Ten Good Things - June 2023
inspiring content from around the web
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Each month my last newsletter will be a collection of links to things that have come across my path during the month that I know will inspire you.
Ten Good Things is a way to share with you what I find interesting, thought-provoking, helpful, inspiring, and delightful.
These are the things I’d share with you if we met for tea in a quirky cafe with cozy chairs, delectable pastries, and charming decor.
»»»» each bold sub-heading is a link to click««««
Amazing Secret Nature of a Meadow - Full movie
This stunning nature documentary from wildlife photographer and videographer Stephen de Vere takes you into an English Meadow's amazing and secret life. No matter where you are in the world or what season you're in, this film will open you up to the most beautiful moments of the summer season.
When you dream of a wild animal, you are touching the part of yourself that can never be domesticated. The animal heart lives according to an ancient set of laws. She doesn't care about politics and politeness and never takes more than she should. She reminds you of your nobility, your physical magnificence, and the unselfconscious power of instinct. The animal heart sees clearly what the intellect cannot because it follows the innate knowing of the earth itself.
The animal heart lives behind logic, below reason, underneath the armour of objectivity. She has lived longer than any of us can remember because it was from her belly that we were born. Half-sighted as we are, we forget and deny her, building our platforms on what we think is her grave. But she is far from dead. She stays hidden not because she is timid, but because she is wise. And if she comes out to greet you, know that you are trustworthy of her approach.
~ Toko-pa Turner
If you're interested in working with spirit animals, you can read my article https://janblencowe.com/spirit-animal-guides/
Discover Rima Stein’s Baba Yaga and Other Artworks
Interview - Fantasy Creates Reality - Rima Staines: Reaching for the Otherworld
“Rima Staines is a painter / multi-disciplinary artist whose work has its roots in the invisible and oft-forgotten soul worlds that lie just behind or just inside this one. In this conversation we talk about the longing for that otherworld, the difficulty of reaching for it within a technology/social media saturated world, and whole bunch of other stuff. ~ Ben Patrick Holden
Astrology - Cancer Season
Check out AmyLea.co’s three Instagram posts for this important season. The first link is an overview; the next two slide shows give specific insight into each sun and rising sign.
Summer Solstice Rituals + Resources
A summer gift for you. (Different than my current Guide to Litha) this PDF will help you celebrate the entire season of Summer Solstice.
The Body - Slide show
@archetypically.speaking on Instagram has a wonderful slide show of quotes about the body…
Sometimes, some Jungian perspectives can get lost in our thoughts, drifting amidst the clouds. In my humble opinion.
However, figures like Marion Woodman remind us to ground these philosophical and spiritual explorations in the physicality of our bodies. Jung emphasized the integral role of soma, the body, in our journey towards self-discovery.
The mind-body connection has captivated seekers for ages, as our bodies serve as sacred vessels that house the unconscious. While it's easy to get carried away in philosophical ponderings, it is essential to anchor our experiences in the body, the vehicle that guides us through the human experience.
The Tree of Life is a representation of the human body and its seven chakras. Each branch of the tree corresponds to one chakra, and the leaves represent the energy moving through each chakra.
The Tree of Life is a symbol of unity and interconnection. It represents the body, life, energy, and how all things in the universe are connected. It is a representation of human beings and our connection to everything around us. The Tree of Life is composed of seven layers.
Each layer represents a different aspect of ourselves. Each layer contains a different color and shape that is associated with one of the seven chakras. Chakras are centers of spiritual energy located along the spine. Each chakra corresponds to a different aspect of our being. When we have a balanced flow of energy throughout these centers, we experience greater happiness, fulfillment, and well-being. @ratherlightbearer in Instagram
Prophets and artists tend to be liminal and marginal people, "edgemen," who strive with a passionate sincerity to rid themselves of the clichés associated with status incumbency and role-playing and to enter into vital relations with other men in fact or imagination. In their productions we may catch glimpses of that unused evolutionary potential in mankind which has not yet been externalized and fixed in structure.
- Victor Turner, Social Anthropologist (1920 - 1983)
Artwork: Buddhist mandala (Tibetan thangka featuring a double vajra) symbolizing 'transformation' ~ from Weaving the World Soul on Facebook
Being an Edge Dweller is something I explored in an art journal a few years back when my entire belief system was falling apart. Video below
They are out there you know,
waiting to be found or even just to be seen,
perhaps they are hiding in plain sight?
When you do find them,
they will like you, on impact,
just as you are,
because they are ‘your’ people.
How will you know when you come across them?
It’s a little fizz,
a tiny little spark of something,
that zips unseen between you.
A soul recognising another.
Stop trying to be liked,
by those who don’t see your worth,
chances are they never will.
Find your people,
they are out there you know,
and they need you too.
Donna Ashworth, From ‘I wish I knew’
Names of the July Full Moon (7/3/23)
The moon names this month speak of the height of summer. There are many references to hay--summer's bounty, brought into barns and stored to feed animals through the winter. Without enough hay, your flock would not survive the winter, and you might not have breeding animals to rebuild your herd in the spring. Our ancestors brought special meals to their animals on holy days, fed them blessed herbs after birth, and incensed them with sacred smoke in spring. Their animals were their wealth, their food, and their family.
The Slovenian and Croatian names for July speak of the beginning of the harvest. The early grains are beginning to ripen, and the sickles begin to swing. Many Slavic names for July refer to the Linden tree, the sacred tree of the Divine Mother. Polish, Belarusian, archaic Russian, Croatian, Lithuanian, Ukrainian, and Kashubian names reference the Lipa, which blooms in June and July. The Anglo-Saxon and Ojibwe moon names speak of the midpoint of summer-- After Litha, the Halfway Summer Moon. One of my favorite names for the moon is the Macedonian one: the Golden Month. ~ @forest.whisperer
July Moon Names:
Æftera Līþa: After Midsummer (Anglo-Saxon)
Lipiec: Linden (flowers) (Polish)
Ліпень, Lipień: Linden (Belarusian)
Lypen’: Linden (Ukranian)
Златец, Zlatec: Golden month (Macedonian)
Cherven/Červenec: Red Fruit or Worm/bee brood (Bulgarian/Czech/Slovak)
Mali Srpan: "Small Sickle" First Harvest Month (Slovenian)
Srpanj: Sickle (Croatian)
An t-Iuchar: Bordertime (Scottish Gaelic)
Iúil: from the Latin "July" (Gaelic)
Jerrey Souree: End of Summer (Manx)
Gorffennaf: End of Summer (Welsh)
Vennemaand: Pasture Month (Dutch)
Hooimaand: Hay Month (Dutch)
Hewi-mānod: Hay Month (Old High German)
Heamoanne, Haaimoanne: Hay month (West Frisian)
Heyannir: Hay Month (Old Icelandic)
Heinäkuu: Hay Moon (Finnish)
Abitaa-niibini-giizis: Halfway Summer Moon (Ojibwe, Western Dialect)
Miin-giizis: Berry Moon. (Ojibwe, Eastern
Enjoy!
If you liked reading this, feel free to click the ❤️ button on this post so more people can discover it on Substack 🙏
A wealth of information and inspiring content to usher in the summer season.
Thank you