Tag: metaphysical

Tiny Tuesday!

Back in May, when I went to Half Acre Wood– wait, I should back up. If you know the magical land inhabited by A.A. Milne’s Christopher Robin and Winnie-the-Pooh characters, you know its name is Hundred Acre Wood.

If you know me, you know I like to give names. To characters, to animals, to cars, to places, even to stones and crystals. That’s why I’ve lived at The Compound, where we also had the Doll House a/k/a the TimLair, and moved to Houndstooth Hall, where we also have Fox Den and Fairy Cottage. It’s why I called my friend Pat’s home Small Paradise, because when I’d visit there, I felt surrounded by plants, magic, and love. Gardens and so many fun events were why I named Lynne and Craig’s home Green Acres. Since Craig’s death, Lynne has had several homes that I never really named.

In May, when I visited her current home for the first time, I felt again the same magic and love–and of course, because it’s Lynne, an abundance of plants, flowers, and trees. That’s when I decided to call it Half Acre Wood, an homage to Green Acres and to the magical world of Hundred Acre Wood.

Here are a few photos; everything pictured is part of her property.


While I was visiting Half Acre Wood, Lynne gave me a journal. It’s like the best of Becky worlds, because it’s a journal AND a coloring book. I wasn’t sure exactly how I’d use it, but I liked it so much that I thought Lindsey might also find the combination appealing. I ordered one and gave it to her. She immediately said she’d be able to use it to expand on ideas, inspirations, and plans for the business she shares with her mother.

I’ve been struggling to figure out how to start book six–because the way I ended the fifth book of the Neverending Saga changed a lot of things–and this morning I thought,Why not do what Lindsey’s doing. Why not see if this coloring book journal can…

Then, instead of thinking about it, I began coloring, got the idea to apply order and imagination to my approach, and just like that, everything that made me fretful was supplanted by a whole different perspective on whose voice needs to launch Number Six.

Coloring page in progress. Finished version on Instagram.*

*Here’s the link for the Instagram post.

Tarot Etc. Thursday No. 22

Last week I featured the 15 Tarot decks I have. Here are the rest of the decks or similar items I’ve located throughout Houndstooth Hall.

I’ve featured four Oracle decks. If you Google the difference between Oracle and Tarot cards, you’ll find a wealth of information (some of it contradictory–good luck!). My decks are:


Celtic Astrology Oracle Cards


The Illustrated Crystallary Oracle Cards


The Urban Crow Oracle


Messages From Your Animal Spirit Guides Oracle Deck

In addition to my Tarot and Oracle decks, here are other items I have on my shelves. Like these, that I should use MORE OFTEN.


Mindfulness On the Go (2014) is a small book by Jan Chozen Bays with twenty-five mindfulness practices that can be done anywhere. These are meant to get a person into the habit of cultivating “the gratitude and insight that come from paying attention with body, heart, and mind to life’s many small moments” (from the back cover of the book).

The Relax Deck (2000), designed by Henry Quiroga, with illustrations by Katarzyna Klein and Hannah Firmin, includes fifty cards with images on one side, text on the other side, all meant to help the user relax. Here is a sample card:

I think this is one of my favorite decks I’ve ever bought for just making me BE STILL AND BE for a while. It’s very refreshing. Not only does it provide inspirational exercises, but it even shows you how you can use the cards in a game with others. I haven’t done that. Yet.


I also have this box of Mindfulness Cards: Simple Practices for Everyday Life (2018), from Rohan Gunatillake. Again, this is a deck I should use more often. Here are the categories:

And some samples from “Curiosity and Joy”:

Here are some of the other resources I’ve shared on here before.


John Nagiecki’s Animal Spirit Knowledge Cards (2007), beautifully illustrated by Susan Seddon Boulet.

Karma Cards (1991), created by Monte Farber.


Rachelle Charman’s Chakra Reading Cards (2016).


My collection of Rune Stones, that includes The Book of Runes (1984) by Ralph H. Blum.

WHEW! I think that’s everything. As I was compiling this post, I found a few more things that might be of interest to you. They reminded me of the importance of mindfulness, gratitude, and the kindness of friends.


This came from a woman I worked with in 1997. Someone very special in her life was LGBTQ, and I’m not sure if she’d shared that at work with more than a few friends. One day, she overheard my quick, sharp response to someone who made a homophobic remark. You never know who’s listening and how your support might uplift someone who needs it. In return, this little book she gave me has many reminders that I recorded of kind things done for me. They’re a pleasure to read and remember all these years later. I need to start writing in this book again.

I want to reiterate this because of other people’s stories I’ve read or heard lately. BE A FUCKING ALLY FOR MARGINALIZED PEOPLE AND USE YOUR VOICE. You don’t have to yell like I just did. Just please don’t miss an opportunity to speak for those who might not be in a position to speak for themselves.


I was confused when I saw this tiny book tucked away on a shelf, because if you’ve read here for any length of time, you know I’m always quick to say that I don’t put a lot of stock in fortune telling. When I looked inside, I remembered how lively LiveJournal once was for many of us. I knew Todd from there, but once people stopped using LJ, and I stopped using Facebook, I lost touch with many of those folks. Thank goodness he inscribed this book when he sent it, since I’d forgotten how it came to me at Christmas 2008. I hope Todd is doing well.


Likewise, you may have read or heard me say I’m not into spell casting. I’ve seen this go wrong for people who don’t know what they’re doing and are trying to control other people’s behavior instead of working on themselves (did I say that in Church Lady’s voice?). However, the title clearly specifies that it’s a GOOD spell book, and once I read the inscription from our friend Steve V, I realize the fun he had in giving it to me (“Jimmy” is his pet name for our mutual friend James). Steve V is an activist and advocate in Houston’s HIV/AIDS community, and he and James are two of the best people who’ve ever come into my life. Grateful for them always.

Did you make it all the way to the end? I’m thinking that this post marks the end of Thursday’s Tarot Etc. posts. However, I want to transition it to Thursday Thoughts, leaving it wide open for anything you might want to discuss, ask about, or if you want me to look into any of these decks for a specific date or animal or card or crystal or mindfulness/meditation exercise or whatever. You know I read all my comments on every post, so if something strikes you, drop a comment anywhere and let me know anything you might want me to talk about on a Thursday. If you want your interest or question to be anonymous, email becky@beckycochrane.com. If you hit “tarot” in that tags list on the right, you can find past posts of specific decks or similar items. Thursdays, YOU get to choose the content.

Motivation

There’s a full moon lunar eclipse on the way May 15. If you want to learn more about it, I recommend this brief video from Kevin at Body Mind and Soul. He discusses this moon as related to motivation, change, and letting go, among other things.

I’ve been struggling with motivation lately–maybe it’s in the stars? (Hint: It’s not. It’s in the world.) I did a bit of Internet diving. From the site Tiny Rituals, I found a list of 15 Crystals for Motivation. Maybe if you have any of these stones or crystals, spending a little time with them will give you a nudge in the right direction.

Tiger’s Eye for shaking off lethargy and taking life by the reigns.
Clear Quartz for cleaning out your spiritual and emotional closet.
Rose Quartz for helping us feel held, loved, and supported.
Citrine for a mindset shift and finding the fun in life again.
Amethyst for purpose-filled steps to your next destination.
Selenite for a soul reset.
Carnelian for diving back into a creative project.
Aventurine for shaking off the past and finding your place.
Lapis Lazuli for consistency and inner truth.
Calcite for cutting out weighty pressure and finding the lightness in life.
Apatite for dissolving apathy.
Fluorite for keeping focus strong.
Garnet for when you need confidence and commitment.
Pyrite for attracting abundance.
Bloodstone for physical strength and vitality.

Here are a few motivation essential oils for your diffusers from various sources on the Internet. Though don’t use them all at once! Maybe pick a blend of two or three, and if you want to use them on your pulse points, put them in a carrier oil like jojoba, grapeseed, or sweet almond.

frankincense
orange
cypress
peppermint
rosemary
ginger
spruce
eucalyptus
sandalwood


Today is my brother David’s birthday! Happy birthday to one of my favorite people in the world. So grateful for the music, the books, and the encouragement to think and question that he brought to my life. Also, the jokes. Even the ones that made me roll my eyes.

Tarot Etc. Thursday No. 19


I don’t remember where I got this beautiful box, but it’s one of my favorites. It’s where my rune stones live, kept on a shelf next to the book that came in the set with them.

I keep the stones in the bag they came in.


It’s been many years since I did any readings with rune stones. When I decided to feature them today, I reread all the information in The Book of Runes by Ralph H. Blum, and it was like it was all new to me.


My late friend John strongly identified with the rune Uruz, which according to Blum represents strength, manhood, womanhood, and the wild ox. John wore a pendant similar to the one on the right as his talisman. I think James kept it and wore it for a while after John died. That one is mine, which stays in a box with special small items given to me by friends or kept in honor or memory of friends.

Some of the reasons runes interested me, perhaps still interest me, is that they are meant to provide us insights into ourselves. While they’ve come to us from many ancient practices, rituals, and philosophies, anyone of any belief system can use the stones as a means to, as Blum quotes the Oracle at Delphi: Know thyself. Rune stones are not meant to explain the past or predict the future, but to keep us in the present. As Blum suggests, whether we see the runes as a bridge between ourselves and our Self, or a link from Self to the Divine, they show us how to be and act in the moment by tapping into our inner wisdom (e.g., subconscious, intuition).

Tarot Etc. Thursday No. 11

It’s a shock to me, too, that I don’t have any of the various Celtic tarot decks that are available in the world. I am in tune with what *I* was always told were the Irish roots and branches of my family tree, though my sister denies that we are Irish (she has her DNA test that shouts “Scottish!” but I ignore that).


My mother-in-law has the most Irish of birth names (first, middle, and last), so her pedigree is solid. She gave me this wonderful book many years ago with the enclosed note: Thought of you when I saw this. I have one, too. Good for picking up occasionally–for a quick “pick-me-up!”

I always say I lucked out in the parents-in-law department. I’ve photographed the book on a beautiful scarf that was given to me by another generous woman of Irish descent (her note includes, It is a [hand] painting of the Tree of Life on 100% silk. I added some of the bracelets I’ll be wearing today, including this one with the Tree of Life.

For your bit of magic today, here are the pages about the Tree of Life from Lyn Webster Wilde’s Celtic Inspirations: Essential Meditations and Texts.

Happy St. Patrick’s Day to you all–and I hope you get a chance to make friends (not war) with a tree. Peace.

More Reorg

Last night, Tom and I did some major moving and shifting of books to make these bookcases in the living room work better for us. Most of his stuff stays put once he’s read it, but a lot of my books that I frequently consult were behind the TV, which I was always having to move to find them. Now, his rarely consulted or reread books are behind the TV.


From left to right, these are divided by LGBTQ non-fiction and fiction by author; music, whether memoir, biographies, or other nonfiction by artist then subject, and the many oversized programs and promotional materials that are shelved together away from the related artist just because of their tallness; mystery by author; political/history/sociology; metaphysical by topic; health; religion, spirituality, and philosophy; and finally, science fiction.

Another reason we did this is because we were running out of shelf space. The bookshelves in the library (almost all fiction, drama, poetry, and art, but also children’s and humor) are full, too, but for this living room set, there was one way we could make more space: by removing most of the boxes that were on them. Only two or three remain, and the others, along with boxes that were on shelves in our bedroom, have been moved to the office on top of the two larger dog crates, which serve well as tabletops.

By the way, in the top photo, second bookcase from the left, in front of the bottom shelf, Anime’s tail is visible. Today, we had a CRAZY morning of dog chaos because we had both the cable guy and the exterminator on the property. The dogs and I had to take a nap afterward.

Below is the whole dog Anime, generally the sweetest of the BatPack, who was just as vocal as the rest of them this morning. Despite their lunacy (it was a full moon, after all), we love them all, and they had a great romp of squirrel chasing later.

Tarot Etc. Thursday No. 4

Today I decided to mix it up a little. I’d chosen what cards to put in the sunflower box I showed on here recently, but it’s not a Tarot deck. It’s a deck called Karma Cards and it was created by Monte Farber, who was part of the husband-and-wife team of the Enchanted Tarot that I featured in an earlier post (that deck has since been moved to a different box, by the way, and I put the Muse Tarot in the “Dennis” box =), which seemed appropriate). This edition of Karma Cards was published in 1991, but it was first published in 1988.

The system used in this deck is a little too complicated to explain in full, but the form of the questions to ask, as suggested by the author, are: “What will be the outcome (of any situation)…” “What should I do (about, because of, with, to) (any situation)…” or “What should I keep in mind when I…” and “What kind of situation/mood/atmosphere can I expect to encounter or prepare for…?”

The answers come by drawing one each from three shuffled piles of cards labeled Planets, Signs, and Houses. As the front cover says, this is a deck that uses astrology as a guide. The concepts of both astrology and karma are always intriguing to me, so I can see why I wanted this deck. I’d have guessed I bought the deck sometime in the late 1990s, but there’s a sheet of paper in the book that has several questions I asked that could only have been in 1994.

To know the outcome of a question, you read the words in a line from card to card in the blue panels. To know what action you should take, you read the words in a line from card to card in the red panels. The top row of either reading is your spiritual guidance; the middle row is your mental guidance; and the bottom row is your physical guidance.

Confused? Here’s my example taken from that sheet of paper of one of the questions I asked among many related to a certain situation.

“What does [name of a specific friend] need from me?”
I turned up Mercury in Sagittarius in the 2nd House. I was looking for guidance on what action I should take, so I read the red panels.

My spiritual answer was “Communicate your highest ideals patiently.”
My mental answer was “Analyze the rules of what you want.”
My physical answer was, “Let your mind tell you how to get it out into the world and get what you need.”

Looking at this NOW, the most important message comes from the first two answers. This was not about what I wanted or about my will to take action. This was about what this person needed from me. But at that time… I was so desperate to do what *I* thought was best for this person that I depended on the advice and actions of two well-meaning friends to help me get the outcome I needed (the third message). It worked, in the short term. In the long term, I’d have been better off also heeding the wisdom of those first two answers.

I think this is a good (if painful) example of letting one’s will/ego/desire make a person see the answer she wants to see, as I warned about in a different post. Though one positive outcome of what turned out to be an emotionally harrowing experience is that when faced with a similar choice in any number of situations like this one or even unlike it since then, I tend to consider all THREE answers in a healthier way. So while I didn’t remember this reading at all and was surprised to find the piece of paper in the book, I internalized some good lessons from both the reading and my subsequent actions:

  • Don’t pay attention only to the parts that say what you’d hoped to hear.
  • What was best for the person and what was best for me turned out to be the same thing: Leave it alone. Be patient.
  • Figure out what the “rules” are and don’t automatically resist them. How does their wisdom best protect the highest good of all concerned?

Hurricane preparedness

From the time we were flooded by Harvey, downgraded from hurricane to tropical storm, but still deadly and destructive for Houston in 2017, we began making conscious choices about how to lessen the impact on our home should we flood again. The floors that were the least affected were tiled, so our contractor tiled the entire house. The office floor was raised, and the floor-to-ceiling windows were replaced by dry wall, regular windows, and raised electrical outlets (all permitted and inspected by the city of Houston!). The furniture we bought to replace our destroyed furnishings tends to have metal legs and be raised higher off the floor. There is no longer anything stored under our beds. All but two of the closets either have items raised off the floor or protected in plastic bins. Things on lower bookshelves are either binned or easy to move up.

This week, I tackled one of the remaining closets. It’s in the smaller guest room–the one that provided my writing sanctuary since April of 2020. What it contained included paper records, equipment, and items relating to a business I maintained from 1997 to around 2007. I always dislike saying I’m a licensed massage therapist, because it seems to invite ignorant remarks that are without any humor or value to someone who knows that massage is a healthcare profession. Licensing requires training, state testing, and yearly continuing education courses. This year, CE included a mandatory course in human trafficking. Sometimes a massage therapist is the first safe contact for someone being exploited in this way and can provide confidential listening or contact information for agencies that may help a victim.

Those jokes aren’t so funny in light of that, are they?

Though I stay active as a LMT, and I have practiced in the distant past, the main reason I became certified (in the old days), licensed (current day), is because in the state of Texas, to do the work I really wanted to do, including aromatherapy, hydrotherapy, or spa therapy, massage school was a required first step. My massage table and chair were destroyed in the flood. I only used the chair when I did corporate massages, and since I don’t massage anymore, I didn’t replace it. However, I replaced the massage table. I’d intended to begin accepting clients again for the particular modality I invented that includes aromatherapy, crystal and stone therapy, and Reiki (I’m certified in second degree). When I was laid off, I would finally have had the time to do that, but we were in a pandemic, so that clearly wasn’t going to happen.

While the day may come when I would do the work for friends, and while I’ll always renew my license, I doubt this will ever be a business venture for me again. With that in mind, I purged my records of about ten inches of paperwork and reorganized the closet to be more flood-proof.

It was bittersweet looking through my old client files (if you were a client, know your file will be professionally shredded while Tom watches that process). I was reminded of many wonderful and strange times, of people who’ve come and gone. One of the first people I ever did energy work on was a friend who died of AIDS. That led me to teachers and practitioners even before I went to massage school. I had hoped to work with others impacted by HIV/AIDS, and there were a few.

I also found the records of work I did on my mother, and an oil I’d blended for her that Lindsey massaged into her feet while Mother was in hospice only a few days before her death.

Those kinds of comfort through touch also show why the “jokes” aren’t funny.

The sun tea light candle burner above is one of the items I found among the boxes in the closet. I’ll probably share other things on here with maybe some stories that won’t violate anyone’s privacy and will protect their identity.

Those were years of many things learned and explored, and I’m glad for all of them.