Ring in New Year’s Good Luck with Lucky Foods

Happy New Year 2010!

Wishing You and Yours a Prosperous, Healthy and Happy New Year!

There are many traditions regarding the consumption of various foods to bring in luck, happiness and prosperity to families all over the World.

In the South, it is said that you must eat Greens, Black Eyed Peas and Cornbread on New Year’s Day to be prosperous and successful throughout the year. each item is symbolic for a certain part of your everyday life. The Collard or Mustard Greens symbolize ‘greenbacks’ or ‘folding money’, the Cornbread because of its’ golden color represents “gold” as in gold and coin money and Black Eyed Peas ,also known as Cow Peas, for general Good Luck. Some cook a Rice and Black Eyed Peas dish called “Hoppin’ John” and serve it with baked Ham. While I am not partial to Hoppin’ John, it has been a tradition in my family for years to eat the Black Eyed Peas, Greens, Cornbread and with the addition of Fried Okra on New Year’s Day. These dishes can be prepared in many different ways. You may find recipes by searching the Internet or asking an Elder in the Church or neighborhood.

One of my favorite ways to make collard greens is to make sure I cut all the white vein out of the leaf (tends to make it bitter to the taste) and chop the leaves in bite sized pieces. Then I take a clove of garlic and mince it up. I get out my large wok, put some olive oil in it, drop in the greens and flash stir fry them, add the garlic, salt and pepper and its all done in about 15 minute from start to finish!

Here is a link to a great article about ‘Lucky” foods (and also unlucky foods to eat), along with their recipes from www.epicurious.com. Click here to read on…

Now, if you cannot get a hold of fresh Collard or Mustard Greens in the winter, you can always search for the Glory Foods Brand in your local supermarket. I usually find it in the Specialty Food section of the store. Click here to get great recipes and make sure to sign up for their e-mails.

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More Astrology News at Gryphon Astrology Website

Greetings!

While I understand some of the common aspects of the planets and their characteristics in the zodiac table, I confess I do not know much more than that.

I did come across a website that I have not visited for some time, www.gryphonastrology.com and I have to admit the new design is beautiful. Nina has always used the Great Masters works of art to exemplify her articles and this has continued with the website.

I encourage you to visit her site, www.gryphonastrology.com and browse through her informative articles and order a reading today!

Article Link | The Lore of the “Blue Moon” – Dec. 31, 2009

In addition to a Full Moon on December 31st, New Year’s Eve will be considered a “Blue Moon”, meaning it is the second Full Moon within a 31 day cycle. This doesn’t happen often, according to Katerina Reif-Derrico, author of Blue Moon Origins and Traditions.

To read Katerina’s article on the blue moon legend, click here.

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Holiday Inspirations with www.BlogTalkRadio.com!

Tarot by Jacqueline, Elk Grove, CA

Greetings All and a peaceful Winter Season to Everyone!

One of my pet peeves at this time of the year is the monumental push to sell – sell – SELL! In one of my past reincarnations, I was a flower shop owner (who did many consultations right there while designing the flowers for a client!) and I would routinely be asked by customers as to why I did not have my Christmas decorations up before Thanksgiving. I would tell them that I was ‘letting the Season come’. They would look at me with curious faces as I explained that there is Beauty in the changing of the Fall season into Winter and because of the almighty dollar, the tendency to ‘rush the Holidays’ takes the JOY our of it. In fact, I would not change out my hay bales, corn husks and pumpkins until Thanksgiving morning – while the turkey was inthe oven, I would steal away to change out the front store window, and have last minute centerpiece sales to boot!

In fact, for many years when the kids were small, we did not put up the tree until December 12th -the Feast of the Virgen of Guadalupe. This year, I rounded up the family and had the teens wrap gifts for my co-workers as I went to go get the tree. We got a very nice one and had it all decorated by the end of day the next day, thanks to the teens. I popped into offices and rooms and delivered my gifts to many happy faces and also set out three tubs of cookies with snowman napkins and plates in the lunchroom. Now, is the time to begin the Winter Season Holidays.

Over the years I have changed my greetings from “Merry Christmas” to “Happy Holidays” to my new greeting this year, “Peaceful Winter Season”. As I continue my spiritual walk, I want to wish each member of the Earth Good Will that correlates to their particular belief system. I honor each individuals belief system, and as long it for GOODNESS, then I am all for it!

One way to connect with Spirit – in its’ many forms- is to listen to www.BlogTalkRadio.com. They have interesting guests, interactive Instant Blogging, and more subjects than you can shake a stick at! So if you are a little over hearing “White Christmas” on the radio, tune in over your Internet to BlogTalkRadio.com and enjoy!

I will be available off and on throughout the Winter festivities as I am getting ready for our 3rd annual Banishing Negativity Ritual on Dec. 31st – New Years Eve. There is still time to purchase a tea light petition and a Banishing Doll for pesky people by clicking on the link below.

Also, make sure to sign up for the Tarot by Jacqueline Newsletter, as I will be announcing the 2010 Prosperity Experiment and also the creation of the Love Altar for a 30 day Love Drawing Event! Make sure you are well informed by signing up today! Just click on the link below as well.

Wishing you and your loved ones and friends much love, cheer and eggnog this upcoming Winter Season! Make sure you take a night drive to see the lighted houses, light a White Candle for Peace, a Green Candle for Prosperity and a Red Candle for Love in your mantle or table centerpiece and have some peppermint hot chocolate for me!

Jacqueline

Tarot by Jacqueline | Article about a “Journey to Santeria”

Tarot by Jacqueline, Elk Grove, CA

Greetings,

A friend suggested this article to me and I thought that it had merit to explain a little more about the religion of Santeria – the way of the Saints.

Santeria is a religion that was brought over during the African diaspora and synchronized with Catholicism in the Caribbean. It is practiced by a majority of Cubans and Puerto Ricans, as well as the people in  the Dominican Republic, Venezuela and Brazil.

In this article, “Journey to Santeria”, Joyce Thompson gives a personal account of her search for true meaning in Spirit and how the Orichas brought her to love again.

To read Joyce Thompson’s account of her experiences, click here

Confessions of a Psychic – Miami Style Glamour and Corruption

Tarot by Jacqueline

I order from ebay.com a book about a ‘famous’ psychic in Miami, thinking that there might, MIGHT be a thread of wisdom in it as I like to read books by other spiritual people who publish inspiring thought, quotes and passages. Hey, I need inspiration sometimes as well! Unfortunately, it proved to not inspire me as it did not surprise me that a Miami journalist would be involved with this person that the book was about.

The research that I did on the subject of the book proved to indicate that she has been in trouble with the law over her business practices with ‘psychic scams’. I never ceases to amaze me the vast amounts of money that “professional” psychics or spiritual workers charge people and actually utilize little to no products and/or time on their clients’ needs. This only goes to show me that I am on the right path in the service of my clients and I make sure that they receive more than they paid for. I an continuiously blessed for being an adherant to the Truth.

I do not read for people all day; my madrina (godmother) told me that ths is not the way to work your energy. I am blessed with a great career and I read for clients to help them. I am in the service of Man. That is why I took the time to be ordained in the Universal Life Church as a Minister and have the title of Reverend. That is why I took the time to study over a year to be a graduate of cat yronwode, who teaches the ways of root work and herbs in spiritual practices.

I recently received a telephone call from a frustrated woman in San Diego. After our “hellos”, she began to ask me questions about ‘guarantees’ and ‘proof’ and such. She asked me about pricing and why others ask so much money. Ahhh, I thought, she either has been to another ‘psychic’ who gave her a price that she became curious about or she is a ‘psychic’ herself and asking about why I take a stand against high psychic prices. After a few examples, her tone softened and I could hear the anxienty lessening in her voice. That told me right away that she was a client that almost ‘took the deal’, so to speak.

I then proceeded to tell her that ‘good’ psychics offer alternative choices for their situation. I do, because I will not charge such an exorberant amount that the client is eating pork and beans and noodle soup to make ends meet because she just shelled out thousands of dollars for something that cannot justify the price. Do I charge various prices? Yes and it depends on the situation.

For example, if you are going to court and have a case that is being heard where you were wrongly charged or not guilty, I will do work that will cost, but it is because it is my time and energy being tapped into in order to help reduce, lessen or assist in clearing your name. I am sending time in prayer and petition to God , the Just Judge, to see that you are spared. The most important factor in this situation is: Are you guilty or not? I had a mother that came to me because her son was with people that did something and he was with them at the time they were pulled over. I spent three days on this family, doing what I needed to do in order to try to clear his name. I did a reading for him and in the reading, indications of deception were present. I asked him repeatedly if he was ‘in cahoots’ with these other guys. His answer was an emphatic “No!”. I performed many different cleanings (sometimes referred to as ‘cleansings’), prayers and candles. I was in prayer for this family the last three days before the court date. I went to court with the family. The son was not completely cleared, but his charged was reduced as he was not one the major players in the event, but on the sidelines. I asked later if he knew what was ‘going to go down’ and he sheepishly admitted that he did have knowledge. My question to him was this: Why did you continue to be in their presence if you know something was going to occur that was not right in the eyes of God? He said he didn’t want to be a ‘wimp’ or ‘loser’. He was given over a year of community service and the mother was so grateful that her child was not going to jail. Lucky boy.

I have written an article in hopes that it will assist you determining if you are being ‘scammed’ or not by a psychic, fortune teller, palmist or spiritual worker. I hope that it brings clarity and assist in you ‘weeding out’ the good from the bad.

Click here to read When to Consider Seeking a Spiritual Consultation or Reading

Tarot by Jacqueline | Gift Giving Using the Zodiac

Tarot by Jacqueline, Elk Grove, CAI must confess – I am not done with my Christmas shopping. I have a few things I need to get so I will be trying to use next weekend to finish.

I did, however, get this article in my e-mail about shopping by using the astrological signs of your gift recipients and I thought I ‘d pass it on to you!

Go to: “Gift Giving by the Sign”,  courtesy of California Psychics

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