Money Tree Spell

You didn't think I was just gonna leave you with my sappy (get it, huh, do ya?) story, did you? The following is a spell I originally found via Cassandra Eason. I have modified it a bit to suit myself and you can feel free to do the same.

Buy a tree that will grow nicely in a pot indoors (mini fruit trees are nice!) You'll also need 3 different colored coins; gold, silver and copper. These need not be American coins, however if you wish for American dollars it might be a good idea to stick with USA currency. You also need 3 gold ribbons.

Start this spell as early as you can during the waxing moon phase, but make sure you can actually see a sliver of the moon.

With your tree potted, bury the 3 coins in the dirt in this order: copper, silver, then gold. Copper is the metal of Venus and ensures happiness, silver is the metal of the Moon bringing a continuous flow of money to you and gold is the metal of the Sun which brings sustained financial growth.

Tie the three ribbons loosely on the tree's branches as you recite your spell. For example:

You are my money tree.
As I care for you, so you care for me,
Bringing me money and prosperity.

Or some such rhyme... make up your own!

Take good care of your tree and replace the ribbons as they wear out.

Money Tree

I have a money tree. Now don't y'all start Googling for my address and invading my yard. She doesn't actually grow paper currency or drop gold coins (not yet anyway, I'm open to that though.) I've lived in this house 3 years and just this week noticed the money tree. She's actually a pecan tree variety. The reason I call her my money tree involves explanation. Warning: There will be woo-woo involved in this explanation.

So last week I found myself captivated by the color of the fall leaves on the money tree, as I am every year. Her leaves are always some dazzling shade of gold. Then through some process of thought I rambled through "gold....money....abundance - I have a money tree!" That's the simplistic version anyway. She's dressed in green in the spring and Summer, green like our American paper money. In Autumn, she's all gold (like what our American money used to be backed by.) She has an abundance of leaves 3/4 of the year, she bears fruit. When I look up at her she stands with her arms outstretched, accepting and embracing everything. She has withstood harsh weather, persevering and growing more mighty with each passing year. She's the first to welcome me when I come home and the last to bid me farewell when I leave. She's a reminder of all I can be, do and have. Get it? She's my money tree.

Don't let my "money" title fool you, she's more that just a representation of cash. She is a reminder that I am always loved, provided for, protected and can go as far in life as I choose to...there are no limits. It's hard to sum all those things up in one word or short phrase and I kinda like the idea of having a money tree anyway.

I bet you have a money tree of your own somewhere. Some of you are already nodding your heads in acknowledgement. For those of you yet to discover your money tree, I invite you to go out and look for it. If you have a yard, start there. If no yard of your own then look in your neighborhood, local park, places you go to regularly. When you find your money tree, give him or her a hug.

So now that we all have a money tree (don't be a slacker, yes YOU, go find yours) what do we do with it? You could do nothing, just let the tree be a simple reminder. You could place offerings at the base of the tree (ie-crystals, food for critters, a small statue.) You could decorate the tree with ribbons, I love bottle trees - you could do that, who knows?! Use your imagination, not mine. Best of all, hug your money tree. Hug any tree but especially your money tree. Mine is in the front yard so this now confirms the suspicions my neighbors have had about me. I've posted a couple of pictures of my unadorned money tree. I'd love to see pictures of your trees!

New Age Time

Time...we all have the same amount of it per day. We all value it, each in our own way. Like many other things we value in life, we don't extrapolate that value out to other people. We don't value another's time the way we do our own. And yet, if someone doesn't value our time...boy, can we get pissy! In the words of Inigo Montoya, "Let me 'splain..."

Recently we had a class at EBN. It was a topic that had been requested by many people over the preceding months and was taught by a well-known, local teacher. We had just enough folks sign up for the class in order to make it worth the instructor's time, 4 people. Come class time there was 1 person in class. 1 person called 90 minutes before class to cancel citing confusion about the date of class, another had apparently texted me the day prior and another I just never heard from even though I called. The instructor, seeing as how she was already there with her 1 student, graciously stayed and taught the class in its entirety. I wish I could say that this was a rare happening, unfortunately it is not.

Now let me deconstruct this situation. Any class at EBN2 (and most other places, I believe) have a minimum attendance requirement. Most classes thrive on a moderate number of students as it provides for a variety of interactions between students and teacher as well as students and students. Differing perspectives generate interesting questions. Everybody wins from a well-rounded class. If there are too few students then it becomes more like tutoring or a therapy session. Tutoring and/or therapy ain't cheap, and most times, this is not the teacher's area of expertise - this one-on-one scenario. So you get why more students is the desirable environment. Renting space for classes also ain't cheap. The instructor pays for the space and the person they pay, pays for the space. In this case, the instructor would (in theory) pay a portion of the class fee to EBN2. EBN2 in turn pays monthly rent. No students, no class. No class, no rent. No rent, no EBN2. You with me? The other side to this coin (since we're talking money right now...time is money as they say) is that when a situation like the one described above occurs, the instructor may decide, "Fuck this shit, I'm never coming back here," or some variation of that. Future potential students miss out. Perhaps the instructor laments her situation to another instructor friend who subsequently decides, "Well fuck that, I'm never having a class there either." And as the old 70's shampoo commercial went, "and they tell 2 friends and so on and so on and so on..." ad infinitum.

Moving on. There was a time, if no place else than my imagination, where a person's word was their bond. That means if a commitment was made it was kept, short of bleeding profusely or being on fire. There was a time, if no place else than on tv, where people respected one another in all ways. "You are just as valuable and important as I am," that sort of thing. All you have to do is watch any televised U.S. political event to see that is no longer the case. We excuse away our behavior, we break commitments, we don't follow through, we don't honor our word. In the microcosm that is the originally cited example all parties involved are nice people. No axe murderers (that I'm aware of) in the bunch. A kind group of folks, I'd say. And yet, 75% of them completely fucked the instructor and EBN2 out of their reasonable expectations of time and money. If the same behaviors had been presented at a doctor's office, for example, that 75% would be getting a bill for the doctor's wasted time and would be on a list of those to be watched for recurring last minute cancellations (leading to eventual refusal of service.) And I'm not saying that those 3 folks did what they did maliciously, as I said they are nice people. I'm sure that to them, their reasoning and behavior was within the acceptable and legitimate range. Perhaps we would all say that their reasons were acceptable and legitimate. And remember, I know these people, I like them. I'm not picking on them or suggesting we burn crosses in their yards. They are just the latest example of an on-going issue. Let me quickly move toward my real rant (oh god, there's more???)

Small business, especially in the esoteric/healing/new age type genres depend almost exclusively on the patronage of others. I'm talking retail (EBN, Kindred Spirits), physical fitness (yoga, tai chi), wellness (energy workers, accupuncture), teachers (Joe Weaver, Dale & Jeanne Stacy) as a few examples, cannot continue to offer their services if not supported heartily by their communities. Without all these life-affirming, growth-oriented opportunities we are left with HMOs, Walmart and "No Child Left Behind" public education. It's not like there's a metaphysial trust fund supporting these alternative businesses (see gratuitous photo). Most times, these service-oriented businesses and their owners work 12-16 hours per day/ 7 days a week, pay twice as much tax as the ordinary taxpayer, put up with disgruntled muggle assholes or arrogant woo-woos (for which their is NEVER enough money) and take less time for personal vacations, classes, retreats, etc than most of their clientele. I think it's safe to say that these small business folks love what they do and the benefits well outweigh any of the bullshit I just listed. My point here is that service-oriented small business is no walk in the park and if not supported, it will be mowed down for a mega-mall.

So, in conclusion (I can just hear you..."thank fucking god!") think about when you give your word and when you don't keep it. I'm not all innocent in this category either, I have blown people off in the past. It's just that for some time now I have worked to be mindful of my word, mindful of what my limits are so that I don't over-commit and mindful that what I do has an impact on others that I cannot possibly be aware of. I know I still fuck up from time to time. I was fortunate enough to have someone raise this issue with me long ago. Now I'm just paying it forward. (I think I just pulled an Alanis Morisette "Isn't It Ironic".) Love you, mean it, no hate mail!

Are you an Innie or an Outie?

This was the theme in the shop yesterday. No, folks weren't showing me their belly buttons, gross! It was a day of observing whether people were inner-directed or outer-directed. I will define what I mean by those terms.

In my opinion, people that are inner-directed keep their own counsel, they don't ask for others' opinion much, they aren't ones to ask for advice on a regular basis and they don't ask for directions when lost because they have a GPS (ha!) These people probably meditate regularly, have a strong sense of self and are self-confident. They most likely have a solid understanding of their own spiritual beliefs and can turn to their spirituality for solace when needed.

Outer-directed people do ask for the opinions and advice of others on a regular basis. They refer to some form of mass-media to help create their identity or to understand their place in the world. They prefer what I call "group sports" as opposed to solitary activities. Their identity and self-confidence waver in times of crisis.

These are generalizations and I've done no, nor called upon any, scientific study to come to these conclusions. Just my observation and interaction with people, especially yesterday. Perhaps some of my astrology friends have some explanation for yesterday. So what's my point in all this? I'm pretty sure I have one. Let me check.....

Yep, got it! Being outer-directed sucks. One is constantly drifting in the wind of other people's ideas and opinions and half-baked thoughts. Emotional, mental and any other inner goings-on are transient at best. When the shit hits the fan, these folks are screwed...not the ones to turn to in a crisis. I'm not just hypothesizing here, I was one of the outer-directed in my early adult life and it did suck. I can just hear some of you out there, "Well then Miss Smarty Pants, if being inner-directed is all THAT then how do I get there?" My answer is, "Fuck if I know. Figure it out for yourself." Ok, I'm just being obnoxious. I do have some suggestions for getting from point O to point I.

First, find some kind of quiet time for yourself. If you'd rather peel back your eyelids than meditate then find some other quiet activity. Honestly, meditating isn't that hard. If you can carve out 5 minutes from your day and breathe, then you too can meditate. A simple meditation technique goes like this: Sit (not lie down, SIT) someplace quiet for 5 minutes. If you have kids, tell them they'd better be bleeding a lot or on fire if they disturb you. Same goes for other adults in the house. Set a timer or your cell phone for 5 minutes. This way you won't be wondering throughout your meditation if your 5 minutes is up. For 5 minutes, just breathe and be aware of your breathing. Count to 5 (or whatever number is good for you) as you breathe in and then count to 5 (or whatever) as you breathe out. You can breathe in through your nose or mouth, whatever feels comfortable for you. If you notice during your 5 minutes that you start thinking about work or laundry or the Japanese stock market, just return to counting. Thoughts will most likely come into your head. The only time you're going to have complete and total silence in your head for an extended period of time is when you're dead, so I don't recommend making that a goal. It's really that simple, don't complicate it. If you've heard or read other things about meditation, set that aside for now. People usually try to make shit more elaborate and complicated than it needs to be because then they can feel superior. Fuck that. Just sit and breathe for 5 minutes. Do this every day for a month. Notice I didn't say, "Try to do this every day." Fuck that too. As Yoda said, "There is no try. Do or do not." Do your best to make it around the same time every day, the earlier the better. If you wait until the end of the day, your body will be more tired and you might just pass out. After a month you can increase your time if you want to.

Second, think about what you think. Investigate and examine your beliefs. Inventory what's in your head. Ask yourself if you really believe what you think you do. For example, do all good children go to Heaven? What about all those unbaptized babies in the Australian bush? Is lite beer really less filling? Is fluoride in our drinking water really beneficial (you like how I snuck that in there?) Is having more stuff truly the measure of success? Fuck, I don't know what goes on in your head...make up your own questions. And make up your own answers too. Feel free to do independent research, but remember that just because it's on the Internet or in a book or someone said it doesn't make it true. When mulling over a belief, determine if it feels true for you. Are you comfortable with the idea or does it make you wanna puke? Do muscle testing (look it up) for confirmation. Write down your beliefs and then read them over at a later time. Are you impressed, ashamed, rolling on the floor laughing? The point is to rely on yourself for this. DO NOT go out and ask other people what you believe or should believe. If you do, stop reading this right now and don't come back.

Third, surround yourself with supportive people. These would be people that think you are the bomb, you can do no wrong (mostly), love you, trust you and you'd let them watch your kid. These are people who are capable of being honest with you without being shitty, kind without expecting payback, loving without blowing smoke up your ass and who you can laugh with. I'm sure they have many other wonderful qualities but that's all I've got for now. You get the idea. These folks DO NOT criticize openly or in that veiled "it's for your own good" way. They DO NOT take advantage of you (although it's your job not to be a doormat.) They DO NOT belittle you for having beliefs that differ from theirs. Making your own way in this life experience can be challenging enough without some asshole trying to piss in your Cheerios. Don't allow yourself to have these kind of people in your life.

I'm sure that there's all kinds of mad wisdom I could continue to lay on you but I gotta get ready for work. Kittens need feeding and tea cups need a'washin'. Be brilliant today!

Love Spells

Today is my first real boyfriend's birthday. Since I was 15 I remember this day every year. Do you recall how intense one of your high school romances was? It's a good thing I didn't know magic back then. I'd be living in Pennsylvania right about now (not that PA is bad by any means - no hate mail please.) This got me thinking, the whole "it's a good thing I didn't know magic back then" about love spells. Many times fully grown women (and men too) have come in the shop asking how to do a love spell on a specific person. I have a spiel now that I have been called upon so many times with this issue. Here it is...

"I understand the desire to have this one person. When I was starting out - in my early 30's! - I was much the same way, so I'm speaking from experience. Doing love spells on one particular person is a bad idea, here's why. First, put yourself in your intended's shoes. Would you really want someone to attempt to manipulate you or try to take away your free will? What if it were the garbage man (not that there's anything inherently wrong with garbage men - no hate mail!) who was madly in love with you and wanted you for his own? Or a creepy co-worker? Or Johnny Depp...ok that's a bad example. Anyway, you get my point. So you seem like a nice, normal person. Not Glenn Close-ish at all. Do you really want to be that person who is so desperate that she (or he) has to resort to magic to get (or keep) a man (or woman?) [I'm feeling a little CC again - see an earlier post for explanation.] Second, we don't ever really know anyone, not completely. So you might be thinking this person you're so crazy about is the cat's meow (yes, I say that) but he could be a chronic nose-picker or a momma's boy or a serial killer. You just don't know. Sure he's cute or great in bed or has a gazillion dollars but is that really compensation for the fact that he's gonna molest your kids? An extreme example, I know. My point is...you just don't know. Third, this is one of those instances where you have to trust. You have to trust that God, the Universe, Allah, your Higher Self, whatever, knows what's really right for you and is doing it's best to get you to that person. The thing is, you keep fucking it up with these love spells on the one you've picked out. There are infinite possibilities, there could be someone better for you than the one you've picked out. It's possible. There could be many better someones. But you have closed the door on infinite and narrowed it down to one. Think about that...infinite possibilities or one. Are you really so fuck-all arrogant and wise that you know that there is no one that could love you more, treat you better, share more with you than this one person?" (Deliberate pause to let the person stew.)

"So, that being said...do you still want to do the love spell?" (If they say no here I give them the name of a good therapist and send them on their way - kidding! Ok maybe not.)

If they say yes then I continue on....

"Back to the infinite choices thing. I can help you with a generic love spell, meaning it will draw to you the perfect person for you right now. If you want a love spell to "get" a specific person you're gonna have to research it yourself. I'm gonna say just one more thing and then we'll get on with it. If you do the love spell on Mr. Right Now and it works, at some point you're going to wonder if he's with you because he really loves you or because you did that stupid spell. You're gonna mind-fuck yourself six ways from Tuesday and then most likely sabotage the relationship OR spend the rest of your life working spells on this poor schlump "just in case." Ok, I'm done. Here's the generic spell."

Come To Me

Take one Come To Me jar candle and add Come To Me oil to it. Then add three love-drawing herbs such as damiana, cubeb berries and catnip (there are many love-drawing herbs.) This is called dressing a candle. Be sure not to add so much stuff that you create a fire hazard. Then wrap your hands around the candle and think your thoughts into it. Visualizing yourself happy and in love, experiencing the feelings of being loved and loving another. Really get into it, except have your intended have the fuzzy (pixilated?) face from "Cops." Once you have done that you knock on the side of the glass to seal in the energy and then light your candle. For best results, keep the candle lit, don't put it out. If you're weirded out by having a lit candle in your home when you're not around then put it in your bathtub or kitchen sink when you're away.

This is a simple, basic attraction spell. You can get much more elaborate if you choose. If you really aren't the creative type, we can make candles like this for you at the shop. Hell, we can even burn them for you at the shop.

And finally (my college English professor is spinning in her grave because I started a sentence with "and". Ha - take THAT you life-sucking academic cow!) [I like cows, no hate mail please.] know that there is no judgment on my part for what you do in your private life. I've been there and learned my own lessons. So will you. All I can do is speak of what I have taken away from my experiences.

3 years later...I'm baaaaack!

My best friend said to me tonight, "You know, you should think about writing a blog." and here I am. I had almost forgotten about this thing. I am so low-tech, it's sad. I have read 3 blogs in my life. My website is built with some ancient software that I don't begin to understand. Add to the mix that I'm a typical Virgo perfectionist and you have several good reasons (for me) why I dropped this blog. BUT - the muse rears her Libran head and here I am.


Speaking of the perfectionist bit, I think that really boils down to an over-active internal critic. Some people are under the impression that I know stuff. I think I know a little about a lot, just enough to be dangerous. So here's my caveat (please let that be the right word), I might fuck up the facts or completely get shit wrong. Deal with it. I'm doing the best I can. 'Nuff said.


I'm not going to catch you up on the last three years at the shop. It's all a blur anyway. I will say that we have moved to a MUCH larger space, 3000 square feet. We now have our event space, Eclectic By Nature...Too, attached to the shop. Max the Crystal Skull was just in this past weekend. That was an interesting event. I had never seen a 10,000 year old quartz crystal skull before and it was pretty cool. There's apparently controversy and conflicting opinions about the whole crystal skull thing. But hey, I could say the same thing about my underwear choices. I think Max is wicked cool and his handler, JoAnn is a nice person. Some days, nice people are in short supply. I hope they come back.

That's all I have for tonight. A big shout out to my one follower, thank you very much. I hope you're still alive. I'll do what I can to increase my numbers to make it more interesting for y'all. Talk to you tomorrow.

They were lined up down the street!

That would sum up the third Psychic Fair.

Apparently our neighbor across the street, Rick @ The Pewter Place, was put off by all the piercings and tattoos he saw. Awwwww, no shoppers for Rick that day? I say you all go in there and browse sometime. He'll worry himself silly.

ANYWAY, what a fabulous success the Psychic Fair was! State Street organized their Sidewalk Sale for the same day so lots of newbies came in, got readings and learned a little about EBN. Our vendors did well out front. The energy workers upstairs were booked solid all day. It just kicked ass!

The next Psychic Fair is February 21 and I have secret plans to have it in a large location, still very close to home. This one will have all the same goodies but you won't have to stand outside in the cold and freeze.

I commend all the people who participated in the Fair. It's a long day. I can't even begin to imagine the number of people we helped. And for free! Clearly I am a socialist - ha!