catholicpagan

Winter Solstice Festival of Light

 Winter Solstice begins Monday, December 21 at 9:47 a.m. PST.  Winter Solstice occurs when, in the Northern hemisphere, the Earth’s tilts and leans the farthest away from the Sun and is the shortest day of the year. From ancient times, worldwide and in all cultures, this day has been celebrated as a turning point—a point of change from increasing and lengthening darkness to increasing and lengthening light. In many cultures Winter Solstice was celebrated as the birthday of the Sun. People look forward to the coming of the sun like a savior from the dark to the light. From the beginning of time, the Divine Light, the Sun, has always been associated with God. In ancient Egypt the divine light was the god Ra; ancient Greece, Helios, the young sun god; Zoroastrians called the sun Ahura Mazda, and the Hebrews Aur. Today, Buddhists call it Maha-Boddhi, the Moslems En-Nur, and Christians the Holy Ghost.  In a broader sense, the sun has come to symbolize expanding knowledge, personal illumination, good and the light within––while darkness, ignorance and evil. Wiccans also celebrate the sun’s return and recognize it’s golden rays as illuminating the conscious mind, only we do not see the dark as bad and evil but a balance between light (illumination) and dark, (searching).    

To Wiccans and pagans the winter is dream time; dreams awaiting the light of the day to take flight, to blossom. The dark of the night like the dark of the soul, is a time deep for soul searching, connecting to spirit and mysteries, and an opportunity to discover other aspects of self––courage, creative gifts, to mention a few––to live more fully. During the Winter Celebration reflect upon the Divine Light within your self and how, during the passing year, you came to a greater and expansion of consciousness. How and what were you enlightened to in 2009? What did you learn? Create a Festival of Light by lightening a candle each night to the end of ‘09 as a demonstration of your devotion to raising world consciousness to help bring about World Peace throughout the coming year. 

Read a chapter from my novel, The Skye in June  to the left -links - Wicked Behavior at Holy Savior

BOOK CLUBS - WITCHES WELCOME

The Skye in June  has an overwhelming five star reviews from readers and author is seeking bookclubs to read and review the  novel. 

Please contact me here or through www.juneahern.com.

Two people within two hours recommended the book, "Lace Reader" to me today. They, having read my book, said my story and had the same flavor. They also know that I am a psychic reader and both books include that.  I researched it to find that like me, the author, Brunonia Barry, was a first time novel writer and self-published 2,000 copies. She went to local bookstores and asked for book clubs around the area.  Then she contacted the clubs to read it for feedback and reviews. Soon word spread and more, and more book clubs read it, and more and more and finally people in the book industry helped her get a publisher.  The rest is history as it is now a best seller.

Would you consider going to your local bookstore and ask for bookclubs in its area for me to contact? Thank you for your consideration. And, I do have a fab price deal for bookclubs! Plus I'm available to visit in many locations.

Heartland Welcomes Skye

Illinois October Book Tour continues.( See “Chi-Town” book event below.)

By early afternoon Sheree and I , once again hit the road, for the next Skye  book event. Bracing against Chicago's chill wind we made our way to the train station, suitcases rolling along behind. I like train rides with the changing scenery and stops along the way. Traveling south from Chicago a the small town of Joliet I searched the station for suspicious characters; it being a prison point. No one worth worrying about.

 

The train chugged along smoothly and then my Illinois trip came to a stop - third on this tour (see blog below.)  Stop the clock, June’s aboard!  Nightfall and coldness descended as we sat on the tracks and I tired. Luckily, upon our arrival our hostess and event planner, Laura, was there to quickly whisked us off to her country home. Soon I was cozy under a big quilt in bed after a medicinal hot toady.  

The next day the sun greeted us and cheerily we headed out toward Bloomington for my book reading. Fall's vivid colors adorned nature throughout the Heartland’s countryside delighted us and Laura held our interest with history of the rural farming area. When we arrived at our destination -  Colley's Chess Cafe - a group of young chess playing children were finishing up their games.

.   Soon my guests came and I began reading the book's carefully chosen excerpts, ones that introduces listeners to the character, plot and theme but doesn't give away the story. Listeners were so enthralled, they encouraged more story telling, which of course I was happy to do.  I read up to girls sitting at Haight/Ashbury on the sidewalk in the early ‘60’s and ended story time with the main character hotly confronting her mother.

.   One couple had driven three hours from Chicago to play chess with Colley, not knowing a book reading was happening. They enjoyed the story so much they bought two copies. Guests, books in hand, left and we three women merrily drove off to Normal, a place I looked forward to experiencing being from San Francisco. 

  Sheree and Laura, new friends, discovered they had a common enjoyment of threater, and planned to meet-up in Chicago for plays. 

On the other end of Normal, I stood. Next day an early train ride back to Chicago airport proved yet another delay. I silently sang an old song, "Slow down you move to fast, gotta make the morning last."  Still I fretted I'd not make my flight. But with no more delays at the airport, I returned safely home deeply grateful for Lisa, Laura and Sheree’s great efforts to assure a successful book tour in the Heartlands. Blessed be.

P.S. Was glad I left my broom at home and toured with so many wonderful normal folks.

CHI-TOWN BOOK TOUR

The Skye in June  should've took the broom.

It was a dark and stormy night when I arrived in Chi-town (Chicago) to begin my book tour in Illinois.

  After a four-hour delay flight due to storms, I was elated to see my friend, Sheree, a Chicago transplant via San Francisco. The storm raged all night but in the morning, broke to a calm. The view from Sheree's high tower apartment of Lake Michigan was shrouded in a gray mist; perfect to hide in bed a few extra hours before first book event.

My first book party, hosted by my client, jeweler Lisa Cotten, would be just a 40-minute drive north of Chicago, we thought. We arrived one and a half hours later due to the usual Friday late afternoon crawl, hindered a bit more by a light misty rain, worsened by a long detour. 

                                                     

Still nothing could dampen the gaiety of about twenty-five women turned lose on a Friday night meeting to enjoy good wine, food and girlfriend company. What a riotous group of ladies. Laughter and voices rebounded in Lisa’s beautiful two-story house that she and her family had only moved into the month before. Lisa was so eager to share some of the more shocking parts of "Skye" with the guests.

Sheree was smooth, corralling the wild women into the living room for me to begin the book reading, sitting by the fireplace.

“Skye” quickly found many new homes and was a sell out with more on order, thanks to the great help from both Lisa, and Sheree.  

Guests, most interested in the psychic and metaphysical aspect of the story, had thought-provoking questions about such topics as how ESP works, how to develop it and karma. 

I demonstrated my main character June's, psychic abilities for Carri who is from a big Catholic family and purchased nine books as gifts. 

 

Why is Carrie smiling while I'm astonished at what I see? Is it twins for this mother of four?

Next day Sheree and I off for a train trip south to Normal/Bloomington, my next book event. (stay tuned for more on Illinois book tour.)

Vacation on the Vineyard - Martha's

Following a full moon in a red-eye special hubby & I arrived into Boston Airport on our way to Martha's Vineyard. We continued to the island on an eight-passenger, puddle-jumper plane (I would have preferred the safety of my broom.)
Goddesses' alert! You’re asked your weight in front of God and everybody. I blurted out a number, close enough where other passengers won’t accuse me of lying, but not too far away from truth so as to topple the plane downward into the deep ocean waters.

A gaggle of wild turkeys strolling along the street greeted us as we arrived at our sunny holiday home.  Life would prove to be slower and simpler on Martha’s. Tired, but eager to explore, off we drove and soon learned it's not easy to be lost on the island for long as all roads lead back to a familiar ground. We saw the island from one end to the other picking up fresh seafood along the way.

Martha’s has variations of Colonials homes, old and new, huge Mac Mansions and a most charming town, Oak Bluff boasts

myriads gingerbread houses. On my daily walk I found the local graveyards– being a medium I have to visit my spirit friends--and although most of the old headstones were almost impossible to read I did see that the dearly departed began to rest there as early as 1600's, Lots of Smiths lying around, making me wonder if it was an alias back then too.  After reading a mystery book by a local author, Cynthia Riggs - a 13-generation islander – I called her (she’s in the local phone book) to meet and exchange autographed books. She showed me around her historical family home, now a B&B catering to writers and poets. On a lovely sunny crisp day I ferried to Falmouth on the mainland to meet my friend, author Suzette Standring. We stopped by the picturesque New England town's bookstore with thoughts of me having a book event for The Skye in June when I return in March.

Our vacation ended with “the fast ferry” to New Bedford for a blowout fun filled party with some of hubby’s relatives.

His Uncle Ed and a cousin-in-law were New England fishermen as are many in this area and on Martha's. The statue on the island is a dedication to fishermen.

Once again I lied about my weight on the trip but since I’m home safely in San Francisco, the lie didn't count.

Ghost Bluster

 All this bluster about spirits of the dead communicating with the living being so very frightening. Really it's not so scary. I've been talking to the for years without nary a boo. .
 

How do I know communication is really made? The spirits give me a personal piece of information and hopefully not too persona,l to convey to the living party.  Something specific that the living person would identify with the dead one. Mostly communication is simple like hi, I’m fine – crossed over and resting nicely - with your mother/grandfather etc– often personal messages such as, didn't I tell you to stop fighting over the will with your brother? 

A few spirit communications that stick in my mind are:

A couple whose only child died unexpectedly in his sleep came to me in hopes of hearing from their son was not in trouble in the afterworld.  They were immigrants from a culture and religion that left them fearful an evil spirit had taken him, not accepting the doctors' diagnosis. My information matched the doctors’ conclusions, an undetected heart condition. The boy came through saying he was with a favorite uncle, naming him  Many tears were shed at the session but the parents left much more peaceful that their 11- yr old son was safe in Heaven. The other was a young mother who disappeared.  I had read for her and sister-in-law only months before the young woman’s disappearance. Her sister-in-law came to me for help. I hated to tell her that the young woman would not be coming home alive and drew a picture of the person who caused her death. And then the spirit manifestations began, her body was found as I predicted in water and the spirit continued to appear  too often haunting me; open the closet, there she was, step into the car, she sat in my passenger side or back seat if I had a passenger. Finally the police and district attorney contacted me (the sister-in-law gave them my drawing and impressions.) They were astounded I had information not revealed to anyone, not even the family plus more than they hadn't had. Together we worked to catch and put away the perp.  

The only frightening spirit contact was when I was in Jamaica doing readings. A physician wanted me to help save his wife from negative entities -- vampire or low-life ones. I had never experienced the severity of the darkness of spirits like them before. The doctor said his wife had cancer and several other health issues when they spirits started bothering her. I seriously thought it was the woman's imagination until I went to their house. Some of the rooms were like freezers in the Jamaican July heat. In her bedroom the spirits caught me by my hair, whipped me around slapping me. I almost fainted and skedaddled out of there as quick as a whip calling over my shoulder, sorry can’t help. A follow-up was requested but I suggested they move. They needed a tough ghost buster or exorcist for sure!

Win a copy of my five star novel  The Skye in June  about a psychic child by sending your best ghost/spirit story. The best of three  hauntingly chilling tales will be chosen to receive  a book. Offer good until November 5th.

Recommend the book to another and I'll give you a psychic reading.

P.S. I’ve retired from spirit communicating – no longer work with the police, too stressful. But I still enjoy a visit now and then.

 

Many Eyes on my Wish

Witch conjures  ~ Wishing upon a Star - Eyeballing my Wish ! My  wish is to see my story The Skye in June on the screen as a film. Since the story first began to take shape in 1997, that's how it came to me - with face & voices & action. I thought, saw, heard, walked and felt it in every sense.  Recently I held a contest to "pick the star" (actors) for the film and asked many to vision with me to see "Skye" on the BIG SCREEN!  I wish for this vision to continue to grow to fulfillment. Seeing is believing. When we imagine, image, vision our wish, the whole self becomes acutely engaged. The mind adds even the smallest details, - my mind exploding with ideas - those ideas created a surge of emotions  - oh, that's good -  hmm, not sure about that - those feelings run energy through body resulting in a flood of happiness or a tightens up. We then decide to forge beyond the uncertainties or correct the details. Picture perfect we settle into the dream wish state.

I wish for many eyes on my wish. Come conjure with me.

http://blog.thoughtpick.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/too-many-eyes-16205.jpg

Enthusiasm is the fuel that sparks the fires of the dream rocket. Beam me up Scotty! 

http://spaceports.blogspot.com/2007/04/scotty-to-beam-up-april-28.html

Take a gander at my actor list. Do you agree?

You Little Twit!

Which celebrity has the most interesting Twitter page?
Submitted by Celebridoodle.

 Tweety Bird - does Twitty Twit? I thut I saw a pudy cat. Just think if we'd not be in others' lives so much how much room in the brain cell(s)  would be vacant - maybe for????? 

Day of Balance

Today is the Autumn  Equinox and it heralds a new season.  Nature confirms the change of the season with such signs as the changing of leaf color: slowly green leaves become shades of brown, scarlet red, glorious gold and brilliant orange. The days become shorter and the nights, longer. Mabon, the sun god, slowly bows out, giving with to sister moon, Luna, to reveal her bright faces.

But today the light -  day and the dark – night - are in perfect balance.

Balance in life is most difficult to achieve. Most of us either are all work, no play, rushing after desired dreams or goals, stagnant in confusion or apathy, focused on our survival or needs or wants or overly focused on the needs of others.  Each day one often says, I wish for time to finish, start, accomplish or have time.      http://heavenlyphotographs.com/To help achieve a life balance , I suggest a daily life of:

•Care of self – besides one’s daily ablutions enjoy a physical activity be that stretching, walking, dancing, yoga. Chose foods of the season. This made easy by looking at the colors of fruits and vegetables grown in your area. Create a moment of reflection - in nature, and/or journaling, meditating and counting blessings – like the ability to read, write, walk, hear and adding on.

• Care of others – The fall season’s message includes care of the elderly, children and those sick or dying. Humans and animals need care. What will you do today to show care for another?

• Care for your projects – that which expresses your true essence. Has your labor turned sour? What can you do today for some project, love that you can put energy into?

Don’t put off until tomorrow what you can do today.

The Skye in June    

Peg legs

Should men wear skinny jeans? Explain.
Submitted by DenimHunt.

 I'm not a big fan of the skinny pants on dudes because most have the skinny peg legs. Reminds me of back in the day - my day, guys pegged thei pants and then there was the leather pants on like Rollin' Stones & musicians following, and come on - does that look sexy? Ha! Of course the bulge in front of the skinny pants can sex up one's mind. Now what about the guys with tree stumps legs, muscled up ones? Those are not very attractive in skinny pants either. Forget about it. We're done here.

I Belong to Glasgow/San Francisco

Where will this witch park her broom?

I am not a ABS,(American born Scot) I'm really a FOB ~ or FOA - off the airplane) legal alien. Born in Glasgow Scotland left in 1956 (been back several times) raised in San Francisco -  love the City but to those born native San Franciscans  I'm told  "Yeah sure, you're from here. Don't call yourself a native, gotta be born here."  As I gaze upon my lovely city by the bay, my heart flutters with it's beauty.

 

Alas, I've been told by Glaswegians, "Away wie ye, yer nay a real Scot, yankee." That's the relatives too. This photo is of my big sistah and me standing on Maule Drive in Glasgow's Partick district. We lived here in a kitchen & one room, pull-chain toilet, no bath before moving to a larger flat on Dumbarton Road. In '69 I visited my Granda on Maule Drive who then lived in it. 

Funny story -- in 2006 last time visited Glasgow, my husband, big sistah and I were walking down the main street, Dumbarton Road, (as featured in my novel) The Skye in June (not Joon) minding our own touristy business when we hear "JOON!!" We look at each other, alang the street runs a wee woman followed by a man - it's my cousin, Pat Burgoyne. She had an inkling that if they drove from Renfrew - outside of Glasgow - down Dumbarton, they'd see me - having heard we were in for a visit. A canny Scot, she is. True story. We Yanks have the sunglasses on.

 

" Perhaps like my father, I'm meant to roam around and the world can be home, where ever my broom is parked will be where I"m at in the moment.  Meanwhile, a place in my heart still belangs to Glasgow