“If you believe you can accomplish everything by “cramming” at the eleventh hour, by all means, don’t lift a finger now. But you may think twice about beginning to build your ark once it has already started raining” ― Max Brooks
“You have to prepare physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually to conquer any mountain.” ― Lailah Gifty Akita, Pearls of Wisdom: Great mind
“Athletes train 15 years for 15 seconds of performance. Ask them if they got lucky. Ask an athlete how he feels after a good workout. He will tell you that he feels spent. If he doesn’t feel that way, it means he hasn’t worked out to his maximum ability… His threshold for tolerating pain becomes higher because in the end he is not training so much for the game but for his character…”― Shiv Khera,
“One thing I’ve found… the road rarely rises up to meet you until you’ve begun walking.” ― Michele Jennae
Nestled in Dartique Valley is the Senses of the Soul Botanical Sanctuary & Farm that I proudly tend to and am the guardian for in this lifetime. It’s lush woodlands and abundant water supply of 9 underground springs ensures that all life within this 10 acre parcel thrives. While I use natural farming techniques and work with nature to ensure a co-creative partnership, occasionally I have to disturb the earth and her children to create more order in the wildness. The other day a friend and I had the task of cutting down young saplings that were encroaching on the septic area, power line and fences. I am never happy about cutting down trees but this was a necessary project. So I said a little prayer, thanked the trees and promised them that they would be wood chipped and returned to their home. Then we began our culling. The majority of these saplings were Aspen as most of this part of the forest is older, towering Aspens. Aspen leaves shake, twist and tremble in the breeze. The Spirit of Aspen (populus tremula) helps one to conquer the fear of the unknown and other anxieties and worries that are unclear or vague, and seem to creep up and burrow into the psyche. These kinds of angst, if not acknowledged and dealt with can undermine the immune system, our sense of self worth, our ability to know our inner truth and dislodge inner peace.
I noticed that as we sawed both of us were actually working through our fear and vigorously hauling the trees to the cart with gusto. I could sense myself getting stronger, shaking off emotional burden and less afraid of certain concerns and challenges I had been turning over in my mind. My friend’s energy changed as well and I could feel her letting go and being in the present moment as we both intimately connected with the land. She remarked that in getting her hand’s into the earth she felt she was moving through her current issues more than if just being in a nature setting. We continued at a swift pace for two hours, clearing, chatting and helping each other with the bigger saplings when the sawing became tiring for the other.
Being around Aspen trees has always made me feel safe, connected to Oneness and part of the earth- like the many root suckers they send out with generally the same tree DNA. In their shimmering leaves is an energy of joy, exuberance, and a playfulness that connects one to the fairy realm and subtle messages from ancestors or whispers from Spirit being carried on the wind. The energy of Aspen tells us to let go of our fear and dance with the challenges before us, just as our ancestors did.
Aspen’s message is what will support us through August; that we need to be fully in the present, not tied to the past or future, and regardless of how increasingly chaotic, incredulous and uncertain the world appears, we must stand strong and open to the song of the Great Mystery as we follow our own sacred path. This month we will have more lift off and continue to prepare for changes in our lives that are coming this fall. We create, we weave our destiny, we overcome our fear only through meeting it with our best effort, commitment and investment in ourselves. We will continue to be pushed by our soul and by Spirit to be more, do more and take on more.
In service,
Samantha
Psycho spiritual and physical symptoms for August 2016:
Since July 26th there has been a massive upshift in the re-framing and realignment of your energetic grid. You may have noticed that your dreams are increasing, your sleep more disturbed, and there are an increase in certain ascension symptoms such as intense sweating, higher than normal internal heat, up and down weight increase, sore tongue, heart soreness, palpitations, eye issues with prisms, lights and other floaters showing in the corners of the eye, denseness in the waist area, abnormal menstrual cycle, more fatigue than usual. Many will also experience high pitch frequency in the ears or agitation of the nervous system. Your nervous system, endocrine system and brain have been ignited to a different level of feeling, seeing and awareness. Be prepared for this to continue with ebbs and flows throughout August. You are getting rid of the unconsciousness that used to drive and impact your decisions and behavior, and replacing it with what you most desire here at rapid speed until the end of August. So don’t be surprised if certain things, projects and relationships die out quickly or manifest quickly. Focus on what you want. Self responsibility and being true to yourself will continue to be your top priority. However be patient as well with your own and others’ efforts. Persistence not control is the lesson. Success through effort and preparation. It is happening naturally anyway via cosmic push and the call of your soul, hence the impatience, increase in psychological /physical symptoms and sometimes rapid decisions. However many are still misinterpreting the signs as chaos and being impacted negatively by their own fear to step into their power, either through grander, unstable egoic reponses or depression and diminishment of themselves. The world will still be in chaos as shadow in the collective is dismantled, in fact it will increase so knowing who you truly are in all of this will keep you centered, rooted and anchored.
The Delta Aquarids Meteor shower started July 12 and continues until August 23rd – that is also impacting our shift in consciousness. The Full Moon this month will also be a turning point for many in their lives. August is the preparation stage for the FOURTH WAVE shift in the collective consciousness that we will experience in September. You are being prepared and initiated for MONUMENTAL shifts that will occur in the world and in yourself for the remainder of the Year of Passionate Ingenuity!
Cosmic Dates for August:
New Moon (Lammas) – Tuesday, August 2nd – a time to choose with intention – what do you want to invest in and ultimately harvest? The universe wants us to invest in accessibility, intention, generosity, patience, innovation, connection, wholeness, self responsibility, giving back and being grateful. Do your plans mirror this?
Full Moon / Green Corn Moon/ Sturgeon Moon- Thursday, August 18th – the energy of this moon brings a wake-up call, spiritual awakening, clarity, inner truth and more connection to Source. You will need to make more choices and decisions about where and how you want to move forward. Take your time in evaluating before making needed alterations, let go of hurt, forgive and accept so you can move forward. Expect certain throat issues such as sore throat, more phlegm.
Delta Aquarids Meteor Shower – July 12 to Aug 23 (peaks July 28/29)
Key words for August’s journey: Boundaries, Emotional Courage, Forgiveness, Imagination, Resolute Faith, Divine Liberation, Pure Courage, Soulful Co-creation, Dreamwork/recall, Shadow world navigation.
Recommended Senses of the Soul products: The Sovereign Elixir invites us to step into our own authentic power and embrace our co-creative masculine and feminine energies. When we are connected with our authentic power we can maintain healthy personal boundaries and relationships, channel creativity, manifest abundance, and live a life of co-creative service, contains Calendula to support the immune system, nurture the soul and strengthen our power center. The Lover Elixir calls forth the unconditional love and compassion already in your heart, contains Borage and Hawthorn for immune and circulation support, eases heart pain and palpitations. The Mystic Essence ignites the creative energy of your second chakra in resolute faith of a higher calling. A balancer of polarities, the Mystic will also facilitate Sacred Union of the feminine and masculine within to allow you to live a spiritual life with soulful earthly purpose, the herbal elixir also cleanses lymph, heals “fluish” symptoms, eases digestive issues, soothes and calms. The Enchantress Elixir allows full and complete alignment with your Highest Truth. It allows you to live in your Higher Heart, embody Light and love unconditionally, enables you to deeply connect to nature, animals, cosmos and intrinsically merge in a state of Oneness, us it this month to navigate shadow healing in your dreams. The Magical Child Essence returns joy and innocence to your being and opens your heart to love, infinite possibility and light again, contains Elderberry and Rosehip for immune support. The Muse Elixir helps the voice of your soul express itself! The Muse is here to support you to live your purpose through your own unique creative expression. Breathe life into your dreams: inspire and be inspired. Call on the Muse to discover how to manifest your truth in soulful co-creation with the Universe, contains Passionflower and Hops to soothes the nervous system as you rethink and rewire, helps support a more restful sleep. The Sage Essence reminds us that we have other ways of knowing. Divine guidance and the voice of the heart are speaking to you. The Sage restores clear vision by helping you to access your inner wisdom: your intuition and inner knowing, contains Yarrow to protect one from psychic energy and balance the energetic field, lessens brain fog, cultivates healthy empathy. NOTE: use Elixirs if you need more earthly, hard hitting help for deeply rooted physical and psycho spiritual symptoms, use Essences for more higher realm, subtle, fine tuning of physical and psycho spiritual issues. I have suggested what I intuited the majority of us will need this month, but trust your own guidance when it comes to using any Senses of the Soul product.
Teas: Urban Warrior Tea, Love Chakra Tea, Release the Past Tea, Release the Heat Tea, Healthy Boundaries Tea, Feel No Fear Tea,
Pictured: Me with my trusty saw and a pile of Aspen saplings that will be wood chipped and used on the garden paths.
