Sun Worshipers and Luna Lovers, planetary alignments of the sun and moon affect our bodies and minds. Use these energies to affect tremendous healing benefits by sun or moon gazing. If however you're feeling out of sorts, check our Solar Watch and symptoms list to learn how solar flares and CME's affect your body. Helping you regain your balance, we also offer wisdom from the moon plus moon phases and Grandmother teachings.  "... you are the moon and I the endless sky." - Sade

The Good News About the Sun

The sun plays an important role as a catalyst for a renaissance in consciousness.This is good news indeed. Looking on the bright side (no pun intended) our Sun does have a very positive impact on us. Solar activity is essential for Super-Human Achievement. Solar cycles and their activity play an intimate part in the unfoldment of human consciousness Solar flares affect the Central Nervous System (stomach lining), all brain activity (including equilibrium), all human and animal behavior and all psycho-physiological (mental-emotional-physical) response. Read more

Sun's Vitamin D3 Benefits for the Body

There are many benefits to healthy levels of Vitamin D3 in the body which the Sun itself can produce. Here are but a few that should help you understand why a moderate amount of sun exposure leads to better mental, physical and spiritual health.

• Protection from diabetes, osteoporosis, osteoarthritis, hypertension, cardiovascular disease
• Can help treat depression naturally
• Lowers risk of breast, ovarian, prostate, and colorectal cancers
• Essential to bone health
• Kills bad bacteria

Sunlight Prescription

• Start slowly with sun exposure on as much of your skin as possible
• Don't allow any reddening of the skin to occur
• Sunbathe only in the early morning or late afternoon sun
• Avoid midday sun
• Work up to 10-15 minutes 3-4 times per week

If you must stay out of the sun, then please, avoid most brands of sunblock as well as skincare products and makeup which contain sunblock. These have been known to cause cancer. Instead try organic natural sunblocks like DNA Skincare's line of healthy chemical free sunblock which you can wear under your makeup.

Yoga and the Sun

Lastly, regarding sun bathing, there are double benefits when performing the 12 asanas in Surya Namaskar or Sun Salutation meditation along with the morning sun's warming rays. Atapa Snana, is the yogic phrase for the healing science of sun bathing. The ancient yogis and many other cultures knew how to use the sun to heal all kinds of illnesses, and bring about radiant health. Performing Surya Namaskar facing the morning sun offers vast health benefits. For exampie, it increases the solar plexus from the size of an almond to the size of a palm. This expansion of solar plexus, also known as the second brain, develops our intuitive ability and makes us more clear and focused. You will truly radiate health.

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Luna Lovers, our beloved moon is a direct influencer of our emotional body. Each of our beautiful sister Moon's movements or moon phases affects our world en toto. Learn how to work with Grandmother Moon's secrets. These serve to greatly enlighten, heal and assist you. We share the full list of the moon's phases and names as well as Grandmother Moon medicine teachings. We invite you to spend time moon gazing especially during full moon events; you will gain wisdom, insight and feel a great deal calmer. Aho!

Moon Phases

Full Moon: Full Moon energy is used for banishing unwanted influences in your life; protection magick; and divination. Planning, releasing, and working backwards in time are done on the full moon as well. It is said the best Full Moon magick can be conjured for seven days: the three days prior to the Full Moon, the night of the Full Moon itself, and three days after the Full Moon. Sometimes the results of Full Moon magick can take approximately one moon cycle to take hold and come to completion. The Full Moon is the time to invoke the Mother Goddess at the height of her glory and to perform the ceremony called "Drawing Down the Moon." During this ceremony the energy and essence of the Full Moon is drawn into oneself, when done properly you will feel a heightened trance state combined with a power surge that radiates through your whole body. Traditionally this is only done within a protective circle. The Mother is the ripeness of womanhood, the boiling pot of Badb which is the richness of life. Her color is red, the color of blood and the life force. The Mother is Summer, the day, lustiness, teacher, The Full Moon.

New Moon: The New Moon is used for personal growth, healing, the blessing of a new project or venture, etc. If done correctly, success should be obtained by the first Full Moon. This is the time when the Crone is transformed into the Maiden. It is a time of renewal and new beginnings. The Maiden is essential to the continuation of all life; her color is white, denoting innocence and newness. She is the springtime, the dawn, eternal youth and vigor, enchantment and seduction, the new and waxing moon.

Dark Moon: The three days before the New Moon is known as the dark of the moon. This is when you can't see the moon at all in the heavens. Traditionally, this is a time when no magick is performed. It is a period to give yourself a break; a time of rest. Deep meditation and vision questing can be performed now, but not for a specific magickal purpose. However, The Crone, or the Dark Mother, rules this time, and if her magick is needed, now is the time when you should use it.

Waxing Moon: The period between the New Moon and the Full Moon is called the Waxing Moon. This is a good time for attraction magick, especially between the New Moon and the First Quarter. The Waxing Moon is the time for invoking the Goddess in her guise of Maiden.

Waning Moon: The period between the Full Moon and the New Moon is called the Waning Moon. This is a time for banishing and rejecting things in our lives that we no longer wish to carry around with us. Negative emotions, bad habits, diseases, and ailments can successfully be banned during this time. During the Waning Moon the Mother Goddess is transformed into the Crone. Invoke Her in this guise. The Crone, or Dark Mother, sometimes called the Hag, has black as her color, the color of darkness where all life rests before rebirth. This aspect of the Goddess is Winter, night, wisdom, counsel, the gateway to death and reincarnation, the Waning Moon.

Excerpted from "Celtic Magic" by D.J. Conway and "To Ride a Silver Broomstick" by Silver RavenWolf.

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Common Names for the Year's Full Moons

*WESAK/VESAK FULL MOON - The month of May's full moon is often called the Wesak Moon - the time where the Christ or Buddha Sakyamuni energy or planetary energy can make the greatest shift. Sometimes informally called "Buddha's birthday," it actually encompasses the birth, enlightenment Nirvana , and passing ( Parinirvana ) of Gautama Buddha. This is the time when those energies are closest to the planet and when wishes can manifest more easily. With manifestation comes the need to release old energies., to embrace universal love and compassion, to begin anew and fresh in your daily life through celebration and ceremony. Wikipedia Wesak/Vesak Full Moon

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JANUARY - SPIRIT MOON - The first moon of Creation is Spirit Moon, and is manifested through the Northern Lights. It is a time to honour the silence and realize our place within all of Great Mystery’s creatures.

FEBRUARY - BEAR MOON - The second moon of Creation is Bear Moon, when we honour the vision quest that it began in the fall. During this time, we discover how to see beyond reality and to communicate through energy rather than sound.

MARCH - SUGAR MOON -  The third moon of Creation is Sugar Moon. As the maple sap begins to run, we learn of one of the main medicines given to the Anishnabe which balances our blood, and heals us. During this time, we are  encouraged to balance our lives as we would our blood sugar levels, by using Divine Law.

APRIL - SUCKER MOON -  The fourth moon of Creation is Sucker Moon, when sucker goes to the Spirit World in order to receive cleansing techniques for this world. When it returns to this realm, it purifies a path for the Spirits and cleanses all our water beings. During this time we can learn to become healed healers.

MAY - FLOWER MOON -  The fifth moon of Creation is Flower Moon, where all plants display their Spirit sides for all the world to see. This life giving energy is one the most powerful healing medicines on Mother Earth. During this moon we are encouraged to explore our Spiritual essences.

JUNE - STRAWBERRY MOON - The sixth moon of Creation is Strawberry Moon. The medicine of the strawberry is reconciliation. It was during this moon cycle that communities usually held their annual feasts, welcoming everyone home, regardless of their differences over the past year, letting go of judgment and/or self-righteousness.

JULY - RASPBERRY MOON -  The seventh moon of Creation is Raspberry Moon, when great changes begin. By learning gentleness and kindness, we may pass through the thorns of its bush and harvest its fruit, knowledge that will help in raising our families.

AUGUST - THIMBLEBERRY MOON -  The eighth moon of Creation is the Thimbleberry Moon, when we honour the Thimbleberry which produces an abundance of fruit once every three years. It was one of the first plants put on Mother  Earth, and its purpose is to protect the Sacred Circle of Life by allowing us to recognize and understand the teachings that come from the Spirit World.

SEPTEMBER - CORN MOON -  The ninth moon of Creation is the Corn Moon, during which time we learn about the cycle of life. Each cob of corn has thirteen rows of multicoloured seeds which represent all the spirits waiting to begin their Earth Walk. These will be the future generations for whom we must prepare.

OCTOBER - FALLING LEAVES MOON -  The tenth moon of Creation is the Falling Leaves Moon, a time when Mother Earth is honoured with the grandest of colours. As all of Creation makes their offerings to her, we become aware of all the miracles of Creation before us and our spiritual energies are once again awakened.

NOVEMBER - FREEZING MOON -  The eleventh moon of Creation is the Freezing Moon, a time when the Star Nation is closest to us. As every creature being prepares for the coming fasting grounds, we are reminded to prepare ourselves for  our spiritual path by learning the sacred teachings and songs that will sustain us.

DECEMBER - LITTLE SPIRIT MOON - The twelfth moon of Creation is the Little Spirit Moon, a time of healing. By receiving both vision of the spirits and good health, we may walk the Red Road with purest intentions, and we can share this most positive energy with our families and friends for the good of all.

BLUE MOON - BIG SPIRIT MOON -  The thirteenth moon of Creation is Big Spirit Moon. Its purpose is to purify us, and to heal all of Creation, a process which may take a three month long spiritual journey. During this time, we receive  instructions on the healing powers of the universe and transform into our own vision of the truth.

Thirteen Grandmother Moon Teachings by Arlene Barry, from her series of compiled teachings “Kinoomaadiewinan Anishinaabe Bimaadinzinwin”, Book Two, pages 17 and 18.

Welcome! Our little tea room offers a cup of warm loving support for you on your path. Pour yourself a cup of tea and relax with our meditations. Explore the history and medicinal uses for tea. Learn to follow your inner divine guidance and try your hand at the ancient art of tea leaf reading.

The Importance of The Moment - Time for Tea

Stopping in for tea during our busy lives is important. We often forget ways to relax and contemplate life. We would benefit from reevaluating our priorities and incorporating ways to relax. The good news is this is happening more and more.We are seeing Eastern methods of relaxation techniques with yoga and tai chi as well as all the tea offered in conjunction with the abundant coffee shops. Hopefully this is a reflection that we are trying to become more Zen-like.

Tea for Two & Two for Tea...

When sharing tea with friends we share the day's lovely or sad moments, laugh and perhaps shed a tear or two. Tea and sympathy.

You can discuss anything over tea and crumpets. - Michael Capp

Let's take a lesson from our British, Russian, Asian and Indian friends and take time for tea; I mean really do it - take tea. Let us not lose another precious moment .

Tea Accoutrements

There is a burgeoning tea market with beautiful, incredible teas from around the world, plus tea cozies, pots and accessories... even teacup candles. Don't forget the ever-important delectable edible teatime accessories - delicious Cucumber Flower Canapés, Strawberry–Chicken Salad Tea Sandwiches, Ambrosia Scones, Lime Petits Fours, Chocolate-Pecan Derby Tartlets, French Rose Macarons, cookies and breads; jellies, curds, and clotted creams. Yum!

Just Take Five - Mini Meditations & Healthy Calmatives

Take five minutes and r-e-l-a-x. From sipping tea to conscious breathing, these tips can create calm.

Healthy Tea

Let us also remember the many health benefits of drinking tea. Herbal, black and green teas are Mother Nature's remedy for our maladies. A soothing cup of tea neutralizes 'free radical' agents, which can damage cells and lead to disease. Flavonoids, (contained in tea) also have a role in preventing heart disease by lowering cholesterol. And some property in tea appears to help the brain 're-deploy' from one task to another refreshing the parts even caffeine cannot.

Tea Leaf Divination - Tasseography

Ahh, now... you have savoured your cup of darjeeling tea, nibbled a lemon curd-dipped cranberry walnut scone, and have taken a moment to contemplate life. Hmm.

To complete the moment, consider the ancient art of tea leaf reading. Like identifying shapes in an azure blue sky's clouds, tea divination gives us a chance to gaze into our emptied cup with our thoughts focused on a single question.

Tasseography is a divination or fortune-telling method that interprets patterns in tea leaves, coffee grounds, or wine sediments. As you go through our step-by-step guide, remember to "Broaden your minds, my dears, and allow your eyes to see past the mundane!" - Professor Sibyll Trelawney, Divination, Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

• Allow for one spoonful of tea and sediment at the cup's bottom
• Think of your question
• Swirl your cup gently
• Tip over onto saucer
• Right the cup and whatever is nearer you is your immediate future, toward the bottom of the cup is further into the future

Do you see a symbolic answer in your cup?

In my own hands I hold a bowl of tea; I see all of nature represented in its green color. Closing my eyes I find green mountains and pure water within my own heart.
Silently sitting alone and drinking tea, I feel these become a part of me.
- Soshitsu Sen, Grandmaster XIV, Urasenke School of Tea

Chado - Japanese Tea Ceremony

At the center of the Upper East Side town house where the Urasenke tea school is located, there is a garden surrounded by tearooms. A skylight creates the impression that it is outside — and a world away from the city streets. One of the innovations made by Sen Rikyu was requiring all visitors to the teahouse to enter from the garden through a small crawl space — making everyone equal, whether a shogun or a peasant.

The ceremony features intricate performances as the tea is prepared, and a thick tea ceremony can last as long as four hours. During a thick tea ceremony, there is silence. At a thin tea ceremony, talking is permitted, but only about the ceremony itself.

“There is no politics,” Mr. Yamada said. “No talk about who will be president in America or prime minister in Japan.”

While a tea ceremony might seem out of step with the pace of modern life, the Urasenke school has a waiting list for students. “Once you begin the study of tea, it becomes a lifetime thing,” he said. As for those who think they are too busy to make time for tea, “You discover that you are not as busy as you think you are.” - Hisashi Yamada, certified tea master Source | Visit the school