Crystal Charms and Goddesses for Healing which are you drawn to ?

Emerging as I often do like a sleepy kitten from a long sleep when I have had these long stretches of migraines I feel drawn to sit and create so that is what I am going to do today, catch up on orders that need posting and make some new pieces. I would like to make some new healing charms I think so if anyone has any needs then please let me know, I love doing special pieces. Each crystal and charm has its own story to tell and put together may be just the right combination for you to begin your own healing and transformation. First thing I am going to make this afternoon is a good luck charm for my daughter who has been studying so hard for her A levels.

Moon Goddess Healing Angelite Pendant www.astarte-moon.co.uk

New Moon Jade Charm for luck and positivitywww.astarte-moon.co.uk

Aceso was the main Greek Goddess for healing. Indeed her name is said to mean curing. She was known for tackling the healing process, the root cause not just the problem itself, thus can be seen as the root of holistic medicine. We of course have a lot to learn from our ancestors in terms of the way we approach modern healing methods. She shared an altar with Aphrodite and Athena and was the daughter of Epipione and and Asclepius. Aceso also spelt Akeso knew the importance of maintaining good health as well as good hygiene in order to stay fit and well, something that was often neglected when looking to cure a specific disease or illness. 

Amethyst Pentacle Charm may help pain relief www.astarte-moon.co.uk

Many of the well known Moon Goddesses such as Aine, Brigid and Isis were known to be powerful healers. Brigid or Brigit was also said to be responsible for fertility and Aine was known for breathing life force into being. Aine is connected with lakes and healing wells. Water is extremely important as a healing aid and I cleanse all my crystals with water from the red spring at Chalice Well gardens in Glastonbury. I bless them all before they are sent out to you so that you may receive the full force of the healing power.

If you are interested in the ancient Celtic ways you might like to take a look at this course that caught my attention. Cat Curacelo's Celtic mysteries course invites you to look at the background that shaped your own life journey and the shapes and symbols that occurred along the way. Cat says

" Whether you are new to 'the journey' or returning to this tribe, this will be a wonderful opportunity to explore and extend your travelling, using visual narrative as a form in this brand new Celtic Mysteries journey that celebrates ancestral remembering and our deep myths."Once Upon a Mythos Cat Caracelo

The important thing to note when looking for healing is to find the right mix of things that are right for you and to remember that your biggest help is Mother Earth. If you are drawn to a particular crystal, goddess, pentacle, stone, herb then there is often a reason for that. Modern medicine can often be used alongside traditional remedies and there is often no reason you cannot take both as long as you check with your healthcare provider. Our earth is a powerful healer and she has much to offer us as long as we give back in return.

Celebrating the earth at Glastonbury White Spring Beltane 2014

In the words of the wonderful Glennie Kindred
"Experiencing deep heartfelt connections to the Earth will bring us closer to understanding ourselves and trusting out intuition. It will help us foster a sense of belonging and love for the Earth and all peoples of the Earth.  To live in harmony with the earth, we need to remember our connection to her."
Glennie Kindred Earth Wisdom

So do you have a favourite healing goddess, a favourite crystal or a favourite icon? Strong symbols can often make us feel powerful and obviously colour makes a difference in the choice of crystal we go for. A carnelian stone with an owl and wolf charm might be my choice for my exam charm.......

Goddess blessings to you, may you be abundant and blessed in all you do this month, AstarteAlison XXXXX

Expect your prayers to be answered in wondrous ways.Sarah Ban Breathach.

Expect to have hope rekindled. Expect your prayers to be answered in wondrous ways. The dry seasons in life do not last.  The spring rains will come again.  Sarah Ban Breathnach.

Very uplifting words from the wonderful Sarah Ban Breathnach. She is the author of the book 'Simple Abundunce', helping you to always look on the bright side. Ironically after writing that book Sarah Ban Brethnach underwent a lot more hardship herself and faced financial ruin at the age of 61 after a lot of very poor business decisions. She writes about it in her book 'Peace and Plenty', and shows us that there is always a way out of the darkness however dark that path might look at the time. Just because yesterday was a bad day it does not mean that tomorrow will be.

Abundant blessings in all areas of your life, AstarteAlison

New Moon Affirmation. On accepting the challenges ahead of us in life and practicing Gratitude

We have a new moon today and with it comes an apology from me for not posting in ages. Too much going on I won't bore you with but hopefully life will get on bit more of an even keel now.

So we have a new moon and with it always the hope of new beginnings, fresh eyes on the world, new ways of thinking, amazing opportunities and challenges to be faced. It is an exciting time in the lunar month I always find, as well as sometimes for some an unsettling on, coupled with the time of the full moon I often think this is the most turbulent time, it is how we use this time to our advantage that is the key here really. I have to admit I often do struggle at these times as I do suffer from migraines at the time of the new moon and full moon but try to push through. This is a time of challenge, we all have our challenges to face, the key is how we deal with these. Practicing mindfulness and gratitude are great ways of doing this. Concentrating on the here and now and being grateful for what you have right now, the little things, is a great way to take your mind away from the worry of any larger issues that may be causing you pain. 

What plans do you have for this new moon, do you have any projects you would like to get started on? I plan to book my craft fairs and festivals for the summer over the next few days so that is something to look forward to.

New moon blessings to you,

Alison

The Pagan origins of St Valentines Day

It is Valentine's Day on Saturday and at the moment it feels like the world has gone crazy with red roses and hearts everywhere!

I'm not against most of these celebrations that we have it just feels like every year there is more and more stuff you can buy! As someone selling things to folk though I don't feel I can complain too much about the commercialisaion of these celebratory days that we have!(http://www.astarte-moon.co.uk if you want to check the site out, sorry unashamedly advertising there but girl's got to pay her bills!!)

It is estimated that approximately a billion Valentine's cards will be sent around the globe on February 14th! I wonder how many roses will be sent to accompany them!

http://www.astarte-moon.co.uk

February 14th was originally a Pagan festival of love celebrated in Rome. It was the feast day of Juno, Queen of the Gods and the Patroness of Marriage. This day was followed by the feast of Lupercalia. The feast was named for Lupercus the hunter of Wolves, he has also gone by the name of Pan (Greek), Baal, and Nimrod in other Pagan cultures. The God Baal was known as the Sun god to the ancient Pagans. It is also said that the symbol of the heart was obtained from the Babylonians and that the word for heart was 'bal'. Thus the heart became the symbol for Nimrod or Baal.This could be the origin of the heart we now associate with Valentines Day.

Couples that had been matched together during the feast of Juno would stay together throughout the celebrations of Lupercalia. The match making occurred from the boys pulling the names of the girls they would be with out of a jar. Often these unions despite how they started would prove to be deep and long lasting. 

It was towards the end of the 5th century that the Christian church decided to ensure there were no Pagan overtones to the day and dedicated February 14th to St Valentine.

However you celebrate and whatever you call the day I hope you enjoy some time with your loved ones.

With love light and blessings to you all, AstarteAlison

http://www.astarte-moon.co.uk

Launch of new healthy living magazine Harvest 20% discount coupon

I have the thrilling news of the launch of a brand new magazine 'Harvest' This wonderful magazine gives you a seasonal guide to healthy living for a happy life. This beautiful print magazine is packed full of in-depth articles with ideas and inspiration for how you can live better through natural solutions.I have my own contribution in the first issue with the story of my personal Pagan path which I am very excited about!

Modern-day life is hectic and often leaves little room to appreciate the important things in life – the happiness and health of ourselves and our family. We often feel that something is missing in our lives. There is a vast range of alternative solutions out there, claiming to be the one that works, but how do you know where to start?

There is no easy answer to that question but Harvest magazine helps you to find your path through the mine field of alternative therapies and natural remedies to find a happier healthier you, more in touch with yourself and more in touch with nature.

For Astarte-Moon friends I have a very special discount code for you which gives you 20% discount plus 5 mags for the price of 4- bargain for this info packed publication! Just enter the code HARVESTMOON20 at the checkout.

Click on the link below to take you straight to the website:



Issue One is packed with loads of fabulous articles. Of course there is my article which talks about what led me down the Pagan path in the first place, what being a Pagan means to me, and how you can celebrate Paganism in the Autumn. Then there are loads of wonderful pieces of which the following are just the tip of the iceberg. 

• Woodland workout 

Fed up with your local gym? Give nature’s gym a go. We join Oliver Selway in the local woods for a full body workout outdoors.

• Flu fighter 

Don’t let that next cold strike you down. Essential oils to the rescue! Alex Martin explains how to use them effectively to fight off your next cold.

• Garlic goodness 

Much-loved by chefs, but much-maligned for its odour, we rough garlic up a bit and find out why it’s so good for us and how to make some kitchen remedies.

• Plus we’ve got articles on natural deodorants, the paleo diet, exercises from our life coach to unlock true happiness and why playing with your food is a great way to deal with fussy eaters. 

So, give it a try, I promise you won't be disappointed and there is a money back guarantee to make sure you are not! Remember just click on the link above to take you to the website and enter the code to get your discount. You can download a preview of the magazine before buying to checkout some of the articles plus there are lots of great competitions in the blog section of the Harvest website.

Harvest blessings to you, Alison 

Our pets often teach us the wonder of unconditional love. Gratitude pets quote.

Our pets often teach us the wonder of unconditional love. Often our best friends in the whole world our cats, dogs, fish, guinea pigs, and rabbits give us so much love and so much to give gratitude for. They are there at the end of a hard day to just listen and be there for us, always happy to see us. Do you have a pet who is special in your life?

This is my daughter and her cat Izzi, we have two cats at the moment and have had two dogs who are now over the rainbow bridge, all have filled our lives with wonder and have given us so much to feel grateful for. Blessings, Alison xxx

"One of the most spiritual things you can do is embrace your humanity. Connect with those around you today. Gratitude quote Steve Maraboli

"One of the most spiritual things you can do is embrace your humanity. Connect with those around you today.  Say 'I love you', 'I'm Sorry', 'I appreciate you', 'I'm proud of you' whatever you are feeling. Send random texts, write a cute note, embrace your truth and share it..cause a smile today for someone else and give plenty of hugs"

Another wonderful quote from the amazing Steve Maraboli. I love his words he speaks such simple truths that we all know in our hearts yet sometimes forget to follow. This is an easy one to do, such a simple thing to tell someone you love them, send a text, write a note, leave a post it on the fridge or a note in a lunch box. Practice random kindness! It is simple and easy to do yet you will make that person's day. And hugging, you cannot underestimate the power of a hug. It has been scientifically been proven to increase seretonin and decrease the signs of ageing apparently so hug as many times as you can throughout the day! Connecting with others in this way will remind you of your own gratitude for their presence in your life, reminding you of the way their lives enrich your life. We are all part of this wonderful web of life and can embrace it with all our hearts.

Rainbow hugs, AstarteAlison

Nothing ever happened in the past that can prevent you from being present now. Positive Mindfulness quote. Eckhart Tolle

Nothing every happened in the past that can prevent you from being present now; and if the past cannot prevent you from being present now, what power does it have? Eckhart Tolle

This is a quote from Eckhart Tolle's brilliant book A New Earth: Create a Better Life
 "Responding to a radical crisis that threatens our very survival – this is humanity’s challenge now.

...humanity is now faced with a stark choice: Evolve or die.

What is arising now is not a new belief system, a new religion, spiritual ideology, or mythology. We are coming to the end not only of mythologies but also of ideologies and belief systems. The change goes deeper than the content of your mind, deeper than your thoughts."

Click on the image below to find out more about this fabulous title

Listen closely for your spirit is always speaking to you. Positive Inspirational Quote. Shari Alyse

Listen closely for your spirit is always speaking to you. Pay attention to what inspires you as that is your internal guidance. If it stirs your soul and excites you, its probably meant for you to do. Shari Alyse

"Dance when you're broken open. Dance, if you've torn the bandage off." Positive affirmation. Rumi

"Dance when you're broken open. Dance, if you've torn the bandage off. Dance in the middle of the fighting.  Dance in your blood. Dance when you're perfectly free" Rumi.

Rumi teaches us the importance of being in touch with your inner soul. Sometimes when life is tough, something as simple as dancing can lift you from the depths of sadness. A simple act like dancing may make you start to feel better, at first you may only be pretending to feel better, putting on a show perhaps for those around you, but eventually you may start to feel better deep within you.
Rumi's book  Rumi's Little Book Of Life: The Garden of the Soul, the Heart, and the Spirit is a wonderfully uplifting read I would recommend to anyone. "This collection of mystical poetry focuses on one of life's core issues: coming to terms with the inner life. During the course of life, each of us is engaged on an inner journey. RUMI'S LITTLE BOOK OF LIFE is a guidebook for that journey. The poetry is a companion for those who consciously enter the inner world to explore the gardens within - out of the everyday 'world of dust'- through an ascending hierarchy that restores one's soul to the heart; the heart of the spirit; and in finding spirit, transcending all." http://www.amazon.co.uk

May sparkly dancing feet lift you to towards all your dreams, blessings, Alison

"Abundance is not something we acquire it is something we tune in to." Wayne Dyer quote on abundance

I love Wayne Dyer's writing on abundance he makes a lot of sense. 

"Abundance is not something we acquire it is something we tune in to." Wayne Dyer

Tuning into that abundance and accepting it will in turn make it a part of your life.


Wayne Dyer has written many amazing books, one brilliant book that I like is  Wishes Fulfilled: Mastering the Art of Manifesting This is a book that shows you how you can truly achieve all that you desire. You really can realise your dreams and achieve your destiny.

Another great book written by Wayne Dyer is and based on Taoist wisdom is Change Your Thoughts - Change Your Life: Living The Wisdom Of The Tao "In this book, Dr Wayne W. Dyer has reviewed hundreds of translations of the Tao Te Ching and has written 81 distinct essays on how to apply the ancient wisdom of Lao Tzu to today's modern world. Each chapter is designed for actually living the Tao or the Great Way today. Some of the chapter titles are "Living with Flexability", "Living without Enemies", and "Living by Letting Go". Each of the 81 brief chapters focuses on living the Tao and concludes with a section called "Doing the Tao Now".Wayne spent one entire year reading, researching, and meditating on Lao Tzu's messages, practicing them each day and ultimately writing down these essays as he felt Lao Tzu wanted you to know them.This is a work to be read slowly, one essay a day. As Wayne says, "This is a book that will forever change the way you look at your life, and the result will be that you'll live in a new world aligned with nature".Amazon

I also personally find mediation CDs very helpful when I want to mediate but just can't stop the 'monkey chattering' of my mind on that particular day. Some days are better than others. Wayne Dyers CD I AM Wishes Fulfilled Meditations is a fabulous one to listen to, really inspiring.


 Enjoy his work and enjoy bringing some abundance into your life, blessings, Alison

May you be filled with love and light, spiritual quote

May you be filled with love and light, today and always. 

Another lovely frosty pic for you showing the beauty of mother nature. My fingers were so cold that day snapping away yet I couldn't stop, there were so many wonderful pictures all around me just waiting to be captured!

Blessings of love and light to each and every one of you, AstarteAlison xx

There is no internet in the woods but you will find an amazing connection there! Pagan nature quote

There is no internet  in the woods but you will find an amazing connection there!  Next weekend leave your wi-fi behind and go and spend some time in nature. Trees have so much wisdom and love waiting to be shared with us, you will definitely come back feeling more at peace and a whole lot more grounded after a wander around your local park or woodland. 

Leafy blessings to you, Alison

The more you have and are grateful for, the more will be given you" Sarah Ban Breathnach gratitude quote

"Every time we remember to say 'thank-you' we experience nothing less than heaven on earth"

"You simply will not be the same person two months from now after consciously giving thanks each day for the abundance that exists in your life.  And you will have set in motion and ancient spiritual law: the more you have and are grateful for, the more will be given you" Sarah Ban Breathnach

Some days you may not feel like your life is full of abundance. I find that these are the days when it is even more important to practice gratitude. Even on our worst days there is always something to be grateful for, even if it is as small as a bowl of warm soup on a cold day. So whether you are going through a happy or sad time in your life right now, try the exercise of thinking of three reasons to be grateful for this day. try this for a couple of months and see the difference. You will find that your outlook on life is infinitely more positive.

Below are links to some of Sarah Ban Breathnach's wonderful writing, just click on the picture to find more information on her fabulous work.




This is a review of the wonderful book  Simple Abundance: A Daybook of Comfort and Joy

"Sarah Ban Breathnach believes that people are scaling down their expectations of what constitutes the good life. And they should be! A more slender purse doesn't mean we can't still live a rich, rewarding life. We can reclaim our futures by rediscovering what it is that truly makes us happy.

By providing a meditation for each day of the year, Sarah illuminates our journey of self-discovery and shows us that simplicity does not imply doing without - true simplicity illuminates our lives from within. She teaches us how to reorder our priorities. Carve out time for the personal pursuits that bring contentment. Savour the joy of simple pleasures. Restore serenity to daily endeavours. Delight in the everyday elegies of home and garden. 

Between the pages of this book, readers will learn how to nurture their own creativity, nourish their imaginations and celebrate their own styles. Not only does each day have a meditation, but Sarah has also found the perfect quotes, poems, reflections and excerpts from women's magazines and homemaking books from the late 19th century through to the 1950s which are featured throughout, giving the reader a unique scrapbook of hope and inspiration that is bound to become a treasured resource of ideas, advice and comfort."

I am grateful for this day and I'm sure you are too.

Blessings, Alison xx

When you are living the best version of yourself. Steve Maraboli positive inspirational quote

When you are living the best version of yourself, you inspire others to live the best versions of themselves. Steve Maraboli.

Real life isn't always going to be perfect or go our way. Sarah Ban Breathnach

"Real life isn't always going to be perfect or go our way, but the recurring acknowledgement of what is working in our lives can help us not only to survive but surmount our difficulties.”

I love Sarah Ban Breathnach's writings on life. She seems to be able to get to the core of what is important in life and puts her point across in an extremely eloquent and succinct manor.

Sarah Ban Breathnach was a freelance writer living paycheck to paycheck before writing Simple Abundance: A Daybook of Comfort and Joy , a book that helped millions of women find gratitude in every moment.

This is the Amazon review on Sarah's book Simple Abundance. This book features 366 essays penned from a woman's perspective. Sample topics include gratitude, harmony, self-nurturing, positive body image, the importance of scented linen closets, and many others. Each essay sports a pithy quote from (surprise!) the likes of Kahlil Gibran. Viewed uncritically, it's hard to argue with Simple Abundance's earnest admonitions to appreciate life, in all its messy imperfect excellence. And the fact that serenity and happiness are each in dreadfully short supply can excuse some of the treacly writing. But Breathnach sometimes lapses into what can only be described as her "Martha Stewart on Prozac" voice, and the results are aggravating to the extreme: "if you've been hesitant to strike up a reciprocal relationship with your guardian angel, don't be". (What on earth can you do for your guardian angel?) Being acid is so unattractive ... and shooting fish in a barrel besides. Read these feel-good essays every morning with the rising sun, a cup of mint tea, and a bluebird chirping on your windowsill, and you'll be happy

Click on the picture below to get further details of Sarah Ban Breathnach's publications.

Embrace your dreams through all of the night, tomorrow begins with a brand new light. Inspirational Quote

Embrace your dreams through all of the night, tomorrow begins with a brand new light.

Sweet dreams for everyone tonight, blessings, Alison

No matter how bad it gets, we can still find happiness. Melody Beattie positive inspirational quote

No matter how bad it gets, we can still find happiness. There's some for each of us. We may need to redefine what happiness is before we can find it but when we do, we discover it's been there all along.  Another word for happiness is Peace. It's been looking for us. Melody Beattie

I adore the writing of Melody Beattie she writes from the heart with words that really speak directly to the heart of the reader, bringing sunshine on a dull day. Melody Beattie is the writer of a number of superb inspirational books. Melody has written a lovely book of meditations Journey to the Heart: Daily Meditations on the Path to Freeing Your Soul In the spirit of her bestselling"The Language of Letting Go", a beloved inspirational writer guides us on a sacred journey as we learn to expand our creativity, embrace our powers, and open our hearts. Writing with the same warmth, honesty, and compassion that has attracted such a loyal following, Melody Beattie now charts a new path toward spiritual growth and renewal. In 365 insightful and delightfully warm daily reflections, "Journey to the Heart" will comfort and inspire us all as we begin to discover our true purpose in the world and learn to connect even more deeply with ourselves, the creative force, and the magic and mystery in the world around and within us.

Gratitude and sparkly blessings of happiness to you, Alison xxx

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Positive effect of kindness. Wayne Dyer

“The positive effect of kindness on the immune system and on the increased production of serotonin in the brain has been proved on research studies. Serotonin is a naturally occurring substance in the body that makes us feel more comfortable, peaceful, and even blissful. In fact the role of most anti-depressants is to stimulate the serotonin production to alleviate depression. Research has shown that a simple act of kindness directed toward another improves the functioning of the immune system and stimulates production of serotonin in both the recipient of the kindness and the person extending the kindness. Even more amazing is that persons observing the act of kindness have similar beneficial results. Imagine this: kindness extended, received, or observed beneficially impacts the physical health and feelings of everyone involved.”

Scientific benefits of being kind!!  I'm sure that being kind is something that comes naturally to you all, still its nice to learn about the benefits!

Blessings of love and kindness to you, Alison

Normal Day inspirational gratitude quote by Mary Jean Irion

“Normal day, let me be aware of the treasure you are. Let me learn from you, love you, bless you before you depart. Let me not pass you by in quest of some rare and perfect tomorrow. Let me hold you while I may, for it may not always be so. One day I shall dig my nails into the earth, or bury my face in the pillow, or stretch myself taut, or raise my hands to the sky and want, more than all the world, your return.” Mary Jean Irion

I love this quote. We should be thank-ful for each and every day and send our gratitude out into the universe. A day doesn't have to be special for us to be thank-ful for it. Every single day of our lives will have something we have to be grateful for. Today has been a pretty normal day for me. Have had a headache all day which is normal for me and have been working most of it, again pretty normal. But I am so grateful that my daughter came home from school with a funny story to tell, my cat came and jumped on my lap, and it stopped raining at tea time finally! Yes normal day, I want to give thanks for you, yes I have had better days but I am grateful for today and I will learn from you and bless your treasures. Thank-you normal day!

These words were written by Mary Jean Irion in the book "Yes, world: a mosaic of meditation" published in 1970. I don't know if it is still in print, there weren't any when I looked on Amazon but it sounds like it would be a wonderful book to read. In the meantime I'm sticking this one with the others on my fridge!

Blessings from a completely normal day, and a fairly normal girl!  Alison xx