I know it's been awhile since I have posted anything - mostly due to not much to say LOL  But this morning I had a dream of such intensity that I had to get it down.

I was in a tent in my backyard with a lot of other people but the only one I really saw/interacted with was a Shaman who was chanting.  The tent had a mesh circle at the top to let smoke out and I could see as the Shaman chanted the sky was turning dark/stormy/cloudy.

As the Shaman finished the skies cleared enough to let 2 large black feathers drift down onto the mesh of the tent top.  The Shaman and I went outside and he tipped the tent to let me catch the feathers.  At first I thought they were Crow or Raven feathers (my totem) but I realized they were way too large for that.  As I held them and stroked them and straightened them out (one was bent a bit) I saw images in my head of a very large bird with a colorful face.

The Shaman could also see my vision and when I said, "OH that is the Turkey bird!" he looked at me like I was a stupid child and he was very disappointed in me.   He said something in my head not out loud, like. "child that is not a turkey anything you should know that."

I was like, oh wait I KNOW that, it is just as a child I called it that for some reason?
(as I was going over the dream I realized I had been that child and this Shaman knew me then which gave me some serious goosebumps)

I realized the Shaman was giving off some serious disappointed vibes at me as I held the feathers and saw that face in my mind.     Then I woke up.

So, I am writing this all down and I guessed it was maybe a turkey vulture but the Shaman said it wasn't a Turkey anything!  So, I finished writing and got ready for the day.

As soon as I logged onto my computer - it shows a daily pop up of something new to learn about and there is always a small icon at the bottom of my toolbar highlighting it....

It was a massive bird

So many chills ran through me as I clicked on it and saw the California Condor.

I have been reading about this Bird all morning and honored that it has chosen to communicate with me by sending me its feathers.

Some highlights of my study that gave me more chills:

California condor ceremonies have been lost in the mists of time, but there are adequate verbal accounts to provide some basis for understanding them.  The first recorded account comes from October 8, 1769 when Fr. Juan Crespi observed a large stuffed condor in an Ohlone village near the present day Watsonville.     
I have family from Watsonville.

California condors also played a part in cosmic events.  Among the Chumash, condors or eagles were sacrificed based on which celestial body was prominently visible at the time of the ceremony.  Eagles were selected for rituals concerned with the Evening Star (Venus), while condors were chosen for rituals associated with the planet Mars
My ruling planet is Mars (Im a fiery Aries LOL)

Peruvians connect the Condor with the heavenly Thunderbird. This correlation has much to do with Condor’s expansive wingspan, which is larger than any other bird of prey, measuring around nine feet
Thunderbird has also come to me in dreams

People throughout the Amazonian basin respect Condor as one who communicates with spirits. He represents the soul’s progression toward spiritual ascension through the lessons of many lives. Condor masters the weather bestows wisdom and vision and inspires the psychic art of prophecy.

There is scattered evidence of the ritual use of California condors through much of the Californias. The sacrifice of these birds seems to have been widespread.  In general, this served to transfer the power of the bird sacrificed to those engaged in its ritual killing.  Possibly the condor's association with the dead (being a carrion eater), led to its incorporation into mourning activities and renewal ceremonies.
I am a psychopomp

It is apparent that California condors held a special place in the lives and ceremonies of California natives.  It was a revered creature, a master of the spirit, who gave power to humans for a variety of world renewal and cosmic purposes. It was associated with death and mourning as well as rebirth and renewal.

I hope to honor this visit and I am excited to learn more from Condor.  I also hope the Shaman has stopped giving me the side-eye and I finally figured out the Bird, now to understand its Message.

#bigdreams #dreaming #psychopomp #earthkeeper #moderndayshaman #californiacondor #condor #dreammessages #shamanicpractioner #dreamwork 

Books Read in December
Total 5

Harry Potter Books 5, 6 and 7

Sailor Moon Book One

All That We Are - Mariah Stewart  (The only new book LOL)

I also almost finished The Night Circus but I wasn't going to hurry that one because one does not hurry The Night Circus.

Total for the Year
70 Books - which is totally down from previous years and that's ok. I was doing things that I loved and getting my head out of books and into the world for awhile.  Wishing you all enough in 2023!

Books Read in November
I kinda forgot to post this mostly because I still feel like it's November and not December LOL
Also, I have been so busy that I haven't read much.

8 Total

The Guinevere Deception - Kiersten White (OH MY GOD THIS WAS SO GOOOD)

Book of Life - Deborah Harkness  

Times Convert - Deborah Harkness

The Book of Speculation - Erika Swyler

Harry Potter - Books 1 thru 4 - J K Rowling

Mostly re-reads but that Guinevere book was new and I need the next one stat!

Deck Modification
Nicoletta Ceccoli Tarot

I love the art on this deck but I absolutely can not read with it.  So, it has sat and gathered dust which made me very sad until I had the idea to pick the cards I most resonate with and create an oracle deck with it instead.

I found 35 I loved and added 5 more for an even 40 cards.  I chopped off the boarders/numbers, which almost made it a mini-deck.  Then I rounded the corners and edged the cards in a deep burgundy red.  That was almost a mistake LOLOL   There was more color bleed than I would have liked and I managed to leak red on one of the card faces but it almost fits.  I may use some soft sand paper to give it a "Dirty Pam," type feel later.

Overall, I am very happy with it. And now I can use the deck more often because I made up the stories that go with it.  The stories are in my head right now, but I plan on  getting a small notebook to put them in eventually.   I may not though, as I think with this deck, the stories will unfold differently each time and that creates a magic all its own.

#tarotdeckmodification #nicolettaceccoli #tarotintooracle   

I can feel myself tensing up already LOL  But the funny thing is I am actually not cutting her nails tomorrow - I am taking her to the vet to have her glands expressed and the claws done while she's there.     I am pretty sure I have PTSD just from getting her into her travel bag and having to listen to her yowl the entire 20 minute drive to the vet.

Usually, USUALLY, I can at least get the tips of her claws - enough that she isn't sticking to the carpet anyway. But lately, she has been full on Exorcist when we try to do this.   I have watched ten billion videos and each time I say, "how drugged up is that cat?"

Because man, my cat is like the opposite of those cats.  Right now, the best way to even attempt her nails is to put her on the table, cover her with a towel, and pull out each limb and try to snip the tips off before she pulls it back in, or flinches, making it impossible to get it.

The contraptions available for this endeavor are hilarious and make me think that my cat is not unusual in the "hating the nails trimmed," department. But then I try to figure out HOW to get her into said contraptions without suffering severe claw and bite marks.     

I guess the hanging bag would work if one could stuff her into it and then keep her from flailing her limbs about. But I about died laughing when I saw the Kitty Hannibal Lecter masks/deep sea diving balls. 

I think what I need is about five more people to hold her down because my Barley is a mini-tornado on nail cutting days. I need to ask the vet how they do it and how many people it takes. HAHA

Books Read 

September was so embarrassing I couldn't post the ONE book I managed to finish which was 

IT - Stephen King   (re-read many and many times)

I did much better in
October (7)

A Discovery of Witches - Deborah Harkness    I always try to re-read around the time frame of the books and Harkness has a great mini-book that shows all the places/locations of the books)

The Stroke of Winter - Wendy Webb (another great one by Wendy!)

I Choose Darkness - Jenny Lawson (an essay on some spooky vibes ala Jenny)

The Keepers of Metsan Valo - Wendy Webb (I rather like her books LOL)

The Carrow Haunt - Darcy Coates (one of my favorite October re-reads)

Parting the Veil - Paulette Kennedy (LOVED THIS BOOK)
​
Shadow of Night - Deborah Harkness

Because it is never too early to start the Halloween celebrations!  

Wickerd Farms is a really cute place to spend some time. There is a lot of Nature and stuff for kids to play around on.  They have fun art and sculpture and Butterfly Gardens and Pumpkins and Nature Hikes and Christmas Trees growing in a lot.

Did not purchase any pumpkins yet - I have a feeling it is going to be a bit too warm to keep them comfortably just yet. But so much fun to visit!

So, I have always been interested in weather - and just finished a book on Weather Shamanism - but my results have been "meh."  Mostly because I am new to working with, or wanting to work with the Weather Elementals - but recently I felt my heart open in a new way and yesterday was one amazing day of miracles that culminated with me asking the Weather for a bit of rain because we so needed it.

I have done this before but this felt different and yeah, wow.

I was working on my computer, the fan and AC blowing because the temps have been around 105 degrees all week. I heard this loud and odd noise but couldn't figure out what it was.  I was looking out the window and the bright and clear blue skies when the noise came again and it sounded like sitting under a waterfall.

I ran out to the kitchen and it was bright and sunny and pouring rain.  I literally ran straight outside and just stood looking up at the blue skies while being pummeled by rain.   I was so happy and thankful and the plants and ground and myself just sucked up that moisture.

After a few minutes it stopped and I gave my thanks and went in to get dried off and I looked back through the patio door and saw a Thunderbird in the clouds.    I grabbed my phone to take a picture and even though it was starting to pull apart by then I think it still looks like one.

I guess people could say it's easy to "see" anything you want - signs in the sky could be anything, but as a Shamanic Practitioner - seeing signs is important to understanding what Spirit wants to say to you.    

For me, this was an invitation from  The Thunderbird to work with it and I will gladly accept.

Books Read in August 
8 Total which is a vast improvement over the last few months.

Love Life - Rob Lowe   N
Weather Shamanism - Nan Moss   N
A Wrinkle in Time - Madeleine L'Engle   R
Hunger Games - Suzanne Collins  R
Catching Fire - Suzanne Collins R
Mockingjay - Suzanne Collins  R
The Dreamers Book of the Dead - Robert Moss  R
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone - JK Rowling R