TAROTSCOPES: FEBRUARY 2016

Cast by Louise Androlia using the Cosmic Tarot Deck

:: Aquarius / Aquarius Rising :: The Three of Wands 

Happy birthday month babes! The good news is that this month is calling you back into the wide-open space of expansive living and thinking, especially if, like most of us, you experienced a little bit of January panic. I feel as though your new year overwhelm was purely down to an overload of ideas. Suddenly they all became a tangled ball of wool and…oh dear, procrastination set in? So, if you are currently feeling like you backed yourself into a cave, know that it’s time to move forward with action.

You are actually very brilliant at thinking expansively about life and your projects, so remember that panic mode isn’t your natural state. Also, feeling overwhelmed by the sheer volume of your ideas is actually a pretty cool crisis to have – after all, you’re never going to run out of inspiration to put your vision out into the world. However, to be the thought LEADER that you truly are, you do need to practice a little focus. I also feel that over the course of the month, something that’s going to help get you into your most productive state will be sharing and collaborating.

When we are just recycling our thoughts over and over in our own mind, it’s easy to hit a brick wall – and it feels to me like you’ve got a whole heap of big plans to change the world that need some airing. They need an injection of breath and life. So who are the best people to brainstorm with? This is for you to figure out, but you will probably find that like minds exist in those who deal in similarly big ideas, those who prefer to question opposed to judge, and those who you find straight up inspiring. These people may be your BFFs, or they may be acquaintances hovering on the perimeter. Perhaps there’s even a mentor waiting in the wings.

Carry this expansive with you everywhere, so you don’t miss the conversations which are aligned to help you rise up and meet your highest and most compassionate “of service” self. There is an emphasis on FUN this month, so remember too that self care is always the remedy in moments of stress, and that it’s safe to follow what you are most excited about – rather than what you think you “should” do. Oh and finally – you may see the results of some major manifesting this month. Allow yourself to celebrate all that is YOU.

Download your full 2016 forecast here (using discount code NUMILOVE2016) and as usual come and chat with me on Instagram about how your month is going @louniverse. 

:: Pisces / Pisces Rising :: The Ten of Cups

 We often associate feeling good with seeing physical things or results turning out the exact way we want them too, but restricting our expectations this way often leads to disappointment and a perceived sense of failure. Allowing yourself to receive exactly what you need, when you need it, is a big part of being at peace in the human experience. To feel “out of control” doesn’t mean you have become the victim of your experience, rather it speaks to being to rigid with your limitations. In fact, when you take the pressure off, you will instantly begin receiving a lot more than you even expected. You have entered a natural state of surrender – action combined with expansion.

I feel a sense of relief entering the Piscean sphere this month. This sense of ease will arise from the simple act of allowing yourself to be where you are, not where you think you “should be” – just being where you are, and making friends with the feelings that accompany this moment. To exist absolutely in the now, is an empowered and powerful act of self-care, and I want you to practice it this month using the mantra: “I am exactly where I am supposed to be.”

There is also a sense of movement and things loosening up a little. Emails you’ve been sending out may finally get returned, news you’ve been waiting on shows up, and things suddenly make sense. Hope arises from internal trust and clarity. I feel you can also practice the belief that you are supported in the coming weeks. For those of you who have a strong spirit-based faith, then this is the month to reconnect to your angels, guides and loved ones. If you want to and don’t know how, then try simply asking for their assistance, and thanking the energy around you for showing you signs and symbols to remind you that everything is perfect in this present moment.

You may prefer to keep your support system within the 3D realm, and use this month as an opportunity to share your story with others, to be of service, to bathe in the brilliance of friends who inspire you and to open yourself up to receive more connections for your highest good. Your energy this month is wide open and expansive, but as always, living this way is a choice. Don’t be afraid to feel vulnerable and open up – big old fears and all.

Download your full 2016 forecast here (using discount code NUMILOVE2016) and as usual come and chat with me on Instagram about how your month is going @louniverse.

:: Aries / Aries Rising :: Strength

Your theme for this month is reframing what the word COURAGE means to you. You may associate courage with bravery – but you may also associate bravery with weakness. If you see vulnerability as a weakness, and “toughening up” an act of courage, that is. To you, to be courageous may mean just getting things done, to keep on pushing, to keep your back upright, your face impassive. So what does courage feel like to you? What’s your relationship to this word?

Courage, if you choose, can be an active form of self-love and self-awareness. Courage arises when you fully allow yourself to be YOU, and not only when someone else approves of you. Courage creeps into your empowered set of feelings when you own the moment you are in. Courage ushers you through the door when you take a leap of faith into the unknown. You don’t have to become courageous; courage can be a constant companion.

So this month, I want you to feel FULL of courage, as if it is beaming out of you, encouraging you to go forth and make some big decisions and perhaps also release some things that aren’t working. You no longer need to juggle a million things that don’t feel quite right. Life doesn’t have to be about winning, or waiting for gold star that says “HEY! You nailed it!” Instead, you have to peel back the layers, simply trusting that what’s in front of you will lead to what you want to create in the future. You’ve been doing the work, you’ve been facing the fears, and you’ve walked amongst your chaos. Now I want you to integrate this, and allow yourself to really BE the evolved you, the ever evolving you.

This means no leaning on excuses from the past, or dipping into self-sabotage. The courageous you knows this isn’t the way forward. The future is in the hands of the powerful YOU that exists today, and decides to move forward based upon all the knowledge you have earned. I can already feel the weight that lifts when you let the past become fluid and drop any “should”s and the “if”s about the future. Ask yourself, what feels right today? And then explore that feeling and allow it to be the vehicle for your next adventure.

Download your full 2016 forecast here (using discount code NUMILOVE2016) and as usual come and chat with me on Instagram about how your month is going @louniverse.

 :: Taurus / Taurus Rising :: Prince of Pentacles

February brings a continuation of the “back to school” feeling that accompanied your New Year plans, and now you are in the subtle shift of ideas becoming action. The energy for you over the coming weeks is to take bold steps in the direction you are seeking. I feel that for many of you there may be a grounding of ideas that you’ve been toying with during the past year even, and now it feels as if it’s is time for something to land. You can think of this in a very simple and earthy way – what is it that you want to create in your material world? What do you want to see grow in your external environment?

The emphasis is on solid confident steps, so you probably won’t find much peace if you try and gallop ahead, blazing a trail. Instead, think about movement with intention, because equally you don’t want to fall foul of perfection / procrastination and get bogged down again. So, what do you want to put your focus on? And what ONE THING can you do that can get things moving? Is it making the phone call that’s been on your to-do list for months? Writing an email, or starting a spreadsheet? Your action may even just come in the form of committing to a decision, but somewhere out there a new beginning is waiting for you – and it’s only you will know what it looks like.

Meanwhile, if you had been toying with the idea of seeking some external mentoring or support recently then the time is now. This may come in the form of anyone from a therapist to a business sponsor, but it feels like there is some external force around you that could offer a helping hand if you open up to the idea that you don’t have to do everything yourself.

For those of you who have been feeling less than your grounded self recently, you will also thrive within the company of those whom you feel most safe around, especially if you feel your trust and faith in others has been wavering recently. Remember that the company of one person who feels good is better than coffee with ten who make you feel in any way less than; your job isn’t to be everything for everyone or to be liked by all. Trust in what you need and you will find that it is right in front of you.

Download your full 2016 forecast here (using discount code NUMILOVE2016) and as usual come and chat with me on Instagram about how your month is going @louniverse.

:: Gemini / Gemini Rising :: The Moon

When the energy of the moon comes up in our days we are always been called to look behind the scenes and pay attention to our internal dialogue. Your February is an encouraging you to dive a little deeper into the essence of WHY you feel what you feel, and WHY you do what you do. For some of you this may instantly feel overwhelming, the idea of facing deep, dark fears, or the thought of simply sitting with your feelings. But know that your fears only want your attention, just a wave hello and an “I see you.”

For those of you reading this going OH YES I’VE BEEN FEELING ALL MY FEARS…then know that you are also allowed to ask for help, and that no one is supposed to manage everything on their own. We all need a tool kit, and most of the time this means we need someone to teach what goes in there. Meanwhile, examining the underbelly of definitely does NOT have to spell dark times – going “behind the veil” is also about connecting to your intuitive or higher self. I feel this is a wonderful month to be doing some dream journaling and paying attention to lady Luna herself.

You can learn so much about your self just from charting the phases of the moon, so why not experiment this month and see what you discover. In line with these themes, I feel there may be some sense of relief as you connect with the earth and nature over the coming weeks, especially if you feel wired or anxious. This may mean taking a hike in the nearest spot of wilderness that you can find, but equally, you will notice that eating root veggies and a good old stomp down the sidewalk will do the trick.

As far as other people are concerned, this is not a month to be seduced by gossip or drama, and that includes sitting and imagining that people don’t like you or are talking about you. If you’re fearing judgment then retreat back to your self, and do some work on your side of the street – and when you do meet any fears, know that you can negotiate with them. If in doubt, understand that the part of your mind that says you “can’t” or you aren’t “good enough” is an illusion – your soul self would never speak to you in that language.

Download your full 2016 forecast here (using discount code NUMILOVE2016) and as usual come and chat with me on Instagram about how your month is going @louniverse.

:: Cancer / Cancer Rising :: Death

You have either just experienced a big change in your life or you are currently undergoing a transformation (or hey, maybe both!) – and I want to reassure you that you are exactly where you are supposed to be. I hope for many of that this month will actually bring a sense of RELIEF, since your energy over the last six months has seemed to be very stop and start – things appearing and disappearing, offers followed by rejections, the whole shebang. So, where are you at today? I want you to recognize that you have literally stepped into a new cycle. A cycle, because life is never about pass and fail, or about being broken or fixed, there is ALWAYS an evolution unfolding.

You are always moving and shifting, especially when you feel stuck. So within this time of change, I want to remind you that you must (as always) prioritize your self-care – and by this I mean practice a serious, mind-blowingly deep nurturing of your self. Please experiment with this, as in you literally cannot care for yourself enough – in fact, go WILD with it, and see how much better the world looks when you decide that you are deserving of the utmost kindness and care.

Allow this practice to also bring in some grounding, as you are in need of some earth energy right now. When you’ve felt like everything has been up in the air – whether this was because you were consumed by a new crush, shifting jobs, or in recent crisis – your feet are off the ground. It’s time to come back down to earth and settle. Eat earthy veggies, keep warm, hug trees, stomp your feet, body brush, self-massage, keep a piece of tourmaline crystal in your pocket, and literally visualize roots growing from your feet into the earth.

Alongside this, I want you to take on a considered view of the future, accepting the fact that you can’t know what is ahead. There is a beautiful element of surprise in your world, and if you open yourself up to the unknown as your comrade and superpower, you may see some light in the shadows. Know that no one is exempt from the tales life tells us, and you are not alone. You may enjoy being with a new community over the coming weeks, sharing stories and being uplifted by friends. Oh and LAUGH, for there is much to be grateful for.

Download your full 2016 forecast here (using discount code NUMILOVE2016) and as usual come and chat with me on Instagram about how your month is going @louniverse.

:: Leo / Leo Rising :: The Star

 This month there are abundant opportunities for you to take full possession of your skills and talents. This isn’t a time to be playing yourself down or feeling like you have nothing to offer – particularly relevant for those of you in a time of transition. If it feels like you are really STARTING OVER, you may find yourself asking, “can I even do this?” Remember that every moment of your journey has been leading to today, and every single experience has given you wisdom. Even if you feel no connection to your past right now, it is what brought you hers, and you are still alive and time is still your friend.

This means I want you to honor your experiences so far, and admire the things that you have learned along the way. So where does this inventory-taking make you feel talented and star-powered right NOW? If this is an uncomfortable question to ask yourself, then great! Discomfort is a call to action, and it may be a call for you to actively up your own confidence levels. Self-confidence has to be claimed, not earned – and guess what, you get to choose to believe in yourself and your projects.

Sitting around and waiting for someone or something to approve of you just won’t cut it. Make a list of the things you are grateful for about yourself; they may be physical or emotional, skills or achievements. Know that it is okay to pat yourself on the back! On this theme, I’d also like you to remember that you don’t have to dim your light in order to please anyone else. If you have people around you who react badly to your joy, then know that they may be going through a tough time, but you are still allowed to celebrate. On the flip side, remember to always collaborate versus compete. It’s so much more fun to share than compare.

Meanwhile, I feel this month may bring many reasons for you to feel abundant, so remember that success is not a destination, more so a FEELING. It doesn’t have to be extreme, and you’ll realize you are constantly experiencing tiny joys if you stop to tune into them. Opportunities for you to up your game and shine brighter are also in store, and if you are getting in your own way creatively, remember not everything is about you – but more about how you can be of service. 

Download your full 2016 forecast here (using discount code NUMILOVE2016) and as usual come and chat with me on Instagram about how your month is going @louniverse.

:: Virgo / Virgo Rising :: The Six of Swords

Considering the speed at which your year kicked off, it may be that you’re already craving some down time. This does not mean that you have to book a holiday and head for the hills, it’s more about the idea of inviting in a little stillness back into your days. The idea of “self-retreat” feels wonderful for you, and you may be able to experience this from simply upping your alone time.

It seems as though the last couple of weeks have ushered in a lot of opinions and external ideas, with everyone chiming in with their input. While you appreciate support, it’s also easy for you to get annoyed and overwhelmed by too many people and their thoughts. So if you are feeling a little like you want to tell everyone to just GO AWAY, or are wondering if you can just turn down the volume on the world, then this is just a hint to reclaim some of your own time – and of course to value it.

This can be in whatever form that works for you. If you have been feeling a call to start a meditation practice, then this energy is of course in support of that – but it may also be that you need to sit and just feel your discomforts a little more, and make friends with your brain chatter. Stillness is available to everyone, especially somebody like you who’s often convinced that you CAN’T tone down your thoughts. You can, but it might not be in the way that you think you “should” – remember that meditation does not mean having an empty mind, more so one that feels less like a galloping stallion. Try to pick one thing and focus on it, and make it something that’s beautiful or interesting to you. You could steady your gaze on a candle flame just as much as you could watch a YouTube video of a puppy yawning (HEY, WHY NOT!)

The main thing is that you’re required to just take a little pressure off yourself this month, and just allow yourself to do one thing at a time. If feels like there’s one task or one dream that requires your eyes and your heart right now. So gift yourself some one-on-one time with whatever this is, and also with yourself. Just because you aren’t crossing things off lists doesn’t mean that your time is being wasted. 

Download your full 2016 forecast here (using discount code NUMILOVE2016) and as usual come and chat with me on Instagram about how your month is going @louniverse.

:: Libra / Libra Rising :: The Hierophant

I feel a shift from being the student to the teacher for you over the coming weeks. Some of you have actually been in that educational space, taking up new skills and ventures, and others of you have just really noticed that sense of your life being its own educator. It’s now time to think how you might use what you’ve learned as a tool for navigating the unknown ahead of you. With this sense of building wisdom and knowledge, you may also find yourself bursting at the seams wanting to tell everyone EVERYTHING you’ve learned. This is a beautiful feeling, as it can remind you of how wonderful wisdom gained really is – but what’s important is learning how to direct your findings in a positive and useful way.

No one ever benefits from being preached at, in fact, it’s an energy that often repels people. However, to teach is a more subtle and delicate process, which can be begun by simply practicing and living within your discoveries. For instance, if you’ve recently had your mind blown by a new self-help idea, then you don’t need to push it on everyone you know. Rather, just absorb what you have learned, and then BE the knowledge that has transformed your life, and you will instantly shift your own energy to benefit your own experience and others’.

You can also consider how you might like to use your experiences to be of service to the world, your community and those immediately around you. Again, always start with you, by nurturing your own mind, body and spirit and then considering how and what from your experience you can share for the highest good. Some of you may be called to write; or you may want to a video, or hop on periscope, and so on. You may simply feel called to ask “can I help you” to a close friend in crisis. You will know where your compassion is going to be of best use in the coming weeks, and enjoy rising up into this spot of light.

On the flip side of the coin, do not go all OUT THERE if you are feeling depleted. Trying to help, share and care is difficult if you are feeling less than filled up yourself. If you know YOU can be of help, it also means that there’s someone out there waiting to help you right back. Be out and proud about seeking guidance when you need it – it is all around you.

Download your full 2016 forecast here (using discount code NUMILOVE2016) and as usual come and chat with me on Instagram about how your month is going @louniverse.

:: Scorpio / Scorpio Rising :: The World

Your energy feels as though it has met its highest match, since this card is raw phoenix rising – meaning you are at liberty now to embody all the aspects of this transformative time. You know you are experiencing a big shift, right? Of course, we all feel it in different ways, but I want you to focus on the pure energy of endings and beginnings. This is to suggest that it is possible to very gently nurture all that is closing right now and bid what needs to leave your life a happy farewell – for a new horizon awaits, and you need to claim that space.

Finding the courage to close one chapter and move forward is never an easy task, but I ask you to trust in surrender, know that rejection is actually redirection, and there are many opportunities to say YES just ahead. So, on to new beginnings, as this is what feels fresh for you right now. I can sense a slight shift in your priorities, which has possibly occurred after a dark night of the soul scenario (you know alllll about those). In those darkest hours we get clarity because so much has been stripped away. Sometimes the guidance we receive is glaringly obvious, sometimes more subtle – and this will tie in with the whole “letting go” thing as sometimes it is really hard to actually accept your own desires.

For instance, if you’ve been doing something that always felt like your calling for so long you just don’t love it anymore, then know that it’s cool to move on. You aren’t tied to your own creations, and everything deserves its own set of wings. Put your attention on the new and the wild, it’s time to move from toe dipping to full on deep diving.

It seems that the world is awaiting something you have in your hands, whether it’s a new project, a piece of guidance, showcasing the new you, or ANYTHING that you feel is ready to launch. It’s only natural that you may experience some resistance in the form of anxiety about the future. No one is free from this and I want to remind you to lean towards whatever sources of faith you have. For me, it’s a baseline trust in my journey, and that I am always exactly where I am supposed to be regardless of what is happening around me. You’ve got this.

Download your full 2016 forecast here (using discount code NUMILOVE2016) and as usual come and chat with me on Instagram about how your month is going @louniverse.

:: Sagittarius / Sagittarius Rising :: The Queen of Wands

 It feels to me like February is actually the first month of the year for you, as I see you stepping into your highest state of empowerment and energy. The Queen of Wands always feels like pure Sagittarius to me, and here she is to remind you of your deepest soul truths. I see that you have an opportunity to really accept yourself for who you are and where you are at right now. Yes, we always want to change things about ourselves, but it’s time to quit it with any ideas about having to “fix” yourself, or avoid anything that you don’t like.

You do not have to get better or be better, but instead you just have to allow yourself to transform whilst you do the work that you want to do. There is never a finish line as far as self-development goes, and the coming weeks are merely a chance to allow yourself to be YOU. So, what parts of your own power do you really need to call in? What parts of yourself have you rejected? Where are you not standing in your true self? The parts of yourself that you feel challenged by, ashamed or unsure of are only an opportunity for growth. To accept the moment you are in also means being able to offer some forgiveness to the past, knowing that forgiveness is an act of self-care.

In regards to the external world and your actions this month, I feel as though there’s a lot that’s going to suddenly require your attention, with people coming at you from all angles with opportunities, ideas, new job offers and people desiring a piece of your time. Remember that to embody your fiery superpowers with regards other people, it’s always best to state what you want and need via a clear and compassionate filter, as well as allowing yourself time to breathe.

If in any doubt with how to deal with something – count to ten, RESPOND rather than react, and call a friend on the outskirts to brainstorm with. Finally – always go back within and check in with what your soul has to say before you throw yourself into anything that doesn’t feel good or 100 per cent right. You see, this “feeling good” is IT, the key to embodying your most naturally empowered and energetic state. Feeling good = feeling the true you.

Download your full 2016 forecast here (using discount code NUMILOVE2016) and as usual come and chat with me on Instagram about how your month is going @louniverse.

:: Capricorn / Capricorn Rising :: The Ace of Pentacles

 In response to last month’s theme of throwing it all out to the Universe, this month sees you called back to a decisive, abundant and productive energy. You are really READY to start something, and the days ahead are in support of this. A doorway seems to be opening, and is awaiting you because of the decisions you have been making over the past few months. I feel this is much more of a carefully constructed opportunity, opposed to someone handing you something on a plate.

With this in mind, I’m hinting at you being the fire starter, and the one to make the bold leap of faith. Don’t hang around waiting for someone to give you something when you could be out there and grabbing it for yourself. So, what are you interested in getting into gear? While your energy is often very much of the material world, I can also sense some big romantic moves may be on the horizon. Don’t be afraid to be present with the people who show up for you. Connections you make this month feel like they have a little magic to them, and that romantic partners, collaborators and mentors are all within your reach.

As always just trust in what feels good rather than go against your intuition out of fear. In regards the day to day, I can see there might also be an opportunity to restart something that never quite grew wings. Whether it’s an idea that you had to abandon due to other priorities, or something that just didn’t quite fit in the moment, second chances are favored – only if it still feels good of course!

On the self-care front, you may benefit from some grounding and a reconnection to your earthy natural state. However, don’t force yourself to do something just because you think you “should” – don’t drag yourself to the gym, when you know actually you enjoy walking more, or force yourself into the latest diet craze when your body is actually saying NO THANK YOU! Make space to stop and listen to your mind, body, and spirit. Oh and feel free to play. Taking positive action doesn’t mean you have restrict yourself. Big plans work really well when you allow them breathing space, and give yourself the freedom to make a little mess.

Download your full 2016 forecast here (using discount code NUMILOVE2016) and as usual come and chat with me on Instagram about how your month is going @louniverse.

COMFORTABLY NUMB: WHY ARE WE ALL AFRAID TO FEEL?

Dry January opened my eyes to how I’ve been comfortably numb, so this year I’m committing to feeling it and healing it, says Kate Atkinson.

Kate Atkinson comfortably numb dry january on The Numinous

‘Hello, is there anybody in there? Just nod if you can hear me.” Ringing an opiate bell in your psyche? If you’re a borderline millennial like me, you’re shamefully more likely to recall the Scissor Sisters version before the much more pleasant, sedate and, well, numbing, Pink Floyd original of the track “Comfortably Numb.”

But this song bears a special significance in my world right now. Having completed my first ever dry January I, like I suspect many Instagramming, Malbec-drinking, Bumble-ing, Happn-ing global citizens, have realized to what extent I’ve been moving through my life in a similarly cozy but numbed-out state.

The Oxford Dictionary defines “numb” as depriving us of the power of sensation. So to do so in any capacity means more or less living and feeling at a fraction of our capabilities. Or in Numi speak: “vibing at a lower frequency.” By CHOICE. How depressing is that?

And it’s not just the booze. NYC might be a cultural smorgasbord, but it also offers ready access to all the compulsions that can take you down a rabbit hole of distraction and, eventually, longing.

Rather than dealing with our shit, we drink. Opposed to being alone, we over engage on social media (no wonder “Digital Addiction” has become an actual “thing”). Others get high on the rush of success and pepped on promotion. There’s addiction to substances, of course – legal medications, essential oils, cocaine. Addiction to online dating.  Addiction to people. Addiction to pizza. Addiction to tattoos. Addiction to solitude. Addiction to sex.

The list is endless, and the more you get to thinking about it, the more it feels like anything can become an obsession when you’d rather numb-out than feel…and deal. Then there’s the replacement of one addiction with another. Partying for yoga. Work for a relationship…and so it goes.

Without booze to cloud this revelation, I’ve only become more aware of back-to-back evenings of time wasting on Facebook; the getting obliterated after a bad day at work; the 18 nights a month I eat pizza. And many more obsessions I don’t care to list in a public forum.

And I’ve decided this is no way to live. Along with this newfound awareness, I’ve realized how sick I am of the “terrifying Tuesdays,” the hours spent staring at my phone, of saying I’ll do things I never do, and spending my precious hours on mind numbing, opposed to mind-expanding activities.

So what’s the alternative? Bottom line is it’s tough to to feel the full spectrum of your emotions. It is hard to stay at home and sit with your loneliness, when grappling with an overwhelming desire to put it all behind you, just for one night.

Personally, that social itch and need to be surrounded by others is a compulsive distraction, and when I obey it and ignore my calmer (and undoubtedly more vulnerable) intuition, generally the more disasters head my way. The thing with numbing is it becomes a cycle. Drink too much. Make bad dating decisions. Attack your liver again with Advil. Waste $40 on breakfast. And so it goes.

With this in mind, I’m accepting you have to “feel it to heal it” – which means, for now at least, I am committing to a time of being UN-NUMB. And what this will entail exactly I don’t know, since I’ve been living comfortably numb for well over a decade.

Nonetheless, I want to commit to it this year. I have no idea what I’m doing – and already I’m finding myself interested in activities I would have laughed at this time last year. So welcome to my blank canvas of withdrawal…which right now seems to be manifesting into this column.

Signing off until next time, with one of my favorite quotes from Anais Ninn:

“You live like this, sheltered, in a delicate world, and you believe you are living. Then you read a book…or you take a trip…and you discover that you are not living, that you are hibernating.

The symptoms of hibernating are easily detectable: first, restlessness. The second symptom (when hibernating becomes dangerous and might degenerate into death): absence of pleasure. That is all. It appears like an innocuous illness. Monotony, boredom, death.

Millions live like this (or die like this) without knowing it. They work in offices. They drive a car. They picnic with their families. They raise children. And then some shock treatment takes place, a person, a book, a song, and it awakens them and saves them from death. Some never awaken.”

MY MYSTICAL LIFE: A DIGITAL DETOX, AND A PHONE CASE IDENTITY CRISIS

As well as the digital detox, this was the week I busted some actual ghosts!

:: MONDAY ::
An evening of digital detox with Biet Simkin and Levi Felix of Camp Grounded, at their Now O’Clock event. I was super excited, since Biet’s name is like literally everywhere right now (we’re actually running an interview with her next week) for being the girl who’s making meditation into a night out. There were no phones, obv, and interactive games designed to make us actually interact with other human beings in a human way, and we also had to fill out a form about our digital habits. This is when I got to feel super smug about my new practice of no emails or social before 11am and after 9pm – even though I still manage to rack up 12 HOURS of screen time (phone + laptop + TV) a day. BUT!! At least 4 of those I’m using technology / screens to create. I think the real issue with techno-overload comes down to intention – how you use it, not how long you’re on.

:: TUESDAY ::
So I’m really into my new iPhone case from Ban.do (below), and then the Pisces (a.k.a. husband) goes: “What’s your name, Miley Cyrus?” I think he meant this as an insult…but I happen to love Miley long time, so. Still, he got me questioning whether this is really the perfect case for me. After all, as I found myself talking about in my book this week (out spring ’17 you guuuuuuys!) – our phones are our modern day talismans. Shiny objects we carry on our person at all times, that hold all our hopes, dreams and desires. In which case, picking out a case that reflects THE REAL ME is actually pretty serious business, right?? So today I went ahead and ordered this one too. Which I guess means I’m having a i(Phone)dentity-crisis.

Chill Pills iPhone case from Ban.Do on The Numinous
Chill Pills iPhone case from Ban.Do

:: WEDNESDAY ::
A surprise delivery from the Montauk Juice Factory! I recently reconnected with founder Madi Murphy when she showed up at our Lead Your Own Moon Ceremony workshop, and where she shared how she’d recently added some high vibe self care products and tonics to her line of smoothies and juices. So this week I’ve mainly been blitzing Madi’s ridiculous matcha latte with some ice and extra vegan protein powder for breakfast, developing a hard core addiction to her Lip Butter, and telling people how she’s the next Moon Juice.

Apothecary by Montauk Juice Factory on The Numinous
Apothecary by Montauk Juice Factory

:: THURSDAY ::
I found out my beauty birthday – and it’s April 5, EXACTLY the day I was eying for a new haircut. Woot! Your “beauty birthday” is the day Venus returns to the same position as in your birth chart each year (a.k.a. your Venus return), and I’ve been obsessed with learning mine since we ran this post. Kimberly, who wrote it, will calculate yours for you when you order her 2016 Astrology Calendar – and it’s a need to know, since it’s starred to be THE best day of the year for shopping for a new fashion or beauty look.

2016 Astrology Calendar from Star Sign Style on The Numinous
2016 Astrology Calendar from Star Sign Style

:: FRIDAY ::
So I moved into my (dream) new apartment in October last year, and everything was GREAT – except for this odd smell in the bedroom, kind of like a gas leak. But I got the guy from Con Ed over and his meter came up with a big fat zero. So when lovely Louniverse suggested it might be a spirit trying to get our attention, tbh it seemed pretty plausible. “Spirits just want to be acknowledged, so just say hello and ask them to please remove the smell,” she said. Which I did…and it only freaking worked! Well the smell was back this week, so I repeated the exercise (“hi again spirit, we’re totaly happy sharing this space with you but we’re still not really into the smell…”) – and it only worked AGAIN!!! #Ghostbusters

Ghostbusters on The Numinous

HOLY F*CK! MAKING AMENDS WITH MY EXES

In the first installment of her column Holy F*ck, Alexandra Roxo decides making amends with her exes is the next step on the path of awakening…Photo Credit: Louise Androlia

Alexandra Roxo Holy F*ck making amends on The Numionus

In the last nine months of being “single” I have done a LOT of work trying to figure out my love life/self/astro chart/addictions/blahblah. Some of that “work” was on Tinder but no need to get into that…yet. Anyway, I decided that in order to move on and clear the slate I would make amends with all my exes. I was having a John Cusack in High Fidelity moment where he’s like, “What’s wrong with me? Why did all my relationships ‘fail’? I should probably seek out and bother everyone I’ve ever dated in order to figure out what it is about me!” Which seems pretty narcissistic, I know.

But the way I saw it, this wasn’t about narcissism or figuring out what was wrong with me. I don’t believe in relationship ‘failure’ anyway. It was about wanting to neutralize our energy, so I wasn’t carrying around a bunch of ‘eugh’ and ‘agchk’ vibes towards a bunch of people that I once loved, had sex with, and maybe even told that I wanted to have their babies…Plus the fact that in order to really move on to new love, I feel it’s important to unpack any potential baggage that is weighing us down. Justin Bieber’s words “Is it too late now to say sorry?” kept echoing through my mind.

No one taught me how to do this and I was just going off intuition, though I had heard it was a part of AA and some program called Landmark that sounded trés culty.  So I consulted my teachers. Marianne. Jesus. Marianne again. She says many things about making amends, but this stuck with me: “Forgiveness is the choice to see people as they are now. When we’re mad at people, we’re angry because of something they said or did before this moment. By letting go of the past we make room for miracles to replace our grievances.”

So at first I thought, should I write everybody a letter? Hmm, it felt kind of like a wimpy way out, like I could just get something off my chest without hearing their (potentially not so charitable) side of the story. So instead I reached out to what had been my biggest primary relationships individually, and suggested we sit down for a drink.

Now yes, it is a little tricky to suggest “just a drink” with an ex – I mean what happens if two vodkas in, the romance spontaneously rekindles itself and you find yourself making out?! #RiskyBusiness. I knew this was a possibility, and yet “coffee” seemed sooooo formal. I mean these are people that have held you at your darkest hour / made you cum many times. Wine, my friends. Wine.

Alexandra Roxo Holy F*ck making amends on The Numionus

So I sat down with my first ex. This was someone I’d only dated for about six months after having sex on her NFL sheets where she kept saying: “You’re such a dime” while she came. After that she wooed me with a Jaws movie night complete with steamed crab legs and champagne, and we fell in love. She was the kind of person who danced with me to Motown in the kitchen, ate gluten free because I did, and gave me orgasms where I legit saw rainbows of light. (FYI this is called “synethesia.”)

So it was real RUDE of me to ghost on her. When we sat down three years later to reconnect at a mediocre spot in Williamsburg, I apologized first, went into my spiel about being grateful for all of the wonderful things she did for me, all the ways she put up with my neuroses, and how much I’d grown up…while she gulped down some rosé, looked at me and said: “You really fucked me up.”

To which I replied: “I am NOT going to own that, because whatever expectations you put on the relationship are what made you feel that way. I PERSONALLY couldn’t make you feel that way.” But then I remembered this was not about patting myself on the back or being right.

So I said “I am really sorry for my actions. For yelling at you. Being mean. And for checking out when things got tough. I am truly sorry.” We walked through the park quietly after that and haven’t spoken since. She seems happy, I like her Instagram photos on the reg, and I’ll probably text her on her birthday. CHECK.

Next I saw the guy who was my last boyfriend before I somehow gave up men and dated women for six years. With him, I was a little bit nervous. I had dumped him in cold blood for my first girlfriend and…blamed it on the fact he wasn’t spiritual enough. He was an atheist, and I knew I couldn’t date an atheist or raise children with an atheist, so why bother, ya know?

We met at a dive bar. I was nervous, and he’s still hot. Even hotter now. I fondly remembered a time we had sex in the pool at my dad’s condo and the security people taped it and bribed my dad with it. Cut to my internal dialogue: “What if I’m not strong enough? Should I wear lace panties just in case? No. Don’t even shave. Ugggh. Okay. Fine.” When I told him, “Hey, I’m sorry for how much of a crazy diva I was,” he just gave me a cute smile and said: “Don’t worry mama” in that way that had always made me melt. Then he scooted off to help another ex gf move house. THIS IS EASY RIGHT? Hmm, not so fast…

Alexandra Roxo Holy F*ck making amends on The Numionus

Next was the hot, fast, love affair that happened the summer I was living very gypsy-like, i.e. out of a suitcase and on an air mattress. She showed up at 3am at the place I was house sitting with a bottle of tequila, told me she was dying, cried, fucked me, and I was like “SIGN ME UP!” Then things got really bad between us. She was going through some dark stuff, I was going through a rough patch with my family. I was also living in my creative partner’s office, trying to make art, struggling with addictions, chain smoking…

I recognized that I had to get it together which I thought meant cutting her out. When I told her “No mas!” she cried and told me she vomited for days and had to go to the doctor for an IV, and I basically couldn’t deal. So I blocked her. And from then on, anytime people said her name it was like horror film music started to play…

Needless to say I was VERY nervous to meet up with this one. But I did my energy protection ritual, marched in, drank only half a glass of wine for safety and told her I was sorry and that she caught me when I was in such a dark place. She smiled a really cute smile and was like “It’s okay. We both were.” And we proceeded to talk about our mutual friends and though I lustfully admired her long sinewy fingers I emerged from the bar thinking: “Oh. My. God…we’re friends, we’re friends!” But soon she started texting me and asking me out again to which I politely declined, repeatedly. Eventually she caught on.

The upshot of making amends this way, has been that I’ve realized it’s never too late to take responsibility for your actions, and create a different ending to your story with an ex. You might think: “Oh, what’s done is done is done is done.” But what if you could make something else, something better, the last thing that happened between you? It could even be something random like sending them a box of chocolates or a bottle of champagne, with a note like: “Sorry, I was awful.” No two making amends are alike.

I didn’t need to see my most recent ex (Yogi_Vegan_Lez Orian) since we made amends in semi-real time. It felt and still feels like a MIRACLE OF GOD. Painful, but evolved. We Facetime a lot, often while I’m driving in LA and while she’s on a toilet in Brooklyn. And when I came to NY last we karaoked our song “Islands in the Stream” from Youtube like old times.

I hope from here on out I can try as much as possible to make amends in real time. Which means a) not numbing out from feelings when the going gets tough (umm hi marijuana / alcohol / sugar) and b) Stepping up and taking responsibility for my actions quickly and not stuffing anything away.

When I think back on my exes now no more waves of darkness descend upon me, and no more sob stories about how they were assholes etc run through my mind. Now when I think of them I smile and imagine them saving the planet, curing cancer, etc etc.

Next making amends I’m doing is with myself – because it’s my longest and most important relationship, and arguably the one I need to forgive the most. But for now I’ll take Obama’s apology.

YUMI SAKUGAWA: HOW TO BECOME ONE WITH THE UNIVERSE

Yumi Sakugawa’s cute illustrated books bring life’s big questions down to earth. But mastering them herself will always be a work in progress, she tells Gabriela Herstik.

yumi sakugawa interview on The Numinous

If there’s one thing Yumi Sakugawa thinks you should every day, it’s meditate. And with her sweetly illustrated books, the Los Angeles based comic book artist and illustrator is on a mission – to teach the world that there’s no right way to meditate, and you should do it anyway. In fact, Yumi is leading a shift in how we approach our relationship to our consciousness – and her childlike curiosity on her everlasting search of ways to connect to the cosmos is creating some truly spectacular magic.

The Numinous: There’s an almost childlike innocence in the way you present very important spiritual and Universal truths. How do you think this helps get your message across?
Yumi Sakugawa: I want to believe that core spiritual and universal truths can be distilled to simple and profound messages that can be easily understood by everybody regardless of religious background, spiritual training or level of education / life experience. Also, I don’t think illustrated books should be limited to just children.

yumi sakugawa interview on The Numinous

TN: One of the points you emphasize is that we ARE one – with each other and the Universe. How do you think living in this truth can change your life, and how has it impacted your own?
YS: This is a principle I illustrate a lot, but one I have the hardest time practicing for myself. I want to believe that in embodying this truth, we collectively awaken to the idea that other people’s suffering is our own suffering, to help remind us of our innate nature to take care of our communities and the planet as a whole.

I do feel ready, more than I’ve ever been, to really ask myself what cosmic interconnectedness means and how I can embody this more in my life and my work. Self-care and self-love must come first before extending that love to the community at large. Meditating on this truth gives me a greater sense of responsibility and purpose in the art I create and share with the world.

yumi sakugawa interview on The Numinous

TN: How and why did you decide to tackle such a heavy (and worthy!) concept like oneness? 
YS: Again, I think I am drawn to this principle of oneness because I have the hardest time fully practicing it – even though I know on some primal, deep level that this is something the survival of our humanity and goodness depends upon. I spend a lot of time alone working on my artwork, which makes it easy for me to have an isolated and self-centered worldview. I am in awe of friends and colleagues who are really out there in the world interacting with more people from all walks of life every single day in very difficult, challenging situations – whether they are teachers, doctors, community activists, or work in the non-profit sector.

But at the same time I feel very lucky that my artwork has found an audience out there, and it’s so humbling to know that the work I create to ease my own mental health issues and insecurities can also help complete strangers from all walks of life, in all parts of the world. That, to me, brings a beautiful and profound sense of interconnectedness, that so many people may be experiencing the same shades of suffering, but can also experience the same spiritual relief by unshackling their minds from their own self-inflicted and self-limiting beliefs. I am reminded often that my artwork cannot exist in a vacuum and it must be seen by other people in order for the process of creation to be complete.

yumi sakugawa interview on The Numinous

TN: What’s on the horizon for you in the upcoming Year of the Monkey?
YS:
I do hope to further extend my involvement with the world in 2016, though I am not sure yet what that would look like. In addition to continuing to create more artwork and comics relating to mindfulness, perhaps I will be doing more workshops and guided meditations IRL? To be continued! (Ed. Let’s talk Yumi, we’d love to create a Numinous Presents event with you!)

yumi sakugawa interview on The Numinous

TN: What’s your process like for creating your art? Is there a special space that you tune into?
YS: Especially with my books about meditation and mindfulness, it’s important for me to be in an intuitive flow state where I am feeling clearheaded and not overthinking things. This is why it is so important for me to meditate first thing in the morning. Having meditated for seven years now, I cannot imagine doing my creative work without a daily meditation practice, which creates the best mental space for me to pay attention to my inner guide – the voice that tells me when something is authentic or not. It is in this space where the best creative decisions are made, and the artwork that needs to be created unfolds with the ease of a flower opening its petals to the sun.

TN: What is the one message you hope to get across to all humans who read your books?
YS: Pay attention, listen and celebrate.

Discover more about Yumi Sakugawa and her work at Yumisakugawa.com

WITH INTENT: WHAT IT’S REALLY LIKE LIVING IN A COMMUNE

Living in a commune reflects the humanitarian vision and values of the Aquarian Age, says Amanda Capobianco. Just no-body mention the “C” word…Homepage image: The Source Family

Amanda on The Numinous

Just over a year ago I did something that would appear crazy to most people around me. I let go of a five room, $1600 apartment in the heart of Williamsburg, Brooklyn, and traded my solo living situation for well over 20 roommates.

When I moved into to my own apartment I thought I had “finally made it.” But as I set my last moving box down and crossed the threshold, the voice of my spirit, my own higher self – or what I actually like to think of as Shiva – came through: “Don’t get attached,” it said. “Appreciate this to the fullest because it’s an illusion that won’t last forever.”

I appreciated it for over a year. Walking around naked, decorating however I wanted, all of that alone time… It was dreamy and ideal. I was proud that after years of roommates and sublets I finally had a place of my own. Not to mention the apartment was beautiful – a top floor, sunlit, spacious home, with a walk in closet to boot!

But the voice kept getting stronger. This living alone business wasn’t for me. You see, when I wasn’t alone in my apartment I was involving myself in another space just a neighborhood away in Greenpoint – an intentional community called Golden Drum.

I had been connecting with them for about four years or so, and at one point it became very clear that in order to progress on my spiritual path I would need to embrace the initiation of communal and intentional living. After all, this is the teaching of the Aquarian Age – to move out of the solo and selfish Piscean age and into the communal and humanitarian vision of the Aquarian. I knew this had to be my next step – or rather leap – into the unknown.

While it was a clear decision, it wasn’t an easy transition. I had moments where I doubted my choice, believing everyone would call me crazy, and if this new situation proved to be temporary I’d be stuck trying to find yet another home. I didn’t back out though, and I could have.

A year or so later, after some deep spiritual scrubbing, I find myself living in the most harmonious environment, and with some of the greatest people I have come to know on this path of awakening. My work has been supported as well as my health and my happiness. It was by far the hardest and yet, the best decision I have ever made.

We spoke to Amanda in more detail about her experience of living in a commune…

Amanda 2 on The Numinous

The Numinous: How did you first connect with Golden Drum?
Amanda Capobianco: A close friend of mine had been doing some spiritual work with the community and had just come back from a week long retreat. When she spoke of her experience with the community’s spiritual teacher I knew that I had to investigate. Here I was, like so many, a yoga instructor with no real teacher to learn from or help guide me. I knew it was something I needed to feel into so I started attending events and creating relationships with the community to see what it was all about.

TN: What appealed to you about the community and their lifestyle?
AC: What appealed to me most was that it was and is highly intentional, rooted in the study of sacred practices and open to all walks of life, especially to those that express a need for healing and transformation. It felt revolutionary, compassionate and also, the people were very real, very human. There was no big illusion of spiritual grandeur. You felt that everyone involved was working through their stuff and totally committed to doing so. After being a part of this myself, not only do I see my own transformation but I am a witness to those transforming around me. I can see how people have empowered themselves through their dedication to spiritual disciplines and studies.

TN: Is this something you sought out or, did it find you?
AC: I feel like it found me but it was something that I had wanted all along. I loved the idea of a space that fostered community and peaceful living. I had tried living in community in some sense, renting an industrial loft and having like-minded roommates. But, without any sort of structure or discipline, it was never fully realized. We were all good people but it just never opened in the way I had envisioned. I believe now what was missing was sharing in strong spiritual practices and a commitment to serve others, as well as guidance beyond our own “inner guide”.

unspecified-2
Amanda with a drum gifted to her by her spiritual teacher

TN: What are the rules/codes you live by?
AC: It’s not a rigid household by any means, but there is a code of conduct that helps keep the energy peaceful. Because we base our work in spiritual disciplines, it’s important that we keep the space very clean, not just physically but energetically. We are very mindful in this way. These guidelines may appear strict, but are truly set in place as an advantage to our liberation.

We are substance free, no smoking, drinking or drug use.
We do not shout at each other or act in any violent capacity, if we do, we have to leave.
We do not eat flesh foods including fish.
We all have a service duty to help move the non for profit organizations (Golden Drum, Sacred Arts Research Foundation) along.
We all pitch in to help with events and everyday household chores.
We have a protocol for inviting guests over to stay.
We communicate via email threads to make communal decisions and we have house meetings on a regular basis.

TN: Can you describe an average day at home?
AC: We begin each day with some form of morning practice or ritual. This could be communal or individual. After which we head into our work life, studies and/or tend to the business of the community spaces. If I’m working from home there are usually, at least, two other people around, with others coming and going. There may be a music rehearsal then a private healing session, I may even be giving a yoga lesson online, it really just depends on the day.

There are usually some communal meals and if more than one of us are eating at time a good conversation about the current astrological aspects might be taking place! If we have an event in the evening we take care to organize and set up so that all is in place. We tend to our individual sacred practices before bed. There is no code of when we should sleep just an overall sense to be mindful of others if we are pulling an all-nighter.

The beauty is in the harmony of it. To be in a space where so much is happening but it is flowing peacefully is the true take away of community living. It really teaches you how to let go of all those things you think you need, like absolute quiet and for no one else to be around in order to focus. You learn how to conquer all of that and get your work done anyways. It is a true training for any spiritual practitioner.

TN: Who is your teacher/guru and how often do you see him?
AC: My teacher is recognized as Taino Elder Maestro Manuel Rufino. I am eternally grateful for all that he has shared with me. I try to see him as often as possible.

TN: What are your feelings about the word ‘cult’?
AC: It feels like a word rooted in the paradigm of fear.

TN: How do you explain your living situation to your family, people you’re dating etc.?
AC:
With transparency. Being a yoga teacher, my family is used to me being the “odd one,” but they trust how happy and healthy I am. Year after year, my spirit is in peace. While they might not share the same values they cannot deny their daughter’s happiness and contentment.

Dating is funny in the world of intentional community living though. It’s not impossible, but it will never be what it was when you lived alone. Which for me is actually a high point. You have to go really slow and gently bring that person into the fold. Otherwise, it’s just too intense for them. However, if they make it they are met with an incredible community of supporters. I’ve learned a lot about relationships being surrounded with conscious couples. It’s been a great way to undo the ideas of the past surrounding love and partnership, and it has been very healing.

Golden Drum on The Numinous
With her roommates at the Sacred Arts Research Foundation

TN: Do you think more people will seek this kind of living situation in the future? Why?
AC:
 I think when people start to understand how incredibly helpful it is to live in community, they will begin to let go of the illusion of needing so much private space.

Think of all the people who are afraid to have children because they don’t have enough money or they don’t have a partner. When you live in a community like ours you have help that you can lean into. You have people that have done it before and can share knowledge with you. You also have children around you via other families, so maybe you don’t have to have a child after all. Maybe that child comes to you in another way. Again, its learning to let go of what you think you need (the societal pressures we are all subjected to) and recognizing the gifts that are already right there in front of you.

On an even more practical note, why pay $1600 a month when you can pay $800 and live just as peacefully, abundantly, and harmoniously? I guess keeping up an image can be cool, but I would much rather live simply and spend all that extra money investing in my continuing education, helping out my family or perhaps taking some time to travel.

TN: What are the difficult parts, if any?
AC: Living amongst spiritual practitioners means you are stepping into a vibration that’s going to show you things about yourself that were much easier to hide from when you were living in your independence. It is a mirroring process with many mirrors! In a lot of ways, you are completely exposed, and it is up to you to own your stuff and then transcend it. Sometimes, it takes a while for this to happen.

You have to let go of judgments and allow for others and yourself to grow, which means you have to learn to forgive and practice compassion. It’s much easier to hide. It’s much easier to isolate yourself or run away. But then you aren’t really growing, and those that come to live in an intentional community are on a path that values spiritual growth. It’s not enough to just take a yoga class every once in a while and call that spiritual living. This is a clear and deep investment in your path of awakening.

TN: Do you see yourself growing old with your community? Is this your long term plan?
AC: I do! I am not sure what it will look like 50 years from now and I don’t know that staying in NYC is really something that I want for the long term but staying connected to this community, our way of life, our walk and these teachings are something I hope to carry with me for as long as I possibly can.

Follow the links for more about Golden Drum and the Sacred Arts Research Foundation, and discover ore about Amanda Capobianco and her work here.

THE MAGIC INGREDIENT: A SUPER HEALTHY SUNDAY BRUNCH (IN BED)

Two high vibe and super healthy Sunday brunch recipes we’re currently crushing on…DIY Faux-coa Puffs & Chia Chickpea Pancakes w/ Coconut-Cinnamon Whipped Cream. By Raquel Griffin. Photo: Ashley E. Davidson

Healthy Sunday brunch dishes by Raquel Griffin on The Numinous

DIY Cocoa Faux Puffs (V,GF)
Filling, healthy, and party in your mouth!

WHAT YOU’LL NEED
1/4c raw amaranth
1c unsweetened fresh (or store bought) almond milk
2T maple syrup [or honey, brown rice syrup, etc..]
2-3t unsweetened cocoa powder
1t vanilla extract
1/4t cinnamon
2T dried unsweetened coconut

DIRECTIONS
Pop amaranth, 1-2T at a time. Popping instructions. In a bowl mix together amaranth, cocoa powder, cinnamon, dried fruit + coconut. Pour 1c milk in a bowl and whisk maple syrup + vanilla in until combined. Pour milk over your new favorite Saturday morning treat and dig in!

***Optional additions for the adventurous or… not so much ***
Add in chopped nuts to up the crunch factor (almonds, walnuts and pecans could all be major). Add in dried fruit like raisins, cherries or goji berries to give your faux puffs a little haute healthy flavor. Not a fan of dried fruit or coconut? Leave ’em out – it’ll still be a party in your mouth.

Chia Chickpea Pancakes w/ Coconut-Cinnamon Whipped Cream (V,GF)
This recipe has been my go-to for the last month. I cannot seem to get enough pancakes, but then again can you really ever have enough pancakes when they’re gluten-free, vegan, AND crazy high protein? I think not.

So before we jump right in let me give you the stats on these beauties. Two medium pancakes have about 20-22 grams of protein, 19 grams of fiber – plus you could easily hit 25+ grams of protein by adding a smattering of nuts into the mix. And did I mention they taste great and not like chickpeas at all? So buckle your seat belts because this recipe is about to become a mainstay in your Sunday morning repertoire.

WHAT YOU’LL NEED:
1T Chia (soaked for 10 min in 3T water)*
1T flax seed
1/2c chickpea flour
1/4t baking soda
1 capful of white vinegar
1/3c water
1 1/2t stevia
sprinkle of sea salt
Coconut oil (enough for frying pancakes)

For Coconut-cinnamon whipped cream
1 can full fat coconut milk *(stored in the fridge overnight)
1 1/2t ground cinnamon
1 capful vanilla extract
Sweetner to taste

DIRECTIONS
For the Pancakes
Combine all ingredients in large bowl and mix until lump free. Heat your lightly oiled pan over low-med heat. Next, pour or scoop the batter into the pan, using approximately 1/4 cup for each pancake. Cook on both sides till golden brown, serve hot and topped with coconut-cinnamon whipped cream.

For the coconut-cinnamon whipped cream (v,g)
Take your chilled coconut milk and empty the entire contents into a bowl and add your sweetener of choice, plus 1 1/2t of cinnamon and a capful of vanilla extract. Finally, whip on high using an electric mixer for 5-7 minutes until the whipped cream is soft, fluffy. Et voilà!
*Sealed in an airtight container the whipped cream will hold for approx. 4-5 days in the fridge.

***Optional additions for the adventurous or… not so much ***
Top with jam (I’m currently obsessed with fig, but orange marmalade, ginger, and of course any berry could all equally rock your world!) And of course, one can never go wrong with the classic pairing of nuts + fresh fruit + maple syrup.

MY MYSTICAL LIFE: A NEW WORKING WARDROBE, AND THE REALITY OF TRUTH

Elevated living in my PJs, The Reality of Truth, and getting some supplies in for my Moon time…

My Mystical Life column by Ruby Warrington of The Numinous
PJs + Wild Child lipstick by Ila = my new working wardrobe

:: MONDAY ::
Still vibing off our Numinous Presents: Lead Your Own Moon Ceremony workshop, which was led by Deborah Hanekamp in NYC last Saturday. Having my moon in Cancer (the moon’s home sign) I’ve always felt especially attuned to her movements, which is one reason I’m always posting about what sign she’s moving through in our Instagram #moonscopes. But Deborah’s teachings brought a whole other level of awareness to how to use each Moon phase, PLUS all the proper protocols for hosting my own moon ceremony (for myself or others). Essential info – which is why we’re planning to bring the course to LA next month. Watch this space!

Lead your own moon ceremony workshop The Numinous and Unity Essences
LA date in Feb 2016…TBD!

:: TUESDAY ::
Since I’ve mainly spent this month working towards my March 1 BOOK DEADLINE (out spring 2017 #savethedate), I’ve also been mainly spending all day every day in my PJs. And doing a bit of research for the chapter on beauty, I remembered this post on The Art of Sacred Adornment by Kitty Cavelier. She writes how: “When you rouge your lips, be aware that you are bringing red, the color of passion and power, to every word you speak. As you paint your fingernails, remember that every stroke of the polish is a prayer of adornment for all the magic your hands create every day.” So the PJs can stay, but I’ll be adding some lipstick and polish from here on in (see main pic!)

:: WEDNESDAY ::
Dinner with my friends Ian and Drita, who recently moved down to Costa Rica to help open a high-end shamanic healing retreat called Rythmia. Needless to say I’ll be heading down to check it out later this year, and in the meantime I’ll be watching The Reality of Truth – a documentary exploring how people, groups and entire cultures tap into an alternative, “true reality” through spirituality, meditation, and psychedelics. Featuring ALL the great Now Age speakers, you can win a $10,000 retreat at Rythmia when you buy a copy.

:: THURSDAY ::
Ah, the magic of manifestation. While we were trying to engineer a move from London to NYC, I’d been making my husband (a.k.a. The Pisces) a morning cup of tea in an “I <3 NY” mug every day for like 18 months. Once the Universe heard and gifted him with a transfer to the Manhattan office of his firm, we told our friends Catherine and James about this, who were like: “oh we’d quite like to live in New York too.” So we gave them the mug for them to try their luck…and they’re only only moving to NY next month!! They’re here looking at apartments this week. As for the Pisces and I? We’ve moved on to an “I <3 LA” mug…

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

:: FRIDAY ::
Placed an order with Kerrilynn at CAP Beauty for some Moon Juice snacks, which they began stocking this month. The thing about getting to know my personal moon cycles better (i.e. properly tracking and working to regulate my period) is that I know when I’ll be PMS’ing. And with the book deadline not exactly going anywhere, I figured a supply of my fave Chocolate Chaga Donuts and Rose Geranium bars might come in handy in the days to come. Except they’d only sold out!! I’ll have to make do with the Mulberry Cacao Crunchers instead #sigh #fristworldmaterialgirlproblems…

Moon Juice Chocolate Chaga Donuts, $8
Moon Juice Chocolate Chaga Donuts, $8

EMBRACE YOUR DESIRES: READING FOR THE FULL MOON IN LEO

Use the fiery energy of the lion to honor yourself and your unique desires. The universe is working with you during this Full Moon in Leo, says Hannah Ariel.

Leo Full Moon on The Numinous

“There is one great truth on this planet: whoever you are, or whatever it is that you do, when you really want something, it’s because that desire originated in the soul of the Universe…The Soul of the World is nourished by people’s happiness. To realize one’s destiny is a person’s only real obligation. And when you want something, all the Universe conspires in helping you to achieve it.” – Paulo Coelho’s The Alchemist

A Full Moon in Leo is no silent breeze. It roars its message loud and clear. It commands our attention. It compels us to listen. It draws out our passion like no other Full Moon can. No matter what stage of the game you have been at these past two weeks, this Full Moon on January 24th will put you directly in touch with what you personally desire for yourself – desires, you were BORN to feel. With all your heart, you will uncover the truth of what makes you happy – and you will make it your mission to connect with that source of happiness. 

Leo is a fixed fire sign ruled by the blazing sun. In all its glory, it knows what lights it up without exception. This energy doesn’t ask for permission, doesn’t ask, “is this right or wrong” – makes no apologies for its intensity. Coming straight from the heart, Leo simply fixates its burning desire, outshines all doubts, and taps straight into an intuitive stream of understanding. A Full Moon in Leo never lacks in confidence so be confident – whatever is shaking you up, whatever shocks you, stops you in your tracks, leaves you with the biggest smile on your face, or whoever you’re being enlivened by this week is the Universe conspiring to ultimately nourish your happiness and get you to your destiny through divine inspiration.

When the Moon was new in Capricorn we were being asked to step up, define where we honestly see ourselves going in life, and put in the work. Do you feel yourself passionately aligned with excitement? You’ve seen the future, you’ve set your goals, but are you happy? Is your heart on fire? Do you jump out of bed in the morning? Are you in the right place with the right people for you? This Full Moon in Leo may very well be a celebration of knowing and loving where you stand! There will be no shying away from the truth your emotions will reveal. On the other hand, if your heart just isn’t in it any more, you will feel this moon strongly. You will know what needs changing and so will the Universe!

As the Sun will be in innovative Aquarius, the 11th star sign, the “11th hour” where anything goes, don’t be too surprised if you find the cosmos responds by presenting you with another option – one that deviates from conventions you subscribed to when the Sun was in Capricorn. No matter how unusual it may appear to be, Aquarius wants to upgrade and liberate you from any paradigm you subscribe to that’s getting in the way of your lust for life. Aquarian energy helps us experience our pure humanity – our ability act like the wind on a clear day, ever open to change. Aquarius works as the idealist always with its sights set on a new solution. Reality can take on a fresh new tone at this time.

Mercury will have just gone direct and will conjunct Pluto once again in Capricorn, getting us straight to the point of what could be getting the in way. We can expect to revisit thoughts we have perhaps subconsciously aligned ourselves with the past few weeks – the ones that keep us in the shadow of fear-based inaction. Refer back to the initial conjunction that took place December 18th/19th as it will clue you in to the depth of what you’ve been experiencing beneath the surface. This retrograde has revealed crucial lessons in learning how to let go of what is keeping you from moving toward your destiny with dignity and without worry that we are making the wrong choice or saying the wrong thing.

Honor yourself as an individual – a human being with real desires, and willing to break free from anything that keeps you from fulfilling them. This Full Moon in Leo brings a creative drive that can blast through any stagnation. Leo wants your personal happiness to shine. It will illuminate and encourage you to do exactly what you need to do and say what you need to say, as Leo is your courage. Leave the fear behind. You will have all the answers you need about yourself and what you need to connect more passionately with. If there’s anything you’re not happy with trust that the light of the sun will give you the energy you need to break out where you’ve been stuck.

Even if the actions you have to take initially appear to disrupt what has come before, repeat proudly: “I can’t wait to see what good will come of this.” So long as you are truly following your heart’s lead, everything that occurs will be happening to help you achieve what the Universe knows you need; to realize your destiny; to be happy. It may feel like you’ve just pulled the Tower card in the tarot, but at least there’s nothing to be confused about now! Be humbled by your desires – realize their potency, their truth. You’ve got the power to blaze your way forward.

To book a personal reading with Hannah Ariel email: [email protected]

LOVE YOURSELF: A BODY WORSHIP RITUAL

Learn how worship your body with the same reverence you show when entering a sacred space of prayer, says Kitty Cavalier.  Artwork: Pedro Sacadura

Pedro Sacadura on The Numinous

As a little girl, I loved volunteering to clean my church after mass on Sundays. My family and a few other parish members would polish the pews, switch out the flowers on the altar, sweep the long processional aisle of dust bunnies and organize the hymnals. As a very devoted little Catholic girl, I felt like I was being given a backstage pass to my favorite concert. Tending and caring for what I considered God’s house was a huge honor and made me feel quite elite.

As time (read: puberty) went by, my beliefs about religion began to shift tremendously. As Mae West once said: “I used to be Snow White, but I drifted.” The church no longer felt even remotely like home – and as for many of us, my spiritual path since has followed more of a curve than a straight line. But there’s been one constant throughout: my body.

“My body is my temple” – it sounds so cliché. But let’s really think about it for a second. A temple is defined as “a space devoted to religious reverence,” and I can think of no greater house of worship than the cathedral of my very own heart. There is no holier a song than the sweet hum of my inhale and exhale. The light in my eyes mirrors the warmth of a candle’s flame. My skin houses and protects me like the smooth, lavish marble of the Taj Mahal, and the flush of my cheeks after an orgasm can put the ceiling of Sistine chapel to shame.

Yes, my body IS my temple. So today I’d like to share with you one of my personal favorite rituals to start 2016 off right: body worship. There is no way to do this ritual wrong. Just like learning a prayer or a hymn, a little heart, a sprinkling of soul, and practice is all it takes.

Pedro Sacadura on The Numinous

Suggested supplies for this body worship ritual:

  • Body Oil (such as coconut oil)
  • A mirror propped against a wall
  • A body scrub (like some sea salt mixed with body oil), or a loofah
  • A towel
  • Candlelight, incense, flowers, or anything else that helps you set sacred space
  • Music: click here for a free, hand-curated Body Worship Ritual playlist

1. Set Sacred Space
Imagine you are setting space for the high holy days of your inner temple. You can light candles, burn incense, place rose petals on your bath mat, fold your towel as you would for a guest, play music, or anything else that evokes the spirit of the sacred for you.

2. Tending The Temple Grounds
Step into the shower or bath. As you wash and scrub your skin, do so with the same care, attention and tenderness that you would show to the house of the Divine. Scrub and loofah your elbows and knees with the same softness and reverence you would show when walking into a sacred temple. Imagine that as you caress your body with soap suds, every bubble of soap is like a flower laid down in offering at the altar of YOU. When you rinse your body, feel the water wash away that which no longer serves you, and it’s healing power to make space for something new to enter.

3. The Sacrament of Body Worship
Now you have prepared the temple, you are ready for ceremony and worship! Place a soft blanket or towel on the floor in front of your mirror. Position yourself naked by candlelight seated on the floor and bow to the beauty of your reflection. Take the body oil and warm it between your holy hands, using your breath to blow a prayer of gratitude into the oil. Then, allow your hands to be both pilgrim and priestess, as they slowly, reverently massage prayers into your skin. Approach each curve and corner of your body as a different room in the temple waiting to be explored.

4. Encountering Eternity
When you feel complete with your body worship, get very close to the mirror. Stare deep into your own eyes and see if you can glimpse the part of you that is eternal, that never ages, and transcends time. Just like that sense of divinity we feel when we walk on sacred ground, that spirit is right there, woven into the fibers of your DNA. All that’s required to encounter it, is the courage to really look.

MATERIAL GIRL, MYSTICAL WORLD: NATALIA BENSON

Jewelry designer, DJ and tarot maven, Natalia Benson is on a mission to create, express and inspire beauty. Discover her mystical world… Portraits: Justin Jordan

Natalia Benson on the Numinous

You woke up now age spirituality when you moved to LA: what triggered this in you?
This journey actually started around age 19,while I was still living in San Diego. I felt really disillusioned, confused and alone in my discrepancy with mass culture and the economic system. Frankly, my soul was exhausted and I had lost hope in life and I suppose that was when the Universe decided to intervene! Various books opened my consciousness and my heart, and I finally felt like I was getting in touch with what Truth actually felt like, and I had been yearning for that in a deep way. When I moved to LA around 21, I remember my first date with this tattooed Pisces dream boat was at a meditation in an old art gallery with a Japanese Sensei. I thought…“Wow, welcome to LA!!”

And why does the tarot resonate so strongly with you?
I became fascinated with the Tarot not long after moving to Los Angeles. Something about the imagery, colors and symbolism just fits with my psyche and my worldview. I remember when I was really little, I loved to draw and paint with every color I could get my little hands on. The Tarot is an extension of my fascination with beautiful visual aesthetics married with my other love, the esoteric.

What have been the most profound teachings of the tarot for you?
The Tarot has taught me that there is a deeper, more beautiful, more loving and way bigger Truth that lies beyond my fears, programming and ideas around how I think things “should” be. The Tarot has ignited a path for me around trusting my intuition and believing in the perfect imperfection of the life journey! To trust my internal guide and not take myself so seriously, that life is a game.

Natalia Benson on The Numinous

How did you wind up as The Nine of Crystals in The Starchild Tarot Deck, and what’s your reading of this card?
Danielle (of the Starchild Tarot) had been following each other on Instagram for a while and were always sending one another little love bombs via the comment sections. When she asked if I’d like to photograph for her next version of the deck, I was floored! One of my favorite photographers and dear friend, Tiffanie Byron, photographed me in the majestic Angeles Mountains just 20 minutes outside of the city. My reading of the Nine of Crystals is that in order to change the external, we must change the internal first. The way I appear on the card definitely denotes a trust in the magic of understanding and loving the power of the Self.

You also practice astrology. What do you think will be the astro theme of 2016?
For me the theme of 2016 is self-awareness, self-love, and taking action when we hear the call. Not delaying. If it calls to your heart, go for it! No more denying the soul’s voice. I think the Cosmos is ever asking us to become aware of who we are in a deep way, in a soul way, to take responsibility for our own self-work and internal transformation, and not to place blame on anyone outside of us.

:: MATERIAL GIRL ::

My label
Anything from Principessa in Venice Beach

PRINCIPESSA on The Numinous

My shoes
Jeffrey Campbell and a good pair of Vans high tops

jeffrey campbell on The Numinous
Cromwell Boots, $175, Jeffrey Campbell

My fragrance
Santal 33 from Le Labo and doTerra Frankincense oil

Santal 33 on The Numinous
Santal 33, $160, Le Labo

My jewels
My Grandpa and Grandma’s Native American heirlooms

My pampering
A gel manicure and a foot massage, please!

My home
Candles, candles, candles, I love beautiful smells! And white Christmas lights, plants, and crystals.

Rose Quartz Pyramid on The Numinous
Rose Quartz Pyramid, $22, The Hoodwitch

My food
Erewhon is my home away from home kitchen and I love anything from Gjelina and Laurel Hardware (farm to table cooking is everywhere in LA!)

Gjelina on The Numinous
Cherry tomato, quash blossom + burrata pizza at Gjelina

:: MYSTICAL WORLD :: 

My awakening
Morning visualizations on goals and visions, and Kundalini Meditations

My sign
Aries Sun, Capricorn Rising, Sagittarius Moon

Laura Lee Aries on The Numious
Aries pendant, £255, Laura Lee

My mantra
“I am love, I am beauty, I am power” AND “I am so happy and grateful now that money comes to me in increasing quantities, through multiple sources on a continuous basis”

My healer
Listening to Bashar and Yogi Bhajan on YouTube. Tarot readings with Clarissa Dolphin.

My reading
Think and Grow Rich: The Landmark Bestseller – Now Revised and Updated for the 21st Century by Napoleon Hill & Journey of Souls: Case Studies of Life Between Lives by Michael Newton

My transformation
Learning to love/accept myself and “others.” Respecting that I don’t have to be perfect to be loved. Trusting the Universe that my path will always be illuminated.

My mission

To remind us that deep beauty and connection does exist in the world.

:: :: ::

Check out our upcoming LA event with Natalia Benson: The Numinous Presents: An Introduction to the Tarot. To register email: [email protected] 

the numinous presents an introduction to the tarot with natalia benson startchild tarot nine of crystals

MY MYSTICAL LIFE: WORKING WITH THE HIEROPHANT, AND MY FAVE NEW SMOOTHIE

Dream diaries, a past life regression, and how the Hierophant became my favorite new guide…

My new smoothie + current desk buddies: Chalcopyrite (Peacock Ore) and Pyrite
My new smoothie + current desk buddies: Chalcopyrite (Peacock Ore) and Pyrite

:: MONDAY ::
New week, favorite new smoothie (which is basically a high-vibe rip-off of the Truth Chakra smoothie at the Jivemuktea cafe – as in there’s no agave and they also use soy milk). Recipe (makes enough for 2):

1.5 cups home made hemp milk (here’s a post with my recipe)
1 cup filtered water
1/2 a frozen banana
2 tbsp almond butter (I use the Wholefoods fresh churned stuff)
1 scoop Sun Warrior Vanilla vegan protein powder
1 tsp psyllium husk
2 tsp ground flax seeds
Half a pack of frozen blueberries
An ice cube or two

OMFG

:: TUESDAY ::
With the Moon in dreamy Pisces, what better day for my friend Aly to tell me I really need to get into a dream diary practice – i.e. write down whatever I can remember from my dreams the minute I wake up. “But my dreams just aren’t that vivd,” I told her – to which she replied: “well don’t judge them!” And she’s so right. The way to get your dreams to show you more, is to pay more attention to them – by keeping a dream diary, for example. Aly’s been doing it for years, and she’s received whole book-loads of info about how the Universe works. You can read some of her dream wisdom on her new website.

:: WEDNESDAY ::
Moon in Pisces also meant perfect timing for my first past life regression, since Pisces rules our dreams and inner visions. I’d booked in with Morgan Yakus at Maha Rose (where they were also brewing the most incredible ginger, rose petal and nettle tea), who uses hypnosis to access past life information stored in the subconscious. Once we got down there, I retrieved some really good stuff – mainly about my mission and my karma in this lifetime. And yes I saw some past lives too – like being a kinda bohemian prophet in California in the 1960s, and meeting my husband for the first time in a Medieval court – where he literally appeared as a “knight in shining armor.” Hmmm. Sometimes in a trance state, it’s hard to say where cosmic consciousness ends and romantic fantasy begins…!

:: THURSDAY ::
I sent this email:

Hey Danielle – I just received my Starchild Tarot Akashic deck, thank you SO MUCH!!

I think “my” deck has finally found me. I am head over heals about these cards…(+ the fact it’s the 3rd time the Akashic Records have entered my field this week)

So of course I smudged them and pulled a card right way. Question: What will my book bring to this planet? What I am creating?

Only…The Hierophant!!

Thanks again for your beautiful dharma Danielle xxxx

:: FRIDAY ::
Goal for the weekend – work out how to get an “8-hour massage,” which my friend Deborah was telling me about over tea this week. Apparently, this was a treatment enjoyed by the Egyptian pharaohs – designed to bring about a kind of trace state, and access psychic information from deep, deep within the body tissue. “It’s totally doable, you just need to switch out the therapist every two hours,” said Deborah. Unless you’re Mariah Carey that is – who paid her masseuse $1500 for the treatment back in 2012!

THE MAGIC INGREDIENT: 10 HIGH VIBE PANTRY UPGRADEs

Up the ante of your high vibe pantry and feel the magic in every bite, says Raquel GriffinPortrait: Margarita Corporan

Raquel Griffin shot by Margarita Corporan for her column The Magic Ingredient on The Numinous

From nutrient dense sweeteners great for raw foodies to high-energy crystal charged water – it’s all about the magical, the medicinal AND the delicious here. So read on for a shopping list of the foods you need right now to create your very own high vibe pantry hit list.

1. High-vibe: Natural sweeteners such as honey, maple syrup, stevia
Way higher-vibe: Organic un-sulphured Black Strap Molasses

Black strap molasses is a double duty sweetening super food that approaches coconut oil territory when it comes to nutrition and sheer versatility. You can bake with it, use it for greater regularity, and to stimulate hair growth and banish grays – it can even double as a hair de-frizzer when mixed with warm water and applied as a mask. It’s low-glycemic, high in calcium and iron, and it’s great for vegans! Five tablespoons of blackstrap molasses contains 50 percent of the recommended daily allowance of calcium, 95 percent of iron, and 38 percent of magnesium.

Yes, it has a strong flavor so it can’t totally replace all other sweeteners, BUT its high vibe qualities definitely merit adding it into heavy rotation. Ease into using BSM by adding 1-2 tablespoons to your morning Chai and top it off with a splash of almond milk. This old school come new school super food can be found almost any local supermarket.

2. High-vibe: Kale
Way higher-vibe: Purslane

Although nothing can technically replace kale (Goddess forbid) this juicy, slightly lemony edible weed gains super star status in your kitchen due to its incredible nutritive and medicinal properties. For example, it’s the richest known plant source for Omega-3 fatty acids (usually found in fish oils). A one cup serving gives you all the Vitamin E you need in a day, and it’s also one of the best sources of magnesium as well as being high in calcium, potassium and vitamin C.

Used externally, it has similar properties to aloe and calendula in that its sticky broken leaves can soothe burns, stings and swellings while the juice can be used to treat ulcers, wounds, sores and gastrointestinal problems. And last but certainly not least, it’s also one of the five herbs richest in anti-depressant substances. Purslane is usually available in the summer and fall but you can always order Purslane online. Eat this green in salads, soups and smoothies, or fried in oil with chopped onion as a side dish. (And FYI – Purslane can get slimy so make sure to add it at the last minute to your recipes!)

3. High-vibe: Standard water filter
Way higher-vibe: Alkaline Water filter

Berkey, a Zen Filter or a Zero water carafe – if you can’t harvest actual fresh spring water it’s all about these gravity filters. So what’s all the hoopla with the alkaline water you say? The Alkalinity is referring to the pH level of the water, and the higher the pH, the more water helps hydrate the body on a cellular level. Water in its most natural state — untouched by pollution — is water that is highly alkaline (a high pH-balance between 9-11). However, most of the water we drink today (i.e. tap or bottled) is anything but, with most clocking a pH of somewhere between 4-8.

And when our bodies get out of balance (i.e. too acidic), we can experience low energy, fatigue, excess weight, poor digestion, aches and pains, and all sorts more serious disorders. Not to mention that high acidity in the body is one of the major factors effecting overall cell aging. So long story short, we want to get more alkaline any way we can – and these filters are a great way to do it. Now there are some Rolls Royce’s out there like Kangen Water Filters but if you’re not looking to shell out upwards of $5K the above mentioned filters are a super option.

4. High-vibe: Water with lemon
Way higher-vibe: Laminar Crystal Charged Water

Part Muscovite Mica, part food-safe clay, Laminar Crystals have the capacity to not only make water more physically absorbable by the body (which equals far superior hydration) but they are also able to pick up and transmit many life-supporting cosmic frequencies, including those that support energetic balance and continually cleanse the surrounding environment. Cool additional factoid: Laminar crystals were used in the capstone of the Great Pyramid in Egypt! So you can only imagine what happens when you add these babies to your water! Users, including myself, have been known to experience less pain, better moods, clearer thinking, better toxin elimination, gorgeous skin and unbelievably increased energy levels…my assistants have affectionately dubbed it “crazy crack water.”

So what’s the skinny? When laminar crystals are added to water they energetically lower the surface tension of water – making it more easily absorbable and more “life giving” for the body. Most of us drink some form of tap or bottled water, which has considerably higher surface tension and is therefore much harder to absorb. And water that’s not absorbable is no bueño – kind of like trying to eat food without a fork. So where to get your hands on these little pearls of goodness? Numerous places on the Internet offer various Laminar crystal products but I highly recommend the Precious Prills brand available through Life Enthusiast.

5. High-vibe. Organic grass-fed milk / butter
Way higher-vibe: RAW organic grass-fed milk / butter

On the rare (or maybe not) occasion that you consume dairy, upgrade by going RAW. Why? Because while all grass-fed dairy (vs grain-fed dairy) contains a little known vitamin called K2, an essential component in building healthy teeth, bones and the magic ingredient in healing cavities naturally, it’s in its most potent energetic state when “live” (ie. non-pasteurized). Though still technically “illegal” in many U.S. states, for hotly contested reasons which you can learn more about here – raw grass-fed dairy can still be had through many raw dairy farmer affiliated food buying co-ops. Or, if you’re lucky enough to live in a pro-raw milk state like California, right off your supermarket shelf. And for all the Vegans, never fear – Natto is here! A popular Japanese fermented soy bean product, Natto is the highest source of plant based K2 currently available.

6. High vibe: Any Random Green Superfood powder
Way Higher Vibe: Dried Moringa Leaf Powder

Moringa leaf is pretty much the cat’s meow when it comes to all around nutrition. Native to Asia and Africa moringa has been used there for centuries but is just now making its way to our shores. Available for consumption as both a tea and a powder, dried Moringa leaf has the following staggering stats…1 gram of Moringa leaf powder = 7x the vitamin C in oranges, 4x the calcium in milk, 2x the protein in milk, 4x the vitamin A in carrots, 3x times the iron in spinach and 3x times the potassium in bananas.

So to call this baby a super food is an understatement — think of it as the holy grail of plant based nutrition. That’s right vegans, raw foodies, and vegetarians…Morninga is about to be your J-A-M. Sprinkle the powder in your tomato sauce, add it to your smoothies or drink it as a tea…Whatever way you get it, it’s all good. Moringa seed oil has also been shown to regenerate skin cells – I’ve actually used it on my scalp to increase hair growth, and it can also be used for inflammation, psoriasis, eczema and shingles. Holy grail indeed.

7. High Vibe: St. John’s Wort
Way Higher Vibe: Ormus gold

Discovered by farmer turned researcher, David Hudson in the mid 1970’s while mining for gold on his farm in Arizona, a substance dubbed ORMUS was found to contain mineral elements (such as gold, palladium, iridium etc.) that were able to exist in a special energetic state described as “reserved for things like the ‘dark matter’ that astronomers look for in space, the Earth’s magnetic field, healthy soil, weather phenomena like lightning…even consciousness itself”.  WOAH.

There’s still much that is unknown about the full capabilities of ORMUS, but simply put ORMUS is considered to be “life force energy” in material form. Pretty radical, huh? ORMUS has been known to increase feelings of awareness, connectedness, psychic phenomenon, dream lucidity, anti-aging, increased metabolism, miraculous healing and when added to water makes it more easily absorbable by the body. Most commonly available for consumption in tincture form ORMUS goes way beyond the classification of mere “supplement” – and could even be considered the ultimate magic ingredient.

8. High Vibe: Mugwort tea
Way Higher Vibe: Wild Asparagus root tea

For those looking for something that goes a step beyond mugwort, make Wild Asparagus root tea, aka the other “dream time tea” your go-to. Similar to mugwort, Wild Asparagus (or Tian Men Dong as it’s known in China) is great for lucid dreaming and was known by monks there as the “flying herb” due to the “flying dreams” it stimulates. However, what really sets Wild Asparagus root apart are it’s heart opening effects and ability to help you move into alignment with spirit. Also used widely in Ayurvedic preparations as a women’s health tonic it can also be found under the name “Shatavari.” So before you go cozy up under the covers with some regular ol’ tea, if you’re up for a heart opening dreamtime adventure consider making a “trip” of it.

9. High Vibe: Chlorella
Way Higher Vibe: Bentonite Clay

Bentonite Clay is composed of aged volcanic ash and is taste and odorless. Largely produced out of Fort Benton, Wyoming, Bentonite Clay is unique in its ability to produce an “electrical charge” when hydrated. SCIENCE STUFF COMIG UP. Upon contact with fluid, its electrical components change, giving it the ability to absorb toxins. As Bulk Herb Store explains: “think of the Montmorillonite (aka Bentonite) crystal flake resembling two pieces of bread, with a strong vacuum pulling the filling in between them. Whatever lands there (Sodium or Calcium) determines what kind of sandwich it will be. Now when you activate this clay sandwich, it will magnetically grab the junk in your body (heavy metals, toxins, acid, etc.) and trade it for the “filling”, taking the toxins out in your waste.”  Got it?

This amazing “dirt” also has an alkalizing effect on the body and can help balance gut bacteria, along with quelling nausea, vomiting & diarrhea. P.S. For most internal uses (oral & intestinal) a little goes a long way (ie. a 1/2t in a 1/4-1c of water) so make sure not to overdo it, and be sure to avoid storing or mixing in metal containers since metal reduces it’s efficacy.

10. High Vibe: Green Tea
Way Higher Vibe: Chaga & Reishi Mushroom Tea

Looking to crack open your pineal gland in between visits with the Grandmother? If Chaga & Reishi are not already in heavy rotation in your regimen – they should be. Both Chaga and Reishi mushrooms are grown in the northern hemisphere, and once foraged and consumed (as a water-soluble tea or alcohol soaked tincture), they both actively work to decalcify and activate the pineal gland (your third eye) in addition to helping you relax, handle stress and sleep better.

They’re also digestive aids, immune boosters and contain some of the highest antioxidant effects on the planet. And when adding these magic mushrooms to your regular routine don’t be surprised if you find yourself more easily moving into “flow” states or rising to howl at the moon.

TEMPLE OF VENUS: HOW TO WORK WITH GODDESS VENUS

Sexual healing, and access to your abundance mindset. Elyssa Jakim introduces a new monthly column devoted to the Goddess Venus…

Elyssa Jakim goddess venus column on The Numious
Portrait: Keith Barraclough

In the summer of 2015, the Numinous and I teamed up to create an interactive art installation and event space called the Temple of Venus. As an altar to the goddess Venus the installation served as a healing space: the events at the Temple were a way to address our questions and questings regarding love, sexuality, beauty, money and everything else Venus touches. So why did we choose Venus? Who is she? How might the goddess inspire and impact your life? How are you already an embodiment of Venus? All questions I want to answer with this column!

Six months after creating the temple, Venus has not stopped working with and guiding me. And so this is a space for me to share some Venetian wisdom each month, to help get our juicy, abundant, sexual, prosperous selves truly flowing.

Venus is the Roman goddess of love, beauty, sexuality, abundance, desire, fertility, and finances. She is known as Aphrodite in Greek mythology. Astrologically, the planet Venus (don’t you love when your goddess is also a planet?) rules relationships. So, for example, if you’re born with Venus in Scorpio, your way of being with and relating to people is imbued with the energy of a fiercely loyal and passionate Scorpio.

Katerina Alivizatou Goddess Venus on The Numinous
Artist: Katerina Alivizatou

Goddess Venus teaches us to be accepting of all facets of our womanhood and sexuality. In fact, one of the qualities that separate Venus from the Aphrodite myth, is that Venus was also the goddess of prostitutes. She allows for sexuality to be fluid, to exist in a space without judgment. In her brilliant book, Ecstasy is Necessary: A Practical Guide, celebrated tantra teacher Barbara Carrellas offers the reader a “sexual permission slip” or a series of permissive statements about how one can choose to regard sex.

A particularly strong one is: “I give myself permission to talk about sex as a safe, sane, and consensual act that brings health and pleasure to the world.” Venus celebrates this perspective. I find Venus to be a powerful goddess for sexual healing because she shows us that sex is beautiful. She shows us that sex is a gift of pleasure from the Divine, and she helps us tap into that pleasure.

When preparing for a ceremony in the temple with Lyndsey Harrington and Kat Hunt of Moon Church, we decided to invoke the goddess Venus and tune into her energy in order to decide how to best serve her with our ritual. We were flooded with her essence: it felt orgasmic and ecstatic, yummy and beautiful. She told us that she loved milk, honey, pearls, gold, kisses, and roses. And Kat said that she felt it showed that as well as the goddess Venus, the other Greek and Roman gods and goddesses are waiting for us connect with them.

This message was eye-opening to me. I realized that in much of my goddess worship and ceremony, I had never thought of the Greek and Roman goddesses as vital, present, divine forces waiting to help us. I’d worked with the Divine Mother Mary and Kwan Yin before but never with a Greco-Roman goddess directly. What I’ve since learned is that Venus is so ready to bestow her love and magic and beauty upon those who are willing to invoke her with an open heart. And that she can help you tap into your sexual and goddess essence and your sense of worthiness in such deep ways.

In fact, Venus is a symbol of the divine feminine (and remember we use the Venus symbol “♀” to mean “female”). Venus was born of the water, and water is a sublimely gorgeous metaphor for the female principal. Water receives, it takes in. It is abundance, it is creation, it is sensitive, it is psychic, it is adaptable. As women, as birthers, we are able to tap into the deep waters of creation and imagination.

Water is our element, and the goddess Venus reminds us to claim all of its gifts. In working with her directly, we learn how to be better receivers, better lovers, and better mothers to ourselves and others. And the planet Venus has a twin flame: it is the planet Earth. May this column honor the waters of Earth and the fires of our twin planet to create cosmic balance and upliftment for all.

Up next month: A Venus-inspired meditation for calling in your soulmate.

HEY GOOD LOOKIN: WHEN’S YOUR VENUS RETURN?

We celebrate our birthday once a year, right? Wrong – you also have a beauty birthday, says Kimberly Peta Dewhirst of Star Sign StyleArtwork: My Dinh via Behance.net

My Dingh on The NuminousWait, what does your “beauty birthday” even mean?!

Your traditional birthday is also known as your “Solar Return,” referring to when the sun (solar) returns to the place in the zodiac where is was when you were born. Hence how we coined the phrase: “Many happy returns!”

And so your beauty birthday is when Venus, planet of all things aesthetic, makes the same repeat visit.

Now you might already know your Venus sign, which says lots about the way you shop, flirt, dress up, and conduct friendships – your Venus sign reflects your tastes, and the image of your Venus zodiac sign can provide an aspirational archetype to express yourself through.

For example, if you’re a Pisces with Venus in Aries, imagine a hot, feisty passionate woman as your fashion and beauty muse (i.e. Pisces Rihanna, who has Moon and Venus in Aries). Your Sagittarius woman with Venus in Scorpio meanwhile, will totally gravitate towards a sultry look, a little more mysterious and private than the typical jovial nature of the archer (think of Sagittarius plus Scorp Katie Holmes).

And at some point during every year (for about one or two days), planet Venus is also in the exact position she was when you were born. Now, because of the constant nature of the Sun and its path through the zodiac signs we know that our birthday falls on the same day every year, making it super easy to plan a get-together.

My Dinh on The NuminousVenus, on the other hand, can go retrograde (as we found out last year!) and so it’s not so straightforward calculating your “beauty birthday” – but it’s definitely worth it.

Why? Because your beauty birthday is when the stars are aligned for you personally when it comes to looking your best, attracting the right relationships, and getting a great deal on any luxury purchases you’re planning to make. Matters around money and your female relations can go well too – essentially, all things Venusian. (Hint: watch out for tomorrow’s special post on the Goddess Venus for more intel!)

So when Venus returns to the position of your “natal Venus” in your chart, this is no time to hide away – instead, come out, get dressed up to the nines, and celebrate your beauty birthday! Make it a time to indulge your senses, surround yourself with friends and notice how you attract likeminded people.

In fact, why not invest in a fabulous piece for the occasion? It’s a great day to get a new haircut, or even make-over your look at your favorite beauty counter.

Knowing the position of your “natal Venus” (where Venus appears in your birth chart), you’ll be aware when the planets are vibrating on her too – for example, you could have a slow moving planet like Pluto or Uranus passing over your personal planet of love, offering their transformative qualities to your relationships by “transit.” Invaluable information to have at your fingertips, I think you’ll agree!

My Dinh on The Numinous

Want to know your beauty birthday? Order a 2016 Astrological Calendar and Kimberly will calculate your beauty birthday for the coming year. Simply include your time, date and place of birth in the order notes (and try and get your time of birth as close as possible).

Kimberly’s brilliant calendar also includes the path of Venus in 2016, as well as the sign the Moon is passing through each day. The below YouTube video tells you more!

https://youtu.be/V03h4iiiUE0