to the waters and the wild...

We'd love to see you in the circle at Spring Equinox to help us raise money for the gorgeous koalas at the Southern Ash Wildlife Fund. Please bring along a small bottle or jar to take home your very own healing water and a small strip of cloth or ribbon to create your 'clootie' (wish or prayer ribbon).

Waterfalls of abundance to you all,

Julia and Tony

Forest Well Essences

Before taking a month off in July-August I told everyone that I was going away to 'fill the well' - I had no idea of how prophetic this expression would be. In this time of well-filling Tony and I travelled around Victoria visiting waterfalls, oceans and natural spring healing wells in Victorian forests and you can see some of these beautiful sites here. We will be working with the healing water from these sacred wells and the Celtic healing practice of 'clootie making' in the Spring Equinox Circle - read more about clooties here. 

In these green and wild places I became inspired by the incredible beauty and immense healing power of sacred water sources. This burst of inspiration has led to the creation of Forest Well Essences. Vibrational flower essences that we are blending with natural spring water from the Wombat Forest. 

The first batch has already begun flowing out to our students and we have had some wonderful and confirming feedback of their powerful and grounding effects. I have just 13 bottles left until we venture into the forest to connect and collect from the wells again. We are only making these first essences available to our subscribers. This first essence is 'Energy Protector' dedicated to the strong and protective Scottish goddess Scathach. This blend has been created from elemental flower essences from the sacred gardens of Findhorn in Scotland and healing water from the geothermal springs in the Wombat Forest. 


We have created this essence to help create Sacred Space and Grounding when you need it. It is a beautiful essence to help you ground during difficult times or before meditation and to protect your energy and sacred space when you are experiencing negativity from outside sources. It is also a very helpful companion for anyone working as a healer, counsellor or teacher to create sacred space and cleanse energy in your healing rooms. 

If you would like to purchase one of the remaining bottles of Energy Protector they are $15 on their own or $10 if booked with your healing or reading appointment. Warm Wishes and may you be inspired by the wonderfully intuitive and water-filled Pisces Full Moon this Monday, 

Julia & Tony

New Classes & Circles

Healer, Mystic, Creatrix - Women's Course in Celtic Spirituality

Hello Everyone,

I hope you had a beautiful Full Moon in Aquarius. We are still experiencing Mercury in Retrograde so I hope this is not causing too many obstacles or problems for you all - check and recheck all contracts and financial forms (on the weekend I read that thousands of people had filled in their Census forms online and without pressing 'send'. Can't get more Mercury Retrograde than that!). And of course please remember to back up your computers.

This week we are back after a relaxing break where we spent time recording our new guided meditation CD: Beyond the Ninth Wave and creating new plant essences combining Sacred Water from wells here in Victoria and Findhorn in Scotland (you can read more about that here). I will be using these essences and sacred water in private healing consultations, Celtic Women's Course: Healer Mystic Creatrix and in our Spring Equinox Circle: Healing Waters, Sacred Wells where we will be donating all funds again to the Koalas (Water Animal Totem in Australia) at the Southern Ash Wildlife Shelter (www.samthekoala.com.au).

In 3 more days we will be passing beyond the Ninth Wave, the mythic wave that takes you beyond this world and into the Celtic Otherworld. In the five weeks that we will meet together we will develop healing and intuitive abilities to help us to heal and balance the Five Elements and the Seven Chakras or energy systems of our body as well as learning to read with oracles, connect to Animal Totems, Spirit Guides and Ancestral Wisdom.

Week 1 - EARTH: Returning Home, Travelling Beyond the Ninth Wave

Goddess: Rhiannon the Sovereign, Airmid Goddess of Healing and Herbcraft

Tools: Healing with Stones and Plant Totems 

Week 2 - WATER: Sacred Wells, Healing Love and Creativity

Goddess: Beg the Wisdom Keeper, Vivienne - Lady of the Lake

Tools: Energy Healing, Oracle Reading, Water Blessing

Week 3 - AIR: Oran Mor, Wisdom, Past Lives and Creating a New World

Goddess: An Cailleach the Crone Mother, Arianrhod the Silver Wheel

Tools: Shamanic Healing, Ancestral Totem, Past Life Regression

Week 4 - FIRE: Building Fire, Tending to our Sacred Flame

Goddess: Brighid the Exalted One, Scathach the Warrior Queen

Tools: Animal Totem, Candle Magic, Healing Movement

Week 5 - ETHER: You Are We, Embodying the Celtic Goddess

Goddess: Danu Mother Goddess of the Tuatha, Sovereign Queen

Tools: Rites of the Sidhe, Channeling Messages from the Goddess and your Guides

I have 2 places free in this Celtic Circle of Healing. If you feel this one of these places is for you, you can phone me: 0421 249 183 or email me: julia@sacredfamiliar.com.au Please let me know as soon as you can so that you have time to prepare. 

Warm Wishes for the Journey, Julia

Escape into Life by photographer, Rodney Smith

Happy Awakenings at Imbolc and a big ROAR for all the Leos!

Michael Hiep - 'Awakening of Spring (Element: Earth)' http://www.michaelhiep.nl/eng/index.php

Today we celebrate the ancient Celtic Festival of Imbolc - a time of new beginnings and the awakening of the world below the Earth before Spring. This is also the feast day of the Goddess Brigid and I love to think of the Michael Hiep's Awakening of Spring as a young Brigid waking up deep within the earth. At this time of the year we may not see much change above the earth but we sense the heartbeat of the Earth growing stronger, animals awakening from hibernation, new animals being born, plants recharged and sending new green tendrils up through the soil. I am always reminded of Imbolc when I smell jasmin for the first time after winter and there is an abundance of it in gardens at the moment. Imbolc is a beautiful time to begin gently moving towards the dreams you wish to see bear fruit in the Spring and Summer months ahead. And today we are feeling the bright promise of the New Moon birthed last night. A perfect day for planting the seeds of your new life.

This morning I woke up thinking about the first class of our Women's Celtic Mysteries Course: Healer, Mystic, Creatrix. Our first class will be focussing on the Element of Earth with Airmid Irish goddess of herblore and herbalists. I wondered how she will teach us to heal ourselves and the gaelic words 'Oran Mor' rang in my ears. Oran Mor is the gaelic 'song of creation' or 'great song'. It is the song that births our world and creations into being and it reminded me that we can allow ourselves to be born into a new life every minute.

'The Restorers' from The Druid Plant Oracle. Illustration by Will Worthington

'It is this primordial myth that, like a Celtic knot, weaves throughout the entire corpus of the Celtic mythos, knitting an interwoven, cohesive mythology. The Oran Mór, as the primordial "sea melody," flows through the myths and legends of submerged lands, mystical springs, life-giving cauldrons, and holy grails. As Wisdom it "fills the head," and gives meaning to the severed heads that so disturbed Caesar. It is the "creative melody," always creating, both in the hearer and in the one singing. It is the myth of Uaithne and Boand who bear the three strains of music: innocence, sorrow, and joy. It is The Song of the Three Cauldrons giving and receiving creative blessing in its song. The words of the song are as diverse as there are people to hear it; always taking their meaning from their divinely breathed sound, never from that design which we impose. The Oran Mór’s divine sound gives meaning to – no, creates – the Celtic languages.'

'Oran Mor: The Primordial Celtic Myth' by Frank Mills

I encourage you to work with this beautiful chant at either sunrise or sunset (when the Celts believed the next day truly began). By singing this chant and bringing conscious energy to the experiences, healing and love we wish to create in our lives we connect to the divine and powerful spark of life that dwells within us all.

I have just 2 places left in Healer, Mystic Creatrix so please let me know as soon as you can if you feel called to learn more about the Celtic Mysteries.

And we have the bold and creative fire of sign of Leo to walk with us this month - happy birthday to all the wild and beautiful Lions!

Full Moon in Capricorn

Thank you to all the beautiful women who attended our Full Moon Circle last night in honour of the Celtic Goddess Brigid and the Sacred Flame. Full Moon wishes for you all tonight.

'Study for St. Bride' John Duncan 1912

St. Bride, John Duncan 1913

New Moon today - Thumbs Up for Rock and Roll!

I love this little boy - yep! Thumbs up for Rock and Roll on this beautiful morning of the last of the eclipses - welcome to your New Moon. I hope that you all begin to benefit from this more expansive and flowing energy very soon.

Today we are launching our new Shamanic Tarot Course: The Golden Temple opening at the Spring Equinox in September. This course is the 3rd & final wheel of the Tarot Mysteries and is open to anyone who has completed The Path Within. This course is half-full already and we are only taking 10 students so please let me know as soon as you can if you wish to join us. The Golden Temple will be taught by both Tony and I as we develop strong and clear connection to our Animal Totems & Spirit Guides, journey with our Animal Totems on the Drum, develop psychic protection and grounding before learning to channel direct messages from Spirit. We are so very excited to be offering this new course that brings the Tarot Mysteries and Shamanic journeying together.

There are also a couple of places left in each of these new circles:

New Moon wishes to you all,

Julia & Tony

Artful Monday...

Some images to inspire as we prepare to journey with the Celtic shapeshifter, The Selkie at Winter Solstice this Wednesday evening.  

Juan Wijngaard, The Moon

'so how can we hope to float?' by Daniel Danger www.tinymediaempire.com

Juan Wijngaard, Woman of the Sea reblogged from the wonderful A Polar Bear's Tale

Sea Nymph, Edward Burne-Jones

Selkie by Forest Rogers www.forestrogers.squarespace.com

Full Moon Women's Circle - Beyond the Ninth Wave

Hello Sisters,

I am so happy to invite you to a women's circle dedicated to the Otherworlds of the Celtic Goddess on the night of the Full Moon, Wednesday 18th May at Williamstown Community Centre.  In this Full Moon circle we will be exploring the world beyond the Ninth Wave through Meditation, Energy Healing and Oracle Reading.

The cost of this circle is $25 and you will need to bring a flower of your choosing, a small crystal or stone and your favourite oracle cards (if you don't have any don't worry as I will be bringing many decks on the night). You will also need to bring a yoga mat or cushion to sit on as we will be working on the floor.

Please feel free to invite your friends and sisters to this open Full Moon Circle, places are limited though so please let me know as soon as you can if you wish to join us in the land beyond the Ninth Wave, 

Warm Wishes,

Julia

Returning Home Retreat at Hanging Rock

Danu of the Celts by Dean Morrisey www.deanmorrisseystudio.com

A heartfelt thank you to the beautiful women who attended our Returning Home Retreat at Hanging Rock last week. What a truly magical and deeply healing experience. Thank you all for journeying with us Beyond the Ninth Wave it would not have been so incredible without the individual beauty & powerful medicine you each carry within you.