White sage, Smudging & Culture Clash

Not too long ago I posted one of My Aromatherapy products
on My FB page. I received a post from an annoyed
"Native American" gentlemen who said He
found it amusing that I was trying to sell their Spirituality. 
What I found "amusing" was the product and practice in question
contained neither White Sage or Sweetgrass.
The item wasn't even called a smudge but a purifying spray. 

So why now am I writing about White Sage?
Well I'm not really writing about White Sage or smudging.
I am writing about culture clashes,
respecting other cultures, spiritual paths
& this melting pot called America.

My Mother's family traveled from Egypt to Romania.
I never quite figured out how geographically
that move was made but it was.
Eventually My Grandparents came to America.
When people arrive in new lands they bring with them
their culture.
Sometimes things have to be adapted.
A plant that may be Native to Egypt or Romania
May not be readily available here.
What is called smudging in one culture
may be called "Fumigation" to another.
Yes, it's not a pretty term but in Egypt fumigation
was an important part of cleansing one's body,
home & space.  Yes, it was used to prepared
the deceased for their journey to the afterlife.

The bottom line is cleansing is an important tradition.
When people immigrate to new lands, they are exposed
to new things. Like any good healer or medicine person,
they learn the secrets of the plants in their new land.

I'm not Egyptian. I'm not Romanian. I am an American.
I was born on "this" land.
If I am wise, I will learn the gifts of this land.
If I am wiser still, I will respect other cultures.
I will learn to incorporate the energies of this land into
My Spiritual practice because this is what
I have to work with.
I will not sell My Spirituality or try to co op another's.
I will not burn White Sage because it is cool.
I will burn it because I understand the energies
of the plant & What it has to offer.
I burn it along with the Bay,  Frankincense,
Myrrh that is part of My tradition.

We are a melting pot.
It's important that we respect other cultures & traditions.
It's also important that we be true to who we are.

Blessings!

Giveaway Winner

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IbA1emAwhNMThe Winner of the 30 Minute Phone Reading was selected yesterday. Thank You to Everyone who participated. Blessings!

Giveaway - 30 Min Psychic Phone Reading

GIVEAWAY TIME!
If you listened in to My visit with Barbara Mackey
on Her show Visions;
I promised a giveaway. 
I'm giving away  a 30 Min Psychic Tarot  Reading.
The Winner will be chosen next Tuesday the 13th...
Lucky 13!

If you'd like to be entered, post here &
Tell me why I should pick YOU!
Share with your friends for an extra chance!
Btw, The photo is of an actual email reading.
I don't offer them much due to time constraints.

Good Luck & Blessings!
Helene Martz
IntuitiveGoddess

A look at The Fairy Lights Tarot

As Tarot Decks go, We all have Our preferences.
Some favor RWS clones, some like Marseilles style...
We've got Animals, Fantasy Decks - the list goes on.
I'm not a huge fan of fairy type decks, I'm also not big on
muted colors. 
Simply a matter of preference. 
So when I first saw the Fairy Lights Tarot, it didn't exactly
interest me.
Then I saw a description that intrigued me.
I purchased it.

What struck me about the Fairy Lights Tarot was the premise
of this deck -Each card is 1 half of a painting created by artist
Lucia Mattioli.
This makes for a fabulous an innovative learning tool.
The first thing I did was try & match up the pairs! 
By looking at the cards in "pairs", you look at the cards in
a new way.  You see possibilities you hadn't thought of.
It brings a fresh perspective.
If I were teaching a Tarot class ( NO I won't be,lol)
This deck would be required. 
Who knows, maybe someone will decide to teach a class using
this deck.

One of My favorite pairs from the Fairy Tarot:

The Empress & The 5 of Wands.

The Empress on Her Own :
                                                                

Does it hold the same meaning?  Have you picked up on any nuances
you may not have noticed before?
What about the 5 of Wands? Have your impressions shifted?

                                                            

The Fairy Lights Tarot is fresh. Lucia Mattioli created a beautiful &
innovative deck.  I do wish the card stock was a little heavier.
Would I recommend you purchase?  What are You waiting for...
Blessings!

Old School Pagan in a New Age World

What defines Pagan?
If you look in Oxford or Webster's you may find
Pagan defined like this:
"A person holding religious beliefs other than those of the main world religions."
"An adherent of a polytheistic religion in antiquity"
You know, back in ancient times, Paganism was a mainstream religion.
Today Pagans define themselves many different ways.
 
Now, I hate labels.
I'm not really comfortable being defined simply as a Pagan.
My Religion is Nature.
My Spiritual Path is one that leads to The Goddess.
The Sacred Feminine.
I suppose that makes me "Pagan" by definition.

If I'm going to be labelled Pagan,
Then I'm 100% Old School Pagan.
I was Pagan when being Pagan wasn't exactly "cool".
In fact People tended to shy away from You.
In My Path tradition was adhered to.
Devotion & Prayer were/are regular practice.
Studies were taken very seriously.
There were No shortcuts.
Although We were taught not to "fear" Our deities,
We were taught to respect them.
For those whose path included Magick,
That too was serious business.

Somewhere along the way,
The New Age community arrived.
Change is good.
Many Spiritual paths that were once feared are now
more accepted.  More accessible.
Ok, Most change is good.
There seems to be a lack of respect in the New Age Community.
A lack of reverence.
Not by everyone, but by enough people.
A huge sense of entitlement.
Not to mention the titles!!!
Most Elders I know are humble people.
They've been on their path long enough,
that they need not announce themselves.

Old School Pagans recognize one another.
We're very familiar with the Elders of Our communities.
We don't need titles although We may have them...
We don't regard Ourselves as Gods or Goddesses
But we understand the potential within ourselves.
It's not always easy being an Old School Pagan,
But I wouldn't change a thing.

Blessings!

Coming "Out" Psychic - Confessions of a Tarot Reader

Most people know me as a Tarot Reader, or
rather an "Intuitive" Tarot Reader.
A self imposed title I used when I began My career
as a professional reader. 
I chose to call myself  a "Tarot Reader" because I
believed it to be more accepted by mainstream society.
I also didn't fully understand the difference between who
I really am & what I do.

When I was young, somewhere between 10 -11 years old,
It became apparent I had an ability to "know" things.
The exact time We knew of this I will always remember.
It was late in the evening, probably around 10PM and
I should have been fast asleep. I remember running in to
My Mom & telling Her, "Aunt Harriet died".  I was pretty
upset & insistent.  Shortly afterwards the phone did ring
with the terrible news.  My Aunt had passed from a sudden
heart attack.

As I got older, this knowing continued.
I was told My Dad had the same ability although
He never embraced it. 
It was the norm for me, I never questioned or gave it
much thought.
At some point I began giving readings or making "predictions"
for family & friends.
"Predictions" seem to be a dirty word - right along with
"Fortune Teller".  Btw, I am not a "Fortune Teller".
I moved along in My chosen career path -
NOT a reader. 
I did do readings on the side.  It was fun, extra income &
I began to work with Tarot.

Eventually, circumstances or perhaps Fate stepped in
Changing My path.  I am forever grateful to Spirit and
To those friends who manifested this change.
Armed with a Tarot Deck, the path as a professional reader began.
Truth was, I am a Psychic.  I can read with nothing at all.
I simply Hear or See the message.
Some of those messages have been posted right here on this blog.
Those messages are called "predictions" by some.
To me, they are simply messages.  Messages from Spirit.
Problem was, "Psychics" get a bad rap. The ones who didn't -
Well, I couldn't see putting Myself in their category. I didn't think
I had the abilities they did.
I thought Tarot was safer, more accepted.
In reality, it's not.
I also thought I fit in better.
Labels.  Why do we need them?

As I explored the Tarot community,
I realized, it's NOT who I am.
I love Tarot.  I've met some incredibly talented people.
I love the artistry of the decks.
That artistry is a tool that helps me do what I do best.
I AM a Psychic.
I do see energies that have not yet come to pass.
I have an excellent track record.
I will not be ashamed of those "predictive" energies,
That some like to make fun of or pooh pooh.
I will support Tarot.  I will use tarot decks.
But I will come out of the self imposed closet.
I am who I am because of Spirit.
I owe it to Spirit to acknowledge.
I AM a Psychic and I am proud.
Blessings!

Spiritual Practioners Dream Differently

Dreams.
We all have them.  Some are manifestations of our subconscious, Some are just a replay
of the days events.
Freud interpreted our dreams.
Jung interpreted them.
We can find dozens of books on the subject.
It's fun.  It's interesting.
We may find insight in a situation.  
We may find answers.
But Spiritual Dreams - That's a bit different.
Spiritual Practitioners Dream differently.

Last night after taking a Spiritual Bath,
I headed to bed.  I woke up this morning
EXHAUSTED!
Now that doesn't always happen, or I wouldn't
take too many of these...
I did wake up with a message or two.
Which is generally how these dreams work.
These messages sometimes
need a bit of interpretation,
like any other dream but
the interpretation is different.
You won't find it in any book or site.


An example of this type of dream:
I was going in & out of different rooms.
Each time I entered I would blow some dust
& the door would open.
Now a dream interpretation may say I'm
wishing for an opportunity.  The interpretation
could go deeper.
However, as a Spiritual Practitioner -
I know exactly what Spirit was telling me!
Clean Your house!  The dust, that was
Cascarilla!

A while back I had posted a dream.
I asked some of My Spiritual Sisters what
they thought.  Someone answered,
unfamiliar with the particular spiritual practice.
She gave a long thought out description as to
the psychological interpretation dream.

That doesn't apply with Spirit.

Spiritual Practitioners dream differently.
We get advice,
We receive news of future events,
We're asked for offerings,
We're reminded of  our duties,
Our responsibilities to Spirit.
We're asked to serve.
Our dreams are more than "Dreams"
They are Blessings bestowed.
Yes, We have ordinary dreams but
Spiritual Practitioners do dream differently!
Blessings.