I don't know about you, but Summer overwhelms me with possibilities. All of a sudden, I want to spend every minute barefoot outside, feeling like a kid & going on free-spirited adventures. Here in the mountains of Colorado, many wildflowers don't even come out until mid-Summer, each one a burst of vibrant color that seems to shout, "Look at me! Life is grand!" It always astonishes me how in the harsh, arid conditions at 9,000 feet, these wildflowers blossom with a striking beauty, as though somehow their struggle against high altitude, fierce temperatures & thin mountain air has deepened their color & verve. But when they appear, like a child, I have to dash to each one & whisper "Welcome! So glad you made it!" Yes, I'm foo-foo like that, but I also know that these alpine blossoms are an incredible reminder of the splendor that can follow sheer tenacity—and many of them carry magical messages. So I invite you today to join me on my wildflower walk & to share in the lovely moment of serendipity that occurred to me recently which resulted in my special Summer Spell. I hope it will touch your heart the way it did mine : ) First off is the wild Geranium—with its delicate pink flower that's plentiful in high altitudes (I've seen them blossom at 11,000 feet!). Did you know that planting Geraniums around your home will protect you from negative energy & unwanted visitors? The Geraniums in the Rocky Mountains vary in color according to the soil they're in, but each color has special properties. Red Geraniums invite love & abundance, while this pretty pink one attracts friendship & love. White Geraniums raise your sensitivity to the influence of your Angels & Spirit Guides. And folklore tells us that to relieve stress, scatter Geranium petals in your bath water to help you relax (and maybe adding few bubbles & a glass of wine on the side wouldn't hurt ; ). Perhaps wild roses might not seem unusual to you in spring & summer, but I've seen them growing in the most rocky & windblown environments at altitudes that will make you struggle for breath! What a testimony to their endurance & strength. Rose is well known to signify & attract love, but did you know that it can also enhance the love you receive from your Angels & Spirit Guides? We all know that you must truly love yourself before you can accept love from another, so to boost your own self love, inhale deeply from this delicate flower & let its scent fill you with the divine love that your Angels long to give you. And like the Geranium, scatter Rose petals or pour Rose water into your bath as a reminder to love & nurture yourself so you can spread your love & passions into the world. Roses are also known to bring good luck, so plant them in your yard to insure abundance & to ward off negative energy. Now wait a minute, a weed like Thistle can't be magical, can it? But folklore assures us that this bright plant deepens your connection to the divine & invites spiritual helpers into your life, as well as guards against thieving in every way—including mental, physical & spiritually draining situations. So place the downy fluff from the Thistle under your welcome mat to keep robbers & emotional leeches away from your home, and include Thistles in your flower arrangements to invite loving Spirit Guides into your sphere. In addition, meditating on the rich, purple color of the Thistle cleanses your spirit & many people feel it offers healing for the mind as well. Indian Paintbrush
The spectacular Indian Paintbrush is the wildflower of passion. When you stumble across it, don't pick it! Let it dwell in the earth the way it's supposed to, brightening the world with its vibrant cheer. But do know that it's no accident you came across this fiery blossom—it's a message to you from your Spirit Guides to keep following your passions. Never waste a single day on regret or what could have been—today is a pure gift to you, and you are called to celebrate it with a newness & faith that will lead you to miracles. And when those opportunities do arrive, go after them with your whole heart! Indian Paintbrush never hesitates to spread is flame-colored petals to the sun, and neither should you. Who doesn't love a charming daisy? We've all played that childhood game of plucking the petals while saying "He loves me, he loves me not" to foretell our future in romance. But did you know that Daisies bring joy & renewed passion for life? Place them around the house to lift your spirits, boost your mood & remind you of possibilities once again. And if you DO want to attract a joyful suitor, place some Daisy petals under your pillow & allow your dreams to guide you to the right person (with a little help from the Angels, of course!). The bright Daisy (even this delicate, high altitude one above) is also known to protect children & to encourage you to let your inner child come out to play. So take off those socks & shoes & walk in the sunshine among the Daisies whenever you can. Yes, this wild, Rocky Mountain sunflower may seem small to you, but it still carries the magic of bringing good luck & making your wishes come true! They are actually native to Peru & do well in high altitudes. Eating sunflower seeds is said in folklore to bring good luck, & sleeping with the seeds under your pillow will help you germinate your deepest dreams & bring them into your life. Sunflowers are also a symbol of faithfulness (for the consistent way these blossoms follow the sun), so if you'd like to attract a faithful suitor, plant them in your garden to encourage people of truth, integrity & fidelity into your sphere. And finally, few flowers can cheer one up as much as sunflowers, so make bouquets of these sunny plant for your home to send the blues packing. Mariposa Lily
This spectacular wildflower is one of the jewels of the Rocky Mountains, so delicate & fragile, yet it thrives brilliantly in alpine altitudes. In folklore, Lilies signify resurrection & renewal, which is why we so often see them at funerals to represent our hopes to reunite with our loved ones in the afterlife. But magical tradition also tells us that if you come across a Lily in your everyday life, something you thought was dead to you is about to rebloom. It could be a cherished dream, your hope to find true love, or simply to get your passion back for life. The tender Lily is here to tell you that you are much tougher than you thought you were, and your courage & endurance are about to be rewarded with wonderful openings for new possibilities. So if you feel you've lost your mojo a bit, surround yourself with the fragrance of Lily in your bath or in your home & arrange Lilies bouquets to inspire your hope. These lovely flowers will send a message to your Spirit Guides that "I'm ready now to start anew—please bring the best people & situations for my happiest future." Then take a deep breath & let the past go, knowing that your Angels will carry you to exactly where you need to be.

(Items required: an old, trusted tree) While I was out on my wildflower walk this year with a friend, the most incredible (& magical) thing happened—I'd dashed over to take a picture of a flower, only to look up & realize I was beside a rare Ute Prayer Tree. Believe me, I got the chills at this moment of serendipity. The Ute Tribe, which are native to the Rocky Mountains, have a custom of tying select Ponderosa Pines to the earth so that they'd be "grounded" & continue to grow with a unique curve as their branches reach to the sky. You can tell when such a tree has been deliberately altered by man (& not by heavy snowfall) when you see distinct vertical marks on the tree where the Utes used rawhide to fasten the trunk. If you look carefully at the photo above, you can see the vertical marks that probably occurred about 250 years ago (as indicated by the redness of the tree's bark, which signifies its age). My friend & I were both stunned. Neither one of us had ever encountered a Ute Prayer Tree before, and we had a hunch it was no accident. Why? Because the purpose of the Ute Prayer Tree is for you to lay your hands upon it, like a trusted old friend, and release every care, sadness, bitterness or regret you've ever experienced in life into the tree.  This stalwart companion has existed in silent strength for centuries, has seen many people (if not civilizations) come & go, and is hardy enough to absorb any negative or limiting emotion that may try to thwart your spirit. So spontaneously, my friend & I halted our wilderness trek & took a moment to let go—release any hurt or sadness we've known—so we could be cleansed & ready for a new possibilities.

And it worked! Both of us felt as though something magical & cathartic had taken place. Afterwards, we were filled with a tingling excitement, because we know that you're never asked to release the old unless something new is coming—and we felt that our Angels had guided us to this moment because there are special things in store. After all, in order for anyone to blossom in life—find love, fulfill dreams, or take a new path leading to fulfillment—you must first get rid of old growth that's already served its purpose & be open to the new. So I'd like to invite you to do a similar Summer Spell to eliminate negativity & accept fresh opportunities into your own sphere for enhanced joy & vitality. Directions for the Summer Spell: First off, find an old tree—preferably a tree you've known since childhood or one that you discover in a grove with a wide trunk & large canopy that's particularly aged. Then approach the tree with a kind & gentle greeting. Explain that you're going to lay your hands on it for the purpose of healing by releasing any sadness, hurt, anger or bitterness from the past that might limit you. Don't worry, trees cleanse our atmosphere all the time & generously release oxygen so we can breathe, and your tree is strong enough to take any negativity & pool it at its roots to release into the soil where it will be dissipated. Then pray or meditate (whatever you like to call it) & visualize yourself letting go of specific emotions, memories, people, or situations that no longer bring you joy or help you on your path. That doesn't mean you don't love certain individuals anymore—it simply means that you recognize you need to grow in new ways & you desire now to change course. When you're ready, feel those old memories, images & painful moments leaving your heart & your body & entering the tree in a swirl of light. There, they will sink through the bark, into the sap & down into the earth, where they will never be able to thwart the new growth of you or the tree again. Now, feel yourself completely cleansed & ready to put joyful energy back into your life. This is extremely important—it does you no good to cleanse yourself if you don't make a concerted effort to refill your heart & mind with hope, sunshine, love, & new purpose. Visualize yourself bathed in sparkling sunshine that permeates your very soul, and ask your Angels or Spirit Guides to take you by the hand & help you go forward on your journey. Imagine your greatest desires—see them clearly—and know that your guides will help you every step of the way towards fulfillment. Most importantly, thank the tree for its generosity & ask that the tree be blessed with health & new growth as well. As you walk back to your starting place, notice any blossoms nearby, or go to a flower shop & purchase flowers to place in your home to remind you of the magic of flowers & the blossoming that is about to take place in your life. Finally, be grateful. Give thanks to your Angels or Spirit Guides for this cleansing & for Summer's gift of sunshine that highlights your new journey & brings cheer to you as you go forward.

And if you have a minute, please let me know in the comments below if this spell worked for you! Have a joyful Summer :D If you love the gentle enchantment of
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