Spring Equinox

The Sacred Marriage:

The Spring Equinox celebrates both Earth and Sun, both growth and light. At this point in the solar calendar, the length of daylight equals the length of the night – the male sun balances out the female moon. After the Equinox, the balance will shift in favor of the growing Sun as he begins to make the day longer than the night.
In the lunar calendar that relates to the seasons, the Equinox also signals an important phase for the female Earth for this is the time she opens herself, ready to receive the new seed and to bring forth the plant life that has overwintered inside her. The month of April, which arrives shortly after the Equinox, derives its name from the Latin aperio, to open (as in the word aperture).
At the Spring Equinox, different threads from the solar and seasonal calendars are woven together into a single strand….daylight is equal to darkness, so the God and Goddess make a well-matched couple.
From The Magickal Year by Diana Ferguson

Imbolc – the awakening of spring

The Goddess Brighid
Like many Pagan holidays, Imbolc has a Celtic connection as well, although it wasn’t celebrated in non-Gaelic Celtic societies. The Irish goddess Brighid is the keeper of the sacred flame, the guardian of home and hearth. To honor her, purification and cleaning are a wonderful way to get ready for the coming of Spring. In addition to fire, she is a goddess connected to inspiration and creativity.

Brighid is known as one of the Celtic “triune” goddesses — meaning that she is one and three simultaneously. The early Celts celebrated a purification festival by honoring Brighid, or Brid, whose name meant “bright one.” In some parts of the Scottish Highlands, Brighid was viewed as Cailleach Bheur, a woman with mystical powers who was older than the land itself. Brighid was also a warlike figure, Brigantia, in the Brigantes tribe near Yorkshire, England. The Christian St. Brigid was the daughter of a Pictish slave who was baptised by St. Patrick, and founded a community of nuns at Kildare, Ireland.

In modern Wicca and Paganism, Brighid is viewed as the maiden aspect of the maiden/mother/crone cycle. She walks the earth on the eve of her day, and before going to bed each member of the household should leave a piece of clothing outside for Brighid to bless. Smoor your fire as the last thing you do that night, and rake the ashes smooth. When you get up in the morning, look for a mark on the ashes, a sign that Brighid has passed that way in the night or morning. The clothes are brought inside, and now have powers of healing and protection thanks to Brighid.

Dance for life!

For centuries, dance manuals and other writings have lauded the health benefits of dancing, usually as physical exercise. More recently we’ve seen research on further health benefits of dancing, such as stress reduction and increased serotonin level, with its sense of well-being.

Then most recently we’ve heard of another benefit: Frequent dancing apparently makes us smarter. A major study added to the growing evidence that stimulating one’s mind can ward off Alzheimer’s disease and other dementia, much as physical exercise can keep the body fit. Dancing also increases cognitive acuity at all ages. Read more from Stanford University’s Richard Powers: http://socialdance.stanford.edu/syllabi/smarter.htm

There are shortcuts to happiness, and dancing is one of them.

Make a Career of Living Happily Ever After …

When feeling happy is of paramount importance to you – and what you do “for a living” makes you happy –
you have found the best of all combinations.
-excerpt from Dec. 2011 Wall Calendar

Law of Attraction 2011 wall calendar is based on the work of internationally acclaimed authors Esther and Jerry Hicks. The text is paired with the wonderful art of Christiane Beauregard, whose work was featured in the deck Money, and the Law of Attraction (Hay House, 2009). Playful and inspiring, her images are a perfect complement to the message of Abraham.

2012 Law of Attraction Wall calendar

Law of Attraction art by Christiane Beauregard

All you need in life is a friend who has Chocolate.

Kids say the most amazing things: honest, amusing and altogether entertaining.
The Kid Quotes 2012 wall calendar captures this literal yet lighthearted point of view with a year full of quotes from everyday kids. These wise wee ones share the most sincere and silly musings on friendship, love and even marriage.
Artist Kate Harper combines playful words with festive imagery – making even the most proclaimed grown-up feel like a kid again.

2012 Engagement Calendar

RUMI-The whole world is a form for Truth.

Make peace with the universe. Take joy in it. It will turn to gold.
Rumi

Rumi - Heart of the Beloved wall calendar

2012 Healing Calendar Picks

A message from the authors of Healing Mandalas wall Calendar.

“We are delighted that our 2012 calendar is at the top of Phylamena Desy’s page of picks. Thank you, Phylamena, Amber Lotus our publisher, and to the beautiful flowers that bring inspiration and healing to each month, we hope you’ll get a calendar to bless and empower 2012.”

Good cheer,
Bonnie

Healing Mandalas: Empowering Visions for the Year - Artists Bonnie Gold Bell and David Sun Todd

Guardians of Being — words by Eckhart Tolle

art by Patrick McDonnell

Look at a tree, a flower, a plant.
Let your awareness rest upon it.
How still it is, how deeply rooted in Being.
Allow nature to teach you stillness.

2012 Guardians of Being Wall Calendar - words by Eckhart Tolle - art by Patrick McDonnell

Listen to Your Body’s Wisdom

Thought for the Month.
I listen to wisdom from my physical being. I quiet my mind, ask my body to speak to me and hear its messages. I understand why my body acts the way it does. I have compassion for its feelings, and I take action to lovingly support and nurture myself.

Notice the feelings in your body. Stay quiet and present as you tune in to any areas that feel relaxed, as well as those that are tense. Inhale deeply and imagine that your lungs are filled with healing light. As you exhale, direct your energy and breath toward any areas of tension.
Feel your muscles relax and ask them to tell you why they were tense.
Listen to your body compassionately. Reassure your physical self that it’s safe and protected, and consider any insights that you received from its messages.
Your body is very honest – it will always tell you the truth. Based on your discoveries, do you feel like making any changes in your plans? Do you want to ask for additional help from us, the angels?
Check in with yourself regularly. Hold silent conversations with any area of your body that’s asking for your attention. Listen to its messages and take steps according to its guidance. In this way, it won’t need to signal you through tension or pain, and will instead work with you harmoniously.

Doreen Virtue – Messages from your Angels

National Stationery Show in NYC – May 15-18

Amber Lotus is gearing up for an exciting week in NYC come this May. We will be featuring our New RENÉE LOCKS card line, as well as other exciting new products.

Stop by and see the full line at the NSS in the Hartman Cards booth #3520.

Amber Lotus Publishing is excited to announce a new line of RENÉE LOCKS greeting cards. In a style of elegant simplicity, Renée pairs her charismatic sumi-e calligraphy with expressive watercolor paintings to create a delightful harmony of art and words, both nourishing and wise. These cards are offered as greeted or blank inside. They are 4.75″ x 6.75″ and printed on textured watercolor paper. Cards retail at $2.75 each.

To see the full line visit us at the NSS in Hartman Cards booth #3520.
See us online at www.amberlotus.com.

Endorsement:
Renée Locks’ cards have always been the very foundation of our company. Core
customers like the bookshop at St. Martin-in-the-Fields are simply buying
the complete line of Amber Lotus Renée Locks cards. It is rare in the art card world to find classics that do not go out of fashion. We are delighted that Renée is now with Amber Lotus.
—Tony Pol, Vision Antics

Sales information:
Tim Campbell
Director of Sales
tcampbell@amberlotus.com
503.284.6400 x202