Posts Tagged ‘fall’

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Fireplace mantel decorated for Fall

The Fall Equinox is near, are you looking forward to Fall weather as much as I am? It’s my favorite time of year and I start by decorating my home in preparation for the season.  I start in my library, placing pumpkins, gourds and leaves on the mantle and like the falling leaves outside, they spread around my home, covering tables and anywhere in the home that I think needs a touch of Fall. I even have a blackboard in the breakfast room that I change seasonally with quotes and happy affirmations to share with family and friends.

To me, the seasons are one of the greatest gifts we have here on earth, as they remind us that time is moving along and that the only constant in life is change.  Everything about the Fall season makes me excited to be alive, the crisp cool air, the cascade of colors on the trees, the hint of warm apples, pumpkins, cinnamon and cider in the air and the mellowing of the Sun as it still shines but now with a warm golden glow, rather than the bright white of summer.

Table set for Fall and Halloween with pumpkins and owl

Fall means that the holidays are on their way, starting with my favorite, Halloween. I think we should decorate as extensively for Fall and the entire Autumnal season as we do for the Winter/Christmas season. This can begin well before Halloween with natural decor in warm colors. When Halloween draws near, add to the decor with ghosts, bats and other creatures of the night and then after Halloween, return back to the natural decor with leaves, pumpkins, corn and embellishments for Thanksgiving.

It’s also a wonderful time of year to enjoy the outdoors after such a long hot summer and take a walk and spend some time in nature. If you are looking for natural products to add to your collection as a light worker, it’s a great time to find feathers dropped by birds and good sturdy branches that have fallen from trees from the recent high winds, that would make for great wands and staffs.

The possibilities are endless, use your imagination and intuition to determine what feels like Fall for you and then go wild! I’d love to hear from you about your favorite fall decorations and what you love about the season.

I share other tips on how to Spiritually Celebrate the Fall Equinox in my article here on the Huffington Post.

May the Spirit of Fall bless your home and all who reside within,

All the best,

*~Kala~*

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Each September, once Labor Day has passed and we’ve put away our white shoes for the season; there’s a noticeable crisp change in the air and a mellowing of the sunlight guiding our thoughts to turn toward the season of fall. In some parts of the U.S., the landscapes are ablaze with vibrant colors of red, yellow and orange as the trees put on a dazzling show for several months. The official marker of the fall season is the fall equinox, which arrives this year on Sept. 23, 2011 at 5:05 AM EDT. In ancient civilizations, where agriculture was the focus of activities in the village community, the fall equinox was often celebrated in a variety of rituals and festivals, which portrayed the bounty of the harvest through abundance, gratitude and reflection.

In this modern age, we are not as directly connected with the earth and the harvest season. But, it is still possible to observe this passage of time in order to express an appreciation and awareness of our connection and relationship with nature.

Here are three ways to recognize and acknowledge the special attributes that the season brings to our consciousness on the mind, body and spirit level.

See my suggestions on how to celebrate the fall equinox with family and friends in my column on the Huffington Post. 

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Fall is my favorite time of year.  Every summer, right around the end of August, I start getting that itch, that nagging feeling that I’m ready for the seasons to change. I do love all of the seasons and celebrate the coming and going of each one but for me there’s something extra special about Fall. I love everything about that time of year- the beauty in the colors of the changing leaves, the smell of mulled apple cider on cool evenings, the sound of honking geese as they fly south for the winter, and that warm snuggly feeling you get when you put your favorite sweater on for the first time that season.  It feels like a magical time to me when we finally get a reprieve from the long hot summer.

Spiritually, one of my favorite things about this change of seasons is the Fall Equinox and the rituals that are associated with it. I believe, as many others do, that the Fall Equinox is the true Thanksgiving.  It is the time of the harvest and a time to look back on the past year and reflect on what we have experienced and learned.  It is a time of gratitude and abundance. The equinox is the perfect time to release excess baggage or stagnant energy you may be carrying so that you can start the new year (November 1) with a clean slate.

There are a number of rituals that can be done during this time and, being that I own a holistic bath products company, one of my personal favorites is a ritual bath or shower. Unfortunately most people on most days don’t really think about their bath or shower- except to think they need one. I think that people would be much happier in general and certainly happier with their bodies if they were more mindful and thoughtful during their bathing time. What we are thinking about during that very personal time can have a great impact on our physical and emotional well-being.  There is much more to go into on this topic but we’ll save that for another time.  For now let’s focus on what we should be doing for the Fall Equinox.  There are many good resources available that can guide you on rituals for your house and home but again, we’re going to focus on a bathing ritual.

I do this ritual the day before the official Equinox day.  I do this so that I can focus on other rituals and celebrations related to my home and family on the day of the actual Equinox.  Because this is the time to reflect on all of my actions (and inactions) and experiences over the past year I light a candle and spend some time sitting quietly and thinking of all that has come to pass since the last Fall Equinox. I think about the lessons I have learned and those that I am still working on.  I try to pay close attention to any negative thoughts or energy I may have.  I also try to think about the seeds that I want to sow in the spring, the lessons and adventures I want to take on in the coming year. When I feel like I have gone over the past year and my experiences and taken note of any negative thoughts and energy I want to be rid of I get into the shower.  I actually prefer a shower to a bath for this particular ritual because once I am in the shower I take all of those negative thoughts and energy and I visualize them being washed away as the water washes over me.  I see them swirling down the drain, away from and out of me. When I feel that my etheric body has been cleansed I move on to my physical body.  For this particular ritual I use the White Light soap from our Celestial Farms product line.  This soap has a clear quartz crystal embedded in it which is useful here because clear quartz enhances energy by absorbing and balancing it- which is exactly what we want at this time- absorbing (negative energy) and balancing (equinox literally means equal night or  balance).  I wash my body with the soap (and the embedded crystal) from head to toe, all the while thanking the Universe for all that I have and all that I am. Since I am bathing I pay particular attention to my body and I say things out loud such as, “I am thankful for the body I have been given in this life. I am grateful for all that is has done for me and I treat it with love and respect”. I also take a few moments to give thanks for my family and friends, for the life that I have and for the coming year.  Once I have rinsed the soap from my body I use the White Light Dead Sea Salt Scrub where I gently exfoliate and purify my body with the therapeutic energy of the Dead Sea.  The salt scrub also has a clear quartz crystal in it so I know I’m doing even more to absorb negative energy and keep myself balanced.  Once I have rinsed the salt scrub off I am ready to get out of the shower.  As I towel myself off I visualize myself surrounded in a blanket of White Light and I say out loud, “I am surrounded by Pure White Light and all that happens, happens for good”.

And remember it’s Thanksgiving so give thanks and live abundantly!

Next time we’ll talk about the importance of positive thinking while bathing.

More About Niki Fountain….

Serene Bath & Body was the vision of its owner and founder, Niki Fountain. As a young woman, Niki, like many girls her age, found herself with a poor body image and did not treat her body with the love and respect it deserved. One surefire way to lift her spirits when feeling down was shopping for and using sumptuous soaps and lotions. Nothing felt better than indulging in a little luxury (even if, while in college, the checkbook didn’t agree). The act of bathing with a wonderfully smelling soap and finishing with a silky smooth lotion created a sense of peace and well being. Through the years Niki was able to overcome her body issues and realized that everyone, especially young women, needed to learn to care for and respect their bodies- physical and otherwise. She wanted them to experience the same indulgence and feeling of serenity that she felt while caring for her body. This is what inspired Serene Bath & Body. She wanted to create products that would help young girls and women learn to love their bodies and treat them well by using high quality products that nourish the body, the mind, the spirit and the soul. Niki earned her Masters Degree in hydrogeology and has a professional background in developing and perfecting soaps. She spent several years in a university laboratory as a hydrogeologist developing soap formulations to be used to “clean-up” chemicals that had been spilled into groundwater. She has been applying this experience and knowledge ever since while working in the environmental industry, cleaning up sites that have been contaminated with chemicals. She has since taken this knowledge and experience and applied it to developing and perfecting formulations of soaps for people. Additionally, being a geologist, she is intimately familiar with crystals and gemstones and both their physical and metaphysical properties. She uses this knowledge while creating new formulations for Celestial Farms that include various combinations of bath products with the appropriate crystals to obtain an array of desired outcomes (relaxation, invigoration, aura cleansing, etc). More info at: theserenestore.com

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Chinese Autumn began this year on August 7th at 18:07 Beijing time, or 05:07 AM ET. The Chinese seasons always start at the middle of the Western calendar seasons, that is why Chinese Autumn may seem to come so early for a westerner. In the context of western astrology, the Chinese seasons begin at 15 degrees the fixed signs, Autumn beginning at 15 degrees Leo, Winter beginning at 15 degrees Scorpio, Spring beginning at 15 degrees Aquarius, and Summer beginning at 15 degrees Taurus. In the Chinese system, Autumn is the season of the element Metal.

The signs for the Autumn chart are as follows:

• the year sign is Earth Ox
  

• the month is Water Monkey

• the day is Wood Monkey

• the hour is Fire Rabbit

The predominant elements in the chart are Earth, Metal, and Water, and is predominantly Yang. This means that the energy of the Autumn this year is actively concentrative. The natural course this Fall will be for all matters to settle, and for nonessentials to be eliminated. The chart, having so much Metal and Water, is cold. Fire is very weak. Therefore the season calls for Wood. Wood is the vital element for this Fall. That means that it is essential to make decisions. Matters must now be settled, decisions must be made and nonessentials must be thrown out of you are to stay in tune with the Tao of the time.

Reduced to an I Ching hexagram, the signs gives us Hexagram 44: Coming to Meet, line 1. Curb evil at its inception. Where you find evil entering your life, check and correct it immediately. If you let it run unchecked it will cause misfortune.

This Autumn season favors people with a solitary character and those who work in independent professions. This, according to the traditional Chinese description, includes teachers, psychics, mediums, astrologers, metaphysicians, scholars, doctors, researchers, people who work behind the scenes, writers, designers and librarians.

Despite its severe indications, the chart has two Tien Yi, or Sky Medicine Stars. Tien Yi is the luckiest of all the stars; it resolves most predicaments. The chart also has Tian de Gui Ren, or Heavenly Virtue Star which helps to stabilize life and clear away obstacles. This is especially good for women getting married. The chart also favors studies, and has good indications for traveling and for friendly and beneficial interactions between people in business. The chart, having strong Metal, but relying on Wood says that Western powers are strong, but all depends on cultivating the creative possibilities in the East. In other words, what happens in Asia is key to unlocking the power of the West at this time. Without the needed help of Asia the world will stagnate.

• The Autumn season, for those born under the sign Pig or Rat, means this is a time for you to increase your knowledge and to develope your resources. It is favorable for Pig to work creatively and to be decisive this Fall. For Rat it is important, not only to generate your resources, but to accept the help of friendly people and to avoid conflicts; don’t try to force your way against odds. Both Pig and Rat, needing insights, will benefit by seeing the astrologer or psychic this Fall.

• For those born under the sign Ox this is a time for saving up money and for turning your attention to your work. You may be very fortunate if you do.

• For those born under the sign Tiger or Rabbit this is a time to assert yourself against odds while yielding to conditions you can’t control. For a woman Tiger or Rabbit, this may be a season of love. For Tiger this Fall is favorable for traveling, moving or going forward with new work. It may also be a more favorable period for you financially. For Rabbit this Fall favors creative activity.

• If you were born under the sign Dragon this Fall favors you in business and encourages you to build up your money. It is best if conditions in your personal life be peaceful now.

• If you were born under the sign Snake or Horse this Fall is the time to pay attention and make money. For Horse this is also a lucky time for romance. And for Snake this is a good time for studies and any academic activity, also for using your intelligence to solve any problem you might have.

• If you were born under the sign Sheep this is a time for creative work and for building up your money. It also favors receiving help from friendly people; lucky doors may open for you.

• If you were born under the sign Monkey or Rooster, the Fall favors building up yourself, circulating among your peers, while acting independently and welcoming competition in business. Monkey may be especially lucky in resolving problems and will find others willing to offer help when needed. Friendly people are coming your way. For Rooster this is an especially lucky season for romance.

• If you were born under the sign Dog this is a season to work hard and build up money. The elements of the season will give you strength.

For a more personal reading or a more complete picture of what’s coming up in your life, you may wish to have a complete Chinese astrological chart reading. If so, contact Raphael Simons at www.psychicarts.net .

T. Raphael Simons will be on The Explore Your Spirit with Kala Show Friday, August 28th at 8pm Eastern.

More about T. Raphael Simons…

T. Raphael Simons is a psychic reader, astrologer (Western and Chinese forms), feng shui expert, hypnotherapist and life coach and is  available for consultations and counseling in person and by telephone. Author of Feng Shui, Step by Step, Feng Shui Strategies for Business Success: Arranging Your Office for Success and Prosperity, and The Feng Shui of Love, his interest in the metaphysical sciences and arts began in 1970, he first learned to read Tarot cards in 1971 and took up reading them professionally in 1977. From there he studied astrology for seven years with Ivy Jacobson beginning in 1980. In 1988 he took up the study of Chinese astrology and fengshui with Terry Lee in New York and has been practicing and teaching Chinese astrology and fengshui ever since. He also trained in channeling in New York with the medium Alex Murray. Since 1999 Raphael has been a member of OBOD (the Order of Bards, Ovates, and Druids), the most ancient bardic and druid order in the UK in which he was elected a full member in the Druid grade. Raphael has been living in Durham, North Carolina since 2003, moving to NC from New York City. Originally trained as a musician, he taught music at Princeton University and Oberlin College. More info at: www.psychicarts.net

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