Spirit Guides Communicate Indirectly Spirit Guides communicate with signs and symbols.  If you have practiced opening your intuition you can get messages more directly via automatic writing or channeling.  Usually, though, people will start to see something they hadn’t noticed before over and over again.  If seeing that sign or symbol is accompanied by a…

Empower Yourself with the Tarot Queens Tarot cards are usually thought of as a tool to predict the future but they are even more valuable as an aid for self-empowerment. Tarot cards can be gateways to unseen parts of yourself. Sometimes these parts will help you. Sometimes they work against you. Having an ongoing relationship…

The Benefits of Learning Reiki One of the main benefits of learning Reiki is that it raises your vibration, whether you’re applying it to yourself or others. Raising your vibration = warm fuzzies. It’s worth it just for that! Can be used to decrease pain, both physical and emotional, in yourself and others. This is…

Rhodonite is a pink stone with black veins.  That color combination gives it a grounding nature along with an amplification of unconditional love. Here is an easy exercise that will help you tap into the energy of rhodonite to help with relieving grief and sadness at a spiritual level. The Heart Chakra and Grief The…

May Day Origins May Day is one of the most powerful days in the pagan calendar.  Modern pagans refer to it as Beltane.  To ancient Europeans it was a day for celebrating the return of the growing season and fertility in general. Ancestors were honored and divination was performed. Some of those traditions still survive…

100+ Young Living Essential Oils Illuminations has over 100 Young Living Essential Oils available.  Young Living is an essential oil company based in Utah.  They are committed to producing some of the highest quality essential oils in the world because they believe that essential oils can be used to enhance health and well being. All…

This weekend, Wild Indigo Coyote, Gretchen Little, and I all traveled to Minneapolis to attend Paganicon. Gretchen and I realized that this is already our 5th year that we have attended! It’s a time for some self-care for me, a time to go within in meditation, but also indulge my favorite pastime-learning. Paganicon is a…

Time to Celebrate Halloween! Since October 31st is the first year anniversary of Stephanie Ryan as owner of Illuminations, we decided to do it up right by celebrating the 11 Days of Halloween.  It so happens that this year that is exactly how many days it is from the Iowa City Metaphysical Expo (which Stephanie…

Some of our customers haven’t been feeling great in the last few days. I believe that it’s probably due to the Leo new moon, and the energies yet to come in August. At the time of the new moon, our energy is at its lowest. This is a time for rest and reflection. Meditation, alone…

As the new owner of Illuminations, I’ve tried to be purposeful about the products we sell. I believe in the importance of education and self-empowerment. With that purpose in mind, I’ve greatly expanded upon the books and oracle cards we sell. We currently have five shelves of books, and an entire bookshelf of Oracle/Tarot/Lenormand cards!…