Issue #69 The Magic Heron Newsletter – What creature symbolizes deep wisdom and intuitive guidance?

Welcome to the 69th issue of The Magic Heron Newsletter, a fortnightly newsletter with a focus on journaling, writing, and learning nature’s wisdom through midlife. 

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Texas, October 8, 2023

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Hi there !

How often do you journal?

Is it daily, once a week, or just randomly?

To gain the most from your journaling, try a daily entry, even if it is just a few sentences. I know, some days are harder than others and it might seem you have nothing to write about, but there’s always something you can write down.

You can start with the weather. Draw a box on one side of your journal page and add the weather information for that day for:

• Sunny, cloudy, partly cloudy, rainy, etc
• Hi/low
• Humidity
• Wind speed
• Pressure
• Moon phase
• Sunset/sunrise time
• The day’s forecast

Or, maybe you like to record something else on a daily schedule, like to-do list for the day. Make it short, like 3-5 things, and then see if that sparks something to write about in the journal.

Don’t worry about correct grammar, punctuation, or full sentences. Your journal is yours, and the way you write is perfect for you. Don’t censor your thoughts or feelings. Just write it as you see, think or feel it.

Happy journaling!

This week Raven has shown up as the Spirit Animal for the newsletter. Check it out below and see if any of Raven’s teachings resonate with you.

This week’s Newsletter Spirit Animal

Raven Symbolism and Meanings:

Raven teaches us to listen to the deep wisdom and intuitive guidance that resides within us. Raven encourages us to pierce the veil of illusion and expose the hidden truth that lies beneath layers of perception.

It is time to embrace your innate power and navigate the path of transformation and spiritual awakening.

Raven Symbolism and Meanings:

• Vocal
• Knowing
• Truthful
• Curious
• Intuitive
• Intelligent
• Insightful
• Authentic
• Unpredictable
• Wisdom
• Balance between light and dark
• Ancestral knowledge

Raven mirrors the duality of existence, being a symbol of both darkness and light. Raven guides us through shadows and the liminal spaces, urging us to listen to the unspoken whispers of intuition and embrace the mysterious forces that shape our journey.

According to Norse legend, Raven symbolizes mind, thought, and wisdom. Two ravens accompanied Odin: Hugin, representing the power of thought and searching for information. And Mugin, representing the mind and intuiting meaning rather than hunting for it. Odin sent these two ravens out daily and they would return to speak to him of all they learned on their journeys.

Recently Published . . .

New in the Etsy Shop

1. SPIRIT ANIMAL Raven, Animal Guide Totem Meanings, Spirit Companion, Spirit Companionship, Printable Journal Prompts and Cards

2. SPIRIT ANIMAL CAT, Animal Guide Totem Meanings, Spirit Companion, Spirit Companionship, Printable Journal Prompts and Cards

New Books!

My daughter and I created a whole line of Writer’s Notebooks. Use them for NaNoWriMo, notetaking, for work, or journaling! You can find the notebooks on the Magic Heron Amazon Author Page

1. Halloween Coloring Planner & Journal: Coloring Pages, Planner Pages for Recipes, Weekly Menu, Decorations, Shopping, Trick or Treat, Costumes, Activities, Crafts & More!

2. My Feather Signs Journal: Tracking sacred messages and meanings on my life journey

Interesting links . . .

Here are some interesting links I came across on my ventures through Internet Land this week that I thought you might enjoy.

1. Are My Herbs Irradiated?! Learn About Irradiation in Our Food System & How to Avoid It

2. 5 AUTUMN SPICES FOR THE HERBALIST’S KITCHEN

3. 85 Easy Fall Crafts for Adults to DIY With Kids in 2023

4. Get to Know the Super Smart Corvid Bird Family

5. Quiz: How Many Shorebirds Can You Identify?

***I use Mountain Rose Herbs for ordering all the herbs I use. Every order I’ve received has always been fresh and gorgeous. Click here to order the herbs you need for your teas, infusions, spices, and other ingredients for your kitchen:

Mountain Rose Herbs

Autumn Recipe . . .

Celebrate Autumn with seasonal recipes! Learn how to roast marshmallows!

The Science of Roasting the Perfect Marshmallow

INDOOR S’MORES – 3 WAYS!

Autumn Fun  . . .

Autumn Nature Bucket List! Jump in a pile of leaves! (and why you shouldn’t rid your lawn of leaves)

Here’s Why You Shouldn’t Toss The Fallen Leaves in Your Yard

Journaling Inspiration . . .

1. 3 Miraculous Things Happen When You Keep a Commonplace Book

2. 4 Ways to Use Journaling to Calm Your Inner Critic

3. Using Magazine Images ONLY to Embellish an ENTIRE Journal

4. The Power of One Word Journal Prompts

5. Easy Mass Make – Index Card Booklet #tagmetuesday

Random Nature Fact . . .

Scorpions can hold their breath for up to 6 days! They have modified lungs, called book lungs, that allow them to hold their breath for long periods of time.

Nature Journal Video . . .

1. Learn how to capture the subtle iridescence of crow feathers with watercolor. In this video, John Muir Laws demonstrates how to draw and paint a crow in profile.

Drawing and Painting A Crow

Nature Journal Prompt . . .

Use the picture above to practice drawing in your nature journal and noticing details about this animal.

Raven facts:

Lifespan: 21 years in the wild, up to 80 years in captivity

Scientific name: Corvus corax

Weight: 1 ½ lbs. to 4.4 lbs.

Speed: 25 mph

Habitat: woodlands (usually coniferous forests and along rocky coastlines), mountains, some survive in arid desert

What it eats: Ravens are omnivorous, eating both animal and plant matter. They are also scavengers: grains, berries, fruit,, small invertebrates, amphibians, reptiles, small mammals, birds

What eats (or preys on) it: predators that prey on nestlings: coyotes, large hawks, eagles, owls, martens, other ravens

Did you know?

Ravens and crows are highly intelligent!

Ravens Are Crazy Smart, and Here’s Scientific Proof

More fun facts:

Fable the Raven | Did you know Ravens can talk?!

What I’m watching . . .

1. Ohh, so many cliffhangers! We enjoyed this first season of Shelter.

Harlan Coben’s Shelter – Official Trailer | Prime Video

What I’m reading . . .

Since I did a quick read through on Sheila Bender’s book last year, I’m re-reading it now and following along with the exercises.

“Keeping a Journal You Love” by Sheila Bende

Quotes I’m pondering . . .

“And all at once, summer collapsed into fall.”

– Oscar Wilde

and

“I cannot endure to waste anything so precious as autumnal sunshine by staying in the house.”

– Nathaniel Hawthorne

Questions I’m considering journaling on . . .

What’s a belief that I hold with which many people disagree?

Journal Prompt . . .

Write about a challenge you faced. How did you overcome it?

Reviews . . .

If you have bought any of our books or printables and enjoyed them, please leave a positive review on Amazon, Etsy, or Zazzle. Those reviews mean the world to us and help boost us up on the platforms. Thank You!!

Happy Journaling!

. . . Shanna

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I’ll be back on October 22nd !

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