Spring Wishes.

As grams says: In with the new and out with the old! Springtime is finally here which means to usher in projects, fresh starts and opportunities.

These are my wishes for the year: I want progress, more balance, and romance.

So as tradition dictates, let's take an intrapersonal look at the things I am most grateful for as well as the aspects I'd like to improve about myself. You can also do this to align your thoughts, feelings and actions with the energy of this day to aid you achieve your goals. And can use my list as an example, if you wish. 

I don't know about you,
but I am feeling 22

I love my happy vibe, especially when people tell me that I brighten up their day just by being there.

On the other hand I think I should  stop avoiding conflict all the time, and be a bit more outspoken.

I am very happy with myself because I have finally come to terms with discipline and have been able to balance my exercise, healthy eating, studies, job and personal life in a responsible manner. And though I've improved a lot, there is still a lot of room for getting more experienced and mature. 

I think it is great that I am honest, assertive and confident. Though I wish I had bitten my tongue on certain occasions. I guess I should think more before spiting words out of my mouth. 

I'm delighted that I have finally stopped falling in the dick sand (that is to forget about yourself and your priorities when any guy pays attention to you just because you don't want to be single.) I have grown a lot when it comes to love and relationships in the last year. Now I can say that I've learned to be single. And I am open to a relationship. But I am not desperate anymore, basically I will welcome love if it knocks on my door but I won't lose my mind if it doesn't. 

I've always been a pretty green person, but I do want to enhance my ecological ways even more, by consuming less processed food and bake my own bread or make my own ice cream, for example. To keep on experimenting with natural cleaning products for both my own personal care (with clay, essential oils. organic natural soaps and vegetable oils) and my housekeeping (using vinegar, bicarbonate, lemon and essential oils.) Also on my clothing, by looking carefully that they are made from natural and responsibly sourced materials.

On the professional area I am quite content with my current position, it is allowing me to save some money before I start university. I just hope I will be able to add that into my personal scheme so that I can balance my studies on top of everything else without stressing out too much.

I believe that is everything for this Spring... I hope all your wishes come true as well. I know they will (if you work for them!) ;)

The Book of Shadows.

The Books of Shadows are famous for rising numerous legends.

It is already a fact that they are a sacred object for witches as they represent something more than a family book, something more than wisdom: They symbolize a living channel where each written knowledge transcends the boundaries of time and space -almost like a way of speaking directly with those who do not yet exist as part of our essence will be impregnated forevermore in our Book of Shadows-.

Perhaps this is the concept that aroused the allusion to protective spirits...

The Tubilda's Book of Shadows,
photo taken by Paula Montañes

Traditionally the witches' knowledge were transmitted orally, and passed down from generation to generation. So there was no need to record the information in a book, until the time of the persecution that is. It is believed that it was then that the first Books of Shadows were written, so called because they were born protected in the darkness, sheltered in the shadows, and because the eyes of the "uninitiated" were not to see it, nor even to know about it. 

Now, by custom, it is still called Book of Shadows although some witches prefer to call it Grimoire. Normally each lineage has a single Book of Shadows written by its members, although some also have an Initiate Book (with the basic knowledge). As for writing it there is no fixed or correct way to do it, since each lineage has its own customs.

We understand that what is a reality today it might not be true tomorrow, so we always introduce, check and update new knowledge. 

A belief only lives as long as someone believes in it, a lifestyle only exists as long as someone practices it. That is why it is so important to us to continue with the tradition, and transmit it to the next generation. Always in a tone of guidance of course, that is to explain everything from a personal point of view and sharing ideas without ever imposing them. That is why the witches of each lineage have the responsibility of writing their Book of Shadows and contribute with their own energy and creativity to develop and guide the next generation.

If you would like to write your own Book of Shadows I'll share some tips that have worked for me. You don't necessarily have to be a witch to write one. I guess we can see the Book of Shadows as a generational history book that puts emphasis on passing down knowledge, advice... It can contain anything that transmits some sort of wisdom, from an ancient tradition to a homemade recipe. It all starts with an idea. 

These books have the advantage of being open when it comes to content, structure and design.

Before beginning to write the book I recommend to have a previous idea: if it is going to be organized in chapters; If it will be ordered by categories, by degree of difficulty ... As well as content; Will it be a didactic book; Of research or, perhaps, an encyclopedic one? About what, and how many, things will you write?

 I advise the following to write your book as it is working for me!

· Make a mini-scheme where you write down the main idea that you want to transcribe. In the process of writing is much easier than it seems to get your creativity overflowing and we end up relegating the idea that we want to reflect on the background and writing about unrelated things. So I think it is better to try to keep it simple.

· It is very useful to take into account the purpose for which you write and the people who are going to read it, to suit the level of knowledge and the age of the readers. This way the communication will flow more easily.

· Finally just review the text, make sure it has the structure you want and if there is a conclusion. Check your spelling and make sure you take care of the presentation. It is completely normal to rewrite and retouch many of the things you write, in my opinion, it is best to let the writing rest a night or two before checking it. Even better if you can get someone else to read the text and see what they understand and whether they find it interesting or not.

Spring Equinox. Time of Balance and Renewal.

We are finally in March, which means the expectation and countdown for the equinox is also in the back of my mind. I love Spring. After the dark, cold winter. Days get longer and longer as they approach the spring equinox and on the special day. Both day and night have the same length. From that point on, light hours increase until reaching the longest day of them all in the summer solstice.

Irises by Vincent van Gogh

 The March equinox marks the moment the Sun crosses the celestial equator –the imaginary line in the sky above the Earth’s equator– from south to north. And indicates the first day of Spring. This happens on March the 19th, 20th, or 21st every year.

According to the Universal Coordinated Time, the March Equinox, this year, is on Monday, 20th of March 2017, at 10:29 UTC.

 Traditionally, the spring equinox, evokes renovation and rebirth of wisdom and fertility. It's a day to celebrate life and joy. Eggs, seeds and the rabbit are symbols of this day. The first two represent all the new life and the last one is one of the animals that by that time comes out of its burrow. We can see how some of this symbolism has been carried out on other cultures. As Christians use eggs and rabbits around the same time in a celebration they call Easter. While, among pagans the equinox is known as Ostara. Ostara is the name of an ancient Germanic divinity of spring, Goddess who embodied dawn and the awakening of germinative forces. It means something like "rising sun."

 The Tubilda celebrate life and use the awakening energy of spring by doing some purification rituals. We cleanse ourselves, our homes and our energies by, first of all waking up when the sun rises. And drinking a lot of water with lemon! You can do some exercise or turn on some music to bring up those good energies and, after breakfast, it is time for a deep cleaning of the hole house. Basically, everything in the house is thoroughly cleaned and we also get rid (recycle or donate) any item that we no longer need. The norm is; if you haven't used an specific item for more than a year... It is likely that you don't need it.

Spring is the epoch of beginnings and action. Night and day are practically as long at the spring equinox so it is also time for balance both exterior and interior. Renew and reborn; These are the goals of this day. So we take a closer look into the inside and we make a list of all the things we are grateful for as well as all the things we want to achieve this year. And while we meditate about that we purify our bodies, and then our home by burning the tip of some herbal cleansing sticks and use the smoke to cleanse the house, room by room.

This will energetically mop up any lingering residue within the space. This ancient technique is used to wipe away negativity and stale energy.

Smoke cleansing is a practice that has been around for a long time, though it shouldn’t be confused with smudging, a sacred ceremony performed in many indigenous communities that invites spirit to join them for their rituals. These two words are often used interchangeably, however, they are different. Smoke cleansing uses a variety of dried plants and woods to help cleanse a space energetically, removing bad vibes. The herbs we traditionally use in my family are sage, lavender, eucalyptus, rosemary and bay.

To finish up the tasks of the day we do some gardening. We usually plant seeds on fertile soil, or young trees in a forested area. Or even small plants in pots in the garden or window sill.

Afterwards the day follows as any other good party would, with a reunion of friends and family, a banquet, festive mood and celebration music and decoration where flowers and water are the protagonists. 

Are you also excited for springtime?  

Beauty is Perception. Critique of Social Beauty Standards.

What do you consider beautiful? Do you feel comfortable on your body? For some reason there is this current obsession on achieving unrealistic standards that puts pressure on both woman and men, but specially on the first ones. Which just creates unbalance and increases stress and obsessive behaviors. Even fear to ageing, which is a natural process that occurs to every living being. 

Mona Kardashian, or Kim Lisa?

To undergo surgery procedures or develop an eating disorder are common things in our society. 

And I ask myself... What kind of life are we living if we are so focused on our external self that this obsession obscures anything else? How can we find peace if we are prompted to pursue an impossible, and changing, trend based on our body image? Beauty is conceptualized by each culture, and era, differently. So let's learn to love ourselves the way we are. Because we will always find someone that finds us ugly. Yes, despite all the make up we might wear or our body type.  But there will also be someone that thinks we are gorgeous. Of course, I am talking about acceptance. Not about resignation. If there is a physical aspect that you can work on like getting fitter or taking care of your skin to get rid of afflictions like acne. Then that is perfect, do all you can to feel comfortable in your skin and don't feel ashamed on your way there because there is no such thing as a standardized perfection. 

We can break this cycle by ignoring it. Let's stop judging (ourselves and others) based on the external appearance. And let's create a new idea of what is beautiful.
Have you ever stopped to think of why we look like we do? Well it's all about genetics. Half of it comes from your mother, and the other half from your father. At the same time your parents are half their parents and so on. So in the end our looks are a reflection of all our ancestors. Plus the choices that compound our individuality. The things we connect with. So learn to love yourself the way you are.

Once I read that a spiritually sensitive being finds delight in natural beauty, in artistic manifestations and in the simplicity of small things.Also, that he/she is able to detect beauty, and enjoy it, without pretending to possess it. Taste deeply the expressions of beauty that appear in reality, which allows you to enjoy more intensely the fact of owning life.It is beautiful what springs from the inner psychic need. Beautiful will be what is inwardly beautiful.