Posts Tagged ‘ritual’

Spirits of New Orleans: Voodoo Curses, Vampire Legends and Cities of the Dead by Kala Ambrose

In the biggest surprise of SuperBowl 2013, it was the lights going down, not the losing team that is the talk of the town. For 34 minutes, half of the SuperDome in New Orleans was in darkness, causing a delay of game for the biggest event of the year.

NFL.com reported on this incident by saying… “About two hours after the game, won by the Ravens in a 34-31 thriller, officials revealed that an “abnormality” in the power system triggered an automatic shutdown, forcing backup systems to kick in. But they weren’t sure what caused the initial problem.”

While the Ravens and the 49ers stretched on the sidelines to remain limber and sportscasters rambled on to fill the time, my thoughts couldn’t help but wonder if the Voodoo Priestesses had been invited in this year to bless the Dome in order to appease the spirits who reside there.  My guess is that they had not, and so mayhem was the result.

Before you shake your head in bewilderment, allow me to explain a bit of the history of the SuperDome in New Orleans and the resident ghosts and spirits reported to remain there…

Walking along Bourbon Street in New Orleans

Back in 1822, the Girod Street Cemetery was established as an above ground cemetery with over two thousand wall vaults and one thousand tombs with some tombs rising eight tiers high above the ground. Thirty thousand people were buried here over the decades. Over time, the privately owned cemetery languished in great disrepair and was all but forgotten. In 1957, the cemetery was deconsecrated and the remains were moved to other cemeteries in order for a new structure to be built on these grounds. Workers moved in with bulldozers to dig into the ground and to their surprise, the unsightly excavation of human bones and remains were pulled up with each dig of the shovel, proving that not all of the bodies had been identified from this area and moved to the new location.

On these former burial grounds, the Louisiana Superdome was built, which is the home to the NFL’s New Orleans Saints.  Legend has it that the spirits were angry and restless after being moved from their burial grounds and so they cursed the Saints from winning.

In order to counteract this curse, Voodoo Priestesses were routinely called in before football games to appease the spirits and ask for their forgiveness.  Catholic priests and nuns also attend the games to bless the stadium while sprinkling holy water and calling in St. Michael to assist the spirits in letting go and moving on.

Spirits of New Orleans: Voodoo Curses, Vampire Legends and Cities of the Dead by Kala Ambrose

Reportedly after Hurricane Katrina in 2005, where so many residents sought shelter from the flood waters inside the Superdome, the curse was lifted by the spirits who felt so sorry for the people of New Orleans and the enormous price they paid during the flood.  These spirits now comfort the people of New Orleans and support their home team, opening the pathway for the Saints to win their first ever Super Bowl in 2010.

Word on the street these days though is that the current management has moved away in the past several years from allowing voodoo practitioners to make an offering for peace before the games and that this has affected the Saints playing as well as operations at the SuperDome as the spirits are displeased.  Was tonight’s “abnormality” partially paranormal?  No one knows for sure, but perhaps it wouldn’t hurt to bring back the voodoo rituals for peace as a safeguard for future events.

For much more information about the paranormal activities in New Orleans, check out my book – Spirits of New Orleans: Voodoo Curses, Vampire Legends and the Cities of the Dead.

More about Kala Ambrose… An award winning author, national columnist, inspirational speaker, and host of the Explore Your Spirit with Kala Show, Kala Ambrose is on a mission to educate, entertain and inspire. Her books, The Awakened Aura: Experiencing the Evolution of Your Energy Body and 9 Life Altering Lessons: Secrets of the Mystery Schools Unveiled reveal ancient wisdom teachings and how their techniques can be used in modern day living. Kala also shares her love of history, travel, and the spirit world in her books Spirits of New Orleans and Ghosthunting North Carolina. These books are designed to explore the history of cities in an entertaining manner while sharing haunted stories and offering travel tips on how to best see the cities to shop, dine, stay, and visit the haunted sites.

Author Kala Ambrose in New Orleans

Kala writes for the Huffington Post, the Examiner, AOL, Yahoo and Fate Magazine and presents workshops nationally on the Mind/Body/Spirit connection including Auras and Energy Fields, Entrepreneur Intuition, Haunted History, and Wisdom Teachings at the Omega Institute, John Edward Presents Infinite Quest, the Learning Annex, LilyDale Assembly, Edgar Cayce’s A.R.E. and the Daily Om. More about Kala at www.ExploreYourSpirit.com

In the wisdom teachings of the Divine Feminine, there are certain earth cycles, which open a gateway between the higher planes of existence and the earth plane. These moments of enhanced connection allow us to view the rhythm and timing of the goddess in her form as mother nature.

We are experiencing one of these magical moments this week, marked as the mid-way point of the season of Winter around February 2nd. This celebration is most popularly known by the Celtic reference of Imbolc. Imbolc, a gaelic word, means in-milk, derived from the gaelic pronunciation ‘oimelc’, meaning ewe’s milk.

While Imbolc is the most well known celebration of this holiday, its origins stem from a powerful universal wisdom teaching known as – ‘As Within, So Without’.

During the barren frozen winter days of early February in western Europe, the celebration of Imbolc was a symbol of hope and represented the good things to come. When surveying the landscape (without), everything appeared bleak, and lifeless yet (within) the dairy animals, hints of Spring were returning as the animals began to lactate and milk began to flow again.

There is a Goddess assigned to this quickening and universally she symbolizes the seeds of life planted (within) the earth and within each person and how when nurtured and cared for, they blossom (without) producing the life affirming milk and awakening of life and hope.

In the Celtic celebration, the Goddess is known as Brigid, also spelled as Brighid. Brigid is revered as the Goddess of healing, writing and prosperity. As a solar goddess, she represents the fire and light that burns within each living being and how when cared for, this eternal light creates inner healing, restores vital energy and stirs life within. She is also represented in the phases of the Goddess as the maiden and the bride. Wise women around the world work with this goddess energy, helping others to launch new projects and beginnings, to stimulate powerful healing energies within the body and perform weddings, as this is the most advantageous day of the year to be married.

Brigid is referred to as the bride, which in modern times is recognized in the form of a young woman being joined in matrimony. This is but one derivative of the wisdom teaching and rituals. The Goddess Brigid is recognized as one of the Queens of Heaven who is being transmuted during this time and reborn. The Wise Woman of Winter, who has journeyed deep within herself during the darkest days of winter, is now ready to emerge and be reborn as the Young Maiden. This maiden carries the hope and promise of new life along with the wisdom and discernment of the wise women, giving herself the gift of intuition, healing, abundance and love. She is a bride of the light, participating in her own unification of this energy in a marriage ceremony of the heart and mind.

Would you like to connect with this energy and connect with the loving energy of the light without and stir this energy within your heart and mind?

There are Seven Sacred Ways to Connect with the Energy of Imbolc and the Goddess:

1. On February 2nd, light candles and lamps in the home to welcome the return of the Light. Yellow, white and orange candles are the best colors to use. As you light each candle, focus your energy with the flame and ask that the light burn clear and bright, bringing clarity to the home, burning off any residual gloom or negative energy within the home.

2. White flowers symbolize the purity within and the promise of blooming to come. Place a beautiful bouquet in the heart area of your home and breathe deeply into the flowers, allowing their essence and fragrance to be experienced by all of your senses.

3. Reminiscent of the milk flowing, sharing dairy products is abundant, the most popular choice being milk chocolate. Hot chocolate warms the body and when stirring the chocolate, imbibe the mix with loving thoughts and warmth.

4. Place a silk ribbon or piece of fabric on a window sill, often referred to as Brighid’s Mantle. It is said overnight, it will be blessed with the healing, intuitive and abundant energy flowing at this time. Use this fabric to wrap your deck of tarot cards, to wrap herbs in or create a special pouch to hold treasured items.

5. Leave an offering outdoors of bread for birds and other small creatures who may be having a difficult time finding sustenance in the barren landscape. While outdoors in the cold, give thanks to the beauty surrounding you. Stand with your feet firmly grounded to the earth and raise your arms in the air, bring the light from above around you and allow it to flow deep within you.

6. Gather the seeds that you will be planting in your Spring garden. Hold your hands over the seeds and ask for the energy of the Goddess within to bless the seeds and nurture them. Take a small quartz crystal and charge this crystal with the same intention. When planting these seeds in the spring, plant the quartz crystal into the earth next to the seeds.

7. Reflect on the seeds of thought you planted in the Fall within yourself and the goals you are affirming in this new year. Ask for the quickening of the seeds within you, that they may blossom and grow. Take a quartz crystal and charge this crystal with the same intention. Keep this crystal on your desk or in a spot where it will remind you of your goals and intentions.

The Goddess in her many forms, teaches by example through nature. Use this time wisely, as it creates a sacred opportunity to plant new seeds of thought in the mind and heart. In the circle of life, there are adversities (within and without), representing a time of darkness and Winter, which are always overcome through the journey. The return to the light in the Spring, offers the opportunity to be reborn and move forward on the path, having learned from the time of adversity. Offerings of gratitude are given at this time to one’s adversaries, as they represent lessons and growth opportunities in disguise.

There is a powerful Norwegian proverb which states: ‘In every woman there is a Queen. Speak to the Queen and the Queen will answer’. As the traditions of the Goddess and Divine Feminine resurge in the light again, celebrate with the seven sacred ways listed above. The powerful life-affirming magic of Spring is around the corner. Should you wish to change something in your life, this is the moment to set that intention and ask for your dream to bloom, grow and rejuvenate!

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

Spring Equinox is a three-day cycle of celebration, where we take the wisdom gained from the Fall Equinox (focus period of self-introspection and reflection) and turn this knowledge into creative action. The process of understanding the meaning of our past experiences allows what we’ve learned to regenerate into wisdom, which is reborn within us and enhances who we are. By doing this, we honor the people and experiences who impacted us on our path, and in honoring these things, we make them sacred and of great personal value.

We can not fully understand what we have not experienced. Thus, the journey of life is one of answering the questions, Who Am I and Why Am I Here.  Through the action of applied knowledge and experience, we develop the inner wisdom to answer such questions.

What is most important to reflect upon during this time is that in life, events happen, choices are made, and actions are generated. We cannot change that which has passed, but we can be renewed through the wisdom of these experiences. Life can present us with great tragedy and joy.  During these times, we can bloom with wisdom and insight, which lead us to find new directions, explore new lessons learned and regenerate into further growth.

On Spring Equinox, these carefully planted seeds from the Fall, can now bloom into new life for each us, and we can begin again.

It is with this knowledge, that we can change our future. This is created by refocusing our attention on what we truly want to manifest and then actively creating the right atmosphere and attitude to bring it to fruition. Spring reminds us of our ability to be reborn and this is one example of  the greatest gifts we were given here on earth, which is the energy in nature.

We can connect with nature to assist with our growth and development. Ancient schools taught how to observe the powerful events occuring in nature to connect with the energy here on earth (below) with the energy from the higher planes (above). This act brings forth the balance and growth of the As Above So Below teachings.  A series of rituals were created to assist students in connecting with each powerful and sacred festival of the year.  Some of these rituals have been adjusted for modern life, such as in ancient times, there were pools where students went to purify in the water each evening, rather than showering as we do today.  The Equinox consists of two parts, the outward celebration and the inner rebirth.

Presented here are activities you can do on each of three days of the Equinox, to release the energy within you as well as connect with the energy of the Equinox….

The Eve of the Equinox:

Reflect upon the seeds (thoughts and goals) you planted during the Fall Equinox and New Year. Consider the lessons and experiences of the past six months and decide what is hindering progress with your goals.

Ask yourself — What important seeds of truth need to be revealed this spring, in order for me to truly know myself and step into my power-ful being?

It’s time to awaken from your period of hibernation, inactivity and self-introspection and put these thoughts and plans into action!

To awaken your higher self and activate your growth cycle, begin the Equinox ritual by taking a shower. As the water flows over your body, imagine all negative energy being removed and washed away from you. As you dry off, visualize white light around your body and say out loud, All That Happens, Happens for Good – Divine Energy is working through me now!

Day One of the Equinox:

It’s time for Spring Cleaning. Clean your house and remove clutter. As you clean each room and the items in it, do so with reverence and appreciation for the abundance in your life. Cover your home in loving energy as you clean, picturing you and your loved ones in each room, feeling happy, content, joyful and relaxed. By this evening, you are ready to smudge each room with white sage to purify and cleanse each room. End the day with the shower and ritual from the equinox eve.

Day Two of the Equinox:

This day is what people refer to as “Equinox Day”, It is the day to Celebrate Rebirth, Renewal and Abundance. It is a time to toast to plans of action and growth, ie, “a garden in bloom”!  Celebrate with rituals including creating and sharing Equinox baskets with loved ones and friends.  The day culminates with dinner to celebrate renewal, rebirth and the magic of the seasons and life and all the wonder it brings, along with sharing  dreams being brought into fruition this year.  This is a powerful day to put plans into action.

In ancient times, this was celebrated with an outward and inward celebration:

Exoterically – people celebrated with  egg hunts, (a symbol of the earth and rebirth), by giving and decorating with bunnies, (a universal symbol of fertility for both body – act of creation with birth and mind – turning thoughts into fruition) and by giving baskets, (a symbol of abundance).  A special dinner with family and friends is also common to celebrate the return of Spring and renewal.

Esoterically -  people act on the seeds (goals) that they planted during the Fall Equinox. Now is the time and opportunity to step forward and create oneself anew with the tools of Gratitude, Abundance and Creativity.

Day Three of the Equinox:

May is around the corner, which brings the celebration of the Divine Feminine. This is the time to emerge from Introspection and Self Observation, into Spring Renewal and Focus on Action, Creation and Celebration. The Equinox is a time to focus on a balance of exoteric and esoteric, and introverted and extroverted events.

Suggestions to activate your creative side and bring new perspective and balance include:

Planting flowers in the garden, taking on a new creative project (preferably something new you have not done before), decorating your home; saying thank you to the Universe for the Abundance of OPPORTUNITY in your life, accepting new challenges in order to grow and step closer to your goals, embracing the future; and spending time with people in your life who will encourage you with your dreams and aspirations.

The Spring Equinox is a great time to jump start your goals. Now is the time of Action! It has never made sense with the Julian calendar, that one would create new year resolutions in the dead of winter on January 1st.  Your dreams were planted as seeds of thought in the Fall and now is time to tend to your garden and bring forth beautiful blooms of creativity.

Decide Now what actions you will take immediately and where you wish to be and proceed from there.

Wishing You Great  Love, Abundance and Creativity,
~Kala~

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More about Kala Ambrose….

Kala Ambrose is a noted author, intuitive, inspirational speaker and talk show host. Her thought-provoking interviews on The Explore Your Spirit with Kala Show www.ExploreYourSpirit.com are enticing listeners to tune in around the globe! Described by her guests and listeners as discerning, empowering and inspiring, she entertains listeners around the world as she speaks with World Renowned Authors, Artists, Teachers and Researchers delving into Metaphysical, Spiritual and Paranormal Topics as well as New Discoveries in the Scientific and Spiritual Arenas.

When not on the air with the show, Kala shares teachings from the ancient temples of Egypt. Her book, 9 Life Altering Lessons: Secrets of the Mystery Schools Unveiled delves into the mysteries of ancient Egypt and Greece and explains the Mystery Schools and their wisdom teachings.

Kala lectures on Esoteric Teachings, Ancient Myths, Developing Business Intuition, working with Auras, Chakras and Energy Fields, Dream Interpretations, and Wise Woman Wisdom (also known as the Divine Feminine). Kala’s Guided Meditations CD’s have just been released with Spirit of Hawaii, Egyptian Mystery Temple and Tibetan Mountain Journey. She is currently working on her next book. Kala is available for radio, television and print interviews, as well as a lecturer for conferences and events.