Lobelia's Lair

Halfmoon Yoga mats (from Vancouver) available in plum, grey and charcoal, $36 ea. Does the word pratyahara ring a bell? It is a limb of yoga that speaks to control of the senses, and in order to strengthen this limb, a common practice is to do yoga with no sensory stimulation (eyes closed, no music, etc.). Give yoga with your eyes closed a try - do you feel awkward and imbalanced, or strong and sure? If you still have a great flow and balance doing yoga with your eyes closed..., this can indicate an independencefrom physical reality, and the cultivated strength, certainty, and stability that comes from connecting with the self. If you're still able to keep your centre without being connected to the outer world, it shows that you have really gone inward to find your true source. The outside world - others, your work, money... is not your source of anything - YOU are! Practice pratyahara yoga to build a stronger sense of self, independent of anything external.

My new obsession. Biodata Sonification - a machine that translates the frequencies of plants (and apparently crystals) into music. Listen to these mushrooms!! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J-nIBA0V_No https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rl8B62WCSeo... And with crystals?! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n3A8UQCh7Fg https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KqAqsl_A7f4 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oa12BMHDuLY

Snow day! Wishing everyone rest and rejuvenation!

Message for our followers Feb 12, 2021: We are coming to realise that we have been seeking inner wholeness by attaching to our outer reality and that we can no longer operate this way. We have been "mistaken." The people in our lives, our work, our possessions - none of it is truly the source of anything that fulfills us, because fulfillment can only come from within. As we come into this truth and clarity, because of coming into closer contact with that which feels a lot mor...e like ourselves (people that resonate more with us, work that resonates more with us, an aesthetic that feels more like us, etc.), we let go of our illusory belief that what we want is outside of us. Finally, as a collective, we begin to go within for connection. All the isolation, separation, and utter craziness in the outerworld has caused a kind of wonderful hermit-style detachment. The outer world - the cave - is so dark and weird - that the light within becomes a lot brighter and more desirable. The flashiness of reality is not so flashy and lovely anymore. It's a dark, bizarre, scary place and it makes us want to withdraw inside. And quite funny enough, we have all found a pleasant place within ourselves to occupy. So, with this new understanding, we allow ourselves to move into a brighter future, because we now see that what is outside us mirrors what is within, and what is within - is actually quite a lot more beautiful than we thought! Blessings!

Cherry blossom agates hitting the shop in the next few days! These are so fun and gorgeous! I tuned into the stones, splaying all of them out in front of me, and got an image of all the different flows of currents in a single river. Take a moment to bring to mind the image of how gentle stream water flows in many directions, over this stone and that stone, along the waterbed, and yet moves as one tranquil rippling body of water. I feel like this stone is absolutely perfect fo...r right now with this new moon in aquarius. To me, this moon feels like it's about everything being put in its rightful place. What belongs together is converging together, what belongs apart is peacefully drifting apart, and it's all part of one beautiful whole. Each one of us belongs somewhere and we are each part of our very own perfect ecosystem. The more we allow ourselves to be organised according to the genius of the universe, the easier it is to flow into our rightful "homes." These stones (and this new moon) say....Don't try to insert yourself where you don't belong or you'll find the universe forcing you out. Allow yourself to be placed where the universe is placing you. Stay in your own lane or you'll crash your car and others'! Surrender to divine order - is the message of these pretty babies

Amethyst. One of the first crystals that people reach for when just starting to discover stones. Funny enough, this is one that I'm just exploring now, after years and years of crystal obsession. I have heard from other long-time crystal lovers that they are also just starting to get into stones that are considered more "introductory" and it seems like those who are just getting into stones are reaching for the more "out there" ones. This is interesting! I feel like this ind...icates a sort of grounding for the ungrounded, and uplifting for those who have been grounded. It seems like those of us who have been floating around in the ethers are becoming more grounded and "human" (eek!) while those who were more grounded are reaching into higher frequencies. For my flighty fellows - this means that our outside realities, our bodies, our health, our appearance, will start to reflect who we feel we are. That we are allowing the integration of our energies with our realities, so that our realities can actually match our vibration. It's a beautiful thing! Quick tip... I like to write symbols, words, etc. (just with a pen) on my body in order to help me integrate an energy, concept, or something I'm working to allow my being to express/flow more. This one on my wrist is the rune Nauthiz, and it speaks to detaching from physical desires/wants in order to find the source within. It relates to the hermit archetype and grail archetype, of finding the light/source inside the self. Satori, nirvana, kensho, are all words for this concept too. Another interesting note - nail polish colours can also help you integrate energies! Your fingers are the tools you use to interact with your world. Red nails can help you ground your energy into your reality, as it corresponds with the root chakra. Stacey

Moonstone pretties! Great stone for the energy right now... Navigating the unknown and being sensitive and adaptable to the subtle shifts. Happily we move into Sagittarius today which is all about the journey forward. Great to have moonstone as a compass!

Reading for our followers for Nov. 19, 2020. A few days ago, one of our tarot readers, Claire, informed me that she had read that the astrology for the next four months is the worst it’s going to be for the next 5 years. So if we can get through this, we are golden! We can do this, beloved family. For now, focus, focus, focus. Get extremely intentional about how you live your life. Practice radical self-care. Move into your own bubble of well-being. Cut off any influences tha...t are bringing you down. Look at the daily choices you make that impact how you feel, and eliminate anything that does notadd to your joy. Mother yourself. Take responsibility for yourself. What are you exposing yourself to that you would protect your child from, and why aren’t you doing that for you? In an environment that features lack of wellbeing, it is up to us to find that sense of wellbeing from within and hold ourselves in it, so that is what we are being guided to do at this time. Blessings! See more

Exploring the Fox Universe Tarot Self Care Oracle created by @thefoxtarot right in our backyard on Gabriola. This deck aims to assist the user with recognising and addressing burnout. It is a super unique black and white deck that features gold edging (a necessity). One of the requirements for me of purchasing a new deck is that it has cards with meanings and themes unlike other decks I own (as you can imagine I have MANY). I find this one to be very standalone because of its... focus on burnout and self care, as well as how it incorporates many realistic "outer world" subjects that impact one's daily wellbeing. These include one's housing situation, employment, time management etc. I love when decks have a practical side and are not just super "mystical," so this ticks the box there. Overall, this deck helps bring one's attention to areas of one's inner and outer life that need to be considered and perhaps rejigged for the purposes of better self care.

An enormous selenite altar holding sacred space in the heart of Nanaimo This much selenite is definitely the right way to light up the rest of 2020. And literally lighting up... those big towers are all lamps

They really need to stop making all of these books and decks so beautiful! It's so hard not to buy them all!!! Anyone who comes in during an "unboxing" at our store will probably notice us squealing at all the products. The colours! The binding! The details! Ugh. Had to post these new reddish-pink babies. They are just too delightful

We're warming up and getting ready to focus on self-care, as the winter season pulls us into our inner worlds. We have lovely new organic local teas, bath salts, self-care books and Oracle decks (including locally made Fox Tarot Self-Care Oracle @thefoxtarot), journals, aromatherapy, and beauty products including rose quartz Gua Shas (lymphatic drainage tools for the face).

Spectacular cement creations by local artisan @fiestaconcretecreations Ouija board decorative plates, skull candle holders, and hamsa hand incense holders.

Message for our followers for November 5, 2020: The energy right now speaks to the ushering in of new beginnings and prompts us to not allow our past to colour our future. We get in our own way when we expect things to be negative for us because they have been before. It is important to acknowledge the new vibrational place that we now stand in, and to recognise that from this new standpoint, we can create something brighter than what once existed in response to our old energ...y. This is both personally, and as a collective. We are being guided to perceive the unfolding of our lives as a blank canvas and to expect positive to flow from where we are. Reflect, and ask yourself, do I feel a sense of foreboding, or a sense of wonder and anticipation at what's to come? For many, the answer will be the former. As creators of our future, it is important for us to direct our energies towards brighter possibilitiesand to let the universe respond to all our requests for improvement that were launched due to difficult past circumstances. We are the vibrational leaders and trendsetters, and our directed intention and desire is powerful and transformative for ourselves and for our communities. What will you choose to perpetuate? Blessings! Card pull from: Oracle of Mystical Moments