BELTANE 1st May

In ancient times, Samhain and Beltane were the two main festivals of the year, one symbolising death and the other life in all its glory. May eve is the traditional night for young people to indulge in night time revels to encourage fertility back to the land through sympathetic magic.

The Beltane fire sends its flames to the Sun,

The promise of summer warmth to come,

The Horned God dances through the green,

Chasing after his Goddess and Queen.

The Earth Mother laughs with joy,

That her young consort is no longer a boy,

Their sacred marriage empowers the earth,

And couples seek their blessings for future birth.

Hawthorn blossoms in radiant white,

And clarity grows in the quickening light,

Now is the time for action and life,

To fertilise plans and banish strife.

Take the leap across the Beltane fire,

And let the energies take you higher.

Spring has sprung!

What a difference a few weeks make - from the blanket of snow to the cherry tree in blossom. The daffodils have mostly finished now apart from a few late varieties.

Snow at last!

Several times this winter the weather forecasters have threatened us with snow but it never managed to reach us here in the south - until now! Very picturesque and lovely to look at. The children have had great fun but it is melting fast now in the sun and I expect it will be nothing but a memory by evening.

Spring Equinox - 21st March

The Spring Equinox is the point of balance of the waxing year when night and day are of equal length and there is tension between the relectiveness of the dark winter period and the activity of new growth rushing headlong toward Midsummer. It is also the festival of Oestre, the Goddess of Light who brings fertility and whose name is the origin of Easter and words like oestrogen, the hormone stimulating ovulation and fertility. It is appropriate that this season is celebrated with eggs.

The dancing hare foretells the spring,
With the fertility and new life this time does bring,
Gay Eoestre dances on the earth,
As seeds and flowers come to birth.

Tulips and daffodils come into bloom,
And life sprouts from the Earth Mother's womb,
Chickens lay their eggs now the light is growing,
Catkins and blossoms on the trees are showing.

The Sun reaches forth with his hand,
To the Maiden of Flowers returned to the land,
Their dance brings new balance into our life,
Planting the seeds to overcome strife.

We grow with the flowers and the trees,
Winter's gloom banished on a spring breeze.
The joy of new birth enters our hearts,
As we look forward to Beltane's love.

Amazing!

This is s 4D scan picture of my latest grandaughter due to be born in May. Isn't technology amazing? When I first started having children, the best they could do was listen to the heartbeat and we were incredulous at that!

Moonings

* It is thought, by many people, to be unlucky to point at the Moon.
* It is supposedly unlucky to marry when there is a waning Moon.
* If you get your hair cut on a Friday that also happens to be a new Moon is won't look anything like you expected.
* If a woman gives birth when there is a full Moon she is likely to give birth again on a full Moon.
* According to the Lunacy act of 1824 people were more likely to go mad when there was a full moon.
* Your nails will grow healthy and strong if you file them on a Friday night when there is also a full Moon.
* Two new or two full Moons in the same month means there will be bad weather.
* During the full Moon there are more visits to doctors and epileptic fits are more common.

10 Search Engine Optimisation Ideas for your Website

1. Meta Tags
Meta tags are simple lines of code which are inserted at the top of each of your web page’s programming that tell search engines about your pages. Include the title tag, keywords tag, description tag, and robots tag on each page.
2. Ensure that all navigation is in HTML (if possible)
Quite frequently, navigational items are in the form of Javascript. Even though navigation generally still works in this format, it's not optimised or read by the search engines. Create your navigation in HTML to enhance internal links all through your website. If your web editor doesn’t allow this then create a separate HTML set of links.
3. Create and update your sitemap
Developing a site map is an easy way of allowing search engines to find the information they need to crawl your website. You should be able to find free software packages on the web that can help you generate a sitemap. Once you have created your sitemap, submit it to Google and Yahoo.
4. Check that all images include ALT text
The alt text of the images on your website, is spidered by search engines. Including your keywords in your image’s alt text, means you're taking advantage of a huge opportunity for improved search engine result placements. Make sure all of your images are labelled properly.
5. Use Flash content sparingly
Content generated through Javascript or flash might look impressive but is not a good idea. Webmasters sometimes like to use flash because of the presentation it creates. If you have to, use it sparingly, but only after your site has been properly optimised with basic search engine optimisation in mind.
6. Make sure that your website code is clean
Web page crawlers are really only looking at your source code. When programming your web pages, having W3C compliant code might make all the difference. Run your code through a W3C validator as a final check - before promoting.
7. Place keywords in your page content
One of the functions of search engines is to scan your website and individual web pages for keywords. Aim for a keyword density of between two and eight percent. Google likes pages that are at the lower end of this scale and Yahoo at the upper end.
8. Submit your website to search engine directories
They will find you eventually but a helping hand is a good idea to let large search engine directories know that you're out there. Submit your website URL to directories like Google, Yahoo, and DMOZ (although don’t expect overnight success with the latter).
9. Build links to your website
Think about building a link exchange programme or perhaps you could create one-way links to your site using forum posts or articles. It is important to all major search engines to have lots of links leading to your website.
10. Learn the basics
Learning the business of optimising websites for search engines takes time and patience. Start at the beginning by applying basic search engine optimization principles. If you're new to website optimisation, or not so new, begin by working out which pages have the most importance and go from there. Hopefully, you'll soon find yourself moving up the rankings.

Aquamarine

Aquamarine is a beautiful crystal which can vary in colour from light blue to green. It used to be carried by sailors as a talisman against drowning.
It has calming energies which help to reduce stress, calm the mind and remove extraneous thoughts. Aquamarine helps to clear blocked communications and promote self expression. This crystal is useful for sensitive people - helping to understand underlying emotional states and interpreting how one feels.
It emits a gentle and compassionate energy, exhibiting moderation, overcoming judmentalism and invokes tolerance of others. Aquamarine can aid spiritual development by sharpening intuition, opening clairvoyance and awakening spiritual awareness.
Physically, it is useful for sore throats, swollen glands, regulating hormones and growth, aids the eyes and jaws, benefits the stomach and has a general tonic effect.
Aquamarine is linked to the signs of Gemini, Pisces and Aries.

Imbolc - 1st February

Imbolc, also known as the Festival of the Maiden marks the end of winter and heralds the beginning of Spring as the earth beneath prepares for growth and renewal. It comes after 1st February, celebrating the feast of Brigid in her maiden aspect, also known as Candelmas. Imbolc is also traditionally the beginning of the lambing season. It's literal translation is "ewes milk", and this is a reference to new life appearing.

The festival of lights brings the promise of Spring,

Amid the cold of winter's dire sting.

Snowdrops poke their heads through the soil,

To herald the breaking of winter's bleak toil.

Tarot Reading

Nothing in our lives is fixed - especially our future.
We shape our own future with every choice and decision we make.
A Tarot reading can offer suggestions for - things to be done, courses of action to take, decisions to be made and circumstances to be set up.
The Tarot speaks of trends and energies rather than definites.
It is up to us to make these decisions and create the life we would like.
The Tarot cards impel - not compel.

Pluto

On 26th January 2008, Pluto moves into Capricorn - which it hasn't done for 230 years so this is something out of the ordinary. Astrologers are waiting to see what is going to happen in the next 15 years particularly in the world of politics. The last time Pluto was in Capricorn and important event happened - the U.S.A. was born on 4th July 1776, Independence Day. Typical Capricorn characteristics are that of stability and conservatism but also that of patriotism and domination. These factors can produce inspired leaders or on the other hand, dictators.
On a more personal level, this can affect us in terms of how we feel about power. Capricorns and Cancerians (being opposite to each other) are likely to find the next 15 years significant. The important thing to remember about a Pluto transit is not to fight it, embrace any changes and try to understand why they are happening.

Three Square Meals?

Three square meals a day is a norm we are all taught. But what about the quality of the food. What is good and what is poison. The historians, the biologists and the marketing men have all convinced us that eating meat is both normal and good...but is it? Filled with antibiotics to keep the animal healthy, filled with the adrenaline of an animal that knows it's about to be slaughtered, filled with chemicals to keep it looking good at the point of purchase, do we really know what's in it? The 'industrialisation' of animal production is a language which in itself signifies an attitude of disdain towards conscious beings who have their own dignity and their own ways of showing us their affection. But we say that they know no pain, so it is OK to kill and consume them. Stand on your dogs foot, or accidentally put a needle in your cat, and we are reminded that they know pain as acutely as we do. In fact they often have a greater sensitivity and empathy to our moods than we have to our own. Entrusted with the caring of our planet and it's animal kingdoms what do we do... we grow them, kill them and eat them. Perhaps it is no wonder we are reaping the fruits of those actions. So what do you think, to eat or not to eat, to care or not to care, to break out of the lazy mindset that says, "But its always been that way", or perhaps to say, "maybe, just maybe, this is not the right way!"

Moon Phases

Whether you believe it or not, the Moon exerts a powerful influence on our lives. If you follow its phases and plan your life and actions around them, it is possible to achieve great results.
If you want something positive to happen in your life then the waxing Moon is the ideal time to set it in motion. For example, if you and looking for a new job then this is a good time to arrange an interview. This is a great time for success, courage, luck, health and friendship. If you are looking for new friends then make the most of socialising when the Moon is waxing.
As the Moon grows from waxing to full, then so will the positive power that you put into anything. This is the time to start a new job or set up a new business or sign a contract, go travelling or join a club.
When the Moon is waning, it is diminishing so this is the time to banish things from your life. This could include getting rid of a partner, breaking a habit such as smoking, banishing an illness or losing weight. In other words getting rid of anything detrimental in your life.
The new Moon is invisible to us but that doesn't mean it's not there. New beginnings are indicated here, such as looking for a new relationship or a new home or even a whole new life.

Glastonbury Tor

The landscape surrounding Glastonury is a treasure trove where sacred sites abound. The most obvious is Glastonbury Tor which can be seen for many miles around, rising up out of the flat surrounding meadows. The green hill of the Tor, topped enigmatically with its tower has become a symbol of Glastonbury, dominating the surrounding landscape and town.
There are many myths and legends associated with the Tor – it is the home of Gwyn ap Nudd, the Lord of the Underworld and King of the Fairies, and a place where the fairy folk live.
In early-medieval times there was a small monks' retreat on top of the Tor, founded probably in the time of St Patrick in the mid-400s. This was followed in the early 1100s by a chapel, St Michael de Torre. This was destroyed in a powerful earthquake in 1275 and rebuilt in the early 1300s. The tower is all that remains today.
Many power lines in the earth that for centuries were known to folklore, have now been traced using dowsing methods.These are geomagnetic lines in the earth and can be likened to acupuncture meridians in the body. Ancient people found that using them made all forms of travel, messages and communications easier. Christian churches later replaced the older sacred sites that were built along these lines. The Michael line is called that because most of the churches on it are dedicated to St.Michael, who was the Christian version of the protective male deity originally associated with this line. In the same way, St.Mary churches delineate the Mary line and replaced older shrines to a nurturing and gentle earth mother. The male and female nature of the two lines was thus preserved and continued by the Christian interpretation.
The Michael and Mary lines in particular are especially powerful. They connect major sacred sites throughout the South West and beyond. But it’s only on the Tor that their energies combine. In a harmonious dance of earth patterns, the lines move ever closer as they approach the summit. At the top, they merge and unite. Perhaps this is what makes it easy for so many other kinds of opposites to harmoniously come together on the Tor.
When they flow down from the Tor again, the lines then pass through the other major Glastonbury sites – Chalice Well, the Abbey and nearby Wearyall Hill. Their energy may be an important source of the strong mystical element that’s been associated with these places for many hundreds of years.

Winter Solstice

At the time of the Sun's lowest ebb, the shortest day, the dying sun sets for the last time - but no sooner has the Sun disappeared than the seed of coming life again grows. Tomorrow the Sun will rise anew. The cycle of life will begin again with the Waxing year.
The Child of Promise, the Sun is reborn,
Bringing hope to the Darkness of the forlorn,
Death has been and left its mark,
With winter's bleakness, cold and stark.
We look towards the promise of spring,
And make our plans for New Year to bring,
With joy in our hearts as the old year departs.

Antahkarana

The Antahkarana is an ancient healing and meditation symbol. It is very powerful symbol and simply by being in the presence of this symbol can have a positive effect on one's aura and chakras. If used when doing healing work, this symbol can deepen and focus the effects of the healing energies. If negative energy has collected in jewellery or crystals, this can be cleared by placing them between two Antahkarana symbols. This symbol is multi-dimensional. On one hand it can appear to be two dimensional - a flat surface with three interlocking sevens. On the other hand it can appear as a three dimensional cube. These three sevens represent the seven chakras, the seven colours and the seven tones of the musical scale. These three sevens are mentioned in the book of Revelations as the seven candle sticks, the seven trumpets and the seven seals. This symbol, the Antahkarana has its own consciousness, is very special and does not require an attunement to be used and for it to work. As it is directed by the Higher Self it can not be misused and always has a beneficial effect. The symbol could be placed under a massage table or under a chair. Use the Antahkarana symbol in meditation by gazing directly at it with relaxed eyes. If any thoughts appear - brush them away gently and bring your mind back. Regular meditations of 10 to 30 minutes a day will bring a beneficial sence of peace and security that can stay with you all day.

December - celebrating Yule

We are now moving towards the Winter Festival that we call Yule.
The original Yule feast was held according to the lunar calendar, so it would have taken place late December or early January. When the Scandinavian countries were Christianised, the date was fixed at 25th December in line with Christmas. But Yule is still used as the name for this festival on greetings cards and the Jewish festival of Hannukah (this year the eight days of Hannukah begin on December 5th) is called Jewish Yule!
Like many other festivals at this time of year Yule is a festival that reminds us of the light during the darkest time of the year. Young girls wear crowns of holly with lighted candles, and lights are kept in windows. The tradition of the Christmas Tree developed out of the ancient idea of bringing home the Yule log to keep the community hall warm, but it was not until the German Prince Albert married Queen Victoria that the British started to have Christmas trees in their homes. Until then, the pre-Christian tradition of the ‘bower’, a circle of branches that included holly and mistletoe, hung in the hall to welcome guests, was the popular way for the British to decorate the house for the festive season. The mistletoe bunch is a remnant of that tradition.
Christmas these days has something of a split personality. On one hand it is the Christian festival celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ; on the other hand it is a traditional time of eating, drinking, present-giving and partying which has been largely commercialised in recent years. To some extent, both are dependant on each other. The Church needs the fun side of Christmas to keep people interested in it and the commercial world needs the religious overtone of the season to lend some legitimacy to the celebration.

Last year I had the pleasure of meeting Uri Geller. This lovely, genuine, fascinating, enigmatic man is famous around the world for his psychic powers. Visit his website and find out for yourself all about his endless charity work, his promotion for world peace, his motivational and inspirational books, talks, artwork and much, much more. You cannot fail to be impressed.....I am.

Daffodils in November

Is this another sign of the changing climate? This daffodil and several others are flowering two months ahead of schedule. I planted them at the end of our road several years ago and up until now they have behaved.

Halloween - 31st October - SAMHAIN

For many people, Samhain is the greatest festival of ancient times. On the night of 31st October/1st November the Old Year crosses over into the New. It is a magical time when spirits walk the earth as the veil between the incarnate and spirit worlds is thinnest. It is a time of rest, stillness, regrouping and re-creating. As the old year sinks to its death, the beginnings of decay nourish new life. Fallen leaves again fuel the cycle of renewal.
Life retreats into the bulbs and roots,
The time has passed for the flowers and fruits,
Face your shadow and accept your faults,
Look now to the future to seek your results.