Solaria Divina

Tag: divine feminine

  • Femininity uncaged 

    We are not dolls. We have divinity within us. We are not flawless, but we can embrace the freedom that comes from vitality, from expression, and from a deep connection with our bodies and our power. Luxurious is the life filled with rich experiences, love, self empowerment, learning and creativity.

    The first cage is a cage of refinement. On the outside a refined woman looks composed, like she carries power well, like she handles all of life’s challenges gracefully while retaining soft edges. What you don’t see is that she is forced to be extremely self reliant, to keep pain and anger on a short leash, to repress emotions in order to manage the emotions of those around her. It takes constant monitoring and very narrow, very heavy psychological controls to do this. Some of us are brought up to feel this is natural, but on some level it hurts all of us.

    The second cage is a cage of commodification. Aesthetics like clean girl, tied to conservative concepts of femininity and traditional wifehood, coquette which leans into girlish and playful sensibilities, and cottage core, our designed to force us into categories. Brands lean on these trends to sell, and many of us feel uncomfortable if any part of our aesthetic doesn’t match a currently dominant trend, so we end up feeling pressured to alter our presentation. This makes it hard to be totally genuine. Compliance is packaged as creativity and we lose our input.

    The third cage is a cage of performative desirability. Your mother told you to wear the shapewear, never leave the house without a bra, keep your skin flawless, never have visible body hair. Then society gave you tight skimpy clothing, but contradicted with a message to never sit with relaxed legs. They gave you diet culture, spiked heels, and a million products to keep you looking like you are as close to 17 as possible. Make yourself pretty, be available but not too available, keep silent and flawless. Within this cage there can be a sense of power. You can use looks to game the system. But again you cannot make a mistake. You cannot have slightly stained teeth because you enjoy your morning coffee, chipped nail polish, or eyebrows that aren’t a perfect match. You can’t enjoy food because you are always chasing social approval of your body.

    The fourth cage is a cage of denial. It’s the last one that can appear when the other three have been intentionally evaded. They don’t just shrug off the suffocating strictures of the cultural definition of femininity, but the joy and power that can come with it as well. A commanding feminine presence can transform the energy in a room. She’s not just pretty and polished. There is a clear and personal art to her beauty. Maybe she goes in for 20s style crystal jewelry, sequined dresses, and detailed sparkly manicures. Maybe she’s the girl in the dark red lipstick and the gold silk wrapped dress who doesn’t bother to modulate her laughter. Maybe she’s the girl who can handle herself in a fight but shows up in a satin dress under a leather trenchcoat. She’s the warm, living, sensual woman who actually embodies her power. In the cage of denial, you miss out on all that in an effort to avoid suffocation. To me this looks like functional baggy clothing, utilitarian footwear, no aesthetic instinct. There is relief in absence which is understandable.

    All of these cages have an insidious trick, like the food in a mouse trap. They temporarily let you feel really good if you succeed within them. But they cut you off from your real power, your goddess energy. You are not weak, passive, receptive, or purely ornamental. You can be strong, outspoken, warm, vivacious, and sensual. You can enjoy all that life has to offer. But if you don’t know what you are giving up, the prizes within these cages can seem like the best thing possible. Respectability, social approval, power without apparent aggression, or just the peace and relief of the seeming absence of a cage. You don’t have to sacrifice the feminine power with an all of us just to shrug off the various methods of containment that have been devised for you.

  • The Solar Feminine

    The sun is a source of feminine power. She is a source of life, of courage, of warmth, of joy, of generosity. She does not need to be the receiving vessel or the reflection of the masculine. She is her own force. And the power of the sun is also cyclical I would point out. The cycle of day to night and back to day. The solar cycle of year over year.

    Feminine identity is lived in and not performative. The light side of femininity is warm, inviting, elevated, nurturing, and generous. I invest in this side of her power, my power, through self care rituals and style. Through how I decorate my home, and how I interact with others. The dark feminine is strong, protective, creative, indulgent, and wild. I invest in this through community service, being honest even if it’s not pretty or sugarcoated, being there for people I love, allowing my anger to exist, and my magical practice.

    Both the sun and the moon can be viewed as either feminine or masculine. I find the masculine in cool restful energy. Which is why my system is inverse of what is currently popular. I’m not here to justify this. Only to open the door to this possibility.

    You can connect with this power using a piece of citrine. When I did this working I dressed it with a drop of my blood. go outside on a warm sunny day. Hold the stone up to the sun and ask her to fill you with her power. It should feel as though a ray of light flows through the stone to you. You should feel calm, warmed from the inside and empowered. If it is a safe space to do so lay down in the grass and place the stone over your heart. Just live in stillness with her. Note, the blood I used in this working is for creating a physical link but you do not have to do this. You can visualize filling the stone with a deep crimson energy instead. When you are done and return inside, place the stone on a windowsill the sun regularly hits and allow it to continue to charge, and then use it anywhere you engage in self-care or creative rituals.

  • Music, makeup, and mental health

    Part of the reason I tie beauty in all forms, from body art to architecture, music to fine art, sculpture and photography, poetry and the beauty of the natural world, to my spirituality, and particularly to the divine feminine, is because music and makeup were the two things that helped me hold on to hope for many years. And I will always be grateful for that. Music was an outlet. I have a massive library that is primarily rock and metal, with some alternative pop, industrial, and electronic mixed in. Also some world folk stuff the last few years. Playing music while working out, writing, or just trying to think through whatever might be going on, has given me a sense of calm and personal power. If I’m upset it gives me a feeling of strength, and if I’m in a good place it just adds to that. I will share a little secret with everyone. Alongside digging up information on dark or overlooked female spirits and gods for many years, I have also enjoyed really searching the depths of the Internet for women in the underground music scene, especially frontwomen of rock and metal bands. Not very long ago I realized these two pursuits were spiritually connected.

    When I fell in love with make up back in 2015, it opened a door for me. It gave me a reason to get out of bed, brush my hair and take care of my skin, and generally set my spiritual focus on my own internal goddess energy. I had always enjoyed pretty and elevated, with an edgy artistic twist. But for a long time that became central to me. It was a little sidetracked as I tried to break into the beauty influencer game, but without enough technical skill in either editing or the looks I was creating, I couldn’t succeed. Which is why I’m here now, creating content on my own terms. I still love fragrance and body care, though I’ve scaled back on how much makeup I own as I’ve really narrowed down what I like. But I still find spiritual investment in my appearance, and how I feel in my body, valuable every day.

    If you want to check out my beauty and style content, and also Spotlight pieces on various music artists and bands, check out this blog.

    http://diamondserpentine.wordpress.com

  • The value of beauty for humanity

    We have always valued beautiful things. People traded for visually stunning materials to make their tools out of, discovered pigments in nature for body decoration, spirituality in everything from the fragrance of flowers to the shapes of mountains. We have landscape photography, perfume is an industry that brings in billions of dollars, and people feel healthier living in places where aesthetic detail matters. Social elites have tried to define what is truly beautiful and some people out there would argue that beauty in life does not matter. I say it does.

    A basket of makeup beside two jewelry boxes, several perfume bottles, a decorative dish, gold tray, and a small pile of headbands

    A little about me. The early beauty YouTube community helped me start to learn to love myself. It was easier to get out of bed when I wanted to put on a nice outfit, do my make up, take care of my skin. Gradually over the years I linked this with my spirituality, which has a divine feminine focus. now I encourage people to care for their spirit by dressing in ways that make them feel both beautiful and comfortable, and creating an aesthetic environment that nurtures a sense of peace and contentment.

    A black cat rests on one of two velvet cushions, which are pink and yellow, in front of a wood and glass piece of furniture used as an altar. The altar holds several handmade God and goddess statues, offering cups, plates holding crystals, and several other symbolic and decorative objects.

    The copper plates, ceramic espresso cups, and many other items here were created by small business owners online who have a great sense of aesthetic. I created the statues by hand, though I wish I could have done more detail work, as a self-taught amateur sculpter. The photography is also my work. The layout is meant to be visually aesthetic with balance and symmetry. I really worked to choose colors that I find inviting. There are also some vintage items such as the two jewelry boxes I use for long-term spells, and the two candleholders on either side. I chose natural materials wherever possible as a connection to the Earth, which is why I also included the photography. And most of us appreciate the feel of luxurious material on our skin, such as velvet or silk, which is how I decided on my floor cushions.

    Luxe magic is intentional living for the purpose of being happy and fulfilled. This means self-care, cultivating beauty in your life, doing the same for others around you and being involved in your community, actively choosing intellectual pursuits and experiences that change your perspective, and above all, taking care of the divine aspect of yourself while having a strong relationship with your higher powers. Over the next several months I plan to chat with you on the various aspects of this practice. Subscribe if you are interested.

  • Memento Vivere

    Sable’s nicknames were sweet girl and honeybee. I also referred to her in conversation sometimes as a salty diva because she was very much the Primadonna. She would be seeking attention one minute, and then I would walk by her a few minutes later and she would bite my foot just because she was annoyed at my presence. She never really liked toys and knew how to remove a collar. She was absolutely food crazy, and if she really liked you she would let you hold one of her paws while she took a nap. An absolute lap cat, she did not love being held but would refuse to get off of you no matter what you needed to do, or how quickly you needed to do it.

    Sable was born sometime in the spring of 2014. I never got the absolute correct date. But I got her in April 2015 so she was between eight and 10 months old at the time. At first the Humane Society would not let me visit with her because they wanted her to be adopted with her former housemates. The owner had gone into hospice. I was on the verge of signing the paperwork for a sweet little black cat named Diamond, when they came in and told me I could see her because the other two cats from the same house had been adopted without her. She completely ignored me at first, until I put my hand on her scruff the way a mother cat would, and then she climbed all over me. She wasn’t the cat I was necessarily looking for that day, but apparently she was the one I needed.

    Over a decade, several moves, friendships coming and going, and me trying to figure out what to do with my life, Sable has been there. She struggled with a stress related bladder disorder and a congenital lung condition. She hated wet food for most of her life, but would eat canned chicken or tuna. She also had this walk like the patterns in her fur were some kind of fashion statement, and always wanted me to turn on the faucet so she could drink from it. I never had to worry about her trying to go outside, and while she would watch the birds, she didn’t seem to care to try to catch them. Another nickname I jokingly had for her was sun patch cat. Because as with most cats, sunbathing was one of her favorite activities.

    There is something about that face that I always felt was almost human but I could never explain why. She knew how to manipulate with those eyes. After she came back from the vet and they had had to give her a breathing tube during dental cleaning, she had lost her voice for about a week. She figured out that if she used the same tone even when she was recovered, I would think it was adorable and pitiful and give her what she wanted. Which was generally treats.

    Sable passed away around 7 AM Sunday, August 31 of this year. She was losing her vision and mentally declining. Lung and liver conditions caught up with her and we were also dealing with a flea infestation. Someone removed all four sets of her claws as a kitten, so she had difficulty scratching let alone jumping to high places to get away from them. while I was treating my place and her, I missed the signs of anemia and she declined very suddenly. So this afternoon I laid her to rest.

    The first thing she received were what I think of as grave gifts. I work well with water and fire magic. I gave her black mother of pearl, a cowry shell, and one other I don’t remember the name of. She received four stones. Blue kyanite, aquamarine, quartz, and agatized coral. I covered her with a blend of lavender blossoms, sea salt, some ground ginger, and a little dragon’s blood oil. The last thing was this champagne silk scarf I kept in my purse. We draped it over her before covering her up. I wanted her to have a true funeral, the kind of burial that ancient pagans would give those they love with all sorts of riches included in the grave. Before we filled in the grave, I finally just asked that her reincarnation would be a reward for all that she did. I was not in the frame of mind to decide what God’s to call. I had held her while the grave was dug. I had made an impression of her paw print in clay that I will paint later on. I was not a perfect pet parent, we frustrated each other and argued, and she gave me plenty of sass. I wanted to make sure, because this isn’t done enough, that she had a respectful sendoff. Too many sweet babies are just discarded, or owners treat them as accessories instead of members of the family. That was my first strong opinion I think, that pets are family, and I remember I took so much crap for that in third grade. Please keep your cats inside, make sure they know love every day, and don’t just discard them when they become slightly inconvenient.

    The phrase memento vivere means remember to live. We are all getting swept away in the horror that is our world right now. I can translate sadness over the shitty way so many of us treat animals who love us into just doing more for the ones who have chosen me. I can acknowledge how awful our social climate is, and then prioritize doing things I enjoy like going out for coffee, artwork, thrifting and music, because personal happiness in the little moments is resistance to the darkness. I can prioritize remembering to say good morning or good night, checking on my friends occasionally without needing to be prompted, sending out a birthday text or condolence wishes, because those things forge our connection with each other. Say good night, memento mori, say good night and drive safe. Memento vivere, say good morning and you matter to me. Remember you will die, but also remember to live. Because as far as I’m concerned there are three things to do in life. Have a good time, try to learn something, and live in a way you can be proud of at the end. But I need to add to that. Be there in a genuine way for those you share this life with who are genuine with you.

    Hail the traveler. Good night sweet girl.

  • Lessons from the goddess Kali

    I have not worked with Kali Long. I was encouraged to work with her because what she does is clear away those things that interfere with you fully stepping into your divine feminine. As this is the focus of my spirituality, in a global sense, I agreed. Very quickly a few messages were delivered.

    If you want to influence changes in the world, you have to stand on your own 2 feet. You cannot rely on others to support or save you. This goes back to the idea I have presented before of being a ruler of your own domain. You can’t wait for scraps, claw your way up some metaphorical ladder, You have to build your own throne. The only one who can sabotage that throne is yourself. This means going as deep as possible in order to face things you might have been avoiding.

    If you live with constant stress, if you’ve always had to protect what’s yours or who you are, you can develop a constant conflict mindset where it feels like everything and everyone is against you. You have to drop this. I know not everyone is ready to hear this message in the insane, turbulent world we live in. It feels like we are always treading water. A lot of the advice out there is how to react, how to deflect or diffuse, how to counter attack. And while you might need to have those strategies in your back pocket, because there are those who will want to bring you down, if you walk around in a constant defensive state, it actually attracts those who want to take what you have. If instead you recognize the boundaries of your domain, and move with the understanding that what is yours is already yours, without question, if you can cultivate a sense of security within yourself, you go from treading to just floating. You go from just trying to hold your place to trusting that you’re not going to sync and you will get where you want to go.

    Finally, anger is a shallow thing. An explosive thing for sure, but shallow. Deep, sincere feminine rage is slow, but far reaching and much more powerful. This is still something I work with her on, as one of my own personal flaws is a short fuse. So this one I’m still trying to understand. But destruction should create fertile ground for building something new, not a breeding ground for toxicity and corruption.

  • Material self-care is a spiritual prerogative

    According to many religions we all contain some aspect of divinity. Whether that is incarnation, a divine spark, a pillar, or the potential to ascend to the level of a God or goddess. At this point I feel my beliefs are a combination of the first two. We can incarnate some aspect of gods who have taken a hand in our creation and growth. For those who believe in one particular God, they say that people are made in his image. Which could be interpreted as the same thing. And we all have divine energy within us, those little gifts and moments of intuition beyond the physical.

    In my own personal practice I ally with, work with, and give offerings too, many different types of gods and spirits. So what if when we give without expecting anything in return to other people, we are in some ways making offerings to their spirits? And what if when we initiate an exchange of labor or material possessions, we are allying with that person’s spirit the same way we do with the non-physical entities we work with? Sometimes those human spirits in living bodies aren’t necessarily deserving of what we give, and sometimes we give with ulterior motives, but that’s a topic for another day. Most religions would say it is good to be selfless. But I think a healthy amount of selfishness is also a good thing.

    If the only food you have in your home is a plate of cookies, and there are five, and three people come to your home asking for food, are you going to give away all of the cookies? We have to take time to physically restore our emotional Resources, our sense of comfort in this physical reality, so that we have enough abundance to share when others need it. We do this in three ways. We are careful not to give to those who only seek to drain us. Community means that when you share resources, there is an unspoken promise that when you need support, others will share with you. This goes for emotional and spiritual resources, not just physical. You protect what you know you need. This means that the three people who came to your house wanting food can get a cookie if you know you are going to have more food in the next few hours. But if you don’t, then maybe sharing isn’t the best idea. Maybe they promised to bring something back in return. You don’t know if they will keep that promise.

    The third way is self-care. Actions that bring you a sense of well-being, contentment, and security start in the physical, boosting your emotional resources, giving your spirit space to heal. For some people this is cleaning or working out. For some people this is a rare steak and red wine. Of which I approve. For some people this is a luxurious bath involving fancy special occasion products and scented candles. Also lovely.

    How do you practice self-care?

    I personally engage in self-care in a few stages. I will enjoy a nice bath, to remember how to love the body I am in. I might bring a mineral water with me. I will listen to a favorite book. Then when I am done, I make sure to take care of my skin, put on fragrance, and throw on a favorite dress. I get ready as if I am going out on a date or with friends. But instead, I order a pizza, put on a favorite show, and acknowledge my gratitude for how much the gods and spirits I am aligned with due for me. And how incredible life is. Or if this is too much of a production, I get a mineral water or a coffee, maybe a brownie or a few pieces of dark chocolate, and I find somewhere quiet to just sit and read. I still might throw on a pretty dress though. I have put myself in a better state of mind to make it easier to handle whatever life throws at me next. And be there for the spirits of those I care about.

    I offer two courses that relate to this topic. Right now they are live for $30 an hour, and they are one hour courses. Later this year I hope to have print download options. They are glamour magic and self empowerment. You can read more about these on my courses page. 

  • Sunrise working on the summer solstice

    I’d like to wish everyone a happy summer solstice. I made it a point to be outside for the sunrise this morning. I wanted to do something to honor her power, to draw on that strength for myself, and to connect with the Earth.

    For the first part of my working I aligned 3 favorite stones I always carry with me for specific purposes. One of my core beliefs is that the fulfillment of desire and the active choosing of contentment our spiritual acts you can do in-service to the gods you work with. The first stone I worked with was Rose Calcedony, to remind me of the beauty of the summer solstice and that things will always change for the better. We are always evolving and progressing. This was connected with the energy of Lakshmi, who is a goddess I work with. One of many. She is said in lore to have the luster of the sun. The second stone I brought was a piece of Chevron smoky quartz. In order to truly feel the incredible ups and downs of life, I think a lot of us as adults have to reconnect with ourselves. This involves shadow work and soul retrieval so that is how I programmed this stone.

    For the second part of this working I had a piece of white jade. This I used to connect with angelic energies, reaching out to align with feminine angelic spirits of a fiery nature. The darker spirits I work with are often aligned with water so it’s a balance. Three came to me And channeled their names. I think I will keep those private. But their energies flowed together and through me. But the element of fire was significant to them. All three had a similar build, long red hair and white gowns. They did not show wings.

    The third segment of this working was to connect with the Earth, the sun, and the wind, to recharge and heal my body. The currents of energy from the Earth and the wind were especially strong and I could physically feel them.

    The last part went a little sideways. There is a large tree behind my apartment building. I attempted to work with its energy and discovered that it contains a parasitic spirit who attempted to feed me toxic energy. I was going to invite several spirits I work with to a further part of this ritual but ended up having to go back inside.

    I did not want technology involved in this ritual so I have no pictures of the sunrise which was in any case blocked by another building and the trees. But the wave of power that came with the light this morning was truly spectacular.

  • Working magic with classic jewelry

    I have never really been into the organic shapes and earthy look of a lot of spiritual jewelry. I’ve always liked pieces that are bold, but still classic in their design.

    These pendants have been collected over the last decade. A few are a little more ornate, but they are all basically the same simple cabochon and setting design. I love chunky brooches, pendants, bangles and medallions. They are personally expressive but in ways that translate well to the culture we live in. I’ve always liked to blend my spirituality with my sense of style. I feel no need to stand out and in fact I prefer keeping my practice quite subtle. There is something so powerful in disguising your workings this way. Someone sees a beautiful dress or piece of jewelry, and there might be a spirit housed in the jewelry, the dress might have symbols sewn into the lining. Your fragrance might be charged, you might have tiny mojo bags in the heels of your shoes. Your wallet might be blessed with prosperity oil, the one you Thrifted for $.50 because it was beautiful embossed leather.

    By the way I will be offering a glamour magic course, in print downloads, later this year. Those will be $10 each for the different sections. I also offer a live course for $30 and accept Cashapp or PayPal. If you leave me a comment we can figure out how to connect. The live courses are available now.

    You can do so much with gemstone jewelry. Of course you can work with the stone itself for many different purposes. But the piece can also be used for spirit keeping, that is housing a companion spirit if necessary. They can be used for all sorts of other types of spell work. I primarily use this collection for spirit keeping, although this is a process I am just now initiating, and managing my energetic body and environment as a practitioner. 

  • Positive moments of self-care

    Describe one of your favorite moments.

    I like to try to manifest as many positive and beautiful moments throughout my day as I can. The world feels as though it has lost its mind, and part of my spiritual path involves prioritizing my own sense of contentment within my life. I love a luxurious bubble bath, doing stretches or walking loops through my apartment listening to favorite music, dressing up just for me, or making a charcuterie board for dinner. None of these are rituals necessarily, but they are some of the choices I actively make to manifest positive energy in my life.

    Here is one recipe I love for emotional self-care after a bad day. You can use skim or oat milk. About half a tablespoon of dark cocoa powder, the Hershey’s Dutch dark is my preference, and real honey. A lot of store-bought honey is flavored syrup, you want to make sure it says organic. Or at least raw. All you are going to do is heat up a mug of your milk or substitute of choice, add your cocoa powder and then sweeten with honey to taste. You get a rich luxurious drink that is also quite nourishing and will help you sleep. You can even add a sprinkle of cinnamon or cardamom if you like. This is also an excellent alternative to coffee.

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