In one of the subplots of The Merchant of Venice, Jessica (Shylock's daughter) elopes with Lorenzo. It's true love. In act 5, they are sitting together and gazing up at the sky. Lorenzo's speech is one of Shakespeare's most evocative:How sweet the moonlight sleeps upon this bank!Here will we sit and let the sounds of musicCreep in our ears: soft stillness and the nightBecome the touches of sweet harmony.Sit, Jessica. Look how the floor of heavenIs thick inlaid with patines of bright gold: ...
Fall is a time of quick changes and bright colors. In temperate zones, the temperature drops and witches know the harvest is almost complete. On this early fall day, it's time for deep engagement with the lively and colorful side of nature. Go outside and collect elements of fall that call to you. Please take your time! These may be maple, elm, birch, hawthorn, oak, hickory, or hazel leaves. You may be drawn to pine cones, nuts, rose hips, fallen branches, gourds, or the last vestiges of life ...
As the wheel of the year continues to turn ever so rapidly toward a new year, let's take a breather today and slow things down. The goal is to move forward these next few months with greater intent and purpose. It is time to create a potion to add to your bath. First, take a small piece of aquamarine and let it sit in a bowl of spring water under the moonlight for three hours. Aquamarine ushers in peace, instills courage, and purifies. It is a symbol of sea goddesses from across the globe. It ...
Clearing clutter gets energy moving, dissolves blocks, and clears the way for beautiful new conditions and ideas to flow in. And today's a great day for it. Diffuse some essential oil or light some incense (or skip this step). Play some music that matches your mood. (Music moves your energy through your emotions, so when you choose music that matches your mood, it strikes the chord that will most effectively help get your personal energy flowing.) Now go through a particular finite area, such ...