Review: Soul Shine by Denise

I am not usually big on psychic readings, but when my friend Denise offered me a reading, I took her up on it. Denise can be reached on Facebook at Soul Shine Psychic Services by Denise, and she is linked to the Briefs and Brooms page.

Soul Shine psychic services by Denise

We did the reading at Denise's home. In the interest of full disclosure, Denise knows me well enough to feel okay having me to her home; but we are not so intimate that she could easily "cheat" on my reading.

Denise first read my aura, which showed up as light green. Denise associated this with earthiness and water. I truly love rivers. Interestingly, Denise spoke of waterfalls, lakes, and rivers--but not the "go-to" for most people, oceans. In fact, I don't care for oceans compared to lakes. I particularly enjoy time by rivers, and one of my favorite memories is taking my dog to a waterfall in a state park. I would have picked purple or orange for my aura, but light green made sense in terms of who I am.

Denise saw some spirits around me--an older man and two young girls. The older man, my grandfather, was no surprise at all. It took some thinking for me to realize the two young girls are likely my great aunt who died very young, and her sister. While I would not have thought of the sister, who lived to a ripe old age and with whom I got to spend a lot of time, as a child, I think it makes sense for her to manifest in this way after death. I am glad to have these souls near me.

Denise saw some angels, but not ones that are coming to the fore--I'm not in a particularly precarious situation now. Angels are around, but not getting a much-deserved break from active, minute-by-minute intervention.

Finally, there was a malevolent entity nearby. It would actually be more surprising--given the day-to-day encounters with boogey men I have in the legal system--if I did not have such an entity. I will be working up a plan to ask the entity to move along, and Denise does offer banishings.

This was a terrific experience, and offered a lot of insight as well as some quality time with a warm, friendly person. I highly recommend Soul Shine by Denise.

Making Your Ancestor Altar

Maybe you spent a quiet day of reflection, or maybe you choked down greasy food while your uncle ranted in his MAGA hat. Even when our living and known ancestors aren't people we easily love, ancestors are the best source of spiritual connection.

An ancestor altar can be large or small, in an out-of-the-way corner or in a prominent spot. Someone with roommates or privacy concerns could have something as simple as a picture of a departed loved one with a candle.

There are no rules, except not to mingle things of the living on the ancestor altar, less the ones who have passed on call to the living and bring them over too soon.

My altar recently grew, partly with the addition of some great art. Spending money and having artwork isn't needed--an altar can be simpler or even feature your own artwork. Besides the work I bought from an artist--and supporting artists and rootworkers is important to me--most items on the altar are things I already had.

This lovely shoe artwork is the center of my altar. It represents justice and diversity, and was made by the wonderful Auntie Sindy at Todomojo, who offers lots of reliquaries, artwork, and readings. The mirror with shells around it  was made by my Grandpa and is positioned to help show off the back of the shoe. All animal products were humanely gathered from naturally-deceased animals. 

The back of the shoe has vertebrae (again, humanely collected). It reminds me of my need to work on my root chakra and remain mindful of the needs of my spine, a particular challenge through my life. The scarf belonged to my grandma. 

Both sides of the shoe are gorgeous. My deceased protector/familiar dog watches over from behind.

The front of the shoe pushes forward, the dollies representing diversity. My husband's family is more highlighted on one side of the altar (mine on the other--but they are not strictly segregated), and we use battery-operated candles for a 24-hour burning without fire worries when we are gone or asleep. 

Our altar is the top of an entertainment center. The dolly to the right is made of my Grandma's old scarves. The tin cup belonged to my grandparents and sat by their sink; I use it for liquid offerings. We honor human family, but also our deceased animal companions and musicians (such as the print of John Lennon's Little Flower Princess lyrics). 

If the Creek Don't Rise (Book Review)

CONTAINS SPOILERS

If the Creek Don't Rise isn't a "witchy" book, unless you consider the high level of faith it takes to keep going with absolutely nothing. The title sentiment was also expressed by my Grandma as, "If I live . . . ". (Perhaps hearing, "If I live, we'll . . . " as the condition under which we would do things as mundane as making cornmeal mush made me prone to reach for a protection amulet and some lavender salt!)

However, magik is more expressly present in the book in the voice of Birdie Rocas, the neighbor (and protector) of the protagonist, Sadie Blue. Sadie Blue is in an abusive marriage, and, as such, needs a bit of help with details like delivering the baby her husband killed in utero or whipping up some hemlock root poison for . . . those who need it. Birdie Rocas tells us that her last name means crow, and that some folks call her a witch--a good thing for hunting ginseng (apparently because her appearance scares those who would steal her valuable harvest). When Birdie scrys for a dead body and the killer turns up dead himself, one begins to suspect she uses her magik for more than hunting ginseng.

Magik is sprinkled throughout the book as charms, amulets, potions, and folk wisdom. However, Birdie does share her scrying method:

--Fetch shallow bowl the color of blood

--Put on tree stump

--Pour spring water one finger width deep

--Kiss and put on personal amulet (Birdie's is a horn-shaped amulet)

--Make repeated "X" with thumb on forehead until coated with oil from skin

--Rub oil on item belonging to person you seek (handy to have crows to retrieve these for you!)

--Drop item into water

--Watch for answer to form

Although Birdie seems to get her answers, she leaves us with some lingering questions and an observation:

"Why are young girls dumb and men surprised?

"What does evil look like to crows from up in the sky?

"They're brave to play hide-and-seek with the dead."

While by no means a craft "how-to" book, this novel includes a few pages worthy of any book of shadows. It is a respectful window into the misunderstood and sometimes-popular world of granny magik or hoodoo, and deserves to be read.

The dialect in the book is southern Appalachian. It will sound "off" to readers from Kentucky or West Virginia. It does not seem to be intended disrespectfully.

Those of us not apt to find a hag stone shaped like a horn might appreciate a commercially-produced amulet like Birdie's:




(Note: links are designed to make me richer than a moonshiner with a revenuer cousin!)