"I" is for Incense: Intentioned Prayer and Meditation

Incense as I know it is an essential in my pagan practice. I use it as a form of prayer and meditation to the gods and goddesses.

The best part about it: it smells so good!

What is Incense?

They come in many smells from the popular Dragon's Blood to Baking Brownies (Wildberry Incense). There are many different brands you can choose from to buy incense from. You can make your own! The possibilities are endless of the possible scents you can have of incense.

The most recongizable brand is Wildberry Incense. They are sold all over the place. The most recent spot I found this brand that made me giggle was a shop called Five Below. You can do your shopping for that teenage niece of yours and pick up some incense for your pagan practice, all in one place!

I'm serious if you want a great laugh, over the next year see how many places you can find that sells incense. It's a running laundry list that makes me giggle in the checkout line when no one is looking.

Anyways for me Wildberry was a great starting place for my incense practice. It was not expensive and I could buy in bulk for cheap. At the local metaphysical store in my area they have a serious selection. I asked the owners and they said that Incense is one of their top selling items in the store, hints the hundreds of incense scents to choose from.

I moved onto Nag Champa and honestly this is the one constant in my incense practice. It is light and firm and I love the smell. The beauty of having an incense practice is A) overall they are cheap, so if you find one you do not like it's not a big deal and B) once you find one you like, stick to it! and buy in bulk.

I live with a family member who is sensitive to incense, so to be respectful I get creative with where and when I burn incense. I mostly do it outside on my back porch. I have a travel altar with an incense burner with it. So sometimes I burn one in the parking deck at my university. (Don't worry, Believe it or not I've never been asked by Campus Police if I was smoking anything illegal and burning incense to cover it up) Lol.

My Incense Practice: A Quick Summary

As I light a stick I put Reiki energy and an intent into the incense. This morning's intent was health (I am battling horrible allergies that resulted in bronchitis and upper respiratory infection). Prosperity and abundance for not just me, but an universal blanket intent. I am a firm believer that our thoughts create our reality, and this is most powerful way I can spread this intent into the world.

As the smoke rises into the sky I visualize my intent being spread throughout the world. Some days I travel in my mind's eye all around the world. Other days I sit there in silent meditation or listen to a guided meditation.

Today I journaled as the smoke rose into the universe. After the stick is gone (25-45 minutes depends on the brand, length, quality, etc.) I resume with my day. Some times I start the stick and walk away and let the universe do it's magick (WARNING: if you leave an incense stick alone and not properly make sure that it WILL NOT CATCH ANYTHING ON FIRE, and it does. You can not sue me for mentioning that I sometimes do that. Cause there is always a chance of catching something on fire.)

I am excited to see if you have a different incense practice or a different take on incense than I do. Comment with your thoughts below.

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Namaste Beautiful Essence!

Lindsay is an internationally regarded Psychic Medium Intuitive. She is a Certified Ethical Psychic through the Starshine Healing Academy. Lindsay is also a Reiki Practitioner and an Intuitive Henna Artist specializing in healing symbols. She is an Ordained Minister through the Universal Life Church. Lindsay has the psychic gifts of Clairvoyant, Clairaudiant, and Clairsentience. She uses these gifts and a combination of divination tools in sacred space to provide messages from Spirit for you.

As always you can find her on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram

What Happens During a Psychic Reading?

Hello Lovely Essences!

I wanted to answer one of your most popular questions: "What happens during a psychic reading?"

This is such a great question and I am going to try and answer this the best way I can.

Before going into what happens during a reading, here is my understanding of what a psychic reading is. I have always understood that prayer is talking to Spirit and mediation is listening to Spirit. I see readings as a combination of the two. More mediation than prayer, but still a combination of the two.

As for me, I offer different communication methods for readings. I offer over the phone, skype, recorded videos, in person, and email. Each communication method is different, however the way the reading is conducted is pretty much the same no matter what.

What I do for a reading is start off my calling in sacred space, calling in all of my and who ever I am reading for angels, guides, and guardians to be present for the reading. Also to bring forth the highest good.

Current Email Options from Lindsay 

Reason for mentioning this critical point is, hate to break it to you Essence; some psychics out there who are not ethical and do not take into account the highest good for all. When you choose a psychic to get a reading from, do your research! Here are some quick how to's on picking a psychic to choose from:

• If they read at a shop in the local area, they had to "audition" for the job. I would trust that the store wouldn't hire just anyone to be a reader at the store.
• This is the same for psychic hotlines, there was a process to receiving the jig, the line would not hire just anyone to do the job.
• Check out their websites, check out if they invest in themselves with certifications, do you resonate with the energy they give off their site?
• Check out their Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Blog, etc. Do you like the message they convey? 

There is no way for me to tell you which person is right for you, but just like with every other major purchase in my life: It's all about Research and Background information!

After calling in Sacred Space, I look at the divination tools I have and see which one "pops" out. Now this is where each intuitive person is different. I use tarot and oracle decks, crystals, pendulum, and pen/paper as some of my divination tools. I have had a reading done just by ribbons!  Also there are psychics that do not use divination tools, they channel the information from Spirit for you. It just depends on who is doing the reading for you.

Here is an example of a spread from a previous reading :)

That's a basic overview of how I conduct psychic readings.  Like always if you have any questions, ask in the comments below. Or find me on these social media sites

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Namaste Beautiful Essence,
Lindsay

Lindsay is an internationally regarded Psychic Medium Intuitive.  She is a certified Ethical Psychic through the Starshine Healing Academy.  Lindsay is also a Reiki Practitioner and an Intuitive Henna Artist specializing in healing symbols. She is an ordained Minister through the Universal Life Church. Lindsay has the gifts of Clairvoyant, 
Clairaudiant, and Clairsentience. She uses these gifts with a combination of divination tools in sacred space to provide 
messages from Spirit for you.

Check Lindsay out at her website or contact her by email

Goddess Cordelia

Hello Beautiful Essence!

Here is this week's Goddess of the Week Post: Goddess Cordelia! :)

Goddess Cordelia is a British nature Goddess. She is connected with the fairies and flowers.  She is connected with the Earth cycle. She usually appears in May when the Earth is fertile and ready to plant for the year. She is a goddess connected with Beltane (May 1).

Her message for this week is to make an effort to go outside and be a part of nature. Start preparing for Spring because it is coming around the corner. Now is the time to start planning your spring garden. Don't forget the flowers along with the fruits and vegetables. A great resource for all gardeners is the "Farmer's Almanac" or http://www.smartgardener.com/ I also created a Pinterest board about Gardening 

Or it's the time to make a fairy house for your fairies! There are many ways to make a fairy house. Check out your local metaphysical stores to see if they have any classes to make one. Here in Atlanta, GA I know that Forever And A Day is hosting a Fairy House Workshop by Crystal Starshine on March 22, 2014 from 1-3pm.

Her main point for showing up this week is we've all been inside too much recently. With the colder weather we normally don't spend time outside. So bundle up lovely essence! Step out outside and connect with nature again. Hug a tree. Go to the river. Smell the flowers. Feel the moss between your toes. And mainly reconnect!

Affirmation for the week: I am connected to Mother Nature and all her wisdom.

Namaste Beautiful Essence
-Lindsay

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Lindsay Liistro is available for email and skype/Google+ Hangout readings. She is accepting new clients. Check out the services she offers and book your reading today :)

Passing On Of Love Ones

Hello Beautiful Essence!

I've been quiet these past couple of weeks due to life being life. My grandfather passed away January 26, 2014 and here are my thoughts of my life from the moment he went into the Hospice House January 22 till now.

I found out that my grandfather went into the Hospice House on Wednesday (1-26). I was working on homework for my Biological Archaeology class. I found really quickly that it is difficult to write critical summaries for academic journal articles, when the reality of my grandfather dying was sinking in. I had too many things starting to run through my head.

This is the point when the continuous prayer in my mind began. Throughout the rest of this blog post the prayers will be written like this: God, please make Papa as comfortable as possible during this time.

My family and I found out that he was dying from Liver Cancer in September 2013. In October 2013 my daughter Erica, one of my best friend's Kat, and I went on a road trip to see him one more time before his passing.

My Daughter Erica with her Great-Grand Father Howard Johnson

Since Erica has become a thought to my family. I have called my grandparents on a weekly basis. Every time I would call, if my Papa was awake I would give him an "Erica Update." He loved his great-grand-daughter with all his heart.

So flash forward to the week of finding out this was the end for my grandfather. I was about to go to my college classes that Thursday (1-23) and really did not know how to focus on my class work. My father was playing the idea of going to see him in hospice. 

Please, let me go to see him before he leaves. I need to see him before he leaves. I feel it in my bones that if we go down, he will die soon afterwards.

By the end of the day the decision of going happened. My Dad and I let for Florida that Friday at midnight. From Atlanta to Tampa Bay it is roughly an eight hour drive. All the angels in this world please keep my dad, myself, and this car we are driving safe on our trip. I'm glad I went with my dad because I drove when he needed the rest. I got to show up as a road buddy for him when he needed it the most.

When we arrived I changed clothes and went straight to the Hospice House. I did not prepare myself enough for what I saw. Now from me to you, I am not going to go into details. All I can tell you is this: "When you go to Hospice for someone, they do not look like the person you knew. And to be honest, I do not think you can ever be fully prepared for what you see."

Please let him die quickly and peacefully. I have never wished death on anyone, but I want him to transition to the other side quickly. 

I am not trying to make a huge political statement. I just saw that there really was nothing left for my grandfather except tell him that I loved him, kiss him on the forehead, and watch him pass onto the next stage of life. And that is what I did.

That Saturday and Sunday I gave him a final in person Erica Update. I did crossword puzzles with him. Took a nap in the room with him. And I told him good-bye. I told him it was ok to die. That we are all taken care of here on this physical plane.

Please let this be quick and peaceful. Please tell me that he hears us and knows that it's ok to let go of this physical world and move on to the next stage. 

On Sunday (1-26) I came to terms with trying a praying ritual to see if I could help push him to the other side. Around 1400 hours that afternoon I burned a black candle with the intent of "Letting Go" with a Rose Quartz and Blue Lace Agate crystal grid around the candle.

Later that night I did the second half of the ritual which was a white candle with the intent of "Acceptance." During the time of the candle burning the flame started to flicker for about ten minutes. Five minutes after it stopped flickering, I was given my cousin's phone and told by my father that his dad had passed on.

I was relieved, elated, and could finally take a deep breath since I arrived there.  

I learned in that moment, in my bones that there is truly more to life than the physical world. When someone leaved this physical form it is not the end, it is part of the cycle of our essence.

Thank you for reading this, please comment. And as always, Blessed Be

~Lindsay