#30daydivinationpic
I originally saw this challenge on Cosmic Tarot Christiane Hayes' page. She got it from a lady named Lisa but when I went to look for the original post the blog was gone and I couldn't find it anywheres (if you have access to the original post that is still view-able, please share). 

So I got the prompts for each day's picture challenge and, because it is an older challenge and no access to the original on my end, I decided to switch things up a little. I changed a few of the prompts and moved them around just a bit. You can see Christiane's blog for the original wording and follow it instead, if you like. 

I'm doing this challenge in August, which, I know, has 31 days. Feel free to wait to do this in September if you like. I will not be doing a daily challenge in September because my son's due date is the 30th and there's no telling if he will be early, late, on time or if there will be any complication or busy-ness that I have't foreseen. Also, this challenge, of course, has no set month to do it in so I will probably visit it again next year some time and encourage you to do this at your leisure and when it will be fun for you, not a chore. 

Please join me this coming month on twitter, facebook, and here on the blog for 30 days of 30 pictures of my favorite form of magick - Divination! 

Day 1: Selfie with my Soul Card
Day 2: My Name in Runes
Day 3: Candle with Divination Tools
Day 4: Pendulum
Day 5: Favorite Oracle Card/Deck
Day 6: Palm of My Hand
Day 7: Cards & a Cup
Day 8: Crystal Ball
Day 9: 9 in Numerology
Day 10: Tarot Collage
Day 11: 11:11
Day 12: Crystals & Divination Tools
Day 13: Death & Lucky 13
Day 14: Rainbows

I don't know who said it but I think it's beautiful and certainly one amazing way to view meditating no matter what your faith is. 
With these varying views of meditation in mind, it doesn't make sense to meditate in just one way to achieve a desired result. Instead, other forms of meditation should be used. Below are a four methods of meditating that can be performed. 

-Move
Walking, dancing, or yoga can be great ways to meditate. 
Walking meditations are used by many different cultures. Labyrinths are often used for this method and the act of walking them is said to be a sacred ritual to meditate upon for many different reasons bit mostly for the journey inward and, after, the journey back into the physical realm of the outside world. 
I particularly love dancing meditations. Belly dance, dancing in ritual circles, and spontaneous movement are expressions of body, mind, and spirit that help not only keep the focus of the meditation in the mind but also record it in the physical body through things like muscle memory. 

If you're focusing your meditation with mantras, singing them is a great way to memorize the words and make saying the mantra flow easily. 
Listening to recordings of binaural beats helps to put the brain into the right vibe for meditating. This is a great way to start a longer meditation or just to get those few minutes of calm into your day. 
I would like to also state that traditional music and sounds for meditation are not always best for everyone. I've met people that meditate very effectively with metal, industrial, or techno music. The theme I've noticed among this group is that a heavy bass beat is necessary and can hearken back to tribal drumming for ritual. 
This practice of music, of course, can go hand in hand with the moving meditations previously mentioned. 

-Create
Knit, crochet, beading, or any other creative activity that has repetitive movement and requires concentration is a great way to meditate. The repetitive movement can help put the mind into a trance-like state and is one of the reasons such crafts are therapeutic.
I have found that while I'm crocheting is a great time to say my mantras or prayers that require repetition such as the 108 Ganesh mantras for 108 days to achieve a large goal or a certain number of Hail Mary's and Our Fathers, or prayers to Saints. All the better if you're creating a prayer shawl or a piece of magickal crochet or knitting that will be used for spiritual purposes. 

- Resources
Here are some great resources to help you with your meditation or give you new ideas of how to meditate. 
The Four Queens on Starting and Sustaining Your Meditation Practice
and because a smile while meditating is important
F*ck That: a guided meditation 
And a Binaural Beats video. 

This week a relative of mine posted the following meme in an effort to...I dunno...be funny, I suppose. It quickly turned not humorous even as some other relatives "liked" the meme in silence. I was disheartened at first that someone who I share family ties with and love would post something hateful, judgmental, ignorant, and wrong. Then, even as I commented back and forth with this relative, began to feel my anger and annoyance dissipate and be replaced by something else - Pity. 

Let me first point out that this meme is made and shared from a point of ignorance. Body modifications are PRICEY to say the least. It isn't cheap to get tattoos, piercings, branding, scarification, implants, etc. To assume that someone who has extensive pieces like the person in this meme (photo'd is Pauly Unstoppable now known as Farrah Flawless) doesn't have money or a job and is living off the government or blames anyone for that matter is simply ignorance. The people I know of that are heavily tatted, pierced, and more all have well-paying jobs or are self-employed. They know they could not get a gig working a conventional job, but the thing is, they don't want a conventional job or life! They look unconventional because that is what they are! 

For more on that point, check out this article Busting Bad Memes which explains who Pauly is and how the work force of the U.S. is changing even as memes like this are still ignorantly shared. 

I said before that as I commented back and forth with my relative that I stopped being angry with him and began to pity him, and those like him. By creating a judgement about people based on their appearance, they will never know some of the people I know and love. They create a barrier and prevent themselves from ever experiencing meeting and loving someone absolutely amazing. 

When I think of the people in my life who have body modifications, I don't just think of the people themselves; I think of my experiences that I've had with them, how I've grown, what I've learned. 
Depending on how you view life, one could say that I am who I am based on the experiences I've had and lessons I've learned from people like this. 
Would I be here now, with Seer&Sundry if it weren't for Damon with his quirky tattoos and facial piercings? No, definitely not. 
Would I be as brave and sarcastically humorous as I am if it weren't for friends like Kar with her septum piercing and Chase The Morning chest tat or Fen whose tats cover her from her wildly dyed and cut hair to her pretty lil toes along with her implants nad love of all things body mod? Nope. 
I can't even say how I would feel about the amazing state of Alaska that I live in and the people in it without my darling friend Roy with his Gandalf beard, septum spike, and motorcycle enthusiasm. 

Yet here I am. I don't have any tattoos. My body doesn't hold piercings so all I have are 2 holes, one in each earlobe, that close up if I take earrings out and don't put them back in for a day or two. 
People who judge others on looks and disdain those with body modifications probably look kindly on me and yet will miss out on who I am and who I love because they would only remark against people in my life that look unconventional. 
I pity them that they will not know the love I have known. 

Just as I had decided to let it go and not talk about it furthur, I clicked on an article by Paul Jarvis The Motivating and Scary Allure of Expressing Yourself in Your Work which discusses the idea that while drawing a line in the sand might be scary, it also leaves you with your tribe - which I find pretty damn magickal. 

Thank you to those friends of mine who are splendidly adorned and modified AND to my friends whose skin is bare of unconventional markings but who have open and loving hearts for all. Bless You! 

P.S. 
After writing this blog and getting some amazing pics from friends, I read THIS TOTES AWESOME POST by the Gorgeous Leonie Dawson who talks about drawing a line in the sand as an entrepreneur and that, yes it can be risky but it is so important to work with people that are respectful even when they do or don't agree with your view point. I agree completely and this post along with the encouragement of my beloved friends gave me the balls to post this blog even when I knew the convo was controversial. 
xoxo

Followers of the blog might have noticed that there is a new addition to the side bar ---->
a call to sign up for our New Moon Newsletter. For those who are curious as to what this newsletter is all about, here is a simple outline of what to expect in this free, monthly message. 

Each newsletter contains:

• A brief astrological report on the current new moon and any other pertinent astrological occurrences, a monthly tarot reading, and any updates to the site or blog. 
  
• There will be exclusive blog posts just for you 
  
• Newsletter followers will also have first grabs any freebies (ebooks, wallpapers, etc) and new products as I will post them in the newsletter BEFORE I post them to the site or social media. 
  

The newsletter signup is our VIP pass to all things happening with Seer & Sundry. 

Why only once a month?
We know a lot of websites and brands put out a newsletter weekly bi-monthly but how many people read those newsletters every week. Often we read them in batches or discard them without a thought. We don't want to spam your inbox so we decided to keep things simple - one news letter every new moon full of relevant and usable content. 
Yes, sometimes we have a blue new moon wherein there are 2 new moons a month, that's just a bonus for you and we promise to have awesome content in store for it! 

Why the New Moon?
We chose the New Moon for our monthly newsletter delivery because we feel that this astrological occurrence is the best time to refresh ourselves, learn something new, and begin projects, not only for us but for you as well. So if we were to offer access to new events, products, services, or information, what better time than the New Moon? That is just was the newsletter does! 

Here is a glimpse at last month's New Moon Newsletter that was sent out to our Beta Readers:

What did our Beta Readers have to say about the Newsletter?
I liked it. I liked that it had categories, it was fun to read, interesting and it even looked visually pretty while also being minimalist (which is nice for a newsletter since it helps you focus on the subject but is also nice to look at).
~Chelsea M. 
I saw the one about the new moon in Cancer. Makes a lot of sense. I liked that it wasn't super long but still got the message across.
~Katie W.

Upcoming Newsletters:
New Moon in Leo: August 14
New Moon in Virgo with Solar Eclipse: September 13
New Moon in Libra: October 13th
Happy 11-11; New Moon in Scorpio: November 11th
New Moon in Sagittarius; Yule edition: December 11

This week I've talked a lot about journaling. I've made a list of journaling prompts, explained why tarot journaling is so important to me, and even showed off my journals in a video all in hopes of helping you to get in the mood to pull out that journal and pen and get writing. However, sometimes even heaps of encouragement and prompting isn't enough to get some of us writing when we don't have time, space, or a quiet place to write. 
Creating a sacred space for writing is crucial to getting my creative juices flowing and to connecting with my higher self for deep, meaningful, juicy journaling.

Tips for Creating Sacred Space for Writing

- Pick a place that is comfortable. 
There is nothing like trying to write when you're chair is hurting your bum or your leg is falling asleep, or you're too cold or too hot. Pick a place that is comfortable to sit in and do not worry about if it's appropriate. If you're messy, unmade bed is more comfortable than your desk and office chair, journal there! Get cozy with a favorite blanket and pillow or get comfortable in your own skin literally and sprawl out nude. Do whatever feels right and write for you. 

- Make Your Journal a Sacred Tool. 
By making your journal into a sacred tool, you cultivate a feeling of respect and gratitude for it. Your journal is a part of your spirit. Within its binding you are pouring your heart and mind. To make it sacred, keep it safe and protected. Don't let others view your journal easily or at all. Make writing in it a sacred act with these tips and tools. Keep the binding and pages safe from spills, pets, etc. Perhaps create a space for it like in a locked chest, a special shelf, or an altar. You can also do this for your other journaling tools such as a pen you only use for this practice or your tarot deck that you only use for yourself and no one else. 

- Do Not Disturb. 
Here is a crucial piece to creating sacred space. Set aside a time for yourself and your journaling that will not be interrupted. For each of this will vary in difficulty but there are some ways that we can make it easier. Turn off your phone. Close the computer. Close the door, hang a do not disturb sign, or even lock it. If you live with family or roommates, make sure they know that you're taking some quiet time for yourself. If you can't get into a room alone, put on noise cancelling headphones and some favorite or low-key music. 

There you are darling souls. You have the tools and the space to create something magickal with your journals! 
If you have any other tips or practices that you would like to share, I would LOVE to read them or see pictures of your journaling sacred space! 
Blessings,
December

What is a Tarot Journal?
A Tarot Journal is a book used to record your growth as a tarot reader. In essence it is where you will keep your readings and information about the cards. 
This differs from a regular journal in that a tarot journal is designated for tarot only. This does not mean, however that you cannot incorporate your tarot journaling with your daily journal if you wish. 
It also differs from a Book of Shadows (a witch's journal of spells, information, and recipes) in that the tarot journal only has tarot information in it and not information about other parts of your magickal practice. This can also get muddied if/when your magickal practice involves Kabbalah, numerology, astrology, and other occult information that is used in the tarot. I still recommend keeping the tarot journal separate from your BOS or, at least, in a separate part of your larger BOS - in its own section with its own easily accessable information. I found that keeping my BOS and tarot journal in the same place made the book too big for easy access and ease of use. Keeping them separate also meant that I didn't have the distraction of other areas of my practice and life tapping me on the shoulder and reminding me of things like how I need to stock up on my silver and red candles and to record this new astrological chart I found (welcome to the daily workings of my mind, everyone). 

I would like to introduce you all to a very good friend of mine: my Tarot Journal. This is my newer journal in which I keep all sorts of notes, diary entries, and factoids about tarot. This journal, a beloved tarot deck, and some juicy pens and markers are all I need some days when things get stressful or I just want to dive into myself and the mystical world of tarot for a few hours. This is also where I come up with ideas for tarot blogs, classes, and articles about my favorite subject! 
Over the last few years I've been asked how I keep all the information I read about tarot or if I record my tarot readings. When I mention my journal, this raises a lot of questions and intrigue so I thought I would share a little about tarot journaling with you all. At the end there are some resources from other tarot and journaling experts. 

Keeping a Tarot Journal aids the reader in 

1. learning their own personal connection with the cards 
   
2. making it easy to look back on previous readings and seeing how you've grown 
   
3. keeping lessons and information on the cards in one place 
   
4. recording your emotions and meditations on the cards in a private diary. 
   

As you learn more and more about the cards, and trust me, 

Here is where things get personal and custom to you! 
How you keep your journal is entirely up to you! You can keep a tarot journal in which you only record your daily tarot draws or the readings you get from a professional once a month or so. You can also keep a larger notebook filled with information about each card, spread, history, and all other aspects of tarot - more like a scholastic notebook. 
My own journal goes back and forth between dry information that I've recorded from various resources (with note on where it came from so I can look back on it if need be) and juicy, heart-felt journaling on meditations, readings that I need to process, and my own spiritual growth. 
Just as what information that goes in your journal is deeply personal, so is how you keep your journal. 
I recommend that you write daily or weekly in your journal just as I recommend that you draw a card daily or get a reading at a regularly scheduled date so you can track your development. This will also keep you from forgetting to journal for months on end (yep, been there, done that. It's not a good feeling). 
That all being said, don't make this a daunting task for yourself. If having a huge tome with every scrap of information you've learned about tarot intimidates you or keeping a daily dairy of card draws sounds tedious - please feel free to do what feels right for you! 

you will develop new concepts regarding the cards, new techniques in reading, and new ideas about the tarot in general. Keeping a journal helps you to keep track of all this new-ness because if anything the one lie we always tell ourselves  is I Don't Need to Write Something Down to Remember It. 
I could kick myself for all the ideas I've had over the years like new spreads and meditations that I never wrote down and couldn't remember later. 

I want to also say that your journal does not have to be boring or pragraph after paragraph of handwriting that some of us dread. You can make your tarot journal a piece of personal art with sketches, collages, stickers and more. Anything that relates to your day, reading, or card(s) can go into your journals! 
For daily readings, I like to make a little 1 page collage or drawing about how I feel or what energies I get from the card(s) then I go on with the information to write in, any meditations, and later come back with any insights of synchronicities that occurred that day. 

Here is what some other Tarot Experts have to say about keeping a tarot journal: 
15 Exercises for Your Tarot Journal From Little Red Tarot
The Four Queens Tarot Journaling Advice and Prompts
as well as a video of  Tips for Journaling and Automatic Writing
OwlMoon's Tarot Journal Video
Tarot and Lunar Journal with Journeys of the Psyche
Poe Moonstone on her BOS/Tarot Journal I wanted to share this video because she is new-ish and I love her down-to-earth perspective on journaling and what not. 
Tarot Journaling by Blair Mirth

Feeling Artsy or need some ideas to get those creative juices flowing? Check out these videos on journaling and art journaling:
15 Minute Art Journaling Ideas from JennieBellie
12 Things You Gotta Have for Art Journaling by Barb Owen (this vid is over an hour long, just a heads up, but super descriptive)
Artventure Journaling Rhomny's Realm is a great Youtube channel for witchy things and journaling so check out her other videos. This one is about tools to take out and about to journal away from home. 

To learn more about #onebookjuly2015 check out Rhomany's Realm vlog on the whats, wheres, and hows. 

Magickal Quotes to Prompt Your Journaling
Sometimes the words and ideas of others is what we need when we cannot find any of our own. Here are some amazing quotes from some magickal people to get those creative juices flowing!

Prompting Ideas
While you are free to do as I do and collect these journal prompts, another idea for using them includes writing each one on a slip of paper, putting them in a jar and drawing one out when you need inspiration. You could also write a few of them down on a sheet and use your pendulum to choose a prompt idea best suited for you today! (For other pendulum ideas, check out this Practical Pendulum Use video!)
You can also turn most journal prompts you find online or in journaling books into magickal ones with just a tweak in the wording. Try it out! Please share with me any prompts that you've found inspiring! I'm always on the look for more inspiration!

For more journaling prompts, tips, and ideas check out our Pinterest Journaling Board

When I learned Eat Pray Love was a book, I knew I had to read it. This review was first written in 2014 for Amazon. I edited it and posted it here for you all as the sentiments expressed are pretty much still the same. The book came back to my attention when doing readings with the Chrysalis Tarot and learning that The Visionary in the deck was based on Ketut from Eat, Pray, Love. When I pulled it one day in a daily reading, I was spurred into an Eat, Pray, Love marathon of book and movie and had to share. 

I need to go ahead and get this out of the way.
Most books are better than the movie. This is a well known and constantly repeated fact. There are a few exceptions to this rule - Witches of Eastwick, Chocolat and Practical Magic being three of those exceptions (sorry ladies who love the books, they bored the hell outta me and totally not what I expected after such imaginative movies).
This movie and book were not exceptions.
If I was enamoured with the movie, I am deeply involved with the book...
I'd wear its Letterman jacket, or ring...we might just get matching tats.

I won't complain about the movie here - though I do wish I could have seen on screen some of the amazing people the script omitted but were beautifully described in the book. I do understand partially why the screenwriters and directors omitted the political discussion on America's immigration policy and the war in Iraq as such a view could make the movie more about politics and less about this woman's journey - but man I would have loved to "meet" Yudhi and hear his guitar.
I smile immediately at the intro that explains how this story, with its 3 main sections and its 108 parts, like the beads of a mala with this 109th bead being her section of thanks. It was such a beautiful, thought-provoking explanation. I hadn't ever read a book set up in such a way. It was introducing me to a friend for the first time, it seemed, after its reputation preceded and we had eyed each other from across the cocktail party. Hello. It also made me get out my mala after it had been put away for a few months.

When you first start to read this amazing story, which begins in Italy, I suggest having some sort of snack near at hand. This first part will make you starve. This week I indulged in Olive Garden five cheese ziti and Great Alaska Pizza Company pepperoni pizza, which are both things I normally try to avoid. I also finished off a tub of triple chocolate gelato. I don't know if my thighs will forgive my reading this book.
One of my favorite characters is in this part of the book is Luca Spaghetti. This is a man who I would invite out to eat just to hear him talk about food and people and life. I think they did a good job casting for him in the movie but this character, I don't think, could ever really be captured on film.

In the second part of the book...the reader, or this reader I should say...I felt like I was reading a very different book and story. In fact, Liz could have easily written her story in three books without causing the reader to feel something was missing after each adventure. 
We are quickly transported from Italy to India...from the world of laid back, amused pleasure to a universe of calm, spiritual, focused concentration.
As much as I wanted to visit Italy after reading part 1, I am dying to visit India after reading part 2.
The idea of spending 4 months in an Ashram, where my only focus is meditating, yoga, the Geet, and getting in touch with the Divine...sounds...well, divine!
Liz is honest about the experience though. There are difficulties such as malaria carrying mosquitoes, being surrounded by poverty, the rough days of getting up at 3 am to meditate, do yoga and attend what is called the Geet all before breakfast at 9. I know myself well enough that a week of that would either make me or break me.

Part 3 in Bali sounds cool enough but unless a guy who looks like Yoda gives me a prophesy, I don't plan on visiting. I feel this part of the book is so much more about the people than the place and I would so love to meet Ketut Liyer, Wayan the healer and her 3 girls (yea she has 3 in the book, not just Tutti), Yuhdi, and Mario the Italian/Indonesian.
Of course, if you've seen the movie, you know that this is where Liz finds love in a Brazilian man named Filipe. Their story is actually continued in the book Committed. So if you fell in love with Felipe too, you might want to check that out.

While I loved the romance of it and am super happy that Liz found a champion that made her believe in love again, I was more in love with the ending concept.
In Bali, Liz focuses on Balance. 
How do you balance a life between pleasure and devotion? 
I have this question too. Should I be an Epicurian? Experience everything life has to offer? OR should I cultivate a life of meditative devotion to the divine? I think I chose my pagan ways because it has this balance. For Liz, this balance was found in practice of her meditation, her yoga, her relationships and her love. She found no reason to give up any of these things. All she gave up was attachment to misery that is guilt and shame and worry. I love that.

I give this book 5 stars, and a witchy nod of approval.
I have recommended it to all of my friends and read it aloud to Damon, whether he wanted to hear it or not, hah! I recommend it to you, too!

Book Blessings,
December