Barjon's Books

& Curiosities

Barjon's Books

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June Astrological Insights – Everything is Connected

Summer Solstice this year is exact at 10:54 am MT on June 21st. Summer Solstice is the longest day and shortest night in the Northern Hemisphere, ushering in the official beginning of summer. In Taoism, the term “yang” describes the fullest expression of something into form, an outer directed expansive flowering energy.

Summer solstice is the most yang moment of the entire year. When you pause to harmonize with that cosmic milestone, you align with all of life. If possible, go to a wild place with friends and family, and create your own ceremony to celebrate this moment of fullness.

From that moment forward, we begin to move towards the deepest point of darkness, the Winter Solstice. Expansion energy changes directions, becoming contracting energy, or Yin energy. Yin energy is energy at its most condensed, receptive—the seed planted in the nurturing dark.

The Taoist Yin-Yang symbol expresses this eternal relationship, of light and dark, expansion and contraction, creation and destruction intermingling. When we align with this cycle, we are aligning with our deepest wisdom, our wildest inner knowings. We stand with conscious awareness at the edges of creation, acknowledging the eternal interconnectedness of our own being with all of life.

Wishing you a wonderful Solstice! May it’s light shine everywhere in your life and bless all that you hold most dear.

For private astrological insights, contact Jen Freeman at jen@jenniferlfreeman.com.

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The Everyday Empath; May Title for A Wild Readers Book Club

Join us in reading this month’s featured title The Everyday Empath, by Raven Digitalis, and visit with the author in person at his book signing at 4pm and Q&A discussion at 6pm in lieu of our regular meeting on May 22.

Deepen Your Understanding of Empathy, Develop Your Gifts, and Discover Emotional Balance

Enrich your knowledge of empathy and improve your empathic abilities with this captivating, easy-to-use guide. The Everyday Empath offers a well-rounded view of what it means to experience high levels of empathy in daily life. Featuring exercises, examples, and insights, it’s an essential resource to have on your shelf.

Explore empathic self-care and how to spiritualize your empathy through daily meditation, prayer, shrines, vision boards, and more. Learn about the importance of creative expression and astrological shifts. Find out how to share your gifts with friends, family, and your community. From science to spirituality, this book shows you how to achieve personal balance and reveals new ideas that will help you thrive in your empathic life.

Author Raven Digitalis is the co-founder of a nonprofit multicultural temple called Opus Aima Obscuræ (OAO), which primarily observes NeoPagan and Hindu traditions. Raven has been an earth-based practitioner since 1999, a Priest since 2003, a Freemason since 2012, and an empath all of his life. He holds a degree in anthropology from the University of Montana and is also a professional Tarot reader, DJ, small-scale farmer and animal rights advocate.

What is the Wild Readers Book Club?

Wild readers are we who seek to consciously select stories that entertain, inspire and uplift with the deliberate purpose to influence and change our own selves into what we want to see more of in the world. Contact info@barjonsbooks.com for more information about our regular meetings and join in!

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A May Day Tradition

Remember sharing May Day baskets as a child?

The tradition derives from the ancient holiday, Beltane, also known as May Eve, May Day, and Walpurgis Night, on the eve or first day of May.
It celebrates the height of Spring and the flowering of life. Now is the time to wear bright colors and flowers in your hair. Light a fire and dance in the warmth of the new season.

The fun and excitement with may baskets in addition to the craft derived from having to place in secret without getting caught – making it an engaging lesson for young ones in good will and charity.

In honor of this season of new growth and prosperity and prepare a “tussie mussie” or May basket by filling it with flowers and goodwill and then give it to someone in need of healing and caring, such as a shut-in or elderly friend.

According to Seasons of Witchcraft, by Ellen Dugan, some styles of tussie mussies include:

  • A Hand Tied Bouquet – a traditional European method of holding a small bunch of flowers in your hand and tying together tightly with a ribbon.
  • The Beidermeier – a dome shaped bouquet with larger flowers in the middle with smaller blooms arranged in concentric circles
  • Monochromatic Hand-Tied Bouquet – popular for weddings (tis the season!), mixing and matching a variety of blooms with similar colors.

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Amethyst for Transmuting to Positivity

Color: Purple
Chakra: 3rd Eye
Associated with: transmutation, intuition, creativity, positive manifestation
Resonates well with: Citrine and clear quartz

Amethyst is a powerful addition to anyone’s toolbox for energy work. In her book, Crystals and Dragons, Linda Thomas calls it “the alchemist of stones”, as its unique vibration transmutes toxic energy into love, making it a good stone for healing physical, mental and emotional addictions. In fact, amethyst derives from the Greek word, amethystos, meaning “not drunken”, and was used to prevent drunkenness in ancient times.

The purple colors strongly resonate with one’s third eye, amplifying creativity and intuition. Its transmutation properties make amethyst an excellent stone for transforming anxiety and negative thoughts to love, blocking the manifestation of one’s fears and opening the way for positive energy to influence your thoughts.

Bonus tip! Place an amethyst under or near your pillow at night to help relieve nightmares and promote lucid dreaming.