Write it out.

With prayerful intention, build a fire. Make an offering to the fire, such as tobacco. Spend time honoring the spirit of the fire. Ask for support. Ask what is required of you to participate in letting it go. With deep gratitude burn it. Burn the writing, and imagine setting in motion the release of it. DO NOT douse the fire out. Once you have made offerings, it has to go out naturally. Either put a screen over it, or sit with it until it’s safe to leave it.

As you sit with the fire after burning what you are letting go, asking for support from the Fire Goddess, imagine the anecdote to what you burned. 

The anecdote is your prayer, and where you need to start feeding your life into. Quit feeding the old, and nourish the new. 

And, then, pay attention to what comes your way in your life that supports you to let the old pattern go. Pay close attention. You will be shown.

If you want to dive deeper into the ritual of burning away the old, and birthing the new, or the anatomy and nuances of ritual in general,

Pluma and Mary offer the Anatomy of Ritual audio series that will deepen, strengthen and broaden your relationship with this ritual. 

Anatomy of Ritual Audio Course

Wild plants have powerful Jing, meaning that their genetic lines are potent and resilient. They are hard to stop. Wild plants have an abundance of Qi, meaning that they have the adaptive vitality to survive and even thrive in harsh, shifting environments. And they have an abundance of Shen. Shen is the spirit of the plant (in the case of Reishi, the spirit of the mountain forest), a botanical attitude of power and beauty.

Wild plants are almost always stronger than cultivated plants. They have more of the Three Treasures (Jing, Qi and Shen). The three vital treasures support the cultivation of all embracing love, and strong vital sexual creative energy.

Wild Reishi, no matter which species or variety, is said to have more Jing and Shen than a similar cultivated variety. That is not to say that cultivated Reishi doesn't have an abundance of Jing and Shen, but the wild variety is at the top of the universe.

Here in the WNC mountains the species of the Ganoderma mushroom, Reishi is Ganoderma tsugae. And, has similar properties to the most coveted variety, Ganoderma lucidum, or "Lingzhi". Enough similarity to jump up and down with uncontrolled excitement when you find them in the wild!  I hit the jackpot one day and harvested a whole basketful of fresh reishi. (Yes, the picture above is my harvest.) I learned you can cut the tender white tips off and sauté them. What a gift! I ate them in every dish I made until they were gone. Many people add it in powder form to their smoothie, or make a hot drink with it. I like combining powdered dandelion and chicory root with Reishi and astragalus root powder. And, when I’m going for it, I add raw cacao powder to my cup of hot elixir. The combination is a powerful support for your immune system. There are many good quality organic sources of Reishi powder you can easily purchase these days, either at a health oriented store or online.

I sliced the mushrooms thinly, and dried the slices to make a decoction. I ground some into a powder to add to dishes, such as my morning jook. And I finely chopped some raw mushroom, to make a tincture. I am blessed to be able to forage these treasures.

However you can acquire Reishi, it is a superior ally during these sometimes stressful times of transformation to keep your immune system strong.

The names "Reishi" and "Lingzhi" literally mean "Supernatural Fungus." That pretty much says it all. And speaking of gifts, here’s another ancient perspective on Reishi mushrooms!

“Reishi lightens the body and promotes longevity. Taken long term, it will make you feel like you are flying, so you are able to ascend to heaven. This ascension occurs on the level of the mind… there will be an arousal of sensuality, an orgasm of the brain.”

          Jeffrey Yuen, 88th generation Taoist priest, lecture, 2009.

I think I had a brain orgasm when I came upon these young beauties in the forest!

Ghost Pipe has the wisdom to act as a drip system infusing our hearts with the healing energy a little at a time, so it can be fully integrated, as it dissipates the discordant energy. It starts in the heart and works its way through all the chakras, as this core rejection of self affects our empowerment, connection to our sexual creative energy, our sense of belonging, our voice, our trust in our own wisdom, and our connection to spirit. An extraordinary plant spirit ally to support freeing us from a core wound rooted within the heart.

If you are interested in purchasing this powerful plant spirit essence I am making it available.

Cost for 1oz bottle is $25.00 paid through PayPal. This price includes shipping within the United States, including Hawaii, and recommended dosage for you specifically.

Contact: mary@divinenourishment.net to place an order.