Winter Solstice, Yule, Christmas, etc

This year like so many of my resent past, I have not been in the mood for the tree, decorations, merriment etc for Yule/Winter Solstice.  Money tight, working etc just doesn't seem the same as when the kids were little.  Anyway, Mike and Rhonda decided I needed my decorations up, so they decided to use my Samhain tree (black with white lights) and it seemed fitting for my first Yule in this apartment so I said do what you wish.  I sat at the computer trying to figure out what I was making my Mom, have my Dad's gift done, but not at that point and thinking about how I use to be able to afford to get my boys the gifts on their list.  Then it hit me... RIGHT!  I had a husband with a very decent job!  I wasn't paying the bills alone, I wasn't trying to figure out how I was going to fix my truck blah blah and blah.  So then and there I decided, Yule isn't about gifts and stockings full of fun, it is about the Winter Solstice!  Goddess giving birth to the Sun God and new beginnings!
I love that my parents and I are having a home-made gift exchange this year, we are all 'crafty' in one way or another and it is going to be my favorite part! 
Found out my adopted son is going to be coming home this year and I haven't seen him in 2 years so it is going to be the best part for me!
Below are pictures of the decorations and my mantle, but I wanted to add... no matter the tradition you hold in your family what is important is that you are together at some point and that in my case, I celebrate the re-birth of the Sun God and have a festive dinner with my children, some fun with some friends and celebrate the Winter Solstice with my meditation group!
So, that being said, I will start Sunday at Moot the them is 'Drumming in the Sun' and the Ritual Dragon Drummers will be there along with many of my friends from the wiccan/pagan community, my 2 son's and their girls will be here for a turkey dinner on the 21st, my meditation group is doing a ritual for Winter Solstice on the Thursday and then I am working Friday - Tuesday.  I will get to see my other son Christmas morning and that makes me very happy!  I keep Christmas for Joe who is my birth youngest and doesn't accept my Wiccan/Pagan faith, well not accept but doesn't acknowledge is more like it.  So, they will get their gifts on the 21st and stockings on the 25th and whoever can be here before I go to bed is welcomed.  I am sure it will be Ryan and Mike and his girl.  Joe will go to their dad's to be there Christmas morning with their little brother.
So whatever your faith, tradition or mindset... have a very blessed time over the holidays!  Be safe and feel love, I will miss my family this year since I have to work, but they are in my heart.
Pictures!

Tree 2011

The stockings were hung



Love my Mantle! Mike did a Great job



Mantle close up

Found this in Pinterest.com and thought it was very fitting, I hope you enjoy it and have a lovely time with your family and friends over the holidays!

May God and Goddess bless and keep you safe during the merry season,
~Blessed Be~

Meditation Wednesdays

Since I have been off work I have been attending a group meditation session on Wednesday's and I have learned so much from this bunch of ladies!  Nada runs the group, feeds us and keeps us on our learning quest.  She has agreed to send me the link to any online meditations they do so I can do them once I get a sound card and Nona will grab any handouts for me.  I have had such a wonderful time with these women and am sad to be leaving them.

With that said we did a meditation on the opening of the 3rd eye chakra, now I have been told by many card readers, tea leaf reader and a psychic that I need to work on that area since it is almost ready.  So half way through the meditation I started sweating had to take my hoodie off, felt like I was going to throw up the vibrations were so strong.  As soon as the meditation was over I had to go stand outside and get fresh cooler air.  It was the most amazing meditation that I have been a part of.

We then had our healing circle for Patty's friend that is in the hospital with brain cancer helping her to find the way to a safe cross over and showing her love.  I was holding Patty's hand and towards the end of the healing meditation it was like there was a fire between our hands it was so hot it was  hard to keep our hands together.  It was so moving!

I am going to miss you ladies, well most of them LOL there are a couple I think come for the free booze that Nada always has out and the one is very loud and obnoxious. 

Missing my Grand's

Lately while doing my meditation studies I have been seeing the colours red, black and white and those colours make me think of my Nanny.  With her white hair and blouse and her red vest and black skirts.  It is funny when both my Nanny and Poppa were still alive, I use to dream of a green house and a green chair next to a fireplace with a brown leather chair on the other side of the fireplace and I knew my Grandmother and Grandfather were watching over me and that felt safe, and now I since going through what I can only call my 'breakdown' it seems my Nanny is close by and it feels like she is hugging me sometimes and other times just sitting on the side of my bed.  These are lovely feelings; I feel the love of my grandparents from both sides sending it out to me and I am forever grateful and wish I knew how to send them love back.

I think my urge for sewing and knitting right now are my connecting with my grandmothers somehow, wow I am actually crying as I write this out lol I am such an old sap! lol

Reading my cousin's blog today and how she dealt with her bickering kids reminded me so much of our Nanny and how much she loved all of us Grand's and the Great Grand's and would have been thrilled to have meet the Great Great Grand's.  Thank you Michelle for reminding me of the loving nature of Doris we were so lucky to have had her for as long as we did and to have Poppa even longer was such a wonderful blessing. 

I have OFTEN thought about how it would have been to have my Mom's parents see us grow up into the adults we have become, I wish they could have seen us and all our kids, I think they would have enjoyed it a great deal! 

To Thomas, Olive, Doris and Frank, I miss each of you so much and for some reason a lot today.  May you all keep watching over all of us and sending us the love we sometimes do not think we deserve. 
I love you all very much. 
Sharron Colleen

New Doctor

Well I met with my new Doctor this morning, Dr. Michael Amit Rana.  He is young and very smart.  I like his thoughts on healing the whole person.  He did his undergrad work in mental health and is all about healing the body and the mind as one.  He isn't into writing prescriptions and has a drop in style of practice that way if you really need to be seen, you will be.
Tomorrow he is doing a complete blood work up and requesting my files from my other doctor.  He is going to be stunned with all the prescriptions as he has no affiliations with any drug companies and doesn't allow them in his office.  If there is a holistic way to heal something then that is tried first then prescriptions.  He was shocked at the levels of medication I take for my anxiety and depression and said I truly need to practice meditation daily a few times a day will make it easier for me to learn.  He also suggests jogging and yoga.

Well I am interested to see where this new chapter in my life leads me, a healther me could mean a happier me, what next??????
NAP TIME!!! lol  too cold out side and in here going to go to my bed later peeps btw looking for yule ornament Ideas!

Good Morning Everyone!

Today is going to be a wonderful day!

I am stitching on a Halloween design, knitting balls for my grandson, so he doesn't mame anyone while he is in his throwing stage and hope to do a few rows on my shawl.

Today I will be attempting to clear a meditation area in my bedroom, I really need to start practicing meditation more, it is hard to clear a jumbled mind like mine, but I really need to start trying if I want to un-jumble it LOL

I thoughts and prayers are with my Eva and Rob, not knowing when or where you are going to have to move for your job has got to suck majorly!

Today is your day guys, and if I had phone service I would call you I miss and love you so much!

*Blessed Woden's Day!

*Light Purple candles

*Burn incense of Cinnamon, Cinquefoil, Mastic, Storax

*Wednesday is ruled by Mercury

*Wednesday's angels: Raphael and Michael

*Wednesday's Stones: Stones: Fluorite, aventurine, onyx

*Work with conjurations, predictions, knowledge, writing, eloquence

*Lucky Sign: Wednesday Is The Lucky Day For Gemini And Virgo

*Dieties: Anubis, Enki, Hag, Hecate & Carmenta, Hel, Hermes & Mercury, Maat, Morrigan, Nike, Odin, Raphael, Aset , Demeter, Ceres, Spider Woman, Bona Dea, Oya, Devi-Kali, Hella, Rhiannon, Coatlique, Maman Brigette, Sekhmet, Het Heret are honored today.