A Meditation on the Element of Water

Water, like love, connects us without an embrace.  ~ Lawren Leo

Standing on the shore, half the sun was gone as I watched evening segue into night. A regal presence filled the waters as he slowly dropped his head below the surface, leaving behind a crown of foam in its wake. With envy, I imagined the sun relieved of his duties, finally settling into the comfort of the sea’s bed.

I looked out over a liquid expanse of glossy dark hues, a childhood world of mermaids, titans and jeweled encrusted shells. A warm, salty breeze passed over my skin and I became aware of Mother Ocean’s sentience.

The crest of a wave paused at its crescendo, the whites of its foam giving a moment’s glance before falling on my feet and retreating backwards, pulling me with a fingerless grip. The soles of my feet molded into wet sand. I could feel the ocean’s heart pumping, circulating wave after saline wave, out from its center onto the shore, and then dragged back to its ventricles, a rhythmic flow lulling me into trance.

In a dream-like state I began wading through the shallows, out into the pulsating deep. Wind and water mingled, baptizing me with smoky wisps of spray. At chest level I could feel the pull of the tides, undulating waters calling me to leave the world of form behind. Relinquishing, I pushed up from the sand below and dove into a warm, thick swell. All became silent.

I am liquid, my point of consciousness is one with the ocean. Problems are foreign matter here, forced out, like air bubbles to the surface. A sudden realization that I could do anything I wanted floods my senses with freedom. I am one with the ocean’s mysteries; I sense her motion, her receptivity.

With a magical thought, my back transforms into the surface of the ocean and I am looking downward through the depths of my waters. There are starfish all around me, manta rays are moving in slow motion, and a giant seahorse floats suspended in time. They all speak to me, a poetic illumination, translated through the undines: water, like love, connects us without an embrace.

A slender ray of light catches my attention. It is the sun, about to rise. Soon, he will lift from the waters, bringing my consciousness with him. I will be awakened from this reverie and united with my physical body to once again fulfill another day’s duties. But until then, it is still night, and I am still water. So I join the sweet, angelic hum of a passing current, and slowly, ever so slowly, disappear into its oblivion.



Magical associations of the element of water:

• Some of the properties are serenity, purification, universal love, psychic ability, the unconscious mind, dream and altered states, and healing.
• It is symbolized by the cups in the tarot and represents the emotions.
• Water elementals are known as undines and their ruler is Nicksa.
• The archangel Gabriel presides over the element of water.
• The colors blue and orange are associated with water.

Suggested reading:

• Deepak Chopra. Peace is the Way: Bringing War and Violence to an End, (Harmony Books, 2005)
• Brian Cotnoir. The Weiser Concise Guide to Alchemy, (Weiser, 2005)
• Scott Cunningham. Earth, Air, Fire & Water, (Llewellyn, 2002)
• Masaru Emoto. The Hidden Messages in Water, translated by David Thayne (Beyond Worlds, 2005)
• Sandra Kynes. Sea Magic: Connecting with the Ocean's Energy, (Llewellyn, 2008)
• Gede Parma. By Land, Sky & Sea: Three Realms of Shamanic Witchcraft, (Llewellyn, 2010)

Lawren Leo can be reached for psychic counsel at (954) 788-4988 or:

NewMoonBooksOnline@gmail.com

New Moon Books, Crystals & Candles, Inc.

For More Magical Tips ~

FOLLOW Lawren Leo on Twitter

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Dark Moon's Courage

Last night I had a dream:

At first, I was the night, as if emerging from a bottle of black ink. My arms, a dark blanket cradling a forest of tall trees. They seemed naked and vulnerable, perhaps stripped of their leaves by a dishonorable fall wind. Dutifully, I stretched my arms wide to keep them hidden within my darkness. How fierce a protectress the night is, I thought as I stared at a sickle-shaped moon. And then, I started to change form.

Dead twigs cracked beneath my knees as my body became solid and took human shape. I was kneeling now, alone, in the forest among the trees. I looked up at the beauty of a deep purple sky punctured through with starlight. While all the time feeling gravity’s cruel pressure burdening my shoulders. Was I kneeling in wonderment or supplication? Oh brother trees, have pity on me, if only my knees could take root and join you in such sublime solitude -

A flash of unexpected light accompanied by a sharp pain in my forehead cut my woe mid-sentence. Was it a hunter’s arrow? Maybe the goddess Diana? Or, had the gods slung the sickle-moon at me in a moment of myth-making drama? Then, I heard these words:

Courage. That is all I have ever taught you.

The voice conjured an image in my mind. If only you could have heard it - commanding and melodious, admonishing and accepting, a youthful woman yet a mature warrior. How close I felt to this voice whose mystery was hidden in self-contradiction.

I can’t entirely explain what happened next; except that all my emotions, good and bad, were soaked up by something otherworldly. It was as if a black hole had opened before me, sucking my soul clean of all debris, leaving an immaculate vacuum for her words to germinate. Courage. That is all I have ever taught you. And then, I changed form, one last time.

A desire to locate something was my first sensation, then thirst. I was moving at a fast trot, snapping my way through indignant branches with a shake of antlers. Direction came easily. The smell of moist soil and bark made the wind a detailed map. A wild energy heated my body. This is what it feels like to be untamed, I thought with a joyous burst of freedom.

Slowing pace, I reached a pool of water where the river came to a stand-still. At its edge I leaned forward to drink, but stopped just short. The face of a white stag stared back with searching eyes. Courage. That is all I have ever taught you. This time the words were mine, spoke in unison with my proud, shadowy reflection. Our lips met in the water as I quenched my thirst.

Lawren Leo can be reached for psychic counsel at (954) 788-4988 or:

NewMoonBooksOnline@gmail.com

New Moon Books, Crystals & Candles, Inc.

For More Magical Tips ~

FOLLOW Lawren Leo on Twitter

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The Stone's Riddle

A rock pile ceases to be a rock pile the moment a single man contemplates it,
bearing within him the image of a cathedral. - Antoine de Saint-Exupéry.

On my desk sits a fist-sized sardonyx stone. This is not your usual stone. It seems to me utterly perfect. It is smooth and glossy with hazy purples running into misty tones of gray, like watercolors suddenly turned into glass. It sits next to a tall, red, tapered candle. They want to be next to one another. For the candle’s flame magically reflects golden eyes and tongues onto its friend’s shiny surface. The stone radiates wisdom. It wants to speak. Captivated, I ask it to share a secret with me as I study its shape.

It’s an illusion. Those were the words it spoke. I pondered their meaning. And then, the stone spoke once more:

I am many names, yet none
Under each man’s gaze only one.

I understood the riddle quickly: a rock is not just a rock. To a practitioner of Santeria it may be an Elegua head, to a geologist a mineral with a clever Latin name, to a child a magical amulet. In a cemetery it becomes a tombstone, on a desk it functions as a paperweight. But under my gaze it became a promise.

We transform our lives with promises, a vow to diet, to remain loyal, to remain sober. Sharpening our willpower and training our thoughts helps us to tap into its ancient currents of intent and change. To make a promise is to wield magic and the place in which it begins is our inner temple.

Our inner temple is made of actions and deeds. Use this following exercise once a month to strengthen your will and self-esteem. As you do, the walls of your temple will become stronger, impenetrable. Until finally, you are able to sit in meditation at its center as the Universe reveals her mysteries.

(For this exercise you will need a piece of paper, something to write with and a stone, any size or color.)

Mind Over Matter
On one side of the paper write your wish or goal. (For example: Increased Creativity).

On the other side of the paper write seven promises that you will keep for seven days. You may want to structure it with dates, then your promise. Here are some of mine:

June 5, 2011
call an old friend

June 6, 2011
abstain from coffee or tea today

June 7, 2011
go out of my way to help someone

June 8, 2011
tell a funny joke

Once you have chosen the promises, write out all seven. Next, put it on your altar or table and place a stone on it. As the stone touches the paper it is symbolically sealing your word, very much like saying ‘Amen’ or ‘So be it!’ At the end of your seven-day commitment, when your ‘Promise Card,’ as I like to call it, is finished, you may burn it or simply throw it away. Remember to be gentle with yourselves. If you miss a day, simply start over. Do not put undue stress into the mixture.

Each day, when you reach for your stone say this affirmation: Now, my goals are within reach.

There are many ways to increase personal power and hone your will. Practice yoga, study the tarot and meditate to urge more creative moments. This, in conjunction with your Promise Card, will let your psyche’s architect discover new ways to build your inner temple.

Lawren Leo can be reached for psychic counsel at:

NewMoonBooksOnline@gmail.com

New Moon Books, Crystals & Candles, Inc.

For more Magical Tips ~

Follow Lawren Leo on Twitter

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How to Catch a String of Good Luck

You don’t need to grow long nails to pick a string of luck from destiny’s ball of yarn. Rather, a few choice words and some ingenuity will create your own.

From string quartets to string cheese, humankind has given it a go. But a string of good luck is a tricky thing. Unable to be seen, only felt on an intuitive level, good luck is like the wind. Sensing its existence and general direction is the first part of calling it into your trajectory. Opening your heart and becoming receptive to its energies is the last.

Sense & Direction
Through the use of affirmations we can strengthen our intuition. Keeping them simple and in the present tense helps them travel to the subconscious mind. Here is one geared towards good fortune and guidance which you can use prior to the chant below:
Now, I intuitively take the most beneficial path.

Heart’s Receptivity
The secret of receptivity lies within our wish. As our heart’s desire beats, karma swirls from it, flowing in the universe, and then returns. Imagery and compassion towards others help to direct this force properly. Put this philosophy into action. After you are finished with the chant below, say:
String of good luck, at the end of your visit I pass you forward to another worthy person in need. Thank you in advance for your help.

(For this exercise you will need a piece of paper, something to write with, cinnamon, a yellow or lavender candle, and a plate to burn it on.)

Imagery
Before you begin, here is a thought to set your mood: Imagine that you are a child trying to catch a butterfly. Running through the grass your gaze is fixed upward on its blue fluorescent wings. You jump here and there to catch it as it moves along at the whim of the wind. When you are tired, you lay down to catch your breath. You see a myriad of forms in the clouds passing by overhead: a castle, a brilliant white unicorn, a cluster of fluffy hearts. Time is tired too. For the moment, Nature's only clock is a slow-moving, but determined caterpillar inching its way beside you. Pastel petals follow yet another clock. They float lazily in the sun’s rays taking on the appearance of magical faeries. The cycle is complete when the butterfly lands on you.

On the piece of paper write the words ‘a string of good luck’ in the shape of a clockwise spiral. Place the plate on top of it and set your candle on the plate. Sprinkle a little cinnamon (associated with the sun and good luck) over the candle and then light it. Chant six times:

Sleight of hand, twist of fate
String of good luck spiral shaped
Once unseen, twice revealed
Into my life your power sealed.

Let the candle burn out naturally. Keep or burn the paper. Either way, your intent has already been spoken to the cosmos.

To all who follow my blog and read this text,
when my string of good luck is done may it visit you next. ~ L. Leo

Lawren Leo can be reached for psychic counsel at:

NewMoonBooksOnline@gmail.com

New Moon Books, Crystals & Candles, Inc.

For more Magical Tips ~

Follow Lawren Leo on Twitter

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The Secret Room of the Eternal Lotus

Water Lilies by Claude Monet

“Do not go to the garden of flowers!

O friend! Go not there;

In your body is the garden of flowers.

Take your seat on the thousand petals of the

Lotus, and there gaze on the infinite beauty.”

~ Kabir (Indian mystic and philosopher)

An incorruptible space exists within us. It can remain balanced and filled with goodness even as the world we live in becomes lopsided with cruelty, responsible for broken hearts, and obsessed with money-making. Illuminated by the soul’s sacred flame, this place of wisdom and innocence emanates peace and refreshes the mind. I call this space The Secret Room of the Eternal Lotus.

It is a challenge to find the Secret Room because it operates on a level unknown to our conscious mind. But it is accessible through deep meditation and the Buddha’s vibrations match it: love, peace and enlightenment. Other Ascended Masters, Gods, Goddesses and entities are attuned to the Secret Room as well, including Jesus, the Virgin Mary, Saint Germain, Hindu Goddess Lakshmi, Egyptian Gods Osiris and Ra, Archangel Raphael, and more. You will be attracted to the energy of one or more deities. Don't be afraid to explore this spiritual resonance.

As if taught by the sun, the lotus flower follows a natural rhythm. It sinks below the water at night and resurfaces at dawn, when it opens its petals in full bloom. Used as a sacred symbol for thousands of years, the lotus flower represented resurrection and purity to the ancient Egyptians, Buddhists and Hindus. Images exist of the Buddha rising from its petals, Hindu Goddess of abundance Lakshmi standing in the middle of a pink one and Egyptian God of the morning sun Nefertem crowned with its blossoms.

The Secret Room’s lotus teaches us that something brilliant, calm and holy can emerge from the darkness and fears we carry.

Still your mind. Turn your thoughts inward. Allow yourself to feel waves of peace. Imagine a magic pond. A duo of swans glide gracefully over the surface followed by their reflections. Rays of sunlight angle through trees and flowers mingling their colors with the water. You see deep garnet reds, delicate pastels , flashes of yellow, vibrant greens and calming blues. None, however, compares to the single white lotus blossom floating in sync with your breathing. As you breathe, your pace is deep and smooth, then barely noticeable. This relaxes your pulse. In this state of perfect stillness you become aware of the lotus blossom's fragrance, which inebriates you as it hypnotizes the senses. You hear chanting: Grant us pure thoughts like Buddha so we may reach enlightenment.

Lawren Leo can be reached for psychic counsel at:
NewMoonBooksOnline@gmail.com
New Moon Books, Crystals & Candles, Inc.

For more Magical Tips ~
Follow Lawren Leo on Twitter
@NewMoonBookStor

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Invoking Your Guardian Angel

It’s a long walk to the temple. Placid one moment and treacherous the next, life’s path challenges your stamina. When the road before you begins snaking uphill and you enter dense woods, you lose perspective. But you are not alone.

As a child I was taught a simple rhyme for protection. It began with the words ‘Holy guardian angel dear…’ Years later I still invoke it in moments of doubt or fear. The Holy Guardian Angel or Higher Self, whichever you prefer, is our personal connection with Creator. It is pure spiritual fire navigating us through destiny and can be summoned in infinite ways. The following exercise is a three step process I’ve dubbed the Triple A’s. Use it to call on your personal angel in times of conflict or struggle:

(You’ll need a white candle, something to write with and paper for this exercise.)

Awareness
Begin by taking a few deep breaths to relax then light the candle. Think of a present challenge or difficulty and write it at the top of the paper. Ask your Higher Self to help define your emotions regarding this situation. Begin listing them quickly without any forethought, as if you were brainstorming. When finished, go back and read each one slowly. Allow yourself to feel the emotion and then let it pass through you as if it were walking through your body. Draw a line through it and imagine it being absorbed by the earth. Write this affirmation just under your list, "Now I choose to observe and better control my actions." By observing your actions a change of perspective takes place and allows room for correction.

Acceptance
Center yourself again and imagine a white, fiery light just above your head. Ask your Higher Self to create room for a miracle to occur. On the same piece of paper draw a circle with a dot in the middle. This is a glyph of the sun, your true self, affirming that you are an optimist and understand difficulties as temporary set-backs. Write this affirmation next to the sun symbol, "Now I choose to listen to my Higher Self."

Action or Asking for help
Remaining centered, imagine the white light above your head flowing downward, purifying your entire being of all negativity, illness and imbalance. Ask your Higher Self to reinforce your will to live and fill you with the most beneficial energies for success and healing. Write this affirmation at the bottom and center of the page, "Now I choose to take the best care possible of myself."

Remain in a state of meditation as long as you wish. When you are ready, extinguish the candle or let it burn out naturally. Place the paper on your refrigerator and use the affirmations daily until the situation changes.

Any path we choose must follow the natural contours of Mother Earth, and it will always present something beautiful to sustain us along the way. Hold that in thought the next time your intuition misses the ‘Beware Sharp Turns’ sign. And remember, although it is a long walk to the temple, there is always a guardian angel to ensure we arrive safely.

Lawren Leo can be reached for psychic counsel at:
NewMoonBooksOnline@gmail.com
New Moon Books, Crystals & Candles, Inc.

Follow Lawren Leo on Twitter
@NewMoonBookStor

Visit New Moon Books on FaceBook

Sculpting Your Destiny



Michelangelo's Slave, Louvre


Look at your future like a sculptor looking at untouched marble. A brilliant form is waiting to be brought into this world and you have the tools and foresight necessary to make it happen.

Each decision we make acts as a mallet hitting a chisel which will shape our goals. Put this idea to use by constructing an ‘atelier’ or ‘studio’ within your psyche. This will be a consciously designated space used solely for creation, where your desire to express itself feels safe and uninhibited.

Begin as if you were decorating an empty room. Designate size, flooring, windows, height of ceiling, and so on. Is it on the first floor or the attic? What color are the walls? When you look out the window what do you see? Add personal touches to make it inviting. My work space has a fireplace and drawings thumb-tacked to the walls. Be sure to leave room for your block of marble and tools.

Visit your studio when you need an original idea or a place to start brainstorming. Imagine it filled with the fragrance of cedar and orange for wisdom and concentration. Wearing these essential oils on your pulse points during meditation also stimulates the unconscious mind.

Open the door to your studio with this affirmation and let the journey begin:

Now I have the tools and foresight necessary to create my future exactly as I want it.


Lawren Leo can be reached for psychic counsel at:
NewMoonBooksOnline@gmail.com
New Moon Books, Crystals & Candles, Inc.

Follow Lawren Leo on Twitter
@NewMoonBookStor

Visit New Moon Books on FaceBook

How to Receive Spiritual Messages

‘Dust off the books on your shelf and take another glance through their pages.’

After my first sip of morning espresso this thought unexpectedly introduced itself. Like a good sleuth, I followed my hunch and made my way over to the not-so-neatly condensed New Age reading material that I had collected for over two decades. I followed a strong urge and soon enough was holding one of my old journals in my left hand and a Harry Potter-ish looking grimoire in my right. Opening the journal first, a bookmark fell out. It read, Concentration is the Key. Then, with controlled excitement, I slowly opened the grimoire. My anticipation was well rewarded as I read a passage written in an elegant cursive script, Chant to Unlock Creativity. I listened to myself whisper each passage as images of keys turning locks formed in my mind’s eye. Satisfied, I returned to my espresso and began writing.

Books are only one example of how to receive messages. The mind and imagination are limitless. They can create message routes ranging from angels and animal totems to dreams and Chinese fortune cookies. With all of this at our disposal the question arises, where does one begin? The answer is through a combination of asking and acting. Most people do this naturally and are not aware of it. For example, before I took that first sip of espresso, I was experiencing a need – inspiration. As I was pondering over this (asking), a flash of magic came to me and I went for the books (acting).

But what happens when you are not receiving inspiration? Initiate the process through prayer and meditation. In this way you actively open yourself to the universe and your own subconscious thoughts. Then use my formula [asking + acting = inspiration] and commit yourself to each part. This direct approach makes receiving messages more relaxed, but no less thought-provoking or profound. You should also open yourself to finding inspiration offered to you by holy sources. These could be a rare glimpse of shooting stars, a double rainbow, a halo around the moon, a bluebird, or an ancient image on a card. These messages are not coincidences. They are fueled when we permit ourselves to awareness and can actively transform us. We need to believe that like the dial of a compass these signs are pointing us in the right direction.

The universe has spoiled us with options. Take advantage of them to enrich your life. And the next time you find yourself walking under the night sky, throw a little whisper to the moon…and don’t be surprised if she answers.

(Published in Natural Awakenings, June 2011)