Almost Mid-October.

Hello my Zenful Journey blog readers and Happy Sunday to you and yours. How was your week? And how was the weekend for you? It's be a relaxing one for me, which is great! It's been raining all day and has made this Sunday so comfy and cozy relaxing. So many more leaves have fallen from the trees and their branches from the rains we have had these few days. It's nearing mid October at the end of this coming week. In a few more weeks we will all have little trick or treaters ringing our bells and knocking on our doors. It goes without saying, how the days aren't passing slowly. But I do love the smell of Autumn; cinnamon and apples and pumpkins and spices. Making homemade teas with these lovely spices, add the best Autumn spicy scents to your home and makes feeling all the more cozy. 

(The spices in this bowl are canellita & cinnamon sticks (I've never seen huge cinnamon sticks this large before, I had to break them apart for a servings worth; both straight from the Dominican Republic) and the other two are mint and camomile.)

I hope those that are reading this had a positive week. I personally didn't need to smudge extra this week. For those that smudge did you feel the need to smudge more than usual this past week? How did it help you? I'd love to read how smudging has helped you and your family. Feel free to leave a comment below or send me a personal email if you prefer. 

I like the meaning and knowing that as I burn the California white sage it's, cleansing, releasing, driving away (choose your own words) bad feelings or energy or spirits even. It does help me in knowing that the smoke wraps around that negative, whatever it is, and lifts it away. Of course as I've mentioned before. One needs to believe in it in order for this to work. You can incorporate smudging with yoga and or meditation as well. It can add great cleansing energy to any gathering, meditation, cleansing or healing ceremonies. 

As I've said in my first blog I like to smudge before a gathering. Just to ensure my home will be cleansed and protected from any bad vibes and also so those that enter my home come in with positive intent and good energy. When I smudge my girls (my best friends), I individually smudge them (& myself) as they walk into my home or I have smudged us in a group before we begin our girl talk, eating and lushing. My girls have always said that my home feels very homie, comfy. I take great care in ensuring that it feels just that way. I am not one to have a busy home. I am not one to always entertain, but when I do, (that just read like a XX beer commercial didn't it? Ha!!) I want to make sure while you visit you are feeling loved, cared for, are well fed, and protected. So when you leave its with great comfort, happiness, a full belly, and if you are over 21, a bit lushed lol (always ensuring their husbands or fathers pick them up if things get too crazy. Safety First!) 

I am a very private person and am sharing my zenful journey with you all because I feel that since it has helped my family, friends, and myself it may also help someone else. When I smudge in my girl's group setting, I either have my colored candles lit or I don't use the candles at all. (if you do this you can choose to use candles or not it's totally up to you!) Usually say words in my mind such as: 
"Lord let my friends feel loved and safe while in my home as we eat an abundance of wonderful food and yummy desserts and drink and enjoy our company and when it's time for them to leave may they all get home safely and wake up hangover free!" 

Another time I smudged that actually gave me an, "I can't believe it," feeling. But I new to believe what I experienced. My 9 year old daughter had asthma since she was in Kindergarden. She didn't have chronic asthma where she was using her inhaler every few hours. Her asthma would kick in only when she'd get a cold. From the time she was about 5 until she was about 7 years old she would suffer with her breathing and need to use the nebulizer machine when she had a cold. The last time she needed the nebulizer after I used the machine, I laid her down on her bed and placed a few gemstones on her chest area, (I'll get into gemstones another time) and smudge Aryana beginning over her little girl crown chakra and all chakras in between, flowing to her root chakras as I smudged. Ary laid there for me. I asked her to breathe as normal as she could, considering how she was feeling. I prayed and asked God and the Universe to please give Aryana relief from her asthma. That when she would get the sniffles it didn't turn into her getting any worse and wouldn't need her nebulizer. Knowing that the sage smoke shouldn't be any wear near her face I flowed the sage wand above her body. Her window was open as well, blowing the smoke and negative energy from her asthma out. Once I finished and Ary continued to rest, its fair to say, that was the last time she has ever needed to use the nebulizer machine until today. Yes she gets sick. Yes, she gets her sfuffy noses, fevers every so often, sore throats, allergies, as kids do, but she has had no major asthma illness. She still has her asthma "pump" with spacer, and may use it maybe a handful of time throughout the school year. She says at times when she runs around a lot in school, out at recess or during gym she looses her breathe so the nurse does give her the pump via spacer. She has never needed to actually inhale straight from the inhaler itself. The Drs did say she may grow out of having asthma. Friends of mine have said the same. Maybe this is what is happening to her. Either way. I do believe my praying and smudging her with the use of the stones helped her; since then until now when she does get sick, its never an asthma sick, like it was before that afternoon I smudged her a few years ago. Amen to that!

Another time when I have smudged, is durning the New Moon & Full Moon. I have never followed any of these rituals until I started smudging so I am learning as I go. Below is a link that I use and have followed their directions. Again I don't smudge every new and full moon. I do only if it's needed. When I smudged during a new moon I always right down what new things I want to see happen or something I may want to add into my life. I check again the following month on the New Moon to see if I accomplished what I had written I wanted to do. For the Full Moon one would smudge to take away something you want to get rid of or need to change. If you click the link below you will find more detailed information on the New Moon and Full Moon.

http://healing.about.com/cs/spirituality/a/moonrituals.htm

I also smudge during every new solstice: fall, winter, spring and summer. This I do without fail. After speaking with my earth sister and mentor Amy. She had explained to me which I totally understood is that we should be thankful and smudge for the season that we just had and welcome the new season that's begun. For me I see it deeper now. I feel that it does once more have to do with smudging. Because I now take these ten minutes or so and smudge and as I do I appreciate all the energy we have around us more. 
Things which are taken for granted on a daily basis. How each season is important to our survival. Why?! Springs and Summers Mr. Sun is at it's highest in the sky and he's out longer. Warming and bronzing our skins (wear sunscreen!). Shining it's bright light energy onto the fruits and vegetable, and herbs we grow and eventually harvest in the fall. The earth (an element) that needs water (an element) to quench the soils so that the roots of each item taking root can continue to grow. When the wind (an element) blows it may blow seeds from a flowering herb, veggie or fruit onto another area of ones garden or towards a neighbors yard and the following season a start of a new herb, veggie, fruit will be visible. Now that's magical. I've seen it happen in the garden I share with my lovely neighbor. Somehow extra herbs grew a few rows away from where nothing was planted. :) 
Finally fire (an element) is used to heat and cook so we may eat what was grown and harvested. We should take a few minutes to really see that and appreciate it. There's definitely something to be said about growing your own tomatoes, romaine lettuce, cucumbers, strawberries, peppers, a whole lot of herbs for cooking and making homemade teas with. 
This last summer I had the privilege to help tend to a garden that I am very thankful to my neighbor for. Since I knew nothing of gardening, she showed me a great deal. I'd soon realize how I enjoyed it right away. 

I thank the elements all the time for giving me the herbs and veggies that as I type these words I am still using. Tomatoes are still growing, and herbs as well. I just took a cucumber from its patch last week. My son's favorite. He ate it of course. :) The kids even say how they would rather eat the veggies from our garden than the store bought kind. If kids can tell the difference then you need to listen to them on that. 

So spring where the earth begins to defrost from its cold winters slumber. Then the warmth, and more often than not, blazing summer sun helps our gardens grow and as Summer turns to Autumn the sun isn't at it's strongest and begins its shift for the winter season. During the fall we harvest all our wonderful garden items before the earth once more freezes the ground and with the cold that comes with living in New England ends any chance of gardening. But the abundance of what was harvested, we now have been blessed with, and will have for the long winter months. A lot of herbs for cooking comfort foods and teas for the cold days and evenings. So this is why I smudge during the four seasons. As a thank you for giving us each season saying goodbye to that season as well as any negative energy that may have happened during that time. 

For me these are the times I smudge, for my own personal use. Sometimes my friends may ask me to smudge them. And I'm always honored that they ask me too and of course I set up a time to smudge them. I feel it's important to our energy to be as free from drama and any negative influences as much as possible. Yes, if we need to vent about something by all means vent. Let it out! But once you have. Let it go. Because if you don't let it go this negative thing/energy will always be around you. It's not worth it! Say what may bother you so it's not to build up inside you and keep it moving. 

In last weeks ending I mentioned the few words from the book, The Secret from Rhonda Bryne. "Like Attracts Like" read below. 

I will discuss this book more next week which I've read and seen the movie a few years ago. I will say, that after having read it, it isn't an easy task for me to follow. Just because I had always been surrounded by negative BS since my childhood. I've been use to thinking a certain way for so many years that now with the help of smudging and my letting go of negative energy, I need to switch my thinking and get out of the habits of bringing anything negative onto me or my family. Just by my thinking and how I phrase words. I will end this so as not to give too much away. 
Before I read The Secret book I would be late for the bus to get to work all the time. I would literally, almost chant as I was rushing to get ready. "I'm going to miss the bus!, I'm going to miss the bus!" And I'd miss the bus without fail. Then I read the book. I changed my words from I'm going to miss the bus, to "I WILL make the bus!' I stopped thinking I'd miss the bus. I just wouldn't allow my thoughts to even entertain the idea of my possibly missing the bus. And from then on. I never missed the bus. lol. 

It's not easy for me to practice because I can now admit that I feel dumbfounded at the fact I can will myself, a small two bedroom cottage with a woman cave, like home facing a woodsy area with a small garden, off a small chef style kitchen, oh did I mention it would be fenced in and Valentine would love sleeping on the warm grass on sunny spring and summer days or sit next to a warm wood burning, stoned fireplace in the heart of winter. The Universe is going to hook a girl up for my birthday! ;) "Ask, Believe, Receive!" Next week. 

http://www.thesecret.tv/thesecretbook/

Now let's end this blog with a Sunday Smudge Day Ceremony. I'll give you a few moments to gather yourself in your comfy happy place and position as you drink water and are feeling Zenful....................

Do you have any Zenful sounds on to help you on our cleansing-smudging journey? Have you had your water? And are your thoughts gathered and ready to be released? Or have you cleared your mind so you can ask for clarity? Or maybe you are just wanting to thank God and the Universe for a good last week and to help bring you a wonderful and positive new week ahead...?...

For me I want to smudge and say, thank you and goodbye, to last week. And be thankful that I didn't let any "work BS" breach my Zenful bubble. For me I am smudging to protect my children while they are both away from home in school or with friends and to also protect myself and our health. Protection for the job I'm Blessed to be employed to, that I will stay employed to, and even move departments and get promoted 445!. I am thankful that my kids and I are healthy and they are both in a good school system. I will take this moment to appreciate all I have and am given on a daily basis. Thank you God and Thank you Universe!!

If you're releasing negative energy or seeking clarity. See the smoke helping you release this negative energy or helping you get that clarity. Take a few deep breathes. (As many as you like) Release all that negativity as you exhale each time. 

I'll begin with an opening prayer that I always use: 

I'd like to ask The Lord, our Father, to be with us today on this rainy Sunday Eve of the week ahead. I also like to ask my ancestors as well as yours to be with us today and the elements; water, earth, wind, & fire to be here; I also like to ask that the Goddess of the North, East, South, and West be here; I will finally ask that our Archangels to be here as well, Uriel's for wisdom, Raphael for healing, Michael for protection, & Gabriel for revelation.  

I ask that all that look over us please be present during this time, to cleanse those that are in need of smudging, whether it's to remove any negative energy, seek clarity, or just wish to smudge to be thankful for the last week as well as give thanks to the week that's approaching us. 

Please Bless us Lord during this time and continue to surrounded us with love, positive energy. strength & clarity. I banish any negativity that may surround us. Let Only peace, love, & positive energy enter our aura. 

Now for the closing prayer: 

I'd like to thank The Lord our Father for being here with us today. I also want to thank my ancestors as well as yours; I'd like to thank the elements: water, earth, wind, & fire; as well as the Goddess of the North, East, South, & West, & our Archangels; Uriel's for wisdom, Raphael for healing, Michael for protection, & Gabriel for revelation. Let this weekend end peaceful and let it begin with great positiveness for you and yours. 

Amen. 

I wish you all a wonderful positive week. I have a girls night coming up and my daughter has a sleepover that I know she'll be excited for this weekend. I hope you have something fun coming up that you're excited for. Until next week. Enjoy this week and embrace the long weekend approaching! 

Namaste! 

Awilda.