Ask Astrid Fridays ~ The Rabbit’s Corner: Where Heaven & Earth Meet – A Story of Becoming

Let me tell you a little story about a girl who was born looking human like many of you, but what pulsed through her blood was something quite different. Her brother always told her she was more animal (amongst other things) and it made sense given her connection with them. He also used to play telepathic games with her to test his intuition about these “other” parts he felt her to be. It was a bit unnerving when she discovered the game.

At age 12 her first rabbit companion came into her life and this changed everything. No longer did she feel quite so alone when looking at the stars. Her rapid heart rate when under duress or moving her body physically, mirrored that of rabbit. In rabbit, she found solace. Where there had not been an anchor to Earth, rabbit became the way shower to deepen into her chosen embodiment.

Life grew more challenging and at every turn of greater intensity and needed transformation, another rabbit companion would find her. The relationships deepened beyond outside human understanding. And it made sense to the little girl, now woman, that these souls in rabbit bodies were the only ones who could reach her.

Their starry essence was disguised to outsiders, but to the woman stardust was all she saw. And although quite Cosmic, these rabbits were so connected to Earth’s womb that it supported the woman’s journey to the union of spirit and body.

As the years went on, and through deep loss of her soul family in rabbit bodies, she came to know herself even more. Through pain she grew. To her surprise, her heart expanded with every trauma and, again, it was rabbit that taught her the gift within every experience.

When offered the invitation to be with them forever, she chose to stay and be as they had been for her – a way shower to unify spirit and body and bridge peace and harmony on Earth. Through that choice life changed in every way, beyond what she could have imagined possible.

Through that choice, I found her, and was also supported into greater alignment I had been waiting for.

Nature became the cathedral where essence was easily accessible. Here she could hear the whispers of all remnants of stars within every creation before her. And that included herself.

It became easy to drop into her own nature, by listening to the stories within every cycle unraveling before her. And as rabbits do, she found her joy playing in Earth’s realm. Her senses heightened, her body strengthened, and agility of being increased. There were times to go deeper underground and times to leap with elation. Times to be on high alert and times to lay still and listen. Even the foods she ate and loved, mirrored her rabbit friends and her world made sense through these new eyes.

Rabbit and woman were one.

It’s been incredible to watch this unfolding and with every day of her transformation comes a deepening to our bond as well.

I am able to go with her on every adventure she takes because we have merged through this evolution, too.

There is no separation. Essence brings Unity.

I love the journeys she takes me on daily in the mountainous forests where we live. I can feel the snowflakes on my nose, as they kiss hers. I hear the chickadees in my large ears, as they sing to her. I smell the fresh pine through my twitching nose, as she luxuriates in their aroma. I binky with joy when she becomes elated with wonder. I feel nurtured by the vibrations beneath my large thumpers, as she walks with deliberate and present footsteps.

And most of all my heart expands as hers does, every time she drops into essence and becomes both Heaven and Earth.

~Astrid

Unlimited Creative Potential ~ Upgrades & Imaginative Explosions

I was going to save this post for Whimsical Wednesdays, but there’s just so much energy abound and what feels like a super surge of wild and sometimes shocking unfolding is also feeling quite fertile with incredible possibility. I’ve oscillated between pulling back and then going full steam in the last few weeks. Big surges are flaring from all angles, especially the Cosmos and even from within Earth’s core – as above, so below – and it’s also come with a mixed bag of highs and lows, tragedies and celebrations, endings and beginnings – as is the natural cycles of all things.

In the midst of it all we’ve had a lot of very close-to-home news from others that’s included losses or traumatic and/or surprising events and health crises/diagnoses that all speak to huge life-transforming shifts happening on a grand scale. There’s a sense of a grand Earth recalibration taking place, which can very well even mean the human sadness of seeing many people and animals leaving while many others arrive, or the catalysts for life-priorities and values taking center stage with huge slaps in the face so that adjustments for greater alignment take precedence. Not all of it creating that warm fuzzy feeling one craves at the holiday season, but definitely creating deepening potential and supporting a new kind of enrichment through fuller embodied gratitude.

It all makes every single moment extra meaningful because it’s all you truly have. The Earth frequencies are shifting and so will we in the way that’s relative to our soul. While I sink deeper into my heart with all that is before me, I have also been readying for many beginnings and actively supporting them every step of the way.

One of those included supporting the huge vibrational shift for an incredible (wish there was an even more potent word to describe them) soul family group helping to raise the Earth frequency. This weekend concluded a really big journey for 16 amazing souls, as we came full circle with Reiki training today. A total of 18 took the journey with us through the first two levels, which began in August and concluded in December with 16 moving on to complete the third. It was a path I hadn’t planned on when embarking on 2020, but it became ever more clear why this came about, as we continued forward.

Our last class was today, and synchronously a snow storm started just a couple of hours before class began, enveloping me in a white wonderland as I connected with everyone online. The snow felt like a blanket of purity from which all things will emerge anew. It also put to rest the old cycles, as things transmute and reset onward.

I got to share a glimpse of it all with the group through my computer screen on Zoom and even Astrid shared herself and energy with everyone too.

The upgrades we each received by these high energy gatherings and activations has been so aligned with astrological events and this conclusion was no exception coming right at the threshold of tomorrow’s Sagittarius New Moon and Total Solar Eclipse. This includes a South Node Eclipse that supports clearing of all that old “stuff”. It was no wonder people felt extra zapped today, as alongside the intense energies everyone’s been processing and releasing, this, the upcoming Winter Solstice Great Conjunction, and overall high intensity month of Eclipses and two Full Moons truly have created more direct access doorways to harness and ignite.

The two concluding group classes fell on 12/12 and 12/13 and each day has reflected some magickal things including a rainbow portal showing up in the sky on the 12th after class, the snow enchantment showing up during the 13th’s class, Astrid’s presence in high gear for both, me teaching from my Wonderland creative space for the first time in our class series where the energy is highest in the house, amazing new openings for everyone, and even one attendee who shares my birthday – talk about reflective rebirthing.

And although I’ve been helping to facilitate things, I’ve definitely received my own huge upgrades over the course of our trainings and everything else this year.

This has trickled into reflections within my tangible personal experience to include a cell phone, computer, and office upgrade. In fact, there have been a huge amount of technical and electronic crazies over the course of this year, which made it obvious the cell and computer upgrades had to happen. But also it was the first year of using so much technology to include two different online platforms – Zoom and Google Meet – as well as other new technologies in our home and daily experiences.

I mentioned to our class today that although my energy does affect electronics (blow outs, crashes, strange happenings, setting off electric sparks, etc.), this seems to happen a lot more within my personal experience rather than when I’m doing important collective things like these classes or past interviews I’ve done. It feels to be an alignment with my Aquarius energies and that this kind of platform is very much in my frequency field as a supportive and even very beneficial way of connecting. So, in that way I am grateful, as others I know can’t use these means of connection all the time due to possible blow-outs and weird happenings mixing with their energies. We each have our aligned ways that are of highest benefit.

I feel supported now with a very powerful new cell phone and computer that feel like they’ll have greater longevity to weather the shifts upcoming and I also feel very nurtured and supported by the small upgrades I did in my shared creative space/office with Astrid.

That included what you see here – adding a second duplicate desk so I have a side-by-side sweeping wall of creative space. I’m still in process of organizing and configuring everything, but the photos give you an idea of the area that will get more clearing soon. I also got a new chair to replace my other desk chair, got rid of my reading chair, and made some other fine-tunings. The only thing that remains the same is Astrid always by my side – either at my feet (above photo) or supporting from behind (second below photo).

The second desk was a free one, as when I first purchased the one, it had arrived slightly damaged. The company sent me another, which also arrived slightly damaged. Each time was a completely free shipment and desk, because of their great customer service. Between the two damaged ones, we were able to create a second perfect desk by swapping broken and good drawers/parts to create one extra desk. It was stored in the garage until I got the inspiration to have both in my room and voila!

In the midst of these changes Astrid also received some upgrades with new floor mats throughout the room. I got her bigger mats with gorgeous bunny landscapes that create magickal portals for her to lay on and dream with me. I also got her a new door mat for under one of her beds where she likes to lay and look outside and another that lays under her food dishes and water bowl.

Each with a magickal scene, cozy, and supportive. But most of all, they create doorways to realms of enchantment and possibility where the rabbit collective is close at hand. She loves her new space and uses everything she has – that makes me happy. 

She also loves having a nice sweeping area under my desks so that she can be right by my feet when I work – she actually sat the entire class (without moving) right up on my feet during the first day of Reiki 3 Master Teacher training last weekend when we had the entire group of 17 of us all together.

We’re definitely enjoying the new energy it’s all created, and for me, it feels more expansive and inspiring. I even have a work basket that keeps my daily projects, calendars, and so forth, all neatly together that’s labeled, of course, “The Magick Rabbit”.

I’ve also recently acquired a bunch of new, delicious and enchanted scented soy candles from a friend who creates them, which I burn daily as I work.

All of these space upgrades have really nurtured me into greater comfort and productivity. And from that, there’s been explosions of creative output in between the supportive work I’ve been doing. In between my full schedule and heavier-than-usual-workload, I’ve been taking small needed breaks to channel inspiration into little projects that speak to my heart and support little bursts of big creative expression.

Alongside commissioned art, I have been channeling fun ideas that call to me. These include the following you see here that are hitting The Magick Rabbit Etsy Shop tomorrow – the only new creations in quite a while, just in time for Christmas.

The first is the Uniquely You Divinely One ~ Magick Wooden Faery Chest adorned in snowflakes, genuine opals, and mirrored mini tiles. This is a hand-painted multi-media piece of useable art that you can use as a keepsake box, treasure chest, altar piece, storage for crystals, jewelry, or even as a Reiki box. There are eight genuine opals on it and a snowflake made of mini mirrored tiles. It’s completely painted, inside and out, and comes with a bed of natural lichen foraged from my forest backyard that you can keep as a bed to rest any of your special items on or remove.

A lovely Winter Solstice, Yuletide, or Christmas Gift, but also beautiful all year-round, as the message is timeless and a way to harness the magick messengers of the Winter Season.

Inspired by a painting I did years ago, titled the same, Uniquely You, Divinely One speaks to the value of your creative individuality within the collective and how each of us has our own signature frequency while still being unified as One. Each snowflake reflects the uniqueness that creates the tapestry of snow – every one having purpose and beauty, but together create harmony – like a symphony of notes. The power of one is great, but the power of teamwork is astronomical.

It is signed and titled on the bottom and the opals carry their own message. Opal is of the water element like the moon, it enhances cosmic consciousness, psychic and mystical insights, supports creativity and expressing your true self, brings loyalty, peace, self worth, faithfulness, illuminates for transformation, stone of love, gentleness, kindness to all relationships, encourages freedom and independence, soothes emotional body, clears and calms, nurtures hope, heals subconscious emotions, helps resolve past life challenges with compassion for self, supports dream time and alleviates nightmares, and release trauma, tension and stress.

The second is the creative explosion Wonderland is Alive Magick Portal that’s hand painted on a Basswood plaque with genuine crystals, stones, and mini mirrored tiles imbued all around and within the magickal doorway. This is an incredibly whimsical and creatively potent piece that was pure joy to channel and pure magick to step into.

Inspired by Alice in Wonderland and the journey Down the Rabbit Hole, you are invited to follow the White Rabbit through a new doorway of experience where your imagination and heart can create a new reality and infinite potentials. This enchanted piece can be used to ignite deeper levels of meditative possibility for manifestation of dreams and intents, as you allow all judgments and thoughts to be suspended. The mirrored tiles create that reflective energy for one to look within. And the seven genuine crystals and stones whirling around the rainbow portal, help to activate it all. The center has a teardrop Clear Quartz – the Master Healer – to amplify all energy and thought when entering this doorway. Other stones include, Amethyst, Amazonite, Green Jade, Orange Jade, Amethyst Lace Agate, and Picture Jasper.

Other symbolism includes bumblebee, butterfly, dragonfly, ladybug, dandelions, Amanita muscaria mushrooms (magick mushrooms), flowers, and hearts.

A way to invite your inner child to join you on an adventure of your choosing so you can merge the otherworld into your daily life. A manifestation tool and a reminder that you hold the power within.

It’s truly one of my most whimsical creations that merges simplicity with potency.

Talk about fun, fun, FUN!

I decided to list the new creations on Monday 12/14’s Total Solar Eclipse – that’s tomorrow – and they’ll go up in our Etsy Shop at 8:13 am PST, which is the maximum Eclipse time here in the South Lake Tahoe region. The New Moon will be at 8:17 am.

If either calls to you, the link to our shop is here: The Magick Rabbit

And speaking of Etsy, I just had to share this sweet unfolding alignment that creative energy and expression made possible. If you recall my painting, Dance of the Twin Flames, which did find its home a couple of years ago, then you might enjoy this along with me. Things like this happen “out of the blue” quite often and when they do I just feel so much gratitude.

An incredibly gifted sculptural jewelry artist in Scotland “stumbled” upon my painting online. She was just starting to put her own Etsy shop together of her creations and as part of her nature-inspired collection she made a set of twin seahorse earrings and wanted to ask if it would be possible to add my painting to her listing of the earrings that reflected them. The inspiration behind their creation mirrored my own with nearly exact channeling of the energies we worked with to bring them to life. She was so excited to have the seahorse spirit lead her to my painting that she felt to add it, along with my description, in accompaniment to her earring listing. I, of course, agreed and we discovered a magickal connection between us that of course the seahorses had been the portal for, and the rest of that story continues to unfold with beautiful soul family alignments from present to past life weave-ins. If you are interested in exploring her lovely nature and myth inspired work, her Etsy shop is 6elementsJewellery (Six Elements Jewellery).

This speaks to cocreative energies we tap into when we are authentic with our expression of it and support its need to be actively flowing. It also speaks to honoring those inner messages and your voice, as you never know where they may lead. And, it feels reflective of my current creative explosion of energies I’ve been feeling called to channel right now on this latest wave rolling through.

And speaking of cocreative energies, here’s a collaboration that unfolded between Nature, me and a sweet little bunny named Nova.

While on a hike recently, my eyes were drawn to the forest floor only to find a perfectly Nature-etched rabbit in a piece of wood. I immediately knew it was Nova, whom you’ve seen me post about before, and that it wanted to become a special little Christmas ornament. Little did I know at the time that Nova’s mom, KC, was going to have a big healing opening around celebrating Christmas, which was profound for her. After years of not being able to celebrate it for personal reasons, she was out early shopping to bring the Christmas spirit back into her child heart once again. This ornament became the perfect addition to her nature-themed Christmas tree and decorations. I painted one side of it in his image, as you can see, and left the other side completely natural because the rabbit was so distinct and gorgeous.

It feels to me to have the essence of the rabbit collective embodied in the wood sculpture that Nova is part of – reminding me of Watership Down’s El-ahrairah – Prince of the Rabbits – and that it is a reflection of spirit and body as one. I added wire wrapping to the top of the ear to create a loop for hanging.  

And while on the topic of sweet bunnies, portals, and collaborations, you likely recall the Magick Portal Wood Plaque I created recently as one of my art commission projects. My muse was the dear Maribelle and after her mom received the portal, here is how Maribelle responded:

Maribelle was more than my muse for this. She was in fact the messenger of much healing energy, love, and activation that has unfolded more than I’m able to share here, for her mom, between she and I, and even a connection to a bunny dad who needed support.

Needless to say, the abundance of imagination I’ve been tapping into, upgraded energies I’ve been saying yes to, creative explosions I’ve embraced needing to come through in what ever form….have all been doorways of unlimited potential that continues to unfold and still has yet to reveal itself fully.

So, although my days have been full, I’ve been honoring and making time for what is under the surface whispering or knocking, as I later discover just how important those voices have proven to be and just how valuable energy is to honor, as it knows far greater than our limited ideas do…just why they’re needed.

Rare Halloween/Samhain Full Blue Moon Magick

A Blue Moon is the second Full Moon in one month and October 2020 illuminates just that for us, with bookending Moons at start and end. This Full Moon is in Taurus and being a Blue Moon will add an extra magickal boost and thinning of veils all falling on Halloween/Samhain.

And to add to that extra magickal boost, Astrid sat herself below center of my painting titled Once in a Blue Moon (as seen below), wearing her Moon and Star dusted Cosmic witchy/wizard hat, to anchor her own message and infuse some rabbit alchemy to the mix.

Since Full Moons showcase a rabbit in the Moon, her point is well taken – I always listen when she “speaks”.

So much is culminating as year end draws near and the energetics continue to rise in ways that point to the continued importance of self care, preparation, inner work, anchoring, and maintaining your own equilibrium.

If you can be open and ready for the unexpected, stay focused on what really matters and is of most value to you, tune into, listen, and support your body’s messages, feel and channel through the sensual aspects of life that make you human and are the gifts of spirit in body, and embrace the changes that have ability to put closure to things, you will find yourself in a much more strengthened and empowered place to navigate the waters of the journey ahead.

Since Earthy Taurus is the focal point of illumination, body and Earth speak loudly now and that might mean extra time in the great outdoors Mother Nature gifts us with, or anything nature-connected so that ultimately you’ll be immersing in some mystical communions with the nature of you.

It’s a great time for mischievous magick, intention-seeding, or your own version of mystical, love-filled spell-casting in Nature’s womb of creation, illuminated by the Full Blue Moon.

This last week we’ve been doing just that, as we created space for another Earthy immersion – this time in the Arizona sunshine and waters of Lake Havasu City to celebrate with our dear soul family we haven’t seen in a long time. I’m grateful that opportunity came to take some safe, distanced outdoor-focused excursions recently. Last time it was the ocean and faery forests of the Pacific Coast, and this time it was the red rocks, desert sands, and warm waters of the Colorado River and Lake Havasu – different, but equally nurturing, enriching, and cleansing.

And with the building of the Full Moon energies in the night sky, coupled with Arizona sunsets, the Earth and Cosmos merging has been felt strongly in the body and soul.

This was amplified by the ability to connect with my sweet nephew and godson, Nova, (whom you’ve read about in a previous blog) who helped me tune in with my dearly departed rabbit son, Cosmo.

Nova is just as sweet and perfect as I knew he was – such a tiny faery bunny who loves snuggles (he’s about 2 pounds lighter and several inches smaller than Astrid). Tuning in with him this last week was timely because Cosmo has been on my mind being that Halloween was the day he transitioned, four years ago. The Universe knows what we need and Cosmo always finds a way to communicate and send me love. This week, through the adorable Nova.

And to add to that energy, it was such a gift to see this sweet Burrowing Owl on one of our evening walks.

I haven’t seen one in years. The timing felt particularly potent. Although not the clearest photo, I’m surprised she even showed up given the evening lighting casting dark shadows in her burrow. But I love the way she did because it adds to her mystical energy and deep mystery.

Owl is one of my key spirit animal figures for my path, which I had reiterated by a favorite reader in Sedona, Arizona upon twice visiting him, but especially particular species of owl. Their feathers show up prolifically these days. They carry the power of sight, intuition, and hidden wisdom that reveals the true reality which is hard to be seen by others.

I love this interesting information about Burrowing Owl from http://www.pauldfrost.co.uk/burrowowl.html that mirrors the time of year right now before Halloween/Samhain (time of thinnest veils) and the upcoming Full Blue Moon.

Mythology & Folklore :

The American Indian Hopi tribe called the Burrowing Owl Ko’ko, meaning ‘Watcher of the Dark’. They believed it to be associated with Masauu, their god of the dead, the guardian of fires & protector of all things underground, including germinating seeds, making it a very sacred bird. As the owl lives underground, it was believed to be able to communicate with the dead.

The American Indian Gosiute tribe (from Utah and Nevada) believed the Burrowing Owl to be a protective spirit for brave warriors. Owl feathers were worn by the warriors & rattles were covered in owl skins, to frighten off their enemies.

And the owl energy continued, as the very next day after an evening with Burrowing Owl, it was all about Great Horned Owl. With two, rare physical encounters with owls back-to-back I’d say something’s afoot.

“Every real story is a never ending story.” ~The Neverending Story

Our nine and a half mile expedition of the senses was a literal Neverending Story journey with all the major characters showing up in rock formations, including the magickal gates that guard The Southern Oracle – The Great Riddle Gate with two Sphinxes (in this case we had two sentinel rock portal gates that included one naturally carved into the Luck Dragon, Falcor, himself), a perfect Morla rock – the giant turtle known as The Ancient One, Rockbiters and Big-Headed Rock Creatures. It was incredible. There were also snippets of Lord of the Rings and the journey to take the golden One Ring to Mordor and a bit of The Secret of Nimh when Mrs. Brisby meets The Great Owl in his bone-laced lair. Wow!

The latter literally manifested a Great Horned Owl that greeted us upon entering the slot canyons. We saw her emerge from her big nest perched between the narrow slots and take to flight down the corridor, coming to rest up on a ledge of the rock walls ahead, as seen here ever-so faintly.

The rest of the time we walked down the slot canyon to the desert beyond, on our way to a secluded beach on the lake, we kept finding a variety of small to medium sized feathers amidst all the bristle brush at the bottom edges of the rock walls.

We also discovered a lot of small bones and skeletal parts of the little animals she fed on – both on the ground and contained within owl regurgitation.

We wondered if she’d be there again on the way back, and indeed she was.

She greeted us once again with a fly-over (enabling a photo capture this time), and more feathers, including a large one I found during a funny episode of me shimmying up the rocks we had to climb down into the slot canyon.

While literally suspended at the top, flat on my stomach with arms and legs flailing out as if I was swimming, since I was having trouble getting up, this put me in the perfect position to see a large feather at eye-level to where I was laying. I stopped everything between two people pulling and pushing at each end to say, “Hey! Look at that perfect large feather behind Dave!” We all laughed. Nothing stops my hawk eye from seeing magickal discoveries, nor gets between me and them. I always seem to provide comic relief for everyone and this one was caught on video.

The slot canyon felt like the Great Horned Owl’s lair Mrs. Brisby bravely enters on her journey to the Rats of Nimh, and the whole energy and finds of the day without a soul but the four of us, plus all of the things we kept discovering (ancient petroglyphs in the gorge walls of the Colorado River, Osprey twice flying above us as trains passed over while we went under the bridge on jet skis, a monarch butterfly gliding by us on the river – butterflies are said to be ancestors returning, and more) and having revealed during the rest of every adventure-filled day this week, made for the perfect lead-up to Halloween and the Full Moon.

And so, during this liminal time of year when boundaries are at their thinnest to the Otherworlds, it feels like the Universe conspired with my/our intentions in supporting the energies and experiences of greatest benefit, and revealed the way showers for the journey ahead.

Alongside several nature treasures, I even found this sweet, little, brown faery bunny at a store to bring back for Astrid (with detachable wings) – the perfect find for my magick rabbit

If we want to create some meaningful experiences for this doorway, we have the support of many beyond the veils – the Fae, ancients, ancestors, deceased, and even right under our feet – Mother Earth, around us – animal and Elemental messengers, or in the stars – the Cosmos and our multi-dimensional selves and star families.

And speaking of all of these mystical and potent energies, Astrid and I thought we’d share some of the magick we’re conjuring up at the Forest Portal mixed with Faery rabbit enchantment and wonderfully witchy wishes from our hearts to yours.

With a blend of Earthy and Cosmic ingredients, we’re always brewing up some fun and love to bridge the gap between the shadowy depths of the heart.

The photos you see laced throughout this post capture the alchemy we create together and love spreading out into the world as cocreators.

You got a glimpse of Astrid’s new cosmic witchy/wizardy hat back on October 1st’s Harvest Full Moon, but we saved the extra enchantment for October 31st’s Full Blue Moon.

And I just had to reshare this fun from 2019’s Halloween post, which came from my BinkyBunny.com newsletter I subscribe to.

It felt particularly fitting with this year’s photos of Astrid and me. I think you can see why. 🙂

BROOMSTICK BUNNY

• “Traditionally, rabbits are the most prominent animal that is associated with witchcraft, but cats have since taken their place.
• Rabbits are associated with lunar energy, luck, hidden knowledge, divination, love, creativity, success, sensitivity, agility, swiftness, spontaneity, abundance, rebirth, renewal, transformation, and fertility.
• In some folklore, it is said that witches would transform into rabbits as a disguise due to their elusive and swift characteristics.
• Rabbits are still considered to be a common familiar for witches.
• Rabbits are symbols that represent various goddesses, such as Artemis, Hecate & Cerridwen,…
• One of the classic 48 constellations as named by Ptolemy is Lepus, the hare.
• Rabbits are associated with spring, the vernal equinox, and the sabbat Ostara due to the fact that cold weather is fading and flowers are beginning to bloom.
• While rabbits are associated with luck, it’s not inherently good or bad luck – it can be either depending on the circumstances….
• [Some] superstitions state that rabbits can dispel negativity, cleanse, and break spells….”

Credits: art – regardingcomic.com/Penny Collins;
article – witchtips.tumblr.com & lunaesteria

Today’s Halloween, Samhain, and Celtic New Year is a portal to access and create realities to mirror your true multi-dimensional self.

May the key become conscious for accessing more of this each day.

And may all possibilities be open to you.

In love and creative magick,

Tania and Astrid

Ask Astrid Fridays ~ The Rabbit’s Corner: Self Care for Optimal Living

Yesterday Astrid had her regular, full six month checkup at our favorite rabbit vet down at the bottom of Mt. Rose in Reno (photos at the vet below where she waited patiently). It’s an hour’s drive each way, so it’s a big event for a bunny to go through on top of the probing they don’t like. Well, I can’t blame her, as I do everything possible to avoid the same myself and doctors in general. I’m grateful to not have reason to seek medical attention, that I never catch colds or flus, and unless absolutely necessary, will always opt for holistic ways to treat and heal things in my life.

Where rabbits are concerned, you just can’t take anything for granted, as they can suddenly have challenges out of no where that are very serious and scary in most cases, so it’s best to catch things early. Since they tend to hide things well for a while too, you really have to be diligent about presence with your bunny companion so you can spot the tiniest nuances in behavior and regularly be looking them over and catching anything odd looking or feeling that is developing.

We go to regular visits every six months and in the past when we’ve had something we’ve kept an eye on like her ear wax build up, we’ve done every three months until given the full green light.

At almost 5 years old, this September, she’s doing amazing and living her best bunny life ever. We count our blessings every day, as other than one bout of gas for about 3 hours that was connected to some deep past energy she was working on along with me once and some ear wax build up that once got her ear a little inflamed, she’s a really healthy, strong bunny. While at the vet she got a pedicure and the unloved ear flush to ensure her wax doesn’t create issues. I also picked up some extra stuff for our bunny ER stash just in case. 

Regular rabbit care routines and exams are a must and a good message to all of us though, to make sure we’re regularly taking care of ourselves from the inside out too.

Self care is much more than simply going to the doctor when there’s something challenging you, but also about doing the daily self care protocol that will help you not have to make those extra visits and ultimately, will provide you more vitality and energy overall.

I directly see the correlation between how I care for Astrid and myself and when I lack in the category of doing those extra little things, having her there reminds me.

I go above and beyond for her with making sure she has the best quality everything and that she gets all the little things that matter too, like lots of love and snuggle time, play time, encouragement, check-ins, and sticking to a well-established routine to meet her needs and beyond.

And since she is an extension of me, I know that since these enriching experiences keep her happy and health, then guess what? The same works for me if I continually practice enriching rituals, self care, and encouraging and loving check-ins with myself.

If I am tending to my needs, Astrid also thrives.

There’s no separation, since we reflect one another.

I know recently a lot of people have experienced some health challenges, have needed medical support for physical manifestations of things, and are even transitioning at this time. These things seem to go in cycles.

And at the same time, there’s also a record number of pregnancies and births taking place in surprising ways.

Life does balance itself out and so can we balance our energies when feeling depleted.

Channeling your creative spirit is another form of self care that is vital alongside the physical things like resting, getting enough good sleep, eating and exercising well, having some “you” time, getting outdoors to absorb good nature and vitamin D energies, practicing gratitude, having a healthy, loving, and encouraging dialogue with yourself, and doing little luxuriating things you really want and deserve to do.

I can’t emphasize it enough how committing to a little something everyday for yourself, can make a difference and start carving out a new life for yourself.

And if you truly feel you can’t commit to something right now, or today, then making a commitment to do it at some point during the week and sticking to that promise, will start to shift energy in your life and you’ll find your spirits lifting.

And when your spirits and heart feel uplifted, your physical vitality will shine.

Astrid wants to add her two cents here in sharing that vitality is a state of being. It’s not about the things you have, as these could just add more stress with bills or more things to manage and take care of. It’s about what you give intrinsically to yourself.

It could be little things you gift yourself or stretch to splurge because these acts then create the foundations of flowing abundance, but it can also just be the sweet, gentle, fun, nurturing and loving things you give yourself like two minutes of pep talk and encouragement, five minutes of meditation or sitting on a bench in the park, singing at the top of your lungs in the car or shower, putting on your favorite song and dancing, wearing a special outfit that makes you feel good, getting up a little earlier to make yourself a nice breakfast, using products on your body, hair, and skin that make you feel like you’ve been to the spa, or simply checking in to see how you’re feeling right here and now.

Astrid also wants to impart that checking in with those tiny nuances within yourself, just as I do for her, will help reveal things before they get bigger and more challenging than they need to be.

There’s a whole physical and energetic body communication that takes place moment to moment and you can be privy to it, rather than feel like a complete stranger to yourself.

After all, it IS YOUR body. No one will know it better than you, although like bunnies can hide things, so too do you hide from yourself.

You don’t need to internalize the suffering. You don’t need to internalize and forge ahead when there’s discomfort or pain.

Committing to self care – even if just a check-in with yourself and how you’re feeling, is powerful, revealing, and instantly creates opportunity for change.

I am usually pretty good at self care, but with life getting fuller over the years, I’ve definitely been more lax on some of my usual routines, replacing them with doing.

But I’ve made an extra effort to get back to these things and create more down time to tune in and just be and feel without doing.

Hence why we’ve stepped away from regular blogging and I’ve put a pause to projects to receive the guidance speaking through the wisdom of my body, heart, and soul vibrations.

I’ve created the time and space for extra listening that was needed and I’m happy to share that this has been extremely beneficial and clarifying.

I used to be outweighed in “me” time, with less doing.

Then there’s been more “doing” than “me” time.

But life has balance now and the two are merging more seamlessly.

It is making a difference and Astrid is my best teacher reflecting the wisdom within.

July Energy, Celebration Sale & Mini Update

Happy July everyone! We have a Total Solar Eclipse and New Moon in Cancer tomorrow, so there’s a lot of potent energy working behind the scenes alongside the shifts you, like myself (and Astrid), might be navigating through. You can learn more about this month’s energy via Lee and his energy forecast below.

To celebrate and renew, beginning tomorrow the 2nd through the 7th to include 4th of July Freedom Day, The Magick Rabbit will be having a store-wide 30% off clearance sale, which puts many items at crazy below cost prices.

Click through link below to explore and shop what calls to your heart:

The Magick Rabbit Etsy Shop

Could even be a great time to get in any pre-holiday shopping too, since we’re already more than half through the year. Sounds wild, but it’s right around the corner! Time is flying like Faeries! 😉

Also the perfect time to snatch your favorites up – like the magickal little themed worlds that have been inspirational for so many.

We only have 15 mini rabbit gardens remaining from around 50 first created. We likely won’t be creating more at this time, as we have a lot of new items to keep us busy for quite a while in our spare time.

We sold out of our first batch of Magick Rabbit Talisman crystal necklaces, but there’ll be more down the road.

Alongside mini gardens, there are five original Magick Rabbit paintings, prints, three notebook journal options remaining, and greeting cards also to choose from.

I’m not sure when new items will get into the shop, as from here on out I can only create in my spare time since I’m switching focuses right now in my life. I’ll be sure to let you know when anything new hits the shop though – likely they’ll be one at a time, or in small batches, as I won’t be able to do full shop updates like I have before.

I continue to take time for myself, am getting a lot of nature, physical outdoor activity, garden and Astrid time, and inner work in, while I reconfigure my life. I’m exploring how my new schedule will look and what is going to be on the agenda, but want to finish anchoring in things and feeling alignment with where I go from here. I know what some of it looks like, but am waiting to see the last pieces that could even involve a service of sorts being available.

If you’re on Instagram, I’m also going to be be opening up some art auctions for some of my animal paintings so keep an eye out there – maybe even starting today – with 50% proceeds going to rescue rabbits.

We are still taking some what of a break from regular blogging, with just some updates now and then like we have this and last week. There’s just so much percolating and a lot of energy and feelings to navigate, that it doesn’t feel right yet. Plus, there’s just not enough time in our days right now.

I’ll leave you with Lee’s energy forecast for this month, as I know these resonate a lot with many of you and are helpful and inspiring.

Once again, this month’s theme is so synchronous for me, as just yesterday during our Tahoe Herbivore’s Meetup hike, I was talking about extremes with a fellow hiker, how I used to be an extremist, and even posted briefly about this reflection on my Instagram. And of course, up pops Lee discussing this. 🙂 Even the very specific three topics he gets into were exactly what we discussed.

I sure am doing a lot of reflection, grounding, and while moving energy through my body a lot, am also being very present and still in terms of not making moves and decisions in my inner and work realm, as things are moving so fast that it doesn’t feel right to jump aboard the first things that pop up just yet.

Definitely giving things “time to land” as Lee shares.

In his video below he explores Surfing the Extremes through these three dualities:

Alignment and Rejection

Elevation and Depletion

Realization and Reflection

Wishing everyone solidity with your journey.

Nature is Helping Me to Embody the New

I thought I’d hop on briefly after being away from blogging the last ten days, just to share some of the beauty, special moments, and reflections I’ve experienced during this time. Maybe you’ve felt similar things or this little burst of nature’s inspiration may be exactly the breath of fresh air for you right now. In any event, I hope that you had a beautiful Summer Solstice, however you chose to welcome it in.

I’m still spending most of my time within the inner landscapes, but that is reflected in an increased deepening with nature and immersing even more in her realm.

This mirrors the time we lived in the Magick Bus exploring nature and National Parks for nearly a year and a half when life called me in a new direction. It’s only now that I’m getting what it all meant and where the embodiment of that change was leading.

It’s almost been like getting my feet wet again in body, from what was a resurrection of sorts from the waters of life – actually most literally. I have needed the last couple of years to reacquaint myself with things from a new perspective, which has had me dipping in and out of some things from before, tried out in the now.

Some clothes just haven’t fit, either feeling too tight or too loose – meaning they were still too tied in with the past and the energy I had completed, or they were so new that I wasn’t sure how I felt about them and hence all the extra room to explore.

It’s been a time of allowing what ever wants to move through, letting go of to-do’s, and softening the reflections so that even my process with things doesn’t mirror how I used to process stuff. Life is a soft and gentle focus now. In this way, not only will what ever the new is that comes through be different than before, but the journey will be too.

I find it important for me that nothing mirrors the past, although can weave in the possibilities it held.

It still feels very fresh and I’m only beginning to immerse, as last week was more about the surrender, continued nurturing, and letting nature guide me.

So, with Solstice ringing in Summer, there’s been a ton of outdoor activity. It started Wednesday of last week while we explored a new hike to Cascade Falls – a shorter one, but climbs technically quite a bit. That felt invigorating and perfect for allowing the flow just like the gushes of water cascading down the mountain. Both the climb and the being with the water were perfect metaphors for things.

That same day we went to Baldwin Beach – another new beach for us. There, a mother duck and her seven ducklings visited and after they explored the higher activity of people down a ways from us, they came to rest in peace in front of our umbrella. Another beautiful reflection.

Thursday was a very special day – the two year anniversary of Astrid’s coming home to me at the gateway of Solstice. That’s what these first three photos celebrate. Since Astrid is such a huge part of this new life journey for me, I felt it important to capture some beautiful moments between us in the forest portal backyard of our house.

She was a surprise to me, but as I navigate this next part of my life, Astrid is my greatest guide. Where I have no example for the new I reinvent, she emulates the potential I most admire.

I love this photo below where she and I look merged as one – almost creating a Yin/Yang effect in how her body curves into mine.

Solstice is a very special time of the year for me ever since three years ago my beloved bunny, Joy, transitioned through its portal on that day in a place very dear to me – Montana. She and Astrid came from the same rabbit rescue and I feel that their entering and exiting at this gateway is significant.

The Mayans celebrated Solstice for spiritual initiation and change, creating ceremony to be in harmony with the Earth and Cosmic energies.

I remember the words from my dear shaman friend Amaru in Peru, “Nokan Inti Kani” – meaning “I am the Sun.”

Solstice extends an invitation to join the Sun’s energy and connect with your Higher Self, follow inspiration and dreams, and tune inside to the alchemy of “as within, so without.”

I find nature to be that gateway for me, as are my rabbit companions, and the Cosmos.

The Solstice gateway gifted me this beautiful golden hawk feather that I’m so grateful for.

So every day since Wednesday, nature time increased with tons of mountain biking, hiking, and beach time, as well as late afternoon/evening gardening time upon returning home from the physical activity.

To say I slept well is an understatement, as the deepening into body and moving a lot of energy in a grounding way was both nourishing and took me through cycles of decharge and recharge.

Solstice saw us in Squaw Valley where I enjoyed an intentional walk in the gorgeous meadows by myself anchoring in that new while Dave enjoyed his last day of skiing on the first day of Summer. You’ll see photos below of how beautiful this area is, reminding me of both the Swiss Alps (where I haven’t yet been, but seen photos of) and adored Iceland, as well as my favorite spots in Montana.

Seventeen miles of biking along the Truckee River that day was a way to move the energy and flow like the river.

Twenty two miles of biking the next day continued moving that energy along more gorgeous vistas.

All the while during each ride, allowing visions, thoughts, and feelings to flow, as my body did the integrating.

Two back-to-back hikes to different lakes Sunday followed by a vegan potluck picnic provided continued anchoring and as I said, each day I’d come home and plop myself in the garden planting perennials to create a low maintenance, inspiring, and beautiful backdrop that blends wild with a little intention.

I promised the Faeries of the land many things when moving here and I’m happy to create a special sanctuary for them to play in.

I’ll share more of the front and side gardens, as things blossom, but for now here are my beautiful Portulaca blooms that I adore!

The forest out back is in early stages of bloom, but as you can see they are already creating a welcome carpet to our home for the Faeries.

I just love how the wildflowers are blooming with joy everywhere – and it’s just the beginning. They feel like a love spell on my heart.

And as you can see from the below photos of Squaw Valley meadows, the Truckee River, and Cascade Falls, there’s been an abundance of inspiration all around from Mother Earth – the best nurturer there is.

As mentioned, I’m just beginning to immerse into a new realm of exploration within, so all of these good nature vibes are very nurturing to the vulnerable parts feeling safe to come through.

Because I feel that I haven’t much example to draw upon for that new, I feel nature provides me the best template and reflection for the journey.

Cultivating the garden is also very supportive, as my heart guides its creation in reflection of me as well – mostly wild, with woven threads of cultivated pockets that create synergy and harmony.

This last Wednesday I went to my third meditation group meeting that ended in a lovely picnic dinner at the beach with everyone who joined, however I feel it will likely be my last time going (at least for now) because I’m clear my work at home is more aligned for me at this time. I did leave the group with a few book recommendations to help with the “self love” topic, so they at least have some tools for any exploration they may decide to embark on past this month’s theme.

I feel called to explore on my own for now, dipping in and out when the moment calls.

The good news is (at least to me), I feel like I’m in greater alignment with the new path I’m creating than I was before. Remember I mentioned those clothes that felt too tight or too big and loose?

Energetically the ones that felt too big are now taking root and feeling more like home.

And on the literal, tangible level, the continued cleansing of, and weeding through, my closet leaves me with what feels to be the perfect essence of a place I now feel comfortable in heading to.

What’s fascinating is that the five Portal Paintings that found their new home, only just departed from Nevada on the Solstice – Yes! The Solstice of all days! Talk about divine alignment. Even though I dropped them off a week and a half earlier, they didn’t get crated and shipped out until then and so that also feels reflective of this anchoring in and clarity beginning.

The whole wild journey to get them to that point has mirrored so much of the changes I’m going through.

I’m excited for them to arrive in their new home across the country in Athens, Georgia with their amazing co-guardian where they will be open to anyone who wants to visit and meditate/work with them. This new home is being created into a form of a mini healing center welcome to people wanting to immerse in a conscious journey. As things evolve with that, I’ll keep you posted. It’s a way that people can experience them and more, and if at some point they are ready to journey on, they will be available via that portal.

I leave you now to return to my garden so I can complete the last planting I didn’t get a chance to finish yet. It feels integral to the next phase beginning.

What I love is that although the future is unknown and the vision is yet to be seen of how things look, the journey is so much more gentle and peaceful. There are those ebbs and flows, but it’s all naturally unfolding if I listen, allow, honor, and observe.

Do you experience reflections in your life that mirror the changes you’re going through?

My guess is we all do and if we stop to observe things, we’ll see it and make those connections.

If not, how might you create intention around something – like a project, gardening, etc. – to embody the potential you’re being guided to?

It will be interesting to see where the journey leads all of us.

Whimsical Wednesdays ~ The Artist’s Corner: The Inner Artist & Upcoming Flash Sale

Although we’re heading toward Memorial weekend, it has been a flashback to Winter here the last week and a half. It’s interesting to reflect on how Mother’s Day weekend was like Summer here and we were spending every day at the beach then, and the week leading up to it. Directly the next day temperatures dropped and we’ve experienced sporadic snow flurries, rain, and intermittent or full-on cloudy days. This morning we woke to six plus inches of new snow, as you can see in the photos, although it’s half melted already. It all disappears quite quickly, but I’ve even had to cover my Garden Tower for the last week because of below freezing temperatures at night.

We still have another week upcoming of colder weather with rain and clouds, but most of the snow may be halting after today other than some mixed flurries with some of the rain.

It’s all felt very mirroring of the inner landscapes – a time of pause, release, refresh, and percolating new that I’ve been feeling deeply. There’s been an odd, but good sense of things changing even though I can’t see what that looks like yet. It still feels to be headed in a positive direction, so currently it’s just about slowing down and taking care of the little things, paying attention to what’s popping up, investing deeper into intentions, and creating ever-more clarity.

Supposedly there’s one more week of this vortex-like bubble before we’re back to Spring vibes, but who knows as mountain life is so unpredictable, just like life!

I’ve been making use of this reset time and seeing how it is nurturing the inner artist.

The inner artist is the part of me/you that is also connected to your inner child. The inner artist might speak directly to your artistic talents and how they channel through in terms of a creative project, but the inner artist might also speak to the creative energy woven into the very fabric of life and how you harness that for living in general.

It’s that part of you that creates for the pure joy of creating.

It’s the part of you that finds peace in those moments of creative impetus flowing through.

It’s the part of your heart that knows what is most healing, transformational, and aligned with your spirit self.

It’s the part of you that longs to express itself, be honored, trusted, heard, reclaimed, nurtured, and supported.

It’s the part of you that knows.

So perhaps, while you may not be experiencing a literal Winter-in-Spring cycle, you might find that something is calling you inward nonetheless.

This might be a calling to acknowledge your strengths and gifts, create healthy and balanced boundaries that honor your needs, and time and space for what you desire. That includes releasing toxic people, things, ideas, and beliefs so that you can open to more expansiveness.

You may need to reacquaint yourself with the priorities and commitments that feel essential to you and then eliminate the things that take you away from that, don’t make good use of your time, and fundamentally avoid doing what clearly is your joy.

And if it’s not quite clear, then slow down and refresh, so you can hear that voice and create a restorative cocoon to nurture what stirs within.

Keeping your space organized and clear helps you to be more clear and focused.

They don’t call it Spring cleaning for nothin’!

I feel that only new things are wanting to be around and am making room for that new to come in, but also in general to create space for the new I’ve already embraced, to anchor. It feels good!

The inner artist of life seems to be inviting me to create from an ever-clearer energy and I’m feeling that redirection of alignment during these Wintery weeks.

How about you?

Although we may still have a wet and cold Memorial Day in our future, part of this refresh celebration is extending to our Etsy shop for an upcoming Flash Sale. YAY!

New inventory feels to be percolating to share over the coming months and so we’re making it easier to bring home things you love in our shop, in order to create space, by offering a 25% Off Flash Sale shop-wide that will begin this Sunday and conclude at the end of Monday’s Memorial Day.

This added to already slashed prices creates bringing sweetness home at steals.

More than anything we love making you smile and the reason for creating this shop was purely a heart-to-heart connection.

So keep an eye out in the shop for that here:

The Magick Rabbit 

We’re so grateful to everyone who has brought home the inspiration and whimsy Astrid and I have been called to create and share with you to support your inner child and artist of life.

It’s moved us greatly to read all the sweet and touching reviews from those of you who have so generously shared those with us.

We so love and welcome any reviews from our friends, as it helps us to know what you love about our creations and your experience, so that we may continue to create in that vein.

I sense that we’re going to have another release upcoming of some sacred art – some of your most beloved – so stay tuned for that too.

In the meantime, if you’re on Instagram, head on over to my page to see the latest discovery released – perhaps one might call to your heart.

Here’s to your inner artist child!

 

Ask Astrid Fridays ~ The Rabbit’s Corner: Remembering the Sacred Mother Within

The last couple of nights my sweet boy, Cosmo, has been coming to me in my dreams. I feel him so strongly that my heart both aches and feels enlivened by the waves of his powerful love running through it. His love is as vast as the cosmic waters of All That Is. He knows that it is because of his presence and my other bunny loves, including Astrid here in this realm, that I feel most inspired to move forward with the things my heart whispers. He and they are the wind beneath my wings. We are One.

With Mother’s Day just around the corner, I feel he is sending me a message of love and gratitude, as he truly was my son in every sense of the word.

I’ve written before about how he was the one who truly awakened that Sacred Mother within me in a very new way, even though I will never experience an actual physical birth in this life with a child.

Astrid is in every sense of the word, a true embodiment of Sacred Mother energy, as she so beautifully and powerfully exhibits how she watches over the humans and bunnies we know and the creatures of the forest here, and how she walks in partnership with her Earth Mother. Although she is so clearly of the stars and exhibits being much more from beyond than of Earth, she is very balanced in her energies as a Virgo, and hugely in touch with that feminine earthiness.

She is a beautiful example for me of this balance and a model of both the tenderness and awe-inspiring power and strength of the Sacred Feminine and Mother.

Between both Cosmo and Astrid, I am receiving the gifts of what it means to walk in this essence ever more so each day.

As I shared in a post about Cosmo several years back, I don’t believe one has to actually birth a child from their womb to have this experience, although it definitely is one of the very rich ways to know this aspect of self as reflection of our Earth Mother’s own blessings in this regard. But, nor would one necessarily need to have any form of children to know this part of a woman that simply IS due to her being a woman.

And equally, men have access to this essence, as there is a union we each have dancing within us even though we are playing out one role more than the other. This is something we can become more and more aware of, as we tune into and honor these parts both inside and out.

I believe that the alchemy of the Sacred and Divine Feminine and Mother is an innate essence for us to remember being within us and to embody, reawaken, activate, and shine forth without shame, guilt, fear, or judgment. We can awaken it through the act of self-love, through the channeling of creativity and nurtured passion, through sacred ritual, through our sexuality and sexual alchemy, and through the intimacy of relationship to all that is within the deep recesses of our most ancient, rich, inner mysteries.

For me, it feels as if Cosmo truly was a baby I birthed. And likely we have that connection from a time removed from this particular focused one, but it’s there. I had these instincts where he is concerned that I know is like that of a mother and baby that goes beyond just our soul companion connection.

And every moment I got to spend with him, even if it was the rigorous routines others might tire from, I was thoroughly enraptured with, loving any time I could spend with him, especially holding him close to my heart on my chest and helping to soothe his pains. I always felt like I was exactly where I needed to be, time stood still, I didn’t feel I needed to do anything else, and actually would have been happy just taking care of him.

I loved bath time and I loved holding his hand when I took him in to his vet and therapy appointments, reassuring him I was right there. I loved waking to see how he did in the night, and I couldn’t wait to see him when I returned home from anywhere, feeling sad to leave him, but also knowing the separation was good for growth and expanding our telepathic connection.

If you saw us in the afternoons and evenings, when he laid cradled in my arms and fell asleep on my chest as I gave him his Reiki and Crystal massages or even just cuddled him, you’d swear you were seeing a mother holding her newborn after nursing, or just putting her baby to sleep for a much needed nap.  The way he looked just like a baby against my chest with his little hands and head safely cushioned by the warmth of my skin was very telling.

I feel like the only time Cosmo really slept best is when we were cuddling, and he could relax and feel nurtured. And guess what? He was nurturing me right back.

He helped to bring another layer of balance to my life, connection with my inner child AND inner mother, and softened, as well as strengthened the abilities I have to share with him and others – all adding to the layers of richness I continue to experience and open to in my life in bigger ways on many levels.

With his added presence, my own presence shifted and much was, and continues to be, supported to birth into being from this Sacred Womb of Creation within me that is being nurtured, embraced, enjoyed, honored, and celebrated.

There is a greater sense of being that came from knowing myself as a reflection and extension of our Earth and Cosmic Mother.

Astrid wanted me to share about this connection with Cosmo, as a way to honor that Sacred Mother energy the collective is sharing this Sunday.

Little did she know that I would share on how she is an incredible reflection for me of what this means and looks like.

I am grateful for both Cosmo and Astrid for what they have helped ignite within me.

All of my sweet animal companions have been incredible teachers for me in the most beautiful ways. I truly wouldn’t be where I am and who I am without their guidance and inspiration.

Part of why Astrid wants me to share this is also as a way for the human collective to understand the deeper partnership we have with all life and that whether you find yourself surrounded with many humans, animals, plants, otherworldly friends, or simply living in union with Terra – our Earth Mother – and on your own, there is incredible richness available to know yourself more in the simplest of ways.

Life doesn’t have to look extraordinary or be extraordinary by anyone’s definition of what that means.

Life IS extraordinary in its simplicity.

Even the trials, the challenges, the ugly, the raw, the pains, the disappointments, the routine, the less than ideal – has a bitter sweetness that reveals we are truly alive, what we are capable of, and how infinite creativity is – an enriching extension of spirit and being, although our minds would rather negate these experiences.

These things enliven how it is to feel.

These things are exercise to the heart just as we exercise our physical body and other muscles.

So while I am a curious being by nature, it is in the most seemingly mundane moments that I have truly experienced myself, love, and peace.

My curiosity has led me to see what is right before me.

In caring for Cosmo and Astrid, and all of my sweet companions, they help focus my vision to the now.

 

Ask Astrid Fridays ~ The Rabbit’s Corner: A Small Pause, but a Big Reminder

It’s been a whirlwind of events the last couple of days, so Astrid was kind enough to let us skip this week’s Ask Astrid Fridays and return next Friday. However, I did promise her that as soon as things settled a bit, we’d let everyone know that we hadn’t forgotten her special blog day, but simply will be processing everything into what she may feel important to impart next time. She was completely fine with that because it just gives her more time to feel into everything in the collective field and how it relates to things unfolding here with connective meaning.

In the meantime, she wanted me to remind everyone about gratitude and how important that is.

So, here are some snippets from our last year’s Gratitude Giveaway post as reminders:

We all know that the more gratitude you have and express, the more abundance in all areas of your life you will experience. Not to mention, the more enriched, vibrant, joyful, peaceful, and fulfilling your life will be in every way.

We receive far more than when we are aware of, which indicates we actually have way more to be grateful for than we even make a point of realizing.

Think about the air you have to breathe, the sunlight that gives life, the trees that provide oxygen, the animals that keep our ecosystems healthy, or things like eyesight, ability to taste, smell, hear, touch, and experience life in sensual ways not elsewhere possible.

Yet, even things like our bills – whether you struggle to pay them or not – are actually things to be grateful for in the service they provide like electricity to see by or run your air conditioning, gas to warm your house or cook with, water to bathe in and clean your clothes, and mortgages that keep a roof over our heads.

And not only does recognizing and acknowledging everything we have to be grateful for help us to enjoy and receive more in life – yes even the hidden gifts in something or someone that rubs us the wrong way because they are emotional trainers for us to strengthen our hearts to love more – but we also find it easier to give more. And this is important because the flow of giving AND receiving is also part of living an abundant life.

Even when you think there’s nothing to be grateful for, you’re wrong as there is always something and in recognizing and thanking those things with all of your heart you will align your frequency with an increase in things that will enrich your life.

Even when you think you have nothing to give, if you give anyway – including money in a relative amount to your life, but greater than you think you’re capable of – the more you’ll find things flowing in.

Abundance equates to love, gratitude, and living in the flow of both giving and receiving.

Gratitude is one of the most effective ways to bring more of what you want into your life in incredible ways you wouldn’t even think of. It opens you to the highest good through simple, heartfelt gratitude, as this aligns you with your matching frequency.

Be grateful, as every moment is a gift.

Ask Astrid Fridays ~ The Rabbit’s Corner: Sacred Bonds & the Rabbit-Human Connection

Today’s share is one that is very dear to both Astrid and I, as it speaks to the relationship we have and how meaningful the rabbit-human bonding is, in our opinion. The theme of her message came through last weekend for this and has been building over the course of the week. But in essence, speaks to the special connection that is made when you invest your heart and soul into being a guardian and best friend to a rabbit.

Astrid feels this is also an important message at this time because it is nearing Easter and we both know how many people will go out and purchase rabbits, especially baby rabbits, on a whim thinking they would be cute gifts for their children.

Helping people to understand rabbits more and what is truly involved within that sacred bond you embark upon cultivating, is one of our hopes to help impart.

We’ll be speaking together through what I share and then maybe Astrid will have a specific message she will want me to separate out for her.

Rabbits are very social animals, but they are nothing like dogs and cats. I know many people see them as cute and cuddly little ones, but most rabbits aren’t particularly interested in being held and snuggled the same way you might a dog or cat. That’s not to say that all rabbits are this way, as they each have their own personalities and some, like my sweet Cosmo, truly love being held close.

But this is usually the exception, rather than the rule because rabbits are ground-dwelling and feel safest when all four feet are connected to their Earth Mother.

That’s also not to say every dog or cat easily cuddles up either, as there are exceptions like with animals who have been through quite a challenging past or some kind of abuse and neglect.

I know that many people are looking for an animal they can hold or show constant affection to, feeling a need to have their furry companion available for a certain kind of closeness. Dogs and cats usually come first to mind for people thinking about getting an animal companion because of this.

That’s not to say, for instance, that all cats like to be snuggled and close, as they also have ideas that are independent to yours and may or may not desire the same when you want it.

Dogs may be more inclined to do so.

Not most rabbits.

That might be a turn-off for people desiring more from their animal companions.

For me, it is exactly what I love most about rabbits.

You see, rabbits are prey animals, unlike cats and dogs who are predators. It takes a deliberate investment of time, nurturing, patience, and ultra presence to gain the trust of your rabbit because they naturally have different instincts – which is, everything is a potential threat.

Like horses, rabbits are magnificent clear mirrors and can be amazing therapy animals to help reflect and teach you the deepest core parts of yourself.

Again, I’m not saying that dogs or cats don’t do this, as they do and many of them are therapy animals as well, but things will be much more subtle and take more patience, presence, and willingness to go a bit deeper when it comes to a prey animal.

Their instincts and senses are ultra-aware. They feel every little nuance at an all-time high and therefore they immediately know what is below the surface and at your core far before you will. They pick up the finest frequencies of vibrational misalignment and disharmony.

They have to, after all, because their survival depends on it.

And in doing so, they truly help reflect some hard things to see about ourselves and help us to understand where we are being inconsistent with what we are saying and doing, and what we are feeling.

So, when a rabbit decides to welcome you, give a little more each day to you, shows affection, lets you approach them and stroke or kiss them, snuggle them on the ground, grind their teeth in delight, lick you, play with you, flop themselves on their sides vulnerably into dreamland, come search you out, chins, nuzzles, nibbles at you, follows you or jumps up on the bed or couch with you, rests next to you, and maybe even lets you pick them up without a struggle – these are invaluable.

To me, to earn that kind of trust and love from a prey animal is ultra special and meaningful.

To know that Astrid, or any of my bunny loves, have felt safe and seen with me means everything to me.

It’s simply something deeper I can’t put into words, but chokes me up to create that kind of bond and relating that is operating on a super high level of sensitivity.

Plus, it constantly keeps me very present and aware moment-to-moment about how I’m acting, feeling, and noticing everything about my rabbit and what is normal or changing with their behavior.

This also, by the way, helps you to stay on top of their health, as they will hide things more than other animals and to be on your toes with what’s going on with them every moment can save their lives AND enrich both of yours.

Rabbits ask us to meet them at their level – literally – so going on the ground with them will help with the bonding.

They also ask us to meet them equally in energy – bringing our full selves to the table in pure honesty and integrity of heart. In this way they will respond just as clearly with acknowledgment and meeting you in much the same way.

Rabbits are very social animals and the relationship with you will be of utmost importance, alongside any other bonded rabbit they have as a partner. Connection is what will help your rabbit thrive and whether that means they have another or other rabbit friends, other furry animal companions, or bond with you, it is much needed to have that closeness.

Most rabbits do enjoy some level of affection, which can shift over time the more you invest in your relationship with them. It can be very pleasing to them to be snuggled or nuzzled on the ground, massaged, spoken to softly, caressed, or simply sitting or laying next to you.

They also love to play and thrive on fun – another way to bond with them.

I feel most of the time that my rabbit loves, including Astrid, think of me as another rabbit. That’s because I have learned to be more like them and interact with them, as they would with another rabbit and I always listen to their cues, knowing when they’ve had enough, if they want more, and what they like or don’t like.

Rabbits teach you to relax and slow down, get in touch with yourself, truly listen within, and live life with more gentleness.

They have all kinds of personalities, just like us, and aren’t there to please you the way you want or think you need, although once they welcome you as part of their “warren” you will be part of the family and appreciated and loved uniquely.

Over time, they can come to provide huge amounts of affection in the sweetest of ways and you learn that intimacy starts within the heart and can be extremely gratifying in more ways than you imagined because you have created a sacred bond.

“The sacred bond invites you to a secret dance that lies beyond the horizon of existence alone. It takes you into the alchemy of the heart that never ceases to be and always remembers its wholeness,” says Astrid.