Our Site of the Month winner for January is www.leahwhitehorse.com. Congratulations Leah!  We sat down with Leah and asked her some questions about herself, her site and her unique talents.

What site do you host with Lunarpages?

Leah:  Lua Astrology – www.leahwhitehorse.com

How long have you hosted your site with Lunarpages and which hosting plan are you using?

Leah: Lua Astrology has been running since June 2008 although I have been with Lunar pages since 2005 hosting my old website Whitehorse Dreams and also my other  current site In Love With Lisbon. I’m on the basic plan.

Tell us a bit about your site and what you do there.

Leah: I’m a writer and astrologer so Lua Astrology is a platform to write about astrology, showcase my work, advertise my services and connect with like-minded people across the world. I also have sections on tarot and dream-work that I am currently building. My aim is to provide information to people who are interested in spiritual/psychic development which can be applied to their own lives and inspires them to discover more.

Tell us about the design of your site.  Did you design it yourself?

Leah: The theme is a personalized version of Atahualpa. I taught myself how to design a website from the ground up back in html days so whilst it isn’t always easy (!) I can tinker with themes and css. I prefer to be able to do all the web design/maintenance myself. The Atahualpa theme though is brilliant; easy to use and intuitive. For the logo I used an image I found in the creative commons which is of a Portuguese compass rose dating back to 1492. The Portuguese were renowned for their ‘discoveries’ (maritime exploration). Sailors used the stars to guide them so I use this as an analogy of discovering yourself and being guided through life by astrology.

We notice you are a published writer!  Tell us about your book.

Leah: I’m co-author of ‘Spellcaster: Seven Ways to Effective Magic’. The book was written by 7 different authors who all walk different magical paths. Each of us explored our own tradition, how we practice magic and the spiritual/personal development that unfolds along the way. It was written to inspire others to follow their own magical path and practice in a way that feels right for them.

You also interpret dreams which is awesome!  What is the strangest dream you have heard of and what did it mean?

Leah: Dreams are amazing! They give us so much guidance if only we can understand the message! For some reason I have always had a very good understanding of dream language so what may sound completely bizarre and meaningless can in fact make a great deal of sense.

A dream I was once told was:

“I’m a cloud flying in the sky. I have  a specific shape and color. There are other clouds that also have a shape and color. We join together and we’re flying together and I feel very peaceful.”

The dreamer had been suffering from depression. Clouds are often connected to sorrow (rain) and unhappiness (the sun disappears behind the clouds).

Normally a cloud will roll and change with the wind but the dreamer was flying in a specific color and shape (holding it together). There’s a sense that despite his sadness, he had begun to get a feel of his own unique sense of self. There’s also a feeling of him reconciling different aspects of himself (joining together with the other clouds). When he said he felt ‘peaceful’ at the end this is a play on the words ‘full of pieces’. The dream is like a jigsaw, fitting together everything to get the whole picture which brings a sense of peace. He was beginning to detach from the emotional state to get a different perspective on his life.

Do dream catchers really work?

Leah: I love dreamcatchers and I have a huge amount of respect for the people of the first nations. I think they can work if made in a traditional manner by someone who understands their magic and I like the idea of having something protective watching over the sleeper. That said,  nightmares serve a purpose to help draw our attention to very important issues that need to be addressed so I wouldn’t necessarily want to deflect all bad dreams.

How do you prefer to spend your offline time?

Leah: There is offline time? *laughs* Reading mostly, learning Portuguese or watching shows like Supernatural and True Blood. Also traveling to Lisbon (the best city in the world!) as much as humanly possible.

Your tattoo is fantastic!  Tell us more about it.

Leah: Thank you. My tattoo was done by my good friend Ami who is a terrific tattooist. The design is of a spinning galaxy with the stars of the the Great Bear superimposed over it and the Moon. I remember watching an eclipse of the Moon when I was around five and I used to dream of looking up at the constellation of the The Great Bear. Looking into space makes me feel part of something wondrous and beautiful. The moon and stars always guide my way.

Does your online business sustain your lifestyle or do you have an additional job?

Leah: I currently have a part time day job which is very flexible. I plan to leave that in the next year to be fully self employed.

Can you provide readings and dream interpretations online or do you need to physically meet with your clients?

Leah: I have done face to face, over the phone and read via email. Reading via email is my favorite way to read for people. I have time to meditate on the question and really connect with what is happening in the astrological chart/tarot cards/dream. Clients also like having something to read over and refer back to.

How has the internet helped your business?

Leah: The internet is just incredible. I have learned so much about marketing and networking via the web, met some wonderful people in cyber space and connected with many fellow astrologers. I love the fact that it doesn’t matter whether my client is on the other side of the city I live in or the other side of the world. I feel I can reach out to many more people via the internet.

You also focus on astrology.  Tell us in your opinion the best love match (i.e Taurus and Pisces for example)

Leah: To really understand how two people work together you need to look at the full natal chart of each partner then compare those charts. Every relationships has it’s strengths, weaknesses and challenges. But, if you are just looking at sun signs then signs which are of the same element can get on well together.

Earth: Taurus, Capricorn, Virgo
Fire Aries, Leo, Sagittarius,
Water: Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces,
Air: Gemini, Libra, Aquarius.

Opposite signs can also be drawn to one another.

Describe your average visitor to leahwhitehorse.com

Leah: My average visitor is most likely to be  someone with a keen interest in astrology or student astrologers looking to learn more. I also draw people who are perhaps just starting out on a spiritual path or who want to learn about dreams, tarot, synchronicity etc. Some find me through having unusual experiences that they cannot explain. Stats wise it would probably be a female aged 20 – 45, graduate educated, using internet explorer.

Now, let’s have a bit of fun.

What are your theories on déjà vu?

Leah: I believe that in sleep (and sometimes even when awake) we can travel to different times and dimensions; our spirit can leave the body or consciousness extends beyond it. Perhaps Einstein was right in that the past, present and future exists at the same time. I think déjà vu occurs because our consciousness which is not bound by time has visited that moment before.

What is your favorite sound?

Leah: The voice of someone I love – and David Fonseca (Portuguese singer-songwriter)

In 2010 tell us your:

Best? – Making some great connections for astrology and writing both on and offline. And finally starting work on my novel.
Worst? - The snow and ice – I hate the winter!
Funniest? – The line ‘I learned it from the pizza man’ in Supernatural. “Gotta love that angel Castiel!”

What is a family tradition you’ll pass on to your significant other/kids?

Leah: I don’t have any family but what I learned from my grandmother is that the universe is in constant communication with us and there is a meaning behind it all.

What is your favorite star sign? Why?

Leah: That’s a hard one. Every sign has great characteristics. I’m going to say Taurus because it’s my own sign and I know some wonderful Taurean people. Taurus as a sun sign can be very creative, loving and loyal.

What’s the nicest thing that anyone has ever said to you?

Leah: It’s lovely when someone lets me know that something I have written, whether it be through an article or a reading, has moved, inspired or helped them.

If you could be reborn into any animal, what would it be?

Leah: A horse running wild on the plains.

Twitter or Facebook?

Leah: Facebook. I use Twitter but I love the real community feel of Facebook.

And finally, what’s the best web hosting company in the world?

Leah: That would be Lunarpages! You have been fantastic, thank you!

If you would like to submit your site for Site of the month for February 2011, become a fan of Lunarpages on Facebook and then add your site to the post for February!