Exploring Animism - Progenitor of Religion

an·i·mism:  /ˈanəˌmizəm/
noun
1. the attribution of a soul to plants, inanimate objects, and natural phenomena.
2. the belief in a supernatural power that organizes and animates the material universe.

 

What is Animism?

As part of my personal healing and decolonialization journey, I have been exploring the concept of Animism, and the many indigenous cultures which have developed around the belief that all living beings, inanimate objects, and natural phenomena are imbued with spirit/formless yet intelligent energy, by an intelligent, organizing creative Source. 

A world view centered in Animism underlies most indigenous belief systems, and has been found by scholarly and anthropological research to be the root origin of all organized religions. I am of the belief that humanity would not be threatened by a planetary burn-out if modern society were to adopt an animistic perspective. (Today's video may help me make that point.)

As things stand, the "big three," Abrahamic religions, reject Animism as blasphemy and idolatrous. However, such a view of Animism is based largely in ignorance and self serving bias. The cultural and spiritual practices of indigenous people, their languages and ways have been misunderstood and maligned by colonizing self interest. It is because of racial, religious and cultural bias, a lack of philosophical, language, and cultural understanding, as well as for the purpose of subjugation and eradication of indigenous peoples, that colonizing peoples around the world have adopted a closed and self serving perspective.  It is simply a fact that colonizing influences, with their racial, cultural, and religious prejudices, have generated tainted early historical writings, research, and understandings of indigenous peoples' spiritual practices and culture, creating a bias against Animism which has been carried forward into today.  This leaves our modern secular lives mostly bereft of conversation and shared understandings about animist perspective and practices, even when many cultural traditions and world religions find their origin in Animism.

For that reason I am going to start sharing content from modern day scholars, who have a stronger understanding of historical writings, anthropological data, and less biased agendas. Mostly I am doing this for my own edification, but I hope you will find it interesting and helpful as well.

 First up is a YouTube video I found yesterday. Enjoy!

A Second Witches Day Out Weekend event in Houghton Lake!

 That is right, Witches Weekend part 2! 

I will say that these weekends are very exciting and if you are into Halloween you would have a great time. The have a cash bar, food vendors, music inside and out. There was even live performance music outside last Saturday and it was good! I am expecting even more from the organizers this coming Saturday Oct 23, because they have promised to level up their game which was exceptionally good already.

Here are the details for the weekend. I will be there on Saturday, offering tarot readings from the Open Air Bazaar, in my HEATED Gazebo! That is right! I will have HEAT!

OCT 22 AT 4 PM – OCT 24 AT 2 PM

Witches Weekend II

Houghton Lake, Michigan
For more information contact:

WitchesWeekend@gmail.com 

For tickets, visit WitchesWeekend.com

Houghton Lake 10/16 Witches Day Out Event - Weekend!

 This Saturday, 10/16, I will be Reading Tarot at the Houghton Lake, Witches Weekend Out, and I'm inviting you! 

Event Link: fb.me/e/2SzY4RSwx

Location

The Northern Center
7784 Stone School Rd.
Houghton Lake, MI 48629

Click This for an Event Invite

These events ate a lot of fun for the whole family, with activities, food, shopping and psychics galore! Of Course I'm there so You know at least one quality reader to visit. <Cheeky Grin>

Please share the opportunity with friends. Event Pricing is lower to make readings more easily available. Plus the shopping and metaphysical products present at the Vendor's booths has been quality.  

Witches Weekend Event Tickets 

Lilly's Message

This morning, in the cool of predawn, I took my dog for her morning walk. I usually love these times and yet, this morning I was preoccupied by negative thoughts concerning an altercation I'd been involved in last Friday. I was running the incident over in my mind, contemplating the ethics of using physical force.

Natural law, the law of Cause and Effect or Karma, does vibrationally allow one to act in self defense. Natural law, Energetic law, Moral law does allow us to protect our-selves, family, and property from the violence, abuse, manipulation and coercion of others. As long as you are acting within the bounds of moral law the consequences will usually shift energetically in your favor, which is how things had played out for me. 

However, here I am five days later, my thoughts still angry and violent. I am not going to deny it out of some misguided idea that a spiritual person shouldn't get angry or follow the impulse to physically protect their loved ones. If you don't know me well, I have an early childhood development history of violence and abuse, CPTSD. I have done a lot of  therapy and self healing work, mostly to overcome my trauma response. Violence is not where I choose to live and vibrate. Even so, the need to protect my family from the violence of coercion, manipulation, and perceived threat stirred a deep well of rage within me. It is a mark of great healing that the person my wrath was directed toward on Friday remains unscathed if ego bruised.

These thoughts of violence were very loud in my head as I walked and the energy I was building around them was not healthy.  I am not sure if I could have broken the cycle of CPTSD response on my own. Thankfully, something, some force, power or angel interceded; drawing the focus of my attention to a  rainbow painted stone which had been lovingly placed in my line of sight. 

The message on the stone was simple and timely.

LIVE YOUR LIFE TO THE FULLEST - Lilly

I am thankful for how far I have come on my healing journey, for the reminder of the darkness which still lives inside of me, for the power and strength there as well - which allowed me to control my violent impulses in a moment of extreme stress, but especially for my guardian spirits who walk with me on my journey.  

Lilly, whoever and wherever you are, Thank you for the message of light. I will. 

To my loved ones . . . I will always have your back.

Port Huron, MI, 10/9 Witches Day Out Event Announcement, and WDO-Lapeer Review

 Whoosh, What a day Saturday 10/2, 2021 was! 

It was good folks, It was good! 

Event management at the Witches Day Out in Lapeer, MI, was well oiled and smooth running. We rolled in on-time for vendor set up, and were given our vendor spot within moments. Thanks to careful planning & pre-organization on our part, we were set up with plenty of time left to look around and have a little breakfast before attendees started arriving. 

I was glad to have selected the open air market area for my Tarot booth location. By setting up an outdoor gazebo for my reader table, I was able to offer a level of privacy the inside readers could not. To be honest I didn't get a chance to explore the shops because I was too busy at my reader booth and having fun with the contests, and dancing to the music they were playing. It was a lively happening place.

A hearty congrats to the event's DJ/Host, who kept the Bazaar hopping with fun contests and participation activities. Also to his posy of assistants. I was surprised by the amount of things they had going on to entertain us spread out through the day. It was fun to participate! I won the contest for Most Frightening Witches Cackle, deservedly if I do say so myself. I didn't think it would be fair to participate in any of the competitions after that though. snort!

10/9/21 Witches Day Out Event Flyer

Those of you who are looking for a bit of meta-physical shopping, some Halloween fun, and a Tarot reading from yours truly, I'll be at another Witches Day Out Event October 9, 2021 in Port Huron, MI! 

<applause with screaming fans! yeees!> 

Details Below!

Please join us for

Witches DAY Out!
In Port Huron, Michigan 10/9/21 @ 11am

Grab your Witches Hat & Broomstick and join us Saturday, October 9th from 11:00am-5:00pm and let your Inner Witch FLY!

Event Link; fb.me/e/zs8VuNgc

@ The Fraternal Order of The Eagles

2645 Howard St.

Port Huron, MI 48060

It will be a Spook-tacular time with Magical shopping with our Witches Bazaar Vendors INDOOR & OUTDOOR!

Once again you will find my Tarot booth located in the open air Shopping Bazaar!

For more information contact:

WitchesWeekend@gmail.com

EVENT! OCTOBER 2, 2021 WITCHES DAY OUT Psychic Fair and Shopping Bazaar

 

I will be offering my services as an Intuitive Tarot Reader for this 10/2 WITCHES DAY OUT Pychic Fair and Shopping Bazaar, in Lapeer MI.  

Stop at my booth in the outdoor marketplace to sign up for a reading before you shop the bazaar. All readings are scheduled using sign-up sheets located with the Readers. 

Get my best rates with Event pricing!

WITCHES DAY OUT

Psychic Fair & Shoping Bazaar

10/02/21, from 11AM to 5PM

$5 Entry

American Legion Hall

1701 W.Genesee St. Lapeer, MI

Tickets & More Info @ WITCHESWEEKEND.COM

How to Get the Best Out of Tarot Readings.

If you have visited my page before you already know that I use Tarot and other divination cards to discover hidden knowledge, uncover patterns of behavior and attitude as a means of self exploration, and that I encourage others to do the same. If you are not familiar with the Tarot or divination cards, are someone who has seen the cards in movies but never had a reading, or has had a reading but didn't get much out of the experience, today's blog is especially for you. 

You don't have to be a Psychic to use the Tarot

Everyone can use the Tarot or other divination cards but there are some people who seem to get more information out of them. These people are often psychically gifted or are educated and interested in the symbols, imagery, and allegorical language of the Tarot. You do not have to be a psychic to use or receive benefit from playing with the cards and you don't have to believe in the spiritual/futuristic aspect or the mystical to go to someone for a card reading. There is much benefit to be gained through self-awareness and examination simply by playing with them as a game. However, the pass time is more fun, and often more insightful, when you get a reading from someone who has invested time, interest, and effort in learning about and practiced use of the Tarot.

What a Psychic brings to the table

The world of divination and the spiritually gifted is widely varied. Just as with other arts, every practitioner has their speciality and talent. Not all "Psychics" practice the same skill or form of divination and not all gifted persons share the same talents or degree/level of talent. 

The term psychic is rather a broad label used to cover a range of spiritual gifts and people who use those gifts. One could use any number of other titles.  Some of these labels describe the kind of talent or method of divination used. 

Psychic  (online dictionary)
adjective
1. relating to or denoting faculties or phenomena that are apparently inexplicable by natural laws, especially involving telepathy or clairvoyance, "psychic powers."
Similar:  supernatural, paranormal, otherworldly, supernormal, preternatural, metaphysical,  second sight, with a sixth sense
2. relating to the soul or mind. 
3. a person considered or claiming to have psychic powers (unexplainable knowledge of. . . through extra extrasensory perception.)
Similar: clairvoyant, fortune teller, prophet, seer, soothsayer, forecaster of the future, crystal gazer, astrologer, prognosticator, prophesier, oracle, augur

While I do possess several spiritual gifts, I am primarily Clairsentient (clear-feeling, strongly empathic), and Claircognizant (clear-knowing) using divination cards, including the Tarot, as the tool for drawing out information.  Real psychics usually don’t claim to be literal mind readers. They pick up on energy and may sense strong emotions or stark images using their gifts/talent. Some receive information from spirits that they hear through Clairaudience, others receive knowledge through scent which only they are smelling - Clairalience. (These are examples and do not cover all the possible psychic gifts.)

I have a strong gift of empathy, the ability to feel what others are feeling or experiencing. If the emotional emanation is strong enough a person's emotional projections may contain images which I will see mentally and be able to work with. When a client is cut off from their emotions or is intentionally shielding their emotions, the divination cards act as a door or entry point for claircognizance and assist me with interpreting what comes through.  

Focus Wheel and Pyramid of Influences

The cards allow me to open a dialogue about the client's particular area of focus, their question, and to explore the energies around them, so that we can both better understand the situation – namely, where that energy is coming from and why.  While you can ask very specific yes/no questions, divination cards and the Tarot are better suited for exploring whole areas of life, such as career, family, friendships, love life and personal or spiritual goals.

How to get the best out of a Tarot/divination card reading

First of all, is a Tarot or card reading the right form of divination tool for your needs?

As I have already said, Tarot or card readings are not the best form of divination for yes or no questions. Cards are best used when looking at broader areas of life, reading patterns of behavior, looking for or at resistance, problem solving - how to remove or address obstacles/blocks, and for gaining objectivity/insight about a situation. If you are looking to find a lost puppy, take their blanket or favorite toy as a "focus" to someone with the gift of psychometry. They may be able to "see" where the lost pup is using the energetic connection between the dog and the toy/item used as a focus. A tarot reading would not be the ideal choice of divination tool for that need.  

Once you know that Tarot is the best tool to explore your area of focus, take a moment to think through a line of questioning. This is especially important. The cards reveal more if you have a line of questioning. 

Sample Focus Wheel

Lines of Inquiry

Come to a reading with an area of focus or a line of questioning.  It is very helpful for the reader if you are able to narrow the focus for your reading. If you are too vague about what you are looking for or don't have a question in mind, the reading could be very general indeed. A line of questioning is helpful for the reader and assists them in weeding through all of the information they are getting from your energy and the cards. 

Here are some examples for lines of inquiry that work well with divination cards:

I'm in a new relationship. I'd like to see what the cards have to say about my love interest, where they are in life, what they are looking for, and what’s in store for this relationship.

I’d like to look at my career. I'm - considering another position/up for promotion. Can we look at that? Is this good timing? What can I expect? Any advice?

I am feeling very isolated and want to make some new friends but every time I open up I get let down. Why is that? How can I find people I can trust?

I am thinking about . . . moving/changing/pursuing _____ (fill in the blank). I’d like to know what the cards suggest I do: move, not move, change, not change, or to pursue, not to pursue and any spiritual reasons, material influences etc.

I’m trying to get pregnant, and it hasn’t happened yet. What can the cards tell me about my present and future in relation to getting pregnant? 

Other Tips 

Readers put a lot of time into educating themselves and practicing with the cards. If you decide to play with divination cards yourself, you will discover that there is no end to the amount of learning that can go into their study and use. The best readers are always seeking to expand their knowledge and awareness level, in order to serve their clients better.  Readers put themselves out there and it pulls on their energy to do so. There is an energetic price to be paid when exercising a psychic gift and it costs them to read for you. Add to that cost the mundane aspects of organizational and business expenses required for them to practice, and you get one very invested reader. A monetary exchange of energy currency is expected and reasonable for their time and efforts. 

• If you respect their investment and are mindful of your reader's efforts as a matter of courtesy, you will get the best they have to offer
• Schedule an appointment
• or if a Reader offers walk-in sessions at shop, take advantage of their availability.

Go For It!

Now that you have a better idea of what to expect and how to get the best out of Tarot and divination card readings, it is time to have some fun. Go play!

It Takes More than Desire. . .

Reaching

It used to seem like I was always reaching; as though all my hopes, desires, dreams and goals were just out of reach. Wanting, desiring just isn't enough. I think maybe that is because there is an element of lack in the experience of desiring. If all we do is aknowledge our desire for a thing . . . that yearning also informs the universe of our belief in the lack of it, that we don't have what we desire.  It sure is easy to get stuck in that place of yearning. To be always reaching, noticing only the lack of fulfillment; a real problem for anyone seeking to manifest through deliberate creation. 

Talking about this makes me think of my Mama. She used to say something like "I feel for you, but I just can't reach you. . ." when she wanted us to understand that she sympathized but we were going to have to help ourselves. My siblings and I learned if we wanted something we had to get it for ourselves, find our own solutions, be independent or at least make an attempt to.   

Doing, doesn't seem to cut it either. . .

My Mama would have said "Do something about it.  Go after what you want." Conventional wisdom, but doing something doesn't seem to cut it either. I mean, doing something doesn't guarantee successfully reaching the goal. I have spent enough time spinning my wheels to know that. I've rocked and spun my tires smooth! I've thrown down gravel, added weight in my trunk. I've tried paying for a tow, a lift, an edge only to get nowhere. That is until I did something about my vibration. 

Until we do something about our vibration

“Everything is energy and that is all there is to it. Match the frequency of the reality you want and you can not help but get that reality. It can be no other way. This is not philosophy. This is physics.” Albert Einstein 

The Teaching

 

When My Desires and Beliefs are a Vibrational Match

 That which is like unto itself is drawn, so the vibration of your being must match the vibration of your desire. Another way of saying that is your desires and your beliefs must be a vibrational match in order for you to receive that which you desire. ~ Abraham/Ester Hicks

 

But, How do I get from here to there! 

We all want to  know the answer to that one! And there is an answer, many. Understanding that our desires and beliefs must be a vibrational match however is pivotal in being able to obtain results or movement. If we don't first understand how we are impeding our own progress, by fostering negative or erroneous beliefs, we just won't get there. We will be stuck. We might be putting in all kinds of effort and won't be in the right place at the right moment to meet that opportunity. All of our efforting and our desires will get us nowhere. No fruit. 

I have spent too much time coming to an understanding of this key to manifestation (regret tinged,) the hero who got lost in the wilderness. 

Which reminds me that, as the hero, I have wandered the wild places and faced many an adversary, growing and developing the skills, knowledge, strength, and magic needed; gathering tools and companions for my journey's quest.  I digress. Those are thoughts for another blog topic. 

Back to the teaching. . . 

That which is like unto itself is drawn, so the vibration of your being must match the vibration of your desire. Another way of saying that is your desires and your beliefs must be a vibrational match in order for you to receive that which you desire.

The vibration of my Being . .  must match. . the vibration of my desire

Well dang, if it isn't so.  Once I turned my awareness to shifting thoughts and beliefs and began aligning my energies/vibration/frequency (interchangeable) with my desires life opened up for me and the blessings began pouring through. I started lining up with opportunity.  When I get stuck reaching now, I find it much easier to recognize the old patterns of belief and inhibitive thinking. My energies shift as I refocus my awareness, turning toward the preferred with appreciation. Tensions melt. Resistance lessens, and I'm back in the flow.  

Affirmation:  

I am never stuck, for I can choose new thoughts and new ways of thinking. My future can always be more positive, more loving and more prosperous. ~ Louise Hay Affirmation

And that is where I am going to leave you today, my friends. Thinking about what it means, and what kind of shift it would require, to bring your desires and your Being into vibrational alignment.  A How To topic we will explore further another day.

We Have Returned!

16th Annual Wolf Run Harvest Festival 2021
Review:

Location: Remus, MI 

Dates: Annually the 2nd Week of August

Website: Wolf Run Wildlife and Spiritual Sanctuary

When I say we I am including my husband Irfan, not using the "Royal WE."  and so, We're back!

First of all I would like to begin by saying, we had a very enjoyable time at this festival. The property itself is a large parcel of land with a private residence, barn, several tiny homes and out-buildings, gardens, wooded walking trails, with ritual and meditation circles nestled deep in shade. The organizers also had set up several large pavilions for shade and use purposes, which kept guests comfortable over what turned out to be a pretty sunny weekend. Highlight - surprisingly luxurious porta-toilets, with motion detecting solar lights. These potties were much remarked upon and storied for their comfort, cleanliness, and lack of the usual foul odors. I'll leave the history of them for the enthusiastic telling of organization members, who really do have something to be proud of in their creation.  There was plenty of parking for day visitors and lots of room for camping. I even was able to enjoy a semi-primitive hot solar heated shower every day. 

The quality and level of  this event's organization was impressive. The event staff were all on task,  and worked diligently to make the scheduled activities roll smoothly from one to the next. Vendors were of good quality, with a wide variety of merchandise and crafts to sell, and they were well spaced around the main event field. There were only two reader's booths offering services, myself and Sanctuary of the Winds. From my perspective this was a plus since we were both kept occupied doing readings without a lot of down time. 

The Festival had quite a few activities to occupy guests, workshop classes, performers, yoga, a little of plenty if not everything. Breakfast and dinner were potluck affairs with plenty of food for everyone even if you didn't bring a dish to share. There was a kitchen staffer who organized heating and prep of the food (Thanks Bill) and organization staff served guests from the buffet.   Lunch and snackage were our own responsibility, but there was a Food Truck that served generous fare during the day. 

This was a family friendly event, although there were not a lot of children present. I was surprised at how modest the attendance was in relation to the quality of organization. The only explanation I have for that is obviously the pandemic. 

I met and enjoyed so many good people that I am definitely putting this harvest festival on my 2022 calendar and hope to see you and them there too.

Announcing my Reader Participation at the Wolf Run Harvest Festival August 13-15, 2021

I will be offering 15 to 30 minute readings for all interested Querents.
$15 - $30, @ a rate of $1 per minute
Please bring cash as I don't know what kind of cell reception will be available for use with my PayPal credit card reader/app.

Event Details

Wolf Run Wildlife & Spiritual Sanctuary 16th Annual Harvest Festival (WRWSS.org) 

Host sites:

• https://www.facebook.com/wrwss  
• http://www.wolfrunsanctuary.org/ 

Event Location: 6879  60th Ave Remus, MI, 49340

Event Dates:  Friday Aug 13 -Aug 15

Host Contact Number: (616) 884-8502

The Harvest Festival is a holiday which can be traced all the way back to the ancient Celts when it was celebrated as the seasonal mid-point. It was during this time that people would harvest their grains, store food away for later use and begin preparations for winter. In Old English, the word “hærfest” would mean autumn and it would eventually become the word harvest. In Anglo-Saxon England, these pagan traditions would continue on as Lammas or “loaf mass.” It was during this time that it became customary to ‘bless the bread’, which would later become the tradition of giving thanks for a meal. By the 16th century, a number of traditions had been incorporated into this day. Harvest Festival would continue to evolve over the next few hundred years – until it became the holiday that it is today.

Pandemic Check In

 For those who are wondering how I am spending the pandemic I thought I would give you a little update.

I have been giving my focus to personal health issues of diet and exercise. Part of being a healthy spirit includes taking care of the body. The body is a manifestation of our individualization from the whole and of our frequency. It is a reflection of our individual energetic and vibrational Being. Disease can be a way for our higher Soul to communicate with and guide us into better alignment.  I am a diabetic and my disease has taught me many things about life. I don't reject it anymore. I embrace that it is teaching me to take care of myself and revealing areas I have been stuck spiritually. I have begun using disease as a tool. 

Before pic - taken Feb 22/2020

For many years I have followed the well meaning guidance of doctors, and the medically established treatment they prescribed for diabetes. My health was not improving and in fact the disease was progressing. I was put on ever increasing doses of medicine and on insulin.My weight ballooned. I developed cataracts, which were removed at the beginning of the pandemic.  My physical condition was deteriorating as I ignored my own intuition about the state of my health, my medical treatment, and about how I should be eating, in favor of the medical guidance I received. 

During the pandemic I was forced to be with myself, take stock of my health, habits, attitudes and to make different choices. I opened myself to new information and a different way of treating diabetes was presented to me. I can't offer medical advice to others but I can share informational links and my progress in private direct message. 

07-30-21

I have dropped 76 of the 90 lbs  I gained after being put on insulin. I am halfway to my goal body weight. I feel much better. No more swollen ankles and feet! Most of that weight had to come off before I could exercise without hurting myself. I used some of my pandemic relief money to buy myself a bicycle. Where before I could hardly walk a mile, I am now street cycling about 6 miles a day.  The farthest I've cycled in one go is 17 miles, in the Huron National Forest where it is nice and flat. 

Ginny

A little dog in need of rescue found her way into our home by a series of synchronous events at the beginning of May 2021, which has been an energy charger for our home and especially for me. It is much better to walk the dog than to be walked. I admit to needing her as incentive to move. It is easier for me to do the right thing for her than to take on the challenge for my own benefit. No shame in admitting that. 

I am feeling more empowered and that is the best thing that has come out of this pandemic for me. I am listening to my own inner voice about what I need. Learning to trust Source as my generous provider and I am reversing the diabetes and recovering my power.

I hope all of you are well and making the changes that best serve you as well.