June 29, 2025 • 38 mins
We're so excited to share a behind-the-scenes look at Deb's new book called Crafting the Wheel of the Year. It comes out in September, but if you order now on her website (debbowen.com) you can get lots of goodies including crochet and knitting patterns, signed bookmark plate and a guided meditation.
Thanks for listening! If you enjoy the show, please tell a friend, subscribe, rate and leave us a kind review. Don't forget to join our community on Facebook by searching Psychic Teachers.
If you have a question or story to share with us, send us an email at psychicteachers@gmail.com.
For more information on us, check out our websites: debbowen.com and samanthafey.com. You can also find Samantha on Instagram @samanthaofey.
Signed copies of Samantha’s book Heavenly Alliance and The Awake Dreamer are available at samanthafey.com.
Be sure to check out their other podcasts Enlightened Empaths and Real Deal Divas.
Have a great week. Be the Light!
Thanks for listening! If you enjoy the show, please tell a friend, subscribe, rate and leave us a kind review. Don't forget to join our community on Facebook by searching Psychic Teachers.
If you have a question or story to share with us, send us an email at psychicteachers@gmail.com.
For more information on us, check out our websites: debbowen.com and samanthafey.com. You can also find Samantha on Instagram @samanthaofey.
Signed copies of Samantha’s book Heavenly Alliance and The Awake Dreamer are available at samanthafey.com.
Be sure to check out their other podcasts Enlightened Empaths and Real Deal Divas.
Have a great week. Be the Light!
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:16):
Hello, and welcome to Psychic Teachers. I'm your host Samantha Fay,
and I'm Deb Bowen, and I'm so excited to welcome
you to this week's episode because we are going to
talk about Deb's new book. It's called Crafting the Wheel
of the Year, Seventeen magical projects to honor Nature's seasons,
(00:38):
and she has written this along with crafter and writer
Claire Gilder. Welcome to the show.
Speaker 2 (00:43):
Deb.
Speaker 1 (00:43):
We're happy to have you.
Speaker 2 (00:46):
How weird is this? Samantha, thank you so much.
Speaker 1 (00:49):
I am so excited to get this book in my hands.
It's absolutely right up my alley. It's all about different
craft projects you can do to really connect not only
with the beautiful seasons and holidays, but also with nature
all around us. Tell us about the book and what
people can get from reading this and working with some
(01:11):
of the projects in it.
Speaker 2 (01:13):
Well, you know, I have to tell you it really
was a collaboration of love and wonderful connection to write
this book with Claire Gelder, who owns Woolco Tour in England.
So not only was this book a process of collaboration
between us, but across continents, lots of good things came
(01:34):
as a part of writing this book. But here's what
you get for reading it. I wrote the parts of
the book that introduce the spirituality and the nature and
the wheeling of the year through the seasons, and not
just when we think of the four seasons of the year,
but in the old Celtic tradition, there are eight seasons.
(01:57):
So there are eight sections to the book that discuss
the history and the lore and the spirituality and the
connection to Mother Earth with those eight holidays. And then
Claire wrote the instructions for the corresponding crafts. I also
include in each section some information on corresponding crystals and
(02:18):
essential oils and waste to perhaps work with these projects
to enhance your altar or your rituals throughout the course
of the year. So that's what you get. You get history,
low spirituality, and how to do amazingly beautiful crafts along
the way.
Speaker 1 (02:35):
Now, how did you meet Claire?
Speaker 2 (02:37):
Claire started taking classes with me on Zoom, maybe before
the pandemic, but certainly during the pandemic. Almost every class
I taught Claire took it and it was just lovely.
And then she sent me an email and she said,
would you consider co authoring a book with me, and
(02:57):
I wrote her back and said, what will we do?
And so she came up with this idea for this book.
It was her idea. She owns Wilco Tour, which is
a company that sells jarn and knitting needles and crochet
needles and all sorts of craft tools. At that time
she was the author of seven books. She's now written
might of course, and so she said, let's put in
(03:19):
a proposal to my publisher about this book. So we did.
We put together a proposal and sent it in and
the publisher took the idea, and we've worked on this
book for some time now. It took several years for
us to work this book through, but we did. And
the release date is September sixteenth. But you can pre
(03:42):
order it now and if you do that on my
website or Claire's website, you get some additional goodies. So
if you order from my website if you're in the
United States, or from Claire's website if you're in other countries,
and we'll to give you those addresses in a minute,
you get, of course the book. You get a bookmark
that's a postcard sized bookmark that both of us have
(04:05):
signed and on the one side of the bookmark is
also a blessing prayer kind of thing that we will
send to you as well. Then you also get a
downloadable MP three meditation that helps you work your way
through the eight holidays of the year. In the meditation,
you get a hat Merlin, the cat crochet pattern and
(04:31):
a Minerva. The owl knitting pattern.
Speaker 1 (04:34):
Is the cat pattern named after your Merlin.
Speaker 2 (04:37):
Yep, I thank you. I do too, thank you Claire
for thinking to do that. And Minerva is one of
her folks. So the owl is named after her Minerva.
Speaker 1 (04:46):
And the cat one is a Cruichet pattern.
Speaker 2 (04:49):
Yes, you know.
Speaker 1 (04:50):
I can do that because I can't knit stuffed animals,
but I have croucheted many, many suff animals for my kids.
Can shay you Merlin? Would you want that?
Speaker 2 (05:02):
I would? That would be so lovely. I'd love to
have Merlin. Thank you?
Speaker 1 (05:06):
Oh my gosh, I love that. Okay, So tell us
about writing with someone. Was that easy? Was that hard?
Was it both?
Speaker 2 (05:15):
It was really joyful. I cannot tell you about absolutely lovely.
It was. Claire and I came up with us a
game plan for how we wanted the energy of the
book to be how we wanted it to feel when
people were reading it, about the beauty and the connection
to nature and the gentleness of the changing of the seasons.
(05:36):
So that was my intent with my parts of the book.
Her parts of the book are much more didactic. She
teaches you how to knit and pearl and crochet and
make flower wreaths and bracelets and smudge sticks and all
sorts of really wonderful things. Bridget Crosses, Rowan Berry Garland,
It's just lovely. So our process was really collaborative, and
(05:59):
it was same time we both had separate task. One
of the things that made that process so wonderful was
that the woman who was our editor at the publisher
was just a dream to work with. She made virtually
no changes to what I wrote except to change words
to make them the British spelling. For example, on the
(06:22):
cover of the book, the word honor is spelled with
a U because it's published by a British bublet. So
that's really a lot of what was the process was
working with Becky to get those kinds of things worked out.
But she was a dream to work with. The whole
process was in writing this. Claire and I talked a
lot about what we wanted the symbols of each of
(06:43):
the holidays to be. For lith for example, the summer solstice,
which is of course in June, she created a beautiful
bracelet that's selenite and sunstone alternating beads to remind us
that balance of the year that great.
Speaker 1 (07:02):
I love that and I love for Yule. She has
a craft to make pine cone wishes, which is so fun.
And a rowan berry garland. What is so magical about
rowan I just I love reading and learning about.
Speaker 2 (07:17):
That is something old symbol and the Celtic lands. One
of the reasons that it's so important today, of course,
is that if you look at the bottom of a
rowan berry, the end of the berry is a five
point star.
Speaker 1 (07:31):
Oh yeah, that is really cool. And they are traditionally
used for protection.
Speaker 2 (07:37):
Correct exactly. So if you think about days of old,
would you not want some protection as winter is coming
on and you need whatever pop of color you can get.
So we have holly berries and rowan berries and greenery
that we bring in in those old days to give
some kind of hope and joy to the year.
Speaker 1 (07:59):
Did you get to write about bridget as well?
Speaker 2 (08:02):
For Imbulk, I did.
Speaker 1 (08:04):
I bet you loved that.
Speaker 2 (08:05):
I did, of course I did. There are two craft
projects for each of the eight holidays, and I'll tell
you about the seventeenth when in a minute. But yes,
the Bridget's Cross, of course, is one of the symbols
for in Bulk and there's an instructions on how to
do that in the book. So seventeen craft projects, two
for each of the eight holidays. And the seventeenth project
(08:29):
is a cape that Claire has created that is just
gorgeous and it's the colors of the eight colors of
the representation of the holidays. So that's the final project,
is something that brings all of the holidays together in
this beautiful cape that she has created.
Speaker 1 (08:48):
Well, it covers Sowyn, yule Im, bulk Astara, bill Taine,
Litha and then how do you say? The next one,
Luken's Lunasa. Lunasa what is I'm not familiar with that.
Speaker 2 (09:01):
Lunasa is in the Northern Hemisphere the first of August
and it's the second of the three harvest festivals, named
after the Celtic god Bleu lug H, who was an
amazing person and amazing god in the Celtic tradition, who
really really loved his mother and went to war to
protect her and all sorts of things. But in that
(09:23):
holiday we honor the harvest of corn and wheat, So
that is the bread holiday. If you ever see any
symbol of Lunasa in terms of food, you see loaves
of bread and corn. There's an old Celtic song called
John Barleycorn must Die. Many of us know the traffic
(09:46):
version of that song, and that comes from the legend
of corn and making grain and bread and so forth
during Lunasa in August.
Speaker 1 (09:57):
I need to research and read your book because I
don't know a who lot about that. But the idea
of meeting a god and he's like, hey, I'm Lou,
just fix me.
Speaker 2 (10:05):
Laugh there you go.
Speaker 1 (10:07):
No disrespect to the god named Lou.
Speaker 2 (10:09):
Okay.
Speaker 1 (10:10):
So, and then we finish up the Wheel of the
Year with Mabon and I just the images and the
photography in here are so beautiful.
Speaker 2 (10:20):
Is it not? As we would get editions of the
pages as we were working on it. Seeing it on
the computer was one thing. Actually holding this book in
my hand is a whole other thing. And yes, the
photography is breathtaking and very clear instructions from Claire as well.
Speaker 1 (10:38):
I just love How did it feel when the finished
book did arrive? Did you celebrate? Did you do a
little dance?
Speaker 2 (10:45):
I did, And I was a little nervous opening it up.
I've only gotten two copies, actually two advanced copies, so
I'm not doing that unboxing video. There is a video
coming out that I talk about the book, but it's
not the unboxed thing, but bigger box of books will
come later. But yes, I was really nervous, and at
the same time, I was so incredibly honored to be
(11:10):
a part of this project and relieved that it was
all here and really done, and here we go, and
I think that's just so much fun.
Speaker 1 (11:19):
How long was the project from beginning to end?
Speaker 2 (11:23):
We actually ended up having to take off some months.
Claire had a family emergency in the process of doing this,
and we everything ground to a halt for several months.
I think the whole project from beginning to end was
three years. All right, let's take our break and we'll
be right back. Hi, folks. If you've been waiting for
(11:44):
my Beginner to Row course Unlocking the Mysteries of Terrow,
now is the time to register. This three session course
runs Tuesdays July fifteenth, twenty second, and twenty ninth on
Zoom and details are on my web website, Debbowen dot com.
If you long to truly began your journey into the
(12:06):
depth and symbolism of Terrow, this introductory course is for you.
I've been teaching and reading to Row over forty years,
and I have taught hundreds of people to read. My
Unlocking the Mysteries of Too course teaches you how to
begin your lifetime relationship with Terro true. Terow brings together
(12:26):
symbolism from so many world beliefs and mythologies, and this
course lays the groundwork for your work with your intuition
in future courses. There's so much more information on my website,
Debbowen dot com. I look forward to working with you.
Speaker 1 (12:44):
Welcome back. So what are you doing to get it
out there? Are you going to be doing book signings,
book writing?
Speaker 2 (12:51):
Yes, I am, indeed i am. I'd love to be
on podcasts or brother podcast hosts. I would be delighted
to go out and talk more about the book. I
am doing signings. I am having a launch party at
a local bookstore and I'll talk about that a little
bit too, So that's happening. I'm doing information in my
newsletter whatever way I can let folks know that this
(13:14):
lovely book is available.
Speaker 1 (13:16):
People should pre order from deboan dot com if they're
in America, because that's how they'll get all the goodies.
Speaker 2 (13:23):
It's the only way to get all the goodies.
Speaker 1 (13:24):
It's the only way. And if they're outside of the
United States, what is Clear's.
Speaker 2 (13:29):
Website, willcotour dot com.
Speaker 1 (13:32):
Willcotur dot com, and they can get all the goodies
that way as.
Speaker 2 (13:35):
Well, exactly the same, the same thing, Okay.
Speaker 1 (13:38):
And then after September when the book is out. I
do want to shout out bookshop dot org. Do you
want to talk about that.
Speaker 2 (13:45):
Bookshop dot org is a wonderful organization that it's like
ordering online from any other online retailer, but you can
designate where you want a portion of the proceeds to go.
And I have deer sign it if you go to
my website and you order it from bookshop dot org
or if you go to bookshop, the proceeds from this
(14:06):
book go to Pomegranate Books in Wilmington, North Carolina, which is.
Speaker 1 (14:10):
A beautiful independent bookstore that absolute love and want to support.
So I love that bookshop dot Org lets you do that, I.
Speaker 2 (14:17):
Do tell you, so order it of course from Larnes
and Noble, Amazon and Waterstone if you're in England as well.
Speaker 1 (14:24):
One thing that I really love about this for you,
deb is you actually do this like this, crafting the
wheel of the year. It's how you live. It is
because you will often say to me, I don't follow
the same holidays that you do, and you'll say, oh, well,
I can't record on that day it's in bulk, or
I can't you know, I have to carve out this
(14:46):
time because I'm celebrating this holiday. And I would just
love for you to share with listeners a little bit
about what that looks like in your world.
Speaker 2 (14:54):
Happy to do that, Samantha, Because of the eight holidays,
as you have just talked about, really there's a holiday
about every six and a half weeks. Is how that
works out if you were to map it out on
a calendar. And I love that. I love that there
is this continual reminder of the shifting of the seasons
(15:16):
and the gifts that we have from each of them.
And so in my tradition and as it does in
the book, the year begins at what's called Sowen, which
is of course we also think of that as Halloween.
In the Northern Hemisphere, the word Sowin means summer's end,
and it's the third and final harvest festival. So here
(15:38):
it is at the end of October. This is the
end of the crops are all in, food is prepared
and put away for the stored for the winter. The
canning is done and whatever, and it's time to shift
the focus to heart and home, and it's time to
say whoop. The work is done from the outside, gardening
(16:01):
and harvesting is done, and now it's time to go
within to be quiet and settled in to preparing for
the winter time to come. For me, this time of year,
Salen gives me an opportunity for reflection. It's also a
time of year when the veil is thinnest, so it's
(16:22):
a great time to communicate with our loved ones who
have gone on. There's this process that begins with Salen
that then moves us into Eywle. We move from Swen
to Yule, and Yule is that winter solstice time where
the days it's the shortest day of the year and
it's a time where we can really celebrate that moment
(16:47):
of stillness in our lives, that time of silence, that
time of gratitude for the gifts that have been given
to us in our lives that are represented symbolically by
that I said earlier, that pop of red from rowan
berries or holly berries, that time of telling stories and
gathering family together. And then six weeks later we move
(17:12):
in February, the first of February to imbulk, and that
word means in the belly, so it's a time of pregnancy,
particularly in agrarian cultures of time when it was time
for early lambs perhaps to be born, it was a
time of connecting to milking, and just beneath the surface
(17:33):
of the snow covered ground, life was beginning to stir.
One of the things that we often see related to
this holiday is just a blossoming of crocuses in the snow,
and that's that reminder that we're at what's called across
quarter day where we have this gift of almost this
(17:55):
gift of the promise and the hope of the coming
of spring. And from in Bulk we move into a stara,
which comes from the Goddess of Starre which is the
time of spring and the coming of the new season
of life. So that's where we get bunnies and eggs
and all those symbols of birth and rebirth and growth
(18:16):
coming to us in the springtime at a Stara, and
from there, six weeks later we moved to Beltaday, which
is May first, and that's the time of planting and
preparing the fields to be planted, and the hope and
the promise of the growth season to come. This is
(18:38):
where we get the idea of dancing around a maypole.
It's a time of making mary. And then from there,
of course, we moved to Litha as we talked about
the summer solstice, which is that wonderful time of year
that is the counterpoint to Yule six months earlier. Then
we move to Lanassa, that second harvest, that harvest time
(18:58):
of bray of grain and breads, and we end the
season in September at the fall equinox with Mabeon and
the time of harvesting the next round of crops wherever
you live, and honoring again that process reparation and gratitude
for the gifts given in our lives. So much of
(19:19):
this wheel of the year this spinning that ever spins
on and on and onward, is about offering gratitude, about
being connected, about finding joy in creation that we do,
and creation in the nature around us. And that's really
a lot of what this book is really all about.
(19:41):
Regardless of what your beliefs are, we all go through
those seasons in those times throughout the year and have
that concept of being deeply connected to each other and
to the world around us.
Speaker 1 (19:53):
And it's so important to hold on to those connections
to nature, but also as reminders that everything in life
is cyclical. Yes, there is no beginning, middle, and end.
Everything is a circle life, death, reincarnation, rebirth, renewal, good times,
bad times, It's all on the wheel. And I think
(20:16):
that's a really important reminder because it helps us to
stay present and to stay focused in gratitude. And what
I love about the crafts that Claire has provided in
addition to your beautiful writing, is it allows us to
slow down. That's something I really love about doing any
craft project is it really does force me to be
(20:38):
present in my body and to slow down and to
really connect.
Speaker 2 (20:43):
True and these projects that Clive has done are just lovely.
Some of them are for whimsical and fun. Others of
them have a deep spiritual connection. Others of them are
absolutely beautiful and very useful. I love what she's chosen
here to be representative of that time of spinning through
(21:04):
the wheel of the year and doing it exactly as
you say, slowing down and being truly present and connected
to to what your hands are doing.
Speaker 1 (21:13):
The only craft I don't think I could do in
the book is the wreath. That thing is so beautiful.
I don't know that I could replicate.
Speaker 2 (21:20):
That, isn't it gorgeous? Yeah?
Speaker 1 (21:22):
I just I want to get some lavender right now.
Speaker 2 (21:27):
I have a friend in New Jersey who makes lavender wands,
and I don't know how she weaves them, but they
are just beautiful to look at. Yeah, I don't know
how cled does that. I just don't know. I'm in
awe of her work. I truly am. Well.
Speaker 1 (21:41):
I just love that. Like I said, You've always been
walking this path, so it's very authentic. It's very right
and aligned with who you are. Remember that time before
you when I met you told me about it where
you challenged yourself to live off food you grew and
backyard I do, I mean tell us about that because
(22:04):
that's so connected to this book. I feel in many
ways that was.
Speaker 2 (22:08):
A fascinating and wonderful experience and what I'm not sure
I could replicate today with where I live now and
my physical ability to do gardening, but I did do that.
I had planted potatoes in Hay. I had all sorts
of vegetables, o gra beans, corn, cucumbers, tomatoes, all sorts
of stuff. And yes, I basically became a vegetarian for
(22:34):
a period of time during the harvest time of that
summer and did except for eggs and probably toast, what
I ate for several weeks. Was when I grew in
the yard.
Speaker 1 (22:46):
And I realized hard or was that like enlightening?
Speaker 2 (22:50):
It was certainly enlightening. It wasn't hard because I was
committed to trying it, But I could I sustain it
over years? I don't think so, not in today's world.
And it was indeed enlightening as to how much work
it is to be somebody who that's what you do,
(23:10):
how that's how you live, that's what your life is like.
I did that as a choice, But I could have
gotten in the car and gone to the grocery store
or gone to a restaurant I could have, but I didn't,
And but I realized and ended up with a lot
of respect for agrarian cultures. And that's a lot of
(23:31):
where this concept of that awareness and living through these
holidays comes from. Is that respect for the agrarian cultures
in our world.
Speaker 1 (23:41):
Yeah, and respect from Mother Earth than all that she
provides us.
Speaker 2 (23:45):
Absolutely, who you talk about gratitude absolutely.
Speaker 1 (23:49):
What's one of your favorite exercises from this book or
the favorite part that you were able to write if
you had to pick one.
Speaker 2 (23:56):
My favorite part to write, well going. I really enjoyed
writing about Ewell, partly because this is such a holiday
that so many different cultures share in some ways, and
it was so much fun to write about it and
to incorporate the connection to our history and traditions, to
(24:21):
our ancestors what they did, and then how today our
holidays in many different cultures have derived from that history
and those cultures and have become an integrated part of
our lives in so many ways. I also loved little
asides that are in the book. For example, one of
(24:44):
the things that Claire and I did when we started
this project was each of us made a crystal grid,
asking for guidance and good communication and all the things
that we felt we were going to need in order
to write this book. And we both still have those
grids up even now as we are working our way
through the getting the book out to the world. But
(25:07):
we also wrote a spell of rayer kind of thing.
I'll read it to you if I could. Yeah, Dear
muses fair and Goddess is bright, Please bless this writing
with your light. Grant us some fear's wisdom, key that
this book and all its gifts come to be across
(25:30):
time and the bright blue sea. May harmony stand firm
between you and me. Grant us joyful work together with
no adversities to weather. Let us reach those who want
to learn and whose heart for joy's yearn As the
wheel ever onward spends so now here our task begins
(25:54):
as we will it. So mote it be blessed.
Speaker 1 (25:57):
Be Oh, that is beautiful.
Speaker 2 (26:00):
Thank you.
Speaker 1 (26:01):
What crystal did you choose for your crystal grid?
Speaker 2 (26:05):
So here's what's on this big plate thing that I
created for our time together. In the center there is
a quartz cluster for bringing in harmony and connection with
each other. There is smoky quartz. There is as you
write malachite, a chyanite blade, a rose quartz pyramid, an
(26:29):
orchter shell, a turkey feather, a five pointed star candleholder,
and a key light. And then I created this sachet
of herbs that has lavender and some sage, probably some bergamot.
I'm not sure what all else is in it, but
it's a sachet that I put together with the intention
(26:52):
of we would have kindness and sweetness between us as
we work together. So that's what I love that, that's
what's hearing this plate.
Speaker 1 (27:01):
I don't think we've ever added herbs to any of
the crystal grids we've created.
Speaker 2 (27:06):
No, but I did this, and I think I needed.
I needed the idea of working with fragrance because I
knew that we were going to be including essential oils
into the book as well as crystals, and so I
needed something that represented that, that fragrance of creativity and
(27:28):
kindness and collaboration. And that's what I put in that session.
Oh and there's a bay leaf that says that my
intention was that my writings would be published beautiful.
Speaker 1 (27:40):
All right, let's take our last break and we'll be
right back. Hi, guys. Quick reminder that Denise and I
are teaching our mediumship classes this summer. Our Intro to
Mediumship class will be taught over two Saturdays June twenty
eighth and July twelfth, from one to four. The Advanced
Mediumship class we'll be taught July twenty sixth and August ninth.
(28:03):
You'll learn how to create and hold a link to spirit.
We'll cover overcoming self doubt and other blocks. Plus we
do a deep dive into understanding your players and learning
to cultivate your own unique way of connecting with spirit.
There are partner exercises taught both in and outside of
class time, so you can really practice and learn to
hone your readings. Also, if you sign up for my newsletter,
(28:26):
you'll see a coupon code to receive twenty percent off
any bracelet. For more information, go to Samantha Fay dot com.
Welcome back. When you were writing these different sections, did
you feel the energy of any of the gods and
goddesses connected to the holidays, Like did Lou pop in
(28:47):
and say thank you so much? And here's another idea?
Speaker 2 (28:51):
Actually yes, because here's what I did as I moved
from holiday to holiday. I meditated, I ask for a
stone that be appropriate to work with, and I ask
for any kind of messages or guidance that I may
get from. Whether or not it came from the gods
or goddess is connected to the holidays, I don't know,
but certainly from my guides, certainly from Mary Shelley, I'll
(29:14):
talk about her. But all of that came together with
each one, and I made notes after the meditation, and
that's how I began the process of actually writing the material.
Speaker 1 (29:26):
Oh, I just think that's fantastic, and I don't mean
to be disrespectful. I just the low thing just threw me.
I never heard of that. But I love reading about Astara,
and of course you and I have such an affinity
for Bridget, and I just think it's great for listeners
to be able to connect with your work on this
(29:46):
level and really understand how there are so many resources
out there for us to call on for help, including
Mary Shelley. So tell us about what you mean by
that reference.
Speaker 2 (29:56):
Well, let me just tell you and I'll do this
fairly quickly. Some time ago, I had this dream in
which I was in this big house walking down this long, dark,
annaled hallway, and I opened the door to this room,
and I was in this Victorian notch even earlier than
that library, and sitting behind a desk was this woman
dressed in seventeenth eighteenth century garb and I said who
(30:21):
are you? And she said, I'm Mary Shelley, And I thought, WHOA,
what is up with that? And I came out of
the dream. And then so of course I started researching,
and I realized and in my research I learned that
Mary Shelley wrote Frankenstein's Monster in Defiance of the Industrial Revolution,
(30:45):
that she was a true lud act and the whole
idea was that we must hold on to that which
is made by hand and is sacred and it's not machinery. Well,
for me, what a better muse could there? Bathe in
Mary Shelley? Right, So, when I was working on this
and other writing, said I have done in the past
(31:06):
couple of years, I had asked for help from Mary Shelley.
And I don't know whether or not she's been, but
so far it's worked out pretty well.
Speaker 1 (31:14):
I think that's so interesting because when you first told
me about that selfishly, I was like, oh, dev she's
tried to tell you that we need to do more
spooky shows, and then you said, no, Brackenstein represents a
pushback against the industrial evolution and technology, so it's about
getting back to nature.
Speaker 2 (31:36):
You're right there, there is that Oh me, how.
Speaker 1 (31:40):
Are you enjoying promoting the book? Are you you want
to talk about that experience?
Speaker 2 (31:44):
Well, I am. Here's what happens. So if somebody orders
the book from my website, I get a notice from
my website and from PayPal that the order has come in,
and then I send an email mail a confirmation email.
I think you get one two from the whatever, but
(32:05):
I send one that I type that thanks you and
reminds you of when the book is actually coming out
in September and the goodies that you will get with it.
And that's lovely to be able to do that personal touch. Now.
It will happen again when the book is actually available
and will be shipped to you, but I'm doing that
now as a thank you to just let you know
(32:26):
I got your order and I'm acknowledging that. So I'm
grateful for that. I'm looking forward to how the summer
evolves with scheduling talks and signings and so forth and
so on, and at some point I'm sure clear and
I would like if you would be willing to do this, Samantha,
to allow us to come back on and talk together.
(32:48):
I think we should interview Claire.
Speaker 1 (32:50):
Oh, I think that would be great, great good.
Speaker 2 (32:53):
So there we go. So those are the kinds of
things that are happening at this moment while I'm sitting
here on pins and needles waiting for the books to
really arrive and to really be published. So it's coming again.
Debowen dot com gets you to my website where you
can order the book and get the goodies that come
with it. Claire's website is what wolcotour dot com. If
(33:17):
you're in a country other than the United States, can
certainly order from her as well, or if your brothers
is to go to an online store in some way,
you can also do that as well.
Speaker 1 (33:28):
Perfect are you working on a new writing project.
Speaker 2 (33:31):
I am, and it's not related to this stuff at all.
It's the other pieces that I have written over the
past couple of years have been creative nonfiction pieces and
a couple of poems which I interesting but anyway, but
related to the environment. Because to me, this work on
this book, Crafting the Wheel of the Year with Claire
(33:51):
is an outgrowth of my respect and love for Mother Earth.
And so the other works that I have been working
on had been along those lines, stories about coyotes for example,
of what we might do as we see climate change happening,
and that sort of thing. So that's piece of where
(34:11):
I'm going back to as well.
Speaker 1 (34:14):
Oh I love that, and I'm so happy that I
get to see this beautiful book being birthed into reality,
and I just can't wait for you to be able
to share it with listeners. I'm so happy for you.
Speaker 2 (34:26):
Deb Samantha. None of this would have happened without you.
Speaker 1 (34:29):
Can I just say that without me?
Speaker 2 (34:32):
Yes? Well, because you're the one who nudged me out
of the closet in many ways when it comes to
beliefs and psychic work, and fifteen years with you has
certainly given me the impetus to be willing to try
this kind of stuff.
Speaker 1 (34:51):
Wow, we gazul to you. Thank you. You know, we
had a listener submitted question on one of our recent
Q and a's where she was taught talking about being
afraid to really share that she was intuitive with friends
and family, and I know you're pretty much the only
person in your family who follows this type of tradition
(35:15):
and wheel of the year.
Speaker 2 (35:17):
Not pretty much. I am all right.
Speaker 1 (35:19):
I didn't want to just put it all out there,
but yes, I am okay. So you are the only
one in your family who follows the Wheel of the Year.
Were you worried about sharing that?
Speaker 2 (35:32):
Yeah, I still am, even though now this book is
being published and here we go. But you know, at
some point you just got to be true to who
you are. And I think one of the things that
has helped that folks may remember this is that over
the past several years, I have periodically been invited to
speak at this organization on Sunday mornings that is a
(35:56):
spiritual center, and I have been invited to speak to
talk about however I see the world around me in
terms of spirituality, and that has been very lovely and
freeing as well.
Speaker 1 (36:09):
And the two episodes we shared where it was just
you sharing your wisdom and the way you look at
belief and faith that we've gotten tremendous response on that.
So I feel like spirit is nudging you and kind
of helping point the direction on where your writing world
should lead.
Speaker 2 (36:28):
Thank you for that, and I hope that's true. And
I agree, and I'm very grateful for folks enjoying those
shorter little episode things I've done. And I have some
more plans, some more coming good.
Speaker 1 (36:40):
Okay, So once again, the book is called Crafting the
Wheel of the Year Seventeen Magical Projects to Honor Nature's
Seasons by Deb Bowen and Claire Gilder, and you can
pre order at deb Bowen dot com and you will
get all sorts of fantastic goodies. So we really hope
(37:01):
that if you have loved this show and loved working
and learning from Deb, that you will help support her because,
as fellow writers listening know, pre order sales are so
so important. Let's show her how much we love her
and go to Debowen dot com and pre order this
beautiful book. I'm so happy for you, Deb. And as
(37:22):
I said, when you were talking about birthing this book,
I said, okay, when it comes out, we have to
do like a book signing together. So at some point
we have to do that.
Speaker 2 (37:32):
We will. That'll be so much fun to do.
Speaker 1 (37:34):
Yeah, I don't want it. I never want to do
them on my own, but if you're next to me,
it'll be fun.
Speaker 2 (37:39):
We can do it. It'll be fun.
Speaker 1 (37:41):
We can do it all right. Thank you guys so
much for listening, and we hope you have a beautiful
week where you are magically connected to nature. Remember, as always,
to be the light for yourself and others.
Speaker 2 (37:55):
Take care everyone.
Speaker 1 (38:02):
Thank you for listening to Psychic Teachers, your podcast for seekers,
light workers, mystics, and magical thinkers. If you like the show,
please tell a friend or leave us a review. Wherever
you listen to your podcast. For more information, check out
our Facebook page Psychic Teachers, or our websites Samantha Fay
dot com and Debbowen dot com. Thanks for listening and
(38:22):
have a great week.
Hello, and welcome to Psychic Teachers. I'm your host Samantha Fay,
and I'm Deb Bowen, and I'm so excited to welcome
you to this week's episode because we are going to
talk about Deb's new book. It's called Crafting the Wheel
of the Year, Seventeen magical projects to honor Nature's seasons,
(00:38):
and she has written this along with crafter and writer
Claire Gilder. Welcome to the show.
Speaker 2 (00:43):
Deb.
Speaker 1 (00:43):
We're happy to have you.
Speaker 2 (00:46):
How weird is this? Samantha, thank you so much.
Speaker 1 (00:49):
I am so excited to get this book in my hands.
It's absolutely right up my alley. It's all about different
craft projects you can do to really connect not only
with the beautiful seasons and holidays, but also with nature
all around us. Tell us about the book and what
people can get from reading this and working with some
(01:11):
of the projects in it.
Speaker 2 (01:13):
Well, you know, I have to tell you it really
was a collaboration of love and wonderful connection to write
this book with Claire Gelder, who owns Woolco Tour in England.
So not only was this book a process of collaboration
between us, but across continents, lots of good things came
(01:34):
as a part of writing this book. But here's what
you get for reading it. I wrote the parts of
the book that introduce the spirituality and the nature and
the wheeling of the year through the seasons, and not
just when we think of the four seasons of the year,
but in the old Celtic tradition, there are eight seasons.
(01:57):
So there are eight sections to the book that discuss
the history and the lore and the spirituality and the
connection to Mother Earth with those eight holidays. And then
Claire wrote the instructions for the corresponding crafts. I also
include in each section some information on corresponding crystals and
(02:18):
essential oils and waste to perhaps work with these projects
to enhance your altar or your rituals throughout the course
of the year. So that's what you get. You get history,
low spirituality, and how to do amazingly beautiful crafts along
the way.
Speaker 1 (02:35):
Now, how did you meet Claire?
Speaker 2 (02:37):
Claire started taking classes with me on Zoom, maybe before
the pandemic, but certainly during the pandemic. Almost every class
I taught Claire took it and it was just lovely.
And then she sent me an email and she said,
would you consider co authoring a book with me, and
(02:57):
I wrote her back and said, what will we do?
And so she came up with this idea for this book.
It was her idea. She owns Wilco Tour, which is
a company that sells jarn and knitting needles and crochet
needles and all sorts of craft tools. At that time
she was the author of seven books. She's now written
might of course, and so she said, let's put in
(03:19):
a proposal to my publisher about this book. So we did.
We put together a proposal and sent it in and
the publisher took the idea, and we've worked on this
book for some time now. It took several years for
us to work this book through, but we did. And
the release date is September sixteenth. But you can pre
(03:42):
order it now and if you do that on my
website or Claire's website, you get some additional goodies. So
if you order from my website if you're in the
United States, or from Claire's website if you're in other countries,
and we'll to give you those addresses in a minute,
you get, of course the book. You get a bookmark
that's a postcard sized bookmark that both of us have
(04:05):
signed and on the one side of the bookmark is
also a blessing prayer kind of thing that we will
send to you as well. Then you also get a
downloadable MP three meditation that helps you work your way
through the eight holidays of the year. In the meditation,
you get a hat Merlin, the cat crochet pattern and
(04:31):
a Minerva. The owl knitting pattern.
Speaker 1 (04:34):
Is the cat pattern named after your Merlin.
Speaker 2 (04:37):
Yep, I thank you. I do too, thank you Claire
for thinking to do that. And Minerva is one of
her folks. So the owl is named after her Minerva.
Speaker 1 (04:46):
And the cat one is a Cruichet pattern.
Speaker 2 (04:49):
Yes, you know.
Speaker 1 (04:50):
I can do that because I can't knit stuffed animals,
but I have croucheted many, many suff animals for my kids.
Can shay you Merlin? Would you want that?
Speaker 2 (05:02):
I would? That would be so lovely. I'd love to
have Merlin. Thank you?
Speaker 1 (05:06):
Oh my gosh, I love that. Okay, So tell us
about writing with someone. Was that easy? Was that hard?
Was it both?
Speaker 2 (05:15):
It was really joyful. I cannot tell you about absolutely lovely.
It was. Claire and I came up with us a
game plan for how we wanted the energy of the
book to be how we wanted it to feel when
people were reading it, about the beauty and the connection
to nature and the gentleness of the changing of the seasons.
(05:36):
So that was my intent with my parts of the book.
Her parts of the book are much more didactic. She
teaches you how to knit and pearl and crochet and
make flower wreaths and bracelets and smudge sticks and all
sorts of really wonderful things. Bridget Crosses, Rowan Berry Garland,
It's just lovely. So our process was really collaborative, and
(05:59):
it was same time we both had separate task. One
of the things that made that process so wonderful was
that the woman who was our editor at the publisher
was just a dream to work with. She made virtually
no changes to what I wrote except to change words
to make them the British spelling. For example, on the
(06:22):
cover of the book, the word honor is spelled with
a U because it's published by a British bublet. So
that's really a lot of what was the process was
working with Becky to get those kinds of things worked out.
But she was a dream to work with. The whole
process was in writing this. Claire and I talked a
lot about what we wanted the symbols of each of
(06:43):
the holidays to be. For lith for example, the summer solstice,
which is of course in June, she created a beautiful
bracelet that's selenite and sunstone alternating beads to remind us
that balance of the year that great.
Speaker 1 (07:02):
I love that and I love for Yule. She has
a craft to make pine cone wishes, which is so fun.
And a rowan berry garland. What is so magical about
rowan I just I love reading and learning about.
Speaker 2 (07:17):
That is something old symbol and the Celtic lands. One
of the reasons that it's so important today, of course,
is that if you look at the bottom of a
rowan berry, the end of the berry is a five
point star.
Speaker 1 (07:31):
Oh yeah, that is really cool. And they are traditionally
used for protection.
Speaker 2 (07:37):
Correct exactly. So if you think about days of old,
would you not want some protection as winter is coming
on and you need whatever pop of color you can get.
So we have holly berries and rowan berries and greenery
that we bring in in those old days to give
some kind of hope and joy to the year.
Speaker 1 (07:59):
Did you get to write about bridget as well?
Speaker 2 (08:02):
For Imbulk, I did.
Speaker 1 (08:04):
I bet you loved that.
Speaker 2 (08:05):
I did, of course I did. There are two craft
projects for each of the eight holidays, and I'll tell
you about the seventeenth when in a minute. But yes,
the Bridget's Cross, of course, is one of the symbols
for in Bulk and there's an instructions on how to
do that in the book. So seventeen craft projects, two
for each of the eight holidays. And the seventeenth project
(08:29):
is a cape that Claire has created that is just
gorgeous and it's the colors of the eight colors of
the representation of the holidays. So that's the final project,
is something that brings all of the holidays together in
this beautiful cape that she has created.
Speaker 1 (08:48):
Well, it covers Sowyn, yule Im, bulk Astara, bill Taine,
Litha and then how do you say? The next one,
Luken's Lunasa. Lunasa what is I'm not familiar with that.
Speaker 2 (09:01):
Lunasa is in the Northern Hemisphere the first of August
and it's the second of the three harvest festivals, named
after the Celtic god Bleu lug H, who was an
amazing person and amazing god in the Celtic tradition, who
really really loved his mother and went to war to
protect her and all sorts of things. But in that
(09:23):
holiday we honor the harvest of corn and wheat, So
that is the bread holiday. If you ever see any
symbol of Lunasa in terms of food, you see loaves
of bread and corn. There's an old Celtic song called
John Barleycorn must Die. Many of us know the traffic
(09:46):
version of that song, and that comes from the legend
of corn and making grain and bread and so forth
during Lunasa in August.
Speaker 1 (09:57):
I need to research and read your book because I
don't know a who lot about that. But the idea
of meeting a god and he's like, hey, I'm Lou,
just fix me.
Speaker 2 (10:05):
Laugh there you go.
Speaker 1 (10:07):
No disrespect to the god named Lou.
Speaker 2 (10:09):
Okay.
Speaker 1 (10:10):
So, and then we finish up the Wheel of the
Year with Mabon and I just the images and the
photography in here are so beautiful.
Speaker 2 (10:20):
Is it not? As we would get editions of the
pages as we were working on it. Seeing it on
the computer was one thing. Actually holding this book in
my hand is a whole other thing. And yes, the
photography is breathtaking and very clear instructions from Claire as well.
Speaker 1 (10:38):
I just love How did it feel when the finished
book did arrive? Did you celebrate? Did you do a
little dance?
Speaker 2 (10:45):
I did, And I was a little nervous opening it up.
I've only gotten two copies, actually two advanced copies, so
I'm not doing that unboxing video. There is a video
coming out that I talk about the book, but it's
not the unboxed thing, but bigger box of books will
come later. But yes, I was really nervous, and at
the same time, I was so incredibly honored to be
(11:10):
a part of this project and relieved that it was
all here and really done, and here we go, and
I think that's just so much fun.
Speaker 1 (11:19):
How long was the project from beginning to end?
Speaker 2 (11:23):
We actually ended up having to take off some months.
Claire had a family emergency in the process of doing this,
and we everything ground to a halt for several months.
I think the whole project from beginning to end was
three years. All right, let's take our break and we'll
be right back. Hi, folks. If you've been waiting for
(11:44):
my Beginner to Row course Unlocking the Mysteries of Terrow,
now is the time to register. This three session course
runs Tuesdays July fifteenth, twenty second, and twenty ninth on
Zoom and details are on my web website, Debbowen dot com.
If you long to truly began your journey into the
(12:06):
depth and symbolism of Terrow, this introductory course is for you.
I've been teaching and reading to Row over forty years,
and I have taught hundreds of people to read. My
Unlocking the Mysteries of Too course teaches you how to
begin your lifetime relationship with Terro true. Terow brings together
(12:26):
symbolism from so many world beliefs and mythologies, and this
course lays the groundwork for your work with your intuition
in future courses. There's so much more information on my website,
Debbowen dot com. I look forward to working with you.
Speaker 1 (12:44):
Welcome back. So what are you doing to get it
out there? Are you going to be doing book signings,
book writing?
Speaker 2 (12:51):
Yes, I am, indeed i am. I'd love to be
on podcasts or brother podcast hosts. I would be delighted
to go out and talk more about the book. I
am doing signings. I am having a launch party at
a local bookstore and I'll talk about that a little
bit too, So that's happening. I'm doing information in my
newsletter whatever way I can let folks know that this
(13:14):
lovely book is available.
Speaker 1 (13:16):
People should pre order from deboan dot com if they're
in America, because that's how they'll get all the goodies.
Speaker 2 (13:23):
It's the only way to get all the goodies.
Speaker 1 (13:24):
It's the only way. And if they're outside of the
United States, what is Clear's.
Speaker 2 (13:29):
Website, willcotour dot com.
Speaker 1 (13:32):
Willcotur dot com, and they can get all the goodies
that way as.
Speaker 2 (13:35):
Well, exactly the same, the same thing, Okay.
Speaker 1 (13:38):
And then after September when the book is out. I
do want to shout out bookshop dot org. Do you
want to talk about that.
Speaker 2 (13:45):
Bookshop dot org is a wonderful organization that it's like
ordering online from any other online retailer, but you can
designate where you want a portion of the proceeds to go.
And I have deer sign it if you go to
my website and you order it from bookshop dot org
or if you go to bookshop, the proceeds from this
(14:06):
book go to Pomegranate Books in Wilmington, North Carolina, which is.
Speaker 1 (14:10):
A beautiful independent bookstore that absolute love and want to support.
So I love that bookshop dot Org lets you do that, I.
Speaker 2 (14:17):
Do tell you, so order it of course from Larnes
and Noble, Amazon and Waterstone if you're in England as well.
Speaker 1 (14:24):
One thing that I really love about this for you,
deb is you actually do this like this, crafting the
wheel of the year. It's how you live. It is
because you will often say to me, I don't follow
the same holidays that you do, and you'll say, oh, well,
I can't record on that day it's in bulk, or
I can't you know, I have to carve out this
(14:46):
time because I'm celebrating this holiday. And I would just
love for you to share with listeners a little bit
about what that looks like in your world.
Speaker 2 (14:54):
Happy to do that, Samantha, Because of the eight holidays,
as you have just talked about, really there's a holiday
about every six and a half weeks. Is how that
works out if you were to map it out on
a calendar. And I love that. I love that there
is this continual reminder of the shifting of the seasons
(15:16):
and the gifts that we have from each of them.
And so in my tradition and as it does in
the book, the year begins at what's called Sowen, which
is of course we also think of that as Halloween.
In the Northern Hemisphere, the word Sowin means summer's end,
and it's the third and final harvest festival. So here
(15:38):
it is at the end of October. This is the
end of the crops are all in, food is prepared
and put away for the stored for the winter. The
canning is done and whatever, and it's time to shift
the focus to heart and home, and it's time to
say whoop. The work is done from the outside, gardening
(16:01):
and harvesting is done, and now it's time to go
within to be quiet and settled in to preparing for
the winter time to come. For me, this time of year,
Salen gives me an opportunity for reflection. It's also a
time of year when the veil is thinnest, so it's
(16:22):
a great time to communicate with our loved ones who
have gone on. There's this process that begins with Salen
that then moves us into Eywle. We move from Swen
to Yule, and Yule is that winter solstice time where
the days it's the shortest day of the year and
it's a time where we can really celebrate that moment
(16:47):
of stillness in our lives, that time of silence, that
time of gratitude for the gifts that have been given
to us in our lives that are represented symbolically by
that I said earlier, that pop of red from rowan
berries or holly berries, that time of telling stories and
gathering family together. And then six weeks later we move
(17:12):
in February, the first of February to imbulk, and that
word means in the belly, so it's a time of pregnancy,
particularly in agrarian cultures of time when it was time
for early lambs perhaps to be born, it was a
time of connecting to milking, and just beneath the surface
(17:33):
of the snow covered ground, life was beginning to stir.
One of the things that we often see related to
this holiday is just a blossoming of crocuses in the snow,
and that's that reminder that we're at what's called across
quarter day where we have this gift of almost this
(17:55):
gift of the promise and the hope of the coming
of spring. And from in Bulk we move into a stara,
which comes from the Goddess of Starre which is the
time of spring and the coming of the new season
of life. So that's where we get bunnies and eggs
and all those symbols of birth and rebirth and growth
(18:16):
coming to us in the springtime at a Stara, and
from there, six weeks later we moved to Beltaday, which
is May first, and that's the time of planting and
preparing the fields to be planted, and the hope and
the promise of the growth season to come. This is
(18:38):
where we get the idea of dancing around a maypole.
It's a time of making mary. And then from there,
of course, we moved to Litha as we talked about
the summer solstice, which is that wonderful time of year
that is the counterpoint to Yule six months earlier. Then
we move to Lanassa, that second harvest, that harvest time
(18:58):
of bray of grain and breads, and we end the
season in September at the fall equinox with Mabeon and
the time of harvesting the next round of crops wherever
you live, and honoring again that process reparation and gratitude
for the gifts given in our lives. So much of
(19:19):
this wheel of the year this spinning that ever spins
on and on and onward, is about offering gratitude, about
being connected, about finding joy in creation that we do,
and creation in the nature around us. And that's really
a lot of what this book is really all about.
(19:41):
Regardless of what your beliefs are, we all go through
those seasons in those times throughout the year and have
that concept of being deeply connected to each other and
to the world around us.
Speaker 1 (19:53):
And it's so important to hold on to those connections
to nature, but also as reminders that everything in life
is cyclical. Yes, there is no beginning, middle, and end.
Everything is a circle life, death, reincarnation, rebirth, renewal, good times,
bad times, It's all on the wheel. And I think
(20:16):
that's a really important reminder because it helps us to
stay present and to stay focused in gratitude. And what
I love about the crafts that Claire has provided in
addition to your beautiful writing, is it allows us to
slow down. That's something I really love about doing any
craft project is it really does force me to be
(20:38):
present in my body and to slow down and to
really connect.
Speaker 2 (20:43):
True and these projects that Clive has done are just lovely.
Some of them are for whimsical and fun. Others of
them have a deep spiritual connection. Others of them are
absolutely beautiful and very useful. I love what she's chosen
here to be representative of that time of spinning through
(21:04):
the wheel of the year and doing it exactly as
you say, slowing down and being truly present and connected
to to what your hands are doing.
Speaker 1 (21:13):
The only craft I don't think I could do in
the book is the wreath. That thing is so beautiful.
I don't know that I could replicate.
Speaker 2 (21:20):
That, isn't it gorgeous? Yeah?
Speaker 1 (21:22):
I just I want to get some lavender right now.
Speaker 2 (21:27):
I have a friend in New Jersey who makes lavender wands,
and I don't know how she weaves them, but they
are just beautiful to look at. Yeah, I don't know
how cled does that. I just don't know. I'm in
awe of her work. I truly am. Well.
Speaker 1 (21:41):
I just love that. Like I said, You've always been
walking this path, so it's very authentic. It's very right
and aligned with who you are. Remember that time before
you when I met you told me about it where
you challenged yourself to live off food you grew and
backyard I do, I mean tell us about that because
(22:04):
that's so connected to this book. I feel in many
ways that was.
Speaker 2 (22:08):
A fascinating and wonderful experience and what I'm not sure
I could replicate today with where I live now and
my physical ability to do gardening, but I did do that.
I had planted potatoes in Hay. I had all sorts
of vegetables, o gra beans, corn, cucumbers, tomatoes, all sorts
of stuff. And yes, I basically became a vegetarian for
(22:34):
a period of time during the harvest time of that
summer and did except for eggs and probably toast, what
I ate for several weeks. Was when I grew in
the yard.
Speaker 1 (22:46):
And I realized hard or was that like enlightening?
Speaker 2 (22:50):
It was certainly enlightening. It wasn't hard because I was
committed to trying it, But I could I sustain it
over years? I don't think so, not in today's world.
And it was indeed enlightening as to how much work
it is to be somebody who that's what you do,
(23:10):
how that's how you live, that's what your life is like.
I did that as a choice, But I could have
gotten in the car and gone to the grocery store
or gone to a restaurant I could have, but I didn't,
And but I realized and ended up with a lot
of respect for agrarian cultures. And that's a lot of
(23:31):
where this concept of that awareness and living through these
holidays comes from. Is that respect for the agrarian cultures
in our world.
Speaker 1 (23:41):
Yeah, and respect from Mother Earth than all that she
provides us.
Speaker 2 (23:45):
Absolutely, who you talk about gratitude absolutely.
Speaker 1 (23:49):
What's one of your favorite exercises from this book or
the favorite part that you were able to write if
you had to pick one.
Speaker 2 (23:56):
My favorite part to write, well going. I really enjoyed
writing about Ewell, partly because this is such a holiday
that so many different cultures share in some ways, and
it was so much fun to write about it and
to incorporate the connection to our history and traditions, to
(24:21):
our ancestors what they did, and then how today our
holidays in many different cultures have derived from that history
and those cultures and have become an integrated part of
our lives in so many ways. I also loved little
asides that are in the book. For example, one of
(24:44):
the things that Claire and I did when we started
this project was each of us made a crystal grid,
asking for guidance and good communication and all the things
that we felt we were going to need in order
to write this book. And we both still have those
grids up even now as we are working our way
through the getting the book out to the world. But
(25:07):
we also wrote a spell of rayer kind of thing.
I'll read it to you if I could. Yeah, Dear
muses fair and Goddess is bright, Please bless this writing
with your light. Grant us some fear's wisdom, key that
this book and all its gifts come to be across
(25:30):
time and the bright blue sea. May harmony stand firm
between you and me. Grant us joyful work together with
no adversities to weather. Let us reach those who want
to learn and whose heart for joy's yearn As the
wheel ever onward spends so now here our task begins
(25:54):
as we will it. So mote it be blessed.
Speaker 1 (25:57):
Be Oh, that is beautiful.
Speaker 2 (26:00):
Thank you.
Speaker 1 (26:01):
What crystal did you choose for your crystal grid?
Speaker 2 (26:05):
So here's what's on this big plate thing that I
created for our time together. In the center there is
a quartz cluster for bringing in harmony and connection with
each other. There is smoky quartz. There is as you
write malachite, a chyanite blade, a rose quartz pyramid, an
(26:29):
orchter shell, a turkey feather, a five pointed star candleholder,
and a key light. And then I created this sachet
of herbs that has lavender and some sage, probably some bergamot.
I'm not sure what all else is in it, but
it's a sachet that I put together with the intention
(26:52):
of we would have kindness and sweetness between us as
we work together. So that's what I love that, that's
what's hearing this plate.
Speaker 1 (27:01):
I don't think we've ever added herbs to any of
the crystal grids we've created.
Speaker 2 (27:06):
No, but I did this, and I think I needed.
I needed the idea of working with fragrance because I
knew that we were going to be including essential oils
into the book as well as crystals, and so I
needed something that represented that, that fragrance of creativity and
(27:28):
kindness and collaboration. And that's what I put in that session.
Oh and there's a bay leaf that says that my
intention was that my writings would be published beautiful.
Speaker 1 (27:40):
All right, let's take our last break and we'll be
right back. Hi, guys. Quick reminder that Denise and I
are teaching our mediumship classes this summer. Our Intro to
Mediumship class will be taught over two Saturdays June twenty
eighth and July twelfth, from one to four. The Advanced
Mediumship class we'll be taught July twenty sixth and August ninth.
(28:03):
You'll learn how to create and hold a link to spirit.
We'll cover overcoming self doubt and other blocks. Plus we
do a deep dive into understanding your players and learning
to cultivate your own unique way of connecting with spirit.
There are partner exercises taught both in and outside of
class time, so you can really practice and learn to
hone your readings. Also, if you sign up for my newsletter,
(28:26):
you'll see a coupon code to receive twenty percent off
any bracelet. For more information, go to Samantha Fay dot com.
Welcome back. When you were writing these different sections, did
you feel the energy of any of the gods and
goddesses connected to the holidays, Like did Lou pop in
(28:47):
and say thank you so much? And here's another idea?
Speaker 2 (28:51):
Actually yes, because here's what I did as I moved
from holiday to holiday. I meditated, I ask for a
stone that be appropriate to work with, and I ask
for any kind of messages or guidance that I may
get from. Whether or not it came from the gods
or goddess is connected to the holidays, I don't know,
but certainly from my guides, certainly from Mary Shelley, I'll
(29:14):
talk about her. But all of that came together with
each one, and I made notes after the meditation, and
that's how I began the process of actually writing the material.
Speaker 1 (29:26):
Oh, I just think that's fantastic, and I don't mean
to be disrespectful. I just the low thing just threw me.
I never heard of that. But I love reading about Astara,
and of course you and I have such an affinity
for Bridget, and I just think it's great for listeners
to be able to connect with your work on this
(29:46):
level and really understand how there are so many resources
out there for us to call on for help, including
Mary Shelley. So tell us about what you mean by
that reference.
Speaker 2 (29:56):
Well, let me just tell you and I'll do this
fairly quickly. Some time ago, I had this dream in
which I was in this big house walking down this long, dark,
annaled hallway, and I opened the door to this room,
and I was in this Victorian notch even earlier than
that library, and sitting behind a desk was this woman
dressed in seventeenth eighteenth century garb and I said who
(30:21):
are you? And she said, I'm Mary Shelley, And I thought, WHOA,
what is up with that? And I came out of
the dream. And then so of course I started researching,
and I realized and in my research I learned that
Mary Shelley wrote Frankenstein's Monster in Defiance of the Industrial Revolution,
(30:45):
that she was a true lud act and the whole
idea was that we must hold on to that which
is made by hand and is sacred and it's not machinery. Well,
for me, what a better muse could there? Bathe in
Mary Shelley? Right, So, when I was working on this
and other writing, said I have done in the past
(31:06):
couple of years, I had asked for help from Mary Shelley.
And I don't know whether or not she's been, but
so far it's worked out pretty well.
Speaker 1 (31:14):
I think that's so interesting because when you first told
me about that selfishly, I was like, oh, dev she's
tried to tell you that we need to do more
spooky shows, and then you said, no, Brackenstein represents a
pushback against the industrial evolution and technology, so it's about
getting back to nature.
Speaker 2 (31:36):
You're right there, there is that Oh me, how.
Speaker 1 (31:40):
Are you enjoying promoting the book? Are you you want
to talk about that experience?
Speaker 2 (31:44):
Well, I am. Here's what happens. So if somebody orders
the book from my website, I get a notice from
my website and from PayPal that the order has come in,
and then I send an email mail a confirmation email.
I think you get one two from the whatever, but
(32:05):
I send one that I type that thanks you and
reminds you of when the book is actually coming out
in September and the goodies that you will get with it.
And that's lovely to be able to do that personal touch. Now.
It will happen again when the book is actually available
and will be shipped to you, but I'm doing that
now as a thank you to just let you know
(32:26):
I got your order and I'm acknowledging that. So I'm
grateful for that. I'm looking forward to how the summer
evolves with scheduling talks and signings and so forth and
so on, and at some point I'm sure clear and
I would like if you would be willing to do this, Samantha,
to allow us to come back on and talk together.
(32:48):
I think we should interview Claire.
Speaker 1 (32:50):
Oh, I think that would be great, great good.
Speaker 2 (32:53):
So there we go. So those are the kinds of
things that are happening at this moment while I'm sitting
here on pins and needles waiting for the books to
really arrive and to really be published. So it's coming again.
Debowen dot com gets you to my website where you
can order the book and get the goodies that come
with it. Claire's website is what wolcotour dot com. If
(33:17):
you're in a country other than the United States, can
certainly order from her as well, or if your brothers
is to go to an online store in some way,
you can also do that as well.
Speaker 1 (33:28):
Perfect are you working on a new writing project.
Speaker 2 (33:31):
I am, and it's not related to this stuff at all.
It's the other pieces that I have written over the
past couple of years have been creative nonfiction pieces and
a couple of poems which I interesting but anyway, but
related to the environment. Because to me, this work on
this book, Crafting the Wheel of the Year with Claire
(33:51):
is an outgrowth of my respect and love for Mother Earth.
And so the other works that I have been working
on had been along those lines, stories about coyotes for example,
of what we might do as we see climate change happening,
and that sort of thing. So that's piece of where
(34:11):
I'm going back to as well.
Speaker 1 (34:14):
Oh I love that, and I'm so happy that I
get to see this beautiful book being birthed into reality,
and I just can't wait for you to be able
to share it with listeners. I'm so happy for you.
Speaker 2 (34:26):
Deb Samantha. None of this would have happened without you.
Speaker 1 (34:29):
Can I just say that without me?
Speaker 2 (34:32):
Yes? Well, because you're the one who nudged me out
of the closet in many ways when it comes to
beliefs and psychic work, and fifteen years with you has
certainly given me the impetus to be willing to try
this kind of stuff.
Speaker 1 (34:51):
Wow, we gazul to you. Thank you. You know, we
had a listener submitted question on one of our recent
Q and a's where she was taught talking about being
afraid to really share that she was intuitive with friends
and family, and I know you're pretty much the only
person in your family who follows this type of tradition
(35:15):
and wheel of the year.
Speaker 2 (35:17):
Not pretty much. I am all right.
Speaker 1 (35:19):
I didn't want to just put it all out there,
but yes, I am okay. So you are the only
one in your family who follows the Wheel of the Year.
Were you worried about sharing that?
Speaker 2 (35:32):
Yeah, I still am, even though now this book is
being published and here we go. But you know, at
some point you just got to be true to who
you are. And I think one of the things that
has helped that folks may remember this is that over
the past several years, I have periodically been invited to
speak at this organization on Sunday mornings that is a
(35:56):
spiritual center, and I have been invited to speak to
talk about however I see the world around me in
terms of spirituality, and that has been very lovely and
freeing as well.
Speaker 1 (36:09):
And the two episodes we shared where it was just
you sharing your wisdom and the way you look at
belief and faith that we've gotten tremendous response on that.
So I feel like spirit is nudging you and kind
of helping point the direction on where your writing world
should lead.
Speaker 2 (36:28):
Thank you for that, and I hope that's true. And
I agree, and I'm very grateful for folks enjoying those
shorter little episode things I've done. And I have some
more plans, some more coming good.
Speaker 1 (36:40):
Okay, So once again, the book is called Crafting the
Wheel of the Year Seventeen Magical Projects to Honor Nature's
Seasons by Deb Bowen and Claire Gilder, and you can
pre order at deb Bowen dot com and you will
get all sorts of fantastic goodies. So we really hope
(37:01):
that if you have loved this show and loved working
and learning from Deb, that you will help support her because,
as fellow writers listening know, pre order sales are so
so important. Let's show her how much we love her
and go to Debowen dot com and pre order this
beautiful book. I'm so happy for you, Deb. And as
(37:22):
I said, when you were talking about birthing this book,
I said, okay, when it comes out, we have to
do like a book signing together. So at some point
we have to do that.
Speaker 2 (37:32):
We will. That'll be so much fun to do.
Speaker 1 (37:34):
Yeah, I don't want it. I never want to do
them on my own, but if you're next to me,
it'll be fun.
Speaker 2 (37:39):
We can do it. It'll be fun.
Speaker 1 (37:41):
We can do it all right. Thank you guys so
much for listening, and we hope you have a beautiful
week where you are magically connected to nature. Remember, as always,
to be the light for yourself and others.
Speaker 2 (37:55):
Take care everyone.
Speaker 1 (38:02):
Thank you for listening to Psychic Teachers, your podcast for seekers,
light workers, mystics, and magical thinkers. If you like the show,
please tell a friend or leave us a review. Wherever
you listen to your podcast. For more information, check out
our Facebook page Psychic Teachers, or our websites Samantha Fay
dot com and Debbowen dot com. Thanks for listening and
(38:22):
have a great week.
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