News

Simple Tarot Practices from Pam Christiansen

Tarot is a wonderful tool for self-reflection.
Here are some easy practices that yield valuable experiences.

1. Pick a card with a person on it. Have the intention of embodying that person
throughout your day.

For example, if you pick the Hermit, you may find yourself slowing
down a bit. You may find that your mind is more peaceful, and decisions are not rushed.
If you pick the Fool, this brings a new, more energetic sense of being. Lighthearted and open to new experiences. Play with the images and watch how your life options expand.

2. To enhance your dreams or to inform your waking life, sleep with a tarot card.

Let the card be the last image you see before going to sleep. If you have a question to answer, or a problem to solve you can use the card to give you specific information. Or be open to whatever message the card may have for you. This can be quit amazing.

The first time I did this, I slept with the Hierophant and dreamed of a teacher coming to me feeding me peanuts. Within a week a spiritual teacher came into my life and provided one of the most impactful experiences of my life.

3. Choose a card for the day and as you move about your world, watch for images that are similar in the card and in your world. Watch for similar shapes. Shapes are significant in themselves. Ask yourself what these images have to say to you. This is really fun especially if you have nature-based deck.

Today I think I’ll embody the Chariot and see where it takes me. Happy Tarot Travels!

 Pam 

Mercury Retrograde!

What is it? Some people make it sound really scary and hard. It doesn't have to be.

This is a time when it can look like Mercury is going backwards in its orbit. It's not actually going backwards. Mercury has a different obit from the Earth, it only takes Mercury 88 days to orbit the sun while it's takes us 365 days. So it's just an optical illusion.

However, during this time the energies can feel a bit intense. Communication can feel hard because Mercury is the ruler of communication. It can also feel like things break down a lot whether its small things like cellphones or other electronics or bigger things. During this time you can feel exhausted or emotional. It's ok, you aren't going crazy, a lot of people are feeling the same. Make sure to slow down and really support yourself right now. Drink a lot of water, get some extra rest, and make sure you are connecting to nature, in whatever way you can.

You can also have some stones around to you support you. Here's a few that Lou loves to work with right now! 

Labradorite~ Feel grounded, connect to your intuition, feel your inner magic/strength, and feel present in the here and now. 

Obsidian~ Ground down, feel protected. Obsidian creates a protective shield around you that really repels any energies that are not for the highest and greatest good. If you are feeling extra emotional consider working with Sheen, Velvet or Rainbow Obsidian. These three are truly beautiful formations of Obsidian that support the heart. They help with grieving and emotions by grounding and protecting you while also bringing ease to the heart.

Amazonite~ This is the stone that is all about feeling inner strength and having courage. It supports you in saying what you need to say. Which is a great stone to have right now since Mercury is the ruler of communication. When Mercury is Retrograding it can feel like communication isn't happening or its getting all screwy. Support your self and have the courage to say it. 

K2 Jasper~ Another awesome stone for grounding and bringing balance. This stone helps you ground down before you speak. Which can help you pause and let that filter kick in before you say something that might not be what you really want to say. 

Blue Kyanite~ Blue Kyanite opens the throat chakra to encourage communication.  It can help you break through blocks and let go of fear associated with speaking your truth. It can be a great stone to support public speaking. 

Fluorite~ "The Genius Stone". Fluorite helps you connect to your intellect and brings clarity of mind. Rainbow Fluorite really helps you connect to your body and what's around you. Green Fluorite is a little more focused on connecting the head and the heart. Help your brain focus on what it needs to right now. 

Selenite~ Clear and cleanse. This is a great stone for cleansing your energies, the energies around you, your space, and the stones you wear during the day. It's great to have a pieces by your front door to clear you as you enter your home. Having a piece to place your pocket stones and jewelry on after the day is great to help them removed the gunk f so they are ready to go the next day. 

Shungite~ Shungite is another protector. It grounds you and helps with radiation and EMF. Keep it near your electronics and wifi to protect yourself. Having this stone during Mercury Retrograde is great because some times electronics act up a bit during this time. Having a piece stuck to your phone or on your person can really help limit major issues with your electronics. 

Follow us on Instagram @hiddengembainbridge for more ideas to support yourself  during Mercury Retrograde.

Stay grounded and go with the flow right now. 

Energy can get stuck all too easily in the physical and emotional body.

Spring is the best time to get things moving. And self care is one of the best ways to help do it. 

How do you know if energy is stuck? And how do you get it moving? These questions might be going though your head right now. No worries. Take a deep breath and keep reading. 

How do you know if energy is stuck? 

First off, you may feel slower or bogged down physically, emotionally and mentally. You might feel physical pain or discomfort that just won't go away no matter what you do. You might feel like one thought just keeps popping back up into your head. You might be feeling a specific emotion even when it doesn't feel connected to your present self. Or you might feel easily triggered by something or someone that brings out stronger reactions or feelings. 

Ok how do I get things moving and remove blocks?

Self-care is such a simple beautiful way to support yourself. Baths, meditation, massage, grounding, movement, and crystals. It's simple but can feel overwhelming at first just keep in mind that you need to do what's best for you. Everyone has their favorite self care rituals. Here are some ideas. 

Baths

Take an intentional bath. Intentional baths are focused, slow and meditative. By lighting candles and adding crystals to a regular bathing experience you can set an intention for your bath such as "I will sit with my anger."

Meditation

Still or moving. There are many guided mediations on youtube. You could watch a candle while taking deep breath. You can go for a walk making sure to go slow and take it all in. 

Grounding

Being in nature is so therapeutic. It can give silence that is hard to come by in our every day lives. Being in nature can also give you a sacred space to speak out loud for no one else to hear. Making noises you wouldn't normally is extremely helpful in getting energy moving in the body especially for the throat and heart. Touching the trees, rocks and dirt, feeling the ground beneath your feet can help you feel connected to the earth and move energy out the legs and feet. 

Stretching/ Mindful Movement

Stretching into those sticky spots can feel good but if you don't do some focused work on your emotional body the icky feeling will linger or just keep coming back. Using a foam roller, walking, doing yoga these are all great things to mindfully stretch. 

There are a lot of thing to do and feel, so to keep your self from getting overwhelmed start small and remember you don't have to do everything. 

Getting Reiki and other energy work such as acupuncture and massage done is also a beautiful way to take care of your self with the help of another person. 

If you are ready to do some serious energetic healing I would recommend visiting https://www.lightbirdhealing.com. I have been working with Myna for a few years now and have really seen the transformation in myself. Of course it takes time and work and nothing happens over night. But you can do it

Love & Healing,

Lou

Manifestation is easier than it may initially seem.

Breathing: A Selfcare Practice to Connect to the Universe Within

The world spins at such a fast clip that it’s easy to get spun out and lose your Self. We can feel this separation as uneasiness or agitation. Take these tangible sensations as cues to pause so you can realign your energy. Literally, stop. Feel into your physical body and then allow yourself to release into the pull of gravity, reconnecting with the physical world here and now. Next, take a moment to look up and out or choose to close your eyes and turn inward. You might already feel your body soften or you may hear yourself exhale. Bring your attention to your breath and watch your body being breathed - inhaling and exhaling all on its own. As the body exhales, feel yourself let go as you surrender to the moment. Let the sound and rhythm of your breath soothe you.

Your breath is the gateway to a vast universe that lies within the physical body. By skillfully cultivating and sculpting the breath, you have the power to change your physiology and neurology, altering how you feel and your state of being. Depending upon which breath technique is used, you can shift from agitation to calmness, from distracted to focused, or from lethargic to energized.

One calming and accessible technique is diaphragmatic breathing, where you breathe through the nose into the low belly, in a sense, bypassing the ribcage. Diaphragmatic breathing encourages full oxygen exchange, regulates your heartbeat, and reduces anxiety and stress. 

It is best to practice lying down, but diaphragmatic breathing can also be done standing or sitting. To try it:

1. Place one hand on your abdomen and one hand on your chest.
2. Breathe in slowly through your nose directing your breath toward the low belly without forcing. You will feel the abdomen rise while the chest remains still.
3. Let the exhale be easy and natural. 

Once you feel comfortable belly breathing, start shaping the breath.

1. Continue breathing diaphragmatically.
2. Begin counting the length of your inhalation and exhalation.
3. Gently and equally lengthen the inhale and exhale without causing stress or anxiety.
4. Follow the path of the breath with the mind’s eye and allow the mind to rest in its rhythm.
5. In time, lengthen the exhalation so that eventually it becomes twice as long as the inhalation.

Practice 5-10 minutes a day to reconnect with your Self and to change your state of being. 

This wonderful information is shared by Sara Tuminello 

Sara Tuminello is an artist and designer who enjoys weaving together a variety of disciplines. She is the creator of the empowering and supportive Haven Oracle Deck — a set of universal affirmations born from her relationship with yoga and breathwork. She shares these transformational tools in accessible private and weekly group yoga classes.

Why is Shopping Small and Local Important 

An opinion piece by Lou 

Have you been hearing “Buy Local”, “Support Local,” “Shop Small,” “Shop Women-Owned” a lot lately? Sometimes it feels like it’s all that’s being talked about, and seems to be a big movement in the last few years, and especially this year. But do you know what it actually means?

There is so much that goes into these sayings so let’s break it down. 

What does shop small mean? It means to shop from small businesses, supporting small locally-owned shops over big business. 

Here are some deeper thoughts: shopping at small businesses does some truly amazing things. It’s awesome to buy from a store that knows you as a person, from people who are there to help you get exactly what you need. Maybe they make all of their own products, or source from other small businesses, creating a beautiful community of support. 

Is buying from small businesses easier? Sometimes- you can definitely get a more personalized shopping experience from a small business, which can make finding that special something easier.  But sometimes shopping small isn’t the most convenient. Small businesses don’t usually employ a lot of people, so if they are out of stock and they make their own products it takes time to get things made and ready. Or maybe there’s an item they don’t have in stock at that moment and they need to order it for you. The wait might be longer than if you bought it online, because perhaps they don’t buy in bulk, or are buying from another small maker. This can be frustrating - especially when you know you can get that exact item or a very similar item from Amazon. But there’s a HUGE difference in buying from Amazon and buying directly from the maker or a small business. 

You can choose to support the faceless ‘big business.’ OR, you can choose to buy from a small business and help someone in your community, and maybe even make a new friend. That maker or entrepreneur has invested everything into a dream, working hard to succeed with their passion. They often work long, hard hours, and this year, probably just barely staying afloat. Small businesses are trying hard to stay open and keep their few employees employed. Shopping at a small business is supporting the single mom, the person who quit their job to finally pursue their dream, the person who invested their life savings into an idea, and the young family wanting to make the world a better place. 

Ok what is the big deal about buying local AND small? You are supporting your local economy which in turn gives back to the people in your community; it creates jobs! 

Shopping local is also best for the environment. By buying from a local business you can bypass shipping, saving money all around. It also reduces waste, because reducing shipping eliminates the need for packaging and lowers the amount of single use plastics. Buying from local shops also cuts back on emissions; the ‘footprint’ of your item is smaller, reducing pollution from the decrease in shipping. Lastly, shopping locally also helps you meet and know the people in your area. There are so many talented makers here in the Pacific Northwest, and we love supporting them the best that we can. Shopping local helps your neighbors to pay rent and keep the doors open. It can come at a higher sticker price, but it’s worth it to know that your money is staying in your community- which helps you, too! 

  This holiday season, and going forward, let’s work hard to make intentional purchases. Make sure to spend your money wisely, supporting the people and places you want to be around for the long haul. 

"As a dream worker, I am quite focused on my sleep at night, including the quality and duration of time I sleep. We spend approximately one third of our lifetime sleeping.

Allow me to guide you through a sleep ritual, so that you may increase your dream recall." - Amy Curran