Category Archives: earth

Guest Blogger – Sheri Horn Hasan – The Spirited Woman: The Return Of The Matriarchy (Part Three)

For spirited women everywhere, the Spring Equinox is a big deal - it is an annual turning point in our lives and reflects many changes. But why does it affect us so? I invited Sheri Horn Hasan, an expert in Karmic Evolution Astrology back as our guest blogger to give us some answers - since her posts on Mercury in Retrograde were such a big hit. This time she has written a three-part series on the Spring Equinox and how it really influences the divine feminine in us all. This is Sheri’s final post in the series.

As the Spirited Woman journeys into the season of Spring, she understands now that-- while the Sun is in the Mars-ruled sign of Aries—she’s blessed with the instinctual capability to act or react.

It’s easy to see how “instinct,” defined as “a natural or inherent aptitude, impulse, or capacity,” has morphed from female archetypal energy (such as that of Artemis from the ancient past) toward the male-oriented martial principle of action in these more modern patriarchal times.

However, it’s intuition--defined as “a natural ability or power that makes it possible to know something without any proof or evidence”—that connects every Spirited Woman to the feminine divine and the days when the natural cycles of the matriarchy were far more revered than they are today.

Your Moon & You

The energy of one’s Moon--which represents our emotions, our soul, our inner child-- does not replace Mars or the martial principle. Rather, each Spirited Woman’s astrological Moon incorporates within both male and female-oriented instinct and intuition.

When the Spirited Woman allows herself to tap into this deep vein of archetypal intuitive AND instinctive wisdom, a big picture emotional awareness emerges from the depths of her soul. Without honoring both, we may lose our way and traverse paths that leave us only exhausted and depleted, rather than emotionally satisfied and fulfilled.

Astrology breaks down the 12 astrological signs into four elements: fire, earth, air, and water. Every Spirited Woman has a Moon in her personal horoscope, or natal/birth chart, and the element of your Moon tells us how you react emotionally and what you need to feel secure in this lifetime.

How easy or difficult it is to live one’s Moon energy depends on its sign, location in the chart, and its aspects to other planets and sensitive chart points.

Fire & Air Moons

Fire Moons--Aries, Leo, and Sagittarius—encompass adventurousness of spirit, creativity, and a generally unabashed sense of joie de vivre. The Spirited Woman born with a fire Moon may leap before she looks, react before she thinks, and is undoubtedly imbued with a fire burning within.

Fire Moons may act quickly, but if the impulse to act is stifled it can result in issues that “somatize,” or manifest as potential dis-ease in the body. A fire Moon Spirited Woman must express her creative impulses in order to be true to her nature. While she may find she’s moved too quickly into anger or defensiveness at times, this is far better than suppressing the urge to move, create, express, or engage in life with gusto!

Earth Moons—Taurus, Virgo, and Capricorn—are far more concerned with security and keeping their feet on terra firma, or solid ground. The Spirited Woman with an earth Moon may be conscious of what’s in her bank account, be an expert at detailed work, and/or possess the desire to climb the upwardly mobile ladder to success.

The issue to watch out for here is getting stuck—or too attached—to your body, your perfectionism, or a belief system that may not reflect the Spirited Woman’s true core values. Allow your earth Moon to intuitively dig deeply into the wisdom of your body and to obey the laws of the universe to understand that the one true constancy is change!

Also, it pays to be mindful that true security is not rooted in what you own, and success lies not necessarily in how many resources you may accrue. Rather, real peace of mind is gained by getting to the core of your soul’s definition of the value of TRUE happiness…

Earth & Water Moons

Air Moons—Gemini, Libra, & Aquarius—are usually social, rational thinkers. Curious and loquacious, their concern with fairness and equality in partnership, and communication of ideas trump their need for action.

The air Moon Spirited Woman must guard against allowing ideas to confuse rather than enlighten. Also, over-concern with “right” relations may eclipse the personal will. When compromise becomes the only solution for every situation, it may come at the expense of getting what you want—at least some of the time.

Additionally, watch out for ideas that become so fixed that your perception of “right” belongs only to you but isn’t shared by anybody else…and be alert to the propensity to rationalize your emotions instead of FEELING them…

Finally, water Moons—Cancer, Scorpio, and Pisces—are visceral because they feel their emotions acutely. Of all the elements, Water Moons are most likely to be highly sensitive, and to exhibit compassion, loyalty, sympathy, and empathy through deep and lasting emotional bonding.

This propensity to absorb other people’s pain in an attempt to alleviate the sufferer can land the water Moon Spirited Woman in a bit of hot water as she may ultimately find she attempts to escape her own emotions by absorbing herself in those of others. This is a slippery slope, though on the other side of the coin, water Moons are extremely intuitive, emotionally deep, and spiritually connected...

Fire, air, earth or water—one thing is for sure: The Spirited Woman’s Moon puts her in touch with her divinely inspired feminine wisdom. As many of us already know, when women concentrate on accessing their precious gift of intuitive wisdom, the results are often most amazing!

SheriHornHasanAmazon #1 Bestseller & professional intuitive psychological/archetypal/evolutionary astrologer at Karmic Evolution Astrology, Sheri Horn Hasan analyzes natal horoscopes as the blueprint that can help one’s soul to recognize & reach its highest destiny in this lifetime. Her mission is to assist others to move from chaos to clarity and co-create their own future through astrology! Read Sheri’s story about her astrological awakening!

Guest Blogger – Sheri Horn Hasan – The Spirited Woman: The Return Of The Matriarchy (Part Three)

For spirited women everywhere, the Spring Equinox is a big deal - it is an annual turning point in our lives and reflects many changes. But why does it affect us so? I invited Sheri Horn Hasan, an expert in Karmic Evolution Astrology back as our guest blogger to give us some answers - since her posts on Mercury in Retrograde were such a big hit. This time she has written a three-part series on the Spring Equinox and how it really influences the divine feminine in us all. This is Sheri’s final post in the series.

As the Spirited Woman journeys into the season of Spring, she understands now that-- while the Sun is in the Mars-ruled sign of Aries—she’s blessed with the instinctual capability to act or react.

It’s easy to see how “instinct,” defined as “a natural or inherent aptitude, impulse, or capacity,” has morphed from female archetypal energy (such as that of Artemis from the ancient past) toward the male-oriented martial principle of action in these more modern patriarchal times.

However, it’s intuition--defined as “a natural ability or power that makes it possible to know something without any proof or evidence”—that connects every Spirited Woman to the feminine divine and the days when the natural cycles of the matriarchy were far more revered than they are today.

Your Moon & You

The energy of one’s Moon--which represents our emotions, our soul, our inner child-- does not replace Mars or the martial principle. Rather, each Spirited Woman’s astrological Moon incorporates within both male and female-oriented instinct and intuition.

When the Spirited Woman allows herself to tap into this deep vein of archetypal intuitive AND instinctive wisdom, a big picture emotional awareness emerges from the depths of her soul. Without honoring both, we may lose our way and traverse paths that leave us only exhausted and depleted, rather than emotionally satisfied and fulfilled.

Astrology breaks down the 12 astrological signs into four elements: fire, earth, air, and water. Every Spirited Woman has a Moon in her personal horoscope, or natal/birth chart, and the element of your Moon tells us how you react emotionally and what you need to feel secure in this lifetime.

How easy or difficult it is to live one’s Moon energy depends on its sign, location in the chart, and its aspects to other planets and sensitive chart points.

Fire & Air Moons

Fire Moons--Aries, Leo, and Sagittarius—encompass adventurousness of spirit, creativity, and a generally unabashed sense of joie de vivre. The Spirited Woman born with a fire Moon may leap before she looks, react before she thinks, and is undoubtedly imbued with a fire burning within.

Fire Moons may act quickly, but if the impulse to act is stifled it can result in issues that “somatize,” or manifest as potential dis-ease in the body. A fire Moon Spirited Woman must express her creative impulses in order to be true to her nature. While she may find she’s moved too quickly into anger or defensiveness at times, this is far better than suppressing the urge to move, create, express, or engage in life with gusto!

Earth Moons—Taurus, Virgo, and Capricorn—are far more concerned with security and keeping their feet on terra firma, or solid ground. The Spirited Woman with an earth Moon may be conscious of what’s in her bank account, be an expert at detailed work, and/or possess the desire to climb the upwardly mobile ladder to success.

The issue to watch out for here is getting stuck—or too attached—to your body, your perfectionism, or a belief system that may not reflect the Spirited Woman’s true core values. Allow your earth Moon to intuitively dig deeply into the wisdom of your body and to obey the laws of the universe to understand that the one true constancy is change!

Also, it pays to be mindful that true security is not rooted in what you own, and success lies not necessarily in how many resources you may accrue. Rather, real peace of mind is gained by getting to the core of your soul’s definition of the value of TRUE happiness…

Earth & Water Moons

Air Moons—Gemini, Libra, & Aquarius—are usually social, rational thinkers. Curious and loquacious, their concern with fairness and equality in partnership, and communication of ideas trump their need for action.

The air Moon Spirited Woman must guard against allowing ideas to confuse rather than enlighten. Also, over-concern with “right” relations may eclipse the personal will. When compromise becomes the only solution for every situation, it may come at the expense of getting what you want—at least some of the time.

Additionally, watch out for ideas that become so fixed that your perception of “right” belongs only to you but isn’t shared by anybody else…and be alert to the propensity to rationalize your emotions instead of FEELING them…

Finally, water Moons—Cancer, Scorpio, and Pisces—are visceral because they feel their emotions acutely. Of all the elements, Water Moons are most likely to be highly sensitive, and to exhibit compassion, loyalty, sympathy, and empathy through deep and lasting emotional bonding.

This propensity to absorb other people’s pain in an attempt to alleviate the sufferer can land the water Moon Spirited Woman in a bit of hot water as she may ultimately find she attempts to escape her own emotions by absorbing herself in those of others. This is a slippery slope, though on the other side of the coin, water Moons are extremely intuitive, emotionally deep, and spiritually connected...

Fire, air, earth or water—one thing is for sure: The Spirited Woman’s Moon puts her in touch with her divinely inspired feminine wisdom. As many of us already know, when women concentrate on accessing their precious gift of intuitive wisdom, the results are often most amazing!

SheriHornHasanAmazon #1 Bestseller & professional intuitive psychological/archetypal/evolutionary astrologer at Karmic Evolution Astrology, Sheri Horn Hasan analyzes natal horoscopes as the blueprint that can help one’s soul to recognize & reach its highest destiny in this lifetime. Her mission is to assist others to move from chaos to clarity and co-create their own future through astrology! Read Sheri’s story about her astrological awakening!

Guest Blogger – Sheri Horn Hasan – The Deeper Meaning Mercury Of Retrograde

MercuryretrogradeIt appears that a multitude of spirited women are interested in astrology. The stars seem to fascinate us. From sun signs to rising signs we are hooked. And often times, when a Mercury in Retrograde period comes up, which we are in now - we panic just a bit - because we have read so many negative things about it. I invited Sheri Horn Hasan, an expert in Karmic Evolution Astrology to do a three-part series on Mercury in Retrograde - but from a positive perspective. This is Sheri’s first post.

I turned to the study of astrology (a subject about which I'd always been curious) when I was diagnosed with a chronic, incurable, potentially-debilitating autoimmune disease nearly 16 years ago - to help me make sense of my world. I'd love to share with spirited women everywhere how the power of understanding the energies of the universe may lead us toward greater self-acceptance, self-love, empowerment, and true soul growth.

When I began my journey toward greater self-awareness, the first step became the realization that life is always a matter of choice and that my future lies in my hands and no one else's. Now a professional astrologer and past life regression facilitator (in addition to my work as a professional writing coach & editor), I believe the universe is benign, always works in our best interest, and provides us with continual and consistent opportunities to grow in consciousness each and every moment of each and every day.

While our egos may not always get what they want, we may rest assured the universe will always provide the spirited woman's soul with what it needs.

So when Mercury retrograde periods happen, as they do 3-4 times per year, instead of quaking in my boots, I began to go deep about how this time is better spent recognizing it as an opportunity for me--and all spirited women--to become wiser.

Many people think of these periods--when the planet Mercury appears to stop in its tracks in the sky and move backward for approximately 21 days—as times when communication between humans on Earth gets all screwed up.

Indeed, often we do miss appointments, lose our cell phones, forget our plane tickets, suffer the agonizing indignity of not having our phone calls or emails returned—for weeks!—and generally miss the small print on just about everything, from major contracts to minor purchases.

Never heard of it? Then let me give it to you straight: Mercury retrograde periods—which will occur four times in 2016—are meant to help, not harm, us.

We are, in fact, in a Mercury retrograde period right now--one that began on January 5. This period will last until January 25 when Mercury appears to stand still and then begin to move forward slowly, gradually picking up speed as he goes.

The good news?

This period--often one in which other astrologers shout dire warnings about not signing contracts, making large new purchases (especially of electronic equipment), starting a new project, or forming a new business--actually presents the spirited woman with the capability to incorporate her innate intuitive knowledge (from her subconscious) into the more empirical part of her brain as true wisdom.

Similarly, the reason astrologers tell you that Mercury retrograde periods are a time to engage in all of the  “re’s”—i.e., to re-do, re-think, re-organize, re-process, re-evaluate, re-view, etc.—is because we’re also being given the opportunity to take information collected consciously and to process it into our unconscious.

This cannot happen, however, without a suspension of the more logical portion of our brains, with often results in the kind of confusion that leads one to think she's purchased the tickets but hasn't, to leave one's cell phone on the bus, or generally get communication signals crossed in one way or another.

However, the result--an increase in the spirited woman's consciously realized creative capability and resulting empowerment--is almost always worth it!

Stay tuned! Next week: More About THIS Mercury Retrograde Period!

SheriHornHasanAmazon #1 Bestseller & professional intuitive psychological/archetypal/evolutionary astrologer at Karmic Evolution Astrology, Sheri Horn Hasan analyzes natal horoscopes as the blueprint that can help one’s soul to recognize & reach its highest destiny in this lifetime. Her mission is to assist others to move from chaos to clarity and co-create their own future through astrology! Read Sheri’s story about her astrological awakening!

Guest Blogger – Sheri Horn Hasan – The Deeper Meaning Mercury Of Retrograde

MercuryretrogradeIt appears that a multitude of spirited women are interested in astrology. The stars seem to fascinate us. From sun signs to rising signs we are hooked. And often times, when a Mercury in Retrograde period comes up, which we are in now - we panic just a bit - because we have read so many negative things about it. I invited Sheri Horn Hasan, an expert in Karmic Evolution Astrology to do a three-part series on Mercury in Retrograde - but from a positive perspective. This is Sheri’s first post.

I turned to the study of astrology (a subject about which I'd always been curious) when I was diagnosed with a chronic, incurable, potentially-debilitating autoimmune disease nearly 16 years ago - to help me make sense of my world. I'd love to share with spirited women everywhere how the power of understanding the energies of the universe may lead us toward greater self-acceptance, self-love, empowerment, and true soul growth.

When I began my journey toward greater self-awareness, the first step became the realization that life is always a matter of choice and that my future lies in my hands and no one else's. Now a professional astrologer and past life regression facilitator (in addition to my work as a professional writing coach & editor), I believe the universe is benign, always works in our best interest, and provides us with continual and consistent opportunities to grow in consciousness each and every moment of each and every day.

While our egos may not always get what they want, we may rest assured the universe will always provide the spirited woman's soul with what it needs.

So when Mercury retrograde periods happen, as they do 3-4 times per year, instead of quaking in my boots, I began to go deep about how this time is better spent recognizing it as an opportunity for me--and all spirited women--to become wiser.

Many people think of these periods--when the planet Mercury appears to stop in its tracks in the sky and move backward for approximately 21 days—as times when communication between humans on Earth gets all screwed up.

Indeed, often we do miss appointments, lose our cell phones, forget our plane tickets, suffer the agonizing indignity of not having our phone calls or emails returned—for weeks!—and generally miss the small print on just about everything, from major contracts to minor purchases.

Never heard of it? Then let me give it to you straight: Mercury retrograde periods—which will occur four times in 2016—are meant to help, not harm, us.

We are, in fact, in a Mercury retrograde period right now--one that began on January 5. This period will last until January 25 when Mercury appears to stand still and then begin to move forward slowly, gradually picking up speed as he goes.

The good news?

This period--often one in which other astrologers shout dire warnings about not signing contracts, making large new purchases (especially of electronic equipment), starting a new project, or forming a new business--actually presents the spirited woman with the capability to incorporate her innate intuitive knowledge (from her subconscious) into the more empirical part of her brain as true wisdom.

Similarly, the reason astrologers tell you that Mercury retrograde periods are a time to engage in all of the  “re’s”—i.e., to re-do, re-think, re-organize, re-process, re-evaluate, re-view, etc.—is because we’re also being given the opportunity to take information collected consciously and to process it into our unconscious.

This cannot happen, however, without a suspension of the more logical portion of our brains, with often results in the kind of confusion that leads one to think she's purchased the tickets but hasn't, to leave one's cell phone on the bus, or generally get communication signals crossed in one way or another.

However, the result--an increase in the spirited woman's consciously realized creative capability and resulting empowerment--is almost always worth it!

Stay tuned! Next week: More About THIS Mercury Retrograde Period!

SheriHornHasanAmazon #1 Bestseller & professional intuitive psychological/archetypal/evolutionary astrologer at Karmic Evolution Astrology, Sheri Horn Hasan analyzes natal horoscopes as the blueprint that can help one’s soul to recognize & reach its highest destiny in this lifetime. Her mission is to assist others to move from chaos to clarity and co-create their own future through astrology! Read Sheri’s story about her astrological awakening!

Who Is Choosing to Lose the Fight?


I've been musing all day about this v. good post by Theodora Goss. Goss is discussing, in particular, how one grows as a writer, but I think that what she says has broader applications to other areas of our lives, including our desire for spiritual and magical growth and our attempts to integrate Fire and capital-W-Will into our lives. Goss says:
I was thinking about the quality of courage today.

I suppose I was thinking about it because I’d seen some things recently that were not at all courageous. That were cowardly. I’m not thinking in terms of physical courage or cowardice. I’m thinking about how we all deal with our lives. The problem is that courage is a sort of muscle. If you don’t use it, the muscle becomes weaker, eventually atrophies. And then you can’t use it, you can’t lift what you need to, or even bend where you need to because it has become stiffer, less flexible.

Courage needs to be exercised.

. . .

Often, it seems to me, when you do something that requires more courage, it ends up being easier than the thing that requires less.

. . .

Each time you put yourself out there in some way, each time you do something that takes courage, you’re exercising that muscle so the next thing becomes easier.

. . .

On the other hand, if you routinely avoid what you fear, you start to believe that you really can’t do whatever it is. And you shrink from other things as well, thinking you can’t do them either.

. . .

And how, you may ask, do you build courage, if it really is a muscle, as I claim?

1. Find something you’re afraid of.

2. Do it.

3. Repeat steps 1 and 2, as many times as necessary.

That was the thought I had today, because what I saw instead was cowardice, which led to weakness, which led to more cowardice and weakness in a feedback loop. And none of us wants to be there, dying a thousand times before our death. Among other things, it’s no way to be a writer.

Goss' discussion reminds me of an October 2010 podcast by T. Thorn Coyle in which Coyle said:
And, where's the struggle? Is it a struggle of not believing in yourself? Is it a struggle of feeling like you don't have the resources you need? Is it a struggle of of lack of time, lack of energy? Is it a struggle of lack of support around you? Or lack of support from your daily practice? Is it the fear of success? The fear of failure? Where's that struggle?

My trainer, Carrie Rockland, with whom I do a trade that's very fruitful for both of us -- we end up teaching each other, which I greatly appreciate . That's one of the ways I keep fire in my life is to seek out teaching from those who have skills or experiences that I don't have -- but Carrie is coming up on a big competition in which she is having to fight someone that she fought many years ago in order to go up a level in the belt system in her martial art. And in talking about this, she wrote something that was so clear that I want to share it with you. Carrie wrote, "More often than not, the truth is I am the one choosing to lose the fight." I want us all to take that phrase in right now. "More often than not, the truth is I am the one choosing to lose the fight. "

We talk ourselves out of it before we even step on the mat, half the time. We talk ourselves out of it before we even gather the resources needed to see a project through. We talk ourselves out of it before we make that initial step or have that first conversation. We talk ourselves out of it before we even let ourselves brainstorm and dream.

Fire can help us with courage. That fire in the heart is that strong heart, that courageous heart. And that is something that our Gods can help us with, our friends can help us with. It's something that can help us face the necessary battles, if you will, or take those risks that we're less willing to take

Fire helps us push out of our comfort zone.

You know, some comfort is necessary. we need some ease in our lives and we need some rest, but we also need our comfort to be challenged.

I'm musing a lot about the roles of Fire, Will, and courage in my life. There's not a lot of Fire in my chart, but there's a whole lot of Earth. And, somehow, for the first half of my life, I wound up needing to work like hell to break away from a dysfunctional family, to raise Son on my own, to run educational programs with no money in a dysfunctional school system, to find a spiritual path for myself (which, you know, Sun in Pisces, was kind of important), to go to law school while I worked, to establish myself in a new field, to survive breast cancer, . . . well, you get the picture. And I think that I simply drew (about as heavily as one can draw upon any one account, I simply drew) from all of the stubborn, determined, not-going-to-give-up Earth in my chart and, somehow, thank the Ancestors, made it through.

And, then, suddenly -- finally -- I got a chance to slow down. I got a chance to experience some of that "comfort" and "ease in our lives" that Coyle talks about. And I've taken full advantage of it. But, lately, I'm feeling more and more of a need to begin to push myself again. Certainly, not as hard as I had to push myself for the first part of my life, but to begin, in Coyle's words, for my comfort to be challenged. This is where Goss' words come in: "On the other hand, if you routinely avoid what you fear, you start to believe that you really can’t do whatever it is. And you shrink from other things as well, thinking you can’t do them either." Goss is right and her metaphor about courage being a muscle is right.

Where are you challenging yourself? Where do you need to invoke Fire? Where do you need more ease and comfort? In what ways is being a Witch an exercise in constantly challenging yourself and invoking Fire? In what ways is it a move towards ease and comfort? What elements do you draw upon to make up for the lack of other elements in your make-up?

Picture found here.

Update: As Thalia notes in comments, the notion of forcing yourself over and over to face fear can have different meanings for those of us who grew up in dysfunctional families. Thalia discusses the very important notion of treating ourselves compassionately and not berating ourselves for being afraid. Thalia's right; we all have to find our own balance and our society often gives short shrift to the courage that it can take to NOT beat ourselves up, to give ourselves permission to create a zone of comfort and ease. Having compassion for ourselves is often one of the bravest things we do.

Staying in Love When It Snows


As regular readers know, it's important to my spiritual practice to be in active relationship with a specific piece of land, rather than just having warm feelings for the intellectual construct of "the Land" or "Earth." A large part of my daily practice involves getting in touch with and listening to the specific, small (less than a quarter acre) bit of land on which I live and garden. When I lived in an apartment with no yard, I adopted some spots near me as "mine."

Even in Winter, if it's at all possible, I'm bundled up and outside, even if only for a short time. I've learned that, as long as I can keep my hands warm (I've been known to wear mittens over gloves and one of my goals for the coming year is to learn how to knit those fingerless gloves that I could wear over full gloves), I don't really mind the cold, at least down to around 25 degrees or so. Finding out how to dress comfortably for the outside (for some people, it means fleece-lined boots, while for others it's a hat or a big warm scarf around the neck) can make it easier to maintain a relationship with your bit of Earth even in Winter. And, really, not knowing what a place is like in Winter is sort of like "knowing" a person, but being ignorant about a huge chunk of their life.

That said, as an old woman with a previously-broken-and-still-held-together-with-screws-and-plates ankle, I'm more than careful about not going outside when it's snowy or icy. When you really can't be outside, one way to deepen your relationship is to learn about your land. What do you know about the First Peoples who lived there before you? Do you know where your water comes from and where your waste goes? Can you identify the birds and other animals who live in relationship with the same bit of Earth as you do? Can you identify the trees that live with you? A lot of that information is likely available on-line. Additionally, Field Guides, which you can often get quite cheap secondhand, are a great way to get to know more about your area. A coven might want to buy a set and circulate them. I keep, for example, Birds of Virginia, on my porch so that when I see a bird I don't recognize, I can try to identify her. But in the Winter, when I can't go outside, I'll read a page or two every day in order to try and learn about local birds. And now, thanks to Margaret Roach, I'm in lust for this: The Bird Songs Bible. If you have children, all of these make good family activities on snow days and are a great way to instill a love of nature in the next generation.

If you garden, keeping a garden journal can be another way to deepen your understanding of your bit of Earth. During the year, I'll note on Facebook when each new flower first blooms. Then, on a snowy day in Winter, I'll go through and make a chronological listing in my garden journal. It's interesting to see, from year to year, the patterns and the variations. More serious gardeners additionally keep track of last frost, rainfall, hours of sunlight, and temperatures. Margaret Roach also has up an interesting podcast about the process of preparing to order seeds for next Spring, another great way to spend a snow day.

Finally, even when you can't be outside physically, you can do meditations and trance work to communicate with your bit of Earth. Let it know that you want to listen and then be willing to open up and learn what is taught. You can do art inspired by your relationship. You can raise energy and send it to, for example, the shivering animals, the roots deep under the snow, the earthworms and bees that are so necessary to the Earth's survival.

How do you keep your relationship going when it has to be, for a short time, a "long-distance" relationship?

Picture found here.