Life is funny, you're going down one
path and something catches your eye and if you allow your curiosity
the freedom to express itself, before you know it you're somewhere
entirely different than you intended to be. It was like that the day
the postman delivered an unexpected parcel from Tyto, I wasn't expecting
a parcel so was curious, when I opened it the beautiful painting above
greeted my eyes. The painting began the start of a series of changes
to Moonshadows Realm those of you that have been around since 2003
will know that it's constantly changing and adapting. This latest
adaptation is the result of a conversation that came about between
Tyto and myself in early 2005. It set some wheels in motion and the
new look is the result. This is what she said.....
I have a picture in my mind of a small quiet
side street with cobbled stones. There is a half hidden doorway that
many people pass by unnoticed but it draws my eye. Going in I see
shelves of candles, crystals and jars of herbs and incense. Moving
through the shop I see another door and it opens as I approach. Going
through it I see a group of woman sitting around a roaring fire talking
in quiet voices and as I enter one stands and turns to face me. "Hello
there" she says with a smile. "I'm Moonshadow, and welcome to the
Realm."
I don't think Tyto realised just what wheels she'd set in motion when
we had that conversation. If
you've read C S Lewis's The Magician's Nephew you'll understand what
I'm getting at, for those that haven't here's a glimpse....
"...... It is a very important story because
it shows how all the comings and goings between our own world and
the land of Narnia first began.
When Digory and Polly are tricked by Digory's peculiar Uncle Andrew
into becoming part of an experiment, they set off on the adventure
of a lifetime.
Hurtled into the wood between the Worlds, the children soon find that
they can enter many worlds through the mysterious pools there. In
one world they encounter the evil Queen Jadis, who wreaks havoc in
the streets of London when she is accidentally brought back with them.
When they finally manage to pull her out of London, unintentionally
taking along Uncle Andrew and a coachman with his horse, they find
themselves in what will come to be known as the land of Narnia."
Moonshadows to me is like that, except there is no wicked witch lol!
It's a series of doors or portals to other places that connect people
despite the distance. Allowing them to share and experience things
that they wouldn't normally. It's a vast, yet to be explored place
with doors that make you wonder 'Ohh what's in there' so you wander
in and get so distracted for a time you forget to go look in another
door and time moves on and you find you'll have to wait to look in
'that door' until next time you visit.
It's a place that is there for all to see but only those that can
see past it's 'magical shop' disguise get to have 'adventures'. Only
a small percentage of people ever notice the doorway at the back of
the shop, it's there for everyone to see, they just have to want to
see it, behind that door lies the real magic of Moonshadows Realm....
Just like with actual magic it's not the bell, book & candle that
make the spell happen, it's the person and the will, you should never
underestimate the importance of people, something my Grandad taught
me. Crystals, herbs, oils and candles are needed for your spell, but
not essential, however something is vitally essential, that something
is the spark that happens when the intent is declared and you put
it all together.
It's
such a shame that so many don't see that, as it would lead them to
unknown things, new information, new adventures and new friendships.
The shop incidentally is not the main part of the realm to me, Cauldron
Corner is! The shop was a way of putting CC on the map, I always wanted
to create a community, the fact that I now run a business that happily
ticks over is a wonderful bonus. It's also my way of doing my bit
to stop the rip off of fellow magical practitioners, as you'll know
if you've read 'About Us' on the main page!
Debs
- aka Moonshadow
