OSHUN – GODDESS OF LOVE AND YES, MONEY!

September 8th celebrates the feast day of Our Lady of Charity (Caridad del Cobre) patroness of Cuba and Catholic counter part of the Yoruba Goddess Ochun. Apart from being the Goddess of Love in the Santeria religion Ochun is also revered for her ability to bring wealth and happiness to her followers.

Its little wonder that Ochun is always in a state of bliss. She surrounds herself with the most appealing of attributes, fresh water rivers, clear blue lakes, brass bells, peacock feathers, sunflowers, cinnamon, pumpkins, champagne, mimosas and honey. She always keeps a mirror handy to admire her own great beauty. Ochun favors the number 5 or any of its multiples.

Surrounded by constant beauty Ochun is a great magnet for love and personal attraction. Followers of Ochun have always known that their beloved mother is always willing to help with matters of the heart. We found a beautiful spell that honors and petitions the powerful Oricha. September 8th would be a great day to perform this ritual:

Ingredients:

* 5 Glass 7-day Novena Candles Yellow
* 1 Large clear or yellow ceramic plate
* 5 Oranges
* 5 Sunflowers or any other yellow flower such as roses, or carnations
* 5 Paper Fans – these can be purchased at any party supply store
* Yellow tablecloth
* Jar of honey
* 5 small pastries or yellow candies
* A letter to Ochun where you tell her your innermost desires. Pour your heart out to her as you would to a best friend or a beloved family member. Explain your crisis to her whether it’s related to love or money.

Take all these items to a riverbank, a lake, a small creek or pond. Anywhere where there is a body of fresh water. Find a spot away from onlookers and set up your tablecloth as if you were preparing a great feast. In the center place your ceramic plate with the oranges, and pastries or candies. Place the flowers near the plate.

Arrange the 5 yellow glass encased candles around the plate in a circle and place the opened fans around the candles.

Face the water and with the opened jar of honey in your hands speak to Ochun. Read her the letter you have written. Ask her for help. Take your finger and taste the honey as you are looking at the water.

Pour the honey over the plate with the oranges and the sweets. Say a prayer thanking Ochun in advance for her help:
Maferefun Ochun, Yeye Kari
Bless us Ochun fill our lives and homes with love
Because love is yours to give

Take the empty jar of honey and fill it with the water from the river or lake and take it home with you. Boil this water together with some cinnamon and fresh clean water. Let it cool as you will use it in your bath.

First take a shower and cleanse yourself with cinnamon soap. Then clean the tub and run a new clean bath. Pour the water/cinnamon mixture into the bath water and immerse yourself completely. When you are done repeat the prayer above. Pat or air dry yourself and light a yellow candle for Ochun’s guidance.

IF YOU LIKED THIS POST SEE OUR OTHER OSHUN POSTS

• LIGHT A YELLOW CANDLE FOR CACHITA
• UNA VELA AMARILLA PARA CACHITA EN SEPTIEMBRE 8

Until next time be well, be safe and be your own,
Diva

Eat, Pray and Bathe with Herbs!

Spiritual practitioners understand the immense power of using herbs when performing bathing rituals. The combination of bathing, praying and using aromatic herbs is a conduit to opening the gates to the metaphysical world.

For centuries, mankind has been discovering the healing power of herbs for physical ailments. It’s a small wonder that these same herbs produce the same effect at the spiritual level. When we cleanse our bodies with aromatic plants we send a message of comfort and well being to our subconscious mind, which is always connected to our spiritual self.

I don’t claim to be an Herbalist since the practice of that science involves many years of research and study. However, I grew up around my grandfather who was a dedicated pharmacist and great believer in the power of plants. From him I learned of their curative powers but also how herbs can be used to cleanse and purify our bodies and connect us to our higher selves. Here is a small sample of some of my very favorite herbs.

Rosemary (Romero) – This extraordinary herb has such a powerful scent that just running your hands over a live plant of Rosemary will scent your entire house. It is cleansing and purifying. Spiritualists attribute it with the power to conquer hate and fear and attract the opposite feeling which is love.

Eucalyptus (Eucalipto) – (NOT FOR EATING) Its very name invokes health and freshness. The same way it is used in many cold and flu medicines to decongest the afflicted areas, you may use it to decongest your way to abundance and prosperity. It relieves tension and stimulates positive aptitude through which you clear your path to prosperity, success and well being.

Sage (Salvia) - Ancient Native Americans recognize the immense power of sage to exorcise negativity. They made bundles of the herb and burnt it in bonfires so the purifying smoke would keep away evil spirits. I believe Sage is a must in any spiritual cleansing ritual performed for protection or to remove hexes and jinxes.

Rue (Ruda) – (NOT FOR EATING) We know that the evil eye is something very damaging and very common. There are many people that, sometimes without even being aware, have the power to jinx someone just with a look or a thought. Spiritualists recommend regular cleansings to protect against the evil eye. Rue has an amazing transmuting (changing) force. Rituals performed with rue will be very effective in removing the evil eye, changing negative energy into positive, and neutralizing bad intentions.

Cinnamon (Canela) – Delicious to eat and with great curative powers, Cinnamon is all time spiritualist’s favorite. When used in bathing, its energy will enhance the power of physical attraction. Its considered a conduit for good luck and money. In Santeria it is associated with the Oricha Ochun, Goddess of love, money and joy.
Patchouli (Pachouli) – Centuries old recipes for perfumes contain this magical herb. It’s strong smell is a mighty conduit for stimulating personal attraction. Spiritualists attribute it with the faculty to separate negative from positive and create a harmonious environment.

There are many more magical and wonderful plants in this beautiful planet that merit to be mentioned. Because time and space is so constricting I’m limiting my little dissertation to some of my favorite few. Let me know if you are interested in further exploring this subject and we will revisit it sometime soon!

Visit DivinaFe your online Botanica to find some great herb bathing gels, baths and soaps.

Till next time- Be well, Be safe and Be your own…
Diva

Working with the 7 Archangels…

Many people write to us and ask us which color candle would be best to work with all 7 Archangels. We feel that blue and purple are the ideal colors for a candle to invoke the presence of this Celestial Hierarchy. Blue is the color of peace and used to depict heaven while purple is a color that heals, transmutes, invokes freedom, justice, and brotherhood which are the qualities inherit in these Heavenly Messengers.

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The Right Candle for Each Day

The day of the week we start our rituals has a big influence on the amount of success our spell or petition will have. Each day of the week has affinity with a certain color and this defines the color candle and the type of spell you would want to start on any given day.

MONDAY – IDEAL TO START HEALTH BLESSINGS AND PEACEFUL HOME SPELLS ©
Monday is a day that is symbolized by the color white and the moon. The color white is closely related to the fertility, creativity and mysticism, evoked by the moon. It’s not surprising that so many people unconsciously start diets on Mondays. At an intuitive level this is a day of commencement and renewal. Like the strong attraction the moon exerts on our planet, a white candle lit on a Monday will have enhanced magical possibilities.

TUESDAY – IDEAL TO START SPELLS THAT EVOKE PASSION AND REVERSIBLE OR JINX REMOVING SPELLS ©
Tuesdays are related to the color red and the planet Mars – The red planet. The temperature in Mars is hot and this heat symbolizes passion, energy and virility. The color red represents strength and authority. A red candle lit on a Tuesday with the intention of attracting love and passion will have a more powerful effect than if the spell is started any other day of the week.

WEDNESDAY – IDEAL TO START FAST LUCK AND SUCCESS SPELLS ©
Wednesdays are related to the color yellow and the planet Mercury. The ideal candle to start your spell casting for luck and personal and business success is on a Wednesday. The candle to initiate this spell should be yellow. The color yellow is related to cheerfulness, and lightness. It is related to the material aspect of mankind. It evokes memories of childhood and youth and opens up the soul.

THURSDAY – IDEAL FOR ROAD OPENING, CLEARANCE AND UNCROSSING SPELLS ©
Thursdays are related to the color purple and to Jupiter the lucky planet. The ideal candle to start your spell will be a Purple candle since this is the color of transmutation. Transmutation means conversion. What is desired is to remove old patterns and habits so you can remove blockages and open the doors to new opportunities. Start your road opening, clearance or uncrossing spell with a purple candle to enhance the magic of your intention.

FRIDAY – IDEAL TO START SPELLS FOR LOVE DRAWING ©
Fridays are symbolized by the color pink and the planet Venus – the planet of love. The ideal candle to start your love casting spell is a rose or pink candle. This is the color that evokes sensitivity and physical attraction. It is the ideal color to enhance a spell designed to attract and maintain a loving relationship into your life. Start your love drawing spell on Friday the most romantic day of the week and see its enchantment flourish.

SATURDAY – IDEAL TO START MONEY DRAWING, FINANCIAL ABUNDANCE SPELLS ©
Saturdays are associated with the planet Saturn – The planet with the seven rings. The color green is associated with the abundance of nature. No wonder it is also the color of money. Nothing says abundance clearer or louder than the many shades of green that adorn our planet. Saturday is the ideal day to light a green candle and start your rituals to attract money and financial abundance. It is the color of hope and intelligence. Enhance the power of your ritual by starting it on a Saturday by the light of a green candle.

SUNDAY – IDEAL TO START STEADY WORK SPELLS ©
Sundays are associated with the Sun and the color Orange. This is the ideal day to start your steady work rituals. It is the first day of the week and a very good time to initiate change. The color orange represents discipline and will power. The presence of the sun is something we can count on each day of our lives. Use the power of the sun and its bright orange color to strengthen your steady work ritual.

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Any fool can be a Father, but it takes a real man to be a Daddy!!
Fathers Day Quote by: Philip Whitmore Snr

“The most important thing a father can do
for his children is to love their mother.”
Fathers Day Quote by: Unknown

Fathers are angels sent from heaven.
Fathers Day Quote by: Unknown

My father gave me the greatest gift anyone could give another person, he believed in me.
Fathers Day Quote by: Jim Valvano

He didn’t tell me how to live; he lived, and let me watch him do it.
Fathers Day Quote by: Clarence Budington Kelland

My father used to play with my brother and me in the yard. Mother would come out and say,
“You’re tearing up the grass.” “We’re not raising grass,” Dad would reply. “We’re raising
boys.” Fathers Day Quote by: Harmon Killebrew

Fatherhood is pretending the present you love most is soap-on-a-rope.
Fathers Day Quote by: Bill Cosby

A father is always making his baby into a little woman. And when she is a woman he turns her back again.
Fathers Day Quote by: Enid Bagnold

It is not flesh and blood but the heart which makes us fathers and sons.
Fathers Day Quote by: Johann Schiller

A father carries pictures where his money used to be.
Fathers Day Quote by: Unknown

When I was a boy of fourteen, my father was so ignorant I could hardly stand to have the old man around. But when I got to be twenty-one, I was astonished at how much he had learned in seven years.
Fathers Day Quote by: Mark Twain, “Old Times on the Mississippi” Atlantic Monthly, 1874

Never raise your hand to your kids. It leaves your groin unprotected.
Fathers Day Quote by: Red Buttons

I don’t care how poor a man is; if he has family, he’s rich.
Fathers Day Quote by: M*A*S*H, Colonel Potter

Spread the diaper in the position of the diamond with you at bat. Then fold second base down to home and set the baby on the pitcher’s mound. Put first base and third together, bring up home plate and pin the three together. Of course, in case of rain, you gotta call the game and start all over again.
Fathers Day Quote by: Jimmy Piersal, on how to diaper a baby, 1968

A man knows when he is growing old because he begins to look like his father.
Fathers Day Quote by: Gabriel Garcia Marquez

Don’t make a baby if you can’t be a father.
Fathers Day Quote by: National Urban League Slogan

Sons have always a rebellious wish to be disillusioned by that which charmed their fathers.
Fathers Day Quote by: Aldous Huxley

A man’s desire for a son is usually nothing but the wish to duplicate himself in order that such a remarkable pattern may not be lost to the world.
Fathers Day Quote by: Helen Rowland

The worst misfortune that can happen to an ordinary man is to have an extraordinary father.
Fathers Day Quote by: Austin O’Malley

The father who does not teach his son his duties is equally guilty with the son who neglects them.
Fathers Day Quote by: Confucius

He who is taught to live upon little owes more to his father’s wisdom than he who has a great deal left him does to his father’s care.
Fathers Day Quote by: William Penn

By the time a man realizes that maybe his father was right, he usually has a son who thinks he’s wrong.
Fathers Day Quote by: Charles Wadworth

Small boys become big men through the influence of big men who care about small boys.
Fathers Day Quote by: Unknown

It is a wise father that knows his own child.
Fathers Day Quote by: William Shakespeare

I cannot think of any need in childhood as strong as the need for a father’s protection.
Fathers Day Quote by: Sigmund Freud

When a father gives to his son, both laugh; when a son gives to his father, both cry.
Fathers Day Quote by: Jewish Proverb

I have never been a material girl. My father always told me never to love anything that cannot love you back.
Fathers Day Quote by: Imelda Marcos

There must always be a struggle between a father and son, while one aims at power and the other at independence.
Fathers Day Quote by: Samuel Johnson

My son, a perfect little boy of five years and three months, had ended his earthly life. You can never sympathize with me; you can never know how much of me such a young child can take away. A few weeks ago I accounted myself a very rich man, and now the poorest of all.
Fathers Day Quote by: Ralph Waldo Emerson, on the death of his son

A man never stands as tall as when he kneels to help a child.
Fathers Day Quote by: Knights of Pythagoras

—————————————————————-
“When a child is born, a father is born. A mother is born, too of course, but at least for her it’s a gradual process. Body and soul, she has nine months to get used to what’s happening. She becomes what’s happening. But for even the best-prepared father, it happens all at once. On the other side of a plate-glass window, a nurse is holding up something roughly the size of a loaf of bread for him to see for the first time.
Fathers Day Quote by: Frederick Buechner, ‘Whistling in the Dark’

My father was a statesman, I’m a political woman.
My father was a saint. I’m not.
Fathers Day Quote by: Indira Gandhi

4 years: My Daddy can do anything!
7 years: My Dad knows a lot…a whole lot.
8 years: My father does not know quite everything.
12 years: Oh well, naturally Father does not know that either.
14 years: Oh, Father? He is hopelessly old-fashioned.
21 years: Oh, that man-he is out of date!
25 years: He knows a little bit about it, but not much.
30 years: I must find out what Dad thinks about it.
35 years: Before we decide, we will get Dad’s idea first.
50 years: What would Dad have thought about that?
60 years: My Dad knew literally everything!
65 years: I wish I could talk it over with Dad once more.
Fathers Day Quote by: Unknown

My father always used to say that when you die, if you’ve got five real friends, then you’ve had a great life.
Fathers Day Quote by: Lee Iacocca

Dear Younger Self:

Let’s pretend that we are able to break the barrier of time for a few precious moments and meet each other face to face. The young and the wise like multi-dimensional cosmic twins, together for the very first time. What would you ask me? What could I say to ease your growing pains?

Would you believe me if I told you that it really doesn’t matter that your hair frizzes up the minute you step out of the house? Could you trust me if I say that in a short while you will be completely over the heart ache of a teen age crush gone bad? How should I convince you that it’s ok you that didn’t get accepted to cheerleading camp? Is there any way I can assure you that your best friend didn’t betray you but that you betrayed yourself into thinking she was your best friend?

Hummm! I don’t know that I should even try. Who am I to deprive you of the bitter sweet moments of your youthful life? Why should you know that the insurmountable challenges of youth are only mole hills compared to the daily routine of adult life?
No. I think that rather than offering my grown up advice, there are some things your youthful self could help me figure out.

You see, I’ve been wondering whatever happened to all that magic that you always seemed to find. When did I outgrow those childhood games that kept me happy and entertained for hours at a time? How come a simple outing no longer feels like the most wondrous of adventures? Where did I leave my desire to discover new places, new friends, and make new plans? When did I stop thinking that I held the world in the palm of my hands?

I now apply logic and common sense to resolve the daily issues of my life. I traded magic for responsibility and hard work. I forgot all about you, my inner child. I kept you hidden, afraid that someone would learn our secret dreams. But I think the biggest fear I had was for myself. How could I take myself seriously if I still believed there was a playful world out there where dreams could really come true? Is it too late? Can you forgive this silly grown up for leaving you behind?

Of course you can! Because I know there is no room for grudges in your young heart. So I’ve come back to reacquaint myself with you. I want to relearn what I once knew: to play without guilt, to trust without fear and to believe in my own magic.

Forever yours,
ME

We’ve all heard the saying ‘when the going gets tough the tough gets going’. I’ve often wondered, how do they do it? How do they keep going when faced with insurmountable challenges? I believe I’ve found an answer to my question. Rather than wallowing on self pity ‘the tough’ focus on the positive things in their lives thus, bringing forth a feeling of gratitude that helps them overcome any obstacle.

By now you are probably thinking, ‘ yeah right easy for you to say because you are not in my shoes’. Well, we all wear our own shoes. Meaning, each one of us has our own problems and challenges that may seem insurmountable to ourselves. So here is a thought. Next time you feel that you are drowning in problems choose gratitude rather than self-pity.
Stop the sorrow sunami and focus on the blessings around you. Blessings come in many forms and guises and often are just taken for granted. Enumerating the blessings in my life is the best strategy I’ve found to keep me focused on the positive. My own personal list goes something like this:
• Enjoying good health
• Having my aging parents still in good health
• Loving relationships with friends and family
• Rewarding life work
• Developing my creativity

So ‘when the dog bites or the bee stings’ as the popular song says, I simply go to my list of blessing to recapture the feeling of gratitude. Like a trusted medication, the healing effect is immediate. The pain becomes manageable when I know I am blessed in so many ways.

A wise friend of mine gave me a small notebook a few years ago for Christmas. It was a simple blank writing pad that she called a gratitude journal. She said that everything I wrote in it would convey a message to the universe of the things I wished to attract. Every night before I go to bed I write 5 things that I’m grateful for. These could be things I presently have or simply a wish list of experiences I hope will come. As I write my list I give thanks in advance to my beloved spiritual guides for doing their part in making my wishes come true. Over the years I’ve manifested many of the items in my list. Some have been small while others have been significant but each of them has serve to renew and strengthen my faith in the POWER OF GRATITUDE.

Be Well, Be Save and

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Cassadaga’s hotel is said to have friendly spirits that walk its halls…

There’s a big chance you’ve never heard of Cassadaga. However, those that have visited the Spiritualist Camp in central Florida find that it is an experience that they are not likely to forget.

First things first, Cassadaga is haunted. The entire camp is haunted. And there is a very good reason for that. George P. Colby, the founder of Cassadaga was a trance medium who traveled throughout the Country giving spiritual readings and conducting seances. He was guided by many spirit guides the best known of which was an American Indian by the name of Seneca. It was Seneca that instructed Mr. Colby to establish a Spiritualist Community in the South.

Guided by Seneca Mr. Colby arrived in Orange City and was led by his spiritual guides through unchartered terrain to the place that had been shown to him in a seance. Thus, the spiritualist camp was established in 1875. The camp was named Cassadaga which is a word used by the Seneca Indians meaning, “Water beneath the rocks.”
The Camp soon became a haven for Spiritualists all over the Country who built cottages within the campground. Cassadaga also boasts a hotel, an auditorium, The Colby Memorial Temple, a community library, the Caesar Forman Healing Center, a Camp Bookstore, and a welcome center. Also, there is the Andrew Jackson Davis building, used for musical performances and gatherings, and the annual Cassadaga Masquerade Ball

Why Cassadaga? Many of the Psychics that make up about half the population of Cassadaga will tell you that the Camp is built on a very powerful energy vortex. This energy makes the communication with other dimensions clearer and easier to establish. The town is known as the “psychic capital of the world.”

So, what better place for a spiritual adventure? We went looking for spirits, readers and magic and Cassadaga did not disappoint. We stayed in the very haunted hotel where little children spirits walk the halls, unexpectedly opening doors and making things go bump in the middle of the night. We encountered wonderfully intuitive readers. And when the New Year week end was over, we came home knowing that our lives had been forever touched by the Spiritual magic of Cassadaga.
Learn more about Cassadaga by clicking the following link: Cassadaga Spiritual camp

To enhance your Spiritual Practice visit www.divinafe.com Today!

Be well, Be Safe and…

In many traditions the entire month of November is dedicated to prayers for the dead. November 1st commemorates the faithful departed with All Souls Day or The Feast Day of the Dead as it is also known. This religious day follows the pagan celebrations of All Hallows Eve or Halloween as it has come to be known. Halloween has its roots in the Celtic festival of Samhain and the Christian day of All Saints.

The Ancient Celts believed that the border line between this world and the next became very thin on the festival of Samhain allowing spirits of the dead to walk amongst us. They welcomed the spirits of departed relative and friends but feared the evil spirits and demons that could also cross the Otherworld border. For that reasons they disguised themselves with costumes and masks to ward off the evil spirits.

All Soul’s Day is based on the belief that some people die without being fully cleansed of their sins. These souls go to purgatory. It is believed that souls in purgatory are restless and earth bound as they can not have the Divine vision of heaven. Many religious traditions believe that through the power of prayer these souls can be released so that they can see the Light of heaven and attain peace. Special masses and prayer sessions are held all over the world on November 1st. In Mexico The Day of the Dead (Dia de los Muertos) is a festival that is celebrated all month long.

The Mexican month of the dead starts on November 1st with the Day of the Innocent (Dia de los Inocentes) dedicated to honor departed children and infants. On November 2nd the Day of the Dead (Dia de los Difuntos) is dedicated to adults. Many people believe that during the month of the dead it is easier for the departed to visit the living. Many activities are planned around cemeteries where people visit their departed loved ones and bring them favorite food and photographs to encourage their souls to visit them. They pray to the dead to ask for their help and protection

A figure associated with the Day of the Dead that has gained popularity in the last 10 to 20 years in the Mexican community is the Santa Muerte or Holy Death image. The cult of Santa Muerte started in the lower class neighborhoods in Mexico City and remained hidden until the 1940’s. However the cult of Santa Muerte has increased in popularity and gone beyond the Mexican border. Today you can find videos, web sites and songs dedicated to the cult of Santa Muerte.

Leave us a comment and let us know what you want us to talk about! Don’t forget to visit our online botanica

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Be Well, be safe, and

Archangels are defined as “messengers which carry Divine Decrees”.  It is the Archangels who command the legions of heaven and defend humans in the constant battle with the evil ones.  In the angelic order the Archangels belong to the Eighth Choir of the Heavenly hierarchy and since ancient times have held our fascination and interest.  This is not surprising since Archangels are considered the most important intercessors between the Supreme Being and us little mortals. 

In the book of Revelations there are seven angels who stand before God.  Of these magnificent beings only Michael and Gabriel are recognized by name in the Islamic Koran.  Christians and Jewish traditions agree on the number seven but only four names actually appear on a regular basis: Michael, Gabriel, Raphael and Uriel. Archangel Michael 

St Michael is recognized as an Archangel in the Christian, Islamic and Jewish tradition.  In the Book of Daniel he is presented as a “great Prince who stands up for the children of your people”.  Michael’s name in the Talmudic tradition means “one who is like God”.  In the Christian tradition St. Michael is recognized as the patron saint of soldiers, fighters and police officers.    

There are many stories about Michael’s intercessions on behalf of humans.  Michael is credited to have wiped out the army of an Assyrian King that threatened to destroy Israel in the year 701 b.c.  In another account, it was Michael that saved the life of Abraham’s son Isaac when he was about to be sacrificed by his father.  In the Jewish tradition it was Michael who appeared to Moses in the midst of a burning bush and it is Michael who will descend from heaven to bind the satanic dragon.   

Michael is frequently portrayed as warrior with an unsheathed sword ready to strike Satan in all of its manifestations.  He is God’s greatest champion in the battle against evil.  Michael is also the conductor of souls to the other world.  Chapels and churches dedicated to Michael sprang all over middle age