Brighten the Path to Knowing by Creating tangible Sparks

 

 

tangible Sparks acts as a physical reminder to Love as is❤️

I will be facilitating workshops both in person and virtually.

Specific details on where and when will be offered soon.

 

Steps to creating a tangible Sparks visual journal:

1. Set an intention/grounding (more on grounding at the bottom of this post)

 

2. Gather your materials (these are included at all in-person workshops)

  • Pockets: upcycled envelops (I like to cut the envelop tops with a scalloped blade scissors), small bags, seed packets, tea wrappers, ect.
  • A used book. I find a 20–40-page children's book works best.
  • Glue stick
  • Scissors 
  • Writing instruments
  • Scraps: tickets from an event, pictures from food boxes, tags, wrapping paper, cards, cut-outs from catalogs.

Melanie McMullin

Melanie McMullin

Melanie McMullin

3. Glue envelopes to book pages to create pockets

Every few pages glue an envelope in different positions and a little bit over the edge, so they become tabs that divide up the journal into sections.

Melanie McMullin

Melanie McMullin

4. Sort through your Collage Kit

Pull out pieces from you kit that speak to you.

Melanie McMullin

Melanie McMullin

Melanie McMullin

5. Add cut outs to pockets

Melanie McMullin

 

Melanie McMullin

Melanie McMullin

6. Glue scraps/draw/ write reminders to yourself that you are Loved unconditionally.

Melanie McMullin

Melanie McMullin

7. Plan to Plan:

set up a day & time you with engage with your journal in your Sacred Space or gathered together with others.

8. Connect:

One of the most helpful tools for me in creating a more intimate connection with Source has been Tarot. There are many divination tools to choose from such as oracle cards, runes, crystals, or beads. It is not the actual token that holds the power, it is the act of opening myself up to a broader way of thinking that gives me deeper access to my intuition. When I trust myself more, I feel I make better decisions, and that leads me to expanded Joy and raises my vibration.

(optional steps)

Conduct a Grounding Ritual 

Pause 

breathe in for a count of 8

hold for a count of 8

breathe out for a count of 8

hold for a count of 8

Before I move into any action like praying, sitting in my Sacred Space, folding the laundry, or making dinner, I always Pause to ground myself, set an intention, and visualize the outcome. Sometimes it is as simple as lighting a candle or burning something. I have candles in almost every room of my home. It takes just a minute to light a candle and say a few words of positive intention. Bringing presence to any action helps me re-evaluate and slow down my mind. I also like to set timers on my phone to remind me to Pause and to bring me back to the present. My favorite timers are 8:08, 11:11, and 12:34. 

When I greet the morning or when I have my Sacred Alone Time, my grounding ritual is more entailed. Currently, in my Sacred Space I have a rolling cart next to my chair that houses many art supplies. The top tier is reserved for my Altar complete with representations of the 4 elements, my Tarot Cards, and my tingsha cymbals. I use a silver tray that was my paternal Grandmother's, Lucy, to house figures like Quan Yin, in a circle around a bowl with herbs and a candle. In a candy dish that was my maternal Grandmother's, Sip, I rotate in water from the full moon, shells, wishbones, stones, and other items I find during my nature walks.  

Melanie McMullin

Suggestions for each element: 

  • Earth: Stones, salt, crystals, acorns, rocks, flowers, shells, pinecones.  
  • Air: Incense, Palo Santo wood, dried herbs, sage bundle. I burn these inside a vessel like a shell, ceramic plate, or incense burner. 
  • Fire: Candles. When I first began, I would match up the candle color to each of the seasonal festivals, but now I put out whatever feels good at the time. I have a basket of candles and holders that I have collected over the years. Currently, I have been using a tea light inside of a Himalayan salt candle holder. 
  • Water: I fill a vessel with water collected during a new or full moon from an ocean, pond, snow, or rain. I also like to place sacred objects in the vessel: a flower, branch, wish bone or rocks.  

To conduct the ritual, I say my personal mantra: 

I am grounded into the Heart of Gaia; I am tethered into the Soul of the Sky. 

I acknowledge each element: earth, air, fire, and water. 
I Pause and take several deep breaths, sometimes performing an Eternity Breath. Once I am done giving thanks for all the blessings in my life, I close with: 

May we be filled with Love and Kindness 
May we be Ardent and Joyful 
May we live in Peace and Harmony 
May we be filled with appreciation for our Blessed Home 

Grounding balances me and supports me feeling more connected to all that is. Suggestions for grounding rituals: 

  1. Perform a yoga posture. While I am waiting for something or someone in my house or I have been sitting for too long, I often perform what I call Kitchen Yoga because usually I am waiting in my kitchen; these are hybrid poses I have made up. The movement gets my blood flowing and clears my head. I usually start with a modified sun salutation and then while performing a tree pose, I scout for my symbols. 
  2. Massage lotion into your skin slowly and intentionally, feeling love and light fill you. 
  3. Make a cup of calming tea. Wrap your hands around the warm mug and breathe in the steam; I like jasmine, chamomile, lavender, or mint. 
  4. Focus on each of your senses: I see, I hear, I smell, I taste, I feel. Becoming aware of each of your senses is especially powerful if you are surrounded by nature. 
  5. Wash your hands while chanting Om Mani Padme Hum or another mantra. Imagine the water soaking you with love and light. 
  6. Burn incense or a candle. Ruminate on the smoke or flame.  
  7. Drink a glass of water. Feel the liquid moving down your throat, slowly bringing love and light to your organs. 
  8. Raise your energy through your chakras. Imagine a ball of light changing colors up your body into the sky. 

 

Red: root chakra, base of your spine 

Orange: sacral chakra, under your belly button 

Yellow: solar plexus, your belly 

Green: heart chakra 

Blue (Turquoise): throat chakra 

Indigo: third eye, on your brow between your eyes 

Violet: crown chakra, top of your head  

What rituals do you perform to ground yourself? 

Create a list of strategies/ intentions/ reminders for each section of your journal.

I love the pockets because it makes it easy to change up my strategies or expand or rename them. These are some of the ones that I use:

  1. Grounding rituals
  2. Best feeling words
  3. Nature sparks
  4. Invoke self-kindness 
  5. Conjure a Clan
  6. Respond to Triggers
  7. Participate
  8. Plan to plan

 

For virtual workshops:

Carve Out and Maintain a Sacred Space 

Wherever I have lived, I have carved out a place with intention, a place just for me where I feel embraced by objects of beauty and love, sometimes it has been a spot on the couch or in a corner of a basement or even a bench outside of our home. The moment I sit in my Sacred Space, I instantly feel calmer and more in-tuned with my authentic self, it is like the Joy is right there waiting for me! I am blessed to have a whole sitting room in our home that houses my Sacred Space; surrounding my chair are representations of the four elements, my drawing and collage materials, my journals, and my Tarot cards. Just being in my Sacred Space alone in the morning is one of my favorite moments of everyday: I sit in my chair, light a candle, burn some dried herbs, anoint my wrists with oil from a roller, chime my cymbals, breathe in, pray, and let the Joy permeate my being. Bliss. Your Sacred Space can be wherever you choose. A participant in one of my past courses, shared that her car, a VW Beetle, was her Sacred Space. 

A key element of my Sacred Space is the housing and care of my main altar. To me, an altar represents a physical embodiment of spirit. I have prayed at an altar since I started celebrating the Turn of the Wheel for Samhain in 2013.  

These are the items I have used throughout the years: 

  1. A covering of some type over the top of the space. I have a bunch of my Grandma Lucy’s old scarves I like to use.  
  2. Tchotchkes: these are sacred items usually gifted to me; statues of angels, deities, and animals. My sister says tchotchkes are mostly clutter, but I love them!  
  3. Tingsha cymbals. I ring the bell once to begin; if my youngest son is up, he does it with me. 
  4. Candles and matches. 
  5. Pictures of my children. 
  6. Drawings and cards from my family. 
  7. Several roiling essential oils. My favorite is Sanctuary by Bella Cirovic. (www.intentionsblends.com) 
  8. My Rider-Waite-Smith Tarot Deck

Melanie McMullin

Once you have established your Sacred Space it is good to create some guidelines around your Space, these are mine: 

  1. I open my time in my Sacred Space by performing a grounding ritual. 
  2. I clean my Sacred Space daily, usually I sweep for scraps and crumbs. 
  3. My children can only sit in my Sacred Space if they ask first. 
  4. I have a routine for when guests come over to house special items in my Sacred Space. 
  5. I reassess my Sacred Space and change the location based on how I feel and the needs of our family. 
  6. I smudge my Sacred Space with sage when needed. 
  7. I always close my time in my Sacred Space by thanking Cadre and Tarot and usually blowing out a candle if still lit. 
  8. I routinely refresh my Altar and Sacred Space to reflect the Sacred Seasons of Life. 

 

For over 30 years I have created collages for my own personal joy and guidance, to sell, to gift, and in a variety of teaching settings. Although all the materials will be provided during in-person workshops, you can begin collecting personal items such envelopes, scraps of paper, and any other bits from your life that you want to incorporate into your journal.

I have facilitated gatherings 

in private homes, in public centers, 

during retreats &

virtually within social media groups.

If you are interested in hosting a workshop facilitated by me in a location of your choice or on-line, please contact me [email protected]

Nothing is wasted

💖 Melanie

remember always in all ways:

you deserve to feel seen

Melanie McMullin

 

I believe
Nothing is Wasted
We are all Worthy
You deserve to feel 
Loved
As Is
 
Melanie McMullin

Observe and Celebrate Sacred Seasons 

Pause 

breathe in for a count of... 

hold for a count of ... 

breathe out for a count of ... 

hold for a count of... 

Forever I have been exploring other faiths in my heart. When I began to dive deeper into how to experience a more intimate connection with Source, no pre-existing framework felt authentic for me. I am a Knower. I passionately Know that for me the core of Life is about Joy, Love, Kindness, and Expressing our Authentic Creativity. All Knowers intrinsically strive to maintain a feeling of Steady Joy. The way to consistently experience Steady Joy is through our intimate connection to Source (God, Inner-being) We all need reminders and tools to stay in the realm of Steady Joy. 

My explorations brought me to Paganism. There are as many sects of Paganism as there are any other major religion; all with their own history, beliefs, and rituals. I read and researched blogs, books, and articles to gain my knowledge. I do not count myself as an expert or feel there is one right way. Everyone must decide for themselves what path they feel called to follow or whether they want to pioneer their own. Ardent Pagan is the name I made up to express how I observe and celebrate the sacred seasons of life. Although the dictionary definition of pagan means a person holding religious beliefs other than those of the main world religions, I do not consider Ardent Pagan my religion. Ardent Pagan is one piece of my Steady Joy lifestyle.  

In 2013 I read in depth about the Wheel of the Year and immediately knew I would integrate Observing and Celebrating these holy days into my life. Within mine and my husband’s large Catholic extended families we still recognize the other traditional holidays like Christmas with Santa and Easter Baskets filled with candy, but as a nuclear family we also celebrate the eight solar cycles that make up Wheel of the Year. I like the structure of having specific days that I am encouraged to praise and rejoice in Mother Nature. 

The seasonal festivals that make up the Wheel of the Year are broken down into 8 Sabbats: 

Samhain - 10/31 
Yule - 12/19 
Imbolc- 2/2 
Ostara – 3/20 
Beltane – 5/1 
Litha – 6/21 
Lughnasadh – 8/2 
Mabon – 9/23 

Throughout my time as a facilitator, I have been frequently asked how I integrated being an Ardent Pagan into my life. Over the years my observation and celebration style has evolved but the intention of honoring the solar cycles are the same. 

Samhain  
Celebrated: ~ November 1st 
Significance: The final harvest before the long winter. The day the veil between the physical and nonphysical is the thinnest. Celebration of death as a Continuation of Life. A time to honor our ancestors and embrace the darker half of the year. 
On My Inaugural Altar: black scarf, mementos from the deceased; a silver tray from my paternal grandmother and a glass vessel from my maternal, white candles. 
My Inaugural Tradition: passing bread around the table, each taking a piece and remembering someone who past that year, an extra place setting for loved ones who are no longer in their physical bodies. 

Yule 
Celebrated: ~ December 20th 
Significance: The winter solstice. The shortest day of the year with the shortest hours of daylight. After Yule, we celebrate the sun returning. 
On My Inaugural Altar: White and silver cloth napkin, glass tray with Yule log and snippets from our Christmas tree, white and silver candles. 
My Inaugural Tradition: At our Yule dinner feast we all took turns writing in black permanent marker on the Yule log our intention for the year. This can be a great time to pick your word of the year. We created our Yule Log from last year’s Christmas Tree. The Yule log took center stage on our festive table. After I moved the Yule log to my altar. 

Imbolc  
Celebrated: ~ February 1st 
Significance: Marks the midpoint between winter and spring. 
On My Inaugural Altar: angel from my grandmother, white candles, white wedding candle in gold holder, metal bucket filled with sea salt, feathers, small Buddha. 
My Inaugural Tradition: Burned the Yule log in our fireplace, made bird seed ornaments with the children and friends then hung them on our Christmas tree that we kept on our back deck. 

Ostara  
Celebrated: ~ March 20th 
Significance: Celebration of the Spring Equinox. Hours of day and night are equal. 
On My Inaugural Altar: Black and white candles to represent day and night, blue baby quilt to represent new life, fresh flowers, Willow tree angel with a sunflower, shell full of seeds. 
My Inaugural Tradition: Deep cleaning my altar area. Painting eggs, meals together with family and friends. 

Beltane 
Celebrated: ~ May 1st 
Significance: Honoring Life, the halfway point of the year, the veil between the worlds is thin, a time of cleansing, the summer overtakes the winter. 
On My Inaugural Altar: Red, white, roses, baskets, arrows, horns, lances, cherries, oats, milk, honey. 
My Inaugural Tradition: smudging our home with the windows open, holding a fire outside, eating fruit, building fairy houses. 

Litha 
Celebrated: ~ June 21st 
Significance: Longest day of the year, the sun is at its highest point before slipping into darkness, middle of summer, Summer solstice 
On My Inaugural Altar: Yellow and blue cloth, blue horse, yellow candles, lavender candles, a clean, light feeling. 
My Inaugural Tradition: Creating a festive table, giving each family member a candle. Lighting the candle and saying our intention for the summer, dinner together. 
Other ways to Celebrate: Going to a farmer’s market hosting an outdoor party, creating an altar outside. 

Lughnasadh 
Celebrated: ~ August 1st 
Significance: Celebration of the harvest, a time to be thankful for abundance. 
On My Inaugural Altar: white, blue, green covering, shells, gifts from the sea, red candles to rep the upcoming harvest, wings, a dried sunflower, ocean water. 
My Inaugural Tradition: beer with dinner, harvest foods from the farmer’s market: chicken with squash and micro-greens, grilled parmesan bread. Family walk on the beach, first born gathering Full Blue Moon water. 

Mabon 
Celebrated: ~ September 21st 
Significance: Autumn Equinox. The days and nights are equal. 
On My Inaugural Altar: brown, red, gold, horn of plenty, leaves 
My Inaugural Tradition: Elaborate meal, making lists of what you are thankful for. 

 
Each seasonal festival is based on the position of the sun and therefore the actual date changes sometimes by a day or two from year to year. There is a wealth of information available online regarding the Wheel of the Year and the folklore behind each turn. I always give my children the option of participating in whatever ceremony I have conjured. I focus on the seasonal aspect of each Sabbat and how the ritual invokes intimacy into my life. Some of my favorite ways of celebrating are making bird seed ornaments at Imbolc, cooking a meal from ingredients bought at a farmer’s market on Litha, and writing our intentions for the year on our Yule log during Winter Solstice. The awareness and Pause in recognizing the seasons give me something to plan, to look forward to, and then commune with Source and family on that day. Connection and Celebration sustains my feelings of Steady Joy. 

Each morning I draw the current moon’s phase in my everyday journal while sitting in my Sacred Space and in the evening, I draw it again in my Steady Joy Tracker. Drawing the moon gives me an opportunity to Pause and ponder on how the moon's cycle affects my own.  

A moon's basic cycle lasts 29.5 days: 

new moon (not visible) ~ Observation: cleanse, smudge, and begin something new 
waxing crescent ~ organize 
first quarter (half a moon) ~ take action 
waxing gibbous ~ check in 
full moon ~ Celebration: Create (collage) 
waning gibbous ~ release 
third quarter ~ be gentle, have grace 
waning crescent ~ return to stillness 

To honor the Moon’s phase, I use a water vessel that I keep on my main altar. My water vessel is a glass candy dish that was my maternal Grandmother, Sip's. I fill it with water or snow and leave it on our back deck during the New and Full Moon. The ritual reminds me to Pause, be present, and breathe Her in. When we lived on Cape Cod, we would often go for a family walk on the beach during the Full Moon. Another way I have honored the moon is to create an intention collage during the Full or New Moon to call forth the energy I want to sustain during that time.  

The following are the Moon names I like and use. Sometimes the name changes based on the way each Moon falls in a month, for example, the Harvest Moon is the one closest to the autumn equinox, it is usually in September, but sometimes it is in October. A Blue Moon occurs when there are two Full Moons in the same month, the second one will be called Blue Moon. A Black Moon occurs when there are two New Moons in the same month, the second one is called a Black Moon. 

January – Full Wolf Moon 
February – Full Bone Moon 
March – Full Crow Moon 
April – Full Pink Moon 
May – Full Flower Moon 
June – Full Strawberry Moon 
July - Full Buck Moon 
August - Full Sturgeon Moon 
September -Full Corn (usually Harvest) Moon 
October - Full Hunter Moon 
November - Full Beaver Moon 
December -Full Cold Moon 

Observing the moon daily fosters an intentional intimate Pause between myself and Source. 

How do you Observe and Celebrate the Sacred Seasons? 


Clarity through Collage

 

 

email: [email protected]

 ~

💖 Melanie

 


 
I believe
Nothing is Wasted
We are all Worthy
You deserve to feel
Seen & Loved
As Is