deep, but her style is fun and friendly - one of the best combinations I know of, for a successful learning experience. Not sure if you want to make a commitment to an entire year of study? No problem. She is currently offering a preview, so you can check it out and see if her approach works for you. This month-long introduction starts July 1 and will be self-paced and heavily mentored by email and other contact.  And it gets even better!  Use this code that is just for friends of her friends (that's me!) when you register, and get a $50 discount! Click on the coupon below for more info and enrollment. Green Living: Let's Clean Up Our Act As we head into the Summer party, play, wedding, and festival time, there are a few of us (Ahem! You know who you are!) who love to dress up, and get extra festive! Yes, you glittery glams! I'm looking at you! Although it's not my thing, I love how you gleam and sparkle. So I was kind of horrified to learn that glitter is almost as much of a problem as those nasty microbeads you've probably heard about. According to one website, "Glitter is made from non-biodegradable materials such as copolymer plastics, aluminum foil, titanium dioxide, iron oxides, and bismuth oxychloride, meaning they linger in the environment for a long time. "Additionally, since glitter is heavier than water, it sinks to the bottom of waterways and can become part of toxic sludge, and the oxides that comprise glitter can be reactive in water. It has no recycling or recovery potential, and can also be ingested by other organisms. Finally, the small, hard edges of glitter can create problems for smaller organisms." But be of good cheer, all you gorgeous glittery gentlefolk! Green-friendly alternatives are starting to show up on the market. Bioglitz and the brand new Bio-glitter, by the UK company Ronald Britton, are putting the happy back in the twinkle. You can also make your own, using salt crystals. As awareness grows, I hope there will be lots more sources for biodegradable, non-toxic, and easily dissolved glitter. May we all shine on! Remember - Every little bit makes a world of difference. Thanks so much for your time, dear one. In this sweet, magical month of June, when all of life seems to be singing with its heart on fire, may enchantment and illumination ever be your playmates. Blessings, Copyright © 2016 Beth Owl's Daughter, All rights reserved.