Why make a new year's resolution?

The reason I make a new year`s resolution has less to do with changing a bad habit or difficult pattern in my life, and more to do with focusing my unbending intent upon a situation that I want to manifest. This is a phrase used by Dr. Wayne Dyer in his book, The Power of Intention. This year I am especially working to manifest my intention for the Journey Oracle Deck: that the cards and stories of the oracle deck help people receive guidance from the unseen world of spirit in a clear and usable way.

If I focus on removing the obstacles that prevent the Journey Oracle cards from finding the people who will be helped by their unique way of sharing spirit-filled insight, I may find myself dwelling on low energy feelings of frustration and doubt, which helps create more frustration and doubt. The best way to remove these low energy pulsations, as described by Dr. David Hawkins in Power Vs. Force, is to raise my energy level by imagining the Journey Oracle cards fulfilling their destiny as a welcome and effective addition in the history of Oracles.

I ask the Oracle herself to show me how to manifest my intention for the Oracle cards and of course I draw the perfect card: the card representing the blue moon. I see a spiralling energy flowing toward the infinite eternal blue of spirit; the curling shell pattern of rose and deep wine red like a staircase lit by the sunrise of passionate resolve. The ink blots of doubt flow away from this turning wheel, becoming lace-edged feathers. The phrase: Returning to the source is also perfect. This year I resolve to let go of my individual will regarding the next steps that move the Journey Oracle out into the world, and surrender to the source that generated the Oracle in the first place. I place my petition before the Queen of all the Wise: the Blue Moon that was the first card imagined and the original name of the Journey Oracle deck. When I turn the card over I receive the only question worth asking about the power of my intention: Will I say yes or no.

Happy Winter Solstice from the Journey Oracle

Happy Winter Solstice from the Journey Oracle. May the Sun always return in your life, and the fire of your soul's purpose continue to keep you warm.

Thank you for visiting the Oracle during this past year, and I hope you return to share in my weekly thoughts and readings. Next week I'll be writing about

Why make a New Year's resolution?

Every Blessing, Kristen

Why make a sacrifice on Winter Solstice?

I have been writing about the meaning behind my solstice decorations, but more importantly for me, the meaning of this time of year is about sacrifice. This is a time of year when I take a pause from making drums and doing Journey Oracle readings, and so have been reading an illustrated history of the Aztec and Maya civilizations. I came to this beautiful passage about why make a sacrifice to the gods during this yearly celebration of transition from the dark to the light.

At the start of the fifth or current world age, the existing race of humankind was made from the bones of the men and women who had lived in the fourth world age. These bones had been languishing in the underworld, but the Feathered Serpent god Quetzalcoatl ventured into that dark realm to rescue them. However, the Feathered Serpent was tricked during his escape from the underworld and dropped the bones, which broke into many pieces. He carried the remains to the home of the gods, where all the divine lords and ladies agreed that the bones should be ground to a powder, then moistened with the gods' blood and mixed into a paste. From this paste the first people of the fifth world age were made. People suffered illness, old age and death because they were originally made from broken bones. However, they had a special calling to serve the gods because they were fashioned from the gods' blood.

This story has important teachings for me that I translate into gifts of sacrifice on Winter Solstice. My human fragility, illness and death is not something I have earned as punishment because of bad behavior--it is the core condition of being human. I translate this teaching by spending Solstice day in the woods, eating over an open fire without the comfort of a warm house or the convenience of a plate and fork. I sacrifice my warmth to honor my origin as broken bones. Before I begin my Solstice feast I make sacrifices of hand made beads and shavings of copal to the fire, in honor of remembering that all the gods agreed that the alchemy of transformation was required to create new life. I conclude my sacrifices on winter solstice by pricking my finger and offering my blood on a braid of sweetgrass that is laid on the coals, so that my life force will rise on the smokey breath of this blessing plant to honor the gods' blood that gives me life force.

Winter Solstice decorations

When I begin preparing my winter solstice decorations, I look to nature for ideas. Here on Cortes Island the dominant outdoor color is a vivid green, usually enhanced by the sparkle of recent rain or mist. Many of our winter storms, which can be very dramatic in November, bring down lots of cedar and fir boughs, which make for easy gathering in this quiet of December before the cold and snow of January. I bring in cedar, fir and holly boughs because these trees hold special meaning for me. Cedars are considered the Grandmother / Grandfather trees along these north coasts, giving homes to many in their majestic heights and drawing up groundwater for the plants that live under their protection in times of drought. The Fir is a great helping tree in this place--the slowest burning deep winter firewood is fir; our houses and outbuildings are held up by fir, and dressed on floor and ceiling with its beauty.

The holly is a sacred tree in many mystical traditions. It was understood that the holly would shelter elves and fairies who could come into the homes of mortals during this time of year without doing them harm. It is considered a plant of good omen since its evergreen leaves appear invulnerable to the passage of time. It symbolizes the tenacity of life even in a time of death, which it keeps at bay with its strong protective powers.

I enjoy using representations of apples in my winter solstice decorations. In ancient myths the apple is symbolic of giving love, and of the goddesses of love. As Leigh Ann Hussey wrote, in Celtic times apples were the focus of the winter solstice wassailing ceremony in which prayers and blessings were said to trees. Cider was poured onto the roots to call back the sun to aid in the growth of blossoms and fruit, insuring a plentiful harvest for the next year.

As I gather my winter solstice decorations this year--I am asking trees to bless me with strength and protection, to provide shelter for the other-than-human creatures that visit my home, and to call back the sun, whose strengthening light brings love and prosperity to all beings. May the Journey Oracle bring you blessings.