So, I'm doing a four part series on elemental meditation and self-discovery. I did this a few years ago for my own benefit, a 'back to basics' approach. I thought to share some of my findings, not just because they helped me but because they might help someone else, too.
So, in my workings, the general elemental sequence goes like this:
Air - Fire - Water - Earth
There are SEVERAL schools of thought when it comes to this sequence. Some start with Earth if not air, other start at cross points, but this is what has worked for me. Your mileage may very, and that's also much of the point. This kind of journey is a deeply personal one, and it's important to keep that in mind whenever studying any kind of meditation or religious workings or techniques.
It’s finally time! We’re getting revved up for Cheshire Moon’s second album, ‘Crowes and Consequences!’ We’ll be roving about the studio with a flock of some of our favorite musicians, including Jason Neerenburg from Toyboat! That’s right, the overlord of bass will be unleashed on our songs, alongside the enigmatic guitar stylings of the young Jared Coleman, the winding dance of Susan Weiner (who’s moving to Chicago, dang it all), all unique voices lending their own light to breathe life into these new stories.
We went with Kickstarter for our first album, but this time we’re going with IndieGoGo.com (Context and my apologies for the sour note). We’re also teaming up with artist Matt Hawk, the infamous creator of the artwork SJ Tucker, Tricky Pixie, ManOverBoard, and much more! As many of you know, we had a song on our first album about a mischievous band of housemates, called Critters. Well, they wanted to be seen by the world, and who better to bring them to life? That and I try not to argue with sprites. Healthier that way.
Also joining the fray is artist Shawna Jasques, who will be doing our album cover! Shawna art captures one of the most unique perspectives in indie art, but don't take my word for it! <a href-"https://www.facebook.com/ShawnaJaquez?fref=ts"> Go ffind out!</a>
So keep an ear out, because we’re hoping to get the project off the ground and into the aether by July 1st!
So, I've been thinking about things recently, and one of the things that my beloved pointed out is that we both tend to play to the energy of the room. So, when our home is either a mess or a blank slate energetically we don't react as well to it. Once I set up the house altar, things started to improve because it helped to regulate and radiate the energy of the house.
It got me thinking, "Ok, what else can we do to make this the norm?" And thus, DANGLY BITS!
I made the chords for each of these using a technique that I developed when I first started to crochet rune bags with embroidery floss/crochet thread. In order to illustrate the rune, I would slip a series of tiny (and seriously, I mean TINY.These things make my eyes hurt after a while) rhinestone beads onto the chord prior to starting the bag. Then, as I crocheted, I would slip each beads into it's proper stitch. This made the rune slant just slightly to the left, but it worked!
So, I did the same thing here. I strung the beads onto a spool of rainbow crochet thread, but instead of crocheting, I cut off 4 long pieces of crochet thread, one strand with beads and three without. Then, I did a simple four point braid, slipping a bead into the mix every 5-9 crossovers. If you're wondering about the 4 strand braid technique, try this!
Anyway, about a week ago, I found a fallen oak branch. I brought it home and found the section I needed. What happened next was out of my hands. Each stone and each chord knew where it wanted to be. I just made sure everything fell into place. The end result, well...
But the next question became painfully clear as my dear kitty decided to be 'helpful' during this process: where on earth can I put this so that my cats can't get to it? I mean really, shiny bits hanging down on colorful cording? CAT. TOY. My Maine Coon is the MacGyver of cat kind. He works doorknobs, breaks open his food bin, he knows how to turn on faucets, he even knows how to pick things out of cups or bowls with his paw.
So, I used another old friend. A 20lb geode that has followed me for the past 10 years. He's a grumpy old soul, but he keeps things well-grounded. So now he sit on the top of a bookshelf, the end of this oaken branch in his care. He holds it tight as the rest dangles off into space, catching and rolling every bit of light that touches it. They want me to write them a song. I can't wait.
Why is that being the favorite of a god makes life
insane? A favorite of Anansi, for example, might find themselves ensnared in a bargain they didn't quite count on. A favorite of Odin might find themselves on one hell of a quest. And by that I mean hang onto your hat! Being a favorite of any deity can come with some interesting consequences. Especially this one, but I can’t ignore a trickster when he dances. And
I’m certainly not going to turn down a song when a trickster wants a tune.
Though I do wish he didn’t smile quite so wide when I
sing this one…
The demo's going up on the website shortly, so keep an eye on www.cheshiremoonband.com/music !
A mental health day spent by the water yielded a
grandmother’s tale. One of my books for lyrics was graced by a large, black
spider. By large I mean the size of a dime, and it looked something like this:
Beautiful. Scared the living snot out of me at first, but
she had something to say, and was willing to spin a web on my book AND my pen
to make her point. And so she danced for us, and I took down her tale as Eric
brought her melody to life.
"Sisters of water dance, brothers of fire sing. We are the
children of moonlight…"
I also finally found the stick for my art project. All in
all, a wonderful day spent with my love.
