Hours of Power is a weekly series in our #dailyroots where we recharge our batteries and create routines important for our self-care . We focus on the Sacral Chakra through creativity, movement, and “orange energy” to open a bridge to align and power-up all the Chakras. Getting to the roots of this energy center helps us clean-out habits draining our self-worth and essential energy. The color orange inspires us to be bright & healthy. It is actually known to inspire eating healthier. The color of food indicates vitamins and minerals. Therefore, orange is drawing us to fresh fruit and veges; roots of nutrition. This week there are 4 groups of activities from a.m.-p.m. to help you get to the roots of naturally recharging your batteries and aligning the Chakras.
These are my favorite products from Fey Herba: https://feyherba.com/ ! All of her stuff is thoughtfully crafted. These items help me bridge the energy from my root chakra to my crown. Before taking on the day, I rub the Root Chakra foot balm to the bottom of my feet to help soothe the energy. The aroma centers and grounds me into the Earth with a sense of focus and security. The protect and prosper roller and spray awaken my connection to higher ground and inviting thoughts. It helps me strengthen the connection to clarity and intuition. These are part of my daily Core Care Routine.
For more suggestions for your literal and metaphorical cabinets of each Chakra, check out the graphic below.
HAPPY 94th Birthday Granddaddy!!!!
My Grandaddy always lived by, “even if you don’t have a pot to piss in - there is always something you can do to be kind to others”. He would give the coat off his back to someone in need. His spirit was as pure as they come. He did not believe in harming anything, whether the deer were eating from the garden or the crows were getting cherries off the tree, he would say: “they have to eat too” . He worked for everything he had. He took on a great burden from the earliest age of trying to take care of the farm, the family, and put food on the table. He had to leave school in the 7th grade, so he could operate the farm. There was a time when his daddy liked the bottle a little too much. Things like this change a person and often make the hard times harder. Because of this and more, he was determined to get his family and all living things to better days. He took on a lot of responsibility early on. His difficult upbringing, wwII, and losing a daughter to brain cancer were all things that tested him beyond his limits yet it never changed his soul. If anything, his love, faith, kindness, appreciation, and strength in life only deepened.
He is a Libra Sun Sign and Aries Moon Sign, he is an advocate for justice and a trailblazer of energy. When he speaks with that serious tone and finger pointing whether it is something he is passionate about or trying to get straight, it can move mountains.
Even though much was accomplished in his young life; marrying a strong woman and valuing her as an equal, eventually getting his daddy sober, surviving the war, and building a life together. Through their farm and factory work, VDOT, hauling dirt and gravel on the side, and more, they were eventually able to build a brick home with running water. He did it all with love in his heart, but no matter how much of a kind spirit someone has; the weight of it all still gets heavy. His therapy was church, burning rubber full speed ahead in anything he drove, and getting in the dirt on the farm.
When I was growing up, life had slowed down a little for him and he had more time to look back on it all and much of what he had survived was rising to the surface, but he handled it all in the most calming peaceful ways I have ever seen anyone handle anything. When it was just the two of us hours and hours working on the farm, we would often get into deep life conversations, most of the time just life in general; philosophy and our love for animals and people and how we wish we could make the world a better place etc. However, there were times where he would really start to open up about his past and even things he was struggling with in his present. I didn’t know it then, but now I look back and see how much it was therapy sessions for us, because even though I didn’t share much about things I was going through talking and sharing still provided me with so many insights and also gave me even more purpose to choose my path and methods for coping through certain painful situations in my life at that time. Our “therapy sessions” continued even into my adult years. We would try to talk a few times a month at least 1-2 hours a phone call talking about our deep life philosophy, etc.
I am still thankful to have him here on this Earth, but many of those days are heart-breaking. He has Alzheimer's. Throughout the years he has always had spells of ptsd and night anxiety. The last 10 years, the patterns of dementia and Alzheimer's in both of my grandparents were getting stronger and stronger. It is hard to notice just by looking at them or talking to them on occasion, but day in and day out - it was all the little details from the little things to the big things that were giant red flags. Mom and I have dedicated many of our days over the years trying to solve the equation of how to nurture their independence, but help them through it all. Each year we had to step in more and more. These last two years, we have had to be full hands on deck.
Most of the time, Grand is back in the past in a panic to get home (even though he is home), but his (childhood home) to make sure his mama and daddy are ok, etc. When he recognizes he is around Nana, Mom, I, and the sitters - he lets his guard down, which opens the doors for the Alzhemiers be in full flow. Otherwise,he tries to put on a brave face for the people he has tried to hold it together for and sometimes he is unaware of who is speaking with or where he is, so his instinct is to be calm and careful until he figures it out. However, if he gets overwhelmed, he will get in the panic mode.
The hardest part is when he realizes it and feels himself slipping away, because you see the anxiety wash over him and he tears up and says “I don’t have any damn sense, I know I should know where I am, who I am, who ya’ll are, but it is all just a scrambled blur and I can’t make sense of it and I don’t know what anyone is talking about, etc” and he just keeps repeating those things in a panic state as he slips away. Then, it goes into the full gear of back to the past: “I got to get home check on my mama and daddy, etc”. We do our best to prevent the full episodes, but it is like anything with the brain (anxiety, depression, etc.); the chemical imbalance can not always be navigated with prevention methods and remedies, sometimes no matter what - it just happens - and you have to know how to ride the waves, because if you try to argue with someone, dismiss, or invalidate what someone with anxiety, depression, dementia, alzheimer's etc. is going through at that moment, then it only makes matters so much worse. It is important to just be in the zone with them, validate them, etc.
For more insights on the logistics of things and tips for such, follow our Laugh with Carol Blog: here!
My Grandaddy is one of the greatest gifts and blessings in my life! I thank the stars everyday for him and I ask that the remainder of the journey be in peace as much as possible until he is greeted with the rainbow. For Today’s #dailyroots: I ask for you to do something kind for someone and to get your hands in the dirt whether in a plant or in the ground - connect with the roots & rhythms of the Earth, feel the vibes deep in the heart of it all! Stand up for the good things in life!
What’s in your Cauldron?
Depression; the disrupting shadow that creeps in without a moment’s notice. Sometimes you can feel it moving in like the fog. Sometimes the eclipse of energy is triggered by a certain alignment. Sometimes it follows a cycle like the moon and the seasons, but sometimes it is a chaotic rhythm of the universe in flux. Sometimes our chemicals go from highs to lows just because they do and they can.
The fall is a time of spiritual awakening. Soul and light workers understand this is a time when we are closer to the veil. For beginners or folks with questions, the main thing to know at this time is: energy is stronger and easier to connect with. Therefore, you may come in contact with more of the spirit world; even if it is just your own spirit from another time and state of this life journey (old feelings or unresolved issues within your spirit re-surfacing). This is a time of year where we are harvesting and preparing for winter survival, so we naturally feel the need to do the deep-root work of life and our place in it all. Therefore, we may be looking back and through all the moments of our life. We may be reaching out to gather understanding and share our insights. We may be mapping out what we need to further sustain our upcoming cycles. This type of spirit work opens the doors and gateways to a collective of energy; the circle of life. It is a time when we are able to build bridges across time and space of our life. The more we are conscious of this process, the more we are able to understand what we are connecting with within our self and all around. Sometimes this means letting go of everything we thought we know. Like in the picture above, we have to let the leaves fall, so we can return to the root-work. This does not mean letting go of things that matter like your responsibilities and accountability for things of your life, if anything, dig deeper into those things. It means letting go of judgement, expectations, ego-based definitions and beliefs (the need to be right and have it all etc). It is about owning who you are, being fully present, being grateful, and letting go of the hate, fear, drama, etc. Doing the work to be love, kindness, truth, knowledge, good vibes, etc.
This work is important, because many of us battle depression daily and the root & shadow work are powerful healing tools, but the numbers of depression often spike in the fall and winter seasons (SAD Seasonal Affective Disorder). Being conscious of this is Step 1.
CHAI is a blend of warm, soothing, aromatic spices that bring comfort to the digestive system & the soul!
The Root & Flow Curriculum was created from the vibes of the moon. Since I was born, myself, my mother, and my nana would talk to the moon at night often after many long hours of aiding in nursing homes, hosting community events, or doing something of a caretaking nature (I now know our practices as Owl Medicine and a divine connection to the flow of energy & spirit. We have always had a powerful sense of intuition, premonitions, and a call to be by people’s side as they cross-over). We were just following the natural roots and rhythms of our instincts, but my Empath abilities and visions were strong from an early age; I often felt very different and weird. It was often terrifying and to calm myself I would often retreat to my alone spaces and nature to root through it all. Those times were intense (greater detail in Seeds of our Soul Blog), and I needed answers to soothe the soul. The moon work (deep-inner self & shadow work) of a Spirit Quest helped me discover the personal answers I needed for healing and understanding my life journey. The picture above was from the full harvest moon of 2014 when I first decided to fully commit to my Spirit Quest. It was at our “new station” (military unit) and right over the water and where I now know is where a line of my nana’s family roots came in to this country many moons ago. It is also where I reunited with my “moon sister”; a soul-mate friend that has been such an important part to my life. The moon energy moves us all. We must honor this. Being grateful and respectful of life is not about picking and choosing what and when; it’s about acknowledging all life as an important part of the flow. We are not just visitors. We are co-creators. Together, we Root Love Grow ™ ! Vibe with the moon with our moon child goods on society 6: here !
Sticks & Stones
Roots & bones
Words do hurt .
They can make me feel like dirt.
If I do break,
then a mosaic I will make.
The only other letter in the word paint is t. Pain is the whole first part of the word. Most artists have experienced heavy stories or strong emotions of pain. Art pulls from and evokes emotion. We are all artists of our lives in some way. When you are in pain or feel the urge to cause pain, stop, breathe, pick up a paint brush or a pencil to let your soul pour out. If you feel the urge to temporarily stop or permanently end the pain, stop, breathe, pick up a paint brush or a pencil to let your soul pour out. Release the energy trapped within. Dedicate yourself to this process. Day by day, piece by piece you create the art of your life. Learn more about creative healing in the Mosaic Project: Here!
Be your own Advocate
+ The Mosaic Project
Rootin’ for your Life is about your authentic journey of life. It is a space for reconnecting to the Roots and Rhythms and the Root & Flow, of wellness. It is about creative healing. It is about the defining moments, the details, the art of living; the pain and the beauty.
Broken Pieces make the best Mosaics
What does this mean?
Life can be a difficult journey, but we were already given the means to creating our life with our minds, bodies, and souls. Each of us has the ability to intuitively create our flow, but it is like a muscle - it must be nurtured. Each one of us must figure out what is right for us. When we do not listen to our internal cues, our minds, bodies, and spirits have ways of letting us know, whether it be physical or emotional pain, things not lining up as we planned, etc. Being your own advocate is about learning to be okay with who you are; your world within, your place in this world, your choices, your path. It is about advocating for the things you need or what you stand for when your world within and all around is not okay. However, this is not easy. The struggle is always real, because there are always things that try to shake us from believing in our truth. These moments have the potential power to define us, but ultimately we are responsible for living with our world within and all around. Many say don’t let those difficult moments be the defining ones. I know what is trying to be said with this and I know it is trying to encourage people to create the positive and to promote that each one of us have the power to define our experience. However, sometimes this can make it even more difficult to embrace those moments that are a struggle; those moments and events in your life that truly do change much about who you are and your journey. You are trying to learn how to cope and embrace such, but then when you try to be your own advocate about it, feeling disregarded or judged can be soul-crushing. Many only see or want to see the highlights and the results and do not listen to or understand all of the in between. None of us are really there for all of the in between of one another’s lives, because this our personal process and all the behind the scenes of truly carving and defining our path. Therefore, being your own advocate is learning to embrace your journey; those defining moments where you broke and those defining moments where you put the pieces back together.
A main feature of Rootin’ for your Life is The Mosaic Project. Not everyone will understand your mosaic, they are all defining pieces that are broken, scratched, scarred yet shining, interesting, and beautiful. How you put it together was an authentic process. Sometimes the broken pieces sat in the box, sometimes you started mapping it out - putting a few pieces together at a time, sometimes you had to keep reworking the pieces, and sometimes the creative flow was pouring in. We are always a #workinprogress; developing our mosaics and reconstructing our gardens.
Why is this important?
In the beginning and end of every moment, choice, circumstance, there is one factor that remains the same: our presence. What is different is how we choose to be present. How do we work through the things to define us? How do we make it a part of our mosaic; our art of living? How do we keep working to carve the paths that matter to us? Self-love/worth is the power of perception. This power has the ability to determine how we cope, act, react, etc. It is often the entire root and flow of how we discover and develop our lives. Self-empowerment / awareness is very important for creating mindfulness, self-validation, empathy, higher-consciousness, etc. It is the hardest root to sustain and further develop, because everything is defining to our view of self and how we process all of it is uniquely our own emotional, cognitive, creative process.
We are all at different states of our journey and are all vastly different when it comes to the resources we have access to; economic status, entitlement, poverty, home-life, education, cognitive abilities, needs, etc. all have major roles to play, but when we dig into the Earth and get back to the roots of humanity we can discover a will, a connection to all things that help us re-discover our Inner Power. In life, we don’t always get what we deserve or need, but we can create peace within. We can keep working to create our flow and write our story at our own pace. It may be an unconventional journey in the eyes of many, but every step is your own. Our wellness should be at the core of everything we do. The Journey of Self is Root Education! Without Root Education at the core of everything we do, we lose our connection to the world within and all around. However, rarely is it completely lost. Most of the time, it is going through the blur of the mass flow of life or distant in the layers of fog, but Through the Fog there is Beauty! When we align with our Inner Power, we further our abilities to Calm the Sea Within and find our way through the fog step by step.
Learn more about the Mosaic Project: HERE
Numbers are an important guide; like we discuss in numerology. When you see repeating numbers this is something to tune into, because they are linked to paths and patterns of life. They can often help you understand the energy you are connecting with. (I just happened to look at the clock while typing and it is 12:22 - which can indicate a connection to master energy level of spiritual teaching, healing, and leading to inspire balance, harmony, peace, and understanding - it is to build a bridge or to be a medium to help people step outside of the comfort zone and personal realities to awaken to the higher connection and purpose of all things.) I see repeating numbers multiple times a day (11:11, 2:22, 3:33, 5:55, etc.) since I fully embarked on my Spirit Quest and have completely dedicated the last 5 years to this spiritual journey and having the ultimate faith in it, even when life reached its darkest, scariest places, (some stories I may eventually share in Seeds of Our Soul). Mindset, determination, and perseverance are your greatest tools. We all have a purpose and a path. Others may try to convince us of what that is, but the truth comes from within. The root and flow of it all begins and ends with you; you must be the answer to discovering and co-creating your path and purpose. This can be the hardest thing to do when we have been taught to believe something else or when we have convinced ourselves we are not worth it or when the world seems so distraught, etc.
A Honey Bee landed on my notebook while I was working on this content, so I decided to include it in the #dailyroots. A honey bee represents personal power and brightness. It symbolizes vibrant energy being shared in a community setting. The honey bee and pollination is vital for our Circle of Life. The energy of the bee can help us empower our Throat Chakra and align all of our chakras by buzzing about with good vibes. Sustainable honey soothes our throat. In the Nature Journal we will talk a lot more about honey bees and their importance and how to help keep them around. Meanwhile, feel free to do a little art therapy to channel the honey bee vibes with the picture below. Save, print, and share it with us by tagging us on our social media & using #dailyroots.
Candles can be a great source of aromatherapy, especially when it is from pure ingredients. What scents soothe your soul?
This was one of the first bags I crocheted many moons ago. I did not have a pattern - I just felt the flow and went with it. I will try to create more eventually and post step by step pics.
This is a great book! I highly recommend it!
Aries full moon is about taking charge of your life. Now is the time to turn and burn on what you want to manifest before we move into the holidays and new year. This is an important time to focus on the solar plexus Chakra; the ruling Chakra of Aries. Follow the chart above for insights. These movements, foods, oils, and crystals can help you channel the energy. The Solar Plexus is where our ego meets our spirit to communicate gut needs and vibes. Therefore, we need to be honest with what gives us positive confidence and ensure our methods and means of achieving such things are right with our soul. It is about boosting our courage and confidence to take ownership for our life journey and to seek sources of positive empowerment. Aries rules the head and brain. Therefore, this is a time to also focus on your brain and eye health. If your gut and head health are unsettled, try to get to the root issues. Sure, it could be something you ate or other constant health issues, but go deeper into the energy of the emotional vibes that contribute. The moon astrology is about emotional and spiritual health. Learn more about the moon phases: here
Find the painting above on Instagram @therootandflowshop
Simple Dog Treat Pumpkin Pie
In their dog bowl:
Put a layer of their dry food, a layer of their favorite can food (brands you support and trust) , and then add 1/4 of a scoop of pumpkin from a can of pure pumpkin. Pumpkin is a good source of fiber and helps balance the digestive system! My doggies have always loved pumpkin!!!! If they see me bring a pumpkin in the house or smell it, they go nuts! You can even cook whole pumpkins in the oven, cool them, take the seeds out, and the skin off and give it to them as a treat.
Lucille Ball has been my icon for as long as I can remember. Watching I Love Lucy taught me a lot about life. As much as I adored the show, I also adored her. I read and watched her bio in my childhood and was so inspired how she came from a small town farm, braved the big city to develop her career, stood up for herself in a time when women did not have much of a voice, she paved a new path for television and co-existence in so many ways. She was also an advocate for animals and the author of many of my favorite quotes. Today’s Hours of Power are inspired by her one-of-a-kind power!
Cats have a lot of personality and like to live life according to their terms, but they are also wise, intuitive healers. They remind us to get plenty of sleep, enjoy our favorite meals, play around with our favorite toys, let the people we love know, be aware of energy and observe people or circumstances you are unsure of until you feel safe, find the balance between caution and curiosity.
Some days you just have to just jump in the leaves!!!! Remember, one of the greatest methods or remedies for our heart chakra is to make time for the simple moments. Work hard. Play hard. We must stay rooted to the things that bring us joy!!!!
Apple Cider Recipe
In a crock-pot on high heat for at least 6 - 8 hours soak cubes cut from 8 apples in water, allspice, sugar, and cinnamon. Add the amount based on your flavor profile; add more or less of each based on what you like. You can also add other spices like ginger, star-anise, or nutmeg. Once the apples have broken down into a pulp or are soft enough to smash, turn the crock-pot off and let the stock cool. Once it is cool strain the mixture through a cheesecloth into another large pot or bowl, so you can bottle it. When you want to serve it, I love putting it back in the crock-pot on warm with 2 cinnamon sticks and a little bit of star-anise. If you want to turn this into an alcoholic version, you could add spiced rum.
Darker nights.
Candle lights.
Crisp earthy air.
All return to the lair.
Howl at the moon.
Raise your vibes at noon.
Bare-feet in the leaves.
Do not worry about who believes.
All that matters is what’s in your soul.
This is what pays the toll.
(Please excuse my cheesey poem hehe) ! As we talk about throughout Rootin’, everything is energy! We are energy, this world is energy, and everything we connect to is energy. What is beyond this world is unknown, but there are echos and states of energy that are connected to us and how we perceive it is based on what we believe and how we nurture our spiritual connection; the energy within our soul and intuitive mind. Some of us who have a natural Empath connection often have intense spiritual experiences from early on. Some are enlightening, but most are horrfying at first and cause great insecurity and anxiety, because our society streams mixed messages at a fast rate to believe in the other-side yet reject and fear it if it doesn’t fit into a certain depictions. This fear is very deep-rooted in our bloodlines as a way to divide and conquer one another. When we all trace back far enough, we all come from different types of tribal pagan roots. These are things that whatever groups became mainstream society tried to convert or burn away. However, those intuitive memories of all of our ancient tribal roots still echo within us and if we do not do the work to come to become conscious of such, then those bloodline memories forever haunt us. The past needs acknowledgement and healing. The past can also offer powerful insights of how to naturally connect to the world around us; it can restore powers within us we thought were long lost. There was a time when everything was a ritual; finding food, making food, making homes and materials, and etc was from a direct connection of self and nature. There were a lot of gruesome and wrong elements about life during those times, but it was the times. Life is still gruesome and has its “evil” or horrific elements, but the difficult part about today’s times is it is actually easier to hide these elements in the shadows of mainstream society, because so many are so busy keeping up appearances and trying to measure up to the next, latest, greatest thing that the sins of the past are ignored and repeated throughout history with a coating of sugar and a rhyme or a reason to keep it in a mass flow. When we become conscious to the echos from those who were done wrong by our bloodlines and what was done wrong to our bloodlines, we wake up to create positive change. We stop allowing sins to be repeated. We do the work to listen to the spirit that is in everything in the world; in every little creature, tree, and person. We learn how to trust our vibes of people’s intentions and energy. We learn how to be in tune with our intuition and intentions. We do the work to learn how to create peace and healing. We may begin to feel a connection to the world that feels like only one in a billion, but the more you stand this ground, the more you become to connected to all that was, is, and may be. You learn to travel in time in the roots and rhythms of it all, but also how to be fully present in it all. However, it takes time and practice and is always a work in progress!
We talk about the concepts of a Spirit Quest and the Veil quite often. October is a time when the veil thins; the layers of energy between the worlds of time and space. The past echos louder, whether it is our own past, the past of our roots (bloodlines), or the past of the world around us; the memories on the ground, in the soul, and in the air. It is a time when the nights are longer and darker. Therefore, our senses become dimmer and we have to depend on our internal vibes and senses to guide us. Learning how to trust our “night vision”, intuition, internal clock, and etc. is a stronger need and desire at this time.
At this time, when we have a closer connection to the spirit world, it is important to study these essential terms and concepts. We all are connected to all the Roots and Rhythms in some way. What makes the difference is how open we are to it, the perspective we have on life experiences, and what we take away from the experiences of our life.
Where are your vibes? Learn more about the essential concepts and terms: here
When we shift astrological seasons, it is important to understand how your energy connects or is being moved with the vibes that are radiating from the position of all the forces that be. Let’s keep in mind astrological energy is but one factor, one rhythm, in all of our roots. Rootin’ for your Life is about whole wellness, which includes all the layers of health: spiritual (including astrological), behavioral, environmental, physical, mental, and emotional. So much of our life map and imprints are from the forces of our DNA and environmental experiences and connections, but other factors are important parts as well. Personally, waking up to my astrological connections and health (my intuitively conscious connections) changed my life over the last 12 years, especially since committing to my Spirit Quest, my personal path over the last 5 years.
Scorpio is in my 10th astrological house, which rules the life balance between home, family, and career and really pushes the deepest parts of myself into the consciousness of my career, perceptions, and reputation. October is a time when I definitely always feel this in full force. I always feel these drives within, but it comes out stronger, but often with more priority in a clarifying way; a way I am able to connect more dots with intuitive confidence. There are times when the insights naturally flow and times when the take more time, effort, and energy to dig up. This is a time when the flow a little more freely, because of how I am connected to all the energy in the air and in the roots at this time. To learn where Scorpio is in your chart, visit this website (Cafe Astrology): here
Happy Birthday Season Scorpios!
Check out the chart below for a few Core Care insights. Even if this is not your main zodiac sign, we are all connected to this energy in some way through our natal chart or how we connect with others with a ruling Scorpio energy. The Chakra center of focus for a Scorpio is the Solar Plexus. The Solar Plexus also happens to be the main Chakra we talk about on our Core Care Days (Wednesdays), because it is when we focus on Self-Care and Conscious Connections (Intuition, Instincts, and Choices), which actually sums up a Scorpio quite well: they are always battling themselves and others between the forces of intuition, instincts, and choices. They are ancient survivors because of their strong instincts and deep intuitive rhythms. They can thrive in places you least expect them and be observing everything you do when you least expect it. Being aware of Scorpio energy is very important if you want to channel the ancient powers of intuition rather than the paralyzing venom that flows from instinct.
Scorpios can come across as old souls or very mysterious; their energy can keep you guessing. They are intense, deep, and ancient water signs. They can survive nearly any conditions, but they rarely feel at peace, because of the battle between instinct and intuition. Therefore, they need equally intense and deep connections that understand their soul and help them create peace in their spirit. Otherwise, they will go back under their rock or possibly attempt to sting you with their venom. However, sometimes what triggers this state or reaction can be difficult to know or understand whether it is their own energy, something in the world around them, or yours. Often, it is a flood of it all. They are very strategic about how they connect and what they express. Therefore, it takes time for them to process all their vibes and emotions, so they can format a strategy. However, when it comes to things they are passionate about, they typically form an obsession and will not give up on it until they give it everything they have. Connect with a Scorpio through positive Solar Plexus components and activities; enjoying sunshine together, a tropical drink like a pineapple smoothie or Middle Eastern / Mediterranean type meals with a little spice, chickpeas, etc. Scorpios need positive gut health and intense workouts. Therefore, they may need a variety of exercises like water aerobics, yoga, cardio, weight-lifting, etc. to help them process all their instinctual and passionate energy. They are also very deep, so they need intuitive - free-spirited forms of expression to feel like themselves; music, reading, writing, painting, etc. They are very artfully mindful!
The Wine & Root series is about learning how to mindfully WINE & ROOT through life. There are tools that can help us cope in life, but sometimes those lines get blurred, life gets harder, and coping becomes a daily essential. There were times in our past when this was true, when we were coping more than rooting and living. We always did the work, actually we are workacholics, so we always give the aspects of our life everything we have and more, but that was also part of our problem. Giving so much to things that didn’t always matter or equally respect us, stressed us further and made us further believe we needed to cope, wait, do, believe, etc. certain things in order to survive. We were often able to thrive, when it was for the things we loved, but when it came to loving ourselves this was often a destructive battle. Often the reason we need to cope in life is because of all the things we have not yet made peace with; everything that haunts us and defines us - anything where we have/ are experiencing pain and suffering. Society often wants us to believe we have to wait for death or the next best thing for peace and we are taught to “cope” until those times, but LIFE IS SHORT, and if we don’t stop and say why wait, we need to root and live right here, right now! Whether we realize it or not, we all have a little Dracula inside of us whispering the calls of a closer death; whether it’s eating food we know is not good for us, drinking too much, depriving ourselves of sleep, staying in toxic situations (work, habits, relationships, friendships, judgmental beliefs), etc; living in conditions that drain us of our life-force. Sometimes, we convince ourselves of all the reasons why we should do or why we need certain things. This #dailyroots lesson is about how we learned to break the bloodline cycles of coping (drinking, smoking, unhealthy eating, removing a lot of the toxicity, etc.) that were deep in our roots and rhythms and self-destructive habits. However, it is not about just moving on or letting go, it takes getting to all the roots of it first, owning it, working on it, etc. piece by piece. Sometimes, you feel like you are getting nowhere, because you keep focusing on everything that is still out of place or all the things still left on the vision board, but you will get there - piece by piece. It also depends on what your priorities are, because with everything we do - there is typically the interstate route or the back, windy, unknown country roads that may be a little truer to your path and purpose, and sometimes you have to keep building up the courage before you attempt to drive those roads! Devin and I have always been true to those windy roads, but there was a time we drove a little fast and lived with great expectations and even more effort, but we’ve learned to slow it down, really take in the sights along the way, etc. We’ve learned how to respect the heat, keep the toxic things out of our life, sip the scotch on occasion, find the resources that are right for us, etc. We have faced our Dracula (the inner-self, the vices calling to us) so many times before, but the path of the last several years has been one of higher elevation than ever before (even though it may not always look like it from the outside), because we are living with less material comforts etc, but have stronger spiritual comforts than ever before. Sure those Draculas were created from greater evils; long history of bloodline and environmental habits, horrific things that happened to push over the edge, etc, but Dracula is not immortal. When you learn the methods to protect yourself and rise to higher vibes you can dance with Dracula without going down in flames or living an endless life of pain and hunger. Learn more insights, recipes, tips, and more on the Root & Flow Inspo blog: here
Today’s Crystal of Choice is Obsidian: Mysterious and Dark yet strong Metaphysical and protection traits, much like a Scorpio. Scorpios can be very deep, intuitive, and protective warriors; they are led by their psychic vibes and ancient instincts. They can form deep connections, but rarely do they let their guard down. Obsidian is ancient volcanic stone used throughout time as a protective talisman and crystal for protecting dark forces and energy.
Today’s meditation focuses on the difference between instincts and intuition, sometimes we confuse the two, which can cause us to have mixed vibes. Our instincts are more-so ancient survival tactics and impulses to establish security, dominate our surroundings, and conjure resources. Whereas, our intuition is more about the purpose of our survival, the bigger - long-term picture of it all and where we fit and flow in it all. Our instincts may keep us alive, but our intuition can give our life purpose, especially when we learn to be patient and present. Take some time to think about this today and whether you have balance between these two forces of consciousness.
Learn about New Moons: Here
To channel new moon scorpio energy today, we’ve created a few dark, mysterious recipes with edible activated charcoal and spices.
Pancakes = 2 cups of whole grain flour, 1/2 cup of sugar, 4 tbsps of activated charcoal, cinnamon, dash of cayenne pepper and ginger, salt, 1 cup of coconut milk, and 2 eggs or egg replacement powder.
Biscuits below = All the same ingredients above, except the flour and sugar, use 2 cups of almond our Quinoa flour and reduce sugar amount to 1/4 cup and egg amount to 1 egg + add a spoon of baking soda.
Scorpio Pepper Jelly: Mix of sweet peppers, oranges, starfruit, scorpion pepper hot sauce, and agar agar powder (in place of gelatin)
Do some spooktacular work-outs today: use pumpkins as weights, dance in your halloween costumes, have a monster dash run, race on your broomsticks, etc. Get creative, break a sweat, and have fun!!!!
Halloween has become strongly associated with candy, which who doesn’t love candy!! I am not as much of a fan as I use to be, but my weakness is snickers!!! However, it is possible to still be mindful and balanced without sacrificing candy out of the festivities. I like to give out a piece of candy ( a small candy bar or two), with a clementine orange, organic - vegan suckers, stickers, and non-candy goodies. Life is often about mindful balance and choices (for the things we can control).
Without writing a novel about Halloween’s Roots, I will do my best to keep it short, sweet, and simple. The Roots of this day is ultimately about honoring and remembering the dead. It is the time of year when we shift into darker periods when the veil of energy is thinner. When things are darker we have to rely more on our spirit; our instincts and intuition, which opens more of our internal doors of being able to sense the world beyond our surface perceptions. In ancient times, in Celtic Roots, the day was known as Samhain. In Mexican culture, the day is known as The Day of the Dead, which is where the sugar skulls that have become “trendy” originated. Celebrate the day with costumes and candy, but also carve out some time to remember those that have passed beyond. Honor them in ways you choose. Meditate to connect with your intuition today or feel the vibes in the air.
More and more folks are probably hearing about the term Mercury retrograde and associate with all the bad luck and you may even get a feeling of doom when you hear it. It is true this time in space can cause things off kilter and out of sync, but when we fall out of a rhythm - it is for a reason. Things may be going wrong and energy can have us feeling out of sorts and tense, but ultimately in the nature to realize plans are meant to be revised. Sometimes, we need to evaluate what we need to let go of and what we need to reconsider, reconnect, reclaim, etc. It is to make us fall out of sync, stop, and think about what we really want and need and how to create better steps for our path. Think of Mercury Retrograde like the alarm clock going off in the morning. You have been snoozing a good rhythm of breathing in and out, but then hear bells and buzzers to make you fall out of that sync and wake up. You get a moment of adrenaline rush and sometimes you fight the urge to wake up. Some of us do so with urgency, others of us like to gradually find our flow. During Mercury Retrograde you may feel that sense of underlining urgency, but yet also feel the need to hit the snooze button for a few more hours. It can have our rhythm this way and that, but it is up to you to sort through it all to get to the roots and vibes of why. Heck, maybe the alarm clock did not even go off and you over-slept and missed something important (this is very likely with Merc. retro), but maybe the purpose was to re-evaluate your routine, your schedule, or why you needed that sleep. If you are like me, then you wake up hours before the alarm goes off - ready to get started - you have that initial burst of go-getter attitude, but then when you remember how much you have to do and where you are with trying to still juggle it all, you lose steam just by thinking. However, the reminders of Merc. retros reminds me of the general chaos of life. Over the years, I have had to come to terms with being a work in progress and revising plans time and time again to better flow into the current states and transitions of my life. What has made those shifts possible is my willingness to not accept life as is and to be the co-creator to constantly revise my plans to not just fit into a flow, but to be fully present in the process of it all. Merc. retro is a reminder that many things may be out of your control, but work on what you can control and how you react. Our willingness to learn, grow, and co-create is what can make a difference!