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It's Leap Day! Propose to your man. Or not.


Today is an extra day for us.



What will you do with your extra day?

Ladies, one thing you could do is...

propose to your man.

Or not.


But really...

I attempted some Leap Day research the other day. I was looking for folklore, mythology, any bizarre info I could find on Leap Day.


Leap Day is the day where women can
propose to men.

Yup.

True story.

Why would we want to?

I don't know.


Apparently legend has it that St. Bridget protested to St. Patrick
on behalf of all women the unfairness of having to wait for a man to propose.

The two negotiated.

It was decided that one out of every 4 years, a woman would be allowed to propose to a man...so it was settled that it would be Leap Day.

Upon this resolution, it happened to be a Leap Year, so Bridget got down on one knee
and popped the question to Patrick.

He said no.

Patrick gave her a kiss and a silk gown to make her feel better.

Really?

I guess he had other priorities like driving the snakes out of Ireland?





Peace, Inspiration, & Love,
~Amy
The Spirit Dancer

Oracle of the Week~Goddess Minerva

Minerva


Beliefs


I am what I think

my life is shaped and formed

by what I tell myself

Who I am in the world

is who I think I am

What I have in the world

is what I think I can have

The contents of my mind

are what I choose

I discard, cut out, drop

that which doesn't contribute

What others believe about me

is their story

It tells more about what they think

than who I am

In my journey

I make sure that what I carry

is of my own careful choosing

and serves me well

******************************************************

Minerva is Goddess of

intelligence, creativity, wisdom, domestic skills, and handicrafts.

Minerva steps into your life to tell you it is time to
examine your beliefs.

Change them if they do not nurture your wholeness.

Get rid of old, unhealthy thoughts.

Do not let what others think of you matter.

Create your own you, your own story...
one that nourishes all that you are and strive to be.

Minerva says that wholeness is nurtured when you see yourself with
all your parts
-both light and dark-
and choose your beliefs to serve your highest good.


By Amy Sophia Marashinsky
Illustrated by Hrana Janto



Peace, Inspiration, & Love,
~Amy
The Spirit Dancer

This Week in The Spirit Dancer

This Week in The Spirit Dancer

Reading: "Practical Protection Magick" by Ellen Dugan

Listening to: Feeling grunge this week...Nirvana, Pearl Jam, and Smashing Pumpkins...

Watching: Scrubs, Scrubs, and more Scrubs

Thinking about: How good it is to feel more settled in Asheville...finally.

Learning: How to balance my time.

Doing: Need a craft day...still need to make that necklace for someone...and I want to create a bag for my Plant Oracle cards.

Pet Peeves: Neighbors that play their music way too loud. Do you think I want to listen to your music? No. I want to listen to mine. This is the same kind of thing at gas stations when you are gassing up your car and some asshole is playing their loud annoying hip hop shit rap music while filling up their tank. RUDE.

Happy Thoughts: I met Bonobo. I met Bonobo. Bonobo said "Hey." I met Bonobo.

Best Quote: I hate hippies. I just want to go hug a tree.

Looking forward to: March! Springtime!


Peace, Inspiration, & Love,
~Amy
The Spirit Dancer

Peaceful Daily & Me

Peaceful Daily inspires me everyday.

The first time I read Peaceful Daily, I felt so drawn to Sandy. I thought "she gets it, she really gets it."

I love how Peaceful Daily focuses on one simple subject per blog.

I always look forward to reading her inspirations every morning.

From glass bottles for your water to seeing our universal connection, I feel Sandy makes a difference in people's lives.


Peaceful Daily is what inspired me to become a blogger.

I've discovered that blogging is also a form of teaching.

You can teach people through your blogs...inspire them, help them, motivate them, and be words of wisdom.

I have been super fortunate and utterly excited that I have been featured twice on Peaceful Daily!

Here are the tips from The Spirit Dancer:




Enjoy!




Peace, Inspiration, & Love,
~Amy
The Spirit Dancer

This Week in The Spirit Dancer

This Week in The Spirit Dancer

Reading: "Faeries" by Brian Froud and Alan Lee

Listening to: All things Bonobo

Watching: Supernatural

Thinking about: Feeling good about finally feeling somewhat settled here.

Learning: Home is where you make your home.

Doing: The usual: work, Cheshire, relax, read...going to check out some Asheville restaurants in the Asheville Small Plate crawl.

Pet Peeves: Moochers, slackers, and flakes.

Happy Thoughts: Hugs.

Best Quote: "A day without laughter is a day without living."

Looking forward to: Bonobo at The Orange Peel on Saturday!


Peace, Inspiration, & Love,
~Amy
The Spirit Dancer

Extra Faery in Your Life~The Queen of Hearth & Home


The Queen of Hearth & Home



The Queen of Hearth & Home holds the eternal hearth fire in her hand.

She carries with her the ability to make a home in the moment, in the now, wherever she is.
She passes this ability onto you.

It is important to "be at home" in any situation, to create a "home" when you invite people into your space, whether at a table in a restaurant, a desk at work, a seat next to you on a bus or plane, or in your own home.

The ability to make someone feel welcome when entering your space is a gift indeed.

The Queen of Hearth & Home gives you the ability to be gracious and create a home wherever you are, in any relationship.

***********************************************************************

Wow. The faeries always put me in my place. I've been yearning for a bigger home, more space, my own room, my own library, SPACE, room to breathe...living in such a small place is extremely difficult for me.

But Chris makes me feel at home and I know I have the ability to give this little bitty home good welcoming energy.

I just need to do it.

Keep it cozy and warm and welcoming until we find the next home.

I need to be here now.

I need to settle here into our hobbit cozy loving space.


from The Heart of Faerie Oracle
by Brian & Wendy Froud




Peace, Inspiration, & Love,
~Amy
The Spirit Dancer

Oracle of the Week~Faery The Singer of the Chalice

The Singer of the Chalice


Trust. Joy. Patience. Creativity. Hope. Miracles.

The Singer of the Chalice holds a rainbow of energies.

We need a word that includes trust and love and compassion and healing and patience and all of the other feelings that enhance and enlighten our being when we allow them to flow though us.

Jessica asked the faeries if such a word exists...the faeries just nod, smile, and shrug.

She says that maybe it's just one of those things...if you have the feeling, you don't have to name it...and anyone that hasn't felt it isn't going to understand anyway.

Open yourself up to these energies, just like a great big hug.

You can get this one feeling that is all the good feelings rolled into one - unconditional love, trust, hope, healing, patience, and all things good.

Be open.

From The Faeries' Oracle by Brian Froud, text by Jessica MacBeth

***********************************************

I love this card. It makes me gush. It makes me smile.
It makes me feel that I can have all this goodness and it's okay.
Let me relish in trust, joy, unconditional love, patience, and all things good.

Thank you faeries.

Peace, Inspiration, & Love,
~Amy
The Spirit Dancer

This Week in The Spirit Dancer

This Week in The Spirit Dancer

Reading: Almost done with "Faery Tale" by Signe Pike...I'm soooo into this book...also dug out my Faerycraft notes from years ago and I've been reading them.

Listening to: Bree Sharp, The Black Keys

Watching: Re-watching "Scrubs" Season 1 with Chris...he has never seen it. Man, this show still makes me laugh.

Thinking about: Inner peace

Doing: Want to make a necklace for someone this week.

Pet Peeves: Jesus freaks at Papas and Beer ruining my beer and taco buzz.

Happy Thoughts: Love and faeries

Best Quote: You don't mind that I'm topless, right?

Looking forward to: A day alone



Peace, Inspiration, & Love,
~Amy
The Spirit Dancer

The Origin of The Spirit Dancer

The Origin of The Spirit Dancer

The Spirit Dancer by Brian Froud



My friends have been calling me Spirit Dancer since 2001. Why? It just worked out that way...here is how I, Amy, also become known as The Spirit Dancer.


2001 was a life changing year for me. It was huge. My relationship of almost 6 years dissolved and I was left feeling at an all time low.

At the time I had no idea this would be my year of awakening.

I picked up one of my friend's books entitled, "The Wicca Handbook" by Eilenn Holland and I couldn't put it down. Everything I read made so much sense to me.

This was what I was searching for. I went deeper.

I read all I could on paganism and mythology. I began taking Wicca 101 at the local new age shop. I brought meditation into my life. "The Mist of Avalon" became my favorite book and I almost tattooed a moon on my forehead...almost. I chose my back instead.

I took all the classes I could...wicca, the elements, the wheel of the year, meditation, spiritual development, tai chi, goddess, animal totem, tree magick, and the ogham.

And the biggest development...my connection to the Fae busted wide open. There was even a Faerycraft class. Oh, the joy.

I got The Faery Oracle deck by Brian Froud and felt like I found a new set of friends.

The card that inspired me the most was and still is The Spirit Dancer.

She is self-expression. She is freedom. She is exploration.

She creates. She crafts. She dances. She is all inspiring.

I knew that deep down I was just like her. I am The Spirit Dancer.

I climbed out of the depths of depression with new found creativity. I was crafty. I made jewelry. I created candles from old scraps of wax. A whole new Amy opened up and became The Spirit Dancer.

The Spirit Dancer inspired the craftiness of me...the spiritual part of me....the healer in me. She awakened my soul and dances me into my authentic being.

My friends started calling me Spirit Dancer that year...it stuck. When I started selling my wares at local events, Spirit Dancer Creations was born.

I appreciate and honor The Spirit Dancer.

WIthout her I wouldn't be who I am.




Peace, Inspiration, & Love,
~Amy
The Spirit Dancer

Oracle of the Week ~ Plant Chamomile


Chamomile


From The Druid Plant Oracle
by
Philip & Stephanie Carr-Gomm

Illustrated
by
Will Worthington


Gaelic Name: Camomhail
Latin Name: Anthemis nobilis

Planet: The Sun

Chamomile calms and that's why she is here right now.

Calm down.

Rest.

Regenerate.

You are entering a calm phase in which you will be able to connect again with your inner resources, both physical and spiritual.

Chamomile brings peace.

Chamomile will help you focus on how you can regain your zest for life and the energy you need to cope with the demands of the life you have chosen.

Chamomile is an herb of the sun
and conveys that type of
energy-regeneration and vitality.

She brings a sense of rebirth and regeneration.


****************************************************

My mantra:
I open myself up to chamomile's relaxing and rejuvenating energy.






Peace, Inspiration, & Love,
~Amy
The Spirit Dancer

This Week in The Sprit Dancer

This Week in The Spirit Dancer

Reading: "Faery Tale" by the enchanting Signe Pike

Listening to: Pearl and the Beard, new favorite band

Watching: "Supernatural" season 7 and
Game of Thrones" season 1

Thinking about: Faeries, the universe, and energy

Learning: Deepening my faery knowledge

Doing: Making jewelry

Pet Peeves: Fun-blockers...you know fun-blockers...they get in a bad mood and spread their negativity to everyone they are around so you can't have fun either

Happy Thoughts: Good music, good lovin, good wine, and good times

Best Quote: You're my bedroom porn.

Looking forward to: Getting my NC tags, finally



Peace, Inspiration, & Love,
~Amy
The Spirit Dancer

Imbolc

Merry Imbolc!





Today is Imbolc.

St. Brigid's Day.

It is time to plant the "seeds" of our hopes and dreams for 
the coming summer months.

What seeds are you manifesting?



Peace, Inspiration, & Love,
~Amy
The Magick Muse

February Goals


One month into 2012.

Seems to be going by faster and faster.

How am I doing with my resolutions? My goals?


Let's look at my New Year's Resolutions...

Goals for 2012

  • Cheshire Fitness Club (check)
  • Eat better/healthier (check)
  • Blog/journal (check)
  • Enforce boundaries/protection (check)
  • Have more me time (check)
  • Go downtown more (check)
  • Go to live shows (check)
  • Be involved in craft shows (need to work on)
  • Save money for 2013 Florida Megacon trip (need to work on)
  • Move to a bigger home with Chris (need to work on)

What should I focus on in February?

Finally get my North Carolina tags
Plan wine tour trip #3
Keep going to the gym
Work on jewelry


Peace, Inspiration, & Love,
~Amy
The Spirit Dancer