Readers, please enjoy this guest blog post by Bernie Ashman, author of Sun Signs & Past Lives and SignMates. We are living during a time period, in my opinion, in which becoming empowered (through tapping into our talents and creative power from past lives) has never been so important! I say that as an optimist, as I am a Sagittarius and can’t help seeing the cup at least half full. But I still believe it to be true that the skills we learn in this life and the ability to develop new insights based on what we learn might not be enough to handle the challenges we will encounter. This is what inspired the writing of my new book, Sun Signs & Past Lives: Your Soul’s Evolutionary

Now that the amazing 2010 winter solstice, the 24-hour period with the least amount of sunlight, has passed (here at the Sea of Trees in So. Cal. we had rain and clouds and couldn't see the lunar eclipse), the Sun begins to make its triumphant return. For those of you who have already had late year holidays and festivals (Diwali, Hanukkah, Yule, and , uh, Festivus) and those about to have such festivals (Christmas, Kwanzaa), I hope you have had, or will have, the best celebration ever. And as the Sun returns, we begin to think of a better coming year with improved (or at least not deteriorating!) finances, happiness, and health. This often means changing our lives in a minor or major

One of the earliest forms of magic we learn is to wish upon a star. That, and making a wish and blowing out our birthday candles. At this time of year, I am always attracted to Star cards. They almost always seem to hold so much hope and promise. They fill my heart with wishes for peace on Earth and goodwill towards all. And I have less altruistic impulses as well. I wish for mundane things...I love getting and giving presents. So, as we celebrate our various holidays and give thanks for the return of the Light, what do hope for? What do you wish for? One thing I've wished for is the arrival of a special deck I've helped create. It's called the Pagan Cats Tarot and will be

Last night a full lunar eclipse occurred, just hours before today’s Winter Solstice. Many people around the world used this auspicious time for ritual, spell work, divination, meditation, and much more. I was one of them. I made a list of goals and wishes for the new year and focused my intentions with the powerful eclipse and the rebirth of the Sun in the Northern Hemisphere. I surrendered to my beloved dead a list of questions, asking them for greater insight from the other side. I meditated on peace and compassion for our planet. And I did a once-a-year divination using the I Ching. True, there aren’t many witches who use the I Ching. Most use tarot or runes. But the first