Readers, please enjoy this guest blog post by Ileana Abrev, author of the new Rainbow of Spells. When I was growing up, colour was a big part of my family’s spiritual life. I grew up in Cuba with a Santero father, a faithful follower of Santeria. When Cuba was colonized, the Spaniards brought Catholicism and thousands of slaves came with them. These were from the Yoruba tribe in Africa. The priest tried to convert them to Catholicism, but they wouldn't convert until they found similarities with Catholic Saints and their Deities. This was the birth of Santeria. Santeria focuses a lot on color; each deity has their color that reinforces their attributes. Since I was little, I knew the

Readers, please enjoy this guest blog post by Ileana Abrev, author of the new Mindful Mama. Speculations continue about whether maternal feelings are spiritual, bodily, or environmental in nature and cause. Regardless of from where these feelings arise, the maternal essence is there. This essence resides within a woman from the moment she is born. Over time, it grows just as brightly as a lotus flower. I like to believe that each petal is a stage of the essence that makes as women, mothers, daughters, sisters, grandmothers, granddaughters, partners, wives, aunts, stepmoms, and even in adopted parents. Writing Mindful Mama has given me further insight into nurturing life and the power