Mugwort (Artemesia vulgaris and A. douglasiana) has a magical feel to it: The silvery green leaves that shine in the moonlight; the distinctive scent used for dream time. Then there’s the botanical name “Artemesia,” for Artemis with her silver bow and arrow, goddess of the hunt associated with the moon and things wild. Mugwort seems to put one into a different space.
For those of you who know a bit about the legend of Rama and Ramayana, Sita (Rama’s wife and the avatar of Lakshmi) was no lily-livered woman of yore. She put men firmly into place, and despite all the emotional trauma, stayed on top like a badass feminist…
Frankly speaking, while I am a Hindu, I am a bit of an atheist. Or rather, I like to call myself a non-conforming spiritualist. My faith teaches me about many a God & Goddess and yes, if I need to turn to divinity for guidance or a shoulder to cry on, I choose to look upon the idol I like and find commonality with.
Om Shreem MahaLakshmiyah Swaha
Praises to name of the Great Mother of both spiritual and material wealth which lives inside our consciousness. May we, in this moment, access the birthright of abundance which is ours. And so it is.
From the chaos of the creative impulse came the birth of the Devi goddess of all—Saraswati. She is the Mother of art, music, wisdom, and knowledge.
Lighting the candle and stick of jasmine incense, I arrange the multi-colored stones into a pattern to reflect the harmony and depth I seek. In the corners of the table, set aside just for such a daily ritual, I place one pinecone, one feather, one small bowl of water and one tea light—each representing one of the four directions and corresponding elements. In the center, the original candle burns, standing in as me—the light of consciousness aware of this life.
My oldest son is a Taurus baby -- he is an incredible example to me of why Emerald is the perfect stone for this sign. Taurus is ruled by Venus and together they are a most sensual, grounded and beautifully rooted and body-oriented energy. The Emerald lends potent healing vibrations to the body of the Taurus and assists with feeling stable, connected and solidly aligned in the heart.