The Mighty Little Acorn

  The Acorn 

Also known as the Oak Nut.

Since ancient times, the acorn has been cherished by our ancestors.

 In Native American history, the acorn was a very important staple in their diet. It helped the tribes in California avoid agriculture and remain hunter gathers for quite some time.

Acorns have an impressive number of health benefits. They are a rich source of proteins and are very important for the creation of new tissue and cell repair of damaged areas. Acorns promote rapid healing following an illness or injury.

Acorns protect the heart, boost energy, improve digestion and help regulate blood sugar levels.

***WARNING***

 If ingested in excess, Acorns can cause Oak Toxicity which can lead to gastrointestinal issues as well as kidney issues.

 ***SO NEVER IN EXCESS***

This is due to the bitter Tannins acorns contain. 

The amount of tannin in acorns varies among Oak species. 

I recommend using White oak acorns as they are much lower in tannins.

All acorns need the tannins leached out with water before consuming.

 This can be done in a day by boiling them. Once shelled put the acorn meat into a pot of water and bring to a boil. The water will turn dark. Once this happens drain and repeat the process 3-5 times, depending on the level of bitter tannins in your acorns. 

Shelled and chopped acorns can be soaked in water for several weeks to remove tannins.

The safest way to ingest acorns is by making a coffee with them.

How to make Acorn Coffee

Step 1 - Remove the outer shell, and boil your acorn meat, nice rolling boil. 

Once fully leached, Drain and Rinse.

Step 2 - Cool your acorns and Cut the acorn meat into small pieces

Step 3 - Roast your acorn meat @ 400 degrees for about 35-40 minutes, stirring occasionally. 

They will become dark brown in color when they are done.

Step 4 - Grind them.

Step 5 - Make the coffee, use 1 tbsp. per every 6 0z. of water. Store unused grounds in a clean glass jar with a tight lid. Write the word Gratitude on the jar and store in the fridge.

***REMEMBER NEVER CONSUME IN EXCESS***

  

In Celtic Lore, acorns symbolize potential, strength, youthfulness, power and prosperity. They also represented spiritual growth and good luck. They were worn around the neck as protection from lightning, acorns are associated with Zeus and Thor as well. As recently as WW1 and WW2, the Brits carried acorns in their pockets for protection.

  In Ireland, acorns were used in rituals to call on the fairies. Placing acorns on your window sills during the full moon was said to attrack the power of the Elves to bring you both money and prosperity in health.

  The Druids ate acorns as a means of divination. I have so much more about the Druids and the oak, but that will have to wait untill the next post.

Artwork By: Renee Willoughby

  For now, I will leave you with your coffee and tell you that oak doors lead to Hidden Realms.

Talk to you soon and remember, You Are The Light, Keep Shining Bright...

Renee Willoughby

  

🌻Sunflowers 🌻

🌻Sunflowers 🌻 

~Helianthus~ 

A member of the Asteraceae or daisy family.

Sunflowers are a composite flower head, a tightly packed group of small flowers that form a single flower structure. The outer Halo of Flowers known as the petals, are called Ray flowers. The flowers in the center are Disks Flowers and mature into Seeds, the fruit of Sunflowers.

In addition to the ornamental beauty of the Flower, Sunflowers seeds are commonly used as food for people and animals. Bees love Sunflowers! Sunflower seed oil is used for cooking and in a variety of cosmetics. 

The sunflower has over 50 species and comes in annual and perennial.

 The Perennial varieties spread rapidly and can quickly become evasive taking over the area. 

They come in many colors like the well known yellow, as well as red, orange, purple, and others.

Here is a list of different kinds of Sunflowers

 🌻American Giant
Arnika
Autumn Beauty
Aztec Sun
Black Oil
Chianti Hybrid
Claret
Dwarf Sunspot
Evening Sun

Florenza
Giant Primrose
Gullick's Variety
Incredible
Indian Blanket Hybrid
Irish Eyes
Italian White
Kong Hybrid
Large Grey Stripe
Lemon Queen
Loddon Gold
Mammoth Russian
Miss Mellish
Mongolian Giant
Orange Sun
Pastiche
Peach Passion
Peredovik
Prado Red
Red Sun
Ring of Fire
Rostov
Skyscraper
Solar Eclipse
Soraya
Strawberry Blonde
Sunny Hybrid
Sunshine
Taiyo
Tarahumara
Teddy Bear
Thousand Suns
Titan
Valentine
Velvet Queen 

Willow leaf

&

The
Yellow Disk

How to grow

Plant your seeds🌱 In early spring after the last frost.

Sunflowers as it implies in the name need full sun.

They like moist, well draining soil. 

Sunflowers grow very tall reaching heights of 6 ~ 9ft. 

Sunflowers tilt during the daylight hours following the sun, this is called Heliotropism. 

They do this until the Flower reaches maturity

🌻Tip
Sunflowers are allelopathic plants.
They emit a biochemical from their roots, germinating seeds, and seed hulls that inhibit the germination of other seeds around them.

A few other plants with allelopathic properties are black walnut, asters, and junipers.

Harvesting

Sunflower seeds are mature when the back of the bud head is yellow, but they still require time to dry
 before harvest. 

Mature Bud Head

Bud Heads are usually ready to harvest in Autumn.

Parts used~ whole flower, seeds, seed hulls, and Ray petals.

🔮Metaphysical uses🔮

longevity, strength, happiness,

 loyalty, friendship, good fortune, abundance, peace, and hope.

 Add a splash sunflowers to your Autumn Décor to call the above Qualities.
Natural Sunflower Oil is great for the skin making it an excellent carrier oil. 

🌻

~Shine Boldly~

Mary🦋

Sacred Geometry

🔮Greetings Crafters of the Realm🔮
Recently I have been thinking a lot about Geometry in Natural forms.
The underlying foundation of everything around us, The living geometry of our lives.

You can see it all throughout nature If you just look closely. 

I am sure you've seen the Star at the center of an Apple

and the hexagons of a bees honey comb

which I recently saw in the blooms of a Gardenia

 `

Like the Fibonacci spirals on the tendrils of a cucumber plant

Or maybe you've seen the Galactic spiral swirling within a cabbage.

or in the seed patterns of a sunflower

This has been very prominent the last few weeks to me.

Sacred Geometry moves us and radiates in All things

from the micro to the macro

Geometry Shapes us!


~Shine Boldly~
Mary🦋

From the Desk of the Crone...

    When I was a little girl growing up there were 5 generations of women on my Mother's side of my family. We really didn't get to see my Great-great Grandmother, Old Mama very much, except at family reunions. It was a huge family. There were so many cousins. My Great-great Grandparents had an enormous fig tree out back. I would escape the escapades of my rowdy cousins hiding under that fig tree. Those figs were delicious! Old Mama caught me out there once, but she just smiled at me and said "eat all you want Renee, they are sure good for you," and she slipped away without revealing my location. She was a small old lady and always wore a long cotton dresses with long sleeves and a leather belt around her waist, and boots. She had everyone in the family's total respect. If you were foolish enough to cross her, well let's just say that my cousin Jackie's legs might
still have a couple of switch scares on them. She was very quiet as well, but at bedtime in front of her beautiful wooden vanity table she would brush her long long gray hair singing the number of each stroke. Her hair had never been cut her whole entire life. After the brushing she would braid it  tie it up at the end with the hair from her brush while telling me that no rubber band had ever and would never touch her hair. Then she would roll it into a tight bun that was held in place by a hair comb. I wish I had that comb now. Well her daughter was who I called Mama-in-the country.

    She had been taught by her Mother how to grow food and how to "put it up" that was their phrase for canning foods. Mama-in-the country had a huge garden. My poor great grandfather worked in it from dawn to dark, everyday. He would come in at 10:00 in the morning to eat. She was always in the kitchen working on the food. I was well adept to the washing as you go system she had with the dishes. I used to tease her saying she was cooking for an army. Then one time she turned to me while wiping her hands on her apron and said, "You know Renee, I am greatly concerned about the next generations coming up. They don't know how to grow their own food and put it up. I am afraid that if this doesn't change, they won't make it." Then she went right back to her work. She was right! 

    We don't know how to grow and put up our food. This has to change. It is imperative for our survival. While you still have the internet, learn how. Better yet, find a mentor and learn from them. However you do it, learn these skills pass it down. This must be corrected. The future of our children and the future generations after them are depending on you. Get It Done!

As always, Be Still and Listen for the Whispers...until next time, 

From the desk of the Crone.

Lost Words that Must be Heard, of the Wise Old Women...from the desk of the crone.

Since time began, the woman was there to nurture. A huge part of the nurturing process was to pass on her wisdom to the younger generations. Her words had special power, just as much power that is passed down in her DNA. Old sayings are called old sayings for a reason. Not because they are old and outdated, but because they have stood the test of time and revealed their selves as TRUTHS. These truths must be remembered and spoken again with good intent because of their  power. In this set of articles, we will go over some of these old wise words ...

There comes a point in the life of most women where an examination of your life is forced to occur. For example Things, maybe circumstances is a better word, that have occurred during her life that have rendered her into compliance. Maybe she has been neglected. Maybe she has dealt with her emotions by filing them away to be dealt with later. Maybe she has even learned to overlook major infractions and buried them deep down inside. Maybe her voice has been stolen from her and she is under the control of others and lost all sense of herself.

This examination may have to occur because of her age or because of her stage. I am going to go with stage because I believe that this can happen at any age really. But there is one sure thing, YOU CAN ONLY HOLD IN SO MUCH. You will find yourself opening up that proverbial filing cabinet to put something else in, but instead it all comes gushing out at once. This can be highly overwhelming , but this is only because you chose to bury the crap instead of dealing with it at the time. Your voice will fight you to come out and be heard. At this point, you have to deal with it, you have no choice but to do so, otherwise it will take you down, make you sick and potentially kill you. You also have to be careful that it doesn't come out as verbal diarrhea. Now you have to be constructive with your words because they do contain power. Power that you have forgotten at this point. You must be heard, especially by you. Recognize that the voice in your head is your own voice. "Truly you are your worst enemy." Here are a few tips from the wise old women to help you get through this .

You may need the aide of another person to help you. Be very careful how you choose this person.

REMEMBER THE GOLDEN RULE....You are not to hurt anyone during this process. Remember, you know how this feels, you have been hurt and that is the reason that you are at this "stage".

1. You must be heard, so choose someone you know will listen. Yes, I do realize that this can be a daunting task in itself.
2. choose some that will hear you out and not talk over you. Choose someone who will not list your faults. You probably already know these things and you don't need to hear them again. Do NOT accept any, "you should haves, or I would haves" You probably already know these thing as well. "Hind sight is 20/20". Pick someone you can trust.
3. If you find that you do not have access to this type of person, Write it all down, read it out loud. Someone, somewhere will hear you and most importantly, YOU WILL HEAR YOURSELF.

* Remember that you a sovereign being--"This alone makes you worthy"
* Remember that you are precious.
* Remember all of the women that have come before you that have worked to make you who you are and remember all the generations of women who will come after you. TO THEM YOU ARE EVERYTHING.
* Find your voice and both keep it as well as share it. There is more power there than you can imagine.
* Find your peace with yourself.

That is all for now...from the desk of the Crone.

P.S. It has been said, "The brighter the  light, attracts bugs that bite" I say GO AHEAD AND JUST ZAP THEM. Not the person, defiantly not the person, ( you don't want to deal with that Karma ), just zap the negativity.

Summer Solstice at Stonehenge 2018 - Sunrise

Summer Solstice at Stonehenge 2018 - Sunset

🌺 Hibiscus🌺

🌺Hibiscus🌺 
A flowering plant in the Mallow Family.
Although not related to the rose family it is also known as Rose Mallow, Rose of Sharon, China Rose, & Aphrodite Rose.   

They bloom in a rainbow of colors, red, yellow, orange, blue, purple, white, pink, and some are even multitoned.
There are over 300 types of Hibiscus plants,
Some are even edible!

Edible Hibiscus is used to brew into teas, jams and various other dishes.

Hibiscus is used in hair and body products too!

The Variety Pictured here are my Purple Aphrodite. 

How to grow🌱

Can be grown from seeds and cuttings. Sow seeds 1/4 inch deep in soil.

Hibiscus likes moist but well draining soil.
Do not over water💦.
It is a tropical plant so it likes a warm climate and full sun.
Blooms begin in late spring continuing all summer into the early fall.

Harvesting🌿
Always make sure your cutting tool is clean and sharp.
If you choose to prune your plant, Prune in early spring. When trimming cut branches just above a node, never cut back more than 1/3 of the branch.
Pruning your hibiscus will promote branch growth and keep your plant full and bushy, giving you more blooms.
🌺

Tip🌱 once the blooms are spent seed pods can be harvested once they turn brown.

Make sure to catch them before the pop open!

Parts used🌺 Flower petals, roots, and oils.

Metaphysical uses🔮

Hibiscus can be used in Love spells, divination, and dream magic.

Use dry petals to make a love incense or use in amulets or in a sachet.
 Anoint candles with oil and burn for divination.
Combine rose and hibiscus oil in a diffuser to bring
an atmosphere of love to your space.
🌹🌺💖

Here is a Hibiscus Page I made for my Book📖.

&

How I made my Handmade Paper 

Make some Magic!
🔮
Shop Hidden Realms Naturally Crafty

for My Aphrodite Rose Soaps and More!

~Shine Boldly~
Mary🦋

✨ Other members of the Mallow family are

okra, cotton, cocoa and of course Marsh~Mallows 😁

Mary's Garden

Mary Mary quite contrary how does your garden grow?

🌿

Follow Along and see me sow,

and learn how my Garden Grows.

🌼

With Chamomile, Mint, Lavender, and Sage...

🌿

don't forget lemon balm is calming always.

🔮

Yes,
this Mary has a garden!
And boy is it ever growing!
Check out all my post labeled
Mary's Garden

for more about plants to help your Garden Grow!

~Shine Boldly~

Mary🦋

~ Hidden Realms ~: ~Journals~

😍

New Journals

🔮

now available 

Check out ~ Hidden Realms ~: ~Journals~ to get this Lovely

~Shine Boldly~

Mary🦋

Looking for something let me know

💖

~ Hidden Realms ~: ~Jewelry~

I Love this new Bracelet,

add your own fragrance or oils and wear your favorite scent in style!!!

Check out

~ Hidden Realms ~: ~Jewelry~   to get this Aquamarine/ Lava Rock Bracelet

~Shine Boldly~

Mary🦋 

Beltane/May Day

🔮Greetings Crafters of the Realm🔮

🌼Blessed Beltane🌼

🌼
I hope everyone enjoyed the Full Moon!
Today I have been out in the Garden listening to the birds sing & soaking in all the Green

& Got some new Plants
for my New Greenhouse!!
💚

I am so excited!

I love being in the garden🌻

 Merry May Day

🌼

What are you doing for Beltane?

~Shine Boldly~

Mary🦋

Full Pink Moon

Blessed Pink Moon Everyone!

This Full Moon rises in Scorpio

🌕♏

Its silver beams are sure to be charged with intense passion

so keep Grounded,

Stay safe &

Have a Magical Night!

Here is a Full Moon Blessing I wrote a few years ago!

~Shine Boldly~

Mary🦋

~ Hidden Realms ~: ~Smudge Supplies~

🔮Greetings Crafters Of the Realm🔮

Need some supplies? Crystals, Candles, a new Book! Check out the Shops pages for some great items!

Like  ~ Hidden Realms ~: ~Smudge Supplies~: 🌿
where you can get a Cedar smudge stick 3-Pack 4".
This three-pack provides you with three Cedar smudge sticks, bundled together so as to burn easily. Find this and much more here at Hidden Realms!

If you are looking for something let me know and I'll check behind the curtain~✨

~Shine Boldly~
Mary🦋

Creative Consciousness

🔮Greetings Crafters Of the Realm🔮

All is connected. All is vibration manifesting into energetic resonance.
Fueling all life. All emanating a bio magnetic energy field. 

This electromagnetic energy resonates at

Extremely Low Frequencies

~ ELF's ~

Just like the elf's in the electromagnetic field of the earth, known as the Schumann resonance.

 We have our own 

electromagnetic or bio magnetic field  

Our Aura

🌌

The bio magnetic field of the human heart or Heart Chakra,

a vortex of energy that can be measured several feet away from the body, this is part of your Aura.

A field of energy comprised of the chakra energies of the body.

Our life force, this invisible Prime Energy that connects to and flows through you, me, and all things.

Keeping this Auric energy healthy and in balance by doing meditative exercises brings a greater heart brain harmony, or heart brain coherence.

Allowing you to better focus your energy on your intentions.

Directed intentions effect everything around us down to the smallest molecule, and through our oneness this energy travels setting our energy into creative motion .

How do we utilize this energy? This creative consciousness.

Our ELF's

Lets see this in terms of Spells.

🔮SPELL🔮

Specific Projection of Energy at Low Levels.

or directing focused energetic intention to effect subtle energy fields.

~The Process~

Focus your intention/will in your thoughts

Feel the emotion, project your heart energy, of how you will feel having you intention now, feel the gratitude of already having it.

You can use tools to help focus your intention. Such as sounds, smells, images. etc.

All carrying their own energy, enhancing our emotional will.

When we release this energy it effects the field around us, towards the intended target causing change.

This resonance of energy is our creative field. 

Our Magic!

🔮

We all do this naturally without even realizing it.

It calls to us.

Can you hear it?

I have heard from many that they feel compelled, or drawn by something, yet they can't quite put their finger on it. A feeling to be somewhere or do something.

I believe this "call" is stemming from the same Prime Energy source.

Calling to us through the wind the trees the streams, the EARTH!
🌎
From the seed of this our essence is born, it is a constant, always in motion evolving forevermore.
From one cell to another energy and information are transferred nothing is left to waste from the smallest atom to the largest solar bodies you and I as with all else that exists are connected by this Prime Energy your connection with this is with all, connect and flow with this energy.

When you do its what we call

 being in the flow or being in the zone.
We reflect this energy as it moves through us. We change it giving it our own flare and it shines!

I touched on this in Natural magic.
We choose each day what energy we will emanate, what we connect with and nurture.

This combined with actions towards the intention will empower you to manifest your creation.

What will you Create today?

~Shine Boldly~

Mary🦋

Spring Blooms

🔮Greetings Crafters of the Realm🔮

 We Are in Full Bloom

here at Hidden Realms!

The Honeysuckles have filled the air with their sweet scent!

I love honeysuckles💖

they remind me of my childhood in the woods

🌲🌳

The bees 🐝 are buzzing everywhere

and for the first time in 13 years my Bleeding Heart is Blooming❣

Blessed Spring to All!

~Shine Boldly~

Mary🦋

spring lightning

Meta~Art

Meta~Art is a term I coined to classify my artwork.

So here I will define Meta~Arts meaning.

Meta~Art 

A form of Modern abstract art.

Emotional and consciousness provoking Artworks.

Encompassing various abstract styles such as conceptual, surrealism, lyrical, expressionism and nature photography to provoke a higher awareness of nature and of being.

🦋

~Shine Boldly~

Mary

'Emergence of the Green Goddess'

By Mary Willoughby

Check out more in My Meta~Art Gallery

~Tigers Eye ~

~Tiger's Eye ~

     A member of the Quartz family. Tiger's Eye forms when quartz crystal dissolves into and overcomes the fibrous structure of Crocidolite turning into its chatoyant form with shimmering golden honey bands.

Metaphysical Uses~ 🔮

Tiger's Eye combines the energies of Fire🔥 and Earth🌎 elements!!

Tiger's Eye can be carried in you pocket or worn as pendants, bracelets and more for harmony, grounding, balance, calming, protection and wealth.
It was also thought by ancient warriors to bring bravery in battle.

Tiger's Eye is known as a high vibration stone.
High vibration stones raise the frequency of people, objects and spaces that are in contact with them and their energy fields.

✨Check out Hidden Realms Jewelry Page for some great Tiger's Eye Gems!!

~Shine Boldly~
🦋Mary

Joyous Sun Power Bracelet

~ Signs Of Spring ~

🔮Greetings Crafters of the Realm!!!🔮

The Signs of Spring are popping up all around here at Hidden Realms!!!

Our Hibiscus 🌺

has started sprouting beautiful Green Buds!!!

And so has the Oak Tree!!!
🌳

The Rains of pre-spring

⛈
have arrived and it's
Time to get ready for the Garden!!!
This year in the spiral garden I will be growing
Sage🌿
Mint
Lemon Balm
Basil
And Strawberries🍓!!
YUM!!

What will you be growing this year?
Whatever you grow I hope that your Gardens are bountiful!!
🎑

 And

Don't forget to plant these

for the

Bees

🐝

~ Lavender ~

~ Marigolds ~

~ Sage ~

~ Rosemary ~

~ Thyme ~

~ Raspberries ~

~ Strawberries ~

~ Peppers ~

~ Fruit trees ~

~ Roses ~

🌹

~ Sunflowers~

~ Honeysuckles ~

These are just a few of the plants you can grow to help

Save the Bees

🐝

~Shine Boldly~
Mary🦋

~ Super Blue Moon Eclipse ~

Early on the morning of January 31st there is going to be a 

Super Blue Moon Eclipse
🔵

This year started off on a Super Full Moon
January's full moon is often referred to as the Wolf Moon.🐺

The month will end in an even more spectacular way!

This full moon will not only be a Super Moon and Blue Moon*
 but there will be an Eclipse as well!!!

For those who are in the viewing area of totality it will also be a
Blood Moon!!

WOW!

What a magical convergence!
The eclipse will begin at approximately 5:45 am CST. and reach totality at 6:52 am CST.
A great kick start to the day!

~🔮~
Full moon meditation can be an awesome experience.
There are groups that meet to hold group meditations on full moons. 

💎
Bathe all your crystals and stones in the light of the Full Moon to cleanse and charge them.
One of my favorite stones for the Full Moon is of course Moonstone!
Especially Rainbow Moonstone!
Another great stone to work with on this full moon is January's birthstone Garnet.
Garnet symbolizes loyalty and devotion.

Here is a Full Moon Blessing from my archives!

Wishing you a fun and magical

Super Blue Moon Eclipse

🔵 

~Shine Boldly~

Mary🦋







*using the definition of the second full moon in a month, this full moon is a blue moon.
Some define a blue moon as the extra full moon in a season, which is more rare, 
by this definition this full moon is not a blue moon.
also some define it as the 13th full moon in a year.

~ Sacred Sage ~

Sage🌿 ~ Salvia ~ Derived from the Latin ~ salvere ~ meaning to feel well and healthy.
     Sage is one of the largest genus of plant types in the Lamiaceae Family. Sage is commonly used in a variety of different ways from cooking to ceremony depending on the type. Common Sage is most often grown for cooking and is high in vitamins C, A, K, E,... LOL these are great antioxidants! Make sure you get your C,A,K,E daily!! It is also rich in folic acid, thiamin, pyridoxine, riboflavin zinc, calcium, iron, manganese, copper, potassium, and magnesium.

Dried White Sage

How to Grow ~
     Sage can be grown from seeds🌱 or cuttings from another Sage plant. Plant seeds in about 1/4" of soil about 12" apart. Cuttings should be given the same amount of spacing.
Sage doesn't mind a little shade but needs plenty of sun. Cut back flower stems as the appear to promote growth of your plant. It can be grown in pots, garden beds...just about anywhere. No matter where you choose to plant make sure you have well draining soil for your sage plants. Allow soil to dry between watering's ~ make sure you don't over water💦

Sage grows well with Rosemary, Marjoram and Tomatoes!

Types of Sage ~ there are over 900 accepted species of Sage! 

Here are just a few to start with,

Common sage ~  used widely in cooking and in herbal medicine.

White sage ~  sacred to a number of  peoples, and used by some Native American tribes in their ceremonies

Blue sage ~ also known as prairie sage and azure sage grows very tall with narrow leaves and blue flowers

Pineapple sage ~  widely grown as an ornamental shrub with pineapple scented leaves

Greek sage ~ commonly grown and harvested as an alternative to common sage

Cardinal sage ~ or Mexican scarlet sage is a small evergreen shrub with red flowers

Hummingbird sage ~ an anise-scented sage with tall perennial deep blue flowers

Harvesting ~ 🌿
     As with most herbs the best time to harvest is in the early morning after the dew, and before the leaves are warmed by the sun, this is when the essential oils in the leaf are at the highest. You can pick leaves as you require them and/or harvest larger cuttings to be stored. Always clip just above a set of leaves. When clipping for larger harvest Never harvest more than 1/3 off the top of your sage plant, this will cause it to stop producing!

Tip ~ Always water 💦your plant the night before harvesting.

Parts Used ~🍃 Most commonly the Leaves are used fresh or dry.
     Dry in well ventilated area in the sunlight and store in well sealed jars.
Essential oil can also be used.

Metaphysical uses ~ 🔮

     White Sage is used for protection, healing, cleansing energies, blessings.
     Sage is rolled into bundles called smudge sticks. Smudge Sticks are burned like an incense stick allowing the smoke to fill the desired area cleansing and balancing the energies of a space bringing blessings and protection.
     Sage can be used fresh, dry, or as an anointing oil. To transform a dish or the energies of a room. Bless a person, an object or altar space. Sage has been considered a sacred herb since ancient times and is sure to bring blessings to your life, And don't forget CAKE!! 😋

~Shine Boldly~

Mary🦋

⚝ Other members of the Flowering Aromatic Lamiaceae family are basil, mint, rosemary, savory, marjoram, oregano, hyssop, thyme, and lavender.

Hylayis~ Comming this Spring ~

~ HYLAYIS ~

By: The Willoughby Sisters

Coming This April!!!

We are thrilled to share with you our new and exciting world of HYLAYIS.  

The first in a series of epic fantasy novels filled with romance, mystery, murder, and magic!

🔮

Here's a sneak peek from the back cover!!!

“No!” I scream, scrambling up onto my hands and knees.
     My heart drops into my stomach as I turn back towards the house. The whole left half of the second story is gone, while the rest of the place is engulfed in a raging inferno.
     "There is nothing we can do Ithaca, we must flee!" Slythe says, tugging at my shirt.
     Sitting in the cold, damp grass; I watch in slow motion as another explosion rocks the house, sending bits of burning wood raining down into the yard.
      “Ithaca!" he shouts.
      I stumble to my feet, dazed – silent tears racing down my cheeks, as flames devour everything in sight. It’s all my fault...

Journey with Ithaca as she battles Vicious Monsters, meets New Friends, recovers Lost Memories and discovers the Secrets of her Dark Past in, Hylayis.

Written by the Willoughby Sisters

Available this Spring here at Hidden Realms

& at Ash's Shop ~  A. Ditched OZ

~Shine Boldly~

Mary🦋

~Meaningful Meditation~

Blessings Crafters of the Realm!!

I hope you are having a magical day!🔮

     Today here at Hidden Realms we are discussing meditation and how it can be meaningful in our everyday lives.

     Meditation has been practiced for centuries and has many benefits such as relaxing the body, promoting flexibility, gaining a deeper peace, increasing compassion and a connection to

ones true self.

      There are a variety of ways people practice meditation. Some of the most recognizable are the Breath meditation, Qi Gong, Yoga, Chanting or mantras, Chakra Meditation and Guided meditation.

There are a lot of people that participate in group meditations as well focusing their positive intentions on helping the planet🌎

Mary's Art

Nature is a great place to meditate 

One of the most basics methods is

~ The breath meditation ~

Sitting in a comfortable position slowly breath in through your nose and out through your mouth focusing on your breath and the movements of your body as breath flows in and out.

You may do this for any amount of time that you feel comfortable. You can begin with five to ten minutes a day and work your way up to an hour or more.

This simple act of focused breath can have profound changes in your mind body and spirit.

There are many tools you can use to help you begin your own meditation practice

 and set up a peaceful inside space such as oils, incense and candles.

I recently began reading A Chakra healing book that includes chakra meditations as well as inspirations for altar/meditation space ideas.

When practiced regularly Meditation can be Magical 🔮

Promoting Peace and Positivity in our life

Making Meditation Meaningful

~Shine Boldly~

Mary🦋