Saturday, October 14, 2017

Love, from the Ocean

As most of you probably know, I live in Ecuador. The ancient language of the indigenous here is Quechua, pronounced Key ch wah. I'm really charmed by the language which influences the Spanish here and works its way into most everything...as it should.

In the Quechua language, the sun is referred to as Papa Inti, the moon is Mama Killa, the earth is Pachamama, and the ocean is Mama Kucha.  Last month I spent 19 days on the shore of Ecuador's Pacific coast. Having not been to the beach in 31 years, I fell totally and madly in love with Mama Kucha. And I think she liked me too. I had some amazing medicine from her, she sent me 31 years worth of Christmas and birthday gifts.



This is a post about how Mama Kucha showed me her love. From the very first day, I found amazing treasures walking on the beach. The first day I found this amazing sand dollar, the first one I've ever found in my life. I later found two more. Among beautiful shells, rocks, crystals and feathers, all washed up on the sand. Left for me to pick up, photograph, or just marvel over.



I was traveling by bus and though my hostess told me to bring another suitcase for shells and rocks, I just couldn't imagine I would need it. I mean I've never picked up more than a ziploc full of shells. But I had never been to an Ecuadorian beach. And from that first day, I kept finding shells and rocks that were heart shaped. At first, I thought, "how cute."



And as the days went by, when I would see a heart laying in the sand, I found myself smiling, and offering a "Thank you," to Mama Kucha. Sometimes the thanks was offered silently as a prayer, other days, I looked to the horizon and offered it aloud. I had a distinct feeling of warmth and that I was wrapped in something purely holy.



It started me wondering, wait a minute. How did it come to be, that the heart shape signifies love? I mean, it's one of those things that's universal, recognized the world over. So how did it happen. How did the Ocean know to wear away rocks into the shape of a heart, and to place them on a beach. Whether she was truly sending them to me as love from her, or placed them there for honeymooning lovers to pick up as a momento, it was something that sent this writer and researcher to Google.



Here's what I learned. No one really knows for sure. There is pottery dating back to 3000BC in a heart shape. There are theories that it's the shape of the seed of a plant that was used as birth control, but my favorite is that it's what resulted when people tried to draw from the written words of Aristotle when he wrote his description of the human heart. That was enough to satisfy my curiosity as to where the shape came from, but how did it come to symbolize love?



Of course, "back in the day" as young people like to say, the heart was considered the center of all emotion. In fact, at one time they believed the brain had no purpose at all. So, now I have an answer to how the heart shape came to be, and how it came to symbolize love. But who told the ocean? She's mighty smart to not have a brain.



Yes, Mama Kuchu, I love you too. I showed my love by carrying a garbage bag with me each day on my walks and picking up trash. It's so sad, so many people, think she is an acceptable dumping ground.

If you would like to see more pictures from my trip on the coast, whale watching, the gentleman who emerged from the surf walking toward me and my birthday party weekend with 8 of my favorite people follow me on Instagram or Facebook. I'm still uploading the pics, it's not a fast process. And if you ever get the chance to visit an Ecuadorian beach...bring an extra suitcase.



~*~
Love,
Scarlett
 Loving life in Cuenca!

Thursday, April 27, 2017

W is for WIN!

Good Morning,

As many of you know, I'm pretty much failing at the A-Z challenge. The posts have been there up to now, but I haven't had the time to post the links or visit other blogs.

 Life got too hectic. But I can't miss the opportunity to pass on a chance to win a $120 Amazon Gift Certificate to you!

12 Authors banded together to offer you this chance. All you have to do is sign up for ONE of the participating author's newsletters (email list) and you are entered to win!  For each one you sign up for, you get another entry. There are only 3 more days to enter- please share with your friends too.

Here is my brief description of each of the authors, pick one or two or all of us you would like to get to know better! the link to enter is at the bottom of the page. There is Sci-Fy, Paranormal, ROmance, Poetry, Mystery, Suspense, Women's Fiction and Travel represented in this group- so something for everyone.



Andra Watkins: Do you know NYT Bestselling author Andra Watkins? I do. She is zany, energetic, inspirational and she writes the weirdest stuff. Historical fiction full of ghosts and sex! 

Barbara Snow: Do you know Barbara Snow? I do. She's soulful, a bit rebellious, loving and as much fun as horseback riding. Want to get to know her too? Sign up for her newsletter. She writes, Poetry, creative non-fiction, and her newest series- well maybe it'll be called Shaman Suspense or Magical Realism.

Cameron Lowe: Do you know Cameron Lowe? I do. He writes ghost stories. But they are NOT your camp ghost stories. Sign up for his newsletter and get to know Cameron, too. Maybe he will share some of his "The Life of Cam & Yoda" stories with you about his life with a talking pug. They'll leave you in stitches! 

Carolyn Hamilton: Do you know Carolyn Hamilton? Or as an artist, she's known as Caro. I do. She can wear scarves and turbans and earrings like no one else I know and is an amazing artist. She writes mysteries and adult coloring books, and an autobiography about being a Playboy bunny and working in Vegas. She also has Adventuress Travel Ezine.  

George Wier: Do you know George Wier? I do. He's called the Titan of Texas Fiction, he's an artist, a musician, and he loves to tell a good joke. He loves to write song lyrics, just to incorporate into his novels almost as much as he loves his new granddaughter. He writes Mystery, Steampunk, and Sci-Fi. If you want to get to know George too, sign up for his email list and you might win that Amazon gift certificate! George lives in Texas- if you get to know him, you might even get to meet him someday.

J. Michael Herron: Do you know J. Michael Herron? I do. This is a man who loves to read Sci-Fi and Thrillers and when he sat down to write a book it turned out to be a Romance with mythological influences. He has a wonderfully lucky wife because his everyday responses in conversation will make a lady swoon. But he's also a deep thinker.

Joss Burnel: Do you know Joss Burnel? I do. She walks the sweetest spiritual walk, with a tune in her head. She's been a poet for -oh she'll kill me if I say how many years- since she was 14- yeah, that's safe. And now she is writing unique women's fiction due out this year. 

Kirsten Delaney: Do you know Kirsten Delaney? Me either! So I signed up for his newsletter to learn more about him. You can too.  Please share with your friends- Maybe THEY know Kirsten.    

Paul Anlee: Do you know Paul Anlee? I do. Paul Anlee is the pen-name for a husband and wife writing and editing team. He is a scientist and she approaches writing and editing scientifically. Together they have a new series coming out that is galaxies beyond pop Sci-fy. And these kids (just a hair older than me) do Tai Chi 3-4 days a week!  

Summer Prescott: Do you know Summer Prescott? I do. Well sort of. Turns out Summer Prescott is a pen name too. I was talking with a lady in an online writer's group. Naturally, I googled her. Nothing. So I asked for a link to her book(s). Sly- right? When she sent me the link and I clicked it, I almost fell out of my chair. I've been reading her cozy mysteries (with a food theme) for YEARS.  

T.R. Harris: Do you know T.R. Harris?  I do. Well, again- I know him virtually. Through mutual writer friends and a couple of online groups for writers. He used to live in Mexico, but he's back in the U.S. now..something about a government agency..the CIA? NSA? I can't remember. Anyway, he's a prolific writer of Sci-fi and cranks out a book about every 6 weeks. He co-writes a series with George Wier too.

So those, along with myself are our authors. Click below and win the money for a cart full of books, or a fitbit even. 

Click Here to Enter. 


 Have a great day, everybody!

~*~
Scarlett,
 Loving life in Cuenca!

Wednesday, April 26, 2017

V is for Vibration

Welcome to Frankly Scarlett's April A to Z Blog Challenge.

This year my theme is A Goddess' Glossary and we are looking at terms utilized by Goddesses, Priestesses, Shamans and Witches. These are terms that might occur in my new fantasy series, Paisley Cove.


 V is for Vibration

Everything is made up of energy and energy vibrates. The more positive the energy the higher the vibration. 
Pagans believe you can change situations by changing the energy surrounding the person or objects involved. 
As you learn to meditate or focus your attention internally you will begin to feel the vibrations within you and then can feel the vibrations of the world around you.

I hope that you and your life are full of positive vibrations.


 Star, Particles, Heart, Love

Join me tomorrow as I write about W is for Witch.
~*~
Scarlett,
 Loving life in Cuenca!
Visit my website at www.ScarlettBraden.com

Tuesday, April 25, 2017

U is for Uncrossing

Welcome to Frankly Scarlett's April A to Z Blog Challenge.

This year my theme is A Goddess' Glossary and we are looking at terms utilized by Goddesses, Priestesses, Shamans and Witches. These are terms that might occur in my new fantasy series, Paisley Cove.

 

 U is for Uncrossing

If you feel like you are cursed, or jinxed, you might need an Uncrossing. This practice, believed to originate from Hoodoo, is designed to reverse bad energy whether it's a curse from another witch or if you feel things just aren't right in your world or health.

An Uncrossing is considered to be a cleansing of you or your home. If you want to try it out for yourself, here is a link with easy to follow instructions. 

https://aaronleitch.wordpress.com/2010/11/16/uncrossing1/

Woman, Girl, Movement, Stripping, Undress, Erotic, Sexy

 We are almost to the end of the alphabet, are you feeling ready to step into the world of Goddess', Shamans, Priestesses and Witches?  Tomorrow we talk about the basic concept of Vibration.

~*~
Scarlett,
 Loving life in Cuenca!
Visit my webpage at www.ScarlettBraden.com

Monday, April 24, 2017

T is for the Threefold Law

Welcome to Frankly Scarlett's April A to Z Blog Challenge.

This year my theme is A Goddess' Glossary and we are looking at terms utilized by Goddesses, Priestesses, Shamans and Witches. These are terms that might occur in my new fantasy series, Paisley Cove.


 T is for the Threefold Law

The Threefold Law or Rule of Three is a belief held by Pagans and Wiccans that whatever energy you put out into the world, will come back to you three-fold. This law applies to both positive and negative energy and is sometimes believed to correspond with karma.

I wrote earlier in the month about free will. If a Wiccan is casting a protection spell, for example, she cannot simply place a curse on another or compel another to do something against his/her own will, but she can say that whatever that person was to wish upon her will be reversed three-fold.

Maybe this is where the old saying, "Be careful what you wish for," comes from. I hope you are having fun with the Goddess Glossary and we are in our final week of the A-Z challenge. If you aren't leaving me comments, please do. I can promise if you put your blog link in the comment, your visit will be returned to you at least a single fold.

Magician, The Magician, Female, Woman, Fantasy Woman


Have a great Monday, tomorrow we will examine the concept of Uncrossing.

~*~
Scarlett,
 Loving life in Cuenca!
Visit my blog at www.ScarlettBraden.com

Saturday, April 22, 2017

S is for Solstice

Welcome to Frankly Scarlett's April A to Z Blog Challenge.

This year my theme is A Goddess' Glossary and we are looking at terms utilized by Goddesses, Priestesses, Shamans and Witches. These are terms that might occur in my new fantasy series, Paisley Cove.

 

 S is for Solstice

There are two solstices each year. The solstice is when the sun reaches it's most northern and southern path in relationship to the equator. In the Northern hemisphere, north of the equator, the Winter Solstice occurs around December 22 and also represents the day with the fewest daylight hours. South of the Equator, this is called the Summer Solstice. 

The opposite solstice occurs around June 21st. Representing the day with the most hours of sunlight in the year it's called the Summer Solstice in the northern hemisphere and Winter Solstice in the southern Hemisphere. 

To avoid confusion they can also be called the June Solstice and December Solstice.

Solstice celebrations are held throughout pagan and indigenous practices.

Sun, Summer, Solstice, Pagan, Paganism

 T is for Tomorrow. Just kidding, Monday, I'll blog about the Threefold Law, one of my favorite aspects of witchcraft, um er I mean paganism.

~*~
Scarlett
 Loving life in Cuenca!
Visit my blog at www.ScarlettBraden.com

Friday, April 21, 2017

R is for Ritual

Welcome to Frankly Scarlett's April A to Z Blog Challenge.

This year my theme is A Goddess' Glossary and we are looking at terms utilized by Goddesses, Priestesses, Shamans and Witches. These are terms that might occur in my new fantasy series, Paisley Cove.



R is for Ritual

Rituals exist in every culture and in every belief system. Think about your particular culture and belief system and try to identify some of the elements.

Whether you are a descendant of a native tribe, a member of a traditional religion or a practitioner of new age philosophies I bet we can find commonalities in the various rituals.

Colors, prayers or chants, a musical element, fire, symbols, gifts, are all parts of rituals, no matter what their origins. Rituals are also planned around either dates or rites of passages. Whether it's based on a season, like Solstice or Easter, a particular age, or the celebration of an achievement, we can find common elements.

Think of all the celebrations you know that feature fire.  Fire as a true fire, the flame of a candle or fireworks are all fire elements. We now have a common element from Homa to Easter to Hanakuh to a wedding to Independence day.

Can you think of other commonalities between faiths? As always, feel free to comment with respect.

Bonfire, Fire, Man, Dancing, Rituals

Tomorrow our blog will be about Solstice.


~*~
Scarlett
 Loving life in Cuenca!
Visit my website at www.ScarlettBraden.com

Thursday, April 20, 2017

Q is for Qillqakamayuq

Welcome to Frankly Scarlett's April A to Z Blog Challenge.

This year my theme is A Goddess' Glossary and we are looking at terms utilized by Goddesses, Priestesses, Shamans and Witches. These are terms that might occur in my new fantasy series, Paisley Cove.

 

 Q is for Qillqakamayuq

Every once in a while when trying to complete the A to Z challenge, and especially when working with a theme, you have to deviate your path a little for a particular letter. This is my one stretch- it's a pretty long stretch but it still works.

Qillqakamayuq- try saying that three times really fast. Okay, so just try saying it once. No?  If you DO know how to pronounce it, record it, and send it to me, I'll send you a free ebook!

In The Charm of Paisley Cove, the main character, Phoebe, journeys to a writer's retreat to try to accomplish her dream of writing a novel. She finds at Paisley Cove a group of people with many different beliefs. One of her new found friends is a descendent of a Peruvian Inca shaman.

The official language of this particular shamanism is Quechua. Pronounced Key-shwa. Qillqakamayuq is the Quechua word for writer. So this term isn't exactly a Goddess word but could be relevant to the story. 


Books, Literature, Author, Writer, Antique, Old

Tomorrow we are back on track with our Goddess Glossary with R is for Ritual.

~*~
Scarlett,
 Loving life in Cuenca!
Visit my website at www.ScarlettBraden.com

Wednesday, April 19, 2017

P is for Pentagram

Welcome to Frankly Scarlett's April A to Z Blog Challenge.

This year my theme is A Goddess' Glossary and we are looking at terms utilized by Goddesses, Priestesses, Shamans and Witches. These are terms that might occur in my new fantasy series, Paisley Cove.

 

 P is for Pentagram

Talk about imagery with a bad rap! The pentagram is a five pointed star designed from straight lines.  The word Pentagram comes from Greek and translates as five lines.

The pentagram has been used throughout history for many purposes. But it gets a bad rap from The Church of Satin and occults.

The pentagram has been used for centuries as the basis of architecture for the Church of Jesus Christ of Later Day Saints. In Christianity the pentagram represents the five wounds of Christ or the five senses.

The Order of the Eastern Star, associated with the Freemasons at one time used the pentagram as their logo. 

In Paganism, the five points represent the elements. 

Pagan, Pentagram, Air, Spirit, Earth


In modern times the Church of Satan and occults use the inverse of the star- (with two points on top and one point on the bottom) in their symbolism.

So, a pentagram is not always a bad thing, it doesn't always represent evil, and is for most, just an easy geometry equation.

 Pentacle, Pentangle, Star, Circle, Symbol, Pentagram

Tomorrow's topic is Qillqakamayuq


~*~
Scarlett
 Loving life in Cuenca!
Visit my website at www.ScarlettBraden.com

Tuesday, April 18, 2017

O is for Out-Of-Body Experience

Welcome to Frankly Scarlett's April A to Z Blog Challenge.

This year my theme is A Goddess' Glossary and we are looking at terms utilized by Goddesses, Priestesses, Shamans and Witches. These are terms that might occur in my new fantasy series, Paisley Cove.

 

 O is for Out-Of-Body Experience

Many of us have heard of Out-Of-Body experiences and for me, before beginning this research, I thought they only occurred in near death experiences.

Recently scientists and neurologists have proven that these experiences do exist and are more scientific in nature than spiritual. A recent report states that we all have these experiences usually multiple times in a lifetime.

For the purpose of our discussion delving into alternate spiritualities and indigenous practices, we think of these experiences as a way to visit different dimensions or lifetimes. Perhaps if you believe you were a mermaid in a previous incarnation, you would like to swim with the dolphins again. Or visit Atlantis, or return to Machu Picchu during the Inca rule, or travel to another galaxy. An out-of-body experience, let's you travel in your mind, while your physical body stays in the present.

If you would like to experiment with this, here is a website with instructions to create your own Out-Of-Body experience.
http://www.wikihow.com/Have-an-Out-of-Body-Experience

Don't stray too far!

Beauty, Women'S, Woman, Female, Girls

Tomorrow we talk about why the Pentagram shouldn't be scary at all.

~*~
Scarlett
 Loving life in Cuenca!
Visit my website at www.Scarlettbraden.com

Monday, April 17, 2017

N is for Nature-Based Spirituality

Welcome to Frankly Scarlett's April A to Z Blog Challenge.

This year my theme is A Goddess' Glossary and we are looking at terms utilized by Goddesses, Priestesses, Shamans and Witches. These are terms that might occur in my new fantasy series, Paisley Cove.

 

 N is for Nature-Based Spirituality

Nature-based spirituality worships earth, nature, gods and goddesses and sometimes even space. Most indigenous faiths are based in part or entirely on nature as well as some of the following.
Paganism is a nature based religion, Animism is the belief that all living organism possess a spirit, Wicca practitioners believe in an earth mother goddess, Druidism is the belief that the natural world is divine, and Pantheism is the belief that all matter is interconnected.

Christians believe that God created all nature, so wouldn't that put all living things on the same plane as humans? Just a thought. Feel free to express your opinions in the comments, but please be respectful to all.

Wolf, Girl, Large, Mystical, Fog, Mood, Spiritual

Tomorrow we explore Out-Of-Body experiences.

~*~
Scarlett,
 Loving life in Cuenca!
Visit my website at www.ScarlettBraden.com

Sunday, April 16, 2017

Anniversaries: Celebrate, Commemorate

We celebrate anniversaries. Marriages, years on a job, years living in a particular place, years of service...to causes, charities, beliefs, countries.




In the English language, we also use the word Anniversary to remember different types of events. But we use the verb commemorate - remember. Anniversaries of terrible events. Plane crashes, deaths, wars, terrorist attacks, natural disasters.

 One word. So many conflicting emotions.

For the last three days, Christians around the world have commemorated the crucifixion of Christ and celebrated his resurrection. 

Today marks another Anniversary. Today is the date, that one year ago at 6:58 pm local time, just after dark, the northern coast of Ecuador was shaken by a horrific 7.8 magnitude earthquake.

The magnitude of the devastation wouldn't be known for hours.  The ripples and waves from that event wouldn't be known for months.



The coastal areas of Ecuador are some of the poorest areas in the country. Poverty is the norm rather than the exception. And the culture isn't what we are used to in North America. Building inspectors turn a blind eye to the man building his own house bit by bit to shelter his family. It's better to not see how he builds that structure than for the family to be living on the street, right? Insurance isn't even really a thing in Ecuador. Yes, it's available, but for one it's extremely pricey and virtually unobtainable by a family earning the minimum wage of just over $300 a month. - Yes, a month. And insurance companies generally go out of business every couple of years. Taking your money and protection with them. They aren't considered trustworthy or reliable by citizens here.

There were hundreds of lives lost that day. Complete towns leveled. People who lost everything. Jobs gone. I want to make all that very clear before I make this story about me.



I was miles and miles away. About 6-8 hours away by car. But I felt that earthquake. It was my first big one.  At first, it was a bit of novelty, and then I realized what was happening. And then it got scary. Real scary. Because the shaking went on for several minutes. What felt like about 5-10 minutes, but was actually 2-3. And even when the shaking stopped in my second-floor apartment, 8400 feet up in the Andes, the light fixtures still swayed back and forth. That's when I realized, that we don't really get earthquakes up here. And this must have been really BIG somewhere else.

The emotions, the actions, the time it took for us to realize how bad it was, to find those missing, whether they survived or not...all of that has been detailed in previous blogs. But today, we celebrate and commemorate. We commemorate the losses and celebrate the resilence and determination of the Ecuadorian people.


My life changed that day. Not in the terrible ways that those who live on the coast did, but in very unexpected ways. Throughout the next few months, those of us not physically affected, but mentally affected by the devastation sought ways to raise money to help those who now had nothing.



My friend Sara, who has spent her entire working life as an architect, rebuilding disaster areas, relocated to the coast with a project called Proyecto Saman. They established a camp for the now homeless, one with proper bathrooms and a community kitchen and tents for shelter. They provided safety and security to those who needed it most. And the rest of us tried to figure out ways to help support them financially.



Many of us in the early days had friends and family who sent money and we used it to buy bottled water, diapers, food and transport it to the coast where there was none. There were concerts, t-shirts, dinners, lunches all to raise funds. Restaurants and hotels put out extra tip jars and donated part of their proceeds.

I wrote a poem. My first poem that wasn't a writing assignment in high school or college. It was translated into Spanish and I read it to a packed crowd at the Noche de Poesia Y Arte- Night of poetry and art- another fundraiser. And then I decided to pull together my writer friends and publish a book- a book that would help the coast.



And that's when my life really changed. Friends in Foreign Places: An Expat Anthology features 37 writers, 45 stories. Writers and stories from around the world- not just Ecuador. We held a big launch party, by big I mean close to 150 people, the book hit number 1 in two Amazon categories that day. And we still sell copies. We need to sell more. 100% of the royalties from this book go to Proyecto Saman. Because here's what's been going on this year at Proyecto Saman in Canoa.



They developed an education center, they designed a jobs training program with a local university. The residents at the camp are learning to read and learning new job skills. They have secured land on which to build permanent houses and the construction on those homes has started. These homes are being built with bamboo, designed to withstand future quakes, and the future owners are helping with every step of the process. But they still need money.

If you haven't read Friends In Foreign Places: An Expat Anthology, it's heartwarming and funny. Stories about friendships, when you've left it all behind to live in a foreign country. Or friendships with those who left it all behind and came to your country. Some are fiction, most are not. Get your copy today, because ALL royalties go to help rebuild on the coast. We are working to translate the book into Spanish and that work is almost complete. Then our friends on the coast can read our stories too. Sandra Materi is handling that project and if you would like to help, please let me know and I'll put you in touch with Sandra.

Ebook: Amazon link to ebook
Paperback: Amazon link to paperback


Come visit. The coast is healing, and is beautiful, and needs your tourist dollars.

Or donate directly to Proyecto Saman. Go to the website. See photos and videos of the volunteers, the families, the progress. The celebration of life. On the top right there is a black button to display the page in English.
Proyecto Saman Website

Happy Easter, Felices Pacua, Happy Anniversary, Feliz aniversario, We Remember, Recordamos


~*~
Scarlett Loving life in Cuenca!

Saturday, April 15, 2017

M is for Mesa- A healing alter

Welcome to Frankly Scarlett's April A to Z Blog Challenge.

This year my theme is A Goddess' Glossary and we are looking at terms utilized by Goddesses, Priestesses, Shamans and Witches. These are terms that might occur in my new fantasy series, Paisley Cove.


M is for Mesa

A mesa is a shaman's healing alter. There are specific elements that go into the alter. The mesa is used for healing sessions and to hold sacred space during ceremonies. 

The defining elements are a special cloth called a manta. On the manta the following items are placed corresponding to their earthly directions. A shell represents water and emotions, a feather represents air, wind and spirit. An earthy stone represents earth and body, a white candle in a container represents fire and mind, and a symbol of the totality, such as a crystal  represents ether, space and consciousness. Additional elements may be added at the discretion of the shaman particularly in relation to the particular healing or ceremony.

Working with the mesa gives the feeling of being grounded, empowered, and more intuitive.

Related image

~*~
Scarlett,
  Loving life in Cuenca!
Visit my website at www.ScarlettBraden.com

Friday, April 14, 2017

L is for Lucid Dreaming

Welcome to Frankly Scarlett's April A to Z Blog Challenge.

This year my theme is A Goddess' Glossary and we are looking at terms utilized by Goddesses, Priestesses, Shamans and Witches. These are terms that might occur in my new fantasy series, Paisley Cove.


L is for Lucid Dreaming

Lucid dreaming is the ability to be conscious while dreaming. Lucid dreams are common among the highly creative and are vivid, intense, and exhilarating. By utilizing lucid dreaming you are in control of the dream and can be the director of the dream. People with the ability to lucid dream find it enhances problem solving skills and increases creativity through drawing deeper insights into the subconscious mind.

Many writers become aware of plots and story lines through lucid dreams. 

Narrative, History, Dream, Tell

Tomorrow is M is for Mesa- a type of alter
~*~
Scarlett Loving life in Cuenca!

Thursday, April 13, 2017

K is for Karma

Welcome to Frankly Scarlett's April A to Z Blog Challenge.

This year my theme is A Goddess' Glossary and we are looking at terms utilized by Goddesses, Priestesses, Shamans and Witches. These are terms that might occur in my new fantasy series, Paisley Cove.


K is for Karma

Many of us think of Karma as what goes around comes around. We hope we're around when the jerk that cut us off in traffic gets his just reward. But for most free thinkers, those of Buddist, Hindu and Pagan beliefs there's much more to Karma than dishing out just rewards. 

Some believe if you do what's right in this lifetime you will be rewarded by reincarnating in a higher life form, while if you don't you may return as a lesser being, perhaps a mosquito or a parasite. Others believe what you put out comes back to you. We'll discuss that more with the Threefold Law later in the month. 

Bridge, Golden, Light, Mystical, Dramatic, Environment

Tomorrow is L for Lucid Dreaming
~*~
Scarlett,
  Loving life in Cuenca!

Wednesday, April 12, 2017

J is for Jaguar

Welcome to Frankly Scarlett's April A to Z Blog Challenge.

This year my theme is A Goddess' Glossary and we are looking at terms utilized by Goddesses, Priestesses, Shamans and Witches. These are terms that might occur in my new fantasy series, Paisley Cove.


J is for Jaguar

In the Paisley Cove stories, our main character Phoebe, meets all different types of nature based spiritualists. She meets shamans, witches, druids, and members from several indigenous tribes, all of whom have there own traditions and rituals. One of the residents of Paisley Cove is a Peruvian Incan descended shaman. 

The jaguar was considered a god in Peru, Mexico, and Guatemala. It is seen to represent the power to face fears or confront enemies. Mayans, Aztecs and Incas all worshiped the feline.

Specifically in Peru, the Jaguar is considered the alter ego of the shaman and is believed to protect shamans as they move between earth and the spirit realm, which is necessary in their job of healing. 


Jaguar, Wild Cat, Mammal, Zoo, Feline, Big, Cat, Animal

Tomorrow's topic will be Karma.


~*~
Scarlett,
  Loving life in Cuenca!

Tuesday, April 11, 2017

I is for Intention

Welcome to Frankly Scarlett's April A to Z Blog Challenge.

This year my theme is A Goddess' Glossary and we are looking at terms utilized by Goddesses, Priestesses, Shamans and Witches. These are terms that might occur in my new fantasy series, Paisley Cove.


I is for Intention

"Our Intention creates our reality." ~ Wayne Dyer  
Witches and their counterparts, believe fully that by setting an intention your desires and actions carry more power. Especially if the intention is an honorable one. Intention is the foundation of all that a cleric or spiritual person relies upon for manifestations of any type. 

Have you ever played darts? If you focus totally on the bulls-eye, with all of your concentration centered on that one center circle, your dart is very likely to end up there. That would be an example of intention. 

Magic Tricks, Fire, Flame, Show

Tomorrow we will learn about the Jaguar!

~*~
Scarlett,
  Loving life in Cuenca!

Monday, April 10, 2017

H is for Herbs

Welcome to Frankly Scarlett's April A to Z Blog Challenge.

This year my theme is A Goddess' Glossary and we are looking at terms utilized by Goddesses, Priestesses, Shamans and Witches. These are terms that might occur in my new fantasy series, Paisley Cove.

H is for Herbs

In Shamanic healing and witchcraft herbs play a vital role. From cleansing a practitioners energy field, to clearing energies from a home, or ceremonial space.This practice is called smudging. Probably the most prevalent herbs are sage and frankincense. During smudging an herb is burned and the resulting smoke is pushed out to the recipient or area with a feather.

Burning herbs or incense are also common practices to bring about desired results in healing, prayer, and ceremony.

Phoebe will begin to learn about the properties and practices of herbs and which herbs bring desired results. 

Mortar, Crushed, Hand, Bowl, Container, Leaves, Herb
~*~
Scarlett,
  Loving life in Cuenca!

Saturday, April 8, 2017

G is for Goddess

Welcome to Frankly Scarlett's April A to Z Blog Challenge.

This year my theme is A Goddess' Glossary and we are looking at terms utilized by Goddesses, Priestesses, Shamans and Witches. These are terms that might occur in my new fantasy series, Paisley Cove.


G is for Goddess

Most of us understand that a goddess is a female deity. She represents the female creative, peacefulness, wisdom. She is the life giving force of the universe and she has the ability to represent all women. Goddesses are neither subservient or asexual. There is an essence of the goddess in all of us, and pagans believe we need to focus on our inner goddess to give us strength and clarity. Pagans also believe in worshiping or honoring the goddess. 


Mythology, Gods, Goddess, God, Olympus, Antiquity
Phoebe will learn to access her inner goddess.

Tomorrow we will explore herbs.

~*~
Scarlett,
  Loving life in Cuenca!

Friday, April 7, 2017

F is for Familiar and Free Will

Welcome to Frankly Scarlett's April A to Z Blog Challenge.

This year my theme is A Goddess' Glossary and we are looking at terms utilized by Goddesses, Priestesses, Shamans and Witches. These are terms that might occur in my new fantasy series, Paisley Cove.



F is for Familiar and Free Will

A familiar for our purposes is a spirit who aids a witch and is usually in the form of an animal. Hollywood and books tend to portray a familiar as a cat, because I suppose a talking cat is much easier to work into a screenshot than more exotic animals. Many report their familiars being anything from a specific bird to a dolphin. 




Free Will has an important role in both mainstream religions and in alternate spirituality. While mainstream Christianity recognizes that God has granted us free will, for the witch, it's a requirement to consider all interested party's free will before beginning to attempt to alter energies. For instance, a real witch would never cast a spell to cause someone to fall in love with another, because that interferes with the person's free will. 

Phoebe will learn how difficult it is to manipulate energies for the purpose of her own desires without interfering with the free will of someone else. 




Tomorrow we talk about Goddesses.
~*~
Scarlett,
  Loving life in Cuenca!